15th April

Today is one of terrible anniversaries.
It is the date of the Hillsborough disaster during which 96 people lost their lives.
It is also the anniversay of the liberation of Belson. My father was one of the liberators, though he never spoke of it, apart from to say of Schindler's List that good as it was the people were wrong. The real inmates were far thinner than any modern actor could ever be.

Let's try to make sure neither ever happens again.

Here is a link to the BBC coverage of Belsen in 1945.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/4445811.stm

That entertainment

Merseyside derby, glorious play from the mighty reds, multiple injuries, no protection from the referee, missed chances, a sending off and victory to the rightous. Phew.

No if only we had a striker. Just the one would do.

So, Juve then...

Ah well. There's always next year.

Without Gerrard. Or Kewell. Or even Benitez. Or European footie of any kind.

Ho, hum...

you know you're getting old...

when you listen to a review of a new film (9 songs) which is about two people have (real) sex inbetween concert footage of bands, and you find yourself wondering if the songs were good...

I'll get my coat.

anybody know a good goalkeeper?

What were the odds that the Mighty Reds would be the only English team in the Champions League not to lose, but in fact to crush Bayer Leverkeusen? I make it a point to support British clubs in Europe (hard though that is much of the time), but a certain Schadenfreude has to be enjoyed this week. If only we had managed to keep it at 3-0. I dread the return matches, when no doubt we will pull improbable defeat from the jaws of certain victory. I remember the last time when the peerless Jari Litmanen tried to single handedly get us through, and M. Houllier sabotaged it with the crazy idea of taking off Didi Haman.

Must admit I am kind of hoping Barca manage to take Chelsea down a peg or two. And fervently hoping we achieve the minor miracle of winning the Carling cup on Sunday. I shall not be there, but instead in Edinburgh to watch Scotland vs Italy in the 6 Nations. God I thought footie tickets were expensive...

Fear and Lothing in West Yorkshire

"faster, faster, until the love of speed overcomes the fear of death"

Farewell Hunter S Thompson


Chalk up another suicide victim to the cult of Hemmingway. But HST was a better writer, or at least a funnier one. Which amounts to the same thing most of the time.

I support London 2012

Yes, I know that it is yet another thing in the endless sink hole that is the south of Britain.
And yes I know the benefits will probably not be as big as claimed (believe me, I really know).
And yes, the money could be spent on other things instead.
But be honest;
The money saved would not be spent on alleviating child poverty, more schools and hospitals, third world debt relief or any of the other things people always talk about as worthy causes.
It would probably go on;
cruise missiles
tax relief for the rich
More security guards to keep out the talented individuals trying to come to our country to build our schools, work in our hospitals, pay our taxes and keep our population from falling into a black hole (like it is in France, Italy and Spain) and therefore pay our pensions when we get older
And bloody ID cards so the government can imprison the rest of us whilst allowing terrorists (who are rich, dammit) to get very good, very expensive forgeries.

Go on, admit it, it would be fun. Might make us feel better if we do it right. And we might even win a few more medals - allowing even the Daily Mail to make heroes out of Black Lesbians!

And the clincher? It would piss the French off something rotten.

slow on the uptake

I've only just realised how big Joy Division have become, 20 years or more after their end.
It feels a bit strange to realise that the world has come round to my way of thinking, and recognises them as one of the great bands. I still think that nobody has heard of them, or ever wants to - despite New Order. It was bizarre to see them shortlisted as one of the bands of the 80s (or was it 70s) on Channel 5. My generations Velvet Underground I guess - no one heard them at the time, but everyone who did formed a band.

My band didn't sound anything like Joy Division...

wife knows better

Her suggestion for great lyrics was;
"I am angry, I am ill and I'm as ugly as sin" Magazine, Song from under the floorboards, from The Correct Use of Soap. Which manages to be both great and a retelling of Notes from Underground by Dostoyevski. Neat. Most "literary" rock makes me want to reach for my revolver...

what are words worth?

Word magazine has just run an article about the best (and worst) lyrics in music. Stimulating stuff. My two favourites were not included, though I have to agree with the opening lines of Highway 61 being one of the best.

Anyway, my favourites:
"people die, so will I" - Microdisney, Birthday Girl
"I don't believe in an interventionist God" - Nick Cave, Into my arms. Hell of a way to begin!

