understanding finally

heya


so, well, yes, quite. this post could well, look you see, be seen as me "going off on one". ranting, perhaps, but hopefully not too much rambling. as ever, feel free to disregard or disagree and do get on with your life. or, you know, read.

it was some 35 years ago that Nigel Tufnel, he who can do smart guitar solos with his feet (well, one foot), asked the question what's wrong with being sexy? delving into an understanding of that "fine line between clever and stupid", time was taken to explain the difference to Nigel, composer of songs, between or if you like betwixt sexy and sexist.

yes, indeed i do understand that Spinal Tap are not routinely seen as a source which informs society, and further that, with the deepest of regret as such, This Is Spinal Tap was not actually a real life documentary. but, all the same, how strange that we seem to have reached a point where the explanation given to Nigel Tufnel on the difference is one which corners of society would do well to heed.

this indeed relates to the puritanical approach on the go these days; one somewhat quite at odds with the reported rise in atheism and rejection of any social, sexual "rules" or guides generally associated with organised religion. also, or perhaps, it's just simply a case of doing something rather trivial to make it look like the powers that be are "doing something" over some problem, concern, or other.

a ban, or cancellation, or scrappage scheme, has come into effect then, for the darts on the tele. with the given reason a fear of sexism or abuse or doing something against the accepted standards of society as decreed by either a vocal minority or vocal majority (i do not know which) on that there social media stuff, two models of a female gender (actual or "i identify as") shall no more accompany the darts players to the oche on the darts.

what caught my eye with the above was the (finally) part. even allowing for the above being in the Metro, a newspaper or media outlet that will not hesitate to find facts to suit their editorial line, this was a bit much. i, to be sure, quite like the darts. as such i watch it on the tele, and read news reports and so forth. to my knowledge, then, there was no demand, pressure, outcry, call or suggestion that these walk on models be banned or stopped. how is it "finally" then?

this all, of course, happened in the wake of allegations from something called the Presidents Club at the Dorchester Hotel; an establishment i believe to be quite posh. make no mistake, the allegations - those of somewhat refreshed with the sauce, getting on in years wealthy businessmen groping hostesses - are serious. whereas one hopes the actual culprits of any wrongdoing are brought to book, not helping matters is that certain corners of the political system have used the incident as an ideal excuse to get rid of troublesome people, despite no evidence of guilt. just ask Lord Mendelsohn, to give another link to Metro as a thanks for the screenshot.

a precedent being set means nothing if no one follows, of course. sure enough, them what do the fancy cars that go round in a circle - Formula One - have elected to "axe" the so-called "grid girls" from their sporting endeavours, as apparently they do not "tie in with their brand" or something.

oh, i agree, now is the time to see my calendar for the month of February 2018, especially if you are someone who for some reason uses my blog for calendar updates.

so far as i can tell, and this is based on limited following of the story, a great many people are upset by this rather draconian sacking of a lot of models whilst a very loud minority are absolutely delighted. to my knowledge a number of models have come forward upset and distressed about losing jobs they loved on the basis of someone else taking offence on their behalf.

a knee jerk reaction, then. so far as i can tell, the net result of this questionably pious move has been to make the darts players look silly as they walk to the oche flanked by security only, to distract the fans by making a fuss out of the fact that the walk on ladies are missing and, most importantly and damning, to put people out of a job.

them models, as is the case with all models, male, female or however their heart feels they should identify, work damned hard to get them jobs. many sacrifices and efforts are made for the career they want. at least one of the ladies summarily fired to prove a point of "doing good" is distressed, as their goes her income for her and her child. also gone is the massive exposure from being on the tele that could land other jobs.

what did i think of the walk on ladies? not a lot, really. they looked like they were having unenforced fun doing the job, and added some glamour to the games. darts players, on the whole, are not, after all, the most photogenic or stylish of people in this world.

my concern would be this heavy handed puritanical approach. yes, there are some very serious cases and allegations out there of sexual assault, bullying and all sorts of horrible things. they need to be investigated and justice sought. what's happening instead is that they are, and this is fuelled of course by the media as "social networks", being allowed to overshadow everything. this is all to the point where i, and surely i am not alone, am now left asking, just like Nigel, what's wrong with being sexy? there is a difference between y and ist. surely our world, filled as it is with many faults, is now not so dumbed down that those who cannot tell the difference are in the majority.

first rule of advertising, promotion, etc - sex sells. that has always been the case. it does not have to be overt. adding a touch of glamour to something like the darts is not, or rather was not, no bad thing. what was the worst to happen? fragile gentlemen with nothing better to do tuned in to the darts purely to see the ladies? would that have not added to the viewing figures, which ultimately is the aim of such a commercial venture?

i would be more inclined to accept the moral high ground of those who made this decision if they had, at the same time, announced that they were cancelling all gambling, betting and alcohol sponsorship of the darts too, lest they have a negative influence. but, of course, such a move would cost them, whereas firing some people saves them some coins.



