Saturday 27 January 2018
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Big Garden Bird Watch and Burns Night Supper and ...
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Big Garden Bird Watch and Burns Night Supper and ...: End of January heralds the RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch that I've done for the past few years, in many ways in memory of my Mum as...
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Big Garden Bird Watch and Burns Night Supper and ...
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Big Garden Bird Watch and Burns Night Supper and ...: End of January heralds the RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch that I've done for the past few years, in many ways in memory of my Mum as...
Big Garden Bird Watch and Burns Night Supper and Australia Day.
End of January heralds the RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch that I've done for the past few years, in many ways in memory of my Mum as she liked birds, though the RSPB use the data to see what's happening with the different species, Greenfinches for instance are getting fewer and fewer. It's very easy to take part and the counter both time (one hour) & bird count is available online so your data can go straight on.
Results from our garden were: 1x Blackbird,12x House Sparrow,2x Goldfinch,1x Wren,1x Dunnock,18 x Starling,1x Wood Pidgeon.
It all went abit berserk when the Starlings descended! A couple of days ago on just glancing out the window I saw 3x Long Tailed Tits, no sign of them today of course! I discussed with Paul my tally and surprisingly it was abit more varied that his, considering they back onto fields and farmland. His was: 5x House Sparrow,2x Blue Tit, 2x Wood Pidgeon, 2x Robin,1x Wren.
A couple of nights ago it was Burns Night. Like last year we had everyone round for a Burns Night Supper. Haggis neeps and taties with salmon for Tara & Oliver. Abit down on numbers as Julian hasn't been well so him & Ella didn't come over and Laura has been ill as well & obviously Alec and Laura are still in Oz. Last year I asked Ellie to recite 'Ode to the Haggis' by Robert Burns but she wouldn't, so given she had a year to prepare I thought we'd get it this year but no! Though I should say she gave us a great rendition of 'Donald where's yer Troosers?' which was much better and a great laugh! The Scots delicacy of Cranachan (basically whipped cream mixed with whiskey, honey and oats layered with raspberries and raspberry puree) was our pudding. A great night!
Results from our garden were: 1x Blackbird,12x House Sparrow,2x Goldfinch,1x Wren,1x Dunnock,18 x Starling,1x Wood Pidgeon.
It all went abit berserk when the Starlings descended! A couple of days ago on just glancing out the window I saw 3x Long Tailed Tits, no sign of them today of course! I discussed with Paul my tally and surprisingly it was abit more varied that his, considering they back onto fields and farmland. His was: 5x House Sparrow,2x Blue Tit, 2x Wood Pidgeon, 2x Robin,1x Wren.
A couple of nights ago it was Burns Night. Like last year we had everyone round for a Burns Night Supper. Haggis neeps and taties with salmon for Tara & Oliver. Abit down on numbers as Julian hasn't been well so him & Ella didn't come over and Laura has been ill as well & obviously Alec and Laura are still in Oz. Last year I asked Ellie to recite 'Ode to the Haggis' by Robert Burns but she wouldn't, so given she had a year to prepare I thought we'd get it this year but no! Though I should say she gave us a great rendition of 'Donald where's yer Troosers?' which was much better and a great laugh! The Scots delicacy of Cranachan (basically whipped cream mixed with whiskey, honey and oats layered with raspberries and raspberry puree) was our pudding. A great night!
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| Haggis, taties, and Neeps behind. |
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| Cranachan |
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| Lovely photo of Alec & Laura on the beach on Australia Day. |
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| Alec's new haircut. Very smart, alittle bit 'Peaky Blinders' but very smart. |
Saturday 20 January 2018
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Magnum- Lost on the Road to Eternity
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Magnum- Lost on the Road to Eternity: I have blogged before about the excitement of getting hold of a new album, the same excitement I felt donkeys years ago when buying some ne...
Magnum- Lost on the Road to Eternity
I have blogged before about the excitement of getting hold of a new album, the same excitement I felt donkeys years ago when buying some new vinyl as it was then, so imagine my glee when on Friday, the first day of release, the latest Magnum album was delivered from Amazon!
