The Pogues doing an anniversary show (40 years from first album). Would be interesting to see without McGowan. Always felt the circus around McGowan and his drinking and disappearing teeth detracted from the great band behind him.
He was a great front man in the early days, but as the 90s got going, he was a diminished force. His writing and lifestyle were probably so intertwined that there's no sense in wondering 'what if?'. He was poet and drunk, a beautiful mind in a substance wracked body. Some people don't want to grow old. A mate of my older brother, a very colourful Spurs fan, died in his 30s, having lived his life on fast forward from Day 1. He was a really smart guy, but didn't measure his life in years, but fun. Looking at what the world's become since he died, he may very well have been right. I'm not sure who could try to fill Shane's shoes. Frank Carter might be a half decent shout, but he's currently busy being Lydon's replacement.
I posted an AI Frank Sinatra version of this a while ago without realising where they'd nicked it from, so here's the original: Original cover. You know what I mean.
One of those days... Despite having 3 (three) means of accessing pre-sale tickets for the Pistols gig in Glasgow, we joined numerous mates who couldn't gain access to any of them. Eventually a good friend bought us some - Cheers, Dave! Fortunately, we booked hotel accommodation as soon as the gig was announced. As availability has fallen, prices are rising significantly. Finally, we committed to hotel accommodation for 5 nights at Rebellion, too. Not cheap, but I was trying had not to do the sums...and then another mate posted what he's invested for 6 x The Damned gigs (tickets, hotels, travel); 1 x Sex Pistols in Glassgow (tickets, hotels, travel), 1 x 5 nights at Rebellion (tickets, hotels, travel) for him and his Mrs.... Holy ****ing moly!!
This is from a Spanish TV series adaption of Zorro: The singer is best known for a viral video of her cat.
I meant to post this during the week, when his passing was announced, but time, memory lapses, etc... RIP Vic Flick I'd heard his name before, as the guitarist on the Janme's Bond theme, but he played on a LOT of hit records, including The Walker Brothers' 'The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore' and Dusty Springfield's 'I Only Want To be With You'. That's good enough for me. Thanks for the music
Happy Birthday to Tina Weymouth https://x.com/Birmingham_81/status/1860069107179356290?t=-ByPMY0pi43SEz0WIabvpg&s=19
A very gratifying update reaches Brian's ears this morning... The Damned are confirmed as the Rebellion Friday night closing act in The Empress Ballroom. They tend to do alternate years, but after 2023's late, late 'no show' (due to a, much doubted, Dave Vanian back problem), there were suggestions that the organisers weren't going to book them again. That's all water under the bridge and it's the first gig of '25 effectively for free, as we'd booked tickets and BnB accommodation already. Does it mean they won't play 2026 - Their and Punk Rock's 50th anniversary? I hope and expect not, but we all have to get there first. That will be one hell of a party, even for us of the 'Since '76' club.
There are few benefits to getting old. OK you get cheaper car insurance and your "hair" dries more quickly. But I am also in the privileged position of seeing a lot of classic music coming on Top of the Pops for the very first time. Debuts by Queen and Blondie stick in my mind.... and then there's this. Remember I've never heard of the song, the band or know anything about it. This is a song where I've had the most extreme opinions of when hearing it for the first time. Specifically for the first 23 seconds I was thinking to myself "what is this ****, this is possibly the worst thing I've ever heard!" (or words to that effect). After 30 seconds I'm thinking "this is total brilliance and I'm going out to buy it tomorrow".
I can still remember 'the morning after ' in the playground. Every new joiner to the conversation..."Did you see that band on ToTP...?" Sparks were definitely one of those bands. Suzi Quatro, ABBA, Bowie's 'Starman', Sweet, etc. Most of us from the 60's/70's can trace our knowledge of bands from that first appearance.
I loved this song the first time I heard it - possibly was TotP, but more likely R1. A piece of musical genius! Totally unique, off the wall, but a very clever composition.
Bowie Starman and the hug between them immediately springs to mind as does Culture Club and the question of Boy George's sex , Alice Cooper schools out and not to be forgotten Dexys " Jockey Wilson says "
Never more so in my school with Blondie "Denis". It was an all boys school after all and probably *every* kid was arriving at school wanting to "comment".
The Bowie thing was the massive thing at my school , my best mate went home one Friday and returned Monday with bright orange hair spiked up and his eyebrows shaved off , his Air Wear boots sprayed silver and wearing a pair of tie dyed bib and brace overalls , we were 15 at the time and my mate even then was built like a docker , this was at a school where at the time if you had your top button undone it was a detention He was caned by the head master and sent home until his hair dye grew out , he only came back to school once , that was to break the heads cane and punch him in the mouth I still stay in touch with him , he is the head of a large design company in Seattle
School is where a bunch of know nothings try to beat the individuality out of growing minds and bodies. I ****ing hated it and spent a fair amount of time being absent after the age of 14. Bless my mother, she didn't give too much of a **** and my father was gone by then. On my final day my fellow 5th formers cheered me onto the premises. I was asked to leave pretty shortly afterwards - dyed hair and incorrect uniform - I was 16 and it was 1978, FFS! I never hit a teacher, but know a few who did. There was one teacher who I heard has had to account for his actions on a number of occasions. My younger brother was expelled for refusing to be caned by him
Our classes parting shot was to lift the French teachers Ford 100e prefect onto 4 upturned waste paper bins , amazing the strength that the sheer hatred of a French teacher can muster , we stood and jeered while a local garage jacked it up
