I Am Mainly Wearing.....

green sunglasses in hope and support for a free Iran....

Christ Alive - It's The Romo For Real no 24 Podcast

About bloody time too despite the fact it is awfully late here at Romo Towers. Oh it's only 02:30 - don't mind me. Podcast no 24 - here it is. You can download it from my main podcast page here. Enjoy!

Kaja Whaaaaat?!

Oh dear - I have been so busy being busy and saving my backside from freelance penury that I clean forgot to celebrate my blog's 5th birthday. How about a cake to celebrate? I think I'll have this one:

Goodness - what was the baker thinking of? Anyway - what I want to know is why are Kajagoogoo are getting back together? Obvious - money. But, and there is a big but WHO would want to go and see them - especially as they now look like this:

I had no idea Grayson Perry was part of the reunion line-up did you? On the subject of reunions - The Specials performed a few blinder gigs earlier this month - I recommend you cast your eye over a great review here at my mate Ister's if you want to feel like you were there as well as read some fine commentary on the very subject of 80's band reunions. Some people unfairly referred to this year's Specials reunion as 'chicken in a basket'. What with Kajagoogoo and the like of The Nolan Sisters dusting down their burnt orange polyester cameltoe outfits I find the prospect of them returning more Iceland 100 Vol-au-Vent platters for a £1 if you ask me.

I'm not too shy shy hush hush are you are - I'm off to the Kaja Forum to chat to some real fans and find out just who on earth is going to buy tickets to see them this time around. I might just browse the Kaja Shop too for some fake plaits and white espadrilles while I am at it. I hear they are big in Germany. So is David Hasselhof. Enough said.

Oh no you don't ladies! Keep back!

Spring roll platter anyone?

Let's Get Lost

A few weeks ago I caught up with Bruce Weber's Let's Get Lost (1988) documentary which is about legendary jazz artist Chet Baker. It is a beautiful and seminal biopic of someone's life through their own eyes. If you have never seen it I can highly recommend it. It is beautifully shot and edited. Weber and Baker became very close friends which adds to the candour and beauty of it all.


I have always been a huge fan of Chet's. Just the name Chet sounds cool doesn't it? Chet had it all - amazingly handsome and cool of gait, ridiculous talent for playing the trumpet, brilliant songwriter and his honeycoated voice was so original one wonders how he managed to be so perfect. He also had an legendary appetite for drugs, drink and all out self-destruction. Somehow, despite the fact he lost all his front teeth (official version: in a fight, apparently too ashamed to admit was actually through drug use) he re-adjusted his 'embouchure' and had to learn to play with dentures. For many trumpet players in this position their career would be over or at the very least their technique/sound changed - Chet's never faltered. He was a perfectionist.


Chet's version of My Funny Valentine is epic. My best and sadly departed friend Abbie secretly arranged for a band to play it for me once in a crabshack in US - absolutely brilliant. Despite his his crazy fucked up life he remained true to his sound, his instrument and his work. An enigmatic, clever and tragic man. A beautiful man.

This is Chet in 1987 (a year before he died) performing My Funny Valentine in Tokyo. I really do recommend you watch and listen to it to the end as Chet hated it when people talked all the way through. He really did like hearing the audience listen and so they should. Ironically it wasn't the drugs that killed him. He fell from his apartment window in Amsterdam in 1988.



Shivers, goosebumps, tears. A remarkable man.

The Clement Freud Memorial Blogmeet

Date: Fri 17 April 2009
Time: 19:00 >
Venue: The French House (a pub that only serves halves as Billy so rightly pointed out)


Well I did meet the beautiful and radiant Miss Slaminsky at Amy Winehouse's other home The Hawley Arms in Camden first where I manically tweeted "Pixie Geldof's in da house and she is dead posh in her cycling shorts and big boots". Couldn't help myself sorry. Yaaaawnn.


Then we hot-footed it off (still talking ten to the dozen like proper girls do when they get together) to blogmeetarama en Soho. There we hooked up with him, her and him. Oh we had such a lovely time despite the rain and all being kissed by a happy grateful homeless man who came up and rather honestly claimed he needed money for booze. At which point Billy piped up saying "oh at least he didn't say heroin' at which point Mr Footman said to the man "oh I would have had to give you a fiver if you had asked me for that!". The man was very pleased with his cull of money and went out of his way to say thank you by kissing each and every one of us on the cheek. I think he admired our honesty too in a way. It sort of made my chin go a bit itchy though but probably because I am prone to a winning combination of over-imagination and sensitive skin. Amidst waxing lyrical over Derek Griffiths and Tim's (or was it Llewtrah's?) relationship to Brian Cant (brothers wife's sister's husband I think) conversation turned to the late Clement Freud. Tim told this joke - one of Clement's finest. So for those of you that weren't there and in the absence of my inability to whip up a blogmeet manifesto mainly because there is a very good one here I therefore furnish you with 'that' joke:



Bye bye Clement. Bye bye JG Ballard too. Hurray for meetings of blog.

