Back in Time

If you know me well, you'll know I'm a sucker for anything retro-modern, so I was happy to receive my new LED watch through in the post yesterday. LED watches were big in the 1970s and original working models are near impossible to get now. However, I discovered a great site that sells replicas (see my URL list on the right), using modern technology but still retaining that cool 'red-on-black' display. Good thing is whenever anyone sees one while I'm out, they'll more often than not say: "where did you get that from?"

Ricoh Reception

Yesterday, I went with Noel and his young son Emerson to the Ricoh Arena to see Coventry play Stoke. It was the first time I've seen City play at their new stadium and it was in splendorous surroundings. Noel is a bodyguard for his millionaire friend Joe, who has VIP access to the corporate area of the ground. Occasionally, Noel is able to get a spare ticket and this was the case yesterday. Before the game, we were treated to a three-course meal and a few drinks, all courtesy of Joe. The food itself was a set menu, but it's hard to be fussy when you're not the one picking up the cheque. Anyway, the chicken salad was quite tasty.

It's a shame the game wasn't as appetising: a patchy 0-0 draw (see match report http://www.ccfc.premiumtv.co.uk/page/Match/MatchReport/0,,10269~34447,00.html). Dele Adebola came closest, hitting the woodwork towards the end of the first half. He was City's man of the match and gave a post-match talk after the game. I was able to get his autograph, as well as that of 1987 FA Cup-winner Cyrille Regis who was passing by our table; we could have done with someone with his strength up front today.

Exclusive: Freddie Mercury revealed as Jack The Ripper

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6164544.stm

Oh my God, I can't believe it

Check out the link below.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/m/man_utd/5193126.stm

Predictions of a riot following the game proved unfounded...

In other football news, Arctic Monkeys beat Arsenal 2-1 in a friendly.

Review - Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ricoh Arena

The last time I heard a crowd chanting 'give it away!' at the Ricoh Arena, it was from Coventry City fans willing their team to regain possession from Reading. The visitors on this occasion was funk-rockers Red Hot Chili Peppers, on tour promoting their new double album, 'Stadium Arcadium'.

Support came from Chili's favourites !!! (pronounced 'Chk chk chk') and Dirty Pretty Things. !!! were quite impressive; their sound difficult to pin down. Think LCD Soundsystem and the Rapture. They were energetic enough, with singer Nic Offer bouncing around the stage, strutting his stuff. The response from the crowd was mixed; their blend of electro-come-punk-funk perhaps not commercial enough for this festival crowd.

Not so Dirty Pretty Things, led by former Libertine Carl Barat. Their punk-pop was much more suited to the festival surroundings, although their songs did become harder to distinguish between, with many of them relying on that 'You Can't Hurry Love' / 'Lust for Life' / 'Are You Gonna Be My Girl' rhythm. They left their single, 'Bang Bang You're Dead' 'til last, which proved the highlight of their set. Still, they're better than Babyshambles.

After forty minutes of waiting from an impatient crowd ("we want Chili Willi!") the Red Hot Chili Peppers finally appeared. Kicking off with an impressive 'Can't Stop', their set focused on half a dozen from 'Stadium Arcadium' and the rest from 'Blood Sugar Sex Magik' onwards (except the Frusciante-free 'One Hot Minute'). As you'd expect from a band who've been around for over 20 years, their playing was fluid and intuitive. Flea's playing was as a tight as the lurid pink catsuit he wore, while Chad Smith proved himself as funky a drummer as Clyde Stubberfield or Jaki Leibezeit.

Despite a tight set, the band still used the live arena as a playground. They paid homage to their formative influences with snippets from Public Enemy's 'You're Gonna Get Yours' and 'London Calling' by the Clash between songs, while 'Californication' was preceeded by an overlong guitar jam. Unfortunately, this was around the time I had a blackout due to heat exhaustion and I saw the rest of the gig from the first aid area. Thankfully, I had recovered quickly enough to hear the encore: the superb 'Soul to Squeeze', then the crowd filling in for an absent Anthony Kiedis on 'Give It Away'.

A fantastic gig overall, and all on my own doorstep!

