Moving Out

You'd think I'd be used to this by now.  This will be the 7th time in the last 10 years and, as all my stuff is being stored,  I know I will have yet another move before I find somewhere to settle down. 

I'm looking forward to that as I have been separated from my record collection for the last 5 years. It's being stored at my parents.  I pay it a visit from time to time and usually find an LP or CD that I forgot I had.  I can't wait to get it back once and for all. Hopefully it won't be too long now before we are reunited and my parents get their spare bedroom back!

It's sad to be leaving here after nearly 2 years but it's time to move on.  I think I will miss the garden and all it's visitors the most. The fox, the Goldfinches and the butterflies have been great to watch and I've spent quite a lot of time out there doing exactly that. 

I'll also miss it's location.  The easy access to the canal and train station and just the general greenery of the area, although last week one of the neighbours cut down a beautiful willow tree that has been there for as long as I can remember.  It's really altered the view down the road now.

This is where the fun bit starts. My ideal place would still have a canal and train station at hand but would also have a decent pub nearby as well as a bookies and a bakery.  The area needs to have lots of trees and green spaces. I don't want to be out in the sticks. Need a town or city close by for gigs, theatre etc. Any suggestions?  I can't wait to start looking!

A very weird thing has happened.  I started writing this earlier and stopped when the removal van arrived. At the same time, another van pulled up opposite and nailed a for sale sign to the fence over the road.I'm not sure who owns the land opposite.  I think it was once part of the pub gardens and is basically just full of trees.  It's what I look out onto. It is is weird because I had been writing about the greenery and the willow tree being cut down and now all the trees over the road are in danger of being cut down too and the land developed.  I have taken this as a sign that it really is time to move on.  It will be a sad day when they go.

So, the majority of stuff has now been moved. The removal men were fantastic and the whole thing was done within 2 hours as I hadn't got far to go. Great stuff.  A weekend of finishing off and then it will all be done.  A new start!  It's exciting.

The Secret Garden - Brueton Park

Went to see an outdoor production of The Secret Garden last night.  Held in Brueton Park it's a lovely way to spend a summer evening.     

If you are unfamiliar with the story it tells tale of a proud and headstrong girl discovering some of life’s lessons as a consequence of stumbling upon her Uncle’s secret garden.

The cast of Heartbreak productions were fantastic and really managed to draw you into the story which is not an easy thing to do with all the distractions of a public park.  They also managed to keep the kids entertained, again not an easy task.

I like that they are already in character when you arrive, directing people to their seats and milling about the crowd. The small cast of 5 were faultless in their performance and the set, although minimal, is a work of engineering genius. You go from garden to bedroom and back again with just one or two panels been put up or taken down.

I don't know much about the company other than that they perform outdoor events throughout the summer.  You can check out their website here.

We sat near the front of the stage, on blankets. People seated on chairs sat behind.  There was a good turnout, a mixture of all ages.  Family groups, couples and friends. All of whom seemed to enjoy it.

Clare had packed a lovely picnic and so as the play got underway I sat eating olives and drinking gin and tonic.  It was a perfect evening.  The weather which had been cloudy all day had given way to a lovely evening sky which was great  as last year we got soaked watching Wind in the Willows.

Following the performance we strolled back through the park in the twilight before making our way home.

The Diggs - Everyone’s Starting Over Free Download

I quite like this. I found it on freeindie.com. It's also quite appropriate for me this week as I'm packing up and moving out.  I am starting over. Apparently everyone's doing it!

I don't really know much about the band but if you'd like to learn more you can check out there Myspace page below.
http://www.myspace.com/thediggs

Everyone's Starting Over - The Diggs mp3

A Quiet Weekend

Having a lazy day today.  A bit of TV, some music, maybe a bit of reading.  Nice day.

Yesterday, was also a nice day but rather than being a lazy day it was a 10 mile walk.  Down the canal. This time from Knowle to Hatton Locks. 

The weather was perfect for walking and the scenery was great (not walked part of this stretch before).  It takes in Lapworth and Shrewley including Shrewley tunnel.  The tunnel is quite impressive. 396 metres long it goes under the village of Shrewley. The towpath has a tunnel of it's own that rises sharply and takes you up on to the road (and a small shop to grab yourself a cold drink).  You join the canal on the other side. 