Did You want Marmite With That?

Sorry. This post isn't about how nice or revolting Marmite is - it is about the power of the underground restaurant ladies and gentlemen although there is a marmite connection that will become clear shortly. Being the thoroughly modern techMiss that I am (not very) I have been spending a bit of time over here lately. It's quite amazing what one can achieve in 140 characters or less - and it is quite amazing who you bump into via friends of real life friends and what you can learn about/do. Somehow, I can't quite work out how I became a follower/followee of Ms Marmite Lover but thank god I did. Ms Marmite Lover is an innovative and clever writer, astrologer, blogger and cook who conceived and runs The Underground Restaurant. I can hear a chorus of 'what's that'?


The Underground Restaurant explores the thoroughly modern and fantastic phenomenon of turning your living room into a restaurant every week and serving a wonderful bespoke supper for a very reasonable £20-£25 a head (they also do concessions). The procedure is all very exciting and mysterious as are the teen goth/beautiful rockabilly staff and an after-pudding chat with Ms Marmite herself. Most of the produce is organic and all of it is vegetarian. No don't turn your nose up - see irresistable sample menu below for more detail. What I like about this apart from the obvious food part is that all of this operates on trust. Trust to open your house to complete strangers and cook for them. Brilliant and something that is much needed in this ugly age of mistrust and selfishness. A proper night out with an added 'new media' skew on it if you like.


Here is this week's menu:

Kir Royale

My marinated olives

Thai fish cakes with a sweet and sour coriander and cucumber dipping sauce

Focaccia from the Aga

Stilton and butternut squash risotto aided by Marghe

Mache (lambs leaf) salad with quails eggs and mustard dressing

Chocolate simnel cake

Baby Easter eggs

Coffee

You can check out the main Ms Marmite food blog here for further details, pictorial 'how to' guides and wonderful mouthwatering recipes. Interested? You can book here.

The Underground Restaurant are also now running The Underground Cooking Class in conjunction with other specialist boutique chefs such as Roberto Cortez where you can learn how to make magic frozen caviar with blue curacao amongst other things - see here for wonderful step-by- step guide on Ms Marmite's food blog.

I am off to purchase my ticket without further ado.

PS: Oh and they do the occasional proper tea as well - delicious!

(all photo's kind permission and (c) of Ms Marmite Lover/The Underground Restaurant)

Bowie's In Spaaaace

For all you Bowie fans out there - it's fab, it's Friday and it's Flight Of the Conchords wiiiiiiiith......
Bowies' In Space (Do You Want To Borrow My Jumper Bowie?)



Ta ra for now peeps x

Roger Mellie Is Alive and Well

Well almost. The continuing saga of Jadedeathgate which once again has been uber-exacerbated by the Daily Scrote (no I won't link to the Daily Mail because they are offal on the bottom of my shoe - find them yourself) has reached an unprecedented high in the slavishly cheap reporting of her passing. Here is an example of 'a touching tribute picked out especially by husband Jack Tweed today':


Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? No I think I'll compare you to a teabag darling. The card reads like a Viz Top Tip - who on earth wrote this? And it's huge and looks like it has been made out of pink icing. Has the world gone mad? I think Jade Goody's death is both tragic and frightening. I think she has done a great thing raising awareness for cervical cancer and has shown exceptional bravery in the face of her shockingly premature demise but that is what happens when you are dying - it gets ridiculously busy and there is no one as forthright or humblingly brave as a dying person. It sounds odd but when I looked after my terminally ill friend I felt both numb and privileged. Numb in the sense it all seemed so unreal and you could do nothing but accept the unrelentingly gruelling situation which was very tough on the psyche at times. Privileged in the sense that it was extraordinary to witness such strength in the face of knowing and feeling there is very little time left - the moment is crystal clear at all times, the moment is there like a big hand in front of your face. I bow to Jade's honesty in allowing the press/tv to follow this process but I can't help feeling it all turned a bit 'Team Jade'. Is this the acceptable face of reporting now? Is there anything we don't need to know anymore? I find that invasive and sad. I think it also creates a 'them' and 'us' divide in society. Not that healthy really.

DHSS and all that

Yes - one in ten school-leavers are now unemployed. Perhaps this song needs to be re-released? Unfortunately it may lead to more UB40 songs being re-released which would not be good. I think this was the only song they did that was any good. An anthem for the Thatcher and now post-Blair generation.

Salmon Crochet

Here is another secret snap a la Roche Mere.

Crochet? On the bus? I pity the recipient of this cardigan or blanket I really do. She was absolutely engrossed as she deftly wound the unfortunate salmon twine and had headphones on. I wonder what she was listening to? Someone on twitter suggested Nitin Sawhney - chortle fnar!

Karmarama

It has been an auspicious week after the found wallet was returned to it's rightful owner (see previous post).

