some batman graphic novels

Through a work assignment, I recently found myself in Richmond library for the first time in ages, and while l was pottering around in there, decided to get out some recent (ish) Batman Graphic novels for a bit of light reading.
I used to read a lot of Batman comics when l was younger, but haven't followed his exploits for years, although l have occasionally dipped my toe in the water. Therefore l was completely out of touch with developments reading these, but all can be read as stand alone stories.
Here's some thoughts on them. More scans from all of them can be found here. 

Batman and Robin

I still think of the old Dick Grayson Robin with Batman, but this has Damian's (a new one) story, and includes other older Robins, plus the rivalry between them.
Damian (as you would expect) is a bit of a bastard, but the story ending is pretty moving, especially if your a blubbery (in more ways than one) old sap like me. Very well written.
I know Batman has had cars and flash weapons at his disposal over the years, but to me, what makes him different, is he is just a normal guy who has trained himself to fight crime. Even Spiderman was bitten by a radioactive spider and gained powers. They should leave flying off into space to other superheroes, otherwise Batman will become just like them, and it dilutes his original appeal.

Batman  Heart of Hush

Batman's story of his long friendship and later battle with Tommy, plus a love story with Selina (not Tommy).

Also pretty moving, and interesting to someone like me who didn't know the back story.

Batman   RIP

Batman loses his marbles - what more do you want?

Also very well written

Batman   Gordon of Gotham

I was pretty sceptical of this one, as l'm not too keen on too many spin offs, but it was pretty good, especially the end parts when Gordon struggles with right and wrong moral decisions, but l preferred the other books.

I originally typed l preferred the other boobs instead of books by mistake -  a classic Freudian slip up!!

toodle pip

steve harley at tenants, leyburn

A new experience was had last night - myself and a friend went to see Steve Harley at Tenants Garden Rooms in Leyburn and it was the oldest and richest looking audience we've ever been part of. Apart from the rich bit, no wonder we fitted in.
Rather impressively, it was a charity event for Breast Cancer, and Steve and his band (plus all crew, support band etc) did the show for nothing, so l will let off the venue for having such lousy tickets and seats that aren't numbered. Let's hope Tenants waived the cost of hiring the room on the night to join in with the spirit of generosity.

And here's my favourite Steve Harley song - The Best Years Of Our Lives

European maids, hard to ignore
You, me and the boys, barred from the shore
Fresh-faced imbeciles laughing at me
I've been laughing myself, is that so hard to see ?
Do I have to spell each letter out, honestly ?
If there's no room for laughter, there's no room for me, for me
Try looking at you rather than me
No truth is in here, it's all fantasy
Since the last time we met I've been through
About seven hundred changes and that's just a few
And the changes all tend to be something to do
But you've got to believe that they're all done for you, for you
Oh you'll think it's tragic when that moment first arrives
Oh but it's magic, it's the best years of our lives
Lost now for the words to tell you the truth
Please banter with me the banter of youth
If I knew how to say it, I would say it for you
If I knew how to whisper, I'd whisper for you
If I knew how to waltz, I'd get up and dance for you
If I thought I could run, I'd come running to you, to you
I've discovered now how to be fair
This I could teach you if only I dare
The only conclusion that I've reached in my life
Is that if I should die, I should die by the knife
Since it's only a matter of courage, all right
Die a man or a martyr, the two would be nice, so nice
Oh you'll think it's tragic when that moment arrives
Oh, oh but it's magic, it's the best years of our lives
Oh you'll think it's tragic when that moment first arrives
Oh, oh but it's magic, it's the best years of our lives

