What came first, the music or the misery? People worry about kids playing with guns, or watching violent videos, that some sort of culture of violence will take them over.
Nobody worries about kids listening to thousands, literally thousands of songs about heartbreak, rejection, pain, misery and loss.
Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?


- Rob Gordon
High Fidelity


Thursday, 15 March 2012

I.Am and So.Are.You

Happy Birthday Will.I.Am.  Born 15th March 1975

I don't really need an excuse to play 'Shut Up' by The Black Eyed Peas, it is on my internal jukebox at least once a day.  Not the whole thing just the chorus...  We bought it on Lips not so long ago and trying to rap is always a recipe for disaster these days.  Even if I know the words backwards I just can not get them out quickly enough and in the right order....  It does make for a pretty amusing 4 minutes though.
Also , I am going to ignore the fact this song is 9 years old because I was watching the video on The Box as an unmarried, council flat renting, child free just graduated 23 year old about  5 seconds ago...

Shut Up
Reached No 2 in the UK Charts in 2003

Monday, 12 March 2012

Oh De Amor


Hot Space, Queens 10th studio album is one that tends to divide fans.  At the time of release many felt alienated by the more pop, disco and funk elements and confused by the lack of majestic rock they had come to expect.

It is my least favourite album without a shadow of a doubt.  The one I have not really listened to.  The one where I have no real idea of the track names.  Despite all this it does contain 2 fabulous tracks, Under Pressure and Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love).  I was walking home from taking the children to school this morning when the later popped up on my i-pod.  I feel like I have always known this song and as it came out when I was 3 and my brother was playing little other than Queen albums for the first 8 years of my life it is fairly likely that I have.  In fact I wouldn't be at all surprised if this was played in an effort to put me to sleep, it opens and ends with the twinkling of stars.

It was released 30 years ago and it still sounds timeless.  It makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and paints vivid images still of true love and bitter sweet regret and parting.  Even at the tender age of 8 I could understand the wistful sadness of the final verse.  It's made me cry more than once and my heart ache. (See this is why I struggle to understand people who have never had a physical response of some kind to music at least once in their lives.)
*sigh*
Anyway enjoy the song and the fact that Freddie Mercury could pair a DJ with trainers and get away with it even if he did wilfully refuse to mime accurately.


One foolish world so many souls
Senselessly hurled through
The never ending cold
And all for fear and all for greed
Speak any tongue
But for god's sake we need

Las palabras de amor
Let me hear the words of love
Despacito mi amor
Let me know this night and e
vermore



Queen
Las Palabras De Amor (The Words Of Love)
Reached No 17 in the UK Charts in 1982

Ad Libbed: Subarachnoid Haemorrhage & Me

I have added a new page to the blog and my NCF and I.
It can be found here:
Ad Libbed: Subarachnoid Haemorrhage & Me:

It is brain awareness week so it seemed the right time to take the plunge and publish but it is still a work in progress.  I am still looking for books and websites to inspire me and add to the page.

Saturday, 10 March 2012


If wiki would confirm when Mikey Georgeson of David Devant and his Spirit Wife's birthday actually is he would be on the birthday's list.   As house band on the late lamented Asylum and produces of one of my favourite albums of all time Work, Lovelife, Miscellaneous I have been looking for an excuse to blog about them. 

But wiki doesn't confirm his date of birth.

Let us give thanks then for the advent of  the first ever International Bagpipe Day Conference - I am NOT lying, it was in the BBC look.  There should be more bagpiping in the world.  There should be more bagpipping included in indie theatrical rock pop singles.  Such as this one for example...



And while we are here I might as well include this one.  Even though it lacks bagpipes...

(Taken from Asylum)


And naturally I can't not include this one.  Ah to be 18, to have Mark and Lard on Radio 1playing decent music....


We might as well make it a top 5 then.
Not actually a theme tune for the Jeremy Kyle show...


And there we are.  5 for 5 ladies and gentleman.



With a Cherry on top...

Happy Birthday Neneh Cherry.  Born 10th March 1964

Neneh Cherry kicks ass and takes names, I got this even at the tender age of 9 when I first encountered her videos.  When my brother moved back to Sheffield after a few years in London he brought with him records, CDs and videos I'd never seen before.

One of these videos was the best of the Brits which included the video for Manchild.  The way the video swings from side to side, the blue screened effects and the very memorable backing singers appearing from the sides all make for a very measured, clock work yet tense video.  It stuck with me from one viewing.  I wanted black lace cycling shorts too..

Manchild
Reached No 5 in the UK Charts in 1989