Thursday 28 February 2013

BAIBS Thursday 28/02/13

Xin chào to the lone Vietnamese reader out there. 

It's not always easy to come up with blogging topics. No leaf war to report on. An uneventful walk home, if I ignore the annoying piper and the man in the trilby singing My Way. I have a plan though. Fish. Fish is allegedly brain food. I'm gonna have some kippers in the hope they get the brain working. There is a disagreement raging round my head as to whether the fish = brain food thing is just a myth though. There's also a train of thought just developed that seems to think even if fish is brain food it probably doesn't apply to kippers. Maybe it's the smoking thing. Smoking = bad therefore the smoking process will destroy the intellectual benefits of the fish. Do fish have an intellectual capacity of their own or do they have to become cannibals? It's also just occurred to me that as much as I like kippers I dislike the lingering smell. My sense of smell is poor but I'm sure Cherry Blossom will notice. Chicken sandwich it is.

As I've mentioned before my sense of smell, like my knees and eyebrows, just doesn't work. The inadequate eyebrows caused much confusion yesterday. I was in the gym overlooking the market place car park. There's a sign post that I swear says 'Disabled parking apples only to the marked baps. There are 22 marked baps.' I can only presume that the sweat in my eyes and the general knackeredness lead me to read it wrong. I kinda hope not though. I'm all for disabled apples having their own parking baps.

The chicken sandwich hasn't worked. This is a definite waffle. Unlike an indefinite waffle. Never did learn how to conjugate waffles. Or scotch pancakes. Which very loosely brings me back to the piper. Why do we have a bloke in a skirt subjecting us to the awful droning of the pipes? I honestly think the bagpipes are the most annoying instrument ever. I'd rather see someone playing a kazoo. I can think of only one acceptable spot of piping and that's in Biffy Clyro's Stingin' Belle. I'm open to suggestions of other quality bagpiping. 

Anyway, I really fancy a waffle now. Going shopping.

Laters

SS

Playlist Thursday 28/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club
Union City Blue - Blondie
Walkaway - Cast
So Here We Are - Bloc Party
Turning Japanese - The Vapors
Inhaler - Foals
A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins
Hold Me - Tom Odell
You Jane - The Wedding Present
Traveller's Tune - Ocean Colour Scene
Bubbles - Biffy Clyro
How Soon Is Now - The Smiths
Ceremony - New Order
Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Perfect Skin - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
Love Shack - The B-52s
She Comes In Fall - The Inspiral Carpets
Go Right Ahead - The Hives
Best Of Friends - Palma Violets
Another Girl, Another Planet - The Only Ones
The Stars (Are Out Tonight) - David Bowie
It Starts And Ends With You - Suede
When You Were Young - The Killers
My Perfect Cousin - The Undertones
Shake It Out - Florence And The Machine
Pump It Up - Elvis Costello And The Attractions
2013 - Primal Scream
Feel Like Calling Out - UV Pop
Brass In Pocket - The Pretenders
Losing My Religion - R.E.M.
Pelican - The Maccabees
Sun Hits The Sky - Supergrass
Making Plans For Nigel - XTC
Sympathy For The Devil - The Rolling Stones
You Held The World In Your Arms - Idlewild
Always The Sun - The Stranglers
What You Do To Me - Teenage Fanclub
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers



Wednesday 27 February 2013

BAIBS Wednesday 27/02/13

Many thanks to The 48ks, Section 60, Ian McNabb, Famous Villains and New Killer Shoes on my iPod and Beyonce on the plasma screen for getting me through today's gym session.

I was there.

How many times you heard that? Normally punctuated with the word man. We all like to have been there for a little bit of history but we have to trust the people who say 'I was there, man' as there's seldom any proof. Sadly, as we know, people lie. The Beatles famously played Doncaster Gaumont in 1963 and it would seem that about 80,000 people turned up. I worked with a guy who swears he was there. He's 5 years older than me. He'd have been less than a year old. Hmmmmm. Likewise it would seem that The Pistols played to thousands at The Outlook back in '76.

Half the problem with 'I was there' moments is you don't know it is an 'I was there moment' til years later. I saw The Inspiral Carpets at The Hacienda many moons back supported by a band called Rain. I didn't really pay much attention to them. It was only years later I found out Rain was a fledgling only one Gallagher Oasis. OK I can say I was there but then have to admit to not watching them.

It's a bit different with sporting events i.e. you know you've just witnessed a bit of history, e.g. the 1966 World Cup Final. You didn't have to cling to your ticket in the hope that in 15 years time people would realise how momentous and historic the occasion was. I have a sporting near miss in the I was there thing.

Cricket. Botham's Ashes - 1981. The historic third test at Headingley when England won against all odds. In actual fact the odds on the Saturday evening were 500-1 on an England victory. I was there. On the Saturday when England's batting line up was humiliated by the Aussie bowlers. The only bright spot a beligerant half century from one I.T.Botham. I was back at school on the Monday when Botham and Dilley tore into the Australian line up and again stuck in Mrs. Lindley's geography class on the Tuesday as Bob Willis ripped cricket history to shreds. So yes I was there but not to witness anything particularly historic. That final day's play is another one for people to lie about though. A crowd of about 4000 that it would now seem was actually 40,000.

Live Aid came up with a way to stop the fake I was there thing. T-shirts only available on the day from Wembley with 'I was there' on them. Only downside was they didn't print enough so if you couldn't get one on the day you could send a copy of your ticket off to get one. Defeated the object somewhat.

