It's the last day of the year. I spent nearly 10 hours in work today. For the most part it was a good productive day. When I got home we cooked dinner and had a glass of wine. We are now watching Royal Pains on the TV and falling asleep in the sitting room. The first New Year in our house.
I intend to be asleep by the bells. I may watch Only An Excuse before I head to bed. Tomorrow morning we plan to head to the local park and bounce a basketball around for a bit.
2018 has been mainly good on a personal level even if there has been some dodgy geopolitical stuff going down.
Hopefully 2019 will be better in every possible way!
Happy new year!
Monday, December 31, 2018
Sunday, December 30, 2018
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The UK is in a sad place. Our country is being run into the ground by warring factions of the elite Tory party claiming they represent the 'will of the people', egged on by an incompetent Labour party. This time, next year we will have been stripped of our european citizenship, making us poorer both financially and culturally. We are going to lose a lot because of some posh arseholes playing games with democracy.
The rest of the world is laughing at Britain. Fintan O'Toole has just written a great book about it. Watching from the sidelines, the ego-death of a faded imperial empire is pretty funny. Much was made of the British stiff-upper-lip and the 'keep calm and carry on' meme and this has all been exposed as patent bullshit. Britain flaps around like a headless chicken or a dying animal, demented and brain damaged, just wanting to be put out of it's misery. The country is full of angry, angry red faced people, shouting, unhappy with their lot, looking with someone to blame and settling on the EU which they can't quite conceptualise. They just know it is foreign and stopping Britannia from ruling the waves.
The EU has protected many of us from unfair employment practices, protected us from working too many hours and giving us benefits like maternity or paternity leave. In America, you get fuck all in terms of holidays or maternity benefits. Or health care.
The NHS will go after Brexit, another unintended consequence of the will of the people. If we want a trade deal with the USA, the health care monopoly of the NHS will have to go. I fear for the future some times.
In recent days the government have started putting out adverts about the need to apply for settled status in the UK. This even affects children born here to European parents. This will hurt some of my friends and colleagues. It's a jingoistic disgrace, bringing to mind Germany in the 1930s.
Fuck me, our country is in a mess. All we can do is vote but in Scotland your vote and your voice mean little. Scotland is impotent in the UK.
I'm lucky in so many ways and hopefully I will be cushioned from much of what happens over the next few years but I meet many people who will be directly impacted. I'm sad for them.
The rest of the world is laughing at Britain. Fintan O'Toole has just written a great book about it. Watching from the sidelines, the ego-death of a faded imperial empire is pretty funny. Much was made of the British stiff-upper-lip and the 'keep calm and carry on' meme and this has all been exposed as patent bullshit. Britain flaps around like a headless chicken or a dying animal, demented and brain damaged, just wanting to be put out of it's misery. The country is full of angry, angry red faced people, shouting, unhappy with their lot, looking with someone to blame and settling on the EU which they can't quite conceptualise. They just know it is foreign and stopping Britannia from ruling the waves.
The EU has protected many of us from unfair employment practices, protected us from working too many hours and giving us benefits like maternity or paternity leave. In America, you get fuck all in terms of holidays or maternity benefits. Or health care.
The NHS will go after Brexit, another unintended consequence of the will of the people. If we want a trade deal with the USA, the health care monopoly of the NHS will have to go. I fear for the future some times.
In recent days the government have started putting out adverts about the need to apply for settled status in the UK. This even affects children born here to European parents. This will hurt some of my friends and colleagues. It's a jingoistic disgrace, bringing to mind Germany in the 1930s.
Fuck me, our country is in a mess. All we can do is vote but in Scotland your vote and your voice mean little. Scotland is impotent in the UK.
I'm lucky in so many ways and hopefully I will be cushioned from much of what happens over the next few years but I meet many people who will be directly impacted. I'm sad for them.
Spider-man - Into the Spider-verse
I first got to know Spider-man through the old cartoons on UK television in the early eighties. They were a good gateway to the character and Marvel comics. Over the decades more cartoons have been made, more comic books and also some pretty good live action films.
Into the Spider-verse, is, as far as I can recall, the first animated Spider-man film to make it to UK cinemas. It's a great film and the cinema is a perfect place to see it.
Spider-verse is knowing and entertaining. It tells the story of Miles Morales, a Spider-man for the 21st century as well as paying tribute to multiple other versions of Spider-man who have appeared in the past 55 years. Peter Porker, the spectacular Spider-Ham makes a welcome appearance.
The animation is electric, jumping from style to style. Kingpin is portrayed in the style of Bill Sienkiewicz, massive with a tiny head and almost photorealistic features, like the Daredevil Love and War graphic novel from the late eighties. Another character, the Prowler, looks more like a Todd McFarlane drawing. It's a lively jump cut ride.
There have been a lot of films inspired by Marvel comics over the last decade and Into the Spider-verse is one of the freshest and best. Worth seeing, even if you would't normally go for a cartoon. There is also a lovely Stan Lee cameo which provoked a wry smile from me.
I went to see this film with a friend who has been having a difficult time recently and he loved it too. Marvel characters can certainly brighten up your day sometimes.
Thanks again Stan and Steve.
Into the Spider-verse, is, as far as I can recall, the first animated Spider-man film to make it to UK cinemas. It's a great film and the cinema is a perfect place to see it.
Spider-verse is knowing and entertaining. It tells the story of Miles Morales, a Spider-man for the 21st century as well as paying tribute to multiple other versions of Spider-man who have appeared in the past 55 years. Peter Porker, the spectacular Spider-Ham makes a welcome appearance.
The animation is electric, jumping from style to style. Kingpin is portrayed in the style of Bill Sienkiewicz, massive with a tiny head and almost photorealistic features, like the Daredevil Love and War graphic novel from the late eighties. Another character, the Prowler, looks more like a Todd McFarlane drawing. It's a lively jump cut ride.
There have been a lot of films inspired by Marvel comics over the last decade and Into the Spider-verse is one of the freshest and best. Worth seeing, even if you would't normally go for a cartoon. There is also a lovely Stan Lee cameo which provoked a wry smile from me.
I went to see this film with a friend who has been having a difficult time recently and he loved it too. Marvel characters can certainly brighten up your day sometimes.
Thanks again Stan and Steve.
Sunday, December 23, 2018
first Christmas in new house
It's the run up to Christmas in our house. We finally have curtains in the dining room. The house is warm. We have neighbours and we have exchanged Christmas cards with them. We are planning Christmas dinner. We are adults. The world is a funny place.
We had a bit of snow last week, not much, just a bit. It was raining today, heavily. It's nice seeing the house in the different seasons, seeing how things change. The summer heat was intense, hopefully it will be cooler next year. We have a warm house which is comfortable but anywhere can be uncomfortable if it gets too warm,
We need to decide where to put all the Christmas cards and maybe set up a CD player in the dining room so we can listen to some tunes. We were using my record player a couple of weeks ago, listening to Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Tracey Chapman and Nenah Cherry. We have lots of decent restaurants around us and some great parks.
Earlier today I watched Bad Santa 2 to help me get into the seasonal spirit. It's not as good as the first film although I might just be a bit older. There was a decent Christmas episode of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix last week too.
The world is a wonderful place in many ways and my life is really good.
One friend on Facebook has been having a bad time recently. I'll try and get to the cinema with him in the next few weeks, see how he's doing, grab a coffee. Make some time.
It's important to always make time to live. Life is short and precious. We all work too hard and stress too much. It's important to do good stuff for yourself. A lot of people have difficult lives. Remember them and help if you can. Be kind.
We had a bit of snow last week, not much, just a bit. It was raining today, heavily. It's nice seeing the house in the different seasons, seeing how things change. The summer heat was intense, hopefully it will be cooler next year. We have a warm house which is comfortable but anywhere can be uncomfortable if it gets too warm,
We need to decide where to put all the Christmas cards and maybe set up a CD player in the dining room so we can listen to some tunes. We were using my record player a couple of weeks ago, listening to Paul Simon, Stevie Wonder, Tracey Chapman and Nenah Cherry. We have lots of decent restaurants around us and some great parks.
Earlier today I watched Bad Santa 2 to help me get into the seasonal spirit. It's not as good as the first film although I might just be a bit older. There was a decent Christmas episode of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina on Netflix last week too.
The world is a wonderful place in many ways and my life is really good.
One friend on Facebook has been having a bad time recently. I'll try and get to the cinema with him in the next few weeks, see how he's doing, grab a coffee. Make some time.
It's important to always make time to live. Life is short and precious. We all work too hard and stress too much. It's important to do good stuff for yourself. A lot of people have difficult lives. Remember them and help if you can. Be kind.
Saturday, December 22, 2018
Stan Lee - RIP
I never met Stan Lee. I never had a chance. He did come to Forbidden Planet in Glasgow but somehow I never knew. Stan Lee did have an impact on my life in many ways. I've spent a lot of time reading Marvel Comics in the last 40 or so years and Stan Lee was responsible for many of them.
The first american comic that I read/owned was issue number 3 of Super-villain Team Up featuring Namor, the Submariner and Dr Doom fighting some even more evil fish people. It was a bit crap. It came from a neighbours house and I read it from cover to cover many, many times. I still have it somewhere. I remember all the strange American adverts from the seventies and the slightly yellow paper. It wasn't brilliant but it was my first comic presented by Stan Lee.
I had probably seen some Spiderman reprints by then. I was certainly reading the Marvel UK weekly Star Wars comic as a very young child in the early 80s. The old sixties Marvel cartoons were broadcast as part of Glen Michaels Cartoon Cavalcade in Scotland with Captain america, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Spider-Man. We also had the seventies Spiderman cartoon as well as Spiderman and his Amazing Friends and the Hulk.
Stan Lee infected every part of our culture. He reached Scotland from New York and taught us about heroes and trying to be good. His personality shone through in his Bullpen Bulletin. He had a heart and he tried to do the right thing. He was cheesy and a bit of a self-promoter. He didn't give his collaborators enough talent but he changed the dreams of lots of kids. Like me, those kids are often successful adults and we live in a world that has seen both the Black Panther and Guardians of the Galaxy on the big screen. Back in the early eighties this was unimaginable.
My fiancé's niece can name most of the marvel superheroes on a poster in our house and she is 3. Stan continues to shape young minds. His imagination lives on in all of us.
RIP
The first american comic that I read/owned was issue number 3 of Super-villain Team Up featuring Namor, the Submariner and Dr Doom fighting some even more evil fish people. It was a bit crap. It came from a neighbours house and I read it from cover to cover many, many times. I still have it somewhere. I remember all the strange American adverts from the seventies and the slightly yellow paper. It wasn't brilliant but it was my first comic presented by Stan Lee.
I had probably seen some Spiderman reprints by then. I was certainly reading the Marvel UK weekly Star Wars comic as a very young child in the early 80s. The old sixties Marvel cartoons were broadcast as part of Glen Michaels Cartoon Cavalcade in Scotland with Captain america, Fantastic Four, Iron Man and Spider-Man. We also had the seventies Spiderman cartoon as well as Spiderman and his Amazing Friends and the Hulk.
Stan Lee infected every part of our culture. He reached Scotland from New York and taught us about heroes and trying to be good. His personality shone through in his Bullpen Bulletin. He had a heart and he tried to do the right thing. He was cheesy and a bit of a self-promoter. He didn't give his collaborators enough talent but he changed the dreams of lots of kids. Like me, those kids are often successful adults and we live in a world that has seen both the Black Panther and Guardians of the Galaxy on the big screen. Back in the early eighties this was unimaginable.
My fiancé's niece can name most of the marvel superheroes on a poster in our house and she is 3. Stan continues to shape young minds. His imagination lives on in all of us.
