ringo starr takes the beatles test

Ringo Starr takes the Beatles test to see which one he is most like, and fails miserably!

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everyone gets old - part 4723 - football managers

Last years Premiership football managers, from when they were players. Time waits for no man etc.

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autographing books

This is something that had never occurred to me, but it makes perfect sense. When an author signs a load of books, they do not necessarily have to do it book by book, as l thought they did. They can, as Joey Barton has been doing here, just sign the fronts, which go into the books afterwards.
Who knew? Not me, that's for sure.

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a video a day - hozier and van morrison - domino

Taken from the Jools Holland Hootenanny at last years end, a superb version of  Van Morrison's 'Domino' by Hozier.
It may also be sacrilege, but l actually prefer Hozier's version to Van The Man's original.





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allan dixon and the happy animals

Because l am so messed up and bitter, these sort of photographs would have annoyed me in the past, as Allan Dixon, the person in the pictures looks like the kind of middle class person l (possibly) judge too harshly.
However, this time, l'll make an exception, and admit that the animals in the photographs look pretty funny.
I must be getting soft in my old age.

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bridge mouth

This is probably pretty old, but still funny. A truck getting caught under a low bridge, which, rather hilariously, looks like it's eating the truck.

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a video a day - the dead or alive box set

Now this what l call scraping the barrel. A 19 cd box set of Dead or Alive, who, let's face it, are known for one song only, the rather fantastic 'You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)', todays video.

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paul mccartney advert

I didn't realise Paul McCartney has resorted to doing adverts. A good cause l suppose.

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a video a day - apples in stereo - energy and can you feel it

I've been a long time lover of these two songs, 'Energy' and 'Can You Feel It'?, both by Apples in Stereo. In the USA they often don't seem too bothered about what a band looks like, at least to us English. Bald, overweight or with glasses, it doesn't appear to affect a groups chances of success in the USA as much as it would do over these waters. Being heavily bearded has recently become fashionable everywhere, but generally, groups (or at least the singers) need to look good, and project a cool identifiable image. This usually means that if it's a man singing, blokes want to be his mate, and women (or gays) fancy him, and vice versa with a female frontperson. Rather sadly for The Apples in Stereo, it may be one of the factors in them not becoming too successful in the UK.
They still knocked out some great records in the power pop / psychedelic oeuvre, which appeal to my sensibilities a lot, so enjoy!.





If you want to convert and download any of these videos into mp3 etc so you put them on your own ipod or listening device, l use this or this to covert ones l am interested in.

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around joes with mr parrot

Visiting Joe yesterday with Mr Parrot, who is still a bit dubious about Joe's large blue one (fnnaaaarr), hence his slightly ruffled / raised feathers look.

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todays sky football bet

It's the first time l've put a Sky football bet on, but here are my predictions for later on today (with the first goal of any of these matches being scored in the 14th minute). An outrageously difficult thing to forecast correctly, with a possible win of £250,000, but because l'm an outrageously optimistic kind of guy, and brag l know a lot about football, l naturally expect to win on my first attempt.

A celebratory holiday to Japan will be booked on Monday.

If not, l will blame God, for conspiring against me.

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a video a day - muse - please please let me get what l want and feeling good, plus anthony newley - pop goes the weasel

Two cover versions by Muse, a band l used to like quite a lot a few years ago but am not that bothered about now for some reason. Not sure why, as it's not like they have changed that much, and l still like rowdy stuff.
Anyways...'Please Please Let Me Get What I Want' is originally by The Smiths, and 'Feeling Good' is by Leslie Bricusse and the rather marvellous Anthony Newley, who was a huge influence on early David Bowie. Nina Simone probably does my favourite version of 'Feeling Good', but l'll save that for another time.





Here's a bonus by Anthony Newley - 'Pop Goes The Weasel'



If you want to convert and download any of these videos into mp3 etc so you put them on your own ipod or listening device, l use this or this to covert ones l am interested in.

the recent work cardiff trip

A couple of weeks ago l went away to Cardiff with work for a few days. I'd been to Cardiff (and other parts of Wales) a few times over the years, but all of my previous trips involved travelling, drinking, concerts and nightclubs, so the old memories of the trips can be a bit of a blur. This time however, l went exploring, and, for a change, not just to pubs. Ticked off The Doctor Who Experience (sounds like a 60's band), The Millennium Stadium Tour, and a look around Cardiff Castle, as well as other places such as Spillers records and around the river Taff.
Most enjoyable, and l'd certainly return to Cardiff again. A great place, even if it did take eight and a half hours driving back due to traffic jams and accidents (and only five hours getting there).
Here's a load of evidence

 

Plus here's my detailed state of the art directions of how to get there.

Luckily l've got a brain like a homing pigeon.

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hair cutting time again

I'm doing this the wrong way round, as l should keep my longer hair for the colder weather, but as you can see, it got on my nerves again, so it was time for a chop. As usual, it was a head upside down and hacking away job. At least it will scare the neighbours cats away from my garden.

One of these days l may even crumble and go to a hairdressers and get it cut properly (but l very much doubt it).

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richmond live

The one photograph l took at this years Richmond Live. From the toilets (if l remember correctly) looking towards Richmond Castle. The photograph does not give the view justice.
Drink had been taken.

