richmond

hello there

no, alas, this post is not (at least specifically) related to either of the places called Richmond here in England. that means it's nothing to do with the proper one of that place in North Yorkshire, or the rather rancid one down there in London (innit). instead it's to do with the cigarettes of the same name, look you see. 

yes, for those concerned, or who need such spelling out for them (presumably the people that the warning images on packets are aimed at) smoking is very silly, likely quite bad for you and so on. should you smoke then you are probably best off at seeking ways to quit, or to cut down considerably. please don't let anything here inspire you to take up the habit. 

this is, mostly if not ostensibly, another foray into the realm of acquiring cigarettes via less than conventional means. not quite sure if these Richmond cigarettes are counterfeit, bootleg or procured in an illicit way, but equally am sure they are far more modestly priced than the ones you get off of standard retailers. for cost these were priced at a comparatively reasonable £5 a packet, which is around or between 25% and 33% of the price for similar "legal" ones. a mere ten (10) years ago the "legal" cigarettes at shops only cost around £5, which tells you of the insane tax practices embraced. quite likely explains why so many are being pushed towards the more independent distributor of cigarettes too, i suppose. 

how are these cigarettes? well, no, they are far removed from the joys of Marlboro. not too bad, as they certainly get the job asked of them done. should for some reason you wish to see an image of me smoking one of them (a Richmond, rather than a Marlboro. sadly) then the picture below is sure to delight. those wishing to rather not see me at all would do well to scroll quite quickly. 

mostly these Richmond cigarettes (since Americans get confused when i call them fags) are surprisingly sweet. so far as i am aware i have not ever experienced cigarettes that have such a "sweet" taste to them. unexpected and peculiar. of all the magical, wondrous toxins they supposedly put into cigarettes i am assuming it's not strychnine as i believe that's quite bitter. perhaps it is in fact arsenic, as i believe that is supposed to have a sweet, quasi aniseed sense to it. 

i am not at all sure that i shall continue with these. yes, i know, i know, i should probably cease all cigarette use all together, but let us dwell in reality for the moment. these ones are not quite so harsh as the other independent ones, Manchester, but also lack the definitive "kick" of them. highly likely, now i consider it, that the Manchester ones have a much higher ratio of that strychnine in them. certainly that would explain one or two curious side effects (or affects) of persistent use. 

with the current government, led by Sir Keir who(m) i believe is not, as it turns out, the same Keir that memorably featured in 2001 A Space Odyssey, determined to kill as many of the population as possible it is peculiar that they aren't encouraging smoking. that would get a lot of the job done for them, if we are honest about it. but then smoking is actually pleasurable, and they appear to wish as many of us as possible to not just die but to die in misery. at least they are (semi) honest about this. 

should for some (inexplicable) reason you wish to see film footage of me enjoying one of these cigarettes then the below video will delight. note that it was a particularly miserable day i went off outside, such is my dedication. 

eventually there shall come a point at which even the thickest government notices a massive shortfall in the ludicrous tax they claim from cigarettes, yet clear evidence of lots of people still smoking. i have no doubt that someone somewhere has a conspiracy theory about why less than official cigarettes are available so (relatively) easily and so (comparatively) cheaply. still, they (them in power) have rather boxed themselves into a corner, so it's (highly) unlikely they will ever consider reducing the stupidly high taxes imposed. 

once again, then, smoking is quite bad and something you shouldn't do. i would suggest that most things that i do are not the sort of thing people would hold up as a good example. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bob stokoe statue

now then

a further somewhat unexpected tale off of Sunderland for you. indeed yes this happened when i was in the place for the Hugh Cornwell gig, look you see. as for what "this" is, well, i would imagine you may well have worked that one out from the title of the post. 

there exists variations of reasons why i try at least once a year to post here a statue which can be found outside of a football stadium. in truth i thought this would not happen this year, and i may have had to cheat, pointing out that Sir Mick Jagger is famed for attending matches. how very fortunate, then, that my journey to stay at a hotel for the Hugh Cornwell gig took me past the (rightly) celebrated Stadium of Light stadium. 

for those who do not know who(m) this is a statue of, and also missed the clue in the title, that's none other than Bob Stokoe, the manager who(m) led Sunderland to a surprise FA Cup win in 1973. this was in the days when both the FA Cup really, really mattered and was (rightly) important, and yes it was a true surprise result. Sunderland, of the second division, won 1-0 against the much celebrated, top division high flyers Leeds United. this statue captures the moment Mr Stokoe went charging off in celebration at the blowing of the final whistle. 

of all the statues i have encountered on my travels, be it specifically to seek football related ones for here or simple chance sightings, this is one of the greatest. to some this may sound a bit silly, but i just love the dynamics of it, how it captures a sense of movement, of motion and of course of emotion. i would imagine it's very difficult to do so in something which by definition is motionless. 

sorry, yes, i should (indeed) have put some sort of warning before the picture above, for it does indeed feature me, or moi, stood next to it. not a selfie, though. 

