Marmiteboy On Toast

Paralympics World Cup

2009-05-09T13:02:00.006+01:00

It is a long time since I wrote anything on this blog but an email popped into my box the other day which made me want to put up a post.

From 20th-25th May 2009, the world’s finest Paralympic athletes will compete in Manchester as part of the BT Paralympic World Cup.

There are several Facebook pages where you can become a fan of eitrher the Official Paralympics Group or becoming a Facebook fan of GB athletes Nathan Stephens and John McFall, plus South African Paralympic legend the 'Bladerunner' himself Oscar Pistorius

You can post messages of support, ask questions, receive updates, upload photos or videos and become involved! It is a great way of following this event and to my mind is a must for all sports fans.

You can get more information and to book tickets by visiting the BT Paralympic World Cup site at http://www.btparalympicworldcup.com

NB: I was sent some images that I had intended to add to this post as well but Blogger isn't playing ball at the moment so the images will follow later.

New Venture

2008-10-18T20:14:00.007+01:00

After a lot of pondering about what to do with this blog I have decided to set up a new one. It can be found here and it's called Floating In Space.

The reason for the new blog is two fold. I really want to write more about music, both live and on cd and writing about it here doesn't sit right. I also want to carry on ranting about idiots who are screwing up the world and that will continue here along with any other nonsense I can think of.

I'm actually quite excited about the new site and hopefully I'll get my blogging mojo back and end up postinbg here a bit more too.

You Know...

2008-10-05T14:15:00.002+01:00

My laptop is all better. Apparently the motherboard was the problem. I have a new one now and and up and running again. As Joni Mitchell once sang "You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone."

I, as tyou have gathered from the rubbish I write hear, and no Stephen Fry. My eloquence is limited at the best of times but at least I don't use the phrase 'you know' as punctuation. It has become increasing common amogst interviewees on the televison and radio to use this phrase constantly and it is starting to, you know, get on ,my tits, you know.

Very early this morning I was unlucky enough to hear Blackburn Rovers manager Paul Ince being interviewed on Radio Five Live. It was a ninety second indent and he uttered the phrase 'you know' seventeen times! At one stage he actually said and I quote "you know, you know". I know these people are not paid to speak but neither am I and I don't, you know, say 'you know; all the, 'you know' time.

It isn't just sports people either. Last week I heard a junior government minister (I can;t remember who) say it several times in an interview with Nicky Campbell. What is wrong with these people? 'You know' is it a form of punctuation. Silences between sentences are allowed and would make for much better listening.

I'm 'you know' going now. I've er, 'you know' had enough of 'you know'......

Arse.

2008-09-15T08:03:00.003+01:00

My laptop has died. It won't turn on. This is not good. I have taken it to the Laptop Hospital and they have charged me £219 to have a look at it. Hopefully the 12050 songs on iTunes will not be lost. It has taken bloody ages to load them up and some of 'em have been downloaded from the many excellent blogs in the blogosphere and I won't be able to replace them.

Arse, arse and double arse.

A Bit Of A Worry.

2008-09-12T20:44:00.002+01:00

The upcoming US election worries me. The recent polls have shown that the McCain/Palin ticket is ahead. I find this quite unbelievable and really quite scary. Palin is a Creationist, in other words she believes the world is no more than 6,000 years old. This is despite ALL the evidence there is to prove that this is wrong. I have no problem with her being a religious woman. However when that religion leads her to throw away the truth then we better start worrying.

Palin also believes that global warming is not the fault of man and is part of 'God's plan'. Where does she get that from? Even George W Bush and man who has stuck his head in the sand over global warming for years and another of the US religious right has the intelligence to acknowledge it is man who has fucked up this planet.

The most worrying thing Palin has proclaimed recently though is over the war in Iraq which she proclaims is in Gods name!!! Now those of you know me will tell the rest of you that I am an atheist but I do have friends who have a faith and I find myself angry for their sake. How dare this woman make such proclamations. Not only is it offensive to millions of religious people but it is extremely dangerous. We are all aware that there are extremists out there who are prepared to kill in the name of their God. What we do not need is a potential world leader making it into a religious war. That could really end it all.

Hopefully the recent surge in the polls for the Republicans pegged back once the American public realise what a dangerous woman Palin is and Obama wins the election in November.

Camera Obscura -Live 229 London Club Fandango 5th September 2008

2008-09-07T18:20:00.008+01:00

Glasgow has produced many great bands over the years. Teenage Fanclub, BMX Bandits, Belle and Sebastian and Orange Juice have all graced my turntable/cd player over the years. I'm not sure what it is about the place but to my mind it has produced some of the very best indie-pop bands in the last 25 years or so. Camera Obscura have been added to that fine roster. Formed in 1996 they have done the rounds and honed their sound and are now produce almost perfect pop with a twist.

Tonight they headline a mini indoor festival at London's 229 venue in Great Portland Street. Having stuffed ourselves in China Town my companions and I turned up just in time to see the final support bands final tune. The Clientele sounded good and I would have liked to hear more. They are definitely a band I'll be checking out on Myspace.

Camera Obscura have a lovely 60's feel to some of their songs. You only have to hear 'If Looks Could Kill' to be transported back to a sweaty 60's nightclub or dare I suggest Wigan Casino where the talc covered floors would only aid your dancing.

'

'Lloyd I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken' is probably their most well known song. Written in response to Lloyd Cole and The Commotions seminal 'Are You Ready To Be Heart Broken' it has made my last two summers infinitely better belting out of my car stereo. Quirky and as catchy as a catchy thing it just makes you smile. Their version tonight, all thought devoid of the string section of the record, had their devoted following bouncing and singing along at the tops of their voices. How great it must be to be on stage with a crowd of 500 or so singing your song back to you. Bloody marvellous.The highlight for me though was the superb 'Lets Get Out Of This Country' which was introduced by Tracyanne Campbell as 'Lets Get Out Of This Thieving Country'. You can't argue with that.

Camera Obscura are well known for performing off the wall cover versions as encores and tonight was no exception. Their slowed down version of Robert Palmer's 'Some Guys Have All the Luck' was sung my Tracyanne as she read the lyrics from a sheet of crumpled paper. Apparently they had only recorded a session version for BBC 6 Music that afternoon so they weren't that up on how it went. It was a good stab at it and it was, as all cover versions should be, significantly different from the original. it was a fine gig and I'll definitely be catching them again in Colchester on their October tour. You can't beat a bit of Scottish indie-pop to put a smile on your face.

It's About Time...

2008-09-04T19:57:00.002+01:00

...I got my finger out and actually bothered to write something on this blog. I have an excuse. although not a particularly good one. I'm on pretty strong painkillers at the moment and it is fogging my mind and stemming the trickle of any juices that promote creativity. I have had some thoughts about what to do with this blog and what to do with it. I don't know whether to carry on with the usually mix of bollocks or hone it into a music style blog.

I'll be back soon with an answer.

Publicity stunt.

2008-06-12T19:18:00.003+01:00

So the Shadow Home Secretary has resigned his post on the front bench and his position as an MP. The reason? Because he disagrees with a decision made democratically in the House of Commons. I happen to support the view that the 42 day detention provisions are Draconian and quite appalling. As a socialist I find it a dreadful attack on civil liberties and human rights. What I don't get is David Davis resigning a his post over it. He says he (and his party0 support civil liberties. Hmm, they have short memories in the Tory Party. They brought in laws to outlaw Civil Servants at GCHQ from belonging to a union and continue to attack trade union ,members for daring to fight for there rights to employment and fair pay and conditions. This is nothing short of an attack on civil liberties.

His decision has brought about a furore of plaudits from political commentators and members of his own party. But why? In my view Davis has no reason to resign. He is in opposition and his party voted (with the exception of Anne Widdicome) to oppose the Bill. The government won and although I don't agree with the outcome I am a democrat and have to respect the result so should he. I don't believe for a second that Davis made this decision on his own. This is a cynical attempt by the Tory party to play politics. Cameron's support of Davis' decision bears this out. I sincerely hope that the other parties turn their back on the bye election so it becomes a non event.

It is a disgusting law but the attack on a democratic decision by parliament by a senior opposition politician is nearly as bad.

I hate work.

2008-05-07T12:57:00.003+01:00

Why do we have to work in this lovely weather. It doesn't seem fair. By rights I should be sitting in the garden with a cool drink with a good book and my iPod playing some tunes to reflect the climate. Instead I'm sitting indoors during my lunchbreak wiishing I wasn't here. I am listening to my iPod though so the music is reflecting the weather. John Martyn's Solid Air is just perfect for today as is A.N.D. by It's Jo and Danny. Summer sounds for a Summers day.

Roll on home time.

Smash The BNP

2008-04-26T10:31:00.007+01:00

It is time for the local elections in many places in the UK on Thursday 1 May an event that will pass many people by. The turnout in local elections is often so low that the elected representatives may only have 10-15% of the electorate voting for them. Obviously the local issues don't worry them, which is a worry as our local councils have a large influence on our lives. Our local council's offer (or don't in many cases) the services that we all consume. The national politicians are very often out of touch with the population, the outrageous 10% tax removal is a case in point. Local politicians however are usually from the local area and although a fair proportion of them are self important arseholes they do enable us to have a say in affairs that effect us directly.

In my area I have had leaflets from the Tories who, quite remarkably still get in time after time despite being a council that shuts theatres, stops funding to libraries, doesn't give a hoot about the state of the roads, spends thousands of pounds on a big piss up for council staff and then moans about the fact that they have no money for essential services and who, in the last three years has dug up the high street seemingly every three months or so and for no apparent reason. I have had a leaflet each from two independents (one of whom is a sitting councilor) who just slagged each other off. It seems that they are having a private battle in public (which clouds the issues that they are supposed to be addressing). The most disturbing leaflet I received and one which both angered and sickened me was one from every bodies favourite fascists the British National Party.

Their manifesto is confusing. They have pledged to collect rubbish on a weekly basis (which happens already) and they have promised to stop they influx of immigrants. Now I am no political student but last time I saw I Southend on Sea hadn't declared UDI and we do not have a border with the rest of Essex. How would they propose to stop immigration into Southend?

The BNP claim not to be a racist party yet they ban any one who isn't white from joining their party (although why anyone would want to join is beyond me). They try to be 'respectable' but still peddle extremist views, although they dress them up. They claim that they are 'victims' of a leftist conspiracy and that lies have been spread about them. Yet countless BNP members including leader Nick Griffin have been jailed for either racist attacks or spreading racial hatred. They are a very dangerous organisation who claim that they are the real champions of the 'indigenous British population' (i.e. anyone who isn't white). What this means is that anyone who doesn't support them and who values democracy, freedom and equality for everyone is their enemy. They hark on about Muslims, Poles and Czechs but they would soon include disabled people, Lesbian, Gay and Transsexuals and trade unionists. They hate but claim to love this country. A rich and diverse country that has a fine history of welcoming people of all races and creeds here.

Please, please use your vote on Thursday. I don't care who you vote for but stop the Fascist BNP.

Portishead - Hammersmith Apollo 10 April 2008

2008-04-13T12:19:00.003+01:00

Just after Tronik Youth's marvellous remix of Joy Division's 'She's Lost Control' faded away (which to my ears seems to have influenced Portishead's new single 'Machine Gun')Portishead took to the stage. They haven't released an album since 1997's 'Portishead' so news of a tour and a third album 'Third', to be released at the end of the month, has revitalised the interest in the band. Portishead have always been hard to categorise. Indie kids (and Indie adults) love them and they are the dance crowds favourite chill-out band. Their music is dark, moody and atmospheric and uses samples and programming and Adrian Utley's amazing guitar work. However it has always been Beth Gibbons vocals that have given the band such a distinctive sound.

Right form the first few bars of the first song it was clear that Portishead were going to be special tonight and although a few technical problems with the dj's decks forced them to leave the stage for about five minutes after 'Mysterons' they delivered in spades. The new songs are noticeably harder than the moody trip-hop of 'Dummy'. Eighties style synth sounds and percussion have given them a more industrial sound. The overall mood is still dark though and Beth Gibbons pours out emotion in her vocals. She has an amazing ability to sound like several different singers in one song. At times she sounds like Billie Holiday and at one stage during an amazing rendition of 'Wandering Star' she sounded like Edith Piaf. The new material bodes well for the new album but it was the material that they played from 'Dummy' that got the crowd going. 'Roads', 'Glory Box' and 'Sour Times' along with the aforementioned 'Mysterons' (with added Mysteron lights Captain Scarlett fans) and 'Wandering Star' were perfect. The gig closed with Beth jumping down into the pit to hug, kiss and shake hands with the front rows of the stalls. She really seemed to be enjoying herself. It was a fantastic night and well worth waiting 13 years for.

Glory Box

2008-04-09T19:49:00.004+01:00

Tomorrow I get to see the fabulous Portishead for the first time. They haven't released anything since there second studio album some 11 years ago so it is all very exciting. Their debut 'Dummy' is one of my very favourite albums of all time and still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end with its brilliance. This is one of the most eagerly anticipated gigs of the year.

I can't wait.

Free Tibet.

2008-04-07T15:17:00.008+01:00

The Olympic Torch is making its way over approximately 84 000 miles to China in time for the 2008 Games in Beijing. The torch is meant to symbolise unity, friendship and peace. When China were awarded the Olympics there were eyebrows raised throughout the world. Why were China, who do not allow there citizens a vote, who do not allow any dissension at all in fact, be allowed to host the greatest sporting event on the planet? China has an appalling human rights record against its own citizens and this has troubled many people. China has promised the rest of the world that it will improve its human rights record. It also promised that it would open dialogue with Tibet about some kind of self determination. They promised this as part of the deal in getting the games and so far there seems to be no evidence that things have changed in the slightest. In fact when the Tibetan people took to the streets recently the Chinese sent in the troops and crushed any rebellion. If this is improving things I'd hate to see them clamp down.

So the events on the streets of London yesterday and on the streets of Paris today (and I have just heard on the BBC that the French authorities have cancelled the torch procession because of the demonstrations) have met with my full approval. It filled me with pride that so many people took to the streets to stand up for an oppressed people. The media of course, has focused on the few people that committed civil disobedience by trying to disrupt the torch's progress. Some commentators, stand up Duncan Goodhew, ex-Olympic swimming Gold Medalist, have chosen to label these protesters criminals. He told BBC News 24 viewers that the torches progress was being spoilt by people partaking in criminal behaviour and the protesters were violent. I would beg to differ. There was definitely no violence in any of the protests. If you view the footage of the protester who tried to grab the torch from Konnie Huq you will see he did not try to barge her over or push her to the ground, all he did was try to take the torch from her. I would agree that the protesters who set of the fire extinguisher were a bit misguided and shouldn't have taken that course of action but the protesters did not hurt anyone. The other protests we saw were merely people wanting to stand in the way of the torch. They were unceremoniously bundled, rugby tackled or thrown to the ground by several burly policeman. Standing in the way of something is not, in my opinion, criminal behaviour. In fact a senior Metropolitan Police officer stated that the thirty-five arrests were for 'minor public order offences'. Not exactly the violent protests that Mr Goodhew would have us believe. He may have in fairness said what he said in the heat of the moment, but as an ex-Olympic medalist I would have preferred him to think about the Tibetan peoples plight instead of sport for a change.

There was another thing that worried me (surprise, surprise from ranty boy). The 'Torch Attendants' that ran along with it along the route. Who are these people? We were told that they are the guardians of the torch, why then did they look like Chinese secret service men? What are we doing allowing that kind of security for a bloody torch. I can understand if Hu Jintao, the President of China, came to these shores that he might have a secret service present, but there is no need for it with a torch. They were not needed and just looked menacing.

Yesterday was important because it raised awareness of the Tibetan people cause. I hope the protests continue. I also hope that the Olympic Games are a success and that sportsman taking part will be aware that the people of Tibet are being oppressed. The Dalai Lama has stated that the games should go ahead and we should remember that. The protests recently are not about cancelling the games or calling for a boycott but rather about stopping China using the games as propaganda that they believe in peace and unity. The world should know about what is going on in Tibet and in the puppet regime in Burma and remember that whilst watching the games.

Free Tibet Campaign

Inflated Opinions.

2008-03-28T19:00:00.005Z

I just don't get it at all. We are told by the financial press, the Chancellor, the Prime Minister, the opposition, the Bank of England and our employers (lest they give us a decent pay rise) that inflation is about 2.5% at the moment. We are told to be prudent in our pay claims because if we're not inflation will rise. Those of us in the public sector are told to be particularly careful.

Now I know I may not be a student of economics, either micro or macro, but my water bill has gone up by 20% this year, gas and electricity has gone up by about 15-20%, filling my car up with petrol is about 10 quid more expensive than it was this time a year ago, bread costs 20p a loaf more than it did 9 months ago. Food on the whole is more expensive (as a result of the fuel rise) too. And inflation is still only 2.5%.

I would love to buy accommodation for Lily, Sybil and me but house prices have spiralled out of control to such an extent that after 25 years of work and a decent wage I can't afford to buy anything with more than one bedroom. Yet inflation, they tell us is only 2.5%. I ask this simple question. What do you base you analysis on? I know i am far worse off this year than I was last and I know I'm not the only one. The outlook is fairly bleak too. If I get a 2% pay rise I will count myself lucky (although not happy) yet petrol, gas, electricity and water will continue to go up above the mythical rate of inflation.

Some clever economist will probably come up with an equation to prove that inflation is only 2.5% but I will say this. The rate of inflation is not based on any reality I know. it may not effect the fat cats in the city (Barclay's Bank President Bob Diamond got a BONUS of 14.8 million quid this year) but the rest of us will be left scratching our heads at how they come up with the figures and and tightening our belts as the cost of living soars.

Walk Like An Egyptian.

2008-03-20T20:00:00.004Z

An amazing thing happened today. It turned out to be one of the proudest moments of my life and it happened at a school assembly.

As soon readers will already know my partner Lily has a daughter called Sybil who is on the autistic spectrum. She attends the local primary school and very support from a care teaching assistant is doing really well. In the last four or five months she has really come on and is doing really good work at school. One of the big improvements that Sybs has made this year is that she now attends assemblies with the rest of her classmates. Until this year she found it very difficult as one thing she really doesn't like is the sound of children making a noise. Not easy for someone having to attend school every day. However she is finding it easier to tolerate noise and can now happily sit through whole assemblies joining in the singing (which she loves doing) with the rest of the children. Today though the day her class performed an assembly to their year and their parents. Lily asked me if I'd like to go and I jumped at the chance.

The assembly was all about the Ancient Egyptians and it was fantastic. I knew Sybs had a speaking part because Lily and I had helped her practice it quite a lot over the last few weeks. She had to thank everyone for coming at the very end of the performance and it meant that she had to walk to centre stage on her own and say "I hope you enjoyed our assembly, thank you for coming." What I hadn't expected though was when some of the girls in the class did a dance to 'Walk Like An and Sybil took part. She her dancing with her class mates and remembering all the moves was one of the most moving things I have ever seen. I hadn't expected my reaction at all. I love Sybs to bits but I hadn't really realised quite how much until her dance today. It was an amazing experience.

Afterwards loads of Mums and teachers came up to Lily to say how much they had loved seeing Sybil joining in and having such a good time. It was just as lovely to see Lily being so proud of her daughter.

Today was a very good day.

Grumpy?

2008-03-16T09:51:00.002Z

I seem to be getting grumpier the older I get. Not with my friends and family you understand but with the world in general and the people who inhabit it and run it. I find myself shouting at the radio more and more when some idiot says something stupid, which I'm afraid to say is happening more and more. Whether it is the Daily Mail/Express brigade texting, emailing or ringing in to BBC Radio Five Live, or some of their ludicrous presenters saying inane things about tragic events, it doesn't seem to matter. It pisses me right off and I go into rant mode.

I'll give you an example. Someone has just lost their possessions and very probably their home in a natural disaster such as the floods we incurred recently. Inane presenter/'journalist' asks said person "How are you feeling" strangely the person on the end of the question doesn't say "Fuck me, I'm brilliant thanks. Losing my home was just what I have always dreamed of. It's opened up all kinds of opportunities for me for a start. I've always wanted to be on tele/radio and now I can look forward to a couple of days being interviewed by fuckwit presenters asking stupid questions on news programmes".

