Tag Archives: Music
Monochrome Kashgar.
I had plans for more stories from Xinjiang; however, the more I try to put pen to paper the more I realise I don’t want to add words to what I’ve already said. What I do have are some photos. … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, China
Tagged Army, Arrests, Asia, Border, Border patrol, Brainwashing, CCTV, Central Asia, Chairman, Chen, Chen Quanguo, China, Concentration camps, Foreigners, Id Kah, Irkeshtam, Irkeshtam border, Islam, Islamist, Jiefang, Kashgar, Kashgar old town, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan - Xinjiang, Land crossing, Mao, Mosque, Mountains, Music, People, Peter Robb, Photography, Police, Qomuz, Re-education camps, Religion, Repression, Soldiers, Street photography, Surveillance, Terrorism, Tourism, Travel, Truck, Turkestan, Turkic, Urban photography, Urumqi, Uyghur, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang, Zedong
13 Comments
Nobody speak. A Xinjiang journal.
Why coming here? I loathe the term dark tourism. Yet why am I here? I’m not an activist, a journalist, somebody with a higher sense of purpose. My only answer is because it’s there. Because I want to see it with my own eyes. … Continue reading
Posted in Asia, Central Asia, China, Kyrgyzstan
Tagged Army, Arrests, Asia, Border, Border patrol, Brainwashing, CCTV, Central Asia, Chairman, Chen, Chen Quanguo, China, Concentration camps, Foreigners, Id Kah, Irkeshtam, Irkeshtam border, Islam, Islamist, Jiefang, Kashgar, Kashgar old town, Kyrgyzstan, Kyrgyzstan - Xinjiang, Land crossing, Mao, Mosque, Mountains, Music, People, Peter Robb, Photography, Police, Qomuz, Re-education camps, Religion, Repression, Soldiers, Street photography, Surveillance, Terrorism, Tourism, Travel, Truck, Turkestan, Turkic, Urban photography, Urumqi, Uyghur, Uzbekistan, Xinjiang, Zedong
41 Comments
The quest for the best road.
There are countless articles singing the virtues of this or that stretch of road, claiming it to be “the best in the UK/Europe/world” (delete as applicable). So what’s the point in writing another one? What’s the use of increasing the … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Iceland
Tagged Ólafsvík, Borgarnes, Creedence, DJ Krush, El Búho, Eldborg, Europe, Fortress of Fire, Grundarfjörður, Iceland, Icelandic horse, Kirkjufell, Music, Road, Road Trip, Route 54, Route 56, Route 574, Saxhóll, Sea, Snæfellsnes, Snow, Stykkishólmur, Suzuki Vitara, Tourism, Travel, Video, Vitara, Volcano, Winter, Xica Xica, Ytri-Tunga
26 Comments
Beyoğlu’s resilience.
I’ve since long harboured the dream of having – or, more modestly, staying at – a house on the Bosporus. Something with balconies abutting the waterfront, or perhaps a terrace with a view of the passing ships, a bottle of … Continue reading
Posted in Europe, Turkey
Tagged B&W, Beyoglu, Beşiktaş, Bukowski, Busker, Colour, Dolmabahçe, Europe, Galata, Galata tower, Genoa, Greatest show, Istanbu, Istiklal Caddesi, Karaköy, Music, No ticket, People, People watching, Pera, Police, Turkey, Turks, Vodafone arena, Water cannon
19 Comments
Genghis’ Camp.
This didn’t feel like Central Asia. The road was smooth, the ride quiet, the old Mercedes van that did the honours as our marshrutka, or collective taxi, wasn’t packed to the gunwales. Our driver, a faded Denver Broncos hat planted on … Continue reading
Posted in Central Asia, Kyrgyzstan
Tagged Ala tau, Central Asia, Cholpon Ata, Ethno Park, Felt tent, Food, Gorge, Issyk Kul, Jailoo, Jew's Harp, Kyrchyn, Kyrchyn Jailoo, Kyrgyzstan, Lake, Lenin, Lenin statue, Mountains, Music, Nomad, Throat singing, Tien Shan, WNG, World Nomad Game, Yurt
19 Comments
A good day to be in America.
Waking up at silly o’clock in a corporate hotel room (describable by the colour “beige”) on the 25thfloor of a Magnificent Mile high-rise in Chicago, I felt a genuine, good-spirited sense of excitement. It was a cocktail, I decided as … Continue reading
Posted in Americas, USA
Tagged Andersonville, Bronski Beat, Chicago, Coffee, CPD, Electric Six, Gay, Gay Pride, Great Lake, Hate, Homophobia, Inclusion, Lake, Lincoln Park, Music, Navy Pier, North Chicago, Parade, Pride, Religion, Skyline, Straight, Sun, Sweden, Urban
16 Comments
Songs for the Road 7 – Now with even less sense!
The hot season is definitely upon us (at least, as much as it can be for London) and the poor algorithm that chooses the Your Mix selection on Youtube must be excused to be thinking that the heat has made me … Continue reading
Posted in Music review, Odd ones out
Tagged Acid Arab, Bomba éstereo, Cantaloupe island, Cem Yıldız, Cenotes, Cumbia, Dave Brubeck, El Búho, France, Herbie Hancock, La Haine, Latin America, Les Sages Poètes de la Rue, Lulacruza, Mexico, Minimal, Music, Music for the road, Music recommendations, Neşe Karaböcek, Norway, Rave, Shanghai, Smilla, Spanish, Stil, Take Five, Techno, Todd Terje, Turkey, Youtube
12 Comments
Song(s) for the Road 6 – An African New Year’s Day
I’m not one for resolutions, for they don’t work, but I do have a couple of traditions for New Year’s Day. One, shared with a longtime friend, is to check what day is Easter on the calendar, and then to … Continue reading
Posted in Music review, Odd ones out, Random memories
Tagged Addis, Addis Ababa, Addis Abeba, Africa, African music, Afrique, Afrobeat, Algeria, Black Company, Bombino, Elwan, Ethio-Jazz, Ethiopia, Ethiopian, Farka Touré, Fatoumata Diawara, Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, Foli, Funk, Guinée, Guinea, Imarhan, Jazz, KEXP, Lagos, London, Mali, Malinke, Mulatu Astatke, Music, music review, Musique de l'Afrique, New York, Nigeria, No Accommodation for Lagos, Ofo, Rokia Traore, Songhoy Blues, Tamikrest, Ténéré Tàqqàl, Teneré, Tinariwen, Tony Allen, Womad, Youtube
9 Comments
Song(s) for the Road 5 – Waylaid by the War on Drugs
It was meant to be a busy afternoon. I’ve spent the day delivering a course, the first time in my life being a trainer rather than a trainee (if only my mother could’ve seen me!) and I’ve returned to 60 … Continue reading
Posted in Music review, Odd ones out, Random memories
Tagged Music, Music for the road, music review, Odd ones out, The War on Drugs
2 Comments
Four years and two days.
I nearly missed, I must confess. Had it not been for the urge of seeing Shut Up and Play the Hits that, at regular intervals, comes to haunt me I’d have probably missed it altogether (and you’d have escaped this post, possibly). … Continue reading
