Daily Archives: Sunday, 5th November 2006
And talking of motivation
Those mythical regular readers will also have noticed a mysterious absence from Losing it[1] lately. Yes, it’s been a while since the last weight report, hasn’t it? Checking my spreadsheet, I find that I stopped recording over two months ago, which is not at all good. I have stepped on the scale a few times since then, and the numbers have been getting progressively higher.
It’s not that I’m eating significantly more, or eating significantly differently, but my activity level has dropped. Well, plummeted would be more like it. Quite apart from not managing to get on the exercise bike or the rower, I’ve been lapsing from my usual walking routine. For some reason, I’ve been having trouble making myself walk to or from work lately. Now this is quite acceptable if it’s pouring with rain, or I’m just plain knackered, but this has been happening nearly every day. And the results are not at all good.
It was almost exactly three years ago that I started this whole weight loss thingy, and having made so much progress in the first couple of years or so, I really don’t want to slide back.
So, an anniversary (more or less) is a good point to try to make a new start. I’ll give myself some mild targets for the next week:
- Walk to work at least three days out of five
- Walk home at least three days out of five
- Post the dreaded weight figure daily, even if it’s horrible
- Attempt a minimum of two exercise bike sessions and post the details
Now that’s not too ambitious[1], so I should be able to persuade myself to keep that up. And if that works, I’ll gradually introduce more exercise, while keeping an eye on what I eat.
Stand by for more reports.
[1] Always set targets you stand a good chance of exceeding, that’s my motto
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The lost week
Regular readers may have noticed that the last week or so was a bit quiet around here. Well, until today, when I did a bit of catching up, and got round to some reviews I’ve been meaning to get round to for a while, plus a few that just occurred to me. In fact, I think I posted some of my longest articles ever today.
You see, it was like this. I had the week off, intending to get out and about with the camera, maybe have a trip somewhere like York or Edinburgh, but certainly to get some of that kind of thing done. But it went a bit wrong. I mentioned on Monday that I’d been struck by the lurgy, and that I thought I was past the worst of it. Well, it just shows how wrong I can be. I did go out on Tuesday, intending to take some pictures of Westgate House and other bits and bobs after a visit to the Baltic. But every time I took the camera out, it started raining, so I gave up on that.
Anyway, I got to the Baltic, had a good look round and was pleasantly surprised to find some art that I actually liked. In fact, I might pop back and buy a slightly overpriced print of one of them[1]. After that, I popped into work to pick up a package from Amazon (some DVDs). And then I found I had no energy left, and all I could do was go home. And for the rest of the week, I just couldn’t get it[2] together at all. I did manage to go out for a meal and a wee drinkie with a friend on Wednesday night, but I felt like a wreck all day Thursday[3], and not a lot better on Friday.
It was only yesterday that I started to pull together again. Apart from feeling generally tired and even less motivated than normal, there didn’t seem to be anything actually wrong. Bit of a runny nose, but that doesn’t normally reduce me to that state.
Anyway, today I’ve been feeling a lot more normal. Well, as normal as I get, that is. Hence the long reviews and things. So I’ll be fine for going back to work tomorrow. 
[1] Details omitted to build up some spurious suspense
[2] Whatever “it” might be
[3] And it wasn’t the “hungover” kind of wreck, either
Related posts
The Icicle Works – Remastered
I’ve mentioned Ian McNabb previously, and now I’ve got an excuse to talk about his original band, The Icicle Works. The self-titled début album[1] has been remastered, repacked, reissued and reinvigorated to mark the 25th anniversary of the band’s formation. There’s a lot of that sort of thing going on, some of which is very good, and some of which is a cynical marketing exercise. And then there are packages like this, assembled with more than a little love and care. Something that actual fans will really want. They’ll have to be quick, as this three disk package is limited to 1500 copies world-wide. Inside the box are three cardboard sleeves, each with a protective inner sleeve to make sure the CDs don’t get scratched. There’s also a very nicely produced booklet. Anyway, on with the CDs:
Disc 1
This is the original album, as released in 1984, in a replica of the original album sleeve (well, it’s a bit smaller, being a CD rather than a 12″ piece of vinyl), complete with the lyric sheet (small print, you’re better off reading the words in the booklet, but it’s nice to look at). Not only that, but the CD artwork is a small circle in the middle – a copy of the original record label. And it’s been very carefully remastered from the original tapes. It’s come across very well indeed, sounding a lot clearer than the previous CD. It includes the hit singles Love is a Wonderful Colour and Birds Fly (Whisper to a Scream). I think the latter was also a hit in the US, where (if memory serves[2]) it had the title swapped around to Whisper to a Scream (Birds Fly). Unless I imagined that bit.