You know what to expect from Magnum, their style doesn't change that much probably because the guitarist Tony Clarkin has written the vast majority of their songs, not that I'm complaining. Bands do change their styles over time, look at how Americanised Def Leppard became for instance, but putting on a Magnum album is very like putting on an album from Status Quo, you know, you just know it ain't going to have changed that much!
To the tracks then. The album starts with a track called 'Peaches and Cream.' It's a great start and very typically Magnum with good solid drumming from new(ish) drummer Lee Morris. 'Show me your hands' is quite a fast track for Magnum held together with a great bass line from Al Barrow, incidentally on a FaceBook chat with Al I asked him what tracks off this latest album would be played on tour, but he said it was a secret!! We are seeing the band at the Islington Assembly room in March, interestingly Al said 'it's like playing inside a wedding cake!'
A change of tempo to a slower song with 'Storm Baby' a track that's very like 'Gypsy Queen' from their previous album 'Sacred blood divine lies.'
'Welcome to the cosmic cabaret' is the longest track on the album at 8.08 minutes
with a searing guitar solo from Tony Clarkin and some interesting, almost psychedelic keyboards from Rick Benton who took over keyboard duties when Mark Stanway left the band mid tour last year. The track ends on a slower section and drifts off, its a good track but maybe abit too long.
Title tracks are always difficult. They've got to deliver the very essence of the album and 'Lost on the road to eternity' does not disappoint. It boasts a great piano opening and a rattling good riff, all very Magnum and very good! There's a guest vocalist on this one as well, not that Bob Catley needs any help, from Tobias Sammeg, also some great orchestral moments that help to make this a very worthy title track.
'Without love' was released as a single and is probably my favourite track, maybe because I've heard it more than the others but maybe not. It's a rollicking singalong type track just what I like. The Memsahib & I were talking about Magnum & one of the things she likes about them is that their songs tell a story, I suppose I've always been less about the words and more about a good tune and a chorus I can bellow out!
'Tell me what you've got to say' is a mid album track. Have to say its rather forgettable this one, doubt one we'll ever hear played live.
'Ya wanna be someone' is another faster track and held together by a solid if alittle dull bass line, 'Forbidden Masquerade' has a nice guitar solo by Tony Clarkin, it's a modest track, nothing new here but it does the trick.
The penultimate track is called 'Glory to ashes.' Dare I say it's another pretty nondescript track, nothing bad about it at all and the bass and drums keep it rolling along. 'Kings of the world' is the final offering from Magnum this time round it's the second longest track at 7.04 minutes and is classic Magnum, it's a fitting end of a very good album.
Many albums offer up a little extra for the fans in the shape of unrealised tracks, though it has to be said sometimes once you've listened you understand why they were unrealised so instead Magnum have an extra CD featuring live versions of four tracks off their previous album 'Sacred blood divine lies' being the title track, 'Crazy old mothers,' You're dreams won't die' & 'Twelve men wise and just.' Its a very good addition.
Turning to the artwork on the CD case, its again by Rodney Matthews full of mystical creatures and magical forests, this one has some better known characters on in the shape of Dorothy (no red shoes though? Copyright issues maybe?) with Tinman, Scarecrow and the Lion there's also Alice along with the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit and an amusing figure of 'Death' sporting a Mickey Mouse badge, though my favourite is a dog running off with a string of sausages. He is probably called Ralph :)
There you have it. I felt real excitement when this little gem dropped through the letter box, it's a long time since I've actually got hold of an album on its realise date and it did not disappoint.
You know what to expect from Magnum, their style doesn't change that much probably because the guitarist Tony Clarkin has written the vast majority of their songs, not that I'm complaining. Bands do change their styles over time, look at how Americanised Def Leppard became for instance, but putting on a Magnum album is very like putting on an album from Status Quo, you know, you just know it ain't going to have changed that much!
