tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27873181843039672962024-03-05T11:54:48.968+00:00Channel MondoBlogging And Blasting Space Age DebriMondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.comBlogger137125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-55306072561832248952009-10-01T11:00:00.003+01:002009-10-01T11:04:45.401+01:00Closing Down, Clearing Out And Blogging Off<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP18C00HQjUM4ftOIVTSGWxT556dO5AKWAmtbNUf2Btd-Jb7ZnWIh8_e6FZ0TjZLHTMSHPbYNSf7cpSnJJlF40593N6J5-2o6ttCXG_p2RXkEjZuSlRDIE261KeRL0MK4Hupm-MoW84L4/s1600-h/commod.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 227px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP18C00HQjUM4ftOIVTSGWxT556dO5AKWAmtbNUf2Btd-Jb7ZnWIh8_e6FZ0TjZLHTMSHPbYNSf7cpSnJJlF40593N6J5-2o6ttCXG_p2RXkEjZuSlRDIE261KeRL0MK4Hupm-MoW84L4/s400/commod.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5387336926396248066" border="0"></a><br />Two years to the day since <a href="http://channelmondo.blogspot.com/2007/10/hellois-it-me-youre-looking-for.html">first</a> firing up this slice of cyberspace puffery - I'm putting the Channel Mondo handbrake on as work and other daily bric-a-brac is getting in the way - I'll be pushing the stop button, rather than the delete key. So a big tip of the titfer to all the bloggers, browers, subscribers and chippers in who've had something to say or contribute over the 212 posts.<br /><br />And as a last request could anyone who's got me blog-rolled, redirect the link to <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/">http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/</a> where all the usual PM Puffnstuff will be bubbling and babbling away - and I'll return the favour.<br /><br />See you on the <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/">other side</a><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Kkmf8zHqnU&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8Kkmf8zHqnU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><font size="2"><font style="font-style: italic;">You couldn't make it up could you - yes I really did get that word-veri last week</font></font>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-82906696903374631772009-07-24T09:20:00.000+01:002009-07-24T09:22:00.730+01:00Podding Off For The Summer<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOVshvd880NGHzMFJ6yLXn4LkvXlrwasqG-xlcV6TBznuKtErijtzEPRQ1m50ILd72BWL13Pq2cwdWstnfKiJRvyi5WeI7sgoxg1EYegQAOnODeYIL3Y0r4SBtNFy95XZeQ251D_RC1w/s1600-h/PODRO.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUOVshvd880NGHzMFJ6yLXn4LkvXlrwasqG-xlcV6TBznuKtErijtzEPRQ1m50ILd72BWL13Pq2cwdWstnfKiJRvyi5WeI7sgoxg1EYegQAOnODeYIL3Y0r4SBtNFy95XZeQ251D_RC1w/s400/PODRO.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5360615903925465826" /></a><br /><br />Step into summer with <a href="http://piley.blogspot.com/">Piley</a> and I, as we have a second bob about in our homemade podcast Podrophenia. Based around the theme of 'summer' , it features a playlist that pipes aboard Bowie, The Beatles, Ella Fitzgerald, The Divine Comedy and Soundgarden as well as the usual nattering and banter.<br /><br />Apart from that I'll be giving this blog a seasonal break - possibly re-opening in September.<br /><br />You can celebrate summer by downloading Podrophenia <a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/7945678-084">here</a><br /><br />Streaming here<br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" height="28" width="335"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7945678-084"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7945678-084" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" height="28" width="335"></embed></object><br /><br />Or grabbing via iTunes..<a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=323144713">here</a><br /><br />Have a good summer and see you soonishMondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-18530301524129565912009-07-17T16:00:00.010+01:002009-07-17T16:36:02.787+01:00Really, Really Not The Sort Of Song You Want Rattling Around Your Head All Day.<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksvKmoWotKihyphenhyphens13mWIH-h7yw-m2TqDvc4L5yUZt6ra4BQ4xVo39lHY82ymtzWLIZQOmYpTB-5om87UahDqORh-RCleIgc-VVG5_qIdWL6u2fRSvOZcAchCmlCLzONrIqXvfju1yVoas/s1600-h/batrid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 359px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjksvKmoWotKihyphenhyphens13mWIH-h7yw-m2TqDvc4L5yUZt6ra4BQ4xVo39lHY82ymtzWLIZQOmYpTB-5om87UahDqORh-RCleIgc-VVG5_qIdWL6u2fRSvOZcAchCmlCLzONrIqXvfju1yVoas/s400/batrid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5359451524778478642" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Riddle me this Batman - what's the mystery tune?<br /><br /></span></div>But sadly, there it is seeded, singing and ringing around my synapses. A tune that gatecrashed my internal playlist yesterday, (my mistake for downloading I suppose) and has bounced about like mad spacehopper or a bad penny ever since. A loony tune on a permament loop.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Damn those seventies soundtrackers for their catchy compostitions</span><br /><br />I know what is - but do you ?<br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/7931180-184"><br />Mystery Tune</a><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" width="335" height="28"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7931180-184"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7931180-184" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="335" height="28"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Having said that, it would make the perfect soundtrack to my single figure total of DIY attempts.</span>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-33286340574036624122009-07-13T12:37:00.012+01:002009-07-13T12:50:12.791+01:00iTunes Advice?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HZWXPDzQ65dTYCv7tdPaYNYH9-z9bus64rTmvPVsubqRr9wtxZCdx7DiquqN1FinRJJOSGDRF5vPKzFb2eIRDvdy_e9PklWSrADQfxGY2iT_K-JlYj6ZOyilMlAiIXEDo_f0J2jkStY/s1600-h/podro.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5HZWXPDzQ65dTYCv7tdPaYNYH9-z9bus64rTmvPVsubqRr9wtxZCdx7DiquqN1FinRJJOSGDRF5vPKzFb2eIRDvdy_e9PklWSrADQfxGY2iT_K-JlYj6ZOyilMlAiIXEDo_f0J2jkStY/s400/podro.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5357908507237641202" /></a><br />So Piley and I have recorded our first podcast, which is now <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=323144713">listed</a> on the iTunes store. But, with neither of us being ITS users have got a couple of concerns about getting our collars felt for the use of music.<br /><br />Clearly we're just a tiny blip in the scheme of things, but, is iTunes as a platform, high profile enough for us to be possibly spotted by any passing trade who just happen to be DMCA PRS types - and as a consequence get busted for copyright, non-clearance or licensing issues regarding tunes played in the Podcast ?<br /><br />Any ideas or suggestions on how we stand with the use of music in these things would be welcome? Or would we be better off keeping it local, and only posting Podrophenia on our blogs to avoid the dreaded DMCA takedowns..Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-59480646797480824012009-07-07T08:52:00.000+01:002009-07-07T08:53:32.294+01:00P.A.M Airs<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUj8SNaamHdHiaLphHbiu8g4S5DAIjYZQfKHedKtw83cJQx5q0BFv5qp5crKMN5p7HYxPQKuS8HTSDJQmPpShG-ypjv-tIXCccU7o7IEDk8Vik3Gq0W7aeKWnn-EeLPLpyGiIsxSJmy1s/s320/muppets-Statler_Waldorf.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUj8SNaamHdHiaLphHbiu8g4S5DAIjYZQfKHedKtw83cJQx5q0BFv5qp5crKMN5p7HYxPQKuS8HTSDJQmPpShG-ypjv-tIXCccU7o7IEDk8Vik3Gq0W7aeKWnn-EeLPLpyGiIsxSJmy1s/s320/muppets-Statler_Waldorf.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><a href="http://piley.blogspot.com/">Piley</a> and I have gone and recorded our first Podcast <span style="font-style:italic;">Podrophenia</span>. It's an hour of chit chat and tunes based around the theme of cover versions with the pair of us muttering around about music - why not get an earful of it <a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/7825822-872">right here</a><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" width="335" height="28" id="divplaylist"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7825822-872" /><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=7825822-872" width="335" height="28" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-56026378835877760892009-07-01T14:23:00.033+01:002009-07-01T16:24:24.105+01:00Vinyl Countdown<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiidstedKzc3UW3M1ah88csqWBtJr_u4zYzwCplkOg0xHid_pizgHHq1QnJj-WyWjUShHRk_zvXXyN5vX2fUI5EfF2A3PfOxz0KYeAYoY7EWioFNIWOD8bFg7Tseri74pIcbUppPHyoHE/s1600-h/pink+vinyl.