On Christmas Day I was fortunate to have the opportunity to liberate quite a few gifts from their wrapping paper incarceration. Trinkets which made me grateful I’ve such thoughtful family and friends. Bestowals whose number were heavily stacked by redolently scented cosmetic creams and sprays; circumstances sowing seeds of doubt in my erratic mind I’d may’ve subtly just been made aware of personal hygiene issues. Other bequests to this mercurial […]
With Christmas Day hurtling towards us with the speed of a linen basket escaping a pair of The Grinch’s three week worn underpants, I’m concerned to be still awaiting delivery of half the festive gifts I purchased online in the middle of November…… In hindsight, perhaps it was misguided to order my daughter Rachel a Christmas present consisting of a pet sloth family, particularly one who stubbornly insisted on walking […]
Chestnuts roasting on a open fire Jack Frost nipping at your nose Yuletide songs being sung by a choir Folks dressed up like Eskimos. Excerpts from this morning’s list of distractions to yours truly’s literary flow. As you can imagine, attempting to concentrate on penning a narrative whilst your nose’s being nipped, in conjunction to the being subject to a tuneless cacophony of a choir, is challenging……. Additionally, I probably should […]
It’s Wednesday morning and I’ve just returned home after transporting two family members to Leeds Railway Station. This convivial twenty minute sojourn by car undertaken to a backdrop of tunes from the musicals on Apple Music; anthems predominantly taken from the movies La La Land and The Greatest Showman. Award winning contemporary musical refrains from the prodigious pen and creatively fertile minds of American songwriting duo Pasek and Paul. Exposure […]
It was a return whose profile paled into insignificance compared to, say, the prodigal son in the New Testament parable, or the rekindling of Robbie William’s career with band Take That. Neither was it an event which’ll shake the British music industry to its very foundations; producing vast column inches, penned with prurient glee by editors of tabloid entertainment pages. No, yesterday evenings ‘return of the Strach’ to rehearsals with […]
Yesterday in my essay Face Value I wrote of yours truly’s recent reacquaintance with a few vinyl albums of my youth. These original long playing records evoking memories from my fledgling years; melodic antiquities which I’ve habitually revisited of late. These vivid recollections bequeathed by musical imprints indelibly marked on the tapestry of my life, manifesting visions of warmth, security and the love experienced in childhood. Yesterday’s musings were those of Phil […]
Among the many emotions manifesting from exposure to certain pieces of music are memories evoked by its lyrics and/or melody. Anthems that are indelibly etched on our life canvases, bringing to mind memories of joy, sadness, despair and wonderment at why there’s a brass band in our living rooms. Recently I’ve been enjoying listening to some of the vinyl albums from my youth. Consequently, I’ve felt moved to, in my […]
