Labels Music

Here is some music by the folk(ish) LABELS.

The recordings here are demos of what will eventually make up a full LP entitled The Whipping Eels: "These five tracks are the softer side of the whole, with the uptempo bricks yet to be built into the wall." There is no due date for completion or further release (God Damn Hippies!).

I've included No Day here as it is a bit different with the Indian instruments and the 70's California folk vocal arrangement but you should check out the whole thing as each track is quite different (each track is a different person...) and there is some nice atmospheric bleeding across some of the tracks which gives the whole thing a real time feel: if you know what I mean? or it might just be that they are demos after all and I'm trying to put depth where there is no need.



The songs are short and simple, and lyrically it is pretty strong, "this is not a low, behold, this is our romance" no less, all the lyrics have been posted along side each track, so you can sing along, yippee!

So check it out and then get on with your life.

Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom

Check out the trailer for the new Wes Anderson (co-writer Roman Coppola) film, Moonrise Kingdom. Here is what Production says about the plot.

"Set on an island off the coast of New England in the 1960s, as a young boy and girl fall in love they are moved to run away together. Various factions of the town mobilize to search for them and the town is turned upside down -- which might not be such a bad thing."

The cast features Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman, plus Edward Norton, Harvey Keitel, Bruce Willis and Tilda Swinton. The movie trailer offers us that sense of familiar in a feeling Anderson creates and allows his audience to get lost in, something, no doubt, fans will be itching to submerge themselves in since it has been  five years since his last live action feature film.

Due for limited release late May 2012.

Beautiful Photographs

Here are some photographs that I like. The first one reminds me of one morning when I was a web design tard, walking to the office, I happended upon a bag of discarded jelly babies, sprawled on the path, some with parts missing or totally squashed, some had even been drown in a puddle. The morning sun was low and burned through those massacred babies offering a stained glass effect on the cold concrete. I had my camera but didn't use it, I just walked on, nothing to see here, move along people...I should have sealed the area and called for back up...anyway, here you go.



Grant Cornett



Anett Holmvik



Jennilee Marigomen

The Suicide Shop

I just saw this via an article my friend posted about a fish called the Ball Cutter on Neatorama and was moved to post it. It has been posted, talked about and whathaveyou on sites since Spring last year so you might be yawning already but if not check it.

Patrice Leconte's film The Suicide Shop animates Jean Teule's original novel (Le Magasin Des Suicides, 2007), a black comedy drawing on the authors vision of modern living in a world where doom and gloom is all we are fed from the news, after an environmental disaster. Wherein, business is booming and life is therefore (un)happy for the owners of The Suicide Shop, the Tuvache family, who offer all sort of paraphernalia that can aid you on your way in checking out of the gloom early. Their strap line : 

Has your life been a failure? Let's make your death a success!

Not many return customers then, but everything is peachy in the Suicide Shop...that is until young Alan is born...

Freud's Slip and other such fashion finery

I found this whilst searching for Chrsitmas presents for, well, me... but I did start with a blonde bombshell in mind, good intentions and all that. Anyway, who likes clothes? Sigmund does, and now you can help him be even more dedicated to the cause with this "dress up" fridge magnet set. other metalic white goods are availible.



you talkin' to me?

The website is called After Noah and they do all sorts of excellent stuff that you perhaps do not need, but really want. I really want the Diner Style Wall Telephone and Anglepoise Desk Lamp Type 1227 Chrome Circa 1944 but the meagre morsels of royalites I fight to receive will not stretch this quarter; come on Father Christmas...not to mention the tin robots, gun ice cube tray and the pocket kite: you can be THE KING OF THE SECRET SANTA.You can also have a look at their shop via the After Noah YouTube page.

If you are stuck for presents (girls here) go and check it out, prices start at around £2.99 so even if you hate the person you are buying for you can keep the act of friendship up with a delightfull present, for cheap, until the day comes when you strike them down.
 

Merry Christmas innit!

Hannah Farrell

Check out this photography blog site belonging to Hannah Farrell of Morecambe. Hannah is an excellent young talent who evidently sees beauty in what can get overlooked, or ignored. Over at  I'm not sayin'  you can get a look at Hannah's work including live performance, social commentary photography and some of Morecambe and Lancaster's finest faces and places. 

