Tag: Music

Seven Inches of Joy

Four Minute Warning is in the shops today. But what was the first single you bought?

And lo, it came to pass that after years and years of waiting,Mark Owen’s new singleFour Minute Warningwas released this morning. And,as I’ve said elsewhere, I like it. In fact, I like it so much I went and bought the single – which at £1.99 seems to me to be the right price for a single. While I was standing in Tower Records handing over my two-pound coins, it struck me that it has been a very, very long time since I bought a single at all, and I can’t even remember what it was.

I can, however, remember the first single I bought. I was around eight years old (back in 1978, which just shows what an old duffer I am) and I desperately wanted a copy of the theme tune to Southern Television’sFamous Five TV series. I had saved all my money (I don’t remember how much it was) and raced around the shops of Wigan for it. Eventually, I found it and must have played it 1000 times that night. I can still remember the magic and joy of that moment.

I wonder if an mp3 of that exists? I still have the vinyl but nothing to play it on!

Pride 2003

For the first time in many, many years, the Pride festival took place in Hyde Park, and I was there.

Well, despite the weather and the somewhat officious woman searching my bag on entry, this year’s Pride in the Park in Hyde Park was fabulous – the best I have been to (probably ever – although my first Pride on Clapham Common was pretty cool too).

After breakfast at a friend’s house, PY and I headed down to Embankment for the parade. This is the first time I’ve ever marched with the crowd, and it was brilliant – the only downside of actually taking part is that you do not get to see it all. In a bid to overcome this, we ran ahead and watched part of the parade (including the fabulous OutEverywhere bus) and then joined in at some point (for a great deal of the time we marched near a float that Josh from a previous Big Brother was prancing about on). The atmosphere was superb, and the crowds watching were huge. Coming up to Piccadilly Circus was just a mass of people – it was quite exciting really.

Then we made the park. We made our way to the main stage and saw Liberty X (who were surprisingly good), Ulta Nate ( who sang a whole stack of songs that I was familiar with) and Blue (who were also very good). Later in the day we caught Tom Robinson and Jimmy Somerville (this after standing on the sidelines singing along to Bananarama – but as nobody has a picture of that, I will deny it at a later date).

At some point in the afternoon – just after it started to rain – we had a wander around the market stalls (which seemed more varied than other times) and had a poke in some of the dance tents (although it’s not really my thing). By late afternoon, the rain was pouring, but spirits were not dampened (and, luckily, for most of the afternoon the ground in Hyde Park held up).

It was an exhausting day, but it was worth it, and it was great to be with a bunch of other homos just having a good time. There will be some pictures in the gallery, eventually.

UPDATE: Other sites:

Pop

I am currently listening to pop. This is a difficult thing to write. Pop is not considered to be a credible music genre by people who listen to lots of music. Pop is considered the home of the boy band. Pop is the cheap and nasty side of music.

I am currently listening to pop. This is a difficult thing to write. Pop is not considered to be a credible music genre by people who listen to lots of music. Pop is considered the home of the boy band. Pop is the cheap and nasty side of music. People, especially people of my age, should have grown out of pop, but I have not. I enjoy the throw-away nature of it. The three-minute perfect pop song can take you away from your day and, if this week’s other entries are to be believed, away from your fellow commuters.

Actually, I hope, the current music I am listening to is considered the good side of pop (see, I am joining in the criticism of the genre). Not for me the sounds of the Cheeky Girls or S Club Juniors. No, I hope my current selection is a little more discerning.

I own a reasonable amount of music but I don’t purchase CDs weekly like some people. But I am listening to three recent albums which must be the first time that has happened to me in a long while. My current favourite is Justin Timerlake’s Justified. That is followed closely by Erasure’s new release (just last Monday), Other People’s Songs. Finally, I been unable to resist Will Young’s From Now On. Yes, unable to resist!

Continue reading “Pop”

Up Above The Streets And Houses

In case you’re wondering, my attempt to bring forth an avalanche of programmes from my childhood didn’t quite have the desired result.

In case you’re wondering, my attempt to bring forth an avalanche of programmes from my childhood didn’t quite have the desired result. However, Danny Baker on BBC London this morning did spend some time talking about Rainbow (fab title sequence here). Somehow, it doesn’t seem quite so much of a spooky coincidence as the whole Fame thing.

Starmaker, Dream Breaker

So it’s all getting a bit spooky. There I was on Friday night, remembering the songs from the TV series ofFame(I preferred the TV series as it was much fluffier. Being so young, the grittiness of the film version didn’t hit me for several years) and remembering Danny as one of my childhood lust objects (download your Danny wallpaper here).

I spent yesterday doing all the boring things you occasionally have to do around the house. Cleaning. Paying bills, etc. At some point, I switched on VH1 to find it was their 100 Worst Videos day. And the song I switched on to? No 62 (I think), which was Starmaker, by the Kids from Fame (OK, it would have been a better story if it was Friday Night, but still).

So let’s see if I can tempt fate – I want to see more about the following: Play School, Rainbow, Harley Hare, The Clangers, Trumpton. How spooky would it be if this actually worked?

It will aid my aching bones. I’ve been in the garden all day cutting down bushes and pruning. I was outside for the grand total of seven hours, and it rained for most of them. Strangely, I feel invigorated after spending the day outdoors. No doubt I shall ache tomorrow.

Friday Night’s Gonna Be Alright

Friday night’s gonna be alright.

Well, in a few minutes I’ll hopefully be leaving the office. I have been here late most evenings and, to be honest, I am really looking forward to going home and sleeping. The air-conditioning in the office has been broken, so we have gradually baked our way through today. I would he happy without the nonsense air-conditioning anyway, but all the windows have been sealed shut so that you can’t get any really fresh (well, fresh for London standards) air into your lungs. I have a weekend of hard, manual labour planned. I have to tame some of the wild growth in my garden. I can’t wait. Friday Night, as Danny (one of the Kids from Fame) once sang, is “gonna be alright”. I’m sure I remember that because I used to have a huge crush on Carlo Imperato.

Start shaking your hips
Baby, pucker your lips
Cause I’m coming to see you soon

I must only have been about 10 years old!

Anyway, why, you may ask, do I spend ten minutes writing this? Well, our dumb systems are taking forever to do some processing, and I am not going to sit here all night watching the screen!

Number One

I decided to look up what was the number one UK single on this day in 1982.

I got more than you
And you can set it free
I can catch the moon in my hand
Don’t you know who I am
Remember my name

Well, for no reason at all, I decided to look up what the number one UK single was on this day in 1982 (I don’t even know why I chose that year). Well, it’s a bit of a minefield as it somewhat depends on which chart you count as being the “official” chart. Still, it would appear that it was Irene Cara and the theme from Fame, which is, of course, one of the greatest records from my childhood.