One Neck Hates You

Famed Useless Bastard Iain Laurie now has a website for all his cartoons of hate. One Neck Hates You.

Same Old Song

My last post yesterday evening caused some debate between myself and Tommy. Tommy took exception to this comment. “It's one of the reasons I'm not all that interested in Franz Ferdinand, Orange Juice and Josef K did the same stuff better 25 years and more ago.”

He had a go at me for not being bothered by Franz Ferdinand on the grounds that I've heard it before and being done better. This he said proved his point on a comment at Ronnie’s site a few weeks ago when the discussion then was about ska. This being the crux of his argument.
“I don't think it's so much that people have a problem with the music itself. They have a problem with the trends and fads that made it popular. Ska in the late 90s boom definitely falls into this category. Just like bands from the Strokes through to Franz Ferdinand just now still take crap for just ripping off and ruining bands from days gone by. The moral of the story is: don't fear change, embrace it.”

My point was simply I’m not going to be excited by a band who are doing something that I’ve already heard done better several years ago. My point wasn’t that Franz Ferdinand should give up; just that what they’re doing isn’t awe inspiring for me. I’m not even accusing them of ripping off Orange Juice or Josef K. It probably is more their popularity that baffles me than the music. But then again Stereophonics became massively popular despite being no better than your average pub band. Maybe I am trying to highlight the fact that most folk who love Franz Ferdinand don't know much of Orange Juice's back catalogue or have heard of Josef K. But that's musical trends for you.

Sounding like other bands is part of music. But I’m not that interested by people retreading old ground and doing nothing new with it. Same as I’m not interested in comedians doing material I’ve heard better before or artists who paint in a similar style but not as well as their heroes. Not saying there’s not a place for them, but why get excited?

Did You Get That Memo?

For fans of Office Space this re-telling via the Super Friends is genius.

Edwyn Collins

Fuck, I'm gutted by this news. Edwyn Collins is seriously ill with a brain haemorrhage. He's been one of my favourite acts for years. I constantly play Orange Juice songs, I even played a few yesterday in work. It's one of the reasons I'm not all that interested in Franz Ferdinand, Orange Juice and Josef K did the same stuff better 25 years and more ago.

The Telly

There have been several posts in the last few weeks in the lead up to both Joey on Five and Nathan Barley on Channel 4. So after 3 episodes of the former and 2 of the latter, perhaps I should venture forth with my opinion.

Joey has made me laugh a few times. It certainly hasn't shown any great spark as yet. I had thought that with Joey now pursuing an acting career with increased vigour we may see him getting into a lot of actorly related scrapes. However he appears to have hung around the house most of the time. That is what comes of the studio sitcom format where most of the action takes place in one or two stage locations. Drea De Matteo is proving a strong support, but they'll have to build a stronger ensemble around him for it to be another Frasier.

Nathan Barley. I missed the first one and when I watched the second episode on tape, I got fed up with it about 4 minutes in and put it off. I dunno if I'll go back to it.

Fear and Loathing at the Book Festival

In August 1998 I went to see Hunter S Thompsons's collaborator Ralph Steadman give a talk at the Edinburgh Book Festival. I have just discovered a review of that very talk.

Then Get Me His Mexican Non Union Equivalent

The Simpsons voice actors in Mexico have gone on strike.

Unwritten Laws of Oscar

With the Oscars due on Sunday, here's famed movie critic Roger Ebert's Unwritten Laws of Oscar.

Is It Any Wonder?

In reference to Tom’s previous post, the problem is this:

Members of these extreme religious groups tend to find it difficult to grasp the idea that their religion should be strong enough to sustain itself against any attack, real or perceived without resorting to plainly un-Christian acts such as bullying and intimidation.

Is the fact that they can't because they are generally angry, lost individuals attracted to these groups not by a love of God, but by the desire to involve themsleves in extreme, confrontational activites?

Or is it because they lack within them the very cornerstone of any religion - faith?

Or is it perhaps because they are all idiots who believe a magic man who lives in the sky somehow made the world?

Bullying Fannies

The Jerry Springer the Opera saga seems to never be over. Those fuckers at Christian Voice are still pushing their vile lies. This time they have strongarmed a cancer charity into refusing donations from ticket sales, by threatening them with protests.