Eau Dear Cologne

England 2 - 2 Sweden

I would like to claim credit for that headline; in fact, I pinched it off BBC Breakfast News. (The best I could think of was 'Sweden steal a draw in an act of grand Larsson-y.' Hmm... maybe not).

England's performance was nearly as bad. It was a microcosm of everything the England team is. Brilliant one minute (Joe Cole's fantastic dipping shot), then calamitous the next (our defending at set plays). Still, at least we topped the group and avoided Germany, so it was mission accomplished there.

But all this was overshadowed by the knee injury of Michael Owen, which means it's 'auf wiedesehen' to his World Cup campaign. No sooner had the stretcher came out for Owen then the knives came out for the England manager. Sven Goran-Eriksson's decision to only take four strikers was always a risk, and now it seems it may come back to haunt him. With Owen gone, it leaves only Rooney, the Jolly Green Giant and someone who's only just learnt to tie up his bootlaces.

However, injuries can sometimes be blessings in disguise. Take Mexico '86, when 'Captain Marvel' Bryan Robson's shoulder went. His absence from the team meant a formational re-think, from which England started winning games (albeit briefly). Perhaps this means Sven could adopt the much-discussed 4-5-1 formation, allowing a lone frontman (Rooney) to be supported by two runners (Lampard and Gerrard).

Whatever Sven decides, he and his players need to start justifying their vast wage packets. Barring a complete disaster, they should overcome Ecuador, but Holland or Portugal would await in the quarter-finals. If they hope to lift that trophy on July 9th, they're going to have to step up a gear.

England World Cup Quiz

As World Cup fever is beginning to spread throughout the land, I thought I'd get in the spirit and put together a little quiz based on England and the World Cup. How good is your World Cup knowledge on England? (Answers are at the bottom).


1. Which of these three England players has not missed a penalty in a World Cup penalty shoot-out?

a) Stuart Pearce
b) Gareth Southgate
c) Paul Ince


2. How many England players wore the captain's armband at the 1990 World Cup?

a) One
b) Two
c) Three


3. What is the title of 1966 World Cup hat-trick hero Geoff Hurst's offical autobiography?

a) 1966 And All That
b) The Ghost Of 66
c) Playing Extra Time


4. How many times have England played a German team at the World Cup finals?
a) Twice
b) Three times
c) Four times


5. Which England player went to the World Cup finals in 1982 and 1986 but never played a game?

a) Viv Anderson
b) Bryan Robson
c) Glenn Hoddle


6. Apart from Gary Lineker and David Platt, who was the only other English player to score a goal at Italia ’90?

a) Peter Beardsley
b) Mark Wright
c) Chris Waddle


7. What year did England first play in the World Cup finals?

a) 1938
b) 1950
c) 1954


8. How many times have England been eliminated from the World Cup by the eventual winners?

a) Twice
b) Three times
c) Four times


9. Which England player scored his first international goal against Columbia in the 1998 World Cup?

a) David Beckham
b) Michael Owen
c) Darren Anderton


10. Who was the first player to score against England at the 1966 World Cup?

a) Pele
b) Antonio Rattin
c) Eusebio



ANSWERS:
b) Gareth Southgate. He missed a penalty in Euro '96
c) Bryan Robson, Peter Shilton and Terry Butcher
a) The other two are autobiographies of Martin Peters and Alan Ball
c) 1966, 1970, 1982 and 1990
a) He was second choice right-back to Mick Mills and Gary M. Stevens in respective tournaments
b) He scored the only goal in a 1-0 win against Egypt
b) They had refused to enter previous competitions
c) Brazil in 1962 and 2002, Argentina in 1986 and West Germany in 1990
a) It was from a free-kick
c) The Portugese striker scored a penalty in the semi-final

This week I have been mostly listening to...

The Flaming Lips - At Home With The Mystics. Features 'The Yeah Yeah Yeah Song'. Sadly, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs' new album 'Show Your Bones' doesn't contain 'The Flaming Lips Song'.

The Aliens - Alienoid Starmonica EP. The Aliens are Robin Jones and John McLean of the Beta Band with Gordon Anderson of Lone Pigeon. Contains a song called 'Robot Man', which I guess England striker Peter Crouch must be a fan of (right).

