All those years ago, it was impressed on me by the music press, that Thomas Dolby was the “mature” synth-popper of the early MTV days, and I do remember the various singles that then, were played on rock radio; She Blinded me with Science, and its B-side, One of our Submarines.
I heard them many times, and also listened to various tracks from this album, even seeing Dolby at the Filmore in San Francisco, but until this week, had never actually listened to the complete work – why did I wait so long?!
It’s a marvellous “concept” album, much like OMD’s Dazzle Ships, released a year later, where one can find intelligence and still danceability on various tracks.
This is one of those series, that I know, but for some reason have never actually watched a full show of, until this week (Naturally, the BBC wishes this to tie in with Season 6 that will air shortly).
Starring Adrian Dunbar (as a head of a police Internal Affairs department), who I’ve always thought was either iffy, or in over his head with many roles (His cameo in Death in Paradise a few years ago, should have had him finding a new agent!), along with Martin Compston (A Glasgow ned – look it up!) with an English accent, as his number 2.
I’d heard rave reviews about this, but until watching a recent Gogglebox episode, that reviewed the last series; when two of the reviewers not only had to watch the final show of Season 5, but also looked genuinely shocked at the ending (I thought it was when Compston didn’t know that someone had followed him up the stairs?) – I felt I had to give it a go, and I’m glad that I did, watching episode 1 on the Beeb, and finishing the rest on iPlayer.
As for the series, let it be known that there is NO character development whatsoever! None! And in particular, Compston’s character either screws anything he gets his hands on, or makes mistake after mistake – and still somehow manages to keep his job.
Equally, none of the characters have any redeeming characteristics of any kind, and there are literally, holes everywhere in the plot. Hey, I can accept this, but for this series, even after six episodes, I was STILL not sure who did what by the end. And I was not alone, as I’ve read an interview with Jed Mercurio (writer), where he had to answer something like fifteen questions about just what exactly happened.
Why did I love it then? I’ve NEVER seen anything on television, with only one thing on its mind like this – that thing being Suspense. The entire series is set up to do suspense, and NOTHING else! Nothing! From the endings of each episode, to the many plot points during the episode, like one when there were two delivery drivers who somehow were allowed to enter the control room of the police division, complete with their helmets in place! I thought this runs counter to standard procedure? In this particular scene, nothing of importance actually occurred, but it still had me thinking as to whether something WAS going to happen; a hit, a gun fight; something.
This is a winner and I can’t wait for Season 6 to begin.
When I were a tot, I saw this on the big screen; it amazed me then and still does. Every trick that they could do and find, was done. Split screen, zooms (in and out), wide angle, slo-mo, etc, and to me, is the go to film for this type of style. Pity that Robbie Williams butchered it years later, for a pop video.
As so much slow-motion has been used the last few years, mostly poorly, please go to this film and see how it SHOULD be done. Not as a gimmick, but as something to augment emotion, action, and in this case – sheer terror; the scene when the driver knows he has to flee the car prior to an explosion, is outstanding. – A+
Death in Paradise, Season 10, Episodes 5 & 6, BBC1, Thursday / Friday:
It seems that after the initial two seasons, it lapsed, however enjoyably into what it thought it does best; pure escapism, hammed up acting, fun, nice people and during the winter, why not. But . . . someone decided to do a two-parter, and all of a sudden, it matured.
Gone were DI Neville Parker’s irritating allergies, scratching and other OTT mannerisms, and in came a genuine drama, suspense and even mystery. And with the return of the brilliant Detective Camille Bordey, from France to look after her attacked mother, Catherine, what more would anyone want. The touching scene where she imagines herself talking to the late, DI Poole (Ben Miller), the one love of her life, who she still imagines is here on Earth conversing with her, was wonderfully done and touching.
Since I am listening to a lot of early 90s / late 80s music currently, and did an entire month of the Inspiral Carpets in January, I naturally came to this beauty this past week. A song that I remember bopping to at the Kes Club, in Glasgow in late 1988 (along with Elephant Stone (Stone Roses) and Gigantic (The Pixies) – What music!
At that time, very few knew of this, and of the coming Manchester explosion, though I had heard of the Mondays before, and believe (not sure) that they were on the C86 cassette (Is this correct?).
What I must say after hearing this after a LONG time, from the album Bummed , (on Spotify I might add, so Ryder and his pals will collect some money, however small), is the size of the guitars! Please keep in mind that their producer on this gem, was none other than Martin Hannett; who had also produced Joy Division, OMD and even the likes of the Durutti Column.
Let’s not beat around the bush here, these are not “indie” guitars, but full fledged 80s’ ones that are more akin to U2, Goths, Shriekback or even Killing Joke (but with casual clothing). They would pass with winkelpickers, Docs and white makeup, no problem!
Listen to this and forget about the reissue a few years later.
