We last visited the topic of the Rolling Stones on cd on August 20th, 2018 with the first post in this series being from November 21st 2016 which followed getting the Rolling Stones in Mono box set in October of that year.
It is then kind of apt to be revisiting the topic some four years on with a couple of recent addiitions to the collection.
Apart from the differences between the UK and US original albums for much of the 1960's it is also the case the compilations issued during and that era too are also different which was very annoying when having been brought up with those in the cd era they are all replaced by US editions.
On October 30 Universal Japan decided to reissue Big Hits better know to some of us by the bracketed title "High Tide and Green Grass" which was originally issued in late 1966 in the UK with 14 tracks which included a high proportion of single only tracks.
They also issued Thru The Past Darkly (Big Hits Vol:2) which came out originally in 1969 just three months before the essential Let It Bleed album of that year.
There was less difference between this album in its UK form compared to the US with the UK version gaining You Better Move On, a EP only song and the US version gaining Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing In The Shadow? which because the US version of High Tide and Green Grass had been issued in April, it had missed off unlike the UK version.
Both were issued in mono and stereo forms at the time with the mono version going out of print by 1970 thus by the time I bought these on record they were stereo only (and some fake stereo too!).
Earlier in the year for Record Store Day both titles had been reissued on vinyl after 30 odd years and it's the version for that which used for these cd issues on Shm plastic which is said to be more reflective and less likely to have errors than conventional polycarbonate cds.
Although on High Tide and Green Grass they have reprinted the original "OBI" sash the Japanese lp had, it is not strictly accurate as this cd like the reissued record is all mono not stereo but does contain the gatefold sleeve being a mini lp and the much loved insert with prime mid sixties pictures of various members of the band and notes.
Thru The Past Darkly reproduces the original octangular lp jacket which later made square shape and both cds have the DECCA record company logo.
The last time they were out in Japan on cd was the early 1990's from so-so sources and never issued in Europe or North America so I was delighted that they've emerged in good sounding versions.
They can join the collection for practical reasons such as the length and the whole revisiting the past side.
Last weekend I was away for a few days with friends for our annual Halloween get together which for a couple of us had a complication as a power line failure near London had put trains and drivers in the wrong spot.
For me things started the day earlier when I set out by bus and train to meet with Auntie Andi as we were stopping over with a n other where we had chops, kidney and vegetables for tea followed by a spooky decorated Donut.
There were plenty of decorations around the house and garden, spotting them did prove to be quite useful for Saturday as after listening to some music and chatting, I slept by the fire.
Saturday morning was a bit busy as Miss Green and Samantha R went out for walk and to pick up the order for pies and other things from the excellent local butcher but got drenched as it was raining hard. Anyway I didn't feel like changing out my pleated green skirt for something more waterproof.
I opted to stay indoors as we tried to work out when (and If) there was going to be a lull for the treasure hunt as well as the bonfire.
Gradually people started to arrive so the four soon grew catching up with events since the last time we'd meet and it was time for Miss Green and Andi to cook the beef burgers and onions as we were starting to feel a bit hungry.
We had three new people who soon fitted in well.
The treasure hunt based on the 1971 movie of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory was able to done outside as we roamed the garden hunting for clues of which I did manage to find one before it was craft time.
To save on carriage I arranged to have a pumpkin bought for me and so we went outside to carve the pumpkins with knives and spoons to remove the gunk from the middle ready to add the tea light later on.
That's mine with the rotten teeth!
We returned indoors for the decorating the ginger bread persons with icing and a children's tv theme centred music quiz which was enjoyed.
If the details or hazy on that it's cos I was out of spoons at the time and also needed to rest me paws as they were swollen from carving.
Slotted between the savories and the desert portions of the buffet tea provided by various persons Miss Green and auntie Andi lit the bonfire.
This was followed by the fireworks and at least this time the rocket sticks stayed where they should as we ooh and Ar'd to the colourful explosions and we waved sparklers around.
After the deserts, we listened to some music including children's tv themes from the past until it was time for bed.
Sunday morning I woke up at half-seven which late for me but earlier than most so after getting changed and having a wash so discretely I stepped around one person who remains unaware I passed them I rounded up stray glasses and washed them up.
Andi and Miss Green cooked Bacon butties (Bacon between two slices of bread) which helped keep me ticking over until after a few people left the remainder of us went out for a meal at a local public house by a canal of which most of us walked by the canal too.
I was on catisfactory turkey roast and still orange with ice which was delicious and everyone agreed the food was marvellous.
Slowly the group left and Daisy, Suzy and I were taken to the nearby rail station by Andi to make our ways back so as I was a bit early I went via Stone for a change getting in time for a meal at home.
Thanks to everyone who came, bought food, helped out and contributed to a great weekend.
"Excuse me a while I just finish off working on this image I took a while back"
That's the thing, really I haven't been around this weekend to write up today's entry because actually I do live this life and go away doing littles things so I wasn't back much before it was time for a evening meal, unload my case and have a soak in the bath.