A couple of miles further down you reach Hatton Locks.  21 of them in all in less than 2 miles.  It's an impressive site. but I imagine quite daunting if you have to negotiate them on a narrow boat. There is a small cafe at the locks and seems a popular place for people to drive, cycle or walk to.  It's a lovely little place and when we arrived we had a cup of coffee and a packet of crisps to celebrate our achievement!


A quarter mile walk back along the canal to the train station and then back to Solihull.  Whilst outside the train station (waiting for the bus home) 3 buses pulled up. People jumped off and started taking photos of them. 2 in the old Birmingham Corporation livery and one in Coventry livery.  Apparently it was the last journey of the Metrobus. Taken out of service a few months ago this was a chance for people to say goodbye.  I'm not really into buses but it was nice to see them one last time and, as I had my camera with me, I did take a couple of pictures

Stratford Upon Avon - Butterfly Farm

Stratford, Shakespeare's birth place.  It's not a place to go on a weekend or a Bank Holiday.  You can't move for tourists.  Whether it be USA, Japan, Spain or from just down the road like Birmingham or Coventry.  The weekend arrives and everyone heads to Stratford.  If the sun is shining it's even worse. It's always best to go in the week.  Visitors from abroad are still present but there are a lot less local tourists which at least allows you some room to breathe.

If it wasn't for Shakespeare Stratford would be like any other town but it does have one thing that no one else does, The Butterfly Farm.  This is where I went yesterday.

It's not the biggest of places and the entrance fee of just under £6.00 is possibly slightly too much but it is a marvellous place.  Once in you are surrounded by exotic butterflies. Some big and some small and most brightly coloured.  Like I say, it's not big and you could probably walk around it in a few minutes if you didn't stop to take it all in, but if you take a slow walk, following the path around the water feature, it is a great way to spend an hour or so.
If you are lucky the butterflies will land on you.  There are also birds, Iguanas and a separate section which contains various other insects, reptiles and amphibians.

It's a great place and is also very relaxing although I imagine it can get very busy at times.

After the Butterfly Farm a stroll along the river and then a bag of chips in front of the theatre (still being renovated) was followed by a walk around the shops before heading home.

Steve McCurry - Retrospective

Steve McCurry is an American photojournalist who has taken some of the world's most recognised photographs.

Yesterday I went to a retrospective of his work at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. It was fantastic. The photographs are mainly taken in Afghanistan during the Russian Invasion. This is where he made his name. Disguised as a local with film sewn into his clothes. His photos are beautiful, poignant and thought provoking.

It was busy in the Waterhall Gallery and I needed to go back to some of the images again when people had moved away. I would like to think the calibre of the exhibition dragged people off the street but I have a nagging feeling that the heavy showers outside may have played a part.

Despite the crowds I still think it is possibly one of the best exhibitions I have seen and if you can go and see it, you should.  It runs until 17th October so you have plenty of time.


To read an interview with Steve McCurry go here or visit his website.

Belle and Sebastian - I Didn't See It Coming (Live)

Belle and Sebastian started their set in Helsinki the other night with a new song, I Didn't See It Coming.



It seems they are also working on a new album which is great news as the last one was four years ago!

If you are off to Lattitude this weekend you can catch them tomorrow. Failing that they are hosting ATP at Minehead again in December. The band that started it back in 1999 are hosting again. The line up is fantastic. Check it out here.

Darren Hayman's New Song

A new song from Darren Hayman and a new album, Essex Arms, to be released in October.  It actually comes out on my birthday so I guess I know what I'll be asking for!




Check out the website.

The Full Time Result

So, Spain lived up to expectation and lifted The World Cup, beating the Netherlands in the World Cup Final. In a match that couldn't be settled in normal time, an Iniesta goal put Spain ahead with only a couple of minutes left to play in extra time. 

It was the right result in a game that saw 14 yellow cards and the Dutch reduced to 10 men.  It wasn't a pretty affair but as the second half drew to a close and extra time came in to play, you can't say it wasn't exciting!