Disc 2
This is the usual kind of second disc you’d expect in a reissue: tracks recorded for John Peel’s Radio 1 show, other BBC session tracks, B-sides, a long version of Love is a Wonderful Colour (this was the era when everybody was doing extended versions on the 12″ singles) and a different mix of Birds Fly. The B-sides include The Athiest and much more. A nice package.
Disc 3
The third disc, only to be found in this limited edition set, is something a wee bit different. It provides an alternative version of the album made up from BBC session tracks (four for John Peel, six for David Jensen), plus two extra songs. It’s a nice way of getting some more session tracks, and gives another angle on a classic album. Very nice indeed.
Booklet
This has been put together very well. Along with the album lyrics and lots of photographs of the band, there’s an introduction from Ian, a longish article by their manager Tony Barwood and a short piece by Merseyside DJ Con McConville. Good, informative, and enthusiastic stuff.
If you’re thinking of buying this, or indeed any Ian McNabb or Icicle Works material, can I suggest you pay a visit to Townsend Records? Not only do they give Ian a lot of support, but they can also sell you a limited edition lyric sheet for Love is a Wonderful Colour, signed by Ian. Mine’s number 386 out of 750.
Special packages like this are mostly for existing fans, but they’re also a great way to discover a band you don’t know much about. Now when’s the special edition of If You Want To Defeat The Enemy Sing His Song coming out?
[1] If I keep using phrases like that, someone might take pity on me and pay me to write reviews for the music press 
[2] It rarely does 
Robin Hood – Turk Flu
More chivalry and silliness this week, and more of the outrageously anachronistic language and attitudes that seem to be annoying some people. Personally, I find that sort of thing adds a certain charm to what might otherwise have been a wee bit boring. It’s quite clear that this isn’t being played altogether seriously, and for me, that’s a Good Thing. A serious version of Robin Hood would probably not be for me…
Anyway, this episode involved that essential part of the Robin Hood story: the archery competition. You know the kind of thing, the Sheriff arranges a contest knowing that Robin won’t be able to resist taking part, which will make it easy to capture him. Robin knows that he knows, so finds a way..
But that was more of a side plot. The Sheriff owns an iron ore mine, with a slight safety problem. When the workers go on strike[1], he decides to replace them all with slave labour. As you’d expect, the wagon bringing the slaves is intercepted by the outlaws. Speaking of which, what happened to the rest of the guys who were with Little John? I know we saw Roy have a terminal disagreement with the Sheriff, but I’m sure there used to be more of them…
Anyway. Robin is outraged at what he calls “human trafficking[2]“, and determines to not only free the Turkish slaves[3], but to make sure the trade goes no further in his area.
And so it goes. More fancy archery, the mine is permanently closed, a bit of justice is done, and the outlaws get a new member: Djaq, a young woman who after being freed decides to stay on.
There was also a nice confrontation between Marian, in her “Night Watchman” disguise and the increasingly creepy Gisbourne. Maybe next time she’ll hit him a bit harder…
Yes, it’s silly, frothy, and more than a wee bit nonsensical. But it’s still fun.
[1] Which I suspect wasn’t really an option at that time.
[2] Another glorious anachronism!
[3] The slave trader is most put out that the Pope has forbidden making Christians into slaves, which forces him to use Moslems…
My Chemical Romance – The Black Parade
I first noticed My Chemical Romance when some of the songs from their last album belatedly got through to me. So I was actually paying attention when the NME told me that they were releasing a sort of, well, Concept Album, which since Green Day got away with it, is no longer a completely naff, err, concept.
The first most people heard about it was when a scheduled MCR concert didn’t go quite the way people expected. It was announced that MCR were unable to play, and that they had sent along their friends The Black Parade to play instead. And on they came. Apparently it took people a little while to realise that the band on stage actually was MCR, possibly because singer and songwriter Gerard Way had his previously long black hair cut short and bleached.
The next thing was the single Welcome to the Black Parade, a multi-part epic which starts softly, with marching band style drumming slowly building in the background, before the band really get started. The video is a nicely bizarre piece, in which MCR are seen wearing what someone described as “Goth Sergeant Pepper” outfits, which is pretty accurate:
The album tells the story of a young man dying prematurely. The idea is that when death comes, it appears in the form of the dying person’s strongest memory. The dying man has done little with his life, and the strongest impression ever made on him was when his father took him to see a marching band, which is where the Black Parade idea comes from.
I need to listen to the album quite a lot more to really work out what’s going on, but so far I like it. Parts of it are vaguely reminiscent of Pink Floyd’s The Wall – indeed, opening track The End does sound like it wandered in from that general direction. Other parts are more distinctively MCR. On the other hand, Mama, which features guest vocals from Liza Minelli (!), sounds more like the warped offspring of Kurt Weill’s Alabama Song.
