Those who find themselves ridiculous – That’s me

“Those who feel the breath of sadness

Sit down next to me

Those who find they’re touched by madness

Sit down next to me

Those who find themselves ridiculous

Sit down next to me

In love, in fear, in hate, in tears”

Last night I jigged and danced to this song in my own inimitable, arthritic way along with the rest of ‘the people of the forest’

Thermals in June? – That was me last night. They were needed!

The downside of the British weather is that as, due to climate change, our summers seem to be getting colder and more unpredictable outdoor music events are not for the faint-hearted or the ill-prepared. But last night in the bitterly cold, in Thetford Forest, I witnessed one of the best concerts I’d ever seen!

I am a late covert to the gospel according to James. I came to them via their lead singer the attractive, charismatic and totally hypnotic Tim Booth. After I grooved to a solo album of his I discovered he was the lead singer of a band I’d heard of but knew very little about. I rectified that by purchasing most of the back catalogue by James and subsequent new stuff. James can do no wrong!

The show that James put on was faultless; the band was tight and Tim Booth was note perfect, hitting those amazing highs that he does and sustaining them. Not only were the band faultless but the technical side of things was spot on as well; the sound was so clear and the complimenting light show was also pretty bloody amazing.

I want to see them again.

If you only ever go to one concert in your life make it a James. You will not be disappointed.

Join Enough food for everyone IF

#if
“1 in 8 people go to bed with the pain of hunger. It's a scandal. We can be the generation to end global hunger IF we make our politicians pay attention.

We have the power to help end the global hunger crisis IF we act today.

Demand that G8 leaders start putting an end to the scandal of hunger.


Enough food for everyone IF:
IF is a huge coalition of UK-based organisations who all share the vision of a world where everyone has enough to eat.”

Learn more…


I purchased my wristband last weekend:

Paul modelling his IF wristband, and nothing else but a smile!

Please do what you can. Please support Oxfam and IF.

Fanny my arse!

I’ve got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about advertising at the moment. A couple of things have caught my eye recently that I find particularly distasteful.

I’m rarely offended by swearing although what I consider to be misuse of or lazy language upsets me terribly; ‘can I get’ instead of ‘please may I have’ being one of many examples. But I’m never happy when the subject matter is what I deem to be offensive.

The raison d'être of all advertising is to influence. And if in the process it reinforces bigoted stereotypes then I think it should be challenged and defied.

Yesterday I wrote a small piece on my real ale blog complaining yet again about Shepherd Neame’s distasteful advertising: an advert for Spitfire has been refused permission to be aired on TV. ‘The sketch, which stars comic duo Armstrong and Miller, makes reference to "Poles" and "Paddies" laying patios.’ My blog posting lead to a shy and retiring anonymous green ink merchant* leaving some amusing comments on that blog. Some people do look at life from a very bizarre angle. But hey, it takes all sorts.

Green-inker’s latest comment asks:

“Can't sexism, racism and every other 'ism' be portrayed by a fictional character? Or do we have to ban every fictional character from being a bigot?”

My response:

Dear Green-inker, it’s all about context. A subtlety possibly lost on you. Bigoted fictional characters in art can be acceptable. We may find them uncomfortable at times but I believe art should sometimes make us feel uncomfortable. But, despite the fact that the advertising industry probably considers what it does to be art, I’m afraid art it ain’t. Advertising is there to persuade. It is not there to ridicule a person’s birth circumstances. Advertising is too powerful a tool to be put into the hands of the reckless and those that seek to oppress.

 with practice you too could be a swivel-eyed loon!

Today I’ve discovered that Barr those producers of that disgusting drink Irn-Bru are going to be putting the word ‘Fanny’ on their cans. How cheap and nasty a gimmick is that?

Whilst not particularly offensive it is in very poor taste. But then I suppose in my humble opinion anyone who drinks the stuff is severely bereft of taste. Crass pop for crass populi!

*apparently there is a tradition of disgusted of Tunbridge Wells types of writing in to radio and television programmes in green ink. I suspect green ink is the official ink colour of the UK Isolationist Party.

Rotting Christ

We shall be holidaying in Italy this year, quite near to Vicenza. Unfortunately, or not, we will not be there when these chirpy characters are going to be playing at the Sun Valley Metalfest. Curses!

Rotting Christ – I’m sure their mothers love them.

John I’m only dancing

The current wave of publicity that there has been for the work of David Bowie has been most welcome. His music has been the soundtrack to a large portion of my life. His capacity to always move forward is quite astounding.

As soon as I had learned to tune into his work Bowie has always managed to speak to me. He projects an image that epitomises what many of us seek to be; not restricted to one medium or one gender.

David Bowie is a true renaissance person.

 



Iain Duncan Smith to live on £53 a week

"This petition calls for Iain Duncan Smith, the current Work and Pensions Secretary, to prove his claim of being able to live on £7.57 a day, or £53 a week.

On Monday's Today Programme David Bennett, a market trader, said that after his housing benefit had been cut, he lives on £53 per week. The next interviewee was Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith, who was defending the changes. The interviewer then asked him if he could live on this amount. He replied: "If I had to, I would."

This petition calls on Iain Duncan Smith to live on this budget for at least one year. This would help realise the conservative party`s current mantra that "We are all in this together".

This would mean a 97% reduction in his current income, which is £1,581.02 a week or £225 a day after tax* [Source: The Telegraph]"

Please join me.


Lets show the TBS that we are not fooled by their lies!

Monty Gompertz?

Have you noticed how you never see Will Gompertz and Charles Montgomery Burns in the same room together?

For those of you that don’t know, Will Gompertz is the the annoying BBC art critic and all round tit and Charles Montgomery Burns is the evil boss from the Simpsons.

 

The fact that Charles Montgomery Burns is a cartoon character has absolutely nothing to do with it. Come on, tune into your surrealist side. Keep up you lot!