As sport always does, the end of the season will leave plenty of us disappointed. Alack, Yeovil…

But I’m inspired by the resilience of Fort William from over on the other ‘boring’ thread. They are my new t […]

I suspect most people are just hoping you have a happy time over the holiday and use ‘Easter’ to describe the period of time over four days rather than a religious event. I’m sure no one is winding you up or tryin […]

Shelby, you claim you were sitting by the phone and pacing all night long, but you didn’t pick up the bloody receiver when I called. Gutted.

Coming over from another thread, as a townie not a ‘gownie’ I once (1979?) gate crashed an Oxford College ball to see Elvis Costello play. I guess in those days he would take work wherever he could find it. He mad […]

Plenty of growers. As a starting point ‘Stripping Paper’ takes you back to an Accidents Will Happeny mood albeit from a man with slightly more time on his hands these days…

EC has finally come back! It’s such a pleasure listening to these songs. Right now they enrich my life. That’s the only thing that matters.

I don’t necessarily think about what I’m listening to. Feel it, brother…. *Can I say that any more?*

‘See that boy with that guitar, he’s got skinny legs like I always wanted’ – Lyle Lovett captures all my teenage angst in one go.

For cops and robbers series the French successfully picked up on the Flying Squad format with Spiral and Braquo. Love ‘em. Strong female leads, struggling male sidekicks, plenty of the sort of sleazy police work w […]

You need other people about to be milling. Meanwhile, I have a soft spot for ‘loafing’, which usually involves directionless, unproductive, lethargic multi-tasking (to no obvious purpose or result). Although I f […]

Is pottering by definition a solitary activity – as opposed to just fucking about?

So far, it seems you all potter about amateurishly beyond the workplace. The real skill of fine pottering is to ‘potter with intent’ in paid employment, perhaps in a management position, ensuring that one does jus […]

On the basis that all comedians are hiding behind some degree of mask/character, I found the Brydon (and particularly the completely self-obsessed) Coogan characters funnier in ‘The Trip’ where the impressions are […]

A couple of Kas(c)eys – Chambers and Musgraves. And Shelby Lynn too. Do Kate and Anna McGarrigle count as one? ‘Heart Like Wheel’ is breathtaking vocal performance by any stretch.

The lazy ‘arrogance’ tag which is always put on England does Scotland a serious disservice – England are a fine rugby team prevented from finding their rhythm by a storming Scottish work at the breakdown and bel […]

Kevin Pieterson, Billy Vunipola et al – it seems the criteria for playing for the national team has changed so much in all sports that the old nationalistic stereotypes just don’t exist any more. To watch great s […]

Scotland were fantastic and played with huge intensity to win a cracking big match. And England were really bad. But let’s get away from the ‘arrogant’ , ‘ complacent’ , nationalistic line. England have been succ […]

The way the title track swirls around Travis Bickle as he primes himself for his killing spree towards the end of ‘Taxi Driver’ provides a supreme film soundtrack moment of hopelessness and crisis. Just awesome.

I went to the cinema once and was the only person in the whole auditorium. I’d only bought a standard ticket but when the film started I moved to a deluxe seat. I fully expect to burn in hell.

Martin Scorsese gets it just right when ‘Late for the Sky’ drifts into the soundtrack of Taxi Driver with Travis at his most alone in his room about to foot and explode into violence.