Charles Donovan
@pretentiousmuck.bsky.social
Writing, editing, subediting since 1994. Lifelong Londoner. My favourite thing: singer/songwriters & rare groove. Living with cauda equina syndrome, incomplete paraplegia, spinal stim. I commission stories for Diggin’ For Gold (Record Collector). 🏳️🌈
Somewhere near Embankment or The Temple, taken by my father, mid-late 70s
November 28, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Somewhere near Embankment or The Temple, taken by my father, mid-late 70s
Does anyone know how radiance can be quantified in percentage points? I feel I should try to calculate my current radiance level before I attempt to improve it.
November 15, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Does anyone know how radiance can be quantified in percentage points? I feel I should try to calculate my current radiance level before I attempt to improve it.
Insoles on a garden table, London, c1990s, by my father.
November 14, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Insoles on a garden table, London, c1990s, by my father.
Four comforts - a photograph, a painting, a candle and, out of focus, a Sandy Denny CD box set.
November 11, 2025 at 7:46 PM
Four comforts - a photograph, a painting, a candle and, out of focus, a Sandy Denny CD box set.
Billowing clouds, London rooftops and, in the top right corner, an aeroplane. 1992. Taken by my father from my bedroom window
November 11, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Billowing clouds, London rooftops and, in the top right corner, an aeroplane. 1992. Taken by my father from my bedroom window
Editions: 2025 US vinyl; 2013 Japan paper-sleeve CD; 2020 US paper-sleeve CD from box set. The Japanese CD recreates the textured sleeve of the original American vinyl edition from 1971, but drops the border. The 2025 vinyl doesn’t recreate the textured sleeve but reinstates the border.
November 8, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Editions: 2025 US vinyl; 2013 Japan paper-sleeve CD; 2020 US paper-sleeve CD from box set. The Japanese CD recreates the textured sleeve of the original American vinyl edition from 1971, but drops the border. The 2025 vinyl doesn’t recreate the textured sleeve but reinstates the border.
I’m working my way through the Audrey Erskine Lindop bibliography. Next up, these two. This all began thanks to the Blu-ray reissue of I Start Counting, adapted from her novel of the same name. It piqued my curiosity to know more about this forgotten author.
November 7, 2025 at 10:52 AM
I’m working my way through the Audrey Erskine Lindop bibliography. Next up, these two. This all began thanks to the Blu-ray reissue of I Start Counting, adapted from her novel of the same name. It piqued my curiosity to know more about this forgotten author.
Pictures of frosted foliage taken by my father, 1978
November 7, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Pictures of frosted foliage taken by my father, 1978
A moment with Bare Trees
November 2, 2025 at 2:49 PM
A moment with Bare Trees
Taken by my father, c1969
November 2, 2025 at 2:47 PM
Taken by my father, c1969
Presents in the mail, including…
October 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM
Presents in the mail, including…
Mary Rand (aka McCreary, aka Russell, aka Bridges - I swear that every time proper public recognition has had this talented woman in its sights, she has changed her identity and unwittingly eluded it) going from tablet to DAC to amplifier. Her 2015, streaming-only album.
October 12, 2025 at 6:29 PM
Mary Rand (aka McCreary, aka Russell, aka Bridges - I swear that every time proper public recognition has had this talented woman in its sights, she has changed her identity and unwittingly eluded it) going from tablet to DAC to amplifier. Her 2015, streaming-only album.
For a moment, I thought the album was called Timmy’s Hamburgers
October 11, 2025 at 11:56 AM
For a moment, I thought the album was called Timmy’s Hamburgers
At Pamela Polland’s gig, last week.
September 16, 2025 at 8:45 PM
At Pamela Polland’s gig, last week.
It’s out today! Record Collector Magazine Presents The Rolling Stones: Domination (1970-1979). I will continue posting about the individual pieces day by day, but today please join me (this is beginning to sound like a sermon) in looking at the whole thing via a little glimpse of the Contents page.
September 4, 2025 at 2:56 PM
It’s out today! Record Collector Magazine Presents The Rolling Stones: Domination (1970-1979). I will continue posting about the individual pieces day by day, but today please join me (this is beginning to sound like a sermon) in looking at the whole thing via a little glimpse of the Contents page.
Multicoloured sky, London, 1990s - taken by my father
August 30, 2025 at 7:22 AM
Multicoloured sky, London, 1990s - taken by my father
Pembrokeshire, 1979 by my father
August 29, 2025 at 2:05 PM
Pembrokeshire, 1979 by my father
Two people, four flavours
August 28, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Two people, four flavours
And half a century on (though only under my care for the last 30 or so), the scratch-n-sniff (bottom right of album cover) still works.
August 28, 2025 at 3:12 PM
And half a century on (though only under my care for the last 30 or so), the scratch-n-sniff (bottom right of album cover) still works.
“Mick, however, was special. You could see that through the lens. He’s like Elvis.”
Jo Kendall talks to photographer David Montgomery about his early-70s Stones encounter. Coming 4 September in Record Collector Presents: Rolling Stones vol 2
Pre-orders: shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/rc-s...
Jo Kendall talks to photographer David Montgomery about his early-70s Stones encounter. Coming 4 September in Record Collector Presents: Rolling Stones vol 2
Pre-orders: shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/rc-s...
August 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
“Mick, however, was special. You could see that through the lens. He’s like Elvis.”
Jo Kendall talks to photographer David Montgomery about his early-70s Stones encounter. Coming 4 September in Record Collector Presents: Rolling Stones vol 2
Pre-orders: shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/rc-s...
Jo Kendall talks to photographer David Montgomery about his early-70s Stones encounter. Coming 4 September in Record Collector Presents: Rolling Stones vol 2
Pre-orders: shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/rc-s...
Pre-orders: shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/rc-s...
August 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Pre-orders: shop.recordcollectormag.com/product/rc-s...
Oops, I didn’t mean you re-post the original photo. It was meant to be this alternative one! i.natgeofe.com/n/de7e8d54-e...
August 24, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Oops, I didn’t mean you re-post the original photo. It was meant to be this alternative one! i.natgeofe.com/n/de7e8d54-e...
Street scene, 1960s, taken by my father
August 23, 2025 at 6:51 AM
Street scene, 1960s, taken by my father
A sombre moment in Monopoly, perhaps with defeat drawing near, 1972, taken by my father
August 9, 2025 at 12:00 PM
A sombre moment in Monopoly, perhaps with defeat drawing near, 1972, taken by my father