my favourite detail, and perhaps the key to its magnificence, is the curves on the jacket belt. it gives an inescapable sense of free flowing movement. not at all sure i have done it justice here with the pictures i have added, but then i suppose that's true of all pictures here. still, all the more reason to, if you get the chance, go and see the statue yourself. 

yes, as an ostensible Middlesbrough fan there should be a sense of "rivalry" here. except there isn't really. we happen to be close to them, and "derby days" are often somewhat heated. for the real, or true North East "rivalry", well, that's Sunderland vs Newcastle. for us down in Boro we are quite happy being a decent club town that frequently punches well above our weight. 

going back to the importance the FA Cup used to have would be to encourage you to seek out a documentary i once saw on the 73 final. a film crew went out and filmed the streets of both cities just before kick off, and not a single person was to be seen. that's what is meant by a community spirit that has faded if not been lost. now the FA Cup is kind of dismissed by certain top flight clubs, seeing it as a distraction from seeking money via treading water in the all encompassing premier league. 

how big, exactly, can a "big" club be if they are so flimsy about a competition which has inspired passion and love for the game (and teams) for generation after generation? 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

it ends then starts with you

howdy pop pickers

well, i suppose this one is, ultimately, vibes related, so the usual musical greeting is applicable. no actual music, though, but quite the unmistakable link, look you see. 

it is now the business end of the year (2024), or if you will a point at which some might say death to 2024. for me it has been quite an extraordinary year, but (maybe) more on that at another time, another place. right now, the usual dilemma is the decision on a calendar for the year ahead. except that it really wasn't much of a debate, or even conversation. 

being rather delighted (or at the least satisfied) with the not strictly speaking official David Bowie calendar i picked up from Boyes for this year (2024) i popped in to see if they had similar. indeed they did, with pictorial evidence of such shown above. for the same price, too, which from what i can recall was if not a flat £10 then something like £9.99. this is only slightly cheaper than the "official" calendars featuring Bowie, but has the immense advantage of featuring much more better pictures. 

on returning home with this new calendar i had the sense that there was something quite familiar with the cover picture. well, the cover picture and the image used for January, for they are one and the same. if you see what i mean. it did not take too long to work out such familiarity. blimey, does anyone really find all this stuff i write interesting. 

so yes, then, it is so that January 2025 features the same image as used for December 2024. that is really a lovely touch by the bootleggers, or if you will pirates, or should you prefer independent business types who have no time for trivialities such as copyright and permission. i now deeply regret not getting one of these Bowie calendars for 2023, just to see if December 2023 happened to be the image which greeted January 2024. see the link from above (or here) for that particular picture. 

how peculiar that, once more, the unofficial calendar is like totes, full tilt better than any of the official ones. for a start they seem to use considerably better pictures. also, they just present them straight, without any artsy stuff or tired sepia tint. from what i recall the main "official" calendar from those in charge of the Bowie estate focused exclusively on the Hunky Dory album. i mean, yes, it is an exceptionally good record, but no, i really don't want to celebrate it for an entire year. 

above is a vaguely clear image of the twelve (12) images that await display during the course of 2025, then. if i am entirely honest i could probably have done without the Labyrinth one, but then again that's quite an iconic look (which is saying something considering all of the iconic looks what he had). the songs were good too, and the film was decent enough. yeah, happy with them all. presumably that image for December 2025 shall, if they follow the pattern, be the one used for January 2026. i do hope there is that kind of consistency, even if many would wish it so that i do not make it quite so far in time as to find out the answer. 

very pleased indeed that my calendar selection proved to be straightforward. i shall take it (bravely) as a given that, since you have read this far, you are to a degree happy for me with this. may it be so that your choice (or selection) of calendar is also excellent. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

かなり奇妙な日本のカード possibly

こんにちは

something of a return to randomly noticing something on my travels, 見てみろよ. yes, indeed this was once again down there in that London (innit), which is where i would appear to spend the majority of my time. hence me seeing things of stuff. 

well, there i was, then, wandering around a reasonably posh (if not quite exclusive) area of the place. for those interested in such, a kind of darkly autumnal day it was, with a brooding grey (or gray) sky punctuated by the occasional instance of rain. on my travels i happened to notice this. 

of an aspect of this being one of them "QR" code things i am veritably certain. my use of possibly in the title concerns the language used in the wording either above or below this code thing, depending on which way around you hold it. indeed yes, also to the side, if you hold it that way.

alas, no, i have no idea at all what this might be about. certainly not is my answer to any question you may pose as to whether or not i "followed" the QR code aspect. going around and scanning random codes of this nature is a very foolish thing indeed. even ones out in public that look "safe" or official, as many people who have been scammed by fake QR codes at parking locations have (sadly usually to their financial detriment) discovered. 

