Revival *

Someone round the corner from me has a poster in their window which states: "This Is Holy Week." But it's not. Holy Week was last week. Fucking idiots!

* Soulsavers

Everyday I Write The Book *

Big Boom is a writer. He is also a "celebrity bodyguard" but that's not important right now. Big Boom is the author of If You Want Closure In Your Relationship Start With The Legs. This book wins The Bookseller magazine's Oddest Title of the Year award. I think his latest book might be in line for next year's prize - How To Duck A Sucka: A Guide To Living A Drama-Free Life!

*Elvis Costello and the Attractions

For Madmen Only *

Is it just me, or does anyone else hate those fucking smug looking cunts in that Ford car advert? You know, the one where they pointlessly play instruments which have been made from car parts. They really do look like a horrible bunch of bourgeois tossers!

I could be wrong, of course!

* UK Decay (saw them supporting Theatre of Hate in Glasgow about 25 years ago. Great gig!)

More Endless Art*

This was their reply to the original which had only blokes in it.

Btw, don't you get some really dumb fucks making comments on Youtube. One asks who was doing the "voiceover" on this, obviously assuming that some sad fuck had simply put this together on their fucking laptop or something - stupid cunts!

*A House

Call Me Blue*

Whatever happened to?

* A House

Brimful of (K)asha *

What is kasha? Why did someone put a comment on a very old post of mine asking if I was going to eat some to celebrate the election victory? And what "election victory"? At least he got it right in describing me as a "commy twat" - err, actually, it should have been "commie", but let's not quibble!

* err, what was their name again?

These Hands *

JJ and I went to a truly fabulous production of Frankenstein at the Royal & Derngate Theatre in Northampton last night. In fact, it was stunningly good. Running parallel with the traditional Mary Shelley story of the man who created a monster - or is it the other way round? - was that of a story of infanticide. Mary is an inmate at a top security mental hospital after killing her daughter by locking her in a freezer. Yes, that was a shocking part of the narrative. Shocking too was the scene when Frankenstein's "monster" killed his creator's young brother on stage. I don't think I've ever seen anything so powerful and somewhat shocking on a stage in my life. Shocks apart, this was a great theatrical experience and raised many questions about who were the monsters and who were the victims. Some scenes were almost ballet-like - well, there were two "movement directors" in this "physical theatre" company's production (yes, sounds a bit wanky I know) - with the monster in particular making superb use of the stage and the wonderful props. It may have taken a little while to get one's head round the parallel stories (well, it took me a little while) particularly as dialogue from both were running at the same time. But not too long before confusion was banished from this blogger's little mind. The link is that Mary's only activity in the hospital is her intense reading of ... Frankenstein. Wonderful acting from all, ace props, wonderful music and ace lighting. If this production finishes its run with the finale in Northampton tomorrow night, then I will be gobsmacked. See it if it comes to a theatre near you!

*The Damned

I've Seen Everything*

Had a bit of a lie-in today, not getting out of bed till about 11. Had been staying over with the boy but left him to his own devices and came home to shower and stuff. Since then, I have watched highlights of this from last night, this (and, yes, Celtic were lucky), second half of this (and just how bad were Boro?), this, this (Baggies are now my pick for the cup) and I am now watching this (Xavi has just scored a cracking equaliser). Sad? Or should I have been doing something like this instead?

*Trashcan Sinatras

We Have Joy *

JJ and I had the most wonderful time in Paris. Not sure that either of us has ever done so much walking before. Well, not since we were last in Paris.

Previous visits to this city have seen me merely gasping in awe at the beauty of the city and the exterior of the buildings. This time, however, we made sure that we actually went into a building or two, apart from the odd bar and restaurant of course. Add to this was a discovery of places and parts of the city which I/we had never seen before.

A view of Paris from the steps of the Sacre Coeur is simply stunning. But equally as stunning is the inside of the basillica itself, with its unbelievably beautiful mosaics and stained glass windows. Then, after having previously discussed whether to take a trip to the Pere Lachais cemetery, we instead decided to visit the Cimetiere de Montmartre - and we were well happy that we did so. Graves of Zola (well, a monument was visited as his body has since been moved elsewhere), Nijinsky, Berlioz, Offenbach (who he, I wondered, before JJ informed me that he composed the Can Can)and many other famous people we had never heard of. The cemetery itself is a beautiful sight, cut into an old quarry. Some people find cemeteries romantic, so, if you are one such person, then this should be a must when you next visit Paris.

Then it was on to the architectural beauty of the Passages Couverts, a series of glass-covered passageways which have largely remained untouched since being completed in the first half of the 19th century.

And, after all that, it was then on to the Musee d'Orsay and, well, fuck me, wow and various other exclamations. A beautiful building both inside and out, this former railway station houses some cracking art. Visit and see for yourself.

Then, a nice couple of drinks followed by a really disappointing meal, which certainly did not spoil a beautiful day.

Be back to this with a bit more later maybe. Maybe mention the free champagne and wine on the way there. And maybe the perfect location of the hotel, situated as it was just north of the Sacre Coeur. But, then again, maybe not. I may just leave the rest for JJ to describe.

* Killing Joke

Happy Birthday

Hope you are having a good one JJ!