R.I.P. Pat

 Modern current affairs is often a very fractious affair with people arguing about multiple truths, thinking only they alone have "the answer" with name calling and outright lying but there are those on all side  who are above all of that.

Photo credits: Manchester City Council

I was sad to hear Pat Karney had died on Wednesday morning following a long battle with cancer being treated at Christies, Manchester.

Different politics to mine but he was a brilliant spokesperson for Manchester and excellent ward councillor for Harpurhay and Collysworth representing a community that has acute issues but great people that he did a lot for. 

Even until his last moments he was in bed with his paperwork, working on things when many others would of simply said, I'm too ill for this which showed his total determination to do what he could even in those circumstances.

Together with Richard Leese, faced with the damage to the Arndale Centre due to the murderous activities of the IRA, he decided to rebuild the centre of Manchester, make it the best it could be.

Pat was a massive supporter of the LGBTQ+ community, attending prides, leading Manchester's opposition to 1988's Section 28 of the Local Government Act which in practise prevented the acknowledgement and support children and young people needed when they "came out" or if they were struggling with finding a parent was gay or lesbian.

He always managed to find the right words when events needed them such as the Manchester Synagogue attacks, reassuring but clear in his condemnation with no if's or but's  

Class man who knew what representing people was all about and did it in spades

Resouled

In the week that saw Rubber Soul return to top the lp charts amazingly and reviewed on the other blog going back to the era where we first had the Beatles on cd, something else got bought then but as forward looking as we saw ourselves those were on cd.

Michelle Antoinette Wallen MBE was born  on 27 April 1969 but is better known professionally as Mica Paris is a British singer, presenter, and actress and as a fan of soul music it wasn't before I got to hear just what her voice had to offer.

Her debut album, So Good, was released in 1988, spawning the singles "My One Temptation" and "Where Is the Love" which like anything by a new artist then was bought on cd as I felt at the the time much of my vinyl would go and didn't wish to start new sub collections in it.

You might say in 2026 so much for that!

 She has since gone on to release seven further albums

Contribution came out in 1990 and again that was bought on cd although the original cd suffered from "cd rot" and ended up being replaced.

This album extended her soul and gospel influences to bring in hip-hop and house music and featured the track "Contribution" (No. 33), "South of the River" (No. 50) and "If I Love U 2 Nite", (No.43) written by Prince and recorded at his Paisley Park studios.

In the UK this was a long 65 minute 14 track album even on vinyl while North American versions  made do with just 11 tracks outside of special limited import versions of the lp and the cd in a "long box".

Phillysoul and especially the Philadelphia International Records label was a massive thing with me from the early 70's onwards but while I had this compilation on cd, that cd as good as it is saw light in lp form in 1973.

The record was issued here a year later in 1974 and so gain two most desirable tracks, I'll Always Love My Mama (Part 1) and (Win, Place or Show) She's A Winner, both UK singles hits that year making this version more complete in addition to the original 12.

I was able to get a copy locally quite cheaply in mint condition.

Unlike in 1988 when I felt vinyl was on its way out and even being prepared to jettison chunks of it for shiny cds we're selectively adding titles that we enjoyed back then in that format. 

Into October and mound of vinyl

 

After a wet few days I did get out and do a bit more film photography, finding more "muscle memory" came back after a shocking few days with migraine which helped as I find migraines often cause memory issues for a few days afterwards. 

It's also shaping up to be buys time with a number of records arriving which will be reviewed as time permits on the other blog not least the big Rubber Soul remixed deluxe box set that should be arriving as I type this - it did in minutes! -  and the much delayed Now Yearbook 1971 lp set.

I did buy on release the first two Bluetones albums on vinyl  but by 1999 armed with a MiniDisc recorder and player for on the bus only bought their third album Science And Nature on cd and that's how things stayed un til I recent bough this, the 2016 Demon records re-issue on translucent vinyl.

It contained the hit single Keep The Home Fires Burning

That for £24.99 delivered was much appreciated.