Spending my Saturday installed Arch Linux on an old laptop just to have something to tinker with and scratch the Linux itch I’ve had for a while. Normally I would be in town on my 2nd pint.

A grey, wet Easter Friday bank holiday? I guess it’s time for Lord of the Rings.

I can’t help but think we should use money to help solve world hunger rather than build rockets to blast Katy Perry into space — but that’s clearly just me, a non-billionaire, failing to grasp how important it is to blast Katy Perry into space with my poor, woke, non-billionaire mind. (I will still watch it.)

🎵Now Playing: The Maccabees - Given to the Wild (2012)

The Maccabees are also back. No new music just yet but I managed to grab tickets to one of their upcoming Manchester shows. I think of all the indie-adjacent bands of my youth, The Maccabees are my favourite. Sorry, Bloc Party. I can’t wait to hear these songs live.

Favourite Tracks:

  • Child
  • Feel to Follow
  • Ayla
  • Forever I’ve Known
  • Pelican
  • Go
  • Grew Up At Midnight

PULP are back! With new music! And it’s fucking great!

🎵Now Playing: Snapped Ankles - Hard Times Furious Dancing (2025)

The lead single Raoul was an instant hit for me. The rest of the new songs continue in that vein - weird, thumping, agitating- the album title speaks for itself.

Favourite Tracks:

  • Pay The Rent
  • Raoul
  • Bai Lan

🎵Now Playing: Blondie @ Glastonbury (2023)

I make a playlist of most of the gigs I attend, to try and recapture those moments. With the sad news that Blondie’s drummer Clem Burke has passed away, I thought I’d listen to the set list from the only time I saw them live, a sunny Glastonbury Sunday in 2023. They still sounded great after all these years.

Favourite Tracks:

  • Hanging on the Telephone
  • Call Me
  • Atomic
  • Rapture
  • Maria
  • Heart of Glass

🎵Now Playing: Tune-Yards - W H O K I L L (2011)

Tune-Yards have a new album coming out, and I wanted to revisit this album. I actually discovered them live, before I’d heard anything, at Manchester’s famous Deaf Institute back in 2011. They blew me away, sounded like no-one else, and this album is still a favourite. I hope she’s touring the new album and keeping some classics in the setlist, I want to hear Bizness live again.

Favourite Tracks:

  • Gangsta
  • Powa
  • Bizness
  • Doorstep
  • Killa

A walk in the sun will cure most ails.

🎵Now Playing: Tom Vek - We Have Sound (2005)

This album is exactly the kind of sloppy indie/electronic music I need on a sunny Friday afternoon. Weekend ahoy!

Favourite Tracks:

  • C-C (You Set The Fire In Me)
  • A Little Word In Your Ear
  • Cover
  • Nothing But Green Lights