It's a bit obvious

Yup...it is a bit obvious with it being Friday 14th and all that.  I think you may still be able to download this for free from Bandcamp...

Fills the corporte tat and chocolate gap between Christmas and Easter...But hey, I did get a song out of it!

http://johnparkes.bandcamp.com/track/valentines-day

It's not just goverment you know...

Here’s another belter of a question from a recent YouGov poll – “Do you think Special K having an exclusive partnership with Kylie Minogue where she helps promote their products would be a good thing for Special K?”

 

Well?!  C'mon...answer dammit!
 

Clearly I wanted to give them the full benefit of my opinion on this.  Just in case you were interested – my opinion is that Special K is cornflakes for the sort of people who go on diets and succumb to ‘marketing’.  Smaller box, less calories for your money, all that stuff - but lots of pictures of strawberries and thin women with floaty scarves...least that's how I remember it...
 

By the way, you could spend ages deconstructing that Kylie question – why for example should anyone waste a second of their time thinking what would be good for a ridiculous brand? – mine you, I still worry about Commander Black Cherry helping out the fruit starved Yogons...I might even make a list of ridiculous advertising stuff that I remember for no good reason.  But first I have to chat to my girlfriends about 'serum'. 

In floods of private tears...

Do you think it uncharitable to suggest that the floods are suddenly like, really important since they started affecting the Home Counties and the Thames Valley? 

I trust the very well off Thames Valley types who read and write for the Daily Mail et al have been investing the tax cuts they’ve had over recent years in fantastically efficient private sector solutions to flooding – or will they be wanting help from the public services they don’t think are worth paying for?  I exclude the small number of non Tory voters in the Home Counties from this sneer of course...

 

They could get Barclays round with wads of cash from bonuses to soak up the water couldn't they? 

 

Incidentally, why don't those who employ people in actual useful jobs like emptying the bins and turning people over in bed to prevent bed sores have to attract 'the very best' by paying 6 figure bonuses?  The answer is that they have to attract very special people I guess - and there aren't enough ambitious, greedy criminal incompetents to go round...    

Oooh, Leeds! Callahan and Bramwell

Sometimes Leeds is a good place.  And here's to 2 of Leeds' medium sized venues, namely the Irish Centre and the Brudenell Social Club!  Why?  Well...in the space of 3 days I've seen 2 of the world's current songwriting geniuses (geniei?) in venues where I could hear and see 'em properly.

Wednesday was Bill Callahan at the Irish Centre - a man who tells stories that both ring true and are clearly (sometimes) made up.  A man who can twist a song's meaning around with a single pause or a single word.  A man who gets better and better who's latest album is a work of genius (there's that word again).

I may write more later but for now you really should buy his latest album followed by his back catalogue.  His band is ace too - everything perfectly chosen, tasteful in a proper rock and roll way...

And last night John Bramwell (from I am Kloot) doing a solo set at the Brudenell Social Club (the venue where everyone you love was on 6 months ago and you missed them...) - tales of love, the stars, the meaning of everyday life, the moon and ordinary things from a romantic poet who owns a van.  The man is a staggeringly good guitar player - I don't mean in the diddly diddly look how fast he can play way but in the clever subtle choice of chords, runs, backing bits...but most of all brilliant, brilliant songs.

To explain the 'van' comment...I Am Kloot have a song that includes the line 'put your (or 'the' can't remember) suitcase in the van'.  And this sums up to me where his songs come from - He is indeed a romantic poet but he's the sort of romantic poet that, were you to run away with, you'd do it in a Transit and not in a horse and carriage or a limo.

So, two blindingly great singer / songwriters.  Both over 30 (and more!) and at the absolute top of their game.  AND I GOT TO SEE THEM LIVE, IN PERSON, IN THE FLESH IN THE SPACE OF 3 DAYS IN LEEDS!  This is a bit like stumbling across Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan playing at your local pub in the same week...

Point is that you can see songwriting geniuses in Leeds at good venues (and £1.98 for a pint of Theakston's at the Brudenell people!) and you really should do it.  100 years after they're dead they'll be hailed by the whole world (well, possibly) and they're out and about now...

OK, I promise to get miserable again soon...