The Bird Lady

Dotty's Vintage, Albert Rd, Morecambe

The Heartbreaks

Back to the Future Nike Hi Tops

Check out this new 'teaser' trailer for Nike's Back to the Future Hi Top Trainer as worn by Marty McFly in BTTF II. I'm not even sure if they are real and to be produced or whether it is a marketing ad or what, but if nothing else the add is cool.

Someone call me when they perfect the hover board.

As we are on, I may as well post this vid from the third film, I know it is old but I mention it to people and they don't believe me, so here you go: The Doc's creepy kid,Verne, offers Jennifer a ride on 'Old Bumpy' (cheers Si).

UPDATE : Release Info

Plastic Dolls Six

Some brand new music for y'all here and  remember it is a mix so you can't skip tracks.

All the bands on this page have made these tracks available for free download, lovely! So if you like anything go and buy a couple of their others and keep it moving.

Most of these bands are unsigned or just starting out with their demos and EP's etc.

cadmean veterans club - and yet

dancers  - got away with it

i break horses - hearts

outfit - two islands

vvolves - people

san cisco - golden revolver

team me - sister

being there - tomorrow

total slacker - psychic mesa

trim the barber - always delayed

male bonding - bones

tasseomancy- healthy hands will mourn you

DOWNLOAD HERE FREE

Blackheart Afterglow EP

Pressure Drop cover

Pressure Crash 7 is the new live EP from Morecambe band Blackheart Afterglow, I was going to write something up but the folk over at Red Rose Music in Preston have done a sterling job, so bugger it, read theirs. I'm busy painting.

The EP was recorded hunched around mics in the Alhambra Building in Morecambe, just like they did in'th olden days lad, with MickArmitage from the Music Co-Op in Lancaster controlling and mixing etc.

Listen out for the outro on Pressure Drop (track II). I like it.

You can catch the band out in Morecambe, Lancaster and Manchester etc. thorough out the Summer, check the BHAG facebook info page for listings.

Ben Sherman Modern Classics

does he remind you of Woody from This Is England?

The Ben Sherman Modern Classics collection is made up of twelve items which BSMC say make up the absolute essentials that no man should be without. The AW10 collection consisted of your basic chino pant, knitted jumper, jersey, shirt and jacket et cetera; and from what I can gather that ‘basic staple’ theme continues to this coming season's offering.

A mate of a mate who works for Ben Sherman told me a while back that BS were pulling out of the likes of Debenhams and getting back to boutiques (if you will) and taking steps to stand on the shoulder again; I guess they finally realised what those ITK (I just did some sick in my mouth writing that) were moaning about for yonks and good job too; remember those hideous, ill fitting short sleeved window pane checks that scrawny little neddy pre-chavs used to wear? I think they were about ten pence each at pound land…anyway

the shirt jacket looks full of detail

The SS11 collection looks pretty darn good with the military/mountain inspired jacket (pictured) popping out as something really quite good but I can’t help thinking that they’re just sticking a hiking boot aboard the good ship Travelling Selvedge Beard Man – you know what I mean. I don’t mind, I just like picking. To be fair everything I have seen on the blogs et al looks right up my street and going off last season pricing it is more than affordable.

Check out the site and the blog here BSMC and have a scout about for some sale discounts of the AW10 stuff right now.

Retro Christmas Jumper

White Ski Jumper

Ding Dong…something about bells ringing; it is nearly Christmas. I love Christmas and I abhor ninnies who say they don’t celebrate Christmas due to the religious aspect of the holiday.  YAWN! You don’t have to be religious to take time out of your tiny minds and spread some good will once a year, it is not like y’all do anything throughout the year apart from moan about shit you never get off your backsides and do something about anyway. Seeing Santa is climbing down chimneys perhaps you would like to climb down out of your arse and smile.

Blue Reindeer from Urban Excess

I’m not religious but the basic ‘message’ is a good one; give presents! Oh no, not that one, it is the goodwill to all men part.

So this is Christmas and that does mean gifts of stuff you don’t need but stuff you want and there is no better example of the spontaneous knee jerk purchase than the classic Christmas retro knit! Useful only for a couple of weeks at the end of each year these jumpers are back with an annual bang and selling out faster than Judas. The Christmas jumpers pictured here are some of my favourite knits being punted this term.

