Gone With the Wind

We have a poster of this in our kitchen and I was pondering the characters and casting and a thought occurred to me that maybe on some subconscious level this movie was about the world situation of the time with Rhett Butler representing American isolationism and the Leslie Howerd Ashley Wilkes character being England and her old world values. This might not stand up to much scrutiny though - I still stick with the notion that The Lord of the Rings is about the Great War. Having just done a search on Gone with the Wind I ask you to consider this - would someone from say Blitzed London watching Gable's cynical gun-running profiteer think 'typical American'? It's interesting to note that Margaret Mitchell favoured Basil Rathbone for the main lead.
While searching the web I came across this movie that from the write-up looks interesting -Les Uns et les autres - a Claude Lelouche movie based on the lives of a series of musicians Josephine Baker, Glenn Miller and so on caught up in World War Two. More here. I'll have to track it down. They ought to have had Wilson Keppel and Betty for an English sequence. Seems like it was retitled Bolero - that is why I havent seen it I expect.

Simon Girty Graphic novel

I thought it might be interesting to look at this graphic novel about one of America's most famous renegades. It looks a fine work that updates the genre of comics dealing with native subjects that goes back to DC Comics Tomahawk and many others.
Interview with Tim Truman.
Conquest miniatures have just released a 28mm figure of Girty
Link to essay "A Monster So Brutal:"Simon Girty and the Degenerative Myth of the American Frontier'',

'Howl's Moving Castle' Trailer

The latest from Studio Ghibli out on dvd. It is a fantasy set in a Victorian world where witches cast spells and all manner of strangeness occurs. The main protagonist is turned into an old lady. A lot of the usual Ghibli characteristics with this time folks like Christian Bale and Billy Crystal do the vocal honours. Official website Wikipedia entry

Russian propaganda animation

This is an entertaining compilation of soviet animation and newsreel.

The Saints I'm Stranded video

This band seemed like an Australian Ramones when they first emerged in the UK back in about 76 - they had a string of powerful singles that failed to find an audience being neither punk nor rock. Read about them here

Officer jailed for refusal compares US to 3rd Reich

George Macdonald Fraser interview

Flashman creator gets hot under the collar about Iraq and thinks Daniel Day-Lewis would make a good Flashman.

Munchausen 1943

If there is one film made during the Hitler regime worth seeing it is this one. Miles better than the Gilliam version and hardly a trace of any political interference, at least as I could see, it is a visual feast for the 18th century and classic escapism almost on a par with anything Hollywood could knock up. IMDB facts here
Gun magazine review(!)
It has the Information of the legacy of the Baron here. Website on Munchausology here Wikipedia entry Text here

The Cardigans 'Don't Blame Your Daughter' video

I didn't really notice the Cardigans much until their last single 'I need some fine wine' which really impressed me - this is not so good but it is worth checking out. Video is intriguing enough to warrant a second look. They seem to be able to play light rock music that isn't annoying which is saying something in these days when there seems to be a middle of the road revival - and all of it very bad. Looking at the website http://www.cardigans.com/ it looks pretty interesting with links to interviews and so on, and space for input from fans.

Battle of Leuthen 1757

I have been contacted by a school in Poland wanting some help with their project of celebrating this battle so here's a few things that might be of interest, as I start to find things of use. The battle begins at daybreak with the King joining the Garde du Corps, one cavalryman remarking on the freezing weather - 'things will be getting hotter soon' or something to that effect the King replied. The battle ends with the singing of the hymn »Nun danket alle Gott« by the victorious Prussians. A complete victory had been achieved by the Prussians over the multinational force led by Charles of Lorraine.
Wikipedia entry German language version
Frederick the Great's address to his troops. 'Der Dreispitz' SYW reenactors
Prussian Reenactors
Diorama
The battle has been the subject of a number of dioramas - the most famous of zinnfiguren at Ingolstadt Bavaria.
1/72 Seven Years War figures
an excellent Leuthen diorama
Modelling the Seven Years War Fastplay rules diorama showing Bavarian troops Boardgame Leuthen model
Prince August hobby moulds make a range of 40mm and 54mm Syw Prussians.
The Duchy of Alzheim is worth a look - it's a blog dedicated to recreating the SYW in miniature

On film
The Nazis made a series of movies on Frederick II for propaganda purposes - the Hymn of Leuthen is the most famous. Barry Lyndon shows aspects of the Seven Years War in a more useful way

World war two research

Lonesentry.com is an impressive site for research into the American aspect of the European theatre. Lots of reprinted texts from training manuals and info on the enemy vehicles etc.

