A surprise not-totally-festive edition of Radio Clash, where I talk about a bird I think about a lot (the lost Kauaʻi ʻōʻō bird – apologies for the transliteration but those special symbols will likely gum up the works in the feed and tags) and what Christmas means to me now…

I play some new and old mashups and original music – some of which is my favourites of the year, but mostly older since I don’t listen to music in the same way anymore. Loving the new Saint Etienne and Lily Allen albums though, and K-Pop Demon Hunters (DERPY 4EVAH!) and new-ish music from B. Dolan, Hallmighty and Lankum.

Buckingham Nicks album gets a timely re-release (are they talking again?) so talk about that and the legendary Coffee Plant demos – and visit Aidan Moffat and RM Hubbert’s Christmas Ghost Stories album…and play the last of my choices from Tom Rasmussen’s amazing Body Building album.

And some festive? festering? tracks that have been on ice stuck at the North Pole since Xmas two years ago. Joy to the world and all that, there’s a theme about wanting 2026 to be a lot less shit…but not that hopeful, concentrating on what Xmas is supposed to be about, rather than all the capitalism, food and tradition. Peace on earth for all would be a nice place to start?

Forgot to explain why I played Nomad/Candlebright though. John used to light a candle for me to guide me in when I visited on Tuesdays. “You’re my candlebright in the window”. I mentioned this in a 2012 episode with an image of that candle burning in the window.

Even back then this demo was important to me, it expressed the weird on/off yet constant nature of our relationship, but that candle was like a lighthouse, guiding me back to him from my travels.

And that’s why I light a candle for him now, to guide him back to me every Friday. And yes ‘The story has a strange ending’ indeed.