The DJBaroque Summer Update

Yeah, I kinda failed the postaday challenge, and yes, I did neglect the blog a little bit, but at least I feel comfortable and ready to post again. I should explain though that from now on this blog is going to be about more then just music. I really do want this to be a platform for more then just music, even though I do love music, i’ll still be posting music posts no doubt, but maybe not quite in the same way or frequency then before.

I took a sizeable chunk of time away from the blog, mainly to have one massive RL cache clear and sort out. Amongst several things, the main thing is, I now have not one but two jobs which is great. I love them both and it feels almost indescribable to be finally earning my own crust after nearly a 10 month wait post graduation. Applying for more jobs then you can remember applying for, attending interviews, workshops, sessions etc; all that boring stuff. I consider myself very lucky to say that I enjoy both jobs and look forward to each working day. I’m now a website co-ordinator at my local primary school by day and a theatre steward by night. The bloke selling the ice-creams during the intervals… that’s me! The bloke ripping your ticket and showing you to your seat… that’s me! The bloke who is cleaning the theatre at 2am only to go home and be back for 11am the next day… that’s me! I wouldn’t have it any other way. The work is great, and the people I work alongside with (for both jobs) are the nicest people you could wish to ask for, so quids in on that one!

Today I went and signed up to the one of the local gyms. I had to leave before due to illness, but now I’m all good to return and workout in my spare time. I’m on a 6 week summer offer at the moment. I figured it’s cost effective, and if I do get bored of it after a few weeks, i’m not tied to some contract I really don’t want!

It’s also meant to be summer here in England… I feel lied too.

I also want to be dead cheeky and plug a twitchat happening this sunday (a chat on twitter) at 5pm Eastern — which is 10pm for all those English people like me. The hashtag you wanna look out for is #fantasygamechat — it’s self explanatory. Those of you who are familiar with the regular #fantasychat hashtag will be right at home. It’s ran by the same folk. Video games and the like came up during last weeks twitchat, and we thought we should make it separate, and we made it so :D – Keep an eye on this blog for more: http://fantasygamechat.wordpress.com/

Yes, keep an eye here for more coming soon! Nothing is out of bounds now I guess :D – I’ll guess that I’ll leave you on a song and all that, just because. This song is stuck firmly on repeat at the moment. Loving this band, one of the best around at the moment. I quite like to think of them as the new Deacon Blue (which is a very good thing) – Noah and The Whale – Tonight’s the kind of the night!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Song A Day – May 6th: A Bygone Time?

I can’t believe that this time last year I was sat awake til’ nearly 5am, talking on facebook with university friends as we were putting our finishing touches to our 5,000 word long dissertations. I was writing about the pyschology of sound in movies and how digital evolution has affected the way we watched the movies. To the right of me at the time was BBC’s coverage of the general elections, and to the left was a half drunk can of Red Bull.

I was expecting to be feeling emotional that night, but for some reason I was almost emotionless. I was just sat staring at a word document full of quotations/references, pontificiation, hypothesis and more. Don’t get me wrong, it was a fascinating subject to write about and reading up on some of the people and papers my tutor (Andy Connio – the best lecturer I ever had at university) had directed me towards changed the way I thought about things and gave me several great leads to write a paragraph or two on.

As was the norm, i’d gone through Brian Eno’s Music for Films and the score to Twilight before I had the TV audio on low. It was strange knowing that the following night, i’d have no more work to hand in, and that my 3 years at university had come to an end minus graduation.

