Day 10: Of Toads and Strategies

Today's soundtrack: Various Artists - Beatlemania Vol. 2

If ever you needed proof that iTunes selects the day's soundtrack at random, today's choice should give you just that. The second of two freebie CDs containing cover versions of Beatles songs, I'm currently grooving to Cheap Trick covering Magical Mystery Tour. In the next hour we will be going from the sublime to the ridiculous, from Wilson Pickett's version of Hey Jude to Harvey Averne (who?) doing I Feel Fine. With many other delights in between.

Well, the toad in the hole was probably a '6/10 - could do better' last night. I should have trusted the recipe and left the (slightly runny) batter alone - the extra flour I added meant we ended up with a 'hole' that rose in all the right places, but was a touch rubbery in the middle. In contrast, the 'toads', Tesco's finest Pork & Leek, were excellent - very meaty with just a hint of herbage on top. Onion gravy more than acceptable although the ratio of onion to gravy needs to be revisited! (That's not mine opposite - mine looked better - especially the gravy!)

Jekyll continues to impress - half way through now, and looking forward to the rest. Will definitely keep us going until the next series of Dexter drops on the mat.

Lousy night's sleep last night due to the wind (no, nothing to do with the toad in the hole...the wind outside), the bang of a gate keeping me awake. Cursing the neighbours, but of course it turned out to be our garden gate causing the problem - despite the bolt being padlocked across, the supporting post had moved sufficiently in the wind to dislodge the bolt from its moorings. So a quick fix this morning with some plastic cord that will hopefully keep the thing shut tonight. And hopefully the neighbours will not be cursing us tonight!

In my new role as booking agent to the gang, it's looking like Latitude might be a goer, and also Depeche Mode in November (depending on the presale rush tomorrow). Coupled with Glastonbury, Elvis Costello and the Pet Shop Boys, it's already looking like another good summer on the gig-going front...always assuming new working arrangements don't interfere!

On that front, one of my fellow redundantees tipped me the wink about an opportunity in Manchester that has been duly applied for today - thanks Graeme! - so we'll see how that one pans out. Salary somewhat lower than previous, but a decent high profile role that fits well with stuff I've done in the past so could be a goer.

Those of you who are familiar with the work of Brian Eno may be aware of a technique he uses in music production called 'Oblique Strategies'. Essentially a set of cards with gnomic instructions written on each card. The theory is that you select a card at random, and use that card to inform your work that day. Inevitably 'Oblique Strategies' are available online and, more specifically, as an iPhone application that I have downloaded. So let's, just for fun, see what today's pronouncement is.....

"Make it more sensual"

Hmmm....perhaps using Oblique Strategies to help me find a new job isn't the way to go... might revisit this approach though!

Since it's a bit quiet today, I'm going to bore you with the details of a newish music tool on t'internet that might just change the music industry forever. Or not. Anyway, it's called 'Spotify' and you should all download it immediately. Essentially, you download a piece of software that looks and feels a bit like iTunes, and once it's on your desktop (or laptop), assuming you have a half-decent internet connection, you have searchable access to a vast amount of music - all on a legitimate basis. The basic model is totally free, but will interject adverts on an irregular basis. You can pay a subscription to avoid the ads, but (currently at least) they are very unobtrusive. Can't quite see how the business model works (if at all) but enjoy it while you can. It's like having an iTunes library with literally millions of albums in it.

Back on the bass today - happily mastered the (admittedly easy) bass line to 'Summer Lovin', on the Grease soundtrack. 'She Bangs The Drums' by the Stone Roses will, I think, take a little longer...

Day 9: Sign on, sign on.....

Today's soundtrack: The Who - Quadrophenia

Well, that could have been an awful lot worse than it was. I parked up well in advance of my signing-on time (what happens if you're late?) in the retail park over the road, and had a quick browse round Borders before heading across to the Job Centre (although mine is actually a Job Centre 'Plus', whatever that signifies). Pitched up ten minutes early, and to my dismay entered a crowded waiting area - it looked like a long wait was in order.

The system is a little bit Heath Robinson - basically everyone has a little plastic wallet with their paperwork inside, which you put in a box placed on the edge of a desk, then you wait until your name is called. It feels almost like a raffle - you half expect the wallets to be shuffled then drawn out with a flourish by a minor celebrity....but no. After being moved around by a security guard ("you can't stand there, sir") I eventually got a seat and people began to get 'processed'. Whether by chance or design my name was called just about on the appointed time, and I took my seat opposite a very nice lady who asked me a few questions about my job search, apologised for the confusion around the waiting area (apparently they have recently changed systems so now people have appointed times to turn up - rather than just turning up when they felt like it on the appointed day).

So after about ten minutes of this, I got to sign my name on a slip of paper and that's it for another fortnight. Still not a pleasant experience, but nothing like as bad as I was expecting.

Earlier in the day I finally submitted my application for a job over in the Leeds area, and spoke to a recruitment consultant about the possibility of some temporary work. The same firm had called me last night to talk through another opportunity but unfortunately the level is too junior to be of interest....yet! Still, they are happy to talk to me and do have me in mind for opportunities out there.

The daily trawl of the web produced little of interest, but there's one other role that I'm going to go after that was advertised in the paper last week. Bit of a long shot, but still....

Loads of messages today from ex-colleagues up and down the country, which was nice. Well, better than nice, actually, good to know that I've not been cut adrift and that losing a job doesn't mean losing friendships as well. It would also appear these daily ramblings are attracting some attention as well!

Initial lineup for the Latitude festival announced yesterday - well, just the headliners, really. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Grace Jones and the Pet Shop Boys, with Editors, Doves and Bat For Lashes also announced. Not one to immediately set the pulse racing, and I'm seeing the Pet Shop Boys in Manchester in June anyway (and saw Nick Cave in 'Grinderman' guise at Latitude last year) but still tempted. Can afford to wait, can't see this being anything like an immediate sell-out. Latitude was superb last year, loads to do and an excellent set of bands right down the bill on each day so I might yet put my money down. Might be on my own though, the boy isn't interested this year and my attempts to cajogle a couple of ex-colleagues along have been stymied by their general lightweightedness (you know who you are, chaps....). Still, done that before and it's not a problem. In any event, Glastonbury is already bought and paid for, so the festival itch will still get scratched this year!

Yet to be let down by the random soundtrack to my typing (although since I'm only playing music I've chosen and bought myself, what would it tell you if I didn't actually like what was playing?) I've liked The Who from way back - Who's Next was the second LP I bought with my own money and I saw them for the first time in 1975 when Keith Moon was still alive (and no doubt before half of you were born). Quadrophenia is a particular favourite and is even pretty well served by the film of the album, even if it does have Sting in it. Excellent turn by the very young Phil Daniels, long before Parklife and latterly his stint in 'stenders. Also a very young Ray Winstone and a pre-trout Lesley Ash. But however good the film is, it would be nothing without the music it was based upon (and the concept it was built around).

Toad in the Hole tonight, I've decided - and the batter is mixed and 'resting'. Bit of an experiment, not cooked this before and the batter looks ominously runny at the moment (even after a flour top-up) but we'll give it a go. I can always pull the sausages out and chuck the batter away. Oh, and onion gravy. Yummy! Mrs W will have a fit.

Day 8: Our Day Out

Today's soundtrack: Various Artists - Music inspired by 'Oh! Brother, Where Art Thou?'

Off we go again, to the strum of a banjo and a sprightly 'Yee-hah!' Can't beat a bit of bluegrass. Currently listening to Leadbelly covering that old acoustic Nirvana song, 'Where Did You Sleep Last Night?', with The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Gene Autry all comin' up in the next half hour. Don't touch that dial now....

