This just in.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/international/pope-ends-speech-with-rousing-chorus-of-mobb-deeps-hit-it-from-the-back-20150925102322

Don’t get me started on the picture for number six. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/books/authors/musicians-who-have-written-books/bruce-dickinson/ And no Graham Parker? Who doesn’t fondly remember his Dylan-referencing masterwork ‘The Great Trouser Mystery’? Or Robert Calvert’s ‘Hype’? What are your favourite genre-crossing literary masterworks? Morrissey excepted, natch.

From the forthcoming release by ELO – sorry, Jeff Lynne’s ELO, due in November. I like it…

I give you The Jam “Batman Theme”. I also love this as it demonstrates if needed just how great Foxton and Buckler were, worth waiting for the drop at the end. Any others??

Australia’s new Prime Minister, the suave, rich and more than a bit slippery Malcolm Turnbull, has announced a package of funding designed to tackle the issue of violence against women and children. Using the media forceful but basically meaningless soundbite that domestic violence is ‘UnAustralian’, big Mal is riding a general wave of approval on this one. In particular, the many influential women’s groups advocates are on board, liking it a lot. And quite right too, you might say. Or might you? Making funding available for refuges, counselling and the like is all very well. Insisting that male ‘perpetrators’ take ‘ownership’ of their actions sounds good, but what does it actually mean, in practice? As someone who has worked with men in prisons for violent offences in Australia, New Zealand and the UK, I’ve long been of the opinion that domestic violence is a much more complicated issue that can’t fully be explained away by the simple assertion that all men are bastards and should simply step up to the mark and stop dissing women. In fact, in my opinion, the issue is much more about dysfunctional relationships, drug and alcohol and the total lack of strategies for dealing with » Continue Reading.

The protocol at cricket is that you do not move until the end of the over. The stewards at test matches try to stop you – and if someone tries to move in the middle the cry ‘end of over!!!’ can be heard.

At the theatre – no chance, if you are late you can often wait until the interval.

So why at seated gigs is it OK to wander around at anytime without any consideration?

Last night, I saw David Gilmour at the RAH. The start time was clearly communicated (I’m beginning to sound a bit middle england but stick with me) – so why as the first number finally kicks off does someone saunter in with beer and snacks – scuse me, scuse me, scuse me etc. Just wait until the end of the song – you have ruined the moment for a good 20 people.

At a recent O2 concert some entourage arrived as the first number started with full burger platters, fries, beers etc. – grease, smells etc to go along with the scuse me half-laugh.

So, ‘End Of Over’ should be instituted at giogs too.

Bah!

Bloody Awesome

1. Not low-key – proper lights, videos etc and the that circular light thing 2. How many classics do you want? They’re there. They sound good. 3. New stuff? Yes, but it’s not bad 4. Tons of guitar 5. Good sound 6. And if that’s not enough – Phil Manzenera on back-up and bloody Crosby & Nash as occasional backing vocals

My 14yo self whose first album was DSOTM (white vinyl) would have been proud

I hate being unable to play my beloved vinyl but I don’t want to spend the time and money, not to mention donate the space to a ‘proper’ set-up.

So I got to thinking, in my branes, what about one of those portable turntable thingies, like the hipsters have? You know the kind of thing. It looks like a vintage briefcase but opens out to a record player. The family gathers round, playing board games and listening to Psychick Warriors Of Gaia twelves. Crosley seems to be a favoured brand.

Thus my question is, does anybody have any advice and/or experience when it comes to purchasing these things? As ever the internet is a mass of conflicting and bewildering opinions so I thought I’d have a go here.

My requirements:

1. Portability. Duh. But, like, in a little case, yes? I imagine myself carting it around the house. Maybe I won’t, but that’s the idyllic image I have in mind. Don’t shatter my dreams.

2. Reasonable sound. I’m by no means an audiophile but I do like a bit of bottom-end, said the vicar to the actress. I’d play it through the native speakers, but I’d also hook » Continue Reading.

“Eliza and Ezra rolled together into the one giggling snowball of full-figured copulation, screaming and shouting as they playfully bit and pulled at each other in a dangerous and clamorous rollercoaster coil of sexually violent rotation with Eliza’s breasts barrel-rolled across Ezra’s howling mouth and the pained frenzy of his bulbous salutation extenuating his excitement as it smacked its way into every muscles of Eliza’s body except for the otherwise central zone.”

Well?

Bearing in mind that I’m white of nordic.