What I Love About The World

93. Recycling Books - http://www.greenmetropolis.com

2006-07-10T05:05:00.000-07:00

Alright geezers, haven't posted for a while. My mum's just alerted my attention to this absolutely blilliant site which is essentially an online bookshop but has the built-in attraction of recycling books (ie you can list your books for sale on their site, then if someone is browsing and likes the llok of your book, they'll click "Buy" then you post it to them). Every book on the site costs £3.75 and delivery is free, meaning no more trawling round charity shops and cheap secondhand bookshops (even though I live for this) if you don't want to. Their collection is extensive, type in "kerouac" or "notes from the underground" or "glass bead game" or just anything that youve been after for a while and it'll be there, less than four quid away from your door. If youve got any books you want to sell the site will give you £3 for any book, but you have to deduct 50p-90p from that since you're required to post the book to the buyer....

Also this means that there is no excuse for Oli or Rob not to read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" (here) asap..

Bill mate I'm just off to pick myself up a copy of the immoralist, probably in slightly better condition than that one you've got (no value statements here)

92. University Farewells (for Good.)

2006-06-18T08:33:00.000-07:00

These little bastards are such tricky occasions, tears are sometimes shed, massive bear-hugs are always had, sturdy handshakes are "standard", followed by a frenzied stream of compliments so badly or desparately articulated in an attempt to verbalise your deep and loving appreciation of the departing individual that you (George) end up sounding like James from that Giant Peach book saying goodbye to his folks with an inkling that they're going to be swallowed up by a rampant rhino and he'll never see them again.

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Seriously though, it's been emotional. Nothing like school where you know that you're only 18 and you'll be hooking up with your good mates for the next 3 years to indulge in gross amounts of substance abuse and pretentious chit-chat because you've got nothing better to do. Now there is that dirty word, WORK, which seems to shock people into these overblown, tearful, final-seeming expressions of love, because deep down there's that worry that from here on in stuff's going to change and it'll never be the same. Then you get all those cunts that have got another year or two left at uni. Losers. I envy you. In a way.

91. Finishing one's university degree forever, then getting "caned/Wasted/battered/lean" ad infinitum &making little games based on channel 4 tv shows

2006-05-26T07:37:00.000-07:00

Yes: we present "Spiel or No Spiel" to you, a game in which you have a prime opportunity to squander several hours of your meagre existence by first crafting this pursuit and then "getting into" allocated roles of Contestant, Banker, Non-competing Gameplayer, and Noel. It is fun to see how you would play the game, what with the false science, the blind conjecture, the cheesy oneliners and so on. Enormous Credit must got to Matt for the original idea, I added the nuances and the aesthetics, and thankyou to Hayley for opening boxes and making offers. We're planning to play in the garden with 22 contestants, a presenter, a banker, and an 'independent adjudicator' ("Before we start a little bit of housekeeping"), and a rooftop audience if numbers will stretch to that. What with sunset, garden flares, camcorder, authetic 'Deal or No Deal" music and marijuana, this could make for a potentially life-changing experience. Jokes

Matt in his best Noel Edmunds apparel

We still need to colour the boxes in

My mementos. Some cigarettes, a photo and Pocket Kings

These have to be coloured red and blue

Spiel or No Spiel

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"Sticky Jacks"

Fabio's marvellous "Why I'm Like Kant But With A Better Social Life" speech

"Here's Johnny (or Gav)"

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"Whitey" (©Mike Skinner Dicsktock 2002) R.I.P (1994-2006)

90. Lordi

2006-05-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Eurovision is usually brass, and I hate it and everything it stands for, but this year something very special happened. A band that have been together for fifteen years and who haven't formed just on a commercial whim won! and they were great! Scandanavian Slipknot crossed with Europe, cheesy song, but fantastic rock poses, throwing some horns, and poking some sneaky tongues out all over the shop (though not in cheek apparently - they do this for a living). High-pitched backing vocals, Torn-esque contact lenses and just pure theatre made this a perfect visual spectacle. They deserved it.

Video is available here!

Hard Rock Hallelujah!Hard Rock Hallelujah!The saints are crippledOn this sinners' nightLost are the lambs with no guiding lightThe walls come down like thunderThe rocks about to rollIt's The ArockalypseNow bare your soulAll we need is lightningWith power and mightStriking down the prophets of falseAs the moon is risingGive us the signNow let us rise up in aweRock 'n roll angels bring that Hard Rock HallelujahDemons and angels all in one have arrivedRock 'n roll angels bring that Hard Rock HallelujahIn God's creation supernatural highThe true believersThou shall be savedBrothers and sisters keep strong in the faithOn the day of RockoningIt's who dares, winsYou will see the jokers soon'll be the new kingsAll we need is lightningWith power and mightStriking down the prophets of falseAs the moon is risingGive us the signNow let us rise up in aweRock 'n roll angels bring that Hard Rock HallelujahDemons and angels all in one have arrivedRock 'n roll angels bring that Hard Rock HallelujahIn God's creation supernatural highWings on my backI got horns on my headMy fangs are sharpAnd my eyes are redNot quite an angelThe one that fellNow choose to join us or go straight to HellHard Rock Hallelujah!Hard Rock Hallelujah!Hard Rock Hallelujah!Hard Rock Hallelujah!Rock 'n roll angels bring that Hard Rock HallelujahDemons and angels all in one have arrivedRock 'n roll angels bring that Hard Rock HallelujahIn God's creation supernatural highHard Rock Hallelujah!

89. eels

2006-05-19T05:58:00.000-07:00

what can i say? they produce the most uplifting-sounding songs about family deaths ever. Quite simply the best driving music around

88. Another Roadside Attraction

2006-05-18T06:22:00.000-07:00

A wonderful book. One for all of you philosophically-minded, dope-smoking, iconoclastic peaceniks

87. Fruity Triumvirate: The Holy Three of Vitamin C

2006-05-18T04:36:00.000-07:00

The ultimate - one of these little fellas on its own contains the recommended daily intake of Vit C

Yes pink grapefruit IS amazing, half of one of these each morning will keep you square (too sharp for some, not me)

I'm fed up of being asked what colour this is as a security question on certain people's websites..

