When I Should Have Been Celebrating My Dad's 60th Birthday....

... I was at Fiddlers in Bristol with Mrs. K for a Minotaur Shock gig.

In fairness, at the time (Sunday 2nd June 2002), Mum and Dad were living in Eire, a gruelling 14-hour door-to-door trip each way, there wasn’t an 'official' party on that date and I'd spoken to Dad on the phone to wish him happy birthday earlier in the day.

I remember that it was an enjoyable gig, not least because it was also being broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 as part of their Mixing It programme, presented by Robert Sandall and Mark Russell.

I might be misremembering this bit, but I seem to recall that we all spent a lot of time sitting on the floor!

A great line-up: in addition to headlining hometown heroes Minotaur Shock, Foehn aka Debbie Parsons, also from Bristol and previously one-half of Third Eye Foundation, plus Manchester trio Mum & Dad, whose releases on Andy Votel and Damon Gough's Twisted Nerve label had caught my ear. 

So on a technicality, I did spend the night with Mum and Dad, just not mine…!

A lovely surprise to find that Future TuesDay has posted the entire show on YouTube. Enjoy!

 

 

Queueing At The Checkout

Before I launch into the inevitable final round up of 2025, I thought I'd drop by Amoeba Music's What's In My Bag? series and see what others have been shopping for this year.

My three specific shoppers are Russell Mael, David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnell from Spinal Tap (in tribute to Rob and Michele Reiner) and finally David Byrne.

Some great picks from all three. I'm particularly happy that the latter picked Bristol-based IDLES. Maybe David will be tempted to come to Bristol to play a gig or just hang around Longwell Records when it relocates from Keynsham to Clifton Arcade in February.

 

 

Fantastic Expectations, Amazing Revelations

Sadly, Christmas Day is also a reminder that it's another year - currently the ninth - since George Michael passed. 

I won't pretend that I was a huge fan of his music, either as Wham! or solo, but his presence as a singer, songwriter and phenomenal talent cannot be denied.

There's been a lot of TV time dedicated to George's life and music in the past couple of days. I haven't watched any of it, though a pop up in my suggested viewing on You Tube caught my eye.

On Tuesday 9th October 2012, George performed at Manchester Arena and, a third of the way through his set, dedicated a song to an audience member. The fact that the audience member was Ian Brown and the song was one of his own, 2001 epic F.E.A.R. must have been one of those WTF?! moments

George introduces F.E.A.R. as "a song we have never played before…we shall never play again, I should imagine" which is brutally honest though ultimately proved to be true.

"You'll please have to excuse me," explains George. "We've only rehearsed this a couple of times, so it might be a bit...crap", which of course proves to be wholly untrue. 

It's truly magnificent.

And here's the original version.

For each a road

For everyman a religion

Find everybody and rule

For everything and rumble

Forget everything and remember

For everything a reason

Forgive everybody and remember

For each a road

For everyman a religion

Face everybody and rule

For everything and rumble

Forget everything and remember

For everything a reason

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. 

Final eternity arouses reactions

Freeing excellence affects reality

Fallen empires are ruling

Find earth and reef

Fantastic expectations, amazing revelations

Final execution and resurrection

Free expression as revolution

Finding everything and realising

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

F.E.A.R. (you got the fear)

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

You got the fear

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off

Boxing Day blues kicking in already?

Fear not, I've created a brand new hour-long Dubhed selection to banish the blues and hopefully not leave you seeing red!

I worried that my 2021 Boxing Day offering was too obvious, being themed around boxes. Four years later, I've clearly not learned my lesson, as today's selection is based on boxing-themed song titles. 

In fact, it turned out that I hit a rich seam of gold in my digging, unearthing enough songs for at least one more selection. 

Left out of the ring on this occasion were The Affectionate Punch by Associates, Pulling Punches by David Sylvian, Punch Drunk by Gene Loves Jezebel, One Armed Boxer by Lee 'Scratch' Perry & The Upsetters, Saved By The Bell by Robin Gibb and of course Born Under Punches (The Heat Goes On) by Talking Heads.

Decayed, my recent series focussing on the 1990s, also featuring boxing obsessed songs like Muhammad Ali by Faithless, Lessons Learned From Rocky I To Rocky III by Cornershop and Heavyweight Champion Of The World by Reverend & The Makers, all left in the changing room on this occasion.

I think, blow-by-blow the fifteen rounds here deliver a knockout selection, an (upper) cut above the rest and proof if needed that I'm in your corner. 

And before I stretch my efforts to insert boxing references too far, it's time to hang up my gloves, know what I mean, 'Arry?

