only just came across this one recorded late last year.

about 20 minutes- you can download / listen from here

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/musicshow/2011-11-12/366253...

Pretty good interview although at times Tim sounds like he has to go through the dictionary to compete with Australian progressive intellectual/ commentator Phillip Adams

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/latenightlive/tim-minchin/3...

http://abcdigmusic.net.au/features/5-songs-justin-hayward

timely after editor ellen's comment in his diary

zappa plays zappa is listed for midnight on ABC 2 TV on Sunday ...or is that Monday morning .

this bloke sold his business for $400 million aussie and has given 15 million of it to his staff- many only finding out when ten thousand bucks or so appeared in their bank account

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16827995

I was doing a radio show on Zimbabwean music the other day and sought clarification from a friend in Harare regarding the nomenclature for the various styles of Zimbabwean pop music.

Here is his learned response.

Sungura, Jit and Chimurenga

Sungura may be a very popular genre in Zimbabwe but it is not typically Zimbababwean and has a following largely amongst the rural and working class population. It is an import and gained ascendency after independence when returning freedom fighters brought the music fron Tanzania,Kenya,Zambia and the East African hinterland. “Sina Makosa” (Les Wanyika of Kenya) and “Shauri Yako” (Mazembe of Tanzania) and numerous similar works in Nyanja,Chewa and Swahili from Zambia were extremely popular in the 80’s and were soon in every juke box in the rural councils and township bars. You may remember the ubiquitous Kassongo band whose membership fluctuated between twelve and five players and dancers and their lesser known Okavango band who sported an acrobat called Mashura who would not only dance but also perform tricks with a balancing bicycle rim on his head. These were Zimbabweans who had been in exile in Zambia, Tanzania and the DRC either as combatants or refugees and returned with the beat of their environment. The most famous of them all, of course were the Chimbetu brothers, first known as the Marxist Brothers and later, Orchestra Dendera Kings. The difference between the Chimbetus and the rest is that they succeeded in converting the East African into a unique fusion with Zimbabwean jit and called it Dendera music which is popular to this day.
Jit was so coined by Biggie Tembo and the Bundu boys but even the name is an admission that the genre is a popularisation of the traditional songs (with story-telling) that every rural and some urban children grew up with. Jiti was the song and dance sessions held by youths in the villages whenever there was a full moon and the singalong songs that were sung and composed there formed the basis of such hits as “Simbimbino” (Bundu Boys) and the Thomas Mapfumo classic about the woman who kept a snake in her granary. Modern jit was an adaptation by the Bundu boys and others to this rural beat tackling modern urban issues (“Kuroja Chete” and “Hatisitose naChipo”) which lament the woes of lodgers and infidelity in the city. Jiti is invariably fast and catchy and light and is characterised by traditional drums and lead riffs.
Chimurenga is altogether more serious with its roots in propagating the gospel of political protest before and after independence. The mbira and deep bass that has become the trademark of Thomas Mapfumo et al is a modern adaptation of songs which were standard hyms at traditional ceremonies before battles,or for thanksgiving, supplications or other important rites. The words have been tweaked to allude directly to the Second Chimurenga as protest or exhortations to the Spirits to assist in the fight for freedom or as tongue in cheek propaganda against the settlers disguised as harmless ‘native’ songs,(“Gwindingwi” and “Nyoka Musango”)
While the struggle for independence is over Chimurenga music has retained its protest qualities and tackles social issues such as AIDS, corruption, democracy and marriage. The most defining tenet of Chimuringa is this content and its expression as closely as possible to traditional music with the mbira, ngoma and marimba. While Thomas Mapfumo is the undisputed king of Chimurengsa music t

There have emerged other younger players such as Pio Macheka and Prince Farai but their downfall is that they are more apers than rivals.