 

just what could this card, or specifically the code, be for? at a guess i would assume some sort of scam, quite possibly related to all that "crypto" magical internet money nonsense. maybe it's an advert for someone offering (ahem) personal services, in which case yes, i missed a trick there, so to speak. if i am right (rare but happens) and that is Japanese, who knows, it may be some sort of invitation to join the yakuza or similar. as i have no immediate wish to lose any fingers as a sign of loyalty or as a form of punishment for breaking some unspoken rule, no thanks. 

there exists every chance (or possibility) of course that it is something rather more harmless. it may well be just a go at some sort of "viral marketing" for a restaurant, club or what have you. were it so that it was such, well, likely well north of a decade too late for it. most, i would suggest, are quite aware of the dangers of scanning and following random qr codes, so it's unlikely anyone would do so. unless they are really quite innocent, or indeed simple. 

perhaps some of the more adventurous or ambitious of you would wish that i had put a more better image of this qr code here. well, no. it could be harmless, but likely isn't. should you be all that eager to find out what it was (or is) for i am sure you can find one of these cards. from what i remember it was within the realms of the NW1 postcode are, go for a stroll and good luck. 

in glorious retrospect, or on reflection (whichever sounds right) no, this wasn't the most interesting thing i could have put up (or on) here. the scary thing is that it's probably not likely to be the most boring post of mine. 

お互いに優れている!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hugh cornwell

howdy pop pickers

so yes, then, pretty much as the title gives every indication of being, this post concerns the general magnificence of Hugh Cornwell. yes, that one, look you see. more specifically, for those of you who like such yet still visit this blog, an evening of Hugh Cornwell live and in concert. indeed, another gig for the year this year (2024). 

a concert that, as it happens, very (kind of) nearly didn't happen and/or did not get attended. for a brief overview of issues, our (for i went with someone) means of transport got written off by one of them range rover driver types, and the gig was on what they claimed (as they always do) would be the worst ever weather the UK had faced, so trains were a bit touch and go. in regards of that it was so Hugh was in Scotland the night before, which really did have bad weather, and it was exceptionally touch and go as to if they would make it to the gig. 

happily, or if you will merrily, our train (at least there) was on time and running fine. Hugh and his entourage also made it, with some delay, which meant the gig was somewhat later than planned. but it at least happened. 

i believe it has been established over the last year (or so) that my new(ish) phone, one of them Samsung A14 things, is completely sh!t for taking pictures in general, with gigs (or concerts) being a particular challenge for it. oh how i miss my LG; wish they would make phones again. well, anyway, that above is probably the best picture i took of Hugh and his band giving it loads in that direction, or if you will going full tilt with the excellent tunes. 

for those with a "thing" for provenance, this was at the Fire Station in Sunderland. on November 23 of this very year, for further clarification. before anything else (yet after all else i have written so far) what an absolutely amazing venue it is. i believe they have a Bowie tribute on early next year (2025), i may well just go right ahead and go see it. 

ostensibly this gig, and the tour entire, was to showcase stuff from Hugh's most recent album, called as it is Moments Of Madness. this is indeed a fine album. but, of course, i was kind of if not mostly then partially there for the songs what he gone done with The Stranglers. unexpectedly i found myself in a bit of a minority in this respect, but i shall get to that. 

with pictures being rather bad off of my new phone it is so that video (yes, we have got a video) is all the more worse. but, for the sake of it rather than it being of any practical use, there's a brief clip of Hugh and the band doing Golden Brown. this came up surprisingly early in the set, for if nothing else  is easily the "best known" song off of his former band.

the vagaries of time are quite a thing, are they not. it is, i believe, so that Hugh Cornwell has been a solo artist for twice as long as he was in The Stranglers, yet such was the impact and success of that band it remains his main association. not that he has an issue or quarrel with that. in one of the many interludes in which he spoke to us fans gathered the pattern for the set was two of his solo songs, followed by a classic (his words) off of The Stranglers.

despite not getting the chart success he had with The Stranglers it is (merrily) so that Hugh has built up a substantial following with his solo work. no, not quite "appeal has become more selective" like Spinal Tap, but a pretty big following. i was impressed, if that is the right word, that so many of the audience were singing along (well, shouting) to the solo numbers. to my shame, no, i wasn't so familiar with them as to join in with the choir. 

beyond Golden Brown we got an interesting, perhaps (possibly) eclectic mix of Stranglers classics, mostly from the 70s era. from memory there was Duchess, Tank, Nice N Sleazy (sadly no strippers on stage so no "nude woman horror shock" headlines this time), Nuclear Device and a very welcome performance of Dead Loss Angeles. whereas i thoroughly enjoyed hearing him do them, and shall cherish such with what time i had, there was some "unease". perhaps this is out of just how much many of the audience had a clear preference for his solo work, but also it in a sense felt like "cheating" hearing these without it being the classic Stranglers line up. this may be why i am umming and aahing about going to see Daltrey next year (2025). 

even though it had been a long day of travel and everything was late Hugh Cornwell made himself available after the gig for pictures, greeting people and signing stuff. no, i did not get my picture taken with him, but a dear friend certainly did. 

under no circumstances at all would i have gone and seen Hugh, or anything Stranglers related, without my dear friend Mandybabes. no, not her actual name, except now it is, since i asked Hugh to sign a tape (disc) to Mandybabes and he did. whilst i was aware of some of their songs before, she introduced me to the marvels (and wonders) of the band proper. a quite wonderful way for me to be able to say thank you for that introduction and the many years of listening to their quality vibes. 