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The Court Jester:

The Black Sheep of The Family:

86. The Clash - The Clash

2006-05-16T07:40:00.000-07:00

Yes this album. If you haven't got it buy it, rip it or download it. That's all.

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I'm usually a massive critic of 'brits abroad' and their general conduct, but I can excuse driving through little seaside towns in Brittany pumping "White_Riot" and "London's Burning" out of your shitty Opel Corsa hire car at max vol because it's pretty liberating and, for once, makes you proud to be English (a rare case)

wake up luv' itz tha Clash

85. The Raccoons

2006-05-15T05:35:00.000-07:00

Yeah, mini-hypothesis: Cyril Sneer is an evil purple hybrid of Keith from Eastenders and Irene from Home & Away (sorry to isolate non-soap fans)

http://www.retrojunk.com/details_theme/88/ - watch the opening 57 seconds of a Raccons episode, complete with theme song

When darkness falls,

Leaving shadows in the night,

Don't be afraid,

Wipe that fear from your eyes.

If a desperate love,

Keeps on driving you wrong,

Don't be afraid,

You're not alone.

(Chorus):You can run with us!We got everything you need.Run with us!We are free.Come with us!I see passion in your eyes.Run with us!

When the cold wind blows,

Turn your collar to the cold.

Don't be ashamed,I

f you need someone to hold.

If you're sinking in quicksand, (quicksand),

And it's dragging you down,

And you feel you're going under,

We'll be around!

(Chorus, then small instrumental break).

When you're behind closed doors,

All alone, by yourself,

And you're longing inside,

To be somebody else;

You pick up the telephone,

And there's no one on the line.

Don't be afraid.

'Cause there's still time.(Chorus twice then instrumental fade out).

84. Flimbo's Quest/Crystal Kingdom Dizzy

2006-05-15T05:24:00.000-07:00

Yass yass: "proper old skool" Commodore-64 games, my two personal favourites, Flimbo's especially. I always preffered the C-64 to the Amiga, which everyone had. You had the tapes which you had to rewind...

83. Arrogance

2006-05-14T10:37:00.000-07:00

Pretentious, moi?

Well, I have just signed up for this facebook(www.facebook.com) malarkey, strenuous: there are so many people i could search for in the hope of finding incriminating photos and pretentious profile entries, but just one springs to mind, I may have mentioned him before, former KEGs musician J***es Hughes. Well, needless to say, his facebook entry is splendid, rife with sleazy photos, here are some samples

I think it's equivalent to this sort of narcissism

82. Maldon

2006-05-12T13:19:00.000-07:00

First place in Britain to have a Tesco. And that Beowulf story. The Battle Of Maldon. Maldon Sea Salt. My house. Wimpy.

yeah the quay is amazing, any water/coast is good in my book, but especially here, shame about all the new houses being built, can't they do that in Chelmsford or Baddow or South Woodham or something. oh and the chavs are "Batty"

lots of memories: "Oh look it's Rob and Bernie" (and Bernard behind the wheel)

just like Eastenders really

81. Mezmerize

2006-05-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

A really grower. Dug this little gem out for the first time in a few months, improves with every listen and i think i now (far?) prefer it to Hypnotize

80. The Tribe

2006-05-12T04:36:00.000-07:00

Anyone else remember this Kiwi-post-apocalyptic-teen-drama on Channel 5? It was full of teenagers with cool face paint and drawn on beards (see above) living on the streets (in an abandoned "mall") going around on skateboards, and going on little trips round the city fighting evil people on roller blades with weird stumpy horns.

79. Heartbreak High..

2006-05-10T04:31:00.000-07:00

...and especially that Abi Tucker fixation thing

Bit of Yola for ya Bill (remember?)

Con, what a (ratbag) legend

Coolest dude ever? George Poulos - Good name

oh yes abi tucker and co

boring couple, but i remember her seeing Nick behind this chap's back (in the garden centre??)

Nick and Jodie (darn those stupid recording contracts, the end of a beautiful relationship)

he's one for those of you (matt/skinner) who like the generic, blonde/Minoguean Antipodean beach chick: the beautiful Anita

and of course Drazic, who, along with Dennis, was pretty cool

78. Arm Wrestling

2006-05-09T10:08:00.000-07:00

Or more specifically, watching people arm-wrestle, especially when one or both of the wrestlers are in pain. (not really) It's good when you get (a) two really big guys "you the buff, me the ruff" against each other, or else when you get (b) an obviously uneven contest: Underdog vs Pain scenario

textbook (b)

a classic (a) case

to be honest I didn't really want to take Rich on, you can probably guess the end result

77. Half Love: Stadium Arcadium

2006-05-08T05:30:00.000-07:00

Yeah this album is great for the funk. The guitaristry is spot on (cf last post). Great tracks:

Hump de Bump
She's Only 18
Slow Cheetah
Torture Me
Desecration Smile
Tell Me Baby (but even this, the singing is gash, but listen to the music!!)

Basically, when Kiedis isn't rapping old-school Chillis style his voice starts to sound ridiculously middle-aged and womanly (in my opinion), like something off By The Way (perhaps the abominable Universally Speaking), and i can't settle for this. There's far to much filler here i think, but there's also some real fucking killer too. Really beautiful in places ("Slow Cheetah"), but once you get to the end of the first disc you're thinking "Can i really sit through another hour of this even if there are some special nuggets (yes yes nugget porn). Worth a tenner for sure though, and I'm positive it will grow on me when it starts getting consistently sunny..

Anyone else heard/got it?