Nick Cave - Disco 2000. The Australian's brilliantly downbeat cover of Pulp's 1995 top ten hit. Originally featured on the b-side of Pulp's 'Bad Cover Version'.

Revved Up

I've just found out the line-up of bands playing at the Godival Festival in Coventry between 14-16 July. It includes Nizlopi (of 'JCB Song' fame), the Cooper Temple Clause and one of my favourite bands, Mercury Rev. They're playing at 9.10 pm on Saturday 12th. It's great being able to see such a great band on my own doorstep, and for free as well!

The festival's Rhythm Tent also plays host to Dawn Penn, most famous in the UK for her 1994 hit 'You Don't Love Me (No, No, No),' which I recall everyone at school hating except me.

For more info on the festival, click on the below link.

http://www.godivafestival.co.uk/index.asp?page=3

Bursting the Bubble

Liverpool 3 - 3 West Ham (aet). It was a classic cup final, and certainly the best I've seen since the 1987 final (okay, I'm biased, being a Coventry City fan). West Ham were desperately unlucky and arguably deserved to win the game. Of course, it was all down to one man: Steven Gerrard. West Ham manager Alan Pardew said in an interview with Jonathan Pearce before the game that West Ham would be favourites if they had Steven Gerrard. His dramatic injury time-equaliser was one of the sweetest strikes to adorn any FA Cup Final and from that point onwards, you just knew that Liverpool were going to snatch it. And despite West Ham missing a golden chance in extra time, the dreaded penalties beckoned. Penalty shoot-outs always guarantee chronic nail-biting (especially if you're English) and although I don't support either Liverpool or West Ham, I did want the underdogs to win it, if only to break the FA Cup dominance of the four big clubs. Sadly, it was not to be West Ham's day.

As for Gerrard, pundits are pushing the idea of Sven playing him in a more advanced role in the World Cup. Well, if he can knock in a couple like he did on Saturday, I would certainly advocate that strategy.

Beware Of The Dogma

I had a visit from a group of Jehovah's Witnesses this morning. I wouldn't have normally opened the door to them but I thought it was the milkman calling for his money. Now although I'm a fervent atheist, I still respect the rights of others to believe in whatever creed or religion they wish, providing it doesn't threaten the civil liberties or human rights of others. I'm not saying being pestered on the doorstep contravenes my human rights or anything, but I don't take kindly to being preached to. Indeed, I'm sure they wouldn't like it if I turned the tables on them, and started quoting Friedrich Nietzsche and declaring 'religion is dead.' Not wishing to get into a theological debate on the doorstep, and with my laundry to do, I politely said I wasn't interested. As they went away, I felt a twinge of sympathy for them. They obviously hold a passionate belief and it must take great conviction to have a succession of people shut their doors in your face. Then something else crossed my mind: why is it only Jehovah's Witnesses who do house visits? I mean, you never see Rastafarians on your doorstep, telling you to 'reject the ire of Babylon,' do you?

"Personal Visit - Do Not Ignore"

That was what was written on the envelope that greeted me on my arrival home yesterday. I looked at it with apprehension, until I realised that it was addressed to a Mr D Bournville, a previous tenant. The letter was from the local Debt Management section of the HM Revenue & Customs. Apparently Mr Bournville has been lax in paying his tax: £5411.09 to be precise. This final reminder was obviously delivered by the bailiff. The letter threatened to "levy distraint on [his] goods," which I found quite worrying. They could have removed all of my stuff while I was at work!

I've just phoned up the Debt Management Office to clarify the situation so everything's sorted out now. This little episode has put into perspective how paltry my debt problems are compared to others.

Review: The Street, BBC One, 9pm

In the third episode of Jimmy McGovern’s The Street, we crossed the threshold of teacher Brian Peterson (Neil Dudgeon) who got accused of being a flasher, after being caught short whilst jogging in the park and being spotted by a young girl. The issue of paedophilia, and the small-town mentality towards anyone accused of it, has been covered in everything from Brass Eye to Coronation Street; here it played as a subtext to Brian’s relationship with his friends and family. His marriage to Ann (Lindsey Coulson) came under strain, as doubt crept into Ann’s mind on the revelation of skeletons in Brian’s past. It was frequently excruciating viewing, with moments of pure pathos (at one point, Brian breaks down in the taxi when he finds out the young girl’s father is dropping the charges). The resolution to Brian’s accusation was slightly predictable, but the damage done to the marriage ensured the episode finished on a bittersweet note.