To the tracks then. The album starts with a track called 'Peaches and Cream.' It's a great start and very typically Magnum with good solid drumming from new(ish) drummer Lee Morris. 'Show me your hands' is quite a fast track for Magnum held together with a great bass line from Al Barrow, incidentally on a FaceBook chat with Al I asked him what tracks off this latest album would be played on tour, but he said it was a secret!! We are seeing the band at the Islington Assembly room in March, interestingly Al said 'it's like playing inside a wedding cake!'
A change of tempo to a slower song with 'Storm Baby' a track that's very like 'Gypsy Queen' from their previous album 'Sacred blood divine lies.'
'Welcome to the cosmic cabaret' is the longest track on the album at 8.08 minutes
with a searing guitar solo from Tony Clarkin and some interesting, almost psychedelic keyboards from Rick Benton who took over keyboard duties when Mark Stanway left the band mid tour last year. The track ends on a slower section and drifts off, its a good track but maybe abit too long.
Title tracks are always difficult. They've got to deliver the very essence of the album and 'Lost on the road to eternity' does not disappoint. It boasts a great piano opening and a rattling good riff, all very Magnum and very good! There's a guest vocalist on this one as well, not that Bob Catley needs any help, from Tobias Sammeg, also some great orchestral moments that help to make this a very worthy title track.
'Without love' was released as a single and is probably my favourite track, maybe because I've heard it more than the others but maybe not. It's a rollicking singalong type track just what I like. The Memsahib & I were talking about Magnum & one of the things she likes about them is that their songs tell a story, I suppose I've always been less about the words and more about a good tune and a chorus I can bellow out!
'Tell me what you've got to say' is a mid album track. Have to say its rather forgettable this one, doubt one we'll ever hear played live.
'Ya wanna be someone' is another faster track and held together by a solid if alittle dull bass line, 'Forbidden Masquerade' has a nice guitar solo by Tony Clarkin, it's a modest track, nothing new here but it does the trick.
The penultimate track is called 'Glory to ashes.' Dare I say it's another pretty nondescript track, nothing bad about it at all and the bass and drums keep it rolling along. 'Kings of the world' is the final offering from Magnum this time round it's the second longest track at 7.04 minutes and is classic Magnum, it's a fitting end of a very good album.
Many albums offer up a little extra for the fans in the shape of unrealised tracks, though it has to be said sometimes once you've listened you understand why they were unrealised so instead Magnum have an extra CD featuring live versions of four tracks off their previous album 'Sacred blood divine lies' being the title track, 'Crazy old mothers,' You're dreams won't die' & 'Twelve men wise and just.' Its a very good addition.
Turning to the artwork on the CD case, its again by Rodney Matthews full of mystical creatures and magical forests, this one has some better known characters on in the shape of Dorothy (no red shoes though? Copyright issues maybe?) with Tinman, Scarecrow and the Lion there's also Alice along with the Cheshire Cat and White Rabbit and an amusing figure of 'Death' sporting a Mickey Mouse badge, though my favourite is a dog running off with a string of sausages. He is probably called Ralph :)
There you have it. I felt real excitement when this little gem dropped through the letter box, it's a long time since I've actually got hold of an album on its realise date and it did not disappoint.
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| Excellent album artwork featuring lots of well know characters. |
Wednesday 17 January 2018
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Sheringham.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Sheringham.: Another jaunt round Norfolk led to a night away at The Two Lifeboats in Sheringham. A nice place my room even had a sea view but the weathe...
Sheringham.
Another jaunt round Norfolk led to a night away at The Two Lifeboats in Sheringham. A nice place my room even had a sea view but the weather was freezing, fortunately they'd thought to put an extra heater in the room which helped immensely.
Repaired to the bar for a beer, abit lax today as I think the beer I had was called Lifeboat Ale, it was 3.4% in strength but that's all I know! Dinner was a very good leek and potato soup followed by steak pie, veg & chips. All really good. Too stuffed for a pud so called it a day & went back to my room, thought about going for a walk but as I've already said it was freezing so didn't bother!
