GOFFA FROM THE BLOCK

Not really a proper post.  Just wanted to push that Inspector Tapehead album cover a little further down the page.  You can click on the photos of the Carolina Chocolate Drops and Cambodian Space Project covers to reach give them a bit of a go.

Definitely something funny going on with my viewing stats.  My blog  supposedly received 575 views yesterday and in the last week 893 of which 709 were from the USA!  Definitely something fishy and possibly sinister going on. Any ideas? On the off chance that there really are people in the USA tuning in please feel free to leave to leave a comment or two. Signing off Paranoid from the Boro!

Work today after a great week-end off.  I've had worse Monday's. Thursday night went well and Linda and James accompanied me to The Sessions to watch Gary.  He was a bit subdued by his standards to be honest.  The other artists (can't remember names were average at best) but as ever Gary was great company. Went for a decent walk Saturday with Shamila around Thorpe Thewels, Whitton and Stillington and later went to the latest Rock Garden re-visited show at the Georgian Theatre Stockton.  To be honest the punk revival isn't my thing.  I've been over my association with the Rock Garden (think on LJ) before so I'll spare you on this occasion and although I admire the promotional work of Steve Harland and friends I do not feel a jot of nostalgia for either punk rock or the Rock Garden.  I went to one of their previous shows, Subway Sect/Drop earlier this year and hardly recognised anybody outside my circle of friends.  Shame all the old...

As personal friends know I've never been one to court popularity for my blog and I don't normally read anything into it on the odd occasion when more people tune in.   Not sure if something sinister is going on but I've just checked my stats and on 3 October my blog had 600 viewings. I'm normally lucky if I get 50!  I'm guessing it's not a coincidence that my post of 3 October was a political post.  Don't know whether to be chuffed or scared.  It was clearly a one off because I'm now down to my usual 25 or so (as ever thank you all).

Currently sharing my house with this beast! Awe...Don't knock it, at least he's company!

What do you think of these paintings from The Tate Modern in London? This is bullshit, if this art so are my living room curtains! ...and what about? I'd have this on my my wall.  I don't think it's too bad.

Just received 2011: A Space Odyssey by The Cambodian Space Project from Amazon Marketplace and that brings to a close my EOTR Festival purchases for 2011. The complete list is Walk Into The Sea and I’m An Old Believer - Slow Down Molasses 2011: A Space Odyssey – Cambodian Space Project Grand Union EP and Homemade Tour EP – Skinny Lister If The Ocean Gets Rough and Where The Humans Eat – Willy Mason Clap You Hands Say Yeah and Some Loud Thunder – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah Into The Murky Water – The Leisure Society Last of the Country Gentlemen – Josh T Pearson Get Well Soon - Sarabeth Tuceck Tassili – Tinariwen Dead Flowers – Caitlin Rose The Flying Club Cup - Beirut More than enough to be honest but hey ho. And if anybody wants to know what the fuss I made was all about, or even if you want to read a proper review take your pick from the great, the good, the not so good and my friend Richard. Folk Radio The Guardian Wired FT The Independent   Louder Than Wa...

Though I loathe the Conservative Party with all my heart I can't deny a grudging admiration for the transition made by Dr Liam Fox from Pop Idol Judge to  Defence Secretary  for the government.  Oh well, I guess it's back to Satellite Radio for Foxy .  Still not too bad though.

The very wonderful Slow Down Molasses Punt Sessions - Slow Down, Molasses from Nick Seagrave on Vimeo . and Fucking Up

So Foxy got off.  Some campaign eh?  Needless to say, couldn't really give a toss.  I've wasted far too much time watching/listening to this story in the news.  Obviously, feel sorry for poor girl that got murdered and her family. The fact that I would have to look her name up on the Internet says it all. But that's justice. Interested in the story about the change in the unfair dismissal law though and the fact that you now have to be employed by a company for 2 years before you can make a claim for unfair dismissal.  They reckon the change will save business almost £6m per year, whoopee do!  If you have been employed for 2 years and want to claim unfair dismissal you'll have to pay a fee which you will only get back if you win.  Happy days for unscrupulous employers and lazy managers. I had first hand knowledge of unfair dismissal law when my son was sacked by the Sporting Lodge  (not sure I've seen a more pathetic corpora...

Just found this on Youtube.  EOTR again I'm afraid.  I was at the Piano Stage on the last day watching 3 members of The Mountaineering Club playing a couple of songs when a poet got up and joined them. They decided to have a bit of an improv jam and the poet, Richard Watkins asked me to film it on his camera.   Not really into poetry but I think it's ok.  What do you think?  What the hell, here's the other one he uploaded.

Btw, meant to say, whilst in London I spotted Simon Heffer looking the stuffy pompous twat he is in Kensington (can't believe he's only a year older than me) and Clare Short in Earls Court.

Back to work tomorrow.  It seems ages since my last post and I've done quite a bit this week.  Shamila and I went to London Monday to Thursday.  We went for our (becoming) customary picnic up Eston Hills for her birthday on Friday and I went to Ste's 50th birthday party followed by a late night visit to Bandstand at The Crown.  Saw a couple of bands, The Janice Graham Band and The Christophers  but the highlight was Rikki Doolan's finale party piece of  Psycho Killer. ,  Needless say still feeling a bit delicate. I enjoyed London.  We stayed in Earls Court which was a pretty good base  for what we had planned and especially what we ended up doing.  Shamila wanted to visit The Tate Modern, The V&A Museum, view the general tourist attractions and do some shopping in Oxford Street.  I was happy with all but the latter but it all turned out ok because Shamila soon got sick of Oxford Street and decided to give Kensington...