RIP
Finding Joseph I: The HR From Bad Brains Documentary
The Bad Brains were co-headlining the second proper gig I saw, playing with Fishbone at the Glasgow Barrowlands in 1993. Sadly H.R. was not with them that night with vocals from Israel Joseph instead. It was still mind-blowing but I would have loved to see them with H.R. at their peak.
Bad Brains made amazing music but they were troubled at times. H.R. was an amazing frontman but, as this film makes clear, he had problems. His story is told by his brother, friends, bandmates, colleagues and fans. Humorous anecdotes eventually become sadder and the reality of the situation becomes clear. At times H.R. (or Joseph as he is sometimes called) is homeless and making bad decisions. He hears voices. Onstage he can be seen visibly hallucinating and interacting with voices. Eventually his wife manages to get him proper medical attention and anti-psychotic medications. He gets better after that.
I learned stuff about HR that I didn't know through this film. I heard some of his non-Bad Brains music (although I've had a few of his post-Bad Brains SST solo records for decades). It compiles some great live footage.
Enlightening and sad, it ends on a positive note.
Bad Brains made amazing music but they were troubled at times. H.R. was an amazing frontman but, as this film makes clear, he had problems. His story is told by his brother, friends, bandmates, colleagues and fans. Humorous anecdotes eventually become sadder and the reality of the situation becomes clear. At times H.R. (or Joseph as he is sometimes called) is homeless and making bad decisions. He hears voices. Onstage he can be seen visibly hallucinating and interacting with voices. Eventually his wife manages to get him proper medical attention and anti-psychotic medications. He gets better after that.
I learned stuff about HR that I didn't know through this film. I heard some of his non-Bad Brains music (although I've had a few of his post-Bad Brains SST solo records for decades). It compiles some great live footage.
Enlightening and sad, it ends on a positive note.
Sunday, October 14, 2018
Berlin
I visited Berlin for work reasons this week. I had never visited before so I was interested in seeing as much of the place as I could. Work kept me busy but I was able to see a bit of the place.
I was seeing beside the zoo. During the second world war there was a large anti-aircraft gun in the zoo and it was heavily bombed. Around 80 animals survived but were then promptly eaten after the Russians arrived in the city. The zoo has subsequently been developed into one of the best in the world. It is visited by millions of people every year and houses more than 1300 species.
Berlin has a population over 3.7 million people but seems fairly quiet. The streets are not as busy as London, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Glasgow. I was getting the S-Bahn every day and it was not crowded. One morning the train was filled with children communicating in sign language. The area around Zoo Station was busy but again not as busy as many other large cities.
I tried a currywurst from one of the vendors beside Zoo Station. It's a grilled sausage with a ketchup and curry sauce, served with chips. I heard that this local delicacy only came into existence after the war when the only ingredients available were tomato ketchup and curry powder. I enjoyed the experience but I wouldn't make it a regular feature in my diet.
I took the S-Bahn over the the east of the city to visit the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. The area was full of tourists but again not overcrowded. I then spent some time walking along Friedrichstrasse and looking around a rather nice German music and book shop. We don't really have shops like this in the UK as much now.
One evening we were taken for dinner in a restaurant on Gendarmenmarkt. It was lit up for a festival of lights in the city and I took some photos of the French church, the German church and the Konzerthaus. I didn't get time to explore further.
I walked down Kurfurstendamm or K-Dam a couple of times, window shopping with the Happy Mondays song Kuff Dam stuck in my head. To block it out I listened to the new Cypress Hill record on my iPod. It's a big, wide street. It reminded me of streets in Poland. I didn't buy anything but I sat and had a beer with a colleague outside a bar on the avenue and I ate a nice meal in a restaurant on the street. They do beef well in Berlin.
With another colleague and his wife we stood and admired the remains of the Kaiser Wilhelm church beside Budapester Strasse. It was well lit and it still has bullet holes from the war. It was badly damaged by bombing in 1943. The square around the church now has crash barriers everywhere after the actions of a nutter with a truck two years ago.
I didn't see much of the city and I would have liked the chance to explore more. Sadly that is not always and option due to work commitments. I may return at some point but there are a lot of other places to see and sadly time is not always available.
I was seeing beside the zoo. During the second world war there was a large anti-aircraft gun in the zoo and it was heavily bombed. Around 80 animals survived but were then promptly eaten after the Russians arrived in the city. The zoo has subsequently been developed into one of the best in the world. It is visited by millions of people every year and houses more than 1300 species.
Berlin has a population over 3.7 million people but seems fairly quiet. The streets are not as busy as London, Birmingham, Edinburgh or Glasgow. I was getting the S-Bahn every day and it was not crowded. One morning the train was filled with children communicating in sign language. The area around Zoo Station was busy but again not as busy as many other large cities.
I tried a currywurst from one of the vendors beside Zoo Station. It's a grilled sausage with a ketchup and curry sauce, served with chips. I heard that this local delicacy only came into existence after the war when the only ingredients available were tomato ketchup and curry powder. I enjoyed the experience but I wouldn't make it a regular feature in my diet.
I took the S-Bahn over the the east of the city to visit the Brandenburg Gate and the Reichstag. The area was full of tourists but again not overcrowded. I then spent some time walking along Friedrichstrasse and looking around a rather nice German music and book shop. We don't really have shops like this in the UK as much now.
One evening we were taken for dinner in a restaurant on Gendarmenmarkt. It was lit up for a festival of lights in the city and I took some photos of the French church, the German church and the Konzerthaus. I didn't get time to explore further.
I walked down Kurfurstendamm or K-Dam a couple of times, window shopping with the Happy Mondays song Kuff Dam stuck in my head. To block it out I listened to the new Cypress Hill record on my iPod. It's a big, wide street. It reminded me of streets in Poland. I didn't buy anything but I sat and had a beer with a colleague outside a bar on the avenue and I ate a nice meal in a restaurant on the street. They do beef well in Berlin.
With another colleague and his wife we stood and admired the remains of the Kaiser Wilhelm church beside Budapester Strasse. It was well lit and it still has bullet holes from the war. It was badly damaged by bombing in 1943. The square around the church now has crash barriers everywhere after the actions of a nutter with a truck two years ago.
I didn't see much of the city and I would have liked the chance to explore more. Sadly that is not always and option due to work commitments. I may return at some point but there are a lot of other places to see and sadly time is not always available.
Thursday, September 27, 2018
The Second World War by Anthony Beevor
Men of my fathers' generation spent a lot of time thinking about the second world war. My dad was born a few days after the nuclear bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed almost 200,000 people. His father saw service only as part of the home guard but a cousin died on the River Kwai in Burma, a victim of the Japanese. The war loomed large in my dads perception of the world.
As a child I read the Battle comic and the Commando comics that were prevalent in the UK. I saw the war films which old of a heroic war, where we got rid of nasty Mr Hitler and his Nazi chums and the 'cruel' Japanese. As a child my dad took me to the old battlefields where ruined tanks still lay. He also took me to visit Dachau. War is not fun.
This book, by Anthony Beevor is a detailed account of the conflict that covered most of the world for about six years and resulted in the death of at least 60 million people. A lot of bad things were done. Human lives were discarded like used tissues, people were exposed to unbelievable cruelty and murdered. War crimes and genocide were widespread. Caniballism, most notably by Japanese soldiers, was not uncommon. Rape was used as a weapon of war.
The Second World War was not a good war. It was one of the worst things that humanity has ever done to itself. Sadly, many people in the UK, who did not live through this era seem to regard it with rose-tinted glasses. It seems to be used as an excuse for Brexit, among many others. The war is a warning from history, a warning against racism and fascism. The war is a warning about 'strong men' leaders like Hitler. It is a warning that too many of us ignore.
This book is long but worth reading. Something to reflect upon.
As a child I read the Battle comic and the Commando comics that were prevalent in the UK. I saw the war films which old of a heroic war, where we got rid of nasty Mr Hitler and his Nazi chums and the 'cruel' Japanese. As a child my dad took me to the old battlefields where ruined tanks still lay. He also took me to visit Dachau. War is not fun.
This book, by Anthony Beevor is a detailed account of the conflict that covered most of the world for about six years and resulted in the death of at least 60 million people. A lot of bad things were done. Human lives were discarded like used tissues, people were exposed to unbelievable cruelty and murdered. War crimes and genocide were widespread. Caniballism, most notably by Japanese soldiers, was not uncommon. Rape was used as a weapon of war.
The Second World War was not a good war. It was one of the worst things that humanity has ever done to itself. Sadly, many people in the UK, who did not live through this era seem to regard it with rose-tinted glasses. It seems to be used as an excuse for Brexit, among many others. The war is a warning from history, a warning against racism and fascism. The war is a warning about 'strong men' leaders like Hitler. It is a warning that too many of us ignore.
This book is long but worth reading. Something to reflect upon.
Friday, September 21, 2018
The Devil’s Chessboard: Allen Dulles, the CIA, and the Rise of America’s Secret Government by David Talbot
This is an unflattering biography of a man I had never heard of; Allen Dulles. He was an influential figure in American intelligence and subsequently the head of the CIA. According to this book, he did a lot of bad stuff. He was fond of Nazi's, very anti-communist and at one point he apparently tried to arrange the assassination of Charles De Gaulle.
Dulles may have helped arrange the assassination of John F Kennedy. Dulles was certainly influential on the Warren Commission which investigated the JFK assassination. The Warren Commission should perhaps have been called the Dulles Commission.
This is a good read.
Dulles may have helped arrange the assassination of John F Kennedy. Dulles was certainly influential on the Warren Commission which investigated the JFK assassination. The Warren Commission should perhaps have been called the Dulles Commission.
This is a good read.
The land of your forefathers
I'm lucky in that I grew up with a strong sense of identity. My parents told me about my family history, I knew my grandfather well and I spent time at the places that were important in the family history. I spent time in the wilds of the west of Scotland enjoying the rain and the wildlife.
My partner has some non-Scottish heritage and she had never been able to visit the place in Italy where her family came from. Sadly, her father never got the chance to take her and her mother had never been. Last week we were, as a family, on holiday about 60 kilometres from the village and we decided to go there. I'm really glad we did. It was amazing.
We decided to club together and get a taxi to take us on the drive to the village and wait for us as we did some sightseeing. Initially we went to the local tourist office and picked up a bunch of maps and leaflets. We didn't know much about the area but it turns out that it's an alpine ski resort that is very busy in the winter. We then managed to find the church where her grandparents were married. It was a beautiful building in the middle of town and we were able to go in and look around.
We had an address for the building where her nona (gran) had lived as a child. Thankfully the village was small so we managed to find it. I also managed to find a bunch of really cool wee lizards which is always enough to keep me happy. My partners' aunt had managed to give us the phone number for a second cousin, who as luck would have it, had the day off. After a quick phone call distant cousins were introduced and we had a guide for the next hour or so.
The Italian cousin drove us to another, older church, decorated with a fresco of the danse macabre, that stood within the village graveyard. It was beautiful, well kempt, with family gravestones adorning the walls of the graveyard. We found one of the family stones and it had a photograph of nona, beside her siblings. Sadly, the stone for nono's (grandad's) family had been moved and we couldn't find it.
Outside the graveyard was a war memorial. On it was the name of my partners great uncle who had died during the first world war. He was 21. I was reading a kindle book on world war 2 history which has been driving home the insanity of war and this brought some life to it. I was also reminded of my dads cousin who died during the second world war in Burma. In the beautiful alpine surroundings of this village at the foot of the dolomites why would anyone want to leave and die for rich men?
Tourist season had just ended and we sat down to eat a late lunch in a local bar. I had some cheese and cured beef with bread. It was a hot day. Unfortunately we had to get a taxi back to the resort but we were ecstatic with this brief look into family history. We will go back at some point and stay for a week.
