Tuesday, 3 November 2026

Namesakes #213: The Snapshots


I was rather proud of this limerick I featured on Saturday Snapshots a week or so back...

There was a young lass from North Scotland
Who decided to form a Snap-Shots band
She got C on guitar
CC on sitar
But Ernie on drums, George could not stand.

Anyway, it got me thinking about bands named after this blog's only other successful feature.

And here they are...


THE SNAPSHOTS #1


We'll start with these guys because there's no date on the record, but they only had black and white cameras, clearly. From The Keg & Quarter, wherever that is / was. Philadelphia, probably, and maybe early 60s according to a rather rambling write up on the Tube of You.

The Snapshots - A Whole Album Of Lounge Jazz Joy

That'll keep George busy for a while.


THE SNAPSHOTS #2

Soulful Snapshots next, from West Coast USA in 1963.

The Snapshots - I Need You


THE SNAPSHOTS #3


Norwegian Snapshots, also from 1963. Be careful on that ladder.

The Snapshots - Tatervise Ved Bålet


THE SNAPSHOTS #4

US Doo wop Snapshots from 1965, with a song written by Don Robertson, The Happy Whistler. 

The Snapshots - Condemned Without Trial


THE SNAP SHOTS #5

Belgian "Psych Freakbeat" from 1968. Look, if this isn't George's favourite this week, I'll eat Ernie's hat.

The Snapshots - Hip Hip Hurray


THE SNAPSHOTS #6


Frank Corbo, John Winhimmer, Robert Bunnyman Rocco, Robert Mag and Vinny Perrone make up the New York Snapshots from 1980... some pretty Noo Yoik names in there.

The Snapshots - No Jane


THE SNAPSHOTS #7

And finally today...

Discogs is trying to convince me these guys are from Italy, but I'm not buying that. I'm betting on the USA, in 1983 (?) Anyway, they're giving a helping hand to Andy J. Forest, whose "harmonica work is 100% explosive hot" according to the Tube of You.

Andy J. Forest & Snapshots - Midnight Plans


Which are your Saturday Snapshots?


Monday, 2 November 2026

Celebrity Jukebox #88: Sir Patrick Stewart


In 2012, when I completed my teacher training degree, Sir Patrick Stewart was a Chancellor of the University of Huddersfield. He led my graduation parade. I'm not saying I met him, but I came pretty close to Captain Jean-Luc Picard and Professor Charles Xavier that day. In many ways, that was the highlight of my graduation.

In tribute to his old friend, Sir Ian McKellen made much of Sir Patrick's Yorkshire pride, something which I never really get myself, and find it all a bit of a cliché, but maybe I struggle with any kind of positive sentiment that might be misinterpreted as negative. That said, I was rather chuffed to read, "the proudest achievement of the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic, was his appointment as Chancellor of Huddersfield University in Yorkshire." Maybe that's as close to Yorkshire pride as I can understand.

There weren't any obvious songs available to pay tribute to Mirfield's finest son... but I did discover this space oddity...


A Magnetic Fields song about Professor X...


And a Rick Wakeman musical narrated by Patrick Stewart himself...


Someone needs to write a proper musical tribute to this great actor. Make it so!

Sunday, 1 November 2026

Saturday Snapshots #472: Vampire Songs


Yesterday was Halloween... so I'm guessing this one would have been pretty obvious?

Maybe not.

Here are some songs to suck blood to... 


15. Found to be indistinguishable.


That's Sting, as found in distinguishable, with a cameo role in the movie Zoolander 2.

I almost posted this picture yesterday, because the web of lies led me to believe that Sting had once appeared in a wrestling movie. Turns out this was a wrestler called Sting instead though. D'oh.  


Sting - Moon Over Bourbon Street

This was the week that I discovered that the above "classic" Sting hit was about vampires, not about those awful biscuits that are always left in the tin after all the good ones are gone. I now know much more about Sting that anyone ever wanted to.

14. New Amusements over Morrissey's boy child... they're small, delicate and refined.

Martin hosts New Amusements. Morrissey's boy child would be Stephen's son. And the rest are dainty.

Martin Stephenson And The Daintees - Running Water

Very bad for Vampires, running water. So next time you get one in your house, just turn the tap on.

13. That's an amazing piece of cheese... or chocolate... or coal?

Superchunk - Garlic

Or just get them to look in your spice rack.

12. And evil trembles... but in a different way.

"And evil trembles" was an anagram.

Steve Miller Band - The Stake

11. Marilyn in a mixer.


Concrete Blonde - Bloodletting (The Vampire Song)

10. They wouldn't be so sad if they came out of their shells a bit.

Blue Oyster Cult - Nosferatu

9. They can braid your hair.

Or plait it, if you prefer.

The Platters - Twilight Time

Twilight is a film about a particularly wet vampire.

8. In the blue corner - a public speaker's cough sweet. In the red corner - Roland's US home. Seconds out...

MC Tunes vs 808 State - The Only Rhyme That Bites

7. Malin and Blunstone are Rascals. 

A Jessie, a Colin and Young Rascals.

Jesse Colin Young - Sunlight

6. Whoa. This is heavy.

A frequent quote from Michael J. Fox in Back To The Future.

McFly - Transylvania

5. Smelly cat lost on Brooklyn and George Washington.

Phoebe had a smelly cat. On two of New York's bridges.

Phoebe Bridgers - Lost Boys

4. Precursor to Count Binface.


Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages - Dracula’s Daughter

3. Sounds like a Mothman.

A cicada is a big moth. Look, you come up with a clue for this guy.

Jon Secada - Angel

And if you don't know why Angel is here, ask Alyson.

2. Dear Idaho, please get yourself sorted out.


"Dear Idaho" was an anagram.


1. The messed up outcome of a fight between Noel and Britney.


"Noel Britney" was an anagram.

Bonnie Tyler - Total Eclipse Of The Heart

Originally titled "Vampires In Love".


More Vampire Songs tomorrow later in the week, including some of the more obvious ones I left out.

Snapshots will be back next Saturday.

Saturday, 31 October 2026

Saturday Snapshots #472


Greetings, my Saturday morning Slow Horses. You're welcome here whether you're an Oldman or an Old Woman.

But who are these old pop stars below... and how are their songs connected? 


15. Found to be indistinguishable.


14. New Amusements over Morrissey's boy child... they're small, delicate and refined.

13. That's an amazing piece of cheese... or chocolate... or coal?

12. And evil trembles... but in a different way.

11. Marilyn in a mixer.


10. They wouldn't be so sad if they came out of their shells a bit.

9. They can braid your hair.

8. In the blue corner - a public speaker's cough sweet. In the red corner - Roland's US home. Seconds out...

7. Malin and Blunstone are Rascals. 

6. Whoa. This is heavy.

5. Smelly cat lost on Brooklyn and George Washington.

4. Precursor to Count Binface.


3. Sounds like a Mothman.

2. Dear Idaho, please get yourself sorted out.


1. The messed up outcome of a fight between Noel and Britney.

Moscow rules apply. Answers tomorrow morning.


Friday, 30 October 2026

Another Day #22: Halloween


Tomorrow is Halloween. I won't be able to post appropriate songs then due to Snapshots, so here are a few Halloween favourites...




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