I am doing the more theoretical element of my job at the moment and for me that side tends to go quite quick. I plug myself into my ipod and tend not to get distracted. The power of random play ensures that Andy Williams sits nicely next to The Living End. So yes that is what I am doing at the moment, that and looking for a vent for my frustrations. I have asked a simple and basic question, something utterly simple but so far my email has been around 6 different people and its likely to be passed on again. So I am banging my head against a brick wall at the moment and concerned, slightly concerned that the work which is going to be a squeeze to get done in 3 days is losing time by the second.
The train was dull, except a man that spread out completely, I mean legs akimbo, rucksack on my feet, one grunt off snoring. I cursed him, he will regret spreading out.
I have long been of the opinion that one of the greatest records ever commited to tape is The Pernice Brothers’ The World Wont End. It details in graphic detail the break up of a couple, that couple may or may not involve Joe Pernice, but if he isn’t the protagonist in the songs, he is certainly skilled at putting himself in the position of a man losing his relationship.
I first heard this in 2001, a recommendation of my friend Jon, who being a good soul could see that at the time my marriage wasn’t the most healthy of places and thought I would appreciate the album. I did, in 2001 I played that album more than any other album and even now it will get played once a month, at times painful, at other times sad, but as a document of a break up nothing comes close.
The album is in that exclusive club that has Neutral Milk Hotel, Bright Eyes and Tenacious D in it in that this album is one of my all time favourites, and it will continue to be a favourite, even after all these years and although its message no longer resonates for me so loudly, musically it is still a fine album and lyrically possibly my favourite album.
From the album my favourite track is Cronulla Breakdown, a lazy acoustic number bordering on jazz, but a lazy wine bar jazz, that actually sounds awful, the description does not do it justice, the production on that track really is crisp and clear, clearer than any other track.
Friday I was in Oxford for the company’s Company Day, and I have to say it was really enjoyable, working in Birmingham I dont really integrate with my colleagues so it was a nice surprise to be treated so well and not made to feel like an outsider.
The hotel that I was put up in was nice and having strict in structions from Lisa not to over do it with wine I stuck to bitter for the first few hours….then I hit the wine and woke up on Saturday with a bastard of a hangover. Relly enjoyable night though.
After getting back to Stafford we went and picked up my car, a Corsa and its bloody ace, it hasnt got power steering but thats the only downside. I need to get a stereo for it.
Well last night I saw Neil Diamond at Birmingham NIA, its quite difficult to convey just how amazing his show was and the quality of his performance, but frankly it was one of the best concerts I have ever been to. Genuinely.
He came on stage pretty promptly just after 8pm, a huge band in tow, brass section, 3 backing singers, 2 guitarists, a bassist, a percussionist, a drummer and 2 keyboard players. They were all on small stages on the main stage, with Neil’s mic on a small stage attached to the front, this small stage moved around so it wasnt just in the middle, it went off to stage left and stage right.
My seat was in the lower block 11 and it was a very good seat, really pleased with it and for those not in a particularly good seat there were 2 huge screens either side of the stage.
So the set was pretty much the same as the one that he did in Rotterdam, a greatest hits show with smatterings of Hot August Night, 12 songs and Home before Dark, the omissions that I would have liked to have seen were possibly Mr Bojangles, Play Me and September Morn, but as the set lasted over 2 hours and it was full of hits and great songs, some songs were going to miss the cut. A highlight for me was Solitary Man but it was an absolute pleasure to hear I am I said and Hello again, really really fantastic.
I cant recall how long it has been since I wanted to see Neil Diamond, and now I want to see him again, really stunning, an excellent performer, with a great voice doing a fantastic show.
The life of an intercounty jetsetter is never predictable, so tomorrow I am back to the north for 2 days. I am stopping in Birmingham this evening as I am going to see Neil Diamond, then first thing I hop onto a train to Leeds and upon my return I head down to Oxford, a right old rum time, lots of travelling and a lot of work up in the north.
In the meantime I have been assigned to another project and that looks interesting, a lot of hard work, and I mean a lot, but it looks fairly interesting work in a nerdy kind of way.
So what else has been happening in Pete World, well lets go back to yesterday, I bought my first car! My first car, its a Corsa, it looks lovely, here…
Up to now I have been having 2 hours a week with the driving instructor, but with this me and Lisa will both be on the insurance and the world is my oyster. We dont pick it up until Saturday but its fair to say I am rather excited.
Did I mention that we are going to Greece? We arent going to Glastonbury, we came to our senses, neither of us like it and after all it is a holiday camp for the middle classes, but with far too many people and faux hippys. So we got a refund and decided to spend the week in Kefalonia, away from Jo Whiley bleating over the coverage how special the Glastonbury vibe is man.
Big Brother and as expected we are watching it in the early stages, some very likeable people in it, some horrible people, already want to punch alexandra and Staphanie, but think at this early stage I like Luke and Kat and want either one of them to win. This may change.
My final night in the hotel last night, its called the Btiannia Hotel and its at Bramhope, Leeds. All in all its been pleasant, clean and the staff friendly attentive and polite. The food was ok but the menu a little limited, after a week stopping there I had sampled all that I wanted to from the menu.
The rooms were nice with all the facilities that you expect, air con, fridge, telly, wifi and room service, reasonably priced room service at that.
Complimentary papers were there every morning and breakfast was available for under a tenner.
The hotel had health club and pool facilities but I never used them so can not comment.
All in all I would definitely use them again and recommend them to anyone using the Leeds/Bradford Airport.
Idiot Luke Pritchard has clearly been taking too much coke, the nme has him talking shit here it appears that if Carmen Electra had turned up to his gig, then well, the article does the talking. So Luke Pritchard, how does this..this..boy measure up. Carmen Electras past beaus include….
Prince
B-Real of Cypress Hill
Dennis Rodman
Tommy Lee
Dave Navarro
So why in the name of all that is holy would she go for this little shit.
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