The Monday after Record Store Day Saturday and yes, if you didn’t manage to find a store where you could pick up Noctorum’s Sparks Lane on exclusive silver-grey vinyl in a gatefold cover that originally went to No.1 on Venus and stayed there for 18 years, then you can get it from the Schoolkids Records website and that reminds me I must get one for myself. The Venusian original is now worth 8 million intergalactic credits and was released on alien green vinyl and played backwards as the audience there walk backwards and listen backwards. The Earthly version will be worth a lot on Venus as the Venusian version is worth a lot here so make sure you get a few copies so that you can take the pleasure shuttle up there and pay for your trip by selling the album to the Venusian dealers. You’ll need to find someone who can translate backwards for you though, otherwise, they uoy dnatsrednu t’now.

GET SPARKS LANE ON VINYL HERE

I got up early today, twice, the first time to catch the mini-monster biting me. I could see the lumps on my inner forearm. I raised the blind, put the light on and checked the time, it was 6 AM. Olivia told me that these creatures are confused by light so after failing to find the devilish being, I put the light out and opened the bedroom door and put the hallway light on. I fell back to sleep. I’m not sure whether the light worked or whether the invisible mosquito had had its fill but at 10.15 AM I got up and I didn’t seem to be ravaged. I was going to the pool early so I could get back to watch a sizeable chunk of the Scotland – Czech Republic match. They lost 0-2.

Because I went to the pool at a different time there were different things going on. But I was able to get into the water sooner than usual and when I did there was some kind of fitness class going on in the first three lanes. So that was different, plus it was done to music which luckily I couldn’t really hear as I buried my head in the water. I got in the water earlier but also got out of the water later because for some reason there were no lifeguards. I ended up being in there one hour and twenty-five minutes and swam 102 lengths. Result! Better than the Scotland result.

I didn’t check the temperature today but it was hot and getting a swim on a day like today was perfect. In the dressing room, I met a Welshman called Dave who was an English teacher and has lived here for 26 years. When I asked him where in Wales he said “mid-Wales” which is where my parents and my aunty Gwen lived and died (Aberystwyth). He was from a place called Machynlleth close to Aberystwyth and he actually told me that his mother also died in Aberystwyth. Hmm, odd conversation but a small world.

Olivia has tried spraying some lavender oil water on my arms and legs tonight to discourage the beasts, we’ll see if it works or it’s back to the gun turrets. Otherwise just one sesh today with Matt in Brooklyn that is proving fruitful as I’m starting to send some musical ideas along for him to write some words and melodies and sing. I still haven’t managed to sort out my home studio but I think I have a bigger problem than not mastering how it works – I don’t have enough memory in my computer and it’s slowing everything down. Andy AAE sent me something to play guitar on but my computer is like a sick donkey climbing a mountain. I need a stand-alone desktop computer for this. It’s just incredible how easy it is to find ways to spend loads and loads of money.

Music today has been the new Crowded House album Dreamers Are Waiting (2021). It’s exactly what you would expect from Neil Finn and family members Liam and Elroy with original member Nick Seymour and new member/producer Mitchell Froom (who has worked with the band before as producer and occasional keys player). It’s very smooth and lovely, it’s like the McCartney album he won’t make, that is much better songs than Egypt Station, more thought has gone into it. I was wondering if the Fleetwood Mac crowd will be investigating. I’m only on listen number one but I will certainly be returning for another soft and sophisticated musical experience.

Music Of The Daze