Smoking and Ghostbusters

I watched Ghostbusters last night - I knew it pretty well as the kids when they were young watched it in endless rotation but obviously things have changed since then and one of the things that seemed out of place was all the gratuitous cigarette smoking - in the car - after the battle - all the characters were puffing away like they were sponsored. I am not anti smoking - I smoke myself but I sensed something strange - so searched the above title on Google - and lo and behold - Jason Reitman - son of Ghostbusters director Ivan has done a movie about smoking - Thank You for Not Smoking
Here's an article on director growing up on film sets - smokey ones perhaps?

Red Dead Revolver for PS2

Very similar to Gun this game set in the wild west is quite fun to play. There are some tricks like a deadeye mode and a duel mode. It seems quite spaghetti western oriented in style and music so if you are a fan of that genre this might suit you. These western games are a pleasant change and worth a try.

Flag of confusion

Item detailing the history of the British flag and its uses. It really is a strange country...

Bobby Gillespie at Glastonbury 05

Above is what daughter Bea rates as one of the best rock and roll moments of tv from last year's Glastonbury coverage as Bobby Gillespie lets rip in an interview. Most of the bile goes towards Basement Jaxx who were headlining and were probably more the sort of thing a Glastonbury audience would go for.
It was a strange performance by the Scream later as Gillespie baited the crowd for being Hippies, spat on a camera and derided their inability to dance and taunted them with 'we came here in a helicopter'. Beautiful. 'The war on terror is a pretext for the setting up of an international police state' BG chanted. Gillespie was escorted off the stage by security after overrunning.
The set they played was a blinder including of course 'Kill All Hippies'. I must admit when it was going out live I was loving it - I felt Bobby was telling it like it is - Glastonbury is an awful, hypocritical event and the punters are naive and obnoxious.
Miss Lucifer Video Swastika Eyes Accelerator live
Wikipedia on Primal Scream with lyrics and official band links

The Fall Lay of the Land OGWT

This is one of the Fall with the Michael Clark dancers taking centre stage. Great song. Lyrics here
If that doesn't float your boat try this Pere Ubu clip

Nautilus site

I always love it when movie items become part of history itself - this website is a case in point - its totally dedicated to the Disney sub in 20,000 Leagues under the Sea. Some amazing articles and so on - worth a look.

Birth of America game

Review to come soon, this pc wargame covers the period of the French and Indian war and the American Revolution. Left is some of the artwork from the website. Looks pretty good.

Messthetics in the Guardian

Chuck Warner's steady progress of reissuing the obscure corners of the post punk D-I-Y phenomenon took a useful boost with a review in the Guardian no less.
Our band Animals and men got a great review here - in Part Time Punk.
Watch Terraplanes on youtube
Wikipedia on the D-I-Y ethic
Hyped to Death

Detroit Cobras at Myspace

To say the Detroit Cobras are a covers band is like saying Michelango painted ceilings; they have elavated the art of the classic cover to a new level. They usually pick old soul 45s and then give them a punk rock overhaul and then add a near flawless vocal from Rachel Nagy who must be one of the best singers around. She has a harsh voice that is free from rockchick histrionics but instead shreds and bends in a way that reminds me of John Lennon singing Twist and Shout or something similar. Do you get the picture? They are a timeless project that by covering early 60s soul in a rocknroll way makes them sound if anything like a superior Merseybeat band - or at least to me.
Anyway hear for yourself as there are 4 tracks to listen to - Bad Girl is a cover of Memphis trio the Oblivians Bad Boy with a sex change that makes it an even better song. Breakaway is the Irma Thomas hit murdered in the UK by Tracey Ullman.

Stand and Deliver

An excellent site about the real-life highwaymen of the 18th century.

Giant rabbit on the loose

"This is no ordinary rabbit. We are dealing with a monster.
"It is absolutely massive. The first time I saw it I thought to myself 'What the hell is that?'
"I have seen its prints and they are huge - bigger than a deer. It is a brute of a thing." More here

Casanova with Heath Ledger

I was expecting this to be rubbish. It was quite the opposite. Sure, it's a chick flick but it is one that tries to do something decent and I think it comes off. The music is good - mostly period - and the costumes are not bad at all with little of the modernisation of dress that usually goes with popular history films. It's not erotic or funny but the director does a decent job entertaining us in not too taxing way. I recommend it as light viewing - suitable for a family audience - not too demanding and a bit dull but pleasing on the eyes and ears. Of course its nothing to do with the real Casanove but its heaps better than the dumbed-down lamentable BBC version that basically ripped off Plunkett and Maclaine - another useless attempt at the 18th century. There is an hilarious moment when the Jeremy Irons appears for the first time to be met by a servant with an astounded face - it looked like she was going to say 'blimey! It's Jeremy Irons'.
A more in-depth review here. A better review here. 'Casanova sucks' review here. Sienna Miller on the film here
IMDB facts here
Research the real-life Casanova and read his works.

