This post was originally published on the Mumubl.com Newsletter. For updates and recommendations direct to your inbox don’t forget to subscribe.
Hi – It’s Dave here at Mumubl.com, welcome to our recommendation email where I give you some tips on what’s great to listen to and watch in the world of music.
It’s felt like a very slow start to the year here at Mumubl.com – not many newsletters coming out and there hasn’t until recently been much music capturing my imagination. Check out Mountainhead by Everything Everything though as probably my album of the year so far. I’m looking forward to the upcoming release from Warrington band The K’s as well.
There have however been posts on the site, the current little run from Karlo Bromsen is well worth checking out as are the other posts in our Featured category, accessible right here – https://mumubl.com/post/category/featured/.
As ever though the newsletter returns with some top recommendations – but you’ll always find them in your inbox first and foremost. So read on and hopefully there’s something you’ll enjoy.
If there’s any things you think I should be listening to, reading or watching then let me know, shout out on the Mumubl.com social media wherever you reside.
As always – tell all your friends – every little share helps
Currently checking out – Mountainhead by Everything Everything
In this edition
Nothing is real / The Price of music / Maps & Legends / Squaring the circle / Inspiration Liverpool / MUMUBL.COM
Nothing is real – David Hepworth
As a reader of books about music David Hepworth has popped up on my radar a few times but I’ve never taken a dive into any of his stuff. Someone then got me a copy of his book “Nothing is real” for my birthday and I loved it.
It’s a nice introduction to his writing, being a collection of essays and blog posts etc on various topics, not least the one from the subtitle “The Beatles were underrated”. But touching on music in all sorts of aspects, the people who make it, the decline of record shops and so on.
Pick it up and then maybe check back here to see if I’ve read anything else of his yet, his book “1971” is now sat waiting on the “to read” pile on my book shelf.
The Price of music
If you’ve ever listened to Music Ally’s “Focus” podcast (another top recommendation!) then you will likely already have come across the Head of Insight, Stuart Dredge. Often appearing on some of the best most informative episodes of that podcast. Well, now he’s branched out alongside BBC 6 Music’s Steve Lamacq to launch “The Price of Music” podcast.
As the brief blurb puts it “a weekly look at the money behind the music industry.” It’s interesting and informative look at what does go on behind the scenes. Who makes the money, where it goes, what things cost. Well informed and well worth your time, and when you’re done catching up go and check out Music Ally Focus if you haven’t already.
Maps & Legends: The Story of R.E.M. – John Hunter
With a title taken presumably from the 1985 song by the band this is a rather exhaustive look at charting the entire history of the band R.E.M. It certainly leaves very little uncovered and is surprising at times for it’s often disapproving tone towards some of the bands behaviour and decisions. But that makes it equally intriguing and enjoyable, that it isn’t some kind of fan boyish worship piece on the band.
Pieced together from various media from years gone by the exhaustive research the references make up a large chunk of the books mighty tome so it won’t be quite as long a read as it looks at first (unless reading lists of references is what you get your kicks from). If you can get hold of a copy and have any inkling of interest in R.E.M. then, whilst it’s not easy to get hold of, try and pick a copy up.
Squaring the circle
Before the name Hipgnosis in music circles referred to the behemoth song fund it was the album art studio, formed in the late 60s ,that produced some of the most iconic album covers of the period such as Pink Floyd’s iconic “Dark Side of the Moon” prism cover.
This documentary, which is streaming on Netflix in the UK, is a great look at the history of the company largely through interviews with one of the two co-founders Aubrey “Po” Powell (the other Storm Thorgerson having died in 2013) Not just peering at the studio itself the story also links in brilliantly with that of the music industry over the decades.
Inspiration Liverpool
As I line up some new artists and music figures for the Inspiration Liverpool site you can catch all the current posts over at the site. If anyone is interested in joining in please let me know.
Have a read of that and the archive of old interviews on the site and keep an eye out on our social media for a heads up on new pieces coming up.
From Mumubl.com
Amongst the latest on Mumubl.com is a series of posts from Karlo Bromsen of the German duo Bromsen who have just released their album “Brothers in Mind”. Karlo looks at the albums that inspired them as well as talking about great debut albums. Check out “Just take a guitar and it sounds like an orchestra” about the inspiration and love of the Luka Bloom album Turf, and also “a great debut” about the Nirvana album Bleach.
This post was originally published on the Mumubl.com Newsletter. For updates and recommendations direct to your inbox don’t forget to subscribe.
