The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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Dick Perry RIP

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Obituary

Pink Floyd saxophonist Dick Perry has died one day after the tragic death of Wish You Were Here presenter Judith Chalmers. Coincidence?

Judith Chalmers RIP

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Obituary

We all knew this day would come eventually, but I’m sure that does little to lessen our collective grief.

Hosanna, Heysanna, Sanna Sanna Ho, Sanna Hey, Sanna Ho, Sanna. Hey, JC! JC, won’t you smile at me? Sanna Ho, Sanna Hey, Superstar!

Asha Bhosle RIP

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Obituary

Most widely known among civilians as the subject of Cornershop’s Brimful of Asha (the slower version of which was superior to the faster hit dance mix version, say I). I must admit I don’t know much of her work myself, except that she made a good song great when she collaborated with Boy George.

Dirty Business

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Anyone else watch it? Superb television, with excellent performances from David Thewlis and Jason Watkins. An absolute must-watch, even though it’s both sad and infuriating. The kind of television that, like Mr Bates and the Post Office, might actually instigate criminal investigation and genuine change.

Sly Dunbar RIP

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Obituary

Together with Robbie Shakespeare he plays on more songs in my record collection than any other musician. Some of my absolute favourite songs. Especially Junior Murvin’s Police & Thieves, which I adore, but also The Mighty Diamonds’ Right Time, Bob Dylan’s Jokerman and Grace Jones’ Nightclubbing.

Oops!

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Check this out. Don’t bother watching the video – it’s the young CEO of the company that makes smartglasses for the deaf being interviewed on Zoom by some elderly people from a deaf association – but watch what happens at 53.20. OOPS! I’m wondering if I’m the only person so far to have noticed (or was that a brief smirk from the CEO guy?).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwB4ljcC-Fk

Scams and scammers

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The Guardian ran an interesting piece about a scam centre in Myanmar today. Not that long ago I finally got round to emptying out the paltry amount that was in my UK bank account, which I’ve been meaning to do since Brexit meant I had to pretend to them I still lived there. I had to phone the bank’s international helpline over a small problem (no longer a major task for a deaf person thanks to a very useful app!) and the guy in the call centre asked some questions to check that I wasn’t a possible scam victim. Questions of a “has anyone influenced you into making this withdrawal?” nature. I mentioned to him that I’d been watching a YouTube channel called Catfished. To my surprise, he’d not only heard of it, but said “I think everybody should watch that”. I agree, it’s very instructive, especially if you know any elderly or bewildered people who might get scammed. There are some other good channels detailing common scams too. I know the Massive are all far too [insert appropriate adjective here] to fall for any such thing, but everyone probably knows someone who could be vulnerable, whether through age, loneliness, » Continue Reading.

Wandering Emma RIP

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Obituary

I only started watching YouTube videos by Emma Witters, known as Wandering Emma, just a few days ago and was saddened to read that she died last week. In her videos she travels alone to places like Ukraine, Afghanistan, Africa, India, Palestine etc. I guess the idea of a woman travelling alone is what first caught my attention, then I found her to be a charming, warm, engaging, agenda-free travel companion. And as a woman travelling alone, her videos frequently highlight the humanity of the ordinary people she meets (often ignored by regular media outlets). Sadly she died, at home in Scotland, just as I’d discovered her work, but she leaves behind a great legacy.

‘Very beautiful’ portrait

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“Charles,” said Cordelia, “Modern Art is all bosh, isn’t it?” “Great bosh.” “Oh, I’m so glad. I had an argument with one of our nuns and she said we shouldn’t try to criticise what we didn’t understand. Now I shall tell her I have had it straight from a real artist, and snubs to her.”

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jun/13/noel-liam-gallagher-oasis-elizabeth-peyton-painting-auction

Watch Mick Karn glide

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Because it’s Sunday and you can still just about see things, why not watch the most interesting bass player who ever lived glide across the stage and arrive back at the mic perfectly on time for his singing bit?

