Chip museum

Apparently the chip was invented in Bruges in the 1700s when the canals froze over and small fishes couldn't be fried - so instead potato was shaped into fish shapes and the rest is history.

Animals and Men vinyl

We were at the Handsome Llama studios Frome, at the weekend recording what will be our first new vinyl, an ep, for about 26 years. Maybe it will be the world's first double B-side? It's going to be on a new label Convulsive Records of Brooklyn New York. If you go to their myspace you can hear one of the tracks. Later in the year Mississippi records will be releasing a vinyl compilation of vintage tracks called Never Bought and Never Sold.

Vic Godard and the Subway Sect live at the Dirty Water Club

Recent film of VG doing stuff from the 1978 vintage. Songs are 'Ambition' 'Nobody's Scared' and ' We oppose all rock and roll'. The album 1978 Now is worth buying - it is like a breath of fresh air to hear decent punk songs being done in a sympathetic way. There's no doubt Vic Godard is a great songwriter and these stripped down raw versions show that off just fine.

Happy Days at B&Ts

This photo was sent to me today and I thought I'd share it with you to show what life was like in printers Butler and Tanner, Frome when things were happier - back in the 70s. On the right of the photo is my Dad and Uncle Arthur on the extreme right - the occasion? A lunchtime draughts cup - the sort of thing that was always going on - sweepstakes, cricket sixes, things that made working in a factory with no sunshine, day after day, bearable. I remember working alongside all these people pretty much and it is a sad thought that all the happy memories of an old company like B&Ts may be gone forever. Shame on Dolan.

Social Security 'Cider'

http://www.mediafire.com/?2dfiu4jemkz
I'm experimenting with this file hosting thing - this link should enable you to get Bristol band Social Security's song 'Cider' a brilliant punk song from their ep on Heartbeat back in 1978. Genius.

Savage Friends: the Cherokee

I only post really good reenactment clips on this blog as there's nothing more embarrassing to everyone than something bad - and that is sadly what most films are. This however, is excellent. A French and Indian war reenactment film shot at Fort Dobbs depicting the British allied Cherokees torturing a French prisoner. Well done to all involved.

War and Peace (1968) Battle of Borodino

Like a battle painting brought to life this sequence from Bondarchuk's epic retelling of the Tolstoy novel is well worth watching. I don't think anyone has been able to do Napoleonic warfare like Bondarchuk did - the scenes are so realistic and of course with a cast of thousands - luckily he had the Soviet army to use as extras. We'll never see epic cinema like this ever again. War and Peace (1968)

'Like Richard Dadd'

This song has been on my turntable today - it was done by 90s band 70 Gwen Party but there's nothing much about this genius band on the web so therefore I thought it might be worth blogging about Richard Dadd himself. Dadd was a Victorian artist who probably suffered from bipolar disorder who killed his father with a knife and razor and made most of his intriguing paintings while in the asylum. Most famous of his work is the Fairy Feller's Master Stroke but there's so much more to him than this - this site has much about him and links to most of his art. One of his paintings turned up on the Antiques Roadshow tv programme, of all places. Wikipedia entry

Honeydripper trailer

At UK cinemas now... If you like the blues or in fact any kind of music for that matter you might check out this trailer for a new movie set around a jukejoint of the title and a blues guitar player called 'Guitar Sam'. Imdb plot summary

Pat Garret and Billy the Kid

If you like westerns and Bob Dylan you might want to check out Peckinpah's classic from 1973 - this trailer pretty much says it all... the cast is phenomenal - even got Harry Dean Stanton in there...

Department S 'My Coocachoo'

Department S are back - you may remember Is Vic There? This time they've done a great 70s glam punk rendition of the the Alvin Stardust classic. Working with Marco and Glen Matlock apparently

Bristol Comic Fair

If you are into comics then you should consider going to Bristol this weekend where artists and all manner of comic related things come together to make this possibly the best gathering in the UK. Incidentally Celia my daughter who is usually into DC really rates the new Iron Man movie reckoning it's well worth the admission price - a good comic movie? Whatever next?

Franco-Prussian war

Ok - I know these photos are of the Austro-Prussian war reenactment scene but I deliberately mislabelled them as I know a lot of people searching the web for Franco-Prussian war pics would miss this activity going on in the Czech republic and it's so impressive - I just love this period. more here

Teenagers in Tokyo 'Very Vampyr'

New single by a band from Sydney Australia - exciting electrifying pop at its best...I love it...give it a shot - it might make your day!

Jah Wobble 'Visions of You'

Jah Wobble is responsible for some of the best basslines in pop - low, throbbing. hypnotic and repetitive - just what the bass is supposed to do - even more surprising when you learn he only picked up the bass on joining PIL - testimony to the 'keeping it simple' rule of pop. I loved this song when it came out and remember playing it loudly from the car stereo - that was when I had a car of course...

Imperial Wax Solvent

The new Fall lp is pretty brilliant. Guardian review here. Tracks are Alton Towers / Wolf Kidult Man / 50 Year Old Man / I've Been Duped / Strangetown / Taurig / Can Can Summer / Tommy Shooter / Latch Key Kid / Is This New / Senior Twilight Stock Replacer / Exploding Chimney more here

Battle of San Jacinto

This clip from the 2004 movie version of the Alamo depicts the Battle of San Jacinto - the Mexicans were defeated and Texas ultimately became part of the US. What it does not show is the fact that Santa Anna the Mexican general was supposedly with a mulatto woman Emily Morgan (apparently the inspiration behind the song the Yellow Rose of Texas) at the time and was caught unawares - apparently he would have the best women forcibly brought to him and this is why when he was captured he was in his shirtsleeves.

Choir Voyna i Mir

This depictions of Russians marching through a village is a great scene from what must be the best historical movie of all time, War and Peace (1968). Posted in support of the sacked Print workers of Frome. (I bet you're going to get sick of me going on about this, aren't you?)

Print workers march through Frome

The top two postings on this blog through popularity of hits are the two pieces I did on Butler and Tanner and the shock closure of this profitable and state of the art colour printers. And they're not all hits from Frome by any means. That's the strength of feeling out there. I was immensely proud of the procession through town and I felt privileged to be able to cheer them on. Why? B&Ts was always more than just a factory - it was an institution - a source of great stories, remarkable characters and a whole world contained within those walls. It used to be an old fashioned paternalistic company with Joe Tanner taking an interest in his employees, who in turn organised social activities for the families - no wonder generations worked side by side as I did with my Dad and Uncle Arthur - it was a family firm. Now it is a victim of the 'shut it down and send the work overseas' mentality that has gripped Britain. Let's hope there's still hope for Frome. BBC coverage here

Butler and Tanner employees march through town

Hundreds of sacked print workers marched through Frome today in protest at the closure of the town's largest employers. I saw many familiar faces and the mood was defiant but good natured. I can't remember seeing anything as exciting as this in Frome for many a year. I didn't have my camera with me but it was an impressive sight.