Guitar Emporium

The instrumental mic of yeatersdays tune Support the show

Local elections in the UK - the rise and rise of populist politics is big here. Communicate through social media, influencers, and vague promises - there's nothing new about that it just seems to distort everything.Some would call this a very cynical tune - I think you're probably right Support the show

This is a good one - from the Word Smarts site - The origins of the phrase “dressing down” date back to the 1400s, when it was primarily used among sailors to describe the process of slathering a ship’s sails with tar, wax, or oil to renew their efficacy and quality. By the 1900s, that usage was expanded to describe sailors who were reprimanded for committing infractions. If a sailor was “dressed down,” then they were unlikely to repeat the same mistake, thus improving their effectiveness, much like a freshly waxed sail. “Dressing down” is just one of many nautical phrases that have transcended their initial meaning and are widely used today. Today, people may say “learn the ropes” to describe learning the basics of any trade, but the expression was originally intended to describe the intricate rope and pulley systems found on many ships. “Pipe down” originated on the seas, too, referring to a nightly signal made by the boatswain’s pipe to alert the crew that it was time to retire for the evening. If you feel groggy, you’re likely saying you’re tired and feel a bit foggy, but if you’re a sailor, you might be feeling the effects of having one too many cups of grog — a cocktail of rum, water, sugar, and lime juiceSupport the show

Remember that from the old children's stories - I used to love that sentiment. Its not so obviously stated now in the children's picture books but even Stickman and the Gruffalo turn out fine ..Support the show

Sometimes when you've got used to looking for the catch in everything you see or do there is a danger that you look for the bad when in fact there is only good !Don't Look a gift horse in the mouth.The idiom advises that when you receive a gift, you should show gratitude rather than scrutinize it, as examining a gift too closely can imply ingratitude or dissatisfaction with the giver's effort or generosity. In modern usage, it applies not only to physical gifts but also to favors, opportunities, or any act of kindness. Criticizing or questioning a gift can offend the giver and damage relationships, so the phrase encourages polite acceptance and appreciation. The phrase originates from a practical method of assessing a horse's age by examining its teeth. Horses’ teeth change as they age, and prospective buyers would inspect them to determine the horse's value. However, if a horse was given as a gift, checking its teeth would be considered rude, as it implies doubt about the gift's worth. The Latin version, "Noli equi dentes inspicere donati," meaning "Never inspect the teeth of a given horse," dates back over 1,500 years, with the English version appearing in 1546 in John Heywood’s collection of proverbs. This historical context also gave rise to the related phrase "long in the tooth," referring to aging horses. "She complained about the free meal, but I reminded her not to look a gift horse in the mouth.""You may not like the color of the sweater, but it was a present. Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.""He offered to help with the project for free, so I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and just accept the offer". In summary, the idiom is a timeless reminder to accept gifts and favors graciously, focusing on the kindness behind them rather than their material value. Support the show

I am forever the optimist - I just need to see the slightest sign of something positive to go for it. Having been so very wrong so many times this takes either ridiculous levels of faith in other people or some very misguided hope that things will turn out fine.Support the show

So wrapped we can become in what we're doing that we miss the obvious - I think I have been guilty of that on many occasions. Look out for the signs in those around you. Support the show

I think its coming - he's good honest guy - I think - but there is always someone looking for the next scalp. See what the local elections in the UK today bringSupport the show

Best played very loud.Support the show

When I was studying in the 1970's this was the title of a book by the economist J.K Galbraith.I think it still might be the Age of Uncertainty.Support the show

The word "transactional" has become very important - its all about the deal .I'm not sure that everything we do should be determined by what you get out of it. Support the show

I've had access to a "light as a feather" soprano guitar these last few weeks. It really is very lightly built. It is an octave higher than a classical guitar , has 6 nylon strings and is about 1/3rd of the size of a classical guitar. The soprano guitar produces a very strong sound and works well in an ensemble. Support the show

I've been sectioned - probably best not to be too frivolous about it. Its nothing to do with mental health - its a bit of landlord v's tenant paperwork called no fault eviction. The UK government are trying to do away with it, although I'm not convinced that  they are doing anything very significant in their changes - time will tell. Support the show

Every human endeavour is a beauty contest - and my goodness its competitive out there. Beauty in terms of the most beautiful brain, the most beautiful body, the most beautiful face and the most beautiful achievement .. and on and on it goes Support the show

A fashionable phrase for those who have sustained a consistent high standard throughout their life - of integrity, of performance, of achievement. Support the show

Finding something to believe in is central to us busy little souls. You got a cause - You got something to believe in .Support the show

The London marathon - my nephew entered for it this year, something I would loved to have done - a real achievement. Congratulations. The song alludes to the Dustin Hoffman / Laurence Olivier film Marathon Man and the escape of Nazi leaders through Europe and away to South AmericaSupport the show

The road to nowhere. Some of the rhetoric thats flying about now makes you despair. Find another way - a new direction - don't let the past drag you down .Support the show

A tune linked to the beautiful guitar part Dominic Miller composed for the Sting tune - Shape of my heart, With Rob on percussion . From Parables - a 2012 compilation of acoustic songs and tunes.Support the show

.....more to do with the nursery rhyme than the Artemis mission . An acoustic version of the 2008 ( I think ) songSupport the show

Probably both ....Support the show

Insider trading , people making hundreds of millions on bets on the oil price, meanwhile people are losing their lives. Is anyone even remotely comfortable with what's happening under our noses ?Support the show

Obliterate - word of the weekSupport the show

I would have loved to be a Bee Gee when the album Main Course came out and they realised they'd hit the jackpot - Jive Talkin' and so on..I was doing my GCSE's at the time. Last Man Standing was written with Barry Gibb in mind - as I think he is the last of the four brothers still alive.Support the show