Saturday - got an e mail saying that we have been shortlisted for another development scheme run by UK Film Council/Tribeca Film Festival. They only take two prod/dir teams a year. We do the conference call today. Let's hope we get through but to be shortlisted alone is pretty good news. If we get it - we go to LA in April to pitch the film to more than 20 'execs'. Cool.

Monday - can't pay any any bills - various production companies owe us and are not paying and very overdue - we worry all day

Tuesday - get a call from a company did work for last year - they were calling to apologise that they have sent last 4 payments to wrong sort code - they owe us £2500.00 !!! We are now no longer panic-stricken and can pay bills.

Weds - my lovely friend Anna gives me a brand new (and much needed) mattress to say thank you for me helping her move house and doing DIY. I didn't expect a present - I did it because she is a single mum and my friend!

Today - come back from dropping the feisty small ginger squidget off at school and notice that there is a wine box on the doorstep. Two incredibly sumptious bottles of wine and a card saying: Dear Rockmother, thank you for being such a good samaritan. It genuinely made my bottom lip tremble and I got a little teary as I really didn't expect a present or to be called a good samaritan. Sniff sniff. Just off to blow my nose and wonder over the joy of good deeds.

The World In A Wallet

I did a very good deed last Wednesday and it nearly didn't happen. It wouldn't have happened had I not been so indecisive and changed my usual route home which is what I did by changing trains at the very last minute. Waiting on the opposite platform for an alternative train I watched one come and go. As the doors closed I heard the hefty thwack of a wallet hit the platform. I rushed forward and realised that one of the couple who I could see rammed up against the now closed doors must have dropped it. I knocked on the doors of the train waving the wallet to get the couple's attention. They completely ignored me and turned their backs laughing together - then the train jerked forward. I stepped back a bit anxious as to what to do. I looked around and no one seemed to have even noticed this little non-exchange so I just stood there with this big thick man's wallet throbbing like a heavy heart in my hand. I stuffed it in my bag under a book in case it should get lost again and decided to hand it in to the station police once I got to the other end. But of course - there were no police at the other end and I suddenly had the feeling should I be bothered to hand it in at a local police station it would probably end up languishing in a drawer never to be returned.

I took it home and had a proper look through it. No cash, a few cards, family photo's (some very old), driver's licence and a ticket for the Chelsea vs Juventus game which was starting in 30 mins! It then became apparent that the owner of the wallet wasn't even from London but Belfast and was probably at that point standing bewildered at the turnstile! I had another rifle through it and found a hotel key. To cut a long story short - I called the main number as the key only had the word Radisson printed on it. I got put through to a lovely Irishman called Terry in Dublin (Radisson HQ apparently) who was very excited about the prospect that a customer was going to be reunited with their wallet. From that point on it all got a bit silly. For a start we located Mr Lost Wallet via the last 4 digits on his last remaining credit card. Terry in his amazement and excitement it transpires took my mobile number down minus a digit. He then spent the next two hours trying different configurations of my mobile number and finally by fluke got hold of me. When he did he was almost exploding with joy and told me I was a saint and deserved a big present - ohh I thought - a week's break at a Radisson of my choosing? A feature in the Radisson Monthly Newsletter? He then gave me Mr Lost Wallet's wife's mobile number although he said she may call me. He finished off by telling me that I was on his wavelength and there weren't enough people like us in the world. I couldn't agree more and I sort of wanted to give him a big telephone hug too.

Next...briiing briiiing....it's Mrs Mr Lost Wallet absolutely over the moon about the wallet. We went through an inventory of what was in the wallet, how I found it, how she has 10 daughters and if I get an odd message on facebook then it was them and Terry trying to find me and how her other daughter had won a competition recently - an all expenses paid trip for 2 to see the Chelsea game in London that night. Luckily, luckily because the lost wallet contained a ticket that was a prize they still managed to get into the game so all was not lost. Then she told me if I was ever in Belfast that I must visit (and I am the kind of person that would too). I asked her where in Belfast they were - ha - only the same road that my bloody cousins live in. Too too weird. At that point, we both had a communal telephone slurp of wine and chink of glasses as we shared the joy of it all. An hour later Mr Lost Wallet himself turned up to claim his wallet back. I invited him in as I went to get it. He said thank you, you'll be hearing from us and scuttled out into a minicab where his other smiling daughter waved from the back seat - and that was it. Do you know I think he said thank you but I can't be sure. I think he was a bit shy despite the fact he had ten daughters. Ten daughters. No wonder there wasn't any cash in the wallet.

Wife On the Edge

I took a secret photo on the tube last week. A lady reading crapmag Take A Break - she was totally engrossed in the Wife On The Edge article. I think the passenger next to her noticed me - although I didn't notice him at the time.

I love the contrast in aware/unawareness between the two passengers.

Things That Make You Go Eeouwch!

Oh dear has it been that long? I've been busy. Busy fighting my creative demons and creating you see. Actually I've been really busy on twatbook and twitter too if truth be known! I joined Twitter bloody ages ago - even before Stephen Fry who is the Lord Emperor of all that is Twittle. He even made me his friend after I commented on one of his twittles or twits or tweets or whatever they are called so I must say I am truly twittily honoured. There is something quite radically comforting and useful having to microblog in 140 characters or less. You can follow me at twitter if you so desire - I'm @rockmother not surprisingly. Don't all rush at once!