You get the picture. However, my grumpy old man syndrome doesn't end there. More and more things are winding me up. F'instance, why do people insist on walking on the right in corridors, on staircases in railway stations etc. When I last looked we drive on the left in the UK so it isn't a great leap to work out that we should walk on the same side. It is amazing the amount of people stroll along on the right and expect me to move!!!

And another thing whilst I'm here, British terrestrial TV is shite. Thankfully the obsession with fly on the wall TV is slowly waning but it has been replaced with either celebrity 'talent' shows or audition TV. I remember a time when if you wanted to go on a talent show (and thankfully I never did) you had to go to an audition and all the really bad people (as opposed to just the bad ones who made on to the show) were weeded out. Not any longer they're not. They are actually given air time. It has bred a whole host of people who just want to be famous regardless of the fact that they are being ridiculed. I can't watch this car crash TV and find it hard to understand why anyone would either want to be on it or watch it.

I believe there is an agenda to make people look stupid so that it attracts viewers. Television producers are going out of their way to find the really bad people so that overpaid nobodies can slag them off and make them feel bad in front of millions of people. Some might argue that people have a choice whether they go on these programmes or not, but I don't think that is the point. People always did enter things like this but they were not publicly humiliated if they failed miserably.

Programmes like 'Dragons Den' and the 'Apprentice' are make TV stars of people whose job it seems is to be rude and intolerant of others. On the one occasion I have had the misfortune to watch 'Dragons Den' I saw several people whose 'products' were so ridiculous that it beggared belief They were still allowed on though so some nasty businessman could rip them to shreds and tell them they were morons. Obviously they were chosen because they were crap and were going to get ripped apart and that is unacceptable. The press are always harping on about the youth of today having no respect for anyone or anything yet they champion TV programmes that perpetuate this kind of behaviour. You'll probably say that I have an off button and don't have to watch any of this. Well I do use it and I don't watch any of it. It is nasty and brain numbing and I'd rather do almost anything else.

Well that was strangely cathartic. I feel much better for getting that off my chest. I might even turn the telly on in a minute, or walk down a corridor or even turn on the radio...

I will return.

2008-03-10T12:42:00.002Z

My blog has had to take a back seat for a while as I have been a tad busy of late. Work has been as mad as a mad thing lately and I'm also taking some exams for work too.

I haven't had the inclination or the inspiration to produce anything meaningful but I'm hoping to do something soon.

It will be good to get back to ranting about shit that pisses me off. pontificating on one of my favourite bands or posting lists of nonsense.

See ya all soon now.

Benazir Bhutto 1953 - 2007

2007-12-27T16:36:00.000Z

Benazir Bhutto was an extremely brave person who refused to bow down to the threat to her life. She was determined to bring democracy back to Pakistan and today paid for that determination when she was assassinated at an election rally in Rawlapindi. We can only hope her death was not in vein and that the people of Pakistan are once again free to choose their own government.

Oscar Peterson 1925 -2007

2007-12-25T11:42:00.000Z

One of the truly great jazz pianists, Oscar Peterson died on 23 December in his native Canada aged 82. He was one of the truly great jazz players with an instantly recognisable style. He played fast but very lyrically not only showing superb technique but also his fantastic improvisation skills. Oscar's 'Night Train' album made with bass player Ray Brown and drummer Ed Thigpen remains one of my favourite jazz albums of all time. Oscar Peterson was a true musical genius and will be sorely missed.

A New(ish) Arrival.

2007-12-18T19:44:00.000Z

Readers my be aware of my love of pussy cats. I have lived quite happily with my boys Marmite and Twiglet in darkest Essex. They get on very well and love to play fight and chase each other around the flat, shedding fur (Marmite) and knocking stuff over (Twiglet).

I have lived at the flat for about two and a half years and for all of that time a rather large female cat has either hung around in the garden or has snuck in when no one is looking to nick food. All the neighbours around me have wondered where she belongs. She is fit and healthy, with a lovely shiny coat but from her actions it seems she belongs to nobody.

Over the last year or so she has become bolder. I'd find her asleep on my kitchen table when I got up in the morning or when I got home from work. She wouldn't venture any further than the kitchen and was happy to cadge a bit of food if she could. I tried forcibly to chuck her out on many occasions but she showed her displeasure by hissing and moaning at me. The neighbours still often asked who the fat tabby with white feet belonged to because she obviously was trying it on with them too.

About three months ago I tried to see if she would come further into the flat. She was very weary of coming further than the doorway to the lounge. Then one weekend when Lily and Sybil were staying she decided that she wanted to come a see Sybs (who was on the computer). She trotted into the lounge and settled down on the floor for a sleep. That was a turning point. She pops about for a quick wander like the boys but has decided she likes living in Chez Marmite and is now a permanent fixture. She sleeps on the bed with me at night and loves being fussed and curling up to whoever is available on the sofa. Twiglet get s along very well with her and Marmite is getting used to her but likes to tell her who is boss a couple of times a day. She has been named Podge due to her immense girth. It seems she was very adept at begging for food.

Obviously I was still a bit concerned about just who, if anyone, she belongs to. The friend I bought the flat from assures me that she was around as a kitten with two others about 5 years ago so it seems she has been dumped. The other two have long since disappeared (probably by the same tactics as Podge).

I am, therefore, a three cat family and when Lily and I move in together (which will hopefully happen next year) we will be a six cat family. Which is a lot of Felix I can tell you.

Gdansk, Zubrowka and Solidarnosc.

2007-12-07T22:45:00.000Z

The trip to Gdansk was not really planned. Father O'Malley rang me one Satruday evening about six weeks ago and stated that he had book three seats on a flight for himself, Jock Pop and me to Gdansk in Northern Poland, total price £1.56. Now that is cheap! I booked some hotel rooms at £21 a night and it was on.

We left home at 4:00 on Wednesday morning and arrived at Gatwick for our flight out. Upon arrival a taxi dropped us at our hotel for us to dump our bags and we headed into town. Gdansk is one of the three towns dubbed the 'Tri-City' in Northern Poland along with Gdynia and Sopot (twinned with my home town of Southend).

Gdansk is probably most famous for Solidarnosc (Solidarity) the trade union movement that defied the Communist regime in 1980. It was a revolution that captured the attention of the world and catapulted Lech Walesa the leader of Solidarnosc to iconic status. He eventually became the President of Poland following the fall of Communism and was awarded the Nobel Peace prize. The 'Roads To Freedom' Centre on Waly Piatowskie is well worth a visit therefore. It costs just over a quid to get in and is moving, frightening and a great tribute to the human spirit.

The one thing that you will notice if you live in the UK is just how cheap Poland is. Taxi's are a fraction of the cost of the equivalent fare in Britain. The 10 minute ride into the town centre from our hotel was about 3 quid, the journey back from the station to my flat today cost £10!!

Food is hearty and also very cheap. You can have a massive meal for under a fiver. if you fancy a booze up then you will fall over before you run out of money. The local brew Zybiec is a pound a pint and vodka (which comes in double measures) is about the same. My favourite Zubrowska (Bison Grass Vodka) is a gorgeous drink. I had had it on a couple of occasions before but at a 6 zloty a go I had quite a bit more of it. It probably didn't mix well with my pain killers (i.e. it stopped them working) but hey, it's not often I have a booze up these days and I didn't go mad. Not as mad as my companions who were really suffering this morning on the flight back after drinking copious amounts and not getting back to the hotel until 2am. How I laughed.

Gdansk is a great place. Friendly people, good food, fantastic drink and as cheap as chips. If you get the chance give it a go. I'm looking forward to going back.

Cold Turkey.

2007-11-30T12:01:00.000Z

I feel like shit. I have changed to a new pain killing regime as the dyhydrocodeine I was taking wasn't really working that well. I was in pain most of the time and the drugs was offering about an hour a day relief. So at my trip to the pain clinic afforded me with a new drug to try. I am now on Gabapentin and it is too early to say if they are working properly yet. They are making my head fuzzy and upsetting my stomach (don't ask!!) and I've got to build up to taking four a day over the next week or so.

The problem is coming off the 90mg's of dyhydrocodeine twice a day. They are slow release so leave your body nicely topped up with codeine. Codeine is a treatment for, how can I put this delicately, 'the runs' (as my 91 year-old Nan would say). Take it away and there is trouble. I have also experienced the sweats and shivers (at the same time) and muscle contrations that have made me feel very weird indeed. All this was because I cut down from one tablet a day to two. I'm not stupid enough to stop altogether.

I went to the Doctor yesterday (who is not particularly sympathetic to the pain control cause) and he reluctantly gave me some 60mg dyhydrocodeine so that the withdrawal isn't so bad. And so far (I've only taken one) it hasn't been quite so bad, although I'm am fast approaching another pill. The Doctor gave me a lecture that I should be taking these tablets together and if I took them for a long period I would be sitting on a 'timebomb', completely failing to understand, despite my telling him at least three times in my five-minute interview that that was precisely why I had come to see him. He obviuosly thinks cold turkey is the way to go but I have to work and sitting at my desk shaking and running to the loo every ten minutes is not an option. I'm sure it's not that good for you either.

So I'm exspecting to feel rubbish for the next week or so, at least until I have come off the old drug and started with the new one anyway. One good thing is that I feel so rubbish that the pain doesn't seem to be an issue.

Half a gig for the price of two!

2007-11-18T20:20:00.000Z

It has been a weird old week gig wise at Chez Marmite. I had two gigs to look forward to this time last week. I was due to see Amusement Parks On Fire on Tuesday and was to follow it up by seeing Billy Bragg on Thursday at an event called Arms Aloft at Acton Town Hall in West London.

On Tuesday I travelled up to Hoxton with my mate Jim to see APOF. I had seen half a set by them at Reading a couple of years back and had bought both there excellent albums so I was really looking forward to seeing them again. Unfortunately it didn't go exactly to plan. We arrived at Hoxton Bar and Kitchen in plenty of time but it was clear that the venue were very disorganised when it came to setting the band equipment up. APOF were due to hit the stage at 10 o'clock giving us a shot at seeing a really good set. However, because of a lot of fannying around they didn't come on until 10:30. As we had to leave at 11 for our train we only saw 30 minutes of the set. This is a shame because what we did see was very good indeed. The sound quality as superb and you could really hear the different layers of sound that APOF build up. They are part 'Post-Rock' part 'Shoegazey' and should really be checked out. I hope to see a full set by them soon. Third time lucky.

This was not the end of my 'failed to see what I paid for' week though. On Saturday my best friend from school rang and said that good mate of his had a ticket going spare for Billy Bragg at Acton Town Hall. It was a gig to commemorate the last time Joe Strummer, erstwhile lead singer of The Clash, performed on stage in London. The original gig was five years ago and was a benefit for the Fire Brigades Union. Hugh and I arrived at the venue at about 7:15, just as the doors opened and stood around chatting and having a beer. We went into the hall to watch the support band Take The Fifth a pretty decent Clash covers band and were really looking forward to seeing Billy. However, all was not well.

The support went off at about 9:30 and unfortunately we were joined by a second support band (I won't go into just how into themselves they were but it wasn't a pretty sight). As they didn't come on until 10 o'clock we started to get worried. I asked the bloke running the bar when Bragg was on and he said that he should be on at 11 o'clock!! This was not good news as my last train was at 11:18 and Hugh had a taxi booked back to darkest Buckinghamshire for 11:00. I confirmed the start time with a young woman behind the tee-shirt stall. We weren't not happy! The promoter had not made any mention of such a late finish. If they had we wouldn't have gone. it is impossible to get back from London to the 'Burbs' by public transport that late at night so we wasted £17.50 to see a covers band. Gigs in London never finish after 11:00 unless particularly specified and there was no excuse for this.

I'm sure that we weren't the only ones caught out on Thursday and it's a shame because there was no need for the gig to go on so late. I'm still paying for the travelling in extra amounts of pain which would have been worth it had I actually seen something. I hope I'll be luckier next time.

Londonitus

2007-11-10T14:05:00.000Z

I read a letter in Word Magazine written by my mate Planet Mondo about a gig he went to in Cambridge featuring the wonderful John Martyn. All through the gig someone sitting behind him sang at the top of his voice out of tune and with no regard to people actually trying to enjoy the gig.

As a regular gig goer I am becoming more and more frustrated at this kind of thing. My gripe is not with singing however but people who go to gigs and then talk all the way through it. It is known by my mates and me as Londonitus and it is becoming worse and worse. It usually happens at a gig featuring a band that is being talked about and is therefore just the type of gig to be seen at. It is quite evident that some people do not really have any interest in the bands they have gone to see. Whether these are guestlisters who work in PR or the 'industry' I have no idea but I don't think they can be fans of the band.

One case in point took place a while ago now at the ICA in London when I went to see Mogwai. If you are unfamiliar with their work, Mogwai have very loud parts to their tracks and some quiet bits too. The chatter during the quiet bits of this gig (which was in a much smaller venue than Mogwai usually play in thus upping the trendiness quota) was unbelievable. What was more unbelievable was that when the band cranked the volume up the people talking raised their voices so they could be heard!! The arrogance of this is astounding. It was if the band were interrupting their conversation with their music. This isn't an isolated incident either. I have actually heard someone talking at a gig and say "I love this track" and then continue to talk all the way through it!

To attend a gig now and not here chatting all the way through is now so rare my mates and I comment on it. It shouldn't be like this of course and I really wish venues would police things better. The Luminaire in London tells punters to be quiet and as a result your enjoyment of the music is not spoilt by selfish poseurs.

I would therefore appreciate anyone who wishes to have a chit-chat during a gig to do one of two things. Either don't bother coming or, if you really must been 'seen', go and talk in the bar. I'm off to see Amusement Parks On Fire next week in ultra-trendy Hoxton and I fear the worst. I only hope the place will be full of real fans who want to hear them play.

Banksy Unmasked?

2007-11-06T18:56:00.001Z

Banksy is a bit of enigma. His art has been gracing the walls of buildings, roads, bus shelters and art galleries for many years but his identity is a closely guarded secret. He has rarely been interviewed by the media even when he has been he has never been filmed or photographed. To start with this secrecy was a necessity as Banksy is somewhat of a guerrilla artist. His pieces tend to 'appear' over night and are often highly satirical in nature. They are large graffiti style paintings and are quite brilliant. One of my favourites is a painting of The Mona Lisa wearing headphones and carrying a rocket launcher.

His pictures are now highly sought after and have fetched very good prices at auction (not the ones on the side of buildings obviously). Ten of his works recently sold for half a million quid and his fans include Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.

Recently however a picture has appeared that could well be Banksy at work. It was taken in Bethnal Green in London and shows a man, pot of yellow paint in hand, drawing yellow lines on a wall. Later the picture at the top of this post was completed. Has Banksy finally been spotted? Maybe but I doubt he'll be inviting the worlds media for a press conference. Part of his appeal is his invisibility. The fact that he can suddenly produce fantastic pieces of art and nobody sees him do it is what makes him so exciting as an artist. He is much more legit now (he usually gets commissioned to paint rather than just producing graffiti) but he is still the man when it comes to street art in this country.

See more of Banksy here:

Banksy Online

Ally's Flickr Page

And They Say Cricket Is Boring.

2007-10-28T19:22:00.000Z

The National Football League has come to London. The Miami Dolphins American Football team are playing one of their 'home' games at Wembley Stadium against the New York Giants. It's on Sky at the moment and I must say I have rarely been so bored. It has often been said that America would never take to cricket because nothing happens and it takes too long!! Well tell me this, why does a game that is one hour long take 3 and a half hours to complete? Periods of play seem to last no more than 5 seconds (and that's a good one). Surely the concentration span of your average American is longer than this?

I'm going for a bath and I bet the bloody thing is still going on when I've finished an' all.

Cheers Danny

2007-10-24T19:52:00.000+01:00

Along with a couple of fellow bloggers (and friends of 20 years plus) I have set up a new blog called The Long Player. The premise is to write about the albums we have loved and that have had an impact on our lives. It is a real fanboy type of thing to do and Planet Mondo, Piley and me are sufficiently sad to be able to pontificate endlessly on what we believe to be great records.

The first album that was talked about was Power In The Darkness by the Tom Robinson Band. It was the first record that really meant something to me and moved me away from listening to just pop music. A couple of tracks are still amongst my favourites some 29 years after its release. TRB's guitarist was Danny Kustow who remains one of my very favourite guitarists of all time. Danny really goes for it on TRB's records and gives them a raw power and a sound of their own.

I recently joined Danny's Myspace page and was thrilled when he replied to a comment I'd left on his page. It was fantastic to be contacted by someone I'd regarded so highly. This week I emailed Danny and mentioned the post about Power In The Darkness and was really touched when I opened up my Myspace page today and found another email form Danny. He said how brilliant it was that I had written about the album and how true my comments were about it. he said he felt proud and thanked me from the bottom of his heart. It has made not only my day but quite possibly my week, month and year to hear this. Danny doesn't play professionally anymore and he deserves to be remembered as a truly great new wave guitarist. To discover that my post has made him feel proud of his work today is very special.

With Great Age Comes Great Responsibility.

2007-10-19T19:40:00.000+01:00

A rather lovely thing has happened to me lately. I have been with Lily now for over 18 months and it has been fantastic. She is a warm, kind, gorgeous and lovely person who I love lots and lots.

As you may have seen in these pages Lily has a daughter called Sybil. Sybs is a star. She is very, very funny, loves reading, computers, cool tv programmes like Bod, Camberwick Green, Trumpton, Chigley and Mr Benn, likes her comics (she loves the Beano so much that she won't let anyone else read it. Ever.) She likes Bakewell Tart, Jaffa Cakes, fishfingers, breaded fish, chicken nuggets, bread and butter, cheese sandwiches, Kit-Kats, milk and orange juice. She loves pussy cats but doesn't like flies.

She is into music and is a real indie chick. Her current favourites are Teenage Fanclub (that's my Fannies t-shirt she is sporting in the picture above), The Slits (her favourite favourite), Camera Obscura, Belle and Sebastian, Kings of Convenience, The Wonderstuff and Ben Folds Five. I love her very much.

Oh and as of 9th October I am her official guardian. Life is good.

I'll Be Back

2007-10-13T17:49:00.000+01:00

Tory leader Little Dave Cameron has apparently popped over to California to hold 'talks' with the Terminator Arnold Schwarzenegger. Apparently Dave and Arnie had a chat about gun crime. Cameron said "we had a long conversation about crime because really the principle reason I'm here, apart from the Google speech I've made, is to look at the issue of guns and gangs". He said that Arnie had also given him a gift of his dvd's.

Now I know that Schwarzenegger is the Governor of California and all that but I fail to see what input he can have into combating gun crime in the UK. The USA is one of the most violent countries in the world, gun crime is rife and the gun lobby has a massive influence over who gets elected and what laws are passed. I hate the Tories from the bottom of my heart (a legacy from the Thatcher era of the 1980's) but I would have liked to think that the days of them looking to the policies of right wing politicians (ex-actors or not) who promote the right to bear arms, are against same sex marriage and who has authorised the execution of prisioners had passed.

The Tory old guard and their cronies at the Daily Mail, Express and Telegraph are always harping on about the influence of the media and films on our young. I wonder how many of them will jump to condem Cameron's trip to seek the views of a man who made an entire career out of shooting hundreds of people dead in his films?

I'll be very surprised if they do.

iLiKETRAiNS LiVE The Arts Centre - Colchester

2007-10-05T19:41:00.000+01:00

The support tonight was from the excellent Norwich band Sennan who hark back to the days of Shoegazey. Had iLiKETRAinS not turned up their set would have been worth the admission price alone. I already have a copy of their debut album and I was very excited to learn that they were playing too. It made for a very enjoyable evening to see two bands at the top of their game.

iLiKETRAiNS are a bit different to your average band. There are no songs about unrequited love or ex-girlfriends. There are no laddish lyrics about starting riots or getting pissed either. Instead the songs are about the most unlikely of subjects. 'A Rook House For Bobby' for instance is about American chess Grand Master Bobby Fischer and other songs, 'Spencer Perceval' about the only British Prime Minister to be assassinated, 'Twenty Five Sins' about the Great Fire of London and other songs are about the Great Plague, the Beeching Report which shut down half the British railway system and ill-fated attempts at sailing around the world in a yacht. Not your normal fare you'll agree. There music is dark and mournful and David Martin's lead vocals are deep and soulful.

