All done with surgical instruments page by page for more images click link below
stories from the football + music worlds past and present . I live in both worlds.
Saturday, 10 March 2012
Will These Books Take on E-Books?
Imagine reading one of these books on the train next to someone with a Kindle . Definitively pop up books for grown ups . It would be an amazing ice breaker but I guess there would not much time for reading .
Friday, 9 March 2012
Thursday, 8 March 2012
Wednesday, 7 March 2012
THE PRIDICATABLE WAY IS NOT THE LIVERPOOL WAY
quite a few scorers there |
The last person to win the golden boot
in a Liverpool shirt is now a Man United player . Yes it was Owen he
won it twice. He won it two years in succession 1998-99 with 18 goals
each time . The first time he shared it with 2 other players . The
second with one other player . But what ever it has been a long time
since a Liverpool player had such a honour . I am convinced that
Suarez is a better all round striker than Owen . Suarez has got far
more tricks in his locker than Owen did . But he is on his own with
opposition teams happy to deal with Suarez with danger coming from no
where else . But all it takes is 3 to 4 other players scoring on a
regular basis and Suarez will have a field day . That is what
happened with Owen with a high percentage of the team scoring .
Successful Liverpool teams have had their scoring rate spread out
amongst the team . Giving the opposition the dilemma of not knowing
which player to concentrate on . Giving our more talented goal
scorers a field day . Andy Carroll is neither of these things at the
moment . He is playing in a deeper holding role to be honest he is
not bad at it . But with a lack of targets other than Suarez it is
predictable . After all he is the so called target man. But it
frustrates me his inability to attack the ball in the box and get in
front of the defender .
These are the reasons why Liverpool
have been drawing so many home games . We are very much the
predictable one trick pony . We need to mix it about more from
training ground to Anfield . Keep them guessing lets try new stuff
using the best playing surface in the Prem to are advantage . At the
the moment in the away dressing room after they have warmed up the
away manager speaks .
“Right we know how they will play the
playing surface is second to none” . “Keep it tight we will get a
chance on this pitch I have got confidence we can take it” .
EASY!!!!
Or something like that .
What they should be saying is If they
play this way do that . If they play that way do this and so on . We
need to keep the opposition guessing . If I can see what we are doing
week in week out . A professional Prem manager would have no problem
. Having watched Liverpool all my life I want the team to surprise me
as a supporter . In the cup winning years they would surprise me
every week . I never knew which way they would play other than a win
. The enjoyment was immense in which way they would secure the win .
Would it be plan A B C D E F G and so on . Just when I thought I knew
all the plans they would come up with a new one . Sometimes I would
secretly wish we would go a goal down so I would see a new plan go
into action . Great de-cussing it at the after match pint or ten .
Now we are like the Tory government plan A that’s it.
Now that it looks likely that Champions
League football has bit the dust for fuck sake lets experiment no one
will hold it against Kenny for that. Lets keep the opposition
guessing . Lets call on the youth or reserves to aid Suarez .For fuck
sake lets take a chance the.......
THE PRIDICATABLE WAY IS NOT THE
LIVERPOOL WAY
Monday, 5 March 2012
"YET AN OTHER CORNER WASTED"
Skrtel the only one with an eye for corners |
In the 80s Liverpool had a bad time
converting corners. Prompting a group of supporters to publish a
Fanzine called YET AN OTHER CORNER WASTED . Well its about time we
resurrected that publication . If the corner wasting was bad then its
is positively chronic now . I am one of Kenny s biggest fans . But
what is going on with corners . The games were we have the least
amount of corners we score the most goals . We need to work on
corners so much we have had an amazing amount of corners . Well to be
exact 288 in all competitions we have converted 6 of them from 4
different goal scorers ' from 4 corner takers . Just not good enough
. What is happening in training we are getting the corners in
abundance but we might as well give the opposition the ball back
An article on this blog a few weeks
back . Took a look at whether street footie games played on the
streets of Liverpool stemmed from Melwood . The game sixty seconds is
perfect training for corners. In the article it suggested it was the
reason why Keegan and Toshack were so successful at corners and
crosses .