The World Cup 2010 has been a mixed bag.  There have been some good games and plenty of drama on and off the pitch. There has been some terrible decisions by the officials and England's disallowed goal prompted me to email Fifa demanding a review of goal line technology.  They never replied but at least they have now said they will look at it again.

There has been controversy with the ball, goalkeepers saying it was unpredictable, ground staff not being paid resulting in a walk out and demonstrations and team hotels and journalists being robbed.  There were even court cases.  The England fan who managed to evade security and get into the England Dressing Room and some Dutch girls who were taken to court because they were promoting a beer that was not officially approved by Fifa.

Then there were the Vuvuzelas.  A plastic trumpet that the South Africans blew throughout most of the games.  At first I didn't mind them as I thought they sounded good in South Africa's opening match but as the tournament went on they became annoying as it killed the atmosphere of the other matches.  Fan's chants were drowned out by the sound. I suppose one saving grace was that a lot of the matches were not sold out and so it cut down on the amount of Vuvuzelas.

On the pitch, the French camp were in disarray and the team never made it past the group stages. Nor did the Italians.  England scraped through finishing second in the group behind the USA, only to be humiliated by Germany, losing 4-1 in the first game of the knock out stages. 

So, a mixed tournament in all.  Spain can now join the other 7 nations who have won the World Cup since 1930 and the TV schedules can return to normal.

Cold Drinks, Sandwiches and Country Walks

Once again, another weekend spent walking in the countryside. The weather was perfect for the 8 mile sponsored walk that we did earlier today.  Starting (and finishing) at Packwood House, and organised by Knowle and Dorridge Lions to raise money for Diabetes UK, you could choose a 2, 4 or 8 mile walk.  We opted for the 8 mile and it was thoroughly enjoyable. 
It took us just over 3 hours, stopping off for a quick drink at The Wharf  Tavern on the way. The route took us through Lapworth and Hockley Heath and took in 2 canals, fields and country lanes.  We also stopped in Lapworth at a little shop besides the canal to get a much needed ice lolly.

There was a very good turnout.  I'd like to know how many people did the 8 mile walk.  I think a lot went for the 4 mile as after we had walked for a bit the amount of people we saw seemed to dwindle.

Following the walk we left the friends we were with to join up with other friends who had just completed the 4 mile walk. I made sure I got my Walk The Extra Mile medal before we headed off. We decided to get something to eat and found a small farm with retail outlets and a small cafe. Yew Tree Farm at Wootton Wawen. A cold drink, sandwich and a stroll around the shops was a gentle way to spend the afternoon.

Yesterday we went to Cardingmill Valley. It is a lovely place in Shropshire just above Church Stretton. It cuts into the side of the Long Mynd and offers walks to the top of the escarpment and a stunning view. On a sunny day it is a lovely place to go for a walk and a picnic. 

We chose to walk up onto the Mynd. The walk up can get a little steep towards the top but once you are at the top it's worth it.   The scenery is stunning.  Although warm it was a little overcast on the way up. This probably made it a little easier.  The sun came out on the walk down and in the sunshine the valley looked beautiful. 

Again after the walk, a cold drink and a sandwich at a cafe in Church Stretton did the trick.  We had a quick stroll around the town before heading home.

Simple Minds

1984.  I was 13 years old and it is fair to say my musical tastes and my record collection were yet to be formed.  At that time I was listening to Kaftwerk, Grandmaster Flash, Chaka Khan and the Street Sounds Electro compilations.  Actually, with hindsight, all good. Breakin' (or Breakdance, The Movie as it was known over here) played a big part in my musical tastes as did my friends.

The only other music that appeared on my musical map was the stuff I taped off the radio. The majority of which I have no recollection of.  I do remember taping Frankie Goes To Hollywood 's Relax. This was after it was banned by the BBC and so I had to listen to commercial radio to get it.  On a Sunday both the BBC and whatever commercial radio station I listened to went head to head with their charts.  This wasn't a bad thing as if you missed a song on one station, chances were you could tape from the other.

