asides Blog

One line thoughts of the day.

When did the word “meme” come to mean “Self-righteous or passive-aggressive platitude superimposed upon a stock image to be shared on social media by attention-seeking individuals who are too lazy to post anything original of their own”?

Posted on December 5, 2013 by Tim Hall | 1 Comment

On listening to the cover disk for the current Prog Magazine, I get the impression that 90s Dream Theater is the new 80s Marillion when it comes to new prog bands whose technical skill exceeds their creative imagination.

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

Sometimes reviewing can be an exercise in tightrope-walking when you’re reviewing from within an incestuous fandom where everyone knows everyone else. On one hand honest reviews are a necessity for the long-term health of the scene. On the other you don’t want to damage relationships either with fellow-fans or the artists themselves. It’s difficult to write honest reviews without occasionally treading on metaphorical toes, no matter how hard you try to say things diplomatically.

Posted on November 22, 2013 by Tim Hall | 7 Comments

The long-running debate in the testing community of the value of certification is getting ugly. A blogger expresses robust but strongly held professional opinions on the subject, then someone with an axe to grind complains to his employer in an attempt to shut him down.

Posted on November 18, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

I’m currently listening to all this year’s music purchases and review promos to try and put together the oblogatory end-of-year list, and struck by just how much great music has come out this year. But I bet there will still be those who insist that 2013 has been a bad year…

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

Do the people who always use “lol” in place of full stops on the Internet also end every sentence in real-life conversations with an intensely annoying high-pitched laugh? Because that’s what I hear in my head when I read their posts…

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Tim Hall | 1 Comment

The idea that no women like prog-rock is another sexist stereotype that needs to die…

Posted on November 14, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

The advantage of being a prog fan – You can tell a band their new song sounds like Uriah Heep and they won’t take it as an grevious insult.

Posted on November 10, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

Seeing people’s “Album of the Year” on the Classic Rock Magazine Facebook Page page, I can’t help feeling that those listing the workmanlike Black Sabbath or Deep Purple albums as best of the year haven’t heard that many 2013 releases.

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off

You know you’re too deep in the YouTube rabbit-hole when you come to an episode of The Teletubbies dubbed into German. I’m blaming Mertesacker for this…

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Tim Hall | Comments Off