30 years in an open neck shirt

The Seven Oaks (fortunately not Paddy's Goose) is the start venue for the latest Open Neck Shirt event on Friday 28th November 2008. The usual suspects will be in attendance apart from Mr Clark who is away supporting a southern team in France.

Really 30 Years is quite an achievement for the boys - let the celebrations commence.

Albums of 2008

The best of 2008.

1. Paul Weller -22 Dreams

2. Elbow - Seldom Seen Kid

3. Fleet Foxes - Fleet Foxes

4. Lykke Li - Youth Novels

5. Last Shadow Puppets - The Age of Understatement

6. Emiliana Torrini -Me and Armini

7. Noah & the Whale – Peaceful the World Lays Me Down

8. The Verve – Forth

9. TV on the Radio – Dear Science

10. David Byrne & Brian Eno – Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

Everything That Happens Will Happen Today

David Byrne and Brian Eno and have recently finished their first collaboration in about 30 years. The name of the new record is 'Everything That Happens Will Happen Today'.

The album is available exclusively from this Web site. You can listen to all of the songs for free or purchase it in a variety of digital and physical formats. All formats can be downloaded immediately and physical CDs will be available soon. Enjoy!

The Word Magazine Album Map

Interesting developments on the Word Magazine website, they've added an album map.
The map in typical Google Maps fashion pinpoints the spots where iconic album cover photographs were taken. You can zoom in by double-clicking an area of the map or by using the slider on the left hand side. Click on a blue marker to see details of that album.
Some recommended locations for music connoisseurs are:

• The Smiths - The Queen is Dead
• Microdisney - The Clock Comes Down The Stairs
• London Calling - The Clash
• Heaven Up Here - Echo & The Bunnymen
• Coles Corner - Richard Hawley (It's not Sheffield)
• Spring Hill Fair - The Go-Betweens

But don't stop there - you can add your own favourites to the map. It's really simple to do - well for some people....
http://www.wordmagazine.co.uk/album_atlas/

By the way, there is a Summer Open Neck shirt on Friday 25 July 2008, I might go along...

Poor Rochdale

You have got to feel sorry for Rochdale fans. The club have played since 1974 in the Football League's bottom division, currently entitled League Two. This is the longest time any team has been in the bottom division of the football league. Rochdale looked as though they might finally escape from the endless disappointment, but lost 3-2 to Stockport in the in 2nd Division play off final at Wembley.

I have enjoyed many days out at Spotland as a Wigan Athletic supporter - we usually won. But if I had been born in Rochdale I would have been a Rochdale supporter and what a thankless cause that would be. However, I have a great respect for those who support their local clubs. You have to be a dedicated to support a team like Rochdale. It would be so easy to support Man Utd or Cheslea or one of the other big four. Respect to Rochdale and good luck next season.

The Wonderful North

The splendidly titled 'The Wonderful North’ at http://www.thewonderfulnorth.com/ is an innovative public art project created by digital media agency Numiko with Leeds-based artists Bryan and Laura Davies. The ‘Online Expo’ is a virtual art exhibition that communicates the artists’ experiences of the North gained during a month-long road trip undertaken in January 2008. The Davies toured the North; meeting the public and researching some of the regions’ popular landmarks and hidden treasures before creating the exhibition. The artists have created the ‘Expo’ to showcase their art.

The result is a series of themed virtual pavilions dedicated to ‘Geography’,‘Culture’, ‘Economy’, ‘Society’ and ‘International’, each containing 20 exhibits that convey the artists’ ideas about the things they have seen and experienced, indexing the background to their inspiration alongside the exhibits. The exhibition focuses on issues that pertain to the changing nature of everyday life in the North, such as new housing and architecture, transport infrastructure, established industries and traditions as well the current push for regeneration through cultural landmarks.

Public participation and ‘real world’ interaction are central to the Wonderful North project. The project focused on suggestions made by registered users during the road trip to guide the artists on their journey in which they met people and visited places nominated by the public.
Check out the site at http://www.thewonderfulnorth.com/

The Coming of the Messiah

To mass hysteria, not unlike Christ's entrance into Jerusalem - Kevin Keegan has been hailed as the new Newcastle United Manager and the saviour to all their endless suffering.
After a few months immersed in the madness that is north-east football, Mike Ashley Newcastle's owner, is sufficiently confused to give in to the clamour of the Geordie fans.
The appointment may not ultimately end in a crucifixion, but it will certainly end in tears.

The Keegan age has gone, football has moved on since Keegan was last in charge. The Big 4 dominate the game in England and Newcastle are unlikely to win a trophy in the forseeable future. And do not forget King Kev didn't win anything the first time around. Football Fans en masse are often like over excited children and Geordie fans in particular are the most delusional of any in the Premier League. The disappointment will be palpable.