Hedgehog

The BBC is currently broadcasting a superb documentary series about the internet and how it will change any and all of us in the future.
Last night’s episode, Homo Interneticus, was all about social networks such as Facebook and how they influence our lives.

At the end of this episode, an online test was mentioned which attempts to determine how you behave when online, in animal terms.

Of course, I had to take it. My result:

You are a Web Hedgehog

HedgehogSlow-moving – Web Hedgehogs are careful internet users, taking their time to find the right information – just as the real-world hedgehog carefully searches out insects and berries.
Solitary – Hedgehogs lead mainly solitary lives and are happiest foraging for food of their own. In the ecology of the Internet, you also prefer to go it alone, rarely relying on information on social networks or other sites whose content is created by its users.
Specialised – The hedgehog relies for protection on its highly specialised ability to roll into a spiky ball. Similarly, your test suggests you are a specialised web user, best suited to concentrating on one thing at a time rather than attempting to multitask.

Yourself?
Test requires (painless) registration and about 20 minutes of your time.

The Magic Band – Peel Sessions, July 2004

Besides being an avid collector of Frank Zappa and Mothers of Invention bootlegs and field recordings – as well as a collector of Captain Beefheart‘s various and sundry recordings (and a collector of all the related recordings of the various alumni who, at times, played in both groups) – I’m also an avid collector of live radio broadcasts. I’ve always found something intrinsically interesting about an artist’s and group’s live radio performances (as though they put on that little extra show for the benefit of the radio listener).
Continue reading “The Magic Band – Peel Sessions, July 2004”

Captain Beefheart — Revisited


A couple of my favorite Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band videos, “I’m Gonna Booglarize You Baby” (The Spotlight Kid/Clear Spot, 1972) and “Hard Working Man” (Dust Blows Forward – Anthology, 1999) — and a reminder to revisit Barry’s Monday, September 29th, 2008 post of BBC’s documentary on The Captain, narrated by the late great John Peel. Click here.

Parallel Worlds

Having first aired on BBC Four about a year ago, Parallel Worlds, Parallel Lives is finally given a re-run that us lowly mainland Euro’s can watch — on BBC Two:

A documentary which follows the singer of US rock band Eels, Mark Everett, as he travels across America to learn about the father he never knew – quantum physicist Hugh Everett III.

Which Eels? This Eels. Many thanks to the Beeb for broadcasting this at the ungodly hour of 12:20 am. Must… Stay… Awake…