My basic point to all of this is that the Bang Bang Romeo/Dexters gig at The Leadmill  last Saturday felt like it may well have been an 'I was there' moment. Only history can say though. In the spirit of this though I had a quick chat with Bang Bang Romeo after the gig and here's what they had to say:

SS: So Leadmill debut. How was it?

BBR:  Bloody Brilliant. We loved every minute of it, and it was a pleasure to headline on our debut show. Everyone at the Leadmill were so professional, it was great to work with them.

SS: What's it like getting that kind of reaction 'away from home'?

BBR: As an unsigned band, leaving your home town to gig somewhere you've never played before, and pack the place out was incredible! The support has been great, everyone's behind us and we can't thank them enough. The audience made our night.

SS: Did the quality of Dexters' set put added pressure on you?

BBR: Dexters are one hell of a band aren't they? There's absolutely no wonder they are on the road to success. They're stage presence is immense, and they definitely put the pressure on, but good pressure! Was great to gig with such a brilliant band, and we hope our paths cross again.

SS: What next for Bang Bang Romeo?

BBR: Next, we plan on taking this all the way. Being involved with 'This Feeling' is spot on for us and we'll hopefully continue to work with them, they create a great platform for bands like us! BBC6 Presenter Tom Robinson is interested in us and is a fan of our track 'Bones'. We're still working with big writers and producers, and are organising a 2013 summer of gigs and festivals. Right now the sky's the limit and we can't wait to see what happens.

I think that'll do for now.

Laters

SS

Playlist Wednesday 27/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Keep The Car Running - Arcade Fire
Antarctica - Sound Of Guns
Second Summer Of Love - Danny Wilson
Fire - Kasabian
Battleship Chains - The Georgia Satellites
Forevermore - Missing Pages
Some Might Say - Oasis
Molly Gray - The DN Allstars
Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys
The Stars (Are Out Tonight) - David Bowie
Seek It - Richard Hawley
At Least Those Kids Are Getting Fed - China Rats
Cum On Feel The Noize - Slade
We Are Us - Twisted Wheel
Not Too Young - The Tricks
On A Day Like This - Elbow
The Great Leap Forward - Billy Bragg
Adore Me - Bang Bang Romeo
The Cutter - Echo And The Bunnymen
The Distance - Funeral For A Friend
Chasing Rainbows - Shed Seven
Slumdog Millionaire - The Beeds
Lust For Life - Iggy Pop
Vicar In A Tutu - The Smiths
Paradise City - Guns N' Roses
Green Eyed - September Girls
Come Back To What You Know - Embrace
Everything Must Go - Manic Street Preachers
If You Wanna - The Vaccines
Retreat - Mynas
No One's Gonna Love You - Band Of Horses
Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me) - Steve Harley And Cockney Rebel
Radioactive - Kings Of Leon
Country Girl - Primal Scream
Baggy Trousers - Madness
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Tuesday 26 February 2013

BAIBS Tuesday 26/02/13

The Bulgars and Egyptians have joined the club. Can feel the phrase worldwide phenomenon coming on, and no Mark, I still can't say it.

You know have words you just can't say? Phenomenon's one of mine. As well as lapels bizarrely.

Anyway.

Clocks.

You're either now thinking Coldplay, Salvador Dali, timepieces or you just misread and thought I was talking about Muse again. Speaking of Muse, Matt Bellamy's said he'll be stage diving on Muse's tour this summer. As far as I'm aware it's all stadium gigs and I don't know many stadiums where the band and crowd are that close. Still if Matt wants to dive into an empty pit in front of 80,000 people I for one think he should be allowed. No doubt he'll record the bone crunching splat and use it on Muse's next album. I once read that Meat Loaf stage dived at a gig in Sydney and the crowd, somewhat sensibly, got out of his way.

For all the gigs I've been too I've not seen many stage dives. The guy from Enter Shikari dived into the crowd at Leeds Fest but sadly they let him back on stage to finish the set. I once saw Courtney Love stage dive at The Leadmill then bemoaned the fact that she remained fully clothed and ungroped afterwards.  Obviously no mirrors in the Leadmill dressing room. Speaking of naked I saw Iggy Pop at Rock City strip and stage dive. Yes, I've had a naked Jimmy Osterberg flying at me as I stood shocked and open mouthed. That last sentence was a bit of a mouthful. The most laid back, stage dive, literally, I've witnessed was Peter Gabriel who just stood on the edge of the stage, back to the crowd, arms outstretched and fell back. He was then very politely passed round the crowd for about 5 minutes. He smelt of tofu.

Got a bit sidetracked there. Was gonna talk about time keeping and the lack of clocks in Donny. I leave the house at about 6am. Gives me plenty of time to get to Sine FM Towers and set up for the show. Sometimes, normally after a night out, I'll be running late though and occasionally when this happens I'll selflessly let Cherry Blossom sleep and yomp into town. To be honest, very occasionally. But not one shop down Balby Road has a clock in view from the street. I have no idea how late I'm running. Get to The Leopard but can never quite get a view of the station clock. The first clock I see is on Trafford Way which tells a different time every time I see it. It is ALWAYS wrong, normally by a good few hours. The only accurate thing you can say about this clock is that whatever time it is showing it can be guaranteed that is not the correct time. So the first reliable clock I see is clock corner by which time I'm that close to Sine that it makes no difference.

Wear a watch I hear you say. I packed in wearing a watch many, many years ago. I used to claim it gave me more freedom and didn't tie me down, man. Truth be told I just preferred wearing scarves round my wrist and was always late. Of course these days with mobile phones there's no real need for clocks or a watch but what with the flusk and my bag and the general coldness at that time of day I never get my phone out of my pocket. Plus it never occurs to me!