I've had better cooked breakfasts to be honest, it wasn't bad but I could have knocked nails in with my sausage! (oh matron!) journey onwards around Norfolk and home via Mildenhall and whilst driving past the RAF base ( used by the USAF) an F15 jet just about landed on the roof of the car......well that's what it felt like anyway, looking quickly right I saw it speed along onto the runway, that noise! It really does look and sound like a killing machine, not like a Spitfire for instance, even though of course it was. The growl of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine of a Spit or four of them on a Lancaster is an awesome sound, one that always puts the hairs up on he back of my neck. Not so the F15, it just spoke death and danger. Other than that an uneventful drive back home, pleased to see my new Airbourne CD, 'No guts no glory' ordered a week ago had arrived as well, an Aussie band that sound alot like AC/DC which is fine by me. I shall enjoy listening to it.
Repaired to the bar for a beer, abit lax today as I think the beer I had was called Lifeboat Ale, it was 3.4% in strength but that's all I know! Dinner was a very good leek and potato soup followed by steak pie, veg & chips. All really good. Too stuffed for a pud so called it a day & went back to my room, thought about going for a walk but as I've already said it was freezing so didn't bother!
I've had better cooked breakfasts to be honest, it wasn't bad but I could have knocked nails in with my sausage! (oh matron!) journey onwards around Norfolk and home via Mildenhall and whilst driving past the RAF base ( used by the USAF) an F15 jet just about landed on the roof of the car......well that's what it felt like anyway, looking quickly right I saw it speed along onto the runway, that noise! It really does look and sound like a killing machine, not like a Spitfire for instance, even though of course it was. The growl of a Rolls Royce Merlin engine of a Spit or four of them on a Lancaster is an awesome sound, one that always puts the hairs up on he back of my neck. Not so the F15, it just spoke death and danger. Other than that an uneventful drive back home, pleased to see my new Airbourne CD, 'No guts no glory' ordered a week ago had arrived as well, an Aussie band that sound alot like AC/DC which is fine by me. I shall enjoy listening to it.
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| Lifeboat Ale and a read about Norfolk CAMRA |
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| Leek and potato soup |
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| Steak pie, veg and chips |
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| F15 USAF fighter |
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| New CD waiting for me on my return home |
Friday 12 January 2018
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Fast Eddie.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Fast Eddie.: Another one bites the dust. Fast Eddie Clarke one of the original members of Motorhead has died, so all the originals are now dead. It'...
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Fast Eddie.
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Fast Eddie.: Another one bites the dust. Fast Eddie Clarke one of the original members of Motorhead has died, so all the originals are now dead. It'...
Fast Eddie.
Another one bites the dust. Fast Eddie Clarke one of the original members of Motorhead has died, so all the originals are now dead. It's not strictly true to call them all originals I think there was a couple of line up changes in the very early days (Larry Wallis I think) but the line of Lemmy on bass, Phily Phil Taylor on drums & Fast Eddie on guitar was the band who made Motorhead popular and of course got into the charts with 'Ace of Spades.' He was only 67 years old so no great age.
I met them all once, bizarrely at Saxon gig. They were at the bar & my friends & I noticed who they were just before everyone else did! They were kind enough to give me their autographs and it certainly made our evening!
He only sang on a few songs, namely 'Beer drinkers & hell raisers,' 'I'm your witch doctor,' 'Step down,' 'Stone dead forever,'(on the Bomber deluxe album ) and 'Emergency' the b side of 'St Valentines day Massacre' EP made with Girlschool, leaving most of the vocals to Lemmy.
Fast Eddie left Motorhead in 1982 , a long time ago it must be said. He went on to form a band called Fastway, saw them the year before last supporting Saxon with Girlschool also in the line up. To be honest I found them a bit predicable in what they played, it was all rather pedestrian which is a shame. He came back out on stage with Saxon later on for a rendition of 'Ace of Spades' in memory of Lemmy. Now Fast Eddie has joined his old band mates......or not as the case maybe. The legendary Motorhead really are no more.
I met them all once, bizarrely at Saxon gig. They were at the bar & my friends & I noticed who they were just before everyone else did! They were kind enough to give me their autographs and it certainly made our evening!
