Farewell then, Penelope Keith.
I hope it was a Good Life.
Wednesday, 1 July 2026
Tuesday, 30 June 2026
Namesakes #195: The Triffids
When a day that you happen to know is Wednesday starts off by sounding like Sunday, there is something seriously wrong somewhere.
I was nine when the BBC's adaptation of Day of the Triffids arrived on TV... the perfect age for watching a scary show about killer plants taking over the world. In later years, I would discover the novel - one of many excellent sci fi / horror novels by the late, great John Wyndham who also wrote The Midwich Cuckoos, The Chrysalids and The Kraken Wakes, among others.
The Triffids were truly terrifying creatures... but will they prove as scary as some of the acts below?
THE TRIFFIDS #1
Made in Great Britain in 1963, and featuring Ernie and Barry
Hilton… that’s about all I can tell you about these Triffids. Poppy beat band
here, but later they went Folk.
THE TRIFFIDS #2
Aussie Triffids, though they were more successful in the UK
than in their native land. They germinated in Perth in 1978 and were still kicking
around a decade later. Lead singer David McComb would then transfer his green
fingers to producing Blackeyed Susans instead.
TRIFFID #3
THE TRIFFIDS #4
Around the same time in New Zealand, these Triffids were invading. You'd have thought being neighbours, they might have heard of their Australian counterparts and chosen a different name. But obviously not...
That's your lot for today - there were a couple more listed on discogs, but obviously their music was far too scary for the tube of you.
Which Triffids made your day?
Sunday, 28 June 2026
Snapshots #454: Settlement Songs
Welcome to a list of 15 songs about places we might choose to make a home in...
15. Mourning turtles and dodos.
14. Mimosa.
Those of you who enjoy a nice cocktail will know that a Mimosa is another name for...
Bucks Fizz - The Land Of Make Believe
13. Strictly - new meets half of old.
Those of you who like watching celebrities dance on TV may well be horrified to have learned that the new Strictly host is Josh Widdecombe. Not a patch on the former host, old Wink' (Claudia Winkelman).
Josh Wink - Higher State Of Consciousness
12. Novel prize and contemporary currents, tripled.
Booker Prize. New berries. (Yes, currants are berries. I googled it.)
Booker Newbury III - Love Town
11. What's Ben's tomato worth, under the current exchange rate?
"Ben's tomato worth" was an anagram.
The Boomtown Rats - Banana Republic
10. Glaswegian Manga.
Urusei Yatsura - Strategic Hamlets
9. Stewart, Dean and Joyce.
8. Hymn to making her doubt her own sanity.
Gaslighting is not big and not clever.
The Gaslight Anthem - Biloxi Parish
7. Not an imaginary hatchback.
No, it's a Real Estate!
6. The first search engine found rhymes for campanologists.
The first search engine was (apparently) called Archie.
Archie Bell & The Drells - Soul City Walk
5. Deliver them from email.
The Postal Service - The District Sleeps Alone Tonight
...or you could have had...
The Postal Service - Brand New Colony
4. Swollen Cindy needs to unwind.
"Swollen Cindy" was an anagram.
Edwyn Collins - Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation
3. From Sunnydale to Martinique.
Buffy came from Sunnydale. Sainte Marie is in Martinique.
Buffy Sainte Marie - I'm Gonna Be A Country Girl Again
2. Oddities.
1. Fancy pants in Ginger.
Kenny sang about Fancy Pants, with Ginger Rogers.
Kenny Rogers - Coward of the County
Come back to the Snapshots settlement next Saturday.
Saturday, 27 June 2026
Saturday Snapshots #454
Weller, Weller, Weller... I hope you've got some Jam on your toast this morning and you're ready for this week's quiz.
Who are these people and how are their songs connected?
15. Mourning turtles and dodos.
14. Mimosa.
13. Strictly - new meets half of old.
12. Novel prize and contemporary currents, tripled.
11. What's Ben's tomato worth, under the current exchange rate?
10. Glaswegian Manga.
9. Stewart, Dean and Joyce.
8. Hymn to making her doubt her own sanity.
7. Not an imaginary hatchback.
6. The first search engine found rhymes for campanologists.
5. Deliver them from email.
4. Swollen Cindy needs to unwind.
3. From Sunnydale to Martinique.
2. Oddities.
1. Fancy pants in Ginger.
Just who will be the 9 o'clock hero?
Answers tomorrow morning.
Friday, 26 June 2026
One Track Summer #2: Loose Articles
Loose Articles are from Manchester. They're one of an increasing number of punky girl&guitar bands that are leaving the boys in the shade at the moment. (See also Panic Shack, Twat Union, The Pill et al.) They also have a lot of fun in their videos, like here...
...and here...
However, the song I'm most taken with at the moment is this one, which doesn't appear to have a video... yet, at least. I'm fascinated with it because it appears to start with the intro to Run To You by Bryan Adams... and then segue into Come As You Are by Nirvana. Or is it Teen Spirit? It definitely sounds Nirvana-ey. That's some audacious theft right there. More power to the Loose Articles!
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