Finally catching up with some TV series I’ve recorded. Westworld series 2 - Couldn’t understand what the **** was going on Homeland Series 7 - Boring as ****....don’t bother.
Caught the final episode of Killing Eve tonight - what great TV. Entertaining - darkly comic, bloody, couple of (slightly obvious) twists, international espionage, great soundtrack, good performances throughout, and perfectly set up for season 2. Probably the best thing I've seen on BBC for a good while. I like the way BBC have made this available in one go, instead of drip-feeding us week by week - I do enjoy a binge session of box-sets occasionally. Now to find something else to fill my Saturday evenings......NOT Strictly or X Factor ****e
The Dun Cow Durham City, where I drank virtually every night for three years about 40 years ago, was revisited last night with wife and daughter and it remains my favourite pub anywhere. Hasn’t changed a bit, Castle Eden still delicious. Completed the journey to drop my daughter off for her first year at Newcastle Uni this morning. Here is the view from her room.
Just back, the M1 a nightmare as usual. Officially she is studying Philosophy Goldie, but I suspect that nightclubs will be her area of expertise.
We stayed over in Durham last night because it’s close to Newcastle and where I went to Uni. Showed her the one and only nightclub there, Klute, which amazingly is still going. Was forced to explain that in the olden days last orders were 10.30 (she doesn’t go out until 11.00) and live bands were the entertainment. Durham has loads of pubs and used to have lots of live music, so it was great nearly 40 years ago. But man it’s small, much too small for my girl, she needs a bigger canvas. House is feeling quite odd without her. Still, if she ends up a philosopher and the boy continues becoming an excellent carpenter/builder, I’ll feel we’ve done a decent job.
A railway story. I was at a funeral in Morecambe yesterday, having travelled up by rail from Euston with Virgin Trains. All was well on the journey north, the funeral service was very moving and the reception in the lovely art-deco Midland Hotel was pleasant and booze-filled. The journey home began well - the 17.37 from Lancaster leaving on time - but problems arose at Preston, where crew changeovers take place. After we had stopped for several minutes, we were informed that the driver that was due to take over our train had been delayed coming up from Euston. A few minutes later, a further announcement informed us that we would have a wait of at least another 35 minutes for our driver to arrive. One of our group decided to check out what other options might be available and was advised by station staff that another Euston train was due to depart from a different platform in 5 minutes. This train would be making more stops, but, as one of those would be Watford (which is nearer home than Euston), he and I decided to swap trains, leaving the rest of our group on the original train. As we sat smugly awaiting the train to leave, I got a text from one of the other group telling us that their train had suddenly departed. Then came an announcement on our train, informing us that we would have to wait for a new driver and apologising to anyone who had been advised to change trains. They'd switched our driver to the original train! I got home at 11.45pm, having expected to be in by 9.15, and this morning I found out that Jeremy Corbyn had been spotted on the original delayed train on his way back from the Labour Conference in Liverpool. Perhaps someone had a word.
Totally mate.....on both points. Shame ‘cos Homeland was fantastic for the first 5 or so series.....then became bland and boring. Westworld just became a blurred mess after episode 1, series 1. How was the Aphex Twin album ? Some his stuff can be rather odd. (Though one of my lasting memories will always be at an industrial rave I went to once, where the DJ dropped ‘Come to Daddy’ mixed in with The Prodigy.....thought my head would explode )
Listened to it twice same ole painful mess but that’s what the artist is all about Aphex Twin have also made some of the most beautiful music every composed imo Then there is his other contrast tracks that do your nut it I like T69 off his new album a lot
That’s a good tune. I look at him like a mad professor, sitting in a studio trying to come up with some kind of noise that no one has ever heard before..... the man is a genius of sound and never fails to amaze me.
Just watched a fab documentary on BBC4 about Chas & Dave and their final tour, looking back over their career in skiffle bands through to opening Knebworth and having top 10 hits. Chas & Dave: Last Orders: www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b01nkdsv via @bbciplayer RIP Chas
My son the builder recommends Lidl power tools for value for money. Mind you I think he gets through a lot of them.
A few days ago I watched the making of Back to Black on BBC4. Always loved Amy's voice. The Dap Kings -wow watch a fantastic backing band I loved the fact that when she couldn't go to the states to perform at an awards ceremony, she performed it (I think in the UK) and won...the lack of sheer surprise on her face, and the excitement of the backing band was something to behold. Im sad, that after 7 years, she can still put a tear in my eye when I think of what an amazing talent she was. And Back to Black - it is one of my all time fav albums
I have no intention of ever seeing the unnecessary remake of A Star is Born with Lady Gagaga, but I do highly recommend the absolutely brutal review of it by Kevin Maher in today’s Times.
Mark Kermode was very complimentary about it, as was Matthew Norman in the Standard. I don't think I'll be watching it, though.
