It's Good News Week *

as provided by Alister.

* Hedgehoppers Anonymous (no link as the scumbag singer deserves no encouragement)

Another Nail In My Heart *

The past few days have been a musical disaster for me. First piece of bad news came on Friday when friend/neighbour/comrade (she's all three) popped round for a chat and drink. During conversation she happens to mention that last Saturday - i.e. when I was up in Scotland visiting pops in traction in hospital (and maybe more of that later) - she had been round to tell me that I was on the guest list for that night's Fire Engines gig at the ICA and that the band were staying at her place, as Davey and the boys do when they're in town (pic courtesy of The Scottish Patient). Shit, shit, shit, shit! So, missed that one.

Then, last night after work and after walk through town and drinks (but no more of the boring fucker who joined me for the first couple of pints - he's now told me the same stories about ten times and I'm not exaggerating), I was leisurely reading gig listings while waiting for train home at London Bridge station about half eight when out popped from the page that night's Gang of Four gig at the Barbican. So too late for that one. Shit, shit, shit, shit!!

Two fucking classics in a week I've missed and I'm not happy.

Happier news arrived on Friday when my mum phoned to say that pops had been able to walk round his hospital bed, albeit with some difficulties. I'll get on the blower today to find out the latest.


* Squeeze

Piece of Crap *

What a shite draw - away to fucking Mansfield!!

* Neil Young

Congratulations *

Should someone spoil the party and tell them it's a bourgeois institution? Nah, let's party instead!

*The Peter Pan of Pop

Love Hurts *

Ouch

* Nazareth, I think.

It's American *

You couldn't make it up!!

* De La Soul

I'm Back *

Not blogged much recently cos I just simply couldn't be arsed. Or, rather, not blogged much recently cos I am brain dead. Well, it's not as if nothing has happened in the world.

For a start, there was this avoidable disaster, which hopefully has made a lot of people realise that praying is not the answer and, more importantly, that they have had enough of Bush and his neo-cons mates in the White House.

There is also this madness, which sums up how we have so got the wrong priorities in our society. This reliance on the car is of course encouraged by arseholes like this one, so it was funny to see this.

Or I could have made comment on this generally welcome election result or ranted about this sickening story.

Or I may have gone lighthearted and thought, at last, here we have a good use for cats or felt sorry for the cops here.

Or I could have told you that when I saw the headline "McCartney to woo trade unionists" I thought it was talking about this bloke because the idea of this wee nyaff (as my mum would probably describe him) wooing anyone is surely a joke.

Or that I'll have to get down to the National Portrait Gallery to see this.

Or, on the sporting front, I could have told you that this was excellent, this in many ways was even better, this was tedious and this was the most hilarious thing that's happened this year, but it came a week after this, which was also laugh a minute, and followed a few days later by this funny episode. Or I could have just mentioned that this was the best of the lot.

Or that my dad has had this done, but that it hasn't gone at all well and he is on his back confined to his hospital bed and will be for some days to come. That is why I'm heading for the auld country at the weekend, during which I'm sure I'll also partake in a bevvy or two with this geezer.

* Eminem