Musings on the byways of popular culture
I always pop up around this time of year to ask how the last year’s been for everyone. But I’ve been asking that question for ten years now—first of the Word Massive, then the Afterworders—so, let’s look back a bit further this time.
How’s the last decade been for you? My story’s in the comments. Tell me yours.
Hx
Hello! Hope you’ll come and check out my blog. After years of writing for other people, I’ve started sharing tales from my own life of everyday adventures and humiliation.
Find it at: BiscuitBiscuit
[ https://www.facebook.com/AllTheBiscuits ]
Likes / follows / shares all gratefully appreciated.
Thanks, Hannah x
I ask you this every December (I think this is the 8th year I’ve asked, blimey). Did you have a good year? Globally, we can probably agree that it’s been an unprecedented stinker. But personally? I’d love to know. I’ll tell you about my year in the comments.
Hannah x
Dear Afterword Massive,
After 4 years, we are now stepping down as Site Admins of The Afterword.
It’s not a decision either of us has taken lightly, but it would seem over the past few months we had both come to the same conclusion that it was time to move on. It’s not you…it’s us! We both have increasingly demanding work and personal lives and we both have lots of other stuff we want to do in our free time – so something had to give.
Don’t worry this is not the end of The Afterword – it has a life of it’s own and, like Keith Richards, it cannot be killed by conventional weapons – there’s a new Admin team in place right now to keep the balloon afloat. They’ll need your help though, especially on the technical side, so watch this space.
Back in June 2012 it was announced that The Word magazine was folding; Fraser kept the old Blog site running just long enough for goodbyes, and for a bunch of us to make arrangements in a flurry of emails and panic to move The Word Massive elsewhere on the web – it seemed worth a punt, » Continue Reading.
A photographer has threatened us with legal action, claiming that his copyrighted picture was used on this site without permission.
If you post copyrighted material, then the site (and you) are potentially liable for the copyright holder’s fees, solicitor’s fees and court costs.
The Afterword may be forced to close as a result.
If you’re unsure of the copyright status of any file, do not post it.
Thanks Hannah
Hannah on meeting the musician who saved her from teenage purgatory
Mine was quite a lonely childhood, at times. Specifically in the mornings and afternoons when I’d board the school bus, with a heavy heart, dreading the journey ahead. I was pretty good at being invisible – I was a shy, bookish daydreamer – but not quite good enough, and I’d often get picked on by the other kids. Looking back, it was all quite mild, but the names they called me really stung at the time. Weird. Different. Strange. Boring. And that’s how I grew to regard myself; the loner, the outsider, the one who didn’t quite belong.
But one morning in 1989, I was hunched down in my seat, trying to pretend I didn’t exist as usual, when a song came on the bus’s radio. It was bright, sparkling, strange, like an alien had tried to make a pop song without actually having heard one before. Where other songs warbled blandly about love, this one enthused about blue canaries, nightlights, and Jason and the Argonauts; above all, it sounded like the mess in my head set to music.
As I listened, I was struck with a » Continue Reading.
We’re doing an interview with They Might Be Giants this Wednesday (they’re touring the UK in the month, in support of their new kids album “Why?”).
Got any questions for them? Please post them here and I’ll ask as many as I can.
Cheers Hannah
Hello. So, have you had a good year? My answer’s in the comments. Would love to hear about yours.
Helloo
If you’re interested in seeing the Charlatans on Dec 8th at Rock City Nottingham, then please let me know below. The condition is that you write and post a review afterwards!
Thanks Hannah x
Hi
We’ve had a handful of users reporting that the site’s not letting them publish blogs. Thanks to everyone who’s taken the time to report the error, and apologies for the inconvenience.
We’re not sure what’s causing the problem – if this has happened to you, please post below and let us know whether you’re on Mac or PC, what browser you’re using, whether you were posting a long article or a short one (if short, approximately how many lines long it was) and whether you tried to include any links in any of the boxes.
In the meantime, if you’re composing a blog, be sure to write it in Word (or similar) first, and copy it into the blog when you’re ready to hit submit, so you don’t lose your work if the bug bites.
Thanks Hannah x
29/08/2015
Hi, if you’re anywhere near London’s Union Chapel on a Saturday lunchtime, I heartily recommend these wonderful gigs. I’m part of the team that puts them on so hopefully I’ll see you there one week. Hannah x
A lazy afternoon with music, tea and cake. An event for all ages. Produced by Arctic Circle. Free entry* midday – till 2.00pm (*suggested donation £3.50)
Pete Astor (The Loft, The Weather Prophets) is a creator of timeless chamber-pop, brimming with wry lyrical insight and haunting melodic hooks. TEYR are making their debut at Daylight; with roots reaching from Cornwall, Ireland and Scotland and there’s also the atmospheric, hypnotic sound of husband and wife duo Mark Nicholas and Alison Cotton – The Left Outsides.
25/08/2015
Mark Ellen, David Hepworth and Magic Alex present another splendid Word in Your Ear; this time, Mark and David will be talking to two of our most prominent rock authors, Peter Doggett and Mick Wall.
Tickets are just £9 – but you can get yours for the meagre sum of £8 with the code ROCKTALES.
http://www.wiyelondon.com/events/word-in-your-ear-presents-an-evening-of-rocknroll-tales-with-peter-doggett-mick-wall/
I’m going to this one – hopefully see you there too Hannah x
11/05/2015
Mr Magic Alex has invited us to Word in Your Ear’s Johnnie Walker and Mick Watts 1970s special on May 11th, . More details here: http://www.wiyelondon.com/events/word-in-your-era-does-the-70s-with-johnnie-walker-and-michael-watts/ If you enter the code JOHNNIE. you’ll get a discount.
20/04/2015
Alex Gold writes: “I’ve set up a discount code for the Afterword Massive for the next WIYE on April 20th, featuring Johnny Rogan talking about his new Ray Davies memoir, and Rick Buckler of The Jam talking about colourful times with Weller.
The secret code is DAVIES and you can find the event page at www.wiyelondon.com”
31/03/2015
The lovely Alex Gold is offering you 25% off the next Word In Your Ear. It’s all about the 60s, and he promises you’re in for a cracking evening.
Your discount code is: PEACEANDLOVE
More info, as per usual, can be found at wiyelondon.com.
Hannah x
Hello chums – and apologies to those of you who spotted this page wasn’t working properly earlier –
A number of you have kindly contacted us to ask if you can contribute towards our hosting costs, so we’ve created a new “Donate” page for those who wish to do so. You’ll find it on our navigation bar, or simply head on over to this page.
There is no obligation to donate – and we recognise that not everyone is in a position to donate right now – but we do hugely appreciate anything that you are able to give.
Thanks
Hannah x
Chums of the Afterword! I am testing some functionality. Could you help me out by creating some posts in this thread? Maybe you’d like to use this thread as an opportunity to practise the new method of posting pictures. Or maybe you’d like to share your favourite sandwich recipes. Or poems you have written. Anything, really.
Cheers, Hx