76. John Frusciante

2006-05-06T04:25:00.000-07:00

Talk about hitting your creative peak. The guitar-playing on Stadium Arcadium is phenomenal, gentle picked bits then headsplitting solos (funk punk/punk funk). This guy is so talented.

75. Roof-top Sunbathing

2006-05-05T05:12:00.000-07:00

Very nice choice, though if we're talking Anne Fine I would've preferred The Tulip Touch

Yeah this is the new shit. What could be better: book, smokes, beer, massive amounts of sunlight, heat, mates, neighbours, conversation re Jaffa Cake's confectionary classification and pregnancy..
Here are some phat photos, I hope they capture the mood.

74. 10,000 Days

2006-05-05T04:55:00.000-07:00

N-No, it really is quite good. 25 listens in, roughly three 75 minute sessions each day, and I'm starting to get into this muthafucker. Ok it's no Lateralus, but what is, but its still a bonafide hardcore savage/beautiful Tool record, as Renny might say "combing the brutal with the beautiful"

Jambi: 3.40 staccato guitar build up
Jambi: 3.56 Shred
Jambi: 3.59 that Slipknot riff
Jambi: 4.11 lead-in solo
Jami: 4.36 THAT solo (peel in)
Jambi: 5.03 start coiling it adam
Jambi: 5.16 shred again
Jambi: 5.56 Trademark Maynard
Jambi: 6.26 Thankyou Danny, Thankyou
JAMBI: 6.38 OH YES THAT's TOOL RIGHT THERE
Jambi onwards: Savage onslaught

I've nopticed that this album sounds, musically, quite a lot like Slipknot 3: The Subliminal Verses (especially the intro to "Wings for Maries (Part1)"). This isn't a bad thing since I liked it, just thought the singing was awful)
If you don't own this record you really should, but get Lateralus first (rob)

Marks out of 10? I'd give it one

73. Pregnant Celebrities

2006-05-02T11:34:00.000-07:00

do you agree?

72. Poker (Chez moi)

2006-04-29T06:04:00.000-07:00

I like it because it's not all about the cards..

71. Dinah Hunter

2006-04-29T05:45:00.000-07:00

Much to my enormous annoyance and disappointment, there are currently no pictures of Dinah Hunter (in the BBC television adaptation **) available on the net, something I find surprising since surely there are more DH fans out there than me ( 1, 2, 3 ).. Anyway, I won't settle for this so here's my picture of how i remember Dinah.

70. Room 13 (Swindells)/The Tulip Touch (Fine)

2006-04-28T04:15:00.000-07:00

2 great "kids" books. Go and get them out of the YA section of the nearest library to you, now.

69. Through The Dragon's Eye

2006-04-28T04:11:00.000-07:00

One of the best (and scariest) educational programmes that you got exposed to every week at primary school, dark

68. Grim Fandango

2006-04-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

I wonder how many of you played this?

67. De-Loused In The Comatorium

2006-04-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

I picked this up on the cheap in the summer, knowing that the Mars Volta were the sort of band that could possibly be amazing, and different. They are an acquired taste, I'd only listening to this a couple of times (and not with my full atention) before today, but after having discussed it in depth (its plot of speculative fiction, the musicianship, its influences and its influence etc) last night with a huge MV fan, who rates them as up there with Tool and Radiohead in the top 3 bands on the planet that are still recording.
Flea played bass on 9 out of 10 tracks on this album, its produced by Rick Rubin, At The Drive-In were great, this is different, really prog-gy, really good.

66. Evil Empire

2006-04-26T07:16:00.000-07:00

Simply put, the best Rage album. I'll qualify this by saying that I think it's my favourite album to listen to nowadays if I have to put a RATM record on, since Self-Titled, however amazing/ground-breaking/riff-crunching/politico/revolutionary/funky/angry/danceable it was, is very hard for me to listen to today unless I'm in a certain state of mind whereby I manage to get it so it's like listening to the songs for the first time again. Apart from that the singles are hideously overplayed, however great they are. Battle of LA was good, especially Maria (and M-M-M-M Mic Check M-M-M-Mic Che-Che-Check), but it's so messy I can't call it a great album. Renegades was a great album, then i listened to it too much and now it's only alright, too much filler, but there's some litttle gems on there ("Maggie's Farm"/"Ghost of Tom Joad").
Evil Empire, however, is a deceptively good album, since it fuses/blends far more genres and incorporates far more wide-reaching influences than any of the other records. You can see a big Hendrix influence. And this album sounds a lot like At The Drive In in places too, massive influence on them. Year of The Boomerang is such a tune. Check it out and down let anyone tell you it's shit just because "it's nowhere near as ground-breaking or relevant as the first". Musically it harks back to a time of great music, 60's with Timmy's phat bass licks.

65. Shannon Doherty

2006-04-25T07:10:00.000-07:00

She's let herself go a bit though

64. (Proper) Popworld

2006-04-15T02:42:00.000-07:00

Miquita and Simon , cheers guys, you'll be missed

63. Certain French Farmhouses

2006-04-13T16:33:00.000-07:00

62. Huge Manatees

2006-04-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

61. "Letters From My Windmill"

2006-04-13T16:29:00.000-07:00

60. Tea For The Tillerman

2006-04-13T16:27:00.000-07:00

59. "New Dawn Fades"

