terence trent d'arby and sananda maitreya

It's a year old now (l like to try and keep up with what's happening), but there's an interesting interview with Terence Trent D'Arby by Kate Mossman in The New Statesman (to be found here), talking about his fame, and how it affected him. Plus a few thoughts on Lenny Kravitz.
In 1987, D'Arby was a superb looking black rock/pop superstar, with infectious hit singles and a magnificent crossover album (Introducing the Hardline According to Terence Trent D'Arby).
Then it was downhill sales wise, and hello to Sananda Francesco Maitreya.
Still, he may well be a lot happier now, and if l had the money, l'd certainly do whatever l wanted, and sod everyone else.
Here's when he was red hot and sexy.

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strange yale university library book

There's a strange old book in the library at Yale University from the mid 1880's that was donated by Hans P Kraus. It has many drawings of fauna, but lots of weird text and other illustrations that cannot be fathomed out. 

Obviously the work of a dedicated madman (or genius).

I wish l had half of his (or her) drive to create. I've certainly got the rambling thoughts in my head, although, maybe with some of my thoughts, it's best they were kept where they are. 

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the waterboys - fishermans blues and savage earth heart, plus the retreat - come alive

After the last post, here's some clips by The Retreat and The Waterboys








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the retreat into dementia

I'm either losing my marbles, or l have too many CDs. Either way, l've just rigged up some equipment to convert streams from the computer and old cassette tapes onto CDs, or stash away digitally before the tapes get too knackered (a technical term). 

One favourite tape of mine that l was given by a girl l met in Dublin is from a band called The Retreat, who gigged and lived around Plymouth. They released a cassette of an album they recorded in 1990, and very good it is as well, albeit heavily influenced by The Waterboys Fishermans Blues period, which is no bad thing, as, at that time, The Waterboys were probably my favourite band, which is why l was in Dublin in the first place.

After listening to the cassette again, making the recording, and transferring it to CD and my ipod, l made a CD cover for it (I'm a very sad man), and went to stash it away (alphabetically of course). That was when l discovered and dimly remembered that l had bought their limited 1993 European pressing of the album on CD, so there was no need for me to have digitalised it in the first place.

Still, l've now got two very slightly different copies, with slightly different CD covers, so who's laughing now?

Right - now onto my old Spike Milligan cassettes.

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mr freedom

Back in the 1960's, when London used to be the epicenter of coolness, it's kind of hard to believe that these two men (Tommy Roberts and John Paul) ran one of the coolest shops in town. Mr Freedom.
It's even harder to believe, looking at what they are wearing, that the shop sold trendy clothes to the rich and famous.
There is still a Mr Freedom outlet going today (look here), but the coolness has long gone, despite the expensive prices.

However, back in the day, as well as the clothes, they did have a (now really dated) advert that featured some great electronic music. Jean Jaques Perrey - 'Moog Indigo'.



And here's Mick Jagger of The Rolling Stones wearing one of their t shirts (Which can now be purchased here).

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scrotox

Here's breakthrough for all the men reading (or a special gift for that man in your life).
Scrotum area looking too wrinkled? Fear not! Here's the solution!
Scrotox!!!!
Yes - you read that correctly - SCROTOX.
Make the scrotum in your life smoother, larger, and with the added bonus that it will hang lower. What's not to like?
For more information - look here.
Send your money off now.

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luscious jackson - naked eye

Luscious Jackson - 'Naked Eye'
No reason for posting this, apart from the fact that it was a great single in the 1990's. Easily their best song (or at least the best one of theirs l've heard)



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t2 trainspotting trailer

I can't wait for this film to be out. T2 Trainspotting, the follow up from Trainspotting, one of the most iconic films of the 1990's. The trailer looks great (I suppose that's the whole point of it), and if the actual film is half as good as promised by this, l will be a happy man.
I, like many people , loved the original film, l was a huge fan of the book by Irvine Welsh (plus his others), and immersed myself in the soundtrack of the film.
This is all especially great, as l didn't even realise the cast had got back together to film it, so the trailer was a huge (and extremely pleasant) surprise.
Let's get Christmas over with and BRING IT ON!!
Out on January 27th 2017.



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bug powder dust - bomb the bass

A top tune from what doesn't seem that long ago,  but is in fact, over 20 years old.
'Bug Powder Dust' by Bomb The Bass, from their 'Clear' album..
To say l love it is an understatement.



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jimmy savile jokes and references before his death

Some excellent, near the knuckle (for the lawyers at least) Jimmy Savile jokes on 'Have I Got News For You' in 1992, plus a banned Johnny Lydon interview with Vivienne Goldman at the BBC in 1978.





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l may be intelligent after all!

According to news in The Independent yesterday, people who are messy, swear a lot, and stay up late, are more likely to be intelligent.
There's hope for me yet,as l certainly have all three of those characteristics!