Kasabian The Reason Is Treason Video

Kasabian - the band who seemed to be running a one-band Madchester revival have turned into Primal Scream for this single - the video is excellent - one of those videos where they cut riot scenes and old cheesey adverts to create a subversive message. The lyrics are here - don't seem very subversive but in the context of the video I suppose it works

54mm wargaming

This is basically toy soldier scale. So pretty big battlefields are required - sometimes the floor - a nostalgic experience that revels in the Playset. See Joe's Soldiers for some amazing dioramas. Check out Barzso for some of the best - the French and Indian war figures are excellent - see the Fort Ticonderoga model. Woodland indians are superb.
World war two is pretty popular where it is usually referred to as 1:32 scale. Obviously Airfix multipose figures are useful as are the Forces of Valor painted diecast armour(see pic). Forces of Valor have some rules to download.
Forum Skirmish Wargames looks useful.
Get your big figures at Steve Weston or Harfields

paleo planet

This is an interesting message board devoted to prehistoric skills such as natural archery and the use of atalatls.

Yo la tengo at my space

The myspace phenomena is one that is growing - most contemporary bands now have a spot - check out the mighty YLTs spot - the video is funny too.

18th century military texts online - for April only...

This came from the Blenhem discussion list (thanks to Boris) but it is so useful I thought in case anyone didnt know about this - basically a whole load of useful military texts are online only in April. I found some useful things indeed... Kane, Blands -

http://www.napoleon-series.org/cgi-bin/forum/webbbs_config.pl?read=58594

It is an overwhelmingly rich collection of nearly everything published in Britain throughout whole 18th Century.
To us there are numerous military instructions, manuals, essays, memoirs etc.
The free access is open only in April.

Go to Web site:

http://www.accessmylibrary.com/

Hit: “Access Now”
Hit: “Others”
Hit: ‘History Biography and Literature”
Hit: “Eighteenth Century Collections Online”
Input your search type, etc.

The Wolfmen

Marco Pirroni's new project - also tracks on youtube. Official site here - also on Myspace
Hear for yourself with the downloads at the official site - includes Eno cover.
Articles and artwork like this grace the band's site and a teasing 'Another collaboration, this time between The Wolfmen and "THE New York legend" appears next month... [04/04/2006]

French and Indian raid of 1704

The Indian raid on Deerfield in 1704 is not well known in the UK - in the U.S. I think it is regarded as a key event of the period and subject of much interest. Have a look at this website - the graphics and the presentation are superb - really bringing the events to life. The site contains the work of Francis Back - one of the best Canadian illustrators (left)

Morrissey 'You have killed me'

Where do you stand on the great Morrissey divide? I think I've found a nice piece of fence to sit on. I like the singles he puts out - always enjoy singing along in the great bathroom operetta style that he sings in - but I find the albums a bit dull and grind on a bit. The current album Ringleader of the tormentors - I like the first song - Far off Places - and the current single - but find the rest a bit so-so. I think musically it is pretty middle of the road and an album's worth too dreary. What is the best album? Wait a few years and it will be the Greatest Hits. Watch oldie Suedehead here.

American Conquest Divided Nation

This is the next instalment of the Real Time Strategy series by CDV - this time taking in the wars of the 19thc including the Civil War, Mexico etc. I enjoyed Cossacks and the first instalment of this series which dealt with 18thc America so this looks like a good bet. Check the system requirements first to make sure your pc is up to it though.

Monochrome set Wallflower

The Monochrome set were one of the cleverest and most witty of all the post punk bands but it didn't win them many admirers in the press who seemed to take exception to the fact that they weren't cockneys or something. But thankfully we still have their records to listen to and they seem to have slowly acquired a cult following - certainly my son loves them to bits. Official site here
I always thought of the singer Bid as a bit of a 21st century Noel Cowerd - certainly his lyrics hinted at a very debauched lifestyle that made them seem a little scary. I remember when we met them we were very timid. I must say that they were extremely pleasant and of course very civilized. Lester Square got a little narked with me wanting to talk about Adam and the Ants with Andy Warren who had just left, but they were a joy to meet. Musically they were very sophisticated - even the instrumentals are exciting things usually, hinting at the 60s but always in a modern way.

French and indian war novel

This looks interesting - a blog novel set in the French and Indian war! Good luck with that...

