Tuesday, November 28, 2006

"Fluff "flies

On the anniversary of my Mum's death..legendary DJ , Alan "Fluff " Freeman http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6187762.stm has died. I remember listening to him from the early 70's..and his Saturday afternoon programme , that always started with "Welcome back my friends " by ELP , was a must for us youthfull "proggers " getting us all excited and ready for a night of dancing and "freaking out " at "Waves " , UMIST and the Poly to 30minute tracks and concept albums..never singles ..galore.. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2475357,00.html The speed that he ran throught the charts on the "hung-over " Sundays was amazing..and never beaten.. When punk happend "Fluff " was in his 50's and his championing of "New Wave Of British Heavy Metal " alienated him from me.. I lost interest.. However I always hold him highly for going against the grain and playing "my " bands constantly in the glourious, technicolour , relatively innocent [ pre -AIDS and 9/11] and non -commercial 70s.. Thanks Fluff for flying the Prog banner.. I have one personal story about him..when me and my partner saw The Who in 76, http://www.thewholive.de/details/index.php?id=266&Tracklisting=&GroupID=1&Tag=&Monat=&Jahr=1976&Stadt=&Halle=&LandID=0 [the concert that had the last English performances from the original line ups of Alex Harvey , Little Feat , AC/DC and The Who ..macarbe..] there was a tube strike so we had to walk from Charlton FC to Euston..a long way ,believe me , on the way we "bumped " into "Fluff" and he was very keen on inviting us back to his flat to listen to some groovy sounds... "Not arf "....!!

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Old New Brighton

For reasons best known to myself I took a trip to New Brighton http://www.new-brighton.f2s.com/ today , once a stirring, exciting place and a rival to Blackpool it hosted the famous Beatles/Little Richard concert. It now has seen better days..and clearly needs rejuvination and renewal http://attheriversmouth.blogspot.com/2006/10/new-brighton-sunsets.html http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Brighton,_Merseyside

Saturday, November 18, 2006

The unknown states

Again , filling in the Map I realised that I have been very "coast myopic " in my visits to the USA.. I thought I had visited a lot of America in my over 20 visits there.. only 37% of the country.. Its a good job Im still a bright young thing..!!

The world less travelled

Id always considerd myself a seasoned traveller ,but when I put down the 21 counties I have visited it made me reaise I had only visited 9% of the world...shocking..and prooves to me how I need to do far more travelling...
create your own visited countries map or vertaling Duits Nederlands

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Mark Thomas rants

Mark Thomas http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0geuq3a1VxFk2oBnopXNyoA;_ylu=X3oDMTE2ZnYyaG5yBGNvbG8DZQRsA1dTMQRwb3MDOARzZWMDc3IEdnRpZANGODQ1Xzc0/SIG=11aj9ah48/EXP=1163798362/**http://www.mtcp.co.uk/ entertained The Dancehouse for 3 nights , preaching to the converted I know , but his great use of facts , figures , humour , characterisations , storytelling and references to Yes made me think , laugh and get angry over the dispicable worldwide arms-trade... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Thomas He never stopped moving about , talking and ..ranting..for over 2 1/2 hours.. A national treasure ..

Sunday, November 12, 2006

The master race

What I always thought was science fiction /fantasy about a Nazi "master race !"actually happend . The concept of Lebensborn , "source of life " children http://www.rickross.com/reference/hate_groups/hategroups164.html http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/correspondent/729902.stm really did transpire . They were part of a Nazi racial experiment where 200,000 children were selected for Aryan physical qualities and placed with families of SS members. http://www.jewishgen.org/ForgottenCamps/General/LebensbornEng.html http://www.barnesreview.org/lebensborn.htm Not only did many survive..they all met in the German eastern town of Wernigerode http://www.world66.com/europe/germany/saxonyanhalt/wernigerode last week for the first time . Imagine the trauma and atmosphere in that little town. And it was in Germany , not Brazil... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Boys_from_Brazil_(film) http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077269/

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Is that it

Maybe I have seen too many films , but modern films seem soooo obvious. None more so than The Prestige http://theprestige.movies.go.com/ I was really looking forward to this film... see previous blog.. and the acting and directing was OK , but , dear me , the plot and denoumount was so lame.. The by-line is "Are you watching closely ". My suggestion is not to watch closely at all , or you will guess the "shock " ending in the first 40 mins... even if , like me , you fall asleep when Dame Vera Bowie hams it up.... There is no explanation for the 3 main protagonists change in attitude or behaviour towards each other..in the end one wants them all hung.. Other people are kinder though http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prestige/

Friday, November 10, 2006

Third time bloody

I sat through Saw 3 ,open mouthed , its even more gory and violent then the other 2 Saw gore-fests. A relentless , splatter -filled explosion of tourture and exploytation....I cant see how the inevitable SAW 4 will be more bloody...

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Borat ;A world ambassador

I laughed and laughed at the outrageous adventures of Borat http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/movie/9544561/review/12221746/borat_cultural_learnings_of_america_for_make_benefit_glorious_nation_of_kazakhstan remembering when I met him when Sacha Baron Cohen http://www.askmen.com/men/entertainment_150/186c_ali_g.html was filming as Ali Gee in Manchester Town Hall in 2001. A true star , outrageous , sharp and funny as a button

Tapes and Tapes terrific

In my favourite University venue , the intimate Hop and Grape , newish band Tapes and Tapes http://www.tapesntapes.com/ entertained and beguiled the expectant crowd with spikey melodic rock ,that could have a great future.. I love seeing bands at the begining of their career, they have an ethusiasm and drive that soon dissapaites in the rock machinery. A good solid night of rock promise...

Flaming Lips explode

The Apollo exploded with balloons , streamers , dry ice , lazers , and a dizzying powerful sound as The Flaming Lips http://www.flaminglips.com/main.php roared onto the stage, with Wayne in a huge plastic ball..very Peter Gabriel and extreamely PROG. The night carried on in fine acid- tinged style , creating a real community feel A wonderful night..if you want specticale , melody , heavy rock and a real sense of "belonging " check out The Lips at a rocking theatre near you..you will not regret it...

Friday, November 03, 2006

Sufjan stimulates

I was really expecting a wonderful show from Sufjan Stevens http://www.sufjan.com/ and when the 10 piece band came on in masks and wings ...making the packed , hushed , reverent crowd go crazy... I knew it was going to be a special night. http://www.soundsfamilyre.com/soundsfamilyre/ss/ Indeed it was..the band veared between gentle folk and hard free jazz , they enthralled and excited me and the crowd ,who remained absolutely quiet,until the end when they roared their appreciation. A superb ,reflective and varied night of soulfull, moving music. It even turned on the Manchester Evening News http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/entertainment/music/livereviews/s/227/227295_sufjan_stevens__academy_2.html He will be back..but never in a venue so intimate