wank pass

I've nicked this from Popbitch, but it's well worth sharing. A bit expensive, but well worth the money.
Shame l've already bought my Christmas presents, as l know somebody who would have appreciated this.

toodle pip

friday the 13th gives us a conservative majority

So it's finally happened. Rather than the great and good British public voting for a better life for others, they have voted to have a worse life for themselves (unless they are stinking rich), and fuck their friends, family, and the poor and needy.
Boris has lied constantly and just kept repeating the 'Get Brexit Done' mantra, while the right wing press have constantly vilified Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour party. People really are fucking idiots and will get what they deserve, but will no doubt spend the next few years moaning about public spending being cut, hospitals and the NHS going to ruin and being privatised, and the lowly workers having what little rights they have being taken away from them. Don't even get me started on the Universal Credit debacle, zero hours contracts, Libraries closing and food banks springing up everywhere, and some of the electorate deciding not to vote as 'They are all the same'.
If the Conservatives had done anything worthwhile in the last 9 to 10 years they have been in power, they would have been banging on about how they had improved the country and to vote them back into power so they could continue the good work. Instead of which they have bleated on about Brexit not allowing them to focus on the NHS, Policing etc during the last 3 years, What about the years before then?
Austerity has hit the poorest and it will only get worse. It's not like people can say they weren't warned. Despite the right wing press propaganda there are many instances of the Conservatives openly lying about their past and future policies for all to see if they could be bothered to look, and enough failings from Johnson and his party to show any compassion or empathy (and keep a straight face while doing so).
As for former coal mining or steel making wards voting for the Conservatives, it is just pathetic, and the rich fuckers who run the country (and their rich and powerful backers) must be rubbing their hands in glee at the stupidity of the masses.
Fuck all of them and don't blame me. As a scouser l voted Labour and am proud that the majority of the Liverpool area did the same. Don't blame Corbyn either. I think he could have done a lot better, but you should be voting for policies, not the figureheads, and if anyone thinks Boris Johnson can be trusted to run the country to benefit the country itself, rather than the rich, they are living in cloud cuckoo land.
Dominic Cummings, Priti Patel, Jacob Rees Mogg, Aaron Banks, Nigel Farage, Presidents Putin and Trump - come on in and abuse us as much as you want. Privilege, money and vested interest has conquered common sense, as the rest of Europe no doubt hangs its head in despair at our stupidity.
Democracy, human rights and compassion will be eroded quicker than they have been recently, but we deserve it all, like the fucking idiots we have shown ourselves to be.

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jonathan pie sums up boris and the tories

I've not posted any election stuff so far, but Jonathan Pie's latest rant sums up my feelings exactly.
Vote Boris Johnson out for fucks sake, and kick out the rest of his sycophantic preening privileged lying Conservative arses with him.
I used to think the Tories were bad years ago, but even some of them (including past Prime Minister John Major) think this current set of liars are too right wing, and a danger to our democracy.
This is easily the worst set of politicians l have ever known in power, and l remember the bad old days of Margaret Thatcher and George Bush senior / Ronald Reagan only too well (Including the possible Mutually Assured Destruction).
What a bunch of fucking rotters.



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family guy explain the allure of ecstacy

This made me laugh out loud the other night - Family Guy taking the piss out of why people take Ecstasy. It's not just funny because most of what they say is true (I used to take it a lot), and they are not afraid to state it, it's also the asides such as Peter being told off by Louis and Chris asking what the name of it is at the end, as he obviously wants some.
Classic stuff.

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the soft cheese is off

Thinking l would have some cheese and crackers, l foolishly rummaged around in the dark recesses at the back of the fridge for some soft Philadelphia cheese. Result!!
I needn't have bothered, as, even with my rubbish sense of smell, l could guess it had gone off a bit.

