The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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ATM: iCloud

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Just tried to log in and it says account closed for security reasons. Gives option to reset password but when I enter my DoB it says it’s incorrect. Maybe the account has been hacked? Anyhow I am also unable to get onto any apple forums to ask about it as bit again says my email account has been closed.

Any suggestions?

Greatest ever ITV themes

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So, last night, ITV had a go at counting down its best ever theme tunes. I didn’t watch (it was on ITV!) but I’m sure that Minder featured heavily, which is only right and proper. And possibly Weekend World, too, with its skilful repurposing of Nantucket Sleighride by Mountain. But what else should have been in ITV’s countdown? IMO, this is made more interesting by being restricted to ITV. Here’s my vote, from the Schools And Colleges strand. I’ll pitch in with more should this thread have legs.

Actors under the affluence of inkohol. Or simply Kai as a Hite

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It’s ages since we had a film thread. So here’s one, as a kind of companion to that Leviathan of Loping, the Stoner Grooves odyssey.

Your favourite films please which in some way feature a stimulant or substance of some kind. Whisky, nicotine, ganja, wine, LSD, chocolate, beer, cocaine: interpret it as widely and imaginatively as you wish.

There are certainly some movies where the characters are knocking back the booze at such a rate that the viewers also have a hangover the day after. You feel as though you’ve been at one of those Afterword mingles.

From the Hebrides to Haight Ashbury and beyond.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbmvdWNxwQA

Hakarena

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Imagine, if you will, that France invaded England in the 1800s – suppressing the English language by force and taking possession of the land. 100 or so years later, the French government start agreeing to pay some compensation, under French conditions and very long legal processes. No apologies are ever offered. The countries are not at war, but there’s still ill-feeling, an unease, a resentment from the indigenous English, despite on the face of it everything being relatively peaceful in Angleterre.

In England in 2015 many people continue speak English and a more enlightened modern French/English state starts to accept and even promote English as a second official language.

England’s rugby team, in the early 1920s, started singing Land of Hope and Glory, in English, before kick off, after they had sung La Marseillaise. It’s a defiant move – but it fired the team up and was done with such feeling that even the most patriotic French person could not help to be moved by the display. It fires up the players, but there is no actual aggression. It’s a dignified and peaceful assertion of nationhood.

It’s the Rugby World Cup in 2015. A high profile French ex-rugby player » Continue Reading.

Why is The World In Love Again? It’s brand new TMBG dates for 2016!

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The greatest living American band (no, you piss off!) are back in a UK town within flying or driving distance to you in 2016*

Jan 27, 2016 Brudenell Social Club Leeds, United Kingdom Jan 28, 2016 Riverside Newcastle, United Kingdom Jan 30, 2016 Limelight 1 Belfast, United Kingdom Jan 31, 2016 O2 ABC (Kids Show) Glasgow, United Kingdom Jan 31, 2016 O2 ABC (Evening Show) Glasgow, United Kingdom Feb 01, 2016 Academy 2 Manchester, United Kingdom Feb 03, 2016 The Junction Cambridge, United Kingdom Feb 04, 2016 O2 Shepherds Bush Empire London, United Kingdom

* also Australia and the USA

The Word “Pugcast” circa 2009, Thomas Walsh & Pugwash?

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Hello from across the pond (Brooklyn NYC)! A few years ago, Thomas Walsh and Pugwash dropped by The Word for an excellent podcast episode. Among the topics discussed was his super-fandom of The Move, including desperate attempts to catch their TV appearances in the days of VHS recording. The episode concluded with Pugwash’s acoustic rendition of “I Can Hear The Grass Grow” live in the studio.

Does anyone remember this episode, and if so WHERE CAN I FIND IT? I’ve searched the internet high and low and found no trace of this inspiring and entertaining conversation!

Many thanx in advance Be well JM

I didn’t realise you’d been away/ Sorry, do I know you?

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Like most of us who have considered the question, I subscribe to the view that rappers only thought they were rapping before Rakim. But, as much as I admire the Know The Ledge hit maker, it has always rankled that the very first words I heard him utter were It’s been a long time I shouldn’t have left you Without a strong rhyme to step to as though The R was like a modern Odysseus returning from a protracted war against Sucka MCs and I was an even bigger sucker to not be acquainted with his legendary body of work. To my mind, what’s particularly unfortunate about this misunderstanding is that it undersells the Paid In Full album, which is, if anything, more impressive for being a debut. Some years after this mix up I found myself cursing that I did not live in the era of the town crier, for in such a society the peace of my morning would surely have been shattered by a “Hear ye! Hear ye!” that “Mark Morrison has a new single out”. Instead it was left to The Mack himself to ask me to “listen carefully while I sing my comeback song”. The » Continue Reading.

The UK National Anthem

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“Interestingly”…the UK National Anthem is not about the nation at all. It’s all about the monarch. None of it as about how great we British are. So if you don’t believe in God and you think the Queen is a miserable old bag – there is nothing to sing about, is there? Now that we’ve got a lefty PM-in-waiting, he’s bound to kick it into touch.

So let’s have some suggestions. I am talking about the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland here. Are there any songs that celebrate Britishness? I cannot think of any.

Proms – Story of Swing

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A letter in last weeks Radio Times alerted me to this Prom, performed on August 11th and televised on BBC4 on the 28th. I watched it last night on that there player and when I got home tonight I watched it all again. It’s great! There are 2 bands (Guy Barker & Winston Rollins) mirrored on stage, sometimes playing together. Barker did the arrangements for both bands and does most of the conducting. Some cracking playing by both bands, and what really comes across is how much they enjoy doing it. The programme repertoire ranges from the scholarly to the flat-out, and incorporates both smooth and raucous as appropriate. Splendid singing from Clare Teal, and a nice turn from Jamie Davis and the Promunards doing Kalamazoo-zoo-zoo-zoo. I particularly enjoyed his first half rendition of Marie with the Winston Rollins brass section chanting nonsense lyrics behind his smooth delivery. Also features that sly old motherfunster Lester Freamon from The Wire, aka Clarke Peters enjoying himself performing Minnie the Moocher to a big crowd. Hi-de-ho!

Available for another 12 days. Niiiiiiice!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b067g1ls/bbc-proms-2015-season-friday-night-at-the-proms-the-story-of-swing

Here’s a good game…

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I’ve worked in the Wholesale food trade most of my working life. I am 15 months off 40 years service with the same company, so I’ve seen lots of changes to who owns the food & drink brands we all buy. This great picture has caused some disquiet on social media, rightly so. It is shocking that so few conglomerates own (and determine the price of) our food. In my business? We’re all just trying to outdo each other with; Q: “Who used to own Kleenex Tissues?” A: Kimberley Clarke Q: “Who used to own Skol Lager?” A: Ind Coope Breweries.

http://www.businessinsider.com/10-companies-that-control-what-we-buy-2014-7?IR=T