blimey, 2024 has been a staggeringly good year for gigs for moi. with it now being the the time when all live events are mostly Christmas music i suspect that's that for gigs for me for 2024. fear not, for some excellent ones are all lined up. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

fox

heya

i suppose, to be specific (or if you are pedantic) i should really have called this post foxes, for there is more than one featured. two, look you see. well, perhaps not look at the moment, as i appear to be having some issues adding images. let me go and have a cigarette (sorry) whilst it considers thinking about letting me add them, then. no, it seems to be having none of it, so i shall just have to try doing this later. rather than, you know, earlier. 

oh right, working now. but be warned my image taking (or if you will photography) skills have not really got any better. there is only so much of this i can blame on the camera. 

so, as regular (or frequent) readers will know, i appear to spend a good deal of time in that there London (innit). due to this i am able to witness one of the issues (or problems) that they have, and which becomes national news, because London. you may well have guessed which one, but to be clear indeed i write of the proliferation of foxes wandering around. 

quite often i will see them just mooching about, presumably on a quest for food. that's the foxes on such a quest, not moi, but yes i do indeed eat from time to time. it is somewhat peculiar, and certainly unexpected, when i find myself stood in a street and one just comes wandering by, strolling along as if of a more domesticated nature like a cat or dog. 

what's the reason for such a widespread number of foxes on the streets of London? it would be wonderful to blame that awful, terrible mayor of theirs, but i don't think it is his fault. the ban on fox hunting is something that hopefully most would agree with (ideally all), it was not (so far as i am aware) replaced with any sort of plan on how to limit or curtail the fox population. given a free hand, then, or what have you (paw, perhaps), i can only suspect fox numbers have increased as a result, or consequence, of this. 

yes, certainly, the constant building going on in and around London (innit) likely pushes them out into areas they would not normally roam. but, as i said, i am no expert, i have gone done no research, i am merely speculating. now that i am firmly (if not well) into my 50s i appreciate that i am expected to have extreme, unsubstantiated and vocal opinions on everything, yet i find myself leaning more towards a life of if i don't know enough about something then i am probably not going to comment as a matter of fact, rather confessing to it being a vaguely considered view. 

have i been attacked or "spooked" by a fox? not really. well, yes, there was that one incident where one probably nearly ate me, but in retrospect i think that was my imagination at play. if anything these foxes seem rather skittish and, perhaps wisely, very wary of people. there's been one or two reports of foxes apparently "sneaking" into people's homes and attacking people. one would hope that someone is not making such things up, but no i am not going to do any research. 

am i going to be making a post on the subject of fox sightings an annual thing? probably not. well, if i make it into the next year and see one (and am able to capture an image or two) then maybe, but alas it is not something i can commit to. just look at this post and the other one (link again) and pretend it is the first time you have seen it. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ode on red

greetings

just one of them "nothing really" posts that i am so prone to do, look you see. unfortunately yes, as the title suggest, once more it is an irresponsible love letter (kind of) to Marlboro red, the type of cigarette i covet more than any other. 

for clarity or what have you on that, once again i feel the pressure of society compelling me to point out, if not quite stress, that smoking (cigarettes) is very bad for you, is very silly, and depending on what your current lot (or plight) in life is you should not start smoking or quit as soon as possible. very little of what i do or gone done would be held up as a good example of life. 

a good friend, and indeed verk colleague, offered to get me some cigarettes off of their travels. i said thank you very much indeed for that, for it is both kind and economical, since most of the rest of the world sells them a good deal cheaper than here in the UK. so yes, then, i got some Marlboro red. lovely. 

what makes these all the more lovely is the split between the classic Marlboro red packet design and the excellent EU warning images we are now banned from using. these (in respect of the latter) are three of my all time favourite warning images. going from right to left you have someone looking a lot like Ant or possibly Dec (i don't care which) out of Ant and Dec getting medical treatment, a lady looking like she has surprisingly come back to life in a boss horror film and a bloke concerned that his male protruding part is busted, claimed to be due to smoking. as for the classic packet design, well, that's some of the most iconic branding in history, no matter what you may think of the product. 

have i ever given serious consideration to, you know, quitting? don't get excited, those wishing for my demise, i mean smoking and not life. well, yes. every now and then the youngest of my (known) children will mention doing so, and a sense of guilt comes with it. well, if not guilt, then heartache that someone does care about me, and also that they have a point. 

most recently there has been this declaration from David Lynch, encouraging people to quit. i was quite taken by the honesty of it. for the most part he is encouraging people to give them up so they don't end up as seriously ill as he, but also he does not lie. he declares no regret at smoking, and does not lambast himself for his lifelong love affair with them. whereas i am not at all sure i am anywhere near enough intelligent to act on it, it has been this from Mr Lynch that has given me reason to take serious stock of this particular life choice. 

but, of course, for now, a smoker i remain. i do feel it is my destiny if not way, and i am resigned to it likely being the thing that does kill me one day. well, if something (or someone) else killed me, that would be (allowing for gallows humour) f*****g hysterical. 

really not sure if these images have ever actually inspired someone to quit. i mean by the time you have seen the images, what with cigarettes now not allowed to be on display, you have already bought the packet. most people who do at least try to quit generally express the notice that it shall be done "after they have finished" the current packet. 

let me go and try to find something, as much as i love these, more better to write of.