Live they really nail it. The musicianship is excellent and the sound they produce soars and takes you with it. As they play a back projection plays montages related to each song. It adds to the whole live experience and really draws you in.

This was a superb night, great music, an excellent venue, ideally suited for the bands and great value at seven quid a pop.

Ned Sherrin

2007-10-02T18:51:00.000+01:00

Ned Sherrin, presenter, writer, producer, stage director and theatre impresario has died at the age of 76. His place in the big league of British popular culture cannot be denied. He was responsible for producing That Was The Week That Was which, it can be argued, changed the face of British comedy in that its satirical nature had a big influence in the direction of comedy, especially as so much of the 'alternative comedy' circuit was to become satirical in nature.

He produced many theatre productions in London's West End including Side By Side By Sondheim and Jeffery Barnard Is Unwell and produced Up The Junction on TV as well as The Virgin Soldiers for cinema.

In recent years however, Sherrin is best remember for Loose Ends on BBC Radio 4. It was a weekly show (originally on Saturday mornings) that showcased just about every form of entertainer you could think of. From novelists, actors, comedians, singers, musicians and journalists. Graham Norton, Victoria Coren, Robert Elms, Victor Lewis-Smith, Arthur Smith and Emma Freud all worked on Loose Ends at some time early in their careers. He was a great raconteur who seemed to have a story about everyone.

To my mind he was a pioneer and like another great pioneer Anthony H Wilson who also died recently he has left a great legacy behind him and will be sorely missed.

Paddington Bear - A Very Brave Bear Indeed.

2007-09-24T20:55:00.000+01:00

I have been quite upset at the flack that young Peruvian bear Paddington has been getting in the press. He has been accused, quite unfairly, of all kinds of misdemeanours all because he decided to take part in an ad campaign for Marmite. Readers will understand my defence of him. He has been championing marmalade since his arrival on our shores and as we all know to much chunky cut makes a bear a dull boy.

He has obviously decided to branch out a bit and why I am a little concerned that he has fallen for such a cheap marketing ploy as squeezy Marmite (which is obviously the work of the Nazi's or the Devil), his heart is in the right place. Marmite is such a superior spread. It is savoury, spicy and salty and is just the kind of thing to give a young bear a good start to the day. And anyway Marmalade has too much sugar in it and is bad for the teeth.

We, Marmite fans, must stand up for this courageous bear. He likes Marmite and isn't afraid to declare it. Paddington Bear we salute you.

Hiding In The Shadows.

2007-09-21T11:37:00.000+01:00

Capodistria and I took a trip last night to Ipswich in darkest Suffolk. The purpose of this dangerous cross border raid from Essex was to see The Shadow Project at The Railway in the town. They are one of my new favourite bands and Capo was suffficiently taken with their debut album to come along too.

For those of you in the know Ipswich has a blackhole of a oneway system. Get lost and you may never see civilisation again!! The directions I printed off from a journey planning site were 'sketchy', so it took an hour at least once we had got into Ipswich to find the venue. Round and round we went. If you missed a turn off, which were not marked with the road number (which our directions were) it took ages to try and retrace your steps back to where you started to try and find teh right way. To bne fair to Ipswich town centre it wasn't its fault that the directions were total bollocks. The major road we had to find was a right turn at a set a traffic lights, a pretty major landmark I'll think you'll agree. Not good enough for shite website directions, oh no. There was no mention whatsoever of traffic lights, right turns or anything resembling a local landmark. We were led to believe that the road changed from the A1214 into the A137, which wasted about twenty minutes.

Anyway after quite a few examples of this we fianally arrived at a very weird looking venue. It had many posters outside for all kinds of 'tribute bands' (I use the term loosely as I reckon many of the true artists would be mortified by some of the shite that is being played in their name) and an awfully lot of Karaoke. We made our way in and I started to worry. There seemed to be no posters up saying 'Tonight all the way from just up the road The Shadow Project" There seemed to be nobody on the door taking any form of payment either (you can see where this is going can't you?) I went up to the bar and asked if the Shadow Project were indeed playing there tonight was met with confusion. It seemed that they hadn't been booked or indeed heard of. I had checked before leaving on their Myspace page and indeed when I got home I checked again. It was there in pixels and white "The Shadow Project - The Railway Ipswich". A 65 mile journey for nothing.

What to do next? We could have just driven home but neither of us hadn't had any tea (or supper if yoiu liove in Bracknell Towers) and we were a tad on the peckish side. We drove into the centre of town in search of an eatery and after dismissing an expensive Chinese and and even more expensive Indian we settled on 4 Street Fish and Chip Restaurant. It was very good indeed. I had King Prawn Tempura to start, whcih were probably the best I have ever tasted and followed it with Grilled Cod(the will grill or pan fry your fish as well as the traditional method) and Chips. Capo had Stilton Stuffed Mushrooms and Grilled Haddock. It was superb. The staff were friendly and atentive and the whole lot (with drinks) was £15 a head. Brilliant place and well worth a visit.
I had intended to write a gig review today but it has turned into a Restaurant review instead. That's a first.

Jumped Up Pantry Boy Who Doesn't Know His Place.

2007-09-19T07:34:00.000+01:00

The National Film Theatre on London's South Bank is a wonderful thing. It is cheap (six quid for a film), comfortable and people go to watch the film and not talk, eat popcorn and unwrap sweets. It also shows some old classics that you wouldn't find at the local Multiplex.

Last night, Electroboy and me went up 'that London' to see Sleuth, Joesph L. Mankiewicz's excellent 1972 film scripted by Peter Shaffer adapted from his own play. The film pairs up Laurence Olivier and Michael Caine as an unlikely screen double act in a tale of twists, turns, games and retribution.

The film centres of Olivier's Andrew Wyke, a success writer of crime novels, who invites a new neighbour Milo Tindle over for a chat. Wyke reveals that he knows that Milo is having an affair with his wife and the game begins. Wyke says that his wife, who has expensive tastes, could not be kept, by Milo in "the manner to which she has become accustomed" and proposes that if Milo can support her, he is willing to let her go, so he can in turn live with his mistress. He devises a plan in which Milo would steal his wifes jewels pocket the cash and then Andrew could claim the insurance money. Everybody gets what they want and everybody is happy. Or so it seems!!

I won't reveal more because I don't want to spoil the film but I will say that the film is as twisty and turny as a twisty turny thing and that it has real moments of tension and humour. The performances are superb. Olivier tears up the scenery like he always has and although extremely good is out acted, in my opinion, by Caine. He is quite brilliant and gives his best ever performance. I've always been a big fan of Michael Caine but it can't be denied that he is usually an extension of Michael Caine in his screen perfomances. Here though, he is stretched and pulls it off with ease. When he got the part he famously said "With Olivier, I can't lose. If I'm not as good as he is, nobody will be surprised. If I give him a run for his money, peple will say 'Fancy Michael Caine doing that!'" Well he was right in almost every aspect except he was better than Olivier.

If you can find this on DVD or it is on telly I'd advise giving this film a watch, two or more if you can. I've seen it countless times now and always pick up something new from it. It should be regarded as a classic and perhaps the finest adaptation of a stage play on screen.

I Love Country Music...

2007-09-17T19:32:00.000+01:00

...well after a fashion I do. I love the new altternative country stuff. It is raw and sparse and there isn't a rhinestone in sight. One thing I do love about some of the old style Nashville Country and Western music os the ridiculous song titles that some of the songs are given. They are usually about 'your man doing you wrong' or 'Little Sammy being run pover by a truck' or some such nonsense. The songs aren't meant to be funny I'm sure, but everyone outside of Nashville finds them hilarious. Because I'm a lazy sod, and can't be arsed to trawl through the interwebnet to find some real ( and no doubt funnier) song titles I have made up. Here then, and in no particular order, is my take on Country and Western song titles.

Jesus Is For Life, Not Just For Christmas Time.
Daddy Loves His AK More Than He Loves Me.
Don't Go A Whoring Mommy, Please Stay At Home Instead.
He May Be A Klansman, But Daddy Don't Come Home Drunk.
She Said She'd Go And Leave Me, So I Had To Shoot Her Dead.
He Left Me For A Cowhand And Broke My Heart In Two.
My Sister Sleeps With Grandpa, But Grandpa Sleeps With Mom.
Hang A Commie Bastard From The Nearest Tree.
Book Learning Is For Faggots, Gun Toting Is For Men.
God Save Our Christian Soldiers Whilst Bombing In Iraq.

Maybe some of these songs already exist and are being belted out in some Redneck bar in Tennessee. I kinda hope so.

John Peel Day

2007-09-15T21:57:00.000+01:00

11 October marks the third anniversary of John Peel's final broadcast. On the 25 October 2004 John died in Peru. His legacy lives on in the third 'John Peel Day'. With any luck hundreds of gigs will be performed around the country in his memory. Music, especially new and exciting music, was the second biggest thing in John's life (after his family) and therefore having a day set aside for the enjoyment of music is a fine tribute.

Rest in Peace John. By the way the last Fall LP was really quite good.

The House Of Love - Live At Koko Club

2007-09-14T12:19:00.000+01:00

The House of Love were probably the first band I went to see numerous times. It's like supporting a football team in a way, following a band around. You have to put the work in. You have to travel to distant lands (well Kent in my case). It was a fine time because the House of Love were superb band. Then they signed to a major label made a dodgy album and imploded.

Some 16 years after last seeing them I was happy to see that, as part of the Don't Look Back series of concerts where bands play one of their classic albums in their entirety. The House of Love played their seminal self-titled first album.

After a dreadful and completely inappropriate support from a pop-ska band who should remain in a pub doing parties for pissed up stag nights, we were eagerly looking forward to HoL. Once the opening bars of 'Christine' rand out it was like being transported back to 1988, when I was younger and getting back to seeing live bands again. The songs sounded as good as ever, although the intervening years have dented the Guy Chadwick's intensity a bit. Followed by 'Hope', 'Road' and the wonderful 'Sulphur' the mosh pit was soon bouncing along (although I only witnessed this from a safe distance). After the album was done the band popped off stage for a bit and returned to give us the classic singles 'Destroy The Heart' and the fantastic 'Shine On'.

It was a good night which brought back some great memories but it wasn't just a nostalgia trip. It proved that the bands that I new and loved way back when were far more inventive musically than a great deal of the current scene. And now that I sound like my Dad I'm going for a lie down.

Jesus And Mary Chain - Live Brixton Academy

2007-09-09T19:10:00.000+01:00

Psychocandy by The Jesus and Mary Chain has always been one of my favourite albums. My old vinyl copy was virtually worn away because I played it so much. I loved the great waves of feedback that all but obliterated the vocals.

Mary Chain gigs were infamous. They were often short, chaotic, and violent with brothers Jim and William Reid usually ending up falling out (they apparently didn't get on at all). It pains me to say that I have never seen them live. It was at the time of my accident and I didn't see a gig for a few years. On Friday night though the situation was recitified.

It is always a bit worrying when you go and see a band some 15 years on, especially when you've held them in such high esteem. Can they still crack it? Will it be like your Mum and Dad going to see Freddie and the Dreamers? Well I was relieved when the Mary Chain hit the stage and opened up with 'Never Understand' there feedback ridden masterpiece. It was cleaner, and more proficient than 1985 version but still rocked and set the tone for the evening. They played most of what I would have wanted to hear, Taste Of Cindy, Just Like Honey and finisdhed with a barnstorming version of Reverence from Honey's Dead.

Three of my favourite gigs this year have turned out to be seeing bands that I first got into more than 15 years ago. This, Dinosaur Jr and Buffalo Tom earlier in the year have perhaps proved to me that the current scene is a bit lacking. I like to look forward with music because there is always something exciting that I've not heard yet, but on the evidence of Friday night I will checking the gig listings to see if any more old indie kids are strutting their stuff.

Blog Against The Telethon.

2007-09-04T19:42:00.000+01:00

My attention was recently drawn to an online campaign against a Muscular Dystrophy Telethon in the USA that is taking place on Labor Day. Miss Crip Chick is running the campaign over at her blog. The telethon is being hosted by comedy actor Jerry Lewis and unfortunately the event is so steeped in the Charity Model of Disability is nothing less than deeply offensive.

Mr Lewis seems to believe that disabled people are poor helpless creatures who not only need pity and charity he also believes, from comments he has made, that disabled people should not attempt to take part fully in society unless they are 'cured' of there terrible affliction. Disabled campaigners have been quick to step up to the plate and protest against the telethon because it of its overt use of the Charity Model. It promotes pity as a way of raising money for cures. When disabled activists complained Lewis said:

"Pity? [If] you don't want to be pitied because you're a cripple in a wheelchair, stay in ya house

The lovely caring Mr Lewis also said the following:

"I'm telling people about a child in trouble! If it's pity, we'll get some money. I'm just giving you facts!"

It doesn't stop there. It actually gets worse. The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) who run the telethon with Lewis published the following in Parade magazine under a Jerry Lewis byline:

"What if the twist of fate that we hear so much about really happened? What if, when the gifts and the pains were being handed out, I was in the wrong line?" Lewis began . "What if I had Muscular Dystrophy?" was its title.
"I decided after 41 years of battling this curse that attacks children of all ages, I would put myself in that chair, that steel imprisonment that long has been deemed the dystrophic child's plight," he continued.

"I know the courage it takes to get on the court with other cripples and play wheelchair basketball, but I'm not as fortunate as they are," Lewis wrote, halfway into the piece. He had so far managed to include nearly every term or concept offensive to disability rights advocates, and his next sentences would work in the others: "I'd like to play basketball like normal, healthy, vital and energetic people. I really don't want the substitute. I just can't half-do anything. When I sit back and think a little more rationally," he continued, "I realize my life is half, so I must learn to do things halfway. I just have to learn to try to be good at being half a person."

Can you believe the guy? For years disabled people have been seen as second class citizens and have fought an uphill battle just to get access to buildings, jobs and education. It seems that some people don't thing that we are worthy of this as we are "half a person" as Lewis puts it. And this comes from a man who actually believes he is doing some good.

Lewis' attitude stinks. It reinforces every negative attitude there has every been able us (those living with MD and those of us with other impairments and conditions). I would urge you to visit Miss Crip Chicks website and join in the campaign against this Telethon.

New Ink

2007-09-02T11:02:00.000+01:00

I've just had my seventh tattoo. It is a mixture of Polynesian and Japanese symbols and the work was done, as usual, by the rather excellent Giselle at Shamanic Body Art in Westcliff.

Thanks also to Lady B's Editor for sending me the mobile phone photos I sent her back to me by email.

The Seventh Gate by Richard Zimler

2007-08-25T14:31:00.000+01:00

On 14 July 1933 the Nazi government of Germany passed the "Law for the Prevention of Genetically Diseased Offspring (Gesetz zur Verhütung erbkranken Nachwuchses)" also known as the sterilization law. The law ordered the compulsory sterilization of anyone deemed to be "suffering from genetic disorders". Over 400,000 people were sterilized against their will and no one knows how many people were murdered but it is believed to have been hundreds of thousands.

Zimler's wonderful book is set in Berlin during the Nazi's reign of terror and focuses on Sophie Riedesel a feisty 14-year old who has a secret circle of Jewish and disabled friends and her relationships with Issac Zarco their leader, her Nazi adoring boyfriend and her disabled brother.

Zimler has painted a terrifying picture about what it must have been like to be Jewish, disabled or gay during in Germany before the war. The atrocities carried out by the Nazi's makes you angry, helpless and leaves you devastated that man could inflict such suffering on their fellow man. But it also is a book of hope and how some people no matter how dangerous is was to continue friendships with 'undesirables' refused to turn their backs and fight against what was right.

The characters are wonderfully drawn. Sophie is a strong, witty and although it might seem that she is years ahead of her time is completely believable. Issac the leader of the group of ex-circus performers is a tower of strength to all around him and provides shelter for his friends Vera, the giantess, the Heidi and Wolf who are small people, the deaf photograpgher Karl-Heinz and his wife Marieanne and a blind, gay tightrope walker called Roman.

Zimler has told a story captivates from the first page and grips you until the final page. It is frightening in its realism, extremely touching, shatteringly sad but at times funny too. It is well worth a trip to your local library.

Pancakes.

2007-08-24T21:15:00.000+01:00

Today I had pancakes for my tea. They were okay but not as nice as my Mum's. Marmite tried a bit but was put off by the lemon and sugar. Twiglet doesn't care for such things either.

Marmite and Spaghetti Bolognese.

2007-08-03T08:12:00.000+01:00

Not content with eating Baked Beans on Toast Marmite's palate has become more sophisticated. He now enjoys a plate of Spaghetti Bolognese. Now he has been trying this delicacy for a while now but I haven't been quick enough with my camera phone to catch him tucking in. I apologise for the poor quality of the photo but it does show that he is more partial to the pasta than than the minced beef.

I Ain't Never Done That!!

2007-07-31T12:43:00.000+01:00

I turned 42 yesterday and while I lay in bed contemplating my onward push to middle-age,I started thinking about all the things I haven't done. I suppose this is a time of life when you are prone to looking back and ruminating on past acheivements and lost chances. However, the following list is not about missed opportunities, but more about conscious decisions not to do things that others enjoy doing. So, for the record, I have never...

Seen E.T. - I have never had the desire to see this film, nor, shall I ever go out of my way to see it. It has almost become a tallismen now and if I were to see it I would be cast into the pits of Hell. Luckily the story of an alien who rides flying bikes and who phones home holds no interest.
Read Lord Of The Rings. - Lady Bracknell's Editor and Lily may be huge fans of the rambling opus about having a bit of a walk about before throwing a ring in a firery pit and they may both consider me a Phillistine for not liking it. However, after struggling with The Hobbit (with which I was bored stiff), I'm buggered if I'm going to read it's bigger brother. And I know the language is supposed to be beautiful but I haven't got inclination to read 40 pages of a book where nothing happens.
Smoked A Pipe. - I already have a pair of slippers, so already have half of the middle-aged mans equipment. I don't fancy stick a pipe in me gob though.
Played In A Proper Football Match. - I watch football, both live and on the television (although my interest is on the wane) but I have never kicked a ball in anger. I wasn't good enough to play football for any school team and now, even if I was fit enough, I don't think I could be arsed. To much running about.
Seen A Complete Episode Of Friends. - I have never understood the attraction of this programme. I know it is popular and it has made international stars of its cast, but I just don't get it. I have tried to watch it on a number of occasions but can't get further than 5 minutes in and have never found it remotely funny. And anyway how does someone who is a waitress in a coffee bar afford to live in a Manhatten apartment that would retail for over a million dollars? Load of old bollocks, so it is.
Laughed At Jim Davidson. - I was once accused of pretending not to like Jim Davidson so as to appear elitist. Now I don't know about you, but I find him to be a racist, homophobic, disabilist arsehole and my justifcation for not liking him is he isn't funny, has never been funny and that he will never be funny. Oh and that he is a twat too.
Voted Conservative. - I can never envisage a time when I will either.
Participated In Karaoke. - I can sort of undertsnad who someone with a decent voice might want to stand up in front of a bunch of people and belt out 'Angels'. But why do tone deaf people who sing like a strangled cat enjoy it? I know I'm a miserable old sod these days but it beats me why this is considered entertainment.
Been To Harrods. - What is it about Harrods? Why does it have such cudos? The amount of people you see walking about London clutching their little green Harrods plastic bag is amazing. You can get anything in Harrods apparently, but you can get everything at loads of others shops too. Is it some kind of Middle England snobbery surrounding the place?There is probably a fair amount of inverted snobbery on my part regarding Harrods. I resist going there because we are constantly bombarded with how great it is. If I did ever go I'd take a Woolworths bag with me and put my purchases in that.
Ridden A Horse. - I really don't like horses. Big tramplely buggers they are. I admit to being a bit scared of our equine friends and have no plans to hop up on one and have a canter.

