World War 1 in colour (2003)

Part 6

Victory and Despair - End of World War 1

This is the final episode

although there is some bonus material which I will post soon.

The WWI armistice was the agreement between the Allies and Germany

that halted fighting on the Western Front.

Signed at 5:00 a.m. in the Compiègne Forest in France,

it took effect at exactly 11:00 a.m. on November 11th 1918.

This marked the end of the war's major hostilities.

Kaiser Bill abdicated and buggered off to the Netherlands:

Any level-headed observer, at the time, could see that the terms of the armistice

would merely sow the seeds of future conflict.

regards

Titus

link

Cardiacs

Jibberish - A Live Collection

Reposted from April 2025

My compilation of wonderful live Cardiacs recordings culled from a range of sources.

Including one from just two days before Tim's heart attack.

All have had some remastering.

regards

Titus

Disc 1

Radio 2XS Barn Session - December 11th 2004

01 The Breakfast Line

02 Big Ship

03 The Duck and Roger the Horse

04 Fast Robert

Marc Riley's Rocket Science - October 15th 2005

05 intro

06 Hope Day

07 chat

08 As Cold as Can Be in an English Sea

09 talk

10 Will Bleed Amen

11 talk

12 Stoneage Dinosaurs/outro

Disc 2

Marc Riley's Brain Surgery - June 23rd 2008

01 Silvery

02 talk

03 Jibber and Twitch

04 talk

05 Gen/outro

BBC 'Inside Tracks' (aired June 13th 1999)

06 Signs

07 Firey Gun Hand

London Astoria - November 12th 2004

08 The Everso Closely Guarded Line

The Garage, London - October 18th 2003

09 Dirty Boy

Salisbury Arts Centre - June 30th 1990

10 Is This the Life?

link

Go Go Socceroos!

Show those Yanks what the descendants of British criminals are made of.

post-match verdict: Another comfortable win for the USA.

regards

Titus

World War 1 in colour (2003)

Part 5

Mayhem on the Eastern Front - Combat on the Eastern Front

Tanks were first used in combat on September 15th 1916,

during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (part of the wider Battle of the Somme)

The word "tank" was a code name used by the British during development

to keep the weapon secret under the guise of water tanks.

The British Army deployed 49 Mark I tanks.

While the tanks had a devastating psychological effect on German morale

and proved they could cross trenches, they were incredibly slow

and suffered from heavy mechanical unreliability.

Of the vehicles sent to the front, many broke down

Only 32 made it to the starting line,

and just nine managed to engage the enemy lines.

If I'd have see them fist I would have immediately surrendered.

Same applies had I been around to see Hannibal winding his way down from the Alps.

regards

Titus

link

...for Jobe

In the spirit of fair play:

regards

Titus

The "hydration breaks" at the World Cup are proving unpopular.

I propose we set up a pitch-side bar (with a beer garden for smokers)

and they can all have a chat over a pint.

regards

Titus

World War 1 in colour (2003)

Part 4

Killers of the Sea - Conflict on the seas

German U-boats were the scourge of the ocean:

Technology is key to warfare.

I believe we are seeing that now with the increasing use of drones.

The age of the multi-million dollar missile may well be over.

Cavalry had once been an innovation and most countries were still using it in 1914.

An estimated 8 million horses, donkeys and mules were killed during WWI.

The age of the Warhorse was over.

regards

Titus

link

Cartoon by Gary Larson

regards

Titus

World War 1 in colour (2003)

Part 3

Blood in the Air - Conflict in the Air.

My admiration for the veterans interviewed for this series brings me to tears.

Amazing that planes were used in WWI.

The Wright Bros. had made their first tentative flight in December 1903.

regards

Titus

link

Looking forward to England's opening foray into the World Cup.

Croatia are (on paper) the most difficult opponent in the group

and I'm bracing myself for disappointment while hoping for the best.

post match verdict: England played ok in the 2nd half

and deserved the win overall.

regards

Titus

Jukka Tolonen

Popstudio Live

Helsinki, Finland

September 22nd 1975

Remastered FM.

regards

Titus

01 Tiger

02 band intros/Windermere Avenue

03 Hysterica

04 Django 

bonus:

Finlandia-talo

Helsinki, Finland

September 14th 1976

05 Rambling/Air Rock

link

Phantasm (1979)

A cult classic and much loved favourite of mine.

The 'tuning fork' motif really hits the musical spot.

I once watched it at a late-night cinema re-run after consuming some...erm...mushroom soup.

First time I really understood the plot!

The wonderfully named Angus Scrimm steals the show

with his portrayal of the exquisitely intimidating Tall Man.

"You play a good game, boy, but the game is finished. Now you die."

Optional multi-subs are included.

Other languages available on request.

regards

Titus

link

World War 1 in colour (2003)

Part 2. Slaughter in the Trenches - Combat on the Western Front

regards

Titus

link

Faithful Breath - Fading Beauty (1974)

Formed in Bochum in 1967, Faithful Breath recorded their debut album in late 1973.

It is symphonic prog with lashings of Mellotron

reminiscent of early Genesis or King Crimson.

A second LP was released in 1980 but the band broke up.

They re-emerged in the early 80s, albeit with a changed line-up,

by which time they had morphed into a heavy metal outfit.

Fading Beauty lacks a bit of creativity at times

but it's still a worthy effort and a notable prog obscurity.

