Alphabet Soup Week 29: Artists Filed Under O

Sixteen days into our hike of the South West Coast Path and I’m still (just about) holding up physically.

“A complex tear, meaning both a horizontal and a vertical tear, of the medial meniscus, that’s the meniscus on the inside of the knee.”

Those were the words the nurse spoke to me on May 6 as she relayed the results of the recent MRI on my left knee which had been “not quite right” since the beginning of the year. After returning in April from my 12-day, 140 mile hike of Glyndwr’s Way in Wales, a walk which necessitated twice daily doses of prescription-strength anti-inflammatory medication, I was struggling and it was clear that something wasn’t just “not right”. Something was definitely wrong. Simple physio wasn’t cutting it, so a follow up with my sports medicine doctor was definitely in order. She booked me in for an MRI and you’ve read the results; the diagnosis was a blow.

If you’ve been reading Alphabet Soup this year, you’ll know that I retired at the end of June with a plan to embark on two epic long distance hikes, comprising 1,400 miles of walking between July and November. Torn knee cartilage was definitely not on my 2024 bingo card. Coming as it did less than two months before I was to set out on the trail for the first of our two hikes, surgery was off the table (and not necessarily possible given the nature of the injury), which left me with one option: Platelet Rich Plasma therapy. Thankfully I managed to squeeze in three treatments in the weeks leading up to my departure.

The treatment involved drawing 120ml of blood, which was centrifuged to produce plasma, rich in healing and growth factors. The plasma was then injected into my knee (both knees actually as we decided to also target the surgically repaired meniscus in my now arthritic right knee) under ultrasound guidance to appropriately target the injection. This is still quite a cutting edge treatment and the jury is out on its efficacy. My sports medicine doctor, who I’ve been seeing now for 35 years, tells me that she’s seen about an 80% success rate so far, with success being defined as anything from a slight improvement to a complete reduction in pain for up to 1 to 3 years. The treatments really begin taking effect within four to six weeks and I left Bermuda on June 23 with hope that there would be some improvement before I hit the trail on July 2.

We’ve been out on the trail for 16 days now and the results have been mixed. After ten days, still taking my daily anti inflammatory, but with no pain relief required, I’d managed to get through the first 92 miles and 14,100 feet of ascent with little pain. After a rest day in the lovely seaside village of Clovelly we embarked on a tough six day stretch - 61 miles with 14,300 feet of ascent - and the knee has been more than a little challenging. I’ve been on daily Tylenol, at a maximum dose, for the last four to five days. The morning is usually the toughest part of the day, particularly the first couple hours until the pain relief kicks in properly and the body warms up. I’d describe the afternoon as “manageable”.

I’m grateful that I have over a decade of long distance walking experience to lean on. I’m aware of what my body is capable of and I’ve come to understand that when it comes to my body I can’t believe my brain. My brain will start telling me that it hurts too much or that I have nothing left long before my body gives out. My body has literally never let me down. I’m comfortable that I’m not doing any permanent damage to myself by continuing. And so we move forward.

Today was our second rest day and I took full advantage, barely leaving the room (and hardly leaving the bed to be honest). I’m very in tune with my body and I knew what it needed today: as much relaxation as possible, staying hydrated, some self massage (I brought a mini massage gun) and plenty of gentle stretching. Tomorrow we set out on another six day stretch before enjoying our next rest day in St. Ives; I’m ready for whatever comes.

Is this the walk I’d dreamed of? Probably not. But this is the walk I’ve been presented with. And I’m thoroughly enjoying myself and making the most of what it’s turning out to be. The pace is slower than we would normally maintain and there’s pain to be managed. But I’m out in nature, I’m pushing myself, and I’m enjoying magical and stunning scenery with my best friend and the love of my life, my wife of the last 25 years. There remains a deep feeling of joy and contentment and a sense of awe that my body is continuing to hold up through the toughest of days. Life is good. Very good.

So enough about where I’m at, let’s jump into the playlist for week 29!

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ALPHABET SOUP WEEK 29: Artists Filed Under O

This week’s selections:

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ARTIST: Oasis

TRACK: “Don't Look Back In Anger” from What's The Story Morning Glory? (1995)

Oasis is a band I only stuck with for a few albums in the mid to late 90s, starting with their debut, 1994's Definitely Maybe and ending after 1997's Be Here Now. While I enjoyed those albums, both of which were huge commercial and critical successes, 1995's What's The Story Morning Glory? will always be my favorite. I could have gone with any of half a dozen standout tracks but have chosen Don't Look Back In Anger, the fifth single from the album and the first to feature Noel Gallagher on lead vocals. It became the band's second single to reach number one in the UK where it would go in to be certified 5x platinum.

The song has received numerous plaudits from fans and critics, including being named the fourth-most-popular number one single in the last 60 years and being voted the second best Britpop song after Pulp's Common People.

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ARTIST: Odds

TRACK: “Truth Untold” from Good Weird Feeling (1995)

We last saw Canadian band Odds in the week 18 installment of Alphabet Soup with I Would Be Your Man from the same album, 1995's Good Weird Feeling, the band's third release. Truth Untold was the most successful of the album's six singles, peaking at number 16 on the RPM Canadian chart. This would be the band's most successful album commercially, ultimately going on to be certified platinum in Canada and earning a Juno nomination for Best Rock Album (losing out to Alanis Morrissette's Jagged Little Pill).

