Welcome back to the increasingly unpopular and yet determined-to-win-you-over occasional series of lists of five types of thing I think are great.
We’ve had foreign language films, books and obscure albums and now it’s time to launch a subject that will either divide the audience or make them turn away immediately.
Science-Fiction
OK – so for those of you thinking “I don’t like science-fiction” please don’t despair – and please don’t dismiss a whole genre of fiction. When it’s good Sci-Fi is the most creative and imaginative form of writing and often takes risks that other types of fiction can’t. Really good Sci-fi uses the trappings of the genre to comment on our own society and should not merely be dismissed. Don’t forget that only a generation or so ago the concept of humans being able to fly from place to place in planes would have seemed like science fiction.
And, of course, it’s not possible to produce a definitive list of five greatest Sci-fi, because there’s so much that is great – for instance I’ve left off (Ridley Scott’s) Alien which is a horror film using Sci-fi trappings and (James Cameron’s) Aliens because it is an action film that uses Sci-fi trappings (although I love both films) and am ignoring Avatar on the grounds that it was self-indulgent over-long rubbish (sorry guys, it just was).
So I’ve decided to divide it into two categories – TV Sci-fi, or Telefantasy as it’s sometimes known, and Movie Sci-fi
TV Sci-Fi
#1: Blake’s 7
What: Main BBC rival to Doctor Who from 1977-1981 the plot revolved around a bunch of political criminals attempting to sabotage a corrupt Federation of planets and win freedom for mankind.
The nominal leader of the “dirty dozen in space” was Roj Blake (played by Gareth Thomas), a political activist deemed too dangerous to kill in charge of a group of criminals and a mysterious alien ship. Plots revolved around attempts to sabotage Federation installations or to keep “independent” planets free of the Federations reach.
It all went a bit downhill after season two when Thomas left the show and the program lost its focus. The remaining characters had no particular reason to carry on the fight and so plots shifted to revenge and seeking personal wealth. By season four the original strong characters were being replaced by weaker ones and the show was cancelled – leaving generations of children with a cliff hanger ending that would never be resolved.
Having said this Paul Darrow (as cold, logical Kerr Avon) and Jacqueline Pearce (the ruthless federation leader Servalan) remain two of the most iconic characters in telefantasy and the first two seasons, slow as they may be (and full of rubbish monsters) by modern standards, are definitely still worth watching. The series also featured the most kick-ass spaceship in all Sci-fi: The Liberator.
Today: there is still interest in the show and the BBC recently commissioned some radio plays set in season four of the show. These were of mixed quality. There was some talk of a new show to feature Paul Darrow as an exiled Avon, but the last update I heard on this was that Darrow had fallen out with the creators and the project was indefinitely on hold.
#2: Doctor Who
What: Time-travel romp initially envisioned as a no bug-eyed monsters education show. This remit lasted all of four episodes and then the Daleks came along.
The original series ran from 1963 to 1989 and probably hit the height of its popularity from 1970-80 under the tenure of Jon Pertwee and later the legend-that-is Tom Baker when the show regularly drew 13-14 million viewers (figures undreamed of in modern TV). However, by 1987-89 the budget had been slashed, production values thrown out of the window and Bonnie Langford had been cast as an assistant (shudder)
The show was cancelled, briefly came back as an American pilot episode and finally returned five years ago – subsequently David Tennant became the Tenth actor to play the Doctor and was amazing (although clearly not better than Tom Baker).
Today: the most recent series, now starring Matt Smith, was a bit disappointing – but we continue to hope for better.
#3: Star Trek (original series)
What: the five year mission of the USS Enterprise that initially only lasted three. Full of 60s optimism the program was carried by the triad of Kirk, Spock and McCoy and that gung-ho spirit, combined with the Shatner/Nimoy/Kelly dynamic is still as good and as fresh as ever.
The Sequels:
Star Trek: The Next Generation – of all the spin-offs this seems to have aged the worst, stuck – as it is – in 1980s America (come on guys, a councillor on the bridge?) Patrick Stewart is great as Jean-luc Picard, but of the minor characters Riker is unintentionally hilarious (watch the man walk – he seems to be on the verge of falling forward), Data is too smug (and the whole wanting to be human thing is wearisome) and only Worf is really of any interest.
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine – I didn’t really like this first time around, I found it slow and ponderous. Things get better when the Dominion war starts and the program rewards repeat viewing
Star Trek: Voyager – despite the annoying nasal voice of Captain Jane-a-way and her French-loaf hairdo this is my favourite of the spin-offs, although the speed that it sells out the initial interesting concept of rebels/federation having to come together is breathtaking
Star Trek: Enterprise – it had Sam Beckett from Quantum Leap in it. This is the only good thing about it. It got cancelled. Nuff said.
#4: Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Teen-tearaway Buffy Summers discovers she is the chosen one to fight off the forces of darkness and moves to Sunnydale, which is conveniently located over a hellmouth
Funny, fast and incredibly intelligently written the first three series of Buffy should be shown to anyone even considering making a TV show as an example of how things should be done. Sadly during seasons four to six things become a bit more like Dawson’s Creek with vampires – but the final season just about manages to make up for it.
#5: Quantum Leap
Sam Beckett is lost in time thanks to his own experiment – he leaps about in time writing wrongs with the help of his hologram friend Al
OK – so the show is a bit of fluff. OK – so every other episode the writers seemed to find an excuse for Scott Bacula to sing, but who cares: it was genius. The on-screen chemistry between Sam and Al was always great and it was an unashamedly feel-good show. Just a shame about the rubbish final episode. Turn your brain off and enjoy.
Film Sci-Fi
Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
What: after the destruction of the Death Star at the end of what I must grudgingly refer to as A New Hope (It was just Star Wars when I saw it – OK!!!!!!) the rebel forces are on the run from a vengeful empire and Jedi-in-training Luke Skywalker is forced too soon into a confrontation with the evil Darth Vader
Much, much darker than the original film this is, I think, what we all wanted when George Lucas announced he was making three darker prequels. What we got was more muppett nonsense. Even though this is a middle episode and even though it ends with a cliffhanger this is easily the best of the Star Wars films and the scene on the gantry between Luke and Darth still remains a classic.
Future: There are still rumours of three more sequels to come – no, just no – ok?
