Showing posts with label Bill Bryson. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Bryson. Show all posts

Sunday 1 July 2018

Reading Out of The Prison


It is very hot (for me) . My phone says 17°C but it feels a lot hotter so I have taken action, but enough of that. On Friday' on the way up to Scotland, I decided I would read Michael Nesmith's "The Prison" novella / Short Story while listening to th eaccompanying album. You should finish the book when the soundtrack finishes.

But doesn't everyone read at different speeds? During reading the ticket inspector needed my tickets and a stopped reading but the music played on.

And guess what, as the final notes of the "Closing Theme" played, I finished the story.

That was a bit of a surprise as I just read at a fairly leisurely pace.

The story is slightly surreal and confirmed what many people had said that Nesmith is a better songwriter and performer than he is an author, but it's brave and , in my opinion, successful attempt. I 've read the book, listened to the music and am still coming to terms with what it was about, but I still have a wonderful album that I can revisit at my leisure.

When I got home Edgar Froese's "Solo" was waiting for me, and this is an example of how the value of music has plummetted. There are six albums spread over four CDs and it cost me a little more than a tenner. That's close on five hours music for the price of a single album. It's a great collection and I would have thought twice about paying twenty pounds for it but at that price I thought it was fine (rightly or wrongly) to inflate my music collection.

I alsmentioned to my friend Maureen about how brilliant Bill Bryson's "A Short History Of Nearly Everything" is and how I bought a lot of copies when it first came out to give to my family and others.

So on this hot first of July what to play, well Stevie Wonder had an album called "Hotter Than July" and from that we'll borrow "Master Blaster (Jammin)".

Hope you can sleep



Friday 17 July 2015

Sometimes....


I feel the urge to write about something but I've really nothing to write about that is interesting or has caught my imagination.

Last weekend I managed to completely miss the Mouth of Tyne and Corbridge Festivals which I attended last year, that almost shocked me. One of the problems may be that there is just so much going on that it did manage to pass me by.

Next weekend I'm going to see Big Country in Scotland and then just after that Ash play Chase Park in Whickham , not forgetting Summertyne that is going on this weekend.

I've written about all these in previous years mainly on the Spoongig site so will probably update if I get time after those festival.

Oh and tomorrow we have a Pride March in Newcastle. I like diversity and love to acknowledge and be part of it. Sometime people forget what GAY means (acronym for Good As You) , which we should all feel we are.

Also now I'm going off on a language tangent about the word "Homosexual".

"Homo" can mean man as in "Homo Sapiens" , or the same as in say "Homogenous"

I'm doing all the reasoning without referring to anything so my reasoning can probably be blown out of the water.

But "Homosexual" uses the meaning of the same , but I suppose in male / male relationships could be misconstrued as man.

Anyway , although I'm  "straight" all my friends delight me , whatever their orientation , and they are part of a rich and diverse tapestry that I am so lucky to be enmeshed in.

All You Need To Know
So I'm gonna choose Tom Robinson's "Glad To Be Gay" , a great singalong song which me and my mates had great fun with putting on the jukeboxes in severely homophobic pubs in the late seventies. It was fun because we were well able to take care of ourselves . Also reminds of the time me and three mates went to see a Bill Bryson's "A Short History of Nearly Everything"  lecture in Newcastle's Centre For Life . We are not the smallest of frames and we were sat at a table in the what I believe is a gay pub called "Barons" , when a girl came up to us and asked "Are You Gay?" in hushed tones , to which my mate Chris replied "But Of Course We Are!" somewhat louder.

Anyway , It's time for bed and I have managed to ramble on for quite a bit about nothing. Sleep well my friends

Wednesday 14 November 2012

Connectivity, Eclipse and a First Time For Everything

Last night I watched via the internet , facebook , and Panasonic solar technology , on the recomendation of a very good friend a solar eclipse in Queensland Australia. Apart for the images and the event being spectacular it was amazing to see how connected we can all be in this digital age . Instant video feeds from 9000 miles and 10 hours away while being exactly in the same moment. How many thousands of us shared that . An event that even ten years ago could not have happened. People watch on their TVs , computers and phones , took and shared pictures . Absolutely amazing.


It reminded of seeing Bill Bryson a couple of years ago relating a story of a guy who organised a scientific expedition to India to watch a similar event a few hundred years back. The guy spent years preparing and was thwarted by thick cloud cover. Last night was good because of the twin feeds from Port Douglas and Fitzroy Island , making sure we had at least one clear view.

This brings me on to the excellent new advert for EE featuring Kevin Bacon selling the concept of total connectivity in todays digital world . Kevin Bacon is still a top guy and is excellent in the advert, telling us about the connectivity which the Eclipse event was made for. By the way Tremors is one of my favourite all time films:


And then this morning I relented in my Starbucks boycott to pay for my first coffee with my phone using their rather efficient app. That was fine only slightly marred by me being confronted by three beardy beggars demanding 40p as a walked out of the shop . I was bigger and scarier than they were so I made my way to the train to enjoy my coffee frappacino!