toodle pip

the rather marvelous 4-2-4 football game

When l was young kiddiewinkle, l played Subbuteo now and again like every other sane friend of mine. Some of us dodgier lads even used to go into Wallingford when we were on Summer holidays and nick various boxes of teams to vary the games a bit (Security was pretty lax in the olden days). However, the game that l enjoyed playing most of all, and hardly anyone remembers, was TAF 4-2-4, which l used to play when l lived in Germany. I always thought that the game helped give me a better theoretical understanding of passing the ball into space and how to control and move a ball into space when l played football for real (I was obviously excellent at the real game).
I lost my original game (or my parents probably chucked it when we moved back to Blighty) but l purchased another a few years ago for that lovely Proustian rush, and just to see one again, as people l spoke to then had never even heard of it, and despite the drink and drugs over the years in between, l knew l wasn't imagining it.
When it arrived, I was pretty chuffed that it was in such good condition, and it immediately bought back many happy memories, but an added bonus was that it has been signed by  Tom Waterman, the creator of the game on the inside of the outer lid.
Hurrah!!! A reason for keeping it, as l can now class it as a collectors item / rarity.

toodle pip

the travaux football club and team

My memory is rubbish with some stuff.
I 'm not totally doolally, so l do remember playing for The Travaux football club years ago, but until l saw these items in amongst other crap in one of my many storage boxes, l had no memory that we actually started the team, and played in it's embryonic first season. I even had to become a member (number 60!) of the Travaux to play for them. As the newspaper cutting confirms, we were pretty good, hit the ground running, and won the league straight off (or at least finished second - as l stated, my memory is crap).
That was before the drink and drugs took their toll!!

toodle pip

marc bolan defends bob dylan

Back before he became famous, Marc Bolan defended Bob Dylan's 'Self Portrait' album in the pages of Melody Maker.

Here's the lyrics to the song Belle Isle that Bolan was on about (Bob based it on a traditional song)

As there's no video for that, here's one of my favourite Dylan songs, the live version of 'Hurricane'

To demonstrate how unknown Bolan when the letter was printed (Self Portrait was released June 8th 1970), they even printed his home address. How times were to suddenly change.
Bolan had been about for a few years on the underground scene, but in October 1970 T.Rex released this little beauty and his life was never the same.

Ride a White Swan - from 'Beat Club' German TV



And here's some more Bolan  - at the time, the biggest star since The Beatles.









And lastly, one that made me cry playing it after he died - one of his last songs - 'Soul of my Suit'
I loved him



toodle pip

everyone was young once - part 34 - my parents

When l was around at my sisters yesterday, she showed me a wedding album from our parents marriage day in sunny Bootle that she had dug out. Someone is doing our family tree, so l wanted some pictures of our grandparents mainly, but while l was scanning them, l thought l might as well do copies of the ones from the wedding as well.
It's hard to believe our parents were ever that young, and l don't recall seeing my father that skinny ever.
Both are dead now, so l am officially an orphan, and therefore demand sympathy!!

toodle pip

arnold corns set for stardom

David Bowie was a fantastic musician and a pretty impressive visionary when it came to the pop world, but he made a bit of a boo boo with this. 

Arnold Corns, featuring Freddie Burretti ('Rudi Valentino'), were to be the next big thing in 1971 according to David, especially as The Rolling Stones were (in his words) finished. He put the band together, wrote the songs, and Rudi was the front man. Obviously he was wrong about the Stones and the chances of success for Arnold Corns, but he was pretty close (but no cigar), as a lot of the songs were top notch, and re-recorded and used afterwards by Bowie himself, which made him into star when Ziggy Stardust came out.

Sometimes, fame can be so random.

