Musical Chairs

This is my 250th blog-post.

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[Image description: Matt Alber singing whilst playing his keyboard]

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Regular readers will recall that I have been moving out of Facebook almost since my blog began. A few months back I deleted the vast majority of my music tastes therefrom: with the exception of Snatnam Kaur and Matt Alber (pictured above), so that I may continue to receive news on their tours, releases, etc. It has taken since then to complete this post - partly due to my on-going ill-health and disabilities.

I have listed my eclectic tastes alphabetically. All bar two acts have a Wikipedia listing, so I have included such after their name. This is followed by any official, or in some cases quasi-official, website. Finally I have listed styles. In this regard I have attempted to be consistent and used as few labels as seemed necessary. I realise music can be labelled in multiple ways and my categorisation in no way should be deemed some kind of attempt at taxonomy. The labels are there simply to give a broad overview.

For some artists, they were what is quaintly known as one-hit-wonders. In these instances, I have posted a Youtube link to their unique success. The four stimulate potent and happy memories in me, each connected to someone I love/have loved very dearly.

I have not listed "classical" composers here, as I intend to draw up a further list at some point.

My selections are not particularly avant-garde or even trendy; they are, however, my choices. I am more than happy to engage in discussion over favourite tracks and so on with regards the artists listed, if anyone wishes to do so.

As a young child, my vision was deteriorating extremely rapidly and I had to obtain new, stronger prescription spectacles every six months. I was advised that I should probably be blind by age twenty-one. Thankfully, that did not come to pass. However, apart from trying to teach myself Braille, I decided that listening to music (or oral books) was far more important to me than seeing with my eyes.

Music speaks to one's inner-being, to one's soul or spirit, to one's psyche. Music brings to mind past loves, happy memories and places where one initially heard a piece. Music resonates with one's whole being. I give you, My Music…

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A

A-ha     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, new wave, pop, rock, synthpop
Abba     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, pop, rock
Acker Bilk     Wikipedia, Official, styles: trad jazz
Alejandro Sanz     Wikipedia, Official, styles: Latino, pop
Alison Moyet     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, new wave, pop, rock, synthpop
Amy Grant     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, gospel, pop, rock
Anastacia     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, funk, pop, rock, R&B, soul
Annie Lennox     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new wave, pop, rock, R&B, soul, synthpop
Antony and the Johnsons     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, pop
Armand Van Helden     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, electronica, garage, house 
Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli     Wikipedia, Official, styles: classical

B

Babylon Zoo     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, pop, rock
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Baccara     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, pop
Barry Manilow     Wikipedia, Official, styles: easy listening, pop, rock
Barry White     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, funk, R&B, soul
Basement Jaxx     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, garage, house
Bette Midler     Wikipedia, Official, styles: easy listening, pop, rock
Beverley Knight     Wikipedia, Official, styles: R&B, soul
Billie Holiday     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, jazz, R&B, swing, torch song
Black     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, pop, rock
Black Eyed Peas     Wikipedia, Official, styles: hip hop, R&B
Blondie     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, punk
Blur     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, Britpop, Indie
Brandy (Norwood)     Wikipedia, Official, styles: pop, R&B
Bruce Springsteen     Wikipedia, Official, styles: pop, rock
Bryan Ferry     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, pop, rock

C

Chic     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, funk, soul
Chicane     Wikipedia, Official, styles: chill-out, electronica, house, trance
China Crisis     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, synthpop
Chris de Burgh     Wikipedia, Official, styles: easy listening, pop, rock
Chris Rea     Wikipedia, Official, styles: pop, rock
Clannad     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, Irish, new age, rock
Cocteau Twins     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, pop, rock
Coldplay     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, pop, rock

D

D:Ream     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, pop, rock, R&B, soul
Dan Hartman     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, new wave, R&B, rock, soul
Daniel Barenboim     Wikipedia, Official, styles: classical
Daniel Bedingfield     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, electronica, garage, gospel, pop, rock
Deep Forest     Wikipedia, Official, styles:ambient, electronica, new age, world
Don Francisco     Wikipedia, Official, styles: gospel
Donna Summer     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, disco, funk, gospel, pop, R&B, rock, soul