The Matrix
What: Neo, a freelance computer hacker, comes across rumours of a matrix. He discovers he has an existence as a human battery and may or may not be destined to be a chosen saviour of the enslaved masses.
OK – great special effects, Keanu Reeves actually on form and delivering – fast and furious with some really neat ideas behind the effects this is a great film only ruined by two rather poor sequels. Watch it on its own and make up your own ending to the story.
Star Trek 2: The Wrath Of Khan
What: Many years ago Kirk et al abandoned genetically enhanced Khan on a planet that turned out to be doomed – now he is back and wants revenge. Mix in a plan to colonise hostile worlds and the death of an old friend and you have a classic.
After the worthy but dull first film ST had to deliver and it is no co-incidence that Wrath Of Khan is still held as a classic. Not only is it a good Star Trek film, not only is it a good sci-fi film, it is a good film period. Leonard Nimoy particularly delivers the performance of a lifetime and Shatner still has the hint of the devil in his eye
Today: The latest Star Trek film was pretty good after the turgid Next Generation movies but, for my money, it lacked the Shatner factor and the time-travel plot was silly.
Blade Runner
Clones (or replicants) are banned from Earth – those who disobey are hunted down and terminated by Blade Runners. Rik Deckard (Harrison Ford) is a Blade Runner who after coming in contact with a replicant begins not only to doubt his mission but the nature of his own existence.
The first three times I saw this film (the first time with the Sam Spade voice over still attached) I didn’t much like it. Why did I watch it again? Because the film was hailed as such a classic that I felt I must be wrong.
I was.
It’s one of those films that, like my favourite film Brazil, rewards repeated viewing and I like the fact that the ending is still up for discussion and not just given to you on a plate (though I haven’t seen the latest re-cut yet). The scene in the rain with Rutger Hauer is pure genius.
#5: Plan 9 From Outer Space
What: famously the second worst movie of all time (only beaten by Santa Claus Conquers The Martians) this features aliens so inept that plans 1 through 8 to curb humans from destroying the cosmos have presumably failed and they are forced to re-animate the dead to get our attention.
Made by notorious director Edward D Wood (and for more of the same watch Tim Burton’s excellent “Ed Wood”) on a budget conned from a religious group who thought the profits would go to making a film of the Bible, with stock footage of Bela Lugosi (intercut with Ed Wood’s dentist) and a not-so-psychic TV-psychic the lighting shifts from moment to moment and the dialogue is unbelievably forced. This is a must for every sci-fi fan who takes the genre too seriously to remind us that sometimes it is pretty bad too
Oh – and sneaking in at #6: The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Just watch it, then watch it again. It will take about four or five viewings and suddenly you will realise that it is both a great movie and a great musical. Brilliantly paying homage to the weird and wonderful plots of the 1950s b-movies and with a performance from Tim Curry that will leave your jaw open with surprise long after the movie has finished.
Wednesday, 11 August 2010
Monday, 9 August 2010
The Poetry Bus Returns
This week's challenge, as ever sponsored by Total Feckin Eejit (probably the greatest blog...in the worrrrrld - you have to imagine Rutger Hauer doing the ad, it's that good) is brought to you by Revolutionary Revelry who asked us, amongst other things, to think of a sensory memory to do with summer
And I nearly missed the bus again thanks to my usual woolgathering and scattergun thoughts - then i thought about something that happened to me one June day in what we Brits laughingly refer to as "summer" and for some reason, unexplainable to the mortal eye, also found myself much in the styling of Bob (he's a musician) Dylan - prompt cards for the video are optional.
Subterranean Stormcloud Blues
June day
bike ride
looking for the right sign
hot day
OK
Gonna get me outside
Lookout June, come too soon, gonna take my bike, gonna take it for a ride
Lookout you, went too soon, see the clouds arising when you thought the sun was shinin
Hailstones
chase me home
sky is helter-skelter
cold rain
brain drain
looking for a shelter
Lookout June, caught you too, going on a bike ride thinking you were clever
Lookout you, come too soon, aught to know better than to ever trust the weather
And I nearly missed the bus again thanks to my usual woolgathering and scattergun thoughts - then i thought about something that happened to me one June day in what we Brits laughingly refer to as "summer" and for some reason, unexplainable to the mortal eye, also found myself much in the styling of Bob (he's a musician) Dylan - prompt cards for the video are optional.
Subterranean Stormcloud Blues
June day
bike ride
looking for the right sign
hot day
OK
Gonna get me outside
Lookout June, come too soon, gonna take my bike, gonna take it for a ride
Lookout you, went too soon, see the clouds arising when you thought the sun was shinin
Hailstones
chase me home
sky is helter-skelter
cold rain
brain drain
looking for a shelter
Lookout June, caught you too, going on a bike ride thinking you were clever
Lookout you, come too soon, aught to know better than to ever trust the weather
Friday, 6 August 2010
Wordzzle - the ongoing saga
OK - so before I print my attempt at wordzzles this week a quick shout out to The Watercats who this week launched a Fantasy-Band-Member occasional post.
In response to which I think I will post the below video, which is something of a guilty pleasure - but, and be honest here guys, wouldn't you give anything to be a member of Dr Teeth & The Electric Mayhem?
Right, on with the challenge.
This week I seem to have been away, quite literally, with the pixies, as I was utterly convinced that Raven had not launched her usual challenge this week - utterly convinced, that is, until I re-visited her site and realised I had actually commented on it!!
So: rules are as follows - you get 10 words, 5 words or all 15 words to write a story. You have to use them in your story and add your name to Mr Linky. Much fun and creativity ensues.
Words for this week's 10-word challenge are: swiss cheese, operation, frantic, quizzical, control, shallow, wedding, paranoid, orange, marginal
And for the mini: pepper, island, quintuplets, organic, treaty
I think again I shall stick to the 10 word challenge - and bring you the much anticipated second installment of my story.
Sadly, for those of you wondering what was going on with the box and the dump truck, we are now a week on from those events, so you will just have to wait a few more episodes to really get what is going on...
For part 1 click here
Sleeper (Part 2)
Sophie inhaled deeply on the cigarette and allowed her focus to fade. The glass window of the shop fragmented her reflection until it mirrored the swiss cheese state of her mind. She could just see the girl inside the shop, trying on wedding dresses with gleeful abandon, but for the first time in her life Sophie could find no comparitive emotion to match.