2006-04-13T16:25:00.000-07:00

58. Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid

2006-04-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

57. Knightmare

2006-04-13T16:19:00.000-07:00

56. Mark Steel

2006-04-13T16:16:00.000-07:00

55. Will Self/John Tidmas

2006-04-13T16:13:00.000-07:00

54. Mark Kermode (?)

2006-04-13T16:11:00.000-07:00

53. Jeremy Kyle

2006-04-13T16:09:00.000-07:00

52. Trisha Goddard

2006-04-13T16:08:00.000-07:00

51. Ian Collins

2006-04-13T16:05:00.000-07:00

50. Mike Mendoza

2006-04-13T16:03:00.000-07:00

49. James Whale

2006-04-13T16:00:00.000-07:00

48. http://www.germcentre.blogspot.com/

2006-04-13T15:58:00.000-07:00

sister site

47. Robert Fripp

2006-04-13T15:57:00.000-07:00

46. Robbie Fowler

2006-04-13T15:55:00.000-07:00

45. Johnny

2006-04-13T15:51:00.000-07:00

44. Me (George William Greenyer)

2006-04-13T15:49:00.000-07:00

42, 43. Ed and Dani

2006-04-13T15:48:00.000-07:00

thanks for the invite

41. Bernie

2006-04-13T15:45:00.000-07:00

sorry rob

40. Nick

2006-04-13T15:44:00.000-07:00

37, 38, 39. These 3

2006-04-13T15:41:00.000-07:00

36. Juliet

2006-04-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

35. Mike

2006-04-13T15:37:00.000-07:00

34. Rob

2006-04-13T15:24:00.000-07:00

33. Bill

2006-04-13T15:21:00.000-07:00

32. Matt

2006-04-13T15:19:00.000-07:00

31. This photo

2006-04-13T15:15:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah. I want to meet this guy now, see what he thinks of Kid A now, "take it back to the shop" tsk tsk

30. Hersh

2006-04-13T15:05:00.000-07:00

oh yeah. boon

29. Kelly Brook

2006-04-12T11:10:00.000-07:00

28. Pink Floyd's "Back Catalogue"

2006-04-12T11:08:00.000-07:00

27. Sophie Anderton's Face In This Picture

2006-04-12T11:03:00.000-07:00

If only she didn't have to open her mouth and sqawk how hard it's been for her to stop smoking. She has the most beautiful face.

26. (the) Jelena Dokic (story)

2006-04-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

(my) Pictures speak louder than words

25. Cricket

2006-04-09T04:14:00.000-07:00

for Jules. and Bill. and Matt.
Cricket is awesome.
especially in the playground in the summer.

Cricket gets a load of bad press, or at least it used to pre-Ashes in the summer, and i can say hand on heart that i thought it was probably the most dull TV since the Flying Doctors or El-Dorado, before i was enlightened over the course of a few hot months 2 years ago. now i love watching it, but only in the summer and only test cricket, and only england (even though i really don't subscribe to all that "OO oo England OO oo Beer OO oo Die for the Flag OO oo Proud OO oo bullshit).

3 reasons why cricket is so good

1) the terminology ('through the gate')

2) the banter ('mind the windows Tino')

3) the statistics ('Shane Warne has taken lots of wickets')

Please write in with your favourite cricket phraseology

24. Alex Grey

2006-04-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

Wow, where to start with this chap? Talk about talent. Check out these paintings and tell me what you think. Liking Tool will contribute to an aesthetic amelioration of these canvasses. And maybe psy-trance too.

http://www.alexgrey.com/ - So check it.

One might describe this kind of art as PSYcho-sexual

23. Learning from mistakes

2006-04-08T05:37:00.000-07:00

http://www.germcentre.blogspot.com/
There's only so much positivity in the world.

22. Laila Rouass

2006-03-29T04:22:00.000-08:00

Married to Mustapha Hadji. Nuff said.

21. Live Music/Jasmine Lowsome

2006-03-24T04:56:00.000-08:00

Having just secured 8 tickets (with the help of a super-special friend, thank you Chris I don't know how I will ever repay you) for a certain math-metal uber-group, I feel it's about time to "have a word" about what is surely one of the most gratifying and rewarding experiences a (proper) person can have in life. *don't get me started on the whole "how can people not like music at all" discussion.

Before I start I might as well point out that it's pretty (see below) futile to try and articulate/put into words the effect that a mind-blowing concert can have on you, this is obvious. To be honest, I don't even think that you should try to describe it in words, but I haven't done anything on here for a while and was happy at getting tickets and just wanted to put up some fairly gratuitous pictures of whatever.

I wouldn't usually go in for the sweaty, congested surroundings of a stuffy, smokey venue frequented by tatooed pissheads, but it really doesn't matter when you're seeing band X. You'd start to notice the aforementioned negatives of the situation if you weren't ensconsed in the soundscapes of Tool, or Corgan, or Radiohead or Cavalera. In the end, sweaty men inevitably add to the situation.

Anyway, Jasmine..
I don't even find her that attractive, but I just saw the opportunity for a seamless segue (*cough BL would like that) to the initial thread
*2.04 Lateralus (Title Track): "As below, so above.." sounds precisey like "Jasmine Lowsome..."
Here are some pictures:

20. Diana Rigg

2006-03-13T08:47:00.000-08:00

A fit Anne Bancroft perhaps, although watching clips from The Graduate last night (cf massive overratedness, though i do like that scene with Dustin on the lilo in the pool) i have to admit that i find anne rather attractive, in the 40-a-day waif-like alcoholic kind of a way.

I think Dianna Rigg as Emma Peel in the Avengers is possibly the fittest woman ever (joke, but she is hot), although outside of the Avengers no. She's got a bit of that whole 60's girl thing of long straight fluffy hair, drugs, big black eyelashes, that thing.

ps this is a response to Rob's "Fictional Ladies" thread

*we're having another house party on friday if anyone's interested

19. Actors

2006-03-12T07:13:00.000-08:00

Woah, you all know how much I like to whip up controversy based on subjective assertions of preference, well "The World's Greatest Actor" is a 4 hour programme tonight on Channel 4 (9-1) that I want you all to try and watch, to be honest it sounds like the most-easy-to-watch-programme ever (ass.). This'll be a good one because it's voted for by actors, so no ignorant public input (neg.). As such I'm going to take this opportunity to lavish praise upon my Top 10 actors of all time, see how may crop up tonight.