The Colbert Questionnaire

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Anyone fancy doing the Colbert Questionnaire? Here are the questions: 1. What’s the best sandwich? 2. What’s one thing you own that you really should throw out? 3. What is the scariest animal? 4. Apples or oranges? 5. Have you ever asked someone for their autograph? 6. What do you think happens when we die? 7. Favorite action movie? 8. Favorite smell? 9. Least favorite smell? 10. Exercise: worth it? 11. Flat or sparkling? 12. Most used app on your phone? 13. You get one song to listen to for the rest of your life: what is it?* 14. What number am I thinking of?** 15. Describe the rest of your life in 5 words.

* For number 13 Colbert points out that this doesn’t mean listening to it on repeat, but every time you choose to listen to music this is the only song you’ll hear.

** No one has guessed the correct answer to number 14 yet. (Might be 14!)

Some of the interviewees come across as very natural and spontaneous, others (Sting, Bono) like they’d given a lot of thought in advance as to answers that might make them look cool. I liked Nicole Kidman’s recent answer » Continue Reading.

David Lodge RIP

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Obituary

Novelist. I haven’t read any of his novels, but I bought Deaf Sentence on a recommendation as it’s about a bloke who goes deaf. The friend who recommended it asked me: “Do you ever pretend you’ve heard what was said when you haven’t?”. Well, yes. Only all the time. It’s easier. “Then you should read Deaf Sentence by David Lodge.” he said. I bought a copy and the print is way too small for me to read! And I have pretty good close-up vision, never wear glasses for reading (I should really for driving, but don’t bother locally). Anyway, David Lodge. The only thing of his I know is Nice Work, as I saw the telly dramatisation (which is now on YouTube). I thought it was very good.

It’s the non-awaited Afterword Film Of The Year poll

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I’ve enjoyed so many excellent films this year that I was very surprised to find that I’ve only seen two of The Guardian’s top 50 list, Heretic (number 49) and Kidnapped (number 17). I enjoyed Heretic. I thought Hugh Grant was great and the theological discussions were fun, but like practically every horror thriller ever it got a bit silly towards the end. I thought Kidnapped shed light on an interesting true story but was a boring film. The other 48 I haven’t seen (I’ve read the book of The Nickel Boys and wasn’t particularly impressed). My best of the year? I’d have to give my favourites a second viewing to decide, but A Different Man is the one I’m most keen to rewatch.

How about you? Your film of 2024? The one you’d be most keen to rewatch? Which of The Guardian’s choices have you seen and what did you think?

Please note that unlike the Album poll, this poll will not be curated, no spreadsheets will be involved, it might not even get read.

Write a song today!

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Not sure if I’ve mentioned it before, but I happen to be a genius songwriter. I’ve written (completed, with lyrics and chords) five songs, none of them as good as Bob Dylan at his best, all of them better than Bob Dylan at his worst. This morning, as a genius songwriter, I’ve been playing with this AI site. You put in your lyrics, choose the style and voice gender, and it sets your lyrics to music. I tried it with a song I’d completed, chords and everything. It’s like listening to an interesting cover version of my song. Quite different melodically, but cool. Then I tried with lyrics for a song but am not muso enough to find the chords for as I heard them in my head. I asked for a slow blues with a female singer. I really like the result! I’m not going to share my results, because I’m far too shy and humble, but I thought some AWs might like to have some fun with it. You get three songs free.

Now what I want is an AI that’ll turn my acoustic strumming into a full band recording. For free, natch.

https://ilovesong.ai/musics

Totò Schillaci, 59

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Obituary

Synonymous among footie civilians like me with Italia 90. I went to the 3rd/4th playoff in Bari. I was with the English supporters and there was a lot of downright rudeness exchanged between the opposing supporters until Italy won, then it all turned lovey-dovey with exchanges of scarves and hats. The atmosphere in Bari that night was great, very friendly and rambunctious, with neither side particularly disappointed. Football, eh? I think I saw Martyn Wayre there but wasn’t 100% and didn’t like to disturb. Though that might have been the previous match against Cameroon. The stadium was designed by Renzo Piano who also designed the Pompidou Centre together with Richard Rogers. It seemed an incredible stadium at the time (might still be for all I know), looking like a spaceship had landed. It did wonders for the morale of the Barese, used to being looked down on as southerners and led to many further radical developments in the city, like the swanky airport and central station. Roberto Baggio scored for Italy then David Platt for England (he went on to captain Bari the following year) and Golden Boot winner Totò Schillaci scored Italy’s winner with a penalty in the » Continue Reading.