Aagh - take the scary lady with her record-breaking talons away - away I tell you! Despite the fact Lee Redmond has been rather admirably been growing her nails for 24 years at a combined length of just over 28 foot they are (in my opinion) disgusting! They make my toes curl - in the same way droopy hairy ears do. And as for varicose veins - I have been known to publicly retch on catching sight of some poor unfortunate's knotted calves. Ironically, Lee the nail lady from Salt Lake City (weirdo Mormon capital of the world) who looks like a cross between an alien and Bill Bailey has just lost her extra-long nails in a terrible car accident. I wonder if she will grow them again? How on earth has she managed to function all these years with nails that long? I would go to youtube as I am sure there is footage of her at home showing us how but someone else can do that and report back please.

On a lighter note - hurray - a new rockmockumentary is coming out soon - arise Anvil! Yes - real life Spinal Tap takes to the road in the form of long-forgotten and very loud Canadian rock band Anvil. You can watch the trailer here:



And if you are still reading and haven't had enough click here for Times article on a guide to 100 best blogs - cue feverish searching. How many on the list have got book deals I wonder?

Yarp! Ciao!

My Life According To Spotify This Week.....

Mike Watt – Burnin' For You
Mike Watt – Drove Up From Pedro
Mike Watt – IX
Electric Sandwich – China
Santogold – L.E.S. Artistes
Soft Machine – When I Don't Want You -
Original Soft Machine – Nettle Bed
Chromeo – Fancy Footwork
Chromeo – Bonafied Lovin' (Tough Guys)
Josh wink-higher state of cons – 01 josh wink-higher state of c
Smog – I Was a Stranger
Smog – To Be of Use
Smog – It's Rough
Smog – All Your Women Things
The Mamas & The Papas – I Can't Wait
Mr. Fingers – Can You Feel It
Sampson Moore – House Beat Box
Kraftwerk – Pocket Calculator
Kraftwerk – Die Roboter
Kraftwerk – The Telephone Call
Gary Numan – Are Friends Electric
Gary Numan – Are 'Friends' Electric (Live)
The Mamas & The Papas – California Dreamin'
The Mamas & The Papas – Monday, Monday
The Mamas & The Papas – Dancing in the Street
The Mamas & The Papas – Twelve Thirty (Young Girls Are Coming to the Canyon)
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Gold Lion (Diplo remix)
Marlena Shaw – California Soul (Diplo/Mad DeCent remix)
David Bowie – Heroes (Single Version)
David Bowie – Let's Dance (Single Version)
David Bowie – Young American
David Bowie – The Jean Genie
David Bowie – China Girl
David Bowie – Ashes To Ashes (Single Version)
David Bowie – Fame
David Bowie – Fashion (Single Version)
David Bowie – Golden Years (Single Version)
David Bowie – Ashes to Ashes
David Bowie – Beauty And The Beast
David Bowie – Heroes
David Bowie – Let's Dance
David Bowie – TVC15
The Stooges – 1969
Iggy Pop – 1969 (Live)
The Stooges – 1970
The Stooges – Down On The Street
The Stooges – Gimme Danger
Iggy Pop – I Got a Right!
The Stooges – I Need Somebody
Iggy Pop – I Wanna Be Your Dog
Iggy Pop – I Wanna Be Your Dog (Live)
The Stooges – Little Doll
Iggy Pop – Little Electric Chair
MC5 – Looking At You
The Stooges – Loose
The Stooges – My Idea of Fun
Iggy Pop – My Idea Of Fun (Live)
The Stooges – No Fun
The Stooges – Search and Destroy
The Stooges – Studio Dialogue
The Stooges – Trollin'
Money Mark – Push the Button
Money Mark – Too Like You
Money Mark – Monkey Dot
Money Mark – Tomorrow Will Be Like Today
Money Mark – Poor Shakes
Money Mark – Bossa Nova 101
Money Mark – Rock in the Rain
Money Mark – Crowns
Money Mark – All the People
Money Mark – Underneath It All
Money Mark – I Don't Play Piano
Money Mark – Destroyer
Money Mark – Hand in Your Head
Money Mark – Trust Money
Mark – Maybe I'm Dead
Money Mark – Dha Teen Ta
Money Mark – Powerhouse
Money Mark – Harmonics of Life
Money Mark – Stuck At The Airport
Money Mark – Color Of Your Blues
Money Mark – Pick Up The Pieces
Money Mark – Summer Blue
Money Mark – Pretend To Sleep
Money Mark – My Loss, Your Gain
Money Mark – Everyday I Die A Little
Money Mark – Radiate Nothing
Money Mark – Black Butterfly
Money Mark – Nice To Me
Money Mark – Eyes That Ring
Money Mark – Brand New By Tomorrow
Money Mark – Take Me Where The Flowers Grow
Money Mark – Love's Theme
Mike Watt – Sexual Military Dynamics
Mike Watt – E-Ticket Ride
Mike Watt – Big Train
Mike Watt – Against the '70s
Mike Watt – Piss-Bottle Man
Mike Watt – Chinese Firedrill
Mike Watt – Intense Song for Madonna to Sing
Mike Watt – Tuff Gnarl
Mike Watt – Max and Wells
Mike Watt – Forever - One Reporter's Opinion
Mike Watt – Song for Igor
Mike Watt – Tell 'Em, Boy!