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiidstedKzc3UW3M1ah88csqWBtJr_u4zYzwCplkOg0xHid_pizgHHq1QnJj-WyWjUShHRk_zvXXyN5vX2fUI5EfF2A3PfOxz0KYeAYoY7EWioFNIWOD8bFg7Tseri74pIcbUppPHyoHE/s400/pink+vinyl.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353483589434033330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">It's pink vinyl and on Chrysalis - any ideas?</span></span><br /></div><br />So how's your summer been going? Mine's been spent rediscovering the joys of vinyl. Thanks to a few sipping and spinning sessions in <a href="http://apatchworkofflesh.blogspot.com/">Coops</a> garden, I've been inspired to pick up a portable turntable with built in speaker and handy USB connection for ripping to MP3. So the singles box has been collected from the loft, the cobwebbed albums dusted off and fired up at 33 rpm. Jazz sounds fab, George Melly's <a href="http://sidsmith.blogspot.com/2007/07/george-melly.html"><span style="font-style: italic;">Nuts</span></a> has been on almost perma-play, as has <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sergio-Mendes-New-Brasil-77/dp/B00006LWFL">Sergio Mendes & The New Brazil 77 </a>LP. Seven inch singles are the perfect pop format, with ideas and inventiveness at every level, and colored vinyl looks better than ever..<br /><br />There really is simply nothing as soothing as some garden based sitting and spinning on a summers evening. I'd forgotten how pleasing the ritual of putting on a seven inch single is - combine it with 'lucky dipping': take a box of singles and what gets pulled is what gets played, and you've got perfect evening's entertainment.<br /><br />Bargains bagged have been the Les Humphries Singers - <span style="font-style: italic;">Mexico</span> for 50p, and this little haul from Spitalfields Market - a reggae cover of <span style="font-style: italic;">How Deep Is Your Love</span> on 7", Pete Townshend's first solo album and three latin funk comps. Thirteen nuggets the lot - 'mazing.<br /><br />So what's on the shopping list..George Melly <span style="font-style: italic;">Son Of Nuts</span>, Head Hands and Feet <span style="font-style: italic;">Warming Up The Band </span>(featuring an early doors Albert Lee and Chas & Dave). The Faces <span style="font-style: italic;">Maybe I'm Amazed</span> (the studio version was a single only release).<br /><br />Oh - and can anyone suggest a 'violet' 7" single to complete my vinyl rainbow (didn't Squeeze have one)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Red - The Damned - Love Song</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Orange - UK Subs - Party In Paris</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Yellow - The Dickies - Banana Splits</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Green - UK Subs - She's Not There</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Blue - UK Subs - Tomorrow's Girls</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Indigo - ELO - Sweet Talking Woman</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Last night's listening</span></span><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1EO5epDr3mnW9Dmi-SqqVzO7cpfz16eX_EG9nqR0JEJfkD5Mm0r8vm2BEbLCCOjfWP2-yQWR2acS0F7-ajHGuCzTNLCfkOn3NlBr2Kyn1LNFhahI7x0DAeMfGm5TjPCdeuA-AL39LcM/s1600-h/last+night.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 360px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO1EO5epDr3mnW9Dmi-SqqVzO7cpfz16eX_EG9nqR0JEJfkD5Mm0r8vm2BEbLCCOjfWP2-yQWR2acS0F7-ajHGuCzTNLCfkOn3NlBr2Kyn1LNFhahI7x0DAeMfGm5TjPCdeuA-AL39LcM/s400/last+night.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5353483657638494434" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wJBe6IUZdT0&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wJBe6IUZdT0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-42312389447937493342009-06-15T10:33:00.001+01:002009-06-15T10:37:12.207+01:00Albums and singles as school prizes?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://meonmedia.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/tubular1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 382px; height: 373px;" src="http://meonmedia.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/tubular1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">How many more times is Mike Oldfield planning to <a href="http://www.bandstores.co.uk/prodimages/T-bells_deluxe.gif">re-release</a> and<a href="http://fdstar.com/fde/datas/2007/09/08/1189234464/TubularBells2003.jpg"> rework</a> T-Bells</span></span><br /></div><br />Do schools still do that anymore - give albums or singles as awards or rewards? I'd be decked if they did. Perhaps a voucher at a stretch. It's a much safer bet.<br /><br />Intermittently at our school assemblies, some senior teacher would call to the podium, a star pupil who'd excelled at sport, come first in a competition or reached an outstanding level of somethingorother (it's telling that I've forgotten the categories, yet have total recall of the prizes). The student would bound to the stage like a spring lamb ready to be rewarded, but slump away like a crushed gump after receiving in recognition of their glowing over- achievements and reflected credit to the school - <span style="font-style: italic;">and these were actual prizes</span> - Tubular Bells (for someone aged 12 in 1977?!?) and a few months later Matchstalk Men & Matchstalk Cats & Dogs (and not even the picture sleeve)..<br /><br />Whoever came up with this stunt shot themselves in both feet with a double no-incentive whammy - lacking any appeal for either the heavy-hitting swots and sportsmen, or the fair-to-middling 'must try harders' like myself..<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/K5wYfUfzVJU&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/K5wYfUfzVJU&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-74307710847439600102009-06-04T10:57:00.012+01:002009-06-05T11:54:46.472+01:00Faking It<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr1ruWpoGPfDHSH1Tn0BhtEG4zcO4DRXLhLhGIoveK-QE-E47wnEQwK99_lvMfhbC9c9poVFyksEerr9yPO8N2ufvOHVTGKNwusQwiJQdxA7FcXHQobx-tiOqX1MSRvarbEjsoIJe9JU/s1600-h/track.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 293px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjr1ruWpoGPfDHSH1Tn0BhtEG4zcO4DRXLhLhGIoveK-QE-E47wnEQwK99_lvMfhbC9c9poVFyksEerr9yPO8N2ufvOHVTGKNwusQwiJQdxA7FcXHQobx-tiOqX1MSRvarbEjsoIJe9JU/s400/track.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5343410945240817602" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(192, 192, 192);font-family:georgia;font-size:85%;" >Where are my headphones I asked?</span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(192, 192, 192);font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-style: italic;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">You can track your order online - they replied </span></span><span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(192, 192, 192);font-size:85%;" ><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(192, 192, 192); font-style: italic;font-family:arial,sans-serif;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:georgia;">See tracking order above for details - thanks for that then!</span></span><br /></div><br />As I've probably mentioned before I'm a bugger for a bargain - charity shops (mainly books), T K Maxx (best buy to date a leather jacket reduced from £450 to £47) and of course the online goldmine that is eBay.<br /><br />A couple of years back I took a bid-based punt on two polo shirts - a Fred Perry and a Penguin <a href="http://fashionation.files.wordpress.com/2007/01/penguin-earl-black.jpg">'Earl' </a>- both of which were listed with crazy cheap '<span style="font-style: italic;">Buy Now</span>' prices. When they finally arrived from the far east, the trademark penguin logo had more lean than the Tower of Pizza, and the Fred Perry, despite making a claim of 100% cotton, crackled like a static storm everytime it was removed.<br /><br />But, I bounced back and tried a couple more bargain buys (from other 'Bayers this time, and still a third of the high street price). Perfect. Two years on and these clone-clothes are washing and wearing like a dream. Since then I've knowingly bought Converse, a <a href="http://i1.iofferphoto.com/img/item/105/471/635/Hgk8.jpg">Limited Edition Bathing Ape edition Casio G-Shock </a>watch and reproduction Seditionaries t-shirts. All of which are hooky but authentic enough to be believable and and well made enough to be durable (unlike the first two fake-offs).