Parsing Farage’s démarche farce. A day earlier than usual, new post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog on what little Brexit news there is but mainly on Farage's 'resignation' and the deeper issues of defining democracy and of cryptocurrencies: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2026/07/pars...

A six-month investigation by Byline Times reveals that with the support of Palantir's Peter Thiel, Reform's policy chief James Orr has used the University of Cambridge as a student recruitment ground for a hard-right, theocratic political project aimed at bolstering talent in Farage’s party

For all you londoners talking about this morning's storm, @fieldrecordings.bsky.social has got you, relive the experience with this 15 minute recording. fieldrecordings.xyz/2026/06/23/t...

Two senior BBC journalists posting a selfie as they wait in Downing Street for the prime minister to resign. This picture, and particularly the inane grins plastered across both their faces, illustrates a great deal about how broken political journalism in this country has become.

I haven't the foggiest idea what to do with myself.

From sunset until sunrise on this year’s summer solstice, we’ve curated a dream-like night of radio documentaries from BBC Radio 3’s archives… Verity Sharp presents Midsummer Dreaming - a special celebration of the vast imaginative possibilities of the radio. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Alan Hall explains the origins of the BBC radio series Between the Ears. Worth a read (particularly as I’m shamelessly namechecked) . . . and then listen to Falling Tree’s wonderful compilation of creative radio, Midsummer Dreaming, tonight on R3 from 9.30. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

Reform have now lost six by-elections in a row in England, Scotland and Wales. Their national poll rating is 26% – below Labour in 1983 – and Farage’s approval rating is -37. They’re very far from the voice of the people and need to stop being treated as such.

Despair. New post on my Brexit & Brexitism Blog about how politics is stuck whilst violence intensifies, how ‘the first lie wins’ in constructing political narratives, and how Brexit ruptured the 'cordon sanitaire'. Long and depressing read: chrisgreybrexitblog.blogspot.com/2026/06/desp...

Lovely bit of social history, here. View from the Royal Festival Hall, 1950. This beautiful image was produced by SR Badmin for a set of contemporary postcards celebrating the Festival of Britain. And best of all … (1/2)

britainsfavouritebutterfly.co.uk/butterfly/sm... Small Tortoiseshell

We'll be partying like it's 1972 - off to rehearse John White's Photo-Finish Machine for two sets of woodblocks for a concert of White duets (mostly piano) for Music We'd Like To Hear this Saturday 18th. www.musicwedliketohear.com/2026a.html Certainly music the local woodpecker likes to hear.

This was my favourite Glen Baxter

“A delight… something between a documentary jukebox and an audio seance” - pick of the day, @radiotimes.bsky.social In tonight’s Archive on 4, Eleanor McDowall listens to the spirits of radio’s past and asks how our memory of radio might shape its future. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

A fascinating programme for radiophiles and audiophiles everywhere: ‘Into the Ether’ Archive on 4, BBC Radio 4, Saturday 8pm Produced by Eleanor McDowall for @fallingtreeprod.bsky.social

David Gentleman, who is COOL, is 96 today.

Royal Iris of the Mersey set for final sailing www.birkenhead.news/royal-iris-o...

IMAX in London! 🤯🤯🤯

Some great harp-centric library discs for KPM also. Here he is playing a chorus of Donna Lee with the Johnny Scott Quintet on Jazz 625 - youtu.be/PTuARrlMJ6M?...

Earth & Other Planets review – fusion joy at Barbican’s Milton Court | Britten Sinfonia are joined by folk duo Stevens & Pound and members of Sinfonia Smith Square for a programme of music by Britten, Grainger and Holst

Ah, LinkedIn's top job offer for me this morning, based on my profile and preferences, is 1st soprano with the BBC Singers. Well my sight-reading is not bad, but I only have a range of about a minor third

What a great cover design. I’ve never read this, but that’s certainly my approach to playing percussion

Powerful piece by @drrachelclarke.com on the COVID inquiry. Those who say it’s easy to be wise in hindsight are being utterly disingenuous. Many of us spoke out at the time, and it’s in the public record. @independentsage.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Newmarket MP Matt Hancock gave a £37bn Covid testing contract to Jockey Club director Dido Harding, who subcontracted it to Grand National sponsor Randox, employer of Tory MP Owen Paterson, whose late wife chaired Aintree racecourse. That's how the Tories handled the pandemic.

