A Certain Ratio - Shack Up

Just spotted this seminal video from ACR on the phenomenon that is YouTube. If you are not already addicted to YouTube, it is only a matter of time....

The Word Interview with Stuart Maconie

Stuart Maconie recently did an interview with David Hepworth of The Word magazine about his recommended new book 'Pies and Prejudice - In Search of the North'. Here's a link to the piecast for you to download:

http://laxman.audioblog.com/rss/wordpodcast.xml

Football, Photography & the World

I've been a fan of Stuart Clarke's photography for a number of years having bought his wonderful book 'Football in Our Time' - A Photographic Record of Our National Game' back in 2003. He's now introduced a brand new website at: http://www.homesoffootball.co.uk/
The new look website aims to reflect Stuart's wider body of work. The intention is to put his entire collection online, which means you'll be able to browse, search and even request to purchase individual photographs. The brand new 'Football, Photography & The World' will feature music festivals and environmental issues as well as, of course, his great specialism footy. Stuart has enjoyed great success with his Homes Of Football Exhibition in Ambleside, Cumbria over the past 15 years. His work has had a huge impact on the changing the face of football culture. A record-breaking 15 year exhibition tour to 88 cities and 2 million people. A staggering 1,200 media interviews, five books, two TV programmes, three quarters of a million visitors to the Ambleside headquarters and the plaudits of football legends, national team managers and even some heads of government. Stuart Clarke's own Giant Step Book Publishing will be releasing a series of books over the coming years, reflecting the growth in the archive. There are currently 2012 photos online... and counting. Definitely worth a look methinks!

Pies and Prejudice - In Search of the North

Well it finally arrived yesterday Stuart Maconie's new book 'Pies and Prejudice - In Search of the North'. I'm only half way through, but it's another quality offering from the author of 'Cider With Roadies'. A social commentary with laugh out loud moments and witty observations about our friends in the North. A top Wiganer and a long time Latics supporter as well. It's available online at: www.amazon.co.uk
or from the usual bookshops. Rush out and order a copy now.

Talking Moose

Was there really a Talking Moose at the Open Neck Shirt on Friday, or was it just a figment of my imagination?

Twenty Eight Bloody Years

The Open Neck Shirt
17 November 2006, Manchester, England

1pm The Sevenoaks

2pm Albert Square - Christmas Market

3pm Circus Tavern

5pm La Tasca, Deansgate

6.30pm onwards - Britons Protection, Peveril of the Peak, Corbieres, etc

Any problems, and all nuisance phone calls to Neil on 07976 540836 - Hey Phil we expect at least one!

As usual it is...
Politics, gratuitous insults, lying and cheating, violence and heavy drinking.

The Open Neck Shirt 2006

Another year has passed, but what are the significant changes that have taken place in the lives of the Open Neck Shirters.....

Will Phil now be called 'Digger', and be living somewhere in the Outback?
Will Pete have become a Hari Krishna?
Will Neil have had a full body wax?
Will Harry have joined the Tory party?
Will Ken have opened a Gay Wine Bar in Gorton?
Will Stan have joined the Local Immigrant Support Group?
Will Gary have become a Viagra addict?
Will Graham have become a Trappist Monk?
Will Jon have become Ben Thatcher's agent?
Will Ian have joined the Pearly Kings?

All will be revealed at twenty eight years in an Open Neck Shirt on Friday 17th November 2006.

Full details of the day's itinerary to follow soon.

Hacienda Exhibition

The Haçienda - Photographs of Manchester's Legendary Club
18 Oct - 4 Dec
Urbis

As part of it's Manchester Season, Urbis has commissioned photographer Ian Tilton's homage to the Hacienda. This should be of interest to both Open Neck Shirters and all students of pop culture. This exhibition is a precursor to the much larger Hacienda retrospective due next summer.