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ARTIST: OMC

TRACK: “Angel In Disguise” from How Bizarre (1996)

OMC burst onto the scene in 1996 with their massive hit How Bizzare, from their debut (and only) album of the same name. The album reached number 40 on the Billboard 200 and the single topped the charts in five countries. While I did enjoy the lead single, for my tastes Angel in Disguise is the better song. The band, whose initials stand for Otara Millionaires Club, a tongue in cheek reference to Otara's status as one of the poorest suburbs of Auckland, only produced one album. Sadly, lead singer Pauly Fuemana died in 2010 at the age of forty from a neurodegenerative disease.

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As you make your way through this week’s playlist, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do any of these tracks really stand out for you? What do you like? What don’t you like?

Please click the button below to leave a comment.

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ARTIST: The Outfield

TRACK: “Your Love” from Monsters of Rock (1997)

Your Love is from The Outfield's 1985 debut album Play Deep, which represented the high point of the band's success. They would release five albums before disbanding after 1990's Rockeye. While I'm sure I had it on cassette, this album never made its way into my CD collection but this track appeared on several of my compilation CDs.

Although I'd always assumed this was a US band, it turns out they were from the UK. Despite the success they received in the US, with the single peaking at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album reaching number 9 on the Billboard 200, they received little success in their native country.

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ARTIST: Orchestral Manoeuvres In the Dark

TRACK: “If You Leave” from Pretty In Pink OST (1986)

Outside of a few of their bigger hits, I haven't listened to much of OMD's music. In the late 80s it was probably next to impossible to avoid hearing If You Leave, their standout track from John Hughes' 1986 film Pretty in Pink. I've spoken before about my love for Hughes' movies, coming as they did during my formative years, and this film was no different. Closet romantic 15-year old Mark was (and remains tbh) bitterly disappointed that Andie chose Blaine over Duckie. I was pleased a year later when Hughes' next film, Some Kind of Wonderful, gave me the ending I wanted.

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ARTIST: Ozark Mountain Daredevils

TRACK: “Jackie Blue” from Have A Nice Decade - The 70's Pop Culture Box (1998)

Ozark Mountain Daredevils were a southern rock band from Missouri with six releases on A&M Records in the 70s and one on Columbia in 1980. Jackie Blue was the second single released from the band's second album, 1974's I'll Shine When It Shines. It made its way into my CD collection on several compilations including the fabulous Have A Nice Decade - The 70's Pop Culture Box, a 7-disc compilation released by Rhino in 1988.

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ARTIST: Oingo Boingo

TRACK: “Not My Slave” from Something Wild OST (1986)

Despite my wife being a big fan, I've never really had much of an interest in Oingo Boingo, the band formed by Danny Elfman in 1979. Elfman would later go on to achieve major success and international acclaim for his film score composition, particularly for his work with Tim Burton for whom he scored close to 20 films.

Oingo Boingo released eight albums between 1981 and 1994 with 1985's Dead Man's Party being their most successful album and producing the only two singles to generate success on the Billboard charts. Not My Slave was the third single from the band's subsequent album, 1987's Boi-ngo and also appeared on the soundtrack to the 1986 film Something Wild starring Jeff Daniels and Melanie Griffith, which is how it found its way into my CD collection.

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ARTIST: Oh Laura

TRACK: “The Mess You Left Behind” from A Song Inside My Head, A Demon In My Bed (2007)

I'm not sure how or where I would've heard of Oh Laura, the Swedish indie pop band, but their 2007 debut A Song Inside My Head, A Demon In My Bed ended up in my library. The album produced one hit single, Release Me, in their native Sweden. For this week’s playlist I've gone with the deep cut The Mess You Left Behind as it serves as a perfect segue between the frenetic sounds of Oingo Boingo and the two 70s soft rock songs that close out this week's playlist

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ARTIST: Olivia Newton-John

TRACK: “Have You Never Been Mellow” from Only Love 1975-1979 (1995)

Despite never owning any of her albums, I had a bunch of Olivia Newton-John songs in my CD library as her music featured heavily in the compilation CDs due to her string of hits from the mid 70s through the early 80s. Newton-John's career included fifteen top ten singles with five making it to number one on the Billboard Hot 100.  Have You Never Been Mellow was the lead single and title track from Newton-John's fifth studio album released in 1975. The track became her second consecutive number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and its success drove the album to the top spot on the Billboard 200 album chart.

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ARTIST: Orleans

TRACK: “Dance With Me” from Singers And Songwriters - Late '70s (2001)

We wrap this week with a classic track from Orleans, an American pop rock band from Woodstock, NY. Dance with Me, from the band's second album, 1975's Orleans II, peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and probably appeared on at least half a dozen compilations in my library, as did their follow up single Still the One.

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Week 2 on the South West Coast Path

As our journey along the UK’s South West Coast Path continues, here are a selection of photos (one per day) taken since my last post:

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Here’s the link to the running playlist which is updated on a weekly basis as each new installment is published:

ALPHABET SOUP RUNNING PLAYLIST

Tracks missing from the Spotify playlist:

• Allegory by Murray Attaway (Week 02)

• Face Me and Smile by The Lover Speaks (Week 12)

• From Your Mouth by God Lives Underwater (Week 13)

• This Can’t Go On! by The Lover Speaks (Week 23)

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