Riding the Waves to Eternity: Hangin’ with the Cosmic Surfer

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If It’s Wednesday It Must Be Byzantium

Jul 15, 2020 | Covid-19 Diary, Dead Water

Another strange day that seems to be over before it’s started, although any day that brings a new Fortean Times can be a bit of a time sink. As is going down a YouTube rabbit-hole of people who seem to be capable of making anything out of a scrap of wood they’ve had seasoning in the shed for a while and a craft knife.

The rest of us struggle to make a cup of tea.

I did write a 1970 music piece. July 1970 was a quiet month for new releases of note, though I still have Traffic, Yes, Fairport Convention and Creedence Clearwater Revival on my ‘must do’ list. Parliament and the Stooges are on the ‘nice to do’ list. Unfortunately, my self-imposed mission will compel me to listen to The Doors, Humble Pie and the James Gang.

selection of CDs

Naxos early music

If I sound a little jaded as I write this, it’s because I’m listening to some C13 Italian music on one of the superb Naxos Early Music cds featuring the Ensemble Oni Wytars and/or Ensemble Unicorn that are always by my desk. The music has stood the test of seven-hundred years; I doubt they’ll be listening to Humble Pie in 2720.

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I saw some political news this evening which overflows with tragedy and farce. Chris ‘Failing’ Grayling failed to be elected to the Chair of the Commons Intelligence and Security Committee, a post for which he’d been put forward by Dominic Cummings the Prime Minister, although the decision is in the hands of the committee itself and not in the PM’s political gift. The committee elected Julian Lewis, the Conservative MP who chaired the same committee in the last Parliament and has shown signs of independent thought from time to time.

The response of Dominic Cummings the Prime Minister was to throw toys, dummies, babies etc. out of his pram, and also to remove the Conservative whip in Parliament from Mr Lewis.

It would take a heart of stone, etc. etc. etc. Popcorn time is here, by golly.

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Music: the first of those Naxos cds I heard was On The Way To Bethlehem (Music of the Medieval Pilgrim), recorded in 1994. Music tonight comes from it. The first tune is Persian, the second Bulgarian.