R.Thompson "Electric"

Last night I saw Richard play in Studio 8 of BBC Television Centre - one of the very last programmes to be recorded there. It's very sad, really, the old place used to be really buzzing but now it's a bit of a ghost town as everything relocates to Broadcasting House or Salford. Even the old BBC Club on the fourth floor was dead, with just one surly barman and a few grizzled old hacks.

On to RT - I like him more now than I thought I did - although his voice does nothing for me, he is a superb guitar player and obviously a very gifted songwriter. The emphasis of his 80-minute set was  "Electric", which on the strength of last night, I shall be buying - my first RT album. He was supported by an excellent drummer, Michael Jerome, and bassist Taras Prodaniuk, his lovely daughter Kami and another guy (whose name I didn't catch) on sax and acoustic guitar. Most of the time he played electric guitar but there was also some acoustic strumming.

He also played three instrumental Fairport numbers with Swarbs, but that folk stuff doesn't really float my boat.

Apparently an hour's worth of the set will be broadcast on BBC4 on 22nd of March, as part of a "Goodbye to Television Centre" night.

I have tried this album a couple of times now on spotify. No doubt, he is a good guitar player and that was confirmed when I saw him a couple of years ago. But as for his voice, well I cannot stand it, it sadly leaves me cold.

It's an all over thing, I just love what he does, not sure this album is  one of the best yet. It certainly played well with  Brighton audience today, there can't be many better rock? trios around to day excellent musicianship. Richards voice I like it , Bob Dylan doesn't seem to have been hampered by his voice.