I know how I feel when I stand on a certain beach in Kintyre and watch the seals with the wind blowing so loud I can't hear. I wish I could stay there, in that old house above the stables, beside the sea, but that is not my house and I cannot have that life. The choices I have made have given me a different life. I also know how I feel when I stand at the top of the hill at the croft on the island in argyll and I wish I could be there too but my life is in the city and the populated areas but I know where part of me came from and I know that it was not perfect. I hope my partner felt that way when we were in the alpine village and we will go back and explore it more.
My partner has some non-Scottish heritage and she had never been able to visit the place in Italy where her family came from. Sadly, her father never got the chance to take her and her mother had never been. Last week we were, as a family, on holiday about 60 kilometres from the village and we decided to go there. I'm really glad we did. It was amazing.
We decided to club together and get a taxi to take us on the drive to the village and wait for us as we did some sightseeing. Initially we went to the local tourist office and picked up a bunch of maps and leaflets. We didn't know much about the area but it turns out that it's an alpine ski resort that is very busy in the winter. We then managed to find the church where her grandparents were married. It was a beautiful building in the middle of town and we were able to go in and look around.
We had an address for the building where her nona (gran) had lived as a child. Thankfully the village was small so we managed to find it. I also managed to find a bunch of really cool wee lizards which is always enough to keep me happy. My partners' aunt had managed to give us the phone number for a second cousin, who as luck would have it, had the day off. After a quick phone call distant cousins were introduced and we had a guide for the next hour or so.
The Italian cousin drove us to another, older church, decorated with a fresco of the danse macabre, that stood within the village graveyard. It was beautiful, well kempt, with family gravestones adorning the walls of the graveyard. We found one of the family stones and it had a photograph of nona, beside her siblings. Sadly, the stone for nono's (grandad's) family had been moved and we couldn't find it.
Outside the graveyard was a war memorial. On it was the name of my partners great uncle who had died during the first world war. He was 21. I was reading a kindle book on world war 2 history which has been driving home the insanity of war and this brought some life to it. I was also reminded of my dads cousin who died during the second world war in Burma. In the beautiful alpine surroundings of this village at the foot of the dolomites why would anyone want to leave and die for rich men?
Tourist season had just ended and we sat down to eat a late lunch in a local bar. I had some cheese and cured beef with bread. It was a hot day. Unfortunately we had to get a taxi back to the resort but we were ecstatic with this brief look into family history. We will go back at some point and stay for a week.
I know how I feel when I stand on a certain beach in Kintyre and watch the seals with the wind blowing so loud I can't hear. I wish I could stay there, in that old house above the stables, beside the sea, but that is not my house and I cannot have that life. The choices I have made have given me a different life. I also know how I feel when I stand at the top of the hill at the croft on the island in argyll and I wish I could be there too but my life is in the city and the populated areas but I know where part of me came from and I know that it was not perfect. I hope my partner felt that way when we were in the alpine village and we will go back and explore it more.
Thursday, September 06, 2018
Homebuilding
I've not updated the blog too much over the past month or so. I've been busy doing domestic stuff. We bought a house a few months ago and I've been busy trying to sort out things related to that. I'm not a practical person. I'm actually fairly clumsy and I can mess up any DIY project, no matter how small it is. For that reason we've been getting in tradesmen to do most things. Thankfully, through friends, family and contacts we have been able to get most stuff done.
I know I'm a lucky man and I'm happy. Life has challenges but for the most part things have worked out for me. I've worked hard over the years but I have almost everything I want in life and I have everything I really need. It's important to remember that not everyone is as lucky as me and life is harder for most people.
I'm lucky that I was born and grew up in Scotland. I'm lucky that I got an education and managed not to fuck up much along the way. I'm lucky that I've got a job that pays the bills. I'm lucky that I met a woman who is willing to put up with me. I've had good friends who sadly have had different paths in life. I read books, I watch TV and I think about things. Most of the rest of the world has problems we don't have in the UK. Living on an insignificant island at the edge of Europe has some advantages.
Around the new house I've seen foxes, squirrels, frogs, grasshoppers and about a million wasps. I lived in a slightly dodgy part of the city before this so the wildlife makes me happy.
I know I'm a lucky man and I'm happy. Life has challenges but for the most part things have worked out for me. I've worked hard over the years but I have almost everything I want in life and I have everything I really need. It's important to remember that not everyone is as lucky as me and life is harder for most people.
I'm lucky that I was born and grew up in Scotland. I'm lucky that I got an education and managed not to fuck up much along the way. I'm lucky that I've got a job that pays the bills. I'm lucky that I met a woman who is willing to put up with me. I've had good friends who sadly have had different paths in life. I read books, I watch TV and I think about things. Most of the rest of the world has problems we don't have in the UK. Living on an insignificant island at the edge of Europe has some advantages.
Around the new house I've seen foxes, squirrels, frogs, grasshoppers and about a million wasps. I lived in a slightly dodgy part of the city before this so the wildlife makes me happy.
Tuesday, August 07, 2018
Danzig - 30 years - Live at the Glasgow Barrowlands
Danzig wrote some of the first punk music I heard. As an 11 or 12 year old primary school kid in the late '80s I heard the metallica version of last caress and I loved it. I didn't understand the words but I loved the tune. A year or so later I got a tape with Bullet on it and again I loved it. I then obtained a copy of the misfits album (collection 1) and heard some of their other stuff (earth ad/the album with rollins singing we are 138).
I became aware of samhain and Danzig (the band). Danzig were actively making music and thankfully, due to a lack of MTV, I never saw the videos. I only heard the tunes on the first couple of albums and again I loved it.
Danzig stopped writing good music in 1995 when he went industrial but the first 4 albums were good. I essentially gave up on his new music at that point. There may be some good stuff in there but I haven't heard it. Glenn Danzig is probably the last of the classic punk singers that I hadn't seen live (apart from HR who wasn't with the Bad Brains when I saw them). I couldn't wait to see him live.
It was what I expected. The live mix wasn't great with the vocals a bit too quiet but for a 63 year old man Danzig still has some moves. He ran about the stage and interacted with the crowd. He had a rant about how he was actually singing and how the band were really playing. He played some hits.
The band came on at about 9:40 PM and we got the set that has been punted around Europe a lot recently. Sadly he only did a two song encore suggesting that he wasn't too into it himself. The set included Twist of Cain, Not of this world, Am I Demon, Tired of being alive and Mother as well as She Rides in the encore.
I don't think he'll play Scotland again but I'm glad I saw him. Childhood dream fulfilled. Just a shame there wasn't a decent sound engineer
I became aware of samhain and Danzig (the band). Danzig were actively making music and thankfully, due to a lack of MTV, I never saw the videos. I only heard the tunes on the first couple of albums and again I loved it.
Danzig stopped writing good music in 1995 when he went industrial but the first 4 albums were good. I essentially gave up on his new music at that point. There may be some good stuff in there but I haven't heard it. Glenn Danzig is probably the last of the classic punk singers that I hadn't seen live (apart from HR who wasn't with the Bad Brains when I saw them). I couldn't wait to see him live.
It was what I expected. The live mix wasn't great with the vocals a bit too quiet but for a 63 year old man Danzig still has some moves. He ran about the stage and interacted with the crowd. He had a rant about how he was actually singing and how the band were really playing. He played some hits.
The band came on at about 9:40 PM and we got the set that has been punted around Europe a lot recently. Sadly he only did a two song encore suggesting that he wasn't too into it himself. The set included Twist of Cain, Not of this world, Am I Demon, Tired of being alive and Mother as well as She Rides in the encore.
I don't think he'll play Scotland again but I'm glad I saw him. Childhood dream fulfilled. Just a shame there wasn't a decent sound engineer
Friday, August 03, 2018
Prisoners of Geography: Ten Maps That Tell You Everything You Need To Know About Global Politics by Tim Marshall
This book is fascinating. We often arrogantly think that human beings shape the history of the world but this book argues that geography shapes human history. Throughout (and before) recorded history people have been shaped by the land they live in. Nations have been separated by mountains, trade has developed in flat lands with deep rivers, wars have been fought to protect key approaches to nations.
Geography and geology have guided human behaviour. When people have tried to create nations by drawing lines on maps they have caused problems by forcing together groups who would prefer separate lives.
After reading this book I felt I had a better understanding of geopolitics and why some countries make some decisions. I feel I understand the world a wee bit better. Interesting and an easy read.
Geography and geology have guided human behaviour. When people have tried to create nations by drawing lines on maps they have caused problems by forcing together groups who would prefer separate lives.
After reading this book I felt I had a better understanding of geopolitics and why some countries make some decisions. I feel I understand the world a wee bit better. Interesting and an easy read.
Saturday, July 28, 2018
Migraine Aura
A visual migraine aura can be an intense experience. Last night I was using my laptop and watching channel 4 news when my vision began to change on the left side. Things started to blur and then an irregular oval shape appeared in the left side of my vision. The rim of this shape was made up of small flashing triangles that were silver and multi-coloured. This was clearly a migraine aura but much more intense than normal.
It had been a hot day and a thunder storm was forecast. I tend to get headaches when atmospheric pressure changes and this was a big change. I realised that half my vision was blurred behind the scintillating scotoma as I looked at myself in the mirror. I tried to check my physiological blind spot but I couldn't find it. I took some aspirin and some paracetamol and I put on my sunglasses which helped.
The aura peaked for about 10 to 15 minutes then gradually faded. I only developed a mild headache, probably because of my early use of aspirin. I was tired and I went to my bed early. In my bed, the lightening storm intermittently illuminated the room. With the overlay of the residual migraine everything felt a bit otherworldly, a bit like an episode of Twin Peaks. Eventually I fell asleep and I felt a lot better when I woke up this morning.
Most migraines are boring, painful and annoying but this one was fascinating. I can see how someone experiencing that, not knowing what it was, would be freaked out. I enjoyed it although I did feel a bit 'disconnected'. I'm glad I was in my own house and not travelling or working.
Recently, geneticists have suggested that the tendency to migraine may be associated with an ability to sense when the weather is becoming stronger. That certainly could explain the trigger of some of my headaches.
Lying in bed afterwards I felt like my hearing was heightened and that I could hear all of the individual drops of rain falling.
It had been a hot day and a thunder storm was forecast. I tend to get headaches when atmospheric pressure changes and this was a big change. I realised that half my vision was blurred behind the scintillating scotoma as I looked at myself in the mirror. I tried to check my physiological blind spot but I couldn't find it. I took some aspirin and some paracetamol and I put on my sunglasses which helped.
The aura peaked for about 10 to 15 minutes then gradually faded. I only developed a mild headache, probably because of my early use of aspirin. I was tired and I went to my bed early. In my bed, the lightening storm intermittently illuminated the room. With the overlay of the residual migraine everything felt a bit otherworldly, a bit like an episode of Twin Peaks. Eventually I fell asleep and I felt a lot better when I woke up this morning.
Most migraines are boring, painful and annoying but this one was fascinating. I can see how someone experiencing that, not knowing what it was, would be freaked out. I enjoyed it although I did feel a bit 'disconnected'. I'm glad I was in my own house and not travelling or working.
Recently, geneticists have suggested that the tendency to migraine may be associated with an ability to sense when the weather is becoming stronger. That certainly could explain the trigger of some of my headaches.
Lying in bed afterwards I felt like my hearing was heightened and that I could hear all of the individual drops of rain falling.
Thursday, July 12, 2018
Paul Simon - Live at the Glasgow Hydro
On Radio 4 on Saturday morning they have a section called 'Inheritance tracks' where people talk about music they have been given by their parents. When I was a kid I didn't think my parents listened to much music but they had Johnny Cash albums, Bob Dylan stuff, the Beatles and Paul Simon. When Graceland came out, my dad had the cassette and I essentially stole it. I just listened to it constantly and I loved the words. I would have been 9. It's still a favourite.