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eating healthily - not

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
Last night's food.
Hickory chicken with extra sweet and sour sauce. They are small chicken pieces, but even so...
Heart attack imminent.

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a video a day - crispian st peters - the pied piper and you were on my mind

Today's videos

Two singles l recently purchased, both by Crispian St Peters.

'You Were On My Mind' is one of my all time favourite songs, and l like 'The Pied Piper' as well, just no where near as much (but it was going cheap!).





On a related note, going to Hamelin (Hameln) to see The Pied Piper statue was one of the very few times we had a family trip out, so l also relate the song to that. When l was about 10 years old and had a broken arm.
I also learnt the poem by Robert Browning years ago ('Rats as big as cats'), but l've forgotten most of it now (from his Dramatic Lyrics book). Old age and senility probably has a lot to do with that, alongside all the other crap l try to fill my head with.

If you want to convert and download any of these videos into mp3 etc so you put them on your own ipod or listening device, l use this or this to covert ones l am interested in.

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the sun newspaper apologises for upskirt photograph, plus news reports of charlotte church becoming a big girl

I got this story from (as you can tell) Graham Linehan's Twitter feed, but it's well worth sharing. 

It reminds me of the time when (I think it was in The Daily Star, but l could be wrong)  had shocked and disgusted type stories about Brass Eye's (hilarious) spoof programme about paedophiles, while featuring a 15 year old  Charlotte Church on the opposite page, who was now 'A big girl'. Obviously nothing to do with the fact that she was attractive and had developed breasts, as that would have been hypocritical and sick. 

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ossie ardiles - white, blue and white, and the centenary fa cup final, plus england v west germany, 1972

I've been watching the documentary on Osvaldo (Ossie) Ardiles today - 'White, Blue and White' by ESPN, and rather enjoyable it was as well, especially when they had the (unexpected to me) crash in the Falklands.
However......
As l'm a sad pedantic stickler for details when it comes to such things, it really annoyed me that they kept referring to the 1981 FA Cup Final between Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City (Ciddy) as 'The Centenary one'. It may well have been the 100th cup final in the competition, as it was interrupted twice for the World Wars, but what was billed of at the time, and what was known as the centenary final, was the 1972 final between Leeds United (dirty Leeds) and Arsenal.
Here's the programme for the (Centenary) 1972 final.

Plus, while l was searching for my copy of the programme, l also came across the advert for the programme, on the back of my 1972 England v West Germany programme.

I know l really need to get a life, but these things are important!.

Oh, and if you're wondering about the England game, don't be surprised to learn that they were overrun by the Germans, humiliatingly beaten 1-3, a triumph orchestrated by the magnificent Gunter Netzer, after everyone beforehand had given the Germans no chance. The Germans had a young and mostly inexperienced team out, also had two good penalty shouts not awarded, and so much was expected from England.
Times haven't changed since then.

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a video a day - the jesus and mary chain and the pixies - head on

Today's videos

The Jesus and Mary Chain - Head On



Love it, and the rowdier Pixies version



If you want to convert and download any of these videos into mp3 etc so you put them on your own ipod or listening device, l use this or this to covert ones l am interested in.

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a video a day - the horrors - death at the chapel, and girls - big bad mean mother fucker

Today's videos

Girls - Big Bad Mean Mother Fucker



The Horrors - Death at the Chapel



Nothing to add to these really, both noisy, bad ass songs that l enjoy.

If you want to convert and download any of these videos into mp3 etc so you put them on your own ipod or listening device, l use this or this to covert ones l am interested in.

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two funerals - bruce and kellie, plus a death sweepstake

On my two days off work last week, l went to two funerals.
Living the dream.

First off last Tuesday was Bruce Clark, a lad l knew from going to concerts and hanging around with many years ago. He died suddenly at Rosedale nursing home after a short illness, and did not want a religious ceremony, so was cremated at Darlington with little fuss, a good speech by Raz, an easy going vicar, and drinks at The Hildyard Arms and White shops afterwards. Also, his coffin was taken into the crematorium to the sound of Black Sabbath's 'Paranoid', and was sent to be cremated to the sound of Motorhead's 'Killed by Death'. Fine choices by Bruce, and certainly something different.
Here's one of the few photos l have of him. From many years ago at The Travaux club in Catterick. A tasty looking crew indeed, with Bruce the large fellow in the white shirt. There's also a photograph of me butt naked in The Hildyard Arms with Bruce pointing a dart at me (a mad night), but luckily for you lot, l don't know where it has been stashed.

On Friday, it was Kellie Kean's funeral at a packed Hipswell church. I know her family, and knew her mainly from drinking in The Wine Bar (Hunter's) at Catterick, and although she had been having seizures for years, it was still a shock when one killed her, as she was only 38 and so full of life. Her daughter Kennedy had just given birth to Kellie's grandaughter, so that made it even more emotional and sad. Don't know how her brother Gareth managed to read his poem about her between his sobbing, but he did so. Drinks at The Arc (Hanson club) afterwards, then back to The Wine Bar.
 
                             

Some may deem it in bad taste, but after Bruce's funeral, we talked of starting a sweepstake amongst myself and male mates, as to who would be next to visit the reaper. We are going to get a few of us who are roughly the same age, and all place some money with a safekeeping person for the winner. Here's the drunken starter list from that night.

That's it - off to check my insurance, and cut their brake pipes.

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