MP3 Playlist

It's back to the 1980s this week:

Kate Bush - Running Up That Hill (1985)
Cocteau Twins - Pearly Dewdrops' Drops (1984)
The Comsat Angels - Independence Day (1984)
The Cure - A Forest (1980)
Department S - Is Vic There? (1981)
Depeche Mode - Everything Counts (1983)
Devo - Whip It (1980)
Duran Duran - Girls On Film (1981)
Echo & The Bunnymen - The Killing Moon (1984)
Felt - Primitive Painters (1985)
Furniture - Brilliant Mind (1986)
The Lotus Eaters - The First Picture Of You (1983)
New Order - The Perfect Kiss (1985)
Orange Juice - Rip It Up (1982)
Pet Shop Boys - Suburbia (1986)
The Smiths - Panic (1986)
The Specials - Ghost Town (1981)
Talk Talk - Today (1982)
The Teardrop Explodes - Reward (1981)
The Wild Swans - Revolutionary Spirit (1982)

This week I have been mostly enjoying

Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Show Your Bones

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - Mark Haddon

Rear Window - Hitchcock's 1954 masterpiece

Hike Round the Hope

I awoke feeling a little worse for wear this morning. In an attempt to clear my head, I accepted an invitation from my genial hosts, Richard and Kate, who were going on a walk around Hope Cove.

We drove into Dartmouth and caught the ferry across the River Dart. After grabbing a snack at a local hotel / restaurant, we set off. We went on a six mile walk taking in a stretch of the South West Coast Path northwards from Hope Cove, and back again via the South Hams countryside. It was a bracing walk, across a distance of six miles. And the views were superb. It certainly made a refreshing change from the concrete jungle vistas in Coventry.

In total, we must have walked for about two and a half hours. The walk had certainly worked up my appetite; in hindsight, we should have really waited to eat until afterwards. Still, it was a lovely day out and I have to give a big thank you to my hosts Richard and Kate for inviting me, as well as putting me up for the weekend.

Class of '95

I attended my school reunion yesterday down in Devon. I actually attended three secondary schools; I did my GSCEs at Knowles Hill. I was initially a bit nervous about seeing all my old school colleagues again. Although I’d kept in touch with a few since school (Simon, Goose, Newton) some people I hadn’t seen since 1995. I arrived quite early so I was one of the first people there. I was warmly greeted by Dawn, Rachel, Emma and Rachel. They had organised the reunion and had put a lot of time and effort into it (including pinning an embarrassing Year 5 photo on the wall). Gradually, more and more people started to arrive. It was fun waiting to see who was going to walk through the door and seeing whether you’d recognise them. There was no mistaking people like Andrew and Nick, as they’d hardly changed at all. It was actually a lot of the girls I didn’t recognise at first. A lot of them had really blossomed. Some people had lost weight; some people had gained weight (two of the girls there were heavily pregnant).

Here’s what some of the Class of ‘95 are doing now:

Dawn: journalist
Ian: computer programmer
Phil: scaffolder
Rebecca: radiologist
Stephanie: student
Rachel: clinical psychologist
David: surveyor
Andrew: Navy

It was a great turn out: there must have been at least fifty or so people in attendance. Much drink did flow, inspiring a lot of bad dancing (to some truly bad songs: ‘Cotton Eye Joe,’ anyone?). I had a fantastic evening, one of the best Saturday nights out I’ve had in a long time.

Here’s to the next Knowles Hill reunion in 2016!

Remembrance Day

Today is the third anniversary of my mum dying. It gets easier with each passing year. Although the day is indelibly tinged with sadness, I use the day now to remember the happy memories, of which there are plenty.