If so we must put these training procedures into practice . The so called smaller clubs in Prem cherish every corner 'the reason why their hit rate from corners is far better than Liverpools . The likes of Wolves QPR Bolton Wigan if they would have had 288 corners I am sure they would of converted more than 6 . We have to play to our strengths we are in the position to get corners showing our attacking prowess . So it has to be a training issue . Kenny was not the most prolific scorer from corners . So may be we need a corner coach if we have one already sack him the stats speak for themselves. Totally unacceptable
Corners
288
Goals
6
Scorers
(Skrtel 3) (Maxi 1) (Agger 1) (Suarez 1)
Corner
takers (Gerrard 2) (Downing 2) (Henderson1) (Adams 1)
Tuesday, 28 February 2012
EAVIS A SEX MACHINE AND THE L.A. RIOTS
The temperature is rising and Spring is
in the air . At this time of year my mind usually wanders to Summer .
Which for me the first event that springs to mind is GLASTONBURY .
Alas this year it is a Glastonbury free year due to the country
trying to rip us off with a sporting event . Well played Mr Eavis the
extra cost it would entailed to put the festival on . Would surly of
had to be passed on to the ticket price at a time when money is
really tight . Its by know means the first time Mr Eavis has clearly
put the future of the festival in mind . Over the years there has
been many every think from foot and mouth to security . Having been
involved in the festival for over 30 years . Witnessing his love for
the festival which is second to none.
Michael Eavis |
One of my early memory’s of such love
came in 1992 on the Pyramid Stage . All through 90s I had the great
honour of being part of the Pyramid on stage crew . In the 90s the
amount of people attending the festival was far more than it is now
200.000 plus . True not many people paid the place was crazy packed .
But as always at Glastonbury people looked after each other all
adding to the amazing buzz of the place . As we looked out from the
stage in the 90s watching the place fill up . One of the comments
that would come out was.
“ALL THIS FOR 12 JAPANESE STUDENTS ”
Hinting at they where the only people who had bought a ticket .
Carter USM |
In 1992 the head line act on the
pyramid was Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine (U.S.M) . Two young
lads playing thrash indie guitars to backing samples . Their lyrics
where infectious and street wise really hit the spot with the young
indie type. USM merchandise was every where it seemed every one was
wearing a Carter T shirt . They had the big slot. The slot Oasis took
full advantage of some years later . They where big but this gig was
going to propel the band into orbit. There crew was every where
setting up the day before. A strange bunch all wearing kilts not at
all that sociable . The show that was being set up was impressive .
I was looking forward to the visual effect . I will try to explain .
At the back of the stage they had a
huge Catherine wheel brimming with U. V lights . The U.V lights
projected out into the crowd with tremendous power . Out off stage by
the PA wings were two canons either side with funnels on top. Their
crew on cue would load out of plastic bags thousands of U.V foam
balls into the cannons. All the balls had the bands logos on . They
were to be propelled into the crowd in there thousands . I think
there was 25.000 to each cannon . The crowd would instinctively start
throwing them about . For the U.V light to pick them up giving the
image of thousands of dots flying over the crowd . I am convinced it
would have been spectacular . I am surprised no one has come up with
the idea since . But there was a big spanner in the works . http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_USM
U.V Catherine wheel |
This came in the form of a band from
L.A called FISHBONE . I would always do a bit of research on the
bands I would be crewing on . Fishbone had a reputation for being
controversial in their live shows . They where all on one having
earlier in year being wrapped up in the L.A riots. They where on the
bill before Carter so the crowd was huge . I did comment to the stage
manger that this band could be wild . His answer was “I have seen
it all no worries”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1HclZkAZXCc Fishbone live at Glastonbury 1992
The instant Fishbone came on stage it
was mad . The band was armed with super blaster water pistols new in
the U.K . The crew was blasted with water there was 8 in the band
plus their crew we all got a soaking . The lead singer came on with a
trombone blasted it a few times . Slung it in the crowd quickly
following it making his way on top of the crowd to the mixing tower .
He spent half the set at the mixing tower and an age getting back .
The crowd loved it but the set ran over by at least 40 minuets . I
did get a nod off the stage manger as if to say ok wild was the right
word .