Anyway, the day out didn't quite go as planned - blustery winds and the promise of heavy rain put paid to any thoughts of a day out in Conwy, or even to a trip out to Southport. We were determined not to stay in all day, so where else but the Mecca of the Modern Shopping Experience, the Trafford Centre?

Off we set, blown backwards and forwards (but mostly sideways) down the M56 to a relatively quiet Trafford Centre. One of the small pleasures to come from my current situation is the ability to get out to places like this when they are 'off-peak', ie not lunchtimes or weekends. So a nice gentle browse round the shops on my own (we split up, of course, Mrs W doing the lady shops and me doing the boy shops) with no real intention of buying anything - just having a stroll away from the wind and rain.

Met up with Mrs W an hour later, wallet no lighter than it was when we'd started despite spending plenty of time in the den of temptation that is the Apple store - my, those iMacs are sooo beautiful - one day, one day - and we wandered into the food court for a quick spot of lunch, which my good lady wife treated me to. Shared plate of nachos and a Jalapeno burger, since you ask.

By this time, the weather had brightened up considerably, although the wind was as strong (and cutting) as it had been previously. We toyed with the idea of a run out to Southport, but decided against it in the end.

Back home, found a cd of Franz Ferdinand's live gig at the Manchester Academy waiting for me on the doormat - made by one of these companies that specialises in recording gigs (legally, and under license) and selling cds immediately after the event. Picked this one up because Matt had gone along to the gig - no doubt I'll be able to hear him roaring along to 'This Fire' or some such in the background if I listen hard enough. I think it's a nice idea, and certainly better than trying to hunt down an dodgy snide recording on t'interweb. Waiting for a cd of a Richard Hawley concert to turn up as well - really looking forward to that one!

Twittering along in the background while writing this - still to fully understand the point of Twittering, but it's probably its very pointlessness that makes it fun. Currently eavesdropping on the saga of the animal infestation of the Word office...

You will have gathered from the tone of today's blog that the job hunting has gone a little bit quiet of late. And you'd be right. The daily trawl of the usual websites has turned up a blank, as did the weekend papers. Still, one or two things are progressing slowly through the pipeline, and one of my mates (and ex-colleagues) has tipped me the wink about something that might come up for grabs in the not too distant. But not a lot to tell them at the Job Centre tomorrow, when I go to sign on. That'll be fun, won't it?

Day 7: Family time

Today's soundtrack: Björk - Selmasongs

Family day today what with it being Mothers' Day and all, so not a huge amount to write about. Probably.

Up and out first thing, to pick up some flowers for my Mum and to buy the Sunday Times (part of my Jobseekers' agreement, don't you know. Bet I can't claim the cost back.) Flowers from The Hollies Farm Shop on the A49 - if you're in the area, then I recommend a visit - it's not the cheapest, but the quality and diversity of the stuff they sell is fantastic. Sunday Times from the garage.

So home for coffee and newspaper - quick review of the appointments section revealed nothing suitable, but at least I looked. Papers of course all missed the big news story of the day - Jade Goody's death. Very sad and all, but is this something the Prime Minister really needs to be commenting on? Hasn't he got an economy to fix?

Then out for dinner with the family - this year at Gusto in Heswall. Again happy to do a bit of free advertising - had a really nice meal in lovely (if warm) surroundings - very pleasant staff as well. Currently digesting the penne arrabbiata as I type. Big thanks to our kid for footing the bill this year - my turn next year when I'm working again!

News came through while we were in the restaurant of Big Red's demolition of Aston Villa. Liverpool worryingly on fire at the moment, but Villa happily in freefall seemingly. At least there will be some pressure on ManYoo that might lead to them fielding a weakened team in the FA Cup - not that I'm clutching at straws or anything.

Selmasongs is the soundtrack to the Dogme film that Björk was in a few years ago called 'Dancer in the Dark'. Film did very little for me and, to be honest, this isn't the first Björk album I would have reached for but hey, iTunes does the selecting - I take what it gives me! That said, it's a decent enough album and am quite enjoying her wailing along in the background.

So, day out at the seaside tomorrow - Mrs. W has taken the day off so we're heading out for the day, probably to Conway, but wherever the mood takes us. Hopefully the sun will shine but I'm not sure the forecasts are great....

Day 6: Gizza job eh?

Today's soundtrack: Curtis Mayfield - Superfly

Well the prawn stirfry was delightful, although the film (Saw V) left a bit to be desired. Not really concentrating to be honest, although gave myself brownie points for spotting Chloe's husband out of 24 in the DVD menu before the film even started. Mrs W refusing to be impressed. I was convinced Mr Saw himself died in one of the earlier films, so slightly surprised to see him upright and, if not the picture of health, certainly alive. Still, it's not unusual for supposedly dead characters to reappear in later films (or even in the same film) in the 'splatter' genre, so I shouldn't be too surprised I guess.

So off to the Jobcentre this morning to go through the formalities of registration. And what a deeply dispiriting experience that was. Everyone involved was pleasant and couteous but there is a deep sense of being processed rather than being treated as an individual. And processed into a system that isn't really designed to meet my needs - finding an equivalent job to mine on the system was a challenge, as was discussing and documenting the ways in which I will be looking to find work. At least the chairs aren't bolted to the floor like they used to be back in the day. Anyway, the paperwork now disappears into the system - apparently it will take four weeks for the claim documentation to be processed, which reflects the recent surge in applications for benefit (sorry, "Jobseekers' Allowance") that are hitting the system.

In the meantime, I have to go back on Tuesday to sign on for the first time - can't wait.

And then back home to watch the Everton-Portsmouth game. And what a deeply dispiriting experience that was. No Cahill, debut for Jacobsen (finally) and a start for Saha. Average age of the bench - 19. The game started well, Everton taking the lead through a Baines free kick and then dominating possession for a decent spell. Portsmouth then came back into the game with a Crouch goal from a corner erroneously given by the referee, seeing a 'deflection' that never happened. Be that as it may, the defending from the corner was pretty poor.

Second half, Everton again started the brighter, but never really looked like scoring and eventually, the lanky streak of piss got on the end of another corner to make it 2-1. After that, we huffed and puffed but if anything, Portsmouth were the more likely scorers. Can't complain too much - Portsmouth just wanted to win more than we did, and again we failed to impose ourselves on a strong, physical team. No doubt Crouch will get the overall Man of the Match award (although I was more impressed with Glen Johnson, who seems to be turning into a class act), but for Everton it's difficult to call the best player. Pienaar played very well in patches and Baines again impressed, and Jacobsen did ok on his debut, but overall it was a lacklustre performance. Now in the unhappy position of looking for favours from Arsenal and Liverpool!

No music practice so far today, don't want to upset Mrs W unnecessarily!

Nice to listen to Curtis, and the Superfly soundtrack is probably his best work for me, standing up as an excellent soundtrack to the film and a wonderful piece of music in its own right. iTunes has selected the second disc of the set to play, which means I'm listening to instrumental versions and demos of the centrepiece songs, along with instrumental versions and elements of the film score, but not once does the standard drop below excellent.

Off to the kichen shortly, to rustle up a pasta bake, which will give me the perfect opportunity to investigate the bottle of red that I managed to pass over on Thursday night. Think I deserve it!

Day 5: Adam Clayton eat your heart out...

Today's soundtrack: U2 - October (Deluxe Edition)

Watched Hancock last night and the bottle of red remained untouched. Good man, Paul! Film was a load of old rubbish really, but entertaining old rubbish for all that. Without giving away the plot, there's a twist about halfway through that's just a touch contrived and takes what is already a barely believable premise into the outer realms of unbelievability. Even in the context of a film about a drunkard superhero with an attitude and a body odour problem. Will Smith actually manages to play it reasonably straight without the odd knowing glance to camera, and Charlize Theron is quite frankly excellent eye candy.