<br /><br />However, I am a low-level fuss pot about sound quality, and recently snapped up a pair of Sennheiser PX200 headphones listed on eBay at half the RRP. The delivery seemed to be taking longer than expected, so a quick peep of the sellers feedback rating revealed a history of fakery, neutral feedback and partial refunds. Whoops.<br /><br />I'll live with a fake that looks and wears like the real thing, but can knock-off headphones actually simulate the sound fidelity of real deal Sennheisers or will it just be dodgy market electronics re-badged and branded as something superior?<br /><br />I'll let you know if they ever arrive..<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ri9ejtoky4Y&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ri9ejtoky4Y&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-65006369823940177802009-05-27T10:34:00.004+01:002009-05-27T21:15:28.566+01:00Last of the Indie Vid Shops<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdvWz-iWN2-tCh-wsboRk1eAqOdDCY1T6UMF65_O3mpOdTrhI020H50g1tO72XdpDpWj_VZ501km7sBlpbOB0YHlTIueHi2N6g-wPdPf9RcxAMCveo0IhBVURc8s-XCixERkX6Lbk9-E/s1600-h/vid.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 343px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdvWz-iWN2-tCh-wsboRk1eAqOdDCY1T6UMF65_O3mpOdTrhI020H50g1tO72XdpDpWj_VZ501km7sBlpbOB0YHlTIueHi2N6g-wPdPf9RcxAMCveo0IhBVURc8s-XCixERkX6Lbk9-E/s400/vid.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340237578939462722" border="0" /></a><br />For all the justified mumbles, grumbles and moans regarding the decline of local record shops - it's easy to overlook the disappearance of another small scale independent entertainment outlet. Video rental shops. The last of the indie vid's in our area shut up shop a couple of weeks ago, and until the closed sign was finally flipped forever it maintained all the required trappings and trimmings of a generic local video shop<br /><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">The 'card-full-o'-signatures' loaner system (was there ever a name for that?)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">A sticker claiming '6 (or 8) copies available' on recent releases - although all 6(or 8)copies were rarely available.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Poster splattered walls and windows.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Oddbod titles with one solo signature on the rental card 'Dunstan Checks In'</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Faded Copies of Donnie Brasco or Devil's Advocate for sale (£5)in the ex-rentals bin</span></span><br /><br />So are there any still standing near you, and what are the names please? Or do you have any cherished memories from the eighties rental boom and beyond (£50 deposit and £1 a night hire) when video shops spread across the UK faster than swine flu.<br /><br />A couple video-rewinds of mine are...<br /><br />The first wave saturation of video renters and bandwagon riders. Record shops, garages even a hardware shop (yes I was a member) were lending from their extensive overnight libraries.<br /><br />In the splatter-friendly pre-certification days, a film chosen as suitable viewing for a former girlfriend and myself by her parents (while they went out for an evening) was the full strength, unedited version of 'Cannibal Holocaust'!?!?Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-21334154059864176172009-05-18T16:50:00.021+01:002009-05-19T16:40:36.023+01:00Who Chooses The Music For Suburban Swinger Parties<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqd9kko8uMhzL99-iEZCZpy7aioURvMDuVfNLK1wBe9L9mGud7d-HeFCCP67h0XW7Vv4RsikUJEVzOcTP6o02EYwk8UekVnE_lUpY77STMR55evQpJRaYiGlTgy08jMqfAW-TLh2HUIss/s1600-h/jaybird.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 307px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqd9kko8uMhzL99-iEZCZpy7aioURvMDuVfNLK1wBe9L9mGud7d-HeFCCP67h0XW7Vv4RsikUJEVzOcTP6o02EYwk8UekVnE_lUpY77STMR55evQpJRaYiGlTgy08jMqfAW-TLh2HUIss/s400/jaybird.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5337272167710153810" /></a><br />Don't panic - I'm not thinking of throwing or going to some swinging affair. Although right now somewhere, someone (possibly even, someone you know ) will be planning and prepping a home-counties communal love-in this weekend. And like any other suburban do, there must be some pre-party production and a tick list of sorts<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">RSVPs<br />Drinks/nibbles to be bought (spicy must be off the menu)<br />Rearranging furniture<br />Tweaking the lighting <br />Choosing the music<br />Bowls for peanuts and car keys</span><br /><br />So do they add some musical colour and atmos' at these low-key local get-it-togethers? Is there a carefully picked playlist of smoochy tunes perhaps titled 'Songs For Swinging Lovers'. You couldn't risk a random shuffle could you (behave - I mean on the iPod) suppose a passion killer from the collection boomed into view - <span style="font-style:italic;">Amazing Grace, Ace Of Spades</span> or <span style="font-style:italic;">Grandad We Love You</span> ..<br /><br />On arrival is there the usual party pre-amble - "How's the job, any holidays planned" etc..and who gives the skirts-up/trousers-down signal. Surely the neighbours must rumble that something's ahoy as car-loads of unknown middle aged meddlers start pinching all the parking spaces..<br /><br />It goes on everywhere you know - there's even visual evidence of local interest activties happening in my hometown and it's surrounding suburbs<br /><br /><a href="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2235/2335902666_6faf4241e3.jpg?v=0">Barge Gladys</a> home to the family friendy Benfleet Yacht Club was notoriously outed in the Sunday papers some years back as a location for the am-cam movie 'Kym's Sea Shanty'.<br /><br />A regular reader of this blog once lent me 'Benfleet a-Go-Go' as they named it. A sort of home made have-it-away-day filmed on the Fenchurch Street to Southend line one Sunday afternoon, a hand held not-so-steadycam film of two couples making their own in-carriage entertainment .<br /><br />Even folksy Old Leigh isn't safe - the local nature reserve <a href="http://www.wildlifeextra.com/go/uk/wr-leigh.html#cr">Two Tree Island</a> is a magnet for dog walkers by day but doggers by night<br /><br />So consider this - amongst your network of friends - work, social or virtual who would you ring as the swinger of the scene. Think of it as kinky Cluedo (Lewdo - perhaps) who is the Professor Plum or Miss Scarlet? Is that a lead pipe in his pocket or is he just pleased to see her, and what caper are they hoping to carry off in the study this weekend?<br /><br />Or if you are someone hosting a communal cosy-up over the bank holiday, help yourself to <a href="http://www.megaupload.com/?d=QFLLDP8L">this</a> and think if it as something for the weekend. A <span style="font-style:italic;">very</span> cheeky compilation titled 'I'm Not Feeling Myself Tonight'- described as...<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"From under the counter, Jigoku's Lovely Jon and Quiet Village's Joel Martin present this very rude, XXX rated (and as the title suggests, a very tongue-in-cheek) limited edition mix. Expect to hear sleazy disco, dirty funk, glam rock and punk interspersed with snippets of dialogue from blue movies, 70's jazzmag flexidiscs, and more. Distinctly British and distinctly 70s, this filthy little party mix is brimming with low-budget sleaze - utterly explicit and rather politically incorrect." </span>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-33994303006447419802009-05-15T09:17:00.000+01:002009-05-15T09:19:18.327+01:00Let's R.O.C.K - All Girl Action<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpNjWW_UdLN5MSIzJIOHxDu5QPd9GP6wc-OOXQzrgkyZW64dhnpft2sUZlNipOdFtOzqZUnQYFnnmMSWTAP8r8aljVg75S2g4k6WI_Gswxzc3kJEt9Q1gxu2_GZe00HJ3GrVD0c7fsOI/s1600-h/Untitled-6.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 269px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFpNjWW_UdLN5MSIzJIOHxDu5QPd9GP6wc-OOXQzrgkyZW64dhnpft2sUZlNipOdFtOzqZUnQYFnnmMSWTAP8r8aljVg75S2g4k6WI_Gswxzc3kJEt9Q1gxu2_GZe00HJ3GrVD0c7fsOI/s400/Untitled-6.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335070542428838370" /></a><br />Girlschool - Snakes Alive the sort of hairy, scary girls that beat grown men at snooker, wear '<span style="font-style:italic;">Makin' Bacon</span>' T-shirts and keep a spare motorbike engine in the bath.