Before we begin, a minute's silence. Or applause, if you prefer.
Everybody was shocked to learn this week of the untimely death of one of our most polarising posters, the enigmatic Howard the Duck, also known round these parts I believe as Il Duce. Patrick was a regular fixture here, though it would appear he didn't post as often or as prolificly (or indeed, in the same disciplined manner) as others, myself included, and I didn't know him well at all, but he seems to have touched everyone's lives, and we're all the poorer for his sudden and unexpected departure. We can only hope that if there is an afterlife, he's found there people who are interested in the music he likes, or at least people who aren't, so he can annoy them by flaming and trolling their threads! We wish him godspeed to the next life, and perhaps one day we'll meet again, although as we never actually met I don't know if that's possible.
Anyway, when you get a moment raise a glass to the Duck, and remember him fondly. Some members have already added avatars/links/sigs/videos in remembrance of him, which I think is really nice. Let's remember his family and the woman he nearly married, who I'm sure are going through hell right now, particularly at this festive time. Let's wish them the strength to get through this ordeal, and one day perhaps they can think of the man we knew as Howard without pain.
I'd like to have said he was my friend, but sure I hardly knew him. Certainly some others here knew him better than their fellow members, and those people are hurting too, so think of them in your prayers, thoughts, drinking, lighting candles or playing music, or whatever you do to remember Howard.
And to those who didn't know him at all, never read his mad posts or saw his avatar, friends, you missed a true original. We'll not see his like again.
Howard the Duck, RIP.
And so, on to the journals, where coincidentally the first in line is also one of Howard's best friends, so my condolences go out to
Mankycaant, who despite the tragedy has found time to update his journal
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...er-abroad.html with an interesting article about EPs. Hang on in there, buddy! It'll get better...
Pedestrian drops in (with a brand new avatar!) to post some more of her art from Autotune the Unicorn, although for some odd reason it's under the "Freetalk" heading, which I thought was her writing. Still, I'm sure she knows what she's doing, unless all that studying is taking its toll! You can make your own mind up here
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...sswalking.html and admire her work.
That brings us, already, to me. Now I've been trying to review four new albums a week both here
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...d-journal.html and in my other journal, but this was a busy week, so I only got three done. Still, you can check out reviews of albums by Red Sand, The Calm Blue Sea and The Winter Tree, as well as getting in on the festive fun with our first two selections from "25 of the worst Christmas albums --- ever!" which will run right up to the Big Day itself, an album a day.
Nothing in
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...i-reviews.html this week. I had intended to feature "Wolfsbane saves the world", by, er, Wolfsbane, but time caught up on me. Never fear though: I'll add it into the reviews for the coming week. Yeah, I knew you were concerned...
And after his heroics last week, as he moves into 1972
Unknown Soldier has just the one review this week, from a band called Hardstuff. Quite. You'll find it in the usual place, here
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...y-history.html.
And that's it for this week. Don't forget to... what? Sorry, I thought you said...?
Really? I find that hard to... well I never!
Yes folks, the Angry Man of Music Banter (I'm sure he's already won the award for Angriest Member hands down) makes it into the update this week! After a long time away,
http://www.musicbanter.com/members-j...nal-stuff.html is back! The return of
Urban Hatemonger brings us an in-depth comparison of two of the Britpop bands of the 90s, one of which was huge and polarising, the other faded away. One hell of an interesting read, as is pretty much anything Urban writes. When he writes. Which is not often enough.
And that really
is it for this week. Twenty-two shopping days left, so get your skates on, but not before you peruse all those wonderful journals (and mine!) --- I'll be back next week with the latest updates, and who knows? maybe even some more from Urban. Hey, Christmas
is a time for miracles, after all...
Toodles!