Up early and off to Tesco to fulfill my househusbandly responsibilities. Oh dear. Think it was half price for pensioners day today - don't they move slowly? And why do the ladies have to bring their husbands with them - they only get in the way? Forgive the grumpiness - victim of my own fuckwittery this morning - Mrs W specifically left the Tesco Clubcard to pay for the groceries so I could use the £7 off vouchers that expire on Sunday - the vouchers that I managed to leave next to the computer. That are even now looking accusingly at me as I type. Have to watch the pennies these days!

Still, all the ingredients bought for a nice prawn stirfry tonight despite the trauma. For those of a culinary disposition, this will involve fresh (uncooked) king prawns being stirfried along with some garlic, ginger, chilli, spring onions and pak choi, flavoured with some thai fish sauce and sweet chilli sauce, and served on a bed of noodles dressed in sesame oil and sprinkled with fresh coriander. I'd give you the recipe but I tend to make it up as I go along.

No phone calls today (apart from the job centre checking I'm actually planning on turning up tomorrow) but I made some progress with one of my job applications, tailoring my cv and preparing a very detailed covering letter to meet their specific requirements. Also completed the claim for unemployment insurance, incorporating some elements completed by my ex-employer. Interesting to note that they believe the date I was informed of my redundancy was the 4th December - the date the consultation started, rather than 11 March, the day the consultation process effectively finished... What was the consultation process intended to achieve, then?

Aaaanyway.....the bass guitar. Decided that the way forward was to look up some bass lines for one or two popular tunes and was pleased to discover that this is a good way of convincing yourself that you are making progress. It helps if you choose the bass line for Ramones songs of course...and it has to be said that the learning curve for the U2 repertiore is not the steepest. Within You Without You knocked off in about ten minutes. Which all goes to prove that Adam Clayton (for it is he who plays the bass for the '2) is possibly the luckiest man alive.

I've always had a bit of a soft spot for U2. I know Bono tends to get on a lot of people's tits with his holier than thou attitude and his pontificating on the use to which our taxes should be put, whilst keeping his own tax bill as low as possible, but musically - when they are good, they are very, very good indeed.

And this is the perfect opportunity for me to regale you with my favourite (albeit possibly apocryphal) Bono anecdote. Stop me if you've heard it before....

Bono's doing his starving kids in Africa bit. Onstage, silence - apart from the slow click of Bono's fingers. "Every time I click my fingers, a child in Africa dies," he says.

"Well stop fucking clicking, then" comes a shout from the crowd.

I'm here all week, tombola up next, you've been a lovely audience etc.

So off to the dole office tomorrow, then back for Everton-Portsmouth on the telly. Or on the snide Asian channel if it's on Setanta.

Day 4: Could get used to this...

Today's soundtrack: Squeeze - Frank

Kicked back and watched the first episode of 'Jekyll' last night, with a cheeky mid-week bottle of red on the go. I'll have to be careful that the midweek drinking doesn't get out of hand - if only from a cost point of view - but at the moment there's a bit of 'I can, so I will' about it.

Really enjoyed Jekyll as well - not a massive fan of James (I keep wanting to call him Rab) Nesbitt, but certainly in the first episode he's handling the different elements of his 'personality' pretty well. Also enjoying watching Gina Bellman (remember Blackeyes?) and Zoe Out Of Eastenders!

Anyway, far too nice to sit in and write job applications this morning, so off to Cheshire Oaks for a bit of retail therapy. Started the day with cappuccino and muffin again, sat in the sun reading the papers, not missing the daily grind one little bit! The justification for going out was to get Anniversary/Mothers' Day cards for the weekend (which I did) but a couple of other little things slipped into my bag - just necessities, you understand. I also picked up a tent pole repair kit to put right the little mishap we had with Matt's tent at Glastonbury last year...

Back home, and finished off the Carrot and Coriander soup I'd made a while ago - no more homemade soup left in the freezer, so I need to experiment a bit more, I feel. Will keep you posted.

And then back to the ukulele. C, F and G7 chords nailed, and perfectly acceptable versions of Happy Birthday and Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star performed to the cat's bemusement. Available for weddings, parties, bar mitzvahs etc.

The bass may take a little bit more time to fully come together.

Squeeze must be one of the most criminally underrated bands of the last thirty years or so, and Frank one of their most overlooked albums. Just listening to 'She Doesn't Have To Shave' - possibly the most sensitive song written by a man about PMS. In fact, possibly the only song written by a man about....

That and 'Can of Worms' (about the new man in a single mother's life) are the standout tracks for me - grown up songs about grown up things, handled sensitively and intelligently. With tunes and melodies to die for.

Not so sure about Dr Jazz though, Jools....

I saw Squeeze very early on in their career, third on the bill at Sheffield City Hall supporting Eddie and the Hot Rods and Radio Stars (it was a very long time ago, ok?). I think it's fair to say that they were still finding their feet at that stage, whereas Eddie and the Hot Rods were about 12 minutes through their 15 minutes of fame. We had all really gone to see Radio Stars, who we were all convinced would be The Next Big Thing - but with hindsight, a couple of novelty singles and a patchy first album were not the best grounding for a massive career in rock. And so it proved.

So here I am writing concert reviews from thirty years ago. Back to more important matters, then!

Another call from a recruitment agency today - possible opportunity at a company in Cheshire that is being discussed tomorrow. May or may not be a goer - certainly a company I'd like to work for - but in any event it's nice to be getting these calls and to know that there are things out there. We'll see.

Mrs W dining out this evening so the remote is mine! Hancock is sitting there unwatched, so might give that a go - whilst polishing off a chunk of Tesco's finest pizza and resisting the siren call of the second bottle of red...

Day 3: First steps

Today's Soundtrack: Aretha Franklin - Queen of Soul

Well, the Jobcentre called me today to complete the initial registration process, and to invite me to a meeting on Saturday morning at the Warrington branch to complete some further formalities. It seems a bit ironic that the one time I don't actually need a weekend appointment, that's what they give me... I would have thought the dole office was the one place that would be perfectly happy to insist on weekday appointments and to take the weekend off, but there you go.

The whole registration process seems a bit disjointed as well. Today's phone call followed the submission of an on-line registration process that took some (but obviously not all) the information they needed from me - the questions the nice lady asked me this morning could just as easily been included on the on-line questionnaire, negating the need to wait 48 hours for a phone call at all. Be interesting to see what they ask me on Saturday and whether that could have been covered on-line as well. Mind you, I do need to see a real person at some stage as I've got a form for them to fill in relating to my unemployment insurance, so all's well really.

Oh, and just to interject - Aretha's version of 'Young, Gifted and Black' is surely a work of true genius!

While I was on the phone to the doley, I missed a call on my mobile. Called back and spoke to another very nice lady about a potential vacancy in the Leeds area - formal recruitment process to go through, but she sounded very positive so definitely one to push forward. But that's a task for tomorrow I feel.

Gave the bass guitar (and my left pinky) a rest today (for now anyway - the day is still young) but in a bid to do something practical every day, picked up the ukulele for a spell. Yes, the ukulele. The uke came about as a consequence of a giddy spell on the Sunday at Glastonbury last year. The sun was shining, the music (including the mighty Amsterdam in the acoustic tent) had been wonderful and, yes, strong drink had been taken. It struck me that the one thing that would make the occasion absolutely perfect was for me to buy a couple of ukes for me and for the boy. And so I did. Not really sure (with the benefit of hindsight) that Matt was as keen on the idea as I was, but never being one to look a gift horse in the mouth, he humoured me. And so we got uke'd up. Bit of a waste of time, as we had no idea how to tune the buggers (or anything to tune them against) but we strummed happily if tunelessly until something else distracted us.