I met my Aunt and Uncle after work at the Crematorium. My aunt had brought a small spray of mixed flowers to put on my grandparents' grave (with whom my parents are buried). It was quite a brisk evening, and there weren’t many people around. Looking across at all the rows and rows of weathering gravestones, it would have been easy to feel morbid or depressed. Instead, it gave a stiff reminder that you've got to make the most of your life while you're here.

Top 10 tunes on my MP3 player this week

It's all about Tamla Motown this week:

The Andantes - (Like A) Nightmare
The Contours - Just A Little Misunderstanding
The Four Tops - It's The Same Old Song
The Isley Brothers - This Old Heart Of Mine (Is Weak For You)
Gladys Knight & The Pips - Just Walk In My Shoes
Martha Reeves & The Vandellas - (Love Is Like A) Heatwave
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles - Going To A Go-Go

Kim Weston - Helpless

Frank Wilson - Do I Love You (Indeed I Do)
Stevie Wonder - Uptight (Everything's Alright)

Happy St Patrick's Day!

Proof that Guinness isn't always good for you...

Pandora's Box

After watching the Channel 4 documentary about the now-defunct pop bible, ‘Smash Hits’ magazine, I got into a nostalgic mood and decided to delve into my 45 singles collection. The more I sifted through some of the deepest dregs of late-‘80s / early-‘90s pop (Bros! Milli Vanilli! Timmy Mallett!) the more I agreed with ex-Smash Hits writer Miranda Sawyer’s rebuttal against those who claim that pop music is not as good as it used to be. Still, there were a few tunes in the box that I might hesitate in using to fend off zombies with, 'Shaun of the Dead'-style. Here’s my top five:

Fine Young Cannibals – She Drives Me Crazy
No. 5 1989
My first 45 single, purchased from my local newsagents for 49 pence. I could never quite make out what Roland Gift was singing about but it didn’t matter. As Garry Mulholland pointed out in his excellent book ‘This Is Uncool,’ “it has nothing to say, but it says it with crunch.” The b-side is called ‘Pull The Sucker Off’ which, even at the naïve age of nine, I knew sounded it quite rude.

Madonna – Dear Jessie
No. 5 1989
I bought this after seeing the part-animated video on ‘Rolf Harris’s Cartoon Club’ (“you can join today!”). Taken from the ‘Like A Prayer’ album, this was considerably less controversial than the Pope-provoking title track. Out went kissing black messiahs; in came cavorting pink elephants.

Lisa Stansfield – All Around The World
No. 1 1989
“Been around the world and I, I, I…” Poor old Lisa Stansfield. Not only did her lover go globetrotting without leaving a forwarding address, but she developed a stutter as well. Or was that just my stylus sticking?

Betty Boo – Where Are You Baby?
No. 3 1990
A trashier and more kitsch version of ‘All Around The World.’ Alison Clarkson, aka Betty Boo, was an overnight success: one minute she’s a record-company receptionist, the next she’s rapping inspired couplets like “please use the telephone service / I hope today you heard this.” No excuses nowadays with MSN Messenger.

Kylie Minogue – Step Back In Time
No. 4 1990
“I wanna F-F-U-F-U-N-K!” They spelt it out for you, just in case you misheard. This disco-flavoured track was possibly the best of SAW-era Kylie. It namechecked the O’ Jays and long-forgotten disco dance the Bus Stop (which no doubt involved standing still, tutting and looking at your wrist-watch).

Lost - Episode 2

It's official. In relation to my previous post about male drivers, I've just read the results of a survey that says male drivers waste nearly six million hours a year by refusing to admit they are lost. The survey from RAC Direct Insurance says that British men wait an average of 20 minutes before accepting defeat and asking for directions. This contrasts with lost women drivers, who wait just ten minutes before getting help.

And in another confirmation of my theory, men also endure a ten-minute period of nagging from their partner before caving in.

One in four people still navigate using scribblings on scraps of paper, though one in five drivers now have satellite navigation.

