Top 5's of 2010

Sunset at Glastonbury 2010

Top 5 albums of the Year:

1. Hiss Golden Messenger - Country Hai East Cotton. Ok this is a cheat, as was released in 2009, whatever, I love it and only heard it for the first time this Xmas.

2. The Duke & the King - Long Live the Duke & the King. Outstanding Cosmik Americana licks from Simone Felice and friends.

3. Hans Chew - Tennessee & Other Stories. Great album, with my favourite song of the year in 'I Would There Was A Train (Tennessee Pt 3).

4. Neil Young - Le Noise. The best guitar album of 2010, bar none.

5. Manic Street Preachers - Postcards From A Young Man. Bombastic, Queen-esque, great riffs, great songs, the Manic's on a roll.

Top 5 gig's of the year:

1. Glastonbury 2010. Finally a scorcher, brilliant fest from start to finish, absolutely loved it. Great bands: Radiohead, Two Door Cinema Club, Hold Steady, Gorillaz, Midlake, Laura Marlin. It was so good, I'm not sure I'll ever go again...

Me, Pete and Tim @ Glastonbury 2010

2. Deer Tick - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds. Great live band, amazing encore of ZZ Top's - Cheap Sunglasses.

3. Drive By Truckers - Academy 2, Manchester. The Wig He Made Her Wear - Live track of the year. DBT always deliver. Shit venue though.

4. Eels - Academy 1, Manchester. Brilliant live as ever, on the back of three great albums. Worst crowd ever.

5. Manic Street Preachers - 02 Academy, Leeds. Packed sold out show, JDB on blistering form, one of the best Manic's shows I've seen (seen them at least 20+ times).

Ghost!

Love this photo that Rick took in Bugges a few years ago of Pam and Tracey. Check out the ghost with his head in his hands....

Hiss Golden Messenger - Country Hai East Cotton

This is highly recommended, best new CD I've heard in months. Limited to 500 world wide, so quite hard to track down, though you can still get copies from http://heavenandearthmagic.com/

Really top notch alt country / americana. Though this also slips into pop / blues and MOR. Outstanding songs, great production and playing.

Track it down, you won't be disappointed. Also got the Bad Debt vinyl on order (limited to 100 copies world wide!).

Photo's of my den

Latest phoro's of my den at home, also set a home office up, with new desk, drawers etc for working from home.

Also got all my CD's / DVD's / Books close at hand, loads of framed photos / posters. My HiFi and turntable and most importantly all my guitars / amps / pedals.

Xmas presents

Lovin' these framed Neil Young photo's

I'm back blogging again

After a three year break, I'm going to see if I can keep a blog going through 2011.

A lot going on in the next few months; loads of gigs: Smoke Fairies, Hold Steady, Band Of Horses, John Grant, Mogwai, Iron & Wire, CW Stoneking. Which I will try and review as they come up.

Loads of new CD's, recent purchases: John Grant, Los Lobos, Hiss Golden Messenger, Hans Chew, Duke & The King.

Stag do's to go on and big things afoot at work...