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the putin and trump sexy love in and jo jo gunne - run run run

It's a bad state of affairs when Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin could become the most powerful leaders in the world. An alternate future could also mean we are slowly heading towards a third world war.
Either way, the future's not looking too bright.
Photograph from here.

So to cheer everyone up, here's a catchy song from a few years ago.
Jo Jo Gunne with Run Run Run. I defy anyone to not like it.



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the kea parrot

This is a Kea Parrot. Looking a lot more magnificent and spectacular than the mangy, bad tempered little bugger l have in my house.
There are going to be some strong words with him to get his act together and produce some goods, otherwise he may be replaced #.

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# Only joking - l love the little git!

sky bet

Todays predictions!

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the edge supports mencap (again)

The Edge (From U2) seems to be an all round decent bloke, who has always supported Mencap causes.
Here is is again, promoting the latest Mencap campaign that launched on Friday - 'Here I Am'.
For more information about the campaign, visit here.

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strange japanese poster

I'm pretty sure l have put this up before, but if so, it's still worth repeating.

A very strange Japanese (I'm guessing) poster. As for what is being advertised, who on earth knows (unless you can read the script underneath).

If it's for a show, l bet it was pretty unusual and 'challenging', but l would still be interested in seeing it.

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the clintons discuss dylan

Bill and Hilary Clinton discuss the presidency and Bob Dylan winning the Nobel Prize for literature (not)

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jose mourinho works out what's wrong

Jose Mourinho and his team try to work out what is going wrong at Manchester United, after the other recent managers have all failed.
I wish they'd get a bleeding move on, because it is crap at the moment.

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paul gambaccini shows how to get old

I think l am turning into Paul Gambaccini, or at least l'd like to, judging by how his home life appears to be.
If l could keep all of my comics and books, retain the parrot, but have all of the music he owns, plus the larger house, organisational aspect (and probably a cleaner), l think my sexual persuasion could be changed.
I'm not wearing the pink jumper though.

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the sex pistols - anarchy in the uk - yawn!

Myself and a friend of mine (Stevie Boy / Tarren / Kitten), used to say 'Yawn' on an extremely regular basis whenever something was a bit boring, which to us, was on numerous occasions.
Yes - we could be annoying, but both loveable little rascals at the time, or at least we have convinced ourselves we were.
It is still used now and again, but l didn't realise we may have inadvertantly got it from here, because we can't remember how we started using it.
A review in National Rockstar on 4th December 1976 of The Sex Pistols first single - Anarchy in the UK.

And here is that ground breaking single, the first of a few excellent releases from them.
I'll have to try and dig my Sex Pistols singles out, but l've got a hunch that my brother buggered off to Leeds with them.



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surprised by the exorcist

I haven't started watching the new TV series of The Exorcist yet, as l'm recording them with a view to watching them all in one sitting. I did however, watch the film version of The Exorcist again recently, and saw something that surprised me - a demonic face appearing for a split second behind Chris MacNeil (Ellen Burstyn). I've seen the film on many an occasion, got the video, DVD, and expanded DVD (with scary extras), but have never noticed this before.
I guess l must have been distracted during my other viewings, drunk, or hiding with terror behind the settee.
Either that or l need my eyes testing.

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lost rolling stones record cover from 1969

I got this from Andrew 'Loog' Oldham's twitter account. He was the (very cool yet annoying to the establishment) manager of  The Rolling Stones back in the 1960's, and this, according to him, is the cover from an unfinished lost album project in 1969.

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empire of the sun - two vines and pink floyd - wot's uh the deal

Freaky psychedelic electronic rock alert! Here's Empire of the Sun's newie, 'Two Vines', from their album of the same name. Marvellous.
Pass the drugs (but don't touch the brown acid).



And on a related note, here's an 'Obscured by Clouds' Pink Floyd track, the largely ignored (but great song) Wot's...Uh the Deal. I would say it would be a great song to cover on solo acoustic guitar, but plenty of people have already had that idea on youtube.



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women's shoes that are pretty 'out there'

Women's shoes that are cool and trendy, mad, ingenious, or just plain stupid. You decide.
Lots more are here.

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a classic freddie mercury tattoo

Watching part of Tattoo Fixers last night, l was reminded of this. A classic tattoo of Queen's Freddie Mercury.
He must be so proud (in the afterlife).

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charlie watts is a happy man!

This makes a change as far as Rolling Stones photographs go. The band are looking sullen, while the notoriously dry witted and gloomy facaded Charlie Watts is actually smiling.
I wonder how long it took the photographer (unknown to me) to persuade them to do this shot.

And here's the classic response from Charlie about what it's like working with The Stones



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oliver reed's drinking advice

Because l've been reading a lot recently, plus listening to music and watching films and box sets, I've actually not been drinking that much, (not a drop for the last 13 days at the moment), but when l do, l can certainly relate to this advice from Oliver Reed.

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billy bremner's son has taste

Billy Bremner of Dirty Leeds United must have been really proud of his sons bedroom decoration. An extremely large poster of Manchester United's George Best.
Good lad.

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