Friday 24 July 2015

What we're listening to this week. James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'.


James Taylor's second Album from 1970 (the first was just self titled JT), is the one that made him and beats all else. He was in fact 21 and homeless at the time (he's 67 now) and recorded it on a tiny budget with the help of Peter Asher.

'Fire and Rain' was the Album song that sold the record but 'Sweet Baby James' (written for his son, also called James), 'Lo and Behold', 'Country Road' are the stand out tracks. Carole King is here too on piano and vocals, as is Randy Meisner from The Eagles (they were long time struggling pals).

Taylor had his problems then too - mental health and notably heroin addictions- which is reflected in 'Fire and Rain'. This is a rock-country-folk classic. There's no other words really for a master at work and very summery listening. 

But it's the very start of Taylor's long career and superb songwriting ('You've got a friend', 'Handy Man', 'Something in the way she moves', 'Mexico') as well as appearing with everyone you care to mention. 

In fact, in 1971, he was a session man on Joni's legendary 'Blue' (if you like that kinda' thing....).

Always worth a listen. Loved in Streamabout anyway. Have a go here - 



Tuesday 21 July 2015

Ashley Madison. The hack that could cost 200 million.




The Ashley Madison site hack, comes at a bad time for those who use it and for, Ashley Madison.

The hackers, called 'The Impact Team', were able to take profile information and credit card detail (as well as "personal" details) in a high profile hacking - but this is coming only months after Avid Life Media (Ashley Madison, Established Men, Cougar Life and others) announced a 200 million usd IPO in London at the end of the year. 

The hack which took real life names, addresses is sure going to cause some embarrassment with an estimated 37 million profiles vulnerable but is likely to cause real difficulties for the IPO - probably rules it out completely.

The hack seems to be aimed at "punishing" the site for some problems with a 'delete all' button where users could delete their profile history forever at a charge of 19 usd - or could they? The hack seems to be trying to show that 'delete all' didn't happen.

The hackers say that if the site isn't closed, they'll release all the data and Channel 4 news, says it has seen some of that data as "proof'. Some of the names are seemingly, "high profile".......

What's really astonishing too, is that the "have an affair" site, had 37 million paying users to begin with. And that's only the second biggest site, behind Match.com

In 2014 it had 115 million usd in "sales' expected to rise over 150 million usd this year with 70% of users men (30% are women....wow!).

Will they publish the data? Unlikely we'd think, although they might release some juicy profiles to create a greater stir.

Life is short but if you're having an affair, use an alias!