Guitar Emporium

The latest media crisis in the UK ( before Philip Schofield). The dangers of Artificial Intelligence. I have absolutely no idea - all I hear about is how it would effect music production. I think its already here. This track doesn't use AI - but there is only 1 actual instrument in it - the initial guitar part you hear at the beginning . The rest are midi instruments. Ok I control them but I...

The blowing up of the dam in Ukraine has that bizarre effect of looking rather beautiful in terms of TV pictures - but the physical damage to peoples lives is horrendous. Support the show

In times past an employer would suggest " gardening leave" when he didn't want an employee around any more. Usually the gardening leave was used to give the employer time to get rid of the employee. For the first time in a very long time I have an employer who actually refers to it in the contract - amazing . I'll return to the subject later - but what a prospect . I'd go...

Sometimes there is just no way of saying the right thing at the right time - so after many years of getting it wrong I've come to the conclusion that sometimes its best not to say anything at all. It took it me far too long to realise that sometimes the reason to console someone is to make me feel better. Not what should have been intended at all.  Support the show

The chord sequence is taken from a classical guitar piece I first composed in about 1982/3 . The piece was for tremolo guitar playing and seems to be unfinished. I don't know why..  It was written in the Autumn - I can tell that at least - I was wishing for a reprise of what had been a lovely warm and relaxing August - looking forward to maybe another one of those this year.. Support the show

I always thought Sedgemoor was part of the English Civil War - so much for my knowledge of English History .. July 6th 1685 - was the last battle of the Monmouth Rebellion which was a battle against the Crown in the West Country.  Today the Battle of Sedgemoor is getting to the Motorway service station on a Friday afternoon to escape the M5 for a few minutes.  £16.85 is about the price of a 2 cups...

The phrase apparently comes from the twelfth century, when the author John of Salisbury wrote that philosopher Bernard of Chartres compared people to dwarves perched on the shoulders of giants. Noel Gallagher also used it - his reason is much more down to earth: He saw the quote and liked it so much he thought it would be a suitable name for an  Oasis ' album..  Support the show

Hubert Rostaing was Django Reinhardt's clarinet player in the Hot Club de Paris for which Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli ( the virtuoso violinist ) are forever remembered . Django also had his two brothers Joseph ( Nin-Nin) and Roger playing guitar for him. This is a bit of mid week lightness - I could never hope to emulate Reinhardt but I love the spirit of his music . Support the show

We, as a species, never seem to remember what has gone before - and therefore we seem to repeat the mistakes of previous generations. History is Bunk is the Henry Ford quote - the whole quote is ( apparently)  "History is more or less bunk. It's tradition. We don't want tradition. We want to live in the present, and the only history that is worth a tinker's damn is the history...

This is a bit rough around the edges- Roll up - Roll up. Festival time, fairgrounds, the very English Church Fete, the Spring Bank Holiday event - they're all out there cheering everybody up - good times ... Support the show

As summer officially started in the UK on June 1st this pastorale celebrates the beginning of some good weather - maybe . It also celebrates my Mum's discovery of the TV programme Midsomer Murders on afternoon television. She struggles to find things for a still very active brain to do - particularly later in the day when she is physically tired but the old brain box is still going 19 to the...

My Mum (aged 95) has been talking about the Devils Hour - apparently there is a film with that title being made in a big house close to where she lives. This piece is called The Devils Hour.  In the 1980's there was a very good TV series "The Edges of Darkness"  - the music for the series was composed by Eric Clapton and Michael Nyman.  I was too young to hear early Clapton in his p...

I'm not sure about this one. This is pitched at all of us who mislead ourselves - anyway - keep on going, ... Support the show

The Northern "bit" running along part of the top edge of Spain. Lots of green, sometimes mountainous , sometimes remote - but very beautiful . Support the show

The sentiments expressed in this song are just those of an old geezer reminiscing - Spring in the air - and all that stuff.  Support the show

Jack went into Birmingham city centre last Friday to give Plasma at one of only three ( I think ) centres in the UK at No. 65 New Street. Whilst I was waiting for him I was people watching when this great little jazz band set up outside No.86 - young, without vanity they just struck up and starting busking - tremendous. Summer in New Street Support the show

The Spring Bank Holiday in the UK - a Monday off - marvellous.... This songs harks back to days when I really looked forward to each new day- Mondays were no problem at all - bring 'em on... Funny little synth tracks in these - I just liked the sounds- the percussive bits etc made me smile.. Support the show

This is not a profound song at all. As we become middle aged and eventually old aged.. it becomes harder to change direction - even if you want to ( obvious really - but you never consider it until its way, way too late ). This was one such attempt -which was accurately (if rather cruelly) summed up in the expression " Keep on Walking " . Support the show

This is a reference to trying keep employed as you get older. I didn't try too hard to make it flow as  a song - there were certain things I wanted to say - the message meant more than getting the words to scan. Its a frustrating business. I can't be the only one who thinks like this ? .. am I ?  Support the show

Sorry this is a terrible play on the Glenn Frey ( Eagles) "The Heat is on". I didn't realise that the track only featured on the European version of the album the "Allnighter" - Freys solo album in 1984. I thought it was the best track. The Heating's on was a working title - using the bass line from the song. We were having smart meters fitted on the day I finished it...

An old friend, one of the most natural and very best performers I've ever come across, visited recently. It was great to meet up once again. He works as a Palliative Carer- amazing job and it reminded me of how the world is so skewed. Those who do the most important jobs are so undervalued ( at least financially ) - Crazy.  Will is also a bass player- so in this tune I wrote the piece around...

I'm going to keep going for a while.. Todays tune marks one year of daily podcasts. Days has had many forms - but this was how it was originally envisaged. If anyone says it sounds a bit like the FooFighters I'd be really pleased. Rob, Matt and I saw them at Old Trafford a day after they'd played Hyde Park. Dave Grohl sang flat out for. the best part of 2 hours and continually chewe...

With the subtitle "Evolution or Revolution" this is a dystopian and despairing piece of music generated from the music of a French film "Revolution" . A slightly strange and unusual interpretation of the French Revolution - the aristocrats become infected with blue blood after they die - and they come alive once more as powerful murdering cannibals -attacking and killing the se...

From the 2015 collection of songs and guitar tunes - the full title Stop the world I want to get off....  Support the show

An acoustic version of one of my pet targets - Charity - used as a great tax avoidance scheme by the wealthy and a justification for taking money off those can't afford to contribute..... This continues however you defend it. Why don't governments just fund things properly in the first place ? Support the show