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbnalCFx-dc&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/kbnalCFx-dc&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RQiJVFyN2qOlxG9DQn0GLLzoKr5-IMcoEcKxmgtjLqnc4CTMDlWWKRiOLgKYRpLqJoecSYlvwDI2bx05wf4r4MObBi10yccnkJsbL4PtkAgym3veaAjVgl3kRgvRxfra-NQMsxebCGc/s1600-h/donnas02-300.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 267px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0RQiJVFyN2qOlxG9DQn0GLLzoKr5-IMcoEcKxmgtjLqnc4CTMDlWWKRiOLgKYRpLqJoecSYlvwDI2bx05wf4r4MObBi10yccnkJsbL4PtkAgym3veaAjVgl3kRgvRxfra-NQMsxebCGc/s400/donnas02-300.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335071155362472546" /></a>The Donnas - An agit-girl-gang and Red-Bull-Bangles that only bother with boys for lighting their gaspers and popping bottle tops..<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/3SPUtyNBUbA&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/3SPUtyNBUbA&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">*Note the SG's in both vid's plank-fans cherry red and natural *</span>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-84127880210334013832009-05-13T11:14:00.013+01:002009-05-13T11:49:09.361+01:00We Have A Winner - Lewis Collins<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilYBIKnKkKRHUFtjT1CdjBi64wXzk0i4qQnrqsaTGyDYWJp1dgQgvjgeEhyphenhyphenDzrHG_RUzu3gjbWpX523nxj8jowkM5Eeta8KSqjSgQfT78daUe6p4IjA0Y_1y7PFrteBka3lF6qe6u1Es/s1600-h/lc.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 306px; height: 374px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhilYBIKnKkKRHUFtjT1CdjBi64wXzk0i4qQnrqsaTGyDYWJp1dgQgvjgeEhyphenhyphenDzrHG_RUzu3gjbWpX523nxj8jowkM5Eeta8KSqjSgQfT78daUe6p4IjA0Y_1y7PFrteBka3lF6qe6u1Es/s400/lc.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5335252876611970674" border="0" /></a><br />Well done, full marks and five house points to <a href="http://dontbelatenow.blogspot.com/">Office Pest</a> for correctly nailing our <a href="http://channelmondo.blogspot.com/2009/05/whos-not-quite-so-heavy-hitting-celeb.html">mystery man</a> as French Crop cop Lewis Collins. <br /><br />In a past life the C15 agent, had been a bass player for Mersey band The Mojo's, whose semi-hit 'Everything's Alright' was covered by Bowie on his album <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_Ups">Pin Ups</a>...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGm7g8Ea6NbVmkiiLR4NiLfTTQGqR_49KptOWV9fh3ZUz6Q4FB7I846y4WaRDCcA1cgjCN39-A0lT7UeJe3gWNyvR-jv7iwSIBqKwRrj3V6SmzZOz1ZOMJMmna_4hlS166D3vRzexM1V8/s1600-h/georgians2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGm7g8Ea6NbVmkiiLR4NiLfTTQGqR_49KptOWV9fh3ZUz6Q4FB7I846y4WaRDCcA1cgjCN39-A0lT7UeJe3gWNyvR-jv7iwSIBqKwRrj3V6SmzZOz1ZOMJMmna_4hlS166D3vRzexM1V8/s400/georgians2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333087915111153842" border="0" /></a>Top work OP - you've won a peep at the the early non car-crashing-glass-smashing <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dLFiiZM8yE">Professionals titles</a><br /><br />For my earth pounds Lewis Collins would have made the perfect follow on Bond from Roger Moore. An approach was made by the Bond production team - but....<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >"It would be nice to get back to the original Bond, not the character created by Sean Connery - but the one from the books. He's not over-handsome, over-tall. He's about my age and has got my attitudes... I was in Cubby Broccoli's office for five minutes, but it was really over for me in seconds. I have heard since that he doesn't like me. That's unfair. He's expecting another Connery to walk through the door and there are few of them around. I think he's really shut the door on me. He found me too aggressive. I knew it all -- that kind of attitude. Two or three years ago that would be the case, purely because I was nervous and defensive. I felt they were playing the producer bit with fat cigars. When someone walks into their office for the most popular film job in the world, a little actor is bound to put on a few airs. If Cubby couldn't see I was being self-protective I don't have faith in his judgment."</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/rU_29BH24h8&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/rU_29BH24h8&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />He's even got a Myspace site you know..<br /><a href="http://www.myspace.com/56246920">Lewis Collins</a>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-123409583851100552009-05-12T11:55:00.001+01:002009-05-12T11:57:34.892+01:00Who's The (Not Quite So) Heavy-Hitting Celeb?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGm7g8Ea6NbVmkiiLR4NiLfTTQGqR_49KptOWV9fh3ZUz6Q4FB7I846y4WaRDCcA1cgjCN39-A0lT7UeJe3gWNyvR-jv7iwSIBqKwRrj3V6SmzZOz1ZOMJMmna_4hlS166D3vRzexM1V8/s1600-h/georgians2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGm7g8Ea6NbVmkiiLR4NiLfTTQGqR_49KptOWV9fh3ZUz6Q4FB7I846y4WaRDCcA1cgjCN39-A0lT7UeJe3gWNyvR-jv7iwSIBqKwRrj3V6SmzZOz1ZOMJMmna_4hlS166D3vRzexM1V8/s400/georgians2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333087915111153842" border="0"></a><font size="2"><font style="font-style: italic;">Strike a pose stage left</font> </font></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDivqFiP78F17E41t-YbOZiTXO4-ciGpg_Az1PcKhj8mKKVsGFLjMhoYyaMQWkYOSUQeT1zIAkIbhbQX-wDPL0ZkTTLSCmCkwepQBJafHelc6KbAvh_zBBGU-g9sE3JIilcB5kufXrls/s1600-h/timeline01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 394px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQDivqFiP78F17E41t-YbOZiTXO4-ciGpg_Az1PcKhj8mKKVsGFLjMhoYyaMQWkYOSUQeT1zIAkIbhbQX-wDPL0ZkTTLSCmCkwepQBJafHelc6KbAvh_zBBGU-g9sE3JIilcB5kufXrls/s400/timeline01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333089887614780978" border="0"></a><font style="font-style: italic;" size="2">Strum a bass stage right</font><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"> </font> </div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Any ideas? Couple o' clues...<br /><br /><font>He hit his peak in the seventies, but not as a musician.</font><br /><br /><font>Continental readers are unlikely to be<font style="font-style: italic;"> as</font> aware of his work.</font><br /><br /><font>Bowie covered one of his band's tunes.</font></div></div>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-78783496970708968972009-05-08T10:55:00.007+01:002009-05-08T11:14:50.367+01:00It's Friday. Let's R.O.C.K<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWQPF3Gej0Ji8lhHDJOg9KmEyUcSqLjJKZV72pSqw2zN8J8gydVabe_aV8wY1wb_7QP8GChKieVgFwc3WZ8Gqd4vOOybZYDUR-hdiimu0ivSOje0KI0lTyxFiVlsnEdBTu2YvkDsr_e4/s1600-h/EaglesOfDeathMetal_Chapman_Baehler.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 397px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggWQPF3Gej0Ji8lhHDJOg9KmEyUcSqLjJKZV72pSqw2zN8J8gydVabe_aV8wY1wb_7QP8GChKieVgFwc3WZ8Gqd4vOOybZYDUR-hdiimu0ivSOje0KI0lTyxFiVlsnEdBTu2YvkDsr_e4/s400/EaglesOfDeathMetal_Chapman_Baehler.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5333389735736876098" /></a><br />EODM - Almost everything you want from a Rock Band: a gallery of tattoos, quality vintage kit and the sort of heavy-level riffing that could flatten tanks..<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/AJoIgHnShJE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/AJoIgHnShJE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Not many bands can crack the rock-o-nundrum of making squealy synths and screaming guitars work together. Electric Six can.<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/NQ9iDQ1KnM0&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/NQ9iDQ1KnM0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-7171898753511729432009-05-05T13:04:00.012+01:002009-05-06T16:17:10.935+01:00Confusement Has Occured<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEznNSxKvPPxH3o1ekNhneO1fxkDgYPnrLm2splXI1nSdr1AySHHNi8y3p1Tdg-owxnyI4OmC8XTNJeK7jwvXHsLPamyCiRMm6xbfXX9pJntkqmDJZR5Pn9d1x4sz4m00Inbg0vqEdWA/s1600-h/gandm.jpeg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 392px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSEznNSxKvPPxH3o1ekNhneO1fxkDgYPnrLm2splXI1nSdr1AySHHNi8y3p1Tdg-owxnyI4OmC8XTNJeK7jwvXHsLPamyCiRMm6xbfXX9pJntkqmDJZR5Pn9d1x4sz4m00Inbg0vqEdWA/s400/gandm.jpeg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332309775047064978" /></a><br />What's a'popping within this medley of madness? If the idea of a bespoke title theme for an Italian airing of George & Mildred (which surely should have been titled Giorgio & Moroder) isn't brain scrambling enough - consider these points...