Things

These pigs live in the field next to the cemetery Isaac is buried in. When we go to see Isaac it always cheers me to see the pigs scurrying around. One time we went last year, the pigs had escaped and were snuffling all over the place. They now live behind more secure fencing but still bring joy. 

About twenty years ago I had a colleague in the same department who was much older than me (he was probably about the age I am now). One Friday afternoon we were crossing the yard at school coming towards each other, rain driving in sideways and wind whipping around us. We were both trying not to lose what we were carrying while holding our coats to shield us from Lancashire's weather. As he came towards me, in his broad East Lancs accent, he shouted, 'In the words of the prophet, thank fuck that's over'. It has been one of those weeks at work this week too, so to echo my former colleague, thank fuck that's over.

One of the recent highlights of the 1994 Top Of The Pops repeats has been seeing D: Ream performing Things Can Only Get Better, a song not served well by subsequent events. Things Can Only Get Better is a million selling, massive hit single that soundtracked Tony Blair's rise to power, tainted by its association with New Labour- I'm reclaiming it. In autumn and winter 93 and into 94 it was everywhere, played in clubs and bars, shamelessly good time pop- house. Peter Cunnah was a great frontman. Around this time I had some very fetching checked trousers not dissimilar from the ones he's wearing below (although I baulked at the full suit). The band look great, professor Brian Cox plays keys, the female sax player is fantastic, everyone's breathlessly happy. By January they were at number one on Top Of The Pops. 

There- feel better now?

D: Ream still exist. Peter and Al MacKenzie have a considerably lower profile now than they did thirty years ago but they're still making good electronic dance music. Last year's single Pedestal was an end of year highlight and came with a remix package that included Drop Out Orchestra and Jezebell. 

Jezebell's Dizzy Heights Remix is a seven minute warm bath of Balearic bliss, treated acoustic guitars and chiming melody lines, a melodica winding its way through the song and hushed vocals just within earshot. Al MacKenzie released a tribute to Andrew Weatherall last year, the magnificent, languid Sail On, a seven minute odyssey built around a descending synth part, some throbbing sequencers and a lot of emotion. It too has been remixed, a pair of remixes that came out last month courtesy of Matt Gunn and Sven Kossler. Get them here.