Mike Watt – Sidemouse Advice
Mike Watt – Heartbeat
Mike Watt – Maggot Brain
Mike Watt – Coincidence Is Either Hit or Miss
Brian Auger – In And Out
KC and The Sunshine Band – Give It Up
KC and The Sunshine Band – Please Don't Go
KC and The Sunshine Band – (Shake Shake Shake) Shake Your Booty
KC and The Sunshine Band – I Get Lifted
KC and The Sunshine Band – Space Cadet
KC and The Sunshine Band – Black Water Gold
KC and The Sunshine Band – Fire In Your Eyes
KC and The Sunshine Band – Funky '75
The S.O.S. Band – Just Be Good to Me (album version)
Eagles Of Death Metal – I Want You So Hard (Boy's Bad News)
Eagles Of Death Metal – Wannabe In L.A
White Denim – Let's Talk About It
White Denim – Shake Shake Shake
White Denim – Sitting
White Denim – I Can Tell
White Denim – Heart From Us All
White Denim – Mess Your Hair Up
White Denim – All You Really Have To Do
White Denim – Don't Look That Way At It
White Denim – Darksided Computer Mouth
White Denim – IEIEI
White Denim – WDA
White Denim – Transparency
White Denim – You Can't Say
White Denim – Migration Wind
White Denim – All Truckers Roll
The Specials – A Message to You Rudy
The Specials – Concrete Jungle
The Specials – Do the Dog
The Specials – The Skinhead Symphony (Medley) (Live At The BBC)
The Specials – Blank Expression
The Specials – Pressure Drop
The Specials – Monkey Man
The Specials – Gangsters (Live At The BBC)
The Specials – Friday Night, Saturday Morning
The Specials – Too Much Too Young (Live At The BBC)
The Specials – Too Much Too Young
The Specials – Rat Race The Specials – Rat Race (Live At The BBC)
The Specials – Monkey Man (Live At The BBC)
The Specials – Concrete Jungle (Live At The BBC)
The Specials – Ghost Town The Specials – Little Bitch
The Specials – Man at C & A
Rico – Nite Klub
The Specials – Stupid Marriage
The Specials – Ghost Town (Extended Version)
En Vogue – Hold On
Mantronix – Got To Have Your Love (Radio Edit)
Mantronix – Who Is It? [Club Mix]
Mantronix – I Get Lifted
Mantronix – Hardcore Hip Hop
Slick Rick – The Show Live (feat. Doug E. Fresh)
Shanice – I Love Your Smile
N.E.R.D. – Everyone Nose (All the Girls Standing in the Line for the Bathroom)
N.E.R.D. – Spaz
N.E.R.D. – Yeah You
N.E.R.D. – You Know What
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheel Of Steel
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – White Lines
Grandmaster Flash – Step Off Megamix
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five feat. Melle Mel & Duke Bootee – The Message
The Sugarhill Gang – 8th Wonder
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – She's Fresh
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – It's a Shame
Grandmaster & Melle Mel & The Furious Five – Pump Me Up
The Sugarhill Gang – Livin' In The Fast Lane
Coldcut – Last Night A Cliché Saved My Life
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five – White Lines (Don't Don't Do It)
Cipher Complete – Bring Hip Hop Back
LL Cool J – My Rhyme Ain't Done
Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee – Dollar Bill
Pop Levi – Dollar Bill Rock
Public Enemy – Public Enemy No. 1
Public Enemy – Bring the Noise
Public Enemy – Don't Believe the Hype
Anthrax – Bring the Noise (feat. Public Enemy)
Public Enemy – Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos
Public Enemy – Rebel Without a Pause
Public Enemy – Fight the Power
Public Enemy – Shut 'em Down
Ice Cube – $100 Dollar Bill Ya'll
Public Enemy – Caught, Can We Get a Witness?
Stereo MC's – On 33
Stereo MC's – Use It
Stereo MC's – Gee Street
Stereo MC's – Neighbourhood
Stereo MC's – Part 2
Stereo MC's – Bring It On
Stereo MC's – Outta Touch
Stereo MC's – Back to the Future
Stereo MC's – Ground Level
Stereo MC's – Everything
Stereo MC's – Sketch
Stereo MC's – Fade Away
Stereo MC's – All Night Long
Stereo MC's – Playing With Fire
Stereo MC's – Pressure
Stereo MC's – Chicken Shake
Stereo MC's – Creation
Stereo MC's – The End
Stereo MC's – I'm a Believer
Stereo MC's – Scene of the Crime
Stereo MC's – Declaration
Stereo MC's – Watcha Gonna Do?
Stereo MC's – Two Horse Town
Stereo MC's – Ain't Got Nobody
Stereo MC's – Goin' Back to the Wild
The Damned – Smash It Up (Live)
The Damned – Love Song (Demo)
The Damned – I Just Can’t Be Happy Today (Demo)
The Damned – Nasty
The Damned – Do The Blitz
The Damned – Stab Your Back (Live ‘77)
The Damned – You Know (Live ‘77)
The Damned – Idiot Box (Live ‘77)
The Damned – Stranger On The Town (Live ‘82)
The Damned – Smash It Up (Bonus Track)
Visage – Fade to Grey
The Associates – Party Fears Two
The Associates – Boys Keep Swinging
Visage – Damned Don't Cry
Junior Senior – Move Your Feet (Kurtis Mantronik club mix)

