What I was listening to in: AUGUST 2026

Week 32

The reissue of "In A Glass House" has arrived. My Dad was given the cassette of it, back in the 70s, to pass on to me. I played it but wasn't that bothered about it at the time. Now this year I've been buying many Gentle Giant albums. I was expecting the CD to come in the same transparent sleeve as the LP (as it was advertised) but it just came with a clear window. Chiz!!

Week 33

It's a greatest hits/best of week again. CHANGESONEBOWIE is another out of the cassette box; from the Woolies bargain bin I think. The Elvis Costello CD is another that Tracey got from Woolies when it closed. It's supposed to be a two disc set but I only have disc 2. It's good though, not just all the usual hits.

Week 34

A selection of live sets again. The Silverhead album is of bootleg quality so it's not the best recording but is an important document of the bands live set.

After listening to the two Trapeze in Dallas albums it's easy to see why they never became a mega group along the lines of Deep Purple or Led Zeppelin! The songs are just not memorable.

Week 35

I really enjoyed this weeks selection. Some great tracks on the "Two Rooms" and "Nobody's Child" compilations.

I have a database of all my albums and it includes when I last played them. This list starts from 2014 when we had the conservatory built and I started playing records on a regular basis (with time off between Mar 2022 & Aug 2024 when my turntable broke). According to my list I have 99 undated albums to go.

What I was reading in… August 2026

The Brian Bolland book was a Kickstarter I backed in, I think, October last year! It was originally supposed to be delivered by the end of January 2026. I thought it was never going to turn up but it arrived this month! (it's very good though).

I do enjoy the Gerry Anderson Comic Anthologies. I hope there's a Captain Scarlet one coming. Mike Noble's art on those is magnificent.

What I was reading in… July 2026

The second series of "Reacher" is based on the Lee Child book I read this month. There were more differences between book and TV this time but they were both highly entertaining.

Bob Mortimer's book is excellent - you can't help but read it in his voice! I've got two more of his that I'll get to eventually.

What I was reading in… June 2026

We were given National Trust membership's as a Christmas present so each place we visit we try to ensure it's got a second hand bookshop. That's where some of this selection have come from.

The Clarkson books are great. Entertaining and informative.

I'd not read any Shaun Hutson since "Slugs" in the eighties. "Renegades" is violent and gory and well worth the couple of quid I paid for it!
Guy M Etchells just happens to work at the gym that my Anthony goes to. Ant bumped into him at a comic con so bought his two books.

Jamie Smart's Desperate Dan comics are good. It's not the Dan I grew up, and am familiar, with but once you get used to the style they're very funny.
 

What I was reading in… May 2026

The "Meanwhile" anthology comics were difficult to get hold of! No 11 was the last one I got and I was lucky enough to find it on an American site. The reason for collecting all of these was to get the conclusion of Gary Spencer Millidge's "Strangehaven".

I've been reading Agatha Christie's books in publication order. "Poirot Investigates" was her fourth (and the third Poirot book).

Lee Child is a new author to me. I bought this for Tracey, at Christmas, as she'd read all the Clive Cussler's and was looking for a new thriller series. I thought I'd give it a go myself and blimey! it was good. I flew through it and the day after finishing I watched the "Reacher" TV series based on it. Also good! I've since bought many more Lee Child books and they'll crop up in the coming months.

 

What I was reading in… April 2026

Jessica Martin's book is a teaser/prologue for her first novel due later this year. I've been looking forward to it for ages and she's always kept me up to date with its progress when we've met at Comic Cons.

Mervyn's Monsters is a collection of Leo Baxendale strips so you know straight away you're going to get something good.

What I was reading in… March 2026

Yaroooh! It's Billy Bunter! 

I first read some Bunter books back in 1970 and I loved them. Politically incorrect and probably offensive to many weak minded persons but very entertaining.

Lew Stringer's Brickman is his second collection of reprint strips (I think there are going to be three). Brickman, of course, not to be confused with anyone else who calls themselves Brickman! Lew got there first!