Anyway, it could have been worse. What I really wanted was a big fuck-off African drum to hit. Well, there's always this year.

Just back from Tesco's with the makings of a spaghetti bolognese for this evening - and a microwave. A nice, dainty, microwave to replace the stainless steel behemoth that has dominated the kitchen for the past few years. The old one will do for one of the boys if they need a microwave at any time. And if they don't need a microwave, they could put some furniture in the thing and live in it.

And still no daytime tv.

Aretha got a bad press at the Obama inauguration the other week - and with good cause. But in her day she was untouchable. The present day selection of 'divas' (the Celines, the Mariahs, the Leonas) should be dragged into a room and forced to listen to Aretha non-stop for a month. To understand what constitutes a good song selection. To learn that just because you can stretch one syllable to include twenty-five notes, doesn't mean you should. To realise that singing loud does not mean singing with emotion.

Aretha Franklin. Queen of Soul. Because she is.

Day 2: The Househusband

Today's soundtrack: The Clash - Sandinista

You know those jobs you always mean to get round to - but never do? Well, I started getting round to them.

Nice start to the day - up and out into town, to sit in Costa with a cappuccino and a chocolate twist playing iPhone games for half an hour, before going to the hairdressers for a 'light trim'. This is something I could easily get used to.

Hairdressers have moved on a long way since I used to sit on a plank of wood laid across the arms of the barber's chair, the plank necessary to get me to the right elevation for Archie Stubbs to administer his 'short back and sides'. Archie always used to perform some magic round the back of my head with a lit taper, to 'seal the ends' of my hair, I believe. Why don't they do that anymore?

Anyway, I digress. The modern hairdressing experience involves a willowy blonde, a shampoo followed by a head massage, fresh coffee in my own personal cafetiere, and (ahem) an eyebrow trim. I recommend the eyebrow trim to gentlemen of my vintage, lest you begin to resemble Denis Healy (or, indeed, Mark Ellen).

Took a call from a recruitment consultant - an ex-colleague had kindly passed my details on. Nothing doing at the moment, but at least it's one more person who knows I'm out there, looking...

Back home for pork pie, yet more coffee and bass practice. I can pick out the notes to the odd riff, but getting my fingers to go where I want them to is proving problematic. No mind, perseverance will pay off in time. He said, hopefully.

Then chores. I have known for a while that there have been foodstuffs lurking in our cupboards for quite a while now and a rationalisation of the stocks has been long overdue. The winner in the 'longest past the post' competition was the coffee whitener that passed its sell-by date in 2001, but it was not the only contender for most disgusting discovery on the shelves. Some instant coffee that had somehow turned into a solid indigo block probably took that prize.

On a roll, I then did a massive 'chuck-out' that has freed up plenty of space for us to hoard the next ten years' worth of junk.

All in all a very satisfying day. And still not turned the telly on before sundown.

Anyway - Sandinista. iTunes has thrown up the second half of the double CD set (sides 3-6 in old money) and after a sound start (Police On My Back through to Charlie Don't Surf) I'm now struggling with Mensforth Hill and Junkie Slip. There's a great double and fantastic single album lurking in Sandinista, but my God, there's some self-indulgent crap as well.

Stop press from Twitter: "Nevin: 'Fellaini is Best In World'". On closer inspection, Pat Nevin has stated that he believes Marouane Fellaini has the potential to be one of the best players in Europe....not quite the same thing....

So tomorrow - should be hearing from the Job Centre, 48 hours having passed since my on-line application. Best stay in for that. Few more cupboards to get through as well....

Day 1: What next?

Today's soundtrack: Noel Gallagher - The Dreams We Have As Children, courtesy of The Sunday Times

And so it begins: a period of enforced leisure courtesy of the credit crunch and an employer forced into some tough (for me, anyway) decisions. Inevitably I've been through a range of conflicting emotions but, above all, there is currently a surprising feeling of calm. It helps that there is a nice redundancy payoff swelling (temporarily, at any rate) the coffers, and the foresight to take out unemployment insurance to cover the mortgage provides a touch more breathing space - but I'm still unemployed with no immediate prospect of a job. Why am I not panicking?

I'm amused by the irony of this blog title. "Stuck Between Stations" was originally a nod to my refusal to grow old gracefully - stuck, if you will, between the kid I was and the 'grown-up' I refuse to be. And, of course, a reference to the wonderful Hold Steady - a group of musicians who act no older than they need to. The song itself refers to being stuck between stations on the radio - when things are not as 'crystal clear' as they might be. Something else I can relate to at the moment.

But now, I'm stuck between two other stations - the job I had and the new job I've yet to find.

I can't allow myself to sit around feeling sorry for myself, so I thought that I should resurrect this moribund blog to document this period in my life - partly to pass the time, but also to keep me thinking and creating something. Not a diary as such - just a record of my thoughts and actions, and a discipline to make sure I do something constructive with my time off.

So what have I done with myself so far? Well, made a start on the paperwork and admin. Insurance claims, Jobseeker applications (online - no queueing up at the doley so far) and a trawl around the web for the elusive new role.

Buggered if I'm not going to enjoy the fact I'm not stuck in the office though. I've also finished Watchmen, read most of this month's Word, entertained the cat and struggled with the bass guitar that my workmates got me as a leaving present.

Watchmen - enjoyed it greatly...not convinced it's the literary masterpiece some believe it to be...at the end of the day, it's a comic, isn't it? A good one, no doubt, but still a comic.

The Word - still by far the best magazine on the market today, and the print magazine is just one element of the full Word experience - I commend the website and the podcasts to you all as well.

I'll keep you posted on the bass - suffice to say that I need to develop biceps on my fingers before I'm going to make any real progress here!

Oh, and the Noel Gallagher - I like Noel solo a lot, and the covers on this CD are especially entertaining - 'Butterfly Collector' and 'All You Need is Love' with Weller are fine, as is the version of 'There is a Light That Never Goes Out' that I'm currently listening to. And it's all for the Teenage Cancer Trust, which must be a good thing.

Shameless nepotism

This is my lad. His name is Matt.
He's an aspiring Musician/Music Journalist.
He's 18 going rapidly on 19.
His Myspace Page is here and his Blog is here.
I think he's great (but then I would).
So should you.

Death Rumours Greatly Exaggerated

Went to see REM at Old Trafford last night. Have to say I wasn't expecting a great deal - I've been able to take or leave most of their output since Bill Berry left and there have been dark rumours (blogged on this very site) regarding the level of ticket sales.
Indeed, walking up to the ground, there did seem to be far fewer people than the last two OT gigs I've been to (Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys). However all the touts seemed to want to buy, rather than sell, which I took as a good sign.
Two support bands - Guillemots and Editors. Guillemots ace, sadly ignored by the bulk of the crowd as is often the way at these open air gigs. Finished with a storming 'Sao Paolo' that was well appreciated. Editors - much like Interpol at Latitude the other week - have one great song, which they then continue to play over and over BECAUSE THEY ALL SOUND THE PIGGING SAME! Still, the crowd was getting steadily more engaged.
And so to REM. Well, the old buggers have still got it - Stipe remains a remarkable stage presence, and Mills and Buck looked like they were also up for (and enjoying) it. Stunning light/projection show as well, and a well-judged setlist.
Can they still cut it in the studio? Debatable - Accelerate is not quite the 'RTF' everyone wanted it to be and their recent track record is pretty patchy.
Can they still cut it live? Without a doubt.
Set list for those interested:
1. Living Well Is The Best Revenge
2. These Days
3. What's The Frequency, Kenneth?
4. Drive
5. Man-Sized Wreath
6. Fall On Me
7. Ignoreland
8. Walk Unafraid
9. Hollow Man
10. I’m Gonna DJ
11. Electrolite
12. Pretty Persuasion
13. The Great Beyond
14. So Fast, So Numb
15. 7 Chinese Bros.
16. The One I Love
17. I’ve Been High
18 Let Me In
19. Horse To Water
20. Bad Day
21. Orange Crush
22. Imitation Of Life
23. Supernatural Superserious
24. Losing My Religion
25. Mr. Richards
26. It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
27. Man On The Moon

The patient is still breathing...just

I know the impending death of the record shop has been blogged to death recently, but I feel I must share this with the readership.