This was an observation I first made when Trumpy was challenging the enquiry of January 6th when he challenged ( or perhaps he didn't ) the outcome of the US election.Support the show

Tune from September 2023 - worth a re-visit : the new Ayatollah seems to be playing quite an effective gameSupport the show

The media is giving conflicting views on the strike on a school in Iran on the first day of the war. It does seem likely that we've lost some children,Support the show

Constantly - although we're only two weeks into this military operation - it must seem never ending to those on the receiving end.Support the show

When you're being hit so hard and in such a bullying fashion it must be very hard for those being bullied to back down and capitulate - these are proud people - whatever you think of their leaders.Support the show

There's a fair amount of that going on in the White House at the moment..Support the show

That excruciating moment when you are literally high and dry - I've been there more times than I care to remember - and it still sends a shiver of horror down my spine,Support the show

This is my attempt to write an "Ababtross" piece by Fleetwood Mac. Its not about writing or re-writing something similar to Albatross but getting that wonderful feel to the piece that Fleetwood Mac managed to achieve with the piece. Hence The Great AukSupport the show

I have always enjoyed the music of The Police from the 1980's . I also loved Stings solo output - almost without question.But I always felt Andy Summers guitar and Stewart Copelands drumming had a huge influence on the originality of the band . Every so often I can hear me playing a riff that ( I hope ) sounds a bit Andy Summer- ish.This is one of them - about staying in a situation you know has out served its purpose - but you keep going from - loyalty, the money or even because you just can't be bothered to start afresh .Support the show

Over the festive period most of us came across one or two... friendly helpful and always willing to offload your phone. card or even your wallet of a round or two....Support the show

I like to think that some things survive all onslaughts - come what maySupport the show

Age takes away do many things but it also ( hopefully) allows you to put things into some sort of perspective,Support the show

 Success in Love and comparing it to a massive gamble has always been part of how it goes...  Support the show

From October 2023 - I've heard it said so many times - Left High and Dry by events, the speed of things, by people...Support the show

I will move away from the slightly depressing post New Year mood very soon - honest..A reflective piece from July 2023Support the show

I find the bit between Christmas and the New Year quite a good time to "chew the fat" -( I love that expression )- think it all over. I won't get too reflective for too long - honest - but it does no harm to take a step back and reflect on stuff.Support the show

Don't fear the opposition you'll get from trying new things, new directions or opportunities .Support the show

From 2023 - as positive as can be ..? Happy and peaceful  2026Support the show

Jona Lewie's unintended Christmas Song finishes off my collection of tunes for Christmas - but it is appropriately an anti - war song. It ties in nicely with that that almost legendary tale of the Christmas truce football match during World War 1.The Christmas Truce has become one of the most famous and mythologised events of the First World War. But what was the real story behind the truce? Why did it happen and did British and German soldiers really play football in no-man's land?Late on Christmas Eve 1914, men of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) heard German troops in the trenches opposite them singing carols and patriotic songs and saw lanterns and small fir trees along their trenches. Messages began to be shouted between the trenches.The following day, British and German soldiers met in no man's land and exchanged gifts, took photographs and some played impromptu games of football. They also buried casualties and repaired trenches and dugouts. After Boxing Day, meetings in no man's land dwindled out.The truce was not observed everywhere along the Western Front. Elsewhere the fighting continued and casualties did occur on Christmas Day. Some officers were unhappy at the truce and worried that it would undermine fighting spirit.After 1914, the High Commands on both sides tried to prevent any truces on a similar scale happening again. Despite this, there were some isolated incidents of soldiers holding brief truces later in the war, and not only at Christmas.In what was known as the 'Live and Let Live' system, in quiet sectors of the front line, brief pauses in the hostilities were sometimes tacitly agreed, allowing both sides to repair their trenches or gather their dead.Support the show

Happy Christmas !Support the show

Christmas Eve -  a magical night - when Santa is on his way. Carrots for the reindeer, a glass of sherry by the fireplace, empty pillow slip left at the bottom of the bed and excited children trying to stay awake but wanting to go to sleep ready for the next day.Support the show

Bert Jansch's folk version of the Gustav Holst melody is one of my favourite Christmas tunes."In the Bleak Midwinter" is a poem by the English poet Christina Rossetti. It was published under the title "A Christmas Carol" in the January 1872 issue of Scribner's Monthly,[1][2] and first collected in book form in Goblin Market, The Prince's Progress and Other Poems(Macmillan, 1875).It has been set to music several times. Two settings, those by Gustav Holst and by Harold Darke, are popular and often sung as Christmas carols. Holst's is a hymn tune called Cranham, published in 1906 in The English Hymnal and simple enough to be sung by a congregation. Support the show

The two tunes interchange in this version for acoustic bass and two guitarsSupport the show

The wiki bit : Carol of the Bells" is a popular Christmas carol, which is based on the Ukrainian New Year's song "Shchedryk". The music for the carol comes from the song written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in or before 1916; the English-language lyrics were written in 1936 by American composer of Ukrainian origin Peter Wilhousky.A generation know it from the film Hole Alone with John Williams version of the piece. I associate it with our short time in Spain when the staff choir sang it beautifully in the Christmas Concert of 2019.Support the show

The great anthem from the Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl and Shane MacGowan was composed by MacGowan and Jim Finer. The song doesn't seem to age at all - but seems to have had quite a long path to being fully realised. It was finally released in 1987. I love the music and hope this version is an OK instrumental version.Support the show

Greg Lakes take on Christmas is almost an anti - Christmas song. I've tried to capture the spirit of his wonderful music for those almost alarming Christmas sentiments.Support the show