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

cinema heretic

hello there

and so the business end of the year has dawned, look you see, what with it being (at time of publication) december already. blimey. no, that's not (quite) the subject on (or of) which i intend to write here, but one cannot but help wonder just how many more transitions of months, if not years, i have ahead. rather than behind, yes, true. 

so, yet another cinema trip this year. that's quite a few for me, and indeed all have been to that Ealing Project cinema. well, i did try for a different one for Venom, but they had no space for me or William. oh well. in this instance i went and saw Heretic, which is mostly known for starring Hugh Grant. again, it was an instance of my interest in the film being sparked by seeing a trailer for it. 

for those in a rush, and wishing to remain spoiler free, yes the film is worth seeing (very much so) for the widely celebrated performance of Hugh Grant. his magnificent work easily covers up the significant shortcomings of the rest of the film. oh, it's not really a horror as such, but all the same has a few moments of tension with a couple of shocks. and for the rest of this post spoilers are possible. 

plot? two young lady missionaries (i believe off of the Mormon church) go and visit Mr Reed (Hugh Grant), as he has expressed an interest in learning more of their religion. on visiting they are soon apparently trapped in his house, with him playing a sort of "cat and mouse" sort of game with them, except more of a "psychological battle" thing. and that's it. 

by no means is it a "bad" film. quite well paced and, for what my view on such is worth, rather well made. it just "flatters to deceive" i suppose, as ultimately it's a quite flimsy premise, no true or real substance to it and it all takes quite a while to reach a rather basic, rather tired point. yet it has a not really secret weapon (rather an in your face one) in the form of a truly breath-taking performance from Hugh Grant. as i mentioned earlier, it is a performance worth all the hype and rave reviews. 

don't remember exactly, but as pictured above i went for the more modest (as in smaller) box of popcorn, which i did not manage to spill, and i think the large coke. was just south of £9, which was indeed north of the cost of the ticket, what with me taking advantage of their tuesday discount. 

well, back to the film, and Hugh Grant's performance. not that the others in the cast are poor, but it is clear very early on that all was written around getting a stellar performance for this character. any and all shortfalls in the plot and what have you are not so much covered up as they are compensated for with what you get from Hugh Grant in this. if not quite a "once in a lifetime" role (this is no Hannibal Lecter) then a rare chance where you would think and actor would go "f*** yes", because it's an immersive, challenging and probably fun role to take on. 

i did think it odd that it had a November 1 release date, as much of the marketing screamed "horror". so yes, i thought the week before Halloween would have been wiser. as it turns out, it's all less horror, more what i suppose one would call psychological suspense thriller, or something like that. no, it's not the best thing i have seen this year, but also far from the worst. 

quite unlikely, i would think, that i shall go to the cinema (yet) again this year. the only thing they are promoting heavily is Gladiator 2, and the trailer makes it seem that what started off as a rather bad idea is going to be even worse than feared. oh. don't think much else of interest is going to be released for the rest of the year, assuming i have no interest in "seasonal" things. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

come ahead

howdy pop pickers

so, another album out for the year that has been (and to clarify 2024, look you see) a very decent and most agreeable one for new vibes. which makes it quite the pity that this one, anticipated if not with all that much excitement, is "disappointing", to be diplomatic. 

for those in some form of (vague) rush, i am so, so, so sorry to say that Come Ahead off of Primal Scream is quite poor. well, f*****g awful or f*****g rubbish, whichever is the most correct. my feelings on their previous effort, Chaosmosis, were initially positive but ultimately gave way to the thought that perhaps they were now (as is natural, nothing lasts forever) a spent force. this one, somehow, manages to be all instantly worse, should that make sense. 

the tragedy here is that it starts off really, really, really f*****g well. as an opening track Ready To Go Home is amazing, and i was (very much) going "yes" and fist pumping, believing this heralded the return of a truly brilliant band, that they had their groove back. no. 

yes, i am aware this has been mooted as Bobby Gillespie's most personal work yet (ahem, Utopian Ashes, just saying), and that's his father on the cover. but to try and "like" it for that reason alone feels if not dishonest then just lazy. perhaps, maybe, he got "blindsided" by the intention to consider how the result would come out. 

ultimately, or at heart, any Primal Scream album should be any combination of confrontational, funky, direct, in your face, hard rock, challenging and/or energetic. this (bar the first track) has none of it, i am so sad to say. everything has a shelf life. i speak of a band who produced Screamadelica, an album that defined much of the 90s, and then produced XTRMNTR, an album which anticipated substantial amounts of this strange century. perhaps the concept and the need for Primal Scream is, alas, now sadly just exhausted. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

uludag gazoz

selamlar

once more i find myself delving into the curious world of foreign drinks, then. indeed this has happened far more frequently than i would have thought likely, look you see. as this is the closest (or nearest) i get to doing anything particularly adventurous, well, why not. 