Top 10 tunes on my MP3 player this week:

Belle & Sebastian - Dog On Wheels
Dr Dre - Nuthin' But A G Thang
Franz Ferdinand - Walk Away
Howling Bells - Wishing Stone
Love - Alone Again Or
Magazine - A Song From Under The Floorboards
Morrissey - Everyday Is Like Sunday
Shannon vs. Beastie Boys - Let The Music Play / Intergalactic (mash-up)
The Specials - Stereotype
Wire - Outdoor Miner

Jailhouse Rocks

I went with my old school friend Daniel to the Jailhouse yesterday. It's a kind of old skool punk / rock club with a lot of character. We mainly go there because there's little chance of getting invaded by the Burberry Army. Daniel goes to the gym with the bouncer, Noel, so if anything did kick off, it'd get sorted out. Noel was testing me on my music trivia. He couldn't believe I'd heard of all these old bands!

Korma Police

Yesterday, I caught up with Newton, an old school friend from my years in Devon. I hadn't seen him for about five years so it was good to catch up. He'd invited me out last Wednesday to the Coventry greyhound track, but I'd already made arrangements to have tea at Daniels. I met Newton in Leamington Spa which, even on a drizzly February evening, still looks better than Coventry. It reminds me a bit of Cheltenham, another spa town; full of character with its old, Georgian buildings. I hadn't been to Leamington for four years and I didn't know it that well, so I wandered about trying to find Wetherspoons when I arrived.

Eventually, he came and met me on the street, and we went back for a curry at a local Indian. The food was very tasty. We ordered a big selection so that everybody could tuck in. The staff were pleasant as well: at the end of the meal, they gave us some ice cream and coffees on the house (still, we probably paid for them in the tip).The company was good as well. As well as Newton, there was his girlfriend Claire and friends from work. They're all training to be policemen / policewomen, so sitting around the table with them I didn't know whether to feel safe or scared! After the meal, me, Newton, Claire and their friend Caroline went to Wetherspoons. We tested our trivia on the Pub Quiz machine, with disasterous results (I was okay on music but little else!). We then went onto a cheesy club which gave me a chance to throw some (mis) shapes on the dancefloor.

All in all, it was a great night and a pleasure to see Newton again.

No Direction Home

For the typical Alpha Male, there are several unwritten commandments. Specifically, if you're a male driver, there's one commandment you have to adhere to: never admit you're lost.

"No, no, it's around here somewhere." That's the first warning sign: a denial that our driver hasn't got a clue where he's going. "I know this road like the back of my hand," usually follows. So if he's wearing driving gloves or he's Abu Hamza, you know you're in trouble (still, you'd have to be brave travelling in a vehicle with Abu Hamza at the helm, wouldn't you?)

The voice of reason is provided by the wife / girlfriend / significant other: "Why don't you ask somebody for directions?" Yeah, right. He'd sooner guillotine his own manhood with the electric window than ask for directions, particularly if it's from another man. I recall one instance in Cheltenham, when an elderly man stopped, wound down his window, and bellowed the curt inquiry: "Oxford!" Evidently only asking under extreme duress from his partner in the passenger seat, he felt adding any more syllables might comprise his masculinity . "That way," I replied, stunned, not quite sure which direction Oxford lay in.

Of course, there are some who will never, ever ask. Take the Competitive Dad character in 'The Fast Show,' who, when getting lost in Germany, relents responsibility to his son to ask directions of a passer-by. He then proceeds to berate the passer-by for his English pronunciation: "It's this road, not zis road!" Therein lies the hidden benefit of asking a stranger, particularly a foreign one: they become an easy scape goat when our driver still ends up lost. Along with the poor partner in the passenger seat, who, despite doing a sterling job as navigator, bears the brunt of our driver's fury: "Are you sure you're not holding that map upside down?"

This week I have been mostly enjoying...

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning - 1960 'kitchen-sink' drama, starring Albert Finney, namechecked by Morrissey and Arctic Monkeys.