Fashion houses including Paul Smith, Marc Jacobs and J. Lindeburg have them as Fair Ilse Jumpers thus removing some of the 'ugly' stigma that Mums from Morecambe to Manchester ran up throughout the seventies and eighties with their knitting needles and Brother knitting machines; "Mum, can I..." , "Shhh, I'm counting!"

Christmas Eve, Christmas  Fair Ilse jumper... go on, you know you want to.

BHAG Photoshoot with Headhoncho

Headhoncho Chris Kirkbride's first shot of Blackheart Afterglow after they played Lancaster University earlier in the month. I'll get some of his other work together and might stick a mini interview up for all you photography geeks out there. 

BHAG are on the bill to play the Yorkshire House this Saturday with Premier Kissoff and Bingo Bay

Amen, McQueen. Amen.

“Above all, be true to yourself, and if you cannot put your heart in it, take yourself out of it.”

Fake Belstaff Roadmaster Jackets

nabbed this pic from the reedspace.com

I’ve been in the market for some new (for me) jackets and so have been weighing up the options from Belstaff, Barbour and A.N Other. The latter came into my wardrobe first after a shopping trip to the Lowry outlet on Salford keys which houses Flannels store for past season and slight seconds stock. I was extremely lucky happen upon the ‘About Ship’ blouson by The Garbstore for a snip of the original price. I checked it all over for defects and found none; it fit perfectly so I bagged it. I also picked up a nice RL cardigan with 80% off the original RRP too.

Secondly, I have been a long admirer of the Barbour To ki To collaboration and so have decided upon their ‘Sporting Quilt’ jacket. It is a step up from the Liddesdale, which is a great jacket but unfortunately it is a jacket that has and is being copied to death by all and sundry, and is paraded en mass on the Monkey Walk down to the local Mc Donalds car park, across to the caravan site via the college fag hut. The Sporting Quilt allows me to have a classic cut with a couple of peacock feather thrown in. Incidentally, I find it somewhat frustrating that Barbour will not supply ‘country’ shops with the Hertitage lines...?

 I like the Belstaff Roadmaster but am holding my horses right now but I like to look. I like a bargain, I hate paying full price for anything (I own a shop, I know mark up value) and so I always shop around for the best deal. What I hate even more than paying full price are fakes and people who sell fake items of anything. I found this website www.belstaffjackets.co.uk (they have several URL’s pointing to this site) who sells all sorts of Belstaff jackets and accessories at knock down prices.  Too good to be true… it always is. These have been popping up on Ebay with all the tags, spare parts, labels et cetera attached, looking very much the real thing and they sort of are; Genuine Fakes is a term coined for items made from materials stolen from genuine factories, taken to private premises and knocked up and out on the cheap. This company appears to be such an enterprise. They look and feel like the real thing until you go deeper and indeed not many people would notice but owning a performance jacket that doesn’t perform is rather pointless, isn’t it? Ebay shoppers beware.

Things to look out for on a Belstaff Genuine Fake:

Smell : It probably will not smell as thick of wax as you might expect.

Waterproof : As it will not be waxed properly water will not bead when applied, try splashing it and see.

Labels : the logo will be dull compared to a genuine Belstaff and the weave will be light.

Hardwear : the hardwear might be dull or in the wrong position.

If in doubt when buying from the interweb always use a credit card, never a debit, for if you fall foul to these dastardly dastards and they are unresponsive to your requests for a retun/refund, you will be covered for the full amount by the credit card issuer as long as it is over £100.

Plastic Dolls Five

DOWNLOAD HERE NOW
stream

BHAG

New band Blackheart Afterglow now have a Myspace page with a few demos on, go check them out and join if you're on MySpace. Facebookers can join their page too by going to the BHAG Facebook Page.

The band are performing at Lancaster University this very Friday so if you are in the area get down and support them as it is their first gig! The event is the Furness Bar's 40th Anniversary which is also housing a beer festival so make sure you have your CAMRA cards at the ready.

I post more gigs and stuff as they go along.

Cybernetic Human Dancer

I love Japan, I think, never been there but some of the madness is, well, mad innit.

August, so far

Old band out
New band in
New job in
Old job out
New Ralph Lauren Chinos for a meagre four quid
Collaborate with a new team
Re mixed by Chris.
The new season starts. Weekend.
Teams. Fans. Optimism riding so high
vocalised, and baited with numerical incentives of brown and blue
a pint of gold, a favour if you lose.
Top four, big eight
no easy games to give three
points made for history broken
one more
nineteen!

