I Didn't Make A New Year's Resolution

I didn't make a New Year's Resolution . It didn't slip my mind because every year I just resolve to try and be happier and compassionate for my friends , family and people in need. The New Year is a good place to start , but really my plans involve just doing the best I can in all areas.

Some people see Christmas as a time for being nice before spending the last year acting like an unreality show judge or competitor. I will go into work today and that is going to be a topic of conversation.

There is plenty in this world to go round everyone , and working together will create even more, greed IS NOT good.

King Charles

So if you haven't made a New Year's Resolution let my vague premise be  your guide. Today will be the first day back at work for many people. Be positive , be nice ,  smile a lot , and take chocolate with you , plenty of chocolate.

I chose this King Charles song , because , well I dare you to listen , and not come away feeling happier. Smiling is good.

Have a brilliant , brilliant day.

Festival Fun - Comparing Photos At A Fall Gig

The last four days have see three days of music and seeing about fifteen bands which is a lot even for me, although this is not so much about the music about various fringe observations , which looking back on have amused me , or made me glad I side stepped them.

On Thursday I went to see the excellent King Charles at The Riverside and all three bands were superb. I briefly spoke to the guitarist with Man Made who was a really nice guy as well as being a talented guitarist and it turned out he is Nile Marr son of Johnny Marr previously of  The Smiths. That night at the end of the Gallery Circus set something started dripping through the ceiling. It turns out the toilets had got blocked , so I'm not sure what was overflowing but we managed to avoid the wet area, and the gig was totally brilliant.

While I'm guilty of posting photos on instagram, facebook and twitter I am amazed how many people see to spend virtually the whole gig on the phone or tablet. While watching The Fall , who are musically challenging , there were four ladies in front of comparing holiday and family snaps on their phones and mobile devices, I don't know if this is the normal modus operandi for Fall audiences these days.

Comparing Photos At A Fall Gig

Yesterday I was in a crush to try and see Public Service Broadcasting, but my sensible head moved me to the sides to ensure I could breathe. I'm sure there have been worse concert crushes, and I don't know what the solution is , but people forcing their way into the crush carrying multiple pints in plastic glasses and various takeaway foods on paper plates did not make the situation any better.

I thought I'd try Tesco's next day wine delivery. They've farmed it out to Yodel , split it into two parcels and keep sending me texts saying it will be delivered today. No time or anything , so they will probably wait round the corner and wait til I have to go out. After all in in a twelve hour delivery window there's only one possible time they could deliver. God I almost sound like a Daily Mail reader don't I!

However today is the day when I find whether I've been chosen as a giver for World Book Night 2015 so my fingers are crossed for that. I've been doing it since 2011 and here's a post on my first one.

Anyway I came out of it all in one piece , having seen some amazing performance, and looking forward to a totally brilliant week.

There's Always Good Music About ... My Top 10 of 2012

Sometimes you just need to look, I was going to do a top ten from last year and then tried to figure out how I would do do it , and decided to settle on a Grooveshark Playlist. Hopefully the stuff will stay there. My favourite song of last year was Spitfire by Public Service Broadcasting who are also my favourite new band of last year. Basically mixing Public Service Broadcast texts with original rocky grooves they make an amazing cut and paste rock experience taht I first heard with Spirit's Future Games , which was taken further by Big Audio Dynamite especially on their first album.

This weekend has been physically very painful but I have actually done a bit of writing so at least the right hand is still working though the trapped never or muscle damage is still painful but improving . Maybe a visit toi the docs later in the week.

Other bands that have impressed me last year , by either hearing them in a shop , on Radio 6 or at festivals such as the Hoults Yard Cult Festival have been, in now particular order:

• The Sound of Guns
• Santigold
• Toy
• Grimes
• Metz
• Victory Mansions
• King Charles
• Zombie Zombie

As well as that established artists have continued with decent material . The Rolling Stones "Doom and Gloom" being a prime example, The Tom Jones "Spirit In The Room" album was a revelation , although "Praise and Blame" was an excellent record as well . Bowie reappeard with an excellent new single which I didn't like for about 20 seconds. Most peoples music habits are formed between the ages of 14-18 , and maybe that's why musical taste is like it is , but I've yet to meet in everyday life someone with musical tastes as eclectic as mine,  though people often just see me as weird , anyway here's the playlist , enjoy.

On a Train

On a train to London. It has been an eneventful  journey. Nothing major happened.
Its sometimes difficult to write about nothing but you just have to let your mind wander and integrate the things you see and hear about you.

Or maybe thinks that happened to you, like last night I weed blood so got myself off to casualty via NHS direct to be diagnosed with a urinary infection. Our NHS is wonderful and the government are trying to destroy it. Funny how Cameron only chooses targets that dont directly benefit him. Also is it a coincidence that Clegg Osborne and Cameron's TLA is COC!

I'm writing this using Blogger on my Samsung Note while I listen to King Charles all very impressive sruff. The Note is an amazing phone remarkably intuitive and functions well on 3G. King Charles are a truly brilliant band. Going to see them at The Cult Festival supporting The Fall in a few weeks.

This is their excellent take on Billy Joel's - We Didn't Start The Fire