Old Key’s Almanacke

For over four centuries, Old Key’s Almanacke has proved a spookily unerring guide to the coming twelvemonth. This year, the mysterious figure in the black cape who, it is said, communes with Old Key himself, has granted The Dabbler exclusive permission to publish these oh-so-cogent utterances. In the year of Our ... Read More...

Slade Alive!

The unstoppable festive party monster Merry Xmas Everybody will ensure Slade's immortality but in fact their finest hour is the 1972 album Slade Alive! I bought it on second-hand vinyl about 15 years ago, and whenever I make the effort to dig it out and play it, the raw power of Noddy’s ... Read More...

Last Christmas forever

In a special double-bill today, Gaw and Brit write in praise of a couple of bands you're probably heartily sick of by now... At this stage of the proceedings to ask you to pay some attention to a Christmas song is about as palatable a proposition as asking you to polish ... Read More...

Lazy Boxing Day Afternoon

Mahlerman brings you a special festive edition of our regular Sunday music feature... and plans your Boxing Day so you don't have to... Too cold for Midnight Mass? Or did you road test a couple of Ian Buxton's whisky suggestions - just to cut the phlegm? Fear not, just click below for ... Read More...

A Royal Christmas Message

Exclusively on The Dabbler, we have an alternative Royal Christmas Message from a certain Harry, who blogs at The Red Tuft... Dear Subjects (of my grandmother), It’s three o’clock on Christmas Day and, if any part of you is Englishman, you’ll be sat at home, nursing a mince pie, and watching this ... Read More...

The Dabbler’s 2010 Christmas Compendium – Part II

Merry Christmas from all at The Dabbler! Here's Part II of our special Christmas Compendium....subtitled 'A Toast to Absent Friends: Excess and Remembrance'...   Susan Muncey (of ShopCurious) – ‘Vulgarity, excess and curiously coloured drinks’ Please note: this is about Christmas style (rather than substance). My ideal Christmas includes baroque church music, the smell ... Read More...