recently i was wandering around my nearest (closest) supermarket, Lidl, as one is so prone to do when in need of some provisions. this supermarket is celebrated for getting in all sorts of curiosities at random, making it a good deal more exciting than the other stores, sticking as they do with the predictable and the banal. anyway, on the recent trip i mention i spotted some drinks which looked fascinating. 

uludag gazoz it is called. nope, no idea what that means. i had a closer look and saw that they were not alcoholic, which put them immediately on a "maybe" list. the price was 99p per can, which struck me as rather more expensive than i would usually pay for such. however, i then noticed that it described itself as "legendary", and so decided to buy. generally speaking if you have to call yourself something then you are not that thing, rather it is a title or reference you so crave and aspire to be. 

provenance (prior to Lidl) of this drink is Turkey, going on the can. no, i don't know too much about the country, bar partially funding one of my (known) children taking a holiday there. mostly my knowledge would be limited to Midnight Express and what Spiros has told me of his encounters (predominantly short term mutually beneficial friendships) with Turkish men. neither of those, truth be told, has ever really inspired me to visit. oh hang on, that's where people go to get people to f*** around with their teeth and make them look awful, isn't it? 

since this drink was legendary, albeit in a self-proclaimed sense, i elected to break out the Boba Fett ice cubes and Bullseye tankard to give it a go. this month, November, is not a natural one to utilise ice, but everything of the quasi glacier like (or snowy ice mountain) design on the can suggested that this was to be the done thing. 

how is the drink? not so bad, actually. it has a slight tinge of sweet lemon to it, but not an overt or overwhelming one. quite pleasant really, and i would say yes, i enjoyed drinking it. there would be little chance of me seeking more out at the price i paid, but this would be somewhat irrelevant as on the visit after this one i made (to Lidl) they had no more. oh well. 

would i consider having a go at another, different drink from Türkiye? almost certainly. i could understand people going there more to drink stuff like this than have their teeth all f****d up, put it that way. perhaps Lidl (or similar) shall get this drink (or similar) in again, so i don't have to take a flight to get it. 

birbirinize karşı mükemmel olun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

venom last dance

heya

so yes, then, another (or if you will another) cinema trip. i do believe this means i have been to the cinema more often (or less fewer) this year (2024, look you see) than i have been to such a place in the last decade or so. not sure if that means anything, or if it is even true, but there it is. 

obviously (perhaps) no, i did not willingly choose to go and see Venom The Last Dance or, possibly, just plain Venom 3, for i think it is the third film in this series. and last, by all accounts. don't believe that is a spoiler, for it has been widely advertised, promoted and spoken of as "the last one". anyway, how i ended up seeing it is fairly straightforward - recently i took William to that there London (innit) to attend that Batman exhibition, and he wished to see this movie. so, off we went. 

considering how i have but the vaguest recollection of the first film and didn't see the second one at all i was somewhat curious to find out how much of this i would be able to if not understand (i am quite thick) then at least follow. happily, and somewhat to my surprise, quite easily. as long as you have a grasp of the vague premise of the character this film was reasonably self contained and did not rely on any sort of "expanded universe" knowledge to watch it. makers of Marvel things, take note. 

also surprising was that it was really rather good. extremely funny in places and lacings of some fairly entertaining action sequences. whereas Tom Hardy has settled into some sort of quasi Jason Statham "just stand there and look moody" approach to acting, Rhys Ifans is as excellent as he is entertaining. the Venom character himself (if he is a he) is also quite class. 

plot? something about someone who is really evil being kept prisoner by the other Venoms but could escape with what i think they called a codex. in order to ensure that does not happen it is so that one of Venom or whatever Tom Hardy's character is called has to die. no, not sure why, but a functional plot to keep things ticking over. 

that's the "end credit" sequence. i asked William what it was all about and he had no idea, so i have even less (fewer) of a clue. looks like it might be some sort of insect drinking some of that stuff what turns people into a Venom. 

whilst not a film i am ever likely to watch again i did thoroughly enjoy it. i keep seeing reports that it had a low budget, but i found it very well made, excellently paced and just a whole load of entertainment for 90 minutes or so. 

yes, indeed, it was once more the Ealing Project that i (we) was (were) a patron(s) of. i had hoped to take William to see it at the massive Odeon at Leicester Square, but the showing we wanted was sold out. also they only had it on a smaller screen. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

songs of a lost world

howdy pop pickers

well, eventually, then, my "observations" (or if you will thoughts, look you see) on the new tape (which i have on disc) off of The Cure. yes, it did indeed come out a little north of two weeks prior to this being published. by modern standards where all is disposable that would mean this album would be already long forgotten. not so with this one, i suspect. anyway, as has been much reported, this is the first new album off of them in 16 (or so) years, so me only writing of it two (or so) weeks later isn't an issue. 

and what an extraordinary album Songs Of A Lost World is. in a sense. the album is one they wished to release rather than felt obliged to, and carries all the hallmarks of their finest work. that a band can still take as long as they feel necessary to create a work of art that they are happy with, well, of these, hope. 

