
The topic under discussion is one that is scary, and not just due to the proximity of Halloween. This week, Talk of the Tavern is raising awareness of breast cancer - but of course there will be the usual shenanigans going on too! I hope some of you are able to listen to the episode 'Colder than a witch's tit - Breast cancer awareness month' (and maybe join the linked facebook event) - To listen to Talk Of The Tavern live broadcast, tune in to:
- Wight Party Radio: http://wightpartyradio.com/radio-player/
- Radio Riel Main: http://www.streamlicensing.com/play/player.php?sid=2303&stream_id=3923
- Radio Riel Steampunk: http://64.34.173.110:8402/listen.pls
Download/save and open the file (or open it with iTunes). - iPhone: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/tunein-radio/id418987775?mt=8 AND search for "Wightpartyradio"
- Android:http://tunein.com/radio/Wightparty-Radio-s182957/
- OR
- http://tunein.com/radio/Radio-Riel----Main-Stream-s102750/
And a quick reminder - GASP - the Gothic Alternative Steampunk and Progressive radio show - continues at 8pm UK time on its new day of Thursday; listen in via tune-in at
I have definite preferences for music with metal or heavy rock leanings - though I'm not genre biased and like things from any style as long as they have sufficient power ( I should say here that I loathe and despise the power ballad and other such sentimental maudlin trash with a passion!). Clannad are definitely not metal or heavy rock, but their great vocals, range of instrumentation and wonderful percussion certainly put them into the powerful bracket.
It took me a little while to get used to looking at them - for some reason you just don't expect to see older people playing guitars! - but their sound is still incredible. I was particularly impressed with the Robin of Sherwood medley that they played (that series, which they scored, was where I first heard them waaay back when).
Saturday night was different - very different. For one thing, this gig was being played in a former church, the Church of St John the Evangelist, in Oxford. 'H Natural' - or Steve Hogarth, front man of progressive rock band Marillion - was performing a solo, intimate one-man-and-a-piano set. Very different to Clannad, and to Marillion, even, though he performed some of their songs, but again, a powerful performance, interspersed with readings from his diaries, and general audience banter.
In a couple of weeks, I'll be indulging in a complete change of pace as I go to see Aurelio Voltaire, with steampunk friends Gladstone and also the Memepunks in London - rock 'n' roll, baby, rock 'n' roll...

And take a look at the events pages on this site for details of Novacon, coming up in November (hence the name), at which I'll be taking part in a few author panels and also performing with Crimson Clocks on Saturday evening!