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mr parrot ignores the 2019 iggy and the stooges remaster

I was playing the rather splendid new two disc 2019 remaster of Iggy and The Stooges album earlier today, at what l would describe as a pretty loud level (turned up to 11).
Mr Parrot however, is so used to my nonsense and lifestyle, he fell asleep during it.
The little cutie.

Also..
My neighbours listen to some great loud music - How do l know? I'm playing it (In reality, they were out).





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tottenham hotspurs mauricio pochettino sacked, and the return of jose mourinho

So, Jose Mourinho is the new Tottenham Hotspur manager, after the sacking of Mauricio Pochettino.
However, Pochettino has transformed the club during the last five years or so, playing attacking entertaining football, finishing in the top 4, and taking them to their first European Cup / Champions League final as recently as May, as the club was in the process of moving to a new ground, whilst having limited transfer funds. He's supposedly getting a £12 million pound pay off, and will have no shortage of offers, but if Daniel Levy (Tottenham Chairman) is anticipating things will improve under Mourinho, he must be mad, and can kiss goodbye to entertaining football. Apparently the training and mood around the ground was getting depressing, and recent results have not gone well, so let's see what happens now (Cue the entry of Mourinho, scowling).
At least Manchester United may have a chance of signing Harry Kane (and / or Christian Eriksen) now, so it's not all bad news.

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cryptic message on my hand

When l was off work last week for a few days, l stayed up all night, drinking and listening to music. At one stage in the early hours, l turned all the lights off in my living room, to chill out and immerse myself in the tunes l was playing at the time (Early T.Rex if you must know). However, l then had a rather splendid idea l wanted to remember, and as l didn't want to get up and put the lights on, l wrote it on the palm of my hand in the blackness.
Great idea - Didn't have a clue what it was the next morning.

Then again - it was a long night!

toodle pip

francis rossi's green telecaster for sale

Another reason l need to win the lottery and move to a larger house. Status Quo guitarist / singer Francis Rossi has put his green Fender Telecaster up for auction with Bonhams, Knightsbridge on 17th December 2019. Rossi bought the guitar for £75 in 1968 and painted it himself, using green Ronseal, and it was the guitar most used by him during the subsequent years.  Rather sadly for me, it is estimated to go for between £100,000 and £150,000, which is a bit out of my price range, especially with Christmas coming up.
For those that have the money - see here

                                                                Image by Bonhams

Here's Rossi and the guitar in action





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the vertigo label and bridget riley - with a bit of marcel duchamp thrown in

Following on about the Rod Stewart Vertigo albums in the post below, l would not like to cast aspersions about where the vertigo design came from, but l have a sneaking suspicion that whoever designed it may have seen the 'Uneasy Centre' Op Art by Bridget Riley (1963), which is below.



Compare and contrast to the Vertigo version.




The art team of Linda Glover and Mike Stanford, (based on an idea by Olav Wyper) were meant to be inspired by Marcel Duchamp's Rotoreliefs (below), but who knows?



Despite how great l think the label design is, I can think of only one punishment that should have been administered for the possible 'inspiration'.

toodle pip

keep me away from auctions

I was told there were a load of vinyl records going for auction last week at Darwin's Auction House in Bedale, and as l was off work, l thought l'd pop along and bid on a few.
Some of them went for silly prices, so l was outbid on a few lots, but still came away with a load of Rod Stewart and The Faces original albums (including on the original Vertigo!). However, being the impulsive kind of guy l am, l also came away with a microscope, binoculars, candlesticks and a camera.
I've said it before and l will say it again - l am going to need a bigger house at some stage.

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bollocks to brexit

As l was watching the latest vote about Brexit earlier today, l was reminded of this crossword from a September issue of The Guardian.
Subtle brainwashing at its best, but if you can't see what l am on about, read across from the top and bottom lines.