Belle And Sebastian - Push Barman To Open Old Wounds

Harry Hill's TV Burp - ITV, 5.30pm Saturday

Computer says ‘not bad’

The I.T. Crowd
Channel 4 – 9.00 pm

Even with a pedigree like Graham Linehan’s (‘The Day Today’, ‘Father Ted,’ ‘Black Books’), Channel 4’s decision to show the first two episodes of his new sitcom ‘The I.T. Crowd’ back-to-back is unclear. Perhaps they felt, as with ‘Father Ted,’ it needed a couple of episodes to get to know the characters. So the first episode was spent mostly setting up the situation of Jen (Katherine Parkinson) disrupting the geeky world of computer nerds Roy (Chris O’Dowd) and Maurice (Richard Ayoade). Despite the inevitable IT clichés early on (technophobe Jen forgetting to plug her computer in) the show had got into gear by the second episode. Chris Morris was reminiscent of Reggie Perrin’s C.J. as the overbearing boss Denholm, and there was evidence of the surreal, knowing plot-telegraphing that Linehan excels at (involving a barefoot Jen and a Japanese businessman stomping like Godzilla in a pair of Doc Martens).

As with Gervais and Merchant’s ever-so-slightly disappointing ‘Extras,’ ‘The I.T. Crowd’ has its work cut out in following a true sitcom classic. Indeed, there were moments that had echoes of its priestly predecessor: the old woman falling down the stairs recalled many similar pratfalls in ‘Ted,’ while Maurice’s lack of nous is pure Father Dougal (“why are you giving me the secret signal to shut up?”).

Worth logging on for next week.

This is Uncool: the Best of Woodystock

I've been listening to a lot of 'classic rock' at the moment (or, as some musos like to call it, 'dadrock'). This is due to the influence of my cousin, Woody (his real name is Vernon which he hates). I've been round his place these last three Sundays, listening to some of his record collection. He's a bit older than me so his musical taste is grounded in the 70's behemoths (Zeppelin, Sabbath, Purple and Floyd). I've often dismissed a lot of the prog-rock / heavy metal of that era as bombastic or uncool, but Woody's been able to challenge some of my prejudices. In return, I've been able to introduce him to some (relatively) new music, like At The Drive-In, of whom he loves. Anyway, here's the top five tunes on Woody's stereo:

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
The title track from their 1975 album, which I think is probably their last great album (I'm not fussed on 'Animals', 'The Wall' or any of the post-Waters material). It's a poignant and genuine song about former lead singer Syd Barrett. It's quite a chilled-out track, with an intro of radio static and acoustic guitar that reminds me a bit of Sparklehorse.

Siouxsie & The Banshees - Kiss Them For Me
I'm familiar with a lot of Siouxsie & The Banshees' early post-punk stuff, which is great. This is a track from their 1991 album 'Superstition', which was recorded with Talvin Singh (winner of the 1999 Mercury Music Prize). Unsurprisingly, it's got quite an Eastern feel to it, though not in the same sense as 'Hong Kong Garden.'

Led Zeppelin - In My Time Of Dying
This is one of Zep's biggest tracks, clocking in at over 11 minutes long. Sums them up much more than 'Stairway to Heaven.' It's taken from their double-set 'Physical Graffiti', which also includes the Puff Daddy-sampling 'Kashmir.'

Black Sabbath - Children Of The Grave
"Shaaarrron!" Poor old Ozzy. To a certain generation, he'll always be a reality-show buffoon rather than a rock god. This is a one of Woody's favourite Sabbath tracks, from their 'Master Of Reality' album. Despite the gothic overtones, it's actually an anti-Vietnam War song.

Frank Zappa - Catholic Girls
My friend Simon first introduced me to the wonderfully strange world of Zappa. This is a track from the 1979 concept album 'Joe's Garage.' The song is an irreverant dig at the not-so-angelic Catholic girls who go to church to "blow all the Catholic boys."

This week I have been mostly enjoying...

George Galloway getting evicted from the Celebrity Big Brother house - perhaps they should have had a giant catflap fitted for him to exit through. Miaow!

Life On Mars on BBC 1.

Demon Days by Gorillaz.

This week I have been mostly enjoying...

Hyperdrive on BBC2 - Red Dwarf meets Spaced.

Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - David Brent's favourite Russian dissident.

Coventry beating Derby 6-1 - another six-goal drumming following last season's 6-2 victory. Bring on Boro!

Wilson Pickett 1941 - 2006

"Take a sad song and make it better" - 'Hey Jude'

That's exactly what Wilson Pickett did with that song.