1) The Boxer (Album Version): The Chemical Brothers ft. Tim Burgess (2005)

2) Knockout Position (DJ Muggs Remix): Kaliphz (1995)

3) Another Blow On The Bruise: Gavin Friday & The Man Seezer (1989)

4) Sucker Punch: Fujiya & Miyagi (2006)

5) Fighting Fit (Album Version): Gene (1996)

6) Southpaw (Fluke's Glassjaw Remix): Trisco (2005)

7) Lazyitis (One Armed Boxer): Happy Mondays ft. Karl Denver (1989)

8) Lightweight: Marco Rossi (2024)

9) Down And Out: The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion (2015)

10) The Boxer (Cover of Simon & Garfunkel): Bob Dylan (1970)

11) Still Fighting: The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Denise Johnson (1993)

12) Knuckle Sandwich Nancy: Slade (1981)

13) Reign Of Blows: XTC (1984)

14) Boxerbeat (Album Version): JoBoxers (1983)

15) Boxing Clever: The Selecter (2023)

1970: Self Portrait: 10

1981: Till Deaf Do Us Part: 12

1983: Like Gangbusters: 14

1984: The Big Express: 13

1989: Each Man Kills The Thing He Loves: 3

1989: Lazyitis EP: 7

1993: Sabresonic:: 11

1995: Seven Deadly Sins: 2

1996: Drawn To The Deep End: 5

2005: Push The Button: 1

2005: Southpaw EP: 6

2006: Transparent Things: 4

2015: Freedom Tower No Wave Dance Party 2015: 9

2023: Human Algebra: 15

2024: Since Returning From The Moon: 8

Boxing Day, Fighting Fit, Gloves Off (1:01:50) (GD) (M)

Ding Dong! (Five Times)

Wishing each and everyone one of you a day full of love, good vibes and festive fun.

Today's fistful of treats should cater for those wishing for a merry and/or maudlin Christmas. Enjoy!

1) Christmas, It's Not A Biggie (Live @ KEXP): Say Sue Me (2019)

2) White Christmas (Live @ Live Lounge, BBC Radio 1) (Cover of Bing Crosby): London Grammar (2017)

3) Happy Xmas (War Is Over) (Live @ Live Lounge, BBC Radio 1) (Cover of John Lennon, Yoko Ono & Plastic Ono Band): Michael Kiwanuka (2024)

4) The Cherry Tree Carol (Live @ KEXP) (Cover of traditional song): Mark Lanegan (2014)

5) Christmas Wrapping (Live @ The Quay Sessions, BBC Scotland) (Cover of The Waitresses): Belle & Sebastian (2017)

  

 

 

Decorated, Understated, Over The Top

As a first-time subscriber to Roberta Fidora's Neighbourhood, this year has seen some unexpected treats drop through the letterbox, in addition to access to Roberta's vault of releases under her own name and previously as CURXES, plus any new songs as they emerge. All for less than the cost of half a dozen cappuccinos from your favourite cafe per year.  A bargain, in other words.

My first festive treat as a neighbour arrived this week: a Christmas card, designed by Roberta with a personalised message inside. No question, the best of the bunch received at Casa K this year. Wonderful.

To complement this, Roberta's also released a seasonal song, Christmas Trees, and it's a belter. Even a casual browser of this blog will have sussed that when it comes to Christmas songs, I'll embrace pretty much all of it, however cheesy or played to death (though I will draw the line at Mariah Carey and Ed Sheeran).

That said, as my Bad Santa offerings attest, I tend to lean more heavily towards the slightly off-kilter and frequently jaded take on this time of year.

Following in the tradition of It's Christmas And I'm Crying by Du Blonde (2023) and Boxing Day Sales by Richard Dawson (2024), Roberta delivers a deliciously downbeat narrative against an upbeat, jingly jangly backdrop.

Christmas Trees comes in two versions, with a radio edit dropping the cusses (or should that be CUXXES?) whilst loving none of it's bite. 

I've shared the words below, but you can also find a lyric video on YouTube. 

Head on over to Bandcamp for Roberta's music and maybe even join the Neighbourhood. 

Having been subjected to a 10 second loop of Let It Snow! Let It Snow! Let It Snow emanating from an inflatable monstrosity in the garden opposite Casa K for 15 hours a day for the past four weeks, I know where we'd rather be!

It’s late December

And I am quite depressed

(Put the tree up but can I skip the rest?)

Carols are being drowned out by the neighbours’ shit

(Ho ho ho)

(Really tried but I’m just not feeling it)

Nothing is magical

It’s a massive lie

(Reasons for the season are running dry)

People are miserable and yet still they buy

(As if Christmas could be quantified)

And all the gifts are too expensive

And there is really no incentive to buy

Anything

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

  in January

All the trimmings

All the singing

Hey, can you not?