Manchester Music Archive

I recently purchased the Q Classic magazine 'Morrissey & The Story of Manchester', which is highly recommended for nostalgia freaks and Manchester music fans. Contained within is an article about the Manchester Music Archive at http://www.mdmarchive.co.uk
This is a very useful online resource about the Manchester music scene. There is a poster and photograph archive, information about upcoming events and the archive would like contributions about your Manchester music experiences. The long term ambition is to create a building based museum. The team have already sourced thousands of artefacts, records, posters, flyers, recordings, and personal journals. The archive covers everything from the Halle Orchestra, the formation of the Musicians Union to Manchester's newest bands. Recently the archive was able to sift through the lock-up of Rob Gretton the Manager of Joy Division and New Order. Rob kept almost everything from his time as Manager. The notebooks amount to a complete history of the band, plus there are photos, posters, hundreds of Factory acetates, white labels and live tapes.
There is also an excellent unofficial blog, history and archive about Factory Records at Cerysmatic Factory http://www.cerysmaticfactory.info
which is well worth checking out.
I've added the two sites to the Links section on the side panel for future reference.

Musical Nostalgia Reigns

Musical Nostalgia Reigns

Why are we always listening to old records and CD's? Is it because we are nostalgic and like to remember our association with a particular band or album? Or is it because these bands and albums and have stood the test of time and still sound great today?
Of course, it's a combination of both. These bands and albums still sound great. But they have a greater resonance for us. We are nostalgic for our youth and the associated events which relate to a particular band or album.

'Dragnet' - The Fall at Cavendish.
A remarkable band whose mercurial longevity is renowned.
Mark E Smith is hit by a bottle thrown from the crowd - in typical Smith style he leaves the stage and tries to assault the perpetrator. Only the actions of the rest of the band prevent a mini riot. The Fall go on to put in an incredible performance quite unlike anything I'd ever seen before.

'Give Em Enough Rope' - The Clash at the Apollo.
The Clash take the stage, the crowd surges forward the punks and pseudo punks leap forwards pogoing and jumping on each other. Half way through the first song the bouncers have had enough and randomly remove a few of the punters. Unfortunately our house mate Rob Miller is one of those removed and misses the rest of the gig. Despite the removals the pogoing continues undiminished. The Clash are the predominant band of the time. At the gig and maybe because of the hype I am somewhat reluctant to be over enthusiastic. In retrospect the performance is, of course, excellent and their music has definitely stood the test of time.

'Chairs Missing' - Wire at the Factory.
For some strange reason I was at that Mancunian institution 'Tommy Ducks' and was drinking with a disparate group, Mike Wales, Anne, Julian Bickerton, Andy? and maybe some others? We didn't have tickets for Wire, but we just thought we'd go along and see if we could get in.
This was our first time at the Factory, we walked through the urban wasteland that was Hulme and managed to find the Russell Club or the Factory as it was known on certain nights. This was possibly the coolest and probably the edgiest of venues and it was to be one the most memorable gigs ever. Wire produce a remarkable set, totally different from anything else I had seen and heard before. The band are almost statuesque on stage, lit in a half light and the performance is mesmeric. An event and an album that will live in the mind forever.

Ultimately I think we return to these albums not only because they still sound great today, but because they remind us of the events, the new experiences, the feelings, and the emotions. They were very exciting times indeed.

Ten Great Albums of 1980

1. Remain in Light - Talking Heads
2. Boy - U2
3. Crocodiles - Echo and the Bunnymen
4. Empires and Dance - Simple Minds
5. Strange Boutique - The Monochrome Set
6. Get Happy - Elvis Costello
7. Closer - Joy Division
8. Metamatic - John Foxx
9. Psychedelic Furs - Psychedelic Furs
10. Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables - The Dead Kennedys

Dodgy Photos

Well it was a great turn out on Friday, the only obvious
absentee was Phil G'day Sorah and he had a legitimate excuse. We'll expect to see you next year Phil. I only managed to take a few pics on Friday, I don't think they do full justice to the day's events.

Can't quite remember Neil's 'graphical' comment, but did remember that Pete has an obsession with A**l Cream Pie! I won't include the link, I think you can guess anyway......

OU` EST LA MAISON DE FROMAGE?

To celebrate The Open Neck Shirt, the bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke has re-issued his 1978 classic album, Ou` est la maison de fromage? More info at: http://www.amazon.co.uk

Well it's 27 years in an Open Neck Shirt on Friday 25th November 2005.
Kick off is 1pm in the Sevenoaks.
Look forward to seeing you all.

Ten Great Albums of 1979

1. Dragnet - The Fall
2. Entertainment! - Gang of Four
3. London Calling - The Clash
4. Unknown Pleasures - Joy Division
5. Three Imaginary Boys - The Cure
6. Reproduction - The Human League
7. B52's - B52's
8. Armed Forces - Elvis Costello
9. Fear of Music - Talking Heads
10. Inflammable Material - Stiff Little Fingers

Only Two Weeks To Go

Only two weeks to go to 'The Open Neck Shirt 2005'.