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

when jim met phil

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

we are all elvis now

heya


one of the most daunting, difficult to mount challenges in modern life is, but of course, getting the right profile picture in place for a social media account. this, look you see, is what we have become. a suggestion that it is first world problems personified does not quite seem to cover it, but no matter.

so, then, a little earlier this year - actually around the time that last year became this - i elected to change mine. what inspiration i had in respect of this led me to putting some degree of time and effort in, allowing or if you will affording me the chance to create this

indeed, a case of pretty much doing what it says on the box. should, of course, the box you metaphorically hold as you glance at the above has "21 pictures in various 80s technology formats of someone wearing the hair and the sunglasses of The King, Elvis Presley". with me being the someone.

most regular readers would be aware of it being quite rare that i say anything good or positive of myself, but not so here. i really think i've pulled off something quite spectacular with this. a fitting tribute to Him, i trust and hope you agree.

of the 21 images i curated, selected and posed for it is, to be sure, difficult to pick a favourite. this one above shall do, i suppose. in essence i like to think of it as much of a tribute to The King, Elvis Presley as it is to Peter "Ped" Gill out of Frankie Goes To Hollywood. although obviously i could not claim to be anywhere near partially as cool as either.

why now? if the question of whether or not someone should do a tribute to The King, Elvis Presley has an obvious answer of yes, then all that must be resolved is the timing of such. my view, or if you like take, was, well, why not now.

Spiros, not pictured above, was most pleased when he inspected my tribute. he sent on the above picture, in which i am indeed pictured. this would be from his infamous 21st birthday celebrations, when due to an unforseen administrative error my original outfit, based on the Construction Worker out of Village People, was transformed into one befitting The King, Elvis Presley.

another detail, or close up, of my grand tribute? i see no reason why not.

now this is an interesting one as it inadvertently, and quite accidentally, appears to suggest the pose in the somewhat famous, indeed iconic, image of Che Guevara used from time to time.

well, anyhow, i am sure you're happy just admiring these images and have no further need for words from me.



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

david lee roth asteroids

heya


well, look you see, the title is very much a case of what it says on the box, to be sure. to this end, let's cut right to the chase - if you want to leave this blog to play David Lee Roth Asteroids i would understand entirely, and wish you safe journey. here is the link for it, so off you go!

should for some reason you want to read my musings on the subject of David Lee Roth rather than play the game, well then you can jolly well read on. read, and indeed, see, for i have taken some screenshots of this most magnificent, excellent game. the greatest game what ever existed, no less, for David Lee Roth is in it. even better is the fact that you play the game as David Lee Roth. living the dream, they call that.

it has, up to know, been a widely - no, universally - accepted fact that the only decent video game ever to feature any sort of music band or act was Frankie Goes To Hollywood on the Commodore 64. one knew that it would take something extra special to top that, ladies and gentlemen, and little in this universe is more extra special than what David Lee Roth is.

should for some reason you still be reading this and not playing the game here is the link again.

when you click on that link you get taken to a site called 'Realm of Darkness' or if you like ROD. on it you shall undoubtedly note it is financed by unobtrusive but all the same visible adverts. good. i hope, for reward in terms of bringing us this game, that the designer of this game and the owners of the site end up taking custody of all the money in the world. they have earned it.

exactly what does one do whilst playing as David Lee Roth in the game David Lee Roth Asteroids? the latter part of the name serves you as a clue. it is based, or if you will the "engine" of the game is based, on that classic arcade game Asteroids. to this end one gets to blast asteroids apart, as well as Eddie Van Halen, the Van Halen logo and some other stuff.

but, and i cannot state this enough, the important part is that you blast asteroids apart as David Lee Roth.

those of you who read this blog on a fairly regular basis, or just happen to have read any other post what i have done on the man, will know that i hold David Lee Roth in very high regard. the highest possible, in fact. other than all that fantastic singing and rock and roll and jumping he does, David Lee Roth is the greatest, most prolific sexualist practicioner to walk the earth.

