Amsterdam Russ

That's the key - a greater insect population than last year. We were sat on the balcony late this evening and the volume of small biting flying things was quite surprising. At the same time though, cobwebs and rather sizeable spiders are appearing at an alarming rate everywhere we look. One begets the other, of course...

Very well, Steve, thanks. It's a busy weekend locally and tomorrow is a large scale event that I can only describe as a "crazy boat race". About 150 praams - small boats (translates in English as 'barge', but that's not correct) — will be gaudily decorated in whatever colourful and crazy style each team chooses, and at about midday they'll all set off on a race of sorts that'll see them sail through the main canals, around various islands, and then on to the finish line in town. It's party time all round. Very interesting to know that you've still got some of the summer migrants. I always think of them disappearing early September, and not having seen any recently had presumed they'd gone a little earlier than usual. However, we haven't lived in this place for a full year yet, so haven't experienced everything that the seasons bring - and take away. As were so close to a good sized lake, I guess that the remaining summer birds are over the water, which would explain why we're seeing none from home. Just had a quick search on YouTube and found a vid of last year's pramenrace. A quick skip through it'll give you an idea of what's in store tomorrow...

It's been a gorgeous summer day here in Noord-Holland, so much so that we had lunch on the terras of a lake-side eatery just a few minutes walk from us. While sipping on a glass of rosé and looking out across the marina, I was pleasantly surprised to see a good half a dozen swallows or more. Not having seen any of the summer migrants for a little while now, I'd presumed them all gone. Anyone else still seeing them?

Was it not a popular spin in Scotland a couple of years ago? Sure I saw comment to that effect on here a good while back.

Hmm, that's what I vaguely thought. Thanks for confirming. I added four unreleased/acetate tracks recently and none have had any sort of interest as the likes of classics such as Bobby Freeman's "Swim". Can't believe that no one's interested in unreleased track by Nat Hall, Major Lance or whoever! My YouTube channel stats also show that while the forum list indicates multiple views, the reality is that people click on the refosoul page but don't click through and listen to the actual sound file. I'd like to add all my YouTube "unreleased/acetate" clips to refosoul for the sake of making them more available (especially in light of Ady's "no one wants newies" thread), but at the moment it hardly seems worth the effort. Any suggestions as to how to make them more accessible or interesting to Soul Source members?

Understood, Mike. Hence my wording. Is there a means to find the most plays/downloads? At the end of the day, though, don't the number of views indicate what songs have been of most interest to Soul Source visitors regardless of whether it's a label scan or a song file? And beyond that, is there the possibility to use refosoul view stats as a sort of metric for what's "trending" and what's perennially popular? Could it replace the cliched "top 500" list by being a more accurate reflection of what is currently hot and what oldies are still doing the business?

Go to Refosoul forum and check out the most viewed posts for uploaded tracks. It's very telling. Here's the "Top 10" most popular in reverse order... 10 - Eddie Parker - Love you baby 09 - Jo Armstead - I feel an urge coming on 08 - Gloria Jones - Tainted love 07 - George Carrow - Angel baby 06 - Superlatives - I still love you 05 - Jimmy Ruffin - What becomes of the broken hearted 04 - Mr Floods Party - Compared to what 03 - The Platters - Washed ashore 02 - Pages - Heartaches and pain 01 - Sam & Kitty - I've got something good Even here on Soul Source, oldies rule…

And you speak Klingon, too! Well, might as well be as far as I'm concerned!

Found the picture and I'm right - it was Regent's Park. This was taken in August 2007. It is the same plant? Had to take a photo then as I thought that not only did it have amazing colours, but the overall shape of it was rather stunning. Never seen another one since.

I don't know the first thing about plants, but I'm sure I've taken photos of the Asclepia curassavica in London's Regent's Park. It's a very distinctive plant and not easily forgotten.

Interesting. So possibly sitting in the rain is a deliberate action that's part of the preening process. Have to say that the one in the pic didn't engage in any preening at all. It just sat there looking very sorrowful. Of course, that may just have been me projecting my human emotions onto what I saw!

While digging through my archived files, I also came across this shot from 2009 and which I took in the woods of Amsterdam one autumnal evening. I'd gone out with the camera specifically to see if I could get some shots of the geese that graze on the marshy grasslands that can be found there.

Your mention of swallows on cables reminded me of a pic I had in the files. You can't really see it in the photo, but it was chucking it down with rain really hard. I think the swallow may have been exhausted because it just sat on the pole for ages getting soaked while its nest was just a few metres away. Happily it did seem to recover and eventually flew away looking none the worse for wear.

Beyond all the 'oldies' and other pseudo-genres, think of all those new releases that could be slipped in!

I'm experiencing the same thing on ebay as a buyer. I currently have three purchase, each made about four weeks ago, that still await feedback - and that's even though I've sent reminders and provided feedback to the sellers. It's been on the increase the last year or so. Once upon a time everyone would offer feedback. Now it's becoming all too regular - and it sucks.

Likewise - when spring comes around there's always that high element of anticipation. Not only is it great to see them return, but you know that summer is not far behind.

Thanks for the clarification. I presumed that's what you meant unless the practice had suddenly become prevalent in the UK for some reason.

This is why I'm asking. The mass slaughter of birds across Europe during migration through shooting, netting and liming is well catalogued, of course. In fact, the first time I read about it was in an RSPB or Young Ornithologist Club magazine back in the 70s. That gives me the impression that little progress has been made in re-educating those who engage in it - sadly.

Do you mean what happens on migratory routes in continental Europe or in the UK?

Lovely birds, Bullfinches. As a kid I always thought of them as somehow exotic and was so excited the first time I ever saw one!

For what it's worth, when I spin a few records at the next Amsterdam Soul Club (Sept 20th for anyone interested!) I'll have Maxine Brown "Torture" & September Jones "Voo doo madamoiselle" in my box. Just two of so many amazing discoveries! Why would people not want to play them? Perhaps some people think they should only be playing their own discoveries and not somebody else's. Great music unearthed from wherever deserves to be heard - end of story. Keep them coming, Ady!

Yes it is annoying. I think it's also a deliberate ruse to get people to click through to the images and description. I suspect that sellers believe it's the equivalent of getting you through the shop door. Once you're over the threshold, so to speak, you're more likely to bid or buy after having been swayed by their wonderful sales pitch and the pretty colours on the label. Actually, I wonder if there is some basis in fact that getting people to view the item increases the chance of a sale. Even if it is true, the lack of a promised soundclip is an immediate turnoff for me, so it actually has a reverse psychological effect!

Cheers, Ray. PM'd you by return and amount now paid.

Let me tell you it's down right sinful!

On the subject of Roy Redmond, how about this clip from the 1968 psychedelic cult movie The Touchables? It uses Redmond's take of the Beatles song Good Day Sunshine. Redmond's song was originally released as Loma 2075 in July 1967. However, the song started to get plays in New York some months later and this local action prompted WB/Loma to put it out again in February of 1968 - hence why you can also find it on the green label Loma 2092. The film itself didn't come out until November 1968, so it's unclear whether word of the inclusion of the song in the original soundtrack was a factor in the interest it picked up six months after original release. Now, on with the groovy - and slightly kinky - 60s movie action!