Oblique Saturdays

A series for Saturdays in 2026 inspired by Brian Eno and Peter Schmidt's set of cards, Oblique Strategies (Over One Hundred Worthwhile Dilemmas). Eno and Schmidt created them to be used to unblock creative impasses and approach problems from unexpected angles. Each week I'll turn over an Oblique Strategy card and post a song or songs inspired by the suggestion. 

Last week's Oblique Strategy suggestion was Change nothing and continue with immaculate consistency.

I went for Pye Corner Audio, Keith Hudson, Leftfield with Toni Halliday and Madonna. In the Oblique Saturdays community there was a wave of responses, with Bryan Ferry (Ernie), Jah Wobble (anon), Rhucle (The Mediterranean aka Spencer), The Hoodoo Gurus (Rol), INXS (Beerfueled), Murlocs (Al G), Elton John (Mrs G)- do Al and Mrs G confer or contribute separately I wonder?- Gus Gus, MC BuzzB and Connan Mockasin (Khayem), The Specials and Talking Heads (Trail Of Bread), The Herbaliser and The Free Association (Chris Yardley), Coke Escovedo, Tricky and Mary Jane Hooper (Jase), Stiff Little Fingers (The Swede) and Kungens Man (Walter). Decent festival line up there.

Once In A Lifetime

Same as it ever was. There is never a bad time to hear Once In A Lifetime. 

This weeks Oblique Strategy card says this- Do something boring.

Some of us of a certain vintage will remember this from the 1980s...

In 1980 Pearl Harbor and The Explosions released their first album, the rockabilly/ punk of Don't Follow Me, I'm Lost Too. Pearl was going out with Paul Simonon and supported The Clash in the US and elsewhere. Paul and Topper both play on the album, Mick contributes guitar on one song, Gary Barnacle (London Calling) plays horns and Wilko Johnson and Nigel Dixon (Whirlwind, later on Havana 3am with Paul) both put guitar tracks down. 

Everybody's Boring But My Baby

Punk was obsessed with boring and boredom. Jamie Reid's poster and sleeve for Pretty Vacant are superb, as good as the Queen with a safety pin through her nose in a way. 

The song wasn't too shabby either... 'There's no point in asking you'll get no reply...' and there was huge the visceral thrill of hearing Lydon emphasising the second syllable of vacant...

Pretty Vacant

There's plenty more boring and boredoms I could include but I don't want to hog them all. If you want to, feel free to drop your own responses to Do something boring into the comment box.