Freelance writer specializing in comedy and the geekier end of the pop culture spectrum.
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Yesterday was Record Store Day
I popped into Birmingham music emporium Swordfish Records yesterday in order to fulfil my obligatory Record Store Day obligation. As this blog is committed to transparency and a full disclosure of contributions to the music industry, I'll fess up now and admit that I purchased Television's People by the rather marvellous Brum-based endorphin-pumpers Misty's Big Adventure. I also bought an additional CD and two vinyl LPs from their £1 clearance section, but - as this blogger is committed to protecting what's left of his credibility - I'll refrain from telling you what they were.As I drove to the store I [...]
This is Record Store Day
Which, in case you don't know, "is the one day that all of the independently owned record stores come together with artists to celebrate the art of music."I'll endeavour to pop into my favourite local indie music store, Swordfish Records, at some point later today and I might even try to observe a minute's silence for its fallen comrades in arms, like Frank's Wild Records and the Plastic Factory.You can find the Record Store Day site here.
James Joyce’s Birmingham: Ulysses on the Buses
Stateless, scrawny James Joyce and his mistressmusewife, Nora Barnacle, were waiting for a number eleven omnibus in the Perry Barr district of Birmingham. It was twenty-six days, five months and one hundred and twelve years after 16th June 1904, although they didn't necessarily spend all that time waiting for a bus. At what precise location in Perry Barr was their bus stop located? By a clay bark’s bank, where a stone lane meets a field of birch. Do you mean by the Barclays Bank on the Corner of Aston Lane and Birchfield Road? Um, yes. What obsolete vernacular term [...]
April Fools
When I was a student at Hull University, lo those many years ago, I was involved in a cruel and unusual April Fools prank that I still feel rather guilty about now.It wasn't my idea, you understand. I could never have dreamt up anything that reeked of so much wrong. I didn't have much to do with the prank's execution, either. I just grabbed a seat at ringside, kept my mouth shut, my face straight and watched it all unfold.The target was my very dear friend, Jude, who was (and still is) one of the loveliest and most genuine people [...]
