Went to London this weekend. My sister-in-law's birthday. It was a weekend of childless bliss. The son was in France (Marseille to be exact doing something with the school, daughter doing a Duke of Edinburgh expedition in the Yorkshire Dales)
So it was champagne in the bar at St Pancras(heated seats and blankets to keep you warm no less). More champagne in Dirty Martinis in Convent Garden and blonde beer and mussels at Belgo
Saturday was spent mostly recovering from Friday's excesses and then into Guildford for drinks at The Slug and Lettuce and meal at Olivos. Our enjoyment of this whole hedonistic (and very expensive)binge was not spoiled by the best efforts of National Express East Coast and their engineering works.
London is my home and going back makes me miss it. We walked across the Thames to Waterloo to get the train out to Surrey (past Woking and yes I do look out for Stanley Road)and that made me remember this song from the late 1970s mod/rnb revival
MP3 Dirty Water- The Inmates
They were a solid hard working bunch of musicians playng straightforward RnB Pub rock. This is a cover of a song by a band from Boston- The Standells (thank you Mr Internet)
Monday, 30 March 2009
Monday, 23 March 2009
Start The Week
Late start a work today. So I am at home. My meeting doesn't start til 10 and finishes at 2. A short day methinks. I could go to the Office but frankly I can't be arsed.
Lovely weekend weather wise, well at least Saturday was. I spent most of Saturday trudging round Durham. My son is away at the end of the week and in a typical spectacularly incompetent teenage way had forgotten that his Passport needed renewing. So Passport Office in Durham it was. A four hour service (great). That will be £114 thank you, sir.(not so great). He says he will give me the extra money back. Not sure how as he hasn't worked for a while.But it was good to have father son time which has been a bit short this year as he has lost interest in football just as Posh are challenging for promotion to the Championship. Timing!!. Kids! I mean we have been through the bad years, ermm that's every year since we started going together- except 2000 Div Three play off final at Wembley- and just as things are looking up he loses interest. Still I'm looking forward to the Posh v Toon next season.
Saying this caused major argument over the weekend with the wife. Geordies, eh? No sense of humour when it comes to football.
Lovely weekend weather wise, well at least Saturday was. I spent most of Saturday trudging round Durham. My son is away at the end of the week and in a typical spectacularly incompetent teenage way had forgotten that his Passport needed renewing. So Passport Office in Durham it was. A four hour service (great). That will be £114 thank you, sir.(not so great). He says he will give me the extra money back. Not sure how as he hasn't worked for a while.But it was good to have father son time which has been a bit short this year as he has lost interest in football just as Posh are challenging for promotion to the Championship. Timing!!. Kids! I mean we have been through the bad years, ermm that's every year since we started going together- except 2000 Div Three play off final at Wembley- and just as things are looking up he loses interest. Still I'm looking forward to the Posh v Toon next season.
Saying this caused major argument over the weekend with the wife. Geordies, eh? No sense of humour when it comes to football.
Friday, 20 March 2009
Music Pt 4
I got the Factory Communications Box set for my birthday present. Track 6 Disc 1 is Time Goes By So Slow by The Distractions.
I tell people it was the music of Joy Division and The Buzzcocks that made me choose Manchester as my University. This is true but its also just as true that it was The Distractions' EP " You're Not Going Out Dressed Like That" that persuaded me to go.
Of all the bands I have loved The Distractions reign supreme. In the 4 years I lived in Manchester I saw them 8 times. This is still my record for seeing a band, even including The Wedding Present. They were unpretentious intelligent pop. They were not very good looking (not even Pip Nicholls the gay bass player). They didn't have a "look" but they could play. They were also nice people. Mike Finney the lead singer recognised me from the audience and stopped at a bus stop and gave me a lift home one time after a gig. Which was nice as the bus was late and I was tired and cold.
They released a few singles , recorded one perfect pop album for Island (Nobody's Perfect), one great EP including the wonderful songs Ghost of A Chance and Love is NotFor Me and then broke up. I still miss them, they just pushed all my "pop" buttons
Here is the song that got me hooked, from that original EP that first made me take notice.
MP3 It Doen't Bother Me
I tell people it was the music of Joy Division and The Buzzcocks that made me choose Manchester as my University. This is true but its also just as true that it was The Distractions' EP " You're Not Going Out Dressed Like That" that persuaded me to go.
Of all the bands I have loved The Distractions reign supreme. In the 4 years I lived in Manchester I saw them 8 times. This is still my record for seeing a band, even including The Wedding Present. They were unpretentious intelligent pop. They were not very good looking (not even Pip Nicholls the gay bass player). They didn't have a "look" but they could play. They were also nice people. Mike Finney the lead singer recognised me from the audience and stopped at a bus stop and gave me a lift home one time after a gig. Which was nice as the bus was late and I was tired and cold.
They released a few singles , recorded one perfect pop album for Island (Nobody's Perfect), one great EP including the wonderful songs Ghost of A Chance and Love is NotFor Me and then broke up. I still miss them, they just pushed all my "pop" buttons
Here is the song that got me hooked, from that original EP that first made me take notice.
MP3 It Doen't Bother Me
Thursday, 19 March 2009
Spring!
The last two days have been rather wonderful, at least weather wise. It was my Birthday on Tuesday so I had the day off and my annual Guinness(the curse of sharing a birthday with St Patrick). We went up the coast and walked on the beach at Warkworth before having a meal at The Hermitage Inn in the village. The beach is a classic east coast Northumberland beach- expansive, cold wind blowing with brilliant clear blue skies up above and deserted most of the year). Its not the best beach up the coast, in my opinion that honour belongs to the beach at Bamburgh, but its pretty good. See this website from a local photographer for pictures if you've never been to Bamburgh.
The Hermitage Inn was a good place. Food was slightly adventurous ( the wife had sea bass and lime fishcakes)but not too daring. Judging by the number of people asking for it, the 7 sausage pie must be good.
Yesterday was back at work but the day was made by the walk across the Moor to work in the beautiful early spring sunshine. The days are getting longer and the temperature a bit warmer. Spring is the best time of year in the North East and between April and June we often get our best days. It give you hope after the long cold, dark winter.
The Hermitage Inn was a good place. Food was slightly adventurous ( the wife had sea bass and lime fishcakes)but not too daring. Judging by the number of people asking for it, the 7 sausage pie must be good.
Yesterday was back at work but the day was made by the walk across the Moor to work in the beautiful early spring sunshine. The days are getting longer and the temperature a bit warmer. Spring is the best time of year in the North East and between April and June we often get our best days. It give you hope after the long cold, dark winter.
Saturday, 14 March 2009
Saturday Boy
I'm in good mood. A cheque has arrived today which I have been waiting for for a while. Money worries are over (for the time being at least).
The Wedding Present are the band I have listened to consistently the most over the last 20+ years.
If I had could have guaranteed this money would turn up, I might have been tempted to go to Japan to see them play there on their current Tour. But, that would be too reckless for a respectable middle aged local government officer like me. Thank God for T'Internet. I can see them on my PC playing two songs - one outstanding, one average TWP. Work out for yourself which one is which by clicking here
The Wedding Present are the band I have listened to consistently the most over the last 20+ years.
If I had could have guaranteed this money would turn up, I might have been tempted to go to Japan to see them play there on their current Tour. But, that would be too reckless for a respectable middle aged local government officer like me. Thank God for T'Internet. I can see them on my PC playing two songs - one outstanding, one average TWP. Work out for yourself which one is which by clicking here
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