Euphoric Moments in Rock Songs

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Euphoria: a feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.

I imagine there are quite a few euphoric moments in rock songs. Moments that have you turning the volume up to 11, punching the air and shouting “Yes! You go girl/boy!” Though, of course, one person’s “intense excitement” can be another person’s “meh”. An obvious example for me is in Bat Out Of Hell when Meatloaf is all torn and twisted and dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun, poor chap, after a motorbike crash and the last thing he sees is his heart “still beating… still beating… then breaking out of my body and flying away… LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL”. That bit. Another good example is in Common People when Jarvis Cocker sings the last “Wanna live with common people like you” and goes into “ooooh a la la la la la, ooooh, la la la la.” Or a subtler, slightly less dramatic example would be the way Jackie Leven sings “honour” in Main Travelled Roads. Or when Thom York sings “One day I am gonna grow wings” in Radiohead’s Let Down. My absolute favourite though can be found in a most unlikely » Continue Reading.

(The Tragedy of) Macbeth

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Year: 2021 Director: Joel Coen

I’m having a bit of a Macbeth week and have watched two film versions.

First up I watched The Tragedy Of Macbeth directed by Joel Coen (2021). Loved it. To be honest, there are very few Shakespeare screen adaptations I don’t think are worth watching. He’s a decent writer, that Shakespeare chap, and his works translate to screen even better than stage, imho. (His prologue to Henry V calls the stage “an unworthy scaffold”. Well, I call big bucks screen adaptations “a worthy scaffold”.) I didn’t get into him via dull, reluctant reading-round-the-class at school or going to the theatre (as if!), but by watching the films. I like watching his plays performed with subtitles activated and sometimes with the original text to compare with. I’m not so keen on the “old school” screen adaptations, Olivier, Welles, Gielgud, Burton etc. The old black and whites. Funnily enough though, The Tragedy of Macbeth is in black and white, and boy is it beautiful to watch. The combination of lighting and shadows, the crisp clear cinematography and the austere, timeless sets (it was shot entirely on a soundstage) make it a visual treat. That’s its main » Continue Reading.

Albania

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Yesterday was Albania’s birthday or something. They had a party for it in that there London and things kicked off a bit, apparently. Turned into a right old ruckus. Shame that. I really like Albania. Gorgeous country, lovely peeps, great beaches. I once saw a bloke leading a bear on a leash along the seafront of Vlora. And Norman Wisdom is/was rightly very popular there. He’s even on one of their postage stamps.

Albania was not much fun between the years 1944 and 1985 when it was ruled by the dictatorship of communist leader Enver Hoxha. His secret police kept the country controlled by fear; political opponents were jailed; use of the death penalty was not uncommon. Hoxha banned Western movies from Albanian life, meaning film stars were practically non-existent. Except for Norman Wisdom. Why him? Because his characters’ perennial struggles against ‘The Man’ were viewed as a communist parable on class war (Mr Grimsdale was, apparently, capitalism personified).

Here’s Norman Wisdom & The Pitkins singing Big In Albania (written by Tim Rice).

Joss Ackland

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Obituary

I can’t let Joss Ackland’s passing go unremarked. I don’t really know him as a film actor, though he was in a great many films. But I remember him most from the television play First & Last, which I saw decades ago and have never forgotten. It’s a wonderfully understated little film in which Ackland plays a retired man who decides to fulfill his life-time ambition and walk from Lands End to John O’Grotes. The play had been shot with Ray McAnally in the lead, but he died before it was finished, so they reshot it with Ackland. He gives a moving and sensitive performance. Shocking to think he was my age when it was made, he looks much, much older (or I look much, much younger?). Sadly the play doesn’t seem to be available online. But here’s a little clip, feature whatshername out of Eastenders.