Everything had been in turmoil since the party: she glanced over her shoulder at the Government building that she could still just pick out on the horizon, as if somehow those present inside would be able to hear her thoughts. She was being paranoid, but that seemed to be a constant state of mind recently with the way that Mark had been towards her.
And now there was Richard.
Dear sweet Richard, with his quizzical eyebrow always ready to be raised, his emotions deep and warm and not shallow like Mark's, like their relationship was an operation and Mark was the surgeon: only interested in her to find out how she worked. She felt a moment of guilt at the thought. She and Richard had never been more than friends, at least until that night a week ago. It was as if he had realised the marginal state of her existence and reached out to her and offered her life again.
Sophie blinked. Something moved in the periphery of her vision. There, half-way up the road, as if sommoned by her guilt, was Mark.
She frowned, taking a moment to process the information. He didn't seem to have seen her, was heading away from her: so what was he doing in this area? She felt frantic at the thought that he might have seen the way she and Richard had exchanged glances as they left the building and headed after him calling his name.
There was no response to the call. He just kept on walking. It was only when she reached out and touched his collar that he span and looked at her like a scalded cat. There was a brief surge of cold anger on his face, as if he had been caught in some secret, and then he regained control
'I kept calling your name: what are you doing here?' Sophie asked
'Sorry' he said, not answering the question, 'I was miles away'
He took her for a coffee nearby, made pleasant conversation that was never more than surface deep, his eyes repeatedly falling to her orange security pass until she became self-conscious and tucked it away.
Finally he glanced at his watch, 'I'm supposed to be meeting someone' he said, 'I must be going' He leaned over and gave Sophie a perfunctory kiss and then was gone up the road again, walking quickly.
For a second Sophie fought the urge to follow him, to see where he was going: but it was getting late and she was due back at work. She turned back the way she had come and gasped, blinking with surprise.
Just for a second she had been sure that someone was following her
In response to which I think I will post the below video, which is something of a guilty pleasure - but, and be honest here guys, wouldn't you give anything to be a member of Dr Teeth & The Electric Mayhem?
Right, on with the challenge.
This week I seem to have been away, quite literally, with the pixies, as I was utterly convinced that Raven had not launched her usual challenge this week - utterly convinced, that is, until I re-visited her site and realised I had actually commented on it!!
So: rules are as follows - you get 10 words, 5 words or all 15 words to write a story. You have to use them in your story and add your name to Mr Linky. Much fun and creativity ensues.
Words for this week's 10-word challenge are: swiss cheese, operation, frantic, quizzical, control, shallow, wedding, paranoid, orange, marginal
And for the mini: pepper, island, quintuplets, organic, treaty
I think again I shall stick to the 10 word challenge - and bring you the much anticipated second installment of my story.
Sadly, for those of you wondering what was going on with the box and the dump truck, we are now a week on from those events, so you will just have to wait a few more episodes to really get what is going on...
For part 1 click here
Sleeper (Part 2)
Sophie inhaled deeply on the cigarette and allowed her focus to fade. The glass window of the shop fragmented her reflection until it mirrored the swiss cheese state of her mind. She could just see the girl inside the shop, trying on wedding dresses with gleeful abandon, but for the first time in her life Sophie could find no comparitive emotion to match.
Everything had been in turmoil since the party: she glanced over her shoulder at the Government building that she could still just pick out on the horizon, as if somehow those present inside would be able to hear her thoughts. She was being paranoid, but that seemed to be a constant state of mind recently with the way that Mark had been towards her.
And now there was Richard.
Dear sweet Richard, with his quizzical eyebrow always ready to be raised, his emotions deep and warm and not shallow like Mark's, like their relationship was an operation and Mark was the surgeon: only interested in her to find out how she worked. She felt a moment of guilt at the thought. She and Richard had never been more than friends, at least until that night a week ago. It was as if he had realised the marginal state of her existence and reached out to her and offered her life again.
Sophie blinked. Something moved in the periphery of her vision. There, half-way up the road, as if sommoned by her guilt, was Mark.
She frowned, taking a moment to process the information. He didn't seem to have seen her, was heading away from her: so what was he doing in this area? She felt frantic at the thought that he might have seen the way she and Richard had exchanged glances as they left the building and headed after him calling his name.
There was no response to the call. He just kept on walking. It was only when she reached out and touched his collar that he span and looked at her like a scalded cat. There was a brief surge of cold anger on his face, as if he had been caught in some secret, and then he regained control
'I kept calling your name: what are you doing here?' Sophie asked
'Sorry' he said, not answering the question, 'I was miles away'
He took her for a coffee nearby, made pleasant conversation that was never more than surface deep, his eyes repeatedly falling to her orange security pass until she became self-conscious and tucked it away.
Finally he glanced at his watch, 'I'm supposed to be meeting someone' he said, 'I must be going' He leaned over and gave Sophie a perfunctory kiss and then was gone up the road again, walking quickly.
For a second Sophie fought the urge to follow him, to see where he was going: but it was getting late and she was due back at work. She turned back the way she had come and gasped, blinking with surprise.
Just for a second she had been sure that someone was following her
Friday, 30 July 2010
Wordzzle Daze Are Here Again
OK - so it seems like every week I promise myself that this week I will definately, without any excuses, write a pome for Total Feckin Eejit's Poetry Bus or promise that I will have a go on the Wordzzle set by Raven - and every week time seems to slip away from me and I find that I haven't done anything about either.
So - having yet again failed to get around to writing any of my ideas down and, you know, actually preparing anything it is my intention to just throw my arms up in the air this week and go "oh what the hell - i'll just make something up as i go along".
Which, as usual, is not entirely true - because I do sort of have an idea and I hope it works
As you may know if you've played or read before - each week Raven sets a series of words and you have to encorporate them in some way, shape or form into your story
The words for the challenge are (10 words) sharp, dump truck, charcoal, traffic light, digestive system, argumentative, fireflies, chocolate, volume, options.
For the mini: parameters, shoplifting, adoption, threats, lemonade.
For the mega - all fifteen words
I think this week I will go for the 10 word challenge. This may, or may not, develop into something more...