No names, but you will know which chain I am talking about.
Visited my local emporium on Friday lunchtime, as is my wont - no shopping list, just the intention to break up the day and browse idly for a while.
To my delight however, the entire works of Creedence Clearwater Revival were piled up in the special offers - all at three quid a pop. Various other old favourites for the same price. Pretenders, Johnny Clarke...and the Albertos for a quid!
Suitably laden, I stood in the queue to pay, and listened to the assistant discussing the relative merits of early- and late-period Tom Waits. My turn to pay, and got into a chat about the reasons Mardi Gras was so poor compared to the earlier Creedence albums.
So sad, that what used to be the norm is now so unusual, but a joy to know that there are still people working in record shops with enthusiasm and genuine love for the 'product' they are selling - and that there are chains and stores still willing to employ them.
The sun is shining and all is well in the world.

Everton - New Dawn or False Dawn?

I've been watching Everton for many years now, and it's been more 'thin and thinner' than 'thick and thin', although I do remember the glory years of the mid-80's as well as the 'School of Science' days of the late 60's.

Recently there's been a real yo-yo period, with one good year followed immediately by a mediocre year. This season, however, I am beginning to feel that, for the first time in a long time, we have a team (and a squad) that has real depth and potential to snap at the heels of the big boys.

Even in recent seasons, when firstly we saw the emergence of the Boy and later, when we broke into the top 4, there was always the nagging doubt that there was any real substance there. Wayne was an absolute joy to watch when he broke into the first team, and the goal he scored against Arsenal that season is, and will always be, one of my finest moments in a football ground. But the rest of the team was so far off his standards at the time that, with hindsight, it was inevitable he'd move to one of the big boys. The season we finished fourth, that had as much to do with the failings of the teams around us as our own ability, although the team spirit that season was unbeatable - the whole being much, much more than the sum of the parts.

This season though - despite a few results where we have not had the run of the green (or the support of the officials, Mr Clattenberg) - things are beginning to feel a bit different, for two reasons.

Firstly, we now have a number of first team players who would grace any team in the league - the likes of Lescott, Cahill, Arteta, Howard and Johnson would enhance the squads of any of the big four and would be guaranteed a start in all the others.

But more than that, the strength in depth is incredible in most areas - up front, for instance, we have five (yes, five) forwards - Yakubu, Johnson, McFadden, Anichebe and Vaughan - which must represent the strongest group of any team in the league - including the Big 4.

And in addition to that, the team spirit is still there, coupled with fantastic fitness levels. Three times in the last ten days Everton have won, or rescued, games with goals in the last five or ten minutes - testament to the team's ability to play right through to the final whistle and to impressive strength off the bench.

Yes, there are areas that still need strengthening - the midfield is massively skilful, but too lightweight to challenge at the highest level, and we need another centre-back to cover for Yobo and Lescott as Stubbs inevitably draws to the end of his career. And there is always the danger of being left behind as other clubs attract the foreign investment that we desperately need to compete (and as I have said elsewhere, a knocked-together shed in Kirkby is not the answer here).

But for the moment, just after a battling draw at Chelsea (due to a wonderful goal from Tim Cahill) and a sparkling win in midweek (thanks Victor!) the future feels bright, and Royal Blue rather than Orange.

Catch a Fire

And so to the MEN Arena in Manchester at the weekend, to catch the Arcade Fire. I'd seen them at Glastonbury this year, where they were very, very, good - but you did feel the open air dissipated the intensity somewhat. The MEN is hardly what you'd call intimate, but you felt the enclosed space would suit the 10-piece ensemble better.

And so it proved. Starting with the double whammy of Black Mirror and Keep the Car Running, they delivered a set of measured passion for an hour and a half, taking in all the highlights of their two albums and also finding room for a cover of The Smiths' 'Still Ill', played on stage for the first time, recognising their (local) influence on Win Butler and in oblique reference to his poor health this year.

With so many people on stage, swapping instruments and roles every song, and a series of somewhat unsettling projections, it was difficult to know where to look, although William Butler was always a good bet.

The Arcade Fire seemed to come from nowhere, delivering a noise unlike any other, making a refreshing change from the indie boy-by-numbers currently everywhere. They should be cherished and loved by all.

Trick or Treat, Trick or Treat, the Bitter and the Sweet...

So tonight, parents up and down the country, are allowing their kids to don disguises, knock on strangers' front doors and demand goods with menaces.

I was brought up in a happier, safer time, when Hallow'een was celebrated by playing 'duck apple' and 'bob apple' with my little friends, in the warmth and comfort of my own home, watched by doting parents ready with a tissue when the water ran up my nose.

And in a few day's time, the little darlings will be playing with fire and explosives, and burning effigies of Catholic martyrs as well.

The country is rapidly going to the dogs.

Not posted for a while, but...

..can I just point you in the direction of this blog, and this particular post...

Bit of a 'me too', although my mum rather than my dad probably.

Davy H - you bring a tear to my eye. But a good and happy one. Bless you man.

Libertines - the verdict!

Well, as promised, I had a good old listen to them over the past couple of days, and here are a few thoughts...

1) They're actually pretty good, aren't they? There are a couple of songs in there that do have the stamp of genius - Time for Heroes, Can't Stand Me Now, Likely Lads etc.

2) That said, quality control isn't all it could be and some of the more 'charming' tracks are actually a bit weak, really.

3) They came along at the perfect time, at the arse-end of Britpop - no real competition for them as their generation's 'spokespeople' - only The Strokes in the States offering anything other than retrodden Beatles/Kinks licks or nu-metal posturing from boys short on trouser and long on tattoo.

4) They kick-started a new wave of white-boy indie rock which is sometimes a good thing (Arctics, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand) and sometimes not so good (Razorlight).

5) There is always a need for 'bad boys' in rock to keep it slightly edgy, and Doherty played (and plays) that role to perfection.

So where does this leave them in the overall scheme of things? I think they were so lucky in their timing - they really did have the field to themselves. Had they some real competition at the time, they might not have been so lucky.

From my generation, the band they remind me of most is The Only Ones - a touch of heroin chic coupled with a clutch of really good songs, burning out after two or three album's worth of material. Ironically, the two kids of Only Ones lead man Peter Perrett played with Doherty in an early incarnation of Babyshambles.

The Only Ones came through with a whole host of other bands at the back end of the '70's and remained a cult band throughout their career. With no competition, they could have been massive. Which might not have been too good for Perrett's health, admittedly.

So overall conclusion? Good band. But not as good as The Only Ones!

One of my pet hates...

Who was it who decided that, on live albums, any spoken introductions to tracks should be tacked onto the end of the previous songs rather than at the beginning of the songs they are meant to introduce? When did this start? I don't recall it ever being the case on vinyl, but on CD/digital tracks it seems to be ubiquitous.

I know in the overall scheme of things it's a tiny thing to get upset about, but it pisses me off every time. If I'm listening to 'A Quick One' by the Who, I want to hear Townshend's little story before the song actually starts. I don't want to hear it after listening to 'Substitute'. This is especially annoying when you're listening on 'Shuffle' mode - after a long introduction from Bruce or Jimi or whoever, your iPod then sweeps you off to something completely different.