So with that in mind, and thinking about the year which has passed and what university was like, one song came to my head and stuck out more then others.  The chorus to this song fits like a glove and the lyrics are very apt. My song choice today is Ohh La La by The Faces.

poor old Granddad, I laughed at all his words
I thought he was a bitter man
he spoke of women’s ways
they’ll trap you when they use you
before you even now
for love is blind and you’re far to kind
don’t ever let it show

I wish that I knew what I know now
when I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
when I was stronger

the can-can such a pretty show
will steal your heart away
but backstage back on earth again
the dressing rooms are grey
they come on strong and it ain’t too long
for they make you feel a man
but love is blind and you soon will find
you’re just a boy again

when you want her lips, you get her cheek
makes you wonder where you are
if you want some more then she’s fast asleep
leaves you twinkling with the stars
poor young grandson there’s nothing I can say
you’ll have to learn, just like me
and that’s the hardest way

ooh la la
ooh la la, la la, yeah

I wish that I knew what I know now
when I was younger
I wish that I knew what I know now
when I was stronger

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A Song A Day: May 3rd – Back to Skool…

The reason why I’ve subtitled this post ‘back to skool’ is that today I begin the first day of my new job, back at the school I used to attend in the 90’s when I was only knee-high to a grasshopper! It’s a weird feeling. It adds to the theory that life goes in circles also. I suppose it’s like getting the book stamped. Studied there, check. Volunteered there, check. Working there, check!   *STAMP!* – I was having a little chuckle to myself getting my work clothes ready again, dubbing them ‘school trousers’ – I’m easily amused haha

But on a serious note, I don’t think I could be happier at the moment. I’m genuinely excited about the work and what I can do and acheive in the role for the school, parents, children and local council. I’m just super stoked. So this morning I’ll be leaving to walk to school once more. It’ll be one of the earliest starts for a while, not that I mind that, if anything. I’d rather be up early and working then sleeping in bed trying to find things to do. This could be the start of something pretty awesome.

So yes… how can I sum up my mood in music today… Simple…. See below :-P

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A Song A Day: May 2nd – Pizzicati Monday!

Monday Morning Breakfast...

In something that has become an unplanned thing here on this blog, Monday seems to be a popular day for posting classical music. I’ve talked before here about how much I enjoy this genre of music, growing up with it somewhat. Whenever I post a classical piece on a Monday I aim to make it light hearted and happy. The kind of music which makes you feel good, makes you smile and puts you in a good mood.

I only learnt the name of today’s piece about 6 months ago, despite having heard it numerous times and always somehow managing to miss the name. I heard it on Classic FM and made sure I scribbled it down a post-it note; at last… I had it written down!! It’s called Pizzicati, composed by Delibes from the Sylvia Suite. Whilst that may not mean much to you… you will probably recognise it when you hear it.

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A Song A Day: April 28th – The Workin’ Man

I haven’t been so defined on the song choice decision making in a while. Whilst you could argue that Dolly Partons 9 to 5 is also a suitable fit, I think today’s choice is equal in terms of suitability.

So… why am I posting this? Well today was a superb day. I was getting the work training for the job I start next week! I’m super duper excited about it. I’m going to be manning the website for my local primary school. The potential for multimedia content I can and dare I say it will produce is staggering. I’m humongously excited about it. I was walking to the school this morning, and apart from a slight feeilng of being a kid again, I had this one song playing in my mind and I knew I had to throw it up here today.

The lyrics, and the music just seemed to fit my mood today, so without further ado… Today’s song choice is Working man by Rush. For the unitiated, Geddy Lee is a male vocalist… and a bloody good one at that.

I get up at seven, yeah,
And I go to work at nine.
I got no time for livin’,
Yes, I’m workin’ all the time.

Chorus
It seems to me
I could live my life
A lot better than I think I am.
I guess that’s why they call me,
They call me the working man.

They call me the working man.
I guess that’s what I am.

I get home at five o’clock,
And I take myself out a nice, cold beer.
Always seem to be wonderin’
Why there’s nothin’ goin’ down here.

Chorus

Well they call me the working man.
I guess that’s what I am.

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A Song A Day – April 25th: Due Thanks + Monday Morning Feeling Good!

I need to start this post with a note about yesterday. I featured a new and upcoming band called Vintage Trouble who I saw performing on the TV. In what was a totally awesome and classy move by the band themselves, they featured and linked yesterdays post on their facebook and twitter pages. Thanks guys, that was a very nice surprise. I’m very appreciative and deeply thankful for it.