Dendera and the Chimbetus
Dendera is really Sungura as adapted by Simon Chimbetu in an illustrious carreer before his death. While Kassongo and the Okavango and other”Pretenders”imported sungura wholesale from East Africa, Simon Chimbetu not only sang in Shona but took up themes that were relevant and popular across the social divide. He reached out to the urban population with such classics as “Lullaby-Nyarara Kuchema” which is a lullaby in which he tells the baby that he should sleep because he will have to face a world in which some of the people are so evil that they killed even the son of God. Throughout his life Simon Chimbetu was an unapologetic government supporter but his lyrics about the hardships of the Chimurenga war were measured and his calls for African Unity som popular that one was made an official song for the African Unity summit held in Harare in 1997.
The Marxist Brothers split and the Orchestra Dendera Kings which Simon fronted was ahuge success that took Sungura out of the beerhalls and into mainstream Zimbabwe. Also, Simon was a hard worker and his shows were very popular with revellers because his short break was exactly that and he would spend hours on stage interacting with the fans and dancing his heart out.
The latest development is that his sons, led by Suluman Chimbetu have succeeded him and not only do they play his most popular songs but they have also created their own sound which, while based on Dendera, is fresh and appealing to the youth who have grown tired of the Urban Grooves phenomenon.
Simon has at least five sons from different mothers and although they have a loose alliance they also have a fierce rivalry that is currently stalling their cooperation. Suluman is on a roll though and is collaborating with Tuku who holds him in high esteem and has done a duet with him (Serue) which was a big hit. The younger boys are Macheso acolytes and concentrate more on their dance moves and fancy clothes and provide much fodder for the gossip newspapers.

refer kirsty young's advice to wives - latest Word.

Autoluminescence - which I reviewed in the nights out section.

Also a doco on the closure of the Melbourne rock dog pub the Tote.

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/channels/abc2.htm

http://www.afr.com/p/national/arts_saleroom/losing_it_in_the_dosh_pit_9S...

Though how they think they can make money if they pay 6 million to Kanye West is beyond me

A mate got a boot with an unlisted extra track a version of Long time Gone with a different vocalist. He reckoned the mystery singer was Tom Jones.

I dissed him. Well f#ck me if he wasn't right.

Can anyone tell me more about this remarkable match up?

http://www.nodepression.com/video/tom-jones-crosby-stills-nash-and-young...

Mr H has remarked on the remarkable feat of Jackson Browne writing These Days at 16.

Steve Winwood co-wrote the perhaps less thoughtful Gimme Some Lovin'at the same age. I now know that the late Rowland S Howard wrote the wonderful Shivers at the same age.

Any other masterpieces from 16 year olds?

I've been contemplating suicide,
But it really doesn't suit my style.
So I think I'll just act bored instead,
And contain the blood I would've shed.

She makes me feel so ill at ease,
My heart is really on its knees.
But I keep a poker face so well,
That even mother couldn't tell.
But my baby's so vain,
She is almost a mirror.
And the sound of her name,
Sends a permanent shiver down my spine,
Down my spine.

I keep her photograph against my heart,
For in my life she plays the starring part.
All alcohol and cigarettes,
There's no room for cheap regrets.

She makes me feel so ill at ease,
My heart is really on its knees.
But I keep a poker face so well,
That even mother couldn't tell.
But my baby's so vain,
She is almost a mirror.
And the sound of her name,
Sends a permanent shiver down my spine,
Down my spine.
Down my spine,
Down my spine,

Hats off to a scientist with a sense of humour.

http://www.theage.com.au/lifestyle/celebrity/fly-named-after-beyonce-bec...

I'd imagine a leech being named after say ...Alan Klein

I have done this to quite a few discs - annoyingly some being played for the first time while loading onto itunes.

The side slot of a mac seems to have been cut out so the sides are really really sharp. If I put a disc in that is not geometrically perfectly perpendicular I get a few scratches , same spot on every dic rendering the disc playable but with skips.

I've considered getting some emery paper and smoothing the sides but iron filings and laser burners doesn't seem like a good idea.

Suggestions

clarke 150 , punter ponting gets a ton, runs flowing freely , indian bowlers spitting the dummy,

the next ashes series should be a doddle

what's that you say ...you beat em 4 zip ?

oh bugger.

36 celsius by 10 am , will get over 40 which is well over 100 in the old

and I live dead opposite the beach 36 the day before and 34 the the day before that.

can't wait to wear shoes, socks and a suit tomorrow when a spritely 36 is again forecast - bring back the safari suit I say

Times like this always bring me to the magnificent triffids. They hailed from Perth where summer is often like having your abode inside of a pizza oven and where it is often too hot to move too hot to think