Fuzzy.

2007-07-26T12:25:00.000+01:00

I've been given some stronger drugs recently as my pain levels have been increasing. I've had these 90 Mg's of Dihydrocodeine before and although I found that they worked fairly well I wasn't that fuzzy headed with them. This time however I am definitely being affected.

I am feeling sleepy most of the time, during the day at least, and it is difficult to concentrate. I did manage to read the whole of the final Harry Potter book on Saturday though (not that you need too much concentration for that).

I was going to write about something entirely different today but I just sat there in a fuzzy headed daze staring at a blank page. Back to sleep....

You're It!!

2007-07-19T18:44:00.000+01:00

I've been tagged by Goldfish. Here are the rules:

Let others know who tagged you. (See above)
Players start with 8 random facts about themselves.
Those who are tagged should post these rules and 8 random facts.
Players should tag 8 other people and notify them they have been tagged.

So now I have to think of 8 random me related facts. Hmm, okay here goes nothing.

I have appeared on BBC Radio Cornwall several times. I have been a guest on the, now departed, jazz show hosted by Roy Stears and my Dad. There was no family favour involved however as Roy was the one who invited me on. I have twice chosen all the records on the show in a kind of Desert Island Discs affair and once I was involved in a section of the programme dedicated to jazz singer Stacey Kent. For some reason they thought I was an expert!!! Maybe it was because I have been to "Up that London" more than once.
I have three points on my driving license. I incurred these as a result of an act of kindness. The Editor received an award and the ceremony was in some dark satanic North Western town. I was engaged as a driver for the event and ferried her (on a rare night off) and Auntie Jan to the swish event held at a Rugby League ground (these Northerners know how to hold a do!!). I was on the way back to Bracknell Towers from this event that I was nicked by a roadside camera doing 37 miles per hour in a 30 mile an hour zone.
I didn't walk until I was two. Before that I propelled myself by shuffling along on my bum. I was pretty quick by all accounts.
On the day of my sister's birth I ate the end of a torch. It was a bendy torch and had a small bulb on the end of it. Well it did until I had a munch anyway. My Mum was, as you can imagine, very upset at this and rang the doctor straight away. I was forced to eat copious amounts of porridge as a precaution against the glass damaging my insides. I suffered no ill effects.
My lounge wall is covered in cuttings from childrens magazines. Dora The Explorer, The Tweenies, The Teletubbies and The Mr Men are in evidence. These are not my cuttings. Sybil is the culprit but I'm quite happy to keep them there.
The second gig that I ever went to was Toyah at the Hammersmith Odeon. She was shit. I quickly learnt that not all gigs you go to are any good.
I once did a Saturday job gardening for a old man called Mr Parrott. I received 50 pence and hour and my tasks included digging piles of pidgeon shit into the soil as fertilizer. Not something I'd recommend.
The first record I ever bought with my own money was 'Devil Gate Drive' by Suzi Quatro. I still have it. Somewhere.

Right my turn to tag. As I don't spread my net too far on the blogsosphere some of you might have already been tagged. Sorry if have. I tag the following:

Blogging Mone , Katie , Dame Honoria , Philip, E F Rice, Spacehopper, Seahorse , Pieman

Blade Runner

2007-07-14T08:05:00.000+01:00

There has been a rather bizarre twist in the whole disablist debate in the last few days. It comes, not from someone being excluded because they are seen as inferior but because they might be too good!!

Oscar Pistorious is a double amputee and probably one of the best athletes on the planet. Had he taken part in the 1928 400 metres Olympic final he'd have won easily. He is far too quick to meaningfully race against other disabled athletes in disabled competitions as he is at least a second better than everyone else. He obviously wants to test himself and as a result of the competition, improve his times. Oscar's ambition is to compete for South Africa in the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008. He wants to put himself up against non-disabled sportsmen. And bizarrely he is facing all kinds of opposition.

Oscar has already raced against non-disabled athletes in his native South Africa and last week at a meet in Europe came second. On Sunday he runs in his first Grand Prix event at the Norwich Union event in Sheffield and the debate has been raging about whether Oscar has an advantage over the other competitors because he hasn't got any legs!!!

Pistotious runs on blades that are manufactured for him by an Icelandic company. The blades are made of a lightweight carbon fibre that are inspired by a cheetah's rear leg. The IAAF is concerned about the energy release form Oscar's blades, the length of his stride pattern and that, get this little chestnut, because he hasn't get any calf muscles he won't get a build up of lactic acid and therefore tire like the poor non-disabled bipeds he'll be running against.

Other athletes, commentators and the media have joined the fray, some for Oscar but many against saying that it is 'unfair' that he should be allowed to run. This is nonsense of course. In my view, the reason there is so much opposition to Oscar's participation is that they couldn't bear it if he actually won. What a terrible thing that would be for the non-crip world an uppity crip beating them in a running race. They can't let that happen so they are trying to make it seem that it is unfair. The fact that Oscar's current times are a long way off (in athletics terms) from the worlds best at the moment is beside the point. He can't be allowed to show anyone up. He is a crip and should remain in the crip ghetto where he belongs and can do no harm to there safe little world.

I sincerely hope that Oscar Pestorious does get to run in Beijing and fulfill his dream. wouldn't it be fantastic to see him on the podium in the 400 metres final having won a medal? That would be one in the eye for the Medical Model brigade.

The Editor Rejoice.

2007-07-10T18:28:00.000+01:00

Even I got pissed off with the music on this site so it is no more.

If Only...

2007-07-06T20:52:00.000+01:00

Apparently today marks the 50th anniversary of the first meeting of John Lennon and Paul McCartney. It makes you wonder what would have happened to music if they had never met.
No Yellow Submarine, no Octopussy's Garden, no When I'm 64 and definitely no bloody Oasis.

Damn that church garden party for all the crap it spurned. The Beatles surely the most over-rated band in musical history.

Freedom For Alan Johnston

2007-07-04T07:45:00.000+01:00

After 114 days of captivity BBC Gaza correspondent Alan Johnston has been released.

Today is a good day.

A Whistling In My Ears.

2007-06-28T12:49:00.000+01:00

Dinosaur Jr - London Scala 26 June 2007.

I woke up on Wednesday morning with a tell-tale hum in my ears. After 25 years of attending gigs whistling ears is something that I very rarely get these days. It can happen, especially if the sound quality is bad and their is a lot of feedback.Public Enemy at Cambridge Junction last year was an example of this. Sometimes though the ear whistle is caused by one thing and one thing only, very LOUD music.

I was very lucky to receive a ticket to see the best grunge band in the universe on Tuesday. My mate Paul couldn't go so he rang me on Saturday to ask if I wanted his ticket. It was a silly question as Dinosaur Jr have always been one of my favourite bands. I had missed the chance to get a ticket for this smallish venue through general tardiness and jumped at the chance to go.

E F Rice and I met Jack Gestures at Kings Cross satation and after a swift Chinese meal we made our way to The Scala. This is one of my favourite venues in London, it is small and compact, you are never far away from the stage ad if you get there early enough you can get a decent view.

After decent support from Tad (though not the Tad from the early grunge years) the audience were well pumped up for Dinosaur Jr. The original line up have recently got back together again after a fair while apart, although guitarist J Mascis has carried on the name with several different line ups. For those of you who are unfamiliar with their repertoire it can easily be summed up as noisy and dirty. Grunge describes it perfectly.

With new album 'Beyond' recently released I didn't know what kind of set we'd get so I was delighted when they peppered their set with some of their classic tracks such as 'The Wagon', 'Sludgefest' and the big crowd pleaser 'Freak Scene'. The band rocked their asses of with Murph pounding out the beats and breaking an inordinate amount of drum sticks whilst he did it, Lou Barlow thrashing the life out of his bass and J Mascis just being goddam awesome as usual. If there is a better guitarist about I haven't heard him yet. After about 80 minutes of blisteringly loud joy it was all over and we all trudged out into the Kings Cross streets, ears humming away merrily. What a gig that was. And now today I've found out we've got tickets for The Jesus and Mary Chain at Brixton in September. Fuck me life is good.

Bloggers Block.

2007-06-22T12:50:00.000+01:00

Have you ever had writers block? If you are a writer you probably have. I would never call myself a writer. I blog about all kinds of shite. Sometimes it has a point to make. I can be a gobby so and so sometimes and I feel very passionate about many things and I will kick off about discrimination be it racism, sexism or disablism if something gets my goat.

I am equally likely to write about the things that I love. Books, food and music are on the agenda here. Most people won't be interested in half (or maybe all) of the bands that I go and see but I would have loved to have been a music journo (without the pretentious bollocks they spout) and it fuels my dream.

I love lists. And I post a fair few. One of my mates once said that Hi-Fidelity, Nick Hornby's book on a music obessive reminded him of me such is my love of listing my 'favourite album track of the 90's' or my 'favourite jazz track'.

But today I can't think of anything to write about at all. Bloggers Block has hit the Boy Marmite.

Alan Johnston

2007-06-20T07:50:00.000+01:00

Alan Johnston has now been in captivity for 100 days. The BBC Gaza correspondent was seized by a group called the Army of Islam. At the weekend Hamas had indicated that Alan Johnston's release was imminent but the Monday deadline passed with out him being released.

At 1:15 today thousands of BBC staff across the world will hold a vigil for Mr Johnston and his parents will release 100 balloons marking the days passed since his abduction. The BBC have set up a petition which has been signed by thousands of people across the globe. I urge you to sign it as well.

Justice.

2007-06-08T20:58:00.000+01:00

And so Paris Hilton is sent back to jail. She seemed to think it was not fair judging from the comments she made when she was led from the court. Strange I thought that if you broke the law you had to serve your punishment. Miss Hilton obviously thought her wealth and privilege would offer her a way out.

Good to see American justice works sometimes at least.

Medicine

2007-06-08T17:19:00.000+01:00

If you've had a nasty cold for a week, not eaten properly and consequently lost about half a stone as a result, I have a suggestion.

Eat a big plateful of West Indian Ox-tail Stew with Rice and Peas. Best medicine there is. Unctuous, full of flavour, moreish and dead yummy it was. I feel loads better now.

Kool Thing.

2007-06-03T13:55:00.000+01:00

I have just returned from a week away with Lily and Sybil at my parents (named Gran and Uncle John by Sybs). Lily often worries when we go anywhere because as a result of her autism Sybil isn't always comfortable in new surroundings and trying new things. Sybs likes things to remain the same on the whole.

Over the last six months or so Sybil has been showing a real improvement in her communication with others, her conversations are now two or three sentences long and she will often now explain how she is feeling or why she wants to do something. She is also not so worried about going into shops, cafes and the like. This was her fourth trip to my Mum and Dad's place and she likes going to visit them. There are three cats to play with for a start. She always has a good time.

This visit was notable for several reasons. Sybil tried loads of new things and although some of them might appear quite small and insignificant to Sybil and Lily they were big leaps.

Sybil tried a chip. -We have taken her to Burger King/MacDonalds on several occassions when we have been out. Sybil likes to have Fish Fingers and either orange juice or milk. Last week we asked her if she would like a chip. She always says no when asked this but this time she ate one (well half, but you've got to start somewhere).
Sybil played with other children. - I have two adorable nieces aged three and five and they love Sybs. Sybil, though doesn't really mix with other children preferring to do her own thing, even when other children are about. My youngest niece Evie is an entertainer. She is one of those children who loves getting stuck in and is always the first to make friends. On the other occasions they have met they have got on but have not really interacted with each other. However this time Evie's persistence and Maia's quiet wait and see what happens approach worked. Evie had all three of them sliding down the stairs in a row (lots of times), playing fuzzy felt and her a Sybil dug holes together on the beach. Sybil enjoyed this so much that the next day when she saw them she asked them if they could play the sliding game again. This was fantastic.
Sybil went on loads of new stuff in the playground. - One the Friday, our last day we met my sister and the girls at a playground overlooking St Michael's Mount. Sybil went on a death slide type thing, I had to hold her on a push but she went on it twice and laughed a lot and also mastered a climbing frame contraption with netting and logs. She started off very slowly on all fours and by the end was striding across with confidence.
Sybil had her first ice-cream. - Sybs has always said no when asked if she wanted an ice cream in the past. All week she kept saying to me "Can you have an ice cream Mark?" so Lily and me thought she might try a bit of one. On a trip over to St Michael's Mount my sister asked if she wanted one and she said yes. She ate about a third of a large chocolate ice cream and flake (well she ate all the flake, she loves chocolate).
Sybil gave someone a kiss goodbye. - Lily was astonished at this because she has never done it before. She likes a cuddle but if you give her a kiss she does what most children do and shouts "Err Yuk!!" However when we went to see my Nan she gave her a hug when we left and gave her a peck on the cheek.
Sybil went on a boat. - If you've ever been to St Michael's Mount in Cornwall you'll know that at low tide you can get to it by walking across a causeway to the island. This is what we did on Friday. However although we were only there for an hour or so by the time we came to come back the causeway was covered by the incoming tide and the only way back was by a small motorised ferry boat. Lily was worried enough and had to have a fag but although we didn't say anything to Sybs until we got to the steps leading to the boat she made it very clear that she didn't want to go. It was upsetting to hear her saying "please don't take me on a boat". The boatman was fantastic and told Sybil not to be scared and asked her if she wanted to drive, to which Sybil said "No thank you". However as the boat set off and rounded the harbour wall Sybil beamed and said "shall we row". She really enjoyed herself and as a result Lily did too. It was great to see her overcome a fear like that and I'm certain next time we go on a boat Sybs will be all for it.

As I said this may all seen trivial and not much to write home about and many children do new things all the time, however for Sybil these were big things her Mum is very proud of her. I know I am.

GOJO -The Website Campaigning For Access To Public Transport.

2007-05-24T13:37:00.001+01:00

GOJO is a new campaign for young people who have difficulties or fears using public transport. As a disabled (but alas no longer young) person I have regularly voiced concerns about the accessibility (or lack of it) to public transport, so I was interested to hear about this new campaign backed by the Disability Rights Commission (and also accessible via direct.gov.uk) when I was informed of it via an email from Harriet in my Myspace inbox.

The first thing that is noticable about the website is just how accessible and user friendly it is. There are options to change both text size and colour scheme to suit individual needs and an easy to follow guide explains about how to use the various access keys available. It is refreshing to see such an accessible site.

The News page provides information on transport access issues. For instance, I have just read that Boeing have unveiled their new 787 plane and discovered that it has far better access for disabled people, including wheelchair accessible loos. This is excellent news for disabled travellers as one of the worst things about flying if you are mobility impaired or have restricted movement is trying to use the toilet. There is also to be a comprehensive guide to UK wide initiatives like the new Tube Accessibility website for the London Underground. There are also news stories from around the UK about access/lack of access to public transport.

GOJO is also asking for contributions for its readership about their experiences travelling on public transport. My hope is that as time progresses both the good and the bad will get published and the site will be in a position to tackle transport providers when they fail to provide an accessible service. From what I have read it seems that GOJO is trying to help young people get the best out of public transport and that is to be commended but as we are all too aware there is a long way to go before equality is acheived. I would love to see the site name and shame, when there is a need to and on the flipside champion areas of the transport system that offer equlity of service such as the Jubilee Line extension on the London Underground. However the fact that Stratford to Westminister stations can be accessed from platform to street level without using stairs does not let Transport for London off the hook considering the woeful access at many of their other stations.

Another excellent part of the site allows you to plan a trip in one of our major cities. There are six online at present but it is hoped that it will be far more comprehensive soon. I had a quick look at Exeter (for it is a fine city and I often fly past it on the M5, keeping well within the speed limit, on my way to Cornwall). This part of the site is linked to Directory Enquiries and gives information about places of interest and the transport links, including accessibility to the bus and train service. It is a fine way to plan your journey and to make sure that you can access transport to reach your destination and that when you get there you can actually get in or find that there are facilities that you cn use. As this expands it wil be an invaulable part of the site. There is also a page that gives advice on planning a journey and hints and tips to make that journey as pleasurable as possible.

There is a page that comprehensively covers rights, and provides the relevant pieces of legislation (DDA 1995) that protect disabled people from disrimination and gives advice on how to register a complaint if you need to do so and provides help and guidance on legal issues.

Finally there is a page where you can enter competitions and report on your experiences and win stuff (like MP3 players) which can't be a bad thing. Pity I'm to old to play.

This is an excellent site and one that has been a long time coming and I wish the GOJO campaign every success for the future. You can access it via the link on the right hand side of this blog under 'Favourite Crip Sites'.

Happy travelling.

The Landlord Is Dead.

2007-05-17T18:36:00.000+01:00

Do Make Say Think - Live Colchester Arts Centre 16 May 2007

Colchester Arts Centre is perhaps the perfect venue for a band like Do Make Say Think. Their particular brand of 'post-rock' (a term I dislike as it doesn't really mean anything) is well suited to the high vaulted ceilings of this deconsecrated church. I have seen such luminaries of the genre as Mogwai, Silver Mount Zion, Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Fly Pan AM as well as two previous visits from DMST at the tiny Essex venue, so word must get around about the acoustics in the place. We're lucky to have the Arts Centre because there are very few other decent venues in Essex and it never a chore to make the 100 mile round trip to watch bands there.

I first saw DMST at Colchester supporting Godspeed about 6 years or so ago. That gig converted me into a huge fan. The thing that strikes you about this Toronto band is their undoubted musicianship. One minute the bass player is playing a five-string bass (not easy) then he switches to a four-string, then acoustic guitar, then electric guitar and then picks up a flugal horn and plays a haunting melody. This is all done effortlessly and without fuss and hystrionics.

Until the latest album "You, You're A History In Rust" DSMT have been completely instrumental. There almost jazz inspired tunes are a joy to the ears with duel drummers driving the sound. However on the latest album there have been some subtle changes and this has added to the beauty. Violinist Julie Penner who worked with band member Charles Spearin on offshoot (and more successful) band Broken Social Scene has added an extra dimension to their music. Making it warmer and richer. The vocals on several tracks on the new album are influenced by Broken Social Scene and are more to add something to the sound scape rather than to add anything lyrically.

The gig itself was a triumph. This is despite a quite dreadful support slot from Safetyword. My mates Rob and Jim and me labelled it Art-Wank. It was pretentious and up its own arse in a very big way. However DMST saved the day with a brilliant 1 hour 45 minute set. A mixture of old and new kept their fans very happy indeed and the memory of it made the hour long drive back to Southend through appalling weather well worth it. It had been 3½ years since DMST had visited us. Lets hope they return a lot sooner than that.

Driving The Wheels Of Steel

2007-05-14T17:53:00.000+01:00

Friday night saw the 4oth birthday party of my ex-flatmate Paul. I've known Paul since junior school and we've been good mates for some 20 years or so I was looking forward to helping him celebrate his big four-oh.

He had was implicated in the deceit, lies and shenanigans that went on behind my back when a surprise 40th birthday party was sprung for me in 2005. Along with Lady B's editor, my friend Debbie and my sister he was a major player (along with various other mates) in making it one of the most memorable nights of my life.Paul had asked regular commentator to this blog Mr E.F. Rice, his brother Jack Gestures and E Piley to provide the music for this occasion. We were the bread in a Frank Sanazi sandwich. Frank is one of the funniest acts on the comedy circuit at the moment and I urge you to catch him if you can. Basically he is a very good Frank Sinatra impersonator who dresses up as Hitler and parodies Sinatra songs giving them a rather brilliant twist. He can be caught via the link and on Myspace.We all had great fun playing some of our favourite tunes.

EF and I played a mixture of 90's indie pop such as Black Grape, The Charlatans, Primal Scream, Beck and that floor filler of floor fillers The Breeders seminal 'Cannonball', mixed up with a bit of 70's disco including Chic, Sister Sledge, Rose Royce's 'Carwash' and The Jackson Five's 'ABC'. The Beastie Boys, The Pistols, Dinosaur Jnr and Sonic Youth's 'Kool Thing'. It all ended too early when we had to turn the music off at mid-night. We were just getting into the groove and it all had to stop. EF's 40th is a couple of years away and I can't wait to spin the decks again.It was a top night and I just like to thank Paul for a great evening. Cheers bloke, it was a blinder.