Raconteurs 'Steady as she goes'

The new project from Jack White. We - daughter Celia and I - were talking about Jack Black's role in King Kong - out now on dvd of course - and somehow Sue thought we were talking about Jack White. How can that happen unless she has her celebrities colour coded?
Anyway I think the video is directed by Jim Jarmusch. The song sounds familiar, like a cover of a Nuggets-type band wanting to sound like a UK beat band like the Zombies... did they write it? Presumably.
Anyway the song is also on Youtube. Official site here

songs with question marks at the end

We, in our family, have a tradition of when there is a song on the tv, radio etc that has a question in the title to vocalise the answer. I think this goes back to my obsession with answer records that came out in the rnb genre in the 50s as follow-ups to hits. Anyway todays made me laugh a bit - the song/question was Culture Clubs 'Do you really want to hurt me?' and the answer 'after seeing the video... definitely'.

Tankfest 2006 Bovington Tank Museum

25th June
This looks like a fun day out if you're into tanks - I might even go myself. The sound, sight, and even smell of old tanks working is a pleasure to behold and the Tank Museum is a great place to visit.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs 'Maps'

With the YYYs riding high now with what looks like a breakthrough single it might be time to enjoy some of their past highs - this one is in my opinion one of the best of their back-catalogue.

Marshal Vauban website

I really like Vauban style forts. The gateways are usually understated things almost hidden away surmounted by sculptures of weapons and trophies. Not so popular in the British Isles as on the continent. One of the best examples in England is at Tilbury - in Scotland Fort George and Ireland Charles Fort at Kinsale.
I was reading an account of the Americans in WW2 trying to blow open a gate of one of these fortress gates and nothing, including howitzers, tanks firing point blank range made a dent - in the end they satchel charged the surrounding masonry.

Victorian Gunboat - free to good home?

This is an amazing opportunity for someone with resources - it looks like a worthwhile project though.

HMS Handy (1883)
This exceptionally historic Victorian era Royal Navy gunboat was built by Armstrong Whitworth & Co., Newcastle upon Tyne in 1883 and commissioned into the Royal Navy as a gunboat the following year as HMS Handy. In 1891 she was renamed HMS Excellent and won a battle honour (Belgium Coast 1914-1916) during the First World War. Later she served in the Royal Navy as HMS Calcutta and then HMS Snapper. Eventually she was retired and sold to the Dover Harbour Board and converted into the crane vessel Demon. Today she is laid up at the Harry Pounds shipyard in Portsmouth awaiting her fate. The yard is offering her free to any organisation who wishes to save her for preservation and will include her steam engine. But time is running out for this historic survivor, and she needs your help now.
News item here
And here is a link to a photo of her todayhttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v235/fatdeeman/random/IMG_2101.jpg
Wikipedia entry for Gunboat diplomacy

Shepton Mallet in the news

I was looking for a piece that made it into the Fortean Times about the countrys' largest chicken being from Shepton Mallet - a town up the road from us - and I found this piece from the Observer about how fashionable Somerset is these days. We knew it was a bit like that from reading the Sunday Times supplements that get passed onto us. I will let you know if I see any famous people driving through.
I found the rooster story here if you are interested. It's a year old.

Yeah Yeah yeah's Gold Lion Top of the Pops

To see this amazing performance go on 19th March from the Watch Top of The Pops icon and Bob's yer uncle

Tainted Love

After hearing the current chartbound sound SOS by Rihanna, Susan and I discussed its apparent sampling of Tainted Love, the Soft Cell version - who would get the royalties? This led to the matter of the song Tainted Love and who wrote it and of course I was able to authoritatively state it was by the great Ed Cobb who originally offered the song to the Standells, who turned it down - so it went to Gloria Jones who also recorded his 'Heartbeat' recently covered by soul-punk supremos the Detroit Cobras. Jones' version of course became a Northern soul anthem. Cobb also wrote Dirty Water and Sometimes Good Guys Don't Wear White. Cobb seems to have deliberately wrote lyrics that celebrated the 'bad boy' image of the band in imitation of the Stones. See clips of the Standells doing Dirty Water and appearing on the Munster show! Maybe someone might do a cover of Tainted Love one day in the style of the Standells...
Wikipedia entry on Tainted Love

The War that made America trailers

These trailers are worth a look - the series tells the story of the French and Indian war.

Punk Rock: An Oral History

This new book published by the Ebury Press to mark the 30th anniversary is by John Robb - once of the Membranes and now a talking head on TV. Review here. He made an interesting comment in an interview (see below) that Blogs were like fanzines but easier and quicker.
I read about this in my copy of NUDE Magazine - a kind of arts magazine that we subscribe to... some great features in this month's like a piece of pinball
The printed word does seem redundant in this world of the net but we still buy the odd magazine - we also get 2000 ad, and the Fortean Times and occasionally MOJO.

Vive le Rock Adam Ant

what with the Adam and the Ants dvd withdrawn we are now left bereft of any new clips to enjoy but instead watch this clip of one of his lesser hits (or flops to use the common parlance) although I like it a lot. This is probably one of the few songs to have been inspired by a t-shirt, in this case a Seditionaries design. This song was performed at Live Aid with much notoriety. I hated Live Aid myself and couldn't understand him wanting to do it but there you are.
The Cramps had the best attitude damning all rock do-gooders with the album Stay Sick!