Anyway, must dash. I've just seen the time.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 26/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Girl From Mars - Ash
I Wanna Be Sedated - The Ramones
End Of A Century - Blur
The Prince - Madness
Never Knew Your Name - Madness
Lead The Way - The 48ks
Slight Return - The Bluetones
Stay - Rita Payne
Never Fade Away - Spector
Bones - Bang Bang Romeo
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The Beatles
My Sweet Lord - George Harrison
If The Kids Are United - Sham 69
Next Year - Two Door Cinema Club
Kings Of The Wild Frontier - Adam And The Ants
Here It Goes Again - OK Go
Thunderstruck - AC/DC
Lining Your Pockets - Ocean Colour Scene
No Songs Tomorrow - UV Pop
Upstarts - Johnny Marr
Stingin' Belle - Biffy Clyro
Like A Fox - Me
Somewhere - The Pilots
Alternative Ulster - Stiff Little Fingers
Do You Remember The First Time? - Pulp
Recover - Dexters
Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie
Waterfront - Simple Minds
Permanent - Section 60
Love Like Blood - Killing Joke
Everything - The Darlingtons
It Starts And Ends With You - Suede
Just Came Back - AVIT
Crocodile Rock - Elton John
Teenage Icon - The Vaccines
Lost - The Pigeon Detectives
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
The Wanderer - U2/Johnny Cash
The Passenger - Iggy Pop
Chemicals - Various Cruelties
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers


Sunday 24 February 2013

The AVIT Blues Band, Cask Corner. Friday 22/02/13

'EVERYBODY NEEDS A SHOT OF R 'n' B'

A wise man said that. And I should clarify R 'n' B is old school rhythm and blues. Not the dirge flying around the charts that has somehow stolen the R 'n' B moniker.

It's staggering how many people pull a face when you mention the blues but Led Zep, The Doors, Gary Moore, The Rolling Stones even The Pistols: they all played The Blues.

The night kicks off with James Taplin. James is blessed with so much talent it's probably illegal in certain American states. If he was born 100 years ago he'd be at a crossroads in a some southern delta watching the devil walk away in defeat. A set of mostly covers but from Kiss to Rory Gallagher but he makes it his own. One original song tonight, Mighty Fine, and if he bangs out an album worth of material like that then Donny has yet another musical shining light to get behind.

From indie to punk to folk to rock and all genres in between Donny has some major talent out there which brings us to Doncaster own Kings of The Blues - The AVIT Blues Band.

Their debut album is called Where Blues Meets Rock. It's perfect both as an album and as an album title. All Bluesmen have their own take and AVIT rock. Two sets totalling 23 songs leave the crowd and the band a smiling, happy, sweaty mess. AVIT are tight. Seriously tight. Four musicians of obvious talent who have that unique telepathy that only great musicians have. When Matt wants to throw in one of his breath taking guitar solos the band just know how to play around his intricate licks perfectly. Dave has the style and voice made for the blues, backed by a the rhythm section of Clive and Nath who circle and soar everywhere but never miss a beat.

The set consists of original material and covers but not the obvious blues covers, and same as James before, they own it.

The album is a snip of a bargain and is a must have but it's live that AVIT truly come into their own. They're playing at Donny's inaugural Blues Fest at the Dome next weekend supporting no less than members of Wishbone Ash. AVIT will steal the show, trust me on this.

If you want to dance, sing, smile sweat, generally rock out or just listen to quality blues/rock then you know what to do.

AVIT Set List

Set One

See The Light
Blind Dog
Chills And Thrills
Junkie
Walk Around Time
Nothing But A Woman
Rocket 88
Same Old Blues
Walking Babe
I Ain't Got No Time

Set Two

Confidence Man
Hammer And Nail
Motivational Speaker
Fool Proof
I Just Came Back
Along For The Ride
Stoop Down
You Talk To Much
Same Old Thing
Midnight Train
Cold Sweat
I Just Wanna Make Love To You
Boom Boom

Thursday 21 February 2013

BAIBS Thursday 21/02/13

A blog with a difference today. Not gonna have time later so it's a kinda live blog while the show's on air.

Might work.

Might just turn into a playlist! I normally email that to myself for blog inclusion.

So it's 6.40am and I'm just setting up. News, weather, traffic, facebook, twitter, gmail and now the blog page too.

Got the first 5 songs lined up, tweeted them and will no doubt change my mind what I play anyway.

Re-set the clock on the wall cos it's always a minute out when I come in. 2 minutes to. Autoplay off. Time to go live.

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
The Story Of The Blues - The Mighty WAH
The Way We're Made (Made In England) - Missing Andy

Cock up number one. That was meant to be Sing For The Deaf by Missing Andy.

Time for a legendary insightful weather report.

Molly Gray - The DN Allstars - courtesy of Sick Note Tez

Even more legendary but even less insightful traffic report. That said triffic report at first. :-)

Black Chandelier - Biffy Clyro
Fortune Teller - The 48ks (drummer Chris 21 today)

Those who saw the kicking off with tweet will see I've gone off track already.

Touch Me - The Doors

Ad break.

While all this is going on I'm having txt, facebook and twitter conversations. All very confusing.

Boxerbeat - JoBoxers
Useless Noise - The Hidden Revolution (for JJ from Sine FM's First 45 - 39 today)
Two Doors Down - Mystery Jets

More traffic. Same as last time basically but still hopeless.