Arnold Corns - Hang on to Yourself and Moonage Daydream





toodle pip

ken dodd's death

I've always liked Ken Dodd when growing up. Not keen on a lot of the songs, and can't stand the diddymen, but l loved the non stop jokes, and his single 'Happiness' was one of the first songs l remember. I still like it and it's a fine motto to live by. Loved the fact he stayed in Liverpool, rather than moving south as soon as he became famous, unlike The Beatles (although l also love them).
I was tickled by him years ago (with his tickling stick) when he opened a shop in The New Strand in Bootle, and myself and some friends were planning on seeing him live later this year, ironically, to catch him before he died. That's now out of the window, but at least l've got this little beauty below, signed by him later in life.
We won't see his like again.

toodle pip

old school football

I was flicking through some old football magazines and annuals the other day, and thought about this front cover of Charles Buchan's Soccer Gift Book, featuring Bobby Charlton of Manchester United. Look at the determination to get the (old leather) ball, despite being blocked off. Nowadays someone in his shoes / boots would be writhing around on the floor, clutching their face and pretending they had been elbowed, trying to get the other player sent off.
Pah! Modern bleeding footballers with their fancy coloured boots, beats headphones, tight shirts etc.
Don't get me started.

Also, despite me not liking Liverpool football club, here's the annuals back picture, featuring Billy Liddell. who used to play for them. He was my father's favourite player, and despite my advancing years, it was well before my time so I am unable to bear witness to how good he might have been, but l have heard others praising him over the years.

toodle pip

don letts confirms l was ahead of my time - plus skinhead reggae music

Many moons ago when l was out and about in New York, l often used to wear a green hat that looked a bit like a tea cosy. l was mocked by some of the people l was with for wearing it, but what can l say - l had style.
This has recently been confirmed when watching a Don Letts programme on the BBC about Skinhead culture. It was interesting and well presented by Don, but the main thing that stood out for me was that he was wearing exactly the same kind of green hat l was wearing back in the day.
A man of good taste obviously.

Also, l've often argued about the original skinheads love of reggae and their openness towards blacks at the time. This obviously changed for later skinheads, but here's some top reggae tunes that the skinheads used to like that l used to play constantly when driving my sister and her daughters about (and no - l'm not a skinhead or racist).

John Holt - Ali Baba



Dave and Ansell Collins - Double Barrell



Toots and the Maytals - Pressure Drop



toodle pip

the addams family home in colour

This just does not look right. A colour photograph from inside the home of  The Addams Family.
Because l've always seen it in black and white on the old TV series, it seems weirder than usual. However, l did notice they have the same Hookah pipe as me (the green and red thing at the bottom of the picture). My one's from Turkey).

toodle pip

who the **** is george waldo?

I've just rediscovered this amongst some old crap.
Many years ago when l was out and about in that there London, l met and had a few drinks with a guy (George Waldo) who later gave me his card so we could meet up again another time. Nothing dodgy went on - we just had a drink and a laugh, and being the kind of guy l am, l never got round to getting back in touch, but now, looking at the card, l am puzzled as to who the Hell he was / is.
I have absolutely no idea, and can't even remember what he looked like.
Looks important though.

                      

toodle pip

when l was a runner

It's hard to believe now, but back in the day, as a way of keeping fit for football, l used to do a lot of running.
Some of the evidence for this l have just dug out of an old box in the garage that l thought had 78rpm singles in. I've still got some old medals and t-shirts from those days, but the chances of the t-shirts fitting me now are zero!

toodle pip

lloyd grossman parody on reeves and mortimer

When l was out at the weekend, myself and Robbo were chatting about this old comedy clip, from Reeves and Mortimer, parodying Lloyd Grossman. When it was first shown, we had both cried with laughter, despite the fact that we watched it separately, and only found out the next time we met that we both found it so hilarious. Obviously we have the same sense of surreal humour, and it is not so funny to me know, as l have seen it many times, but when l first saw it, was one of the funniest moments of my life.
I think l need to get out more.



toodle pip

paying on the door at gigs - newcastle mayfair

Back in the day before it became really fashionable for people to go to concerts and festivals, you used to be able to turn up at most gigs and get in that evening, as evidenced here by a flier for Newcastle Mayfair. Cheaper before 10pm, slightly more afterwards. Also very cheap, which is why l went to so many gigs and festivals over the years.

As for the flier, I went to five of these advertised shows, including AC/DC and Motorhead on consecutive nights, without ever having an advance ticket.

