Tag Archives: music

2006 – a year of creation

2005 was a strange year.
It’s the first full year I’ve had down here in London, and it is still down here as I’m only just getting used to it being my home rather than Edinburgh. Of the many things I’ve done in 2005, the most rewarding has been the baking.

gingercake mix

So it was only proper that I made a cake today, a further variation on the ginger cake in Nigel Slater’s Kitchen Diaries with mixed peel in the place of sultanas on the grounds that I don’t have any sultanas in the cupboard and that mixed peel is the best baking ingredient in the world.

gingercake oven

I don’t think I’ve ever blogged so little as the past few months, and while the fanzine idea is great and is happening – it didn’t really catch fire in 2005. There’s all manner of longer pieces up my sleeves and I feel in the mood for writing more, not least because I now have a nice clean new keyboard to write them on.

baked ginger cake

So, as ever, the proof will be in the eating but the aim of the year is to bake and cook more. Take some photographs with the new camera (a digital SLR at last – now that’s a good Christmas and Birthday present). I would be offering you some delightful photos of London today were it not for the fact that the January sales were far too tempting, and also the light was the greyer than grey.

May 2006 bring all of you dear (dimishing no doubt) readers all that you wish. I’ll be raving over the next few days on the Music, TV, and even Books that made staying in during 2005 worthwhile. The Theatre, Films and exhibitions that made 2005 worthwhile have almost all gone in one way or another (though if you are in London see Ibsen’s Pillars of the Community at the National Theatre – it’s ace).

New adventures in Hi-Fi

So, imagine if the RIAA was lying all along and sales of music were actually improving?
You don’t need to dream.
Yes, all of those RIAA decline in music sales figures would appear to have been based on figures for “sold in” to shops rather than sold from. Naturally, high street stores are generally aiming to stock less and yet sell more (it’s a much more profitable way to operate). There’s also some interest as to how much the RIAA are interested in the sales all along the tail rather than just in the top 200.

You’ll be reassured to note therefore that online music (even the illegal stuff) is not evil after all. It would also appear that Sony like the idea of a itunes for video. Nifty but I’d like to see the Sony wireless movie viewer to watch them on first…

Doctor Who

Hurrah!
doctor who

Yes, at long last, Doctor Who has returned to our screens. There’s been a lot of talk in the media about the unfortunate generation (of which I was almost a member) who were unable to grow up with the show. I, on the other hand had the dubious pleasure of growing up with Sylvester McCoy.

We are at last free of wobbly sets and needless cliffhangers but I was strongly disappointed by the soundtrack. Earlier music has bordered on naff regularly, but it was an air of experimentation and uniqueness that fueled it and indeed helped give berth to the modern electronic music movement. I would by no means argue that they should have dumped the original theme but if they wanted a modern update they should have used The Orbital’s cover.

Other than that note perfect. Ten million viewers and the bulk of the Saturday night audience agreed.
Oh, and top marks for a convincing use of the internet in a BBC drama, and the site exists!, alas poor Clive.