Tuesday 8 April 2008

Band of the Week - Billy Cobham


Not strictly a "band" as such but I thought this guy deserves to go on my blog. One of my favourite drummers, Cobham's jazzy style of playing is easy on the ears, but he is renowned for his big fills and can rock with the best of them.
Check out his site at http://www.billycobham.com/ and the links to You Tube above.

Podcasts


Over the last few weeks I have been checking out the astronomical array of different podcasts that are available as downloads on the net. Having recently bought an iPod with a pretty decent memory, I thought it would be great for keeping in touch with my many interests, as things change over time. So I've subscribed to quite a few including the one in the photo on the right. I've loved history since I was a kid in primary school and Dan's podcast is delivered just like history should be. Well researched, enthusiastically delivered, and asks the the question which ultimately fascinates me - the what if? I can really recommend this podcast not just for history lovers but also those who enjoy good storytelling. Dan site is at http://www.dancarlin.com/ and you can subscribe to his podcasts by installing iTunes on your computer and subscribing from there.
The BBC have good podcasts and I enjoy the Radio 5 Live movie reviews with Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo. I also listen to the highlights of the week from Radio Cymru, important if I want to find out what's happening in Wales. BBC podcasts can be found here.
I try to find out what's happening in the States and This American Life podcast is excellent, full of topical and intriguing stories thatare bound to keep anyone listening.
For music, I download The Rogue's Gallery, the best progressive rock show on the net. It's a long show, sometimes as long as 4 hours, but there are often some gems played and bands that you will never hear on commercial media but are a 1000 times better in quality and talent.
If I find any more interesting podcasts I'll post them on here. If anyone knows of any please let me know.