out and about - beans on toast and skinny lister

Another night, another night out. This time with my sister, niece and Rocker to see Beans on Toast and Skinny Lister at Leeds University. My niece arranged it all, got the tickets, and drove there and back, so the rest of us just enjoyed ourselves (the odd lager may have been consumed).

Beans on Toast were first on, and superb. Both funny, political, and now and again, even romantic. I particularly enjoyed the addition of  a fiddle player (amongst others), as l'm a sucker for that kind of Bob Dylan 'Hurricane' sound, and Mr Beans (as l call him) certainly has a lot of charisma and a huge likeability factor. If he wasn't a musician, he could take up a new career in comedy.

As for Skinny Lister, they were really good, and are certainly lively and exiting to watch, but the vocals were lost in the mix and unless you already knew the songs, you had no idea what they were singing about, apart from the odd chorus or phrases, which spoilt it for us. Still, we all shared of their ale, and are probably just old fogeys (apart from my niece), so what the hell. 

An excellent farewell to my niece who has since headed down south again.

 My sister and niece can be seen in this, myself and Rocker watched this bit from the balcony

 We drank from this mighty jug of ale (rum l seem to remember)

 More merchandise, this time signed by Beans on Toast

 And here's Mr Beans himself, drawing me a picture on the back of it

 My entry stamp, surrounded by scratches off Mr parrot's sharp claws, from when he sits on my hand

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out and about - left lane cruiser

Myself and friends tend to just buy a few tickets for things we like, then get a selection of the lads who are interested or can get the time off work to come along with us. 

One such occasion was this - Left Lane Cruiser at The Cluny in Newcastle. 

We knew it would be a small venue and they sounded a bit like Seasick Steve, but it was much better than anticipated, and they may as well have been playing in my living room, they were that close to us (and loud).

I very rarely buy any merchandise these days, but to support them and their musical endeavours, l lashed out on an LP (which l later got signed by them) and a t-shirt. 

Top lads, top music, top night, and a hefty spend at the bars, as seen by my bank statement (and that's without the merchandise purchases!).

The video demonstrates what they were like, but doesn't catch the magic of being there. Go see them!

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riding a bike by balancing on the handlebar

Something l have never seen before - riding a bike by balancing on the handlebar.
Colour me impressed.



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spartak moscow versus nk maribor flare

I've seen plenty of flares at football grounds in the past, and on BT Sport tonight, they thought someone must have been one hell of a thrower to reach the centre circle with one during the Champions League game between Spartak Moscow and NK Maribor. However, it was fired from the crowd - something l've certainly never witnessed before. Newspapers are saying they aimed it at the referee, but it could have just been fired at the pitch. Either way, it was travelling at some speed, and bans or fines must be pretty certain to follow. However, it's UEFA that will get involved, so anything could happen.
The World Cup finals in Russia next year should be interesting.



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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.



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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.











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nine inch nails at panorama nyc 2017

I might be knocking on a bit, but l still love a decent racket when it comes to music, and l still love Nine Inch Nails.
I've been listening to this show while waiting for the football to start. Marvellous stuff.
Live at New York's Panorama concert in 2017



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the marshall tucker band, primal scream, and howlin' wolf

I was listening to a bit of The Marshall Tucker Band today (as you do), and something started bugging me about their song 'Can't you see'.  I knew it reminded me of another song, and then it dawned on me - it's Primal Scream's 'Loaded'. The laid back groove and guitar solo are pretty damn similar, at least to my dusty old ears, and l should know - l was at the Primal Scream concert in the video.
Check them out.





The Primal Scream track also gives me an excuse to feature this again - Howlin' Wolf - 'If l were a Bird'. Another track that has 'Influence' written all over it.
From his 'Message to the Young' album.



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fergus beeley tries a citizen's arrest

This is Fergus Beeley, an ex BBC producer (Life on Earth etc). The second clip is the best attempted 'Citizens Arrest' l have ever seen.
Methinks a new Basil Fawlty series awaits him.
Fucking aggressive dickhead. If he's like that to a family out in the open, imagine what he'd be like loosing his temper at home.

