A Song For Sunday

Here's a song by a fantastic band I've been listening to at the moment from 'Dead Can Dance'. They've been around a good few years but I've only recently discovered them. This song is called 'Saltarello' and the very apt surreal yet unofficial video for it has been done by a guy on YouTube, I think he's done an amazing job.

Vampires Rock

On Saturday I went to see Vampires Rock with a group of friends and had a cracking night. The show was really good and I got to meet Toyah! I've got quite a few Toyah cd's and I've been a fan for years, so I wasn't going to leave without getting a photo of me and her! The show was based around rock anthems with a loose story and by the end everyone was on their feet clapping along as the band belted out classics from Queen, Alice Cooper and Kiss. Anyway, here's some photos from the night.

Broken Land

It's funny when you are feeling down or meloncholy how songs from the past and in my case songs from the 80's can give you a lift. Here's one of my favourites from that golden era of music, a truly amazing yet little known band called 'The Adventures', their album 'Sea of Love' to me was seminal at the time, and still is.

Strictly Nonsense

He’s not pretty, he’s getting on a bit and according to the judges of this program he can’t dance. Former political journalist John Sergeant has decided to pull out of BBC1’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’. Now, I don’t ever watch this program but the odd brief bits I’ve caught of it is a simple format, the best dancers progress, the weakest get pin pointed by the judges and then face a public vote, a popular reality tv formula.

Sergeant’s dancing abilities have been in question most weeks evidently, and the judges of the program have been none to flattering about his ballroom dancing techniques and grace. On the other hand, the public love him and have kept him in the show every week, despite his scores ranking near the bottom.

Now he feels it’s time to leave the show as if he won it would be ‘a joke too far’ and not really fair on the good dancers if he won. How sad is that, a man with obvious character and with a comedy value that appeals to the masses has withdrawn? Did he jump or was he pushed? Reading the BBC news forums it seems the public will miss him greatly, and the fact he was getting stick every week prompted more to vote to keep him in. The British public don’t like being told who is best or who they should vote for, that psychology doesn’t work, we love an underdog, we love character and we like to laugh and be entertained, isn’t that the whole purpose of light entertainment reality programs? There’s the argument of course that the best contestants should ultimately win and also that Sergeant has turned the show into a soap opera, but the bottom line is the public vote for who they like, and after all this is a celebrity prime time program and not a serious competitive event. If it was a serious program the celebrities wouldn’t be there in the first place! It’s all nonsense, and more proof, as with other recent events that the BBC just isn’t in touch with its audience needs or wants. As for the press, why listen to their bitter and twisted rants on Sergeant, now he’s left they just pour scorn on someone else.

I miss the old days, programs like ‘It’s a Knockout’ to name but one, where it was all light hearted fun, wasn’t so serious and ego’s didn’t come into play, it was just good old fashioned entertainment.

Being Human

Last night I popped across to see my dad play guitar in a local pub, I didn't stay long really, just a solitary pint as I'm cutting back on the beer and then I walked home. Usually I like to walk through the market place, the square has a certain sheen to it as the old lamp lights flicker in the night. Walking through the usually empty market place often makes my mind drift to Victorian-esque moments, of vampires lurking in the shadows. As I pace through my imagination can run riot briefly.

Anyway last night as I neared Bridge Street several undesirables emerged from nowhere, quite close to me, evidently taking some interest. There about four of them, most likely with nothing better to do than lurk around and cause bother. As I was listening to music I couldn't hear their words, I quickly paced by them but could sense I was getting verbal abuse, though I didn't turn the music off to hear it, why bother?

I can take personal abuse, at my age its not something that bothers me greatly now, but I do wonder why people have to be insulting and aggressive. I felt doubtful of being attacked as it was fairly town centre and there's cctv around a usually a few people, if they had however I could have done nothing but took a beating, I was more matter of fact about the situation than nervous. Removing my earplugs and responding could have invited trouble, the sensible course of action was to stride on, nonchalant to what they were doing and paying no heed at all.

Today I had to admit on pondering things, my faith in human behaviour wasn't at full strength initially. This afternoon I went for a haircut and as I sat waiting an elderly Australian gentleman in a wheelchair was beside me having his cut, he was in his wheelchair as he obviously couldn't ascend the stairs to the main salon area. As I sat and read a magazine he chatted to the stylist about how he was over here in the UK for a few months with his wife (also having her hair cut). Soon my hair was cut and the stylist paid, I descended the stairs and there sat the old guy, I paused momentarily, then turned and smiled before saying 'Cheerio'. He responded warmly, slightly taken aback. I'm sure for a moment he felt good, I know I did, so why do some people get off on being unfriendly?

November Rain

It's been one of those months when nothing has seemingly gone right (and the weather has been dire). I could rant and moan about several items really, and in truth I wish I was more motivated to do so but I'm not right now. We all have bad days, I realise that but I just keep stringing bad days together. Things just keep happening and generally going wrong on a daily basis.

On the positive side of things, I have a couple of social events coming up that I'm looking forward to and my friend Gary who works out in Hong Kong is back over in the UK again in January 09 for a while.