It Starts And Ends With You - Suede

More ads.

Take Her Back - The Pigeon Detectives
Shadow - Gringo Star

8am. Time for the national and international news. Apparently.

Cloudbusting - Kate Bush
Wild Wild Life - Talking Heads
Roadrunner - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers (Jerry Harrison - Talking Head and Modern Lover - 64 today)

More triffic traffic. It's all go!

Hold Me - Tom Odell
Black And White Town - Doves

Finished my flusk of coffee. I'm all alone till Helen on reception to gets here and I'm not allowed access to the kitchen. Wish that was true at home.

Hands Off She's Mine - The Beat

I can hear the shutters going. Coffee and biscuit time soon.

Alternative Ulster - Stiff Little Fingers (Jake Burns 57 today)

More ads.

Saturn 5 - Inspiral Carpets

I have coffee, a Kit-Kat (white chocolate, 2 fingers) and a Yorkie biscuit. Thanks Helen.

Right Now - Bang Bang Romeo - playing Leadmill this Saturday supporting
Recover - Dexters - followed by a DJ set from
Heavyweight Champion Of The World - Reverend And The Makers

Traffic again. Still makes no sense to me.

The Heinrich Manoeuvre - Interpol

More ads!

Valley Of The Dolls - Generation X
Monkey Gone To Heaven -Pixies

9am. News.

La Tristesse Durera (Scream To A Sigh) - Manic Street Preachers (James Dean Bradfield 44 today)
Talking Woman Blues - The Avit Blues Band (Playing Cask Corner tomorrow night)
Lightning Bolt - Jake Bugg (tickets went on sale for his Donny Dome gig 11 minutes ago)
Enola Gay - OMD (this day in 1958 CND commissioned their peace sign, based on a stopped watch found in the ruins of Hiroshima - 'It's 8.15, that's the time it's always been')

Bloody hell, traffic!

747 (Strangers In The Night) - Saxon (for the Thommos and the insignia dance off)!
No More Heroes - The Stranglers (Jean Jacques Burnel 61 today)
Bats - The Darlingtons

More ads!!

It's about now, with 30 minutes left, that I start to panic about squeezing everything I'd planned into the show.

Jubilee Street - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds

Sport. Way better than the traffic or weather. I almost know what I'm talking about.

Babies - Pulp
Feeling Good - Nina Simone (born this day 1933)

Last set of ads!!!!

Now doing some frantic maths to make sure I finish on time.

(All I Wanted Was) Danger - The Milk
To Be Like - China Rats (go to short song when I'm trying to get timings right)

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

News and outta here!

Laters

SS






Wednesday 20 February 2013

BAIBS Wednesday 20/02/13

The latest and shortest of blogs today. Been that kinda day.

For ages I've been wondering what the big screen on the side of the Frenchgate Centre is for. All it seemed to show was Westlife or Boyzone gigs, thankfully with the sound down. Why not advertise Frenchgate stores on it I thought.

They do now.

Today it was advertising the lingerie department of one of the larger shops. Never seen so many blokes walk into lampposts. Actually I didn't see that many. I couldn't see a thing after walking into a lamppost.

Oh while we're throwing woeful boy bands into the mix David Cameron is doing a video with One Direction! All of them in the same room at the same time!! Too good an opportunity to miss surely. I'm not advocating assassination but someone at least lose the key!

Off to Scarborough after tomorrow's show to see my Step-Dad who's not too well. Won't have time to blog so gonna attempt a 'live' blog while I'm on air. Hmmmmmmm.

Gotta go. My basted chicken's ready. Only just learnt how to pronounce that.

Laters

SS

Playlist Wednesday 20/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Rockin' In The Free World - Neil Young
Chemicals - Various Cruelties
Next Year - Two Door Cinema Club
Safe European Home - The Clash
Antarctica - Sound Of Guns
Run - Amy MacDonald
Back Of My Hand - The Jags
F.E.A.R. - Ian Brown
She Bangs The Drum - The Stone Roses
Wasteland - The Mission
Rise - Public Image Ltd
Chevy Thunder - Spector
Roll With It - Oasis
We Take Care Of Our Own - Bruce Springsteen
Don't Know Why - The Beeds
Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits
Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick - Ian Dury And The Blockheads
The Black Galley - Something Nasty In The Woodshed
Always Like This - Bombay Bicycle Club
Jukebox Generation - Goldblade
Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters
Swan Lake - Madness
I Always Knew - The Vaccines
What You Do To Me - Teenage Fanclub
Chemical - Bang Bang Romeo
Hold Me - Tom Odell
Transmission - Joy Division
Temptation - New Order
Step On - Happy Mondays
Taste It - Jake Bugg
The Eton Rifles - The Jam
Centrefold - The J. Geils Band
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
I Can't Stand Losing -The Police
Let's Do Rock Steady - The Bodysnatchers
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Tuesday 19 February 2013

BAIBS Tuesday 19/02/13

Welcome Pakistan to the BAIBS fold my friends.

Does anyone want my blood? Odd request I know but as regular followers will know I've been trying to give blood pretty much since I started blogging. About 4 months now. Ish. And again I've failed again to donate my armful. Got to the old Danum School to be told the session had been cancelled. Got home to an email to say it had been moved to the racecourse. I'm not going out again.

I was all set too. Had a session at the gym first so my blood was all oxygenated and ready to fly out my arm. Ho hum. What with the gym and fruitless detour for blood donor session I've worked out I've walked, run, cycled and rowed about 11 miles today. I'm too old for that.

