An Irreverent playlist to help you celebrate Joe Biden’s inauguration. — Back in Black — AC/DC Joe Biden has been in and out of politics for the last 50 years, and has previously been Vice President, so it is only fitting that this AC/DC thumper kicks off the playlist to welcome him back to the White House. Grandpa (Tell me ’Bout the Good Old Days)— The Judds Grandpa Joe is going to become the US’s Grandpa…

The Boris Johnson government has made it clear that it is unwilling to support the arts in time of crisis, so what does that mean for the… — The Boris Johnson government has made it clear that it is unwilling to support the Arts in time of crisis, so what does that mean for the future of the Arts as we know it? Everything about the Covid-19 situation and the Arts makes for grim viewing. You don’t have to try very hard to find a statistic about the importance of the Arts, or about how much money the government is pumping into saving everything worth saving in the UK, yet when you can…

For many people the worst thing about the festive season is the repetitive songs that you cannot get away from, be it in the supermarket… — Something Funny- The Season’s Upon Us - Dropkick Murphys This boozy expletive-laden crack is a flippant assessment of what we all maybe think or do at some point, but aren’t allowed to say in front of Granny. …

The issue of music teaching in the UK has a varied understanding amongst the British public. In arty circles, increasing funding cuts are… — The Arts seems to sit in this weird purgatory between being adored by the public and the nation, and woefully inadequately funded by government and local councils. The Arts Council of England report that the arts attract at least £856 million in tourist spending, and there are obvious examples of…

Leonard Bernstein’s timeless musical story of love and gang violence is and always will be a landmark piece of musical theatre and art. — The 1957 Musical groundbreaker West Side Story is a crucial milestone in the history of music and musical theatre. Brought to fruition by a sea of names including (in no particular order!) Leonard Bernstein, Arthur Laurents, Stephen Sondheim, Jerome Robbins- all giants in the world of music and musical theatre…

Last month it was announced that the musical Hair would be the latest show to be given the live treatment by NBC, so I thought it was a… — Galt MacDermot’s Hair is similar to many musicals of its era, with structure and length akin to its peers. It immediately sets itself apart from more traditional musicals though, with its cool, laidback jazzy opening Aquarius. Slowburning and full of youthful attitude, it stands out as a much deeper piece…

There has been much talk over the last few days about the use of that ’n’ word. A controversial minefield often avoided by commentators and… — This was of course ignited this week by coverage of Kendrick Lamar seemingly inviting a white fan onto the stage, only for her to be kicked off for rapping the ’n’ word, having begged to be allowed to stay. On reflection, it may well be a cleverly orchestrated publicity plan…

The Baroque period is widely acknowledged as the fundamental basis that modern music is based on. With the emergence of functional harmony… — For me, the parallels between the style of Daft Punk, and traditional Baroque works have been very clear, albeit surprising. When you listen to Daft Punk’s work, it immediately draws you in in the same way that Baroque pieces do: with an initial strong melody:

Smith continues to dominate neo-crooner genre. — The long-awaited second album from Sam Smith was released this week, and is no change to form for him. The Thrill Of It All is in very much the same format as Smith’s debut album three years ago, In the Lonely Hour, but takes a much more stylised, in-depth approach…