But the register keeps ringing in the shops

Sleigh bells are grating

And so are children’s choirs

(Shut up, please) (And the volumes seem like they’re getting higher)

You can shove them up your pa rum pum pum pum

(Father Christmas too, he can just do one)

And all the gifts are too expensive

And relatives are argumentative

If they’re still around

(But quite a few are dead!)

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

I’m their branches in January

All the trimmings

All the singing

Hey, can you not?

But the register keeps ringing in the shops

Consumerism

Forced tradition

Yes it is and no it isn’t

Can you hear what I hear now?

Well that’s because you never listen

Buy everybody tat

Don’t touch the thermostat!

Do I have to interact with

Any of this festive crap?

Joyeux noel?

See you in hell…

And all the gifts are too expensive

And none of them are quite inventive enough

(Overly sentimental)

For anyone you love

All around me

All around me

Those Christmas trees

But I feel like

I’m their branches in January

Decorated, understated, over the top

Until their needles drop…and then it finally stops.

(Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas)

My World Is Filled With Cheer

In 1970, Donny Hathaway recorded and released This Christmas, his singular take on the festive fare doing the rounds at this time of year.

In 2020, record label Rhino commissioned an official video - Donny's first - to celebrate the song's 50th anniversary. Glorious animation by comic artist Lonnie Milsap.

If you're compiling a soulful Christmas compilation, then this is a must-have.

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better

This Christmas

And as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me

Presents and cards are here

My world is filled with cheer and you

This Christmas

And as I look around

Your eyes outshine the town they do

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me, yeah

Shake a hand, shake a hand now

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me, yeah

Hang all the mistletoe

I'm gonna get to know you better

This Christmas

And as we trim the tree

How much fun it's gonna be together

This Christmas

Fireside is blazing bright

We're caroling through the night

And this Christmas will be

A very special Christmas for me

Merry Christmas

Shake a hand, shake a hand now

Wish your brother merry Christmas

All over the land, yeah

Merry Christmas

Merry, merry Christmas

That's Why There's No Big Present On The Kitchen Shelf

2025 was CMAT's year, without a doubt. Skip back to December 2020, and Ciara Mary-Alice Thompson teamed up with Ronan Kealy aka Junior Brother to release the alternative, acoustic festive fare that is Uncomfortable Christmas.

You can this, plus CMAT's pre-global superstardom catalogue on Bandcamp; Junior Brothers also put his wares up there.

A mad old time, one big racket

I hate the smell of your winter jacket

I hate to think how long you've had it now

A dying fire was not long roaring

Technically it's no Christmas morning

But I won't leave till the drinks stop pouring out

I could feel you moving from the back of my...

The one thing I don't want is a holiday fight

Everybody laughs but it leaves us in the wreckage

Oh and I didn't wanna sit next to you

I hate this season of uncomfortable truths

And trees that lie like the way your eyes used to

When you looked at me

When you looked at me

No surprise

That's why I suit myself

That's why there's no big present on the kitchen shelf

Just a trail of white from the fire to the roof

Is it a new year when the sleigh bells ring?

Did this turkey die for my sins?

Is it okay to be nervous all of the time?

Oh and I didn't wanna sit next to you

I hate this town, that's why I had to move

And trees that lie like the way your eyes used to

When you looked at me (Uncomfortable Christmas)

When you looked at me (Uncomfortable Christmas)

When you looked at me (Uncomfortable Christmas)

When you looked at me

Bad Santa VIII

Lord help me, is it that time of year again...?

Something that seems to have become an annual tradition, it's the last Sunday before Christmas and here's another Bad Santa selection, 25 tracks in just under an hour and cheaper than an inflatable reindeer to stick in your front garden.

I'll continue to post throughout the festive season and hopefully I will get to replying to your lovely comments...thanks for your patience!

1) Away In A Manger (Cover of traditional song): Josh T. Pearson (2011)

2) Last Christmas (Instrumental): Wham! (1984)

3) Holiday I.D.: Bullet Boys (1988)

4) Christmas Boogaloo: Big Boss Man (2000)

5) Mary's Boy Child / Oh My Lord (Single Edit): Boney M. (1979)

6) Blue Christmas (Remix): Dead Or Alive (2000)

7) One Christmas Catalogue: Captain Sensible (1984)

8) Lonely Pup (In A Christmas Shop): Adam Faith (1960)

9) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (Cover of Darlene Love): Holiday Sidewinder (2018)

10) Frosty The Snowman (Cover of Gene Autry & The Cass County Boys): Cocteau Twins (1992)