Later on I went for the Simon & Garfunkel stuff. As a teenager I got into them as I was listening to Dylan. I liked the melodies and the words. I taught myself how to play the Sound of Silence.
Every now and then I reach for some Paul Simon but I'd never seen him. When I saw that he was playing a farewell tour I bought tickets with some trepidation. However it's better to regret something you have done than something you haven't done.
We had good seats near the front and we got in about 15 minutes before he came on. He does look like he has had some botox at some point. He opened with America and played about 26 songs over two and a half hours. He had rearranged a few songs and he did a fairly unique version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, in a key more suited to his voice. Even though it was a big venue he managed to make it seem intimate. He did a great version of Rene and Georgette Magritte with their dog after the war. I think he may have played a couple of new songs and some of the arrangements sounded a bit like Lazarus era Bowie.
All of the Graceland era hits were aired as well as some stuff from Rhythm of the Saints.He spoke about E.O. Wilson, his favourite scientist and his book Half Earth. He spoke a bit about retiring to do other stuff.
We played The Sounds of Silence at my dads funeral so I was happy that Simon closed the night with this song, by himself, with his acoustic guitar. My dad wasn't a man for concerts but he may have enjoyed the music tonight. I'm glad I went.
Later on I went for the Simon & Garfunkel stuff. As a teenager I got into them as I was listening to Dylan. I liked the melodies and the words. I taught myself how to play the Sound of Silence.
Every now and then I reach for some Paul Simon but I'd never seen him. When I saw that he was playing a farewell tour I bought tickets with some trepidation. However it's better to regret something you have done than something you haven't done.
We had good seats near the front and we got in about 15 minutes before he came on. He does look like he has had some botox at some point. He opened with America and played about 26 songs over two and a half hours. He had rearranged a few songs and he did a fairly unique version of Bridge Over Troubled Water, in a key more suited to his voice. Even though it was a big venue he managed to make it seem intimate. He did a great version of Rene and Georgette Magritte with their dog after the war. I think he may have played a couple of new songs and some of the arrangements sounded a bit like Lazarus era Bowie.
All of the Graceland era hits were aired as well as some stuff from Rhythm of the Saints.He spoke about E.O. Wilson, his favourite scientist and his book Half Earth. He spoke a bit about retiring to do other stuff.
We played The Sounds of Silence at my dads funeral so I was happy that Simon closed the night with this song, by himself, with his acoustic guitar. My dad wasn't a man for concerts but he may have enjoyed the music tonight. I'm glad I went.
Saturday, July 07, 2018
RIP Steve Ditko
Spiderman always existed in my life. The cartoons were on the TV when I was a kid. The dodgy live action TV series from the seventies was still on rotation. The comic books were about. It's hard to believe that anyone actually designed and created Spiderman. But Steve Ditko did create Spiderman.
I think I first read some the early Ditko comics reprinted in UK hardcover Spiderman annuals and the piles of old paper Marvel UK comics that they had in the cupboards at my primary school. The drawings were primitive and nervy. The character did not look too heroic or cool. He looked like a misfit teenager, a proper target for bullies.
Ditko also created the weird psychedelic visuals of Dr Strange. This was a bit at odds with what I understand about his personality. Ditko was the anti-hippy, a devotee of Ayn Rand. Eventually he fell out with Stan Lee and moved onto new work.
He did work for DC but he also created the remarkable Mr A, a judge, jury and executioner type who took a hard line on crime. Alan Moore borrowed heavily from Mr A for Rorschach and even wrote a song about the character with the Emperors of Ice Cream.
I've picked up a few Mr A books over the years and I'd love to see a proper collection. Ditko kept himself to himself and avoided fame and publicity. He was probably ripped off by Marvel and never got the money he deserved.
He was an interesting man and we will probably never know much about him.
I think I first read some the early Ditko comics reprinted in UK hardcover Spiderman annuals and the piles of old paper Marvel UK comics that they had in the cupboards at my primary school. The drawings were primitive and nervy. The character did not look too heroic or cool. He looked like a misfit teenager, a proper target for bullies.
Ditko also created the weird psychedelic visuals of Dr Strange. This was a bit at odds with what I understand about his personality. Ditko was the anti-hippy, a devotee of Ayn Rand. Eventually he fell out with Stan Lee and moved onto new work.
He did work for DC but he also created the remarkable Mr A, a judge, jury and executioner type who took a hard line on crime. Alan Moore borrowed heavily from Mr A for Rorschach and even wrote a song about the character with the Emperors of Ice Cream.
I've picked up a few Mr A books over the years and I'd love to see a proper collection. Ditko kept himself to himself and avoided fame and publicity. He was probably ripped off by Marvel and never got the money he deserved.
He was an interesting man and we will probably never know much about him.
Saturday, June 16, 2018
The Glasgow ABC - a great venue
I love the ABC as a music venue. I, perhaps against mainstream opinion, think it's the best music venue in Glasgow. I actually like the ABC more than the Barrowlands. I'm heartbroken that it has been damaged in the fire that has affected the Glasgow School of Art.
Looking through this blog I've seen a lot of bands there.
The Butthole Surfers
Modest Mouse with Johnny Marr
Battles
Conor Oberst
TV on the radio in 2011 and 2008 and downstairs in ABC2 in 2006
Crystal Castles
The Vaselines
Shellac
Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation
Slint
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Low
Bonne Prince Billy
Bob Mould
Belle and Sebastian
Supergrass (which I had totally forgotten)
My teenage idol - Jello Biafra
I've seen many other great gigs there too - Ministry, Dag Nasty, Television, Afghan Whigs, Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr (who were very loud), sleater kinney and many many more. The sound was good, the views were great. When I was younger I even went to the nightclub. The staff were really nice.
I hope that the venue can be salvaged and that they get it repaired. Glasgow needs the ABC. Hell, I even remember seeing all the Police Academy films there with my dad when I was a kid and the first Batman film back in 1989. The though of the building being damaged in a fire like this is just sickening.
My respect goes to all the firemen trying to put out the fire.
Looking through this blog I've seen a lot of bands there.
The Butthole Surfers
Modest Mouse with Johnny Marr
Battles
Conor Oberst
TV on the radio in 2011 and 2008 and downstairs in ABC2 in 2006
Crystal Castles
The Vaselines
Shellac
Sonic Youth playing Daydream Nation
Slint
The Brian Jonestown Massacre
Low
Bonne Prince Billy
Bob Mould
Belle and Sebastian
Supergrass (which I had totally forgotten)
My teenage idol - Jello Biafra
I've seen many other great gigs there too - Ministry, Dag Nasty, Television, Afghan Whigs, Teenage Fanclub, Dinosaur Jr (who were very loud), sleater kinney and many many more. The sound was good, the views were great. When I was younger I even went to the nightclub. The staff were really nice.
I hope that the venue can be salvaged and that they get it repaired. Glasgow needs the ABC. Hell, I even remember seeing all the Police Academy films there with my dad when I was a kid and the first Batman film back in 1989. The though of the building being damaged in a fire like this is just sickening.
My respect goes to all the firemen trying to put out the fire.
Wednesday, June 06, 2018
Morrissey, where did it go wrong?
I first became aware of Morrissey when I was about ten. I saw album covers by the Smiths (specifically Meat is Murder). I liked the cover of Meat is Murder as it had a man wearing an army helmet which I thought was cool. At the time I was only starting to listen to music and I liked Metallica and Anthrax. If I heard the Smiths then I was not immediately stricken. I remember an aunt asking me if 'I liked that Morrissey' because 'he was miserable'. Obviously I said no.
?
I guess I started to like the Smiths a few years later when I heard This Charming Man and How Soon is Now? The music was good, the lyrics were funny, Morrissey seemed like a troubled young man, a bit of a social reject. You could feel sorry for Morrissey. He was misunderstood.
But, around 1992, he started to do odd things with flags. He seemed to be a bit too keen on sidewalks. He was disco-phobic. It got worse. National Front Disco. What the fuck? It progressed. More and more stupid comments. A slightly odd autobiography that should have been edited. Views that became more jingoistic, more English nationalist, more stuck in the past, more gammon, more racist.
Now he defends the leader of the EDL and comes across as a racist Brexiteer.
The Smiths were good but Morrissey, where did it go wrong? What scared you? What changed you? Why are you afraid of the other? Are we not all the same? What would the New York Dolls think?
Morrissey, where did it all go wrong?
?
I guess I started to like the Smiths a few years later when I heard This Charming Man and How Soon is Now? The music was good, the lyrics were funny, Morrissey seemed like a troubled young man, a bit of a social reject. You could feel sorry for Morrissey. He was misunderstood.
But, around 1992, he started to do odd things with flags. He seemed to be a bit too keen on sidewalks. He was disco-phobic. It got worse. National Front Disco. What the fuck? It progressed. More and more stupid comments. A slightly odd autobiography that should have been edited. Views that became more jingoistic, more English nationalist, more stuck in the past, more gammon, more racist.
Now he defends the leader of the EDL and comes across as a racist Brexiteer.
The Smiths were good but Morrissey, where did it go wrong? What scared you? What changed you? Why are you afraid of the other? Are we not all the same? What would the New York Dolls think?
Morrissey, where did it all go wrong?
Monday, May 28, 2018
Solo - film review
I wasn't expecting too much from Solo. The history of the production of this latest Star Wars film, with the half time substitution of Ron Howard for the original directors would normal indicate a bad film. So far, initial box office for the film has not been record breaking. Initial reviews have not been glowing. It's an amazingly warm weekend in Scotland (and an amazingly wet weekend in England) so people have not been flocking to the cinema.
We decided to see Solo at fairly short notice so we didn't get our fancy IMAX seats. Instead we just popped into the local cinema. I just wanted to get through the film but I am pleased to report that it is very entertaining and I will certainly look forward to seeing it again.
We meet a teenage Han Solo on his home planet of Corellia trying to escape from oppression with his girlfriend Qi'ra. Problems occur and they are separated. Han has adventures and makes a good friend in Chewbacca before encountering Lando and obtaining a famous space ship. The film, as one would expect, is full of easter eggs for Star Wars nerds and satisfaction is almost guaranteed.
In Solo the baddies are bad and the goodies are good. It's fun and a good balance for the darkness of Rogue One or The Last Jedi. It's written by Lawrence Kasdan who gave us both the Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark so the script is a dream. I went in with low exceptions and I saw a very enjoyable movie. Looking forward to the next instalment.
We decided to see Solo at fairly short notice so we didn't get our fancy IMAX seats. Instead we just popped into the local cinema. I just wanted to get through the film but I am pleased to report that it is very entertaining and I will certainly look forward to seeing it again.
We meet a teenage Han Solo on his home planet of Corellia trying to escape from oppression with his girlfriend Qi'ra. Problems occur and they are separated. Han has adventures and makes a good friend in Chewbacca before encountering Lando and obtaining a famous space ship. The film, as one would expect, is full of easter eggs for Star Wars nerds and satisfaction is almost guaranteed.
In Solo the baddies are bad and the goodies are good. It's fun and a good balance for the darkness of Rogue One or The Last Jedi. It's written by Lawrence Kasdan who gave us both the Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark so the script is a dream. I went in with low exceptions and I saw a very enjoyable movie. Looking forward to the next instalment.
Sunday, May 27, 2018
In on the kill taker by Joe Gross
In on the kill taker by Fugazi is my favourite album. I bought it on cassette on the day of its' release. I can't even imagine the number of times I've listened to it in the quarter of a century since then. Fugazi were a unique band and this is a great record.
