Song, by Toad

I recently did an interview with Billy from The Scotsman’s Under the Radar blog (amongst other venerable organs) which took the form of an interesting chat about the current tension between  bloggers and professional journalists.  He has played off my opinions against those of his friend Mike Diver, who is currently the online editor for (the excellent) Clash magazine.  The whole thing can be found here, along with plenty of comments from Ally and Milo, professional writers from around these parts, and myself and Tart, on the side of the bloggers.  The comments on that thread make for some rather interesting reading in themselves, I have to say.

It’s an interesting debate, frankly, and one which, as a blogger with aspirations, as opposed to someone who is happy to simply chat for the sake of it, I have applied a fair deal of thought to.  Ultimately, though, I think it is something of a false dichotomy: some of the best reporters keep blogs as ways of expressing themselves outwith the constraints of the editorial policy of whatever rag pays their wages and a lot of the best bloggers end up parlaying their writing skills into professional careers in journalism.  And of either side there is a vast amount of detritus, professional and amateur.

So, yes, the Toad once again holds forth passionately on subjects he knows far too little about and may in general be making a fool of himself once more.  The, erm, songs are good though.

Toadcast #76 – The Presscast

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01. Billy Bragg – Which Side Are You On? (03.17)
02. The Decemberists – Cautionary Song (Live) (11.03)
03. Jens Lekman – No Time For Breaking Up (14.09)
04. The Meteors – Out of Time (22.21)
05. Franz Ferdinand – Darts of Pleasure (32.47)
06. The Dead 60s – Horizontal (35.17)
07. Sleepy Horses – Lubbock Love Song (42.27)
08. Eels – I Write the B-sides (52.05)
09. The Replacements – Unsatisfied (62.30)
10. David Cross – My Kids are Amish (68.09)

Given that, as far as I am concerned, I already live in something of a music Mecca – not Edinburgh per se, but Scotland in general – it only makes sense that when holiday time rolls around I should head for the other great global centre of sulky indie-folk: Portland, Oregon.

Home to so, so many great bands, home to the Pickathon Music Festival, home to more rain even than Scotland, this just seems like a wonderful way to spend the next couple of weeks.  I am working early on, in fact I have four or five interviews lined up over the course of the festival, and there will be videos made as well, but after that I am subscribing to the Mrs. Toad philosophy: “I do fuck all.”  She’s right, it’s a holiday, blogs and jobs can wait.

So I’ll be posting, but not that much.  After a couple of brilliant Campfires & Battlefields babysittings, I am handing the controls over to Dylan, Song, by Toad photographer and beer-guzzler extraordinaire.  So be nice and kind, make lots of comments to make him feel welcome, and I will be back and on the go on Thursday the 14th August.  Until then, erm, good luck!

Dead Kennedys – Holiday in Cambodia
Franz Ferdinand – Jacqueline