Here's a link to an audio file of the chief fuckwit 'debating' with David Soul.

It really makes my blood boil that these fuckers can get away with their petty little bullying. If anyone is doing down Christianity it's these idiots. If they really were Christians they would do as Bill Hicks suggested and forgive. But they're not, just petty self important wee fannies who wish the world would take them seriously.

Links via Metafilter.

"Dostoevsky Wouldn't be Writing ALF"

There is an interview in today's Metro with former heroin addict and Permanent Midnight author Jerry Stahl.

Another Brother Down...

As Tom has just posted, we lost another one of the good guys today.

Here's part of the BBC obituary, shizzolated to soften the blow.

Gangsta S Thompson, tha American counterculture gangsta has bizzle found dead at his hizzy in Colorado with my hoes on my side, and my strap on my back.
Thompsons sizzay Juan, found his body. He said tha 67-year-old shiznot himself.

He is best-known fo` his 1972 account of a drug-addled Nevada triznip, Fear n Loath'n in Las Vegas like a motha fucka. Otha books is Hells Angels n Generizzles of Swine like a motha fucka.

Thompson pioneered "gonzo journalism", a factual style in whizzay tha playa was an essential P-to-tha-izzart of tha story, n was an acute observa of American life. Every brutha ain't a brutha.

Hunter S Thompson 1937-2005

As you're probably aware by now Hunter S Thompson shot himself last night. Here's his entry on Wikipedia.

Talkin' da Pish 'n Shit Know What I'm Sayin'?

Put a URL into the Snoop Dogg Shizzolator and see Snoop shizzle it up 'n shit. For example he turns Fizz's Old Firm deadline day purchases story into this.

We Arra Peepel n' shit. ..

So both half of da old firm has managed pull of relatively big ass signing coups in da window."

Certainly Celtic fans will be mo' than pleased wit da arrival of Craig Bellamy, a player whom I would suggest has that shiznit in tha dude's ass match da bomb diggity Larrson fo' ability 'n goals, know what I'm sayin'?

Celtic also signed da fool up properly as well, concluding they business quickly 'n wit da minimum of fuss, know what I'm sayin'?

Not so da 'Gers, who wuz in real danger of looking like a bunch of hopeless dafties if they had failed in they bid bring Barry Ferguson back da club n' shit. Despite da fact that da player wuz champing at da bit come, Bain, Murray et al managed turn a piece of piss into a precipice (I stole that from an old "Only an Excuse"), finally getting they mutha at around 10pm last night, know what I'm sayin'?

So yo' ass look at da back pages of da papers 'n yo' ass has Bellamy, standing in front of da Celtic crest, shaking hands wit da manager at Parkhead during a properly arranged press conference, know what I'm sayin'?

And then yo' ass has da "fowtay" of Barry, in da street holding a Rangers shirt wit a bunch of mis-shapen neds waving "we arra peepel!" scarves around."

So we managed look like dafties even after izzall n' shit. But who cares? The Skipper is back 'n izzle rivals has managed persuade a really gravy player away from da Premiership, even if da circumstances surrounding da move wuz a little odd, know what I'm sayin'?

Whatever folk be like 'bout ambition 'n gravy players staying in or moving Scotland, da presence of these players adds value da average punter's season ticket, which ain't cheap."

Do fans up here not deserve watch quality players?

Besides "lack of ambition" is a spurious jibe level at a player who wants come here, know what I'm sayin'?

The mindset that says a Scottish based player has move da Premiership prove himself is bathed in colonial inferiority 'n is simply not bourne out by da facts, know what I'm sayin'?

Take Larrson, Cooper, Willie Millar 'n Paul McStay as examples, know what I'm sayin'? All legends, none of whom felt da need move England, know what I'm sayin'?

We need remember who da last British team reach a European final wuz up here n' shit. Were they not from Scotland? And did they not beat two English clubs get there?

Arthur Miller 1915-2005

Arthur Miller has died aged 89.

Here's his entry on Wikipedia.

Glue Update

In case you don't always check, there have been some photographs added to the You Owe Me Glue page. Our page on the comedy festival website has been updated with the picture we gave them and with a link to the blog.

Well Done Cathy!

Congratulations to our pal Cathy who has got herself a new job with Marie Curie Cancer Care. Let's hope that this time you're allowed to talk at work.