The key questions to be asked.....

• Will Phil fly in from Australia?
• Will Pete find a new football team to support?
• Will Neil apologise for all that he has done?
• Will Harry show restraint?
• Will Ken stay longer than 5pm?
• Will Stan still like Maggie Thatcher?
• Will Gary, Graham, Jon and Ian all show up?
• Ou` est la Maison de fromage?

These and many other questions will be answered on the 25th November.

See You There.

Ten Great Albums of 1978

1. Another Music In A Different Kitchen - The Buzzcocks
2. Real Life - Magazine
3. The Man Machine - Kraftwerk
4. Stage (Live) - David Bowie
5. More Songs About Buildings & Food - Talking Heads
6. Give 'Em Enough Rope - The Clash
7. This Year's Model - Elvis Costello
8. Chairs Missing - Wire
9. Who Are You - The Who
10. Parallel Lines - Blondie

Student Life in 1978

Some Memories of Student Life in 1978

• People with strange and unusual names: Julian Bickerton; Ramy Zack; Nicholas Bodicombe; Peter Sebastian Younger ……and ‘Neil Smith’.
  
• In the first week being moved from Royal Ford Hall of Residence to Cavendish Halls because we had no water supply.
  
• Early Cavendish Gigs – Gruppo Sportivo, Joe Jackson, The Fall, Stiff Little Fingers.
  
• Skirmishes at Didsbury Union with the Rugby team. Nick Broad threatening to take on all the Rugby Team in a fight.
  
• Bizarrely being attacked by young kids in Didsbury and repelling them all too easily.
  
• Aytoun Street Coffee Bar and the Table Football games.
  
• Beers in front of the Old Cock Pub in hot weather.
  
• Nick ‘Bodysnatcher’ Bodicombe smoothing himself around the girls.
  
• Peter stealing Adele’s underwear.
  
• Dislocating my finger playing cricket at Royal Ford – Smudger put it back into the socket.
  
• Wire at ‘The Factory’, Russell Club in Hulme
  
• Wigan’s first season in the Football League.
  
• Jimmy ‘Mr Aston Villa’ Williams – where are you now Jimmy?
  
• The Plaza – Curries for the criminally drunk, the ‘Hot’, the ‘Killer’, and the ‘Suicide’.
  
• The Toyota 1000 – Did I really ‘only’ charge 50p a ride?
  
  I look forward to your memories of 1978.

The Gang of Three

Welcome

Welcome to 'The Open Neck Shirt - A Blog for Our Times.'

This is an online forum for a group of disparate students and some Manchester based friends, who started at Manchester Polytechnic in 1978. Ian Harry Aspinall, Neil Aloysius Smith, Peter Sebastian Younger, Phil G'day Sorah, Kenneth Albert Thorpe, Ian Stan Shaw, Gary Vicary, Ian Clark, Graham Sutherland, Jon Marshall and various other occasional guests.

It's only taken 27 years to get this forum started.
But now it has finally begun, let's start with a rant about .... 'What's Currently Annoying With The World'.

Rant No 1- The Rage of Age
1. Stupid ringtones and loud f**kers - Have some manners.
2. Is the Premiership boring argument - No it isn't.
3. Loyalty Cards and Points - Just give us the money off.
4. Takeaway rubbish littering the streets - You Chavs put it in the bin.
5. Stupid hairstyles for men - Get a grip on yourselves boys.
6. Clone Towns - We don't want the same shops and shopping centres in every small town.
7. Fern Cotton, Top of the Pops - Get rid of this woman with the ridiculously pretentious voice.
8. ID Cards - Potential cost 5.8bn, they are having a laarf.
9. Bernard Ingham - Yorkshire pratt extraordinaire.
10. Dog shit on my front lawn - Just clean it up.

Future topics include: More Rants; the Annual Get Together; Neil's 'former' sex life; Where we will go on the 25th November this year?
Other important topics include: Football (Yes, aren't Wigan doing well); Beer (does that include Lager?); Good Music (but don't mention Chris de Burgh); Culture and Politics (that covers just about everything then).

Please feel free to add your comments/ideas below and don't forget to send any embarrassing electronic photographs to me so that they can be published on this blog.