I'll be honest, the geek in me had to sit down with a map and a calculator and work that out.

Beautiful day today though. My favourite kind. Crisp blue sky, sun beating down but still a slight chill in the air. Sadly what with all the excess walking, woollen jumper and porn star coat I did sweat a bit. Not as much as in the gym but enough to confirm my fears from the gym. My eyebrows don't work.

I could be wrong but I'm sure I was once told that the purpose of eyebrows, apart from to signify shock, was to keep sweat out of your eyes. I'm gonna have to check I'm right now before I send them back.

Two minutes.

A-ha!!! I knew it. Copied from the HowStuffWorks site:

We know that eyebrows help keep moisture out of our eyes when we sweat or walk around in the rain. The arch shape diverts the rain or sweat around to the sides of our face, keeping our eyes relatively dry. The most obvious advantage of this is that it lets us see clearly when we're sweating a lot or out in the rain. Without eyebrows, getting around in these conditions is a little more difficult. The shape of your brow itself diverts a certain amount of moisture, but eyebrows make a significant difference in your ability to see. Diverting the sweat away is also good because the salt in sweat irritates the eyes, making them sting a little.

In which case my eyebrows don't work. Stick them on the list with my knees and sense of smell (no bad thing) of things that need sending back.

The porn star coat maybe no more. I've learnt my lesson about carrying the mug/flask of coffee around in my pocket. It must have a name. It looks like a mug. Slightly bigger. And works like a flask. You know the kinda thing. I'm gonna call it a flusk I think.

OK, so I know not to carry my flusk full of coffee in my pocket. I get spillage, a wet phone and a coffee flavoured pocket. Today, just as I was swapping bag carrying hands, I put the flusk briefly in my pocket but knocked the top off and covered porn star coat in coffee. I've just had to wash it. I'm not sure it'll survive.

Rovers drew away at Crawley last night, enough to put us joint top, though 2nd on I think alphabeticalness behind Bournemouth. (Same points and goal difference. Must be the alphabet). We're destined to never top League 1.

You were right Stevie Dee. Waffle.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 19/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Helter Skelter - The Beatles
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. - Noah And The Whale
Dead And Gone - The Black Keys
The Beat(en) Generation - The The
Poison Ivy - The Lambrettas
Thou Shalt Always Kill - Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip
Spirits In The Material World - The Police
Somewhere - The Pilots
The Distance - Funeral For A Friend
I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For - U2
You Have Placed A Chill In My Heart - The Eurythmics
New Rose - The Damned
Born To Run - Bruce Springsteen
I Useta Lover - The Saw Doctors
Waterfall - The Stone Roses
Like A Dancer - The Enemy
Rock Me Amadeus - Falco
The Bonnie Ship The Diamond - Something Nasty In The Woodshed
Recover - Dexters
We Wear Our Bones - Bang Bang Romeo
My World - Secret Affair
Foxy Lady - Jimi Hendrix
The Tears Of A Clown - Smokey Robinson And The Miracles
Where Is My Mind - Pixies
Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners
Common People - Pulp
Mardy Bum - Arctic Monkeys
On Trial - The Tricks
Leather Jacket Love Song - The Cribs
Killer - Adamski
Never Knew Your Name - Madness
Food For Thought - UB40
Standing In The Way Of Control - Gossip
It Starts And Ends With You - Suede
Souls Uncensored - Section 60
Highway To Hell - AC/DC
Broken Teeth - Wet Nuns
In-Between Days - The Cure
Hold Me - Tom Odell
To Be Like - China Rats
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Saturday 16 February 2013

BAIBS Friday 15/02/13

Another late blog. Had a day out yesterday and, well to be honest, couldn't be arsed to blog when we got in. More of that later.

New readers in Peru and the Isle Of Man. (Is that you Miss Smith)? Oh and Sint-Maarten. I had to google that one. It's the Dutch half of the Caribbean Island Saint Martin. Whoever you are if you want to invite me over please do cos it looks like this:


So ended up on The Road To Hull yesterday. Hull's an odd place. I had the, I'm gonna use the word pleasure, of living there from 1996 to 1998. The city centre's beautiful and it's a great night out. Sunday nights in the old town are some of the best nights out I've ever had. It's when you get out of the centre it all gets a bit odd. The less said the better probably. As one local said to me 'We're at the end of a line that no-one comes down,'

Hull has a lot to be proud of. Stood up to Charles I when he wanted to enter the city and was a major parliamentarian player in the civil war. Home of MP William Wilberforce who played a key role in the abolition of the slave trade. And birthplace of the legendary Mick Ronson - guitarist with the Spiders From Mars. A guy who worked with virtually everyone worth mentioning in the 70s and 80s. When I lived in Hull it staggered me how many locals knew none of these facts. Apart from white phone boxes and The Beautiful South they didn't seem to know much about their own city. There was briefly a Mick Ronson Memorial Stage in Queen's Gardens which not many knew about and now isn't there! Was horrified yesterday when I couldn't find it.

But it occurred to me as I gave Cherry Blossom a brief historical tour of Hull yesterday that people just don't seem to know the history of their home town? I'm probably as guilty as anyone when it comes to the history of Donny. Racecourse, Mallard, Flying Scotsman etc, Keegan, pits, Mansion House but that's all I really know about. My mission this year is to learn more about my town. I think everyone should. Admittedly if it turns out that the Racecourse, Mallard etc is all we've got I'm gonna be very disappointed!