Sleeper
He turned down the volume on the stereo and pressed his ear closer to the wall. They were paper-thin in these old council houses, so brittle that a good sneeze could bring them down. From the other side he could he could hear them arguing again: screaming blue murder
He took a gulp from the tumbler and winced at the sharp taste of ginger. Sadie said the stuff was good for his digestive system, but the taste always made him long for gut-rot instead.
She was opening the door now, calling him to come and help with the shopping. He ignored her for a second.
'Mark?' She called the name again and this time he turned, trying to hide the annoyance in his eye: none of this was her fault. Five fucking years of listening to shouting from next door, making inane conversation. He was aware the long day was making him argumentative, so he pushed down the anger and forced a hollow smile as he took the first of the bags off her
'How was your day?' he asked
Sophie began a litany of complaints, her thoughts jumping from topic to topic like fireflies. He nodded in all the right places, trying to dissiminate the information. Most of it was stuff he had heard before: none of it useful.
She kissed him lightly on the lips, the taste of chocolate on her tongue. It was amazing how little effort he had to put in these days to make the passion believable.
She was telling him about the evening ahead. There was a leaving-do tonight, staff only. It was a relief in many ways, though it would have been a useful opportunity.
She moved to the cupboard, going through her options of outfits and he took the opportunity to slip the small box deep into her bag where she would never find it, then he swallowed a couple of charcoal pills to quell the uncomfortable feeling in his gut.
Finally she was ready to leave and he paused at the door, kissing her again lightly: feeling nothing. There was a dump-truck across the road, sat at the traffic light and as Sophie climbed into the small car and drove off he nodded at the driver and locked the door, watching from the window as the truck pulled out behind her: following her just out of sight
So - having yet again failed to get around to writing any of my ideas down and, you know, actually preparing anything it is my intention to just throw my arms up in the air this week and go "oh what the hell - i'll just make something up as i go along".
Which, as usual, is not entirely true - because I do sort of have an idea and I hope it works
As you may know if you've played or read before - each week Raven sets a series of words and you have to encorporate them in some way, shape or form into your story
The words for the challenge are (10 words) sharp, dump truck, charcoal, traffic light, digestive system, argumentative, fireflies, chocolate, volume, options.
For the mini: parameters, shoplifting, adoption, threats, lemonade.
For the mega - all fifteen words
I think this week I will go for the 10 word challenge. This may, or may not, develop into something more...
Sleeper
He turned down the volume on the stereo and pressed his ear closer to the wall. They were paper-thin in these old council houses, so brittle that a good sneeze could bring them down. From the other side he could he could hear them arguing again: screaming blue murder
He took a gulp from the tumbler and winced at the sharp taste of ginger. Sadie said the stuff was good for his digestive system, but the taste always made him long for gut-rot instead.
She was opening the door now, calling him to come and help with the shopping. He ignored her for a second.
'Mark?' She called the name again and this time he turned, trying to hide the annoyance in his eye: none of this was her fault. Five fucking years of listening to shouting from next door, making inane conversation. He was aware the long day was making him argumentative, so he pushed down the anger and forced a hollow smile as he took the first of the bags off her
'How was your day?' he asked
Sophie began a litany of complaints, her thoughts jumping from topic to topic like fireflies. He nodded in all the right places, trying to dissiminate the information. Most of it was stuff he had heard before: none of it useful.
She kissed him lightly on the lips, the taste of chocolate on her tongue. It was amazing how little effort he had to put in these days to make the passion believable.
She was telling him about the evening ahead. There was a leaving-do tonight, staff only. It was a relief in many ways, though it would have been a useful opportunity.
She moved to the cupboard, going through her options of outfits and he took the opportunity to slip the small box deep into her bag where she would never find it, then he swallowed a couple of charcoal pills to quell the uncomfortable feeling in his gut.
Finally she was ready to leave and he paused at the door, kissing her again lightly: feeling nothing. There was a dump-truck across the road, sat at the traffic light and as Sophie climbed into the small car and drove off he nodded at the driver and locked the door, watching from the window as the truck pulled out behind her: following her just out of sight
Tuesday, 27 July 2010
A Proper Guitar Hero
Forget the game where you hit coloured squares and concentrate a bit, because I have a task for you music lovers out there.
Right - here goes. I want you to get a pen and paper and think of 8-10 top quality Guitar legends and write down their names. Scroll down once you've got a list that you're happy with
Scroll down a bit more...
OK - so if you know anything about music you'll probably have bandied the name David (Pink Floyd) Gilmore about and have mentioned Jimi Hendrix somewhere on the list.
You might also have mentioned Jimmy (Led Zeppelin) Page or U2's The Edge (and a bonus point for anyone who knows why he is called "The Edge - answer below for those who don't)
If you're a blues fan you probably said Eric Clapton, BB King or even Robert Johnstone. Maybe you took a shot at Peter (Fleetwood Mac before Stevie Nicks) Green.
Some may have bandied the name George Harrison about, casually mentioned Brian (Queen) May, Pete (The Who) Townsend or even (GnR) Slash (although I'd have to beg to differ there). If you really know your music you might even have mentioned Johnny (The Smiths) Marr (although his involvment in "The Healers" would seem to disqualify him). (if you thought of any others please let me know)
But a name that often gets missed off is Mark Knopfler -and wrongly so in my view.
Knopfler was the chap with the sweat-band and bad hair who, during the late 70s-early 90s fronted the behemoth that was Dire Straits. To quote Douglas Adams Knopfler could make a guitar sing like a choir of angels on a night off from being good, but often gets snubbed because the music of Dire Straits is considered middle of the road and due to Knopfler's penchance for country-influenced music in his later career
But what, I would like to know, is wrong with middle of the road? Personally I like a bit of music that I can just play and feel good with - I don't always want to be challenged by the music I listen to and without a middle of the road how can you know where the edges are?
So, on behalf of an unsung guitar hero, here is Knopfler's rendition of "Local Hero" taken from the Alchemy DVD. Anyone who can listen to this without the hairs on their arms tingling by the end doesn't deserve to have ears.
NB: The Edge gets his unusual moniker from the shape of his nose
Right - here goes. I want you to get a pen and paper and think of 8-10 top quality Guitar legends and write down their names. Scroll down once you've got a list that you're happy with
Scroll down a bit more...
OK - so if you know anything about music you'll probably have bandied the name David (Pink Floyd) Gilmore about and have mentioned Jimi Hendrix somewhere on the list.
