Holiday Time For Toads
Well I’m off for a bit over the next couple of days. Once again the splendid Campfires & Battlefields has volunteered to hold the fort while I’m away. I did think it would be a good idea to get other folk to guest post – regular commenters around here like DC (I assume you’ve not got even close to enough time for this), Bart, Euan, Dylan or folk like that, but ultimately I left it too late to have the time to set someone else up with the basics. Next time, maybe. It would be nice to see what other people made of things from this side of the software.
I have to confess I am desperate for the break. Proper Job has been hectic recently, with new systems causing all sorts of problems and having to teach new employees some really very complicated software, all at the same time as an unrealistically tight deadline looms for a very important new client. I wasn’t even involved in the project from the beginning either, just parachuted in at the end with enough ignorance to be clueless and enough responsibility for this to be something of an issue. Oh what fun.
Then there’s the label. And the launch party (next Saturday, so you’d better fucking be there). And the floors in the house being sanded. And the last Toad Session to sort. And Mrs. Toad’s brother has been rather ill (as of half two this morning). And on and on and on. And we don’t even have fucking kids.
Sorry, this wasn’t supposed to be the Great Big Post of Interminable Self-Pity. Just to say that I’m going away, I could do with a rest, and please be nice to C&B in my absence. To those lurkers out there: when someone is doing us all a favour by keeping the Good Ship Toad pottering along in my absence, this would be a perfect and very gracious time to de-lurk and say hello and let us know what you think of the music he chooses.
Have fun y’all. Play nicely while I’m away.
Ndidi Onukwulu – SK Final Don’t ask me why I like this, I just do. Just steadily turning into a dried up old queen, I guess, but she’s worth checking out and I’ll probably review the album properly next week.
Bowerbirds – In Our Talons
Jon Sonnenberg – DOA
Time? Fucking TIME!? ’tis abstract, indeed. Bleh… one day, Toadlette, one day…
Me is out of here too, as of a 3.55pm train tomorrow, heading over to the USof for almost 3 weeks of fucking insane State hopping, trying to keep up with a ridiculously over-packed, self-designed itinerary. It’s going to seriously test my usual ability to work like a bastard & cram in as much hard drinking & a-socialising as my 3hrs a night sleep will allow. My poor constitution & liver is in for a serious pasting.
The past week has also been as hectic as shitting fuckery, what with a demented brakeneck nosebleed of a rush to get 5 TWR pre-records sorted before tomorrow afternoon so I can file them before sitting back & allowing Virgin Atalantic staff to take over. Unfortunately, because of things like birthdays, work, socialising, work, computers crashing, work, sleep deprivation-based hallucinations, work, &, um, work, we only got 4 of the fuckers done.
So, Toad & all you Toadscateers, the following music-chat blarney has been prepped for your listening displeasure:
4th June: usual bollocks & drivel from me + TWoTH (10pm-Midnight BST)
11th June: Welsh Music Special (10pm-Midnight BST)
18th June: Gay Wedding Disco Playlist* (10pm-Midnight BST)
25th June: TWR Replay – a classic show from the archives w/Hope Eternal + ½DC** (10pm-Midnight BST)
2nd July: Drunk Covers VII presents: The Waitsing Room II – Cool Variations (9pm-Midnight BST)
*culled from a genuine cheese & indie/dance/pop-laden playlist from a friend’s civil partnership disco what I DJ’d at for over a marathon 4fuckinghours, but slayed the fuckers with my frightening knowledge of shitpop
**the first time we have ever had to slap on a repeat show to cover my slack arse. I feel dirty.
& then I’ll be back. To start all over afuckinggain.
Apologies for the spam, but I aint gonna be anywheres near an interweb connection that often, in order to properly advertise the bastards, whilst orf over there. Plus, TWoTH can only handle so many bullet pointed instructions before she shits her patience into a slop bucket & dumps it over my head.
Have a nice break, both. You certainly deserve it – the posts have been getting more & more wired by the day. You clearly need to let off a gush of steam & have some microscopically focussed ‘me + you’ time.
As for my back breaking schedule to come, I console myself with the thought that I am going to be punctuating it all with some brilliant live shows (The Builders & Butchers, Samantha Crain to name a couple) & the can’t be turned down chance to meet Eric Idle backstage at the Broadway production of Spamalot (my mate’s son is in the production crew, so I thought I’d be a cheeky fucker & beg an audience with…). I want to ask him why financial greed disables one’s ability to not only notbe funny anymore, but also why it sullies one’s past achievements beyond repair. I give the shake ‘n’ bake 5 minutes before I’m toecapped onto the street
)
Will report, in queasy detail, anon.
Ta Ta for now.
Builders & Butchers?
So UNFAIR!
Read it & weep.
Ndidi is fantastic, and seeing her live is an elemental, soul-shaking experience not to be missed.
Just sayin’ is all…