Really, this is absurd. The light globe has gone in the bathroom.

"Mum, the light in the bathroom has broken". Son, 19, for whom anything that doesn't immediately work as required is "broken".

"You're a boy" says daughter, 16, "you can go in the garden".

"You're a grown-up" says aforementioned Mum, "learn how to replace the bulb".

I hide, attending to the Word blog.

Mutter to self...."kids these days..."

Let's share some DARLING songs.

Here's a great one

Here's my vote.

For anyone who may not know what I mean by "one chord" - it's where the music chugs along without changing the harmony - the bass stays on the same note, the guitar plays the same - er, chord or riff throughout.

Although speaking of the bass, what's amazing about this example (XTC - "Stupidly Happy" for those reading this on iPhones) is that Colin Moulding (assuming it is he) doesn't come in till at least 3/4 of the way through the song.

Andy Partridge keeps the interest up with wonderful lyrics and backing vocals and guitar riffs.

Anyway others may have other one chord wonders - please contribute!

OK so we all know about McCartney on Rain and Paperback Writer etc, and Herbie Flowers on Walk On The Wild Side etc etc

I must say I was amazed listening to "What's Going On" after the podcast - apart from the great story about a wonderful song it's a lovely bass part which I hadn't taken enough notice of before.

I could post anything by Steely Dan, or any Motown release from the 60s, or a whole lot of other stuff, but here's one that was pointed out to me many years ago, it's an anonymous session musician, but it's great bass playing.

"A Day Without Love" by Love Affair

Most of us here like a drink, although I know Hannah likes a sparkling water and Patrick C gave it up some years ago.

I love a glass of something myself, an NZ Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, a good Aussie Shiraz. And a beer, a Heineken, a Cascade (from Tasmania) and so on.

Anyway, sometimes I find myself singing songs about this, either when I'm looking forward to one or when I've had too many.

Here are two of my favourite songs on this subject.

"Bottle Of Wine" - The Fireballs

and "Tonight The Bottle Let Me Down" - Merle Haggard

And yours????

I'm a diehard FZ fan but this one might be pushing the boundaries a bit. Still, good to see it being released and FZ's influence recognised.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2012/01/zappa-straight-bizarre/

I came across this great story about the guitarist for the American sixties pop band The Grass Roots - apparently he has a role in the US version of The OFfice

http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Lifestyle/Features/grass-roots-1123/

So that led me to check out The Grass Roots - I remembered their name, they had hit songs that made it to New Zealand in the 60s, and here's one of them.

I think this is a great pop song, the equal of any of (say) The Monkees' hits. File under Nuggets I guess.

It made me realise that much as I love the UK songwriters of that period there were people in America doing brilliant writing, most of which has been forgotten.

Any thoughts from anyone else??

Idiot? Showman? Bad example to kids who can't afford a tennis racket?

Well well well, Bob out front, no guitar, no cheesy organ, sounding more like Tom Waits than ever, seemingly ENJOYING himself at the Golden Globes.

Brilliant

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LOGv-DjitRU#

I just bought (and watched) "Look Through Any Window", a great doco about the Hollies from their beginnings in 1963 up to the mid-seventies.

Graham Nash, Allan Clarke and Tony Hicks are all interviewed individually, also Bobby Elliott (drummer) and audio from their EMI producer Ron Richards.

Amazing stuff for folks like me who are interested in this period of 60s pop - the most interesting bit for me is the filmed recording of "On A Carousel" - on the dvd you can see Tony Hicks playing his guitar part and also Bobby's drums, and also the vocals being out down, 3 singers round one mic.

It's a very honest film - at one point Allan Clarke says "we weren't The Beatles" - yet they had hit after hit back in the day. And their producer seemed to be very canny, working next door to George M and the Fabs.

Anyone else have an opinion about these guys? Here's some of the Abbey Road stuff

I know there's hundreds of these about, and mostly they're funny for about five seconds ("oh ha ha looks like Eric/Carlos/whoever can't really play" etc) but there are a few that are really well done.

So here's my pick - mercifully short but cleverly done and very funny.

The first 4 secs is all blurry and grey, it's not your computer it's on the clip - let it roll

File under "wish I'd thought of that"

http://www.buzzfeed.com/provincialelitist/album-covers-minus-the-dead-gu...

Tomorrow I am going to the cricket at the SCG (that's the Sydney Cricket Ground to you) (Aust v India 2nd test) and I have just made a list of all the things I need to remember to take. Sunglasses, sunscreen, portable digital radio, opera glasses etc. Plus bottles of water, sandwiches (meatloaf cooking in oven right now) and so on.

If I don't make a list I will forget something essential, it always happens.

Similarly whenever I travel (and often it's to the same place) I have a master list of stuff to remember.

It's partly because my memory is going down the gurgler, but it's also because I find it extremely satisfying.

I especially like making lists like "what I'm going to do in 2012". It's usually the same list I made for the previous year but still, I will continue to do it.

Anyone else?

Erik Satie - "Gnossienne No 5"

All the best for the New Year everyone.

It's coming up in about 4 hours here in Sydney, the mobs are gathering in Bondi, I'm home alone and not feeling tragic at all. I spent so many years playing awful NYE gigs, driving home at 3am avoiding idiots leaping in front of the car, so happy to be enjoying my own company and not trying to play crap for others.

Anyone else have a musical version of their ideal world for 2012?

"Long Time Gone", from a European TV show.

Further proof that Tom Jones is a great singer and infinitely adaptable. At the time he would have been regarded as Joe Straight with a bunch of hippies.