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sidsmith.bsky.social
Freelancer writing about music & musicians in print & online. I share an office with a cat called The Bug. Contact me here or via [email protected]
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In 2010/11, I wrote liner notes for a quartet of albums by Pierre Moerlen's Gong. Originally released between 1979 and 1981, these records contain some superb material despite occupying a somewhat overlooked quadrant of the Gong galaxy. More details here: www.cherryred.co.uk/artist/pierr...

submitted 10 hours ago • 1 comment

Shine on…

submitted 22 hours ago • 0 comments

I’m not sure who’s purring the loudest, me or The Bug.

submitted 1 day ago • 0 comments

Today is the 20th anniversary of Van Der Graaf Generator's reunion at London's RFH in 2005. I had the privilege of being asked to tell the story of VdGG's return and their continuing journey, interviewing Guy Evans, Hugh Banton & Peter Hammill for this box set. www.cherryred.co.uk/van-der-graa...

submitted 1 day ago • 2 comments

Another almost entirely empty LNER train to London, on which tickets are the price of a flight to Rome, because the LNER website insists the train is ‘full’.

submitted 1 day ago • 13 comments

In the early 1970s, Audience occupied an important space in the progressive firmament. In 2015, I wrote the essays accompanying the reissue of their Polydor debut and the three cult releases they did for Charisma. You can find out more here: www.cherryred.co.uk/artist/audie...

submitted 2 days ago • 2 comments

Enter The Bug

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Knight and day, you are the one… A flicker of sunlight dapples the helm of John de la Pole of Chrishall. #MagicalMondayMoments

submitted 2 days ago • 1 comment

Patto featured the great Ollie Halsall on guitar, and was a hugely underrated, coulda-been-a-contender beast of a band in the early 1970s. I wrote the liner notes to all their albums in 2017 as part of a remaster reissue series. Find out more about them here: www.cherryred.co.uk/artist/patto

submitted 3 days ago • 2 comments

In 2018, I interviewed John Surman, Barre Phillips, and producer Peter Eden about the work of The Trio for this reissue of their Dawn label output. If you don't have The Trio in your collection, you should put that right www.cherryred.co.uk/the-trio-inc...

submitted 4 days ago • 0 comments

Arguably as much of a Robert Wyatt solo album as a band record, I wrote the sleeve notes to this lovely 2CD expanded edition of the Mole's debut in 2012. www.cherryred.co.uk/matching-mol...

submitted 5 days ago • 1 comment

This is such a fine album. I wrote the liner notes to this remastered edition in 2017. Still available here www.cherryred.co.uk/where-fortun...

submitted 6 days ago • 0 comments

'Nocturne in Grey and Gold.' (1872) Colour was central to Whistler’s paintings, as demonstrated in the title he chose for this work. The blacks and greys of night are contrasted with gold - the gaslights that illuminated the streets of Chelsea in London on the bank of the Thames

submitted 7 days ago • 5 comments

It’s Slurp o’clock

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Blowing out the office cobwebs this morning

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

I'm in the office this afternoon with the boys keeping me company.

submitted 8 days ago • 1 comment

A close shave with art

submitted 9 days ago • 0 comments

The beverage report

submitted 10 days ago • 0 comments

Crossings

submitted 10 days ago • 1 comment

A brief blast

submitted 11 days ago • 1 comment

I've returned to the office today to spend a happy hour with Free's Fire And Water and Neil Storey's excellent Island Book Of Records 1969 - 1970, the perfect accompaniment to a much-loved album.

submitted 12 days ago • 0 comments

It has been 25 days since I was last in the office and 23 days since I had my pacemaker fitted. This is the longest break from work I’ve had in my 25 or so years as a freelance writer. I confess it has felt weird not being on a deadline, but I think I could get used to it.

submitted 13 days ago • 9 comments

Atom Heart Motherfucking Unit

submitted 13 days ago • 0 comments

The Bug sidles in

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

The morning has materialised

submitted 13 days ago • 2 comments

The day falls into focus

submitted 14 days ago • 0 comments

The Bug is zonked

submitted 14 days ago • 3 comments

A fab day although I confess to having a touch of haul envy.

submitted 16 days ago • 3 comments

I came to Newcastle Quayside to look at the river and all I got was this lousy view

submitted 16 days ago • 1 comment