They did some brilliant songs. "Freaker's Ball" and "Rolling Stone" are absolute classics

Dave Greenslade has died. :-(
I do like a bit of Greenslade.

Barry Dransfield's album is one of those l never grow tired of. 'Broken Barricades'   leaves me vulnerable and exhausted.

I picked up the Strawbs album this weekend in a shop in Knowle!

For RSD day itself I think I picked up: The Orb, Fabio Frizzi (On a very crackly coloured vinyl from Italy!), Art Of Noise, Black Sabbath, Gong, Hawkwind, National Health, Porcupine Tree, and Sisters of Mercy...

I got some on the day, but mostly from online stores afterwards.

I would have got the Blonde on Blonde but couldn't be bothered to get it afterwards. Same for the Goblin.

I skipped the Tangerine Dream because it was only an EP.

I saw the current lineup of Jethro Tull in Birmingham in May. I used to go every tour until Martin Barre was dropped and I didn't like the album after Taab 2. I did go to a Xmas gig in Coventry Cathedral, where Ian was a bit grumpy when his radio mic failed (But I think they got it working so he was fluting up and down the aisle.)

I am glad I went. Ian's voice is, of course, wobbly, but probably better than when I saw him with Tull/Barre. The new guitarist helps with vocals. The band has been together for a while and is tight.

A lot of classics and early stuff - Beggar's Farm, Song from Jeffrey, TaaB, Songs from the Woods and a couple of recent songs.

The last few times I saw them, they turned Aqualung into a weird 'classical' track.

This time it was back to the classic rock song. When the audience gave the guitarist (Jack Clarke) a huge round of applause after his solo, Ian looked quite pleased.

Yes, I did miss Martin Barre. My overriding memory of the last time I saw them when Barre was present was Barre and Ian both moving around the stage quite a lot and playing off each other. His new guitarists all seem a bit static, and at times it almost felt like Ian was trying to get to them move.  

So while I enjoyed it a lot, I would rather Martin still be part of the lineup. Maybe it's because I've spent 25+ years watching Tull with Barre and it doesn't feel the same. (I felt similar when Peggy left.)

I sometimes think I'm the only Tull fan in the world who loves Under Wraps... I thought the remix was excellent.

j-tull.com is out in August, but it's on a different label to the Chrysalis albums (Probably the same album the Xmas album box came out on.) Bruce Soord has done the remix.

Oh, when I was a kid in the 70s and 80s Dr Hook were the most played album in the car on long journeys. Me and my sisters used to sing along to silly songs.

Years later, I saw Dennis a couple of times solo at Bedworth Civic Hall, and then a few years ago as 'Dr Hook' in Birmingham Symphony Hall. He looked and sounded fabulous and it was an absolutely brilliant gig (Jon Poole from the Cardiacs was his bass player!).

Very saddened to hear of Dee Palmer's & Barry Dransfield's passing. I think Dee was hugely important in 70s Tull.

And the Fiddler's Dream is a wonderful album.

Steve Ashley posts news from Robin Dransfield that his brother, Barry has died.

Holst's Planets, arranged and played by Hugh Banton (VDGG) on his self-designed and built HB3 organ. Excellent!