Free your mind. Spotify yourself.

Severe Bloggers Health Warning!

Yes - it's that time of year again when I get all grumpy and have to transpose the numbers so people still think I am in my 30's instead of my early 40's! Getting old unglamourously and with great rudeness all round. No cake this year - just a roast and prosecco and lots of it! Perhaps I might one day end up looking like this which will be penance for being so badly behaved in earlier life!

I don't think so!

Anyway, on a far more serious note: beware of blogging from bed (which I do quite a lot) as you may end up looking like this!

Stop it! Stop snacking on blogs! Get out of bed and stop it! No you can't have any won ton soup!

Yes. I am DEFINATELY going to hell!

Barometer a la Pete Tong

(Out of respect I felt I had to leave Ron up for a decent amount of time - at least until the funeral had passed - which it now has). And so....

Each quarter I receive an e mail from a property auctioneer. I must have subscribed ages ago in a fit of pre-bust property nosiness. Anyway - this latest list I thought was a rather interesting and sombre barometric reminder of what is going on out there.

Our February sale once again contains a range of commercial investment properties located throughout the UK, including :-
An unbroken modern City centre parade in Bradford part let to the local authority, Starbucks & J D Wetherspoon
8 Bank investments let to either HSBC Bank Plc, Nationwide, Barclays or Nationwide.
5 well let supermarket investments trading as Iceland
10 public house investments with surety from Punch Taverns
A well located Department Store Investment let to Debenhams in Kings Lynn
A restaurant investment let to Café Rouge in Ruislip Other investments let to Superdrug, Co-op, Clinton Cards, William Hill and BSM

Evidently it's all going a bit 'Pete Tong'....

Personally I would rather buy the Withnail cottage (if I had any spare cash - which I don't!):

A snip apparently at £145,000 GBP. More details here.

Still depressed? Listen to my podcasts - bound to cheer you up (no I haven't done a new one yet but am working on it!)

Ta ta. xx

Ron Asheton - A Humble Tribute

Ron Asheton has died. He was founder member and guitarist of The Stooges. The news of his death has been a great shock to many people - not just because he was such a great musician and a legend in his own right but also because he was a unique and most gentle individual. I count myself blessed to have met and chatted with him briefly late last summer. I'm not normally shy about meeting well known people I have such creative respect for but when you have taken so long to secure your most favourite band ever for your baby anti-format music show you can suddenly get a little hesitant. The momentous Iggy and the Stooges performed a set with a grindy groove worthy of an express train running over your head for forty minutes flat. It was hard not to leap up and whirl around or even want to rip your clothes off and flail about on the floor like a mad thing which for some reason listening to The Stooges always makes me kind of want to do. After the set I took a deep breath and went into the dressing room to say thank you. I was anxious to see that they had enjoyed it as the start was a little haphazard on our tv-land side. We hadn't finished lighting and in true Stooges style we all scrambled to attention at Ron's first and ever so punctual chord - crrrwaaaaahhhhh - wake up everybody! I also had trouble with a set that was meant to be closed - friends of the previous bands roadies and their mates/mother/assorted pets suddenly turned up lining at least one wall all gawping - some even filming - such disrespect. I wasn't going to be the one to ask The Stooges if they would mind stopping and start again in five minutes time once I had cleared the set of rabble. Not quite the done thing really. Anyway, afterwards I swallowed that breath and walked into the dressing room. I introduced myself and I have to say I have never met such a truly polite and grateful group of men. Ron went out of his way to introduce himself, find out more about the show and thank me. He was so kind and enthusiastic about what we were doing. So Ron I now thank you again for being the very heartbeat and backbone of something so special over the years with your Asheton sound. Prior to that day I have been lucky to see Iggy and The Stooges perform live twice in the last two years - once at the Royal Festival Hall as part of the Meltdown Festival where the venue was so small and the gig was so rocking I swear I have not been the same since and lastly at Clapham in 2008. I have always been struck with Ron's oddly graceful and static stance when performing - his delicate wrists and hands whirring so precisely over the frets of his guitar, one foot always forward of the other, his camo jacket and soft baby skin. It was a humbling and most gracious pleasure to meet you Ron. A unique and kind man of such undeniable talent and character. You have gone too soon. Big hugs for the journey and all the people you have left behind. My thoughts are with all of you - especially the band and tech crew who have lost a best friend and a true brother. Ron's light shines bright and very very loud. A happy jewel of a man from Ann Arbor, Michigan who finally got to enjoy the success he so most definately deserved.