Went to The Deep yesterday and stared at fish as they stared back. Got the impression that all the other fish were talking about the swordfish behind his back. 'Look at him with that thing. Thinks he looks hard as but he just looks a twonk. And he can't drink without using a straw.' And I spent far too long looking for a slug.

So it's the weekend. Epworth tonight for my good friend Steve Dale's birthday. Steve's the guitarist in The 48ks and arguably the best lead guitar in Donny. He just needs to realise that. I'm not gonna tell him though.

Not not Tom Harking this weekend. Rovers away at Crawley on Monday night. Live on Sky. Rovers who have come so close to topping the table could be fourth come kick off on Monday. (Would have been fifth but Tranmere lost again last night). Again on Tuesday night Rovers were briefly top only for us to fail to beat MK Dons and see Bournemouth leapfrog both us and Tranmere to go top. It's a tight division. 4 points separate the top 7 teams.

Gotta go cos some bugger keeps drinking my coffee. I think it's me.

Laters

SS

Playlist Friday 15/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack
Post Break Up Sex - The Vaccines
The KKK Took My Baby Away - The Ramones
Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order
Somewhere - The Pilots
Like A Fox - Me
Babooshka - Kate Bush
Market Square Heroes - Marilllion
Enola Gay - OMD (for Steve 'Interesting' Keld)
Feel About You - The 48ks
Front Row - The Fallows
All Together Now - The Farm
Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now - The Smiths
How It Ended - The Drums
Underdog - Kasabian
Adore Me Dear - Bang Bang Romeo
Recover - Dexters
Here Comes Your Man - Pixies
It Doesn't Have To Be This Way - The Blow Monkeys
The Changingman - Paul Weller
Victims - Culture Club
Talking Woman Blues - Avit
Hold Me - Tom Odell
Men's Needs - The Cribs
Stay - Rita Payne
Johnny Too Bad - UB40
Paint It Black - The Rolling Stones
We Know Who U R - Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds
Smooth - New Killer Shoes
The Doors Of Then - Tim Burgess
The Caterpillar - The Cure
It Starts And Ends With You - Suede
The Distance - Funeral For A Friend
Waterloo Sunset - The Kinks
45 - The Gaslight Anthem
London Calling - The Clash
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers
Elysium - Section 60 (for Patricia Saynor)






Thursday 14 February 2013

BAIBS Thursday 14/02/13

It's snowing! Didn't need facebook this time. My phone has it's snowman feature on to let me know. Only problem with this is it's not snowing. The snowman's been a permanent fixture on my phone for the last five days, apart from yesterday when it was snowing. Cloudy with sunny intervals according to my phone.

It's systematic of the current relationship I'm having with the phone. I missed the show yesterday due to my alarm not going off. Now my phone insists it did go off and I just slept through it. Neither of us is budging on this and our relationship has stooped to mutual mistrust. Don't think we'll ever get it back. On Valentine's Day too. So sad.

I have to admit I caved in to the Valentine's thing. Was always gonna play a song on the radio for Cherry Blossom but did the whole card and chocolates thing too. Just as well. Had a boatload of heart shaped shortbread covered in chocolate waiting for me when I got in. The guilt if I hadn't bought owt might almost have stopped me eating them. Oh and CB got me Kate Bush for Valentine's as well. Now that is love!

Had the pleasure of Mr. Mark Kelly's company on today's show. As I've said before we do like a gossip. So much so that I played about ten less songs than I normally would because of us yapping. Fun though. And I think we nailed the intro to Kraftwerk's The Model.

I do miss having a co-host to bounce off. And believe me there's no-one more bouncy than Mark. It's not as easy as just putting two people in the same room though. There has to be a connection. Me and Mark get each other even though he's wrong about so many things. He's a Wednesday fan for a start. At the same time though I also like being my own boss and playing what I want. As I said to someone on twitter last year if you want Bieber played get your own radio show.

Gotta dash. Shortbread to eat. Tomorrow's blog could be a late one. Having a day out. No idea where. North is all I've been told.

Good.

Laters

SS

Playlist Thursday 14/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Valentine's Day - The 48ks
It Must Be Love - Madness
Bring On The Dancing Horses - Echo And The Bunnymen
I Only Wanna Be With You - The Tourists
The Way We're Made (Made In England) - Missing Andy
Please Don't Touch - Motorhead/Girlschool
Spinning Plates - Middleman
Sweet Child Of Mine - Guns 'n' Roses
What Will You Do - The Virelais
Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
Design For Life - Manic Street Preachers
All Or Nothing - Small Faces
Why You Looking Back Down - You Addiction
Is This Our Day In The Sunshine - Section 60
Days Are Forgotten - Kasabian
Clash City Rockers - The Clash
By Your Hand - Los Campesinos
Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros
Upstarts - Johnny Marr
Bats - The Darlingtons
Solid Bond In Your Heart - The Style Council
If - The Divine Comedy
Rock 'n' Roll Star - Oasis
Up The Junction - Squeeze
The Model - Kraftwerk
My Sharona - The Knack
Never Fade Away - Spector
Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division
It Starts And Ends With You - Suede
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Tuesday 12 February 2013

BAIBS Tuesday 12/02/13

It's a week of being told what to do, or at least what we can do. I hate being told what to do. My Mum always maintained the worst way to try and get me to do anything was to tell me to do it. It's true.