Good People Drink Good Beer

I've seen the light (again), the pale, the amber, the black and the intense and it feels good. I'm talking ale; juxtaposed pilsner, east India pale ale, Brooklyn lager, Belgian IPA and the like.

I've mentioned The BrewDog Brewery on here a couple of times so another won't hurt especially as I'm now fully converted to the cause. Over the weekend I gathered the following:

5am Saint (5%)
77 Lager (4.9%)
East India Pale Ale (6.8%)
Brooklyn Lager (5.2%)
Raging Bitch (8.3%)
Doggie Style Pale Ale (5.5%)
Gonzo Imperial Porter (7.8%)

I'm not going to start pretending I know which hops and processes these beers use, I could just go and look it up and pretend I have the best nose since Cyrano de Bergerac or better still Grenouille but I'll leave it up to you to investigate. What I will say is that after the first sip I knew I'd never willingly go back to mass produced 'supermarket' labels ever again.

I drank a few of these bad boys and woke the next day feeling chipper, my throat wasn't dry and raspy as is the norm after a booze up and I didn't feel one bit removed, maybe a fluke, whatever...Yesterday I went to watch a few bands and was forced (they made me Guv'na!) into drinking the usual tap swill and today I felt like plop, what do they put in larger nowadays? Seriously, can it be coincidence or some new found pompous placebo that prevails o'er this morning after the night before? I felt so hung over.

Thank you Brew Dog, The Brooklyn Brewery and The Flying Dog Brewery and all the others that await me on my road to, well, probably ruin but hey it'll be a wild ride.

It's not Terry's, it's England's

England failed miserably once again in the World Cup and I'm not surprised, how could anyone be after the lame performances in the pre-tournament friendlies and then in the group stage? What made me laugh out loud was after the Slovenia game folk all chipper and optimistic saying things like " We've turned a corner" and "Onwards and Upwards" or even "we can beat Germany". What in the wild wild world of sports were people injecting into their brains that week? A scabby 1 - 0 against SLOVENIA and the world is England's oyster? Pathetic. Five nil and there might be some room for optimism but sweet baby Jesus, come on people.

So why did England fail? Cappello played players out of position, neglected to use Joe Cole in favour of SWP and Lennon, Rooney marked out of the games, leggy defence, too many similar players etc cetera, ce cetera.

Now the boys are home the stories from the camp are emerging from the embers and it seems that there was a split in the camp and fingers are pointing to John Terry as the cause. One big one is that after his failed coup Terry named a few players including Gerrard as protagonists to his cause during his meeting about the way Cappello was running things. Gerrard was quick to point to to the media that he was nothing to do with it (as did Rooney and Carra) and the next day in training there were words spat after Terry crunched Gerrard with a heavy tackle. Nice one John, try and cripple the Captain.

That is just one incident and you can read into that what you will, but combine it with Terry's repeated comments during thier time in South Africa about him being born to lead, trying to fashion himself as the 'father figure' and lying about who was stirring his cauldron with him and it does seem that JT can't accept the fact that he is not the Captain, and because of this will throw spanners in (and crunching tackles to team mates) to clog the machine.

Regardless of who said this and that Terry looked slow in pace and his decision making was suspect, he would be first off the roster for me in favour of Dawson, followed by SWP, Heskey, Barry and Lennon.

Ex Liverpool man Alsonso said this week that the eleven best do not make the best eleven, and the sooner the England set up get on to that the better.

No Self Employment Benefit Entitlement

Jeepers Creepers I've been busy. My Mum's mate used to say Jeepers Creepers and Strewth all the time, got right on my nerves, anyway, actually I tell you what else annoys me, those bloody horns they're all blowing over in South Africa, I don't know if I can take it, I'd rather crap football chants than those things.

My job finished the other week, rather the bloke who sent work our way hasn't got enough anymore so, game over. The decision to carry on being self employed and get out there and hustle new clients was one option and the other was to completely change direction and look for pastures new; sever the nerve, bite the bullet and get a job, a career even, something real. I've opted for the latter and it feels great, even though nothing has come to fruition officially the wheels are in motion, the interviews are scheduled and the best part is none of them start until after the World Cup! Aaaannnnnnd, there is the small matter of a trip 'daan saaaf' for Glastonbury 2010! Now that's magic.

