The afternoon clouds roll in. The sun but a faint memory. Thunder begins and the heavens open. These are the days Phoenix craves. And so we sip coffee and watch it all unfold.

The house next door sold and yesterday our new neighbors started moving in. Trying to get the balance right between giving them breathing room to settle in, and leaving it far too late to introduce ourselves. As you do.

Without a doubt, a passing that has hit me the most. Depeche Mode wrote the soundtrack to my youth.

Alison Moyet today on Twitter:

I have just heard the news. Since we were 10. Same estate. Class mates to label mates. He who kept faith with all the old gang and they with him. It doesn’t compute. Fletch. I have no words.

I discovered last.fm 16 years ago and is one of those services from the olden times I still enjoy to this day. Being able to look back on my music listening habits over that time frame is a wonderful thing.

Today marks a bit of a milestone with 500,000 tracks scrobbled. And the track that nudged the count across the finish line none other than Pet Shop Boys' We All Feel Better In The Dark. (don't we though?).

Here's to another 500,000 tracks and/or 16 years, whichever comes first.

Very sad to read that Vangelis has passed away. An absolute legend of electronic composition. What a body of work. I had to put on the Blade Runner soundtrack this afternoon, and then just bask in his back catalogue.

Jean-Michel Jarre today on Twitter.

Dear Vangelis,
We will all remember your unique touch and your moving melodies forever.
You & I have always shared the same passion for synthesizers and electronic music since so long…
May you Rest In Peace,
JMJ x

Today marks a bit of a milestone. For I arrived on these fine shores of the United States on the 5th May 1997. Assuming my calculations are correct, that was 25 years ago. 😳 I've lived in the US for a quarter of a century. 😳 Bonkers to think this is the place I've lived the longest in my entire life.

I woke up this morning with Everyday Is Like Sunday by Morrissey stuck in my head. Nothing wrong with that you'd say, and I would initially agree with you. It's just I'm still conflicted about him and still a little bitter the man who wrote the soundtrack to my youth turned out the way he did.

I think I already knew, but perhaps I'd just forgotten, that Stevie Nicks' Stand Back is a synth masterpiece. Love that Prince played synths in the studio on this track.

For the first time in forever I listened to the radio in the car. The Doors came on, and I realized I kinda like them. Love Me Two Times, People Are Strange, The End.

(Giving microblogging a whirl again)

About 10 years ago I used to get up early and go running every morning. I stopped after I injured a knee tendon and since then have done precisely nothing. I started again about a month ago albeit indoors on a treadmill. It's slow going but I have my eye on the Phoenix 10K in November.