the single most curious aspect of the (overwhelmingly positive) reviews is how many reference that it, Songs Of A Lost World, "only" has eight (8) songs on it. measuring albums in such a way strikes me as odd. how, exactly, did those who made such reviews feel about Faith and/or Pornography (if i can get away with using that album title here) which also only had that many songs? going a bit further afield, Bowie's Station To Station comprised six songs, whereas Blackstar (which has some relevance to this album) "only" had seven songs. it has not occurred to me to be concerned about how many songs were on those four albums, and nor is it much of a worry here. 

for the album Songs Of A Lost World itself, as has been widely reported (and openly discussed in some truly engaging, interesting interviews) Robert Smith has taken loss as the overriding theme. this is in an overt sense, with him having seen so many close ones depart over the last few years, but also as a concept which reaches further, out towards a universal sense of the concept. it's by no means a stretch to say Mr Smith's friend saying goodbye via Blackstar has a clear influence here, although no, this is not an immediate farewell from him or the band. yes, they have indeed signalled the point at which they shall cease, but it's not all that soon, and we can but hope not quite of the dramatic way of Bowie. 

provenance of my copy of Songs Of A Lost World was one of my favourite shops, Sister Ray Records. for reasons i can't quite grasp they were selling the fancy la-de-dah version (album, a disc of instrumentals and a blu ray audio of it) for about £5 less ("fewer") than the official site. if i remember right the same was true of that Manics Lifebood special edition thing. indeed, in the absence of how it all used to work with record (and tape) shops i would prefer to support artists directly, but if they will go right ahead and let others sell it for less ("fewer"), well, that's on them. 

no, i cannot point out or suggest a specific high point. the whole thing is a journey to be taken in at once, which is what i have done several times. i long for different days, perhaps those in the lost world referenced. there and then i would have taken the (actual) tape of this and my walkman to a place of suitable seclusion and, well, just played it until the batteries ran out. had i enough sense to bring spare batteries then i would have put them in whilst at that place and listened some more. 

despite having no clear concept or reason as to why, i would all the same suggest that it's the song I Can Never Say Goodbye which resonates with me the most. there's just something about the, for want of a better term, "subversive" esque use of the line something wicked this way comes. partially, i suppose, like the moment on the most recent Nick Cave album which goes "and all the king's horses and, oh, never mind, never mind". the "exhausted resignation" for some reason comes to mind. 

my suspicion would be that i have never really mentioned The Cure all that much before here. it's very fair to say that my appreciation, or fondness, for them stems from some very dear people in my life. at a push i would consider Disintegration my "favourite", if that term is right. there is a chance that this record will be played often enough to be a contender for this prestigious title (being my favourite), which i have every confidence will greatly please Mr Smith, Mr Gabrels et al. overall i just love the concept of the band, in that they are as comfortable (and great) producing moments of pop genius like Close To Me and Friday I'm In Love in the exact same manner they can produce challenging, immersive, confrontational and ultimately astonishing works such as Pornography and the already mentioned but once again Disintegration. 

how does Songs Of A Lost World stand in the "race" to be declared my "best" album of the year? quietly confident of success, it can be. there's the small matter of the new Primal Scream tape (disc) sat here, still sealed as i am not really ready to remove this one off of The Cure from the stereo. up to now, no, i have not put the fancy video (blu ray) on to play. perhaps i shall, one day. 

drums for Endsong have just kicked in as i write this. you know what, f*** it, i may well just go get the tape of this (or a blank and tape it myself), procure a walkman and just disappear for a while. no one shall come looking, after all. 

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

batman unmasked exhibition

hello there

great scott, or cor blimey. this is a post which might be of some actual use or interest to people. especially them wanting information on the Batman Unmasked exhibition in that there London (innit), look you see. so far as i am aware thiis event runs all the way to the penultimate day of this year's December (2024), so you may well be here wanting info. 

failing that, of course, you are more than welcome to have a look at some of the pictures of took. well of course you are welcome, if you were not then i should not have put them here online. speaking of all things online, here's the link to the official site for the Batman Unmasked exhibition. 

it would not, i would think, be unreasonable to assume you are aware that this exhibition is indeed dedicated to the subject of Batman. however, for clarification, it's specific in being the motion picture era, stretching from 1989 to 2022, or kind of present day. with respect to the latter, the outfit what the character of the Penguin in the most recent film (The Batman) wore is on display here, presumably fresh from being used in that Penguin TV series. alas not too much in regards of the classic 60s series, then, despite Adam West appearing on the poster. 

let's get to the crux of info. of all the things what i have read online about this event the number one comment appears to always (and forever) be that it is "quite short". yes, actually, it is. we were in it for around about an hour, including the gift shop bit at the end. try as you (or one) might there's really no way of padding it all out for longer than an hour. 

quality over quantity is the key here, mind. you get to see some really amazing stuff, such as the celebrated "batpod" off of the Christopher Nolan films. i would presume (or even imagine) they would have been able to "pad" this all out with all sorts of sh!t, like for instance a display along the lines of the call sheet for the third assistant director on day X of filming Y. undoubtedly something which is important to making the films, but it would take a rather niche fan to wish to see such. 

