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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bastille - good grief and wet wet wet - wishing l was lucky

I love the Bastille song 'Good Grief' (see, l don't just listen to old stuff), but every time l hear it l want to sing Wet Wet Wet's 'Wishing l was Lucky' to parts of it. Is it only me that can hear some similarities?
It must be the stress of listening to recent records, and trying to keep up with the kids.
I need a lie down and a cup of Horlicks (and lots of medication).





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johnny burton - pole vault man

The song that Oasis should have covered, as it sounds just like them, only years ahead of it's time.
Johnny Burton - Pole Vault Man from 1972



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todays football bet

Today's results (hopefully) 

COME ON!!!!

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edible pizza box

The Americans are always so much ahead of us when it comes to stuffing your face with classy food.

Now they have a Pizza box that's actually made out of pizza, and therefore edible as well!

They advertise 'No Waste', but l wouldn't like to be the one cleaning their toilet bowls the next day.

Those crazy yanks etc...

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tom jones - detroit city

Although this is a shameless attempt to re-create the success of his 'Green Green Grass of Home' hit, with it's theme of returning home, it's spoken interlude and melancholy mood, but it's actually a pretty good song in isolation.
Tom Jones with 'Detroit City'.



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will young - masterbation record holder

I can't say l'm much of a fan of Will Young's music, but he's gone up in my estimation with the straight faced way he answered the question of what world record he would like to break (on daytime TV).
"The amount of times l can mastebate in a day" - six is his record apparently.
The presenter looks pretty unsure of how to proceed, while Geri Halliwell just cracks up completely.
Splendid stuff, and something to aim for (ffnnaaarr).
From here.



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the schrodinger's immigrant

While l am prepared to admit that some of the 'youngsters' admitted into the UK yesterday looked older than 18, l think the underlying fear is this. The Schrodinger's Immigrant.

If you don't know what the above is based upon, (Schrodinger wise) check out this.

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a rabbit spreads some joy

C'mon kids!!! Everybody loves rabbits!!!

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a waterlogged pitch at dundee, and cheap prices at football games

This is good old fashioned football, despite the weather!
Dundee's Den's Park in 1936.

On a related note, here's some kids queuing to get into games (without tickets in advance) for 20p and 35p, not so very long ago. The 35p turnstile is at Liverpool.
There's not a chance in hell they could do that now, as the kids and working classes are being priced out (if they already haven't been).

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george and dhani harrison's symmetrical faces, and what is life

George Harrison and his son Danni's symmetrical faces.
At first glance they look identical, but you then notice the many differences, and not just with the youthful skin of Dhani's.

And here's a song by George - 'What is Life'.

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spanking machines

I've got a friend who may be interested in buying one of these. Designs (or ideas) for Spanking Machines, from the 1930's and 1940's.

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the wipers times

The Wipers Times was a satirical newspaper that was produced by troops of The Sherwood Foresters at Ypres Salient during the First World War between 1916 and 1918, mainly to take the piss out of officers and each other, and featured spoof adverts. There's a pretty good (albeit very English TV movie about it), and there is also a hardback book, gathering copies of it together. 

Considering that it was produced using found or 'liberated' equipment and materials, and the conditions it was made under, it's a work of stubborn genius.

Here's a copy.

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art

From the British Revolution facebook page

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utah saints - funky music

After the tedium of last nights highly anticipated Manchester United versus Liverpool game, something to wake me up.
Utah Saints - 'Funky Music Sho Nuff Turns Me On'



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chuck berry is 90

It's amazing that, apart from Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, all of the original rock and roll legends are still alive, with Chuck Berry, the eldest of them all, celebrating his 90th birthday today.
Little Richard and Chuck are my favourites amongst them, and although l have never seen Little Richard, l have seen, spoken to, been on stage with, and got a signature from, the one and only Chuck Berry. I've also helped him open the boot of his car, and have bored people with the tale ever since.
Chuck has many bad points to his personality, and has had a massive chip on his shoulder for many a year, sometimes with good reason, and sometimes with no justification, but he sure knew how to write a song, and tell a story in under three minutes.
No one is that keen on getting older, but l would rather be an even older git now if it meant seeing all of the stars in their heyday.
Some time, in the not too distant future, there will be none of them left. What a depressing thought.
Here's my Chuck Berry autograph (with smiley face added afterwards by him)

But most importantly, the music.

