Never judge a book by its cover

Yesterday, after work I was at my Wednesday morning Transactional Analysis course at college which is running for the next seven or so weeks. The group is made up from all walks of life and for some bizarre reason I’m the only male on it (no bad thing!). During the class we had to work in pairs and the allocation was random, as my female work partner walked over it occurred to me she wasn’t the best looking of women. Before we go on I want to say I don’t judge people by appearance, only the obvious cases like he’s a tramp and down on his luck etc. So she came over and sat next to me and the only prior chatter we’d had was a brief interchange of comments the week earlier. Within five minutes of working with her I was laughing and giggling and the actual college work seemed to fade as our repartee took over. Her personality really did shine forth and I was soon captivated by it, so much so I was very quickly finding her attractive. I think our joking and comments were bordering on flirting and I didn’t really want our task to end. Alas this woman is happily married and has kids and I don’t make a habit of getting involved in that type of thing, it’s just not me. On reflection after it made me realise that I’d pre-judged her as she'd walked over, she was a really warm and witty person and soon her personality had me looking beyond her looks and indeed quite fancying her. Of course nothing will come of it but the whole experience has made me think. I’m not one for old proverbs but ‘never judge a book by its cover’ is certainly very, very true.

Are you talking to me?

I know the film’s been out ages and it’s something of a cult classic but I’ve only recently got around to watching it - the film in question being ‘Taxi Driver’ with Robert DeNiro. I settled down to watch it on Sunday afternoon and shake off the weekend’s decadent excesses and was rewarded with a journey into the surreal, visceral, broody, twisted, bizarre and schizophrenic world of Travis Bickle. DeNiro really owns the role as the unconventional loner who becomes a taxi driver on the bleak, seedy and often violent streets of New York. As you get drawn into his world and multiple personalities you begin to relate to Mr Bickle even though he shocks you. It’s not a film laden with violence more rather a film that meanders its way to a shocking few final scenes that literally blew me away and a nice little twist at the end. As you immerse yourself in this film DeNiro alienates you, has you empathising with him but the end result confirmed to me just what a great actor he really is. I’ve often had an ongoing argument in my head as to who is the better actor, DeNiro or Pacino? Any comments out there?

Groovy

It was by pure chance that I picked up a ‘From Latin to Jazz Dance’ cd in Selectadisc some time ago. To be honest the cd was in their lounge music section and I picked up volume one simply because I liked the retro cover, I only recognised one of the artist on the cd. So, anyway when I came to play the cd I realised I’d stumbled upon a gem and set about procuring the other 4 volumes. Tracks vary from chilled latino beats to hip retro rhythms, it’s the kind of music you’d imagine on a Tarantino flick, it’s groovy that’s for sure.

Then it occurred to me that even though I’m having a lounge phase I’m still buying and listening to all sorts of music. My last spree involved the purchase of Kinobe, Marilyn Manson, Toyah and Kraftwerk – all very diverse indeed. My musical tastes seem to be widely varied, eclectic and just plain bizarre to some but I really do like all kinds of music. Like a drug music does enhance your mood, sometimes lifting it and sometimes escalating it to greater proportions. I can walk to work some nights listening to my mp3 player listening to Manson or Alice Cooper thinking I’m gonna kick some ass if anyone crosses me today. In total contrast I can listen to something ambient and nobody will piss me off at all. I guess we all like to listen to something upbeat as we prepare to go out for a night out. I think my favourite sounds of all though are falling rain which helps me sleep and the awesome sound of the sea lapping against the shore – I never tire of that.

Re-cycled Garbage

After four years away and Shirley Manson and the crew are back with Garbage’s new album ‘Bleed like me’ – and it’s a cracker!

Raw cascading guitar riff’s entwined with brooding synths and capped with Shirley’s powerful, sometimes sublime and always versatile voice. From the opening track of ‘Be my bad boyfriend’ right till the end it really rocks. Listening to the opening track I smiled to myself ‘they are back and kicking ass’ I thought to myself gleefully. Garbage as ever are pure quality.

