This one is just brutal. He was launching a world tour in support of his latest solo album, after a triumphant three-year run with the reunited Swell Season. His music has filled this house for two decades. It’s going to take awhile for us to come to grips with the fact that we will never get to see him again.

Actor and musician Glen Hansard. Motorcycle crash at the age of 56.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3ekn9d37qvo

Better late than never, I guess. I picked up a copy of Stornoway's album Bonxie in a charity shop the other day, and ... wow! I know that a few people here (davidmjs, I'm looking at you) have promoted them over the years, but I just never looked into them.

Tonight, 9pm 'til 11pm : Scattering The Roots with Dan Ogus...two hours of the finest folk, roots, blues, etc...plenty of etc...

I've rifled through my vaults to bring you some excellent music both new and vintage every Wednesday evening...

This week's show features the following artists :

Kirsty MacColl, Bellowhead, Stephen McCafferty, Ian Prowse, American Aquarium, Ozark Mountain Daredevils, Albert Castiglia, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Waterson:Carthy, Dhaoiri Farrell, Martin Carthy, Julie Felix, Megan Henwood, Emilie Lierre, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, Luke & Charlotte Ritchie, Steve Forbert, Eric Bibb, Nick Harper, John Martyn, Jez Lowe & Steve Tilston, Lady A...

Listen tonight, 9pm 'til 11pm on Portsmouth's Express FM, on DAB and online here :

https://www.expressfm.com/programmes/scattering-the-roots/

Mostly selections from across the pond this week on Off The Beaten Tracks. On the playlist are...

Kris Kristofferson, Sarah Jarosz, Sam Baker, Kathy Mattea, Indigo Girls, Del McCoury Band, Christa Couture, Alison Krauss & Robert Plant, Woody Pines, Tony McLoughlin, The Magpies, Tim O'Brien, I'm With Her, Tracy Moore, Sheesham & Lotus & Son and Jello Biafra & Mojo Nixon

Tune in at 8pm on https://www.internet-radio.com/station/gingerfeatherfm/

The launch that faced a thousand ships.
https://skirky.blogspot.com/2026/07/her-boyfriend-plays-in-scritti-politti.html

Turns out that their usual guitarist had been taken into hospital for an urgent eye operation so they'd called in a friend to cover for him at short notice. Knowing that, I'd say he did a pretty impressive job.

Nev Clay.

Local songwriter  whom we treasure. In-store gig,  and his first such in 40 years,  apparently .

It seems to have been very hot and miss on who has camping stickers. We only got ours this month. I was starting to worry!

After an unusually long break, I have more shows coming up:

4 August at ACL Live: Howard Jones, Wang Chung, and Modern English

9 August at Dickie’s Arena, Fort Worth: The Guess Who (Burton Cummings, Randy Bachman, and the Burton Cummings Band) and Don Felder of the Eagles

I’m excited about both. I’ve never seen the New Wave Trio, whose music I strongly associate with my undergraduate years and MTV, back when it actually aired music videos.

The Guess Who is a make-up date for me. Five genuine GW alumni (Burton, Randy, original drummer Gary Peterson, guitarist Donnie McDougall and bassist Bill Wallace) toured for three years 2000-2003 as The Guess Who under a licensing agreement with the then-owner of the brand, former bassist Jim Kale. After the agreement expired, Kale resumed touring (with Peterson) and a group of pick-up musicians. It took Burton and Randy over 20 years to wrest the name away from Kale, which led to the current tour. Peterson and Kale were obviously disqualified, but Donnie and Bill potentially could have come along for this tour. Instead, Burton just added Randy to his band and they call it The Guess Who. I’m thrilled to see them together again, but wistfully disappointed that I missed the 2000-2003 iteration. Needless to say, I avoided Kale’s Klones even though they played in Austin multiple times during the interim.