<br /><br />Was the Italian G & M a straight export version just refitted with dandy new theme?<br /><br />Or more jarringly perhaps, reworked as a continental adaptation?<br /><br />And are those two pictured (Abba meets Borat) the actors or singers?<br /><br />How did the 'composers' get away reformatting 10CC's Dreadlock Holiday into this number without getting walloped?<br /><br />Where does 'Gin and Tonic' come into it?<br /><br />*Goes purple and faints from the giddy overload*<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M0qQeJSJvLY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M0qQeJSJvLY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-5031092870909142392009-04-21T14:46:00.004+01:002009-04-21T17:25:12.736+01:00Run For Your Lives...<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ur2IKJxjt7ilZ6mQJq0jgl2OCVXJ9NiRfa2Vjukqnr7GDEAigfg9llAVpNPQ0txYYUsz9o1thWN6dzll0sMQcul20xAwKnQCHNblpi6G0i7MIBPyonDQENUGWTOkU49UA3eQKFuSXOQ/s1600-h/frankie.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 284px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9ur2IKJxjt7ilZ6mQJq0jgl2OCVXJ9NiRfa2Vjukqnr7GDEAigfg9llAVpNPQ0txYYUsz9o1thWN6dzll0sMQcul20xAwKnQCHNblpi6G0i7MIBPyonDQENUGWTOkU49UA3eQKFuSXOQ/s400/frankie.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5327140854045090962" border="0" /></a><br />My <a href="http://channelmondo.blogspot.com/2007/11/weird-fantasy-guest-list.html">neighbour</a> from two doors up (literally) has got himself on the blog-buzz and fired off two shiny new numbers into the blogosphere...<br /><br /><a href="http://apatchworkofflesh.blogspot.com/">A Patchwork of Flesh</a> - where you can send in/trade your Frankenstein based artwork ( my contribution is above. I may call it 'Frankilyn')<br /><br /><a href="http://pinhead45.blogspot.com/">Pinhead 45</a> posting tunes, tales and artwork.<br /><br />Why not pop on over and have a peep...<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">New York Dolls - Frankenstein</span><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/lvsr8La0_iw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/lvsr8La0_iw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-9680022434304249902009-04-09T09:38:00.018+01:002009-04-09T11:02:22.769+01:00Right, I'll Be Off Then<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNgJwI1rJ2CRb_YhV-tgf1erH-hPw7MHqtYTgQ5AeAsWMGjs-vT6qWxjPpMKGHX77rzk086tG_jovlppKNgZUr0jDUkfXhmPyvyDk_VAGS9-2t3INgSQ0xzlk6aQYuXWhGZp97U7PumI/s1600-h/winter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 382px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUNgJwI1rJ2CRb_YhV-tgf1erH-hPw7MHqtYTgQ5AeAsWMGjs-vT6qWxjPpMKGHX77rzk086tG_jovlppKNgZUr0jDUkfXhmPyvyDk_VAGS9-2t3INgSQ0xzlk6aQYuXWhGZp97U7PumI/s400/winter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5305573776020293234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Photo by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/uglypet/sets/72157614108713321/">Bleech</a> - he's made The Observer you know</span></span><br /></div><br />Well, that’s my lot for now and the holiday handbrake is officially ‘on’, as I'm heading north for a few days break next week. One of the CDs soundtracking the trip is a homemade comp ‘<span style="font-style: italic;">Last Of The Winter Mixtures</span>’ - posted as part of the occasional Lazy Sunday series that appear <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/search/label/lazy%20sunday">here</a>.<br /><br />LOTWM is a lightly chilled selection with a slight (unintentional) northern theme throughout.If you fancy anymore of my Mondo Mixes they’re available <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/search/label/mini%20mix">here</a>, or via my Facebook photo albums - apart from that I’ll leave you with a blast from my favourite new band Evolved Monkey.<br /><br />So have a tip top Easter and I’ll be back soon(ish)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">PS - by coincidence, guess who made <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbarchers/F2693943?thread=6465958&skip=20&show=20">The Archers Forum </a>this week (I'm mentioned in message 30) </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/6619869-f22">Last Of The Winter Mixtures</a><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" width="335" height="28"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=6619869-f22"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=6619869-f22" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="335" height="28"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Roy Budd - Carter Takes A Train<br />John Martyn - Smiling Stranger<br />Yves Montand - Pour Faire le Portrait d´un Oiseau<br />Serge Gainsbourg - Melody<br />Minnie Riperton - Take A Little Trip<br />Dennis Hoppers Choppers - Ballad Of Fu Manchu and The Red Bride<br />Harsh Reality - How Do You Feel<br />Money Mark - Cry<br />Gather Round Children - Yoko In Idaho (Sufjan Stevens and Beatles mashup)<br />The Beatles - Flying<br />Stina Nordenstam - On Falling<br />Air - Soldissimo<br />Ian Brown - F.E.A.R<br />Easy All Stars - Karma Police<br />Baltic Fleet - 48 Hour Drive (Boston)<br />Boards Of Canada - Dayvan Cowboy<br />Soundhog - The Doves Are Mine</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/gqn9LfwaCx4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/gqn9LfwaCx4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-6681546238945551832009-04-02T14:26:00.011+01:002009-04-03T17:27:34.079+01:00Hit The North - But Where?<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11npXMPUiWXMJOY7YpJg2jL-HhFs8Iimgg9hQ0cryPINdYtKiDDRP5zAS-GKErj-_K2ZUYDl2-KxoIxiOug0f1MexKTmGtidHd1D6v_x7Pdo9lu1UFc9Qrp6f8aMF3BjvO0jYYN6kDD0/s1600-h/lsow.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 263px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11npXMPUiWXMJOY7YpJg2jL-HhFs8Iimgg9hQ0cryPINdYtKiDDRP5zAS-GKErj-_K2ZUYDl2-KxoIxiOug0f1MexKTmGtidHd1D6v_x7Pdo9lu1UFc9Qrp6f8aMF3BjvO0jYYN6kDD0/s400/lsow.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5320101579594723586" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Northern Rockers</span></span><br /></div><br />I’m heading north to Yorkshire for a few days after Easter (between Holmfirth and Huddersfield). During my Civil Service days I regularly buzzed through all parts northern, popping into hotspots and hubs like the Customs Houses or VAT Sub-Offices of Crewe, Blackburn and Wigan. Trips that came with the added bonus of a creative 'travel and subbies' system, - a great way to squeeze out a few extra earth pounds towards bulking up that budding CD collection.<br /><br />But that was a million years ago, and I haven’t been up north since '97 when we camped in Castleton and had a spot of bother with mad Manchester axeman (yes, really) – I’ve found out since Castleon was the location for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzqYAS-0Dbw">this</a> Italian Splatter Pic’ – If only I’d known before.<br /><br />I’ve got four days and open agenda apart from a visit to Huddersfield to see the site of the Sex Pistols final UK gig in '77 (was Ivanhoe’s Nightclub- is now a Lidls). And a stop off on the way up to have a real Bakewall pudding (you can’t call them ‘tarts ‘in Bakewell). So, any dos, don’ts or sites to see while doing my great north run would be massively appreciated…<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">PS Holmfirth and Haworth are probably on the cards too…</span><br /><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/9AShsOgwCG0&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/9AShsOgwCG0&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-21117352217784115052009-03-30T12:52:00.008+01:002009-03-31T17:38:59.902+01:00The Internet Is Broken<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigd-rRkxb-N-LDkHQoinbju8AuiPWymMjPfVWeDMvGAw7IMk-cFve2aFSnqwCjfobJw3kpMtOUNgodwN_rfg1bBTITp3s4MZkGz-WdskVKHS8Nmzf-kRGITmW3mCyViGhQCMrNXHVPlTc/s1600-h/hopeless.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 393px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigd-rRkxb-N-LDkHQoinbju8AuiPWymMjPfVWeDMvGAw7IMk-cFve2aFSnqwCjfobJw3kpMtOUNgodwN_rfg1bBTITp3s4MZkGz-WdskVKHS8Nmzf-kRGITmW3mCyViGhQCMrNXHVPlTc/s400/hopeless.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5318950402031479602" border="0" /></a><br />I changed ISPs last week - and during the crossover, had one day without any Interweb connectivity at home. I say one day, actually it was just one evening. But, for that handful of hours I don't think I've ever felt so cut-off, disconnected and cold turkey-ish. Unbelievable.