Friday 15 May 2015

What we're listening to this week. Fleetwood Mac's 'Rumours'





The 1977 release that brought Fleetwood Mac fame although it was actually their 11th Album.

One of the best selling Albums of all time (rumoured to be in 6th place all-time) and still sounds as fresh as ever although it was recorded in the middle of band domestic break-ups - leaving them recording only and not meeting up socially after the sessions. Superb production on this though winning a Grammy as a result.

John McVie thought 'rumours' was a good title given the band's rows and suggestions of who was with who. The tracks 'Dreams' and "Go your own way' sum up what was going down.

'Dreams', 'You Make loving fun' and notably 'The Chain' are the stand out tracks but overall, it's the harmonies that make it all happen. It's an Album that everyone should have really and although of a genre that turns some people off as being too smooth, sickly sweet, too "Phil Collins". 


It's not The Clash, but it has its place and a good place too. 
Next week, Frank Zappa so there's a contrast for ye.

But here's 'Dreams'....




Thursday 14 May 2015

Apple Cork to build the car?




Our post of Tuesday about Apple doing an electric car gets legs...Project Titan as it's called.

They're planing a major expansion of their faciity in Cork, Ireland. They invested 300 million over a year ago and now they're looking to build more - a giant factory.

But interestingly, an employment notice looking for a Procurement Manager, listed a requirement for experience in Robotics, Aeronautic and Automotive Industries

So that's not to build more watches then...

Tuesday 12 May 2015

Verizon buys AOL.





Verizon have bought AOL for 4.4 Billion usd creating the biggest US Wireless carrier and Advertising platforms.

50 Dollars a share, +17% over AOL's stock and Verizon in the marriage, bring tons of data. It's cash and paper. And it's big.

Apple are doing a car.




Apple is looking at doing a car.

Okay, it's a rumour but it's too much of a rumour not to be true (!)

The Fiat CEO has said it, we know of the secretive 'Operation Titan' at Apple, we know of the Tesla ambitions, we know there's a 'garage facility' in Cupertino CA, we know Apple are hiring engineers for robotics and we know Apple have talked about it - going all the way back to Steve Jobs.

And the tech industry are talking about it.

Perhaps Self-driving and/or Electric but definitely makes sense in the "connected car" market which will be the future.

There's a lot of work in that and a lot of cash. But as a car brand, Apple will be cool and immediately have a positive younger market.

So all of it makes sense.
You heard it here.