The last Orcadian Dalliance...my BBC Radio Orkney show from Tuesday night

Here's my last Orcadian Dalliance for the time being! Many thanks to the great Dave Gray at BBC Radio Orkney for commissioning it! Fully downloadable and the playlist follows:


Louis Berry: 25 Reasons
Strange Blue Dreams: Reverberatin' Love
Dr John: Right Place, Wrong Time
Blue Rose Code: Brave Cedars and Pied Wagtails
John Hiatt: Lipstick Sunset
Dean Owens: Up on the Hill
Lewis and Leigh: Devil's in the Detail
Jackson Browne: Before the Deluge
David Lindley: Mercury Blues
Steve Earle: The Devil's Right Hand
Justin Townes Earle: Harlem River Blues
Dave Rawlings Machine: The Weekend

50 Hours of Beatcroft Social, The Prog Rock Poem, Mull2Muckle video, last night's Vera show and its Spotify playlist, plus BBC Radio Orkney's Orcadian Dalliance...all in one place

Kind of like, almost, a webzine, with embedded players, videos, poetry and playlists!
But first, a menu. Or, if you will, contents:

(1) Here's last night's Radio Vera Ireland Beatcroft Social radio show, featuring The Faces, Los Lobos, Dawes, Lowell George and Blue Rose Code among others. Streaming here, repeated on Vera at 10.00pm on Wednesday. Play from here or go to...
(2)...Mixcloud, where there's now an unbelievable 50 HOURS of Beatcroft Social music and chat for your delectation and delight. No ads, no trails, all choices my own. It's here.
(3) I decided this week to complete the Mull2Muckle cycle route (Mull of Galloway to Muckle Flugga in Unst) this summer. That'd be Perth to Kirkwall. Here's the video shot by Precious Productions of my 'short route' completion three years ago.
(4) For those on Spotify, here's the link to last night's show as a Spotify playlist, and...
(5)...here's Tuesday's BBC Radio Orkney show, Tom Morton's Orcadian Dallaince. It's on Soundcloud, which means you can listen online or download for later consumption. Don't ask me how...
...and finally, a poem, which was inspired by a Facebook post by Brian Crosland concerning the death of Keith Emerson. Have a good week!


Progressive rock

(Keith Emerson 1944-2016)

May we not remember yet, and grieve

For those who shared our youth, and who

Leave us bereft, diminished, lost?

The last limousine has left the stage door

In Renfield Lane we loiter, you

Hardcore in greatcoat and Docs that cost

Two Saturdays in Listen, Cambridge Street

Sneering at Osmonds fans, but serving them

Their sweet confections with contempt.

We have a last train which will not wait

From Central to Pollokshaws, we are condemned

Hating our superior discontent

The gap that yawns so wide between the audience

And band, is just the same for us. 

We hold the difference tight, though: our music’s real

Musicians, real ones, who can really play!

We miss the train, but catch the late-night bus

There are synthesisers in the swish of wheels 

I won’t forget that night, our coats’ wet-dog smell

Next day, my ears were ringing, but I could hear

Well enough to know that everything had changed

In Gloria’s Record Bar, I saw this guy

Bleached, shorn,spiked and pierced

“I ordered it. It should be in. I’ve got the cash,” 

He said. “The single’s White Riot. The band is called The Clash.”

Beatcroft Social, broadcast on Radio Vera 30 January & 3 Feb. Archived on Mixcloud, Playlist on Spotify

Broadcast on Radio Vera Ireland, 30 January at 7.00pm, then repeated on Wednesday 10.00pm

Now archived and available for streaming on Mixcloud

The Beatcroft Social is back! All killer no filler - new one-hour version as broadcast on Radio Vera by Tom Morton's Beatcroft Social on Mixcloud

Here's the playlist - also available (no talking!) on Spotify.

Gone, Gone, Gone  – The Everly Brothers

Get Rhythm – Ry Cooder

Mannish Boy – Muddy Waters

Radio Free Europe – R.E.M.

