Author Archives: admin

A message from my friend Vic Mills: “Hi Stuart, More tales from the far and not so far pavilions with PFF’s October newsletter. I’m just a tad early this month on account of some serious desk-clearing before India. The plan … Continue reading

This Blues standard was written by Jimmy Cox in 1923 and popularised by the great Bessie Smith, whose release coincided with the Wall Street Crash in September 1929. The tale of a millionaire losing his wealth struck a chord. Clapton’s … Continue reading

A message from my friend Vic Mills: “A little light reading for the weekend in the shape of the Project Front Foot September Newsletter. The focus, despite a return to Mumbai less than four weeks away, remains on events in … Continue reading

Here’s an absolute gem from Stick McGhee, who I’d never heard of but it turns out that he is the brother of Brownie McGhee, who I do know. The original lyrics were extremely profane – “Drinkin’ wine motherfucker!” – but … Continue reading

A message from my friend Vic Mills: “Hi Stuart,        A heady mix of monsoon mayhem and motorway miles; please find attached the Project Front Foot August Newsletter. Cheers Vic”  

I was forced to endure Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina as an English and European Literature undergraduate at Warwick University too many years ago. It’s probably one of the reasons, among other literary horrors, why I didn’t read any fiction for at … Continue reading

The Everly Brothers’ wine references keep coming. “All I have to do is dream” is one of their most famous songs, written by Boudleaux Bryant and released in 1958. Chet Atkins is the guitarist. The verses include: I can make … Continue reading

Here are our friends the Everly Brothers with more wine references in their wonderful music. “Down in the Willow Garden” is a traditional Appalachian ballad that mixes wine and violence: My love fell off to sleep I had a bottle … Continue reading

BBC4’s excellent “Storville” series recently showed a film about “The 2,500 year celebration of the Persian Empire”, held by the Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi 12–16 October 1971 on the occasion of the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of … Continue reading

Released in 1965, “The Price of Love” was written and performed by Don Everly and Phil Everly. With its sneering vocals and raucous harmonica, it was a smash in the UK but much less regarded in the USA. “Wine is … Continue reading