if - and i have written to the press with this in mind, but alas with limited response - they ever made prolific sexualist skills something one could compete in at the Olympics, well, it would be an understatement to say that Roth would be an Olympiad. he would be the Olympiad. anyone else intent on entering, so to speak, the same contest would do so knowing that second, silver, is the best that they could attain.

to this end, then, there is a rightly and highly priapic nature to the game. David Lee Roth fires his missles at asteroids from his gentlemen area; or if you are familiar with the nuances and ways of his solo records, his "hammerhead shark".  yes, of course, this makes the game all the more amazing. which shows how excellent it is, because it makes it better than it was and it was already the best just by existing, man.

have i ever considered seeking professional help - guidance, perhaps - about my acolyte like worship of David Lee Roth? no. Spiros says there is no need to. he is the greatest legal mind of his generation, and he says that i am perfectly correct in how i view Roth. also, he sent me the link to the game. Spiros, not Roth.

a regret i have is not being able to get some video for you. actually, not so much the video, as smart though it is watching David Lee Roth spinning around, firing his love missiles of asteroid destruction. no, it's the sound i regret not being able to give you. once again, then, all i can suggest is you click on the link above and hear how awesome it is when Roth, or you as Roth, does something.


undoubtedly one of the questions you have unanswered - hence you reading this far - is that of does the game give you the opportunity to blast the anti-David Lee Roth, the false one, the entirely frowned upon Sammy Hagar, to a thousand pieces? the answer is yes.

famously, in what must be one of the greatest single acts of rock folly ever, for some reason Eddie Van Halen thought that Sammy Hagar would be an acceptable replacement for David Lee Roth on vocals and jumping in the band. this was, of course, wrong.

not that Sammy Hagar is entirely without merit or purpose. no, don't get angry, hear me out. we know as fact that Mr Kim Kardashian, Kane West or whatever, is aware of Sammy Hagar. it is also known that Mr Kim is aware that Sammy Hagar is, and this tests the dictionary definition, a rock singer. alas, Mr Kim has gotten it into his head that Sammy is the only rock singer in the world. this is what makes Kane y think he is right to declare himself as "the greatest rock and roll star in the world", for if the only competition was Sammy, then he would indeed be correct to state such, just as anyone would.

reading this serves no purpose but to delay you from playing the game. i shall leave this all here, then, and advise you to scroll back up, click on the link and play away.



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

rod in a jumper

heya


well, then, to balance, look you see. in my last post i inadvertently celebrated the female form with a look at my smart new calendar. with that being what it was i felt it prudent, if not best, to bring equality to matters. for me there cannot be any finer way of doing this than via presenting you with Rod Stewart.

this image is courtesy of the final edition (of last year) of The Sun, a publication which for convenience is normally sold next to actual, proper newspapers. i was presented with the edition, flicked through it and observed this image within the section where they publish what they consider to be news.

as you can see, the editor or whatever is much mistaken. for some reason they believe that the smart lion jimper what Rod has on is not smart. yes it is. this is Rod Stewart we speak of - any item he wears immediately becomes sexy, because it has been worn by him. indeed, quite, yes, a similar thing sort of kind of happens with garments i wear.

this picture was taken in Scotland, no less, when Rod was off watching Celtic play football. despite being born in London it so happens that Rod, or if you will Rodders, identifies himself as Scottish. this whole "gender fluidity" has existed for quite some time, then.

does Rod claim to be Scottish for marketing and branding purposes? no, you are confusing him with JK McRowling, who claimed Scottish status so as to have her books about that lad taken seriously. or maybe that corruptor of charts, the personfication of Halifax born Ed O'Sheeran, who gently encourages people to believe he is Irish so as to seem all artsy and sell more records as a consequence. or "stream" more.

there is an immediate question here, and the immediate answer is yes, i so surely and most decidedly would wear a jumper like what Rod has on here, if they did them in my size.