Did you know that if you have been self employed you cannot claim Job Seekers Allowance? Even if you have worked and paid NICS (Nation Insurance) for 20, 30, 40 years, then you do 2 years self employed you get a big fat ZERO. They'll pay your National Insurance but that is all. If you decide never to work, get pissed up all day long, maybe rob a few mountain bikes, deal a bit of scag and watch some Jeremy Kyle you can get a free house, free meth, booze allowance, money for all your dogs, child support with added extra if they have ADHD, ADD, etc. and you can do this until the cows come home, or you die. Good eh?

I'm all for the welfare state and helping out with people who need it, yes, including substance abusers, single parents, political refugees, bloody (legit)immigrants and anyone else who has landed in the shit but FFS, what about the people who actually fund the damn thing? Incidentally I went in the Job Centre and the conversation went:

Me : Hi, my job has just finished and I want a new one, what have you got?
Penny Crayon look-a-like : Have you signed on?
Me : No, I'd rather see what jobs are on file and if nothing is happening I'll sign on.
Penny : Well, I think you should sign on.
Me : Why not just show me some jobs or at least point me in the right direction to view vacancies.
Penny : (handing me a leaflet) Best you sign on.

Is it me or is that the wrong mentality to have when someone comes in as I did? They want me to go for a back to work interview on Monday, help me get a new job and that...I can't help but laugh, I'm up to my neck in pending interviews that I have sorted myself. I know Penny and the others on the front line are just doing their job but it does make you wonder which bunch of monkeys devised 'the system' doesn't it.

So, I can't claim Job Seekers because I have not paid Class 1 NICS in the last two years (I have paid self employed class II and extra voluntary payments), I can't claim income support or get tax credits because my partner works over 25 hours (regardless of wage) and they won't offer job vacancies until I sign on and go for a back to work interview. I'm pretty lucky, I'm not going to starve and I'll have a new job in no time but in the mean time I am basically being punished for contributing to the nation's economy and to the very welfare state that has just turned its back on me, no wonder folk do their best to stay on benefits.

COME ON ROONEY EN-GER-LAND!

Excuse typos, I was raging for a minute there

The James Turner Band

A couple of new tracks uploaded to the James Turner Band MySpace you can check out right now. Not brand  new songs but ones that have had a bit of treatments and are now more complete.

The new tracks are What and Secret Stealers, here are the lyrics to Secret Stealers:

To many creatures sliding into the room
All secret stealers wheeling slick right on through the gloom
Pedal their preaching without making it known
Violence in silence is the best way they know

Don’t look to me to apologies
Take back your sadness, save it for other lies
Don’t look to me to save your average life
I don’t want me in it
I don’t have to live it

Line up you preachers let me hear you all croon
Take up the villainous requirements on silver spoons
Unveil your daggers, bait, and cast the first sin
Wait until they holler and then we’ll begin.

Take away the nightmare
you were someone I had known

Take back all the of the lies and the miles of places we didn't go

Dennis Hopper dies age 74

Last night Dennis Hopper (May 17, 1936 – May 29, 2010) lost his fight with cancer and has bowed out of his final scene.October 2009, Hopper was diagnosed with prostrate cancer which was already quite advanced, metastatic nodules were then discovered spreading to his bones a few months after. Too ill to undertake chemotherapy Hooper was announced terminally ill this March.

Hopper featured in some of the greatest movies of all time from Rebel Without a Cause to Blue Velvet and True Romance in which he (arguably)steals the show with his monologue to the Blue Lou's consul Vincenzo Coccotti. Ok, so they are my personal favourites but you can choose a multitude of Hopper films that people wouldn't argue against to be include such is the quality of man's prolific back catalogue. Apocalypse Now anyone.

Perhaps he will be best remembered for his role as Billy in Easy Rider, a film that wouldn't have been made if not for Hopper's determination, drive and sheer bloodymindedness to get it done. Grab a copy of the film with some extras and you will get the full back story.

Hipsters, movers, groovers and cowboys, have a drink today to the film industries very own Billy the Kid and if you look up into the sky tonight and happen to see a UFO beaming back at you, be sure to tip your hat...


Rest peacefully Dennis Lee Hopper x

Chinos

Rich man, poor man, beggar man, me. I really want some new chinos but what I want and what I need nowadays are two completely different cats.