Photoshopped old masters

These are fun - redone old masters.

This one is my favourite...check them out

Checking out my wigwam

This loveable ditty will have you singing along - its the return of Betty Boo - and Blur bassist Alex James - the video is directed by Dom Joly - pretty good too. Sue said 'we tried to explain it to you, that we'd seen it and it was good but you didn't seem interested'. Well I am now, because I have heard it and liked it. See it in full

Gun for PS2

If you wondered - like me - whether there were any gun-based games set before the invention of the tommy-gun you might like this western adventure shoot 'em game.
There's lots of fun game play with horses, hunting buffalo as well as games rounding up cattle and mustangs. A slow-mo gunfight tool enables you to be a dead shot. The horse action is well animated and realistic and the side missions initiated through reading wanted posters are great.
Recommended to fans of the western genre

RSM 95s

These are the SYW miniatures used in Alzheim. They were sculpted back in the 80s if I recall by a policeman in his idle hours. They are proportionally correct which is unusual in metal miniatures these days - figures today usually look like big handed ogres.

The Duchy of Alzheim: More Fortress than you could shake a stick at.

The Duchy of Alzheim: More Fortress than you could shake a stick at.

Duchy of Alzheim

This is an interesting blog based around the creation of 18th century wargames armies specifically for the 'Charge' set of rules. These rules were written by Brigadier Peter Young that have at their heart a series of fictitious 18thc kingdoms fighting it out in simple almost Little Wars style. The scale is big and the units grand in size. This blog is full of enthusiastic projects like this polystyene Vauban project, and casting the semi round Prince August figures. Photos like the one on the left and day by day updates make this a really fun read.

Romanian army in world war two

Well laid out site including movies of armed forces, tanks etc.

World war two microtanks

This has got to be the cheapest way of recreating tank battles in miniature. The company has a long list that seems comprehensive. At about 40p for a tank it makes sense financially and presumably largeish battles won't take up too much space. A 1/300th tank is about 1/2 inch in length.

Clash of Empires Exhibition

Time Machine are a Swiss based company that makes extremely well made mannequins depicting historical scenes for museums and so on. Recently they have done a French and Indian war exhibition to mark the 250th anniversary. Presumably the tortoise wasn't consulted.

World's oldest tortoise dies

Was apparently a gift to Clive of India.

THE LIFE OF COL. JAMES GARDINER, slain at Prestonpans 1745 ebook

This is a fine e-book covering the Battle of Ramillies from a Scottish soldier who fought in the dragoons at Prestonpans. A biography gives these details. Wikipedia entry here

Godfather game for the PS2

This is an interesting game. It is like Grand Theft Auto San Andreas and also a bit like the Warriors - but its old time gangsters - Italian style. Brando actually recorded the voice so it sounds and looks very authentic. Or not. Official site here

Deadbeat Descendant The Fall

This is one of my favourite Fall clips from the excellent Snub Tv programme from the 90s. Finding the origin of some of Mark E Smith's wonderful lyrics is a fun game which some of us nerds play - he was most famously outed as a Neighbours viewer after his single Susan Vs the Youthclub - lyrics here. This song Deadbeat Descendant we sussed out while watching tv - it is a line from a Flintstones cartoon when Fred goes into the future to meet his beatnik ancestors - a chase ensues and I think Fred shouts 'Come Back Here You Deadbeat Descendants!'. Lyrics here

Pegasus Hobbies temporary website

This site has some amazing first looks at a few forthcoming models. There are some very interesting items that will no doubt be well recieved - 1/72 1940 French for the Battle of France?
There is also a range of 1/44th scale figures and prepainted vehicles - thats half the size of 1/72 by my maths. There has been a few companies like Dragon and Trumpeter who have made armour in this scale - 12mm. Also WW1 French, 1940s Polish cavalry... well worth a visit if you're into that sort of thing.

Death of a Nation TV programme on Russia

Marcel Theroux's hard-hitting look at Russia's crisis in health and demographics on More 4 was a startling piece of television. The above link to a list of facts gives you the gist and there are some clips - basically Russia is dying. A frightening and sad tale.