E

Édith Piaf     Wikipedia, Official, styles: cabaret, chanson, torch song
Elisabeth Schwarzkopf     Wikipedia, Official, styles: Lieder, opera, operetta
Ely Guerra     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, chill-out, jazz, pop, rock
Enigma     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new age, world
Eurythmics     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, pop, rock, synthpop
Eva Cassidy     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, folk, gospel, jazz, pop, soul

F

Faithless     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, house, trance
Fatboy Slim     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, house, rave
Frankie Goes to Hollywood     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, new wave, pop, rock, synthpop

G

Gary Numan     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new wave, rock, synthpop 
George Michael     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, disco, pop, soul
Glenn Miller     Wikipedia, Official, styles: big band, swing
Gloria Estefan     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, Latino, pop
Goldfrapp     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, synthpop
Gorillaz     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, electronica, hip hop
Grace Jones     Wikipedia, Official, styles: chanson, dance, disco, electronica, funk, new wave, R&B, reggae, rock
Groove Armada     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, chill-out, electronica, house
Guillemots     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, indie, rock

H

Heather Nova     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, rock

I

Isha D     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, house
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J

Jace Everett     Wikipedia, Official, styles: country, rock
James Blunt     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, pop, rock
Jamiroquai     Wikipedia, Official, styles: acid jazz, dance, disco, electronica, funk, pop, R&B, rock, soul
Jean Michel Jarre     Wikipedia, Official, styles: ambient, electronica, new age, trance
Joan Armatrading     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, folk, pop, rock
John Denver     Wikipedia, Official, styles: country, folk, pop, western
John Michael Talbot     Wikipedia, Official, styles: country, folk, gospel, liturgical
Joy Division     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, new wave

K

Kalimba     Wikipedia, Official, styles: Latino, pop, rock
Keith Green     Wikipedia, Official, styles: gospel, rock
Kiri Te Kanawa     Wikipedia, Official, styles: musical, opera, popera
Kraftwerk     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, electronica, synthpop
Kylie (Minogue)     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, disco, electronica, pop, synthpop

L

Lady Gaga     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, electronica, pop
Liza Minnelli     Wikipedia, Official, styles: cabaret, jazz, musical, pop
Lotte Lenya     Wikipedia, Official, styles: cabaret, chanson, musical
Louis Armstrong     Wikipedia, Official, styles: jazz, pop, swing

M

M People     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, disco, soul
Madonna     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, disco, electronica, folk, jazz, pop, swing
Malena Ernman     Wikipedia, Official, styles: cabaret, chanson, jazz, opera, popera
Mama Cass Elliot     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, pop
Maria Callas     Wikipedia, Official, styles: opera
Marlene Dietrich     Wikipedia, Official, styles: cabaret, chanson
Maroon 5     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, pop, rock
Matt Alber     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, disco, easy listening, folk, torch song
Meat Loaf     Wikipedia, Official, styles: rock
Michael Card     Wikipedia, Official, styles: gospel, liturgical
Mieczyslaw Horszowski     Wikipedia, Official, styles: classical
Mika     Wikipedia, Official, styles: pop, rock
Moby     Wikipedia, Official, styles: ambient, dance, electronica, house, techno
Mono     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, trip hop
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N

New Order     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, dance, new wave, synthpop
Nightcrawlers     Wikipedia, Official, styles: acid jazz, house, soul
Nina Simone     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, folk, gospel, jazz, R&B
Noël Coward     Wikipedia, Official, styles: musical, operetta, pop

O

Oasis     Wikipedia, Official, styles: Britpop, rock
Odyssey     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, soul
Olive     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, trip hop
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Orchestral Manœuvres (in the Dark)     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new wave, synthpop
Orquesta sinfónica de RTVE     Wikipedia, Official, styles: classical

