iggy's pants and his footwear choices

You have to have confidence to wear a pair of pants that Iggy Pop is sporting in this photograph.
It makes me admire him even more.
Despite the fact that l'm not too keen on the shoes and no socks look he is also sporting, he was ahead of his time not just with his music, but his footwear as well, as that's what the fashionista are wearing these days (Idiots).

Here's the trailer for the Jim Jarmusch documentary on Iggy and The Stooges - 'Gimme Danger'.  I'm biased as l'm besotted by them, but it's highly recommended!!



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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



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al perman found in a book plus david essex and the stray cats

It's funny what you can find stashed away in old books bought from charity shops. 

Here's a recent example - a photograph of a singer who looks a bit like David Essex in 'Stardust', but the back of the photo has 'Al Perman 1966' written on it. That could be the photographer or the singer, as l have no idea. I tried a quick Google search but with no success, so it is likely to remain a puzzle.

Here's David Essex playing Jim MacLain with The Stray Cats in 'Stardust'



Here's David Essex's 'Rock On' (a favourite of mine)



And here's the later day Stray Cats doing the 'Stray Cat Strut'



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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





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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.

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mr udine's one wheeled motorcycle

You've got to love a maverick, especially a maverick inventor. Here's M'G de Udine, with his one wheeled motorcycle in 1931.
You may think that Mr Udine and his bike look ridiculous, but it could reach speeds of 90 miles per hour.
No wonder he looks pleased with himself, although l bet his trousers are brown.

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london - fulham broadway 1977 - and the clash

Fulham Broadway in that London, 1977. When life was grim, violent, apparently devoid of good taste in clothes, but without traffic congestion.
Luckily, punk had kicked off.
Here's The Clash's take on it.
Altogether now - "No Elvis Beatles or The Rolling Stones, in 1977".



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alan aldridge has died

It has just come to my attention via the Afterword site that Alan Aldridge has died.
Bugger.
For those of you that don't know, he was a much in demand illustrator, and has had his work featured on many books and records, probably the best known of which are for Elton John and The Beatles.
Here's a selection of his work that l currently own, in fact the Bob Dylan poster is framed, at the top of my stairs.
Aldridge also did a load of science fiction covers for Penguin books back in the day, that l used to have, but have since gone walkabouts.
I may have to start collecting them in the future, to go with the rest of my crap, as they just look so good.

And here's Alan Aldridge himself, supporting the Labour party in 1970, with a tiny Edward Heath in the palm of his hand (from Getty Images).

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sing along with jim dale and the museum song

Feeling like a sing song?
Try singing along to this classic from the Barnum soundtrack.
Jim Dale with The Museum Song
Words are below



Spoken:
Everything about my museum was spectacular, 
including the price: one dollar. 
Now that may seem a bit steep, but it was worth
it. Look at what I gave 'em:

Sung:
Quite a lotta
Roman terra cotta
Livin' lava from the flanks of Etna
Statuary
Ride a dromedary
See the Temple tumble and the Red Sea part.

McNamara's band
The fattest lady in the land
A pickled prehistoric hand
A strand of Pocahontas' hair
Crow and Sioux
Who're going to
Be showing you
Some rowing through
A model of the rapids on the Delaware.

Armadillas
Clever caterpillas
Reproductions of the Cyclops' ret'na
Crystal blowing
Automatic sewing
Venus on a shell and other works of art.

Educated fleas
A tribe of Aborigines
Two ladies joined across the knees
A Mona Lisa made of ice
Hottentots
We've gotten in
Forgotten spots
A cotton gin
A night with Lot in Sodom
Better see that twice!

One iguana
Snakes and other fauna
Got no bearded lady but we're get'na
When you duck out
Take another buck out
Run around the block And see a 
Run around the block and see a
Run around the block and see a
new show start.


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aneurin bevan on the nhs

Well said matey boy. We'll certainly miss it when it has been fucked up and disbanded.

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happy bedtime reading

Happy bedtime reading for kids at the Charlie Brooker household.
The children's version of Charles Dickens' 'Oliver Twist'.