Renault R-35 light tank

This French light tank is featured in Call of Duty 2 and was intended as a replacement for the Ft-17. Wikipedia entry here - photo article on a model in Israel that was used in 1948 by Syria. Gallery of Aberdeen photos showing the fine paint scheme. R-35 graphics. Heller do a 1/32 kit. Solido - a French manufacturer of die-cast vehicles in 1/50 scale have done a model. See a movie clip here
I have decided to stop playing Call of Duty 2 Online - I did pretty well but the mood it put me in was not a pleasant place to be - maybe I'll resume playing when I can do it more in a fun way.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs on top of the pops

Tuning in to tape Morrissey for our son we happened upon the YYYs doing Gold Lion. What a performance - they certainly moved me - Karen O and band strutted like Cats across the stage making a fine din. It was one of those rare tv moments when it did actually work. I'll link a clip when there's one on the TotP's website. Didn't catch the Morrissey bit though.

today's video picks

Serge Gainsbourg Requiem Pour Un Con. I've gone on about this song before - now you can inhale its beauty...

Susan picked Empire State Human by the Human League - I also chose Can't Seem to Make You Mine by the Seeds. If you get the chance to see Sky Saxon' Seeds they are great live, playing all the great favourites from the past.
Another good one is the Man From U.N.C.L.E theme - when we met the Monochrome Set I remember Andy Warren saying this would make a great cover - I can almost imagine the M Set doing this.
Also watch Serge G's duet with Brigitte Bardot doing Comic Strip - and of course Bonnie and Clyde you have to watch these!

Ant DVD withdrawn

What bad news... the company deserve to have it pirated, leading people up the garden path like that...

1/48th scale

It seems that this is a newish scale coming from mainly Tamiya - see above link for reviews - all in all it seems that the new kits are good with lots of improvements like having a die cast metal hull for extra weight and stability - check out this review. It seems to be a popular scale for planes and helicopters but this is relatively new for figures and vehicles. The scale is apparently a quarter of an inch to the foot.
On the wargaming front it seems that North Star have got on this trend and of course the Honourable Lead Boiler Suit company has been going for 1/48 as a scale a while - they even do French and Indian wars - see pic left . Also see this website Track 48 for more background. If 1/48 vehicle production gets anywhere near as comprehensive as 1/35 it will be an interesting development - at the moment choice is limited but if you want to do WW2 bigger than 1/72 but not as big as 1/35 or 54mm this could be for you.

Figure Reviews

I don't really know much about the world of 1/35 scale modelling but I am amazed by the amount and depth of the companies producing these figures - particularly the medium of resin which is new to me. The above site gives some reviews of the current models.

WWII database

This is a pretty amazing site http://www.tarrif.net/ - it even has movies - newsreels etc - be sure to watch the French tanks footage. This site has some pretty astounding stuff to look at - so clear out those cache files and enjoy some Char B footage... what a great invention the world wide web is, at least if you have broadband.
The Somua tank pic full-sized is in their Galleries section - watch it in action in the Movie section.

South west big cats in the news

WW2 In Color

NAME THOSE FRENCH TANKS
French tank on fire 1940 from the ww2 in color website. I'll let you identify it from links on this page...

WW2 IN COLOR If you go to the 'other units' folder you'll find some more French tanks - mostly abandoned like the tanks on the left - what are they?

Laibach

Pronounced 'Lieback'. A Slovenian industrial band that have influenced many though they have been pretty much an enigma. One biography states Laibach have often courted controversy through their skilful manipulation of imagery from both the far left and far right of the political spectrum. Their music has always acted as an extension of their ideology and from early experiments with industrial noise they have evolved to create a kind of totalitarian pop that is often typified by their radical cover versions of existing songs. Official site here. A new film The Divided States of America - is bound to cause controversy with the tagline that says that 'America has no soul and so killing it would not be a crime'. Clip here
I find them funny - the old singer looks like he's from Wilson Keppel and Betty - the sand dance trio of old music hall fame.
Get the lowdown on them at the reliable Wikipedia and buy the DVD Anthems...

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

I am quite enjoying the new YYYs album - it's a little on the mellow side - compared with the last one but still pretty much in the same vein. The single Gold Lion is pretty catchy. It's a more 3 dimensional sound than before when they sounded a bit like a P J Harvey tribute band.

Bonnie and Clyde clips

The above newsreel though grisly is interesting. It's not really how we like to think of our latter day Romeo and Juliet - riddled with bullet-holes and very much dead. Cheer yourself up by watching the trailer to the Hollywood version from 1967. This was a watershed movie by American standards though it has to be said nothing new as far as European cinema was concerned - perhaps one should watch Pierrot le Fou first.

See Flatt and Scruggs perform the iconic themetune.

Visit the Hideout for more facts and images. Of interest to gun fans is the piece on Clyde's guns - he particularly liked the BAR. Bonnie's poems are worth reading. Seems like someone beat me to the Bonnie and Clyde the Musical idea though. Fansite here; Wikipedia piece here.

extreme accident footage

Another of those compilations of accidents that make you realise how thin the thread is between life and death.

Pulp Figures

The world of 1930s pulp heroes and villians in miniature. Also images of the Call of Cthulu range.

