Check you later Rowland S Howard - thanks for "Shivers"

When I read about people who die of cancer or other drawn out terminal diseases others say, he/she was serene, s/he accepted their fate are philosophical even... but Rowland Howard who wrote one of my all time favourite songs (Shivers) wasn't ready yet according to Mick Harvey (fellow Birthday Party member) - Rowland S Howard wanted to live.  but his liver didn't let him.  Bugger that, hey.

A rather harsh sounding version was the original 1978 version by his first well known band, The Young Charlatans and then there's the very smooth Nick with The Boys Next Door in '79 with some lovely guitar work from Roland but the best version of the song for me is Marie Hoy (and friends) performing it on the Dogs in Space soundtrack 1986:

(This was so utterly cool, I bought the record just for this one track (sadly the "White" cover LP - with the band Marie Hoy was a part of - Thrush & the Cunts censored - I wonder how much the "Black" cover LP is worth! I'm yet to see one)  but Iggy doing Endless Sea is pretty neat too)

Of course there's 30 years of guitar playing, song writing & performing - lots of excellent songs and he made a difference and by writing that one song that enriched my life -  cheers Rowland S Howard, check you later.

Shivers - the smooth blokes version:

Rowland S Howard 24 October 1959 – 30 December 2009

Mary Travers - if the cancer don't get you, the chemo will

Mary Travers - November 9, 1936 – September 16, 2009

How sad that Mary from Peter, Paul and Mary has died from the chemotherapy that was supposed to kill the cancer she had - guess it did but it killed her too.

Peter, Paul & Mary played a role in my growing up. When I was little we had limited choices of music to listen to - consisting solely on my Mum's records for many years. Of the few I remember Julie Felix (we played the Old Grey Goose (is dead) a lot), Glen Campbell (bit too boring to a kid although I know the songs - scary!), Harry Seacombe - the goon sang but it was too operatic for us kids.

The record we did play and played and played was the double live 1964 album, Peter, Paul and Mary in Concert. Not only was there some beautiful harmonised singing, it was funny too - Paul Stookey was also a stand up comedian (I still mimic "here they come, there they are, don't look at them!" about teeny girls 'not' talking to boys).
This record made such an impression, I bought myself a second hand copy of the LP as an adult and my Mum tells me that another of my sisters has done the same. I think there's a few of us who have this record (Mum had 7 kids).

PP&M sang folk with political & spiritual themes. Some of the music is early English folk - Oh Waly Waly (called "There is a Ship" on the album) & The Three Ravens - 15th Century songs performed more recently by Counter-Tenor Superstar, Andreas Scholl (sound bites of his versions can be found here ) and it's these folk ballad about loss and death I enjoy most. Even the more religious type spiritual songs of theirs move me... but the roudy folky all together now... well that will do for the moment...(let's not get too carried away)

- I was writing this blog this morning as I waited for the vet to come & have a look at my near 20yr old moggie to confirm the inevitable - that the cat would have to be put down.

 I telephoned my partner to come home from work & the deed was done.

I already had the PPM record on the turntable so I sat the needle to play 500 Miles while my very sweet little animal died.

Compostt - a sweet animal - and really fun company 1989-2009