Progress! Pah!!!

toodle pip

more noise! - cnn, xc-nn and tin star

I was going to start this with CNN's single version of 'Looking Forward', but couldn't find it on youtube, so the later XC-NN (CNN had to change their name) version will have to do. Don't worry - it's still great.
When they split, the singer, Dave Tomlinson went on to form Tin Star, another sadly overlooked band.
He's still gigging and recording these days, but both of these early bands should have been massive.
Obviously, as a saddo, l have all of their stuff.











toodle pip

rainbow at donington 1980

Many, many moons ago, when l was till a young whipper snapper, myself and a friend hitch hiked to the first 'Monsters of Rock'. festival at Castle Donington, to see the then mighty Rainbow (plus guests).
It was very wet and muddy at the festival, we survived to tell the tale, and l think l have still got my t-shirt stashed away somewhere. I've definitely still got the badge.
We used to see Rainbow on a regular basis at the time, the highlight being a trip (also hitch hiking) to Leicester, which was a brilliant gig, but also the most crowded venue l have ever been in. People could easily have died, but obviously we didn't (It helps that l'm indestructible). My friend had give up and struggle to go to the back of the hall for a rest, drink and recovery. Looking back after Hillsborough, it's amazing there weren't more casualties.
Anyway, Donington. A mere 37 long, long years ago this weekend (aprox).

toodle pip

johnny hart's bc books imitate life

I'm still sorting out the bleeding garage, and earlier today l found a load of old Charlie Brown / Peanuts and Johnny Hart's BC / The King Is A Fink books. Some l've had to throw out as they were water damaged, but flicking through this BC book, it was as if someone had been spying on me and Mr Parrot.

toodle pip

donald trump and manchester united - plus gillan

Donald Trump.
He may be a privileged, monied, thinks he knows it all twat who gleans his knowledge of world events by watching crappy USA news feeds, talks of being an isolationist while bombing other countries, and may well increase the prospect of nuclear war and a return to Mutually Assured Destruction, but since he has been president, Manchester United have not lost in the league (Premiership to you modern hipsters), beating Chelsea 2-0 this afternoon.
So maybe his reign of bluff, blunder, backtracking and buffoonery may be worth it.
Swings and roundabouts brothers and sisters.



From where I stand
I see a blind man on a hill
From where I stand
I see the teacher in the valley
From where I stand
I see the blind man on a hill
And he is standing very still
The way it's planned
They'll only let the fools survive
The way it's planned
You would not want to stay alive
Just one big band
It's all they're leaving you to think about
From where I stand
I know just what they're planning
I know they're planning one big bang
And they call it Mutually Assured Destruction
From where I stand
I can see the mushrooms in the sky
From where I stand
I can watch the bleeding children cry
And they will die
And you have no wings to fly
From where I stand
I see the man on the hill
And he is standing very still

toodle pip

sasha and john hartson, plus john and nobby stiles

Two scary looking fellows you don't want to meet in a dark alley late at night.
It's Sasha, one of my mates who l've played football with on numerous times over the years, with John Hartson, after last weeks 'Gentlemans Evening' at Catterick / Colburn's 'Hanson Sport and Social Club' (or, as we still call it, 'The Arc'). A splendid evening for all, which also featured Nobby Stiles' son (John) in his role as compere and stand up comedian, and who was much, much better than l was expecting, although, as he said himself, nobody remembers him playing for Leeds United, it's always as Nobby's son.
Mind you, Nobby did play for Manchester United and England, and is one of the few English players to have won both the European Cup (in 1968) and World Cup (in 1966).
Sadly, Nobby has had dementia and very poor health for a while, as aging and illnesses are bastards, but l hope he and his family are not suffering.
Here's John and Nobby

And here's Nobby at a charity match in 1968, pre owning the 'Spud' look that was later used in Trainspotting. He may not look it from the photograph, but he was one mean, hard player.

toodle pip