Chapter 109. As we bid farewell to Lester.

Well we have only gone and ruddy well done it...It might have evolved slowly as an idea, but you can't say that we haven't upped our game a little and actually delivered. Assuming that you are up-to-date with your TCD listening (sorry Lucy) you will know that instead of recoding a load of episodes about FEAR (which as it turns out we have already done...) we are moving onto some chat about AHBID.And this idea, which in itself is perfectly solid, became turbo-charged when we decided to talk about each of the tracks in turn, and invite a different member of the beat combo to join us and pad out the discussion.So this week we begin at the beginning, with recollections of the process of writing and recording Be Hard on Yourself in the company of Mad Jack himself, Mark Kelly.Strap in, get ready, push the button...Hugs,hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

It runs out the best way to throw your fellow podcast host off his axis, is to turn up to his house and proclaim “I’m here” with outstretched hands.After a couple of hundred of these over Zoom, there are consequences in jumping in the car and heading up to Heckmondwike for a face-to-face. Firstly there is no obvious improvement in the depth or quality of the content, and all that happened is that, basically, we buggered off out for lunch.Secondly in a strange, body-switch-kind-of-moment, I became the sane one as Ant had a bit of a wobble and not only got his albums in the wrong order, but pretty much forgot a whole load of TCD episodes (sorry Lucy) that we had recorded about FEAR.But being the old pros that we are, we powered on through and managed to start a bit of a chat about An Hour Before It’s Dark. Ant then usefully came up with a plan for the next few weeks which I pondered whilst helpfully locating not 3, but 4 pieces in Ant's unfeasibly difficult jigsaw.After that I stuck some yellow stars on my face and went home.Love and Mott the Hoople, h x

What can I tell you about this this week's TCD (sorry Lucy)...Well if it is randomness you are after, then we have it in the kind of quantity that would require a sturdy barrow to transport it about the place. In fact we start in a random place and then we proceed to meander, seemingly unchecked by social convention or common decency.Which is why we go from football, to snooker, to Warren Close, to the Mr Men to Stephens (and indeed Stevens) and then back to football.I also found another bit of diary from 2021, just in case you were wondering about the alliterative episode title, and it really is bloody illuminating on the subject of public transport and low-level milk pilfering.Love'n'the nutter pheromonehTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

The story of TCD this week (sorry Lucy) has an awful lot to do with two questions and one piece of re-direction.The first question, and let me tell you neither Ant or myself were able to proffer any kind of definitive answer ourselves, is whether or not a number can be classified as a palindrome. The second question is also a recognition that something Ant said may well be wrong. He asserted that the clock on a mobile phone relies on its GPS location to ensure it always shows the right time but on reflection this may be twaddle. We now think it may be the 'carrier settings' of the service provider that provide this information.In both instances we throw this out to you dear listener, to offer your insights and set us straight.Oh and I nearly forgot the re-direction, well if you click here you will not only see my painting from CTTE, but some of the other efforts from my esteemed colleagues and a great pic of Tony Levin.Love'n'FA cup final replayshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

There is most definitely a sense of meander about this week’s TCD (sorry Lucy).After all the excitement of Cruise to the Edge, I needed a little bit of a reset so Ant took pity and let me empty my head of the all things that had made an impression over the course of the trip, without worrying about whether they were in order, were said more than once, or indeed made sense.The only caveat to that is we did address the elephant in the room, namely the speculation around my seeming ever-present light blue T-Shirt. This is public service podcasting after all.Oh, and listen out for something special at the end.Love to the factor of 5!hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

A little late (to be fair, we did warn you it would be) but we actually made it to the big number.Three years, 10 months and 12 days ago the first episode proper of TCD (sorry, Lucy) was published and there probably isn’t a one of us that would have thought we would be here, 1414 days later, offering up a bi-centennial chapter whilst aboard a boat.And in all honesty this one was about as wacky as they come, with the irrepressible Nick Beggs joining in, taking over and introducing us all to jazz origami. Now I know what what it must have been like to interview Rod Hull and Emu.Anyway thanks to all of you that have come along for the ride, especially those of you who have embraced your inner purpleness. It really has meant a lot to both of us.Love you all…hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

Believe it or not #199 was actually quite a tricky one to pitch, because it is difficult to focus on the job in hand when you know that an episode with a significant number is just around the corner.Of course TCD (sorry Lucy) has a secret weapon that can be deployed in just these circumstances, and so we pressed the big red button marked ‘slipshod’ and powered on through.And even when we are being playful some brevity still seeps through, so amongst the purple gags and seriously reckless tempting of fate, there is a dollop of insight about the Seasons End tour.Anyway I must fly, darlings, I’m off to pack for CTTE, and I will speak to you from the other side… Love’n’BlackburnhTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

As you would expect after a couple of weeks of content-heavy TCD (sorry Lucy, and big tens to Captain Hunter) we regress to a more predictable episode complete with a heavy dose of wheezy laughs and surreal notions.The reading this week is an almost forgotten recollection of my 100th gig, somewhere back in the hazy days of Seasons End in a disco. Thanks to Roger H for the inspiration (and the copy) which we seized upon, because it was such a bloody good idea.Other than that it flits around all over the place this week, so prepare yourself for a wee bit of everything and hopefully we will all arrive at the same point after about an hour.Bubble sends his love and says he's got a killer idea for Micheal Jackson.h PS. Sorry Tom. There was no need for it.TCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

As you can expect Ant and I were very pleased when the face of Captain Hunter appeared on the Zoom screen for the recording of this week's TCD (sorry, Lucy).He had said he was happy to come back and talk a little bit more about 'With Friends' and being the fine upstanding fellow that he is, he was as good as his word. Of course that DID mean we moved onto the rather more delicate subject of the parts of the process that had been somewhat stressful as far as Mike was concerned. Turns out it was ME who did the most damage! I had no idea...Anyway, all's well that ends well, and that particular album certainly ended well. As I write he's on his way to the village en-route to Southport to drop off yet more forgotten items. (Doh!) Looks like I am forgiven then.Love’n’pretty-lilac-lightshTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite

There are so many positives about having Mike Hunter joining us on TCD (sorry Lucy) and just one slight downside.The positives are so obvious that they almost write themselves, I mean let's start with sheer bloody congnisance. It was such a joy after three previous attempts (and numerous aborted run-ups) to actually put some proper narrative and understanding around the 'With Friends' project.Mike provides the insight and joins the dots with the effortlessness of a man who really can recall what we did and why we did it. He is undoubtedly the glue in so many ways, and as much as we cherish him, we could still do it more.And the slight downside I hear you cry? Well, both Ant and I do feel like we have to be on our best behaviour when he's around. It doesn't come naturally to either of us...Now for God's sake, shut the curtains...hTCD Merch StoreBecome Purple and support the showThe Invisible Man Volume 1: 1991-1997The Invisible Man Volume2: 1998-2014FacebookInstagramWebsite