Anyway, there was another song I remember taping although at the time I had no idea what it was.  I remember playing it constantly.  That song was Simple Minds' Waterfront.  I have no idea how or when I found out what it was but I do remember the tantrum I had when my brother taped over it!

A few months later, a lad from school told me his brother was selling his collection of Simple Minds 12"s and asked me if I wanted them.  I think he wanted 25 pounds for the lot. A lot of money back then.  I don't know where the money came from but I bought them.  I was chuffed. 

I can't remember how many were there but there were a lot.   2 Revolver carrier bags full.  From then on Simple Minds were my new favourite band!  I added to the 12" collection every time a new record came out  and bought all their albums (on cassette, which I still own). I loved HMV because you could get imports and all my money would go on this. The great thing about them was that there back catalogue was large and varied. Every time I tired of their new release I could delve into their past and find more great music.

Simple Minds were king for about 4 years. They opened up a wealth of other music to me, Velvet Underground, U2 and so on. That, coupled with my discovery of The Wedding Present and John Peel's show, as well as a couple of other incidents,  meant that by 1988 I had started to move on.

By 1989 they had become my guilty pleasure. I would listen to them when I was alone.  If you asked me what I liked at that time the answer would've been Pixies, James, Stone Roses and the like. However, during that year I did manage to see them 3 times. I camped out all night at the back of Birmingham Odeon to get tickets to see them in Cardiff and also went to France by coach, to see them at  Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy.

By the end of 1990 my love affair with them was well and truly over. Nelson Mandela's Concert at Wembley was the last time I saw them. I only went as I'd been at his 70th Birthday Tribute 2 years earlier and it seemed right to be there to celebrate his release.

Since then my musical tastes have broadened and with the wealth of music out there it is very rare for me to go back to stuff from all those years ago.  Although in 2006 and old friend talked me into going to see Simple Minds at The Academy in Birmingham. She'd not seen them live before. I went along as I liked the idea of hearing Waterfront in a small venue.  It was a great night out and although it didn't rekindle my old passion for them it did give me a lot of respect for them.  They are still a great live band.

Now to the reason for me writing this.  Over the last few months I have been delving back into their work.  Mainly their early stuff from 79 - 82.  Then today I found a track that I can't have played for the best part of 20 years.  Book Of Brilliant Things recorded live in Rotterdam in 1985.  The strange thing is I could remember it word for word.

In a time when there is so much music to listen to, both old and new, it is very rare for me to get excited about a song but playing that track after all this time I still felt the same excitement as I did the first time I heard it.  I imagine that their may be a bit of nostalgia involved but there is more to it than that.  The fact is, it is a great track.  It made me realise that during their career they have been through many musical changes and genres but with each shift in direction they still managed to put out some fantastic songs.

With the 25th anniversary of Live Aid only a few days away it is a good time to go back over the works of one of the biggest and best bands of the '80s.   Although saying that, they still record and tour. If you can check them out you should.

Catching Up

Over the years I've lost count how many times I've climbed the Malvern Hills.  I'd also forgotten how steep some of the inclines are!  Although saying that, on Saturday,I found myself on a route I'd not taken before.  The first part of it must've been at least at a 45 degree angle!
Clare and I decided we were going to climb to the top of Worcestershire Beacon. At 425 metres it is the biggest of the hills.  It was a very warm day which made the climb that little bit more difficult.  It's always worth it though.  From the top you can look across seven counties and the breeze from the west went someway to cooling us down. 

After a rest, we descended via a more direct route. Back in town we headed straight for a cafe for a sandwich and a cold drink.  It was lovely.  Sitting outside watching the world go by.  We then browsed the antique and book shops.  Malvern isn't a big place so doesn't take too long to get round so, after a while, we headed for the train station.

Great Malvern is a lovely station and we sat and had another drink at a little cafe on the platform.  Our train home was waiting for us and with the driver sitting at the next table, having a couple of tea, there was no danger of missing it!

Once back I managed to catch some of the Spain versus Paraguay match.  Blimey, talk about an incident packed second half!  The biggest surprise though was when I saw the Germany 4  Argentina 0 scoreline.   Now I wouldn't have predicted that!

England's cricket team couldn't manage to finish the series on a high, losing to Australia in the final One Day International.  At least we still won the series 3-2.