In true hobbit style I'll soldier on and hope the coming weeks are better than the last few.

Snippets

Just a few thoughts on recent things going on...

Obama

I hope he does well, he could do a lot of good, especially if his foreign policies address current problems and mend fences. One thing that does worry me is that he has a lot of expectation to live up to, can he deliver? Let's hope so. It's good to see the geriatric old guard of American Presidents come to an end, out with the old, in with the younger and more dynamic.

Manuelgate

The British media had a real frenzy with Manuelgate. In a nutshell it all started with a seemingly low key prank call made to veteran comedian Andrew Sachs by Russell Brand and Johnathan Ross. The call did contain some distasteful lewd elements but in reality in wasn't any worse than some of the prank calls done in the past. The press however picked up on it and the whole thing became sensationalised, Brand in his radio station apology had subtle swipes at the paper that exposed the story thus inflamed the wrath of the press even more. Brand resigned, Ross was suspended, the celebrity community was divided.

So who were the winners and losers? In actual fact there were hardly any losers. Brand went over to the States and raised his profile further with appearances on chat shows etc, Ross got suspension but used to time to relax and rethink his career and count his money, the general consensus being 'he should have known better' but he received less vitriolic comments than Brand. Andrew Sachs was once again in the celebrity public eye and his almost extinct comedy career received a temporary boost, I think he did the Prince Charles comedy birthday tribute. Georgina Ballie, Sach's grandaughter and subject of the prank calls went to Max Clifford (publicist) and duly got her 5 minutes of fame.

As for the losers, well the BBC took a lot of flack and serious questions were raised over the amount they pay figurehead celebs such as Ross, and I guess as a license payer we shouldn't be paying our fee for celebs and big wigs at the BBC to get paid so bloody much. I think the BBC does some great Tv, but it could do even more quality programs if it paid celebrities and directors less.

My own personal angle on it? Well Brand could have done himself a favour by not taking on the press, though the reality is, it keeps him in the public eye. I don't think he's funny, dressing like a dandy, elongating words and gesticulating wildly just doesn't work for me, my guess is that he's a flash in the pan. Ross however, I quite like. I saw him once, on a trip to London, I was with my friend Pat and we were just about to go into a comic shop, as I recall Ross towered over us, such a tall man (well everyone is tall to me!) and said hello to us. I like Ross, not really sure why, I just do, and I like his Mrs even more!

The Economy

Well the papers say 1,500 a day are joining the ranks of the unemployed, that money is scarce and the outlook for the near future is bleak. Yet looking at certain goings on last night for children in need day it's amazing how much money is out there, especially when people were donating vast amounts for songs to be played on the radio.

A Fitting Song

Played this song in the car today, and listening to the spooky lyrics it reminded me of Halloween, got home and the song was still in my head so I looked it up and there's a video for it. Great lyrics and a fab song, it's called 'Goodnight Moon' by Shivaree.

Halloween

Hope you all have a good Halloween today and do something a little spooky or devilish! As for me I've got a longish day at work and then hopefully I'll be able to get down my locals tonight for a few beers, I'm sure one of my locals will have Hobgoblin on tap. Some local pubs have lit pumpkins in the windows and I can't help thinking the market square lit by the lamps at night with the cobbles wet looks like a scene from a horror film of yesteryear.

For more about Hobgoblin beer and the legends of Hobgoblins during Halloween read here.

Sacred

I just can't wait to get my hands on Sacred 2 out later this year, fantastic music by Blind Guardian for it too. I think I'm going to treat myself to an XBox 360 nearer christmas, one of the new black elite ones (but the game is out for the pc too).

Anyway enjoy the games title track by German band Blind Guardian, the video is well cool !

I Didn't Realise !

'A Hobbit's Journal' was actually 4 years old earlier this month. How the years have flown by since I tentatively began blogging. I guess in the early days blogging did consume me a little, and it passed time on the night shifts during my last job.

I do tend to blog less these days, but do try when I get the chance, I also make a point of visiting other peoples blogs. I think we all used to blog more and comment more but life gets in the way and often the intention to blog is sidetracked by something else that suddenly jumps out, life eh?

So, to those who have ever read or enjoyed the Journal, then thanks.... it's still business as usual, just not as busy as it was!

Jimmy The Legend

Jimmy Sirrel, the age old Notts County ex Manager and legend that took them to glory has passed on today aged 86. I met Jimmy in a supermarket once, I was only a youngster and I think there was a stall selling merchandise and raising the profile of the club, it's all a bit vague and I can't recall much or who I was with.

I've been a Notts County fan since a child, I say fan as I'm not an avid supporter, sure I've been to a good few games but never been a regular, so can't really label myself a supporter. It was as a youngster, probably aged 7 or 8 that I had a bet with a lad across the street who supported a local team County were once playing, County won and I remember him chasing me in frustration, it was at that point my passion for the club began.

Jimmy took the club to great heights in Football and worked long hours, he was a dedicated no nonsense Glasgow man who cared about his players. Football greats such as Howard Wilkinson and Alex Ferguson have being paying tribute today, among many others.