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

this year's model

hello


something unexpectedly quite anticipated here is, look you see, the unveiling of my new calendar for the year. the excitement from this comes, in part, from one of the few triumphs of last year. i picked up a semi cheap Star Wars concept art calendar for the year that was 2017, and a monthly look at it proved to be most popular viewing.

no, no Star Wars calendar this year. also no, not a calendar that i particularly set out to get. but, as you will be quite aware, you can only ever play the hand you are dealt. .

off to Poundland i went, then, as i had no wish to spend £3 on a calendar this year. that was what the Star Wars one cost me. i had every confidence that Poundland could offer me something of interest for a third, or if you like 33%, of that fee.

my hope was that they might have a calendar featuring The King, Elvis Presley as i am sure i have seen ones of Him before. alas, no. perhaps that is my punishment for not buying one for an earlier year. on offer instead, then, were ones featuring Sir Cliff Richard, the yet to be knighted Robbie Williams, flowers, Royal palaces and other buildings of residence, images off of the Only Fools & Horses tv show what used to be on the tele, and Little Mix, those renowned shout out to my ex people.

so yes, as you can see in the above and indeed below, instead i elected to go for one entitled "Babes", which would seem to feature several (12) (actually 13, no 14, as there is a minor image for Dec 17 and Jan 19) ladies who one might feel comfortable in calling "babes".

one does indeed get more "bang" for their "buck" at Poundland, should you be of a mind to use Americanesque terminology. above you can see the free, complimentary envelope to house the calendar in and free, complimentary sheet of cardboard to keep it straight. this would be, i imagine, if you wanted to post the calendar as a gift to someone.

do i feel betrayed or let down by Poundland over the matter of a lack of calendar this year featuring The King, Elvis Presley? not particularly. their lack of stock of such probably reflects my not purchasing one before. also, their range is decidedly British, English in nature. no matter what anyone may tell you otherwise, there really is no harm in taking a bit of national pride in national treasures such as Little Mix.

that said, no, i do not know the provenance of the models featured in the calendar. i have no idea if the "babes" featured in the Babes 2018 calendar are of the UK, or herald from some other land. doesn't really matter, i suppose.

whereas this might be a little late for any practical use this month, i thought some of you may well want to look at January 2018 as it appears on this new calendar. and so here you are, or there it is above, to be sure.

yes, undoubtedly there is a sexualist tone to my new calendar, but not an overt one. it might not be all artsy, like them Pirelli ones, but it does not (so far as i can ascertain) feature any full blown nudies. not like them smart calendars what seem to be on the wall of every car mender garage you go to in the UK.

in many respects, i suppose, this calendar is quite comparable to one that Spiros got me a few years ago. that one was called "Greek Lovers" or similar, and did pretty much what it said on the box. a major difference would be that the one what Spiros got featured sexualist activities apparently enjoyed exclusively by men who liked men with other men what liked men. that is the way of the Spiros. 

there will be several of you who are interested in seeing the various images on this new calendar of mine, i know, but simply cannot be bothered, or "CBA", to come and look here every month. for you, then, in the above picture i showcase the back of the calendar. that clearly shows all the images which shall feature for each month.

well, there you go. let me contemplate what to do with the days listed on this calendar.



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

random bowie - reality

Howdy Pop Pickers


And so another year, look you see, but a continuation of this whole “Random Bowie” thing I started in the last. This is all down to demand – thank you, yet or if you like once again, to all those who read, share and enjoy these.

It was two years ago this month that we said, no, when David Bowie said goodbye to us. He elected to do so in the most astonishing, artistic way possible. Yes, I will press on and do all the albums, so Blackstar will feature here one day. But not today.

For this edition, considering the time of year, I thought it appropriate to do Reality. This record, as many of you will know and as we shall look at here, was the one that for close to a decade seemed to be the rather unintended “farewell” album.

To start as usual, some quick and fast facts. By the commonly agreed measurement of them, Reality was David Bowie’s 23rd solo album. It was released middle to late 2003, just slightly over a year after Heathen. Several of the songs came from the Heathen sessions, whilst some – in particular the two cover versions on the standard edition of the album – were ones he had tinkered with for years. Reality was supported and promoted by a tour far more extensive than Bowie had undertaken for the previous two records.

I kind of get the sense that this one is the most neglected on the Bowie discography. There are all sorts of reasons for this, and none of them are to do with any lack of quality on the album at all. Perhaps it’s due to no particularly huge hits on the record, that it came out far too soon after the celebrated Heathen or it was simply overshadowed by the abrupt end to the tour in support of it. Well, all I can do is throw this at the internet, then, and maybe one or two shall discover, rediscover or simply remember how good Reality is.

Above I mentioned that there were “no huge hits”. That’s probably down to no song in particular being released as a single in any conventional sense. Yes, I know, bear with me. Whilst in some countries New Killer Star was released as a single proper, not so for many. Here in the UK it came out as a DVD single only, featuring the headache inducing video and his clearly struggling to keep a straight face whilst doing it cover of Sigue Sigue Sputnik’s Love Missile F1-11.