I had a colleague years ago, who seemed to be always eating Rustlers burgers. Maybe he was lazy, maybe they were cheap, or maybe, just maybe, they tasted good and McDonalds was too far away to go to on your lunch break – and put up with the masses in the queues there.
I had one of them a year or so ago, and was not taken by it, but decided to give them a second chance, and for one quid at Poundland, why not!
I’m glad that I did. Because for £1, it was far more than I had expected, and only took a minute in the microwave to prepare.
This time it was a beef burger, and I’ve already purchased one of their chicken burgers to make it a “pair”!
And if you’re thinking that the meat is not actually real, at least according to their website, it is, and comes from either the UK or Ireland.
Owing to the continuing lockdown, and the inability to travel, what better than to show Glasgow off! Good idea, but where do we start?
A gem, that is neither in the West End (maybe!) or in the City Centre, and that to most, will merely be circumvented in either direction (east or west), on their travails to both said places.
We started with a very brief walk that took us up, but not to the very top, of the circus, and along by the old Scottish Football Association headquarters, now luxury flats.
But even here, and with the views towards the west of Glasgow, it was still most impressive; both architecturally and vista. More later.
Still remember these lads from Manchester at Reading Festival all those years ago, complete with a marching band (majorette led!), during their finale with Biggest Mountain, a delightful slow number, ending in a sweet rift to finish. Where initially I wasn’t sure if their sound was big enough – it was! They completely filled the farm with a huge, organ led blast.
They to me, combined the early rave / Madchester sound, with an early Britpop feel, largely due their Farfisa organ sound, played by the man, himself – Clint Boon. What a sound!
They always had both a hip, poppy beat, at the same time as having a downbeat or cynicism with the lyrics, though I still have no idea who wrote them, perhaps their always so serious / miserable lead singer, Tom Hingley.
I always felt that it was these two’s band, as in reality, they were much older (I thought) than the others, with them being in their 30s, when they suddenly packed it in – after something like 15 Top 50s in four or five years, with 4 albums being in the Top 20 (2 in the Top 5).
But for the few years, they were not ever out of the charts, and also ALWAYS had their very own keyboard / organ sound, and fashion sense; with them selling trillions of white, long sleeve t-shirts, with the “Cool as F*ck” logos.
Whilst annoyed they quit so soon, it’s my one hope that other bands would do this, as let’s be honest, who really gives a shit about a band after their first several albums.
Equally, they gave me one of my lasting “gig” memories, when after some drunk pelted Boon’s organs with a pint (at a university in Glasgow), Hingley stated; Who threw that? Who FOOKING threw that!, and with the help of their drummer (I believe) both went after the dick / culprit on the dance floor, to give him a doing. Classic!
I am trying to have this as a regular feature, but we do cook and drink(!) just so much, it’s hard to choose! One of the pet likes of mine, is to follow the myriad of TV chefs as they concoct, their often preposterous creations. We digress, as many of these, even if followed “loosely” can still be marvellous, but first, the BOTW:
This is a feature, at times, in a local Polish shop that I frequent. Whilst my Polish skills are non-existent, I can still gather from the label (and my taste) that there is some honey involved here somewhere. The beer’s name Miodne, actually means, you guessed it, “Honey”. The taste was of a non-overbearing honey beer, that was not too sickly with a full flavour. Will buy again.
As for the ROTW, a Broccoli Slaw; it comes from Sam Evans and Shauna Guinn, they of The Big Cookout on the BBC, and was featured on Saturday Kitchen, which is on BBC1 most Saturdays.
Whilst being a huge fan of broccoli, for both the cheapness and superfood benefits, I’d never before had or even thought of having it in its raw form? It was deliciously crunchy and blended in with the cranberries and honied yoghurt. One to make again!
So it’s a dreary winter’s day, and you need something warm to eat. You’re in Tesco’s and you just happen to see something for 75% off, that can be heated and consumed.
That’s what we did. Beforehand, I’d heard, or believe that I’d heard about the maker, as there are many of these older and more traditional businesses here in Scotland.
And whilst I did not hate the product, I will not be running out again to buy it, particularly at the full price! It seemed little on freshness and more about mass production, something that I wouldn’t expect from a company that has aspirations of being a “trad” butcher.
It was a very untypical Hogmanay for us, as whilst normally, we’ve friends around for dinner, and then depart for a ceilidh; this year we could only stay in and watch telly.
As the link states, they simply don’t really know where the word comes from, and I’m never really surprised when people don’t know the term, when I mention it to them – but believe me, virtually no one here in Scotland that I’ve met, will use the term “New Year’s Eve”!
As for the television, this year, as most years, was a mix of Scottish music, and the inevitable countdown, which usually showcases some canon in Edinburgh, at Edinburgh castle.
Curious Bystander 