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l'm not buying keith richard's old home yet

Damn!!!
I haven't won the Euro Lottery of about 170 million pounds, which is a crying shame, as l've had my eye on Keith Richard's old place by Washington Square Park, New York, which would have been a small drop in the ocean for me at a me if l had have won at a mere10 million pounds or so. It's spacious, has a great location and views, and doesn't look as though there are many places for spiders to hide.
What's not to like?
It was on sale last year by Douglas Ellman Real Estate, and some photographs are below.

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the banana splits

I didn't realise bananas actually split until l left this one too long.
Now l guess that's why the TV series and drink were so called.
You live and learn.



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t.rextasy at darlington 2nd october 2019

As usual, another splendid night with Danielz and the T.Rextasy boys, this time at Darlington Hippodrome.
Go and see them - They are keeping the T.Rex name and songs alive, and are much better live than the poorly recorded videos would have you believe!





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ole becomes pep

Somethings not right here, but l can't figure out what needs changing

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anthony newley - the strange world of gurney slade

I re-watched Anthony Newley's 'The Strange World of Gurney Slade' last night, as l am a fan of Newley's, but l am still amazed how weird it must have seemed when it was first broadcast in 1960. It breaks just about every rule of a comedy show, and it is understandable that it wasn't a big hit at the time (or since then) despite it (and Newley himself) being a huge influence on David Bowie. The TV audience must have been bewildered.
It's very slow paced, has no real jokes in it, and is pretty surreal, so it's just the sort of thing that appeals to me, although l am not at all surprised there was only one series. Even l was too young to watch it at the time, but it would have messed with my young head if l had.
It's all available on youtube, and in my opinion, is well worth sticking with till the last episode (6).





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also on heavy rotation

Also on heavy rotation

















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god song - gavin clark / toydrum and evangelist

This Gavin Clark / Toydrum Frank Wiedemann remix version of 'God Song' has been on heavy rotation at home recently as it's something different, but l still prefer the original Evangelist version.
Either way - what a song!





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oh my god it's the church - richmond live 2019

Last weekend l was out and about in Richmond (The North Yorkshire version) and this was one of the delights on offer at Richmond Live. Oh My God It's The Church!
 The Lightning Seeds were pretty good on the Saturday night, despite the downfall before they came on, but l didn't have my recording device on me that day, so this is it.

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The Beatles at Darlington 10th aug 2019

As it's the 50th anniversary of more Beatles product (Abbey Road at the moment), l ventured along to Darlington Hippodrome to see The Magic Of The Beatles last night, and l have to admit, they were pretty good. It's always good to try and forget what year you are in and imagine you are witnessing a Beatles Theatre show, and watching them do the later stuff such as 'I am the Walrus', it's as close as anyone has got.

Don't know how to turn this the right way round, but better than nothing!

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manchester united versus liverpool programmes

Inspired by an advert on Sky where someone has Liverpool stuff framed on the wall behind him, l thought about framing my programmes from Manchester United versus Liverpool in the late 1960's / early 1970's, plus a couple from Oxford United against Manchester United, as l was living by Oxford at the time, and saw Manchester United lose there when they were in the Second Division (and went to lots of Oxford United's home games).
However, l haven't sussed out a way to frame them yet. The enclosed photo is the best l have come up with so far, but l'm still not happy with it so far.
If l don't sort it soon, it probably never will be.

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boris johnson does david bowie

When we have an Empire - we have emperors

When we had a Kingdom - we had a king

Now we have a Country - we have Boris Johnson

Image from Sal Warpe

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space - walking in the final frontier and deep purple - space trucking

As it's the anniversary of the Moon landing this week, here's some more space related stuff (see earlier blog).
The first picture is Alexey Leonov leaving his spacecraft and taking the first steps into space. The second picture is Bruce McCandless, out and about in space by himself. The courage they had to do such things is remarkable, and the same goes for the first Moon landing guys.
And now we have Donald Trump and Boris Johnson - two men l would happily send into space (with a one way ticket).

Plus one of my favourite Deep Purple songs - Space Truckin' from their Made In Japan album



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