what a drag it is getting old (part 457)

I may have put these up before but can't be bothered checking (life's too short etc). 

I'm indestructible so l hate to think what l will look like when l am 372. It's bad enough now!

toodle pip

neil kinnock condolences letter and spacemen 3 - revolution

As unlikely a scenario as it may have seemed a few years ago, the nightmare is coming true, as Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt battle it out to be the next Conservative Prime Minister. What a fucking choice - it's like someone asking me if l want my left or right bollock blasted off. Either outcome is shit, and with Donald Trump as United States President, things really are looking grim.
I thought things were bad years ago when Neil Kinnock lost out on becoming Prime Minister. I even went so far as to write and offer my condolences to him, and here's the reply l got (It's my old address, so don't bother trying to find me there). Political leaders have certainly gone downhill since then. Where's a revolution when you want one? Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

toodle pip

vanity fair moon landings / nasa at 40 special feature

As it's the anniversary of the moon landings, l thought l would stick these up - a Vanity Fair article around NASA turning 40 that l ripped out and have kept for the last 20 years. I amaze myself sometimes with my hording mentality, but l will now throw them away as l will now be able to read them online here, and probably elsewhere if l could be bothered to look. I particularly like the Buzz Aldrin photo - it just amuses me for some reason.

toodle pip

glimmer twins graffiti at white shops

To people of a certain age that grew up around Catterick, this was a regular sight at the corner of White Shops (Where the kebab place is now). Every time the graffiti was painted over, another one was done, only slightly bigger, until the cartoons were nearly life size. 

Obviously l have no idea who did it, but it was funny for a while (Though probably not for the shop owner)

toodle pip

old plays in richmond

Being the culture vulture that l am, l've been to many plays over the years, at The Georgian Theatre in Richmond, as well as elsewhere.  I've just been looking at some of the old programmes etc and have scanned a few of them below. Try to spot anyone who became famous afterwards!

toodle pip

bob dylan - the rolling thunder revue

It's been a week since Netflix released their Martin Scorsese produced Rolling Thunder Revue, featuring a 'Bob Dylan Story'. I've watched all of it three times since, and parts of it numerous times, and l absolutely love it.
The live footage has been cleaned up and looks amazing, and there's pretty much just the right amount of newsreel crap to emphasise the story. Dylan is on top form, and it's probably the last time he has been so engaged on stage. There's been a bit of a debate online about some of the interviews, as they are related to events or people that are made up, and that uses up time that could be spent showing more live footage, but that sort of obfuscation just makes me chuckle, as it's in the spirit of the Renaldo and Clara movie from the same period, and, although it would be hard to believe, amps up my  love for Dylan even more. I can't wait for the (hopefully) DVD and loads of extra footage
Here's the trailer, plus a couple of clips from it.
Witness the majesty of his Bobness (and Scarlet Rivera).
Avoid Jail, Go immediately to Netflix and watch the full film now!!







toodle pip

the fa cup

The FA Cup yesterday. Manchester City are welcome to it, and United's treble in 1999 was much better.

toodle pip

the summer of love musical - darlington

I moseyed on up to see the Summer of Love musical at Darlington Hippodrome earlier this week, and it was actually pretty great song wise. All of the tunes chosen were excellent, but obviously some were better presented and packed more of a punch. I particularly enjoyed White Rabbit and Purple Haze, but there were quite a few excellent renditions. I would have guessed beforehand that they would probably finish with 'All You Need is Love', but it was a nice touch doing the acoustic singalong of 'Give Peace a Chance'.
I just wish l had been old enough to have experienced it all first hand in the 1960's, especially alongside the drugs and free love, although l did try and make up for it in later years.

And here's a short video



toodle pip

mr parrot back to his normal self

Mr Parrot has not been well recently, but l'm glad to say he has made a full recovery and is back to trying to get attention from me, even when l am watching The Rolling Stones.

Hurrah! 

Maybe he will turn out to be indestructible like me. I certainly hope so.

toodle pip

record store day and bob dylan - blood on the tracks

As l was awake early and it was Record Store Day, l decided to have a drive through to Stockton and hit Sound it Out records, as l wanted the new Bob Dylan Blood on the Tracks test pressing, which was one of the items on sale that day. After waiting in line for a couple of hours with all the other fellow saddos, l finally made it into the shop. Hurrah!! I saw the person who had been two people in front of me in the queue holding a copy of the Dylan lp, and asked where about they were placed, only to be told that he had just got the last copy. Yes your honour, l did indeed call him a rude name (only half in jest) and ended up leaving the shop without the Dylan album, but with new T.Rex and Van Morrison ones instead (and cursing). l then had a look around the charity shops and headed to the Boro to surprise my matey boy, only to find there was no one in, so drove back home, cursing again. Only to get a phone call shortly afterwards to say they had just got back home from shopping and had just missed me. So, a bit of a mixed bag of a day, as l came home with some goodies, missed my mate, and never got the Dylan album l was after.
Obviously l have since ordered the Dylan lp online, and it was everything l expected, and l love it. Now added to the other versions of the album l already have.
I need to get a life.

 The queue when l arrived

Nearly in the shop!

The two records l did buy

People still queueing when l was leaving Stockton

 The glorious album l was after. Mmmmmmm -  Nice (Sent from The Netherlands)

Other versions l have of the Dylan album

toodle pip