So onto todays post. It’s Monday again which is possibly my favourite day of the week. The start of a new week and a new set of things to look forward too and anticipate. My pub quiz returns this week after a one week break so that’s extremely cool to look forward to. Hopefully the PSN will be back online after it’s emergency maintenance in time for the Uncharted 2 ‘Triple Your Money’ weekend.

Every Monday I try to feature a piece of music which will hopefully get your week off to a good start and in a good mood. If there is one song which to me fits this criteria it’s She Bangs The Drums by the Stone Roses. Taken from the eponymous Stone Roses album (top 10 contender for greatest album ever) this track literally oozes sunshine, feel good and joy. The bassline riff is simple, yet has a groove all of it’s own. The jangily chiming guitars provide a lush backdrop for the laid back vocals, which all adds up to one of greatest pieces of indie music ever recorded. Put simply… this is possibly the perfect way to start your week. I hope you enjoy… She Bangs The Drums by The Stone Roses.

I can feel the earth begin to move
I hear my needle hit the groove
And spiral through another day
I hear my song begin to say
Kiss me where the sun don’t shine
The past was yours
But the future’s mine
You’re all out of time

I don’t feel too steady on my feet
I feel hollow I feel weak
Passion fruit and holy bread
Fill my guts and ease my head
Through the early morning sun
I can see her here she comes

She bangs the drums

Have you seen her have you heard
The way she plays there are no words
To describe the way I feel

How could it ever come to pass
She’ll be the first she’ll be the last
To describe the way I feel
The way I feel

Have you seen her have you heard
The way she plays there are no words
To describe the way I feel

How could it ever come to pass
She’ll be the first she’ll be the last
To describe the way I feel
The way I feel

Have you seen her have you heard
The way she plays there are no words
To describe the way I feel

How could it ever come to pass
She’ll be the first she’ll be the last
To describe the way I feel
The way I feel

A Song A Day: April 23rd – Perfect Summer Music

Flippin’ heck it’s been a hot day here in England. We hit 26oC round my parts which was pretty amazing for April. It was an absolute corker of a day weather wise. We even got a few rumbles of thunder in the evening! The sun was glorious. Granted… this’ll probably be our summer for the year and the actual proper summer months will be a disappointment, which is normally the way. I could though of course, be totally incorrect and we could have sunshine like this continuing for the time to come. I just think a lot of people will be happy that it’s come on a bank holiday.

So anyway, I was out and about this morning coming back from a walk round at a National Trust property in the sun. The iPod was on shuffle, and it threw up a song which I think is just about perfect for today. The lyrics, the tone, the music. It’s absolutely bang on. As soon as I heard it come on, I knew I had to put it up on the blog here today. The version I’m sharing is the original album version taken from the #1 album ‘Atom Heart Mother’ – The track is called Fat Old Sun. Watch out for a superb guitar solo which just snaps in and flows like the sunlight beaming down on us today.

When that fat old sun in the sky is falling
Summer evenin’ birds are calling
Summer’s Sunday and a year
The sound of music in my ears
Distant bells
New mown grass smells so sweet
By the river holding hands
Roll me up and lay me down

And if you see
Don’t make a sound
Pick your feet up off the ground
And if you hear as the warm night falls
The silver sound from a time so strange
Sing to me
Sing to me

When that fat old sun in the sky is falling
Summer evenin’ birds are calling
Children’s laughter in my ears
The last sunlight disappears
And if you see
Don’t make a sound
Pick your feet up off the ground
And if you hear as the warm night falls
The silver sound from a time so strange
Sing to me
Sing to me
When that fat old sun in the sky is…(fades out)

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A Song A Day: April 22nd – I Know What I Like

What do you think to the new blog theme. It’s the newest theme on WordPress, Mystique. I saw the announcement, took one look at the accompanying screenshot and thought it was gonna be a premium theme. However, it’s a normal theme, and as such, totally free. It was promptly applied here. I’d like to thank DigitalNature for creating such a piece of wickedness.