The Lady Doth Protest

Contrary to the police and media reports - there was no flag burning or bad behaviour - just thousands of people that want the same thing - peace and an end to the inhumane and illegal atrocities that are happening right now in Gaza. It was an amazing sight to see an endless river of people of all ages and colours filling up Whitehall and Trafalgar Square. Everyone was peaceful and united with one aim in mind. Do what you can - no matter how small. We might be in a recession in UK but goodness - we don't know how lucky we are.

Impending New Year Snog Alert

I just thought I would tell you all that I stared and smirked shamelessly at a man who looked a little like Rob Brydon in Boots today. In his basket was:

2 x large bottles of extra-strength blaster mouthwash
1 x packet of ribbed condoms and
1 x packet of thrush cream

I reckon he might have had a date/is expecting to have a date. My imagination is running overtime as to the necessity for thrush cream.

Heaven Knows I'm Chrismerable Now!

Well no not really - but I quite like singing that instead of the real version - better than singing all or one of the three versions of Hallelujah that has given me insomnia for the last three days. Finally the manflu, ladyflu and minimanflu has abated. I was very organised despite being on death's door. The tree was up on Dec 5th. See picture of tree - it is an alternative to the usual.

The cards were posted two weeks ago. It's just that I forgot accidently on purpose to get the parsnips as quite frankly they are the devil's food! So I apologise to my Christmas guests but there are lots of other vegetables to eat so don't worry. My signature tipple of tomorrow will be Prosecco with pomegranate - I shall have one for and toast each and everyone of you my glorious blogfriends. Lots of love and chin chin xx

PS: there is an absolutely brilliant piece of writing about Chrizzmarse here if you are at a loose end

PPS: I rather un-Christmasly but with huge satisfaction called a teenager a lumbering idiot in Primark today as she slumpered into my changing cubicle that was most obviously occupied - then I spent the next ten minutes silently giggling to myself. No - I will not be going to heaven but we knew that anyway.

Woop Woop Biohazard

Gracious lummy lawks! Where does the time go? Half of it has been spent dicking around on fartbook and manictwitterchecking whilst getting flu first, then getting rid of it only to infect 'himwhosnoreslikeabison' only to catch manflu back again - but MUCH WORSE this time around. Last night was spent in two sets of pyjamas and woolly socks and still cold, 8 sneezes in a row and then insomnia from really annoying X Factor Hallelujah songs. So don't come to our house - it looks like this at the mo:

We've got the orange tape and everything. Oh it hurts to breathe. Such delirium has allowed/forced me to watch the following films today in this order:

Jezebel - Bette Davis Southern shocker
Waterloo Road - fantastic wartime London drama
Girls Girls Girls - Elvis looking sexy and fab costumes

The day started with Jeremy Kyle - which for the duration I started to feel much better and really stunningly beautiful and clever compared to the munters on parade with their selfish stupid lives.

Anyway - it's more From the Basement tomorrow on Sky Arts at 22:00 - more shameless plugging but quite frankly - with no one paying me for three months and no job on the horizon apart from going into prostitution with the most fantastic Urban Woo what have I to live for?

Blogpoll: Christmas present for a 7 and a half year old - answers please:
Is it a pair of guinea pigs or a Nintendo DS? Would I be the most horrible and boring parent in the world to go for guinea pigs? Would he wonder after 30 mins 'where the real present is'?
I have so far avoided technology apart from a Leapster which he was overjoyed with until he realised it was 'educational'. Oh...I think I know the answer but everyone I know who has given their child a Nintendo DS hasn't spoken to them in the last year as they are always head first in the DS...mind you if very big record co corporation don't pay up by this week it will be a wooden hoop and an india rubber ball from the pound shop!!

And on that note - here is Cher with Half Breed (thanks to Namalee for enlightening me):



Sayonara you poppy little gypsies tramps and thieves!

I Am Alive - Watch This

I am alive - just been horribly busy finishing off the 'best music show on tv' (according to a journalist from The Guardian and The Telegraph today - Pick of the Day if you must know). First airing of the second series of From the Basement starts TONIGHT at 22:00!! Set those topboxes to record. If you are in the UK please tune in to Sky Arts tonight and even if you haven't got Sky you can receive Sky Arts on Virgin cable too I believe - how good is that?