After that it's time for a drink and bed cos I'm shattered.
So really this was written earlier in the week ready to be published today between editing some of my pictures on the computer after a brisk walk in the cool but sunny autumn air.
Next week it *should* be what I was doing this weekend but until then, bye for now.
It may hard to believe but with the current weather I have been out a little this week where at long last The Fall is actually happening having been quite mild from September into this month and so it's only been in about the last week anything much had happened where I know elsewhere in the UK it has been much cooler.
It's a time of year I associate with both Bonfires which we used to have with elaborate displays and communal catering and also Remembrance Day parades which I attended going up and down tree lined country roads.
I've also been spending my time playing with my Pink Panther stuffy actually I have a few of them some more jelly like on the inside others not as the current political situation doesn't do anything good for me I'm afraid.
I also had to change the clocks around too as we went off Daylight saving yesterday.
Next weeks blog may be delayed as I'll be away at the weekend and probably too shattered to post anything.
Bye for now.
While recovering here I did nip outdoors and noticed apart from ground frost something else was starting to put in an appearance
Yes breaking down things was Fungi near hedgerows and trees when I went out to fetch the newspaper and a few things for Sunday's breakfast passing as I do our bits of meadow that break up the nondescript ribbon development along the main road, keeping some sense of human scale.
It has been pretty mild up here so there hasn't been much of indication of The Fall as in gorgeous coloured leaves on and off the deciduous trees although it won't be long I suspect before they put in an appearance.
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Although the weather has been lousy for most of the week I do get out rather than living life behind a screen, interacting with people and that means at the very least I get to go to the general store and newsagent quite a bit.
I had been looking for a while at comics and magazines aimed for children are both displayed and also the kinds of content because in the time I've been on this planet things have changed, something prompted a little by last weeks post.
This kind of display should be familiar to most Britishers, usually a few levels high with the children's magazines toward the bottom in a dedicated sub section, titles battle it out for supremacy especially as when here one or more is stack just above the other, limiting exposure of the cover.
One of the first things you'll notice is the cover mounted usually plastic gifts and because of the whole comic or magazine is then covered in plastic.
The first thing to say is those mounts make the display harder fit in the racks and this makes it harder to be seen by children who contrary to popular opinion aren't super tall.
The other is the return rates for most as they're sold on "sale or return" is quite high no less than 35% and often higher then them means the plastic gifts need to be recycled or otherwise disposed of as ultimately at children's homes they also do so it isn't really helping the environment.
Often publishers have a different idea of the age range they are catering for and for example when I scanned through Nat Geographic Kids this Saturday, there wasn't anything that would really appeal to a child of nine or older - the last years of Junior School to thirteen plus as while animals featured it was more quiz and simple fact centred as if they expected that age group to pay for and read the 'adult' National Geographic magazine.
As with some other magazines around say Soccer there wasn't a lot that might stretch a child's reading ability and vocabulary in the that in the past adventure comics would promoting understanding of ideas and rules.
It just seems to me there doesn't appear to anything that filled the void left by the celebratory and Tv centred Look In of the nineteen-seventies and eighties where intelligent well written pieces around topics can be found mixed in with fun for those over eight but not wanting an adult publication.
I'm still a bit rough as it were but actually were at about the nine hundreth post on this blog which goes back rather a long time looking at past childhoods, age regression, being an adult little girl and all the things that go in this crazy life.
Everything starts from somewhere and that somewhere included little rituals like reading comics such as the Beano every Wednesday and in a sea of changes that has seen many comics go and changed reading habits that's still a constant.
Most of us could relate to the world of the Bash Street Kids even if mirroring real life over the decades that's changed too and I adored Minnie The Minx.
Today reading for kids goes into such things like this magazine for junior fans of Jacqueline Wilson's popular mainly girlcentric stories as well as National Geographic for Kids and with some regret children's celebratory magazines which just seem very frothy and sugary, lacking substance.
To me this life is about doing, following things living a more regressed child-like life so sometimes there's things about activities, being away from adult things we may need to engage with.
This can include nature as in exploring your surroundings, taking an interest in different species and varieties of animals and habitats as well as man made things such as historic events and buildings.
The act of doing these things adds to our store of experiences that builds up our character and makes memories that can be backed up photographs and writing which is the measure of this regressed alg life rather than a preoccupation with dress.
Dress is great, dress is something I do like in the context taking in uniform but it isn't the life, that's what happens when you're in it.
Britishers might remember (and they're probably on YouTube apart from dvd) the Mr Benn cartoons where he changed his outfit and had an adventure. Well the thing that was interesting was that adventure, that by casting off those clothes he cast away what held him back from being that person having the adventure.
What holds us back often is us.
Regression for me is therapeutic doing that which is enjoyable, comforting and operating within my own limitations rather than feeling pressured to go beyond, into things I can cannot see or find too frustrating to attempt to keep up with.
That's really what blog is about so while you might see a book or a music review the enjoyment of it is a part of that life being the context it happens in.
