more scans from the america 2000 trip - new orleans and san antonio

There's plenty more where these came from.

toodle pip

the cotton bud from my ear

One of these days l am going to deafen myself, as there is nothing l like more than rubbing a cotton bud in my ears (well, there are other things l enjoy more but let's stick to this story), but with the consequence that l sometimes get some bud stuck in my ear.  This happened to me again the other day, and l (once again) had to use tweezers to get the (not so little) bugger out.  That's it above, next to a pound coin, looking all innocent, but it drove me mad when it was lodged in.
No doubt l will be repeating the same behaviour in the not so distant future, and probably with the same outcome ( the sign of a true madman).  There's only going to be one winner, me or the buds (and sadly, l know who my money is on)

toodle pip

tim biskup artwork

Tim Biskup is an American artist who has done album covers and posters for the likes of Pavement and Faith No More.  I'm all for a bit of surrealism and psychedelic imagery, and his style has changed over the years, but l have to admit l prefer the older works rather than the more modern ones (the top three are more modern).
As l am a novice who knows bugger all about art, the top three may be technically better and more difficult to produce, but the rest remind me of artwork by Jim Flora (who l wrote about here), and that is never a bad thing.
Tim's site (with more artwork) can be found here.

toodle pip

bobby gillespie of primal scream

Bobby Gillespie (from Primal Scream) can come across as a spaced out rock snob, who's always trying to be trendier than the next man, but l love loads of Primal Scream stuff, and despite not having taken to their new album (More Light) that much, l am still looking forward to seeing them next weekend in Stockton on Tees.
Here's one of my favorite photographs of Bobby, which may have originally been in Select or Vox magazine, but l can't remember where l got it from.
Once again, he's showing off his influences, only this time with great hair.

toodle pip

top talent (again)

I know l'm a natural at my job, and here's some written proof from the powers above me.  I have now been declared 'Top Talent' for the last two years (it's only been going two years), and l am the only person from where l work to even achieve 'Top Talent', so money will be thrown at me if l want to develop (because l am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo fabulous!).
Trouble is, l can't really be bothered at the moment, and am happy enough with my job as it is.
That's not to say l would turn down a lottery win or anything (I'm not completely mad), but while l have to work, my job is just fine and dandy, thank you very much.

toodle pip

america trip 2000 - some scans from memphis

Some scans of the crap l kept from Memphis in 2000. It's the home of Elvis Presley and Sun Studios, so music, drink and food was the order of the day.
Robbo proposed to Kerry at Gracelands, l bared my bum and pissed in the Mississippi, and this was also the place where we argued with a taxi driver who called us 'Damn Fools' for taking drugs and not believing in God.
Can't argue with that, so l got a t-shirt made up afterwards with 'Damn Fool' written on it (which l still have).

toodle pip

alan moore - big numbers and pop will eat itself - def con 1 and can you (u) dig it

As the wonderful Pop Will Eat Itself sang in 'Def Con 1' (a song heavily based on 'Watchmen'), "Alan Moore knows the score".
He certainly does, and this is one of the many gems l have recently unearthed (yes....from the ongoing garage saga), signed by the great man himself. It's a shame it's not a signed copy of 'Watchmen', but hey ho, it's still a treasured item.
This is not the whole cover, as my scanner couldn't fit it all on, and (of course) my copy is in great condition, as the dark shadows are just from the scan.
Big Numbers - big book (but not one of his best).
Thinking about it, re-watching the video reminds me that when l first read the 'Watchmen' comics, they actually belonged to the one and only Graham Crabb (from Pop Will Eat Itself'), as he was sharing a squat in Highgate with a mate of mine at the time, and l was crashing there.
Nowadays l sing "Colin Moore knows the score" when l see a lad l know called........yes, you guessed it.
I really need to get a life.