You might also have mentioned Jimmy (Led Zeppelin) Page or U2's The Edge (and a bonus point for anyone who knows why he is called "The Edge - answer below for those who don't)
If you're a blues fan you probably said Eric Clapton, BB King or even Robert Johnstone. Maybe you took a shot at Peter (Fleetwood Mac before Stevie Nicks) Green.
Some may have bandied the name George Harrison about, casually mentioned Brian (Queen) May, Pete (The Who) Townsend or even (GnR) Slash (although I'd have to beg to differ there). If you really know your music you might even have mentioned Johnny (The Smiths) Marr (although his involvment in "The Healers" would seem to disqualify him). (if you thought of any others please let me know)
But a name that often gets missed off is Mark Knopfler -and wrongly so in my view.
Knopfler was the chap with the sweat-band and bad hair who, during the late 70s-early 90s fronted the behemoth that was Dire Straits. To quote Douglas Adams Knopfler could make a guitar sing like a choir of angels on a night off from being good, but often gets snubbed because the music of Dire Straits is considered middle of the road and due to Knopfler's penchance for country-influenced music in his later career
But what, I would like to know, is wrong with middle of the road? Personally I like a bit of music that I can just play and feel good with - I don't always want to be challenged by the music I listen to and without a middle of the road how can you know where the edges are?
So, on behalf of an unsung guitar hero, here is Knopfler's rendition of "Local Hero" taken from the Alchemy DVD. Anyone who can listen to this without the hairs on their arms tingling by the end doesn't deserve to have ears.
NB: The Edge gets his unusual moniker from the shape of his nose
Sunday, 18 July 2010
Poetry Bus - All Pomed Out
Greetings fellow bloggers and it's great to be here taking part in my friend Argent's Poetry Bus, as sponsored by Total Feckin Eejit.
And it's been a few weeks since I've been on the bus as I've been a bit pomed out since hosting it myself (and thanks to everyone who played - it was a great response)
And this week the challenge is to make people laugh with examples of our comedy, or to share our thoughts on Unrequited Love
So - I have three entries this week: the first of which is one that, for some unknown reason, Hallmark (the greeting card company) turned down. I can't imagine why.
Love Is...
Love is a Whale lying on a beach
Love is a goal that’s always out of reach
Love is a bottle on a hotel room table
Love is a highly charged electricity cable
Love is a slashed wrist in a shower room scene
Love is a foolish and impossible dream
Love is a bitter pill that you come to rely on
Love is just another floor on which to throw your nylon
Love is a toy that’s never built to last
Love is a question that never gets asked
Love is a rumour that burns inside your heart
Love is a stranger that haunts you in the dark.
OK - so not the happiest of pomes, and for a bit of light relief I want you to think about folk music.
Now - I don't know what folk music means to you where you live but here in the UK several things spring to mind:
* Big, home-knitted wooly jumpers (made from Goat's wool, never sheep)
* Blokes with Art Garfunkel hair and beards the size of a bush
* Pipe smokers (and definately Real Ale drinkers)
* Said beardy bloke standing at the mike with a finger in one ear, his eyes screwed closed and starting each line with a long "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh...." before going on about having "e-spied a couple o' lovers' whilst walking 'in the merry month of may'
So here, for your delectation and delight, is a little known song from entirely fictional Folk group called The Pickled Gherkins:
Folk Song
When I was out a walking, in the merry month of may
I espied a couple of lovers, at it in the hay
And there I walked with Mary, who was me true love fair
Until I found she was a man, that's a wig and not her hair!
CHORUS:
Singing walk with me, come walk with me, along me garden path
But there's many a snake would bite you, so watch out for your ass
And many a time we'll walk this way and think back to the day
When we were all young lovers, at it in the hay
My daddy was a wealthy man, he was a merchant banker
And many times he'd sail to sea, like a ship without an anchor
Me mammy used to say to me 'becareful what you trust'
And then one day she went outside, and got knocked down by a bus
CHORUS x3
ok - and apologies to everyone in the known world for that little song.
Finally, despite the request for unrequited love pomes I would like to submit the below ditty, which I wrote for my partner - sometimes referred to on this blog as "herself"
I wrote this about the time that A-ha's penultimate album "analogue" came out, so it's quite influenced by that. I will post the song on my music gadget, so if anyone wants to hear how it goes they can do so. Anyways - here goes:
(NB: for those of you who do listen, the piano you can hear is played by the multi-talented Argent of Delusions Of Adequacy fame)
Changes In The Wind
The waves are breaking on the beach, as the daylight slips away
I want to say a thousand things, but there’s nothing left to say
Though I’m here, in the dark, still I feel the light around me
And I won’t, be alone, while I feel your love inside me
And life don’t matter, money don’t matter
It’s all, just changes, in the wind
And changes can’t break you, because love can save you
And while, I’m with you, we can win
I dream of coming home again, to put my arms around you
I’m finally feeling positive, since the day that I first found you
For we’re here, in this world, and we’ve only got each other
And I know, in my heart, I could never live without you
And it's been a few weeks since I've been on the bus as I've been a bit pomed out since hosting it myself (and thanks to everyone who played - it was a great response)
And this week the challenge is to make people laugh with examples of our comedy, or to share our thoughts on Unrequited Love
So - I have three entries this week: the first of which is one that, for some unknown reason, Hallmark (the greeting card company) turned down. I can't imagine why.
Love Is...
Love is a Whale lying on a beach
Love is a goal that’s always out of reach
Love is a bottle on a hotel room table
Love is a highly charged electricity cable
Love is a slashed wrist in a shower room scene
Love is a foolish and impossible dream
Love is a bitter pill that you come to rely on
Love is just another floor on which to throw your nylon
Love is a toy that’s never built to last
Love is a question that never gets asked
Love is a rumour that burns inside your heart
Love is a stranger that haunts you in the dark.
OK - so not the happiest of pomes, and for a bit of light relief I want you to think about folk music.