It's behind you...

Well, it is pantomime season, so we shouldn't be surprised that Roy Caroll joined in the fun. Just what you have to do to be allowed to score against Man Utd at Old Trafford is a different question. Obviously getting the ball over the line is not enough.

Anyway, stopped us Liverpool fans feeling quite so miserable after Mike Reily's attack of fear that stopped him giving us a penalty for handball against Chelsea. In fact at times I thought he was allowing Chelsea to play handball, so often did they play the ball with their hands and arms. I actually thought Chelsea would be better than they were. On tv you see a distorted view. Thierry Henry is actually better and faster than he seems on tv - amazing though that is. Chelsea play with the worst kind of petulant gamesmanship - kicking the ball away at free kicks, multiple rolls after minor collisions. Their defense and goalkeeper are very good though.

Peel slowly and see

Some nice live/session tracks over at the BBC on the Peel Night site. Good to see Graham and Damon from Blur sharing the same radio station, even if not the same band. I saw Blur at and Ice Rink in Sunderland (or somewhere fairly North) supporting the Jesus and Mary Chain, along with Dinosaur Jr and My Bloody Valentine. At the time they were seen as a teenie pop band - there only hit was "there's no other way". It was clear on the day that they were going to be something big. Next saw them at MEN arena on their greatest hits tour - when they were something big.

Tragically Hip

In case anyone thinks I am making a bid for trendiness, I should point out that recently I have been listening to a lot of well known miserabilists Portishead and Massive Attack. Finally got the point. Only, what 12 years after everyone else? I'll be getting into Radiohead next!

Actually The Bends is in the Car. Should be getting up to Kid A about the time the sun goes supernova.

www.pawa.co.uk

Old = New

I've been listening to Interpol, one of the new hyped guitar bands. Probably no one else can hear it, but they remind me of Kitchens of Distinction - one of the great lost shoegazing bands from the 80s/90s. In particular their vocalist sounds like Patrick.

If you've not come across the KoD, then give them a try - swirling guitars, interesting lyrics, and an influence on Radiohead's Johnny Greenwood (apparently). Try the 3rd time we opened the capsule.

Best new band of 2004 is still Franz Ferdinand (though of course the trully hip will tell you that actually they were the band of 2003)

Let joy be unconfined

There are times when I can't remember why I bother going to football at all. Quite a lot of them recently, when the mighty reds look like they have completely lost the plot. And then there was Sunday.
92 minutes gone, scores level and Neil Mellor lets fly. Liverpool 2 Arsenal 1.
And then I remember
My throat was sore for days.

Bobby Dylan got it wrong

The question isn't "how many roads must a man walk down"? It's, "why does it take so fucking long to build a kitchen extension"?

That whizzing sound was the end of my tether whipping round and round aimlessly.

music to download and love

This would be an MP3blog if I could ever work out how to upload MP3s or link to Usendit. But look on the brightside, it means I'll post fewer songs by my old band Elephant Thursday.

My favourite tune at the moment is a free download from Lou Barlow, of Sebadoh - a song he wrote for his father. Loads more on his site. This is "none of your goddam bizness".

http://www.loobiecore.com/nygnbn.html

Proof of George W's sense of humour

Condoleeza Rice as a diplomat.

You've got to laugh. At least everyone knows where they stand - preferably well back, and out of the way of the US. Or they'll send the troops in.

I love America, and Americans. Honestly, it is a great place and you should go - if you are not there already. But sometimes they worry me. Seems like everyone gets cabin fever and goes a little crazy - odd in such a huge country.

Dick Goughan (old Scottish folk singer) had a great song - By the people, for the people that was Lincoln's vow - all I saw was misery and poverty in a land of incredible wealth.

William Gibson's blog http://www.williamgibsonbooks.com/ (and you should read it) says that GWB wants to purge the CIA of its liberals. Liberals. In the CIA. Told you he had a sense of humour.

Maggie, Hopey n' Jaime

As you have probably worked out, I am a Love and Rockets fan (no, not the crap band) and have bought myself an early christmas present in the hardback complete Locas by Jaime Hernadnez. A truly weighty object of desire and joy. I bought it from Page 45 in Nottingham, who I can heartily recommend - despite the fact that I live 100 miles from them.

http://www.page45.couk.com/