Sunday 19 August 2012

Homogenisation Hell

A couple of years ago I was reading a book by Bill Bryson in which he noted that every high street in every town or city was beginning to look the same. There was a Boots , a WH Smith , a Woolworths , a BHS , a Next  and a few others . I noted the Glastonbury was missing a couple of these and in a recent visit to Totnes their only concession was I think a WH Smiths or maybe a Superdrug.

Anyway , I was in Newcastle today in various parts of the centre and I seemed to be always in sight of a Starbucks , a Costa , a Pret A Manger , a Boots , a Subway etc . It reminds of the Sylvester Stallone film Demolition Man where the only brand left is Taco Bell . I dont know if they paid for that or just enjoyed the irony of the product positioning , but it does get scary when your choice is being whittled away like that.

Even on Newcastle Railway Station we have Starbucks , Costas and WH Smiths , oh not forgetting Greggs !!




Saturday 21 April 2012

Record Books

Well today it all happened . I packed up my copies of  Bill Bryson's "Notes From A Small Island" for World Book Night and headed into Newcastle to the High Bridge Quarter with instructions from Jim Stevenson to pick up a copy of Rory Gallagher's Stompin' Ground , a limited 10" vinyl offering for National Record Store Day.

Cat Faced Balloon Girl
First thing I say was a cat faced girl on stilts making balloon hats for kids and adults. This led in to High Bridge where there were lots of food stalls featuring Moroccan , Mexican , Italian , Greek and lots more food. So weel culinarily catered for. Freefall gave a nice little pack so I gave a book in return. They have some brilliant cards and stuff.





Buskers in The Central Arcade

This year there were two stages and lots of excellent artists including The Cornshed Sisters , The Futureheads , Big Red and many others included an excellent percussionist from Hartlepool!! The weather veered from bright sun to heavy rain but everyone persevered and was surprised to find how many people already had the book.








Food Stalls In High Bridge

However lots of people were very pleased to get their copy and hopefully will register with the World Book Night site.







Todays Haul



It's been a hugely successful day and I'm now looking forward to the next one . Nice haul of CDs and vinyl and a great day out meeting a lot of friends and seeing many great bands.

It'll Either Rain Or Go Dark Before Morning....

One of the many pearls of wisdom from Charlie Cross , a farmer I had a weekend job with many man years ago. Very true of today , withich is National Record Store Day , World Book Night and High Bridge Festival in Newcastle.

The Box of Books
First task today was to hand write the front pieces of my twenty four copies of Bill Bryson's "Notes From a Small Island" with my name , where I picked it up from and a unique id so that the book can be tracked if the person I give it to wishes to log it on the web site.



Anyway I picked up the books and had panned to just print out the labels , unfortunately non of the shops I went in had anything suitable , so had to use my versatile printer , ie a biro!!

There is a flagship event in London on Monday night details here

Tickets are £10 but I think it is free after 7:30 pm , but check out the website.



Alan Reed's High Bridge

Anyway today I am going along to the record shops to pick up a coule of limited editions if they are available and enjoy  the delights of the High Bridge Quarter Festival with street food , entertainers music and the like. I'll be taking photographs and posting again on here after the event.

Hoping the rain keeps a way and we have a gorgeous day

Sunday 8 April 2012

You Wait Ages For A Bus .....

.. and then three come along at once. Well it's not quite that but nearly. Last year on World Book Night I gave away my books on the Tyneside Metro , if you click on the labels below you will see what happened then.

Initially this year I was going to do the same thing with Bill Bryson's "Notes From A Small Island", but this year World Book Night is on the 21st of April which is coincidentally National Record Shop Day as well as being the first High Bridge Quarter Festival.

So the idea is that I'm going to join in the festivities at High Bridge concentrating on  RPM records and giving away my books at the festival . I've been joining in National Record Shop Day for the last couple of years and had a great time seeing some great bands , getting ice cream great food and meeting great people.

This year looks like it's going to be the best ever and if you catch me you might get a copy of the book. Check out the High Bridge Festival site by clicking on the poster.

Reflex in Nunn Street and Beatdown up near The Five Swans will also be having lots of events and special stuff for sale so get yourself down and have a wonderful day. Great music , great company , great books , great food all guaranteed!!


Saturday 18 February 2012

World Book Night 2012 - For Me It Starts Here



Last night I got my email confirming me as a World Book Night Giver for 2012 , The book I've chosen is "Notes From A Small Island" by Bill Bryson , and it will be great to try and get people to read this book. Like last year I'm going to base it around Newcastle and Tyne and Wear's Metro system and hope we dont get hit by the fact that there were no flights in or out of Newcastle Airport and the stretch between Tynemouth and Byker being clsed , meaning I couldnt do Wallsend, with it's Latin signs!!

The date is April 23rd.

Most people are enthusiastic , but a lot of people get very suspicious of anyone offering something for nothing , especially if they are alone on the Metro despit , there being other passengers in the vicinity. Last year Stephen Fry gave his away in Trafalgar Square , but mine will be much lower key. But it is a great initiative to be involved with m, and now need to recruit a few helpers ......

Below is a preview for last years event