Edit - I just realised. The Alan Moore quote is from another of their songs (Can you (u) Dig it?)
Ah well, any excuse to post another of  The Poppies tunes.



toodle pip

the bedale rock festival 1990 programme

I put together the programme for the Bedale Rock Festival in 1990, and although l know you can always look back at the past and want to make changes, this programme just embarrasses me.
It was put together in a rush, using very basic equipment, but that still doesn't excuse the poor layout, spelling mistakes, and all round incompetence that l bought to the table, in my own inimitable style.
Hopefully all the other copies that were in existence have now ceased to be (as the Pythons would say), but mine is still lurking in the spare room, as a constant reminder of my devil may care foolishness.
The cover is the best part, and it's rapidly downhill from then on.
Maybe l should just pretend my brother did it, and absolve myself from blame.

toodle pip

the america trip 2000

Well, l survived another night in Middlesbrough on Friday, and had a splendid time.  Straight back to work afterwards, and have only just returned home this afternoon.
Still sorting out some crap from the garage (the ongoing saga), and have been skimming through some bits and pieces from the American trip in 2000.
It's at times like these that l am grateful l am such a collector and hoarder, as l have all sorts of stuff stashed away, which l was not so bothered about at the time, but am thankful my old memory has some visual aids to reboot the experiences now.
It  needs all the help it can get these days.
More scans to follow.

toodle pip

keep going with party tabs

Hopefully someone will slip one of these in my drink tomorrow when l am out and about in Middlesbrough. If they do, there will be no complaints from me.

toodle pip

mummies on marlboro cigarettes

That's it mummy, light up a fag and please don't shout at me.
Make a day of it and hit the booze cabinet while you are at it.

toodle pip

dear dear oscar

Dear old Oscar Wilde, how true that statement is.

toodle pip

knowledge of angels - jill paton walsh

'Knowledge of Angels' was recommended and loaned to me by a fellow worker, who thought l might be interested in the philosophical arguments for and against God that lay within.  They were correct, and l did enjoy the story, although l found some of Jill Paton Walsh's writing a bit too floral, even though l understand when she was rabbiting on about the plants, weather and landscape of Grandinsula, (the Island setting of the novel), it was to highlight what a medieval paradise it was, compared to the horror that was being perpetrated on it.
The story concerns a young girl who was raised by wolves, (based on The Maid of Chalons), plus the tale of  a stranger from another land who swims ashore, and declares himself an atheist when questioned about his beliefs and his land of origin.  There are then arguments aplenty between various believers, including the dreaded inquisition (who weren't expected).
The main philosophical argument centered around St Thomas Aquinas' 5 proofs of Gods Existence, and the responses to them by Palinurus (the swimming stranger), plus the argument of whether knowledge of God is inborn, as if it is proven not to be so, Palinurus cannot be a heretic.
I felt as though the sex scene had been put in to appeal to female readers, although it could be argued that it was to emphasise the strangers free loving and guilt free ways, but apart from that, an enjoyable and interesting read in yesterdays sunshine, alternating between hammock, swing, and rug on the floor.
It's a hard life, God or no God.

toodle pip

griff rhys jones - semi-detached

I shouldn't moan too much about Griff Rhys Jones' 'Semi-Detached, as it was pretty much what l expected. There's childhood tales and visits to old houses, moving schools, a detached father, some travel and shenanigans with girls, then entry into Cambridge, followed by the glory of TV and the stardom that followed.
The trouble is, l wanted some humour to be interjected among the reminiscing, and sadly for me, the lack of that was something l didn't anticipate (alongside his tales of boats).

toodle pip

the mantis shrimp

This is a great informative cartoon strip about the Mantis Shrimp.  Fascinating little creatures with psychedelic eyesight that can more than hold their own in a scrap.  I was only saying to the FPO the other day about creatures having different eyesight than humans, and having a completely different perception of the world, but 16 colour receptive cones is taking the piss.
Check out the complete strip here (where you can also buy posters and goodies).

toodle pip

coventry city's girl of the match

In the far off good old days when out and out sexism was everywhere, Coventry City used to have 'Girl of the Match' on the back cover of their programme, featuring a local (I guess) 'Dolly Bird'.
I was a young single lad at the time, never had a proper girlfriend, obsessed by football, comics and music (nothing much has changed) and l hate to admit it, but me and the girl above spent many a happy hour together.
That shows how hard it was (steady on!!) to get your hands on proper porn (or anything smutty) in them days, especially when still at school.  Now you can't avoid it.
Bloomin kids of today, they don't have any idea what it was like back in the old days (lucky sods).

toodle pip