BBC 6 Music Saved?

Well, here is a bit of good news.  It looks like BBC 6 Music has had a reprieve, well, at least for now.  I was genuinely upset when the news of it's possible closure first broke. 

It's one of only a few stations that plays music by new artists. It also has a great archive of rare recordings by established artists.  Were it to disappear I would probably turn my back on digital radio once and for all.  However, it seems that common sense has prevailed, at least for the time being.  I and many like me will be celebrating today.

Half Year Report

So as July arrives and June is confined to history it's time to look back on the first 6 months of 2010.

The weather over the last couple of months has been lovely and so I have spent a lot of time outdoors. Some things I've already written about, but prior to starting the blog I've had some lovely days out with Clare. We have been to Warwick quite a bit and on one occasion did the Castle. Thoroughly enjoyed it too, despite my fear of heights on the ramparts. We have also been to Dudley Zoo and Castle. I'd not been there since I was a child and again had a great day out. A day out at Whixall Moses with friends, wandering the streets of Cheltenham, or just spending time in the park or on the canal tow path. I've enjoyed it all

A day at Packwood House which was spoilt by over zealous staff who seemed to think we could not be trusted to be left alone in a room.  Despite paying to get in and then being the only ones on the guided tour, and obviously showing an interest, they seemed to think we had bad intentions.  It's a shame as the house and gardens are lovely but I was made to feel as if I shouldn't be there.

Outings to Warwick consisted of going to the market, stocking up on food (bread, cheese, fruit etc.) and then eating it by the river.  On one occasion we went with friends and, following the food, we hired a rowing boat which I nearly capsized.  My oar missed a stroke and I fell off my seat. This started the boat rocking and at one point the side of the boat was actually level with the water.  After we had spent time on the river we climbed St Mary's Tower. The highest building in Warwick. This was against the Church Warden's advice as one of our friends was 9 months pregnant at the time. 

A trip to the NEC for an antiques fayre.  Luckily somebody gave us free tickets as would have been extremely upset if we had paid the 12 pound admission price.  The flyer said something for everyone. What it should have said was something for everyone with over 500 pounds to spend!  Despite my lack of wealth I did quite enjoy it.

A disappointing day at Birmingham Mac's opening weekend. Lot's of people milling about but ultimately not much to do. The building itself is OK but I was a bit underwhelmed. For 15 million pounds I'd hoped for something more. Oh, there was an exhibition about defining Birmingham but it seemed to do nothing more than reinforce stereotypes or include phrases and sayings from the Black Country.  I couldn't be bothered to find out who the artist was because whoever it was couldn't be bothered to find out about Birmingham.

Exhibition wise, I enjoyed Ron Terada's Who I think I Am but that was mainly down to the vinyl album that was given away. With tracks by Jens Lekman, Beirut, Magnetic Fields, The Walkmen and Vampire Weekend to name a few he couldn't go wrong. Brigit Riley's Flashback was also good. Susan Collis' Since I Fell For You didn't really work for me although I liked the idea. Coventry Open and West Midlands Open Exhibitions had some really good stuff. Had some of the pieces been within my price range I would have definitely come away with something.

Another really good exhibition was Tom Murray's The Beatles A Mad Day Out, comprising of 23 unseen photographs of the band. There were limited edition prints for sale and at around £400 were quite reasonably priced. I did actually consider buying one for a short time.

It's been quite a quiet year on the gig front. I've managed a few. Half Man Half Biscuit at Leamington Assembly were fantastic. Finlay Quaye at The Rainbow was better than expected and British Sea Power at The Glee Club were excellent. I have also seen local band Hinge play a couple of gigs. Once at Academy 3 when I had a terrible headache and again at the Old Wharf where it was that loud that during the support bands I stood outside. Even from there I could here it perfectly. Little Girl Screaming, a band from Coventry I think, sounded very good.

Have had a couple of trips to the theatre this year. I have already mentioned Noises Off! on this blog. Clare and I also had a trip to Leamington Spa to see The Russian Ice Stars perform Snow White. It was a cold, snowy night in January which actually added to the whole evening.  The performance was amazing.  The way they throw themselves around such a small stage has to be seen to be appreciated.  A nice pub opposite the theatre provided a great place to sit and have a brandy to warm us up.

