Memoirs – French Travel Books – France, Paris, Provence & French Food & Wine

Paul Simon – Paul Simon

Vinyl album cover on a art easel in front of a bcakground of a baseball field

Paul Simon released his second solo album in early 1972, having spent two years moving forward from the breakup of his partnership with Art Garfunkel. Looking back some fifty years from the release of this album you can see the template for Simon’s love of using varying styles of music gathered from all over the world. There is a sense of release from the constraints of working as a duo in this work. It is intensely personal, as is most of Simon’s writing. The album represents a crossroads for him but one that he negotiates with a fresh impetus to his writing, but most especially to his musicality. This has a feel of a great starting album from an exciting new artist, one not fully developed, but one of exceptional promise of what is to come. http://www.nealatherton.com

CSNY, Joni Mitchell, The Band: Legendary Wembley Concert – Sept 14th 1974

Programme for CSNY London Wembley concert in 1974 featuring Joni Mitchell and the Band

Fifty years ago today (Sept 14th) on a glorious late summer day at London’s famous old Wembley Stadium a legendary concerts took place – CSNY, The Band, Joni Mitchell created never to be forgotton treasured moments under the iconic twin towers. I was there. There were special standout moments – Neil Young was captivating, Joni took your breath away as her voice soared around the stadium backed by the jazz tones of the L.A.Express. Please enjoy my reminiscences of a wonderful unrepeatable day – is it really fifty years ago?

John Thomas Atherton – Surviving the Tragedy of War

I recall as a child a photo of a man in uniform, enclosed in a plastic art deco frame on the sideboard at my grandparents’ house. It never occurred to me that it was my grandfather, despite seeing it on every visit. Later I assumed it was his brother Alan who we will meet shortly. It was only decades later, after my father died, that I found this photo in my father’s possessions. Studying it with more interest than the young child I was back then, I could discover from the uniform the role my grandfather played in WW2. Let us see.

Musical Reflections: Uncovering the Stories Behind My Vinyl Collection

Alt='My LP vinyl collection, Carole King, Jackson Browne. Neil Young' Joni Mitchell, Emmylou Harris, Paul Simon"

Today, as I listen to the Bruce Springsteen ‘River’ album, I am wondering what it is that shapes our love of music and particularly a genre that we seem to stay with for life. To be fair I did come to Springsteen a little later in life although the seeds were already there for him to step into my collection. My reason for starting this journey through my past, to paraphrase Neil Young, was my father’s vinyl collection. My father died recently, and he left a vast collection of vinyl including 78’s which I suppose are technically shellac. His CD collection was even more extensive, but it was the vinyl that fascinated me.

Darwen in Victorian Times – Desperation, Poverty, and Family Resilience

The late 1870’s are the most desperate of times for the Atherton family. Central Darwen either side of the main road is home to hundreds who slave day after day, hour after hour in the dark satanic mills of East Lancashire. Water Street and the area around it is the home of the Athertons until a breakout from the area in the 20th Century. In our cossetted lives it is difficult, impossible really, to fully comprehend what these people went through in those times.

Paul Simon – Live Rhymin’

Front cover of a vinyl record album featuring Paul Simon holding a guitar

Live ‘Rhymin’ is a largely forgotten gem in Paul Simon’s catalogue. It captures the Simon of the time beautifully, as well as giving an insight into how he must have sounded in those heady mid ’60s days touring the bleak Northern towns of England.

Joni Mitchell – Court & Spark

Blue is my favourite Joni Mitchell album and that will never change. However, I listen more often to Court & Spark. This is probably because of the musicality of the album and also it coincided with the only time I saw her perform live – at Wembley stadium in 1974. That was a never to be forgotten day when she blew all the cobwebs out of that old stadium with an exhilarating performance with Tom Scott and the L.A.Express. Please enjoy my new book of Musical Memories & bit.ly/bookneal

Perpignan, French Catalonia and our Café

Alt="bar restaurant le Malassis in the southern French town of Perpignan"

This chapter is taken from my book ‘Off the Autoroute’ which is now available on Kobo as well as Amazon The area around Perpignan in French Catalonia is where our travels all started around twenty-five years ago. It is a short hop from Provence so let us see what we found there starting in PerpignanContinue reading “Perpignan, French Catalonia and our Café”

Cordes Sur Ciel and a whole Lot of rain

alt="New French Travel Guide Book Off the Autoroute"

This excerpt is from my French travel book – OFF THE AUTOROUTE, the fifth in my Series of French travel memoirs. Please enjoy on Amazon including Kindle Unlimited. It will take you on a tour of France from Calais to the South and back through Brittany and Normandy. It is time to move on, andContinue reading “Cordes Sur Ciel and a whole Lot of rain”

Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and the filming of the movie Chocolat in Burgundy

Alt="Photo of Burgundy village cycle for French travel guidebooks"

Taken from my French Travel book – OFF the AUTOROUTE Chocolat This destination is one of our favourites – Northern Burgundy. It is a much neglected part of France from a tourist standpoint. To the north is Champagne with its landscape of gently rolling vine covered hillsides. The towns of Champagne are steeped in wineContinue reading “Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and the filming of the movie Chocolat in Burgundy”