Driller Killer.

2007-05-09T20:10:00.000+01:00

Two weeks ago I went for a day stay in hospital two have two wisdom teeth extracted. I'm not one who worries about hospitals or dentists because I'm a big brave soldier. It was a long day as I was the very last person to go down for surgery. This is third day stay I have had in a little over eighteen months and each time I have been last down. Now I don't mind waiting but five hours of having Radio Two inflicted on one surely infringes my human rights. Torture so it was

Anyway, I came round and was sent home after being told that the op had gone well but they had had "fun and games getting one of them out". Well I'm glad someone enjoyed themselves.

Actually post operatively I wasn't too bad. Lily and Sybil picked me up from the hospital and made sure I was settled okay and I had a fairly restful night. Next day I was a bit sore but not really that bad but on the Saturday I suddenly felt a bit yucky. Those of us who are in constant pain do get used to it to some degree. It hurts a lot but then there are different degrees of hurtiness. When I woke up on Saturday morning my jaw was fucking killing me. I could barely open my mouth and managed to spill a great deal of soup down my tee-shirt instead of getting it in my mouth. Five mouth washes with salt water and tons of pain killers and anti-biotics didn't shift the pain and I ended up having most of the rest of the week off sick.

I am still pretty sore after two weeks and still can't open my mouth fully. A Belgian bun had to be disassembled before I could eat it today and I can only just open my mouth wide enough to take a sandwich. On returning to the hospital yesterday for the follow up appointment I think I have discovered the route of the problem. The clinical nurse (as opposed to an accidental one) read my notes and said that they had to remove the lower impacted tooth by drilling into my jaw. Blimey, I thought it smart a bit. I'm very glad I was having a kip at the time.. She said it could be another couple of weeks yet before I'm recovered. I'm looking forward to a nice big pork chop or a lump of steak to celebrate. I have been living off soft and mushy things for the last 13 days and I'm a little bit bored by it now.

Now I must dash. Marmite is mountaineering again. This time by climbing up on my seven foot cd racks and settling down for a small sleep. For some reason he has decided he wants to be a Mountain Lion when he grows up and is getting in loads of practice by sleeping on high things in my flat. I suppose I'll have to get him down.

55 Days In Captivity

2007-05-06T13:26:00.000+01:00

On 12 March, BBC correspondent Alan Johnston disappeared on his way home from work in Gaza City. He is thought to have been kidnapped from his car, although no group has claimed responsibility.

Alan Johnston's kidnapping has been condemmed on all sides and although there were reports a few weeks ago that Johnston had been executed it is believed that he is still alive. Rallies calling for his release have been held all over the world and work continues for his release.

Use Your Vote.

2007-05-03T12:42:00.000+01:00

Today there are elections in most places in the UK. Elections are taking place to the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and to local councils in England except London. There are no elections in Northern Ireland.

Over the last few weeks or so whilst listening to the news on national radio it has become increasingly apparrent that there is little interest in these elections. Only last night on Radio Five Live, the Anita Annad show was inundated with text messages from people who were not going to vote. The reasons were varied, from a man who said he wouldn't vote because he was a 44-year old, white male hetrosexual lorry driver and thought he he 'didn't count'. To people who,it seemed, just couldn't be bothered.

Although I can understand that some citizens are feeling disenfranchised by our political system, I am concerned that the opportunity to vote is being treated so lightly. One contributor to the programme voiced his contempt at the local elections because no party had canvassed for his vote and as a result he wasn't going to bother. I cannot understand this point of view. He will undoubtly be paying Council Tax, lets say for arguments sake he is paying £800 per year. That is £800 of his money that is being spent on services within his local area. Why would he not want to have a say in how that money is spent? I know I'd want to find out who was standing in my area and ask what they had to offer for my £800.

In many ways, local elections are far more relevant to us because they effect us more directly. The outcome of planning applications for new roads, housing and so on can be changed at the ballot box. One party's view of the arts in the local area can vastly differ from another, what time parks shut, how our waste is collected, when our libraries are open and countless other things that affect our everyday lives are decided at local level. Why would you not want a say in that?

It wasn't until 1928 that Universal Sufferage was obtained in this country. This is only 79 years ago and many fought, were imprisoned or even died so that we all have the vote. It is a great dishonour to people like Emmerline Pankhurst, founder of the Womens Franchise League and Emily Davison, who threw herself in front of a horse at the Epsom Derby in 1913 whilst protesting for the right to vote and died 4 days later in hospital. There are countless other people all over the world who are imprisoned or executed for the democratic right to cast a vote.

The war in Iraq, whilst in many eyes not justified, has at least brought about democratic elections of some discription. The vote should not be taken lightly. Maybe we should try and imagine what it would be like if we didn't have it?

So today please vote. We may have differing opinions on who we want in control and some of us, and no doubt it will be me in Tory riddled South-East Essex, will be disappointed by the outcome. However, I have taken part in the democratic process and at least if I do have to raise a complaint about how things are run I'll feel safe in the knowledge that I have taken place in that process.

Vote.

Blogging Against Disablism Day.

2007-05-01T00:16:00.000+01:00

I awoke on Saturday morning to the news that some employers are voicing concern about employing disabled people in their businesses. This is not really news as many disabled people will testify. I've heard all the excuses before, or at least I thought I had. The excuses are always lame. Expense is an old favourite. We have all heard the stories about it being too expensive to adapt places of employment to suit the needs of a disabled employee, or that the extra 'special' equipment that may be needed would be far too expensive. Thankfully Access To Work is in place to provide a great deal of the funding for this and once someone is in the workplace this, in theory, should no longer be a problem.

However, the news item that I heard early on Saturday morning on BBC Five Live not only woke me up from my slumbers, it also caused me concern that discrimination has a new tool to beat us with. A survey that has been carried out by Remploy, the largest employer of disabled people in the UK, that suggests some employers believe that 'politically correct' language is a barrier to the employment of disabled people!

Remploy said that the majority of the 400 employers who took part in the survey were committed to a diverse workforce but some complained that the failure to understand the correct terminology was putting them off. I smell an excuse, don't you?

One employer, who has remained anonymous, said that "The ballpark is always moving, as are the words that I can say." They went on "You don't say that someone is blind, you say visually impaired". It doesn't take a genius to work out that this particular person might like to use visually impaired when describing a visually impaired person then does it? There is obviously no barrier to being an idiot in the business world then?

I'm sure a visually impaired person would rather be given the opportunity of employment first and then worry about, if they did worry, the language used to describe them. Beth Carruthers, director of employment services at Remploy said that "The important thing is not the language used to describe disability but that disabled people received the same respect and opportunities"

Lisa Egan was interviewed by Five Live, said that if employers took this view how long would it be if before only white heterosexuals were the only people employed? The point is a very good one. It is a completely unjustifiable position. If concerns were raised by an employer about giving a black or Asian person, or a woman a job in case someone used the wrong language to describe them, they would, quite rightly, be in trouble for discrimination.

It seems that these attitudes can be wrapped up as concerns and therefore be seen as protecting us, by those determined to exclude us from the workplace. It is also spun as 'our' problem too. If only we weren't so damn touchy about being called 'handicapped' or 'crippled' and we sat about suffering like we should. Instead, disabled people now have a voice and this is a threat that a minority wish to suppress. I don't think I'm overreacting either. This is a very serious issue that needs addressing now.

The answer is an easy one and it's one I have been championing for many years. Employers, in my opinion, need to embrace Disability Awareness in the workplace. I have given quite a few Disability Awareness courses over the years with my good friend and mentor Alan Counsell, and we have found time and time again that a little education goes a long way. Disabled people should treated with respect that they are entitled to, rather than being seen as a problem and a hindrance to the business. Most large employers now have some kind of equality training for their staff. However the amount of time put aside within this for disability awareness seems, and I am speaking from experience here, inadequate. One large employer, and I won't say who it is, used to, have a three day course about equality that was delivered to its managerial staff. Of this only two hours in one afternoon was given over to disability awareness. Now I am not saying that discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, race and gender shouldn't be tackled but surely such an important subject as disability, which is the only one that has the potential to affect everyone, should be given a higher priority. Recent changes in this particular employers structure has done nothing to improve things. In fact they are a whole lot worse, with disabled people being made to feel like a problem that won't go away. Unfortunately it seems there is a long way to go before we obtain equality in some areas of society.

The use of language is something that disabled people fight every day. We are bombarded with negative images in the media all the time and the fight must continue. However, we must be aware that there are those out there who think that wanting to be described in a certain way is a problem for them!! The only answer is to continue to ensure that the media are using the correctly language. a long and sometimes disheartening task, but one we shouldn't shirk from.

Only yesterday, again on Five Live, Dame Tanni Grey-Thompson was on the Richard Bacon show. Not for the usual 5 minute interview, but for the whole 2 hours. It was good to be able to hear, from someone who is so high profile, some of the negative attitudes she still faces and how she challenges them in a positive way. Of course there was a few text messages from non-disabled and frankly, paranoid people about whinging crips who moan about people 'helping' them , when really they should be thankful that they aren't all in homes, but on the whole the response was very positive. The presenter even reverted from saying 'people with disabilities' to disabled people by the end. Maybe this is a small thing but I can assure you it is an important one. What would be really fantastic is the media to embrace the Social Model and promote the idea that a disabled person is not disabled by their impairments but by a society that does not provide the environment to allow equality. Now that would be something.

Yoffy Lifts A Finger.

2007-04-25T20:12:00.000+01:00

TV At It's Best.

I am in a funny old mood lately. The last post looked back to before my birth and the fabulous old encyclopedia I have inherited. Today I am looking back to my childhood and the much missed and, in my opinion, far superior children's television we had back then.

Thanks to my old mate Dave, who is a great one for nostalgia, especially when it comes to the TV programmes we watched when we were nippers I have come across a wonderful website. Little Gems is a trip down memory lane. It is choca-block of well remembered and long forgotten programmes. The Fingerbobs page, for example, is a wonderful reminder of that delightfully simple and gentle programme. Fans of this programme might be surprised to learn that there were only ever 13 episodes recorded. As a child it seemed like there were loads and loads. Each page is packed full of screen grabs from our favourites such as Lizzie Dripping, White Horses, Jamie And The Magic Torch, Think Of A Number (bring back Johnny Ball) and many, many others.

You also get a synopsis of the programme, who starred in it and who wrote and directed the programmes. However by far the most excellent thing about the site is the ability to be able to listen and download the theme tunes. I was absolutely delighted today to find the theme tune to White Horses sung by Jackie. I still have a scratchy vinyl copy somewhere (b-side "Too Many Chiefs And Not Enough Indians") but having a decent digital copy on my PC has made my day.

If you miss proper children's television have a look at this site. It'll make you smile. Unless of course you weren't brought up in the UK of course because we won't have a clue what I'm on about.

The Times They Are A Changing.

2007-04-24T19:34:00.000+01:00

A couple of weeks ago one of my relatives died. He was my Nan's cousin and had reached the remarkable age of 97. He was a good old sort and continued to look after him self right up till the end. After he died my Uncle, Aunt and Mum came up to clear out his house which by all accounts was a real treasure trove. For instance there were about 6 video recorders, one of which I have inherited, dvd recorders, hi-fi equipment, computers and televisions. Bill was a bit of a techno head and always liked having decent equipment up until the end. The amount of changes he must of seen in his lifetime is hard to imagine. He was born before the age of television, radio, proper cinema (although there were picture houses about), motorised transport, apart from the train would have been a novelty.

Amongst the massive amount of stuff are some really fab things. There are for example a lot of cigarette cards, not unusual in itself but these are still in the boxes, which will probably double their value. There are also a lot of books and my uncle very kindly, knowing my love for them let me have a sort through and take what I wanted.

One very interesting item I found was the 'New Standard Encyclopaedia (as it was spelt then) And World Atlas' 1932 edition. The introduction was written by one Rev C.A. Alington D.D. (Headmaster of Eton). I am interested to see how things have changed in the intervening 75 years since its publication.

One of the first things I came across was an entry for Addis Ababa, which is described as the "capital of Abyssinia", two pages on adultery is described as "sexual intercourse by husband or wife with some other person. The offender may be quite innocent, for instance may think his or her wife or husband is dead, but it is always adultery until the marriage is dissolved by marriage or otherwise". This seems quite enlightened for the times and may have been described as dangerous communist propaganda by the Daily Mail.

It mentions that there were only 8 recognised airports in the UK, being at Croydon, Dover, Lympne, Heston, Woolston, Barton, Liverpool and Cardington. How times have changed. My home town Westcliff is named, along with near neighbour Southend, as a chief watering place. Having been into town on Saturday night for a drink with some mates not a lot has changed there!!

National Socialism wasn't even mentioned, as it had yet to rear its ugly head to any great degree , though the entry regarding the overthrow of the Italian government by Mussolini's Fascists in 1922 rather sweetly says prevented a civil war. Thankfully Il Duce is chastised later for being more a dictator than a premier.

Nationalisation is proposed as an idea that has been put forward in Great Britain. Iran was still Persia and a constitutional monarchy. Peterborough was still in Northamptonshire and hadn't yet moved down the road to Cambridgeshire.

Page 1184 says that "In Great Britain it is the law that shops and places of amusement must be closed on Sunday...shops where refreshments and newspapers are sold the law is tacitly broken..." string 'em up I say.

Sunbathing is, we are told on the same page, is extremely healthy and somewhat surprisingly for the time advocates nudism as beneficial to health. Very cheeky at the time I'd have thought.

I chuckled at the entry for tattooing which is described as a "practice among uncivilised nations of marking the skin by incisions into which are introduced charcoal or coloured liquids" it goes on to say that "the practice, which was condemned by Moses, is now failing into disuse". Little did I know that I am both one of a dying breed and uncivilised. Hurrah for that.

There is so much more to look at in this fascinating book and I may well return to it in another entry. For the time being though I'll mention one more interesting omission. The Muslim faith, now probably the largest faith in the world is hardly mentioned and is not given its own entry. A three and a half line entry on Islam says "Word used for the Mohammedian world". This says a lot about the arrogance of the old empire. This ancient religion was deemed unimportant and anyway we ruled over them all anyway so they didn't warrant a mention. Well I thought the omission said a great deal about how the world was, from the view of a Britain in 1932.

Explosions In My Pre-Amp.

2007-04-20T13:30:00.000+01:00

Explosions In The Sky - Live at The Astoria, London 19th April 2007

Having had to cancel two UK shows in Manchester and Glasgow because bad weather had caused their flight to be cancelled from the US, the audience were more than ready for Explosions In The Sky. First however, we were treated to a fine set by Bristol band Gravenhurst. Jock Pop, Charlie Brown and me had tried in vein to see this band on a couple of occasions, the most notable of which was a trip to Hamburg where they were supporting Belle and Sebastian. The club they were playing in doubled up as a fetish club which meant that the music had to be over by 9.30. Gravenhurst went on at about 6.30 and as a consequence we missed them. The band played well, despite a shitty mix from the mixing desk and set us up nicely for the main event.

Explosions hail from Austin Texas and are about as far removed from the country music associated with the state than you can get. They are like Mogwai, mixed with a dash of Godspeed! You Black Emperor with a dash of Sigor Ros (albeit a more ballsy version) chucked in for good measure. However, they are far from a copy of the above, they have their own sound of aural magnificence that, at times, blew me away.

The band started in a fairly unusual way for a band playing in such a large venue. Most bands you see like to come on stage to rapturous applause before kicking off their first number, but Explosions wandered on, set up their effects peddles and guitars and just started playing without the usual fanfare. It was a refreshing change. On the subject of effect peddles, I have rarely seen so many. Mark Smith and Munaf Rayani had at least 15 peddles between them. Oh and how they used them. They are at times gentle and beautiful before soaring up and er, exploding in the sky!! At times this was an astonishing show and is one of the best things I've seen in a year or so. The band are all fine musicians and a big shout must go out to bassist Michael James who played his bass as fast as I have ever seen. If he wasn't using a pick he must soak his fingers in surgical spirit over night to stop his skin failing off.

The gig was nearly brought to a premature end when Munaf's pre-amp (the orange one pictured left) started smoking in a very alarming way. This brought huge cheers from the crowd and saw Munaf drop his guitar pretty damn quick. Another amp was brought from back stage and the last tune was belted out, although it must be said that Munaf did keep glancing over his shoulder should he be in danger of being fried.

If you are a fan of thoughtful, melodic, instrumental and above loud music, then check this band out. You won't be disappointed.

Let Me Take You Higher.

2007-04-17T09:16:00.000+01:00

Marmite has taken to the domestic equivilent of mountain climbing so he can review his domain. It all started when he decided that sleeping on tp of my wardrobe would be a comfortable option. This lasted for about a week until the beginning of last week when he somehow managed to get on top of the kitchen wall cupboards. This is no mean feat. It is quite an impressive jump to get up there for the worktop and I have yet to see him actually make the leap.

Obviously Twiglet has followed suit but is less keen. He just gets up there for a nose about. Marmite on the other hand sleeps up there and has even had his tea up there too.

This will probably not last for very long as he is a great one for trying sleeping places out for a couple of weeks or so. A few weeks ago he slept on the floor in front of the telly for a while and before that he slept in front of the front door. Twiglet is much more definite about sleping arrangements and tends to use the same three places. On the bed with me (and Lily when she sleeps over), on the kitchen chair and his favourite when it gets a bit chilly at night, on top of the telly.

Who Actually Gives A F***

2007-04-15T09:37:00.001+01:00

My heart sunk at the weekend. The media has decided that the most important news of the weekend was the end of Prince William and Kate Middleton's relationship. All day yesterday and this morning the first news item on Five Live has centred on this story. My question is why? What is so important about two people in their mid-twenties splitting up? It happens all the time. I don't understand why this non-event warrants so much media coverage. According to the news this morning the tabloids have given over forty (yes forty!!) pages this morning to the story. What is there to report? Nothing as far as I can see. Okay, so he is possibly going to be King one day (unless there is a glorious revolution of course), but who actually gives a flying fuck who he is going out with?

This country is obessessed with the cult of celebrity and the need to know everything about their lives. Or is it? Is the whole thing driven by the media. I have long had the belief that although the media tell us they are giving us what we want, and I'm primarily talking about the newspapers here, they actually create this myth so they can justify printing the crap that they do. This may sound a little patronising (it's not meant to) but I think the general public will just lap up what they are given. If the newspapers chose to print interesting stories about 'real' people and global events, rather than who is shagging who, or who has, God forbid, gone to the pub and had a couple of beers, I seriously believe that the masses wouldn't really notice. They would still buy the paper that they have always bought.

Of course I don't hold out any hope that things will change. We will still be fed shite year after year. I haven't bought a newspaper for years because I can't stand it and although I listen to the news on the radio to keep up, I'm slowly getting pissed off with them too. When the end of a relationship between two people 99.99% of the public have never met is top story for two days on the news networks, on a day when people are being killed in a war in the middle east I think we need to step back and have a look at things.

As I'm writing this Five Live has just announced that the majority of listeners in a poll this morning have stated that the amount of coverage given to this story is unwarranted. Maybe there is hope after all.

Blimey, This Is Quick.

2007-04-13T20:32:00.000+01:00

Hurrah, I have entered the 21st Century at last. For today I had a Broadband Internet connection installed. For many years I have been struggling by with Windows 95 and as a consequence a very slow Internet connection. Coupled with a knackered keyboard and a very old and shagged out PC it made blogging a pain in the backside. I have managed over the last 9 months or so by using the library facilities blog.

No more!! I have lovely,lovely broadband. How marvellous it is. I can't actually believe how quick it is. I used to be able to go and make a cup of tea whilst a page downloaded. Not now though. Not with 10 meg of download speed.

As a write this I am listening to the radio on the laptop. Now I have a radio of course but this is a bit of a novelty so please indulge me. My worry now, is that I will spend millions of pounds on Amazon now I can get on it properly. And as for EBay! I'm keeping well away.

Hopefully I can get back to blogging more frequently now. I've really missed it.

Music Is The Key Of Life.