Last month Limited Hype posted the SS/10 offering from The Burkman Brothers; their chino pants come fully lined with Madras cloth from southern India which allows for a nice little detail, if you go for the turn up. The outer is made from 100% cotton twill and the zip is custom made, the interior zip placket is finished with Oxford fabric. This all means that the wearer has some truly ace slacks to hide the old Bambi Shanks! and harbouring that amount of skill requires a big chunk out of your pocket money. Available in the UK from Liberty for a mere £160.

At the other end of the spectrum Uniqlo of Japan have their version coming in at a healthy £19.99. The Uniqlo offering comes in the form of a cropped pant complete with the detailed turn up making them perfect for Summer, but if you would rather a full trouser their washed chino flat fronts come is a wealth of colours and are smartly priced again at £19.99.

Some might say that you get what you pay for but Uniqlo is a bit different; Jill Sander designs for their +J line, and from what I have held in my greedy mits, it would seem the company have a working ethos of quality design and production right across the board.

Water Fasting

I'm currently undertaking a day time water fasting erm,trial, ritual (?). Over the weekend I read an account of one man's brief flirt with the Muslim faith in which he took part in a total fast during daylight hours. Whilst I have absolutely no interest in practising Islam, Christianity, Buddhism et cetera, I am interested in anything that impulses people to abandon all that is rational in order to blast head on into the unknown, religion is arguably the daddy of this hence 'blind faith'.

What will happen if I abstain from food and drink for an extended period of time? Well, not being Jesus I'd probably die but I reckon that the daytime water fast will be a good way to test my ability to resist temptation, lose some weight and allow me to appear pious and hypocritical all at the same time in the company of cake munchers, om nom nom nom.

Fat kids eat cake; I'm wanton over Adidas trainers (that mostly just sit in blue boxes), hand made shoes, selvedge denim jeans, button down shirts, vintage mountain parkas, over priced socks and limited addition knitwear. It's the same thing be it cake or clothes, wine or crack, it is in us all manifesting  in multiple forms like some all seeing and controlling deity, Dionysus.

So, my first step on the road to absolution is to regain a real understanding of appreciation and that starts with food. Yesterday I ate nothing until 8pm and it felt good, I didn't feel hunger pangs at all and when I ate it was superb. Today I feel even more determined to do it for a full week and see if I can't do a week thereafter on only water in the day and fruit at night. Then I can turn my attention to my shopping habits and see what temptations I can forgo in that department.

I just picked up these new Kickers boating shoes, a bit last season I know but for only £27, brand new, bargain!

Hey, one step at a time.

World Cup Nike Advert

The new Nike Write the Future ad for the world cup. Full Version.Starts out with the same old 'skillz skool' type stuff and then morphs into a pure classic.Two thumbs up!

British Boxing : Williams, Khan, DeGale

Boxing, the noble sport of pugilism is everything sport should be; a test of wits, skill, strength and determination, 'hungry' fighters putting everything they physically and mentally have on the line for glory, respect and of course for the prize purses.

Only three ago I was in the boxing gym three times a week and running on non gym days, I ate up everything that was boxing, my knowledge was up to scratch, I went over to the Mecca of north west boxing at the time, the Phoenix Gym in Denton to snoop about, and even got a training session with Kerry Kayes (CNP owner and nutritionist to many fighters and other sports persons) via some informal contacts over at Team Hatton. What I'm trying to say is that boxing was alive and I was living it.

 Last weekend's televised boxing offered all that is good and bad about boxing, on one hand there was the Olympian James DeGale stopping his opponent in a one sided match, nothing great about a mismatch (which DeGale recognises) but the talent and determination is there; "fast track me" he pleaded to his promoter. On the other you had Danny Williams basically just turning up, well, he stepped in the ring at least.