P

P!nk     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, pop, rock, R&B
Pat Benetar     Wikipedia, Official, styles: pop, rock
Pet Shop Boys     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, dance, pop, synthpop
Peter Skellern     Wikipedia, Official, styles: easy listening, musical, pop
Phil and John     Wikipedia, Official, styles: gospel
Phillip Glass     Wikipedia, Official, styles: classical, opera
Portishead     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, trip hop, rock
Pulp     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternatice, Britpop, indie, rock

R

R.E.M.     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, pop, rock
Rodrigo y Gabriela     Wikipedia, Official, styles: flamenca, pop, Latino, rock
Roxy Music     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, pop, rock
Roy Orbison     Wikipedia, Official, styles: country, pop, rock
Röyksopp     Wikipedia, Official, styles: ambient, chill-out, electronica, house, synthpop

S

Sade     Wikipedia, Official, styles: R&B, soul
Scissors Sisters     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, pop, rock
Sebastien Tellier     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new wave, pop, synthpop
Sigur Rós     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, ambient, electronica, pop
Simon and Garfunkel     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, pop
Simply Red     Wikipedia, Official, styles: pop, soul
Sister Sledge     Wikipedia, Official, styles: disco, pop, R&B, soul
Snatam Kaur     Wikipedia, Official, styles: liturgical, new age, world
Snow Patrol     Wikipedia, Official, styles: indie, pop, rock

T

Texas     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, Britpop, pop, rock
The Blues Brothers     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, R&B, soul, rock
The Cure     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, new wave, rock
The Divine Comedy     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, pop
The Gipsy Kings     Wikipedia, Official, styles: flamenca, Latino, pop
The Human League     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new romantic, synthpop
The Ink Spots     Wikipedia, Official, styles: easy listening, pop, R&B
The Mamas and the Papas     Wikipedia, Official, styles: folk, pop
The Monks and Choirboys of Downside Abbey     Wikipedia, Official, styles: Gregorian, liturgical
The Tourists     Wikipedia, Official, styles: new wave, pop, rock
Todd Terry     Wikipedia, Official, styles: house
Tracey Chapman     Wikipedia, Official, styles: blues, folk, pop, rock, soul
Transglobal Underground     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, fusion, world
Tricky     Wikipedia, Official, styles: trip hop

U

U2     Wikipedia, Official, styles: rock
Ultravox     Wikipedia, Official, styles: electronica, new wave, synthpop
Underworld     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dance, house, trance
Urban Species     Wikipedia, Official, styles: dub, funk, hip hop, jazz
Ute Lemper     Wikipedia, Official, styles: cabaret, musical, opera

V

Vangelis     Wikipedia, Official, styles: classical, electronica, new age, rock
Vienna Blood     Wikipedia, Official, styles: country, rock

W

Wilfried     Wikipedia, Official, styles: punk, new wave, rock

Y

Yazoo     Wikipedia, Official, styles: alternative, new wave, synthpop

Medical Support for the House-bound

Last week I was reminded that Trafford Healthwatch are running a survey:

Healthwatch Trafford have today launched a survey to look at how people with ME /CFS experience health services in the area.

[undated, from April 2015]

According to MeManchester:

WHO IS IT FOR?

 For anyone in England with ME or CFS, even though it says Trafford.

Please complete this questionnaire, if you are able; for, the more responses, the more the likelihood that Healthwatch can and will take action.

I fought for two years, backed by my G.P. and my hospital consultant, to get a support package off ‪Trafford‬ PCT - who did everything they could to impede my success. As I understand it I was only the second person ever to succeed with them.

The now defunct Manchester community nursing ‪ME/CFS‬ support team (sorry - cannot recall their actual name) visited my home, as I was and am classed as "severe" under the ‪‎NICE‬ guidelines and by my hospital consultant. They helped me audit my energy usage and suggested actions I could do to help myself. For example, I still have a chair on the stairs landing so as to take a rest part way down, rather than trying to do in one go. I still have slogans mounted in my bedroom to remind me of various actions that due to dyscognition and memory issues I frequently forget.

