Matt Andrews
@mattandrews.info
Engineering manager at GitLab. Formerly Economist, BBC, Guardian etc. Music nerd, cyclist, tired dad. Run a 20+ year old music webzine and still blogs sometimes, too! https://mattandrews.info/
Google Photos has just cleverly notified me about this memory, which is a video of me practicing piano. Google has helpfully overlaid the sound of generic piano music over the top of the piano I'm actually playing in the clip, leading to a pointlessly broken video with double audio #enshittification
November 12, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Google Photos has just cleverly notified me about this memory, which is a video of me practicing piano. Google has helpfully overlaid the sound of generic piano music over the top of the piano I'm actually playing in the clip, leading to a pointlessly broken video with double audio #enshittification
Been spending a lot of time just standing in the ocean letting the waves wash over me here in Portugal, and you can basically call me Legolas because the Sea-longing is affecting me powerfully.
October 30, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Been spending a lot of time just standing in the ocean letting the waves wash over me here in Portugal, and you can basically call me Legolas because the Sea-longing is affecting me powerfully.
Welcome to Portugal, I guess
October 26, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Welcome to Portugal, I guess
Took the 6 year old climbing to reward a good first term at school. Foolishly agreed to pay him a fiver if he made it to the top green pipe here. Forgot how motivated and determined he becomes when he can cash in.
Long story short I now owe him £40 after he climbed to the top of *every* wall.
Long story short I now owe him £40 after he climbed to the top of *every* wall.
October 25, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Took the 6 year old climbing to reward a good first term at school. Foolishly agreed to pay him a fiver if he made it to the top green pipe here. Forgot how motivated and determined he becomes when he can cash in.
Long story short I now owe him £40 after he climbed to the top of *every* wall.
Long story short I now owe him £40 after he climbed to the top of *every* wall.
My six year old has entered his Hans Zimmer phase
October 21, 2025 at 9:01 PM
My six year old has entered his Hans Zimmer phase
Went to the Stirchley protest this morning against all the flag guys trying to impose themselves on our area.
The dozen or so pro-flag guys there were filming the protesters with professional cameras, which felt really weird/sinister.
The dozen or so pro-flag guys there were filming the protesters with professional cameras, which felt really weird/sinister.
October 18, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Went to the Stirchley protest this morning against all the flag guys trying to impose themselves on our area.
The dozen or so pro-flag guys there were filming the protesters with professional cameras, which felt really weird/sinister.
The dozen or so pro-flag guys there were filming the protesters with professional cameras, which felt really weird/sinister.
My six year old son asked me today "Dad, do you know what Firefox is?" and—
October 15, 2025 at 9:40 AM
My six year old son asked me today "Dad, do you know what Firefox is?" and—
Post you from a different era
(go on then, this is ~20 years ago at uni)
(go on then, this is ~20 years ago at uni)
October 14, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Post you from a different era
(go on then, this is ~20 years ago at uni)
(go on then, this is ~20 years ago at uni)
The kids' play farm we went to today decided to decorate the toilets in Halloween theme:
October 11, 2025 at 7:34 PM
The kids' play farm we went to today decided to decorate the toilets in Halloween theme:
This meme is very clear about how my (similar) day has gone
October 11, 2025 at 5:44 PM
This meme is very clear about how my (similar) day has gone
Bought a third copy of the Silmarillion that I definitely didn't need, solely because this (70s) edition has a gorgeous fold-out map at the end that was still in pristine condition.
October 10, 2025 at 5:58 PM
Bought a third copy of the Silmarillion that I definitely didn't need, solely because this (70s) edition has a gorgeous fold-out map at the end that was still in pristine condition.
Station staff just stood there watching us all rampaging onto the last slow train to Brum like this
October 2, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Station staff just stood there watching us all rampaging onto the last slow train to Brum like this
I posted this screenshot of my Google Calendar "insights" after a month or two at my new job (fully remote and async). Doing a short talk tomorrow to a friend's employer which has a ridiculous meeting culture.
What question would you ask me about how you could get your company to cut down on calls?
What question would you ask me about how you could get your company to cut down on calls?
September 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM
I posted this screenshot of my Google Calendar "insights" after a month or two at my new job (fully remote and async). Doing a short talk tomorrow to a friend's employer which has a ridiculous meeting culture.
What question would you ask me about how you could get your company to cut down on calls?
What question would you ask me about how you could get your company to cut down on calls?
If you write a "review" like this, your internet access should automatically be revoked for a week until you learn your lesson about being a functioning contributor to society.
September 19, 2025 at 5:02 PM
If you write a "review" like this, your internet access should automatically be revoked for a week until you learn your lesson about being a functioning contributor to society.
On the other hand, even being a living legend doesn't excuse you for using the phrase "wacky baccy".
September 17, 2025 at 1:53 PM
On the other hand, even being a living legend doesn't excuse you for using the phrase "wacky baccy".
Apropos of nothing, here's a quote from Tolkien I saw the other day (from Unfinished Tales) describing how he approached translating the language of orcs and trolls in LOTR:
September 13, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Apropos of nothing, here's a quote from Tolkien I saw the other day (from Unfinished Tales) describing how he approached translating the language of orcs and trolls in LOTR:
Gonna start painting this on roundabouts
September 13, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Gonna start painting this on roundabouts
I regret to inform you that—
August 30, 2025 at 11:08 AM
I regret to inform you that—
Don't take my word for it though: here's my pal Stefan's review of the album from his weekly music newsletter, which was in no way influenced by our friendship or his need to fill a newsletter each week.
![Rocking Singer-Songwriter]
Unfuture - Masks
Stirchley represent! My pal Matt Andrews has outdone himself on this record released under this new persona after a friendly cease-and-desist request from another Edgeways band. Bucking the Friday releases it’s only been out since Monday so exposure has been limited but stoked to hear the added percussion to his singer-songwriter repertoire such as on Fog Clouds Love. More of a full-band sound extracted from his slick home studio which is exhibited On The Vine as the rock is cranked up, complete with electric guitar solo. He says he flirted with the idea of a full-blown rock album but ended up toning it back to mix in more genre influences and ‘Masks’ benefits from that multi-dimensional decision.
Just1Song: Perhaps the most forward and fastest tune on the disc is Gravity’s Hold which really does reach out and take hold](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:smmmqzvvdhltxluznp3b6rjp/bafkreieqtpz6ajd6djchtopr4yddxi7m2g37wkryvgedjfdwlkv3ix6quq@jpeg)
August 24, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Don't take my word for it though: here's my pal Stefan's review of the album from his weekly music newsletter, which was in no way influenced by our friendship or his need to fill a newsletter each week.
Had a rude prawn cracker today.
August 19, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Had a rude prawn cracker today.
I mean, which kid *hasn't* felt like a lost child that had
clambered upon the throne of mountain-kings?
clambered upon the throne of mountain-kings?
August 19, 2025 at 9:31 AM
I mean, which kid *hasn't* felt like a lost child that had
clambered upon the throne of mountain-kings?
clambered upon the throne of mountain-kings?
I love Tolkien because he uses clever yet relatable similes which are in no way just repeating pretty much the exact scenario they're describing:
August 19, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I love Tolkien because he uses clever yet relatable similes which are in no way just repeating pretty much the exact scenario they're describing: