That's it for 2008...

I understand there is a new album by A Certain Ratio "Mind Made Up", released in Europe in late November 2008. They played L.A. last month, but I couldn't get there. It's their first new album in 11 years. Scritti Politti waited 11 years between "Provision" and "Anomie & Bonhomie", but the next Scritti came right on the heels of "Anomie". And now that we're no longer waiting on a new album from Syd Barrett, I guess that means that it's been the longest time since a new album for The Monochrome Set - though Bid insists on making new Scarlett's Well albums. Thank goodness Stephen Duffy keeps cranking 'em out.

Musician deaths: Goodbye and thank you to both Pekka Pohjola and Lars Hollmer. I am A+ solid with Pekka's works from roughly his debut solo album (and work with Wigwam) up to, say, The Group. I tried to keep up with his 80's & 90's releases, but...not always possible. I live in Los Angeles. And Lars Hollmer was the keyboard player for Samla Mammas Manna, from Sweden. I have all of their contiguous albums, and I did my best to keep up with Hollmer's solo albums...my favorite being "Fran Natt Idag" from '83 (or so). Thanks to Cunieform Records, I got back on track with Hollmer's work; hopefully his stuff will become easier to find. And there are many more musician deaths in 2008, but Pohjola and Hollmer were two very important artists for me.

Dorothy & I recently got a list of the Top 100 films, from the A.F.I. ( = American Film Institute ) - between us, we had about two dozen of them on DVD already. Xmas presents netted us a few more, so we're ready for '09 to become a 'film year'. But this blog is called Music Life, not Film Life. Just last weekend, we sat together and watched the Criterion DVD of "If..." (with Malcolm McDowell).

I only managed to rack up 1,023 music keepers for '08 - my smallest list in many a year. Did birdwatching cut into my groove? Not really. I did manage to get several of the CD titles that had been bothering me, both at home and in exotic locations, like Portland, OR and Las Vegas, NV. Can't wait to find that new ACR title up in San Francisco! And I guess I'll have to mail-order the Stump box from amazon.co.uk, eh readers?

And My new car, Suzuki-san ( = Mr. Suzuki ), is doing well - and I am still adjusting to having a CD player in a car - as my previous car (the green Toyota you all know and love) had a Sony MiniDisc in it. We had a great time at my 50th birthday celebration, up in Portland, OR ( = Ron-Kon ) - nice meeting everybody - finally! I am still employed, still hanging out with Dorothy etc. Mom is alive & kicking @ 88 years of age, with her cell phone and new car. Dorothy & I also dug my niece Kirsten, who came up to L.A. on the train and visited us in L.A. (several times).

Enough of my babbling. I wish everybody a very good 2009.

- Ron Kane, Los Angeles

(Photo is Dana Madore and Ron Kane, 2008)

p.s. Hi to Mott!