GOFFA FROM THE BLOCK

Is Cameron the most stupid Prime Minister ever?  Talk about leading with your chin.  However, for anyone enjoying the Labour Party's jeers be aware that these tax avoidance schemes have been in the news since not long after Labour came to power in 1997 and they didn't try too hard to stop them when they were in power.  I love a good story though and to be honest I was happy enough when Cam outed fake leftie Jimmy Carr was exposed for being the selfish hypocritical shit he clearly is but the report of the greedy bastard's pathetic apology when he realised his career was going down the pan was just the icing on the cake.  It got even better when Cam (presumably now having been told by his advisers to shush) refused to condemn Fake Twat's, Gary Barlow  for seemingly doing exactly the same thing.  Priceless! Of course The front page of the Mirror is right it is a bit more serious than a one trick pony comedian and a fat p...

Here's a photo of my sons (1st and 3rd left) and their friends taken in Paris last week. A bit of a step up from their original plan of a week-end at Primrose Valley to watch the England vs France match.  I am unable to shed any light or explain their attire but please excuse my self-indulgent warm glow.

Can’t believe how fast the last week’s gone.   This time last Sunday I was watching Richard Hawley on the Lake Stage at NDH.   A nd for those of you who were there how cool was that (I mean the festival not Richard Hawley,who was ok)?   For those of you that missed it?   Well....   gloating is not in my nature so I’ll say no more.   And amazingly the weather held up.   I’d spent Thursday night in Sheffield where it rained solid from 4PM until 1AM and being a camping wuss my cunning plan was that if it was too wet camp I would sleep in my car and if it got too bad I would just go home. I needn’t have worried, I got my tent up in between showers which although continued on and off through Friday and Saturday it was never that bad and Sunday was completely dry. Much had been made about it being a mini End of the Road and apart from it being only a 2 hour drive (for me) as opposed to 6 ½ to Dorset (hurrah) I wouldn’t argue with that. ...

Really must get of this computer.  Was going to post this one on Face Ache but made the right choice just before I pressed send (phew!). 1.44 of joy.  Needless to say I didn't admit to liking this one at the Rock Garden but didn't the Fall cover this on a Peel Seesion? Found it!  That's me done.

Some of you may have noticed my foray into enemy territory last night with my guilty pleasures series.  I know I should link it to my blog and I did, sort of.  I really should be getting ready for the week-end and I will shortly but just to keep the run of posts going here's another one that sounds suspiciously great now. The best Roxy Music single they never recorded and easily better than anything they did record, not that I would ever let politics taint my view  (sorry, just can't listen to them without an image of Bryan Ferry's smarmy mush forming in my mind). Oh go on then, yes I would.  Fair cop guv! I know we all love it now but I remember being ridiculed by the cool dudes at Springfield for hailing this one. 

Queenie " I am deeply humbled " Murdoch " The most humble day of my life " I'm no expert in English but I don't think a day can be humble can it?  So that's what they must mean about the Queen's English? Queenie - Cheers I am exceedingly humbled that you care so much.  That's ok English isn't it? I bloody knew they weren't wrong when they awarded me that CSE English certificate. Alternatively it's likely just as much bullshit as Murdoch's obvious insincerity.

So what did you make of the jubilee then?  I've had my fill of Royals at least until the next time I get an extra day off (probably never).  Needless to say the extra day off caused much consternation amongst the Tory press giving them another opportunity to vent their spleen against public sector workers.  The "5 day week-end thing" is probably the biggest give away.  This lot (purposely vague and woolly) won't be satisfied until nobody apart from them (again purposely vague) gets week-ends off.  Seriously, I wouldn't be surprised if the next clammer is to have public sector workers pay restricted to 5/7 to account for the fact they don't work week-ends. I'm already being subjected to a pay freeze for two years, not that I've had a pay rise anywhere near inflation for over 10 years leaving me on a pathetic embarrassingly low salary for the job I am expected to do.  With the expectation of regional pay being brought in I don't thin...

Still finding my way on the new Blogger design so you'll have to bear with me for a bit although still not sure anybody has realised I've started posting again. I've started posting all my recent musical purchases.  Until the last couple of months this would have been impossible due to volumes but for now my spending is reasonably under control  so here we go. Mind,  I normally budget up to £100 for festival purchases so the policy might last until after next week ends NDH.  Still working my way through the Spotify playlist and I'm making a shortlist of must see artists and establishing clashes from hell (e.g. Woodpigeon vs Beth Jeans Houghton). More later but in the mean time here are a few photos.  Sunset over the Red Sea Petra In the middle of a sandstorm in Luxor Just like the old days, still more filler than thriller.

 Yeah... it's been a sparse year musically.  It was probably a bit much to expect the highs of the last few years to continue but Larry and the Flask (as mentioned last night) and The Imagineers at Stockton Calling (I implore you to check the link) aside rock'n'roll (in the broadest sense) has left me cold. I've been trying to keep up with my old friend Richard's Linear Obsessional recordings (not rock'n'roll in any sense) and I particularly recommend South Gare by Chris Whitehead (well I would wouldn't I) and Music For Barges by The Original Beekeepers and I enjoyed a modern classical show at The Sage (can only purposely mis-quote Billy Joel again - "it's all rock'n'roll to me"). Hopefully Things will improve next weekend at No Direction Home .  I've been tuning into a Spotify playlist (sorry don't know how to link) and have very high hopes.  Aside of the the live music they're also showing  Sound it Out with ...

Just replied to some comments.  As ever thanks, and apologies for delay in replying and while I'm here I rather care for this.  They're on at the Flying Boating Stage next Friday at 18.45 if you'd care to join me. Denmark's finest, Dad Rocks!

Mmmm. a new look for blogger.  Of course that will only mean something to people in the biz.  As ever there's I always feel quite liberated posting after a break because I know there will be next to nobody reading it.  It'll pick up though and if I can string half a dozen posts together there might be well... half a dozen people tuning in. I've got no excuse though.  I broke up from work for my jubilee celebrations last WWednesday and I don't go back until 12 June.  I'm travelling down to Sheffield on Thursday en route to No Direction Home on Friday so I'll see if I can string a few posts together before then.  I can't help feeling it's another one of those now or never moments. I did mean to post last week-end.  I was at TKASG at The Westgarth on Friday 25 May for a typically solid if uninspiring show made up The Fossil Collective , The Daydream Club ,  Lilliput and By Toutatis  (links 'cos' I can) and then went to ...