The only thing I've been listening to over the last seven days has been the crying and gurgling of a new baby. He's one week old today but already seems like hes been part of the family for years. For some reason I think he looks like Dungeon Master from the old Dungeons and Dragons cartoon. Given the circumstances, I've little to contribute to these pages until I get back into the outside world. Thankfully other people fill their blog pages more regularly so I've been busy reading their stuff instead. Soundtracks for Them has an interesting point on the niche pursuits of blogs in contrast to the all embracings zines of old. Antrophe over at Soundtracks for Them was kind enough to scan a review of both our blogs by Canadian magazine 'Broken Pencil'. It's kind of weird seeing your blog being reviewed but it's kind of nice also when they have good words to say. It gives you that warm fuzzy feeling inside that you might have had as a child when you'd gotten a gold star in your jotter. You can have a look here. When I checked out the Broken Pencil website I was surprised at the scope and scale of the magazine. It looks great, so good in fact that it gets put on my list of interesting websites. And I'm not just saying this because they were nice about me.

I've also had the chance to read an Otis Redding autobiography that I bought a few months back. It's in the Mojo series of books on soul stars and I have another one on Marvin Gaye. They're a nice easy read. Not too long and peppered with interesting interviews with other soul stars and family members of the artists concerned. I must get the full series of them. I think they have ones on Ray Charles and Sam Cooke in the same series.

Finally, keep your eyes peeled for a new online collaboration by Dublin collective The Gappy Foundation. It'll be a one stop shop for bits and pieces about music and the like for Irish musicians, DJ's and any other arty types that we think fit the bill. More on that very soon.