Guitar Emporium

An experimental piece (although it doesn't sound like it!) - trying a different way of recording. Didn't come to much I'm afraid - I'll warn you before I go down this route in future. Support the show

From the 1st covid lockdown into 2020 - I was living and working in Madrid at the time. Someone mentioned that there was "light at the end of the tunnel" in about April 2020 - maybe a bit optimistic at that stage ?  Support the show

As the cricket season comes to its climax the weather has got incredibly humid in the UK - if I remember correctly great conditions for the swing bowlers of today and yesteryear. Today is dominated by Wasim Akram - widely regarded as the best swing bowler of all time, while modern stars like Mitchell Starc, Jasprit Bumrah, and of course James Anderson (who was helping coach the England team = whil...

.. and so from yesterday -  to Autumn - this needs re-recording I will try to do it - this Autumn . The leaves are already coming off the trees and the blackberries have been ready for some time. Its coming .. Support the show

Every so often I'm reminded of the numerous albums by guitarist Philip Catherine -  a wide variety of both styles and collaborations. End of August from 1982 is my favourite - so my tune End of Summer remembers that lovely music. Support the show

First recorded in 2024 - this is a hugely philosophical song  ? - which I have no idea what it is about or what it means. At the time I was stringing words together which fit a particular rhythm - so the meaning was, by and large, entirely accidental. Support the show

In my world September is the beginning of the New Year - the new school year anyway. This is when all those hopes and dreams of so many young people get underway once again.  The overriding message is go for it - far too simplistic I know - but thats how best to look at it I'm sure. Then keep going and keep on going ... Support the show

As is looks like the UK summer is gradually coming to an end - the overriding memory is one of heat, heat, heat. But we're OK 'cos all those lovely politicians are thinking about abandoning net zero - there's not enough money in it ? We've got to keep those oil barons happy.... Support the show

If you google "under the radar" lots of artsy type things come up - original writing and music - in particular. Support the show

This is nothing like the great Curtis Mayfield song - Move on up - but what a great song and set of lyrics the original is - I just happened upon it today and it can fire you up once again - ready for the start of the new term  Support the show

For someone who doesn't enjoy conflict... Support the show

Taken from Thucydides Trap - which is the title of the Guitar Emporium CD released on 1st September.  For more information on the 10 tracks please click on "support the show". A tribute to the UK's capacity for politeness, queuing patiently, and holding doors for other people. It is on the decline but its nice to see there are still remnants of it. Support the show

Into early September and the festival season in the UK is coming to a close - Love 'em or hate 'em they're a huge part of the UK summer season. Support the show

Make you up as I go along .. is a track observing the AI effect on the world. It is taken from Thucydides Trap which is the title of the Guitar Emporium CD release on 1st September.  For more information on the 10 tracks of the Thucydides Trap please click on "support the show". Support the show

You read so much stuff now that tends to suggest life is a beauty contest - the best looking, the cleverest brains, the strongest leaders, the most ruthless businessmen.  It really doesn't matter at all - do your own thing Support the show

The vagaries of the English weather - after the heatwaves comes the rain - and boy do we complain about it, From the CD released on September 1st - The Thucydides Trap - one of 10 tracks featured on the recording. Click on support the show for more details. Support the show

The Interview - as companies choose more prospective candidates through the use of AI - what was so wrong about the old interview system ? Loads of things - bias towards certain groups, bias against others, judgements being made by some totally unsuitable interview techniques as well as complete reliance on how everything is "presented". Maybe getting AI involved isn't such a bad th...

Thucydides Trap is the title of the Guitar Emporium CD release on 1st September.  For more information on the 10 tracks please click on "support the show". This is taken from the album and is meant to be an ironic reference to why the world doesn't tackle serious problems - like poverty, saving the planet. Support the show

During the recent hot weather in the UK getting the dog out and walked had to be done early (not exactly a world problem - but what you would call a 1st world minor inconvenience). At first light every weekend over the July / August "Woody" ( dog) goes with me down to Ringstead Bay - shingle beach, steeply shelving, loved by fishermen, early morning swimmers and the occasional dog walker...

Thucydides Trap is the title of the Guitar Emporium CD release on 1st September.  For more information on the 10 tracks please click on "support the show". The tune was written in response to China's reference to the USA during Donald Trumps visit in May of this year to China.  Donald Trump visited China the Chinese leader- Xi Jinping ( the paramount leader of China, serving as Gene...

No - its not a version of a Beatles song. Its not even about a ticket to Ride .. BUT it is about a ticket to YARMOUTH on the Isle of Wight. I had to go there for work this week but no disrespect to Yarmouth (its a lovely little place ) but Ticket to Yarmouth doesn't have quite the same ring about it. (Also the work I was doing on the island was in Ryde anyway(hence the spelling)  Why ticket s...

The fifth tune taken from PHASES was a tune written with my Dad in mind. Towards the end of his life he would get very tired and sleep quite a lot. I started doing that - as we got to have a young family growing around us - and the days were energetic, lively, fun and exhausting. So the tune at the time was for all dads - It later became Henry's Lullaby. There's a video on YouTube somewh...

PHASES was recorded in the early 2000's when I was trying to put together projects that took me away from the classical guitar - not because I didn't like the classical guitar - but the playing just wasn't making any money ! St. Aidans Dance was written as a "homage" to our second home at the time Bamburgh in Northumberland. I did eventually perform the tune in arts centre...

The 3rd track from the early 2000's recording "PHASES" . This version was with a talented young trumpet player, Henry, in mind. Support the show

The 2nd of 5 recordings taken from a midi guitar album done in the early 2000's .  Although its nothing like his music the Venezuelan Waltzes of Antonio Lauro are the main influence here. Support the show