4 points and very little else

I didnt go and watched via the red button facility which is a beauty in the modern age( more so if you could record it)

I cannot recall the last opening game of the HC I didnt attend..The virgin voyage to Stradey in 2001 with a bull dozing Chris Yates and Jason Little playing his socks off at 10 remain up there in the memory bank; it was a "I was there" day and night.

Really the title says it all. I didnt wait for the stats but so little ball in hand,so much static play and so little urgency until the last 10 minutes until the introduction of Mr Hazell(local lad). An impressive first and only salvo from Jonny May as well , he looks a prospect with young Charlie Sharples.

Those better placed than me need and will comment as to the forward deficiencies. Coaching,confidence,technique will all be up there I am sure. Grasping at straws,missing Narraway,Bortolami,EFS,Tindall,Morgan,Azam,Spencer,Nick Wood is a big ask of a small squad but would they play any better?

IMO, Robinson is a hot and cold player. The return of Spencer,maybe at 12 cannot come soonest but I admire Robinson's committment to the cause if not his first up tackling.

I see another local lad closed out a game last night on a slightly bigger stage.

A trip to Biarritz is next; i doubt if the locals or the local Glos popualtion of badgers will be shaking in their boots but bon yoyage nonetheless 

i-pod latest

The collection grows and am currently going through a bit of an 80's revival. Amongst my favourites at present,is the distinctive and remarkable sounds of Talk Talk .

Talk Talk were a British musical group that were active from 1981 to 1991. The group had a string of international hit singles including; "Today", "Talk Talk", "It's My Life", "Such a Shame", "Dum Dum Girl", "Life's What You Make It" and "Living in Another World".

If ever one man's voice was as closely associated with the meaning of his band,then it was Mark Hollis'. Living now as a recluse away from the popularlistic vultures of the modern world,I would urge anyone not yet frequented with this voice to do so and enjoy.

All things GRFC

Another eventful few days in the soap that is GRFC....Noises, familar noises had been coming out all week..defiance, upbeat,putting mistakes right, all the talk of the town. Apparantly a tough training session ensued and 2 forward internationals became injured in an already small squad. Smart.

Attention turned to the appalling  surroundings of Vicrage Road and a pretty appalling match by all accounts. Losing bonus point, chance of the draw,maybe chance of a win if NRobinson had pinned his ears back that extra yard. Oh and the usual GRFC citing/GBH incident concerning our french hooker Ollie Azam. One feels the hourly medical bulletins of the English captain over the news media since Sunday are slightly over the top.

But like a phoenix from the ashes, Australia are in town to play a Gloucester XV before their Grand Slam attempt in november. Great news for all concerned and I shall be trotting down to the club post haste once tickets have been allocated

Genghis Khan politics...

Caught some of QTime the other night and there was a worrying glimpse in to the future. M.Hesletine passionately defending the rich against paying more millionaire tax and claiming that 5 year old Afghan children at the gates of Calais were clearly economic migrants because "you can tell they are"

There will be sadly a lot more of that over the next 10 years

Me and REM

Man, I am excited.

On October 27th, R.E.M. will be releasing Live At The Olympia, a 39-song, two CD set containing "working rehearsals" from 2007. Taken from five nights of live "tests" at the Dublin venue and culminating in the group's 2007 Accelerate album, this is no ordinary recording. Aside from live versions from Acelerate, the majority of songs are
from 1982-1988 IRS days . In their full glory the album consists as follows

1 Living Well is the Best Revenge

2 Second Guessing

3 Letter Never Sent

4 Staring Down the Barrel of the Middle Distance

5 Disturbance at the Heron House

6 Mr. Richards

7 Houston

8 New Test Leper

9 Cuyahoga

10 Electrolite

11 Man-Sized Wreath

12 So. Central Rain

13 On The Fly

14 Maps and Legends

15 Sitting Still

16 Driver 8

17 Horse to Water

18 I'm Gonna DJ

19 Circus Envy

20 These Days

21 Drive

22 Feeling Gravitys Pull

23 Until the Day is Done

24 Accelerate

25 Auctioneer

26 Little America

27 1,000,000

28 Disguised

29 The Worst Joke Ever

30 Welcome to the Occupation

31 Carnival of Sorts

32 Harborcoat

33 Wolves, Lower

34 I've Been High

35 Kohoutek

36 West of the Fields

37 Pretty Persuasion

38 Romance

39 Gardening at Night

My best man to be introduced me to REM in 1991. I was 20, never really into music although by then U2 were on my radar, mainly due to the Joshua Tree.

