Central heating is being serviced today, so I am home waiting for the chirpy BG gas fitters who wll tell me my back boiler is grossly inefficient (I know, I pay the bills) and they are not sure they can get it working up to "modern day standards"and that my ventilation is not up to "modern day standards" and advise me to knock bloody bigs holes in the wall and fit vents to bring it up to "modern day standards". I'll make the approriate noises and nod in the right places, but as long as the central heating works I am not that bothered.Yes I would like greatly reduced gas bills but I don't have a spare £4,000 lying around to pay BG to fit a nice new condensing boiler.
Anyway being off work is nice even if I am in on my own. Gives me a chance to listen to some music, currently listening to The Wedding Present and Perfect Blue. The Wedding Present (TWP) are my BIG music passion and have been for 20 years. I think David Gedge is a massively underated composer.He deserves quite a few acoladesfor his body of work. My wife thinks I am obsessed by him and his bands and I suppose if I thought about it, I doubt there have been many days in the last 20+ years when I haven't played at least one of Gedge's songs. I lost track a bit when he formed Cinerama but came back to the fold in 2003 when I went to see Cinerama at the Uni in Newcastle and rediscovered my passion for all things Gedge. By this time they were playing TWP songs again but it was the Cinerama songs that they played that once again stopped me dead in my tracks and I went out and bought all the Cinerama stuff I'd missed and loved it. Yes even Va Va Voom. Anyway if you like Indie/punk guitar based songs about love, loss and the pain of personal relationships and loved the late John Peel's show seek them out. Leave a comment and I will give you some suggestions about how to sample their work. Anyway gotta go as BG havejust turned up. I hope it goes OK[very worried]
Thursday, 5 February 2009
Wednesday, 4 February 2009
My wife
I've told you a bit about me and music so now a bit about my wife. I met her at University and we have been together ever since. I think its fair to say that she has made me what I am. She is clever, funny beautiful and a good mum although she doesn't think she is. It hasn't all been easy these past almost thirty years but I love her now more than I did as a young 18 year old.
I am typing this listening to Radcliffe and Maconie on Radio Two. If you haven't heard them you should. Radio Two has changed. My Dad doesn't listen to it anymore.
I am typing this listening to Radcliffe and Maconie on Radio Two. If you haven't heard them you should. Radio Two has changed. My Dad doesn't listen to it anymore.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
A Bit About Me part 1
I thought I'd give you a few biographical details, because I know you are all desperate to know about me!
I'm not a Geordie although I have lived here in Newcastle for nearly twenty years. I was born in London but brought up in Hertfordshire,in a small market town (well it was in the Sixties) halfway between London and Cambridge. I hated it and couldn't wait to leave which I did when I was 18 going off to University in Manchester. I chose Manchester simply because of the music coming out of there in the late 70s and in particular three bands I was into in : The Buzzcocks, The Distractions and Joy Division. I thought it would be a great music city and it was.
Music dominated my teens from being about 14 and discovering Alan Freeman on a Saturday afternoon playing Axe Victim by Be Bop Deluxe. I discovered music's power to totally stop me dead in my tracks. Be Bop and Bill Nelson went onto to be my first great music passion. I might post a Be Bop classic later when I get to grips with this blogging lark.
Growing up, the house was always full of music.My Dad was a great Jazz fan so I grew up listening to Dave Brubeck, Modern Jazz Quartet, Stan Getz, Chet Baker Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday etc. Radio Two was always on in the car and I would listen to Radio 1 and Radio Caroline(mk11)most days in my bedroom.
That's enough for now. the Sun is shining, the snow has gone and I have work to do. Catch up with you later.
I'm not a Geordie although I have lived here in Newcastle for nearly twenty years. I was born in London but brought up in Hertfordshire,in a small market town (well it was in the Sixties) halfway between London and Cambridge. I hated it and couldn't wait to leave which I did when I was 18 going off to University in Manchester. I chose Manchester simply because of the music coming out of there in the late 70s and in particular three bands I was into in : The Buzzcocks, The Distractions and Joy Division. I thought it would be a great music city and it was.
Music dominated my teens from being about 14 and discovering Alan Freeman on a Saturday afternoon playing Axe Victim by Be Bop Deluxe. I discovered music's power to totally stop me dead in my tracks. Be Bop and Bill Nelson went onto to be my first great music passion. I might post a Be Bop classic later when I get to grips with this blogging lark.
Growing up, the house was always full of music.My Dad was a great Jazz fan so I grew up listening to Dave Brubeck, Modern Jazz Quartet, Stan Getz, Chet Baker Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday etc. Radio Two was always on in the car and I would listen to Radio 1 and Radio Caroline(mk11)most days in my bedroom.
That's enough for now. the Sun is shining, the snow has gone and I have work to do. Catch up with you later.
Monday, 2 February 2009
Let it Snow , Let it Snow, Let it Snow.
Well, all those wimps in London. 2 inches of snow here and I got to work alright!. Having said that it did take me twice as long as normal and I only work 3 miles from home. The traffic was horrendous and I had to come in via Town and get a bus out again. Bit of a sneaky post this one as I had assumed that Blogspot would be surf controlled.Perhaps the work IT geeks didn't make it in. Access at work will make this Blog easier to do, rather than fight for the PC with my son as he follows NFL sites.
A bit tired today as i stayed up with aforemnetioned 17 year old son to watch the first quarter of Superbowl. My son has really got into American Football in the last two years. He plays for Gateshead Senators Youth team (as a Tight end whatever one of those is). They got to Britbowl last year but lost in the Final to a London team. So he tries to get me interested, but I just can't get excited about a game that has about 2 minutes of activity every 15 minutes.Give me proper football anyday. Talking of which the draw in the North East derby meant my wife was not as rajjie as I thought she might be at halftime. Still The Toon are going down. (Don't tell her I said that, please)
A bit tired today as i stayed up with aforemnetioned 17 year old son to watch the first quarter of Superbowl. My son has really got into American Football in the last two years. He plays for Gateshead Senators Youth team (as a Tight end whatever one of those is). They got to Britbowl last year but lost in the Final to a London team. So he tries to get me interested, but I just can't get excited about a game that has about 2 minutes of activity every 15 minutes.Give me proper football anyday. Talking of which the draw in the North East derby meant my wife was not as rajjie as I thought she might be at halftime. Still The Toon are going down. (Don't tell her I said that, please)
Sunday, 1 February 2009
Day Two
Cold, windy and some snow flurries. Between the gym, shopping and watching football on Sky I have failed to come up with anything original to say. I'm giving this a year and then will review it. A year is enough time for me.
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