I can only assume it's a radio/DJ thing, so that songs can be easily cued up at the start of the music, but I don't care. I want introductions where they belong - introducing things!

A thing of rare beauty

Ok, so it's got less memory than a forgetful goldfish, and it's nothing more than a crippled iPhone - but I happened to be in the Apple store yesterday and there are no two ways about it...it is absolutely gorgeous.

Gorgeous in a 'I know there are a million reasons why I shouldn't buy this (and I won't) but I really, really want one, just to hold and look at and feel happy about' kind of way. Please, please let them find a way of cramming 160 gig into one of these things - and quickly!

Likely Lads?

Have to say The Libertines completely passed me by at the time (stopped reading the NME a long time ago you see), only really became aware of them after the split, when "peteandkate" became this gross media monster - and so basically assumed the worst - talentless druggie makes reputation via the tabloids, not through the music.

But is that fair? The esteem with which The Libertines are held by many, many people of a certain age does make me think I must have missed something - are they truly the voice of 'their' generation, following in the footsteps of Cobain, Curtis, Strummer, Lennon, Dylan and Presley - or is it a triumph of substance(s) over form - and the lack of a better alternative? And what's Barat's role in all this - is his contribution is in danger of being completely overshadowed by the Doherty media circus?

I'm going to have a serious listen - is there something I've missed or has it all been done before, with more passion and belief and with better drugs? Find out here in a few days' time.

Buskernomics...

...not my phrase, but one of Alun Parry's, a Liverpool singer/songwriter who sells his songs via his website for whatever customers want to pay - or whatever they think it's worth. A very noble and trusting concept, and one which I hope is not abused by too many punters. Visit Alun at www.parrysongs.co.uk for some excellent tunes

Well bugger me, but Radiohead have only gone and done exactly the same thing - their new album is now available at www.radiohead.com for anything from a notional 45p up to £99.99, depending on the depth of your pockets and the extent of your conscience. Me? Well, sad stamp collecting trainspotter that I am, I signed up for the forty quid box set, with the original download (that I could have had for nowt), a vinyl double album (that I'll never play) and a second CD with some extra tracks on (that no doubt will be up on a dozen blogs within half an hour of release).

Ordinarily, I would have very few qualms about downloading a blog copy - I have poured (and continue to pour) enough funds into the legitimate music industry to balance out the odd 'evaluation' download - but in this instance, I would gladly put my hand in my pocket to support the principle. Good on you chaps.

There'd better be guitars all over it though, that's all I'm saying.

Here Are The Young Men

21st October 1979.

Not a day that is burned into many people's consciousness, indeed I had to look up the actual date myself, but in a life that's been littered with bad decisions, that was the day I made one of my worst.

Picture the scene. A grey autumn night in Sheffield. A row with the then girlfriend had put me in a foul mood, the sort of mood that needs a few pints to put right. Having those few pints sat in a pub in town with a few mates, we had a decision to make. We had tickets to see Buzzcocks at the Top Rank so...do we have a few more beers in the pub, or do we get ourselves off and catch the support? Sod it, we're settled, get the ales in.

So we missed the support band. Not normally a big deal, except tonight the support band was Joy Division. They never came back to Sheffield, and I never got to see them.

As it was, I came to Joy Division quite late. Probably early 1980, I picked up a copy of 'Transmission' and thought yeah, this lot are worth watching out for...but then it all ended suddenly and all too abruptly, on 18 May 1980.

All that remains is Joy Division's recorded legacy - Two studio albums followed by a number of attempts to sweep up the remaining odds and sods through compilations and box sets.

The two studio albums - Unknown Pleasures and Closer - and the initial posthumous collection of unreleased and live material - Still - have just been re-released as collectors' editions, each paired with live recordings from different stages in the band's career.

Much has been written about Unknown Pleasures and I can't help but echo much of what has already been said. For me, no other album is so evocative of the time and place in which it was made - whilst remaining completely and utterly timeless. Again much has been written about Martin Hannett's role in forming the sound of the album and it is interesting, in the fascinating articles that accompany each album, to read just how much tension there was between the group and the producer and, to this day, to read about the level of dissatisfaction the group still has with the final sound of the album. Grudging acceptance that Hannett might just have been right is as good as it gets! Anyway, what do the band know. What I know is that this is, for me, unquestionably the finest debut album ever recorded and maybe one of the finest albums ever made, period.

Closer is, if anything, a better album than its predecessor, but one that is inevitably interpreted in the context of Ian Curtis's death - the lyrics, mood of the album and (most obviously) the cover design all point, if you are so minded, to Curtis's impending death. To my mind this is a lazy way to view the album - Curtis was very much alive while the album was being recorded and had a hand in the choice of cover. Who really knows what his state of mind was at the time? It is impossible to listen to Closer without the benefit (curse?) of hindsight but, if you try to remove that context and hear it solely on its merits as a body of music, it still has the power to move and uplift. Reflective and sombre, without being miserable or self-pitying, the album has depths that allow it to sound fresh nearly thirty years on.

Still inevitably suffers by comparison with its two predecessors, and for the omission of the non-album singles and the majestic 'Atmosphere', which would have been better use of the vinyl originally taken by a sloppy live cover of 'Sister Ray'. The studio tracks that were included, however, do not dilute the group's legacy and in certain cases actually enhance it. The live concert included with the original release has historical significance as the group's last concert, but it is not the finest gig the group played.

All three concerts included with the re-releases do go some way to demonstrate the claims of Sumner and Hook that they were a far better live band than they were in the studio but from where I'm sat, nothing they produced live comes anywhere near to the majesty of their two studio masterpieces.

But then, what do I know? I never saw them live.

John Butler Trio

So last Wednesday night it was off to the Carling in Liverpool to see the John Butler Trio, who were making a brief visit to the UK as part of the 'Grand National' tour. Makes Liverpool an obvious place to visit really (Grand National - Aintree - do you see? Ah well).

Can't say I went into the gig as a massive fan. Son number 2 - generally an excellent judge of these things - saw them first at Glastonbury 2005, and had told me how good they were so I'd picked up a few CDs that I'd played intermittently but not really given them the attention they deserved. That said, I'd liked what I'd heard so was really looking forward to seeing the band up close.

Didn't know what to expect in terms of the crowd - whilst they are relatively rare visitors to these shores, the trio don't seem to be that high up the critical radar. Mind you, the country is crawling with expatriate Aussies, so maybe the ranks of visiting supporters would swell the ranks. As it was, the band were performing in the main Academy, which was probably 3/4 full of a very knowledgeable and enthusiastic crowd. One or two Aussie twangs in evidence, but mostly home supporters of variable age and sex.

First up was Kaki King, an American guitaress playing solo. Technically she was absolutely fantastic, but it lacked a bit of passion for me - all a bit soulless. The crowd were polite but distant and the constant undercurrent of chatter didn't help the music cut through. Nice support but don't think I'll be rushing down to Fopp anytime soon.

Anyway, check Kaki out at www.kakiking.com

To the strains of Nina Simone's 'Feeling Good', the trio strolled out to a warm reception at around half eight. Then proceeded to play their socks off for the next two and a half hours - time that seemed to pass by in minutes. I can't remember the last time I went to a concert that lasted that long - if you get an hour and a half from the headliner you seem to be doing well. The passion so missing from the support flowed out of every pore of the Trio, the quality of the musicianship was phenomenal and the sheer joy of being there, performing, was self-evident. The pacing of the show was spot on, and the time just flew by. Many highlights, including a passionate and flawless 'Ocean' played solo by JB. Oh, and we had a bass solo. And a drum solo. Involving the use of hands as well as drumsticks, a la Bonham circa 1975. There was a time (around 1977) when I would have sneered at the drum solo but I loved it.

