Summer memories

This time of year we're coming toward the end of the Summer Vacationing period, whither you've gone way for a week or so on one stretch of taken a number of day trips out in and around your home home district or province.
Temperatures here are back on the up which is as for all those off work but I wonder how many of you have made some great memories of these times to look back upon in years to come? The whole process of taking pictures, writing a little about what you did and with whom including putting images say of tickets couldn't be simpler today with the ability to host them on various sites like Tumblr, Flickr, Google Plus and so on to share with friends and flick thru yourself on your smartphone like a virtual photo album. 
If you haven't all ready do think about getting this done as in the coming years you'll find it very useful.

Wings gold

The origins of this entry go back quite a number of years when pre internet you found out about new titles being issued either in magazines such as Hifi World or by visiting your local record or cd stores when we had them(!).

Generally there are two types of record companies, those who are large, issue titles to the mainstream generally with little special care about sound quality and sources and those who issue limited runs of titles where they do track down the best sounding copies of each album and carefully transfer it to record or as with these titles, cd.

Many early cds didn't sound too good through a combination of not being careful over sources and also the technology that takes analogue sound to digital didn't sound as smooth as the format was and is capable of. Its that that lead me to start getting these Gold cds by the now defunct company DCC classics from the early 1990's onward.

Way way back in the 1970's the albums (and 45's) by Paul McCartney first came to my attention and this album Band On The Run was a favourite of mine owning it on the awesomely clunky 8 track form and fittingly this album with it's hit 45's such as the title track, Jet and as on this  US edition only Helen Wheels was the first I bought.

Apart from having the U.S. extra track which oddly enough I do prefer as with the rest of the series it has a very smooth rich sound while not fooling me to say an lp issue, does at least sound less 'digital' to the ears.It also has a poster.

Arriving soon to me is Red Rose Speedway, the home of My Love a song that can be considered a 'standard' which will be a bit smoother than my 1987 UK edition and also has the reggae based b side to Hi Hi Hi,  C Moon, which inexplicably was left off the mainstream UK cds bonus tracks. It's a song I rather like. 

My copy will be missing the card slip cover but as it was a lot cheaper as many of these discs usually sell for over $100 I'm not complaining about that.

At The Speed of Sound should be with me by the time this entry goes live replacing a much loathed 1989 Capitol cd that masks much detail in the quieter parts in an attempt to eliminate tape hiss. I'm so looking forward to tossing that one across the sidewalk!

This album was the home of the hit singles Let 'Em In and Silly Love Songs as well as enjoyable numbers like Cook Of The House. It was this album Wings toured with on the tour captured on Wings Over America recently re-issued.

I've a sneaking feeling many of us who around back then had at least heard this album Venus And Mars before, one of the best in the Wings catalogue with it's singles Venus &Mars/Rock Show (the single edit is on Wingspan) and Listen To What The Man Said (single mix again on Wingspan). 

One issue with this album is some heavy handed compression was locked into the mixdown tapes but although it's not entirely cured what mastering engineer Steve Hoffman did was carefully balance Venus and Mars so it's quieter than the energetic Rock Show that it segue-ways into for better effect. 

Strangely on all the mainstream releases Rock Show is noticeably less loud! It too has the original poster as featured on the lp and three bonus tracks.

I also was recently able to McCartney, his first solo album  that featured the hit 45 Maybe I'm Amazed and Teddy Boy in addition to  Ram, featuring the 45 Uncle Albert/Admiral Halsey and the pro population song Too Many People  on DCC too.

Flower power!

There's always been something  about collars that intrigues me, the sheer variety with the use of contrasting colours but this is one that stood out recently for me

 I think that wide Peter Pan collar works well with the poppy print for a nice summery look especially with the accessories shown here.
Just the kind of dress I love to wear.

Leave the habitat alone!

One thing I've always been interested in is nature, a product I guess of spending most of my life in the Countryside and recently I captured this

The Dandelion is no looker as flowers go but it supports quite a bit of wildlife so deserving our support  in the face of those who wish to make our woodlands and fields just like a bowling green by removing them and only allowing a small number of cultivated flowers and plants to grow.