Sklugoo Speaks

Sklugoo Speaks to a machine intending to ask it all sorts of interesting questions about the nature of being a machine but is unsurprised (meditation does that for you) when the machine turns the table and asks Sklugoo about the experience of being a small, green meditating frog sat on a windowledge with two disciples, both being chickens.

In future times, we will wonder how we could have been so naive and flippant in the face of the machine. In future times, we will try this again and hope we don't provoke the machine to rage against Sklugoo.

Wish us luck (and hope it's enough).

I don't know if you've noticed, but Sklugoo is a little obsessive and compulsive. All the labels have to be right. The first series all had one-word titles; the second had two words so guess how many words are in each of the titles of the fifth series. Yup: five. So when he saw that this episode was originally conceived as The Must Hear Show he had to find a better word. Essential is that word, although, on reflection, Compulsive might have been better. Still, what is done has been gone and done.

Are these popular songs? Sklugoo guesses so (in some circles). Are these good songs? Pff. What is good? Are these some of Sklugoo's favourite songs from over the years? Heck yeah! And if you have any respect for a small, green meditating frog then you gotta get with the programme.

Tune in, listen up and wind down to this setlist:

Goth Music is what they did back when rock became too tame and punk a little too scarey. So thinks Sklugoo, your favourite small, green meditating frog, and so it must be so.

This show is all about that kind of music and features such luminaries as Sklugoo chatting up a storm and a whole slew of people singing songs and playing guitars and drums as fiercely as their young bones would allow. What's not to enjoy?

Enough chat, here's the setlist for the show:

Just when you thought Sklugoo could deliver no more wonderful music (and chat (don't forget the chat)) into your lives he remembers that he didn't just record 8 episodes of this series, he recorded 12!

This one is, as is says on the label, about ambient music. I'd tell you what that is but I'm guessing that you're smart and know already.

If, on the other hand, you've never come across this lovely, laid-back genre then consider this to be your introduction.

Here's the setlist for your reading (and listening) pleasure:

Hope you enjoy. Heck, skip that; I'm convinced of it!

You wouldn't think Sklugoo could be moody could you, what with him having such a bright and sunny smile plastered across his green and lovely face?

Well, he's not.

But these songs are.

Not that you won't love them, because you will. They will warm the cockles of your heart to such an extent that you'll want to peck away at this episode as if you're a blackbird that's found a mince pie in the back garden.

Yeah, I know - it doesn't make that much sense to Sklugoo either, but it keeps the flow of conversation moving on.

Here's the setlist for your delectation:

Sklugoo does music. You gotta have gotten the gist of this by now this being the seventh episode of the series.

This is a set that ... sigh ... it's music that will mellow you out if you're a little too hyper and cheer you up if you're way, way down in the dumps, so what's not to love?

It starts with that piece of music you might have heard from The Matrix called ... but why bother telling you when you have the whole setlist at your fingertips here:

There was a wedding. There were no songs at the actual wedding but afterwards, they decided that there were songs that should have been played at the wedding. These are those songs:

If you are of a certain age. Or your parents are. Or your grandparents are. If so, play them to yourself or your parents or your grandparents.

Then meditate for a bit on the meaning of love.

This is Sklugoo. I'm meditating (obviously) so I'm getting Robert C Day to do my voice. He's not quite a disciple. The chickens are enough in that department. I let him have his own choice of music.

The songs all have the word Day in their titles or in their subjects. I understood that Robert C Day put a lot of time into thinking about them. In my opinion, that time would have been better spent meditating.

That said, here's the playlist:

As always in this series, if you hear Five Towns Radio then beep it out in your head. Or don't.

Sklugoo'll tell you all about this episode as you start to listen but in essence, this one is all about those songs that stick in your head and go round and around and around until you listen to something else and then magically fall out of the other ear. These are the best ones ever. The stickiest. The ones you love in the heart of your hearts. Your guilty pleasures.

If you hear something about Five Towns Radio then ignore it. Or not. It's up to you at the end of the day. Look them up if you like. Why not.

Here's the track listing in case you want to pick and choose:

If'n you only want the music then head over to YouTube.

Traitor!

Sklugoo, being a small, green meditating frog, has to live somewhere. In this incarnation that place is a kitchen window-ledge in a house in York. That's why the third episode of the fifth series of Sklugoo Speaks is called The York Show of Radio.

All the artists sharing their music in this episode hail from the fair city of York, which is in the North of England (for Sklugoo's US fans, this is the real name of the place you commonly call London).

A huge variety of music took birth and grew up around here so put yourself in discovery mode as you listen to these songs. Here's the track listing:

If you just want to listen to the music (oh, the horror) then you can find it on a YouTube Playlist here. On the other hand, if you just want to listen to the dulcet tones of Sklugoo then you have about a couple of hundred other episodes to choose from in series one to four. Either way - enjoy!