<br /><br />Holidays, sick leave etc... you factor in days away from the mainframe. Getting unexpectedly dropped is like Superman being stripped of his powers. No email, music downloads, bidding, browsing or blogging.<br /><br />TV I can take or leave (when I take, I generally see why I leave). Radio I'll dip and dunk now and again. But the Internet is surely the most addictive of all plug-in-drugs, and so locked and loaded into your lifestyle - it's almost impossible to be without.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Meri Wilson - Internet Man</span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xBCwBCQOnmk&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xBCwBCQOnmk&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-77132893300496445882009-03-17T13:00:00.005+00:002009-03-17T13:06:10.630+00:00Something To Declare - Not For The Squeamish<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoIbSqDS4s17xf6zU1vgSjOyfIBfDx5pVk2PELP01nX2RtBgthhSJhyphenhyphenRs86sjs0r-XHw9gVYYtUvdduVojZPTq6zunSbQ-KbTuJ99bYFALQOUgUIuvjUgNTk40Vp7qNsTw6DrdQceFHE/s1600-h/rubber-glove-431.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEoIbSqDS4s17xf6zU1vgSjOyfIBfDx5pVk2PELP01nX2RtBgthhSJhyphenhyphenRs86sjs0r-XHw9gVYYtUvdduVojZPTq6zunSbQ-KbTuJ99bYFALQOUgUIuvjUgNTk40Vp7qNsTw6DrdQceFHE/s400/rubber-glove-431.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5314140994685042338" /></a><br />Every area of employment must have it's own career related horror stories. You know, the sort of niche/job specific, urban myths, late night legends or even occasionally true tales that are related and reheated with shifty whispers and knowing nods.<br /><br />In a former life I was a low-level civil servant working in the Train-The-Trainers department of Customs and Excise, where most of the senior staff, trainers or managers had served some sort of stretch in <span style="font-style: italic;">The Field</span> being based at ports, airports or the Investigations Division (C&E's equivalent of The Sweeney) keeping a stealthy eye out for smugglers, stuffers and swallowers. A few of the tales told at leaving dos or seasonal drink-ups included...<br /><br />A manager I worked under, who had previously been based at Dover (in the pre H & S 80s) was regularly required to carry out strip searches on any pulled-in suspects. His cut-off point came at lifting their 'old fella' with a ruler. If he hadn't found anything by then - they could keep it.<br /><br />Part of the training for new field staff included role-play strip searches on volunteers (usually the same over-fifties volunteers everytime). I say role play but the searchees were completely starkers during the searches, with one of the ladies stow-it-away specialisms including tucking a pencil under the folds of her heavyset chest, where it usually stayed undiscovered everytime.<br /><br />Now this one may be a shaggy dog story, but, I only heard it once while at Customs, and have never heard variations or re-tellings of it since - so you never know.<br /><br />Medics became a legal requirement at strip searches after an incident where, a thread was spotted trailing party popper style from a suspects Parsons Nose. The over-zealous Customs Officer taking it as the sure-fire sign of a 'stuffer' grabbed the cotton whipping it out with the force of someone starting an outboard motor. The suspect collapsed concertina-style as the thread had been the tail end of internal stitches..<br /><br />I could add intestines being sucked into aeroplane loos, clear perspex toilets to collect swallowers deposits, an overpowering lack of personal hygiene employed by stuffers to put people off the scent - literally. But perhaps I'll save those treats for next time..<br /><br />Enjoy your lunchMondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-48098331819350523222009-03-06T09:20:00.009+00:002009-05-27T21:18:46.883+01:00A Magical History Tour of King's Road's Hipsters and Hitmakers<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEXyA8gCU2Ugu0RXqj3wZ5kR3dsVvDRtEfFwEg6l-VtOayYbRECyc5A0a3vRLUlxstpg180dF0ooQtDuqAWkVFqnowDFXOCYlT3a2a9wF40hhFnAvSCQeOb5x-ntq-l_2ngsoWMb9wTo/s1600-h/granny2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 324px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKEXyA8gCU2Ugu0RXqj3wZ5kR3dsVvDRtEfFwEg6l-VtOayYbRECyc5A0a3vRLUlxstpg180dF0ooQtDuqAWkVFqnowDFXOCYlT3a2a9wF40hhFnAvSCQeOb5x-ntq-l_2ngsoWMb9wTo/s400/granny2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309815089205405698" border="0" /></a><br />There really is no other street in London quite like King's Road, it's an area so saturated with rock royalty, drama queens, designers and sites of special pop-culture interest, that you're never more than a few meters shy of some heavy-hitting historical location. I don't think it's an over-exaggeration to suggest that no other post code has shaped what we watch, wear, listen to and laugh at quite like SW3. You may not have been to King's Road, but the offspring and influences from this spawning ground of sounds and styles - will have stealthily woven it's way into your life somehow.<br /><br />With a one way walk (of 1.4 miles) from Sloane Square to Edith Grove. It's possible to complete a tick-list of London undergrounders and embryonic icons including :Angry Young Men, Beatles, Bolan, Dracula, Droogs, Feminists, It Girls, proto-punks, Pythons, Rocky Horror, Stones and Ziggy Stardust.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">So, starting from Sloane Square then</span>...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.royalcourttheatre.com/">The Royal Court Theatre</a><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">John Osbourne's Look Back In Anger premiered at the RCT in 1956, the success of the play payrolled the production of Saturday Night Saturday Morning movie, which in turn, kick-started the 'Kitchen Sink' genre. </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Almost ten years on David Frost spotted</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> Michael Palin and Terry Jones, starring in a '65 Oxford Revue and invited them to join the writing team for The Frost Report, a team that included Graham Chapman, John Cleese and Eric Idle. And </span><span style="font-size:100%;">in 1973</span> <span style="font-size:100%;">The Rocky Horror Show made it's flouncy debut.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">138a King's Road</span><br />The site of Mary Quant's first boutique 'Bazaar' - which opened in 1955. <span style="font-style: italic;"><br /></span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Now a West Cornwall Pasty shop</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFgoYFaNieJ9vMCifZvQ21us3NWXF-eoorefyk-kI__bNt-IJIvwEI4Jqob3hGxgJ1MMdPlb182yj_2xLxYcMl_1C8rLNApdg2mgx-N35omwAquChIErmmFt8hry2kD4G1iVKGXQKAbE/s1600-h/quant.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 251px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipFgoYFaNieJ9vMCifZvQ21us3NWXF-eoorefyk-kI__bNt-IJIvwEI4Jqob3hGxgJ1MMdPlb182yj_2xLxYcMl_1C8rLNApdg2mgx-N35omwAquChIErmmFt8hry2kD4G1iVKGXQKAbE/s320/quant.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309720304913715154" border="0" /></a><br />A few doors up, at <span style="font-weight: bold;">152 </span>you'll find <a href="http://rbkc.gov.uk/vmgallery/general/medium.asp?gallery=vm_blue_plaques&img=blue_plaques/thumb/vm_bp_0124.jpg&size=medium&caller=vm_blue_plaques_gallery.asp&cpg=14&tpg=16">The Pheasantry</a>. A rat-run of shabby flats in the mid-to-late sixties, but home to Germaine Greer, Clive James, Eric Clapton and Martin Sharp (designer of Disraeli Gears and Oz Magazine<span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >) - </span><span style="font-size:100%;">A location, that a few decades before had been the </span>Russian Dancing Academy<span style="font-size:100%;"> - attended by</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > </span>a young Dame Margot Fonteyn<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Now a Pizza Express</span><br /><br />Just across the road at <span style="font-weight: bold;">49</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">King's Road</span> once stood The Chelsea Drugstore. Referenced in the Stones song <a href="http://www.lyrics007.com/Rolling%20Stones%20Lyrics/You%20Can%27t%20Always%20Get%20What%20You%20Want%20Lyrics.html">You Can't Always Get What You Want</a>, and used for a several <a href="http://www.johncoulthart.com/feuilleton/2006/04/13/alex-in-the-chelsea-drug-store/"> interiors </a>in Stanley Kubrick's Clockwork Orange.