Sky Arts 1 – channel 256
Sky Arts 2 – channel 257
Sky Arts HD – channel 258

Also on Virgin Media:
Sky Arts 1 - on channel 284 and Sky Arts 2 - on channel 285

If you are in the US then I am afraid you have to wait until January to watch it all on IFC. And if you haven't got a telly you can check out our fab new Youtube channel here.

Here are the times and the running order:
3 Dec Gnarls Barkley, Sparks, The Kills
10 Dec My Morning Jacket, The Fall, White Denim
17 Dec Iggy and The Stooges, CSS and Shortwave Set
24 Dec Radiohead, Andrew Bird, Fleet Foxes
31 Dec The Raconteurs, Seasick Steve, Band of Horses
7 Jan Queens of the Stone Age, Terry Callier and Mercury Rev

More championing wifflings from Sky Arts here and my lovely and clever friend Mof here

Here's a picture of me looking tired and saggy and Iggy looking away from my chest/charmingly bored!


Enjoy!

Mitch Mitchell - the drummer's drummer

I do hope Mitch Mitchell is having a lovely time wherever he may be. Poor old thing died this week - of natural causes which is quite an achievement in this day and age. Here is one of my favourite Hendrix performances showing Mitch in fine form - he was the master of time change. What a bloody great drummer he was.



Night night Mitch. See you around.

Get your Listen With Rockmother podcasts here on the new Rockmother podcast site!!

Podcast Alert! Romo For Real Number 20 is here

By jove! She's done it. She's really really done it!

Yes - I've got a brand new podcast number 20 ready and waiting on my new podcast site:
Pin Back Your Ears

I will also post it up later today on the archive site too.

Happy listening my little choux buns.

A Very Modern President

See the entire set of Chez Obama's Election Night on Flickr - great photo's. It may be a bit slow and actually crashed while I was looking due to phenomenal traffic I am sure but they are a fantastic set of photo's if you can stand the wait. I am still slightly reeling and over-emotional about what Barack Obama has achieved this week and how it has touched the world. The night before I found myself (uncommonly for me as a total non-believer) praying to god, allah, vashti, buddha, fire, water, any force anywhere that could hear me please please please could Obama do it. I have never forgotten seeing Martin Luther King's incredibly and unknowingly prophetic speech on a tv documentary as a 12 year old and experiencing real emotion from a speech for the very first time - and every time thereafter when I heard it. It really does reduce me to watery rubble every time. The day before I re-visited that speech on youtube - it really is very special and particularly inspiring and prescient considering the events of this week. In stark contrast, I was struck how dishevelled and Ceaucescu-like Bush looked (in a cheap crumpled-suit morally broken sort of way) when he gave his not particularly interesting congrat speech. I was also struck how shockingly inept Palin was when in a radio interview only yesterday she had the stupidity to announce that she thought they (big fat white bible-eating middle Americans) lost because she had been portrayed so badly by the media. Madam? Did we have a choice? Is Africa a continent or country? Get to the back of the class. (As you clearly have none).



I wish we had a Barack I really do.

Lose Yourself

I woke up this morning with the words 'big fat arm' in my head. Goodness knows why but I did. Anyway, I digress. I am so BORED of the BBC and The Daily Mail and reporting about the credit crunch. I couldn't give a stuff about whether Jonathan Ross should be reinstated or not. I don't care whether Jeremy Clarkson has hurt his pinky driving a truck into a brick wall or Terri Seymour has packed Simon Cowell. I care about real things like the little boy I saw running to school the other morning followed by his mother shambling after him with a can of Diamond White in her hand. The only good thing about it was at least he was going to school on time. How devoid of any dignity whatsoever must you be to drink at that time in the morning - on the school run? I wanted to grab the boy's hand and run with him - and keep running - far far away to a magic lovely land.

Anyway - what I really meant to post up was a little bit about the fantastic BFI Film Archive which you can now browse quite substantially on it's own youtube channel. Here is an excerpt from John Schlesinger's brilliant film Terminus - shot over one very busy day at London Waterloo Station in 1961.



my other favourites are 'Tea Making Tips':


'One Potato Two Potato':



and 'Unwanted Guests' (not for the squeamish).





Ta ra for now.

For Piley - Sluts In Leotards

There was a small discussion on the last post about the merits of Legs and Co or Hot Gossip - well quite frankly I feel Hot Gossip win hands down! You can't go wrong with a bit of strutting suggestively in a high-cut leotard. So because I know Piley really wants to see some Hot Gossip - here they are:



Believe it or not - Hot Gossip recorded an album in the early 80s titled Geisha Boys and Temple Girls produced by the former Human League and then current Heaven 17 member Martyn Ware. The album was an unmitigated commercial failure. The group was once spoofed on The Benny Hill Show as "Hot Gossamer". A few real-life former Hot Gossip dancers went on to appear on the Benny Hill show in its last fading years as part of the Hill's Angels dance troupe.

Oh the shame.

Which one was your favourite? Everyone always swooned over Peri Lister and Debbie Ash although my favourite was Carol Fletcher. You see - I know all the names!