So it's pancake day today. We can eat pancakes should we wish. Sod off. I'll eat pancakes whenever I want. And Valentine's Day on Thursday. You MUST tell you're loved one you love them. All the card manufacturers insist on it. If you need a special day to tell someone you love them then there's something very wrong. I know everything's commercialized now, Christmas, Easter, Mother's Day etc but Valentine's winds me up more than any of them. Admittedly this week of the year is a bad one for me personally so that may have a lot to do with it.

Got accused recently of being a grumpy old man and reading that last paragraph back I can see why. Personally I think it's more that people hit a certain age and refuse to 'go gentle into that good night.'

It's also possible that 9 days and 3 hours without a cigarette is having an effect.

So Tom Harking without Tom Hark at the Keepmoat tonight. Rovers' much talked about game in hand against MK Dons - the team that shouldn't exist. A chance to go top for what feels like the 4th time in recent weeks. Everyone, including Rovers keep slipping up. We were top briefly when we played Leyton Orient and again when we played Walsall only to be 2nd on goal difference after 90 minutes. Seem to have been 2nd on goal difference for months now. Basically tonight a win sees us go top, a draw will do if Bournemouth don't win at Crewe.

Cherry Blossom's home with dropped cakes and I need to send a begging email to Kasabian. Time to go.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 12/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
The Elephants' Graveyard - The Boomtown Rats
Lonely Boy - The Black Keys
Chipping Away - Middleman
Broke Up The Family - The Milk
My Best Friend's Girl - The Cars
Adultery - Little Comets
Girlfriend In A Coma - The Smiths
Kennedy - The Wedding Present
Goodbye Kiss - Kasabian
Chemicals - Various Cruelties
Burn This City - Famous Villains
Tears Dry On Their Own - Amy Winehouse
After Hours - We Are Scientists
I Wish I Was Someone Better - Blood Red Shoes
No One's Gonna Love You - Band Of Horses
No More Heroes - The Stranglers
Hate To Say I Told You So - The Hives
Velouria - Pixies
I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor - Arctic Monkeys
Geraldine - Glasvegas
Club Foot - Kasabian
The Wrestler - Reverend And The Makers
Just To See You Run - Bang Bang Romeo
Leather Jacket Love Song - The Cribs
Could You Be Loved - Bob Marley
Wetsuit - The Vaccines
Where Did Our Love Go - The Supremes
I Will Wait - Mumford And Sons
Sitting On My Own - The 48ks
Inhaler - Foals
Jimmy Jimmy - The Undertones
Riders On The Storm - The Doors
Break On Through (To The Other Side) - The Doors
Pinch Me - Barenaked Ladies
Here It Goes Again - OK Go
When Doves Cry - Prince
Freakin' Out - Graham Coxon
Animal - The Pigeon Detectives
Going Underground - The Jam
What You Do To Me - Teenage Fanclub
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers




Monday 11 February 2013

BAIBS Monday 11/02/13

Suddenly got a lot of Russian readers. Maybe I should see if BAIBS means something in Russian. Something to do with tractors possibly.

As we know I'm a proud pedestrian. Admittedly circumstances rather than choice dictate my pedestrian status but still, I'm sticking with the proud pedestrian tag. We're a special breed. No government pavement code for us. No Pedestrian Proficiency Test. We are the anarchists of the getting from A to B world. Check out Anarchy In The UK - 'I give the wrong time, stop a traffic line.' Pure pedestrianism at it's best.

Quick footnote here. The worst live musical experience I ever had involved Anarchy In The UK.

 Mel B/C*

*delete as applicable, which ever one is the loud scouse one. Her. That's who I'm on about.

was the special surprise guest at V99 . She did a woeful version of Anarchy which included the line, 'I am the anti-christ. I am a sporty spice.' I kid you not.

Anyway, I digress. As I've talked about before the perfect pedestrian world is become increasingly infiltrated by the cyclist. More and more have taken to the pavements. No consultation with pedestrians first. It's an aggressive takeover bid. There's a narrow bit of pavement on Balby Road, just wide enough for 2 people to pass. Walking down there this morning and a woman with a double pushchair was coming the other way. I leaned against a wall to let her pass. She gave the standard apologetic, grateful smile, as is the unwritten pedestrian code, only for a cyclist to come charging from behind me screaming, 'Coming through.' He wasn't because there wasn't enough space for which he blamed the woman with the pushchair. A bit of a Mexican stand off took place before he realized all he could do was wheel his bike backwards til the path widened, cursing all the time.

Now I've tried cycling on the road and it's treacherous but it doesn't give cyclists the right to invade our paths and make walking treacherous too. More cycle lanes is the answer. I'll put it to our English Democrat mayor. SORRY, he's independent now. I'd forgot. Yes too many BNP joining the English Democrats for his liking. Didn't seem to mind when it would appear it was the BNP second vote that got him elected. There's an election due. Purely coincidence that he's left what is basically the BNP Light Party I'm sure. The word loathsome is wheeling round my head.

Now that's what I call a tangent.

So a mixed weekend. Rovers again failed to take advantage of other teams slipping up. On Saturday we looked scared to actually go top. Try again tomorrow night. Have to say League One is a poor division this season. No-one seemed to mind no goal music. Good. As I've said before we have a major problem if Rovers' fans need to be told when to celebrate.

Excellent gig Saturday night at The Flying Childers. Sine FM's Pete Liversidge's new covers bans No Folkin' Around were playing. Possibly the most diverse band I've seen with covers ranging from The Everley Brothers to the Foo Fighters and every genre and era in between, all with an acoustic, folky bent. Well worth checking out. They could tie-up the club scene quite nicely.

Ably supported by Donny legend Beast and the ridiculously talented James Taplin it was a good night all round.