Disclaimer: sorry, but I'm going to be overlooking Olivier and such, just haven't seen enough films with them outside of school English classes that actually mean too much to me. Also, no actresses (misogynist? no)

Ok another disclaimer: some of these may have only made 2 or 3 good films, but these films and their portrayals have been so good (cf spot fucking on) that they warrant a certain inclusion

Top 10 for me (took a while to decide) in no particular order:
Christopher Lee (come on, Wicker Man, Man With Golden Gun, LOTR, Dracula)
John Travolta (sex on legs)
Bill Murray (wow, nuff respect, funny talented man - that new film looked a bit shit tho)
Robert de Niro ("They say genius' pick green Greg, but then you didn't pick it...")
Al Pacino (turned down the role of Hans Solo in Star Wars: bada-bing)
Michael Madsen (wow this man's good! seriously he is a demi-god)
Dennis Hopper (not just Speed: Apocalypse Now, Blue Velvet, Easy Rider, True Romance)
Harrison Ford (solly Bill)
Marlon Brando (great acting, plus he's screwed half of all actors/actresses ever)
Johnny Depp (I still don't know if he's made a bad film, or at least been in one where he's bad)

Periphery
Christopher Walken
Oliver Reed
James Dean
Bruce Willis
Redford and Newman (just for Butch Cassidy {and Sneakers?})
Val Kilmer (love or hate The Doors film, he pulls off Jim very well, which I'm sure is something which we'd all like to do.. yes like that (tug.)
Sean Bean (no one does Northern grit better)
Tim Roth
Sean Penn

Ones People Will Say I've Forgotten
Kevin Spacey (he's good, but i prefer the films he's been in to him himself if that makes sense)
Dustin Hoffman (good in Straw Dogs but plays that Jewish card a bit too much for my liking)
Tom Cruise (fuck right off. yes jules he does look sexy in Magnolia, and his acting's good too there)
Nic Cage (wow i used to hate this chap's style, but after watching Adaptation i love the man - also Wild At Heart/Leaving Las Vegas)

this is getting to the point where i'm just listing famous rich people with a semblance of talent, so i'll stop, just watch the fucking programme and tick these fuckers off

oh nothing would make me more happy than all of you leaving your top 10 in the comments section

18. Daniel Dennett

2006-03-12T05:51:00.000-08:00

Wow, where to start. Er the beard maybe? Everything about this man makes me feel like an intellectually stunted mongoose, this guy conjures up thoughts of a latter day Plato, what with his massively bushy facial hair and philosophical incline.

Dennett seems to me to have the right sort of values: an American (boo boo) who, having studied under Gilbert Ryle (woo woo ghosts) at Oxford, developed into some sort of Renaissance Ubermensch, ending up writing "Darwin's Dangerous Idea" (Recommended reading), reprazenting the neo-darwinian front like a bitch who makes Mr Dawkins (yay yay {snore}) look like one of those batties off an American religious hymn special programme thing (you remember, much like Songs Of Praise in concept, but in practise it isn't held in a little church, more likely a massive modern ampitheatre with Ikea wooden lecterns and lots of crazy religious nuts dressed in robes singing Hallefuckingluljah)

I haven't really told you that much about him, instead I'm trying to offer up a little tastette of what you can expect if you were to dip into Dennett. Consciousness, everyone would like that.

Anyway.....

I've been informed that he'll be speaking on BBC Radio 4 at 9.00 am tomorrow morning, "Start The Week" programme, so motivate yourself to get up early for once (I wouldn't usually dream of waking up so early, unless i was either trying to buy tickets for certain anonymous (read gay) music festivals slash gigs stroke BBC breakfast with Natasha Kaplinsky before she got sent away to 6pm news) I know someone already knows how good the BBC radio service can be for little nuggets of philosophical inform (cf Melvyn Bragg {tool} on Wittgenstein was it?) sleep function anyone?

Today's Best Song Ever - "People Are Strange" The Doors

17. Deal Or No Deal

2006-03-11T11:57:00.000-08:00

I'm not typically all that partial to passing fads such as Su-Doku and the Kaiser Chiefs, but this programme is absolutely brilliant, although it took me a while to get into it, and get over my initial s((k)(c))epticism.

Noel Edmonds, who i'm usually inclined to regard as a bit of a tool, fulfils the role of bank-player go-between messenger boy very nicely, plus there's a good bit of sick banter going down between Noel and Harry

I think the game itself is awesome, anything that accomodates decision theory (pure) into its general format has got to be applauded, it makes my brain ache each time i watch it and try calculating probabilities, play the percentages.

Did anyone watch it tonight, Saturday, a hellishly camp Irish man was in the seat, and there was this sort of stomach-turning bawdy double-entendre ridden repartee between him and the audience (for example, "I'm going to go up the back {rows of the audience} now", followed by noel (sell-out?) and the others breaking out in paroxysms of batty mirth, i bet you have mate)

Disclaimer: i've only ever watched about 5 episodes of this, so my point isn't that it's a consistently good show, just that i appreciate the concept

Really Interesting

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Game_theory

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hall_problem (this one especially)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monty_Hell_problem

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock,_Paper,_Scissors

*by the way, anyone noticed how much Brett Anderson sounds like David Bowie (yes yes..snore)

** good news, hopefully Tool: "10,000 Days" should be coming out May 2 (www.toolband.com)

*** Managed Campus 14 last night, 13 pints and some tequila: dirty and not big or clever

16. Kula Shaker

2006-03-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

Where to start? Everyone remembers Kula Shaker, everyone loved Kula Shaker, everyone knew how good Kula Shaker were, everyone wishes that they'd seen Kula Shaker live on the K tour, everyone knows that Kula Shaker were the most honest band in British rock at the time, everyone knows it's the Dialy Mail's fault for getting on Crispian's back when he said that for millions of Hindus the swastika is a symbol of peace.