Now - I don't know what folk music means to you where you live but here in the UK several things spring to mind:
* Big, home-knitted wooly jumpers (made from Goat's wool, never sheep)
* Blokes with Art Garfunkel hair and beards the size of a bush
* Pipe smokers (and definately Real Ale drinkers)
* Said beardy bloke standing at the mike with a finger in one ear, his eyes screwed closed and starting each line with a long "Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh...." before going on about having "e-spied a couple o' lovers' whilst walking 'in the merry month of may'
So here, for your delectation and delight, is a little known song from entirely fictional Folk group called The Pickled Gherkins:
Folk Song
When I was out a walking, in the merry month of may
I espied a couple of lovers, at it in the hay
And there I walked with Mary, who was me true love fair
Until I found she was a man, that's a wig and not her hair!
CHORUS:
Singing walk with me, come walk with me, along me garden path
But there's many a snake would bite you, so watch out for your ass
And many a time we'll walk this way and think back to the day
When we were all young lovers, at it in the hay
My daddy was a wealthy man, he was a merchant banker
And many times he'd sail to sea, like a ship without an anchor
Me mammy used to say to me 'becareful what you trust'
And then one day she went outside, and got knocked down by a bus
CHORUS x3
ok - and apologies to everyone in the known world for that little song.
Finally, despite the request for unrequited love pomes I would like to submit the below ditty, which I wrote for my partner - sometimes referred to on this blog as "herself"
I wrote this about the time that A-ha's penultimate album "analogue" came out, so it's quite influenced by that. I will post the song on my music gadget, so if anyone wants to hear how it goes they can do so. Anyways - here goes:
(NB: for those of you who do listen, the piano you can hear is played by the multi-talented Argent of Delusions Of Adequacy fame)
Changes In The Wind
The waves are breaking on the beach, as the daylight slips away
I want to say a thousand things, but there’s nothing left to say
Though I’m here, in the dark, still I feel the light around me
And I won’t, be alone, while I feel your love inside me
And life don’t matter, money don’t matter
It’s all, just changes, in the wind
And changes can’t break you, because love can save you
And while, I’m with you, we can win
I dream of coming home again, to put my arms around you
I’m finally feeling positive, since the day that I first found you
For we’re here, in this world, and we’ve only got each other
And I know, in my heart, I could never live without you
Wednesday, 14 July 2010
Five Books For Your Delectation And Reading Pleasure
Yep, you guessed it - despite the cries for mercy and constant begging from the seven people who read my two previous "list o five" posts we're back with more lame-ass reviews of books wot i like and hope you might like too.
I'll be looking at five books, maybe six, and even hoping to include a few non Sci-Fi novels amongst these tomes. One or two are great favourites - the others are good reads and I would appreciate any comments relating to other books i might like as well as any thoughts you may have had on these books along the way (assuming I am not the only person in the universe to have read them)
#1: "The Long, Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul" by Douglas Adams
Who? One time co-hort and co-writer to (Monty Python's) Graham Chapman, Script Editor to Doctor Who (Tom Baker era) and creator of The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy (a franchise in radio, books, TV and film)
The plot: Holistic Detective Dirk Gently is hired by a man who is clearly insane. Clearly insane because he believes he is being hunted by a green scyhte-wielding monster intent on collecting on a contract.
As such Dirk (aka Sylvad Cjelli) fails to take his responsibilities very seriously until his client is unexpectedly murdered. With a scythe.
From thereon in Dirk, who mostly specialises is scamming old ladies, is slowly dragged into a web of intrigue involving the gods of Asgard (specifically Thor), a one-hit wonder, a missing fighter pilot and a very frustrated soft-drinks dispenser
OK - so I should be honest here and say that Adams is my favourite writer, but that for me this is the novel that is most satisfying from a being-a-book point of view. There's something about the early hitch-hiker books that smacks a little too much of radio adaptation and the first Dirk Gently novel (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency) would have probably impressed me more if I had never watched Dr Who - The Long, Dark Tea-Time is both funny and extremely cleverly written with seemingly throwaway references suddenly turning out to be vital and vica versa
Top moments include when Dirk encounters the son of the deceased deliberately watching TV at him and the description of Dirk's bedroom (the light crossing the room like a crowd of angry policemen doing a lot of "what's all thising"). It's one of the few books I can repeatedly read without getting bored.
Other books by the same author: Probably best to start with the first Hitch-Hiker's novel (or even better get the original cast recordings of the radio show), but the best of the bunch for me is the last, "Mostly Harmless". Also "Last Chance To See" is a great book and very different from Adams's usual works
#2: "The Shining" by Stephen King
Who? Horror writer of some repute during the 80s and 90s, now a franchise so big that even regularly publishing his washing list doesn't seem to slow his book sales
The plot: for those of you who live on Neptune and have thus never seen the Stanley Kubrik film starring Jack Nicholson a janitor takes a job at a remote hotel, looking after it during the closed winter season. He takes his wife and his Psychic son Danny along with him. Once there the janitor, who is also an alcoholic and failed writer, attempts to dry out and finish his novel but is slowly driven insane by the ghosts in the hotel that are feeding off Danny's powers.
OK - so having mentioned the Kubrik film I must urge anyone who watched said film and thought "how naff was that" to not let this stop them from reading the book, which is way better. It's one of the few books that has actually chilled me and kept me gripped throughout and the writing is crisp and tight throughout. Admittedly the main character is an arsehole and therefore a bit hard to like, but the pace drags you along.
Other books by the same author: I think it's generally accepted that anything much after 1995 is a no-no, but "IT" and "The Stand" are great long novels and well worth a couple of weeks of your time.
#3: "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby
Who? UK author who mostly started off by writing about his obsessions and was, for a period, very successful.
The plot: Again, there's a very good film of the book starring John Cusak and Jack Black, but for those of you who don't know - the central character is a kidult (immature adult) who after a particularly spectacular breakup found himself somehow running a specialist record shop where he spends most of his time insulting his few customers. After yet another breakup he finds himself having something of a mid-life crisis and going back to visit all his previous girlfriends to find out what went wrong
This is mainly a book about male obsessions and weaknesses and as a bloke it's impossible to read it without identifying with at least some sections of the book. Hornby writes in the first person throughout as the "hero" slowly realises that it is time to stop living his life in search of fantasy and be happy with what he has.
Other books by the same author: "About A Boy" - very similar plot, also turned into a movie starring Hugh Grant
#4: "The Truth" by Terry Pratchett
Who? Proud to have been the UKs most shoplifted author Pratchett is the man behind the Discworld series of novels - a sort of fantasy/humour crossover about a flat world that exists on the back of four elephants, who in turn stand on a giant turtle (and, as such, a highly magical world). Think "The Lord Of The Rings" with jokes, only more elegant, and you're along the right lines.