He only sang on a few songs, namely 'Beer drinkers & hell raisers,' 'I'm your witch doctor,' 'Step down,' 'Stone dead forever,'(on the Bomber deluxe album ) and 'Emergency' the b side of 'St Valentines day Massacre' EP made with Girlschool, leaving most of the vocals to Lemmy.
Fast Eddie left Motorhead in 1982 , a long time ago it must be said. He went on to form a band called Fastway, saw them the year before last supporting Saxon with Girlschool also in the line up. To be honest I found them a bit predicable in what they played, it was all rather pedestrian which is a shame. He came back out on stage with Saxon later on for a rendition of 'Ace of Spades' in memory of Lemmy. Now Fast Eddie has joined his old band mates......or not as the case maybe. The legendary Motorhead really are no more.
Tuesday 2 January 2018
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Whatever happened to Baby Jane?
An idiots guide to an Idiot: Whatever happened to Baby Jane?: This film was made in 1962 and starred Bette Davis and Joan Crawford who according to the Hollywood legend just didn't get on. It'...
Whatever happened to Baby Jane?
This film was made in 1962 and starred Bette Davis and Joan Crawford who according to the Hollywood legend just didn't get on.
It's become a classic film, one of those 'must see's' one of those 'you haven't seen it? oh darling you simply must!' a legendary film that didn't get any Oscars supposedly scuppered by Joan Crawford as had Bette Davis got one it would have been her third and a record.
It's the sort of film you think you have seen as its shown quite regularly but I don't think we'd ever watched it from start to finish. It was on again over xmas so we settled down with a glass of something nice to watch it.
It's in black and white which I think works, it was originally to be shot in colour but Bette Davis objected saying it would make a sad story look pretty. It does have a certain starkness which I like and of course Davis's grotesque make up looks all the worse for it. She did her own make up apparently, when the writer of the book Henry Farrell first saw it he said it was exactly what he had in his mind for Baby Jane.
If you haven't seen it, its well worth a watch even though it only got one star rating in Halliwells Film Guide. Bette Davis plays Baby Jane a former child star who's star has long since faded. She thinks she is to blame for the accident that paralysed her actress sister. Baby Jane , full of guilt I think devotes her life to looking after her sister Blanche & goes loopy in the process. However Blanche isn't the goody goody you'd think as she blamed Jane even though it was her own fault. Padded out abit more than that of course, there's a great character called Edwin played by Victor Buono with a cod English accent and his 'gor blimey cockney Mum (even though in reality the actress Marjorie Bennett was born in Australia).
It's a good film, probably won't watch it again but good to say you've seen it.
It's become a classic film, one of those 'must see's' one of those 'you haven't seen it? oh darling you simply must!' a legendary film that didn't get any Oscars supposedly scuppered by Joan Crawford as had Bette Davis got one it would have been her third and a record.
It's the sort of film you think you have seen as its shown quite regularly but I don't think we'd ever watched it from start to finish. It was on again over xmas so we settled down with a glass of something nice to watch it.
It's in black and white which I think works, it was originally to be shot in colour but Bette Davis objected saying it would make a sad story look pretty. It does have a certain starkness which I like and of course Davis's grotesque make up looks all the worse for it. She did her own make up apparently, when the writer of the book Henry Farrell first saw it he said it was exactly what he had in his mind for Baby Jane.
If you haven't seen it, its well worth a watch even though it only got one star rating in Halliwells Film Guide. Bette Davis plays Baby Jane a former child star who's star has long since faded. She thinks she is to blame for the accident that paralysed her actress sister. Baby Jane , full of guilt I think devotes her life to looking after her sister Blanche & goes loopy in the process. However Blanche isn't the goody goody you'd think as she blamed Jane even though it was her own fault. Padded out abit more than that of course, there's a great character called Edwin played by Victor Buono with a cod English accent and his 'gor blimey cockney Mum (even though in reality the actress Marjorie Bennett was born in Australia).
It's a good film, probably won't watch it again but good to say you've seen it.
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