Somewhere on this blog – and if I remember I will link here – is a piece I did on that DVD single. New Killer Star is a brilliant, catchy single, and does the job of conveying much – if not quite all – of the tone of the album it ostensibly previewed. Yes, the ownership for listening pleasure of this song makes the price of admission worth it alone, but there’s so much more.

Of particular interest are the cover versions. There are two on the album proper, three if you pick up one of the “special edition” variations, or indeed four if you include the Sputnik celebration mentioned. For now, let’s stick with the standard two.

When I picked up the album – as point of fact I think my Dad picked it up for me on one of his many overseas business trips – I was hopeful, when looking at the tracklisting, that one called Pablo Picasso would be that version of the song. Indeed it was, a cover of the song by Modern Lovers. My first encounter with this tune was on the soundtrack for classic 80s movie Repo Man. Perhaps that is where Bowie heard it too, although I suspect he would have been aware of it earlier. Anyway, much like Love Missile F1-11, it seems that Bowie had enormous fun with the funny lyrics. Bear this in mind for later.

The second standard cover is of a George Harrison solo number, Try Some Buy Some. Indeed, it’s entirely possible that he recorded this as a tribute to the recently deceased quiet one from The Beatles. It’s more likely that his passing prompted him to get around to recording it, however, as it’s known that Bowie had wanted to do a version of it for many years. As in, back in the 70s he wanted to do it.

I have given focus to the covers with good reason. Despite some serious moments, the tone one – well, I – walks away from Reality with is of Bowie having fun, enjoying it all, being relaxed and entirely at peace with himself, both as a private person and his public persona. This is evident in the clearing enjoying and entertaining himself – although never taking the p!ss – nature of Pablo Picasso and Love Missile F1-11. All further evidence you could wish for of thjs is right there on the A Reality Tour DVD and CD set. And, indeed, in the wonderful behind the scenes, on tour footage revealed in the BBC documentary The Last Five Years.

What of Bowie’s original compositions for the record? Little to no filler. Not bad for your 23rd solo album; many musicians have clearly run out of steam by the 23rd minute of their first album, after all.

Other than New Killer Star, one of the most interesting – and intriguing – songs to be found on Reality is The Loneliest Guy. The song exists, perhaps, somewhat outside of the fun element I’ve focused on. It’s a haunting, quasi jazz piece and, I dare say, shows Bowie at his clairvoyant best.

Just remember that this was 2003. Whilst the internet very much existed, it was not as it is today. Connection to it was not widespread, and was done so mostly via dial up. Speeds saw you take some 20 minutes to download a 3 minute song. Social Media had yet to dawn. My Space had only just started, and Friends Reunited was in essence a glorified message board – an expensive one at that. And yet Bowie foresaw how people would come to use the internet, with the narrator of the song seeing himself as the “luckiest” rather than “loneliest” guy by living life away from people in reality but through people on his computer.

It’s a brilliant song, arguably the strongest and most direct return to the theme of isolation Bowie had done since Station To Station and Low. Also, quite intriguing. The line “the pictures on my hard drive make me the luckiest guy” has been picked up on by more than one person, I think, or maybe it is just me. Exactly what was it Bowie hinted at having stored away?

There is not, in truth, a bad song on the album. Much of it is light hearted, whimsical maybe, but never lazy or giving a sense of “this will do”. But, knowing now what we did not know then, there is a danger of reading things into some of the songs which were clearly never there. Many songs reference or touch on a sense of time, and indeed death or departure. To suggest that this is so because Bowie “knew” something was up is just plain wrong. He had been referencing such subjects from the start. Consider, off the top of my head, the fact that a cover of My Death featured prominently during the Ziggy Stardust tour of 1972.

An obvious example of the above might be Never Get Old. It’s a wonderful, whimsical pop tune that’s simply uplifting. Lyrically it’s about not feeling your age, about being happy and content with who you are, where you are, when you are. Maybe it’s a nod to Pete out of The Who, referencing the intent of that most famous line from My Generation. No, Bowie wasn’t feeling old, so had no hope to die.

The Reality Tour, then. In terms of releases, the DVD of a gig in Ireland on this tour came out in 2004, with an excellent 2 CD set of the same being released in 2010. With regards to the latter, it really did seem that it was to be “that’s all”, as it was part of a sequence of releases of live stuff year after year, with notable ones being the VH1 Storytellers set and an official release for the much loved Santa Monica 72 bootleg.

