Fleet Street, Prince and Red 193

For me taking my camera with me has become a habit and it helps me keep my eyes open -always looking for a picture.

It's some time since I've been in Fleet Street and having been to a Photographic exhibition (more about this and the venue it was at soon) - I noticed (why not before) the great Art Deco architecture of the Former Telegraph and Express buildings.

You can see the 'radical' style of the two Mercuries  apparently by Alfred Oakley below on Peterborough Court (which was home to the Daily Telegraph) and it's got a lovely clock too.

A detail in Peterborough Court

A smashing clock too

Former Express HQ - Still looks modern

Probably the jewel in Fleet Street's crown is though the former Express building something of a modernist masterpiece designed in 1932 by Ellis and Clark but still looking back up to date today.

Prince

Alongside my Records and CDs by the Beatles during and after their 'Beatle Years' on artist takes up a lot of shelf space.

I think the first Prince track I heard was on The US chart show that Paul Gambaccini  used to do on Radio 1 and I'd say it would have been in the 1980's and I think the track would have been Little Red Corvette (1983) .

It was a Sign O' The Times

The other thing about Prince is his legendary work as a live artist  -famed for doing Gigs in giant venues and following up (on the same night) with intimate prolonged Jam sessions in clubs.

We only saw the Purple One' once during his 'residency' at London's O2 but he played a blinder and was joined on stage by Sir Elton John for a cover of the Long and Winding road.

I have been trying to decide which was my favourite track or even album and it's is a difficult task but best track for me  is probably Sign O' the Times and album Around the world in a day (oh yes Thieves in the Temple's great too), then there's his work with others like the super single by  Sheila E' - Belle of St Mark.

The number of people we're losing in 2016 feels hard to comprehend (see Radio 4's analysis on Tim Harford's show here ) - I'm not sure who'll look after Prince's estate but the good news (if there's any) is from what we already know there's a vault full of stuff to release.

Reds 193

it's not all about printed signs here's another naturally occurring Red on the allotment

Another Red that could be defined as a pinky one