I wish I could describe the music to you but it defies categorisation. 'Roots' is as near as I can get, with a hint of folk and reggae in there, but that sells it short. All I can suggest is that you hear the trio for yourself. Go to www.johnbutlertrio.com and listen/download. From there go to www.archive.org and download one of the many live shows that are there - JBT is one of those fine groups that encourage taping of live shows and there are many that you can (legally) download and enjoy.

And enjoy you will, I'm sure.

The other best song written about Liverpool...

...etc etc, is of course 'Heart as Big as Liverpool' by The Mighty Wah!, one of Pete Wylie's various alter egos (and variations on the Wah! theme) and one of the great anthems connected with the 'pool (has any other UK city had so many great songs written about it?). Despite the red shower over the park adopting it for themselves, I refuse to let the song be associated with them (unlike that dirge from Carousel, which they're welcome to). For me, it encapsulates all that's good about 'Merseypride' and is free of the victim, us against the world mentality that we are often accused of.

God bless Peter Wylie, as Mr Prowse once said.

Does This Train Stop On Merseyside?

The best song written about Liverpool since Penny Lane/Strawberry Fields Forever.

I can bore the arse off anyone talking about Amsterdam but I don't care. Ian Prowse is one of the best, most genuine musicians ever to come out of Merseyside and is a truly lovely, nice guy to boot. It is a crime that he is not embraced by the world when gimps like Blunt, Martin and Chaplin are treated like rock aristocracy - none of them are fit to tune his guitar.

A live Amsterdam CD is out imminently - buy it now. The new studio album will be out in the New Year - seek it out and cherish it. (Feels Like) Growin' Up will melt your heart. But 'Does This Train...' will break it.

McKenzie's soul lies above the ground in that
pyramid near Maryland (Street)

Easyjet is hanging in the air
takin' everyone to everywhere

See the slave ships sailing into port
the blood of Africa is on every wall

Now there's a ley line runs down Mathew Street
it's giving energy to all it meets

Hey does this train stop
does this train stop on Merseyside?

Alan Williams in the Marlboro' Arms
giving his story out to everyone

Famine boats are anchored in the bay
bringing in the poor and desperate

Hey does this train stop
does this train stop on Merseyside?

Boston babies bouncing on the ground
The Riggers beamin' out to every town

Can't conceive what those children done
guess there's a meanness in the soul of man

Yorkshire policemen chat with folded arms
while people try and save their fellow fans

Why don't you remember?

Why indeed. Remember. Remember the 96. Remember little Jamie. Remember Rhys and Madeline. Remember.

Major reappraisal needed

I gave up on the Stones sometime back in the late '70's/early '80's, not long after Some Girls, and in the context of the 'year zero' mood that surrounded the birth of punk - why did I need the Stones in my life when I had The Clash?

Why indeed? To be fair to myself, the Stones didn't help themselves - apart from the odd track here and there, there was nothing coming out of Rolling Stones Records to make me think my view of them was fundamentally flawed. And yet...

Back in the '60's, I was a Beatles boy. No surprise really - growing up on Merseyside, left-handed and called Paul, there could only ever be one band for me. And the Stones were a bit dirty and smelly anyway. But then the '60's turned into the '70's, The Beatles were no more, and Sticky Fingers and Exile... began to make an impression on me. I remember buying Tumbling Dice on its release and playing it to death - despite being unable to make out a word Jagger was singing. Still can't, for that matter.

But it seemed like things were winding down for the Stones. I bought Goat's Head Soup, which was good (but not great), as was It's Only Rock 'n' Roll. Black and Blue was pretty average, and it started to go downhill from there. Some Girls upped the ante for a while, but was in hindsight a bit of a 'dead cat bounce'. And anyway, the world had moved on.

So that was that, really. but recently I chanced across a few bootlegs on t'internet from the golden era and thought, actually, they weren't a bad little band, really. On the back of that, I shelled out for the 'Biggest Bang' DVD set and.....well....they've still got it really, haven't they? Probably never lost it.

When you've been around for 40-odd years, you're going to have built up a bit of a back catalogue and by Christ, what a catalogue! But what really impresses is the energy and passion that still drives the live show. On DVD the sheer spectacle is inevitably scaled down, but this is a good thing, because what comes through is the actual tightness of the band - especially Charlie and Keef - and if I look half as good as Jagger when I'm his age, well, I'll be doing alright.

So - 40-odd years in...best live band on the planet? Yes, the old gits probably still are. So much for me dismissing them as rock dinosaurs/boring old farts thirty years ago!

Sorry chaps - you were right, I was wrong.

Anthony H Wilson

Being born and bred in Granadaland, I grew up knowing Tony Wilson through the seventies as the slightly edgy but essentially straight reporter on Granada Reports, the local news 'magazine' show on after the national news at six. The first time I realised he had any interest in music was in 1975, when I spotted him at a Who gig at Manchester Belle Vue strolling in like he owned the place. As 1976 turned into 1977 Tony slowly began to subvert the local news through his presentation of the 'What's On' slot on Granada reports, beginning to highlight gigs by the new 'punk' and new wave bands and occasionally showcasing these bands, no doubt to the general bemusement of the audience and, no doubt, his fellow presenters. I remember one evening when, apropos of completely nothing, he produced a copy of 'Two Sevens Clash' and urged his teatime audience to rush out and buy a copy. I doubt the region's housewives did rush out in their droves to investigate the latest dub grooves but he certainly ignited a spark in at least one 17 year old boy, who was thinking there must be more out there than Hotel California. Somehow on the back of all this he persuaded Granada to give him a late night slot to expand on this theme and 'So It Goes' was born. Famous now for giving The Sex Pistols their first TV slot, this show alone must take huge credit for igniting the spark of creativity and innovation that gave rise to the punk scene in both Manchester and Liverpool in the late 70's/early '80's. And if that wasn't enough, he then conceived, launched and ran the creative triumph/commercial disaster that was Factory. Whilst Joy Division/New Order may have been talented enough to have made it without help from him, without Wilson's extraordinary self-belief and indulgence of his bands, we'd never have been able to appreciate the beauty of The Durutti Column, the anarchy of the Happy Mondays or the sheer eclecticity(!) of the rest of the Factory roster. Twat? Probably. Prat? Almost certainly. Most important shaper of the pre- and post-punk musical landscape outside of London? Definitely. Take care Tony - the Hacienda may be an apartment block now but it'll always be FAC51 to me.

Fan or Fool?

So next week the 'Deluxe Edition' of Elvis's first album will be in the shops. Me, I've got the original vinyl album from 1977, the extended CD re-release on Demon from 1993 and the two-disc Edsel re-re-release from 2001.

So no real need for me to own a fourth version of the album, you might think? Well, no, I'll be there in the newly re-opened Fopp (hurrah!) in Manchester when it comes out, and no doubt I'll pick up the Deluxe Too-Rye-Aye as well, plus anything else that catches my eye in the five quid section. Which is all as it should be.

But I'll still feel more than slightly ripped-off by the whole thing.

If You Know Your History...

The Grand Old Lady. Goodison Park. Everton's home since their departure from Anfield in 1892. The first purpose-built football stadium in the world.

And now, destined to be vacated in a few years' time in favour of a brand new stadium in Kirkby, outside the city boundaries. A move 'validated' by a positive vote from a selection of the Everton fanbase.

Hold on - bit cynical, those inverted commas around the word 'validated', Paul? Do we have a problem with this?

Well yes we do - a whole heap of problems, as it happens. And not just with the vote, with the whole concept.

