Father of two, Island Bay

We were THIS close!

2006-04-26T17:03:00.000+12:00

Well in reality we were a lot closer but this is the only pictorial evidence of our "one row back from the B stage" Rolling Stones experience last (Ruby) Tuesday.

OK we were only this up close and personal for the 4 or 5 songs when the stage moved out onto the pitch, but the concert would still have got the thumbs up. Midnight Rambler in particular was jaw-droppingly good, and I could barely speak the next day after those "whoo whoo's" during Sympathy for the Devil. Not to mention yelling "KEITH" and "RONNIE" at the top of my voice - and for the record only the latter made eye contact.

Full details and fan ravings here

Knight of the Roundtable?

2005-11-02T13:18:00.000+13:00

At 6am on Saturday morning (6pm UK time) I had the honour of being "Critic of the People" on BBC 6 Music's weekly Roundtable programme.
My contribution consisted of three phone-in segments throughout the show, giving marks out of ten and pithy comments about the latest tracks from the likes of Foo Fighters, Cardigans, and the Buzzcocks all-star John Peel tribute.
Panelists in the BBC studio included Jesus Jones mainman Mike Edwards, and former Q editor Andrew Collins.
The show is hosted by ex-NME scribe Steve Lamacq, who is a top bloke. As, it must be said, is Mr Collins, who gave me an unsolicited "10" for my contribution.
This little foray marked my first appearance on any kind of radio since RadioActive's 10th anniversary broadcasts in 1986 or thereabouts.
Great fun, and well worth getting up early for.

Spam poetry?

2005-10-17T16:44:00.000+13:00

On sign go malevolent
Be out my nauseate!

These are just two of the increasingly-random subject lines which successfully bypassed Xtra's spam filter and made it into our inbox. Look forward to reading more from this e-poet laureate!

Reasons to be cheerful, Part 1

2005-10-14T15:55:00.000+13:00

It's the middle of October already in what history will probably show to be a real downer of a year - natural disasters and terrorism by the bucketload, spiralling fuel costs and Crazy Frog. But avoid the newspapers, kick that six o'clock news habit and hey, life ain't so bad in '05.

One of the best things about this year is the amount of wonderful music that's around at the moment. Here's a wee list of some of the great sounds out there ...

Leaders of the Free World - Elbow (they get better every album)
Illinois - Sufjan Stevens (the musical equivalent of a Garrison Keillor novel)
Funeral - Arcade Fire (can't even begin to describe how wonderful these guys are)
Do You Want To - Franz Ferdinand (haven't heard the rest of the new album but this has to be the pop single of the year)
Chaos and Creation in the Backyard - Paul McCartney (truly a good album - even I didn't think he had it in him)
Fall Heads Roll - The Fall (a return to the clattering rockabilly of the Rough Trade years)

Should really link those titles to Smoke CDs or whatever, but you know what? It's a beautiful day and I really can't be bothered.

Better than the Sixties?

2005-05-05T16:38:00.000+12:00

I don't know (or really care) about its politics, but The Guardian - or at least its online version - is a bloody good read. Loved this article, which puts into words what I've thought for a long time - that the post-punk era really was a golden age.

Thumbs up for Hitchhiker

2005-04-29T10:53:00.000+12:00

Yesterday I took the boys to see the long-awaited movie version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. We went to the first screening at The Embassy, part of a rather small audience which perhaps doesn't bode well for its box office potential.

One student-type was wearing pyjamas and carrying a towel, which reminded me (old codger alert!) of a fancy-dress party we had at Radio Active in, oh god, 1982 - when the first release of the TV series spawned such goings on.

I must confess that since those heady days I haven't had much exposure to the Guide. Yes, I had read all the books, listened to the radio show, watched the (at the time rather disappointing) TV version etc, but apart from playing the text-based computer game in the early 90s I haven't given Douglas Adams' opus much thought in recent years.

So I didn't go into the movie with much of a critical hat on, though I was interested in how the kids would react to it.

And hey, we all had a good time. The dolphin song and Marvin the Paranoid Android went down well with the boys, and I enjoyed being re-acquainted with the mostly intact pythonesque humour of the original.