I would have no hesitation at all in saying that The Reality Tour, as DVD and CD, are essential to own. To be blunt, frank or whatever you wish, the way you see and hear David Bowie on this release is the way to remember him, always. It really does capture him at peace and at one, and absolutely, unrestrainedly, delightfully comfortable with being David Bowie. He’s relaxed and at one with the fans, he is clearly loving the band he plays with and, perhaps most importantly, he’s embracing his entire catalogue. Other than a wonderful reinterpretation of Rebel Rebel, there’s an acoustic take on Loving The Alien. This is introduced with quite a story, in which he makes clear how sad he was that this song “didn’t work” as well as he had hoped.

You probably do not need me to tell you this, but yes, The Reality Tour was the last time David Bowie was accessible to the public. Beyond some outrageously great performances, and classic Spinal Tap incidents such as the “lollipop in the eye” gig, it ended abruptly. Stories are unclear as to what exactly happened, but the gist is that Bowie had a massive heart attack prior to or during one gig – one which by all accounts he was most fortunate to survive. Whether he had pushed himself too hard with the tour, or his lifestyle had caught up with him, or both, doesn’t really matter, I suppose.

Between the unintended end of the Reality tour and the surprise release of The Next Day all sorts of stories circulated. Reports were that he was frail and fragile, with some even suggesting he was suffering the onset of dementia. He rarely spoke publicly or gave any interviews, save for one hope for the fans. At some stage during those ten or so years he, in between denying he was involved with various rumoured projects, said that it would “have to take something really spectacular” to see him make new music. Some of us fans speculated – maybe hoped – that this might come in the form of a soundtrack for a film made by his son. Now, of course, we all know what that something spectacular was that saw him return to the recording studio.

An obvious answer to the standard question towards the end of these Random Bowie episodes is yes. Indeed, Reality is very much an album worth getting and owning, irrespective of what level of Bowie fan you are. Few, if any, of the songs on it turn up on “best of” compilations, and they are just too good not to be heard.

The question is “which version”, as there are at least three. If it’s the most freely available then I would say that the standard one, commencing with New Killer Star and closing with Bring Me The Disco King, is worthwhile. From what I remember, and probably have here somewhere, there was a 2 CD version too. The second disc features the re-recorded take on Rebel Rebel, as well as a track called Fly and some remixes. OK, but not essential – in particular if you pick up A Reality Tour, featuring the fun live version of Rebel Rebel.

Best of the lot, though, is the CD and DVD variation, coming in packaging what is silver rather than white. On the CD there is one extra track, a superb cover of Waterloo Sunset by The Kinks. And I do mean superb. It’s beautiful, loving and wonderful. David Bowie may well have turned down a Knighthood, thinking it was “silly” to accept when he no longer lived in England, but boy did he retain his love for London through it all.

The DVD showcases a specially arranged gig, in which Bowie and the musicians assembled perform the entirety of the standard version of the Reality album, no more and no less. He did a similar, smaller scale thing for a video to go with Black Tie White Noise. This one, however, turned out to be rather inspirational. All of a sudden “full album gigs” were a thing. Or if you like a thing once more. Sure, The Who, Marillion and to an extent Pink Floyd had done “album gigs” performing certain rock operas in full. After this, though, all of a sudden you had everyone from The Rolling Stones to Suede to the Manic Street Preachers doing gigs focused on one album in particular.

In truth, much of what I have tried to say here about Reality could have been achieved via a simple count of how many times New York is mentioned. No secret was ever made of how much Bowie loved the city, or for that matter that he'd made it home. The number of references to it - whether in his own compositions or in the cover of Pablo Picasso - kind of shows how relaxed, at ease and at one he really was during this period.

And so I think that is that for this episode. There is undoubtedly a whole load more I could be saying or writing on it. But, mostly, hopefully this prompts you to go off and discover, or rediscover, the audio and very visual treats on offer in the Reality releases.

Thank you, once again, for taking the time to drop by and read this. I hope it has been of some interest, even if just so in passing!