I caught a couple of snippets on TV of a rock journalist called Dave Fanning talking to REM and there studio recordings of 2 songs from their forthcoming album. One of these songs as I later found out was Losing My Religion.

I was hooked, I wore out the video tape listening to these recordings and the rest was history. 9 years later their song At My Most Beautiful was the first dance at my wedding. Better than Shiny Happy People I guess?

One of the joys of finding a band like REM was history. Discovering the 6 albums already recorded, live versions in front of 50 people,singles collections and then watching that grow before my eyes over several live concerts throughout my 20's and 30's into the largest band in the world. Accelerate was a welcome return to form,IRS years all over again. I probably have all those above versions somewhere already. It dont matter. They are now  to be safley on one recording in 5 weeks and counting.

U2@CARDIFF

Ok,quite an old review but one that must be documented. It was a beautiful day but one that at times did have an overwhelming sense of deja vu. However in the days and weeks since,and having given great thought, I have no doubt I would do it all again.

First thing I would say on Lisa and my behalf, is that it is possible that a very large amount of alcohol was consumed that day and it may well have clouded judgement. I am still not taken with Cardiff.Possibly we are shopping in the wrong quarters but its not a stand out city for mine.

So to the concert. The set up was amazing as normal, sound was just standout. We sat upper tier at the back and it was like listening to it in your front room. Genuine excitement built as the Claw started to smoke and Space Oddity echoed out of the 250 feet high speakers announcing the capsule's arrival.

The new songs are excellent live. It has given me new will to go back to the album which upon continual listening to since Cardiff, I would now put up there as the finest album made since Actung Baby; it is that good. The old songs are still good to see, good to hear but one wonders if one's heart was in it this time. It just felt I had been there before. In saying that,massive entertainment value and no doubt if the show passes through a town near me again in 2010,I will be putting my hand in the air for a prime seat.

GRFC

I fear I am falling out of love with rugby.

This is not a kneejerk reaction to the bloodgate incident. I note of course that all of the people calling for the public flogging of Dean Richards have never made a cock up at work and then panicked into trying to hide it as it snowballed out of control.

No this is a longer term effect. I just dont find it entertaining anymore. has it something to do from moving over from a 20 something generation that used to stand in the shed and watch through beer goggles as Glos either destroyed its opposition or fall over the finishing line in a hotchpotch end of the season into the more refined seats of the West and C&G stand where the product and the beer just dont taste that good anymore?

I dont think so.

Take Saturday. £39 spent with J and myself to be entertained. Very little running rugby,very little good basics,blatant offsides,continual interruptions,energy drinks galore and a referee who probably wouldnt have brandished a yellow card for GBH.

This is not sour grapes. All parties were to blame. After 3 rounds of the GP,have you seen a good game? The last 2 weeks TV viewing have been awful. Leicester of all teams are yet to go over the whitewash.

It started so well against a Bath xxiii.Strong defence,solid going forward,a pack of mean and moody souls,an enforcer in the line out(as there was no old one I wont call it a new enforcer) and a 10/12 axis who will produce no finer competitive debut between them. A new brush was certainly in town but I sensed the usual rollercoaster ride ahead.

I just cannot remember seeing Gloucester play well for a long time now and just as importantly leaving Holm feeling that was good value, must go back. It comes to all teams in the end; i just wonder if it has come to some of the players. Tindall looks a spent force, our sole strike player JSD plays with such little regularity, potentially our best player at full back seems as injury prone as one of Simpson Daniel's old nags ,around the base of the scrum is cringe worthy and I will leave the forwards to another day as it would seem that is what the coaches do.

The first 30 mins of the second half were up there with Newport Dragons in the EDF,Rotherham first game of the season when Rory Teague ponced around with 15 on his back, a Leeds landslide at home,Wasps 0-27 drubbing. Entertainment nil,belief nil,passion,you know the rest.

