Disposable Digital

I was wondering recently when the last time was that I bought a physical CD for myself. I think it was well over a year ago. I don’t generally download music either but I do use free music streaming which I think is a fabulous idea.

I then went on to think that I cannot recall buying a paperback book for a number of years now. I do rent them from the library occasionally. The Kindle is a great device at what it does.

I do occasionally buy films on Blu-Ray or DVD and do rent them from a video store (yes, they still have those in NZ). I have yet to use something like Netflix.

In some ways I think it is great that less non-renewable raw materials are used in manufacturing of such things because they now exist as files on a computer but in other ways it perhaps cheapens the experience of “owning” something or in the way we interact with various forms of art as you become detached from it in many ways due to the ease of which you can delete a file as if it never really existed…would you ever throw out a physical book? I suspect not…unless you are giving it to charity of course which would be recycling.

Anyone got any interesting perspectives here?

Agri-Culture

When a lot of people think of New Zealand, they may think of the Kiwi, they may think of the All Blacks or they may think of New Zealand lamb!

New Zealand used to be, in essence, an extended farm for the UK. There was far more produce here than the small population could consume and as such you may as well export it. They invented refrigeration of meat here (in 1882 near Dunedin) which enabled ships to take lamb to the UK.

New Zealand continues to be an agriculture powerhouse to this day. You can grow almost anything here. One of the few fruits I haven’t seen growing would be bananas. Different parts of the country have different climates which facilitate different crops. Only the feijoa (an acquired taste anyway…slightly medicinal) apparently doesn’t lend itself to export too well. It always use to strike me as bizarre how you could get NZ apples in UK supermarkets, but not UK apples (go figure!).

Agriculture forms the backbone of the economy and of many people’s lives. Sheep farming has given way to more profitable beef in many areas but there is still plenty of lamb to go around.

While in Hastings, just south of Napier, we went to NZ’s oldest farmers market. Uncommon in the UK, these sorts of markets are a national institution and even Auckland has them. A great place to get fresh or manufactured product straight from source. Delicious!

Please check out the drummer in the band…beret and shades…possibly a contender for coolest drummer on earth…

What if Freddie Mercury were Scottish?

Have you ever been to a tribute concert? Have you ever been to a good one?

I have seen ELO and Tom Jones tributes before and both were good…but how on Earth do you emulate one of the true greats of music…Freddie Mercury?

Freddie was an ultimate showman with a fantastic vocal range…

Enter Gary Mullen and his band, The Works, for One Night of Queen, all the way from Bonnie Scotland. The 2014 New Zealand tour starting at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna. Gary Mullen won the UK “Stars in Their Eyes” in 2000 and from the moment he leapt onto stage and strutted around like a peacock you couldn’t help but admire how well he did the job. He even brought his own personality to proceedings when chatting with the audience. If you ever get chance to see him…give it a try. His band didn’t let him down either. You won’t be disappointed…you don’t keep a tribute going for so long if you aren’t good. Sure, the range wasn’t quite as broad…but the rest was a sheer delight.

Eclectic Tastes

I would consider myself to have pretty a eclectic taste in music. I mentioned my love of Level 42 in an earlier blog.

My record collection includes Keane, Andrea Bocelli, Def Leppard, Big & Rich, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bryan Adams, The Darkness and the Backstreet Boys. Pretty varied…some may say strange…

Anyway, my wife overheard a snippet of a British folk group on Radio 2 last week called “The Lancashire Hotpots” and thought I would like it. How right she was. If you have never heard of them, look them up on Spotify. While the music might be lost on anyone not from Britain, it is a delight of humour from start to end about the common things in life.

Perhaps this is the start of a love of folk music…to add to a love of country. I had the pleasure of being at the CMA Fest in Nashville a few years ago which was fabulous…so many talented musicians and singers in one place – fabulous song writers as well. Country music is all about life…and those I enjoy seem to have a sense of humour…so much to enjoy.

Music often gives a theme tune to life…and life is good when your favourite music plays along.

Why 42?

Anyone who knows me and is reading this will know why 42…but here is why…

• 42 is the answer to life, the universe and everything…courtesy of a favourite childhood read of The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
• 42 is part of Level 42…my favourite group. I have been to see Mark King and/or Level 42 in every tour they have done since 2000 (at time of posting although this will change now I live outside of their tour area). My very first album was World Machine in 1986…

O2 Apollo – Manchester