Finnish winter trek photos

If you like flintlocks and snow you'll enjoy these images from Finland...

todays punk videos

I only really know the Avengers from their I Believe in Me/Car Crash single which we still have in red vinyl - this clip of them in 1978 is enjoyable and captures the spirit of those times. Also from that era is this clip of Crime
If that hasn't pushed your trust in my choice of decent footage then watch this clip of the Ramones from 1975 when they possibly ruled the world but didn't know it.

America's Army - the Official US army game

This is pretty disturbing - the official US army First person shooter. It had to come really - I noticed UK army recruitment ads had the look of Ghost Recon and now this...

1946 Storm of Eagles

This is an interesting 'what-if?' concept based on the continuation of ww2 into 1946 - principally in order to use some of the hardware that was in development at the time. A review of the figures here. They've used a helmet design for the post-Hitler German figures that was historically proposed, being ballistically better but rejected by Hitler on grounds that it didn't look German - the trouble is - on the figures it looks a bit rubbish. Still, a novel idea if you like big tanks, rockets and the like and lust after pitting some of the late 40s machines against one another.

THE GREAT VICTORIAN WAR (all rights reserved 2006)
In this spirit I'd like to trademark my own variant on history - this variant is that Britain, in 1863 joins the American Civil War on the side of the South and mounts an expedition from Canada and captures New York. Napoleon III then invades southern Britain - only an expedition from Bismark of German troops reinforcing London saves the day.
I will call this 'The Great Victorian War' tm and the good thing about it is that people who wargame the Crimean, ACW or Franco Prussian war can all play together. Of course the white heat of technology means that everyone has steam powered land cruisers, ironclads, and armoured trains. If you need inspiration watch this Steamboy trailer

Char B

It must be said that the French army in 1940 was ideally suited to fight the 1914-18 one!
This is a French heavy tank - a veritable dinosaur to be placed in the context of the backward thinking that created the Maginot Line (be sure to do the virtual visit!). There's a little article on the model they have in the Tank Museum. This tank is also described here .

Recently reissued in 1/72 as a kit with the Renault Ft-17 (box art above) - with Heller Somua now available this makes a French trio in that scale.

Hot Chip 'Over and Over'

this is a new single which I like from London-based band Hot Chip

Porco Rosso clip

my son asked me if I'd done anything on my blog about this film. I thought I had but here's a clip which might persuade you to track down this Studio Ghibli masterpiece based on a manga that was originally in a scale modeller's magazine, then planned as an inflight short. The craft in the film are all based on historical Schneider seaplanes. Imdb here

Hotchkiss H39

One of the better tanks the French deployed in 1940.

This tank is featured in Panzer Front ausf. b

See the British Hotchkiss Society website and Wikipedia entry form information on the Hotchkiss company.

If you have an interest in the French army of 1940 check out 'En Pointe toujours' - orders of battle and useful links in English. France 1940 has useful information and colour schemes. Also information of some of the planned vehicles.

For more photos than you'll ever need of French tanks go to http://www.chars-francais.net/de1930a1940.htm

Terraplanes 'Evil Going On' on Youtube

Independents Day - Simon Reynolds

Piece on post punk - taster for his book which is out http://www.simonreynolds.net/

The Howling Wolf Story DVD review

This is a great documentary. It tells the story of one of the most influential of all the Chess Blues stars through interviews with family and Bluesmen like Hubert Sumlin, Billy Boy Arnold and Jody Williams. There's not a huge amount of archive material but what is there is worth the admission - Sam Lay's home movies showing Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and the Wolf fooling around in a club were a treat in colour, alongside clips of Son House and Bukka White. Thw Wolf clips are there to enjoy and they are of course, phenomenal. It is a warm hearted film - particularly pleasing to see Hubert Sumlin play some of his legendary licks - a little scary hearing Wolf tell Son House in one clip he'd wasted his life.
Howlin' Wolf site

Bow wow wow 'Go Wild in the Country'

Maybe its because the signs of spring are appearing around us but I'm having a bit of a Bow wow wow phase at the moment. This is one of their best singles and will always remind me of those long lost summers when we were young etc.
In case you didn't know they were originally Ants who were then lured away from Adam by Malcolm Mclaren to create a teen pop band but soon enough they wised up and dumped Mclaren's rather seedy approach and created idiosyncratic group songs full of youth and optimism instead. Whilst the sound - tribal, latin, funk all mixed with nursery rhyme rap and chants - isn't usually my cup of tea - there's something about them that makes me love them. It's probably respect for their musicianship - the effortless skill of the backing that I appreciate - they mesh well and they make a fun bouncy sound. Isn't that enough? I must admit I prefer the later stuff they recorded when they had ditched Mclaren - the Going Gets Tough album is still listenable to. They're touring the US at the moment. Download songs here