In this article about James Blades (not Robin . . . nor Ruben) comes this sentence: ‘You will still find people of a certain age who very fondly remember as children attending a lecture by Blades.’ Still find? The one I attended was only 50 years ago chum. www.theguardian.com/music/2025/n...

86) Percussionist James Holland was principal percussionist at the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Boulez, performed with the London Sinfonietta from its start, and assisted Britten, Henze, Knussen, Stockhausen and others with their percussion problems (10/24) en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H... #jawiki

Your occasional reminder, if you’re in the UK, that it is shaping up to be a hideous bird flu season, with many wildlife casualties (including resident birds, not just winter migrants), and, however soft your heart, it is a Really Bad Idea to handle sick or ‘injured’ birds or bring them inside.

Great day in celebration of Michael Gibbs’s honorary doctorate at Birmingham Conservatoire. Friends, family, staff, students and lots of music inc. a terrific student big band at the Eastside Jazz Club. Big thanks to Ed Puddick. #doctorhonoriscausa #jazz #jazzcomposition #michaelgibbs #mikegibbs

I find that the existing emojis don't cover the full range of emotions I need to express how I feel about some replies to my jokes. So I've decided to make my own.

"What is certain, and felt instinctively by almost everybody, is that things cannot go on in their present way" – The Times, May 1975 “It is difficult to imagine a previous period when such an all-pervasive hopelessness was exhibited at all levels of British life” – Professor Stephen Haseler, 1975

This resets everything we've done. Incredible!

The all-too-familiar strategy from University management to go after Music (plus something else in the humanities) for minimal savings but maximal cultural atrophy within their institution. Vandalism. Sign here: c.org/4JQPhgPkHr

Go well, John White (1936-2024)

I should add that as a one time tuba (Eflat) player I had known about Symphony for Organ and Six Tubas, but of course I had never witnessed it - its only previous performance was just before my third birthday in 1965. I felt so happy listening at last to it tonight - but the whole prog was genius.

Tonight the best place to spend Halloween was at Music We'd Like To Hear: Symphonies of John White at St Mary at Hill. The best evening for music I have had in a while and a great stage for the Return of George W. Welch. A truly exciting programme for a wonderful evening. Thank you.

Ah, yes. Reform UK. "A movement built by real people." All smiling and clasping their hands in EXACTLY the same way. I'd love to see the prompts that generated this. <make them happier> <make some of them young> <make two of them - NO, don't want to upset Pochin - one of them black> ~AA

confirmed now I guess www.theguardian.com/music/2025/o...

Once in a lifetime opportunity to hear John White's first six symphonies in one concert! After a 30 year hiatus the group George W Welch is resuscitated to play 3,4,5 & 6. Mixing 'barcarolles, boogie, bell-ringing and Dick Barton, Special Agent', each is an attempt to improve on its predecessor.

Jimmy Carter watched over 480 movies in the White House movie theater during his presidency, a lot of them all time bangers (List here gizmodo.com/every-single...)

Mark’s passion and precision is spot on. And so very vital. The WAC is a *stunning* resource. It must be allowed — empowered — to thrive. SHARE. cstonline.net/defending-th...

Once in a lifetime opportunity to hear John White's first six symphonies in one concert! After a 30 year hiatus the group George W Welch is resuscitated to play 3,4,5 & 6. Mixing 'barcarolles, boogie, bell-ringing and Dick Barton, Special Agent', each is an attempt to improve on its predecessor.

These are really fascinating. Keep them coming John!

This is many years overdue. Not just ghostwriters but also, ahem, uncredited orchestrators and arrangers . . . ivorsacademy.com/news/end-gho...

This is so exciting - and follows the example of many other countries that already have recognition of nature rights in their constitutions. It’s time to give Nature a voice in law! @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social @robgmacfarlane.bsky.social

New on the Eye blog, review of The AI Con by @johnlw ‘The ouroboros of hype’, www.eyemagazine.com/blog/post/th...

Digital sheet music of 'Jamil Jamal' and 'Ruby Bridges' now available! ~ www.yazzahmed.com/shop/

Do you compose or publish music in the UK? 'Call for composers and publishers to deposit digital scores' with the British Library and other legal deposit libraries? www.bl.uk/stories/blog... Please share with any musicians you know!

Only found out about this yesterday. I'm legally constrained from saying anything further so I'll just park it here www.gold.ac.uk/news/2025/vc...

Here you go... Probably the last time David drew Mr Benn. It's a treasured souvenir.