Another reason for loving them is how much they sound like the Doors (musically) in places - cf Sound of Drums/Govinda intro for example

i bet not many of you know that Kula Shaker are reforming (minus Jay Darlington, keyboard bearded longhaired foot who tinkled the casio for Oasis a few times post-Kula) and set to play shows soon, non confirmed yet. who's up for seeing them?

"Gotta let it go because I got my stash

And I love my hash, yeah got my stash

Think I'll grow myself a big ol' hairy moustache"

15. "Filthy Stoners"

2006-03-01T05:36:00.000-08:00

There's not really much to say here, I think these guys would be a fairly predictable bet for things that make me happy. I classify this set as "Filthy Stoners" ironically, I don't enjoy or endorse any attempts at pigeonholing/labelling such GREAT people.

If you aren't in the picture then it's because I don't think your life is sufficiently dominated by weed-culture (this is probably a good thing) or beacuse I've forgotten you (this is probably a bad thing)

In essence this post is for all you spliff-rolling, bong-packing sponge legends.

Don't give up the day job.

I love you.

14. Techno Techno Techno

2006-02-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

"Stealth club night
Stealth takes place on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month.
Our self titled Saturday night, Stealth will showcase the finest in House, Techno and Electro from around the globe. Residents Dave Congreve, Matt Tolfrey and Timm Sure will be lining up alongside fresh, burgeoning talents and living legends alike, to take you on a twisted adventure through charged up electronic and digital beats."

After a few hours drinking on saturday we (democratically, Tom would like that) decided to go to Stealth club night, and I'm glad we did because it was fucking awesome. After watching a live band inside we moved upstairs, unprepared for what would be an envigorating new experience for me: namely Techo music (Rob, Bill etc would like that).

One of the best things about the night was that Birthday Boy Tom shares a house with.... wait for it... James Hughes from KEGs, i.e the accordion virtuoso slave (Paine, Oli, anyone who did orchestras and shit, would like that.. do you remember him?). So although we knew this already, we got to do some mad techno shit with James and here about his blossoming musical career (28 shows booked around the country before May, £100 a show.... {me} "So do you remember Justin?" {james} "yes" {me} "He was always well good with music etc, how do you compare?" {James} "[I have gone{far}] BEYOND {Justin}")

So after all that I managed to ascertain that James was good at music, and he knew it, funny, I thought his most accomplished musical performance was in blowing his own (fucking) trumpet

I had a really great night with the guy though, he was pretty funny (without meaning to be)

Seriously though (sic), Techno music is so good if you want it to be. I can imagine that I wouldn't want to listen to it too often, better to save it for one big evening when you can really appreciate those sick and creamy beats, exactly like Fear Factory without woeful vocalisations and shred guitaristry. Also Techno experience was certainly enhanced by having mates around who were getting (fucking) into IT.. Love It.. Have It..

Cheers Tom for a swell night

Choice Quotes (not mine)
"oh the records stuck, don't worry it's just another phat groove"
"thems some phat breaks man"

"oh these breaks, oh"

Matt, Tom and Howard pre-club (?)

Bondage

Sam does her best Gene Simmons impression (too much Rock School perhaps)

Peace Out

13. Lateralus

2006-02-24T10:18:00.000-08:00

Praise culture is rife around here at the moment, and I know that I may often be guilty of fleeting fickleness with regards my album appraisals, but Lateralus by Tool is simply the most complex, life-affirming, brutal, beautiful, tribetacious, layered, pretensious, progressive, vital, evolutionary, meaningful, intelligent, atmospheric, gentle album that you could ever wish to discover as a result of some loser's meaningless ego:blog.

The importance of the band, and specifically this album, lies within its progressive nature, and key themes such as Communication and the Mind/Body Dichotomy ("Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.Withering my intuition leaving all these opportunities behind."). Hmm. And it seriously rocks.

Devotion

Tool are the most important band on the planet at the moment, bar none (Radiohead are great, but surely they've already hit their peak and dare i suggest it are on the way down, or let's say i'd be pleasantly surprised if they ever release an album as important/faultless as Kid A)

The thing with Tool is that it all comes together when you see it live. Tool are releasing the eagerly anticipated follow-up to Lateralus (2001), their last album, this year, and are going to play England for the first time in 5 years (a gig I went to with 2 mates, one of whom was converted into a big big Tool fan, the other thought it was strung-out overblown pretentia). I hear rumours are saying Download and Reading but this would be a massive travesty which I'd like to avoid - my favourite band's first tour in 60 months has to be inside for acoustics reasons, especially with the intricacies and nuances of tOOL which could so easily be lost at an outdoor festival. So, Brixton anyone?

Tool " Lateralus" lyrics
Sample: "Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.Reaching out to embrace the random.Reaching out to embrace whatever may come.
I embrace my desire to feel the rhythm, to feel connected enough to step aside and weep like a widow, to feel inspired, to fathom the power, to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain, to swing on the spiral of our divinity and still be a human."
Purchase It You Tight Cunts!
http://www.play.com/play247.asp?page=title&r=CD&title=148336&p=34&g=48&pa=sr
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00005J7I5/qid=1140873014/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-1675966-4776602 (check out customer reviews before you buy)

12. Earth

2006-02-23T08:34:00.000-08:00

Global warming and climate change are bad.
The planet was here before us.
It hasn't fucked us up.
We (*humans) have been here for a relatively short amount of time.
We're all fucking it up.
We shouldn't (*fluke species 2nd to what's there before)
So put something back

the BBC climate change experiment……

The idea is that the academics want to run millions of different climate change models to try to predict the effects of global warming etc…….but even with the worlds fastest computers they don’t have enough computing power so they’ve hit on he idea of getting interested members of the public (hopefully 10s of 1000’s) to run a small part of the experiment using up processing power they are not using on their home PCs.