This is my slightly tweaked version.

regards

Titus

01 Autumn Fantasia: Fading Beauty

02 Autumn Fantasia: Lingering Cold

03 Tharsis

link

It Conquered Hollywood! (2001)

This is the story of American International Pictures.

AIP was formed on April 2nd 1954

by former Realart Pictures Inc. sales manager James H. Nicholson

and entertainment lawyer Samuel Z. Arkoff. (with ubiquitous cigar)

These wannabe movie moguls took on the mighty Hollywood companies

producing movies at a fraction of the cost.

AIP was dedicated to releasing low-budget films packaged as double features,

primarily of interest to the teenagers of the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s.

The audio was a bit poor so I remastered it.

Thanks to ex-mixer for the recommendation.

regards

Titus

link

Uzbekistan are making their debut appearance at the World Cup Finals.

They are my official favourite underdogs.

It's a beautiful country:

I took these photos during the Napoleonic Wars

when I was working as a butler/runner to Sir Billy Himalaya.

Sir Billy had been appointed 'Emergency Viceroy of Uzbekistan and all her bits'.

His predecessor, Lord Henry "Jonty" "Fishface" Bassington-ffrench,

had his tenure cut short following a scandal involving a local punkah wallah chappie.

Lord Henry had been left with little choice but to return to London in disgrace

and join the Cabinet.

He still lives in Chelsea...with the punkah wallah chappie.

I believe it's considered quite normal these days

C'mon you White Wolves!

regards

Titus

The Flower Kings

Substage
Karlsruhe, Germany
November 18th 2000

Reposted from July 2020

Another fine audience recording.
This is the period when Jonas Rheingold first took up bass duties

which raised the band to another level.

Premium Prog!
regards
Titus

Disc 1
01 intro
02 Garden of Dreams (pts 1-10/16-18)
03 Rumble Fish Twist
04 Jonas bass solo
05 A King's Prayer/Hey Jude

Disc 2
01 I Am the Sun
02 Deaf, Numb & Blind
03 Dissonata
04 My Cosmic Lover/Stupid Girl
05 Merry-Go-Round
06 Circus Brimstone
07 Crying Clown
08 El Grande Bombastico a la Keys
09 Jam
10 Soon

11 Retropolis

12 The Flower King

Disc 3
01 Church of Your Heart
02 Stardust We Are (pt 3)
03 Jonas 'performance'

link

Paraguay (Amnesty International 2025):

Judicial independence was threatened by the links between organized crime

and members of parliament and the judiciary.

The health system faced a permanent crisis due to corruption

and lack of sufficient public investment.

Threats against journalists, repression of social protest

and setbacks in Indigenous Peoples’ rights were reported.

High levels of gender-based violence continued.

Criminalization of human rights defenders and structural discrimination persisted.

Human rights in the United States are protected primarily by the Constitution

and Bill of Rights, but they have faced severe challenges.

Major civil liberties organizations report a troubling erosion of protections,

citing issues like harsh border policies, restrictions on LGBTQ+ 

and reproductive rights and crackdowns on freedom of speech, assembly, and a free press.

So an evenly matched game then?

regards

Titus

(post-match verdict: Well played USA)

A View from a Hill BBC4 (2005)

Another well crafted tale of terror

based on the ghost story of the same name by M. R. James.

You'll never ride your bicycle alone at night in the woods again!

regards

Titus

link

The stars & stripes were not well greeted at the world cup opening ceremony in Mexico.

It was no surprise, but it's a shame how the American people and their flag

can be tainted by the actions of one individual.

'guilty by association'

regards

Titus

The World Cup referee from Somalia who was denied entry to the US

arrived on Wednesday in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu,

where he was received by a crowd of supporters and officials.

Omar Artan was due to be the first referee from Somalia to officiate

at a World Cup after making Fifa’s final list for the tournament.

He is one of Africa’s top referees

and was named the continent’s best male referee in 2025.

We're not supposed to feel sorry for the bloody referees!

Go Go USA :)

Other innovations will include extended half times (with Ads)

and mid-half "hydration breaks" (with Ads)

Fair enough in hot conditions but some venues

are not in particularly hot places and many are covered arenas.

Also in the news...

Last week, dozens of Scots said their electronic system for travel authorisation (Esta)

was unexpectedly changed from “approved” to “travel not authorised”

with no explanation.

(Would have thought that one was obvious...just kidding!)

Seriously though, this is not a good start.

regards

Titus

10cc

Tower Theatre

Upper Darby

Philadelphia, PA

December 5th 1975

Remastered audience recording.

Not too bad for a vintage audience capture.

Superb gig!

The PA crashes during the second part of 'Une Nuit a Paris'.

Rory Gallagher was the opening act.

regards

Titus

Disc 1

01 intro/Silly Love

02 Flying Junk

03 Baron Samedi

04 Old Wild Men

05 The Sacro-Iliac

06 Somewhere in Hollywood

07 The Second Sitting For The Last Supper

08 Sabre Dance/Une Nuit a Paris

Disc 2

01 I'm Not In Love

02 Donna

03 Ships Don't Disappear in the Night (Do They?)

04 The Film of My Love

05 The Worst Band in the World

06 Art for Art's Sake

07 The Wall Street Shuffle

08 Rubber Bullets

link

regards

Titus

If you click on 'follow' you will make a grumpy old man slightly less grumpy.

regards

Titus