<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Now a McDonalds</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlRUeF7VZO4HwltwQNf-1bICKVJfuXCmwVoW7DqICK3n0mqLiP2OxxXG8q-3UrDcBLqjpEfPGxashHzv-DgOhNtSLUxSxgsE7cr9Ch2nTOyk8gWg0uvBXIQ2yoOvqbExzwgz2O6cTrog/s1600-h/alex.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 188px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGlRUeF7VZO4HwltwQNf-1bICKVJfuXCmwVoW7DqICK3n0mqLiP2OxxXG8q-3UrDcBLqjpEfPGxashHzv-DgOhNtSLUxSxgsE7cr9Ch2nTOyk8gWg0uvBXIQ2yoOvqbExzwgz2O6cTrog/s320/alex.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309721054454706130" border="0" /></a><br />Staying on the south side, a short hop takes you to <span>number</span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> 85 </span>, former home of <a href="http://www.geocities.com/barbarellas_club/greatgearmarket.html">The Great Gear Market</a>. A dingy network of Leather Shops (the Boys Town type), Antenna hairdressers (the birthplace of extensions), Rusty Egan's Record Cage, Tik and Tok's clothing shop.. an eighties hang-out for all alt.types<br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;font-size:85%;" >Now a Marks and Spencer</span><br /><br />If you're feeling peckish, why not pop in to <a href="http://russelldavies.typepad.com/ateaandathink/2004/06/picassos_kings_.html">Picasso's</a> at <span style="font-weight: bold;">127</span> for a bite? It's one of London's endangered species - an original fifties coffee bar, that's not been Starbucked. Yet.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Flood Street</span> is next on the left, and Chelsea Manor Studios at 1 - 11, the site of the Sgt. Pepper's photo-shoot .<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRPtvZQScows5M9r706PCOwVaKGTh6wn7PZoQGxClYEBzb9voEuPFN4y9nEMdpCKHiI4QWP5bebTALeXHek_YxgMuqMmtLVMGacbiXM5QUTiaplghoePyfsXEHH1HWLpoU_Aguk4PV3Q/s1600-h/Pepper's.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 325px; height: 325px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpRPtvZQScows5M9r706PCOwVaKGTh6wn7PZoQGxClYEBzb9voEuPFN4y9nEMdpCKHiI4QWP5bebTALeXHek_YxgMuqMmtLVMGacbiXM5QUTiaplghoePyfsXEHH1HWLpoU_Aguk4PV3Q/s400/Pepper's.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309719113772719458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">One more Beatles </span><span style="font-style: italic;">location to </span><span style="font-style: italic;">come Fabs fan's </span></span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">153, </span>now Ad-Hoc, but used to be punk-turned-eighties favourite <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/2008/01/blackmail-boy.html">BOY</a>. Head west along King's Road and you'll soon come to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Oakley Street</span> - I would recommend looping south to <span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheyne Walk</span> and ticking off...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Oakley Street</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">89 - Bowies seventies house of residence<br />87 - Lady Wilde, mother of Oscar Wilde. And Later, George Best<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cheyne Walk</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">48 - Mick Jagger's house '68-75<br />27 - Bram Stoker</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">3 - Keith Richards until '78</span><br /><br />Back on King's Road, keep heading west and take a left into <span style="font-weight: bold;">Old Church Street</span> looking <span>for </span><span style="font-weight: bold;">46a</span> and<em></em> Sound Techniques Studios - it's no longer used for recording, but while active produced a pitch perfect pedigree of - Floyd's 'Syd' period singles, and classic albums like : Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left, Bryter Later, John Martyn - Bless The Weather, Solid Air, Fairport -Liege and Leaf.<br /><br />A jump to the north side of the street takes you to The Vale, and another The Beatles site - Robert Whitakers Studio at 1A being the site of the 'butcher' sleeve photo shoot..<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8XjC5rZqp8UzQ3JGI1NmaFX82YitY-eu8HwoxxzlKvZ63awnkHyqHJEGE-yM4dT3ItTmbrW24yS-ywWVq16-Axv4hRu-fQiTkJ5twGXMk_qC90QBu6kXrmno1oKBHfQwaqXmum50rTo/s1600-h/butch.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 282px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_8XjC5rZqp8UzQ3JGI1NmaFX82YitY-eu8HwoxxzlKvZ63awnkHyqHJEGE-yM4dT3ItTmbrW24yS-ywWVq16-Axv4hRu-fQiTkJ5twGXMk_qC90QBu6kXrmno1oKBHfQwaqXmum50rTo/s320/butch.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309732487115433394" border="0" /></a><br />Stay on this side for <span style="font-weight: bold;">380, </span>where in the seventies Marc Bolan was a regular at Alkasura (closed long ago) for most of his swishy bits and satin jackets..<br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkO0htttt5ENkvjd9WS-6K4JJLEuOMERE-bpdX1iIQyG_NGV_TxqlBTviCztfvg8xpfZ8MAgamrrxXpHQnGUi9nh4ZoerzCbwkRlRI_O27JMCDueDrMDBy4bLdVAxXcu3C0ZhXmkVzvg/s1600-h/star-parade.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNkO0htttt5ENkvjd9WS-6K4JJLEuOMERE-bpdX1iIQyG_NGV_TxqlBTviCztfvg8xpfZ8MAgamrrxXpHQnGUi9nh4ZoerzCbwkRlRI_O27JMCDueDrMDBy4bLdVAxXcu3C0ZhXmkVzvg/s320/star-parade.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309854080419163666" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Marc Bolan in his</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > Alkasura</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" > jacket </span><br /><br /></div>Round the bend, and into the World's End stretch of the street. Where nestling next to the Chelsea Conservative Club, like a neighbour from a hell, is <span style="font-weight: bold;">430 King's Road</span> - the birthing pool of Punk. McLaren and Westwood moved in 1972, setting up shop as Let It Rock and selling fifties collectables and creepers to Teddy Boys. But it was the shops refitting and reformatting as SEX that pulled punk's earliest groovers and shakers - the art-school Bowie/Roxy crowd and safety pinned estate urchins - into it's orbit of Hate-Couture<br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Still Vivienne Westwood - Hurrah!</span></span><br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CNPHk0eTa5k&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CNPHk0eTa5k&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Finally the sixties 'scene' shop <a href="http://www.roughtrade.com/site/shop_detail.lasso?search_type=sku&sku=273658">Granny Takes A Trip</a> was sited at <span style="font-weight: bold;">488</span>, and just around the corner you'll find<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>the<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>young Rolling Stones notoriously sqalid lodgings at <span style="font-weight: bold;">102 Edith Grove.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDoYl5a5YjdOZdyXHduAIM9ad6sIRsRgrMPGRQCq38GrLIjW5Oa2tLIMDuWsPPh7ZF4RP97y61X-Y0ofZZXqUk7uoofmissTsKIk70sK-RvqrBWeYnKGGgIlpI0sEkjDoMOrVci0ooXw/s1600-h/102.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXDoYl5a5YjdOZdyXHduAIM9ad6sIRsRgrMPGRQCq38GrLIjW5Oa2tLIMDuWsPPh7ZF4RP97y61X-Y0ofZZXqUk7uoofmissTsKIk70sK-RvqrBWeYnKGGgIlpI0sEkjDoMOrVci0ooXw/s320/102.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309742749784706146" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I could cram in James Bond's unamed square, Duke Ellington's earliest recordings, Judy Garland's death, George Melly and Quentin Crisp, The Killing of Sister Georgie, Don Letts and Acme Attractions, The Who, John Barry, Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, Mozart, James Whistler, Edith Sitwell and the invention of cotton but, perhaps I'll save that lot for later..<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/tBq7icqGxB4&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/tBq7icqGxB4&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-34197752312830737512009-02-27T11:53:00.004+00:002009-02-27T12:04:21.572+00:00If only 'Strictly' was like this<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7NyrpxDWMBFk-J8oCYtRpbFFjB3ZEolLGtlvL4jg-uYFRDLPiuzdqvFNDSGoPcavwCUd_kO8B6Ki4R6MtJEASsCzMalFhCR6HTPCWuJFXO0gfIwoaYCTY9gqKbXpTxeMQ2v4hXcoS8Y/s1600-h/lindy_hop2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 394px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC7NyrpxDWMBFk-J8oCYtRpbFFjB3ZEolLGtlvL4jg-uYFRDLPiuzdqvFNDSGoPcavwCUd_kO8B6Ki4R6MtJEASsCzMalFhCR6HTPCWuJFXO0gfIwoaYCTY9gqKbXpTxeMQ2v4hXcoS8Y/s400/lindy_hop2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307446399711605282" /></a><br />Could these be the most explosive dance sequences ever filmed? Two routines of rug-cutting so heavy-level, high-flying, fast and furious it's like Jackie Chan goes Cha-cha-cha.. However, if you know of a moment with more bounce-per-ounce in some other way - please feel free to cut in with a gentleman's excuse me<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/mTg5V2oA_hY&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/mTg5V2oA_hY&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Be warned - you may suffer from a touch of motion sickness after the one minute mark<br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/W8fokMoXLnE&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/W8fokMoXLnE&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-71245066835667797212009-02-18T10:28:00.010+00:002009-02-18T10:46:26.358+00:00Why Do I Love Cosy Local Radio?