Since you’ve been away

You go away for a week and when you come back the garden has grown a little. We have a pair of cheeky cardoons at the bottom of the garden that have survived whatever is eating the leaves for the last couple of years. They are looking quite majestic!

As we didn’t have much luck with our pepper and tomato seedlings earlier this year, the plants we bought from B&Q are doing well and the few bargain ones we bought at Blythe Hill Festival are starting to grow a little even if they were a little late being put in. We can’t remember how many we got but it was 5 or 6 for £2, what a bargain!

The above was another plant bought at a summer fair. We think it may be Lambs ear, Mullen as we were told next year we’ll get some tall yellow spear flowers. It’s technically a weed but one that attracts pollinators galore. If it’s something else do let us know.

This blog post was written whilst listening to this wonderful soundtape put up by the great Dave Brown (in Mississauga, Canada) from November 1980 and a brilliant tape it is too! If you love the older soundtapes do have a look at his mixcloud.

And if you want to hear a slice of Jamaica from 1977, listen to the great Jah Love Muzik below.

Who even listens to shortwave anymore?

Big thanks to Stuart and all at Cities and Memory for their Shortwave Transmissions project that is released today, what is World Radio Day 2022. Cities and Memory teamed up with The Shortwave Radio Archive (Cheers Thomas!) with some rare recordings from the history of shortwave radio from all over the globe to remix. The excellent compilation on their bandcamp site here features some of the great compositions received including a favourite of ours from Grey Frequency called Chimes (Rai Internazionale).

Big shout to our good friend on the other side of the world Paul Greenstein for his contribution to the project called Another Universe. Like he says on the C&M site “Like the narrators, I have a fondness for all things space, astrophysics and the big questions like: is the Universe going to end, what are black holes, and why does Surf Guitar sound dangerous?”

And to our gardening/music/shortwave mate across the pond, Justin Patrick Moore for his track Squatters and unwanted insects of the Malayan Revolution.

And here’s one from our own correspondents Jazz’min Tutum & Madtone with LP Livicate dedicated to the late great Upsetter.

Listen to all of the project here. The top player is the original sample and the one below it is the remix.

And also here’s Stuart talking about the project and playing some stuff from it on Resonance FM earlier today. #worldradioday #shortwavesnotdead

Two pennies and a stepper

Three belters of tuneage heard last week, the first two played as part of shows dedicated to the late Penny Reel and the third a stepper and a half as heard on Juno. Turn them on then turn them up!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v6G6YWnFv0k

Ducks Deluxe

Ducks deluxe We had a fleeting return visit of two of the South London urban ducks for about half an hour last night and it was great to see them back. Trouble is, our cats didn’t see it that way, and even now, one of them is patrolling the fish pond at the bottom of the garden.

Big up the urban duck! Come back soon as we have the fish food and the porridge oats ready on hand just in case!

Upsetting the applecart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbEnIEynTgY

Lee Perry – Station Underground News – Bread
A killer from 1973 produced by Mr “light years ahead of his time” Lee Perry featuring a radio reference (“at 16,000 Kilocycles FM and 1,000 Megahertz on the ground” 00.10) and a Chi-lites sample “For God’s sake give more power to the people” at 1.49.) This tune was played on the Lee Perry special on the David Rodigan show on BBC 1 Xtra last Sunday which is available on mixcloud here. And for the original vocal cut:

Leo Graham & The Upsetters – News Splash – Underground/Upsetter