wankers

Liverpool - l fucking hate them

the dark stuff

This is one of the best books ever written about rock music. Nick is an excellent writer and has some great tales to tell about hanging around with the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Lou Reed,Iggy Pop and Brian Wilson, to name a few. he also got addicted to heroin and really fucked up at the same time, although he cleaned up afterwards and went to live in Paris.
I have just finished reading it again, so it's time to stash it away again for a while, as l will no doubt read it again in the future.
It's amazing that he has so many quotes in the book, as he was well known for not taking notes or recording interviews (plus he was a junkie). They should therefore all be taken with a plateful of salt, but the book is still excellent if that sort of scene is your bag (maaaann!).
I certainly like it.
toodle pip

Downfall Parody - Nick Griffin on Question Time

Hitler Upset at Balloon Boy Hoax

nozzers back (again)

The poor little bugger has been to the vets again today. I had to leave him to be gassed and cleaned out again as his puss under his cheek was building up, then picked him up again later on, looking a bit dazed, but he seems OK now.
When will it ever end?
At least his head is clear at he moment, (unlike my heart, which is full of love for him!).
One day we will run away together and breed a new race of rabbit men.

toodle pip

beeswax

Brown hair zig-zag around her face
And a look of half-surprise
Like a fox caught in the headlights
There was animal in her eyes

Oh she was a rare thing
Fine as a bee's wing
And I miss her more than words could ever say
If I could just taste all of her wildness now
If I could hold her in my arms today
Well .....I wouldn't want her any other way

sucked to death

Saw this in St Abbs yesterday - looks like he's been sucked to death - what a way to go!

toodle pip

scotland meal

Busy weekend we have just had. Robbo and Kerry came to stay on Friday night and we went out to the Wine bar and J.T's, before getting an Indian take-away (thanks Kerry!) as the food places were all closed. Also got a free bottle of wine with the take-away (thanks Kerry!). Watched Later on the Sky box then of to bed. They left in the morning and then it was off to bonnie Scotland.

Went up with Deb and Rook in their car, but there was a diversion on the A1 so we had to go through Bamburgh and Seahouses. Dazzer and Louise were just behind us so we decided to stop for lunch at a cafe in Bamburgh, just up the road from the castle. We should have gone to the pub instead as it was a bit of a rip off and half the food for the toasties was not available (I blame the girls).

We then got to Sue and Bills and met Ken and Ann, watched the football results coming in (Utd beat Bolton 2-1, Liverpool and Chelsea lost), and had a few cans (cheers Dazzer!). The girls took ages getting ready, but we then went into Eyemouth for the meal at Oblo http://www.eyemouth.com/scottish-holidays/directory/food-and-drink/listing.php?id=16.

We met Heather and her grandparents there and l had the haggis starter, which was better than my main course (chicken), as although it was cooked well, it had traces of coriander in, which l can't stand. Anyway, we had loads to drink with the meal, plus some before (thanks Dazzer!). Ken and Ann were getting a bit amorous during the meal, then Ken threw up outside afterwards. I wonder if this could have been related in any way?

Although deposits had been paid for the meal, Bill paid for the rest of it (thanks Bill!), but as we were ordering drinks and knew he was paying, we all paid for the alcohol separately. Well worth it though.

Back to Sue and Bills for more drinks, including 10 year old malt whisky and slow gin (thanks Bill!), which was very nice. Went outside to look at the stars for a while (bloody freezing), then beddy byes in the living room on an air bed.

Next day we all went to St Abbs for breakfast at the cafe, had a look round the harbour and then headed home.

My bloody ear has been hurting all weekend as l had been poking it with cotton buds last week. Deaf and sore, what a combination.

Had a good weekend though, have to go up there again (in about a year).

toodle pip

if america was british 2

london

This is my favorite map of London, l got it years ago (from the KFC at the corner of Hyde park, and it does just what it says on the tin. It shows all the sites in an easy to understand way, plus it shows where all the KFC's are. Magic.
toodle pip

if america was british

the caring tories

A couple of good pieces in the Observer at the weekend re the Tories being all caring and their 'we're all in it togther' rhetoric. Bastards.

don't get me wrong, Labour should have done a lot more with their huge majority (ooeer) when they first got into power, but they still do help the less well off members of our society a lot more than the Tories ever will. Some would say they help the less well off too much, which l don't agree with, but even if it was true, l would still rather poorer people were assisted rather than increasing the wealth of the rich (which l know has happened as well).

Now the Tories want to 'help' claimants on long term sick by re-assessing them and 'trying' to help them back to work.

Let's face it, claimants would have tougher testing, then a load of them would have their benefits reduced, probably unless they took a crappy job with little pay. During this process, a lot of people with genuine problems that may not show up on tests would suffer.