As a film, it certainly had its flaws. The Brits - Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy along with the voice-over presence of Alan Rickman and Stephen Fry - were perfect. But the other casting decisions seemed a bit strange. Why choose obscure american actors to play Zaphod and Trillian? And who or what exactly is Mos-Def?

The movie also lost a lot of its pace during the Magrathea sequence, with an inconsequential cameo by John Malkovich.

But there were plenty of highlights - like Bill Bailey doing the voice of the improbable sperm whale, and the many Guide excerpts.

Look forward to the DVD.

Year of the Gavin?

2005-03-18T11:14:00.000+13:00

It's one of those gormless names that peaked back in the 70s and 80s. But all of a sudden there are Gavins everywhere. There's the singer-songwriter, currently on high rotate on a radio station near you. There's Mr Gwen Stefani, Bush mainman turned wannabe actor. There's the teenage accuser in the Michael Jackson trial. And wouldn't you know it, there's even a blogger - who's Irish to boot!

New! New Order!

2005-03-03T13:16:00.000+13:00

A few years back I got a big shock when I made a lunchtime visit to Smoke CDs (back in the day when they had an actual shop). There on the counter was a brand new album by New Order! What was even more of a surprise, once I got the CD home, was that they were sounding as great as ever.

So the news that those middle-aged mancunians have another new album out this month (scheduled for the 28th) is very welcome. And from the two tracks I've heard so far, it may even be better than their last comeback effort.

Sadly, Gillian is absent on this one, but Hooky, Barney and her hubby Stephen are all present and correct, joined by guitarist/keyboardist Phil Cunningham - who did a sterling job on the Finsbury Park DVD.

Yay!

2005-02-11T17:04:00.000+13:00

Hagrid...

2005-02-11T16:59:00.000+13:00

Hagrid's long Lost son?

Catches win matches ...

2004-12-06T09:39:00.000+13:00

... pretty much sums up last night's nailbiting win by the much-maligned Black Caps. Matthew Sinclair still doesn't inspire a lot of confidence at the crease, but his outfielding - or at least this catch - truly turned the tide in the match.

What the ...

2004-11-02T17:45:00.000+13:00

My god. When no-one was looking, this week New Zealand finally got its first free legal music download service. It's called Digirama and I only found out about it through an ad (not for the service, but for Creative's new portable audio device) in this month's PC World. OK, it's not perfect (limited range of music so far, WMA format only) but the tracks are just $2.49 each and I successfully burned a couple of songs to CD for my 7-year old. And what's more, they play perfectly in the ancient ghettoblaster in his bedroom. Oh - the songs were the latest by A Simple Plan (whoever they are!) and The Darkness, who I really quite like now. Hey, it's cheaper than buying CD singles and it keeps my conscience a lot clearer.

Download yourself some Bliss ...

2004-09-01T10:18:00.000+12:00

Forget about the last one, get yourself another (XP desktop background of the New Zealand variety).

Now playing - well, sort of

2004-08-31T14:24:00.000+12:00

As a Sky Digital Music subscriber ("14 digital audio channels for only $1.99 per month") I was pleased to see they've added track information to their website. Which is a good move, as without it there's no way of finding out exactly what music you're listening to. But it does beg the question, why can't this information be shown on the TV screen? It is a digital service isn't it?
I've emailed them and await their reply with interest.

Pulp diction

2004-08-30T12:45:00.000+12:00

"She came from Greece/she had a thirst for knowledge ..." Well, it's not quite "Picture yourself on a boat on a river" but it is the inimitable William Shatner, now lending his vocal talents to Jarvis Cocker's britpop classic. You can listen to it here, along with other selections from his forthcoming album "Has Been" - which include a song co-written by Nick Hornby!

2004-08-29T19:10:00.000+12:00

This is one of our famous Island Bay sunsets, as seen from our front room (otherwise known as my office) earlier this year. A test of Blogger's new image-posting thingy.

It's official - Dave Matthews Band are S***t

2004-08-26T10:45:00.000+12:00

Proof, if it was needed, that this incredibly boring band really do stink, in more ways than one!