From his twitter feed, which is here

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melanie - lay down

I've been listening to the Melanie (Safka) album 'Candles in the Rain' recently, and 'Lay Down' is one of the cracking tracks on it. Written after her appearance at Woodstock, hence the hippie vibe.
For some reason, until recently, l always thought Melanie was from Wales, but she is from Queens, New York.
Ah well, you live and learn (and l'm an idiot).
Here she is with The Edwin Hawkins Singers on Dutch TV, so you can hear the full version.

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leeds united v manchester united 1976

Ahhh....this takes me back.....the old days, when football was still a working class game, followed by a lot of young lads like myself (at the time), who could afford it on low wages.
It was still mainly standing, hooliganism was rife, and a ticket to the game (pay on the day) cost about 75 pence (equivalent to about £6 now).
Times have moved on to such an extent, that l have been to The Jackie Charlton suite in (dirty) Leeds' ground for my brothers wedding reception, and now mainly go to Leeds for comic fairs (and the odd gig).
Still miss the old school football and crowds though.
Photos are from here, where there is also a short video.

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a young keith moon

Yep - even Keith Moon was once a fresh faced sweet looking innocent youngster.
He soon changed that.

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robert vaughn and the man from uncle

I've just learnt from the BBC website that the actor Robert Vaughn has died. As the article states, to us older folk, he will always be remembered from his role as Napoleon Solo in 'The Man From UNCLE', which is one of the first TV shows that l really loved. I remember having a plastic lighter / gun combo that was part of their marketing, which brought me much enjoyment on the mean streets of Singapore (when l wasn't setting fire to my eyebrows or local wasteland), but prefered his partner in espionage foiling, Ilya Kuryakin (played by David McCallum). However, both of the stars were heroes to me at the time. I know he's had a good innings (as had Leonard Cohen), but it's still a sad day, and adds to the gradual erasing of my (not many to start with) happy childhood memories.

I blame God.

Here's two versions of the title sequence





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the chemical brothers - hey girl hey boy

Today's top tune.
The Chemical Brothers - Hey Girl, Hey Boy.
If the world is going to hell in a handcart, and being led there by the privileged few, we may as well party! (or revolt).
Where's my Ecstasy?



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todays tune - country joe and the fish - vietnam song

In commemoration of todays victory for Donald Trump and the rise of the idiots.
Country Joe and The Fish singing Vietnam Song at Woodstock.



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ministry - jesus built my hotrod and pastor tl barrett and the youth for christ choir - like a ship (without a sail)

Today, l'll start with something rowdy and probably sacrilegious.
Ministry - Jesus Built My Hotrod.



But to head to the other side, here's Pastor T.L Barrett and the Youth for Christ Choir -  Like a Ship (Without a Sail). A righteous bit of gospel that could easily be a Primal Scream song.



Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition.

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my right wing fascist hitler collection

You always feel as though you are backing yourself into a corner if you start of a sentence with "I'm not a right wing Hitler supporting fascist", but......
As a collector / hoarder of all things interesting, l seem to have accumulated a fair amount of Hitler / pre World War 11 German stamps, plus a couple of postcards that have been checked by the Nazi censorship department.
None of it is really worth anything, and l am as left wing as you can possibly get, but l may have to keep tabs on some of the stuff l bid for in the future, or l will start to get a reputation that l don't want (the one l have already is bad enough).
Haven't got a clue what has been written in the postcards, but they are to and from the same people in Amsterdam and Zurich.

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the new strand shopping centre in bootle

Here's an old postcard of what was dubbed The New Strand in Bootle. I remember it opening in 1968, seeing Ken Dodd there,  being tickled with his tickling stick (Oeerr!), and lurking around the area when l was a little nipper, when l wasn't playing football in North Park.

Sadly it's now known as the place from where Jamie Bulger was taken from in 1993. 

Although l support Manchester United (it's a long story), l'm proud to be from Liverpool, and love going back there. There's been an awful lot of bad stuff that's happened to the place over the years, and the regeneration of the city centre and riverside has been staggering, but it's about time some more of the regeneration money spread to the outer parts of town, where there is still a lot of poverty and the associated problems that go with that. I know money has been spent in Bootle, but there's no pride in being known as 'Only the tenth worst area for unemployment in Britain'. 

Still, lots of happy memories from my time there, and the roads are now a lot busier.

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