A few years ago, l injured my back while playing football. I had only shifted in preparation of making a tackle, nothing too strenuous, and yet l could not move, as it was agony. l was off work for four weeks (there's always a good side!), but the doctor found nothing wrong with me, (although he did sign me off, as l was clearly in a lot of pain). Sometimes things do not always show up, even though people can be genuinely ill.

My own view is it should be like the justice system. Accused people have to be proven guilty beyond reasonable doubt, even if this results in some guilty people being freed. This is because the rights of the innocent party is all important, and the saying is something like "It is better for 20 guilty people to be freed, rather than jailing an innocent man".

The benefits system should also work like that. If a person is going to have their claim questioned and reduced, evidence beyond reasonable doubt should be produced to show that the claimant is faking, such as film of them playing football while off with a bad back. Otherwise, leave the poor buggers alone, to protect the genuine claimants who may suffer the stress and hardship of having their claim investigated and reduced.

Bastard Tories.

Nearly forgot, they also want to raise the inheritance tax to one million pounds. Who is that going to benefit l wonder?

toodle pip

elvis and bolan

Elvis died in August 1977 and the same as now with Michael Jackson, people went out and bought Elvis albums and put them back in the charts, even though Elvis had been a joke just before his death.

The above is from a Sept 10th 1977 (my birthday!) copy of Record Mirror. Just look at those charts. Punk was just catching on, but there was a lot of Elvis because he had just died, and elsewhere, a load of crap. Christ, times were hard back in the day.

There is also Marc Bolan's thoughts on his death, from his weekly column in the same paper. Sadly, Bolan would die six days later, hitting that bastard tree in Barnes on 16th Sept (just before his 30th birthday).

Although The Marc Bolan show on TV at the time was embarrassing as far as Bolan's versions of his songs went, he had some great guests and and was looking good again, so at least he left a pretty corpse (if you ignore the damage from the crash).

The last show went out the week after his death, and the very last song was a duet with his old mucker David Bowie. Sadly, Bolan fell off the stage as they started and they could not do another take as the technicians were on a work to rule/strike at the time. The show also highlighted Bolan and Bowies different standings at the time. Bowie had come over and did a version of his new single 'Heroes' which he sang live and was fantastic. Bolan's stuff on the show was nowhere near as good. Plus when Bolan played his old songs, they were crappy versions of them. He had assembled a band that was full of great session players like Herbie Flowers, but they dressed really badly, looked like session players, and it lacked any soul or emotion. About the only decent thing they did was 'Soul of my Suit' which had extra emotional attachment to it once Bolan had died (lyrics include "l'm not such a bad boy").

In a way though, l am glad Bolan went when he was young, as he would probably have ended up like Quentin Crisp (although thinking about it, that's not too bad). Maybe l will end up like dear old Quentin myself, l'm halfway there already.

toodle pip

memento

Finally got around to watching this for the first time today (it was released in 2000) and it was pretty good l must say. Really clever storyline with good acting and twists in the movie.
It still left some questions at the end regarding flashbacks that were shown, but l don't mind that in a movie. l would rather it was challenging rather than just glossy crap.
Looks like l may have to purchase or borrow the DVD of it and watch it again, in reverse order, and try to work out some more of the stuff from it. l did learn not to trust women though!
It will probably take a few years before l get round to getting a copy, but it will be done eventually (like everything else).
toodle pip

what a fine day to go to work

I picked a fine day to go to work yesterday (meaning Saturday, as in my world l still consider this to be Sunday night). Louise and Dazzer and Ken and Ann all called round in the morning and we decide to go for lunch at The Friars Head, picking up debbie on the way. Had a couple of pints (shandy! Damn!) and a baked potato with lots of cheese and butter (no salad please), what a surprise that was (being ironic about the choice of food, not everyone coming round.

Anyhows, went to work afterwards and had bugger all to do as most people were out. Good news as l could go on the computer and catch up with some paperwork. Turned out we were having a take-away in the evening as well (hurrah!), and as l wanted to go to Tesco to get a new sim card, l took someone up there and picked up a Chinese (food, not person) on the way. Watched England getting beat by Ukraine then off to bed. Splendid!