ETA for PVR?

2004-08-25T09:58:00.000+12:00

According to this article the Oz equivalent of Sky TV will be introducing a PVR-type service from next March. Does this mean NZ will be close behind? Let's hope so.

While in the past NZ has been right up there with introducing new technology (we're a nation of early adopters and proud of it!) things have really slowed down recently. No Digital Radio. No HD TV. No TIVO. No iTunes Store, Rhapsody or Napster.

Blame the Government. Blame corporate greed. Blame our copyright laws. But please somebody, make it happen!

What not to wear...

2004-08-24T04:44:00.000+12:00

Today was a rare day in Wellington, when wearing black was not a good thing. Just in case someone mistook you for one of those crazy Destiny Church fellas. If it hadn't been so cold, I would have taken off my black leather jacket, just to show I didn't share their attitudes. Not that I'm a great supporter of the Civil Union Bill either - don't really see the point - but man, those guys are a worry.

Heart tick explorer

2004-08-23T20:21:00.000+12:00

Yes, that's me in the corner shop (or New World, or Woolies), choosing my provisions. Scrutinising every product for that stamp of approval from the Heart Foundation.
Gosh it's fun being forty one!

Density Church?

2004-08-23T16:40:00.000+12:00

Density Church International - happy clapping for jesus Ha!! And not a black shirt in sight!

Gilmour guitars

2004-08-06T11:32:00.000+12:00

Bit surprised to discover today that Pink Floyd's "The Wall" is the 'third best-selling album of all time'. Or rather, third best-selling album in the US, which apparently is the same thing. Would have thought that "Dark Side of the Moon" sold more copies.

I never actually bought a copy of "The Wall" - and in fact I've never heard it all the way through, or seen the film. But then I'm more of a "Wish You Were Here" fan myself. I do remember when "The Wall" first came out though - as we arrived at the first Sweetwaters festival in January 1980, David Gilmour's guitar seemed to echo from every campsite.

Surprised also to see the number of double-albums on the list - and shocked to see The Eagles - possibly the most boring band of all time - are number one.

Oh - and the link between this post and the previous one is of course that The Scissor Sisters' album features a cover of "Comfortably Numb".

Listen without prejudice vol.1

2004-08-02T15:48:00.000+12:00

The other week I treated myself to a couple of new CDs - a rare occurrence these days, now that I'm a responsible father and provisional taxpayer. So what goodies did I get? Umm, well there was the obvious Keane album (Travis meets Coldplay at a Freddie Mercury convention) but my other purchase was a bit out of the ordinary for me - The Scissor Sisters debut. Which could be described as what the Fab Five would sound like if they were a band rather than straight guy makeover merchants. Or, more charitably, what a bunch of talented and ummm, colourful New Yorkers sound like after overdosing on their parents mid-70s LPs.

Yes, instead of the recent graverobbing of the late-70s practised by the likes of The Strokes and Franz Ferdinand, the Sisters go back a bit further and get their inspiration from prime-period Elton John, Bee Gees, Supertramp and the like. To be honest, not my favourite era, but somehow it works!

The album is currently one of the highest rated on Metacritic, but it does have its flaws. I could do without the three or four falsetto cod-disco numbers, but more restrained songs like Laura, Return to Oz and the single Take Your Mama make this a worthy purchase.

Oh, and I liked the Keane album too.

Bob or Bomb?

2004-07-28T10:42:00.000+12:00

According to this story, last night's suspected terrorist incident on a United Airlines flight out of Sydney was due to a sickbag being found with the letters "BOB" on it. Which apparently were taken to mean "Bomb On Board". Has the world gone absolutely mad?

Is John Kerry Forrest Gump?

2004-07-26T11:51:00.000+12:00

In a recent Rolling Stone there's a photo of John Lennon at a peace rally in New York City circa 1971. And who's that next to him?. No, not Mr Gump - although he can be seen in the movie on a talk show with John and Yoko around the same time - but the possible next President of the United States, Mr John Kerry. However, given the documentary evidence, I'll have to accept that no digital trickery was involved in this case.