Yes early days but worrying signs for this committed follower but occasional visitor .

Gloucester Quays

Lisa and I had our first proper look a few Saturdays ago.

We initially drifted over after the poorly organised GRFC open day for which questions should be asked around a table. To avoid the throngs, we then returned at 5 of the cloakings the following Saturday. Yes the aisles were bare but it gave us a chance to look at our own pace without interruption nor crush! Its a solid spectacle,one which Glos folk should be proud of in a vain attempt to appeal to the ABC! golden generation of credit card holders. Spacious,we designed ,clean,it puts the pitiful slum of the city centre to shame.

Take away the layers and some concerns. Prices range from the sublime to the ridiculous and the actual choices of garment are a little predictable and one dimensional. To have no real food or wine choice of beverage from the outset is poor. Elder generations tell me there is no where to sit down?! I would have thought the essential life supplies of sport shops,mobile phone operators and ELC's would be bearing down fairly quickly. It deserves support although at this stage the number of appealing units for this household can be counted on one hand

Happy Holidays

In a few hours time, the McGill extended clan will venture forth to the sunny climate of the Algarve,in a villa for 10. Thoroughly looking forward to it although the prospect of a 230am wake up bomb is not the best way to start ones summer break. To offset this nagging sore,there is the beautiful holiday task of choosing one's reading companions for the poolside hours.



I have yet to say much on my reading habits but they are considerable but sadly infrequent. To pick a series of books pretty much likely to last 7 days but not to number more sexy bikinis than Lisa is taking and therefore exceed the 20kg is allowance is a headache. I have settled on 3.

You have to take a new one.One you have had your eye on for a while but never quite got round to.Step forward this year The Assassination of Robert Maxwell...clue pretty much in the title.Then 2 old favourites that havent had an airing for a while..All The Presidents Men,Bernstein and Woodward,a fantastic book that would have been a top work of thriller fiction if it hadnt been just so damn accurate and factually compelling. Then step forward Jerome.K.Jerome.

If you have never heard of JKJ let alone read Three Men in a Boat,you generally havent lived. Written in 1889 it contains a comic storytelling genius seldom repeated in the modern world. I generally laugh bellyache style when I pick up,it contains paragraphs and pages of modern wit and merriment that you cannot comprehend are over 120 years old. This holiday however,I am clutching the follow up,Three Men On The Bummel.Classic comedy in the Black Forest including a passage where of unknown unaccompanied solo tandem bike riding that is the funniest thing I have ever read.

That early start already is a bit more attractive.

I shall return fully refreshed and with blog thinking coming out of my ears so be warned.

Guildhall Part 2 Jo and Demitris

Anyway, tickets firmly in Lisa's handbag, we made our way to The Guildhall for an evening of comedy. The last time we were in such an abode was in Edinburgh, just before festival,c 7 years ago ,i wore a loud shirt and sat in the front,didnt laugh much and got picked on.

A man like me does not make the same mistake twice,so we settled for a comfy table for 2 , about 30 yards back right and a plain light purple number to deflect any attention. The wife looked gorgeous as well.

Opening act was a strangish fellow Demitris Deek. An impresive array of comedians including the superb Stewart Lee are listed on his my space blog, http://www.myspace.com/demitrisdeech and I hope he can get some lessons first. Yes it was a preview night but rather disconcerting that he kept referring to his notes...Frank Skinner he aint but some promising material, needs to increase his stage presence and stop mumbling. Likeable but not main act material yet.

This honour was left to Jo Caulified who didnt disappoint. Fair happier in the limelight, dare I say that some of her male counterparts dont allow her on the shows I watch, she flowed freely as the Becks was doing, and provoked tears of laughter from Mrs McGill, particularly when ripping into us men. Fair game I suppose but also some good topical material, local banter,audience interaction and plain old fashion jokes rounded off an excellent evening.

We hope to be back again to our new found venue favourite.

Gloucester Carnival

Fair to say Notting Hill and Rio it wasnt but still a worthy effort by the good people of Glos as the Carnival crawled its way through the fair city of Gloucester yesterday. J and me had a wander down albeit my main purpose was to pick up my Guildhall tickets only to find the box office shut, but more later of that.