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

the people's wrestler of hearts

hello again


it is so that frequent, or if you like regular, look you see, readers of this blog will have already considered my musings from the Christmas just gone. or, if you like, Christmas 2017. that post featured, briefly and in passing, a hint of some of the gifts what i got.

now, then, is the time to look at one of them gifts in particular, in more detail. i have made an honest and fair assumption that the one you would all wish to see more of is the Brock Lesnar t-shirt. to this end, then, that is what this post shall consider, indeed concentrate on.

yes, indeed, that is a picture of me in regulation Commodore 64 mode, wearing the Brock Lesnar t-shirt of hope. and i know that it is a Brock Lesnar one, for it has his name on it, and the boys explained to me who he is exactly. not, as it turns out, the wrestler what done that James Bond film but another one.

for what reason was i given this item as a gift for Christmas? well, it was a fitting gesture, i suppose. i mean my all time favourite wrestler of all time was Honky Tonk Man, but he has retired now. a school of thought suggests that Brock Lesnar is, in many respects a "Honky Tonk Man for the 21st Century" or for a new generation. except, presumably, without the hair or guitar.

no, i am not really sure who exactly Brock Lesnar is. i mean, one of the characters in the class film Boogie Night adopted the persona of Brock at one stage, so i just pretend that it is him.

would i recognize Brock Lesnar if he came up to me in the street? that would depend on circumstance i suppose. i mean, if he came up to me, punched me in the face or did a boss move (which i assume "splx cty" refers to), picked me up, helped wipe away the blood and said "by the way, i am Brock Lesnar", then yes i would.

cynics, or those prone to cynical ways, might look at this and go no. it might be that they suggest the only reason this gift was mine is that it happened to be both £4 off of the WWE shop and they had it in my size. well, if you have nothing better to do with life than think like that, that's up to you.

oh, no, the above has nothing to do with the Brock, or anyone else who works so tirelessly for the World Wildlife Fund or whatever it is called. that there above is a most splendid gift, it being a coaster crafted with an image of a David Bowie concert ticket from January 1973.

just who presented me with such a magnificent gift? the splendid nature of it, i would have thought, should inform you. yes, it comes from the generosity of that gentleman i know who is both the Viscount of Stockton and the Marquess of Tees Valley, whatever the latter is. a most kind and generous gift from his excellency, his grace. one that shall be treasured and displayed.

yeah, that's the back of the Brock Lesnar t-shirt. i am assuming "eat sleep conquer repeat" is his slogan, or banner. a variation on that whole "eat sleep rave repeat" thing, which interestingly enough i have printed on the front of another t-shirt, one which so far as i am aware is unrelated to panda breeding or other such concerns.

is Brock Lesnar the people's wrestler of hearts? no, i am asking you this time around, rather than proposing it as a question for me to answer. i really have no idea. maybe he is.

one question i can answer is yes, i am indeed most pleased and very happy with my smart t-shirt, celebrating as it does that chap. it's a most splendid cut, a perfect size and made from a lavish, quality material that makes it most comfortable to wear.

but, as that is just about all i can think of to say about the shirt, i will call it quits for this post.



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

some book reviews, then

hello reader


well, why not keep doing the same kind of regular post what i did last year, and the year before. and, look you see, for a number of years before that too. as i have finished reading a couple of novels, to be sure, time to give a sort of review thing here for the benefit of any who might wish to have a gander.

in truth i finished reading these off a little while ago, as in the end of the last month of the year just gone. for a number of reasons, none of them at all sinister, it's only now i have gotten around to writing this sort of thing.

as usual, then, a look at the two books what i read, and a quick(ish) overview which seeks to carefully avoid spoilers. from then onwards, of course, a spoiler warning will apply, to be sure.

both, as it happens, were really rather good. that said, not for all tastes. Arrowood by Laura McHugh is a sort of eerie,  partially creepy thriller. it is engaging, but it is not, despite the quotes on the front, all that complex to work out the "twists". nor is it an "old fashioned gothic mystery", as catchy as that might sound. on the other side Alex was a brilliant crime mystery thing, but do take caution as it's unsettling and has some truly disturbing imagery.

right, then, for many of you that will be enough and all you need to know of my thoughts. if that is you, off you go and thank you for reading as much as you did. for all others who go on, please note that, as careful as i shall strive to be, a *** SPOILER WARNING *** is in place for the rest of this article. also, as usual, links are for convenience, and are not an endorsement, affiliation or recommendation from me as to where one should, or for that matter should not, purchase either novel.

to start with, then, where i started with these two. which would be Arrowood  by Laura McHugh. 