What did that girl just say?

2004-07-08T13:44:00.000+12:00

The Gilmore Girls is usually just one of those programmes that MOTIB likes to watch and I find something else to do for an hour. But every now and then I give it a bit more attention - and usually with good reward. For one, I enjoy the idealised "Picket Fences" style atmosphere. But the other thing that keeps me on the couch are the many, truly unexpected, musical references.

Look what that guy's wearing - A "Meat is Murder" t-shirt! What song is that garage band playing - isn't it The Clash? And did that girl really just namecheck Joy Division?

So of course I had to do some Googling to find out more - and came across this site (and I thought my Ian Rankin site was anal!)

Flippin' heck, Harry, isn't that Ian Brown?

2004-06-27T17:23:00.000+12:00

Yes, there he is sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, his tea magically stirring while he reads "A Brief History of Time". The former Stone Roses frontman himself, in a rather unexpected cameo in the fab new Harry Potter film. Wonder who we should watch out for in the next instalment - Shaun Ryder? Liam Gallagher? Robbie bloody Williams?

A confession

2004-06-01T16:13:00.000+12:00

Dear Blogger,
Forgive me for I have not blogged. It has been a long time since my last blog session and I must make amends.

2004-04-06T16:01:00.000+12:00

Getting with the programme
The theme for this year is shaping up to be "better late than never". Last month I finally got a cellphone that was text-capable and didn't have to be hidden from public view. And this week, the FOTIB household is getting Sky Digital, after many years confined to the world of free-to-air. Needless to say, the boys are ecstatic, and MOTIB is happy too 'cos there's a quilting programme on the Living Channel.
Next on the wishlist are a bigger-screen TV , and a dvd-recorder.
Well, dreams are free!

2004-03-29T16:55:00.000+12:00

Channel No. 6
So yesterday finally saw the dawn of the beleagured Maori television channel. A good thing or a bad thing?
Well, it does mean that I can no longer listen to CNN on Sky (we don't subscribe anymore, but still had it tuned in).
But it also means us non-Pay TV users finally have another channel-surfing destination. And judging by the promotional content broadcast over the last few weeks, from time to time it may even be a destination worth stopping at for longer than an ad break. Or at least, when something other than Prince Tui Teka, Billy T James or Pio Terei is on.

However, given the often dubious programming of our other state-owned 'charter' channel, one wonders whether a separate channel was really the best solution. Why not devote daytime on TV One to Maori programming, with the cream of the crop gaining the odd primetime slot? Surely a better bet than twenty-year old Coronation Street episodes or Days of our Lives ...

2004-03-29T16:49:00.000+12:00

Four last songs
I haven't been to many funerals (I'm happy to say), but just as with the Idol finalists, I reckon some more thought should be given to song selection. Wind beneath my wings? My heart will go on? Unchained bloody melody? Does taste really need to leave the building with your coffin?
I say no - and here are some suggested alternatives, in no particular order:
1. I'm only sleeping - The Beatles
2. Don't dream it's over - Crowded House
3. Heaven - Talking Heads
4. Going underground - The Jam

2004-03-29T16:43:00.000+12:00

More Idol thoughts
Well, Idol judges, how are you feeling now about not giving the wild card to young Nigel? OK, so Lady in Red was an execrable song choice, but at least he proved he could actually sing, whereas poor young Jessie can't even manage to stay in tune for an Abba song. Yes, methinks the wee lass will be outski tonight, and our three monkeys - Hear evil (Frankie), See evil (Fiona) and Speak evil (Paul) will have egg on their collective face.

2004-02-24T18:39:00.000+13:00

Making plans for Nigel
Or at least I was until the nation voted. Filipo in, Nerdy-Nige out? New Zealand, what were you thinking! The next Clay Aiken was there right in front of you!
But then again, guess who forgot to vote. Find out, after the break.

2004-02-24T18:35:00.000+13:00

Up Pompey!
Well,who would have thought it, eh, Portsmouth 1, Liverpool 0.
A far cry from my school days in Southsea when the local team were the object of much derision.
Back then, it was like the Billy Conolly sketch, where he remembers as a child thinking the name of his own hapless team was 'Partick Thistle Nil'. But luckily for the season-ticket holders at Fratton Park, times change.
I believe Partick are still crap, though.