A variety of things went before my eyes, probably the highlight is shown . They did range from the sublime to ridiculous but its all the fun of the fair I suppose. My personal low light was the dance troupe who had clearly spent hours on their outfits, choreography and were making a decent fist of it, only to be let down in my opinion by the head instructor at the front gamely hanging onto her box of fish and chips as she called the numbers.

I have seen many a sight on Brunswick Road but I shall take that one to my grave. We left shortly after.

The Guildhall Experience

A fraught and hectic week so excuse the lack of material...nice to get a minute. L is at a candle party so can unwind a second.

I urge my fellow citizens of Gloucester to turn their social scene to the Guildhall on Eastgate Street.

Lisa and I are having a well deserved night out a week Saturday where we will be hitting the comedy scene with a couple of pre Edinburgh fringe warm up acts, most notably Miss Jo Caulfield. Now you and I will know her as the one who doesnt say a lot on Mock the Week but I am sure in her own solo slot she will not shut up about about dating, or relationships, or sex. She won't shut up about her Scottish husband or her Irish mother. She won't shut up about her drunken friends, or their ugly children, or her ideas for Dragon's Den inventions, or her plans to solve the economic crisis. (that was her own publicity material by the way)

Anyway,looking forward to it.

On further inspection however, coming attractions to this perceived strange ,slightly cult (small attendances) venue next to the soon to close C&G,include The Beat,It Bites, Sham 69 and last month Athlete were on stage, not bad . Sadly Midge Ure is there later in the year for what is described as seated only concert which sounds about right.

Death in the family

On this the first day of the second half of the year, I regret to announce the demise of the rabbit. Gave me a nasty shock I can tell thee when I opened the hutch this pm. RIP Pablo

Me and my i-pod

I am pleased to report I am getting constant use from said item. L kindly re-invested some of her finest english pounds in one for my birthday. It has 12,000 song capacity (although at present holds 965) and is seldom out of my earhole whether it be commuting or at the gym

I read that the use of poddy at the gym gives the average male capacity to compete a further 12 more reps on average per exercise than without such item.

Now, I am sure that is not necessarily so if say Brighton's finest Joe Jackson comes on with Is She Really Going Out Him but early indications appear to suggest that the following are most effective

1. Anything by Pearl Jam

2. Simple Minds at the Barrowlands

3. In the Cage(Live) Genesis

Raikes and lions

I shall be catching up with the Second lions Test this afternoon. Damn disappointing last week. I spent the pre match warm up in a favourite abode of mine with J, Robert Raikes pub in Southgate Street. This is a fine establishment,highly recommended,fine array of specialist lagers and beers,superb setting,magnificent refurbishment,highly competitive food and drink and a large south facing beer garden.

For those into such events,I am led to believe a musical folk night is hosted on an evening although I shall be looked to be excused for that.

As for the match,I wandered into Sloanes where I met DP. Not such a good write up I have to say about Sloanes, it had Tvs and beer so served a purpose. A match of missed opportunities,intimidation not matched and maybe a bridge too far this afternoon?

My choice of viewing venue is still in the high air pretty much like the Lions

Knaresborough

A decent trip and hopefully some long term business secured. Let me enlighten you on the above.

1. Has a decent River(Nidd) running through it

2. Medieval town in which in 1644 Oliver Cromwell forces beat the crap out of it(some might say certain portions have never been replaced)

3. S and I just missed the annual bed race where up to 50 beds race through the town and river with people pushing of course. This year I was told that OO7 himself, who is a local resident ,took part but I suspect an urban myth in the making.

4. Poor relation to Harrogate

5.My taxi driver intimated that all locals have 11 fingers (given he was from Nottingham where most locals have less than 8 fingers due to the crime rate) i thought that was a bit rich



An enjoyable trip although not compounded by the first hand experience of Cross Country trains new at your seat trolley experience.



Why would they do that?



In the 21st century we have sadly returned to a lumbering trolley (and pusher) coming through the train with warm sandwiches,cash only,exact change only luv and crashing into the nearest unsuspecting leg,bag,small child,household pet that it sees. Passing is impossible in that you rise from your seat at Newcastle to empty your bladder and you might just get there by Exeter if your lucky.