http://www.garbage.com/

Lounge Lizard

The other Saturday I was in Nottingham with a pocket full of money (well it was just after pay day!) and I decided to peruse my favourite cd shop ‘Selectadisc’. I really didn’t have anything in mind to buy as I browsed waiting for something to jump out at me, as I meandered into the lower half of the store that houses less mainstream music types. I found myself in the bit that had ‘lounge’ music cd’s and started to thumb my way steadily through them. I’d heard various oddments of lounge stuff before and quite liked it so I thought I’d buy some. Not being an expert I chose a few general cd’s out of the many, there’s 50’s lounge, Asian lounge, Buddha lounge, jazz lounge, chill out lounge and the list goes on. I picked 3 different styles up but one last cd caught my eye, it was called nouvelle vague. This cd had lounge cover versions of late 70’s and early 80’s punk and alternative songs on it including the undertones ‘teenage kicks’ (a song that made john peel cry in joy when he heard it) and the dead kennedy’s ‘too drunk to fuck’. I love that early 80’s era so decided to get the cd and all I can say after listening to it is WOW. I’ve even noticed the BBC are using some excerpts from it between programmes etc. It really is unique and sounds great as husky female French singers sing lilting versions of 80’s classics to a bossa nova back beat, its cool, its lounge and I love it. Check the website out below and have a listen.

http://www.nouvellesvagues.com/

Nottinghams premier cd shop and worth a visit

http://www.selectadisc.co.uk/

Classy

Ok I’m going to be a typical bloke today and talk about…

Dita Von Teese, what a babe !

Wife to be of Marilyn Manson – why can’t it be me? I love the way she combines the 1950’s look with a hint of darkness, gothic, bondage and pure seduction. Apparently she has an really small waist, hence fitting in some really tight bodices and outfits, in honesty I like my women more curvy but although not being that much of a big girl Dita is highlighting the classic hour glass figure which is nice to see these days. Dita has more curves than a plate of spagetti and probably tastes nicer too !!!

Vote Tarantino for Prime Minister

Hello to you, I represent the Tarantino Party and I say vote the movie genius that is Quentin Tarantino as the next Prime Minister!

Why?

Our manifesto is simple;

Quality films for all
Cool soundtracks
Top Actors for top cabinet positions
Britain will be a cool place once again

I rest my case.

They wouldn't understand it

On watching ‘Baby hit me one more time’ on (ITV, Saturday 5.45pm) I’ve concluded its best to leave 80’s class acts be instead of trying to resurrect them, the lustre soon wore off, it just didn’t work. Don’t get me wrong, love and cherish the 80’s, the finest, diverse, innovative and most trashy decade ever. Fond memories come filtering back, I was a mod, then into heavy rock, then a futurist until I finally decided I liked a bit of everything. I guess my point being that 80’s pop acts are best remembered as they were because to be honest they look a bit jaded now, except for Tiffany who looked mouth watering. Howard Jones, I love your music, I’d still buy it but please don’t appear on some reality show, it’s just not you at all mate. Lets leave the 80’s to being the 80’s, enjoy that decade for all it gave us, video’s, computers, double breasted shirts, Human League, Duran Duran, Motorhead, Madness, Frankie, Iron Maiden, Falco, Queen and all the rest. Let’s revel in the nostalgia, play the music, remember it fondly and not waste it on the youth of today – they wouldn’t understand it.

Jeez I’m getting old,

Saying all this, if the Stones announced a tour tomorrow it would be a sell out, but then again they are the Rolling Stones and their vitality in old age gives me a glimmer of hope for the future.

Anyway, I decided over the weekend what was the best 80’s song ever

Drum roll … …

Temptation by Heaven 17

Inspiration

Well I can’t deny its been a low period in my life recently, a period of confusion and feeling down, even with my counselling training it was hard to get my head around things, each day was a struggle. I’ve been berated for being a misery guts and rightly so I guess as I’m usually cheery all the time.

If anything the last few weeks have learnt me a lot about myself, they’ve also shown me that when doors close – others open. Life is a blank book that we have a big hand in writing, sure we don’t get to write every bit of it but we do play a large role. When I feel down I always think of the Carl Rogers quote ‘If I can be all that I am then that shall be enough’.

It’s odd how songs make you see things, give you that lift and for me it was the fabled Aerosmith that gave me a song of hope and invigoration - it put the spring back in my step and at last I began to feel myself again. The song is called ‘Dream on’ and its all about moving on

Every time that I look in the mirror
All these lines on my face gettin’ clearer
The past is gone
It went by like dust to dawn
Isn’t that the way
Everybody’s got their dues in life to pay

I had myself a weekend away, well a night actually but as I boarded the train to St Pancras it felt good to be going places again and doing stuff. On returning the weather was so nice I had myself a few hours in Nottingham, so recently and wrongly branded a bad place by press and media. The last time I’d been at Nottingham was in less pleasant weather and circumstances so it was good to face the place again and confront demons from the past – then put them to rest.

You got to lose to know how to win

The weekend has really turned things around for me, made me understand myself better, I guess there’s nothing like some quality time away from home, sometimes your home is where you hide away I think.

Hoist the sails, I'm sailing back into the seas of life - and it feels good.