Danny Williams really got on my nerves and not for the first time. Danny, as nice as he maybe be, for a long time has been everything a boxer should not be; overweight, under prepared, overpaid and mentally un-sound. Once Danny beat Mark Potter by KO in the sixth with one arm after dislocating his shoulder in I think the second round!  but since has done little to fulfil his true potential or show that kind of heart and grit. I once watched Danny telling (probably) Ian Darke on Sky Sports that he didn't train properly for the fight he'd just been hammered in. I called for him not to receive his pay because why should people give their hard earned money to watch someone who, by his own admission, didn't even bother to train properly? It is a disgrace. His final outing was against Derek Chisora which inevitably Chisora won, again Williams was blatantly there for a final pay day before retiring to become a *"body guard to the stars". The fight was so pathetic I'm surprised there wasn't a riot afterwards. See for yourself the fight starts at round 3.30 mins:



I'm not going to mention Khan's performance as I still think that as soon as he get's in with a real top 10 fighter who can punch he will be KO'd easily (I hope I'm wrong but I doubt it). Up on saying that; the 140's are pretty poor right now with a serious lack of any power punchers, unite the belts and move on up.The other big fight was Mitchell, I like Kevin Mitchell but he got steamrollered by Katzidis and I reckon he's reached his level.

* I wouldn't employ a bodyguard who is famed for losing his head under pressure as my barrier between me and a mentalist.

Good Luck Ryan Rhodes for Friday (European light-middleweight title Vs Luca Messi)

mi adidas : design your own adidas trainers

A few years back I was in NY and popped into the adidas boutique on Wooster where they had what was basically a dentist chair with a computer and big flat screen monitor attached to it. The reason was to allow adidas 'nuthuggers' to sit down and design their very own shoe with the aid of CAD design software that let you rotate in 3D your very own adidas masterpiece!

The choice was simple; Superstars, ZX700 or Stan Smith template. Choose materials including type of leather, colours, inner, laces, stitching, the fit of the trainer and finish with your name or slogan down the side (stitched not printed). At the time I was really into the Superstar (or 'shell toe') shoe and so went for it. These are they:

My tortoise is called Oscar, they're shell toes, it's gay but who isn't a little gay once in their life?!

Hold these trainers next to a standard pair and the difference in quality is plain to see, get down to the detail and they're even better, plus they are ten times more comfortable than any others I've got or had in the past.

So what, I hear you say...well, you can do it in the UK online today and there is more choice of style templates to go at. So, if you are sick of all the crappy re-issues and want something akin to what you're seeing through your rose tinted specs from yesteryear get on it here at the Mi Adidas Page . In the store you get a huge portfolio that houses all the materials so you can make your decisions on composition based on touch rather than pictures, this is something you won't get via the website but aficionados will know the difference between plain and comfort leather et cetera.

Now you can own a pair of trainers that had and will only ever have  a line run of 1.

Рисует Владимир Казак

Рисует Владимир Казак

I can't find out anything about the artist 'Rob' 'Roy' 'Ro8','Ro9' perhaps, I suppose I could do some proper digging but then I could do a lot of things...It doesn't matter,what does matter is that these pictures are great, the ones below are some of my favourites.

My Week Rounded Up

I've been away and so have a few things to mention that perhaps don't warrant a full on post  for each and besides I'll be on to something else if I wait and stagger them on, so here goes a few things to look at.

Went to Venice on Saturday, expensive yes, worth it, definitely. The Bacaro Jazz Bar was good with happy hour lasting 3 hours! and they're proud to be sporting loads of peoples bras' on the ceiling; you get a free t-shirt if you whip off your holdall and leave it for the bar, the pic I have added here in no way gives perspective on how many there actually are, tonnes! I didn't spend my time ogling bras in bars, Venice is a cool place architecturally and culturally, the people were more than accommodating considering my very limited Italian and the food was great. Two thumbs up for Venice!

My friend sent me a link to where there are some recently discovered photographs of London in the 1940's. Not the run of the mill jaded black and whites, these are beautiful in full colour and hi res."These beautiful photographs were taken using Kodachrome film by the improbably and wonderfully named Chalmers Butterfield, probably in 1949." -
 Retronaut 

Got a new bike, namely the Schwinn Grey Ghost (Sting Ray) which is the original 'chopper' bicycle. UK readers will remember and love the Raleigh Chopper and rightly so (I had a purple one..oooh  err, a purple chopper!) but the Schwinn for me is head and shoulders above the Raleigh as it's prettier and more sleek where as the Raleigh is more of a cartoon bike if you will. This Grey Ghost is a proper smooth ride with suspension mounted low rider seat gliding on a fat Sting Ray Slick back tyre with a 16 inch front, and it is a fixed gear model so no brake cables or any mess! I swiped this picture from somewhere as I have none of my own, yet.

Chelski won the Premiership and rightly so, they were more consistent than United and so tough on me, I'll be looking forward to getting it back next season with ease.