Vagabond Moon – Willie Nile

I Think We’re Alone Now – The Rubinoos

She's Got a Way – Billy Joel

The Coldest Night Of The Year – Bruce Cockburn

A Case Of You – Joni Mitchell

Fame  – David Bowie

Desperado – Eagles

Wonderful Life – Black
Pilgrim (You Can’t Go Home) – Dave Rawlings Machine

Dexter and me (on holiday)

Our relationship -  it’s platonic

Though your behaviour can be chronic

When people come to stay, I’ve seen you greet

Them by urinating on their feet

But your affection can’t be debated

Overrated or underestimated

Your urge to guard your territory

Is the stuff of legend and epic story

The postman used to call, now he won’t risk it

Without a pocketful of tasty biscuits

You’re roused to fury by every stranger

Each one a real and present danger

Jehovah’s Witnesses now never witness

You grip their pantaloons, and scare them witless

To watch them scurry off, there’s nothing sweeter

And no-one ever comes to read our meter

You growl through windows at any hiker

Half a mile away, you harry bikers

Pedal or motorised, they dare not dally

Or you will make them swerve down hidden alleys

Where you will chew their Gore Tex or leather

The only thing that scares you is the weather

If it’s rainy, windy or cold

Your demeanour is not quite so bold

And if you venture forth, it’s in a coat

At which your fellow canines laugh and gloat

“Just look at him” they bark, and whine and whinny

“He’s just a wimp, a shivering, hairless ninny”

Which frankly, represents strategic error

For when it’s dry you are a holy terror

You’re prone to pounce, with grim intent

On dogs both large and small, embarrassment

Ensuing, and vexation

For Rottweilers and Alsatians

Reduced to whimpering, quivering wrecks

A ball of teeth and muscle at their necks

Though blood is never drawn, or  rarely 

You prefer humiliation, inflicted fairly

Without recourse to police or SSPCA

Who might try to take you away

Though uniforms of any kind

Tend to affect your canine mind

Particularly a peaked hat

You definitely don’t like that

So police! Inspectors! Do not come near

This dog shows not a trace of fear

You may be direct, deploy a ruse

But he will pee upon your shoes

Besides, I will not let you through

The door, no matter what you do

Me and the dog, the dog and me

We will not go quietly.

Right now, though, I’m on holiday

Full of more guilt than I can say

Though I know you’re being well looked after

In a warm house full of dogs and laughter

I am concerned you may forget

Me. I will be back though. Do not fret

Though frankly, I’m the one that’s fretting 

Absence aiding and abetting

Fondness, and some relief. Who knows?

Maybe you’ll stop pissing on toes?

Fresh for 2016: New Beatcroft Social from Tom Morton as heard on Radio Vera Ireland - stream anytime

This is the playlist for the last two-hour Radio Vera Ireland Beatcroft Social (it will be going to 1-hour as of next week, and as I'll be on holiday the next two will be repeats of the earliest Mixcloud-only Beatcrofts). This  new show was originally broadcast on Vera on 2 and 6 January.

You can go the website and hear the full programme on Mixcloud here

And the Spotify playlist is available to stream here

Or play the show direct from this blog:

Tom Morton's Beatcroft Social - broadcast on Radio Vera Ireland, 2 & 6 January 2016 by Tom Morton's Beatcroft Social on Mixcloud

There She Goes – The La's

Mr. Tambourine Man – The Byrds

Wild Horses – The Flying Burrito Brothers

Common People – Pulp

Long Cool Woman (In A Black Dress) – The Hollies

Marrakesh Express – Crosby, Stills & Nash

Running On Empty – Jackson Browne

Last train to Memphis – The Band

Sweet Thing  – Van Morrison

Runnin' Down A Dream – Tom Petty

Alright, Alright, Alright – Mungo Jerry

Tired Of Being Alone – Al Green

Small Town – John Mellencamp

Who'll Stop the Rain (with Bob Seger) – John Fogerty

Turn the Page (feat. Kurt Van Meter) – Bob Seger, Kurt Van Meter

Rock And Roll Never Forgets - Live – Bob Seger

Rock 'N Me – Steve Miller Band

Rock & Roll Band – Boston

Fool For The City – Foghat

La Grange  – ZZ Top

Let It Rock – George Thorogood

Texas Flood – Stevie Ray Vaughan

I've Been to a Marvellous Party – The Divine Comedy

Tonight The Streets Are Ours – Richard Hawley

Black Fang – Cherry Ghost

Man Of Aran – British Sea Power

No Fear Of Falling  – I Am Kloot

Grounds For Divorce – Elbow

This Is Music – The Verve

Rocks – Primal Scream