A very odd night at The Old Rep for The Enchanted Burlesque Show.  Not what I was expecting at all.  There were a couple of turns who I thought were very good but the girl who thought dressing up as Margaret Thatcher and stripping to Rule Britannia should have a re think!

 

I've seen a few films at the cinema. Banksy's Exit Through The Gift Shop and Chris Morris' Four Lions were my favourites but also enjoyed Alice in Wonderland 3D and Avatar 3D.  Iron Man 2 was entertaining but can't see it making any best of lists.

TV has mainly been The World Cup, Cricket, Big Brother and Pineapple Dance Studios.  I have no idea why I took to it but I didn't miss an episode. I also enjoyed Terry Pratchett's Going Postal.

Whilst on the subject of TV, I thoroughly enjoyed Election Night. Watching the TV coverage and having Twitter on the go along with texts from friends made the night a bit of an occasion.  The debates were also good although I became bored with hearing the same rhetoric by the third one. I voted for the first time in years and was glad I did  as my local MP scraped in by less than 200 votes. 

Books and Music.  As I've mentioned before I'm always behind with reading although I have just finished Start The Car, The World According To Bumble.  It is still in the best sellers list!   If you have an interest in cricket then it is definitely worth a read.  Then again, if you have an interest in cricket you would already know that.

Another good book I've read  (thanks to Clare) is Emergency Sex (and Other Desperate Measures): True Stories from a War Zone. Written by by Heidi Postlewait, Kenneth Cain and Doctor Andrew Thomson it is their accounts of their time with the UN during the early 90s. It is a few years old now but is a good read, track it down on Amazon.

LCD Soundsystem's new album is a good listen.  Brought to my attention by their performance on Jools Holland.   Also liking Art Museums. If School Of Seven Bells' new single, Babelonia, is anything to go by I can't wait for the new album.  Lanterns on the Lake have also been a good discovery.

Finally, I must admit that I haven't been very good with the football. I've only managed one trip away with Blues this year.  A trip to Nottingham Forest in the FA Cup.  It was a freezing cold day, rain, snow flurries and trecherous under foot.  Blues were terrible and could only manage a 0-0 draw.  Will have to make more of an effort in the coming season. The cricket is even worse.  Despite pledging to go to more games I'm yet to make it to Edgbaston this year. Must try harder!

So, that's it then.  Chuck in a few meals out and a few drinks with friends and family and that has been the year to date. Not bad eh?

Butterflies and Too Much Cheese

Had a great evening last night.  I met Clare from work and we walked around the Blythe Valley Nature Reserve.  It's lovely.

Housed on a business park, with the River Blythe running through the middle it has become home to otters, sky larks and all manner of butterflies and birds. We ambled around the meadows whilst the motorway next to us ground to a stand still. 

The people in charge of it have done a great job, they have even built a hide overlooking the water where you can watch the birds feeding.  My only criticism is that they have been a little over zealous with the "Danger Deep Water" signs and the gravel path they have laid means any wildlife can hear you coming from some distance away.

Although we didn't see any otters we did see lots of butterflies.  I'm becoming quite fond of butterflies lately and yesterday we saw the following

Ringlet - loads

Comma - several

Speckled Wood - many

Holly Blue - several

Red Admiral - one

Marbled White - one

Meadow Brown - loads

Small Tortoiseshell - one

Green Veined White - several



Having wandered around for a couple of hours and once the traffic had died down we headed back.  We stopped off at Bella Italia for a drink and a bite to eat.  I went for a pizza with extra olives and chillis.  When the pizza arrived the chillis were missing.  I decided not to say anything but made sure that when the bill came I hadn't been charged for the extra topping I did not receive.  Turns out that rather than chillis the waitress had thought I'd said cheese.  So that's what I ended up with pizza with olives and extra cheese!  I couldn't complain as when I ordered she repeated it back to me.  I think with her East European accent and my Brummie accent it was understandable that we got our wires crossed.

All in all a pleasant a relaxing evening.