For Remembrance Sunday, music of consolation from some who also served... Last week the inestimable Mahlerman treated us to a quartet of composers once known as ‘the cow-pat school’ – a derisive reference to their thematic interest in the English pastoral. One contemporary (and close friend) of Vaughan Williams not in his ... Read More...
Month: November 2011
In London, almost every other tree seems to have a ‘low trees’ sign. The other day, I was driving along wondering what bus drivers did, not so long ago, before these ridiculously obtrusive signs were erected… Then I thought of an amusing challenge for fellow Dabblers: How about dabbling in a ... Read More...
Dabbler editor Gaw with a poem for 11/11/11... It's always the fellowship that seems most important to soldiers; ultimately, it's what persuades them to die. Doesn't that fit the definition of a tragedy? This poem by the late Mick Imlah describes the fate of the players of the London Scottish rugby club ... Read More...
As a taster for next week's evening of lugubrious music and lopsided prose (details below) here is a classic from the Hooting Yard Treasury of Song. This is one of the pieces which has been set to music and will be performed on the night by Outa_Spaceman, so if you ... Read More...
The Dabbler's Hallowe'en visit to the woods was a surprise too far for some of our readers, but not, of course, for Mr Slang. Here Jonathon Green provides the last word on 'dogging'. Clicking 'continue' is not for the easily offended - you have been warned... In the days – some 28 ... Read More...
This month's Dabbler Book Club choice is Clive James' A Point of View. We've got 10 copies to give away to members (join here if you haven't already), and we've got some great and even slightly scandalous Clive James-related posts coming up. As a curtain-raiser, here's Nige on Clive... Radio 4 listeners will know ... Read More...
The Dabbler's new cocktail guru Will Lowe mixes up some milky classics that might bring some memories back... When I was asked to write about dairy based cocktails, my head was immediately filled with the sound of Calvin Harris singing “it was acceptable in the 80’s”. Fortunately, it’s a short song, ... Read More...
Last week Brit the Elder supplied a fiendish riddle for your puzzlement - somewhat too infuriatingly fiendish if the messages in the editorial inbox are anything to go by. Here's the solution... 19281 ... Read More...
This month we welcome the chance to win, review, read, share, annotate, etc. (Dabblerise in short) the work of one of our favourite contemporary critics, the great Clive James. This month's choice - by popular demand - is Clive James' freshly-published A Point of View, a collection of the 60 pieces ... Read More...
Gwyn Headley must have a claim to being the leading authority on British follies - those purposless pieces of architecture that contribute so much to the greatness and gaiety of the nation. He has recently published the definitive guide Follies of England, available in a series of county-by-county ebooks from ... Read More...