cost? again, i shall side on quality over quantity, from what i recall tickets for one adult and one child was just south of £50. there's little which comes to mind as being a fair comparison, but at no stage did i feel cheated, ripped off or what have you with that. but yeah, that's me. the value for me was that William wished to go, and it was a pleasure to take him. 

and there indeed is an all too rare glimpse of one of my (known) children for you, posing in a picture that if i am honest i have long wished to recreate. so yes, there's kind of a nod to the Adam West era of Batman that you can do this. cost of getting one of these pictures? from what i remember it was £22 to get one pose printed, and that allowed you to spend an extra £8 to get all of the pictures in a digital form. there was, i believe, a fee you could pay to remove the watermark, which i take as being the thing in the bottom left. why would one want that removed? 

since on the subject, the gift shop is not too bad. i have every confidence (or hope) that my wallet shall cease bleeding from its @r$e eventually, mind. doing that wonky thing of trusting my memory, t-shirts were £30 or £35, jumpers or hoodies were £55. i seem to remember those being prices being asked for similar at any number of gigs i was at this year. much like the scenario with gigs, i do believe these are garments exclusive to the exhibition, so you can't get them anywhere else. a range of them "graphic novel" things were available, priced between £15 and £25 or so, and i absolutely would not have the faintest idea if that's a good or bad price for them. so far as i was able to ascertain none were exclusive to the exhibition. 

now then, if that's just about all the practical (and potentially useful) information i can offer, then there's little else for me to waffle on about except Val Kilmer. so yes, that is indeed the Batman mask, or cowl as they seem to prefer calling it, what the legendary actor wore in his one and only stint in the role. indeed cowls from (i think) all the other actors are there, i just really admire Val. no, that's not me claiming he was the "best" in the part, as i think every actor to play Batman (and Bruce Wayne) has brought their own differing qualities. i just like Val. 

yes, liking Val is also why i took the above image, showing off his Batbelt. i do find it incredibly satisfactory to look upon and admire things what Val Kilmer has touched. doubtful there would be all that much of a market for it, but would love to see a Top Secret! exhibition like this one. 

no, you are (absolutely) not allowed to touch any of the exhibits, hence a picture of the most recent incarnation of the Batmobile on its own, and not with either William or myself in it. most of the exhibits are in sturdy casing anyway, hence me not touching any of the items what Val had touched. to be fair these are all the real deal, actually used in the films props and costumes, and thus worth a bit

oddly (or strangely) one item (below) was kind of open to being touched, which suggests that it was there as a sort of "example" thing and not from any actual film. 

indeed, a pretty decent (if blood covered) looking tape based ghetto blaster. William is fairly sure that this was actually in Batman (1989), possibly handled by Joker or one of his contemporaries. if so then i would have imagined it would have been glass cased too. should it be off of that film, then happy days, for i have now casually brushed a tape player what was in close proximity to Jack Nicholson. 

warning, selfie coming up.

behold, for above (other than me) you can see the Mr Freeze outfit from the not overly loved motion picture Batman & Robin. i believe that outfit would fit me just fine, which i take as meaning i can claim that i have the same physique (more or less) that Arnold Schwarzenegger has. no you cannot argue that one or enter into a (mass) debate, that's not how logic works. 

sure, it is so that Batman & Robin is considered the least (or "fewer") greatest of the films, but i think i would be correct in saying both i and my (former) (considerably) better half shall forever have a soft spot for it. this was one the one we deemed "safe" (allowing for skipping over the Bane transformation scene) for the boys to watch at a young age, and we had spells of them playing it on repeat. you know what i may well just pick up the video (or disc) of it for the nostalgia. 

perhaps i should have put one of them spoiler warnings ahead (or above) of the above picture, but it all seems widely reported. so yes, then, all of the films from 1989 on are represented, hence you getting to have a glimpse at what they state is the actual mask (or "cowl") from the brilliant Lego Batman movie. maybe not worth the admission fee in itself, but still. 

there would, i suspect, be little question that some of the Batman films have featured brilliant, legendary and iconic performances. all the years that have passed, for instance, have affirmed that Tim Burton was quite right to insist on Michael Keaton playing the part when the pressure was on for a more established "action hero" to do it. few would argue, however, that for the most part it is the celebrated Christopher Nolan films which feature some of the greatest performances ever seen in any sort of film, let alone Batman ones. and one in particular, so i need not say much more than above is an image of a few of the items as used by Heath Ledger. 

and to conclude the images being shared here, yes, that's one of the (quite) memorable outfits what the much missed Heath wore in The Dark Knight. for me being able to see items like this made the entire trip worthwhile, but more importantly William was absolutely thrilled by it all. 

right, well, that's that i think. indeed i could shove a whole load more images on here, but i dare say there's a stack of much more better ones around the internet. we had enormous fun attending this and  have every confidence William shall find something similar for us to go to. actually, he has mentioned that he would not mind going to that Harry Potter thing again...........

be excellent to each other!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

11

ELEVEN

11

ONE LOUDER

ELEVEN

11

11

ONE LOUDER

11!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!