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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out and about - the death of stalin

As myself and a friend thought that The Death of Stalin was only being shown in a few cinemas, we decided to have a drive down to Harrogate and watch it at The Everyman cinema there. The Everyman was expensive and posh, but it was a funny, fast paced film film, only partially ruined by a woman further back laughing hysterically at every joke or humorous situation. The film was good, but nothing could have been as funny as she found it. Our money was she was probably an ex student who had studied Russian politics, and wanted to let everyone know she understood every bit of wordplay or ridiculous scene more than the rest of us plebs.
Then again, myself and my friend are just cynical and bitter, so we could have misinterpreted it and were in the wrong.
Doubt it though.

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orchestral removers / manoeuvres in the dark

Here's Andy McCluskey from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, holding up a newspaper that has a punning headline referring to his band after a robbery in  a local music shop.

He was obviously amused.

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wes goodman talks crap

This is the sort of story you couldn't make up, and makes me think there may be a God after all. Wes Goodman, an Ohio senator, who has been preaching family values and voting against LGBT rights, has been caught having sex with a man in his office.

Superb! He's even let his own name down.

No wonder l'm so cynical.

More here.

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bruce springsteen bargain box set

If you are a fan of Bruce Springsteen, as any person of sound mind should be, this CD collection is a box set motherload.
It arrived yesterday, and l've been ploughing through it today - 15 discs worth of 5 complete 1978 shows, which have all  been heavily bootlegged over the years, but now yours for a bargain £13.99!!!
I'm in Brooocie overload at the moment, as l have also nearly finished reading his 'Born to Run' autobiography.
Marvellous stuff!
Look here

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another dodgy cartoon

Come on!
Whoever designed this must have been having a laugh.

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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!

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this cartoon looks wrong!

Ah - What a sweet cartoon, featuring a couple of lovely interracial kids and a dog.

Hold on though.............

Disgusting!!

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my indestructible car passes another mot

Excellent result today as my car sailed through it's M.O.T, just needing a bulb and a wiper replacing. Total cost - £54.33 (including tax).
Like me, it's old but indestructible!
Hurrah!!

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waiting around to die - townes van zant

This is still one of the most moving films l've seen about music and the effect it has on people. Featuring the Magnificent Townes Van Zandt and 'Waiting around to die'.
Every time l have watched it, l've had a tear in my eye.
The song starts at about 5m in, but to get the whole emotional aspect of the clip, watch it from the beginning. Look for the reaction of the black guy when Townes starts singing. That's emotion.
This is the sort of music that makes you believe in a higher power - of creativity within the human mind..
Made more relevant and poignant by Townes himself being someone who died from being an alcoholic



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earth from cassini

So, Cassini has perished, but has still left us with (amongst many other things) a mind boggling photograph of Earth from Saturn.

Plus,  l never tire of videos showing how insignificant and irrelevant we are in the universe. That's not morbid, just factual and reassuring. Makes it much easier to try and enjoy life without harming anyone else, and not be worried about an afterlife of any kind.

Just sweet oblivion - but hopefully not for a while.

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upside down mural in lithuania

This is impressive - an upside down mural in lithuania which when reflected in the water, looks fantastic (and very weird).

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dairy milk advert

I know l've got a cynical and dirty mind, but Dairy Milk are taking the piss here.

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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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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!!!

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owl butterflies

These are owl butterflies, found in Mexico and South America.

Never mind being scared of spiders, I think l would crap my pants if l saw these lurking in the trees while l was walking home from the pub.

They're big buggers as well.

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the teletubbies have aged a bit

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possibly the saddest photograph ever

Hopefully the person recovered and these were then binned. If not, it's one of the saddest photographs around.

From this tweet

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the broken doll - a documentary

An old documentary on The Broken Doll pub in Newcastle, which was knocked down to expand the road system.
I spent many a happy hour in there over the years, and it's crappy the way the old alternative type pubs in Newcastle end up getting demolished.
My favourite was The Haymarket, but that went years ago.
Pah! - Bloody progress and gentrification.

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two weeks off!

Hurrah!  I've got a couple of weeks off with bugger all to do.

 This will be me and Mr Parrot at the end of them.

                                                          It's actually Charles Bukowski

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football - game of the gods

Two examples of how football is so much better than rugby, and takes a lot more skill. 

Pele doing an overhead / bicycle kick, and George Best demonstrating his speed and balance.

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mark renton gets sentenced

There was me thinking that Trainspotting was a film, when it appears to have been a documentary.

Mark Renton has just been done in Edinburgh for selling drugs. More about the sentencing  and case can be found here

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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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swingers

This just amused me with an unexpected ending

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spoils of a good night

The sign of a good night out.
I came home with these last night, a black wig and a mask, after Kelly and Danny's do at Romanby golf club.
I think Karen must have nabbed the false boobs.

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paide own goal from kick off

This must be a one  off.
Paide, an Estonian team, manage to score an own goal straight from kick off, without the opposition team (Levadia) even touching the ball.



I'll say it again - football's back!!!
Hurrah again!!!

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football's back!

Hurrah!!!!  Football is back! It may not be the same game that l fell in love with years ago, but what a cracking start to the season. 

Thirteen goals in the first two games (Arsenal 4-3  Leicester, and Watford 3-3 Liverpool), and now Huddersfield are top of the league!

It's like a return to the 1920's.

Make the most of it while it lasts.

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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).

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liverpool trip

Desperate for things to do to entertain ourselves without football, Robbo and myself had a trip to Liverpool last week while the rest of his family were away. There was nothing planned apart from going out and having a fun packed night, and we certainly managed that, ending up in Heaven (a gay nightclub) until about 5am. We also went to The Pacific pub in Bootle before town, arranged and met up with a couple of Robbo's relatives later on in town who were also from Bootle (and who stayed out with us till about midnight), and had a drive out to Bootle beach (Crosby) in the morning after some brekkie.

Then we got sidetracked on the way home because the road to Hawes had just been closed due to an accident, so had to come back the long way. 

A most excellent time was had by all, but not as excellent as the fellow in the bottom news report.

Now that's a wild night!

 View from our bedroom window

 Our hotel - we would recommend it

Where we got a lot of attention from men and women - dingy and superb!

 'Bootle' beach

 Our journey home in black, red route was the anticipated one

Now that's how to have a good time!

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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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mmmmm.........cheese

Had to call in at Northallerton a couple of days ago, so I took the opportunity to stock up on some cheese. Pickled onions and cream crackers already purchased and waiting.
Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

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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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