FISHBONE |
With Mr Eavis under pressure from the
powers that be the music cut off had to be 12 midnight. With Carters
crew now on stage with no drums little actual band equipment our crew
where told we could go if we wanted . With most of the crew not into
two lads with backing samples they did not need telling twice. But I
was intrigued liking there lyrics still do also looking forward to
the illusion with the U.V foam balls . As they came on stage the
crowd went mad . The stage was empty there must have been 6 people
including the 2 lads . I knew the lost time had to be made up . That
meant one thing no encore looking at how fired up the two young lads
were that was not good . The atmosphere on stage really reflected
that it was strange . The crowd were loving it as it came to the last
song of the main set . A few balls from the sides of the stage had
been released . The U.V lights from the back of the stage had been
tested you could see the the illusion of the balls starting to kick
in it looked good .
The two boys went behind the curtain
buzzing . One said not sure if it was Jim Bob or Fruit Bat . “This
is fucking great we are going to smash it to them” I think it was
their manger came over “They are not going to let you go back on”
he said
The two lads could not believe it they
where crying with rage . I have never been in such a vibe so strange
. The two lads where in tantrum mode . Mr Eavis came up the ramp of
the Pyramid the two lads made a b -line for him . All the time the
crowd was deafening MORE!!!MORE!!! it added to the tension . The 2
lads pleaded with Mr Eavis but the future of the festival was more
important . With the powers that be waiting to pounce with noise
metres and court dates . Mr Eavis could of not tried to explain
personally but he did. It was his decision for the future and love of
the festival . The lads went into melt down . Making a lunge for Mr
Eavis grabbing him pushing him to the wall we pulled them off it was
all over . The crowd finally stopped screaming . Carter had been
sacrificed for the future of the festival unfortunate but in the
light of things a small price to pay .
So just one hard call Mr Eavis has
taken over years . Long my he continue to do so he gets 99.9% so
right. Respect !!!!!!
More Glasto Stories through the year
Wednesday, 22 February 2012
"OPEN MIKE" SPREADING ITS WINGS
With the live music being strangled
with tacky shows like the X factor . Its good to see more organic
live music pastimes steady increasing round the country . Thinking
back to the late 80s early 90s the word was Jam . But mostly done
behind closed doors in peoples back kitchens. Pop stars passing the
time in recording studios. All on a musician to musician basis . The
only time the great British public would catch one of these exciting
unpredictable performances. Was at party’s festivals round the
fire . Or the more music orientated pub dotted hear and there.
FLEECE FIRKIN BRISTOL |
Over the last 5 years The OPEN MIKE
stance has come into play . Up and down the UK pubs are trying every
think to keep their heads above water . The open mike if done
properly is a winner . The first open mike I attended was a lot
bigger than the ones I attend now .
In the late 80s in the Fleece and
Firkin Bristol a 500 plus capacity venue . Every Sunday afternoon
coordinated by Talisman saxophonist Brendan Whitmore he labelled it
as Next in Line . Musicians would turn up do there thing on a next in
line basis slowly building up to a organic band finale . The audience
would love it because they would see the music build up . Of course
any of the audience could get up on stage there was plenty of
percussion up there . The stage was miked up there was fold back going
though a 10k rig. On average 150 to 200 would attend Next in line
lasted over 3 years . The venue would have been shut on a Sunday
afternoon so it was extra beer sales .
Next in Line OMC Brendan Whitmore |
Now days its OPEN MIKE . Although on a
smaller scale but a lot more widespread in little groups . But things
are changing little groups are starting to mingle .
STEVE YEOMANS (When your a good OMC you get your painting on the wall) THE OXFORD Bristol |
Stevie Yeomans is a new breed of young
open mike coordinator or OMC he is bringing two areas together . He
is the OMC of a very successful night in the Oxford Pub in Totterdown
Bristol a stones throw from Temple Meads Station . He is also OMC at
The George and Dragon in his home town of Knighton mid Wales also
successful . It is a 200 mile round trip but musicians of the two areas are
intermingling swapping gigs and ideas . Steve is hoping to connect
other areas throw the net wider. Then maybe have one off s in bigger
venues bringing the different areas together . He is the best OMC I
have seen up to now . But he is keen to network with like minded all
now possible with social networks .
So who knows OPEN MIKES might be staged
in arenas with none of the X factor tackiness .The paying public enjoying the musical twists and turns with maybe the chance to say “I WAS
THERE”!!!!!!!!
The-Oxford TotterdownBristol, United Kingdom |
oxford_totterdown@yahoo.co.uk
The George And Dragon InnKnighton, Powys |
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