For the benefit of all those Birmingham-based, gig-going, uplifting gormandizers out there (Heyyy now, Daddy-O...), The Courtesy Group - Al Hutchins' awesome band of Scrotnig noizemeisters who've been mentioned here on many an occasion - are supporting London-based up-and-comers XX Teens at The Rainbow in Digbeth tomorrow evening. XX Teens sound like a lot of fun - plus I'd like to see the mighty CG playing a non-Curate's Egg event - so I'll endeavour to get my pert wee Irish arse there. I think you should, too. It's one of Kamikaze Events' 444 Club nights, in which new acts share [...]
I almost forgot to mention... after leaving Hafod Elwy Hall in Denbighshire last Sunday, Clare and I embarked on a Keruoac-lite drive around North Wales. We headed west along the A5 and through Betws-y-Coed (or, as my brother prefers to call it, "Betsy Cohen") before veering off in a random direction to see where the Road would take us.Well, it took us past Moel Siabod and Snowdon and through some of the most rugged and gorgeous landscapes I've seen in quite some time. We stopped at a few places, took quite a few photos and ended up in Portmeirion. As [...]
Clare & I spent last weekend in North Wales. On Saturday we went for a ten mile walk around the Alwen Reservoir and surrounding hills, woods and countryside. My legs have since recovered.This first pic was taken just around the corner from the gorgeous Hafod Elwy Hall, where we stayed.And here's the Alwen Reservoir:And here I am at Denbigh Castle:Don't worry, I won't make a habit of this...
I was sorry to hear that Steve Gerber, one of my favourite comic book writers, passed away on Sunday.Gerber was best known as the creator of Marvel Comics' Howard the Duck. Forget the atrocious George Lucas-produced 80s movie adaptation, Gerber's HTD was the real deal: a cynical, cigar-chomping, anarchistic antidote to the traditional funny-animal strip. Although I read it at as a kid, Gerber's HTD - with its strong vein of subversive satire and narrative experimentation - had a lasting impact on my sensibilities.At one stage, The Walt Disney Company famously threatened to take Marvel Comics to court, claiming that [...]
Hidden away in the comments section of an entertaining blog post from Rol about Morrissey and his arse is the following gem:Apparently, if you look very closely at the cover of Achtung Baby, you can see Adam Clayton's winkle.However, it's rather overshadowed by the much bigger knob who's also pictured on the cover.Priceless.