2007-04-05T11:28:00.000+01:00

As I have been off work for what now seems like an inordinate amount of time I had started to worry a bit when my usual obsession with music began to wane a bit. It seemed like an age since I had sat down and listened to any Cd's. I found myself either watching crap cable tv shows about cooking or cars or reading.

Now don't get me wrong, I love reading and I have read some terrific books over the last couple of months. I can wholeheartedly recommend Richard Dawkins' "The God Delusion" which explains his atheism and lays bare many of the manipulative behaviours of the fundamentalist Christian church (particularly in America) . On a similar theme Chris Hodges' book "American Fascists" is a commentary on the American Christian Right. It is an insightful and scary book about just how far the fundamentalist churches in the US have gained positions of power in the government. It is a wake up call to all rational thinking people.

Anyway, I have got off topic a bit, so back, as they say in all the worst radio programmes, to the music. It was the arrival of my laptop and the ability to burn Cd's that awoke my love of music. I have been making mix 'tapes' (okay, Cd's!) for the car and having great fun. I have found my way back to loud guitar music such as Dinosaur Jr, Husker Du, Pavement, Sebodah and the wondrous Sonic Youth, who have become my favourite band at the moment. I only had a few Sonic Youth albums, namely Dirty, Goo, The Whitey Album (Ciccone Youth) and Washing Machine among them but I'm afraid I've given Amazon a bit of a bashing in the last few weeks and chalked up five more purchases, so that now I have 12 Sonic Youth albums. I really, really like Sonic Youth and can't wait to see them at the end of August when they showcase the seminal 1988 album Daydream Nation at the Roundhouse in London.

The Laptop Has Landed.

2007-03-14T12:00:00.000Z

After many years of toiling away on a crap computer I finally got round to buying an upgrade at the weekend. My old, loyal pc, which runs off Windows 95 no less is almost dead. It takes fro ever and a day to boot up, the keyboard is knackered and won't download half the stuff out in the internetosphere anymore.

So enough is enough. I needed a new one. I almost bought a desktop last year but the shop I went to had 'stock control' problems, which basically meant that the special offer that they advertised didn't real exist. So on Friday I took the bull by the horns and aided by my mate Jim Fujitsu I did some reseach and finally plumped for a HP Pavilion Media Center dv9233eu Entertainment Notebook PC. It don't know what all that means but what I don know is that it is very beautiful to look at, has a 17 inch widescreen and all the bells and whistles including a built in web cam. I can't blog from it yet as i am awaiting the installation of broadband on 13th April. However once that is done I'll be well and truely back in the world of blog.

Marmite Returns.

2007-03-02T12:05:00.000Z

Sorry for the hiatus in publishing on this blog but I have been incapacitated of late. My home pc is almost deaded (although I am hoping to obtain a new one next week) and I have been unable to get out to another pc because I have had to rest because of increased pain in my back and hip. I have been off work for 6 long weeks and I am starting to climb the walls. I had a day stay in hospital two weeks ago for some treatment on said back (which hasn't worked out as well as I'd hoped) and I'm hoping to go back to work again next week. I'm probably not any better than when I went off 6 weeks ago but I've got to give it a go.

This week has been the first time I've really ventured out, apart from a trip to see the mighty Low in London the day before my small op and the odd trip to Tesco's. As Lady Bracknell mentioned in her guest spot on the blog (thanks for downloading the pictures Lady B) I have got myself inked again however. I had it done this week (Wednesday) at the fabulous Shamanic Art and again the work was done brilliantly by Giselle. Most of the tattoo was done freehand except for the Japanese symbols. The top symbol is a previous (an my first) tattoo and means love. I wanted to enhance the whole thing. I wanted some kind of light rays around it so Giselle came up with the idea to have another couple of Japanese symbols and have them on a stone tablet. I did some research into Japanese symbols and I liked the meaning of these two. The middle symbol is 'kyou' meaning 'strenght' and the second is 'yuu' meaning 'courage'.

Like my previous work I wanted the tattoo to mean something, rather than just get a meaningless tattoo just for the sake of it. I am very pleased with how it has turned out and as usual I'm indebted to Giselle for her amazing work, although she did inflict considerable pain on me during my stint in her chair. Never let anyone tell you that tattooing doesn't hurt because it does, sometimes it really hurts.

I'm already planning the next one which, all things being equal will be a set of wings on my right ankle. Lady B found me a website last year taht had loads of wing designs on it and although there wasn't anything quite right on there, it was a good starting place.

Can I just say a big thank you to The Goldfish for the card she sent me recently. It was very kind of you and it cheered me up.

Guest blogging

2007-03-01T20:54:00.000Z

Young Master Marmite, being currently unable to access a computing device himself, has (some might say foolishly) apprised Lady Bracknell's Editor of the password to his blog so that she might publish photographs of his latest foray into the world of self-decoration.

He has thus far failed to provide the Editor with information regarding the detail of this latest design, but will no doubt expatiate at length about its significance upon his return to the blogosphere. A return which, Lady Bracknell is led to believe, is now imminent.

Lady Bracknell must now exercise great restraint and refrain from composing salacious blog entries which she might hope (by dint of a few judicious spelling errors and a somewhat cavalier attitude to the generally-accepted rules of punctuation) to pass off as the work of Young Master Marmite himself. Neither will she be susceptible to bribes from such of Master Marmite's friends who might wish to persuade her to part with what she believes are generally referred to as his "log-in details".

New Ink.

2007-01-09T13:39:00.000Z

Watching 'Miami Ink' on cable television has been making me itchy for a new piece of ink so when my Tuareg cross broke over Christmas I decided that I'd get it tattooed on my arm. This was to be my fifth tattoo and I took myself off to Giselle at Shamanic Art in Southend (please see link on the sidebar) to get it done. Giselle has done my last two tattoos, one being the word 'Skallagrigg' scripted down the back of my left calf and the other my birth date '30-07-65' across my upper back so I wanted her to do the work.

The relationship between the tattooed and their tattoist is important as you really need to trust the person who is, effectively going to scar you for life. I trust Giselle implicitly. She is a wonderful artist and always comes up with the little extra to embelish your ideas for a tattoo. In this instance she took the idea from my small cross and suggested that she make it look older and more like stone by adding the cracks and shading on the cross itself. I had already decided that I wanted some shading around the cross as she has done this on previous tattoos (which can be viewed elsewhere on this site). I am more than happy with the result. I love it.

My previous tattoos have always had some kind of significance to me personally, rather than just having any old design tattooed from the tattooists design books. For me the tattoo has to represent something. So what is this one all about then? Well The Tuareg are a nomadic berber people who live in the Northern Sahara desert. The cross they wear amongst other things is used to guide them through the desert. At night they will remove the cross and place it pointing in the direction that they want to travel the next day. They place a rock/stone on it to stop it being moved as the sands shift during the night and the landscape can change quite significantly. The next day they can resume their journey with the knowledge that they are heading in the right direction. To me it signifies keeping the the path you choose for yourself (bit wanky I know, but there you go).

It is still a bit sore after an hour and a quarter under the needle on Friday but it is coming along well with iberal applications of nappy rash cream. Here's to the next one.

Happy Christmas and all that....

2006-12-22T08:40:00.000Z

"Bah humbug" is my usual cry at this time of year because as a rule I don't like Christmas much. It's not the buying of presents or the carols, tinsel and turkey that turns me off, but more when it all starts. October is far too early to start thinking about Christmas in my book. It should start at the very earliest on 1 December and at best two weeks before.

This year however I'm actually enjoying it. I put this down to having Lily and Sybil around. It will be fun on Christmas morning to see Sybs unwrapping her presents and as I'm not going to my parents until Wednesday next week I'm also looking forward to cooking a Christmas lunch for Lily and me. I image Sybs will want cheese sandwiches or fish fingers. I enjoy going to my Mum and Dad's for Christmas but I haven't had a Christmas at home for fourteen years and I'm really looking forward to it.

Another thing I'm looking forward to greatly this year is seeing some of my mates over the festive period. Tonight for example I'm going out for a meal with about ten friends. Usually I'm in darkest Cornwall and have therefore never been to this annual event. As I'm at home for Christmas I can go this year.

There are things about Christmas I still have trouble enjoying though. The British fashion for festooning their houses with thousands of Christmas lights for example. What brought this on? It never happened in my day. It seems that if someone in the street does it, a wicked Christmas virus takes hold and everyone else has to have a bigger and better display, thus draining the national grid of electricity. I'm not a fan of this false festive spirit either. All of a sudden, on 1 December, people of a certain type suddenly start wearing Santa hats as if that is going to suddenly make you remember it is Christmas and you therefore MUST enjoy yourself. I know its fucking Christmas you idiot! Piss off and leave me alone!! And then if you don't join in with there incessant partying your are labelled a miserable bastard. Well I can enjoy Christmas without dressing up and looking like a complete toss pot thank you very much.

My final Christmas nadir however is wrapping presents. I HATE wrapping presents. It takes me forever, I'm crap at it and they end up looking like a car crash. I know you can buy al your gifts on the internet and many can be gift wrapped but if you decide to buy stuff from the High Street you're buggered. Someone should event self wrapping Christmas presents and therefore save hours and hours of pain for an idiot like me.

Despite my reservations I am enjoying Christmas this year (and if the truth be known I always do really) and hope you all have a Christmas that you choose. Be it at home on your own refusing to be drawn in to all the crap or partying with your family and friends. Have a good one.

Wrong.

2006-12-14T17:14:00.000Z

There are many things in life that are wrong. War for example, homophobia, sexism, racism, disablism and lots of other ‘isms’ that I can’t think of at the minute. All of the above are a done deal. There are, however, lots of other wrong things in the world and I reckon I’ll share them with you. Remember, in the world of Marmite, Marmiteboy is king, so the following ARE wrong and you’ll never convince me otherwise.

Pea and Ham soup.
Pop Socks.
Middle Aged men with pony tails (grow up and cut it off man you look really stupid).
Bakewell tarts.
Dogs who wear clothes.
Shell suits.
Balding men with long hair.
Socks and sandals worn together.
People that don’t read books.
Pizza with pineapple. (Last time I looked pineapple was a fruit it doesn’t go with ham, tomato and cheese. No really, it doesn’t).
Wind and rain (My least favourite weather combination. Should be banned).
Westlife
The Chuckle Brothers (if you want to see just how wrong Google them)
Peanut Butter
Mayonnaise (why coat your food with something that doesn’t taste of anything?)
Mathematics.
Malibu and Coke.
Men who wear thick gold chains.
Fondue parties.
Sago (you shouldn’t be eating something that looks like frog spawn).

That is a list of stuff wot is wrong. There is obviously much more that is wrong but I don’t want to be seen as being a miserable sod.

It's Always Good To Do A New Thing.

2006-12-13T07:37:00.000Z

I've done a number of 'new' things recently. Things that I have never done before. Why the sudden intrepidness then? Some of it is to do with a change in circumstances no doubt and some of it is because of greater confidence in myself. Whatever the reason it is definitely good to do new things.

New Things Wot I've Done.

1. I have become a manager.

Scary I know, letting me have any responsibility that involves the lives of others but a change at work meant I am now the manager to eight poor souls. It's something that I never ever had ambition to do and I was actually quite daunted at the prospect of ever having to do it. However, as it turns out I love it. Sure there wil be times when it will be difficult and I'l cross that bridge when I come to it, so far though it's been a really positive experience.

2. I have bought a Christmas tree.

This is a first. I always go to my parents in Cornwall for Christmas Day and have never bothered about getting one. Well you don't if you're on your own do you. This year though I have Lily and Sybil for Christmas which is going to be fab. It was good fun getting the tree and decorating it on Saturday night and I really like it being there. And so far the cats have ignored it.

3. I have completely shaved my head.

I have had short hair for a while now. I used to have a skinhead haircut (although I've never been a skinhead) about 13-14 years ago and it has generally always been very short. Recently I return to having it shaved to a Grade 2 and then went to a Grade 1 and then progressed to a Grade ½. On Saturday night I went one better and covered my head in shaving foam and shaved it off completely. It feels great (if a little cold) and Lily likes it so I'm going to keep it up for a bit.

4. I have started reading graphic novels.

I always mocked those who read graphic novels as not reading proper books. However, my mate Piley recently lent me some work by the great Alan Moore who wrote 'V For Vendetta', 'Watchman' , 'From Hell' and 'The League For Extraordinary Gentlemen' and I must say I'm hooked. Graphic novels are far, far more than just comics. They are complex, literary and above all a darn good read. I'm currently reading 'Fun House' by Alison Bechdel which for all intents and purposes is an autobiography. Excellent it is too.

So okay I've only done 4 new things but hey it's a start. Go on do a new thing today.

Best Of 2006

2006-12-08T08:14:00.000Z

It’s that time of year again when I turn one of my favourite pursuits of the year, the compilation of my records of the year. I have always been one for compiling lists of my favourite records, bands, singers and so on. I fact, when Nick Hornby wrote Hi Fidelity one of my mates reckoned he had written it about me because I did lists so much. Although not an easy task, it is never a chore for me to do a Top Five, Ten or Twenty. As usual several of my colleagues also their lists (yes we do all have lives and some of us have wives and girlfriends too) and this year we were only allowed to chose one track per artist. This makes the task more difficult but does focus the mind. Here then, without further ado is my Top Twenty for 2006.

1. Glasgow Mega Snake by Mogwai – This is the stand out track from Mr Beast, one of two albums released by Glasgow noise merchants, Mogwai this year. It, as usual, starts slowly and just when you least expect it takes your head off with a blistering, vicious and darn right noisy refrain. I saw the mighty Mogs three times in 06 and at a gig in Cambridge it was this track that moved my mate Charlie’s trousers it was so loud. How cool is that?

2. Made Up Love Song # 43 by Guillemots – Wonderful pop music is this. Main man Fyfe Dangerfield writes a damn good tune, so he does. This is as uplifting as it gets. It will brighten the dreariest of days.

3. Out Of The Angeles by Amusement Parks On Fire – Hurrah, Shoegazey is back! Initially APOF were a solo project by Nottingham based musician Michael Feerick. For his second album however he expanded to a five piece and as a result their sound is even more wonderful. I have always loved walls of noise and vocals far down in the mix and we get that in spades here. Reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine, but none the worse for it this is a wonderful record.

4. Black Gown by The Lemonheads – The Lemonheads went away for a long while whilst Evan Dando sorted his head out. We all thought that he could never recapture the sound that made The Lemonheads such a darn good band. He has gone through a lot has Evan and as he is no longer a young man, we all thought that it would take its toll on his vocals. We were so wrong. This could be The Lemonheads finest moment. Dando sounds as youthful as ever and has definitely got his mojo back. Fab stuff, it is also one of Sybil’s latest fav raves.

5. Rise Up With Fists by Jenny Lewis & The Watson Twins. - Rilo Kiley’s Jenny Lewis goes solo(ish) and the result is a lovely album Americana tunes that are perfectly suited to Jenny’s sweet vocals. Rilo Kiley’s last album sounded a bit to polished and commercial for my ears but this is subtle and very pretty.

6. The Shy Retainer by Arab Strap – Alas no more Arab Strap. Moffat and Middleton have called it a day. There will be no more drunken musings on life in Falkirk. Well until Aiden Moffat’s solo next solo album anyway. The inclusion of this track may be seen as a bit of a cheat as it was first recorded in 2003 but I’m including it as it has been re-recorded for the Strap’s final EP that was sold on the final tour. Not, as they say, available in the shops.

7. Tera Nova by iLiKETRAiNs – The spelling is a gimmick, as is the old British Rail gear they wear on stage. However the music is far from gimmicky. Another Shoegazey type band, this time from Leeds. Check them out.

8. I’m Ready by The Twilight Singers – Greg Dulli can do little wrong in my book and we have a brand new Afghan Whigs album and tour to look forward to in 2007. Until then though Dulli’s new band will do. A bit more laid back than The Whigs on the album but this track is very reminiscent of that greatest of US bands.

9. Lloyd, I'm Ready To Be Heartbroken by Camera Obscura – Some might call them twee and some may be right. You cannot dispute that they write a catchy tune though. It is a crime that this wasn’t a massive hit.

10. Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager (part 2) by Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly. – At last Southend has someone to write home about. Sam Duckworth is probably the hardest working man in the business at the moment. Sometimes he has chalked up three gigs in a day. Give him somewhere to play and he’ll do a show. It shows, because he is bloody good. His debut album of the same name has been very well received and his sound, with acoustic guitar, accompanied by beats from his laptop, are unusual enough to make him stand out from the crowd. He will go far.

11. I Fought The Angels by The Delgado’s – Okay maybe this one is a cheat seeing as they split up last year and this is from a Peel Session years ago. But it was not released until this year and is fabulous. So there.

12. Cathkin Braes by De Rosa – Jock Pop tells me the title is something to do with a place in Scotland. I can’t remember where and I don’t really care. What I do care about is this is another fine band discovered by Chemikal Underground Records. I look forward to more.

13. Ramblin’ Man by Isobel Campbell and Mark Lanegan – Campbell, ex of Belle and Sebastian recorded this with ex-Screaming Trees front man Lanegan without meeting him. They exchanged the bits they had recorded by e-mail. This may lead you to think that this is a techno record. It’s nothing of the sort. In fact it is a lovely country tinged song reminiscent of Lee Hazelwood and Nancy Sinatra. And yes, it is a cover of the Hank Williams song.

14. Springfield by Sufjan Stevens – This, for me is the stand out track from ‘Avalanche’ an album released this year that included outtakes and alternate versions from the ‘Illinois’ sessions. It is nothing different or doesn’t depart from Steven’s sparse sound. It is rather beautiful though.

15. Big Star Baby by Mojave 3 – Several members of this band used to be in Slowdive who were for a short time my favourite band. They produced lovely Shoegazey stuff. Mojave 3 on the other hand sound like Big Star or the Byrds. Nowt wrong with that either. This is a lovely, sunny, feel good record.

16. It’s Not So Bad by Sparklehorse – Blimey, Mark Linkous almost sounds happy on this. Surely not? It must be the Dangermouse input. And pop-pickers that isn’t the one-eyed bepatched superspy mouse we know and love but the geezer behind Gnarls Barkley. Strangely though it isn’t a pile of shite, but the usual Sparklehorse stuff about being miserable and horses. Only a tiny bit more cheerful.

17. The Youngest Was The Most Loved by Morrissey – Morrissey’s latest album ‘Ringleader Of The Tormentors’ was a major disappointment to these ears. It didn’t move on any from previous albums and was a trifle dull. However, this was a blistering track, full of swirling guitars and great lyrics. If only the rest of the album had been as good.

18. Sukie In The Graveyard by Belle and Sebastian – I’ve seen Scotland’s best band four times this year (the most memorable being a jaunt to Germany) and as usual they invariably came up trumps. This was my favourite track from ‘The Life Pursuit’. Funky and fun it’s a great dance record.

19. Depleted Uranium Is A War Crime by Anti-Flag – This is a bit of a departure for the America’s favourite agit-punks as it’s about fluffy bunnies, flowers and staring into the sunset with the one you love. Only joking! It does exactly what it says on the tin. Anti-Bush, anti-war and anti just about everything else. The best leftist punk band in the States. Period.

20. Let The Cool Goodness Rust Away by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Although I bought this last year it sneaks in as it wasn’t released officially in the UK until January. It’s a lovely slice of oddness. Are they the new Talking Heads? Only time will tell.

That’s it folks, another year gone. I’ve bought far too many records this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if I’ve topped a hundred albums! There has been some great stuff and I can’t wait for next year for some more.

World Aids Day.

2006-12-01T17:41:00.000Z

Today is World Aids Day. It is hoped that awareness can be raised that will put an end to the unnecessary deaths of 5,500 people who needlessly die of AIDS in Africa every day.

Think about that for a minute. 5,500 men, women and children every day, 365 days a year. And that is just in Africa!

Support World Aids Day and visit this campaigning site

Thank you and Keep Safe.

I Did, I Taw, A Puddy Tat.

2006-11-27T15:20:00.000Z

On Saturday, Lily, Sybil and I went along to the local Cats Protection League to pick up her new charges. It is a dangerous place to visit as a cat lover is the CPL. You see all these wee cats who nobody seems to want and you want to take them all home with you. I resisted, just.

