Tony and Vini

Watching 24 Hour Party People on DVD last night inevitably left me feeling a little saddened given Tony/Anthony H.Wilson's death last August. Having grown up in 'Granadaland' in the 1970's and 1980's, my first memories of Wilson were of him as the not quite so old one from the tea time news magazine 'Granada Reports'. It was only later did I discover that the man led a double life and that he was behind, or perhaps in front of and getting-in-the-way, some of the best music of the time. I used to spot him every now and then in the late 1980's in the Pump House pub in the Albert Dock in Liverpool where Granada TV had set up offices to counter claims of being Manchester-centric. There was nobody less Manchester-centric than Wilson himself and he got his fair share of abuse for it on the streets of Liverpool, yet funnily enough I imagine it was probably less than he received on the streets of the city he loved so much. He could always be forgiven for after all he was a northerner, and a fiercely proud one, forever standing up to 'that London'. My lingering memory of him actually comes from Michael Winterbottom's 2002 film in an incident - like so many in the film - that may or may not have actually happened. Partly because I think he would appreciate being remembered for something that could well not have occurred, but also because I think it in some way sums up what I think he was about.

The scene is one set in the early days of the Hacienda; The Durutti Column have just finished their set on a deserted Tuesday evening, Wilson/Steve Coogan is standing at the bar and Vini Reilly comes over looking a little bemused at the lack of an audience. Wilson tries to reassure a nervous Reilly by saying,

- Whatever happens, whatever we achieve here Vini, you just have to remember that the most important thing is that you make wonderful music. -

Have a listen to this and I am sure you will agree.

Lunchtime

One of the best things about living in Spain, no sorry I'll start again; the best thing about living in Spain is the food. Lunchtime on Friday was another reminder of this fact - not that I need reminding, it is never far from my thoughts or my stomach - at a local restaurant called Cal Boter.

This is the place where Catalan super chef Sergi Arola started at aged 14; had never noticed it until walking past on my way to the doctor's on Wednesday. Traditional Catalan fare, well cooked and in pleasant surroundings, all for €9,00 (three courses and that flask of wine you can see in the photo all included). As a famous Austrian once said, "I'll be back."

2008

....and Liverpool is European City of Culture. I have to admit I never thought I would see the day, but hats off to my home town. The Guardian is nosing around the 'Pool now that the word 'culture' and the city are permitted to appear in the same sentence, and they have found some things of interest. My favourites include the - GP's look away now - fry-up blog and the 'Liverpool Stories' viog; particularly the short films about my old local cinema The Plaza, and Bootle, close to where I grew up.

Santa's sack

Has it really been that long....wait a minute, that was last time. Well, yes it was, it has been, but, hopefully, it will not be so in the future. Christmas at casa Curve was as eventful as ever, and was probably the only time that the following have ever rubbed shoulders in Santa's sack; David Bowie, Robert Millar, Patrick Moore, Ted Danson, Robert Townsend, Stars of the Lid, Larry Hagman, Victoria Principal, Rick Stein, A.R.Kane, Anthony Michael Hall, Kelly Le Brock, David Attenborough, Rosanna Arquette and Madonna.

Back in the Game

Has it really been that long since my last post? I am afraid recently my life has been dominated by moving flat and interesting developments at work which mean I have less free time than before. Anyway, those are topics for another day (if ever). I shall ease myself back into the game via the coward's route; a meme from Slaminsky.

1. PICK OUT A SCAR YOU HAVE, AND EXPLAIN HOW YOU GOT IT

Cut to Art class, circa 1984, my friend Neil threads his pencil through the hole that
they have for no apparent reason at the bottom of Stanley Knives. He begins to twirl the pencil around allowing the blade of the knife to rotate in a fashion that would years later become fashionable in the BBC series 'Robot Wars'. Unfortunately, Neil's grasp of physics was not what it should have been. The knife worked its way up the pencil, and with unerring inevitably, came flying off in my direction and sliced a nice gash on my jawline. Being friends and all, and not wanting to be a 'grass', I stuck some tissue on it, kept out of the teacher's way and now I have a tough looking scar.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?

Paint.

3. WHAT DOES YOUR PHONE LOOK LIKE?

If you mean the phone in the flat then it is a pretty horrible looking thing like this, only black. My mobile looks like this.

4. WHAT MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?

All of it.


5. WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT DESKTOP PICTURE?



6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?

A holiday.

7. DO YOU BELIEVE IN GAY MARRIAGE?

I don't see why not.

8. WHAT TIME WERE YOU BORN?

No idea. But I do share a birthday with Cliff Richard.

9. ARE YOUR PARENTS STILL TOGETHER?

Yes.

10. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?

It was Carl Craig, but now it is drilling and gunshots, typical Spanish Sunday morning fare.

11. DO YOU GET SCARED OF THE DARK?

No, that would make me a Jesse.

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?

Sting. His continued existence tends to affect me deeply.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE COLOGNE / PERFUME?

Don't wear after-shave (see Q11).

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOUR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?

Brown and brown.

15. DO YOU LIKE PAIN KILLERS?

In the sense that they bring relief from pain (sometimes), yes. In any other sense, no.

16. ARE YOU TOO SHY TO ASK SOMEONE OUT?

Of course, I am not American.

17. FAVE PIZZA TOPPING?

Things from the sea.

18. IF YOU COULD EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?

Oysters.

19. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU MADE MAD?

My girlfriend.

20. IS ANYONE IN LOVE WITH YOU?

Yes.

Don't Rain on My Parade

Bah! All my records are still in my Mum and Dad's loft in Liverpool. At the moment I don't have a record player because I don't have any records. I am not one of those MOJO reading, Dylan-loving, Techo-hating bores who whinge on about how vinyl is far superior to any other format because of its 'warmth' or 'realness' or whatever other Rockist nonsense people come out with. But, I do like vinyl for the simple fact that LPs, 12 inches and 7 inches in themselves are much more aesthetically pleasing objects than CDs. I need to get them shipped over, especially after stumbling across Rain Parade's legendary September 1985 Whistle Test performance on You Tube. The Waterboys appeared on the same program and played a rousing version of 'This is the Sea', a performance I had on a video that may or may not have been lost - further investigation on that subject is required. Anyway, I want my Rain Parade records (shipping costs permitting).

Waits and Weatherall

I am sitting here watching Warp Vision, a collection of videos by artists from the label given to me as a birthday present by someone with excellent taste, and I have just realised that the promo for Sabres of Paradise's Wilmot contains more than a passing nod to the video for Tom Waits' In the Neighborhood.


Surely Weatherall - and former Jesus and Mary Chain bassist Douglas Hart who directed the thing - are too aware of such events for this to be a coincidence. Or am I just reading too much into it?