Gross has written about it as part of the long running 33 1/3 series. This volume is thicker than many of the other entries in the series and takes material from new interviews with the band members. We get insight into the genesis of many of the songs and lyrics and great detail about the recording process. I've heard the Steve Albini demo session but I was unaware of the existence of earlier studio recordings of both Instrument and Rend It.
Reading this book made me want to investigate the online Fugazi live series archive further. I have several shows from the archive but it would be interesting to follow the evolution of a few of these tracks. The personalities and philosophy of the band members shine through as well. These guys tried to live their lives in an honest way and treat people fairly. There is an interesting anecdote about the difference in opinion on ticket pricing between MacKaye and Jeff Nelson which was one of the many factors that led to the demise of Minor Threat.
I was lucky enough to see Fugazi on this tour and two more times and also to see the Evens once. I'm lucky to have experienced so much amazing music in the last 4 decades, Fugazi were massive and a major success on their own terms.
If you are already a fan of the band this book is worth a read. If you haven't heard Fugazi this record is where to start.
Gross has written about it as part of the long running 33 1/3 series. This volume is thicker than many of the other entries in the series and takes material from new interviews with the band members. We get insight into the genesis of many of the songs and lyrics and great detail about the recording process. I've heard the Steve Albini demo session but I was unaware of the existence of earlier studio recordings of both Instrument and Rend It.
Reading this book made me want to investigate the online Fugazi live series archive further. I have several shows from the archive but it would be interesting to follow the evolution of a few of these tracks. The personalities and philosophy of the band members shine through as well. These guys tried to live their lives in an honest way and treat people fairly. There is an interesting anecdote about the difference in opinion on ticket pricing between MacKaye and Jeff Nelson which was one of the many factors that led to the demise of Minor Threat.
I was lucky enough to see Fugazi on this tour and two more times and also to see the Evens once. I'm lucky to have experienced so much amazing music in the last 4 decades, Fugazi were massive and a major success on their own terms.
If you are already a fan of the band this book is worth a read. If you haven't heard Fugazi this record is where to start.
Belle and Sebastian at the SWG3 Galvanisers Yard
The SWG3 complex is expanding. Tucked away in a former industrial site behind the Yorkhill Hospital campus the complex has now taken over an old yard that is perfect for outside concerts. Charitably it backs onto student flats which allows them to watch acts like Belle and Sebastian or LCD Soundsystem for free. I've only been to inside shows to see Shellac, Godflesh and Loop so an outdoor show was a new experience for me today.
We arrived to find that most of the street outside the venue had been closed off for the show and a herd of Portaloos had been planted outside the yard. There is also a larger indoor venue on the site that can host bigger shows that the small upstairs room. A couple of food vans and a beer tent helped turn the outdoor area into a festival site.
We tried some food from the burger van. The burger was better than the hotdog. The first support band sounded a bit Morrissey-Like and the second group were more in the CHVRCHES pattern. It was a pleasant May evening which is unusual in Glasgow.
B&S opened with Dog on Wheels and dribbled a few classics throughout the set. We were beautiful, She's Losing It, The Wrong Girl, Get me away from here I'm dying. All West End Glasgow anthems. There were newer songs that I am less familiar with that were pleasant. As always, Boy with the Arab Strap was an anthem and the stage filled with dancing fans. My partner had only ever seen B&S in a small venue before and she enjoyed the stadium show.
Belle and Sebastian accept all shapes and sizes. They aim to entertain. They want us to learn their new songs and they are happy to bring out the classics. They don't have the live power of their local contemporaries like Mogwai but that's not really the point. That's not what they want to do.
It's nice to see a Glasgow band on a sunny day in Glasgow. Ned free.
We arrived to find that most of the street outside the venue had been closed off for the show and a herd of Portaloos had been planted outside the yard. There is also a larger indoor venue on the site that can host bigger shows that the small upstairs room. A couple of food vans and a beer tent helped turn the outdoor area into a festival site.
We tried some food from the burger van. The burger was better than the hotdog. The first support band sounded a bit Morrissey-Like and the second group were more in the CHVRCHES pattern. It was a pleasant May evening which is unusual in Glasgow.
B&S opened with Dog on Wheels and dribbled a few classics throughout the set. We were beautiful, She's Losing It, The Wrong Girl, Get me away from here I'm dying. All West End Glasgow anthems. There were newer songs that I am less familiar with that were pleasant. As always, Boy with the Arab Strap was an anthem and the stage filled with dancing fans. My partner had only ever seen B&S in a small venue before and she enjoyed the stadium show.
Belle and Sebastian accept all shapes and sizes. They aim to entertain. They want us to learn their new songs and they are happy to bring out the classics. They don't have the live power of their local contemporaries like Mogwai but that's not really the point. That's not what they want to do.
It's nice to see a Glasgow band on a sunny day in Glasgow. Ned free.
Sunday, May 20, 2018
Neil Young
Like many things Neil Young gets better with age and in many ways we do not appreciate him enough. I've seen him play live twice I think, once in 1995 at the Reading festival with Pearl Jam and a second time, a year or so later, at the SECC. As always, my memory of these things is a bit fuzzy. The Reading Festival show is particularly hazy due to blood loss after breaking my nose and immature scepticism related to my adolescent dislike of Pearl Jam. I have subsequently forgiven Pearl Jam a bit.
Young has made a lot of music in the last 50 or so years. He's played with lots of bands and released a lot of albums. He's also recorded many albums that have not seen the light of day. Some of these albums only seem to be appearing now, often decades after they were created.
I find that there are Neil Young songs I am familiar with and amazing Neil Young songs that I have never heard or live interpretations of standards that bend exciting new shapes into my ears. Often, when I have listened to Young I haven't really focused on the lyrics. This is embarrassing when you think of a song like Ohio. I've been listening to Ohio for more than 20 years, and while I know it's about the Kent State massacre it seems like I'm hearing the words for the first time.
His words are like stealth bombers, sneaking in with the fury of his music. He can rearrange his songs and play them live in twisted new shapes. The version of Tonight's The Night on the Bluenote Cafe set is stunning.
I listened to Chrome Dreams II for the first time last night. It's a diverse set which pulls together songs from different periods in his career and finally gave a studio release to Ordinary People that was being played live 20 years earlier. Ordinary People is a great song but it is typical of Young to leave good tracks sitting on the shelf for decades. In terms of output and reinterpretation he is almost on a level with Dylan.
The original Chrome Dreams remains officially unreleased.
I have tended to focus on the 'classics' in his catalogue but I realise that this approach perhaps overlooks some of his better songs. Young has followed his own path with his career and released the music he felt was right at the time. He spent much of the eighties in a very public feud with his record label and I wonder what would have happened if he was given creative control back then. We may have been given many of these great songs earlier if he had been allowed to do what he wanted.
The world is different now. Music is no longer controlled by record conglomerates and the internet has levelled the playing field. Websites like Bandcamp let musicians present as much music to the public as they choose, whenever they want. Young may have had a very different career if this technology had existed in the eighties and he is embracing this now with the Neil Young archives.
The online archives probably represent a good opportunity for fans to truly explore the 70 or so releases he has put out since the sixties. There is certainly a lot to explore.
Young has followed his own path for decades. He has kept moving, innovating and evolving. He has inspired other interesting artists such as Sonic Youth. He is an acquired taste but certainly worth exploration.
Young has made a lot of music in the last 50 or so years. He's played with lots of bands and released a lot of albums. He's also recorded many albums that have not seen the light of day. Some of these albums only seem to be appearing now, often decades after they were created.
I find that there are Neil Young songs I am familiar with and amazing Neil Young songs that I have never heard or live interpretations of standards that bend exciting new shapes into my ears. Often, when I have listened to Young I haven't really focused on the lyrics. This is embarrassing when you think of a song like Ohio. I've been listening to Ohio for more than 20 years, and while I know it's about the Kent State massacre it seems like I'm hearing the words for the first time.
His words are like stealth bombers, sneaking in with the fury of his music. He can rearrange his songs and play them live in twisted new shapes. The version of Tonight's The Night on the Bluenote Cafe set is stunning.
I listened to Chrome Dreams II for the first time last night. It's a diverse set which pulls together songs from different periods in his career and finally gave a studio release to Ordinary People that was being played live 20 years earlier. Ordinary People is a great song but it is typical of Young to leave good tracks sitting on the shelf for decades. In terms of output and reinterpretation he is almost on a level with Dylan.
The original Chrome Dreams remains officially unreleased.
I have tended to focus on the 'classics' in his catalogue but I realise that this approach perhaps overlooks some of his better songs. Young has followed his own path with his career and released the music he felt was right at the time. He spent much of the eighties in a very public feud with his record label and I wonder what would have happened if he was given creative control back then. We may have been given many of these great songs earlier if he had been allowed to do what he wanted.
The world is different now. Music is no longer controlled by record conglomerates and the internet has levelled the playing field. Websites like Bandcamp let musicians present as much music to the public as they choose, whenever they want. Young may have had a very different career if this technology had existed in the eighties and he is embracing this now with the Neil Young archives.
The online archives probably represent a good opportunity for fans to truly explore the 70 or so releases he has put out since the sixties. There is certainly a lot to explore.
Young has followed his own path for decades. He has kept moving, innovating and evolving. He has inspired other interesting artists such as Sonic Youth. He is an acquired taste but certainly worth exploration.
Friday, May 18, 2018
Avengers: Infinity War - film review
Popped into the cinema after work yesterday to catch this film. I know I was a bit late but it was worth it. I'm assuming most people will have seen it buy now so this will be a bit spoiler-y so stop reading now if you haven't seen it.
Infinity War is the 19th Marvel Cinematic Universe film and it helps to have seen several, if not all, of the previous films to fully understand and appreciate this film. It's an epic, both in length and in
the scope of the story. The action spreads from Waverly Station in Edinburgh to Africa, New York and then across the universe. Almost every MCU movie character appears (although there was no real sign of the Netflix characters).
The big bad is Thanos, a character familiar to comic book readers. I've never been a massive fan of the big purple troll. He's a genocidal necrophiliac. By this I mean that he is in love with a physical representation of death (at least in the comics). He is not a corpse fiddler to the best of my knowledge. In the film, he wants to improve the universe by killing half the population of reality to reduce overcrowding. He is logical, in a warped way.
To help commit his crazy crime he needs to track down the Infinity Stones, seeded throughout previous Marvel films to complete the Infinity Gauntlet, as featured in the comics when I was a kid. Thanks needs to kill a lot of people to have the opportunity to kill more people. The assorted Marvel heroes do their best to stop him.
Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) features in a prominent role as the only intelligent superhero who actually knows what is going on. He is supported by occasionally useful idiots, Tony Stark, Spiderman, Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Apart from Strange, the other heroes are brave but fairly stupid. There are funny moments and laugh out loud moments.
The space action is slightly more fun that the moody Captain America led Earth action. All the heroes on Earth are more serious and intense and a lot of them are wearing black. It was nice to see Wakanda and the supporting cast from the recent Black Panther film in prominent roles.
The film was actually slightly less apocalyptic that I expected. I sort of expected that everyone would be wiped out although that would be an end to the franchise. I'm looking forward to Avengers 4 which I think will be out next year, as well as the intercurrent Ant Man 2 and Captain Marvel films.
I want to watch this again when I get a chance. It's better than Avengers 2 and it may even be better than Civil War. Currently, I think the best Marvel film so far has been Dr Strange but I reserve the right to change my mind.
Infinity War is the 19th Marvel Cinematic Universe film and it helps to have seen several, if not all, of the previous films to fully understand and appreciate this film. It's an epic, both in length and in
the scope of the story. The action spreads from Waverly Station in Edinburgh to Africa, New York and then across the universe. Almost every MCU movie character appears (although there was no real sign of the Netflix characters).