2004-02-11T17:01:00.000+13:00

The vinyl solution?
I've recently spent a frustrating hour or two trying to do the "convert your old vinyl to CD" thang. A while ago I bought a basic turntable with pre-amp from Dick Smith (warning, some assembly required!). It sounded great through my new stereo set up, so thought I'd try it through my PC. And, wouldn't you know it, things weren't as easy as they seemed.

For a start, I didn't have the right cable to connect the turntable's audio to the line-in of the PC. But that was easily fixed by picking up an RCA socket - 3.5mm plug from Mr Smith, right? Wrong. Unfortunately the cable from the turntable didn't quite reach to the plug, so off to DSE again. Now with the right-sized cables in hand, I hooked everything up, plopped a Comsat Angels 12" single on the platter, fired up Nero Wave-Editor, and suddenly nothing happened. Maybe I'd connected the turntable to the mic input instead of the line-in input? No. Maybe I'd forgotten to activate the turntable's pre-amp? Ummm, maybe. But it still didn't work. Maybe the line-in wasn't set up to record on the PC? Aha! But how does one go about doing that?

Well, after some farfing around with the audio settings in Windows and some more farfing around with Wave-Editor I finally got the whole of the song recorded. However I couldn't manage to get the line-in volume set at anything other than flat-out in the red zone, so the result actually sounds worse than the original. So looks like I've got some more work to do ...

2004-01-30T13:32:00.000+13:00

Fit and working again ...
It had to happen. After managing to get through all of the summer holidays without doing any (paid) work, the boys are back at school and I'm on contract again till the end of Feb. Oh, well, mustn't grumble. After all, it's not like I have to work in a Call Centre or anything ...

2004-01-28T11:35:00.000+13:00

The Office goes global
Still on the subject of the 'Globes, wasn't it great to see Ricky Jervais and The Office take out their two (richly deserved) awards. Much better than Friends winning for the seventy-fifth time or something lightweight like Monk getting a nod.

And didn't the cast look gobsmacked when they got up on stage. Although they stuck out like the proverbial amongst all those Hollywood A-listers, one of them may have felt more at home than the others - for Mackenzie Crook, who plays the gormless Gareth, also had a cameo part in "Pirates of the Caribbean".

Wonder if he got together with Johnny Depp (who sadly didn't win an award for his Keith Richards-inspired performance) after the show ...

2004-01-27T13:30:00.000+13:00

Fran's punk past ...
Watching Fran Walsh sheepishly accept her award for Best Song in last night's Golden Globes, I couldn't help remembering her not so illustrious musical pedigree.

For Ms Walsh, alias Mrs Peter Jackson, was last heard in the early 80s 'playing bass' in The Wallsockets, one of Wellington's arty Terrace punk set, who lived in various hovels near Victoria University.

Other bands of a similar ilk included Naked Spots Dance, Life in the Fridge Exists, and Beat Rhythm Fashion (who went on to make some great Cure-ish singles). Sadly, I don't think there is any recorded evidence of Fran's punk roots - apart from a track perhaps on the 1980 Sausage Records "****" compilation, which I'm pretty sure never made it to CD ... it was hard enough to get on vinyl!

2004-01-26T19:21:00.000+13:00

Fingers crossed for NZ Idol
Yes, it all starts this Sunday. And after watching most of both the Australian and US versions, the one thing I am really hoping for is some decent song selection.

Please, no more shmaltzy schlock from the 70s, 80s and 90s. Please, no more Simon and Garfunkel, Lionel Ritchie or Celine Dion. They were crap then, and they're still crap now.

Rumour has it that Split Enz ivory tinkler Eddie Rayner is the musical director, so here's hoping.

2003-10-13T15:56:00.000+13:00

To blog or not to blog ...
OK I'm a late adopter, and proud of it. I held out as long as I could, thinking the rant section of my website would do ... but I've been a naughty boy and haven't kept it up to date. So here we go.