The Truth follows the adventures of the Discworld's first newspapers and, like most of his novels, is actually a reflection and parody of our own world. For once Pratchett moves away from his usual stream of recurring characters and gives us a new hero and the book benefits from both this and his usual intelligent wit. Much like Douglas Adams Pratchett is a master of language and uses it to make his point so subtly that you don't realise he's stabbed you with it until later.
Other books by the same author: Probably the best Discworld novel to read first is "Mort", but any that don't feature the Wizzard Rincewind are good (I've never liked this character, and apparently nor has Pratchett)
#5: "Ressurrection Men" by Ian Rankin
Who? Edinburgh born author and multiple winner of crime-writing awards, famous for creating the character of Inspector John Rebus, a former SAS man who had a breakdown and joined the Police and has, due to his attitude towards the job, slowly found himself increasingly isolated and turning into an alcoholic
The plot: John Rebus is on last-chance saloon. His attitude and behaviour has landed him back in training with another bunch of rapidly failing Policemen. During the next few days he has to learn to work as a team to solve the unsolved crime they have been given.
Only things are not as they seem, because John Rebus is actually undercover investigating the other Ressurrection Men on the course to try and find out where the money from a crime went missing - only as they are given the unsolved case Rebus begins to wonder if it is actually himself that is is under investigation...
And that, in a nutshell, is why I love the Inspector Rebus novels - there's always three or four different plots going on together, forcing you to concentrate and dragging you in - sometimes the plots come together and sometimes they don't, you just never know. Ressurrection Men is, along with "The Naming Of The Dead" one of the finest in the series and despite occurring towards the end of the series is as good a point to start as any. Rebus himself is sufficiently flawed to be believably human and the crimes are solved by dogged policework that never stops sounding feasible (none of this gathering all the suspects or uncovering a red headed league)
Other books by the same author: "The Naming Of The Dead", "The Black Book" - the first two Rebus novels ("Knots And Crosses" and "Hyde And Seek") are a bit weaker than the rest, but after that they get very good, very quickly.
#6: "And Another Thing" by Eoin Colfer
Who? Author of the Artemis Fowl series for children
The plot: OK, so I have to admit that I didn't exactly approach this novel with an open mind.
When I heard that someone had been asked to write a sixth Hitch-Hiker's Guide novel (Douglas Adams having died of a heart attack) for the 30th anniversary of the series my initial thought was "probably best left alone"
The main reasoning for this seems to be that Douglas himself had always intended to write a sixth at some point, if only because he was unhappy with the downbeat feeling and ending of the fifth.
Picking up from which: Arthur Dent (who has already survived at least one destruction of the Earth) and his companions are unexpectedly saved from another destruction of the Earth and, further to a chain of unlikely events, embark on a mission to help an immortal finally end his life. Whether this actually happens or not is something I will leave aside for the moment.
The book mostly deals with how the characters (who include the former galactic president, a particularly froody reporter for the guide, Arthur's stroppy teenage daughter and a man who has spent all millenia insulting people) react to their survival via a) recruiting Thor to help the immortal die and b) attempting to save the survivors of Earth from the beurocratic Vogon Constructor Fleets.
So - after I got over the initial "how dare they?" phase (which probably lasted the first hundred or so pages) I found myself reluctantly not hating it and, finally, quite enjoying it.
Colfer is an amiable enough writer and whilst he lacks the command of English that Adams used he manages to capture the characters well enough to make this feel like a Hitch-hiker's novel.
For me the only place it falls down is in the over-use of pseudo-slang and quotes from the Guide, both of which Adams had rather veered away from in favour of something more intelligent. Adams would probably have shoehorned in some storyline about eco-preservation as well, based on the exerpts from "The Salmon Of Doubt" (the story he was working on when he died)
Also (former Galactic President) Zaphod Beeblebrox is a little over-used, especially as he has been absent for so many of the novels, leaving some of the other characters with nothing much to do but wait about.
Still - if you take this as an adventure that occurs within the HH universe and contains some of the same characters you will probably like this - but i would seriously suggest getting up to speed with the originals first.
I'll be looking at five books, maybe six, and even hoping to include a few non Sci-Fi novels amongst these tomes. One or two are great favourites - the others are good reads and I would appreciate any comments relating to other books i might like as well as any thoughts you may have had on these books along the way (assuming I am not the only person in the universe to have read them)
#1: "The Long, Dark Tea-Time Of The Soul" by Douglas Adams
Who? One time co-hort and co-writer to (Monty Python's) Graham Chapman, Script Editor to Doctor Who (Tom Baker era) and creator of The Hitch-Hiker's Guide To The Galaxy (a franchise in radio, books, TV and film)
The plot: Holistic Detective Dirk Gently is hired by a man who is clearly insane. Clearly insane because he believes he is being hunted by a green scyhte-wielding monster intent on collecting on a contract.
As such Dirk (aka Sylvad Cjelli) fails to take his responsibilities very seriously until his client is unexpectedly murdered. With a scythe.
From thereon in Dirk, who mostly specialises is scamming old ladies, is slowly dragged into a web of intrigue involving the gods of Asgard (specifically Thor), a one-hit wonder, a missing fighter pilot and a very frustrated soft-drinks dispenser
OK - so I should be honest here and say that Adams is my favourite writer, but that for me this is the novel that is most satisfying from a being-a-book point of view. There's something about the early hitch-hiker books that smacks a little too much of radio adaptation and the first Dirk Gently novel (Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency) would have probably impressed me more if I had never watched Dr Who - The Long, Dark Tea-Time is both funny and extremely cleverly written with seemingly throwaway references suddenly turning out to be vital and vica versa
Top moments include when Dirk encounters the son of the deceased deliberately watching TV at him and the description of Dirk's bedroom (the light crossing the room like a crowd of angry policemen doing a lot of "what's all thising"). It's one of the few books I can repeatedly read without getting bored.