I am told people spend more at their seats rather than walk on up to the buffet car (only if they have a 10p,5p,and 4 x 1ps i guess) For me the buffet car was an excellent place to

1. Get away from the person opposite you

2.Have a look a the local scenery, if you know what i am saying

3.Have a decent conversation with the host


Lets hope common sense prevails

Glastonbury.Yes.No.Maybe (Not)

This time of the year I find myself torn between the desire to break my Glastonbury duck versus the feeling that common sense has prevailed and I instead view from the luxury of M Towers via the BBC red button facility.

Broadly speaking this year

For: Weather(when good),Springsteen,Doves,Neil Young,Blur,Madness,few beers

Against: Weather (when bad) Standing in a field for 4 days, lack of luxuries,generally surrounded by rough sorts

i think the No's have it, the No's have it.

Not that I am against outdoor venues. In August L and I will be partaking the Millennium for a pop concert by Irish rock band U2. Seats booked.cold beer and toilets on standby, marvellous. This will be my 5th viewing of the 4 piece combo ..2 x Roundhay Park, 1x NEC, 2 x Millennium . Its the last leg of their European Tour and promises a revolutionary 360 degree stage...maybe a revolutionary album should have been higher up the agenda

We are hoping to make a night of it but all Cardiff hotels appear booked...any ideas for the 22nd August appreciated.

Finish with a top 5 concerts attended

1. REM Hyde Park 2005

2.U2 Roundhay 1993

3. Elbow London 2007

4. Seahorses Nottingham 1998

5.Genesis Birmingham 1997.

Twenty/20 Vision

I caught the final, Pakistan v Sri Lanka. A bit like watching Wasps v Bath,you want it to be 0-0 and a crap game. They are both chuckers and cheats so Hobsons Choice really

Richie Benaud

Those that know me are aware that list compiling is a bit of a hobby ( top 5 sandwiches is always a well debated subject after a few ales) and I stumbled across one today that combined 2 real interests: top 50 sporting commentators.



Granted it was on the Daily Mail website but that aside, all my personal favourites were there...Alliss,Barry Davies, sadly departed Reg Gutteridge and rightly so ,the top man,numero uno,Richie Benaud. A man who just let the pictures say the words until the wisest and most astute of words were required. Confectionery stalls all over England lit up in 1981 following yet another Botham six and a Benaudism that was probably never bettered. Of the new crop ,it was good to see Mike Atherton in there,he has a sharp eye for detail and an even sharper mouth for saying what really needs saying at times.



Tomorrow morning will see me rise at six of the cloakings for a new destination of Knaresborough i shall be travelling via my usual mode of cross country train and report back soonest

Twenty/20

Suppose had better have a word about the above.

Marvellous concept for the masses and caught up with the India game yesterday. Great tension and a surprising home win. I follow The English cricket team in a more positive light than I do the football and rugby counterparts.I put that down to a naturally more supportive tone of a club side in those sports but we also dont seem to set ourselves up for as big a fall in cricket as we do the other two pastimes. Failure is the norm so any success is widely acknowledged and overplayed. In saying that I would shudder if 20/20 success resulted in the usual round of MBEs and London parade for what is ultimately a game of cricket. There appear shades of a euro 96 spirit emerging though which has to be acknowledged in some quarters.

It rained tonight and England lost. Seems the weather is our penalty nadir

GRFC

Difficult days for my political party but also for the lads at Castle Grim Estate (this was the original block of land now known as Kingsholm) What is about the rugby soap opera known as GRFC?

A season in 2008/09 that ended up in nightclub scraps,cup final hammering,in/out of contract payers in a mass exodus,falling league position and increasing evidence of a wheelie bin culture is being dragged on still by an ongoing review. Re-arranging the chairs on the Titanic might have been more appropriate, this is the anticipated outcome but lets have an outcome TW. Your leadership has never more being needed, oh and your cash as well.

Whatever the outcome, J and I will be taking in a series of games next season and todays HC draw was very kind and offers the prospect of visiting 2 of the toughest,hardest, roughest environments in the UK.

