Some time ago I recall having a conversation on Farcebook about music shows on telly (or the lack of them). The general conclusion was that although we might be keen on a TV show that gave actual bands (and not megastar bands, either) a chance to play in front of the cameras, the idea was pretty much dead these days ( Read more... )

Adventures in Birmingham, continued. (Yes, it is possible to have adventures in Birmingham, I tell you. A bit, anyway.)

In Birmingham, you can buy animals as a kit of parts. Glue them together in the comfort of your own home!


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Scenes around Birmingham, jewel of the British midlands...

Everyone who goes to Birmingham takes a photo of the Selfridges building. It's the law. Here's mine.


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Not for the first time, I've been to Birmingham to look at cars.

These were two of them.


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This photo has not been tweaked in Photoshop. The world really did go pink last Sunday.


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Scientists agree that you can't have too much Shriekback in your life. So here's another tune from the band's new album, which is about to drop upon us from a great height any minute now ( Read more... )

A swift snapshot of the Gang Of Four in Oslo, last night. Andy Gill on guitar. Someone who's not Jon King on vocals.


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Here's a nice slice of post-witch wave-gaze spook-psych, from the forthcoming album by Shriekback.

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It's a fine example of a classic Shriekback drifting-in-a-warm-lagoon number, like the soundtrack to a pool party down at SpaceTime Tanks. But keep your tin hat handy - the heavy artillery will be winched into position elsewhere on the album. 'Tis ( Read more... )

Here's an alarming thing. Proto-hipster Nathan Barley is ten years old.

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Although he was conceived as a one-man encapsulation of uber-trendy ghastliness, with hindsight Nathan Barley seems like an almost endearing character - and it's hard not to wish the world depicted in the series really was like that ( Read more... )

Crisis!

It seems Facebook is down.

Hello to everybody who has rushed over to Livejournal as an emergency social media substitute.