The Afterword

Musings on the byways of popular culture

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What’s so funny…..

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I was going to write a diatribe against religious zealots that seem only content when they are killing those who don’t share their fairytales about invisible Dads etc. Yet after a day of horrific news I was moved to tears by this wonderful Nick Lowe lyric at Elvis C’s Basingstoke show last night. It replaced the angry ranting John Lydon screaming PIL’s ‘Religion’ in my head.

Never mind ‘Judas!’ – who shouts to kick off Maggie’s Farm?

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Sorry if this is only of interest to someone who has been listening to too much 1965-66 Dylan lately but who is it in the band who shouts ‘Let’s Go!’ as they kick into Maggie’s Farm at Newport?

Plus who is the mad laugher on Rainy Day Women who cracks Dylan up?

Answers on a postcard to Desolation Row

Strange requests for customer feedback

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After a recent trip to A&E I received a text asking for an indication of whether I would recommend the hospital services to my friends and family from a scale of ‘very likely’ to ‘never’. Well if they were gravely ill or hit by a bus I think I would

Any similar oddness out there in “how was my driving?’ land (does anyone ring up and comment on such bumper stickers?)

Led Zeppelin reissues

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The extras for these have been a mixed bag so far with many rough mixes sounding almost identical to the released takes to everyone but black dogs

However this last batch look more interesting if true

PRESENCE Two Ones Are Won For Your Life (Reference mix) 10 Ribs & All / Carrot Pod Pod (pod) Royal Orleans (reference mix) Hots On For Nowhere (reference mix)

IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR In the Evening (rough mix) Southbound Piano (South Bound Saurez) Fool In the Rain (r mix) Hot Dog (r mix) The Epic (Carouselambra r mix) The Hook (All My Love r mix) Blot (I’m Gonna Crawl – r mix)

CODA We’re Gonna Groove (alt mix) If It Keeps On Raining (When The Levee Breaks rough mix) Bonzo’s Montreux (Mix Construction In Progress) Baby Come On Home Sugar Mama Poor Tom (instrumental) Travelling Riverside Blues (BBC Session) Hey Hey What Can I Do Four Hands (Four Sticks – Bombay Orchestra) Friends (Bombay Orchestra) St Tristan’s Sword (rough mix) Desire (The wanton Song – rough mix) Walter’s Walk (rough mix) Everybody Makes It Through (In the Light – rough mix)

YES, it was twenty years ago today

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that David McAlmont & Bernard Butler released a song that stands as the I Will Survive of the 1990’s. It stares down the spectre of loneliness, rejection and heartbreak with a strength of spirit that warms the soul. It is jubilant, arrogant, triumphant and glorious as all great pop music should be. Those Spector-ish drums, those soaring strings reaching the heady heights of David’s extraordinary voice as Bernard’s guitar wails underneath. Turning something bad into something life affirming is what melds it to people’s hearts.

“I feel well enough to tell you what you can do with what you got to offer ” is a mantra to everyone who lied, did you down, broke your heart, made you cry, wanted you to crawl away. It gives you strength and a way to articulate your pain. Most importantly it puts a smile on your face where there were tears and sadness.

They did it again with the space love song ‘Falling’ but no -one noticed – the idiots!

PIL European tour

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Public Image Limited are touring a new album in the autumn. I saw a couple of stops on the last jaunt and they were most impressive, head thumping good nights out. Mr L in great voice and attitude with kick ass band in tow. None of the panto schtick of The Pistols, old tunes still as razor sharp as they were with Wobble n Levene.

The previous gig at Sub89 was aces so think I shall go for that again – great little club with awesome sound

Glasgow, 02 ABC, Scotland, Friday, September 18th 2015 Manchester Academy, UK, Saturday, September 19th 2015 Newcastle, Riverside, Sunday, September 20th 2015 York, Fibbers, UK, Tuesday, September 22nd 2015 Coventry, The Copper Rooms @ Warwick University, UK, Wednesday, September 23rd 2015 Bristol, 02 Academy, UK, Friday, September 25th 2015 Buckley, Tivoli, Wales, Saturday, September 26th 2015 Reading, Sub 89, UK, Sunday, September 27th 2015 Bexhill, De La Warr Pavilion, UK, Tuesday, September 29th 2015 Norwich, UEA, UK, Wednesday, September 30th 2015 London, 02 Shepherds Bush Empire, UK, Friday, October 2nd 2015 Frome, Cheese and Grain, UK, Saturday, October 3rd 2015 Southampton, Engine Rooms, UK, Sunday, October 4th 2015

Paris, Le Trianon, France, Tuesday, » Continue Reading.

The Prince Charles Letters – Secrets Revealed

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The popular press in the UK is all of a tizzy over the release of some private letters old Jug Ears wrote ten years ago. What do they contain? Well read on….

1) Plans to relaunch Hubba Bubba fizzy pop drink from the 90’s with ad campaign using a holographic Michael Bentine 2) His wish to have a statue of Camilla opposite the Diana fountain waterslide giving it the finger. 3) To make Duchy Original Biscuits the national dish by 2020. 4) Automatic euthanasia for any female monarchs over 80 5) Madame Tussauds to melt down everything to create a huge diorama of The Three Degrees

What have you read?

Your county \ state \ principality Top 10

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Berkshire

01. Windsor In Love With A Beautiful Woman 02. Don’t Stop Me Slough 03. Hurley In the Morning 04. The Winnersh Takes It All 05. Damn Right Ascot The Blues 06. I Wish I Know How It Would Theale To be Free 07. Wokingham a Coalmine 08. Remenham You’re A Womble 09. Charvil Woman 10. It’s Shinfield

If @leedsboy comes on here and nicks ‘Blackbushe City Limits’ then I shall be calling my lawyer

And I Ain’t Voting Anymore

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And its not due to that competent stand up comic who has morphed into a spoilt Victoria child cum Dickensian rent boy with O-Levels, yes, Russell Brand.

My constituency is as safe as mansions. Not only due to the fact that Home Secretary, Theresa May, is the MP but that it has been Tory True Blue since the days of William Pitt. The nearest party to them at the 2010 election was the Lib Dems who just about made half the votes that May took to increase her majority. Labour are down with the nutters and racists – sadly the BNP got more votes than UKIP did. I’m guessing this year UKIP will fare better and the Lib Dems will be decimated. The turnout here is pretty high, better than average so it’s not for trying that the opposition to Mrs May face defeat.

So come, May 7th (although I may be away for work anyway) why should I bother? My vote will make bugger all difference. I’d love to be in a marginal seat where there is a real chance that you can shape the future of your community but we never see any candidates » Continue Reading.