There’s a lot of darkness in the lyrics, but some positive notes towards the end:
I am not afraid to keep on living
I am not afraid to walk this world alone
Honey, if you stay, I’ll be forgiving
Nothing you can say could stop me going home
There’s been a load of nonsense written in the popular press and elsewhere about “Emo” bands, and there does seem to be a lot of hostility even from fans of other “alternative” bands towards MCR and other such bands. All of which makes very little sense to me – if liking particular bands, or dressing a particular way gives people something to relate to, or some sense of belonging, then in general I’m all for it. And of course, I’ve always though that if the Daily Mail hates you, you’re probably doing something right. And there’s plenty that’s right with these words from Welcome to the Black Parade:
When I was a young boy
My father took me into the city
To see a marching band
He said son when you grow up
Would you be the savior of the broken
The beaten and the damned?
He said will you defeat them
Your demons and all the non-believers
The plans that they have made?
Because one day I’ll leave you
A phantom to lead you in the summer
To join the black parade
I’m not sure if MCR will be anyone’s actual saviour, but on their current form, they’ll make a lot of music fans, including me, moderately happy. Now where can I get one of those outfits?
Wintersmith – Terry Pratchett
Another Autumn, another Pratchett book. This year’s event is the third in his series about young witch Tiffany Aching, previously seen in The Wee Free Men[1] and A Hat Full of Sky[2], and is described as “A Story of Discworld” rather than “A Discworld Novel”, which is how Terry (or maybe it’s just the publisher) distinguishes books written for children (but widely read by adults) from the books written for adults (but widely read by children). Most fans will ignore such distinctions and just get on with the book, perhaps trying to stretch it out as it’s a year is a long time to wait for the next one.
Tiffany is just turning thirteen, and continuing to develop her skills as a witch. But when she makes the mistake of getting involved in a Morris Dance[3], she finds herself, and the whole of the Discworld in a lot of trouble. In the Discworld’s strong magical field, metaphors can take on reality, and elemental forces can become almost human. The best-known of these is Death[4], but now we meet the Wintersmith, who brings Winter. Only now he’s becoming more human, and seems to have fallen for Tiffany. So much so that he never wants to leave…
To set things right, Tiffany will need all her power and the support of her fellow witches[6], not to mention the Nac Mac Feegle, a mob of small, blue skinned, argumentative and fiercely loyal fairies. Except you wouldn’t want to call them fairies. Not while they can hear you, anyway. The Feegles talk in a dialect not altogether unlike something you might hear from somebody with a slight Scottish accent. Fortunately, a glossary of common Feegle expressions is provided.
It is, of course, all good fun. There are jokes, running gags, and a lot of humour in the way familiar characters react to new situations (Granny Weatherwax, kitten. What will happen?), and a good story. Or rather Story. Because that’s what Tiffany has to deal with – the power of the Story of Summer and Winter, which like many others takes a life of its own on the Discworld.
And if you think I’m giving any more away, you’re mistaken. Buy it, borrow it, or even wait for the paperback, but read it.
[1]
[2]
[3] If you don’t know what that is, consider yourself lucky. Some things are best not spoken of 
[4] Tall chap, bit skinny, cloak, hood, scythe, white horse[5], Talks in Echoing Capitals
[5] Called Binky
[6] There’s a lot more of Granny Weatherwax and Nanny Ogg this time round, which is always a Good Thing
Billy Bragg – Volume 2
It doesn’t seem a long time since I reviewed the Billy Bragg – Volume 1 box set, but here we are already with Volume 2. This rounds up Billy’s recording career so far[1], and includes four albums, each with a bonus CD and a concert DVD. This period saw a lot of changes – more mature songwriting, Billy playing with actual proper bands, longer gaps between albums, and shock horror sensation, singing in tune[2]. Anyway, on to the box. As with Volume 1, it’s nicely presented, with a lyrics booklet, the individual albums in their nice fold-out sleeves and the DVD in its own sleeve. And as before, it’s at a wallet-friendly price. Without even trying, I got it for under £30 in Newcastle. Breaking that down, if you allow £10 as a bargain price for the DVD, that leaves £5 for each CD. Which is good value, as we’ve come to expect from Billy. But that wouldn’t really matter if the music wasn’t worth listening to, would it? Fortunately there’s some great stuff here. I was going to refer to Billy as a National Treasure, only to find a review in the latest Q magazine using the same phrase. That’ll teach me to finish my posts more quickly, or something. Anyway, let’s take a look at each album.
Workers Playtime
Billy’s lyrics had always been sharp and witty, and with this album, the music developed substantially. Lots of good songs here including She’s Got a New Spell, which contains the memorable lines
The laws of gravity are very, very strict
And you’re just bending them for your own benefit
But the highlight of the album is the hit single Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards which features some of Billy’s strongest lyrics and a piano-led musical arrangement that builds and builds to a lunatic climax. Wonderful stuff. When playing it live, Billy often updates the references and generally plays around with this song.