It’s been an absolute cracking day here weather wise, which has led me to digging out a few summer tunes. I’m enjoying waking up to the nice sunny weather and having the light nights. You gotta love the breeze coming in through the window, it’s really nice.

There are some great family times lined up this weekend. A 4 day weekend. Some roast dinners and games planned. I certainly won’t argue with that. I’ve seen the chicken crowns and turkey breasts we’ve got in and I cannot wait. It almost feels like Christmas with the nice turkey .

Anyway, onto the music. I said above that I’ve been in a summery musical mood. The track I’ve chosen today reminds me of summer for some reason. I think it’s largely in due to the intro section. It just has a bright, positive sound to it. The lyrics also reinforce this fact. Talking about the sun beating down and it being lunchtime. Apparently, you can also tell he is a lawnmower, because of the way that he walks. Pretty surreal, but hey! this song was released in the 70’s where anything was possible. Considering the band responsible for todays song it makes sense. I am of course talking about the geniuses that  make up Genesis. I really dig the band…The Gabriel era naturally. Whilst the Collins era was good, it was nothing compared to the Gabriel era. The epic prog-rock masterpieces created there within blow anything Post-Gabriel out of the water. Foxtrot, Selling England By The Pound, The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway to name but a few… and of course, Suppers Ready (if God had an iPod, Suppers Ready would play first)

The specific track from Genesis I’m sharing today is called I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe) It’s taken from Selling England By The Pound. I really hope you enjoy this track.

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A Song A Day: April 18th – Monday Morning Is Arriving

Good morning there bloggers! I hope you had a good weekend. It’s Monday morning once again, time to welcome in the week and look forward to the challenges ahead.

One thing I’ve discovered is I need to take more photos. Yesterday we had the first harvest from our garden, namely some Rhubarb which went into a very nice mum-made crumble. Served with custard as pudding to the Roast Gammon dinner it went down very well. I’m looking forward to having more harvested goodness from our garden.

Last night was fun also, watching Toy Story 3 with the parentals, tucking into plenty of popcorn before getting settled afterwards for TNA Lockdown. I’m so easily amused :p

Today it seems fitting that I share with you a little Monday morning music (damn, I sound chipper at the moment!) This is one of my favourite pieces of music to start a day with. It put’s you in the right mood, it’s joyous, happy, upbeat and elegant. You can almost picture the sun breaking over the horizon, casting a glow across the land to this song. I can’t help but feel that there is something rather English about it also. It just has that feel to me.

Today, i’m sharing Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba by Handel.

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A Song A Day: April 17th –

"I'm gonna be snooker-ing you tonight"

Yesterday I said that I’d been building a shed in the garden, the good news is that it’s still standing so I think we must of done it correctly! No creaks or fallen panels so hoorah!

Today should be a cracking day. The World Snooker Championship has started which means I’m going to be camped out in front of the TV moreso then usual, I love my snooker. Then there is football with Liverpool FC playing, The Chinese F1 Grand Prix, a roast dinner on the cards before the wrestling PPV Lockdown so all in all, it should be a pretty sweet day. I’m easily amused clearly. Besides, it is Sunday which means I am entitled to be lazy :-P

My job interview yesterday went well also, I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I am feeling confident about it. I should also hopefully be annoucing the details of the next giveaway next week. I’ve just got to do some finalising regarding it – details to follow soon.

and now… onto the music for today – I mentioned above that it was the start of the World Snooker Championship. It seems only fitting then that I post up the adopted theme for the World Snooker. If I had to list the top 10 pieces of music which would make up the soundtrack to my life, this would be in the list. Just listening to it as I write this is making me get all nostalgic and think about happy childhood memories and watching all the memorable moments on the TV. Going along to live snooker events and meeting some of the wonderful players along the way. This is Drag Racer by Booker T (if my memory serves me correctly)

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