My consultant runs specialist ‪ME‬ support clinics at the hospital I attend annually. Alas, due to the severity of my condition - I am for the most part housebound with occasional supported outings - I am unable to access those clinics. I am not in the "most severe" category of those on drips and so forth.

I do think more needs to be done for housebound sufferers, not just of‪ Myalgic Encephalomyelitis‬ but also ‪Lupus‬, ‪Fibromyalgia‬, ‪Arthritis‬, etc.

Britain's Global Rôle?

Today the Independent on Sunday, a British broadsheet, published an article on the most warmongering nations. Forty of the eight-one states reviewed are at war. Uganda headed the list:

The US came second, followed by Rwanda and then the UK

The publication is strangely co-incidental as only yesterday I had started a post on the UK's international missions.

For many years I have been a proponent of the UK reducing its international rôles & responsibilities commensurate with our actual size, unless those EU countries that rely on the United Kingdom and France financially support our armed forces and international escapades. As the latter is unlikely, then we ought to let the big players take over.

We are a very small island with delusions of grandeur harking back to an Empire that has long since gone.

Time to face up to our reality and look after our own: the hungry; the homeless; the injured & maimed; the sick; the disabled; the elderly; the young; the undereducated; the unemployed; the underemployed; the workers. In short: care for all our citizens, not just the rich and the arms-manufacturers.

Please do not misinterpret me: I am not saying we should not support foreign aid. Personally, I should like to see our soldiers being used to help construct infrastructure using the taxes set aside for international assistance rather than monies being handed over to corrupt governments, agencies and businesses.

I am a pantheist: which means I revere the natural world.

I am a humanist: which means I value all human life.

I am a Quaker: which means I try to respect life, all that contains & supports it.

I am a pacifist: which means I try to walk the path of peace.

I am a holist: which means I believe we are one, that everything is interconnected.

[Image description: Earth from space. © freeimageslive.com]

Any thoughts, folks?

BBC Fails Again to Cover Disability Issues

Inter alia the Huffington Post, The Daily Mirror, The Independent and numerous bloggers have managed to put out information in respect to the mortality rates of benefit recipients. This information has been subject to freedom of information requests and a ruling by the Information Commissioner, but the notorious Department for Work & Pensions has fought the release of the data every step of the way. Today, some information was published, concealed apparently within immigration data. Odd perhaps, one might think. However, not unusual for the Ministry of Truth that is renowned for feeding so-called propaganda to the neo-liberal press and sympathetic reporters (hardly journalists!).

The national broadcaster, the BBC, (paid for my a licence fee, a de facto tax on every TV-using household in the UK) has thus far failed to publish any item thereon. Or if it has, it has hidden it from accessible sight. I could find no mention on their main news page, so I searched elsewhere. Below are the timed screen-caps.

Nothing under "UK" news:

Nothing under "Politics" news:

 Nothing under "Science" news:

Nothing under "Health" news:

Next I though I should try specific searches. Here is how I fared.

Nothing under "mortality statistics":

Nothing under "death statistics":

Nothing under "DWP statistics":

 Nothing under "ESA statistics":

Nothing under "Employment & Support Allowance":

 Nothing under "WRAG":

 Nothing under "Work Related Activity Group":

 Nothing under "Iain Duncan Smith" (Minister in charge of the DWP):

 Nothing under "Fit for Work":

 Nothing under "WCA":

Nothing under "Work Capability Assessment":

I consider this yet another Auntie Beeb failure and snub to a large demographic section of British society (about one seventh of the population per ODI figures.). We chronically sick &/or folk with impairments, aka the disabled, deserve better. We also pay for our television licences and deserve for serious news that concerns us to be covered by one of the largest news-gathering organisations in the world.


***UPDATE***

An article appeared on BBC website an hour ago: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34074557?post_id=959487854098217_969804189733250#_=_