provenance of my copy? i am almost certain that it was £2 at Tesco in their "try me" deal of the week on books. it is possible, however, that it was £2.50 or thereabouts under the terms of their controversial "cheaper when you buy The Sun" deal.

the plot? Arden has inherited Arrowood, the place which was once her family home. it has been left empty for a while, and mostly is home to some terrible memories. several years earlier Arden's two siblings were abducted from the garden as they played, never to been seen or heard of again.

much of the narrative follows the story of the disappearance / abduction, with an eager unsolved crime enthusiast keen to try and work out exactly what happened to the children. Arden wants to find out the truth of the matter too, in particular when several things she considered to be "fact" around the disappearance turn out not to be the case at all. This all happens as Arden too struggles with the present, trying to fit back into a world she wants knew.......

the novel works on two levels, really. firstly, and primarily, the "mystery". it is absolutely not so difficult as the quote from Lee Child on the cover suggests, as i don't think there's even four possible scenarios given for you to consider, let alone be misled by. but still, it's engaging, not too obvious, and makes you want to keep reading.

second, the idea of "going home". the narrative is perfect. whenever you return home after an extended period away there's an assumption, maybe idea, that all shall be exactly as you left it; that everyone and everything simply paused, coming to stand still, until you came back. it does not work like that. the writing captures this exceptionally well indeed.

no, not a clue on the "old fashioned" gothic review. there is a "modern" understanding or interpretation of "gothic" which says "any contemporary novel which features a female protagonist and a mansion". it might be the case that this sort of covers the plot in broad strokes, but then that would make this, at best, "modern" gothic rather than "old fashioned". all the same, the novel is superb. i mention this purely as i would not want someone enthusiastic about "gothic" novels as they are more better understood to be defined and being left disappointed to find that Arrowood is not really one which meets the criteria.

right, a brief break as i consider my thoughts on the second novel.

yes, well, quite, there you have it. do make what you will of the above picture, or collage, or if you like public service announcement. i am sure it is of resonance to someone, somewhere.

the second novel what i have recently read, then. Alex, it is called, and was originally written by someone off of France called Pierre Lemaitre. for ease of reading, however, i elected to read the English translation of the novel, as translated by Frank Wynne. nice one Frank, cheers.

provenance? i am 100% certain that this one was, with no doubt as 100% suggests, a £2 deal off of Tesco. so both books together came in, no matter what, at a cost south of £5.

of the plot? a woman, Alex, is kidnapped and held captive in a quite barbaric, stomach churning (you have been warned) way. we have no idea, as readers, why. also having no idea is the police, who are some time later alerted to the fact that there "might" have been an abduction, although no one has any idea at all who may have abducted and who may have been the abductee. when it transpires that yes, such a crime really did happen, investigations and chance take place which leads them to find the potential identity of the abductor, if not who exactly was taken. as the constabulary (or whatever they are called in France) draw close, things take a quite unexpected (but for the reader plausible) turn......

this was brilliant, to be honest. again, i cannot state often enough, though, that it was gruesome, graphic and highly disturbing in parts. if you like crime novels but not ones with explicit descriptions then you should really rather skip this one.

yes, of course it does that which which most French art from the second half of the twentieth century onwards does. that is, it's "symbolic". once again in a work from France we have a woman, violated, abused, tortured and invaded being symbolic of France itself. the aggressor, usually male, is ferocious, brutal and unforgiving, and is meant to represent if not Germany then the Third Reich. as ever, the authorities are indifferent or complicit with the aggressor, save one or two voices speaking against, with that being symbolic of the general sense of shame and frustration the French carry in regards of how their supposed leaders so easily capitulated and crumbled in the face of invasion. understandable, i suppose, but the fact that we still have such heavy handed symbolism - there's even a trip to the German border in this novel - then i guess it shall dominate French art for some time to come yet still.....

my understanding is that Alex is the middle, business end of a trilogy of crime novels featuring the chief, decent copper, Camille. there would appear to be no need to know of the first novel to read this one and understand it. that said, i may seek out the other two. although i have a mountain of novels here to get through. and, now that i think, i still have not found or read the third novel what Child 44 was the first part, and i read the second although the name of it escapes me.

so there you go. two most splendid reads, in truth, and ones that i would not hesitate in recommending to others. except for the caution expressed regarding the graphic content of Alex, that is.

well, that's that, then. undoubtedly, so long as time is with me, further reading adventures shall be looked at here. in the mean time, or interim if that's right, hopefully some of this has been of use to someone somewhere!


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