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIdjbhR0k_U9yPbA2LHpCaIx0BhLJuWJSVYf4jlaDPsTUIls05l1GrY9jNshe5FTwYff_R5OJuk56vSPkkhQAj5a73pEJldMe_p2f0Et2cklwTPz882g6B9cRPO4VNoSBU3xyiWI5jPI/s1600-h/radio2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaIdjbhR0k_U9yPbA2LHpCaIx0BhLJuWJSVYf4jlaDPsTUIls05l1GrY9jNshe5FTwYff_R5OJuk56vSPkkhQAj5a73pEJldMe_p2f0Et2cklwTPz882g6B9cRPO4VNoSBU3xyiWI5jPI/s400/radio2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303798449976965666" /></a><br />Partly because of it's inclusiveness - the way it's an open forum to phone in, get involved and become an on air have-a-go-hero - <span style="font-style: italic;">although I never understand the dreary Deidre and constipated callers that have to be prodded and pocked to draw out a weary 'yes' or 'no'</span> - I was on a couple of weekends back, growling about dangerous dogs and have previous form for jabberings about my <a href="http://image.www.rakuten.co.jp/chevella/img10472073449.jpeg">Starsky trainers</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/reader/1853756008/ref=sib_dp_pt#reader-link">seventies fashions</a>..<br /><br />However the <span style="font-style:italic;">real</span> highlight is a Sunday morning show 'The BBC Essex Years'. A show that indulges the listener with a full two hour rundown of the top twenty from one random year - padded with ad's and local news from the time. The fifties and sixties can lean towards a lumpy listen, but the seventies are solid gold - and somewhere I've picked up on these pieces of pure pop magic - <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/2008/07/hello-sailor.html">Sail On Sailor</a>, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUS46jG_en4">T.S.O.P</a> and this peachy treat from last Sunday's 1972 show....<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6rFSYg7--bI&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6rFSYg7--bI&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">In case you're interested that full February 15th chart rundown looked like this - a cross-section of quality pop, that proves they really don't make 'em like they used to....</span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br />01 - Chicory Tip - Son Of My Father <br />02 - T.Rex - Telegram Sam<br />03 - The Chi-Lites - Have You Seen Her<br />04 - Slade - Look Wot You Dun<br />05 - Neil Reid - Mother Of Mine<br />06 - Don McLean - American Pie<br />07 - The New Seekers - I'd Like To Teach The World To Sing (In Perfect Harmony)<br />08- Sonny And Cher - All I Ever Need Is You<br />09 - Fortunes - Storm In A Teacup<br />10 - Al Green - Let's Stay Together<br />11 - America - Horse With No Name<br />12 - Greyhound - Moon River<br />13 - Badfinger - Day After Day<br />14 - Melanie - Brand New Key<br />15 - Bread - Baby I'm A Want You<br />16 - Nilsson - Without You<br />17 - The Bee Gees - My World<br />18 - Sly And The Family Stone - Family Affair<br />19 - Donnie Elbert - Where Did Our Love Go<br />20 - Stevie Wonder - If You Really Love Me</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Chart stats from the might site </span><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.chartstats.com/chart.php?week=19720219">chartstats.com</a>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-78388039524722305252009-02-13T00:24:00.005+00:002009-02-13T17:30:51.594+00:00Stress Down Friday - French Letters (or Gitanes Moi Non Plus)<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixl1rRujivG-2Nn9xtsXJzjwzL2ntE6DmGC5Qy1LxVHVO22rR-qhE3u_WwNiPCa1NGquzn_y6Lx63sJzpcC4xcxsFY2wjNWvhgp1kllK3H00Q_cgn_jJBn6hi1lEemvNyMtxjug5_si_0/s1600-h/jane2.jpg"><br /><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 272px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixl1rRujivG-2Nn9xtsXJzjwzL2ntE6DmGC5Qy1LxVHVO22rR-qhE3u_WwNiPCa1NGquzn_y6Lx63sJzpcC4xcxsFY2wjNWvhgp1kllK3H00Q_cgn_jJBn6hi1lEemvNyMtxjug5_si_0/s400/jane2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301865258285368370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">How did he do it?</span></span><br /></div>What with the 'V' word just around the tomorrow's corner, a seasonal slinky soother could be just what the <span style="font-style: italic;">Écouter</span> ordered. And there's none more slinky and soothing than a splash of Serge Gainsbourg. I don't understand a single syllable of his smokily mumbled mutterings (with the exception of a unexpectedly jarring - "<span style="font-style: italic;">MERDE</span>!"). Maybe he's reading from a Ready Reckoner, the Periodical Tables or selected highlights from the <a href="http://planetmondo.blogspot.com/2009/02/funky-friday-planes-trains-automobiles.html">Highway Code</a> - but, whatever he's on about, it's getting him all smoochy doo, and Pepe Le Pew. <br /><br />Or perhaps, it could be, that almost anything said in French is given the heated underglow of suggestion and smoulder .<br /><br /><span style="font-size:100%;">As a <span style="font-style: italic;">note en bas de page</span> Mrs PM once claimed, given the choice between <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/truusbobjantoo/3171637672/sizes/m/">Sasha Distel</a> and <a href="http://www.itusozluk.com/img.php/2c10deffe250f7deddc3fdae532b626212006/serge+gainsbourg">Serge</a> she'd go for Gainsbourg</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> !<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-style: italic;">*</span><span style="font-size:100%;">Makes theatrical gulp, and arm wrestles with what this says about self*</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Fin</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.divshare.com/download/6537465-491">Serge Gainsbourg - Melody</a><br /><br /><object classid="clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000" codebase="http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=8,0,0,0" id="divplaylist" width="335" height="28"><param name="movie" value="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=6537465-491"><embed src="http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=6537465-491" name="divplaylist" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" width="335" height="28"></embed></object>Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2787318184303967296.post-45080035104407815552009-02-09T12:45:00.008+00:002009-05-27T21:18:46.885+01:00Shop Idol<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_PGMr-xqrHB3tY4pBLKjcpxZ7jL2f1Pkl8MOW0Bw5D5Whaz-ezggBIVYzWuUwh87HWYVap6kYefM-PLOnjDqj9hBdX2gmLM-6snRGmGBQa-P0JVDza0J6nia6WvZJ3wDGQmrHpngZHs/s1600-h/wokthisway.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 303px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgx_PGMr-xqrHB3tY4pBLKjcpxZ7jL2f1Pkl8MOW0Bw5D5Whaz-ezggBIVYzWuUwh87HWYVap6kYefM-PLOnjDqj9hBdX2gmLM-6snRGmGBQa-P0JVDza0J6nia6WvZJ3wDGQmrHpngZHs/s400/wokthisway.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300778314992322722" border="0" /></a>Shamelessly apeing from Piley's <a href="http://piley.blogspot.com/2009/02/i-name-this-shop.html">recent post</a> about band-names-adapted-for-shop-names..<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Toilet rolls and tissues - Bums & Noses<br />punk delicatessen - Ham 69<br />Goth Japanese Restaurant - Sushi and The Banshees </span><br /><br />I thought I'd give it a wallop myself by reformatting song titles into shops.<br /><br /><span>Stannah Stairlift Installations - Chairway To Heaven<br />Tanning Salon - Hey Mr Tangerine Man<br />Camping Supplies - Anoraky In The UK<br />Building Repairs - Brick Up The Pieces<br />Fish and Chips - Cod Only Knows </span><br /><br />But I'm sure you could do much, much better..Mondohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11199468951602465556noreply@blogger.com7