We loaded the girls Mushroom (on the left), Pumpkin (above middle) and their brother Potato (above right) into the Marmitemobile and set off to Chez Lily. The girls were quiet on the journey; especially Mushroom. Potato however voiced his displeasure quite audibly. As the male in the family he seems to be the biggest of girls blouses.

On arriving home they were let out of the carrying cases and set off too investigate their surroundings. Mushroom it seems, is the bravest and set off upstairs after only fifteen minutes or so and immediately squeezed herself in through the door of Sybil’s dolls house to have a look round. When she exited unscathed her sister thought she’d have a butchers too. (For my overseas readers, butchers (butchers hook) is Cockney rhyming slang for look, clever eh?)

Potato is rather more tentative and preferred to stay downstairs and pretend to cover his food with earth. He has a delicate palate it seems and Asda’s Meat and Gravy pouches aren’t to his taste. It was funny seeing him go to all three dishes and show his displeasure at what had been dished up to him.

It wasn’t long before they had all had enough of wandering about and settled down to their new home. Potato is very demanding and has to be stroked and made a fuss of. If you are giving attention to the girls he cries and pushes in. A typical insecure male, my Twiglet is exactly the same. Little Pumpkin is shy and demure and likes to be cuddled. She likes to sit on the windowsill and watch the world go by. Mushroom on the other hand is a nutter. Within an hour she was chasing round playing rough and tumble games with her toys and her siblings. I had her and her sister playing duvet monsters on Saturday night and she is very good at it. She leaps in the air like a salmon before catching the evil foot monster beneath the quilt cover. When she was six months old she had a litter and although now spay retains her mothering qualities. She pounces on her siblings’ holds them down and then washes them. Bless.

They have all settled in really nicely and are already starting to create havoc. Mushroom’s favourite game Lily says is to pull the modem lead out of the back of the laptop thus making internet surfing impossible when she is awake. Just goes to prove that cats are an excellent way to waste time.

A Bit Of A Do.

2006-11-24T15:18:00.000Z

This time last week I was attending a ‘bit of a do’ at the very swish London restaurant The Babylon Roof Gardens in Kensington. I don’t usually go to restaurants where you are required to use a knife and fork, or where the use of crockery is mandatory, but I made an exception last Friday because Lady Bracknell’s Editor was receiving her MBE.

It was a motley gathering, mainly because The Editor has such an array of waifs and strays. Obviously I was in attendance, along with the Editors baby brother The Accountant. Also Pop Larkin turned up with an associate known as JC who insisted on wearing The Editors hat. Scarily the hat suited him very well. Young Anthony also insisted on trying the hat on as well and it went very well with his silver topped cane, which he admitted is an affectation. I have heard there are several creams on the market that can clear that up Ant!

Old Blind Git, as the Editor somewhat rudely calls him, came with his esteemed canine friend Sutton. Sutton decided that the whole event was an absolute bore and had a good kip throughout proceedings. Auntie Jan was there and was allegedly the only other lady present. Uncle also attended and was on fine form although he had to keep popping out to ‘feed the meter’ whatever that means!!! Finally was the keeper of the finest establishment west of London (according to reports) young Algernon graced himself with his presence. Apparently he is no relation to the Editor’s employer.

It was a fine afternoon of wine and fine food. I had to return to Darkest Essex after the meal but I hear the festivities resumed at Algernon’s establishment until late into the day. Hearty congratulations go out to the Editor on receiving her badge from HRH Prince Chuck.

What's Up Pussycat?

2006-11-16T07:51:00.000Z

There is much excitement in Lily’s house at the moment because she is about to have some new additions to her family. On Saturday morning we are going to pick up three ten month old cats from the Cats Protection League.

About ten days ago Lily went along to the Cats Protection League place up the road from her house to have a look round. She wants to volunteer there so she can maintain her cat fixation. She said that she wanted to get a cat after Christmas and was going to get out on the waiting list. When I rang her that night she said she’d had a lovely time and then just slipped in ‘I’ve got three kittens’ under her breath and went on to something else. ‘”Hang on a minute” I thought, and said ”Did you just say you’ve got three kittens?” Apparently she was worried that I’d tell her off and said it quickly. I am, of course, nearly as excited as she is, (I could never be as excited, nobody could) and can’t wait to see the little mites.

The story is that they are siblings, two girls and a boy who were owned by a woman with five children, the youngest of which was eleven days old and the oldest fourteen that has an ASBO and an electronic tag. Not the kind of environment to bring up impressionable kit-tans I’ll think you’ll agree. There are two black fluffy ones with white bibs and a shorthaired grey and black stripy one. They have already been named. Sybil has decided that stripy is to be called Mushroom and the other two are Pumpkin and Sybil’s preferred moniker of Potato (although I think her Mum helped persuade her). These are fine names for little pussycats in my opinion.

So Lily has two days of relative peace before the kitten hoards descend upon her. I will, of course, update you on events.

I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night.

2006-11-14T12:15:00.000Z

I’ve had this dream right and I haven’t a clue what it is about. I’m sure dream analysts will have a field day and point out to me that I have a mother fixation and want to blow up the Houses of Parliament or something. Maybe, but it doesn’t explain the weirdness of it at all.

Picture the scene. It is summer and the weather is warm and sunny. In Southend there is a carnival that is taking place but there is also some kind of music festival as well. I am walking along the seafront, not by the amusements and the pier but up a bit from there, in the better end of town, when I bump into someone I know. He is an old man dressed in a white hospital gown, grey tracksuit bottoms, sandals and a straw Stetson. He has snow white hair and is carrying a guitar. He is obviously homeless and has mental health issues or Alzheimer’s. This man is also a reggae singer and is in fact Clint Eastwood!!! Some readers might be aware that there was a reggae singer called Clint Eastwood, but it is not him, it is the Clint ‘Good, Bad and the Ugly’ Eastwood we have here.

From the reaction I receive it is obvious that Clint is a mate of mine and trusts me. On my part I am very concerned about Clint’s well being, especially as he has just wet himself and is in a bit of a confused state. I decide to try and get him into a residential care home so he can be looked after and be kept off of the streets. However I know I have to be careful with this as he is not going to be happy with this situation. I know I am going to have to make out that we are just visiting somewhere and then get him settled and do a runner.

Go to a couple of places and they all are unacceptable for some reason, although it is not clear why. I then find a place in Thorpe Bay (which is a posh bit of the Borough of Southend) that looks okay (although in the dream it is run down with peeling walls and scuffed lino on the floor). We are met by a lady who looks like a cleaner and who guides us up to a room with brown carpet, yellowing walls and a lovely Formica bar. She distracts Clint while I leave and go back to the carnival. I am obviously visibly upset because a number of people ask me what is wrong. I tell them that I have just put my mate Clint Eastwood in a care home.

I wake up.

What was that all about then? I don’t even like Clint Eastwood.

Ten Years Of Tears.

2006-11-09T13:51:00.000Z

Arab Strap – Live at The Scala London 8th November 2006.

This is an end of an era. Falkirk’s finest sons Malcolm Middleton and Aidan Moffat have decided to call an end to Arab Strap after 10 years of rambling, miserable, drunken beautiful music.

In 1996 they recorded their first single ‘The First Big Weekend’ to acclaim from the press and music fans alike. It was the story of Scotland’s exit from Euro 96 and told tales of broken love affairs and an excess drink and drugs. Moffat’s spoken word, virtually incoherent at times, vocals was, counterpointed by Middleton’s beautiful guitar playing. It was one of the singles of the year and helped to put The Strap on the map. That, and their shambolic gigs. Moffat was at times so pissed that he just mumbled into the microphone. On one famous occasion whilst supporting Mogwai they were so bad the audience invaded the stage. Now that doesn’t happen everyday.

They have moved on since those days and are now a very good live act. They don’t indulge as much as they used to and it seems that their lyrical content is not quite as vitriolic as it used to. As this point I’d like advise that if you are thinking of going out with Aidan Moffat I’d advise you think again as he writes in minute detail about failed relationships. I’m not sure that he changes the names to protect the innocent either.

And so Arab Strap are on their final tour before calling it a day and Jock Pop and I made our way to Kings Cross to see our final Arab Strap gig. In short, they were magnificent and is probably my best gig of the year. When I go to gigs I always have a wish list of what I’d like to hear and most of the time you get to hear some of your favourite tracks. Inevitably though you don’t get to hear everything you want, especially if a band has had a ten-year career. Last night was different. During the 115 minute set Arab Strap played everything on my list. I won’t bore you with details of the track listings but suffice it to say they covered all their six studio albums, played early singles and B-sides as well as later material. Aidan was really up for chatting to the crowd and Malcolm played wonderfully, especially during the 5-song encore when he switched to acoustic guitar. They are not a demonstrative pair but they did look like they enjoyed themselves. I wish the lads well in what ever they choose to do next. They are going to be missed. As Aidan said at the end of the gig last night:

“We have been Arab Strap, thank you for listening. Goodnight.”

The American Dr Mengele.

2006-11-02T15:07:00.000Z

Lady Bracknell’s editor e-mailed me a very disturbing article that has appeared in the Science and Health pages of Reuters. It seems that two Doctors in Seattle, Washington State, in the good ole United States of America have given a 6-year-old disabled child treatment to stop her growth so that her parents can continue to care for her at home. According to the doctors the young girl has a ‘profound, irreversible developmental disability’ and has been given high doses of estrogen to permanently halt her growth. The treatment, which also included a hysterectomy, was requested by the child’s parents and initiated after (the report says) ‘careful consultation and review by an ethics committee’.

I cannot see any justification for this brutal treatment of a child. Now the parents may be finding it hard to cope with a disabled child, I have no argument with that, and they may wish to keep their child like she is (however misguided that may seem). My argument is with the medical ‘profession’ for agreeing to do this.

The two doctors in question are Dr Daniel F Gunther and Dr Douglas S. Diekema who work at the University of Washington. In their report they note that ‘caring for children with profound developmental disabilities can be difficult and demanding’ they go on ‘For children with severe combined neurological and cognitive impairment (at least they’ve got the terminology right – Ed) who are unable to move without assistance, all the necessities of life – dressing, bathing, transporting – must be provided by caregivers, usually parents, and these tasks become increasingly difficult, if not impossible, as he child increases in size’. (Maybe this is the medical term for growing up!!! – Ed).

This dangerous nonsense continues. “Achieving permanent growth attenuation while a child is still young and of manageable size would remove one of the major obstacles to family care and might extend the time that parents with the ability, resources, and inclination to care for the child at home might be able to do so”.

Apparently “despite having the neurological development no greater than an infant, the 6-year-old responds to her parents and two healthy siblings –vocalizing and smiling in response to care and affection – and clearly is an integral, and much loved, member of the family” the doctors said in their report. Shame she hasn't been treated like one then isn't it?

The child is a year into this treatment and is reaching the end of her growth. The doctors have said, “as yet, there have been no treatment complications”. Well that’s all right then!! I wonder if they have considered the prospect of osteoporosis because of such an early hysterectomy

I cannot begin to express how appalled I am over this ‘treatment’. How dare someone experiment on a child? I suppose they think it is okay to do it on a disabled child as she won’t have the capacity to raise a concern, or so they say. How do the doctors know that the restriction on this child’s growth won’t have an adverse effect on her cognitive growth?

After the Second World War the Nuremberg trials sentenced doctors to death for carrying out experiments like this. In the land of the free it seems that, as long as the parents say it is okay, they can fuck up a young life by stopping them growing. Authors of a commentary on the treatment have called it ‘ill advised’ but have welcomed the debate that helps to “advance our ethical dialogue as we struggle to define our core values in words, laws and deeds. Only with further research and public discussion will we learn whether attempts to attenuate growth run with or against our fundamental values in caring for children with profound developmental disabilities”.

So it seems that it is okay to continue to experiment on disabled children because it raises a debate. There is only one thing to say about this. It is totally unacceptable and wrong to treat a child (disabled or not) like a laboratory rat. The Reuters report doesn’t once mention the welfare of the child. It concentrates on the parents only. Although caring for a disabled child with severe impairments must be a task we must always take into account their welfare before anybody else’s wishes. For once I hope the religious right in the US kick off about this and use all their influence with Bush to end this appalling state of affairs. If they don’t what will the next step be. Compulsory euthanasia for disabled children whose parents can’t cope?

Marmite and Baked Beans - The Perfect Combination.

2006-10-26T08:08:00.000+01:00

Marmite, it seems, has a new favourite food. Just of late he has decided that that British classic, the humble baked bean, will do for him just nicely. I had finished my tea and went off to make a quick cuppa and when I returned to the lounge I found him tucking in. Now to be fair he doesn't actually eat the bean part but he is rather partial to the lovely sauce. It wasn't a one off either as I tried him later that week with some more and he tucked in again.

Last night I had pancetta and mushrooms on toast in balsamic vinegar and the lad was happy to eat both pancetta (with as meat is quite normal for a kitty) as well as the mushrooms. The balsamic vinegar, he said, just added to the flavour cutting through the butter, adding an edge of acidity. Another favourite is spaghetti bolognese and he has had chicken korma too, although he says he could have done with it being a bit spicier!! His brother Twiglet prefers Felix.

Thanks to Lady Bracknell's editor who converted my phone picture onto her pc and e-mailed it back to me.

Marmite Is Art.

2006-10-24T11:44:00.000+01:00

An artist has used the format of Marmite to express himself.

Dermot Flynn's work will be displayed at a gallery in London.

Famous faces on the toast include Simon Cowell, Baroness Thatcher, Pete Doherty, Victoria Beckham, Gordon Ramsay, Charlotte Church and James Blunt.

According to the BBC, Mr Flynn chose ten celebritiies for his work entitled, 'Marmart'.
The Marmite art exhibition is at London's Air Gallery until October 28.

They look good enough to eat.

Things I Have Learnt This Week.

2006-10-07T13:01:00.000+01:00

Reading the six Man Booker Prize short listed books isn't as much of a chore as I thought it might be.
Most of them aren't actually THAT good either.
My cat Marmite likes baked beans.
Jack Straw should have thought before opening his mouth.
The new BBC1 comedy 'Not Going Out' isn't very funny.
An impacted wisdom tooth really, really, really hurts.
I don't give a toss who the next presenter of 'Countdown' is.
Or that a new series of 'Strictly Come Dancing' is about to begin.
The word for red in Spanish is 'rojo'.
That I should have planned this list before I started because I can only think of nine things.

War On Terror Causes Terror.

2006-09-27T06:59:00.000+01:00

According to a report released today by the US Government and reported on here, the war on terror has increased the possibility of terrorist attacks on US interests.

Should we be surprised at this? I think not. Okay I admit I did not support the invasion of Iraq. I still believe very strongly that there was no justification for it. I also believe however, that there are many people out there that have an equally strong belief in the opposite view. Whilst I'll disagree with them vermently I cannot argue with their conviction.

I do not however understand how George Bush can still stand up and say that:

"I think it's a mistake for people to believe that going on the offence against people that want to do harm to the American people makes us less safe."

I can understand he may believe that he should go on the offence, although I don't agree with him. But I don't think he should be burying his head in the sand. The suicide bombings in Iraq and for that matter, Afghanistan, are directly linked to the US/NATO troops being there in the first place. I don't believe that the attack on the Underground in London would have happened if we hadn't been involved in Iraq either. However large or small the threat from Islamic terrorism is, and I'm at odds at the perceived scale of this too, the demonisation of a peaceful religion is an outrage, it has been increased by the 'War On Terror'.

This is totally obvious to me. In wars people tend to fight back. Terrorists are just going to roll over and give up, I wish they would but it ain't going to happen. The threat is greater than before the 'War On Terror' began. And in my opinion it is greater because of it rather than despite it.

Mogwai Live. Royal Albert Hall 22nd September 2006

2006-09-25T07:02:00.000+01:00

Emmy in her fantastic Fangirl blog mentioned that when she saw Mogwai on 20th July in Australia that they were a little disappointing. She mentioned that it hadn't felt like a truck being driven through your chest as it had on previous ocassions. I had reason to disagree with her as I had seen them in Cambridge and London earlier in the year and they had, as usual, blown me away.

Therefore I was hoping for big things at The Royal Albert Hall on Friday. As a venue it is pretty spectacular. A place of great history and somewhere that bands aspire to play in. It should have been the best Mogwai gig I have ever seen, shouldn't it? Well like Emmy I was a bit disappointed. It wasn't the vicious onslaught I was hoping for. I'm afraid that Mogwai are in danger of descending into pretencious noodling Prog Rock band.

Maybe it was the choice of set list that gave me this impression. I'm used to being slammed against the wall by their massive noise. On Friday I found myself drifting off, not in some blissed out way, knowing that soon the hairs on the back of my neck would be standing up on end and that the sound would thump into my chest like the truck that Emmy mentioned, but this time I found myself wondering just how many times I had been to see The Wedding Present (10 by the way). In short, at times, I was a bit bored.

It wasn't a bad gig, just not as edgy as usual. It all seemed a bit too safe. Maybe it was the surroundings that did it. Even Mogwai Fears Satan, a track that earlier in the year had made my mate Charlie's trousers move because it was so splendidly loud was a bit off. It didn't make me jump out of my seat or hold my hands over my ears begging for mercy.

I love Mogwai, and this is the time that I have been disappointed after seeing them. It was the third time I've seen them this year and I know that they have been touring the latest album Mr Beast for ages and that they maybe gigged out. I just hope that we haven't seen their best years and that they can come back and blow our collective socks off again, like they used to.

The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager

2006-09-20T15:49:00.000+01:00

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly. Live at Chinnery's Southend on Sea - 18th September 2006.

You might not read it here first, but Sam Duckworth is going to be HUGE. This was a home town gig for Southend born Sam under his alter-ego Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly after an extensive tour which has included both the Carling Festivals in Leeds and Reading and Bestival on the Isle of Wight. It was also the day his first album, The Chronicles Of A Bohemian Teenager was realeased. Get Cape have been gigging extensively for the last 2 years or so and according to manager Paul Bonham, Duckworth is one of the hardest working men in the business. Just one look at his previous gigs this year alone proves this to be true. Only the week before Duckworth's first single from his album was released and he played no less than four gigs in the day, including a in store performance and signing session at the HMV store in Southend.

There was decent support from Boom In The Diamond Industry and the excellent Cardiff band Adequet 7 and then Get Cape hit the stage armed with an acoustic guitar and a laptop, and it is this that sets Duckworth apart from his counterparts. He is an excellent guitarist and this is aided by some fantastic beats laid down by the laptop. It is hard to catagorise but if I had to pigeonhole him I'd include him in the 'Folktronica' scene that include such bands as It's Jo And Danny. It's was obvious to all that this was a special gig, the kind that, as a regular gig goer, come along only once in a while. A cynic might say that, as this was a home town gig, with an audience that has been with him since that start and included all his mates and his Mum and Dad (who were standing next to me and Jock Pop), he could do no wrong, but despite this the performance that Duckworth gave was nothing short of briliant. For a man of only 20 years old his confidence on stage is phenomenal. He played most of the album including Glasshouses, I-Spy, The Lighthousekeeper, War Of The Worlds and Once More With Feeling and the crowd sang along with every song.

There is a fashion at the moment for the singer-songwriter and although this is a welcome change from the manufactured dross of most of the charts, it can be a little bit boring and samey. Get Cape are something different, Duckworth's songs mean something for a start. He sings about the need to stand up and fight racism and homophobia in Glasshouses, and the threat about globalisation in Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly which conatins the lyric "You don't have to be a coathanger for a corporation in a market that has lost the plot". He also writes about the being wrongly perceived because of what you do, maintaining that "You are not your job and you are not the clothes you wear. You are the words that leave your mouth so speak up, speak up loud" in Call Me Ishmael. There is a whole lot more to Get Cape than the usual "I love you" drival.

The highlight of the gig was a crowdsurf by Sam whilst playing his guitar during the final song. He admitted that he had never done anything quite like that before and you got the impression that he loved every second of the night and it was a totally spontaneous action to hurl himself into the crowd, although he did ask just before he did it if people would catch him.