And for those of you out there that love 'Albatross' by Fleetwood Mac - listen to this (from 1957).

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graffiti on cancelled trains, and cricket deaths and sledging

Two items in the news recently.

First of all, there's been trains cancelled because of offensive graffiti on their sides. These have been cancelled at the last minute, leaving commuters fuming and frustrated. An recent example is here.

ThamesLink have tweeted "We can't drive around all day with 'the F word' emblazoned on a train".

That is fair enough, but l have an idea.
It apparently costs about £5,000 to remove the graffiti, but why not just spray over the offensive slogan or image to make it unintelligible, so the train can carry on it's normal route, to then be taken off and cleaned at a later date. That would only take a couple of minutes, and you'd only be spraying where it needed to be cleaned anyway. If it costs a bit more to clean, it's worth it to keep the passengers happy, and prevents vandals deliberately trying to prevent trains running.

Also, cricket sledging has been under scrutiny, after the inquest into the death of Phillip Hughes. He was bowled by Doug Bollinger, who, it has been alleged (by Mathew Day), stated that "I am going to kill you" beforehand. Bowlers deliberately bowl short to cause 'bouncers', which are aimed at intimidating the batsman, often trying to hit and hurt them.
Before others die, here's a suggestion (from someone who knows bugger all about cricket).
Have a line marked in front of the batsman, where the ball has to bounce in beforehand, to eliminate the high bounces of the ball. If a bowler misses it a set amount of times by bowling short, he is unable to carry on bowling during that match, and may face suspension for later matches. Batsmen may still suffer some injury, but it would be pretty unlikely to be in the head area, therefore being a lot safer.

As for piss taking sledging - my favourite quote (by Eddo Brandes) when asked by the batsman (Glen McGrath) why he was so fat, replied  "Because every time l fuck your wife, she gives me a biscuit". I've changed that slightly, replacing 'fuck' with 'shag', and 'biscuit' with 'cracker', and have used it while out and about on many an occasion.  Long may that kind of sledging continue.

Any more advice needed on how to run things, you know where to find me.

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okkervil river - john allyn smith sails and plus ones demo

Another favourite song from a few years ago. Okkervil River with John Allyn Smith sails. Will Sheff, the main man in the band is hugely undervalued by the general population, but certainly not in my neck of the woods. A band who should be a lot bigger, but rather sadly, l think it's because the album tracks and demos are better than the band live, and Will Sheff does not possess anything like the charisma and stage presence that a modern day rock star should, and he can't override that flaw by being amazingly good looking. He (to me at least), just comes across like a man who is grateful to be on the stage. Why not? You may ask, and there's nothing wrong with that (or him), but it does tend to hold you back if huge success is what you are after.
Anyway, l still love him. and this is a great song by anyones standards (or two songs, as it changes into a standard at 2.30).



And here's a demo of Plus Ones.



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stars - dead hearts

An ipod favourite - Stars' 'Dead Hearts'



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latest footie bet

My fortune awaits!

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england fans drinks bill at the euros

This is kind of old news, as it is a bill for England fans drinks at The Euros. Obviously very expensive, but l am more impressed with the one hardy individual who insisted on having a Carlsberg.

Stick to what you like mate, and sod everyone else.

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england's new shirt

If this isn't England's new strip soon, something has gone terribly wrong.
Like the team.

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darlington football club (darlington 1883) returning to town

I'm rather pleased to say that work has started on resurrecting Darlington football club's iconic tin shed at their new ground at Blackwell Meadows, after many years of Darlington (rechristened Darlington 1883) playing elsewhere (the folly of George Reynolds' new stadium 'Darlington Arena', and Heritage park, by Bishop Auckland).

When l first moved to the Catterick area, l used to go and watch Darlington (the local team) on a regular basis, as l couldn't afford to go to Manchester for the United games all of the time. I've been back for the odd games over the years, and am chuffed they are now going to be relocated back into their community, as they should be.

More news about the move can be found here.

On a related note, here's an old photograph from the 1976-77 season of Darlington against Hartlepool at Feethams.
I'm circled (very poorly).

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