Firstly, let's challenge the assumption that Everton need to move at all. Granted, it costs a fair sum of money each year to maintain the Old Lady, but that needs to be set against the financing costs that would be faced by a move, however much that move might be subsidised by a third party. But would a new ground generate higher revenues than Goodison? Yes, a new ground could be built to accommodate more fans - but realistically, how many more fans can Everton attract? Apart from probably four games a season, there are empty seats in Goodison. If we move to a larger stadium - especially one out of town - will we attract significantly more new fans to the ground (bearing in mind the need to replace a number of current fans who will not go to Kirkby). Is there an untapped population of football fans in south Lancashire who will replace the lost fans and fill the empty seats? Corporate facilities - Goodison is woefully underserved compared to comparable clubs and a new stadium could certainly be constructed to accommodate significantly more corporate customers than is currently the case. But - to paraphrase - if we build it, will they come? What is the market for corporate facilities on an out-of town retail park, competing with the likes of the New Anfield, Haydock Park, Aintree, The Reebok, Old Trafford and any number of purpose-built hotel and conference centres?

I think the case that a new stadium - especially one out of town - will generate significantly more revenues (and incur lower costs) is at best unproven, and at worst unlikely. But it is difficult from the information thus far provided by the club to make any educated assessment of the business case for (or against) the move - the financial projections just aren't there.

But for the sake of argument let's assume that the club has to move. But where? And why? What options are there?

Well the club would have you believe that the only option available is the Kirkby option - move or die - there is no Plan B. But perhaps there are other options that would merit consideration - Liverpool City Council would appear to have (finally) managed to identify one or two other options that the club could consider. The Loop, for example, in Everton, at the mouth of the Wallasey tunnel on Scotland Road. Maybe the finances don't stack up against Kirkby - maybe they do. We just don't know. What I would say is that there are other options out there that should be seriously considered before commitment to a single, out of town option.

Everything so far has been based upon financial considerations - but these cannot be the only factors to consider. What about the emotional issues here? We were the first club in Liverpool - the club that bears the city's name grew out of our club - ironically, as a result of an earlier ground move from Anfield to Goodison. We are 'The People's Club' in Liverpool. Do we really want to desert our city for the suburbs, leaving the city of our birth to the other lot? Gleefully, they have already started to exploit this - One name, one city, one club...distortion of the facts but an easy sell to young kids currently growing up in the city. Do we really want to hand over the natural support of future generations to that other lot, by simply upping sticks and moving out of town?

Let's also look at the practicalities of the situation here. We are looking at a move to Kirkby, a small sink estate on the edge of Merseyside. The population of Kirkby is less than the new stadium's proposed capacity. How will they cope with the influx? Public transport links can't currently cope with the projected inflow of supporters. 1,000 parking spaces will apparently be made available in the vicinity. 1,000, to support a 55,000 capacity stadium. It just doesn't stack up.

But never mind all that - the fans have voted for the move, so that's all right. And this is the most saddening aspect of the whole sorry affair. The club would have you believe that allowing 'the fans' to vote shows what a democratic, caring, listening club they are. But no. what they have done is abrogated themselves of responsibility - responsibility for the biggest, most far-reaching decision the club has had to take in the last hundred years. They have pushed that responsibility onto a small element of the total Everton fanbase. If it works - fine. If it doesn't - not our problem, the fans voted for it. And worst of all, they have made the fanbase take that decision with the flimsiest information imaginable - a few soundbites and some pretty designer mockups of a new stadium. Pictured at night, with no local context or any sort of business case whatsoever. In the real world, a decision like this would be made by hard-nosed businessmen in full posession of the facts and a robust, fully costed business case with all assumptions clearly articulated and justified. With alternative scenarios fully appraised and contrasted with the preferred option. In the Everton world, we've been given a few pretty pictures and no Plan B (or C, D, E, or F). We've also given the vote to seven year olds, by virtue of the season tickets their dads pay for. So if it all goes tits up - which it may well do - it'll all be our fault. For making a decision that was never ours to make, with no information to inform or challenge that decision, made by people who (with all due respect) were never qualified to make that decision.

I love my club. And wherever they play, be that Walton, Speke, Kirkby (God help us) or even bloody Timbuktu, I'll be there supporting them. But the club, not the Board, who are unworthy of this great club.

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum - Nothing is good enough except the best. The Kirkby option is not 'the best' by any stretch of the imagination.

So what next? The vote is lost, but dialogue must continue. Whilst never underestimating the ability of our Board to screw things up, we must assume that Kirkby is going to move forwards. We have two options, both of which must be pursued at all costs - firstly, to continue to push for the consideration and exploration of other options, with other partners - for a redeveloped Goodison, or for city centre sites that will keep our club in its true home - or, if it has to be Kirkby, to ensure that Kirkby delivers a stadium, and a home, that lives up to our motto, with the transport links it needs to support our existing fanbase and, yes, to extend that fanbase into the wider Merseyside/South Lancashire area.

Whatever happens, this is a black period for the club. The vote has only served to introduce divisions amongst the fanbase - divisions that will take a long time to heal. Ironically, on the pitch we are stronger than we have been for almost twenty years - off the pitch, we are tearing ourselves apart.

On the road and getting high....

The band I've been listening to more than any this year is The Hold Steady, a Minneapolis band who've been touring their latest album, Boys and Girls in America, all summer. I have to admit I'd heard nothing of them until this year, when they started getting a bit of press on the back of the new album and their allegedly excellent live act. They were playing the John Peel tent at Glastonbury this year, so I thought I'd check them out. The fact they were playing in a tent, under cover, out of the rain and mud, was also a factor in my decision.

Anyway, they completely blew me away. I have to say they're not the prettiest bunch, or the youngest, and the combination of singer Craig Finn's somewhat geeky looks and keyboard player Franz Nicolay's Daliesque moustache, waistcoat and cloth cap doesn't really work on paper, but in the flesh it all just comes together perfectly. At Glastonbury, their performance glowed - gallons of enthusiasm and sheer joy at being there performing. Finn's engagement with the audience was total and the songs' subject matter - one variation or another on 'getting high' - fit perfectly with the (albeit slightly damp) festival vibe. Also saw them a month or so later at the Academy in Liverpool, where they were equally entertaining, although constant gigging in the previous month or two has perhaps taken a bit of the edge away from the enthusiasm. Or perhaps Glastonbury was just perfect.

So thought I'd best invest in a few CDs. The third and latest album, 'Boys and Girls in America', has been getting the bulk of my attention and rightly so, eleven slices of indie pop perfection centred around the joys and perils of getting high in the Twin Cities area, coupled with a few Kerouac references for good measure. Add some Springsteenesque (actually 'EStreetBandesque') keyboards and one or two 'Woah-oh-oh-oh' singalongs and you have the perfect blend. Highly recommended.

The band's other two CDs haven't had as much attention thus far, although the second ('Separation Sunday') currently edges it over the Nicolay-less first, 'Almost Killed Me'. I have also downloaded a couple of albums from Finn's previous band, Lifter Puller - will report back when they've had a bit more airtime.

Lord, to be 33 forever.....

Second posting

So, ten months after the first post - at which time much was promised - I finally get around to post number two. Bit crap really isn't it? Well, no matter - over the last ten months I have been diligently researching the blog community (actually, slumped in front of my computer reading loads of stuff posted by other people with more talent and time than me) and now feel the time is right to inflict my own thoughts, prejudices and opinions on the world at large. Be warned - I shall inevitably post most stuff on here in the early hours following the consumption of rather too much alcohol so logic, sense and grammar may be in short supply on those occasions. Apologies in advance for any and all offence caused. Unless it's intentional.