Watch out for Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly and go and buy either the album or the single of the same name. If you get a chance to see him live do so without hesitation. You won't be disappointed.

The Man Booker Prize.

2006-09-18T17:51:00.000+01:00

I was lucky enough to be invited, along with members of my library reading group, to a party at the London Library that launched the short list for this years Man Booker Prize.

The list is as follows:

The Inheritance Of Men by Kirin Desai
The Secret River by Kate Grenville
Carry Me Down by MJ Hyland
In The Country Of Men by Matar Hisham
Mothers Milk by Edward St Aubyn
The Nightwatch by Sarah Waters.

I'm honoured to have be chosen by my group to contribute to a blog that is being run by the Man Booker official website. You can read all about the evening mentioned above and reviews of the books here. My group is called The Gallery Book Club.

I'm really looking forward to reading these books. I read the St Aubyn over the weekend and it was a very good read, providing you took some of the characterisation with a pinch of salt. There are a number of very precocious children in it who speak like university lecturers despite being only 5 years old. Some might find this deeply annoying, however, in my view, St Aubyn has a quality reminisant of Evelyn Waugh and I'm sure he is merely parodying such children and their equally repugnant parents.

I am currently reading Maria Hyland's Carry Me Down and finding it hard to put down. It is brilliantly written and from what I've heard from other book groups taking part in this years Booker, is a big favourite. Hyalnd's characters are far more believable and likeable and you can really imagine being in 1970's Ireland where the novel is set.

It is far too early to choose a winner just yet, although I imagine the judges may have already made up there minds. That's the way these things usually work.

An End Of An Era.

2006-09-15T14:21:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow is a sad day in the life of Marmiteboy. The record shop I have been buying my music from since I was 14 years old is closing down for good. The Golden Disc has been a constant in Queens Road in Southend for as long as I can remember. I bought some shocking old shite in there when I didn't know any better, but then buying crap records is part of anyones musical upbringing, isn't it?

I bought some hum-dingers though. I bought Movement by New Order the day it came out. I remember having to order Life's A Riot by Billy Bragg because at the time it wasn't being properly distributed in the shops. And I probably bought all The Smiths singles on 12 inch, apart form You Handsome Devil ( because there wasn't a 12 inch) there too.

Over the years The Golden Disc has changed its modus operandi. With the advent of the big two (Virgin and HMV) hitting town in the 1990's, Golden Disc changed from the usual outlet selling new releases, chart stuff and so on, to a second hand store. This is where they came into their own. If ever a bargain was to be had it was in Golden Disc. Over the last 15 years or so I have spent an absolute fortune in this shop. In fact me and several of my mates have probably kept them afloat. I reckon on a good third of my 800+ cd's have come from there. This does not include all the vinyl I bought in the old days either.

In the last 3 weeks, as they been having a closing down sale, I have bought about 20 albums from them. Only today I bought Woman's Gotta Have It by Cornershop, Whites Off Earth Now by The Cowboy Junkies and Let Me Come Over by Buffalo Tom all for under 11 quid!! Bargain or what. Last week I forked out for Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes for a fiver, a couple of Arab Strap albums for 4 quid each and an early Afghan Whigs cd for 3 quid.

Unfortunately for me and thankfully for my bank balance, tomorrow it all stops. Lunchtime will never be the same again as my and Jock Pop wouild often trawl through the racks looking for new stock. Farewell the Golden Disc and good luck John in whatever you choose to do next. It's been an expensive blast.

I'd Like To Drop My Trousers To The Queen.

2006-09-11T08:06:00.000+01:00

Morrissey said that in 'Nowhere Fast' and I'm inclined to agree with him at the moment. Why? I here you collectively ask. Well I'm sure you'll be joining me in a mass Republican moon after I divulge some information that has come my way regarding the shocking money making schemes that Buckingham Palace are involved with.

Now you maybe aware that a friend of mine has recently been awarded a Royal Badge in the Birthday Honours List. This is richly deserved, whatever your views of the honours system are. The date for the palatial visit has been set for November and my friend has been given further information about the souvenirs she can purchase to remind her of the day. Now I must admit to being surprised that you have to purchase these items. Surely, as a person who has been rewarded by the Queen one could expect that the items would be given to you. It seems not. However, what is a couple of quid for a photograph of you and Her Madge and a nice 30 minute DVD to mark the ocassion?

If only it was a couple of quid. If you want a photo of the moment they will set you back £17.50 a pop!! How outrageous is that? Not as outrageous as the cost of the DVD. The cost of this is a staggering £147.00 for a 30 minute DVD!!! That is bloody daylight robbery! How dare they charge this type of money for a flipping DVD!!

To a highly paid sports star, or an actor or captain of industry who has bought his peerge, this kind of money is a drop in the ocean. Probably a cost of a bottle of wine at The Ivy. However, isn't the Honours system meant to be for the 'ordinary' people of this country. For instance a Lollypop lady who has helped children across the road for 30 years and who earns minimum wage or a charity worker who has devoted their life to the cause for no recompense. How are they meant to afford £147 for a DVD? They will probably scrape the money together too as they will want some kind of memory of the day. It will go past in a blur otherwise and they won't be able to remember it all.

I think Buckingham Palace should be ashamed of itself. They aren't short of a few bob after all and this is a licence to print money. I have never been a Royalist, quite the opposite in fact, and this has only strenghtened my resolve that the sooner we get rid of them the better.

To pierce, or not to pierce, that is the question?

2006-09-08T16:44:00.000+01:00

Alright, I'll admit it. I'm 41 and vainly battling the onset of middle-age. I'm not doing too badlyI think. I still have a vaguely trendy wardrobe, I shave my hair (none of which is gray), I'm still down with the kids musically, I go to gigs, I go to festivals as a steward (a young mans game surely), I wear Converse All-Stars and I don't own a cardigan. I really am quite a whipper-snapper.

Recently however I have hit upon an idea that might just be pushing things to far. You see, I want to get my nose pierced. I have been pierced before. I had three earrings at one stage (not worn these days) and about 6 years ago I had my left nipple done. This lasted about 9 months until it grew out (don't ask, it wasn't pleasant) and I had to remove it with a pair of my Uncle's pliers. So why the reticence this time? Well, I am 41 years old. Surely I should have grown up a bit now? I'm not worried about the pain, having four tattoo's has shown that. I dress in a way that will probably carry it off. I don't wear casual shirts and slacks for a start. But will having my nose pierced ( I want a nose ring as opposed to a stud) just make me look like a sad old twat?

There is of course only one answer to this. Have it done and be damned. Then if I look ridiculous I can take it out. And that is what I'm going to do once the sniffles have cleared up. I don't thing nose rings and snot really works together very well.

I've got a bad leg!!!

2006-09-01T07:18:00.000+01:00

So what were the facilities like this year at Reading? After the feedback that festival goers gave Attitude Is Everything last year, that we dutifully passed on to the organisers, was there any improvement?

Well the main stage disabled viewing platform was increased by some 30 % and was much better. Last year, although I didn't personally go on it, it wasn't nearly big enough and quite a few times disabled people couldn't get on it for lack of space. The viewing platform at the Lock Up stage was also bigger than last year. It had been tiny, with only enough space for maybe three wheelchair users and their pa's, but this year we were able to accommodate everyone who wanted to use it. The NME/Radio 1 stage actually looked smaller this year, which is odd because it is one of the most popular stages at the festival. There was the added problem of the sound crew storing equipment on there too. It isn't for you guys, sorry, go put your big fuck off crates somewhere else!!! The Carling stage has never been an issue really. It is adequet for needs and was as big as last year. Strangely the viewing platform at the Comedy tent was got rid of completely. Maybe us crips never laugh and don't need it because we wouldn't want to go there!!! One very positive note though. Last year the ramps at the stages were very steep and almost impossoble to navigate for some people. It was much better this year and our feedback was taken note of. Cheers.

Each viewing platform has its own disabled loo, which is a good thing. This year the main stage had two, which went down well with the punters, and the one at the NME stage was actually situated within the curtilige of the platform which made it far easier to police. We had the usual problem of having to explain to non-disabled people that they couldn't use it. I had two 'discussions' with punters, one who called me stupid because I wouldn't let him use it. I did explain to him that in the 10 minutes he stood arguing with me about using it he could have walked over to the non-disabled loos and used them. On another occassion a group of lads thought that my guardianship of the loo would be swayed if they put on limps and went about screaming that they had bad legs. Unfortunately if you take the piss you get fuck all but a flea in your ear. Mark and I did have reports that when we were not on duty other people stewarding the stage were letting everyone use the loos. This will be addressed for next year as it will be reported to Oxfam and hopefully their will be some 'education' in place for 2007.

We had the usual comments from festival goers that the access around the site was poor. I must say that if you tried to get to the main stage or the NME stage at busy times it was very difficult. On two occcassions I happened to be walking past the NME stage and had to don my steward's tabbard in order to get wheelchair users through as people were just lying in the way not taking any notice that someone was trying to get through. I can understand though that this is a difficult problem to solve.

All in all I think this year the access was better than last year. There will always be room for improvement of course and there are things we need to report to The Mean Fiddler. Things are getting better for disabled people attending festivals and although we aren't quite being treated equally yet things are on the up. Lets hope this continues.

Reading Festival 2006.

2006-08-29T14:01:00.002+01:00

As I arrived on the Rivermead site at Reading on the Wednesday lunchtime before the festival began, the heavens opened, just as they did last year. It right royally pissed it down and I was not a happy bunny. I was even less pleased when my tent decided it wasn't going to be erected. It is an umbrella tent and by rights should be the easiest of tents to put up, but somehow the struts had become twisted and the bugger wasn't having any of it. In a rain storm and with the very kind assistace of one of the camp security guys it eventually became untangled, after taking the thing apart, and it went up with out any further problem.

Some of the other Attitude Is Everything stewards also arrived, namely Mark from Northampton and Tony and John from Hartlepool and we all managed to set up camp together. We were the only people in the whole disabled campsite at this time so we were able to spread out a bit and chill out. After signing in with Oxfam, getting our shifts sorted out and going to a briefing meeting that evening we were free to do what we wanted until our first shift on Friday morning. We made the most of it by sitting about drinking beer and smoking tabs whilst listening to some top tunes from the Hartlepool lads cd collection. Another of the Attitude crew, who was looking after the Attitude info tent in the disabled camping area, DJ Void better known as Tom, had also arrived at this point.

The first official day of the festival was on Friday. Mark and I had been allocated as stewards to the Lock Up/Dance tent. The first two days of the festival featured punk bands in the Lock Up tent and so it was acoustic Ska band Blue Kings that kicked off my festival musically. They put of a good show and had quite a following. Then came a bit of Zombie Thrash Metal with Call More Paramedics, the highlight of their set was an impromptu "circle pit' that started in the middle of the tent around the main tent pole. For those of you who don't know what a circle pit is I'll explain. Basically you and several other people mosh but at the same time run round in a circle, if any one goes down the pit stops, picks up the faller and then carries on. When a circle pit is in full swing in the middle of a large crowd it looks fucking brilliant fun. It was to feature heavily in the tent for the next couple of days. After several more ordinary, in my opinion, punk bands I managed to swap tents for about an hour in order to see The Gullimots, as one of the guys in the Radio 1/NME tent wanted to see Lightyear. I was more than happy with this as I was really looking forward to seeing them when the line up was announced. They are a very good live band indeed and went down well, this despite not really being suited to such a big arena. I would love to see then in more intimate surroundings.

My shift finished at 4 o'clock so I went and had some food and then made my way to the main stage to see Belle and Sebastian. It was Stuart Murdochs birthday on Friday so Stevie got the crowd to sing 'Happy Birthday' to him, to which he looked highly embarrassed. As Belle and Sebastian shows go. this was a little disappointing. Fab as they are live, a big arena such as the Reading main stage, is just too big for their kind of sound, not that they were bad in any way, far from it, it just lacked some atmosphere. The same can be said for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs set. Now I really liked the first Yeah Yeah Yeahs album and the second isn't half bad either, but live!! Dull, dull, dull. Karen O rolls about on the floor with a silly mask on and tries her best but the theatrics are lost because of the vast arena.

John, Tony and I had agreed to meet up back at the Lock Up stage to watch Ice T's thrash metal band Body Count. T glided on stage wearing a Michael Myers mask to an estatic welcome. What followed is just maybe the best festival gig I have ever seen. They were blindingly good. The power and speed of the music and Ice T's rapping were mesmerising. Body Count in the Mutha Fuckin House. Indeed.

I then went off to see the Twilight Singers, Greg Dulli, ex of Afghan Wigs new band. I have recently bought their new album and whilst I like it I thought it lacked something. Live however I needn't have worried, they were very good indeed and the guest spot by Mark Langegan was great. One of my favourite artists Jeff Klein was also present on keyboards.

The headline act on the Carling Stage on Friday was a band that my supervisor Rob, who I got on famously with, had told me about. Bedouin Soundclash play a funked up reggae type sound that had the audience bouncing along with them. It was a good end to the day.

My Saturday shift in the Lock Up tent meant missing some bands that I had really wanted to see, like The Fall and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, but all in all it was a good day. The first thing I saw, prior to my shift was the Watford punk band Captain Everything. They had brought along quite a few fans with them and it made for a good atmosphere in the tent. They aren't anything new but they sounded pretty good. Straight down the line punk.

My shift started mid way through a set by punk-ska outfit Capdown. There was a couple of fantastic circle pits in eveidence and a fair bit of crowd surfing. As a result six single shoes, a watch and five mobile phones were handed in. Only two shoes were claimed by mid-night!!!

Flogging Molly had already played on the main stage earlier in the day but this didn't stop the tent being rammed. Their Pogues like material whipped the crowd up and the moshing was fierce but good natured. Not my cup of tea musically but great fun none the less. Later on we had those lovely American boys Anti-Flag to contend with. I've seen them before and am a bit of a fan of their political brand of punk. We had more stage divers (well flag pole divers) for this than any other band over the weekend. In fact I had to call in the security guards to stop it as it was getting so bad. It's not the people diving off the poles I was worried about but the poor bastards that had to catch them when they have jumped from about 15 feet. Anyway, security handled it in a good natured way and the two guys who were standing on the barriers to stop any diving were duly soaked to the skin by water and beer.

Reel Big Fish finished the night off fantastically. They are the perfect festival band. I've never been a huge fan of ska really but this band do it so well. They banter with the audience non-stop, play loud and fast and generally have a good time themselves. It was a fucking great gig and left everyone there wit a huge smile on their face.

Sunday was dance day in our tent and I wasn't really looking forward to my shift. Especially as I had only knocked off 7 hours beforehand. Still it wasn't too dreadful. I quite enjoyed Shit Disco who sounded like they had come out of the Manchester funk scene circa 1979. Very like A Certain Ratio to my ears. Sway was the usual egocentric rapper, but wasn't half bad and Lady Sovreign was not the novelty act I expected. She is darn good at what she does. That was the end of my shift as a steward for this year. I went to see Hope Of The States play what is rumoured to be their last ever gig and then met my mate Richie and his girlfriend. We did listen to Slayer and whilst I can appreciate the musicianship it didn't move me any. It seemed souless and clinical to me.

The last thing I saw was perhaps one of the best things I saw. The Klaxons are going to be huge, judging by the reception they received in the Carling Tent. They play a sort of raved up punk and they do it brilliantly. The tent was awash with glowsticks and er.. klaxons as the band hit the stage. It was the most tightly packed tent I saw all weekend and the dust cloud that the bouncing crowd surfing punters caused was a sight to be seen. Last year The Artic Monkeys stole the weekend with their mid-afternoon show, this year I reckon it was The Klaxons. You'll be hearing about them very soon.

I had intended to go and see Pearl Jam who were headlining the main stage but after The Klaxons and three songs into the very ordinary Larrakin Love's set I just ran out of steam and went back to the tent.

How was this years Reading compared to last year's? Well musically I didn't think it was as good but I had a better time. I made some great new friends and look forward to working with them again next year.

Life Under Canvas.

2006-08-22T08:25:00.000+01:00

Well tomorrow I'm off to the Reading Festival again as a steward. I did this last year and it was a really good experience. As with last year I am working via Attitude Is Everything as a disabled steward and I expect to be working on the disabled persons viewing platforms ensuring that ease of acess is maintained and that only those people who are entitled to be on the platform are there.

I'm not so impressed with the line-up this year although I am hoping to see Belle and Sebastian, The Fall, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, The Guillimots, Anti-Flag, The Mystery Jets and Bodycount. Last year I 'discovered' quite a few bands and I ended up spending a fortune on cd's. I'm kinda hoping for the same this year too.

Although the festival doesn't start until Friday all the stewards have to be on site by tomorrow afternoon. I'll be kicking my heels a bit on Thursday but Attitude are having a tent in the disabled camping area so I'm hoping to help out there.

If you are going to the festival yourself have a good time and don't forget the toilet roll!

100 Not Out.

2006-08-17T07:28:00.000+01:00

Blimey!! I've just noticed that this is my 100 post since joining the bloggersphere. That's an average of 2 a week since I started on 24th August last year.

They say that a year is a long time in politics and from now on they might be saying that a year is a long time in the life of Marmiteboy. A lot has happened to me in the last year. I have become a festival steward (soon to be repeated next week at this years Reading Festival), I have been tattooed again, gone through a bout of depression and received some therapy that has changed my life, I've seen countless bands, read loads of great books and am looking forward to being part of the Booker Prize judging panel with the reading group I'm a member of and I have bought way too many pairs of trainers but not enough cds.

One of my bested friends is now a member of 'The Establishment' after deservedly receiving an MBE this year. Another one of my best mates became a Dad for the first time. Best of all though is that I met Lily. She has been so fantastic for me. I never thought it would happen and I just assumed I'd be on the shelf for the rest of my days. Now I know I won't. Thanks darling.

Being a blogger has introduced me to loads of fab people. A few of us were posters on Ouch and that started to get a bit silly (lots of trolls about) and it seems that we all decided to do this instead. Some people like The Goldfish and Turtle were blogging long ago and I for one am glad I decided to join them. I wouldn't have met Stella or Gimpy Mumpy if I hadn't been blogging.

Blogging is good. Here's to the next 100 entries.

There's Always Someone Watching Me.

2006-08-16T07:11:00.000+01:00

The current 'terrorist threat' bothers me. I'm not worried about being blown sky high at any minute as I'm of the opinion that the threat is overblown by the powers that be. It is a good way of keeping the masses down is installing fear. It also diverts attention away from other more tricky political situations. For example the recent Israeli/Lebanon situation. Just when the UK and US governments were being criticised over the lack of a stance over the carpet bombing of Lebanon an 'imminent threat' to our nations security rears its head.

Now I maybe a tired old cynic (okay then, not even maybe), but the recent Forest Gate incident when an innocent man was 'accidentally' shot and the killing of the Brazilian guy last year make me wonder if our intelligence services are really that good.

This isn't my main problem with the situation though. Rather it is the climate of fear and mistrust of others it installs. I heard just today on Radio 5 Live that an Asian guy who was meeting relatives at Heathrow was photographed by digital camera by the police and then questioned for 15 minutes. I wonder if I'd been meeting someone at the airport if I'd have received the same treatment? I doubt it very much.

Young Asian males in this country are being targeted at the moment for no other reason than they are Asian. And it is a very worrying situation. When it is mooted that the government is contemplating allowing the security services to give Asian people special treatment at airports, by questioning them more than anybody else before they get on a plane, I start to worry. It is food for the wankers in the BNP for a start to start peddling their racist filth about all Muslims being terrorists. And they'll get away with it too if the tabloids are saying the same thing.

We are in danger of going the sdame route as Germany did in the 1930's here. Jewish people were touted as the cause of Germany's problems and treated with suspicion at first and then hatred. And we all know what happened next.

I urge the public not to get caught up in all this. We are living in a time when there are elements out there that want to blow us up, how much of a real threat there is don't think we really know, however to tar a whole sub-culture with the same brush is dangerous and irresponsible.

I'm sorry this is a bit of a rant but it made me very angry this morning when I heard about the guy at the airport. We have laws in this country about equal treatment and at the moment it seems if you happen to be a Muslim (or just Asian) these laws don't apply to you.