And last, and most definitely least; the UK have another Prime Minister that was not actually elected, and, the Lib Dems have joined on the love train. Here now, what was once left and right is now some hippy commune with champagne and caviar, floating, all along the wire...go figure, maybe it will be the start of something beautiful.

From Manchester with Love

May bank holiday Sunday and The Park in Lancaster played host to From Manchester with Love; an all day event (2pm - 2am) featuring some of the legendary names who were a major part of the 'Madchester' scene way back when jeans were baggy, no one was from Blackpool, and 24 hour party people roamed the highways and the by ways of fair England in search of 'independent gatherings'.

I missed the first two bands unfortunately and therefore can't tell you anything other than that people said they were both good. I did get to hear Guernica do their sound check and although I only heard one and a half songs I must say that they created a big sound for a three piece and their tracks were good. The Glamour I totally missed but you can check them out at their myspace by clicking the link, reports were positive all round.

Wonderlust came on stage at around 7.30 and played probably their strongest set to date including new material in Heavy Roller which got rapturous applause, Good Enough went down similarly well and the re-worked Black Venus which was the roof blower. The band were seriously together, tight and well connected with the crowd who seemed to be seriously demanding 'more!' rather than going through the motions of a gig crowd.

Next up were Liar Liar. Raucous and energetic, they played the kind of set that exhumed every ounce of passion and desire from their young souls, as if it was going to be their last ever show. Who said youth is wasted on the young? I really enjoyed watching them and listening to their songs which culminated with arguably their best track, Seaside Girl. Check them out.

Downstairs DJs Sie Norfolk and Lynsey Finch were ripping it up with such an eclectic mix that I wouldn't know where to place the bookends. Northern, Soul, Indie, Funk, you name it, and I'm not talking the usual compilation tracks, I'm talking serious tunes that the King Georges Hall heads nearly exploded over.

Julie Gordon once of Happy Mondays fame played a 30 min set of her solo and old Mondays' material, but I missed it. I don't know what else to say, I could make something up I guess, hmm, nah.

Back upstairs with Tom Hingley who was probably the high point of night. I can't count the amount of people who were telling of shivers down their spins when he played This is How it Feels. Seemingly at that point everyone was together; a fleeting glance at what music can do, orchestrated by the Inspiral Carpets front man, minus the bowl hair do, but with all the skill and verve of a born entertainer. Tom went on to play some classic blues plus tracks from his Thames Valley Delta Blues record keeping the crowd rocking, he could have played all night, no one would have moved expect to dance.

Alas, to Mani. The Stone Roses and Primal Scream Bass man, party animal, Manchester United fan and ubber legend of the north. Mani's DJ set went right over my head, I think at one point he was playing The Killers which is fine but I thought he was going to show us his Mod roots with some classic northern and some proper R&B (not that shite Beyonce et al pedals kidz). However, I was well on the way to oblivion by then so who knows what he played...? I spoke to him outside afterwards about football and embarrassingly told him about my bootleg Roses tape I had in the second year at school...fuck it, it's not embarrassing actually, I may not have got into music in the way I have if not for the Roses. Cheers Mani!

Folk got to meet some of their heroes, no dickheads, no fighting, tonnes of good music, young and old bouncing off each other, a rip roaring success for all who punted a tenner for ticket (and for the few jibbers!).

Thanks to Claire and Sean for organising it.

pictures by PJT and 'Gezza' Bilton.

David Cameron War Poster

Saw this on the way home today and was glad of it. Usually when these inane billboards have be altered round our way in the past it has constituted perhaps some tearing, or something really imaginative like 'puff' scrawled across it.

...and to the girl who tried to lick my face...very funny you made me laugh.

John Squire's Penguin Books cover designs

Just seen this over at Creative review

Since the disbanding of The (original line up)Stone Roses John Squire went on to form the Seahorses and then released a couple of solo albums, namely Time Changes Everything and Marshall's House, but now is solely concentrating on his art work. John has been commissioned to design the covers of five Penguin Classic books from the 1980's as part of their 75th Anniversary celebrations and here are his offerings.

You can read more about the series by going to the Creative Review, erm, review here.

Plastic Dolls Mix Four

New mix tape up free to download here,stream here or get it from iTunes podcasts, also free. It's like John Inman but a bit more butch.

Information about the content on the music page here.

Enjoy.