The big bad is Thanos, a character familiar to comic book readers. I've never been a massive fan of the big purple troll. He's a genocidal necrophiliac. By this I mean that he is in love with a physical representation of death (at least in the comics). He is not a corpse fiddler to the best of my knowledge. In the film, he wants to improve the universe by killing half the population of reality to reduce overcrowding. He is logical, in a warped way.
To help commit his crazy crime he needs to track down the Infinity Stones, seeded throughout previous Marvel films to complete the Infinity Gauntlet, as featured in the comics when I was a kid. Thanks needs to kill a lot of people to have the opportunity to kill more people. The assorted Marvel heroes do their best to stop him.
Dr Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) features in a prominent role as the only intelligent superhero who actually knows what is going on. He is supported by occasionally useful idiots, Tony Stark, Spiderman, Thor and the Guardians of the Galaxy. Apart from Strange, the other heroes are brave but fairly stupid. There are funny moments and laugh out loud moments.
The space action is slightly more fun that the moody Captain America led Earth action. All the heroes on Earth are more serious and intense and a lot of them are wearing black. It was nice to see Wakanda and the supporting cast from the recent Black Panther film in prominent roles.
The film was actually slightly less apocalyptic that I expected. I sort of expected that everyone would be wiped out although that would be an end to the franchise. I'm looking forward to Avengers 4 which I think will be out next year, as well as the intercurrent Ant Man 2 and Captain Marvel films.
I want to watch this again when I get a chance. It's better than Avengers 2 and it may even be better than Civil War. Currently, I think the best Marvel film so far has been Dr Strange but I reserve the right to change my mind.
Saturday, May 12, 2018
Narconomics: How To Run a Drug Cartel by Tom Wainwright
I enjoy popular economics books and economics is one of many things that I wish I had a greater understanding of. Much of economics is witchcraft and pretension papering over bullshit but it is useful to use different models to try to understand the world. As part of my holiday week reading I decided to delve into the economics of drug dealing.
Wainwright is a British editor for the Economist and he writes well. He decided to study the economics of the narcotics industry and he follows the journey of illegal drugs from farming to end user. I've read a lot of this before in books like Freakonomics or the Undercover Economist but Wainwright does add some additional colour and detail to the scenarios.
Of particular interest to modern readers are sections on the use of legal highs in New Zealand, the legalisation of cannabis in Colorado and the impact of internet retailers (on the dark web) on the distribution and sale of drugs in the modern world.
The extent of the black economy and the massive potential gains in tax suggest that legalisation of narcotics may be a good way forward although the damage done by these substances cannot be underestimated. It is also important to note that there is no such thing as 'fair trade' cocaine. People who buy and use cocaine are partially paying for murder.
Legalisation, taxation and careful regulation are surely the way forward.
Wainwright is a British editor for the Economist and he writes well. He decided to study the economics of the narcotics industry and he follows the journey of illegal drugs from farming to end user. I've read a lot of this before in books like Freakonomics or the Undercover Economist but Wainwright does add some additional colour and detail to the scenarios.
Of particular interest to modern readers are sections on the use of legal highs in New Zealand, the legalisation of cannabis in Colorado and the impact of internet retailers (on the dark web) on the distribution and sale of drugs in the modern world.
The extent of the black economy and the massive potential gains in tax suggest that legalisation of narcotics may be a good way forward although the damage done by these substances cannot be underestimated. It is also important to note that there is no such thing as 'fair trade' cocaine. People who buy and use cocaine are partially paying for murder.
Legalisation, taxation and careful regulation are surely the way forward.
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Stiffed by James Morrow
James Morrow is a retired consultant neurologist from Northern Ireland. He did outstanding work in the field of epilepsy, particularly in his work looking at the effects of anti-epileptic drugs on pregnant women and their children. He had to take early retirement when he developed autoimmune encephalitis and he wrote about his experience of this in Practical Neurology, a British neurology journal, a few years ago.
He has kept busy during his retirement and he has written a book, Stiffed, about the pharmaceutical industry and the various challenges it faces. The book is a comedy crime novel in the vein of Chris Brookmyre and has a few unexpected twists and turns.
There is a palpable sense of reality to the book as Dr Morrow borrows details from his extensive medical career and work with the pharmaceutical industry. I don't want to spoil things but there were a couple of sightly unexpected twists in the tale.
The text of the kindle edition could do with some additional proof reading but it's a good read. I'd read another book by him. Best novel by an eminent neurologist that I've read for some time.
He has kept busy during his retirement and he has written a book, Stiffed, about the pharmaceutical industry and the various challenges it faces. The book is a comedy crime novel in the vein of Chris Brookmyre and has a few unexpected twists and turns.
There is a palpable sense of reality to the book as Dr Morrow borrows details from his extensive medical career and work with the pharmaceutical industry. I don't want to spoil things but there were a couple of sightly unexpected twists in the tale.
The text of the kindle edition could do with some additional proof reading but it's a good read. I'd read another book by him. Best novel by an eminent neurologist that I've read for some time.
Tuesday, May 08, 2018
Panacea by F Paul Wilson
I'm doing some holiday reading this week and another book that I've enjoyed is Panacea by F Paul Wilson. I've written an appreciation of the work of F Paul Wilson before. He's an American doctor who writes fairly intelligent supernatural thrillers, most famously the Repairman Jack series. Panacea is the first book in the ICE sequence and unfortunately it's not available for Kindle in the UK so I had to pick up an imported American paperback copy from Amazon.
The book is about a forensic pathologist who has a sick daughter and is asked to track down a mystical panacea that can cure any illness. She is hired by a terminally ill billionaire and she is accompanied by a very capable bodyguard. There are a lot of echoes of Repairman Jack but that's not a bad thing. The medical bits, both scientific and ethical, are done well and I'm looking forward to reading the next book (hopefully in paperback or on the Kindle).
The book is about a forensic pathologist who has a sick daughter and is asked to track down a mystical panacea that can cure any illness. She is hired by a terminally ill billionaire and she is accompanied by a very capable bodyguard. There are a lot of echoes of Repairman Jack but that's not a bad thing. The medical bits, both scientific and ethical, are done well and I'm looking forward to reading the next book (hopefully in paperback or on the Kindle).
Lost in France - DVD review
Lost in France has been out for a couple of years now. I've only just got round to watching it tonight. It's a documentary about the mid to late 1990s Glasgow music scene that revolved around Chemikal Underground Records and the 13th Note/Kazoo Club. It focuses on some of the bands from that era, including Mogwai, the Delgados and Arab Strap as well as other important figures on the scene such as Alex Huntley (later Kapros) and Hubby.
I spent a lot of my formative years in Glasgow at this time, buying records, attending shows, writing songs, practicing with bands and playing gigs. It was a great time to be 16 to 23 in Glasgow and looking back, I'm so glad I was there.
The old footage from back then is great. I kept looking for myself in the background but I couldn't see myself. It's nice to see the old posters and record sleeves too.
I almost feel a bit young for this sort of nostalgia but I'm glad the film has been made.
I spent a lot of my formative years in Glasgow at this time, buying records, attending shows, writing songs, practicing with bands and playing gigs. It was a great time to be 16 to 23 in Glasgow and looking back, I'm so glad I was there.
The old footage from back then is great. I kept looking for myself in the background but I couldn't see myself. It's nice to see the old posters and record sleeves too.
I almost feel a bit young for this sort of nostalgia but I'm glad the film has been made.
It's All in Your Head: Stories from the Frontline of Psychosomatic Illness by Suzanne O'Sullivan
Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) are hard to understand, both for people affected by FND and doctors involved in their care. Functional Neurological Disorders are essentially real neurological symptoms which exist when damage to the nervous system cannot be detected with tests or on clinical examination. The symptoms are real and disabling but the function of the nervous system is intact. Many of these symptoms may be due to stress or psychological symptoms, some can be due to other non-neurological diseases or an exaggerated response to a neurological disease process and at times no cause is found.
Often, a person affected by FND can make a good recovery, especially if they engage with the diagnosis. Others can be stuck with the symptoms forever. The symptoms are extremely upsetting for those affected by them.
Suzanne O'Sullivan is a neurologist with an interest in functional neurological disorders and epilepsy who works in specialist neurological disorders in London. In her book she tackles dissociative seizures, psychosomatic illness and functional neurological disorders. Many doctors struggle to deal with patients affected by these illnesses, thinking that the patients are faking symptoms, attention seeking or trying to fool doctors. This is not the case. People with FND are distressed and often lead difficult lives. Dr O'Sullivan puts a human face on these stories and tackles the issues surrounding this complicated diagnosis. She highlights some of the mistakes she has made and the communication breakdowns she has encountered. FND is a difficult diagnosis for both doctor and patient.
This book is a good one for neurologists to read and a good book for anyone affected by FND. A good patient resource is the Neurosymptoms website, developed by neurologists from Edinburgh which can be used to help understand strange symptoms. This book also helps make sense of odd symptoms and is worth some of your time.
Often, a person affected by FND can make a good recovery, especially if they engage with the diagnosis. Others can be stuck with the symptoms forever. The symptoms are extremely upsetting for those affected by them.
Suzanne O'Sullivan is a neurologist with an interest in functional neurological disorders and epilepsy who works in specialist neurological disorders in London. In her book she tackles dissociative seizures, psychosomatic illness and functional neurological disorders. Many doctors struggle to deal with patients affected by these illnesses, thinking that the patients are faking symptoms, attention seeking or trying to fool doctors. This is not the case. People with FND are distressed and often lead difficult lives. Dr O'Sullivan puts a human face on these stories and tackles the issues surrounding this complicated diagnosis. She highlights some of the mistakes she has made and the communication breakdowns she has encountered. FND is a difficult diagnosis for both doctor and patient.
This book is a good one for neurologists to read and a good book for anyone affected by FND. A good patient resource is the Neurosymptoms website, developed by neurologists from Edinburgh which can be used to help understand strange symptoms. This book also helps make sense of odd symptoms and is worth some of your time.
Sunday, April 29, 2018
Accident Man - DVD review
In 1991 a very different British comic was published for a brief period of time. Toxic! was staffed by writers and artists who jumped ship from 2000AD. Toxic! was full colour and uncensored. It also featured Marshall Law, a masterpiece by Pat Mills and Kevin O'Neill. However, the best strip in the comic was arguably Accident Man, created by Pat Mills and Tony Skinner.
Accident Man is the story of an assassin, who works with a group of fellow hitmen, all of whom commit their crimes in a signature way. Mike Fallon, the titular Accident Man, specialises in making hits look like accidents. He is something of an artist in this regard but stuffers from PMT (post murder tension) and has to release the tension with other dangerous activities. To me at 13 or 14 this comic was amazingly entertaining. Luckily a nice collection of the strips was published a few years back and rather surprisingly a film based on the strip has been made.
The film is fairly entertaining and true to the comic. It isn't a great work of art, it is a dumb action film but it is an enjoyable 90 minutes.
I hope Tony Skinner and Pat Mills have both been well paid for this film. I think I saw Mills playing a victim of Mike Fallon's PMT in one scene. This film was never going to be a blockbuster but I'm sure it will warm peoples hearts on Netflix. Well, maybe not warm their hearts, maybe more raise a grim smile but you know what I mean. It's good.
Accident Man is the story of an assassin, who works with a group of fellow hitmen, all of whom commit their crimes in a signature way. Mike Fallon, the titular Accident Man, specialises in making hits look like accidents. He is something of an artist in this regard but stuffers from PMT (post murder tension) and has to release the tension with other dangerous activities. To me at 13 or 14 this comic was amazingly entertaining. Luckily a nice collection of the strips was published a few years back and rather surprisingly a film based on the strip has been made.
