🎵 Music
Crucial Track 🎵 May 4, 2026
"(Don't Fear) The Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
Prompt Share a song you love that has parentheses (in the title).
A song that would have been in my ‘Just Good Songs’ playlist the day I heard it - it’s just that 🍎 hadn’t got round to inventing it - mainly because mere mortals didn’t have the internet.
Crucial Track 🎵 May 3, 2026
"Rockin' In The Free World (Glastonbury 2009)" by Neil Young
Live. Glastonbury. Well over ten minutes. Neil rockin' out.
Crucial Track 🎵 May 2, 2026
"Hi Ren" by Ren Gill
Stunning. A friend shared this with me last year. If you want to listen to a totally original and highly talented artist - start here.
Crucial Track 🎵 May 1, 2026
"Permanating" by Steven Wilson
In the Venn Diagram of music that jax and I both like - this one sits high ... so clearly needs to be pulled out first.
🎵📼 🔗 Tom Petty does ‘The Mac’ - and his ‘Welllllll’ must be the best ‘Wellllll’ I have heard in any other cover. It might also be better than the original.
The Irish tale of Oisín describes the warrior’s journey to Tir na nÓg, the land of youth. He spends three years there but when he returns to Éire to see his old fighting comrades from the Fianna, 300 years have passed.
And for a related 🎵 interlude …
Tír na nÓg are an Irish folk duo formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 by Leo O’Kelly and Sonny Condell.[^cite_ref-LarkinGE_1-0][1] They are often considered one of the first progressive folk bands with other artists like Nick Drake or groups like Pentangle.
💬 Wikipedia
Not to be confused with Horslips - who along with Tír na nÓg were in constant circulation on ‘young John’s’ turntable back in the day. Almost certainly arrived at them via Pentangle and Fairport - but most definitely stood on their own. Still listen to Horslips to this day - not so much Tír na nÓg.
🎵 Vincent's Tale by Ren
Surprise? Not if you know Ren. One of the most extraordinary artists that have emerged in the past decade.
🎵 Boots on the Ground by Massive Attack, Tom Waits
Massive Attack and Tom Waits … that’s the surprise. The result? As wonderful as you might expect.
🎵 Hope and Fury by Joe Jackson
Always liked Joe - and he has still got - 22 albums in. The tour starts soon.
🎵 Alan is probably right - but it is certainly mine - so off to see what else I can discover.
🎵 I hadn’t thought about this album for years - and have never really thought about the complexity of creating the cover. But the music was on strict rotation at one point back in the day.
When I was a lad - this 1969 image had the music press agog at just how much equiment the band Pink Floyd had to go on tour with.
Hold My Beer
💬 Rammstein
.. another one I have seen before an never shared - who knew that Jack Black had this voice inside of him?
El Estepario Siberiano has been popping into my feed for well over a year - and every time I am blown away - but until now never shared him here.
Fixed.
🔗📼🎵 This could be my BEST video TO DATE. - YouTube
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🔗📼🎵 MY STORY - HOW I MADE 1 MILLION SUBSCRIBERS. - YouTube
🔗📼🎵 The forgotten band that changed British rock music.
In all honesty - not a great video - but just happy to see The Strawbs being talked about.
Not a cover - totally original - and brilliant as Ren often is.