Well 1 week, 1 day and 4 hours without a cigarette. I'm on 60 carrot sticks a day though.

Laters

SS

Playlist Monday 11/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Never Fade Away - Spector
Love Her Madly - The Doors
Love Train - The O'Jays
Semi Charmed Life - Third Eye Blind
Second, Minute, Hour - Jack Penate
Iris - Goo Goo Dolls
My Hero - Foo Fighters
Somewhere - The Pilots
This Is Real - The Enemy
It's Yer Money I'm After Baby - The Wonderstuff
Hey There Delilah - Plain White Ts
Transmission - Joy Division
A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins
Dancing Makes Her Happy - Jery At Controls
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
Tempted - Squeeze
My Number - Foals
North Country Boy - The Charlatans
Enola Gay - OMD
Talk Of The Town - The Pretenders
Don't Know Why - The Beeds
Mr. Brightside - The Killers
Fortune Teller - The 48ks
Psycho Killer - Talking Heads
You Jane - The Wedding Present
To Be Like - China Rats
Give It Up - KC And The Sunshine Band
Shoot The Runner - Kasabian
Smooth - New Killer Shoes
Rebel Rebel - David Bowie
Next Year - Two Door Cinema Club
Tommy Gun - The Clash
On My Radio - The Selecter
Pictures Of You - The Cure
Teenage Kicks - The Undertones
Another Girl Another Planet - The Only Ones
All Day And All The Night - The Kinks
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers






Friday 8 February 2013

BAIBS Friday 08/02/13

Add Peru and Kazakhstan to the list.

First blog in a while. I've been ill. This not smoking lark is killing me! As someone pointed out though being ill doesn't stop me blogging. But the blog was always meant to be linked to the radio show. The main reason I started was because of people asking ,me what a certain song I played was. I never know. I play a lot of songs and rarely remember what I've played. They do all get written down for PRS purposes but I've seen my writing. It's shocking. I can make no sense of it at all. So this blog is inherently linked with the radio show: No show, no blog.

There's also the fact that most of my blogs are just observational stuff so given I've done little for the last three days the blogs wouldn't amount to much. 'Laid on sofa and watched a Big Bang Theory I've only seen four times. Had a scotch egg. Regretted it.' You see my point.

Plus like I said. I've been ill. There's certain things from the last three days you just don't want to know about.

Back to the gym today and had a reminder what I dislike about gyms. I don't dislike exercise but I've always preferred playing sports. I'll happily spend an hour in the gym with some good tunes though. (12 Dirty Bullets work particularly well). Today was excellent. It was full of fat and/or old people. I fitted in nicely. Apart from one, I believe the term is, gym bunny. When I walked in the changing room he was there, weighing out his protein shake thing. He'd actually bought scales. Did a big show of mixing it up with his little cocktail type shaker, lots of flexing, all in front of the mirror. Now I know I can be obsessive (music, football, cricket, maps! - show me a good stat and you've lost me for days) so I shouldn't mock him for taking what he does seriously. But I'm gonna. Purely for this next bit.

Two of the most astounding sentences ever. First he looked at a rather large gentleman getting changed and, without leaving his beloved mirror once, said to me, 'Look at the state of that.' I was horrified. Maybe he should join a gym I replied. It was hugely gratifying that he agreed with me then did the classic comedic penny dropping face. His reaction to this: 'They shouldn't let fat people in the gym.' Priceless. I left him kissing his muscles. They seemed very happy together.

So a busy weekend beckons. Sheffield tonight to see the brilliant Section 60. A truly quality indie band. I'm hoping tonight I'll see one of them smile on stage.

Tomorrow is, what I'm gonna call. a no Tom Harking Tom Harking day. Rovers at home to Walsall but as mentioned in a previous blog we're not doing goal music anymore. Good. I'll let you know how that works out.

Saturday night is The Flying Childers (I had the flying childers once. Winter of '84. Very nasty) to see my mate Pete Liversidge's new band, No Folkin' Around, supported by the immensely talented James Taplin and the irrepressible Beast. Should be a good un.

Enough. Time for a carrot stick.

Laters

SS

Playlist Friday 08/02/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas
Baby Don't Cry - INXS
I Always Knew - The Vaccines
Ceremony - New Order
The Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Song - The Flaming Lips
Made Of Stone - The Stone Roses
Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones
Elysium - Section 60
New Natives - Jim Lockey And The Solemn Sun
Lose Control - Courteeners
Fortune Teller - The 48ks
Naive - The Kooks
Silver - Echo And The Bunnymen
She Comes In Fall - Inspiral Carpets
Upstarts - Johnny Marr
Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys
Shot By Both Sides - Magazine
Rock Lobster - The B52s
Stingin' Belle - Biffy Clyro
Can't Stand Losing You - The Police
Hold The Magic - Officer Kicks
Animal - The Pigeon Detectives 
Electric Avenue - Eddy Grant
A Heart That You Can Borrow - Ian McNabb
Heroes - David Bowie
Chevy Thunder - Spector
That's Entertainment - The Jam
Tumblin' Tears - Kiziah And The Kings
Alright - The Subways
A-Punk - Vampire Weekend
Skinhead Moonstomp - Syrammip
Local Boy In The Photograph - Stereophonics
Runaway - Del Shannon
(White Man In) Hammersmith Palais - The Clash
Beat The Clock - Sparks
Jack And Diane - John Mellencamp
Undercover Martyn - Two Door Cinema Club
Place Your Hands - Reef
Panic - The Smiths
Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers