u/CrankyJoe99x

Hi all. My first post here. Been a fan since the 60s. Unfortunately I was only 12 when they toured here in Australia and my mother wouldn't let me go to the concert. However, I did see Mike when he was here on the tour which resulted in the 'Live at the Palais' album.

Anyway, this one is just for fun. I have been struck by casual similarities between the Monkees' history and that of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (another of my favourite groups).

They both had popular albums then split and re-formed multiple times in various combinations; solo, duo, trio and as a group of four.

They both re-formed many years later for a reunion album. Then did it again more years later.

They toured in all sorts of configurations across many years.

They each had a talented and enigmatic country rocker who, in my opinion, makes them seem complete when he joins in (Mike Nesmith and Neil Young).

I don't want to push this too far, as of course there are probably more differences than similarities.

But Stephen Stills did audition to be a Monkee 😉

I'm currently re-reading the History of Middle-earth (currently in the middle of the Lays). I've just purchased the History of the Hobbit and would like to read it around the time when it interrupted the work on the First Age (assuming it did?).

I'm thinking either after Volume 4 or Volume 5 of HoME (noting that parts of the Hobbit's history continue into the 60s).

I'd appreciate thoughts from those of you who know more of the timelines than I do as to when the majority of the Hobbit was written compared to the material in HoME. It doesn't need to be exact as in jumping between books, just an indication of where most of it best fits.

It's difficult to get updates on stories so please forgive me in advance if this is answered elsewhere.

The story here a few days ago was that two foreigners had been shot in Makati. Local news stories seem to suggest it was a 63 year old local lady and her daughter who works as a security guard in Makati.

Am I mixing up reports or it turns out they weren't foreigners?

I saw a video of the shooting of the two women from security cameras and it looked like some sort of personal issue rather than robbery or the like. The gunman went right past some people to shoot the victims who were walking along the footpath, it seemed he knew exactly where they would be and when. All very sad, but I haven't been able to find any recent news (the shooting was three or four days ago).

I'm currently reading through the History of Middle-earth for the second time (spurred on by my recent purchase of the last eight books to replace losses from a house move some years back, but that's another story).

It's my third time through the first few volumes, the first was on release. For some reason the cuts Christopher Tolkien made seem to have hit me harder. A few examples off the top of my head:

1. The 'long interlude' between chapter III and chapter IV is reduced to a summary paragraph.

2. A number of sections in the 'The Tale of the Sun and Moon' are similarly reduced to a summary paragraph.

3. Of a different nature, an exclusion rather than a cut, the commentary to the first chapter notes that 'Various things are told in these notes [a small notebook connected to the manuscripts] about Eriol's sojourn in Tol Eressëa which do not appear in The Book of Lost Tales ...'.

They are more noticeable to me as this is the shortest book in the History by some way. I really enjoy the Lost Tales because they have so many original elements not included in later versions, including the framing story which I really enjoy. So for me, the cuts and excluded notes are a sad omission. If space was the issue, I would have perhaps preferred fewer versions of poems with minor differences which take up multiple pages rather than trimming original material.

Don't get me wrong, I love the series and the effort Christopher Tolkien made in giving us access to this treasure trove. Sorry for the ramble, I'm just curious to hear what other readers think of the cuts etc.?

Hi all. I just listened to a performance of Rachmaninoff's 3rd Piano Concerto with Volodos on piano and the Berlin Philharmonic accompanying.

I loved it, it's also the first time I have heard him playing. I would be interested in other recommendations for CDs of his.

Thanks in advance for any replies.

As an aside it's a bit surprising I haven't heard him playing before; I have hundreds of CDs of pianists.

My wonderful kids are taking me to the Robin Smith Tubular Bells concert in Australia this coming Friday, really looking forward to it.

They are all in their 20s. Middle daughter is a big fan, Tubular Bells III is one of her favourite albums. She took me to the Tubular Bells performed by Two a few years ago which was amazing.

Has anyone else here been to any of the concerts on this tour? If so, thoughts?