A small booklet I found in a charity shop entitled “Sussex After The Bomb”. It’s subtitle, above an image of the couple from When The Wind Blows, “What will happen to Newhaven, Lewes, the Ouse Valley, Seaford, Eastbourne and Brighton?”
Geographically specific unease
It's really a pre-word processing concept from when you 'd have to retype the whole thing with your corrections and rewrites included. Also keeping the original version (the 'first draft') on file for posterity / in case you change your mind about the edits / in case you lose every other version.
I probably have more albums by Bowie than any other artist, and stacks of music books and biographies on my shelves, but all the conventional Bowie biographies I've read went back to the library or charity shops. Not that they were necessarily dreadful or badly written, but none were keepers.
Straight On Till Morning.
"Here's a chord. Here's another. Too late, forget it, we've already moved on."
I've seen the Spiral Scratch EP described as post-punk. Which presumably means the only actual UK punk records were Anarchy In The UK and New Rose. After that, everything is post-punk or retro revivalism. As a ridiculous revisionist theory it sort of appeals.
Meth is the boss of what, now?
Someone just uploaded this today. More folk-scifi than folk-horror, and featuring the ace Toni Arthur, ladies and gentlemen, Stargazy on Zummerdown in all its Dr Who meets the Archers, faux Shakespearian glory:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JPc...
Q: Which Liverpool post-punk pop band were all sad-eyed former policemen?
A: The Teardrop Explods
On the other hand, I'm currently revising my fifth novel; I've published four books of music journalism, and countless articles and reviews; and I live in a house full of books and music with a very understanding partner. So it's not gone too badly. And it's a nice hardware shop.
That should read 30 years since my first (and only) anthologised-by-a-major-publisher short story. The first story I ever submitted anywhere. This professional writing lark is a piece of piss, I thought. Gentle reader; I currently work in a hardware shop and copyedit AI drivel for peanuts.
Nice. I wrote about the strangely post-Woodstock vibe of Terry Wogan's breakfast show, from the POV of a pre-teen listener in the rainy Calder Valley, on my old music blog. hellisforhipsters.wordpress.com/2008/02/22/a...
11 years into being a published author (20 years if you count my first anthologised-by-a-major publisher short story), I've finally signed up for public lending rights. Library-derived riches here I come!
It's tough but I'm sure you're doing the right thing for both of you. Sending love and best wishes.
New School Guidance announces:
Full bathroom ban.
Full PE ban.
Full school trip accommodation ban.
Trans kids will not go to the bathroom, do PE or go on any school trips. 1/
I often think about Then Jericho and that Big Area they found.
"Hello, low-income couple in their fifties, you're using less energy than this time last year, but nevertheless you've clearly had the heating on this month. What were you thinking? To teach you a lesson we're increasing your direct debit by £20 a month starting immediately."
That's basically the ending of The Prisoner.
And a "seedy underbelly" is in itself a metaphor for things that might go on in a small town. So it's saying it's a metaphor for a metaphor.
Great piece on a favourite TV show. Doesn't hurt that Michael Praed always looks like he's just waiting to take up lead guitar duties for The Mission.
My wife is dead, I am disabled and I have nothing. If you can, please help me and my Charlie cat get back to the UK. Signal boosts would be most appreciated. Thank you. wyrddaze.wordpress.com/2025/12/15/m...
So sorry to hear this.
I don't set a specific goal but I do keep a list of the books I've read each year. Partly to remind me what I've read and what I haven't, but mostly because I really like making lists and find them comforting.
Ruined Norman tower at dusk with bridge over moat. Lisa stood on the bridge.
New Year's Eve visit to Pevensey to wander round the castle ruins at sunset. One beer in the Oak & Castle pub. Back home to watch The Quatermass Conclusion on DVD.
The Furnished Room was republished by Five Leaves in 2011 and is still available on their website. fiveleaves.co.uk/product/the-...
He's bigger on the inside.
Ah, I love Super K! Quick Joey Small is one of my favourite records ever.
A Spock And A Hard Place.
The Older Guys really got it all worked out