Cathy has also generously agreed to help us out with making costumes for the show.

Joey

Here's some more from Mark Lawson, this time on the coming Friends spin-off Joey.

Personally I always thought that the perfect spin-off from Friends would have been Chandler and Joey. I think you need one to play off the other. However Joey's character held Friends together for about the last 3 seasons since they split him and Chandler up by making Chandler fall in love with Monica.

To me Joey sounds like it's picking up where Friends left off. In that they'll be a few laughs, but you'll only really be watching it out of some sort of loyalty to the character.

Rock, Paper, Scissors

Here's Mark Lawson in The Guardian with more on Nathan Barley

Who's Your Favourite?

Thanks to Tommy for introducing me to Sahara Hotnights. My favourite is Johanna. Who's yours?

Ronnie I expect some sexy gossip about them.

Not So Funny Now Is It?

This is what you get for forgetting my name fucker.

Self-Facilitating Media Node

Here's a preview of Nathan Barley and another profile of Chris Morris. To be honest as much as I'll watch Nathan Barley I don't think I'm going to like it much.

Rock the Oscars

Here's Chris Rock talking about hosting the Oscars later this month.

8.32 am

As I'm sure few people know I'm making a return to stand up again shortly after a 2 month lay-off. I can't really be bothered. I was 'up for it' a few months ago, but the motivation for it isn't really there anymore. However as I have several nights in Glasgow booked and a couple in Edinburgh I thought I should try to become inspired. So I did a wee search for someone inspiring and found this diary by Demetri Martin.

The gold in it for me was the bit on page 4 where he discusses how to get ‘MC Neighbor’ to turn his hip-hop down.

My initial plan was to get to know the guy first. I figure once we're homeboys, then I could just casually mention it sometime. " ... Yeah, I can definitely relate to your point about bitches and fancy cars. Been there. By the way, dog, could you turn your music like way down when you play it? Maybe even don't play it all? That would be dope. Also, when you do play it, could you rap along to it just a little less forcefully?

Failing that Demetri’s alternative is to play his Elliott Smith CDs up loud to combat.

I may add some more to this later on.

And here is the first add on a couple of video clips of him doing a routine.

An interview with him in Yale's magazine.

A little feature on him in The Eureka Reporter.

Saying Sorry for 'The Truth'

Here is a good article on The Sun's attempts to apologise for the lies it told in the aftermath of Hillsborough.

We Arra Peepel...

So both half of the old firm have managed to pull of relatively big signing coups in the window.

Certainly Celtic fans will be more than pleased with the arrival of Craig Bellamy, a player whom I would suggest has it in him to match the great Larrson for ability and goals.

Celtic also signed the guy up properly as well, concluding their business quickly and with the minimum of fuss.

Not so the 'Gers, who were in real danger of looking like a bunch of hopeless dafties if they had failed in their bid to bring Barry Ferguson back to the club. Despite the fact that the player was champing at the bit to come, Bain, Murray et al managed to turn a piece of piss into a precipice (I stole that from an old "Only an Excuse"), finally getting their man at around 10pm last night.

So you look at the back pages of the papers and you have Bellamy, standing in front of the Celtic crest, shaking hands with the manager at Parkhead during a properly arranged press conference.

And then you have the "fowtay" of Barry, in the street holding a Rangers shirt with a bunch of mis-shapen neds waving "we arra peepel!" scarves around.

So we managed to look like dafties even after all. But who cares? The Skipper is back and our rivals have managed to persuade a really good player away from the Premiership, even if the circumstances surrounding the move were a little odd.

Whatever folk say about ambition and good players staying in or moving to Scotland, the presence of these players adds value to the average punter's season ticket, which ain't cheap.

Do fans up here not deserve to watch quality players?

Besides "lack of ambition" is a spurious jibe to level at a player who wants to come here.

The mindset that says a Scottish based player has to move to the Premiership to prove himself is bathed in colonial inferiority and is simply not bourne out by the facts.

Take Larrson, Cooper, Willie Millar and Paul McStay as examples. All legends, none of whom felt the need to move to England.

We need to remember who the last British team to reach a European final was up here. Were they not from Scotland? And did they not beat two English clubs to get there?