11) Got A Cold In The Node For Christmas: Gayla Peevey (1954)

12) Back Door Santa: Clarence Carter (1968)

13) Xmas In Motherwell: The Plimptons (2011)

14) Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas (Cover of Judy Garland): The Beths (2019)

15) All I Wants Is Truth For Christmas (Demo): The Anchoress (2024)

16) Eggknock: Jonwayne (2018)

17) Child's Christmas In Wales (Album Version): John Cale (1973)

18) Father Christmas (Cover of The Kinks): The Joyzine Christmas Band (2025)

19) It Will Still Be Christmas: The Boy Least Likely To (2020)

20) Christmas Ain't Christmas, New Years Ain't New Years Without The One You Love: The O'Jays (1973)

21) Christmas Alone: Yacht (2020)

22) Frosty The Snowman: Santa Sabbath (2015)

23) A Christmas Message From John & Yoko: John Lennon & Yoko Oko (1971)

24) Christmas Lullaby (Full Length Version): Shane MacGowan & The Popes (1996)

25) Seasons Greetings: Jonwayne (2018)

Bad Santa VIII (56:43) (GD) (M)

And, if you are a glutton for punishment, here are the previous Bad Santa selections from 2024, 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2017 and 2016. 

Links are currently inactive, but I will have them up and running in the next day or so...

Concert Climax

From a gig perspective, 2025 was fantastic. Here are my lucky 13 of the year:

1st Feb: John Grant / Big Special

6th Mar: Alan Sparhawk / Circuit Des Yeux

22nd Apr: Mark Eitzel

13th May: Andy Bell (Erasure) / Hifi Sean & David McAlmont

9th Jun: Little Simz

11th Jun: Butler, Blake & Grant / Charlie Noordewier

9th Jul: Josh Rouse / Later Youth

24th Sep: Billy Nomates / Cirquemily (Emily Sadler)

30th Sep: Edwyn Collins / The Hanging Stars

10th Oct: Robert Forster & His Swedish Band

18th Nov: Water From Your Eyes / Morgan Garrett

24th Nov: The Sabres Of Paradise

8th Dec: The Charlatans

Click on the links to read all about my experiences. I've not reactivated any of the related Dubhed selections on this occasion, instead opting for a brand new 20-song session.

Sequenced in chronological order of when I saw them, the whole thing kicks off with Shithouse by Big Special, who set the bar impossibly high for all the support acts to follow, though pretty much all of them rose to the challenge. Charlie Noordewier and Later Youth were especially good. 

As for the headliners, John Grant, Hifi Sean & David McAlmont, Billy Nomates and Robert Forster were on my wish list for a long time, whilst Mark Eitzel, Andy Bell and Little Simz were completely unexpected and completely brilliant.

Bernard Butler, Norman Blake, James Grant and Josh Rouse sold me their vinyl at the merch stand, signed it for me and proved to be lovely blokes to chat with.

Water From Your Eyes were a revelation. Speaking of which, Edwyn Collins brought tears to my eyes, as did Alan Sparhawk. And the previously unimaginable thought of seeing The Sabres Of Paradise reform and play live was hugely emotional. 

Another first to end the year, with an exceptional show from The Charlatans. 

I already have a clutch of tickets for 2026 and, if this year is anything to go by, it's going to be bloody brilliant.

1) Shithouse: Big Special (2024)

2) Black Belt (Dungeonesse Remix By Jenn Wasner): John Grant (2013)

3) Megaloner: Circuit Des Yeux (2025)

4) Can U Hear: Alan Sparhawk (2024)

5) Nothing And Everything: Mark Eitzel (2017)

6) Celebrate: Hifi Sean & David McAlmont (2024)

7) Put Your Empathy On Ice: Andy Bell (Erasure)

8) Lion: Little Simz ft. Obongjayar (2025)

9) Dear Diazepam (Live At Deep Litter Studios, Devon): Charlie Noordewier (2025)

10) The 90s: Butler, Blake & Grant (2025)

11) Arcane Love: Later Youth (2025)

12) My Love Has Gone: Josh Rouse (2005)

13) Moon Explodes: Billy Nomates (2025)

14) Ava: The Hanging Stars (2025)

15) Nation Shall Speak Unto Nation: Edwyn Collins (2025)

16) Good To Cry: Robert Forster (2025)

17) The Mirror: Morgan Garrett (2025)

18) Playing Classics: Water From Your Eyes (2025)

19) Wilmot (Edit): The Sabres Of Paradise ft. Wonder (1994)

20) For The Girls: The Charlatans (2025)

Concert Climax (1:19:12) (GD) (M)