Guitar Emporium

A 90's type track without the amazing Gallagher's on either vocals or guitar. I enjoyed  much of their music - and I don't feel it has aged badly at all. Take Nothing as Read. Support the show

From 2015 - a collection of tunes called Parables. I found some "mislaid" recordings in a pile of CDs - I'd forgotten about this one. Support the show

Metaphorically its starting to feel a little bit like that - many things still to do but will there be enough time - and perhaps more importantly - energy - to get them all done. Not the most optimistic view of the world. Support the show

From the demo of 2022 called The Setting Sun - this is more of a complete version of the song - The Way It Is.... Re-Title, to make the point, "This way it Isn't" Support the show

Resistance is futile is an iconic line from the science fiction TV show, Star Trek. The line is used by the Borg in the series, who assimilate various cultures into their own and warn the encountered species, that“resistance is futile” I wondered where I heard it  - good old James T Kirk and the rest of the crew.. Support the show

Now its decided - Pisces or Aries - Freddie arrived as an Aries. Rob on some great cajon. The piece is as ready as it will ever be .... Support the show

Rob has added some Djembe to this recording and I have re- written the lyric to be more positive - the original version caught me on a bad day. Support the show

A strangely uncomfortable two words - particularly with a question mark and perhaps a slightly sneering "Sir" after it . There we go . The flute returns today.  Support the show

I've been going up and down busy Motorways - getting more and more angry with the congested state of the highways. A pretty minor thing in the great scope of world issues - I know. ( I told you my main concerns are small things- sad really ! ) This is to be turned up very loud when the road system just gets that little bit too much. Mr Angry .. Support the show

Lighter Days, lighter evenings - but still a lot ( and I mean a lot ) of rain. Even the synthesiser track on this recording is called "droplets" . Support the show

Another recording for the latest "CD" - minimal instrumentation and I can breathe when I'm singing - its amazing how much less "wheezy" I am after a couple of months without the smoking . Its was getting to the stage where I was having to edit out the breathing in bits before I started singing because they were so very noisy. Support the show

... is a pot of gold , or so the story goes.  I've been teaching that wonderful song "Over the Rainbow " this term and although todays piece shares nothing with the musical structure of "Over the Rainbow " - it is a positive tune AND of course. -  it IS a Friday. Support the show

A track from a demo completed last summer .I'm now putting the "CD" together ( does anyone make CD's now ? ) . In an aim to keep it simple, fundable and accessible the instrumentation is sparse and I've given up smoking and cut down on the alcohol to help the voice as much as I can ( God it needs it ). Support the show

I love the lute as an instrument. It is gentler and even more subtle than the classical guitar at its very best. This is probably not fast enough or flamboyant enough to be a proper Toccata - but its as fast as I go. A very short and little Toccata. Support the show

Not a great name for a tune if you're looking to give a catchy title for a hit single - but I'm not so what the hell... This began as "The Politician " - around about the time of the expenses scandal in the UK ( that's just faded into the past ). It became the "Politician & the Pauper" but it really is a much broader swipe than just that - its about injustice...

The song comes from the "lost " CD from about 2014 - if anyones got one - let me know ( they're very rare - particularly bearing in mind how few I actually sold,  and how many were binned ) . It was titled Yesterday's Girl on that recording . Support the show

After the Christmas Holidays in the UK - Easter is the next big day for family meet ups. Judging by all the trains on Thursday ( before Good Friday ) everyone who can is on the move. This simple tune is for Easter Sunday. On the 31st March we all met up to be introduced to the first of a new generation - Freddie Henry who arrived on 25th March all fit and well. Support the show

Two contrasting moods - but nothing really to do with split personalities - just a working title that I quite liked. A combination of nylon strung and steel guitar and a bit of latin percussion here and there. Support the show

Todays piece sits right in the Middle of the Road - hopefully easy listening wise. Originally titled Lucky 13 - the software some how re-labelled it Lucky 14 - there we go . The weekends here once again. Have a good break if you're lucky enough to get one.  Support the show

Theatre land in New York - so I learn. A great musical - I didn't realise it started as a musical film and then became a musical .The 42 bit here really relates to the bass riff - that amazing bass player - Mark King Apparently the band took the name  Level 42 by extracting  the number from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams, in which 42 was the answer to t...

I listen to political debate as much I can but still feel poorly equipped to argue in a convincing way. This expression - kleptocracy - rang very true in a recent radio programme. The political elite robbing everyone else blind - effectively so corrupt they do whatever they please to line their own pockets. Surely not ? There was also some argument over whether only those equipped with an understa...

I'm not sure that comparing finding love to gambling is a particularly good analogy - but it sometimes looks like it is - both on the inside looking out and the outside looking  in. There are definitely winners and losers. Support the show

Todays tune first went up on 26th February - but I was having some technical problems in mixing tunes down - so it felt slightly distorted . Usually the technical problems are my mistakes - so I apologise for that. The cold winds coming off the North East are still dominating so I can imagine that Walk to Bamburgh will still be a chilly one .  Support the show

I admire that resolute state of mind that says "you're going to have to get me out of here but I'm not going of my own accord " - a sort of determination to stand your ground. Todays tune reflects that "I'm not going anywhere" philosophy ! Support the show

What I would wish for any young child - it doesn't sound terribly profound or significant but from this perspective it seems important. The book The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse - by Charlie Mackesy had that wonderful line.. "What do you want to be when you grow up ? " - "Kind" - that'll do nicely  Support the show