Toadcast #60 – The Blandcast

This week I welcome you to the absolutely 100% guaranteed non-controversial podcast. Nothing to see here. Move along. Although, it might be slightly controversial, just possibly, around two thirds of the way through if you are excessively religious or perhaps if you have some objection to pointing and laughing as Jade Goody dies of cancer or Pete Doherty and Amy Winehouse slowly expire in the full and relentless gaze of the public eye.
Has anyone seen the film Deathwatch? It’s set in Glasgow in the 1980s and almost entirely obscure, despite an amazing cast: Romy Schneider, Harvey Keitel and Max von Sydow. What it amounts to is that a woman discovers that she is going to die, and then a TV company ask to buy the rights to film her last weeks. It’s a bit over the top at times, but a pretty visionary movie nevertheless. It’s always disconcerting where something like that makes a prediction which proves to be so uncannily true. I think the scariest thing about 1984 is how utterly determined the species seems to be to make sure that it comes true.
If you can find a copy, I’d recommend that you watch it. It’s pretty hard to track down though – we had to get ours from Amazon France for some bizarre reason, so good luck to you.
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1. Belle & Sebastian – Women’s Realm (04.41)
2. Clem Snide – Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Your Grievience (09.00)
3. Pree – Light Falls (17.05)
4. Frivolous Laura – A Lullaby (20.22)
5. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Statues (27.27)
6. The Low Anthem – Oh My God Charlie Darwin (37.18)
7. Kill It Kid – Burst its Banks (41.31)
8. Pete Doherty – The Last of the English Roses (49.03)
9. R.E.M. – Perfect Circle (59.41)


That’s probably my favourite REM song.
I’m looking forward to listening to this tomorrow. Won’t get time today – rugby’s on.
Oooo! Can’t wait to hear this one. Pree will be playing here in my little ol’ Virginia town on March 29, and the tunes I’ve heard from that Low Anthem outfit are top notch.
I can’t believe you actually followed through on that Belle & Sebastian threat
oh and will my new blog addy stick if I put it in the form here? I promise to listen to the blandcast, xoxox
The Daniel Johnston album was partly recorded to raise money to fund Daniel Johnston’s move into his new place (which was an almost exact replica of his old place, in order to avoid confusion) & become independent from his parenst who’ve pretty much been his carers for the last coupe of decades. Their failing health & increasing age has meant DJ’s shenanigans have become increasigly difficult to police, so it was a rather lovely altruistic effort by all involved. Of course, it tied in nicely with the docu-film & helped raise his profile across the world.
I must say, the additional, bonus track was…. er…. right up your alley. Bland, indeed!
ok ok ok