Why Are You Listening To That?
In which I’m asked an interesting question, as well as write some words and talk about things.
One of the tasks I’ve set myself since we moved into our new condo is to systematically work my way through our collection of vinyl records checking for sound quality, jumps, scratches, etc. I’m also cataloging the collection in the Discog app as we go.
Earlier this week I reached the letter E and the eight albums by Emerson, Lake & Palmer that we have on the shelf. I’ve always been a fan of ELP and several of their songs rank among my favorite rock tracks, so I was looking forward to revisiting them on vinyl.
The second album of theirs I put on was 1971’s Pictures At An Exhibition. I can’t say I had any real recollection of the album, I’d just picked it up because it was ELP.
As it turned out this experimental prog-rock reimagining of a classical piece (the original was a ten-movement piano suite written in 1874 by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky) wasn’t to my taste - or Gill’s. It was a cacophony of pure noise ( and that’s the most polite of Gill’s descriptions).
As I turned the album over, Gill asked the question at the top of this newsletter.
It was a good question to ask. My immediate response was that I was checking out all the vinyl to see what condition they were in, so I had to listen to it all the way through at least once.
But since I’ve asked myself if I’ll ever play it again - and the answer is probably not. So why keep it? Because I would like to have a complete run of all the ELP albums? The long-time collector in me says that’s the reason. But since we have downsized I have happily broken up runs of things like books, comics, toys, etc. and only kept the items I want to have around.
So maybe I should rehome Pictures?
Gill’s question has made me take another fresh look at the things we consume. With time being such a precious commodity, should I be wasting it continuing to listen (or read) something I’m not enjoying? Last night I put down a library book that was annoying me after just three chapters.
While I ponder this important question I think it’s time to give some more vinyl a spin.
Alan
Other Stuff
Welcome new folks
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Brabazon Bits
Just a reminder that we will celebrate the UK launch of the Brabazon book at the Aerospace Bristol Museum on Saturday, June 7th.
I’ve also started to book some podcast interviews to talk about the writing of the book, as well as the Brabazon’s story. - More on those as details firm up.
“Bristol Brabazon: The Ocean Liner of the Skies and its Ongoing Legacy” will be published on 30 MAY, 2025 in the UK and 30 JULY, 2025 in the US.
In the meantime, the book is available for pre-order on both Amazon UK and Amazon US sites.
The book is also now available for pre-order direct from the publisher.
Word Slinging
Over the last month, I’ve been busy researching and making a start on writing the upcoming book on Casino Royale and its various on-screen adaptations.
As this edition of the newsletter goes out I have completed the first drafts of the first four chapters and passed the first 10,000 word milestone. Those initial chapters cover the 1954 TV show, the story of how the movie rights changed hands, and what led to the start of the development of the 1967 Casino Royale movie.
Now the fun movement really starts as I dig into the stories behind the making of that crazy mixed-up Bond outing.
Podcast Procrastinations
The latest episode of The Forgotten Beatles is now live I talk about the times the boys acted as the backing group for Davy Jones (but not the one you are probably thinking of.)
A reminder that the second episode of our Chronological Christie podcast discussing the debut of Tommy and Tuppence in The Secret Adversary will go live this Sunday.
You can follow the podcast's Instagram account for updates or you can listen to the podcast itself HERE
We’ve been delighted at the reception that the first episode received over the last few weeks, both in terms of the number of plays, but also the generous and encouraging comments we’ve had from listeners.
Pages and Screens
Books Read in 2025 - “A Gentleman and a Thief” by Dean Jobb.
The book opens with the story of how its subject infiltrated a 1920s high society party at a millionaire’s mansion, wandered around to get the layout of the place, then casually started chatting to one of the guests who turned out to be the visiting Prince of Wales, who he then took on a midnight tour of the Manhattan speakeasy’s.
With an opening like that, I just had to read more about the “American Raffles.” I must admit I had never heard of Arthur Barry before but the stories of his jewelry heists targeted at the elites of the time are staggering. Any single one of them would make a good heist movie. The book catalogs 27 of them!
Even after he was caught his story is just as wild as he went from model prisoner to leading one of America’s most notorious jail breaks and being declared Public Enemy #1, before gradually fading into obscurity, and becoming a champion of veteran affairs in his hometown.
An amazing compelling read about an amazing man.
Over at our online bookstore at Bookshop.org I’ve now added a new section listing books read so far in 2025, so you can pick up copies of any that interest you, while also helping out local independent bookstores.
Weekly Web Round-Up
Batman On The Cover - The journey through Batman’s comics publishing history continues through November 1969 with reprint and translated editions published in Italy, Lebanon, Mexico, and the Netherlands
My favorite of the week has to be the one from Italy. There; 's no new art here, it’s all using existing DC comics covers, but I love the collage effect, and having a monochrome loge when you are promoting that the book is in color is a brave and interesting design choice - that surprisingly works well.
Where on the Web is Alan?
You can now find links to all the places you can find me online, websites, newsletters, social media, and more in a single LINKS page on my personal website.
As always, thanks for joining me this week. If you know someone else who might enjoy the contents of this week’s newsletter, or just my weekly ramblings in general - please feel free to share by clicking the button below.
See you next time
Alan J. Porter
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