Basically you download some software from

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sn/hottopics/climatechange/

It runs in the background when you’re not doing anything and also puts up a screen saver showing what the model says the earth would look like from space at whatever point in time the model has reached. I am running it now – it does no harm at all and it’s a good thing to be doing (Normative)

This strikes me as a good way of each individually acknowledging: (i) the harm that we're doing to earth (a certain environmental conscience that hopefully we all have), and (ii) a willingness to act according to this conscience

*Ps, Go and listen to Metallica "Seek and Destroy", the solo on 3.39 (if you have it up loud enough, i.e all the way up to 11) should blow your mind (if you're mildly stoned). Or else Mercury Rev's "Little_Rhymes".

11. Nostalgia

2006-02-17T08:22:00.000-08:00

Steve

Renny

Ross Nicholson
isn't it great to see this lot again? i like the bottom picture especially

10. Josh Homme

2006-02-05T05:04:00.000-08:00

In my opinion, Josh is quite simply the ultimo riffmaster of the 90's: pioneering, original, cool, blues, metal, chugs, chucks, sexy, sleazy, raw, desert, cactus - these are all terms that I might apply to Josh Homme's guitar-playing.

People overlook the fact that Josh is only 32 now (2006) yet he has been churning out monlithic, stoner-heavy licktacious riffola since 1990, and his band Kyuss (named after a deity in cult board game "Dungeons and Dragons") are phenomenal (roll spliff, turn up full volume with mashed mates about, ignore the vocals, grab your surfboard and let the music sweep you away) stuff, and they were only around 91-96.

Josh, aged 18/19

Being able to conjure the riffs/arrangement that he manages to on "Blues For The Red Sun" (1992) at the age of 19 is representative of Josh's status as the Tony Iommi of the 1990's.

The thing is, I don't even like Queens Of The Stone Age that much (Rater R = spellbindingly good, though obviously not in the same way as Kyuss), but like the idea of the Queens direction: i think that evolution is music is what every musician should be aiming at (unless they set their stall out to be deliberately and wholly retro, this is acceptable, cf Backyard Babies), and respect goes out to Josh for this. Kyuss has a small (realistic) demographic, although more people really should get into them, purely on musical merit (musicianship), whereas Queens has a far wider target (receptive) audience and has had far more commerical (boo boo) success.

But Kyuss is where it's at.

Glastonbury 2002, Queens Of The Stone Age, yes i've seen this guy live (ie in this photo) and he was absolutely amazing, and in terms of creativity/originality/balls/presence made dave grohl on drums look like a run-of-the-mill don henley wannabe..

* I've heard lots of people say Josh irritates them, some say his face is provocative, others just can't hack that he's engaged to the beautiful Brody Dalle, others like to brand him as a desert stoner dirgeball (he'd probably appreciate such a moniker), i just call him God.

*Josh is also a multi-instrumentalist: guitar, bass (QOTSA first album, all basswork = Josh), drum (Eagles of Death Metal) etc etc

Where Josh is at his wig-out best (especially):

50 Million Year Trip (Blues For The Red Sun)
One Inch Man (...And The Circus Leaves Town)
Spaceship Landing (...And The Circus Leaves Town) esp Mins 10.29 - 11.19 (close)

Contrary to popular (rumoured) belief, Josh is not the singer from mid-90's band Deep_Blue_Something, who had a hit with "Breakfast At Tiffany's" in 1996 (?)

Similar bands to Kyuss that you must listen to or preferably see live): Orange Goblin, Nebula

9. Provence

2006-02-01T05:54:00.000-08:00

My favourite place in the world is Provence: i'm not talking about the distasteful (dutch/german/royal) tourist ridden beaches of Cannes and St-Tropez, but instead go inland and you'll discover a beautiful, warm, rural, dusty, hay-bail ridden paradise bordered by the Alps in the east and the Rhone river to the west, which is just the most perfect place to spend a lifetime

Check out the lavender fields, the windmills (c.f Daudet), the cicadas, the cafes in Arles which van Gogh frequented before he lopped his ear off, the 1000 year old olive trees, the beautiful french/mediterranean girls, the weather which is unrelenting heat but you don't notice it because you soak it right up, there being so many pretty things to notice about the place that the heat seems condusive to all this (an essential part of one's appreciation of the region, the same way it wouldn't be the same if you went to Lapland and there was no snow). The sunlight is the most striking thing about rural Provence, I can't really explain the difference that you'll experience having lived in England all your life

Provence should appeal to everyone since if you go to the places that I am talking about, where Pagnol and Daudet, van Gogh and Gaugin, Cezanne and Matisse, chilled out for time, then you will very rarely encounter another English person (the English are not bad per se, but tend to have a habit of making me feel sad/depressed/ashamed/divorced from.. when i see them abroad). This is reason enough to move to Provence for ever and ever and ever.

8. Pablo Picasso

2006-01-31T04:33:00.000-08:00

I thought it was about time I snuck some dope paintings into this love-list. I'm opting for Pablo Picasso if we're talking about 20th century Spanish artists (controversy provoked etc etc). I thought Rob/Jules etc would like the bottom 2 paintings, Class A stimulus, bendable colours, lines and swirls.

Don't get me wrong, Pablo Picasso was a massive cunt, but he was a genius

7. Family

2006-01-29T14:47:00.000-08:00

Devoid from the farce, self-abuse and decadence of the last entry, Family = the best thing in the world. This is going to be concise, I just wanted to pay homage to the solid base (plateau) that my family represents for me, unconditional love and such blah.

6. Campus 14

2006-01-28T07:39:00.000-08:00

The Ark

(Holly?) Willoughby Hall

Sherwood Hall

Rutland Hall

Nightingale Hall

Derby Hall

Cavendish Hall

Ancaster Hall

So we didn't manage 14 bars in 4 hours, but we did do 9 in 3.5 hours and two big drinks in the last place.