Other books by the same author: Probably best to start with the first Hitch-Hiker's novel (or even better get the original cast recordings of the radio show), but the best of the bunch for me is the last, "Mostly Harmless". Also "Last Chance To See" is a great book and very different from Adams's usual works
#2: "The Shining" by Stephen King
Who? Horror writer of some repute during the 80s and 90s, now a franchise so big that even regularly publishing his washing list doesn't seem to slow his book sales
The plot: for those of you who live on Neptune and have thus never seen the Stanley Kubrik film starring Jack Nicholson a janitor takes a job at a remote hotel, looking after it during the closed winter season. He takes his wife and his Psychic son Danny along with him. Once there the janitor, who is also an alcoholic and failed writer, attempts to dry out and finish his novel but is slowly driven insane by the ghosts in the hotel that are feeding off Danny's powers.
OK - so having mentioned the Kubrik film I must urge anyone who watched said film and thought "how naff was that" to not let this stop them from reading the book, which is way better. It's one of the few books that has actually chilled me and kept me gripped throughout and the writing is crisp and tight throughout. Admittedly the main character is an arsehole and therefore a bit hard to like, but the pace drags you along.
Other books by the same author: I think it's generally accepted that anything much after 1995 is a no-no, but "IT" and "The Stand" are great long novels and well worth a couple of weeks of your time.
#3: "High Fidelity" by Nick Hornby
Who? UK author who mostly started off by writing about his obsessions and was, for a period, very successful.
The plot: Again, there's a very good film of the book starring John Cusak and Jack Black, but for those of you who don't know - the central character is a kidult (immature adult) who after a particularly spectacular breakup found himself somehow running a specialist record shop where he spends most of his time insulting his few customers. After yet another breakup he finds himself having something of a mid-life crisis and going back to visit all his previous girlfriends to find out what went wrong
This is mainly a book about male obsessions and weaknesses and as a bloke it's impossible to read it without identifying with at least some sections of the book. Hornby writes in the first person throughout as the "hero" slowly realises that it is time to stop living his life in search of fantasy and be happy with what he has.
Other books by the same author: "About A Boy" - very similar plot, also turned into a movie starring Hugh Grant
#4: "The Truth" by Terry Pratchett
Who? Proud to have been the UKs most shoplifted author Pratchett is the man behind the Discworld series of novels - a sort of fantasy/humour crossover about a flat world that exists on the back of four elephants, who in turn stand on a giant turtle (and, as such, a highly magical world). Think "The Lord Of The Rings" with jokes, only more elegant, and you're along the right lines.
The Truth follows the adventures of the Discworld's first newspapers and, like most of his novels, is actually a reflection and parody of our own world. For once Pratchett moves away from his usual stream of recurring characters and gives us a new hero and the book benefits from both this and his usual intelligent wit. Much like Douglas Adams Pratchett is a master of language and uses it to make his point so subtly that you don't realise he's stabbed you with it until later.
Other books by the same author: Probably the best Discworld novel to read first is "Mort", but any that don't feature the Wizzard Rincewind are good (I've never liked this character, and apparently nor has Pratchett)
#5: "Ressurrection Men" by Ian Rankin
Who? Edinburgh born author and multiple winner of crime-writing awards, famous for creating the character of Inspector John Rebus, a former SAS man who had a breakdown and joined the Police and has, due to his attitude towards the job, slowly found himself increasingly isolated and turning into an alcoholic
The plot: John Rebus is on last-chance saloon. His attitude and behaviour has landed him back in training with another bunch of rapidly failing Policemen. During the next few days he has to learn to work as a team to solve the unsolved crime they have been given.
Only things are not as they seem, because John Rebus is actually undercover investigating the other Ressurrection Men on the course to try and find out where the money from a crime went missing - only as they are given the unsolved case Rebus begins to wonder if it is actually himself that is is under investigation...
And that, in a nutshell, is why I love the Inspector Rebus novels - there's always three or four different plots going on together, forcing you to concentrate and dragging you in - sometimes the plots come together and sometimes they don't, you just never know. Ressurrection Men is, along with "The Naming Of The Dead" one of the finest in the series and despite occurring towards the end of the series is as good a point to start as any. Rebus himself is sufficiently flawed to be believably human and the crimes are solved by dogged policework that never stops sounding feasible (none of this gathering all the suspects or uncovering a red headed league)
Other books by the same author: "The Naming Of The Dead", "The Black Book" - the first two Rebus novels ("Knots And Crosses" and "Hyde And Seek") are a bit weaker than the rest, but after that they get very good, very quickly.
#6: "And Another Thing" by Eoin Colfer
Who? Author of the Artemis Fowl series for children
The plot: OK, so I have to admit that I didn't exactly approach this novel with an open mind.
When I heard that someone had been asked to write a sixth Hitch-Hiker's Guide novel (Douglas Adams having died of a heart attack) for the 30th anniversary of the series my initial thought was "probably best left alone"
The main reasoning for this seems to be that Douglas himself had always intended to write a sixth at some point, if only because he was unhappy with the downbeat feeling and ending of the fifth.
Picking up from which: Arthur Dent (who has already survived at least one destruction of the Earth) and his companions are unexpectedly saved from another destruction of the Earth and, further to a chain of unlikely events, embark on a mission to help an immortal finally end his life. Whether this actually happens or not is something I will leave aside for the moment.
The book mostly deals with how the characters (who include the former galactic president, a particularly froody reporter for the guide, Arthur's stroppy teenage daughter and a man who has spent all millenia insulting people) react to their survival via a) recruiting Thor to help the immortal die and b) attempting to save the survivors of Earth from the beurocratic Vogon Constructor Fleets.
So - after I got over the initial "how dare they?" phase (which probably lasted the first hundred or so pages) I found myself reluctantly not hating it and, finally, quite enjoying it.
Colfer is an amiable enough writer and whilst he lacks the command of English that Adams used he manages to capture the characters well enough to make this feel like a Hitch-hiker's novel.
For me the only place it falls down is in the over-use of pseudo-slang and quotes from the Guide, both of which Adams had rather veered away from in favour of something more intelligent. Adams would probably have shoehorned in some storyline about eco-preservation as well, based on the exerpts from "The Salmon Of Doubt" (the story he was working on when he died)
Also (former Galactic President) Zaphod Beeblebrox is a little over-used, especially as he has been absent for so many of the novels, leaving some of the other characters with nothing much to do but wait about.
Still - if you take this as an adventure that occurs within the HH universe and contains some of the same characters you will probably like this - but i would seriously suggest getting up to speed with the originals first.
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