the weekend starts here!! - plus rival sons - keep on swinging

The weekend does indeed, start here!!
I'm heading out later around Catterick and Richmond with Robbo and the lads today, then seeing Rocker's band in Richmond tonight (no doubt followed by takeaways and a recording of 'Match of the Day').
Manchester United v Liverpool tomorrow at 1.30pm, (hopefully 6 wins on the trot), then off to see Rival Sons in Newcastle on Monday, followed by a day of doing bugger all on Tuesday, before heading back to Newcastle on Wednesday, and resuming work thereafter.
Admittedly a rather long stretch of the definition 'weekend', but it certainly suits me.



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more addams family auditions

 

                                             

   

More Addams Family auditions from Life magazine.  This time it's for Lurch, including the person selected for the role, Ted Cassidy (at the bottom).

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naomi grossman as pepper the pinhead - plus the ramones

This is something l still can't get my head around.

 This is Naomi Grossman

This is Pepper (from American Horror Story). 

                                        

This is them both together.  The one and the same.

I know l have to try and comprehend the magnificent acting and make up (always difficult with my tiny brain), but whenever l watch the show, it makes my head hurt trying to envisualize Naomi in the role.

Time for a lie down , but before l go, here's the real life Schilitzie the Pinhead, who Pepper is based on.

Plus the incomparable Ramones, with their own Pinhead, from the 1977 riproaringly loud and brash It's Alive album.  

Gabba Gabba Hey!

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the death of frank and louie - the two faced cat

Frank and Louie, the oldest living two faced cat (a sentence you don't hear that often), has passed away in Grafton, Massachusetts at the ripe old age of 15, according to his owner, Martha 'Marty' Stevens. Two faced 'Janus' cats don't usually live longer than a few days, but Frank and Louie was a Guinness World Record holder.
It was certainly very strange looking, and a cat you would probably have to own to love, but l bet that 'Marty' is devastated at the loss.
Information from here.



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the peta advert in nottingham

This PETA advert outside Notts County's football ground has been taken down after one day, due to complaints that it was indecent.  PETA said it was the only billboard of this type in the country, and 'they were presented with a suitable space', but l guess it has already served its purpose by gaining worldwide publicity, well beyond the usual reach of that advertising site.
So well done to all at PETA, a clever idea, and magnificent manipulation of the media (and yes, l know l am also acting as a tool (fnaar) for them and adding to the publicity).

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bob dylan - shadows in the night

NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!
As if the the Bob Dylan Christmas album wasn't bad enough.  Now his Bobness is going to release an album of Frank Sinatra covers (who l actually like).
Much as l am willing to bow to Bob Dylan's earlier achievements, for he was once a colossus amongst us mere mortals, these kind of releases make we wish he would either retire while he still has some minor trace of dignity intact, or just write songs for other people to sing (Adele showed how to cover his recent songs), as he certainly can't produce the goods tonsil-wise nowadays.
This is either running out of ideas and scrapping the barrel, or Bob just being contrary.
Either way - it's not good.







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gogglebox

After recommendations, I've started watching Channel 4's Gogglebox  recently, and actually enjoy it a lot more than l thought l would do.  At first, it was 'Why would l want to watch other people watching TV?', it sounds like an insane idea, and l certainly have better things to do with my time.
Turns out l haven't, and the show can be quite funny.  Also, despite my prejudices against the upper clases (I know! - I've got many, many issues), my favourites on the show are the posh pissheads, Stephanie and Dominic Parker, probably because they remind me of a recent relationship (minus the poshness).
My nagging reservation about the show that prevents me enjoying it more, is the rather obvious elephant in the room (not me). That is, these people are on TV each week themselves, have achieved some kind of twisted celebrity, and are aware of how they are coming accross on our screens.  In which case, they must sometimes be playing up to the cameras, and not being their natural selves, and l can't get that nagging doubt out of my tiny little brain whenever l watch it.
Still good to watch for mind sapping relaxation, plus through the clips shown, l get glimpses into other programmes that l avoid like the plague.
X Factor - l'm talking about you, and as a cynical yet comedic look at talent shows, l recommend Ben Elton's novel 'Chart Throb'. You'll think differently about the shows afterwards.

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johnny's cafe at camp centre and progress

To anyone living in the Catterick Garrison area, Johnny's cafes were one of the main places to hang out, eat cheese and onion rolls, and talk crap. Obviously only the location has changed, as plenty of rolls are still eaten, and trust me, the crap is flowing as steadily as ever, but it's a shame that they have now gone, this one by Camp Centre roundabout being replaced by an Aldi (or Lidl, l forget which one).
Much as l love the addition of new shops to the area, buildings such as this, the Camp Centre post office, The Walkerville hotel / Stax / Scorpion nightclub, and the Colburn Lodge should have been given historical status and preserved. They are what gave the Garrison an identity (apart from the thousands of soldiers passing through).
Bloody progress!!!!!
Saying that,  l'm still looking forward to the new cinema and KFC outlet.  Sitting in the dark watching films, and eating plenty of Southern Fried Chicken.
As before, only the venues will have changed, as l already do that at home (way too often).

The Colburn Lodge earlier in the year, awaiting development. It looks a lot worse now.

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wayne king - have yourself a merry little christmas

I will try to, but l don't think l can manage a whole orchestra.

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remember me - bbc drama

I watched the concluding episode of BBC's supernatural drama 'Remember Me' last night, and what a treat it was. An elderly man tries to leave his old haunted home behind, but with dire consequences to him and others.  It kept you guessing where the story was heading, and there were enough jump out shocks and surprises to keep you on your toes, so a hearty success all around.
All of the cast were believable and not too over the top (as often happens), but Michael Palin as Tom Parfitt (the old man) gave an outstanding performance, and Jodie Corner as Hannah (the teenage care assistant)   wasn't too shoddy either.  I have a hunch that awards could well be on the way.
Marvelous stuff, although l now can't get the 'Scarborough Fair' song out of my head.

Here's Simon and Garfunkel's version, originally from the 1966  'Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme' LP - one of my favourite albums.



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dear santa

My card is in the post.

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the addams family hopefuls

It's hard to imagine anyone else apart from Carolyn Jones playing Morticia Addams in TV series of 'The Addams Family', but of course, before filming commenced, actors had to be tried out, and here are some of the photographs from the casting sessions, with Carolyn at the bottom.
I used to love the show, as l was mainly bought up on American TV, and this is one of the classics of the era, even if they only did two seasons (but 64 episodes).
Taken from Life magazine

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police on my back

What l don't want to see when l open the blinds first thing in the morning (OK, about 10.30am).
The filth / bizzies / plod / rozzers / dibble.  Or as The Clash would say - Police on my Back.
Luckily, this time, they weren't after me, which always makes a pleasant change.




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the deserted seaside

 

A trip out the the pretty deserted seaside with work, looking for devil's toenails.
Redcar to be precise.
It's a hard job, but someone's got to do it.

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