Deep Purple with the Royal Philharmonic LP

I remember buying Machine Head on cassette when I was in 7th or 8th grade. Thought it was OK with a few killer moments. Overtime I have grown to love Deep Purple. Between today and when I was in 7th grade is a lot of time to grow... Despite that I do not consider myself a Deep Purple expert. So when I saw this in a box in the back of a book store, I snatched it up my mind a pinball machines of hope and expectations. "Concerto for Group and Orchestra composed by Jon Lord" Are you fucking serious?
It opens slowly and I was nervous this was going to be a legit attempt at playing classical music, but Richie Blackmore kicks off the fire works half way through the "first movement". The orchestra and band coexist more that intermingle and overall it has a disjointed feel rather than an epic Wagnerian journey type of vibe. Richie B's classical guitar hero moves were heavily influential on a young Yngwie who is probably falling off a bar stool right now telling someone about what could have been. Which may or may not be a better fate than Richie B wandering around Renaissance Fairs strumming a lute.
You might remember that DP had a singer and you might be wondering what his role would be on this project. You'll have to wait til half way through side 2 for him to appear and it's not some bittersweet symphony. He belts it out and then the maestro Jon Lord steps back to the organ. Side 2 is really where it is at for this LP as the band and orchestra start to work together more effectively. And fear not the drum solo is in full effect about half way through the 2nd side. Classical music and a drum solo??
Jon Lord's liner notes are an added bonus.
This record is so pretentious and demented it is jaw dropping. It only makes me wish someone like Lil Wayne was ambitious enough to try and get down with the NY Symphony Orchestra or something.

This is a stereo version on WB but their might be an earlier version on Polydor for the true collector.

Classics Wrap Up

Het Volk
1.Pozzato 2.Flecha 3.Boonen
Milan San Remo
1.Freire 2.Davis 3.Boonen
Tour of Flanders
1.Ballan 2.Hoste 3.Paolini
Ghent Whevelgam
1.Burghardt 2.Hammond 3.Freire
Paris Roubaix
1.O'Grady 2.Flecha 3.Wesseman
Amstel
1.Schumacher 2.Rebellin 3.DiLuca
Fleche Wallone
1.Rebellin 2.Valverde 3.DiLuca
Leige Bastonge Leige
1.DiLuca 2.Valverde 3.F.Sheck

Somethings really stand out on this list Where is Bettini? Ditto for Boonen. Fuck yeah or Ballan and O'Grady. DiLuca was a beast can he hold it for the Giro? Valverde is strong will it translate at the tour? Awesome springs for Liquigas, Gerlosteiner, and CSC. Can Flecha pull out a big win next year? Astana was extremely quiet and that will put some pressure on their grand tour performance. What about the weather hot and dry in April? Someone call Al Gore. And can someone fix the roads in Tirenno Adriatico? A few less crashes there would help everyones season.
Tour de Romandie and Henninger Turn coming up this week and about 15 days til the start of the Giro. Grand Tour season is here so be prepared for the shorter stage races and the 3 week bangers. These races should be wide open this year and I am expecting some changing of the guard at the Giro and Vuelta. The Tour should/could boil down to Vino vs Valverde vs Sastre vs Leiphemer. Hopefully the drug scandals will be resolved before they stain another years races.

LBL Killer grabs the prize

DiLuca grabs a huge win at LBL,Valverde 2nd, Schelck 3rd

So I go 1 for 3 on podium picks. 5 for 10 on the top 10.

Sanchez landed in 13th

The timing of your final attack is so critical. The final kilometer seems to take a lifetime.

LBL predictions

Poduim=Rebellin,Valverde, Sammy Sanchez
Top Ten includes Kroon,Bettini,DiLuca, Contador,Cunego,Thomas Dekker, and Chris Horner

Writings on the Wall Power of the Picts CD

Double disc reissue of this Scottish bands output. Proto Prog/Hard Rock/Psych are all descriptions applied to this band. Hammond driven rock with a good groove not unlike Deep Purple minus the vocal fireworks.
Disc one is 11 tracks the Power of the Picts LP from 1969 plus 2 singles. The opening track "It came on a Sunday" is pretty massive. Maybe some Vanilla Fudge or Procul Harem or something, my mind fails to be able to drop the correct comparision. "Children on a Crossing" and "Lucifer Corpus" are tracks from even more obscure singles. Both killer. This is worth it for disc one alone, but you get the added bonus of disc two! Disc two "Buffalo" starts out mellower is 12 tracks spanning from 68-72 comprised of demos and leftover tracks. "Buffalo" is on here twice and has a wicked groove.
This description seems to be cut and pasted into every online review. description, or mention of the band so here it is. Sounds pretty Spinal Tap to me "They regularly played the Middle Earth club, went on tour with the likes of Ten Years After, held a lengthy residency at the Marquee where they were supported by up and coming acts such as Wishbone Ash. As others retreated to “be-denimed slothfulness” Writing On The Wall became more theatrical, featuring choreographed fights, dressing up as a Caveman, a High Priest, a Monk and a Witchfinder, and the destruction of a Bubble car in support of the recently introduced breathalyser test.
Melody Maker felt sufficiently disturbed to comment that the band had "the reputation of being violent to frightening extremes". However John Peel was suitably impressed and the band recorded two Top Gear sessions for Radio 1."
Personally I prefer the painted sign they used to advertises the band which is featured in the liner notes, " the writings on the wall three do it standing up two sitting down!!!" Be-denimed slothfulness indeed!
Ork Records reissue.

The Real Graeme Obree World Hour Record 1993

Just a quick glimpse. He rode like that full gas for an hour.

The Flying Scotsman Trailer -Kendall SQ 05/04

Check it. Playing at the Kendall in Cambridge.
Tortured Genuis, etc, etc,