Interesting Events:

10 pints in 200 minutes
Scaling a tree
Scaling a fence
Hill-Rolling
Exposure (qua Library Nudity)
Bin-Diving

Over the course of the evening we managed to drink enough alcohol in a quick enough period of time to get us (me) stupidly silly. I'm not an aggressive drunk so i didn't get in any fights (although some hooped pink-tshirt clad chav in Derby Hall copped some eye violence from me due to his sniggery blinkered world-view outlook on shit) but we did do some "crazy shit". This included jumping on some wrought iron fencing and attempting ascent before a stocky security guard escorted us off the premises under the pretense of taking us to the nearest bar yet actually just showing us out a back door and locking it behing us. Oher stuff = going to bars that looked like scenes out of the TV version of "Cluedo", challenged (?) to expose myself to the Night Crowd in the cafe/computer room of the Hallward Library (sorry), noticing that there's another library on campus that i would like to have performed this grotesque act outside because it's called the George Green Library, climbing trees and star-gazing.

Up a tree (arm visible)

On "The Downs" (transit)

5. The Anticipation Of Finishing One's Exam And Getting Wrecked Doing Campus 14

2006-01-25T04:57:00.000-08:00

Everyone knows that exams are pretty bent, how many facts can you cram into your head and write down on a shitty bit of paper before the clock runs out, what a farce, wouldn't catch Phaedrus (Zen reference, Duncan/Bill/Dave/Howard/Rich/I would like that - add yourself to this list now, go buy it) advocating that sort of assessment (shit). Anyway, I finish mine today with a lovely module entitled Philosophy of Art (aesthetics etc sic). I am squealing with delight (inside) at the thought of pulling a " Campus 14" on Nottingham University Campus immediately after vacating the (dirty/striplit/overly-hot) exam hall. This consists of 14 bars, 1 for each of the Halls, over 4/5 hours, a pint or 2 bottles or 2 shots in each. which leaves us about 15 minutes in each bar. it could be messy, hopefully i'll sneak some photos...

Luckily we have the best campus in the country, so it should be fun.

4. Scrabble en Bretagne

2006-01-24T07:25:00.000-08:00

Fourth in this list is scrabble in Brittany (it was a toss up between this and Kim Thayil, legendary shredster from Soundgarden). There is no better environment for such word based fun than a sunlit farmhouse garden in France, with chilled beer to hand, Beethoven pumping out in the background, and beautiful scenery to gape/gawp at. I recommend this experience to anyone (scrabble is optional)

3. The Doors

2006-01-23T04:43:00.000-08:00

Simply put, The Doors are the greatest band to have ever graced this planet.

Although they only released 6/7 studio albums, each one of these manages to beautifully combine all the genres ever such as blues, rock, jazz, funk, fucking everything, into 70 or so of the most perfectly crafted and sexy songs ever. Lyrically I can think of no band better, Iconically (sic?) I cannot conjure an image of a more sublime-spearhead-troubador of a frontman than Jim.

Another thing i love about The Doors is that their 1st and last album are (clearly/beyond debate) the two best, embodying the musical dialectic that all bands should be motivated by riding along (cf Radiohead and Tool).

And their singer died when he was 27

And Jim Morrison is an anagram of "Mr Mojo Risin"

My Top 4 Doors Songs

The End
Riders On The Storm
Love Her Madly
LA Woman

Jim Morrison, the Lizard King

1943-1971

"I see myself as a huge fiery comet, a shooting star. Everyone stops, points up and gasps "Oh look at that!" Then - whoosh, and I'm gone... and they'll never see anything like it ever again, and they won't be able to forget me - ever. "

"Drugs are like a bet with your mind."

(after the deaths of Hendrix and Joplin) "You're drinking with number three."

2. Harry Hill's TV Burp

2006-01-22T05:05:00.000-08:00

The best thing about Harry Hill is his tongue. It always seems to poke out and curl up a bit like Mike's parrot. This programme never fails to have any viewer in hysterics for the 20 minute duration, it is a small but perfectly-formed nugget of tv-soap-comedy gold.
As you all know, Harry Hill was formerly a GP and has a medicine degree and a string of failed marriages behind him. This makes me love the man even more, I repsect him for jacking in his prior job and venturing out on an occupation that has far more importance/worth in terms of putting something back into society. Why bother saving people's lives when you can make them laugh like this about NAIL BARS and THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO FIND OUT: FIGHT for what time they have left on this earth.?

1. Taking A Slash Outside

2006-01-21T06:38:00.000-08:00

There is nothing quite like the feeling of passing water en plein air as it were. Whipping it out on a fresh winter's morning and proceeding to empty a bladder which is perpetually full due to the cultivation of a 40-Cups-a-day Tea habit feels fucking great ('seriously though' it's not 40 that would be unhealthy). Also the nicest bit about the whole experience is that I really feel like I'm putting something back into nature, a sort of unholy bond with ecosystems across the world.

My Top 4 Places To Do "This" (no particular order)

Uni Garden (Nottingham) - at least 8 different types of tree, squirrels and 5 bird species
Garden Home (Maldon) - do it at 3.30 pm and all the mum's picking up their kids from the school next door can hear you
Outisde Special Reserve (Chelmsford) - i remember doing this once when drunk, it lacked the foliage of the former, but i could see my old school so it felt like i was "sticking it to the system" (or it did at the time) and this is a positive blog experiment so i retract all such angst and ill-feeling
Against a tree in France on a warm summer's evening - you're missing out

Intro

2006-01-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

Hello world. The motivation behind this site is wholly down to my desire to explore the positive side of my character, to investigate what things make me happy, to explore the beauty and opportunities offered up by experience of the world. As such, this enterprise will consist of no negativity or expression of negative emotions: a dangerous and repressive experiment I hear you cry. Alas no, (perhaps) I've spent too much of my precious time expounding upon things that make me angry or unhappy in previous experiments, so I'm very in touch with this side of my personality already. See you soon, George.