As 2008 comes to end, let’s spare a thought for Dominic Fisher (aka Praguetory) who appears to have had a rather sad and lonely Christmas: ‘Birmingham’s Kinda Quiet These Days,’ he laments as he presents four images of a quite dead Birmingham city centre. Exif data reveals this image was taken at 13.36 Continue reading →

Paul’s Organic Nut Roast is rather expensive (I don’t want to admit how much I handed over at Unicorn, Chorlton’s co-operative organic supermarket) but it was Christmas Eve and choice was limited. Anyway. It was Christmas and Christmas is a time for indulgence. Paul’s Organic Nut Roast is rather good. It looks a Continue reading →

YouTube-podcast Too often support acts simply don’t fit with the main act, being somebody the record company wants to promote or who just needs some exposure or work. But Richard Fleishman did fit in warning up for Elton John, with whom he co-wrote the last song. That said, he doesn’t quite do it Continue reading →

Jonathan Ross isn’t my cup of tea, but my mum thinks he adorable and if visiting on a weekend, we expect to be treated to his chat show on a Friday night and to have his radio show on in the background on Saturday morning). This is despite her tendency to flinch at Continue reading →

Well it probably doesn’t matter if you’re Simon Cowell, as both Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah and Alexandra Burke’s Hallelujah are released through Sony BMG… But I’m not that impressed with either (or with Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah) as I find it a little maudlin, the subversion a little unsubtle. There’s an S&M relationship at the Continue reading →