V for Vendetta - out soon

This movie based on the comic strip by Alan Moore is getting the promotional treatment as the moment - in fact Alan Moore is doing a rare tv interview on the Culture show - watch it here. He pretty much disowned all the movies of his work including this one. The plot is fudged a little by having it set in a parallel world where the Nazis won world war 2 instead of just Britain in 1997 having a Nazi government as in the original novel. It has raised questions about a film that basically espouses terrorism and whether a movie that has its central theme the blowing up of a major landmark would have been made in America.
IMDB facts here
Novel fansite
Wikipedia entry
Alan Moore fansite and interview

Churchill's parrot

still alive and cursing the Nazis...sounds like a subject for a documentary on the History channel.

Some post punk videos

Here's a few we found - Pop Group Beyond Good Evil and the Only Ones Another Girl Another Planet Magazine's Shot By Both Sides and Joy Division live in 1978 doing Leaders of Men

Panzer Front Ausf. B

This game for the PS2 is a Tank sim or rpg set in ww2 - in this case mostly North Africa. The blurb says
PlayStation 2 installment in Enterbrain's strategy game series. Panzer Front Ausf. B is set at the North African front during World War II. Players are in total control of the German, Italian, or English forces, position units and set attack patterns to turn the tide of the war in their favor. The game features historically accurate weapons and tanks, including Germany's III, Italy's M13/39 and the English Mk.IV. The new game engine, coded from the ground up for PlayStation 2, enables the player to view the action from any angle, and even get a zoomed-out bird's eye view of the battlefield.

The history of this game meant that the previous 2 games in the series were only partially distributed and with this game you can see why. Its basically very crude visually - like an old school pc game with awful lettering and a clunky interface. The tanks are well rendered and they drive like the real thing but this game is disappointing technically. So the verdict: Only for the nerdiest of ww2 tank fans. A favourable review here

Our video picks of today

Mine is this clip of the Gories doing Nitroglycerine and Susan's is Marc Almond singing 'A Lover Spurned'. We nearly lost Marc to a bike crash a while back so celebrate his existence by reading his autobiography A Tainted Life or his night-life book In Search of the Pleasure Palace.

Spitfire anniversary footage

If you are a Spitfire fan search BBC news for footage of the anniversary flight over London.

Ralph and Susan's video picks of the day

Thought we'd pick some videos from Youtube for you - first is chosen by Sus and its the Buzzcocks doing one of her favourites 'What Do I get' from the Electric Circus back in the days when Garth was on bass - funny but the lyrics are more distinct here than the single version. My choice is classic Dr Feelgood doing Roxette from 1975 - it's what we danced to before punk rock was invented - well us Frome folk anyway - jerky movements inspired by Wilko - Oxfam suits and ties - soon to become part of a national trend but in 75 a local abberation.

Chicago blues on the web

Sorry about this but these clips are so good I have to tell someone - 'Everyone knows the Hound' says this man, the Bluesman's Blueman as he introduces the Houserockers. If you don't dig this clip - you're already beyond saving.
If you like your blues a bit more sophisticated try this clip of Otis Rush...or this slice of heaven in the form of John Lee Hooker how about some Howlin' Wolf? Muddy Waters ? Buddy Guy or the brilliant Magic Sam

Spitfire 70th anniversary event

Bow wow wow on Youtube

Some great videos by what were one of the best live acts I've ever seen. The trio of ex Ants were brilliant musicians and cool with it. Watch Baby Oh No, Man Mountain, Do you Wanna Hold Me, W.OR.K. N.o., C30 360 c90 go! are all there plus of course I Want Candy

Terraplanes 'Evil Going On' on You Tube

Well it was only a matter of time wasn't it before I had to upload something - this was us in 1981 - at the Granary in Bristol. It was part of Out West battle of the bands competition which we didn't win - but we got a video which was very new at the time.

Bob Gruen's 'All Dolled Up'

The legendary Dolls at the height of their powers this is a must-have item.

You Tube

what an amazing and useful selection of clips. It's not all Punk rock either - I tried looking for Sonny Boy Williamson II and got this clip of him backing up Muddy Waters doing Got My Mojo Working ... good quality ... brilliant. I found some interesting Richard Hell segments a bit earlier - I love it - it's what the web should be like... check out this Seeds clip one of the wackiest 60s settings.... 13th floor elevators... Velvets...Im in Hog Heaven...
Other must-sees include Bo Diddley Screaming Jay, Bukka White Cramps Bowwow wow Son House Roky Erickson Shangri-Las Link Wray Oblivians Yo La Tengo Troggs
well those are the things that I searched for and found - your taste will no doubt differ...