The film is fairly entertaining and true to the comic. It isn't a great work of art, it is a dumb action film but it is an enjoyable 90 minutes.
I hope Tony Skinner and Pat Mills have both been well paid for this film. I think I saw Mills playing a victim of Mike Fallon's PMT in one scene. This film was never going to be a blockbuster but I'm sure it will warm peoples hearts on Netflix. Well, maybe not warm their hearts, maybe more raise a grim smile but you know what I mean. It's good.
Saturday, March 31, 2018
On the camino by Jason
Jason is a Norwegian comic book artist who lives in France. I can't remember if I've read any of his books before. I picked up On the Camino as my partners uncle and aunt have done the walk on a few occasions. Another friend from work did the walk with his brother a few years ago.
I'm not a religious person and I was under the impression that the Camino was a Catholic pilgrimage. Interestingly Jason is not religious and undertakes the Camino for self discovery and personal spiritual reasons. He details his 800 kilometre walk and the encounters he has over the way. He identifies himself as a solitary person and he had hoped he would would perhaps open up and talk to others more. He has been triggered to do the walk by his 50th birthday.
He portrays himself as a talking dog. He describes the shared dormitories, the discussions about feet and the bedbugs. He describes the people he met and his day dreams and fantasies along the way.
Jason has a nice clear line art style and this is a good book. It's a clear read on an interesting topic.
I'm not a religious person and I was under the impression that the Camino was a Catholic pilgrimage. Interestingly Jason is not religious and undertakes the Camino for self discovery and personal spiritual reasons. He details his 800 kilometre walk and the encounters he has over the way. He identifies himself as a solitary person and he had hoped he would would perhaps open up and talk to others more. He has been triggered to do the walk by his 50th birthday.
He portrays himself as a talking dog. He describes the shared dormitories, the discussions about feet and the bedbugs. He describes the people he met and his day dreams and fantasies along the way.
Jason has a nice clear line art style and this is a good book. It's a clear read on an interesting topic.
Tuesday, March 27, 2018
writing
I don't write enough. I should write more.
Writing, at times, can be like throwing words, bouncing words, off the walls of my world. It can help get it out. It can help work it out.
This evening I watched a DVD. Man on fire, the 2004 Denzil Washington film (not the 1987 version that nobody has seen). I found it amongst my fathers stuff yesterday. My partners younger brother had recommended it to me ages ago and I've been looking for it for a while but I only just noticed it amongst my dads stuff last night. It's exactly the sort of film my dad liked. Rough justice, guns and a bit of Spanish. He loved that sort of stuff.
It's been about a year since my dad died. I do miss him. My mum misses him a lot. Life continues but we'd rather he was about. His illness was difficult and he was fed up with it. He didn't like being dependent and he didn't like the care he received in the hospital. I understand why. It was not very good a lot of the time. Stuff was often done in a half-arsed manner.
Easter approaches but sadly we won't see any resurrections. We will have our memories which aren't quite as good. Memories are still valuable.
Writing, at times, can be like throwing words, bouncing words, off the walls of my world. It can help get it out. It can help work it out.
This evening I watched a DVD. Man on fire, the 2004 Denzil Washington film (not the 1987 version that nobody has seen). I found it amongst my fathers stuff yesterday. My partners younger brother had recommended it to me ages ago and I've been looking for it for a while but I only just noticed it amongst my dads stuff last night. It's exactly the sort of film my dad liked. Rough justice, guns and a bit of Spanish. He loved that sort of stuff.
It's been about a year since my dad died. I do miss him. My mum misses him a lot. Life continues but we'd rather he was about. His illness was difficult and he was fed up with it. He didn't like being dependent and he didn't like the care he received in the hospital. I understand why. It was not very good a lot of the time. Stuff was often done in a half-arsed manner.
Easter approaches but sadly we won't see any resurrections. We will have our memories which aren't quite as good. Memories are still valuable.
Sunday, March 25, 2018
30 years of Danzig
There is a Big Black concert recording that contains the immortal phrase 'no-one in the room may look Danzig in the eye'. One controversial punk icon making a snide dig at the other. Both larger than life figures who attracted controversy. Both wrote songs about horror with humour in their music. Both often ended up in physical confrontations with detractors.
There is notorious youtube footage of Danzig being knocked out with one punch (look here if you must). In 1993 Danzig nearly got into a fight with a member of Def Leppard. This was not the one armed drummer as many suggested. I think a lot of people wanted to beat up Albini too.
Still, I love Danzig. I've loved his stuff since I first heard Last Caress/Green Hell on the $5.98 e.p. by Metallica when I was at primary school. The stupid offensive lyrics and the swearing just got me. After that I got a tape with Bullet on it and I was in love. Misfits stuff was hard to find but the first Misfits collection LP was well circulated in the west of Scotland in the '80s.
The Misfits were stupid fun horror punk. Danzig sang with great passion about the emotional struggles of horror film monsters and other gory subjects. The energy of the music with the lyrics of songs like Bullet or Attitude were just electrifying. As a 12 year old I had no idea what the lyrics of Bullet meant. Reading them now, at the age of 40, I'm still bemused. If I had the chance I'd love to ask Danzig about them.
The Misfits are not the whole story. The band Danzig, fronted by Danzig, were superb. The first album I heard was Danzig II: Lucifuge. I've been listening to it today. It's still fucking great. I'm not sure why they had to lose the original Doors homage cover. It was a bit homoerotic. They probably got sued.
Danzig was Danzig trying to be Jim Morrison with a dash of Elvis. It was metal but blues. The songs were still fucking ridiculous with Danzig worrying about being a werewolf or some shit like that but it rocked. It rocked like little else. It really wasn't cool but it didn't suck.
At this point I must make it clear that I had little access to MTV as a kid. I've only seen the video for She Rides recently and as a fairly PC, hardcore punk morally puritanical teenager I might have been put off by the blatant sexism and exploitation of this video. As an adult I just shake my head and sigh. Danzig was trying to be sexy. I'm not really convinced he was.
I'm really excited that I've got tickets to see Danzig when he plays Glasgow later this year. He last played in 1991 when I was just a bit too young to see him. I did see the Danzig-less Misfits a few times but they could never top the real deal.
When Danzig was young he wanted be a comic book artist. Indeed, he did have his own line of horror/soft core porn comics called Verotik at one point. They were kind of stupid, like many of his songs. My University flat mate was an even bigger Misfits fan than me and he had a few. Danzig also got famous comic artists like Simon Bisley to do covers for his records and draw his comics. I used to like Bisley till I met him and he proved himself to be an objectionable twat. I think I asked him if he knew Danzig.
I met the band Slint once. I love Spiderland. I got to talk to David Pajo who actually recorded a solo album of Misfits stuff and all I could ask him was 'you know Danzig, don't you?'; I was a bit drunk. But Danzig is interesting.
Musically I sort of lost touch with Danzig after Black Acid Devil. He tried to become Nine Inch Nails or Ministry and he failed. He has made a few decent records since then but he doesn't get much exposure anymore. He has also starred in a few slash-fiction comic books focusing about his fictional romantic partnership with Henry Rollins. Rollins enjoys these comics. I suspect that Danzig does not.
I love Danzig but it's a complicated relationship.
I just wish he would re-issue the Samhain box set.
There is notorious youtube footage of Danzig being knocked out with one punch (look here if you must). In 1993 Danzig nearly got into a fight with a member of Def Leppard. This was not the one armed drummer as many suggested. I think a lot of people wanted to beat up Albini too.
Still, I love Danzig. I've loved his stuff since I first heard Last Caress/Green Hell on the $5.98 e.p. by Metallica when I was at primary school. The stupid offensive lyrics and the swearing just got me. After that I got a tape with Bullet on it and I was in love. Misfits stuff was hard to find but the first Misfits collection LP was well circulated in the west of Scotland in the '80s.
The Misfits were stupid fun horror punk. Danzig sang with great passion about the emotional struggles of horror film monsters and other gory subjects. The energy of the music with the lyrics of songs like Bullet or Attitude were just electrifying. As a 12 year old I had no idea what the lyrics of Bullet meant. Reading them now, at the age of 40, I'm still bemused. If I had the chance I'd love to ask Danzig about them.
The Misfits are not the whole story. The band Danzig, fronted by Danzig, were superb. The first album I heard was Danzig II: Lucifuge. I've been listening to it today. It's still fucking great. I'm not sure why they had to lose the original Doors homage cover. It was a bit homoerotic. They probably got sued.
Danzig was Danzig trying to be Jim Morrison with a dash of Elvis. It was metal but blues. The songs were still fucking ridiculous with Danzig worrying about being a werewolf or some shit like that but it rocked. It rocked like little else. It really wasn't cool but it didn't suck.
At this point I must make it clear that I had little access to MTV as a kid. I've only seen the video for She Rides recently and as a fairly PC, hardcore punk morally puritanical teenager I might have been put off by the blatant sexism and exploitation of this video. As an adult I just shake my head and sigh. Danzig was trying to be sexy. I'm not really convinced he was.
I'm really excited that I've got tickets to see Danzig when he plays Glasgow later this year. He last played in 1991 when I was just a bit too young to see him. I did see the Danzig-less Misfits a few times but they could never top the real deal.
When Danzig was young he wanted be a comic book artist. Indeed, he did have his own line of horror/soft core porn comics called Verotik at one point. They were kind of stupid, like many of his songs. My University flat mate was an even bigger Misfits fan than me and he had a few. Danzig also got famous comic artists like Simon Bisley to do covers for his records and draw his comics. I used to like Bisley till I met him and he proved himself to be an objectionable twat. I think I asked him if he knew Danzig.
I met the band Slint once. I love Spiderland. I got to talk to David Pajo who actually recorded a solo album of Misfits stuff and all I could ask him was 'you know Danzig, don't you?'; I was a bit drunk. But Danzig is interesting.
Musically I sort of lost touch with Danzig after Black Acid Devil. He tried to become Nine Inch Nails or Ministry and he failed. He has made a few decent records since then but he doesn't get much exposure anymore. He has also starred in a few slash-fiction comic books focusing about his fictional romantic partnership with Henry Rollins. Rollins enjoys these comics. I suspect that Danzig does not.
I love Danzig but it's a complicated relationship.
I just wish he would re-issue the Samhain box set.
Sunday, March 18, 2018
Inspector Hobbes and the Blood by Wilkie Martin
Sometimes I like mild amusing books that don't require much thought. I like reading but sometimes I just want to unwind with a book. I used to enjoy Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams and similar slightly skewed nonsense books with a dash of the impossible. Wilkie Martin, whilst not (yet) up there with those great departed authors, is ploughing a similar furrow.
Hobbes is an interesting mix of old fashioned police officer, detective and slightly otherworldly person. He has his tongue firmly in his cheek for most of the story and he is a figure of mystery. The book has an unreliable and often misguided narrator who doesn't always know what is going on, standing in the corner, often quaking with fear as the animalistic Hobbes deals with crime in a unique manner.
Other strange characters inhabit the novel including Mrs Goodfellow, the house keeper, a ferocious black dog, a pair of ghouls, some Roman happenings and a troll.
There is more to be revealed about this world and I'll keep up with Wilkie Martin and the Unhuman book series.
Hobbes is an interesting mix of old fashioned police officer, detective and slightly otherworldly person. He has his tongue firmly in his cheek for most of the story and he is a figure of mystery. The book has an unreliable and often misguided narrator who doesn't always know what is going on, standing in the corner, often quaking with fear as the animalistic Hobbes deals with crime in a unique manner.
Other strange characters inhabit the novel including Mrs Goodfellow, the house keeper, a ferocious black dog, a pair of ghouls, some Roman happenings and a troll.