Only drawback was l did not notice that the Chinese take-away now does Singapore style food (damn again!). If l had known that in advance l would have got some, instead of my king prawn foo yung (another surprising order, l don't think). Still a fine day though.

toodle pip

fun at the wine bar

I found this the over day when looking for something. It's from the wine bar (local Pub) a couple of years ago. It was in the men's toilets and l nicked it. Don't know if it was original ideas (l doubt it) but l thought it was pretty funny at the time so it obviously went missing and joined my collection of crap that l have accumulated over the years. l have thought about putting it back where l found it, just to confuse them, but l want to keep it as a memento of my sad life.
It has just occurred to me while writing this, to copy it and then put the copy back and confuse them. Excellent idea. Now all l have to do is get off my lazy fat arse and do it. Damn!!
toodle pip

happy families

While l was looking for some leads for the mobile phone yesterday, l found this photo booth picture from Kenya taken in about 1962. I am the blonde one in the middle and the other two are my parents. It all seems so alien to me, they both look so young and my mother even looks attractive (steady on!!). They are also both together and close in a photo (even though my father is doing his best to look cool), and l look happy and carefree. I think this is the only photo I have of them together with either me or one of my brothers or sisters.

They had loads of years ahead of them, had more kids to come and had more traveling to do.

Then it all got fucked up

spider-man

Sadly l do not own an original mint copy of Amazing Fantasy no.15 (probably about £200,00 now l guess), but have just re-read a reprint, with all the stories, including the Bell Ringer, Hiding from the Martians and Hiding with help from a Mummy (whoopee!).

All very well and good, but it got me to thinking (although l shouldn't really, it hurts my brain), about how l prefer the old style of drawing and colouring. Steve Ditko is a genius, but check out Spidey's eyes in the early strip. This is missing from later re-prints, even though it only appears on the one panel.

I also don't like the way the later colouring makes it look too sleek, the older version just looks rougher and better to me.

Why do things have to change? Why am l so sad? Why does any of this matter?

I need to get a life and get out more

toodle pip

tombstone

Another glorious day off work, lazing around, reading and watching films. Watched Tombstone today which was OK, some parts were good and stuck to the facts, while other parts of the story simply were not true. It bugs me when films do that, why not tell the proper story and be accurate. It's one thing to have a love interest etc (sickening as that is) and incorporate that into the story, but if the story involves historical events which do not require embellishing, what's the point? Surely it would be better to have an accurate film and market it as such. Stupid little points that no-one else would be bothered about really annoy me (there's a surprise). One example is it shows the Wyatt brothers being injured and assassinated on the same (stormy) night. This did not happen. Also no-one really thinks the Doc really killed Johnny Ringo. If the story is to be told, do it right!

I did enjoy Val Kilmer's version of Doc Holliday though, camp, educated yet menacing, wish l could be like that (without the consumption). At least l have a mild form of asthma and can tick off at least one of the three listed above.

Toodle pip

atomised

I started this book while on holiday and have just finished it off today. There was a lot more sex than l was expecting and also a lot of scientific talk about genes, but it was well worth reading.

I especially agreed with the passage above re pleasure, pain and suicide. l have always thought that it's the only way to go if you are fortunate enough to be given a choice and have been saying that passage more or less word for word for years. Good to know that others out there share the same viewpoint. l am planning on jumping off a tall building (or cliffs), or a heroin overdose. l will decide nearer the time. May seem depressing to some but l am all for it. Don't want to go just yet though, even though l am an old git with various aches and pains (pass the ointment and give me a rub down). Anyway, l still want more holidays and to see Manchester United win the European Cup again

toodle pip

Rolling Stones - Gimme Shelter 1969

And here's the Stones on top of their game on a top of the pops video

Rolling Stones - 2000 Light Years From Home

Ultra rare vid of the Stones - not seen this for ages

most of the garden work is done (for now)

Bastard Bastard Bastard - l have been slaving away all day in the farmers field sawing the branches that got blown of the tree in the gales and throwing them over my fence for the bonfire on 7th November (l am away on the 5th). Sweating like a pig - l have never worked so hard in years. l don't do manual work, (much) and with good reason, it's knackering. l didn't realise till l got over the fence that three large branches had snapped off during the gales. Bastard trees and wind. It took fucking ages and l was cursing more and more as the time dragged on. Only just got cleaned up and out of the bath, going to demolish some red wine l got earlier to make up for it. It's going to be one hell of a bonfire!

toodle pip

garden work needs doing

Took these on the wrong setting - maybe l am drunker than l thought!

There were some pretty strong winds last night and this morning, so strong in fact, that a large branch belonging to one of the trees in the back garden has been snapped off, and is currently laying across our back fence. It's too heavy to lift so l will have to cut it up and add it to the bonfire. Damn! l hate manual work!
Also, the rats have come back and are going into the outside cage and bugging Tubbs (l assume). Going to put some rat poison down for them, but in the meantime, Tubbs is getting fed in the evening and then shut in his cage so the rats can't get to him or his food (little bastards that they are). About four ran out of his cage last night, so that can't go on. Had the same trouble with them last year, so l guess this is a new lot, as the others were all killed off. l should throw them on the bonfire as well, but l don't think that would go down very well.
The joys of living next to farmers fields.

toodle pip