No expense spared (yeah right!)

It was miserable most of today until early evening where there was a hour or so of sunshine. It was nice enough to get out those council worker’s gloves and the secateurs.

The combination of sun and rain is now kicking everything off, above is the eau de cologne mint in the nice cement pot found submerged in 12 years worth of old leaves in the bottom of our pond after moving in. The next is a tumbling tomato and assorted herbs in the plant container originally destined for the binmen and the seed potato in a spud sack (procured for free at that seedy sunday event in Sydenham) which is now cracking on. Be warned, don’t do what I did and play “musical sacks” with the bag, this one’s bottom has fallen out and has now got to stay where it is!

Also a few years ago I found some left over concrete squares from the garden wall (behind the mint, tomato and spud in a bag) and wasn’t sure how to get rid of them so I laid them on their side (they also form a back for the cold frame) and filled them with compost. I now stick any left over seeds in them (herbs, poppies whatever!) and remember to give it a water as it regularly dries out. Big up cheap style gardening!

Thursday night chilling in a stereophonic style

Another big cheers to our good mate Will for passing on this link full of musical magic! The Stereophonic Supply Co features top mixtapes from the great Dr Bob Jones, Ian Wright and Paul Bradshaw. We’re presently listening to the Ian Wright mix (who used to do those mad illustrations in the NME) which is full of some excellent dubwise gear including a great version of “Pop-a-top/Fatman” by Andy Capp, Winston Flames’ bonkers “Armagideon”, Black Uhuru with a version of “no, no, no” (alas no dub!) and  “Black beauty” by Joy Tulloch which puts us in mind of Jazz’min Tutum. A great mix tape and one of three we’ll be delving into in the next few days. Big up the stereophonic supply co!

Short Newz!

Big shout to Will for passing on that the breakfast cereal Shredded Wheat are giving away free packs of seeds with each box and they are currently on offer at Tesco’s for £1.09!

Hornimans Museum in Forest Hill have their Horniman Friends annual plant sale on Sunday 19th May and Guerrilla Gardener and author Richard Reynolds is doing a talk there on Sunday 26th May. Great stuff for nowt!

A long time ago I sent Kid Strange, the singer from the Doctors of Madness a copy of my fanzine thinking it’ll be up his street after seeing them live. Ten years later I saw him in Brixton on my way home from the council. “Oi mate, years ago I sent you my fanzine, Ded Yampy. Do you remember it?” A suprised Kid Strange who was probably on his way home from a day job too, paused thinking for what seemed like a age and said “Ahhh, I remember that one, it was from Coventry weren’t it, all about beer…” (another pause) “…terrible!” Oh dear, me and blokes from old punk bands, I just don’t get it right sometimes!

Spirits flying

Dub Gabriel ft. Karen Gibson Roc – Spirit made flesh
Heard on this week’s excellent Echo Chamber an oldie but goodie featuring an Ari Up sample (someone correct me if I’m wrong). A brilliant track which even features what sounds like a shortwave numbers station too (at 4.29 “One Zero, One Zero”) but can’t be sure. Excellent! Big up to Dr Strangedub and DJ Baby Swiss.

If you’re the big tree (onion), I am the small axe

Here’s the latest pic of the mad Tree Onion (aka Egyptian onions, top onions, topsetting onions or walking onions) I purchased from our local garden centre Shannons a few weeks ago. Never growing them before, I reckon the bit that is turning light-yellow halfway up the stem in the picture is going to turn into one of the top onion sets. A bonkers plant indeed but a mighty interesting one at that!

I didn’t know that (part 106)

Derrick Morgan – Hold your Jack
Life, like gardening is full of suprises and I also thought I knew a little bit about reggae too! This is the original rhythm of  Max Romeo’s Wet Dream, Hold your Jack by Derrick Morgan, found last night on youtube while looking for an obscure DJ version of the bawdy classic. Was it Socrates, Lao Tzu or Einstein who said “The more I learn, the more I learn how little I know”? Well whoever said it, they’re right!

Thanks to the excellent Dancecrasher for providing us with the information via google! Big Up Tim P and Mistah Brown!

One more before bedtime

Big up the great Daddy U-Roy even though we heard that when he headlined a gig in Brighton the other week he only played for 8 minutes! That beats the Guinness book of records “shortest set in the world” when I saw Joy Division at Malvern Winter Gardens many moons ago (20 minutes before a 10 minute jam with Sector 25 after jeers and shouts!)

I mean U-Roy is 70, at that age I want to be in bed perusing a Reader’s Digest and having me Horlicks before dropping off at 9pm let alone headline a reggae gig after midnight! If that is true about the Brighton gig here’s nearly half of U-Roy’s set (3.23)!