There is more to be revealed about this world and I'll keep up with Wilkie Martin and the Unhuman book series.
Friday, March 16, 2018
this week
this week I have
1 - watched season 2 of Jessica Jones on Netflix
2 - watched the Death of Stalin
3 - worked many hours in a way that may benefit society
4 - had a panic one morning when I lost my house keys
5 - sent my mother flowers a few days after Mother's Day, knowing it would surprise her
6 - looked at several houses
7 - tried to teach myself immunology
8 - taught people stuff in a way that I hope will benefit them and society
9 - spent time with my favourite person
10 - read an entertaining book on my Kindle
11 - caught up with an old friend and planned a trip to a part of Scotland I've never visited
12 - planned a day trip to London for work
there are things I could have done better and things I did fairly well. I spent some time worrying about some stuff that I couldn't change. I spent some other time working on things that may be useful.
I've been listening to the Fall a bit too much and listening to Danzig a wee bit
1 - watched season 2 of Jessica Jones on Netflix
2 - watched the Death of Stalin
3 - worked many hours in a way that may benefit society
4 - had a panic one morning when I lost my house keys
5 - sent my mother flowers a few days after Mother's Day, knowing it would surprise her
6 - looked at several houses
7 - tried to teach myself immunology
8 - taught people stuff in a way that I hope will benefit them and society
9 - spent time with my favourite person
10 - read an entertaining book on my Kindle
11 - caught up with an old friend and planned a trip to a part of Scotland I've never visited
12 - planned a day trip to London for work
there are things I could have done better and things I did fairly well. I spent some time worrying about some stuff that I couldn't change. I spent some other time working on things that may be useful.
I've been listening to the Fall a bit too much and listening to Danzig a wee bit
Monday, March 05, 2018
Repairman Jack, the Adversary and The Secret History of the World - the works of F Paul Wilson
A few weeks ago I was playing about with Twitter and I saw a post about an old horror film I'd never heard of, The Keep, which was about to be removed from Netflix. I was intrigued and watched a bit. The soundtrack was good but the film itself was pretty terrible. Then I read a bit about the original author, F Paul Wilson, and his work.
I was going on holiday and I'd just bought a new Kindle so I thought I would check out some of his work. I downloaded The Tomb, the second book in the Adversary cycle and the debut of Repairman Jack and I was hooked. In under a month I have read about 20 books in the series.
Jack is an interesting anti-hero. He's a libertarian, almost an anarchist who refuses to pay taxes and is very fond of guns. He develops over the course of 15 or so books and F Paul Wilson, almost literally, puts his hero through hell. In some ways he reminds me of Rorschach or Batman but he does have at least some humanity as demonstrated by his relationship with his girlfriend Gia and her daughter Vicky.
The books mix horror, fantasy, Lee Child style thrillers and science fiction. There is also a healthy dash of gun nut action hero.
Jack is not all of F Paul Wilson's Adversary cycle. There is also the big bad evil, Rasalom and the once immortal source of good, Glaekon. Reborn is a bit of a riff on The Omen and we meet Father Bill, a noble Catholic priest who has his belief challenged there. There is also The Touch, a book about a GP (family practitioner) who gains the ability to heal with a touch. At a price. So far, so Stephen King.
However, F Paul Wilson is a doctor and he writes doctors and medicine well. He writes neurology well (which pleases me) and he gives his understanding of medical practice to his fictional doctor. He understands the demands of trying to help people. Unsurprisingly, his doctor is a libertarian who is opposed to medical guidelines and regulations and doesn't like to pay taxes. There is a pattern here.
Outside the main narrative, other books and short stories fit in. Black Wind is set in San Francisco, Hawaii and Japan between 1926 and 1945 and ties in with the Repairman Jack series as well as the Adversary Cycle. It also works well as a stand a long historical/horror novel whilst looking at the relationship between Japan and America in the first half of the 20th century.
Sibs is another stand alone novel that ties in very tangentially. It's probably inessential to the main narrative but is worth a read. The Peabody Ozymandias Travelling Circus & Oddity Emporium is better and more tied to the central narrative. It reminds me of the old 1930's horror film Freaks. It raises some thoughts about how society treats people who are unlucky enough to be different.
If you decide to start working through the books I would suggest using a Kindle. I would try and read the main book in order as described HERE. I've still not actually read the Keep (too expensive on Kindle) so you can miss some out but I did enjoy not knowing how things would end until I read Nightwatch (the final book). Several of my predictions were satisfyingly wrong.
I am now working my way through the various short stories and novellas that tie into things. This will keep me happy for a few weeks. Eventually I will run out of material and I will be sad. F Paul Wilson is still writing I think and I will continue reading.
I was going on holiday and I'd just bought a new Kindle so I thought I would check out some of his work. I downloaded The Tomb, the second book in the Adversary cycle and the debut of Repairman Jack and I was hooked. In under a month I have read about 20 books in the series.
Jack is an interesting anti-hero. He's a libertarian, almost an anarchist who refuses to pay taxes and is very fond of guns. He develops over the course of 15 or so books and F Paul Wilson, almost literally, puts his hero through hell. In some ways he reminds me of Rorschach or Batman but he does have at least some humanity as demonstrated by his relationship with his girlfriend Gia and her daughter Vicky.
The books mix horror, fantasy, Lee Child style thrillers and science fiction. There is also a healthy dash of gun nut action hero.
Jack is not all of F Paul Wilson's Adversary cycle. There is also the big bad evil, Rasalom and the once immortal source of good, Glaekon. Reborn is a bit of a riff on The Omen and we meet Father Bill, a noble Catholic priest who has his belief challenged there. There is also The Touch, a book about a GP (family practitioner) who gains the ability to heal with a touch. At a price. So far, so Stephen King.
However, F Paul Wilson is a doctor and he writes doctors and medicine well. He writes neurology well (which pleases me) and he gives his understanding of medical practice to his fictional doctor. He understands the demands of trying to help people. Unsurprisingly, his doctor is a libertarian who is opposed to medical guidelines and regulations and doesn't like to pay taxes. There is a pattern here.
Outside the main narrative, other books and short stories fit in. Black Wind is set in San Francisco, Hawaii and Japan between 1926 and 1945 and ties in with the Repairman Jack series as well as the Adversary Cycle. It also works well as a stand a long historical/horror novel whilst looking at the relationship between Japan and America in the first half of the 20th century.
Sibs is another stand alone novel that ties in very tangentially. It's probably inessential to the main narrative but is worth a read. The Peabody Ozymandias Travelling Circus & Oddity Emporium is better and more tied to the central narrative. It reminds me of the old 1930's horror film Freaks. It raises some thoughts about how society treats people who are unlucky enough to be different.
If you decide to start working through the books I would suggest using a Kindle. I would try and read the main book in order as described HERE. I've still not actually read the Keep (too expensive on Kindle) so you can miss some out but I did enjoy not knowing how things would end until I read Nightwatch (the final book). Several of my predictions were satisfyingly wrong.
I am now working my way through the various short stories and novellas that tie into things. This will keep me happy for a few weeks. Eventually I will run out of material and I will be sad. F Paul Wilson is still writing I think and I will continue reading.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
RIP Mark E Smith
Why did Mark E Smith live his life the way he did? He wrote great songs. He made great music. he was an intelligent man.
I first remember hearing the fall in the late eighties, on the John Peel show. I remember sitting in the back of my parents car, driving, late at night with John Peel on the radio, playing tracks by the fall. As a young punk obsessive in 1989 I would borrow records by the Fall from the local library, specifically live at the witch trials and hex education hour although I didn't really get them straight away.
The music on the infotainment scam made more sense to me a few years later. Free Range was the first Fall track that totally clicked with me. Their cover of Lost in Music was great too.
I first saw them play live at the phoenix festival in 1994 - the stand out track from that day was Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room although it doesn't seem to be on the video of the show on youtube. I just remember pissing myself at the line about masturbating over pearl jam.
I saw them in Primavera a few years back and at ATP festivals a couple of times. I probably saw them in Leeds in 1999 too. Sometimes they were amazing, sometimes they fucked up. It seemed to depend on Smiths mood and alcohol intake.
His death at a relatively young age is not a shock but it's still sad.
RIP
I first remember hearing the fall in the late eighties, on the John Peel show. I remember sitting in the back of my parents car, driving, late at night with John Peel on the radio, playing tracks by the fall. As a young punk obsessive in 1989 I would borrow records by the Fall from the local library, specifically live at the witch trials and hex education hour although I didn't really get them straight away.
The music on the infotainment scam made more sense to me a few years later. Free Range was the first Fall track that totally clicked with me. Their cover of Lost in Music was great too.
I first saw them play live at the phoenix festival in 1994 - the stand out track from that day was Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room although it doesn't seem to be on the video of the show on youtube. I just remember pissing myself at the line about masturbating over pearl jam.
I saw them in Primavera a few years back and at ATP festivals a couple of times. I probably saw them in Leeds in 1999 too. Sometimes they were amazing, sometimes they fucked up. It seemed to depend on Smiths mood and alcohol intake.
His death at a relatively young age is not a shock but it's still sad.
RIP
Max Richter - Three Worlds: Music from Woolf Works - Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
I was in the pub with a pal from work a couple of weeks back and we were generally shooting the shit. We were talking a bit about music. My pal is into proper classical music and opera and has travelled to Milan to see shows in the past. If you've seen this blog before or know me, you know that I like music although in terms of classical stuff Philip Glass and Steve Reich is more my thing.
In the pub I remembered that Max Richter was playing the Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections so I picked up tickets to check it out. I've got the Sleep CDs from a few years back although I haven't managed all 8 hours in one sitting and I've got The Blue Notebooks somewhere. I think they were on my old iPod but I've not listened to him much.
The show tonight was the soundtrack to a ballet based on the work of Virgina Woolf. I've never read her books but I am actually aware of the plot of Orlando, the centre piece of the night, after it was liberally showcased in an Alan Moore comic book a few years back. The music was good with some great dynamics. The violin part in the Mrs Dalloway segment was striking, really cutting through the sound. The Orlando segment was anarchic and constantly changing, at one point reminding me of Pinball Wizard by the Who. With much of the music, the melodies and themes were familiar, bringing to mind rock songs and post-rock sounds.
The final section dealt with the end of Woolf's life. It was calming and felt very watery.
After a brief break, the chamber orchestra played On the nature of daylight from Blue Notebooks. That piece of much is very familiar and has appeared in a lot of films and TV shows.
The music was lively and comfortable with some great sounds. There was warm feedback which I think was intentional. A good evening of modern classical music.
In the pub I remembered that Max Richter was playing the Concert Hall as part of Celtic Connections so I picked up tickets to check it out. I've got the Sleep CDs from a few years back although I haven't managed all 8 hours in one sitting and I've got The Blue Notebooks somewhere. I think they were on my old iPod but I've not listened to him much.
The show tonight was the soundtrack to a ballet based on the work of Virgina Woolf. I've never read her books but I am actually aware of the plot of Orlando, the centre piece of the night, after it was liberally showcased in an Alan Moore comic book a few years back. The music was good with some great dynamics. The violin part in the Mrs Dalloway segment was striking, really cutting through the sound. The Orlando segment was anarchic and constantly changing, at one point reminding me of Pinball Wizard by the Who. With much of the music, the melodies and themes were familiar, bringing to mind rock songs and post-rock sounds.
The final section dealt with the end of Woolf's life. It was calming and felt very watery.
After a brief break, the chamber orchestra played On the nature of daylight from Blue Notebooks. That piece of much is very familiar and has appeared in a lot of films and TV shows.
The music was lively and comfortable with some great sounds. There was warm feedback which I think was intentional. A good evening of modern classical music.
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