I was a slow burner with GRFC and my first game was a 1990 semi final victory in Northampton; we will gloss over my second game. As time goes by, the result becomes less important but I still like to win of course. Participation,education,enjoyment seem to be taking over the win at all costs passion of the 90's and early 21st century; why some on Shed Web would look to turn their back completely because they cannot dictate coaching selections suggests a very narrow frame of mind to me.

sa ..

Demise of the Red Rose

Ok. My political thoughts need an early airing.Growing up I was always a fan of the underdog and I had this thing, in a completely straight way for David Steel and the Liberal Party. Of course, reality bites and I ended up growing up in Thatchers Britain. To be honest I was oblivious to the rhetoric of the era but images of the Falklands and the Miners shaped how I thought due to my pubic years.
I then became hooked on the New Labour Project. It came to symbolize all I stood and wanted for in a modern Britain. I read everything I could. Ideological policies and the real Third Way in politics. This was a natural extension from the 92 Democrats and everything the men in grey suits of the Tory 90's stood against which was fine by me. I welcomed every faux pas they committed, every scandal, every aspect of sleaze; back to basics was coming home.
The Blair,Brown,Campbell but particularly Mandleson combination represented everything I thought I stood for. A week in Benidorm was once made much easier reading Donald Macintyre's brilliant book on the latter.
So to see the project at its knees is a massive shift in time for me. Brown for his abilities,passion,intellect,his virtues in a poisoned society just doesn't seem to be working. He is set upon by the media principally because he is not media savvy ; this fact makes the heart sink that one notch lower.
Why has it gone wrong? Trends. People become tired of the same record. They seek change without knowing exactly what change is. David Cameron's Conservatives, to give them there full ballot paper name, are the perfect example. Voters vote for what they believe is right rather than what they believe in.
I once lived in a small mining village in Sheffield. If a man in a gorilla suit was the local Labour candidate then people would have voted for him because its all they knew. Now, if same man,same gorilla suit turned up with same red rose he would be lynched as though the local paedophille was in town. Why? its still the same guy in the gorilla suit.......
I suspect we will push onto the conference season; will the collective will of cabinet hold? I wish Gordon well; he's a decent guy and for the record one of 13 prime ministers that went onto hold the post with their party being in power but without being subject to a general election. Unlucky 13 maybe.

Easy As ABC

Tonight sees the start of my bi-annual alphabetic re-arrangement of around 1000 CDs that belong to L and myself. This is a mainly alpha male obession of mine but given I hold about 80% of the stock a worthy one nonetheless. Whether in alphabetic or chronological,as per High Fidelity (top 5 books list that were crap films?) its an uplifting occasion in the M household. And at the very beginning?

Well,I have never followed Sheffield crooners, ABC,despite spending 7 years in the fair city. Instead the worthy suspects of Aerosmith and the Adams boys (Bryan and Ryan) claim the top spots but they have to bow to 80s icon Adam Ant.

Looking through said CD, it took me back to my virgin vinyl days where at the ripe age of 10 I distinctly remember walking to Woolworths on Eastgate Street and purchasing with my some of your finest english green pound notes my first ever 33, Kings of the Wild Frontier.

For those with no knowledge of who I am talking about, Adam Ant cut a dashing, eccentric,pop ideal supreme who could write a song or 2. His latter days under the 1983 Mental Health Act should not diminish his talent and I believe a comeback of sorts with the Kaiser Chiefs is in the offing. Me thinks that says more about them than him

My latter taste in music will of course make up many future blogs but in the interim more pressing concern; 10cc......T or miscellaneous

In the beginning....

What possible event could drive a sensible level headed chap to reach out to the outside world and expose at the age of 38 his innermost feelings?

Local /European Elections to be dominated by single issue independent parties
An Englishman becoming Scotland rugby coach
Impending collison course with a leader of North Korea that Gerry and Sylvia Anderson could not have created any more life like

No,a bunch of loonies,has beens,have nots entering a TV studio house in the name of entertainment and more worringly, those than watch it being drawn into an event which ultimately registers 0.0001 on the reichter scale of life

Thank you Big Brother,I have now found the world of blogs,the sacred cow of independence and hopefully an entertainig half hour hewre and there.

Welcome to my world,enjoy the ride