category: Media



1
Aug 2010

It Says Here

Imagine switching on the TV at quarter to nine some Tuesday morning and seeing this.

I thought I’d share an odd slice of the 80s with my one remaining reader. The song and the performance are classic Billy Bragg. Strident, no-nonsense social commentary that remains as relevant now as it ever was (more so, in fact). But the context is just so bizarre. BBC Breakfast Time television… a cultural vacuum designed to do nothing more than fill air-time between news bulletins. Possibly the most conservative (small ‘c’) broadcasting environment outside US televangelism; certainly not a place you’d expect to hear a hard-hitting assault on tabloid media culture and conservative (small ‘c’ and capital ‘C’) politics.

Introduced by Selina Scott in a positively restrained hair-do (bearing in mind the year) holding an album in a manner which suggests she’s never seen one before. And followed by Mike Smith (Princess Diana’s favourite DJ, let us not forget) looking bewildered; no doubt trying to work out how to segue between a song telling us that “politics mix / with bingo and tits / in a money and numbers game” into Russell Grant’s astrology segment.

Anyhoo, enjoy the song. It’s a bit of a belter.

It Says Here — Billy Bragg
Live on BBC Breakfast Time, 1984

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1
May 2010

Something for the weekend

Do I Love You? (Indeed I Do)

Merrick turned me on to this song a while ago and despite it having been co-opted by the advertising industry it remains one of the most uplifting and downright joyous records ever made. It was also one of the pieces of music played at my wedding last week. Enjoy.

2 comments  |  Posted in: Media » Audio


12
Apr 2010

Drunk History

A few days ago, Gyrus emailed me a link to “Drunk History: Nikola Tesla” on YouTube. It’s very funny indeed, and happily, is part of a fairly long-running series. I’ve watched a couple more since then and both were of a similarly high quality. Check them out if you get a chance.

Drunk History: Nikola Tesla

And my personal favourite (if only for the hicupping)…

Drunk History: Oney Judge

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9
Apr 2010

Something for the weekend

Please Don’t
The first single from Here Lies Love
(vocals by Santigold)

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25
Mar 2010

Four Lions trailer

Still no news on an Irish release date, but the first feature film from ground-breaking broadcaster Chris Morris is poised to hit British cinemas very soon.

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23
Jan 2010

Chris Morris, film director

It’s a nailed-on certainty that the Daily Mail is going to have an outrage-athon when it’s released (the premiere is tonight at The Sundance Festival). But if the first feature film from Chris Morris (Day Today, Blue Jam, Brass Eye, etc.) is half as funny as this clip implies, then it’s also a nailed-on certainty that it’ll be worth seeing. Four Lions is being described as “jihadist comedy”.

4 comments  |  Posted in: Media » Video


27
Nov 2009

Something for the weekend

Something of a departure from the type of music I occasionally post here. I’ve been reading a lot about Brendan Behan lately (though not, I must admit, reading a lot of Behan’s work — which is close to the top of my ‘to do’ pile). Behan was a writer, a drunk, an Irish revolutionary, a convict. And many other things.

His first play was The Quare Fellow, set in Mountjoy Prison in Dublin and inspired by his own time spent there. The play opens with a song… a dirge almost… which has proven both enduring and influential, and has been covered by a large number of artists including U2, Bob Dylan, Cat Power, The Pogues and every single folk band in Ireland.

Exactly which version is the definitive one has, I’m sure, been the subject of many a Guinness-fueled dispute. For me though, it comes down to one of the two versions by The Dubliners. And as much as I love Ronnie Drew’s vocal, it’s the Luke Kelly vocal that I come back to most often.

The Auld Triangle by The Dubliners, with Luke Kelly taking lead

I’m intrigued to note that a collection of Brendan Behan’s aphorisms has been published. It’s out of print apparently, but thankfully Dublin still has a few decent second-hand bookshops.

I have never seen a situation so dismal that a policeman couldn’t make it worse.

The Bible was a consolation to a fellow alone in the old cell. The lovely thin paper with a bit of mattress stuffing in it, if you could get a match, was as good a smoke as I ever tasted.

I have a total irreverence for anything connected with society except that which makes the roads safer, the beer stronger, the food cheaper and the old men and old women warmer in the winter and happier in the summer.

Brendan Behan

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16
Nov 2009

Double Rainbow

I clicked over to The Virtual Stoa just now and noticed that Chris had posted a picture of a double rainbow. I figured this was as good a reason as any to post this photo taken from my window a couple of days ago. Sadly the second rainbow had already begun to fade a little by the time I grabbed this snap. You can still just about make it out though.

Double Rainbow

Double rainbow over Rathcoole

2 comments  |  Posted in: Media » Photos


15
Nov 2009

Something for the weekend

Jane’s Addiction | True Nature
How you treat the weak / Is your true nature calling

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5
Nov 2009

Ukraine's got talent

I generally dislike TV talent shows. Whether it’s X-Factor, Pop Idol, The All-Ireland Talent Show or Opportunity Knocks. They tend to showcase acts that appeal to a lowest common denominator, and the occasional exceptions to this rule don’t make the rest worth watching. I don’t think this view makes me a snob, but if it does then so be it.

However, if I was living in the Ukraine and knew that this woman would be appearing on their national TV talent show, then I’d have gladly made an exception. It’s genuinely beautiful and really quite moving.

I advise watching it in fullscreen mode. Enjoy.

Kseniya Simonova — Sand Animation

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