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donkey trouble

I know we are talking about a disability here, and the runner is blind, but come on! If this isn't funny, what is?

Copied from Channel 4's 'The Last Leg' 

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mr parrot dances to the new york dolls and my flip video is back!

It's been nearly three years since l lost my flip video machine, but yesterday, l found it. I actually lost one of my mobile phones yesterday, so rang the number, to discover it had fallen down the back of the settee. Now when you feel down there, after a certain bit it feels like anything down there would fall onto the floor, but l discovered there is another sheet which traps things, such as my phone, and, after searching around some more, my flip video. Hurrah!

I knew l hadn't thrown it out and it must be somewhere l hadn't thought of (I'd already searched down the back of the settee), but it had been driving me mad / madder.

It's now charged up again, and this was the last thing filmed on it.  Mr Parrot getting exited when l put on The New York Dolls. Sadly, he stops when l start filming him.

He's a parrot with taste.

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c'mon kids - register to vote!

Jonathan Pie tries to persuade the young to vote. As usual, he nails it.
More from him here.
Great stuff.



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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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little mix - touch (without the music)

Normally, the thought of listening to Little Mix at all would fill me with dread, let alone just the vocals without the music.
This however, is superb.



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stone roses out-takes from kevin cummins photoshoot, plus the hollow men

Some great unused photographs of The Stone Roses, taken by Kevin Cummins for the NME.
What a combination - a photographer at the top of his game, with the coolest band in years. No-one believes me nowadays, but l saw the Stone Roses at about the time the first album was getting released, at Leeds Warehouse with The Hollow Men (who were from Leeds) supporting. A great night.
You can find plenty of classic shots at Kevin's site. In the meantime, here's something to remember the early Stone Roses by - 'Fools Gold'.



Plus a bonus!  The Hollow Men - 'White Train'



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small pop stars - iggy pop

A lot of pop / rock stars are actually a lot smaller than you would think.
Here's the mighty Iggy Pop, dwarfed in comparison with Thurston Moore (From Sonic Youth).

And here's Iggy being charismatic, scary and majestic.



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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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kid rock and sheryl crow - picture

Today's top tune and another old favourite.
Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow - 'Picture'



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leon russell - delta lady, and the leave alone list

So another one of the old rock and rollers bites the dust. This time it's Leon Russell, a name that's probably not that well known to most people, but instrumental in some of may favourite records, and especially on Joe Cocker's 'Mad Dogs and Englishman' tour (and LP). One of the greatest road movies in the rock cannon.
Here's Leon with his own composition, 'Delta Lady.'



And here's Joe Cocker and Leon from the 'Mad Dogs' film, covering The Rolling Stones' 'Honky Tonk Women'



As for the grim reaper, here's a short list of people he can bugger off and leave alone for the time being

Keith Richards
Mick Jagger
Rick Parfitt
Francis Rossi
Iggy Pop
Bobby Gillespie
The Reid brothers from The Jesus and Mary Chain
David Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain from The New York Dolls
Nick Cave
Brain Wilson
Dr John
Donovan
Little Richard
Chuck Berry
Bruce Springsteen
Todd Snider
Paul Simon
Rod Stewart
Van Morrison
Any of the remaining members of The Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Damned or Clash
Or The Pixies, Deus, Hawkwind, Who, U2 and Waterboys

That lot should keep me going for a while yet if he keeps his spindly little fingers off them

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gregory porter and others - purple rain on later with jools

A moving tribute to Prince on Later with Jools Holland.
Gregory Porter and the other artists on the show sing 'Purple Rain'.
It fair bought a tear to my eye, so it did.
Mind you, so did Iggy Pop's version of The Passenger from the same show (Best of 2016), so it's not just the tender stuff that gets the tear ducts a flowin'.
Sadly, l couldn't find a youtube clip of that, so it will just have to be Mr Porter and the rest for the time being.



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