In a perfect world we’d all sing in tune
But this is reality so give me some room
So join the struggle while you may
The Revolution is just a t-shirt away
Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards
The bonus CD includes demos and a surprising cover of the Jam’s That’s Entertainment.
Don’t Try This At Home
And this is the album that gave Billy his biggest hit – Sexuality. And that’s not even the best track on the CD. I’ve always loved Accident Waiting to Happen, which has more good lines:
Goodbye and good luck to all the rubbish that you’ve spoken
Goodbye and good luck to all the promises you’ve broken
Your life has lost its dignity, its beauty and its passion
You’re an accident waiting to happen
But the song gets the “clever adjustment of somebody else’s lyrics” award for this little gem:
You’re a dedicated swallower of fascism
Love it. And there’s much more. Playing with a proper band encouraged Billy to create superbly arranged songs like Cindy of a Thousand Lives, Rumours of War and the gloriously over-the-top in a “What? That’s Billy Bragg?” way Sexuality.
The bonus CD includes more demos, some previously unreleased tracks and a collaboration with Natalie Merchant.
William Bloke
There was a long wait for the next album, while Billy attended to being a father. But he returned with an album which what with one thing and another, I hadn’t listened to very much since its release. My loss, as there are some great songs here including Upfield, in which Billy has a vision of angels
I dreamed I saw a tree full of angels, up on Primrose Hill
And I flew with them over the Great Wen till I had seen my fill
Of such poverty and misery sure to tear my soul apart
I’ve got a socialism of the heart, I’ve got a socialism of the heart
…
The angels asked me how I felt about all I’d seen and heard
That they spoke to me, a pagan, gave me cause to doubt their word
But they laughed and said: “It doesn’t matter if you’ll help us in our art,
You’ve got a socialism of the heart, you’ve got a socialism of the heart
Then there’s The Space Race is Over, a regretful look back at lost dreams. King James Version is worth mentioning if only for the opening line:
He was trapped in a haircut he no longer believed in
The bonus CD offers yet more demo versions, a cover of the Smiths classic Never Had No One Ever and some b-sides. Best item for me is Thatcherites, an arrangement with new lyrics of a traditional song in which Billy castigates the Old Enemy. Quite lovely.
England, Half English
Another long wait for this one. In the interim, Billy made those two albums with Wilco in which they wrote music for and recorded some unfinished Woody Guthrie songs. When he came back, he’d formed a new band, and this album is credited to Billy Bragg and the Blokes. The Blokes include Ian McLagan, formerly of the Faces, and quite possibly the New Faces too.
The album is the product of Billy thinking very hard about the nature of what it means to be English, and is an attempt to recapture patriotism from the far-right elements who have made it singularly distasteful. I didn’t quite get his point at the time, but with a gap of a few years and a fresh pair of ears, this album is certainly worth listening to. Highlights for me include NPWA, a good traditional Bragg rant against the unfettered power of global corporations
I grew up in a company town
And I worked real hard till that company closed down
They gave my job to another man
On half my wages in some foreign land
And when I asked how could this be
Any good for our economy?
I was told nobody cares
So long as they make money when they sell their sharesCan you hear us? Are you listening?
No power without accountability!
On a much lighter note, there’s Tear Of My Tracks, a tale of a man’s sorrow after selling his record collection. And more.
The bonus CD includes some B-sides and demos together with covers of Ian Dury’s Billericay Dickie and Bruce Springsteen’s Mansion on the Hill
If you’ve got a guestlist… – DVD
Bonus DVDs are often a bit of a let-down, and contain very little of lasting interest. But this is a Billy Bragg DVD, and therefore offers excellent value for money. The main feature is a full-length set from 1991 with Billy and his then band the Red Stars playing at the Town and Country Club. It seems to be the same show I have on tape somewhere, recorded from a Radio 1 In Concert programme at the time, though this version is a lot longer. A good selection of songs, performed very well, with lots of inter-song banter, in Billy’s typically self-deprecating manner. That’s where the gag about singing in tune came from. The show ends with Sexuality, which Billy describes as how he did his bit during the “seventeen years” when Bryan Adams was at number one in the UK singles chart[3].
And as if that wasn’t enough, there’s a short set from earlier this year, which is Billy playing mostly solo, but with contributions from long-time collaborator and friend Wiggy and John McLagan. Highlights include a version of Woody Guthrie’s All you fascists, and a suitably updated and bonkers version of Waiting for the Great Leap Forwards.
[1] Excluding the albums which he made with Wilco in which he recorded some previously unfinished Woody Guthrie songs.
[2] That’s Billy’s joke, not mine
[3] With that awful thing from the Robin Hood movie. Seemed more like thirty years at the time…
