'Summer' Holidays

So. Now that the summer is in full swing (ha ha) I thought I'd have a think about what I would do with the paltry 6 weeks holiday I get.

I decided that this year I would actually decorate the house as I have threatened every summer holiday since I moved in.

This year however I have realised that if I am actually going to do it,  I need some sort of motivation. So I am posting this and will use my blog as a log of my progress (or lack of it). The idea being that if you read this and then notice that actually I seem to be doing no decorating at all,  you have a responsibility to mock me and tell me to get my arse in gear (Cheers Mike Gayle (more about this later)).

I am leaving the fate of my living room,  bedroom and bathroom in your hands. Don't let me down.

Lates. 

Matt.

3dbs

Hell yeah.

Dunk

Seem to have missed an 'r' out somewhere.

Oh well, Nevermind eh?

Hard Life

Test

This is a test. What it is testing for, I'm not entirely sure. But I am content with the knowledge that it has a purpose.

Then again, maybe it doesn't. Maybe its like a year six S.A.T. That would be bad because then it would be completely pointless, annoying and ultimately counterproductive.

Shit. I hope it's not that kind of test.

Start Again.

So. I went out for a few beers with The Floop yesterday and we briefly chatted about his new blog and how he had begun posting at a fair rate again and this as is always the case made me think of my blog and the lack of recent posts and the point of it.

On my drive home from work, whilst trying to avoid being crashed in to by drivers with no concept of safe, country lane driving speeds, I decided that something must be done.

Now I know what all of you are thinking, or at least, I'm pretty sure I know what I'm thinking.... I tend to post like this every six months or so and then completely fail to post anything else. But this time is different... Possibly. Then again maybe it wont be.

I guess you will just have to wait and see. But hey. I've changed the Blog title. Not sure I like it. What do you think?

In other news. Rugby training tonight, then it is 'Open Microphone Night In The New Ash Green Sports Pavilion Bottom Bar'. Bit of a mouthful that title, might have to think of a catchier one.

Friday is last day of term which is very good and then Saturday is NAG RFC Dinner and Dance or in my case Dinner and Then Stumble and Sway Drunkenly to Music. Good Times afoot.

So to recap, please see all of the above.

Catch you later.


Matt.

Christmas CD

No. 1 - Newport State Of Mind - Alex & Terema.
This song is amazing. Its a cracking cover of Empire State Of Mind and it managed to be such a hit that it was banned from U-Tube. Excellent.

No. 2 - I Still Believe - Frank Turner.
You just have to listen to this song to fall in love with it. It is amazing.

No. 3 - Wonderlust King - Gogol Bordello. This song is awesome. I first heard this song after I found out that I had got tickets for the Rage Against The Machine. Gogol Bordello were playing with Rage, and so I had to listen to their music. Crazy Eastern European Gypsies.

No. 4 - She Said - Plan B.
Holy crap. This is a fucking brilliant song. 'Nuff said.

No. 5 - Wash Your Face In My Sink - Dream Warriors. This song reminds me of being a teenager. It reminds of a time when I had a set of unloseable friends. Not sure what happened to a lot of those.

No. 6 - Pack Up - Eliza Doolittle.
This is a simple feel good, don't worry about what other people think kind of a song. Its got a nice olde fashioned-e vibe and a cute girl. What more do you need?

No. 7 - You've Got The Love - Florence & The Machine.
Cracking cover of Candi Staton song. Always makes me sing along in the car which is cool. Unless you are in the car with me, in which case its very, very bad.

No. 8 - In The Year 2525 - Zager & Evans.
I remember listening to this song when I was a young lad and finding the ideas interesting but finding them all a little unlikely. However listening to it now you can see a rather frightening future that may be just around the corner. Not bad for a song written in the sixties.

No. 9 - Just Me - Match Couple.
This song is fun. A very intelligent advert campaign from Match.com rand realising the power of a catchy tune and after constant requests, finally put the song on their website.

No. 10 - Not Perfect - Tim Minchin.
I don't know what it is about comedians but if they turn their mind to it they seem to be able to write very poignant songs. This is one such example. An interesting song about life and your place in it.

No. 11 - She's Always A Woman - Fyfe Dangerfield.
Another song that has come from an advert, originally a Billy Joel song it is all about a crazy but fascinating woman.

No. 12 - What Can I Do? - Antony And The Johnsons.
I was first introduced to A&TJ by someone who I worked with years ago. My first impression was that they/he/'she' was pretty weird. I then listened to them/he/'she' more extensively and decided that they/he/'she' were/was definitely weird but also pretty damn cool. This is a typically gender confusing but ultimately great song.

No. 13 - The Fear You Wont Fall - Joshua Radin.
Basically every year there is a Joshua Radin song on my Christmas CD. The man is a legend. Amazing music. Amazing, always applicable lyrics. Just plain and simple genius.

No. 14 - Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd.
I have always known this song even if only sub-consciously, but it wasn't until someone murdered it at an open mike night that I decided to have a proper listen. And that is why it is now on this CD.

No. 15 - Spaceboy - Smashing Pumpkins.
This song is almost certainly on a previous Christmas CD of mine. I was introduced to this song by a great housemate of mine back in 1997. I immediately fell in love with it and have listened to it, forgotten about it and re-listened to it ever since.

No. 16 - The Ballard Of Me And My Friends.
Frank Tuner is a LEGEND. I have seen him five times in the last 12 months and every one of his gigs has been exciting but also different. He has a real passion for music, performing and also for his audience which is clear to see.

No. 17 - Highs & Lows - No Room For Growth.
I meet the lead singer of this local band not that long ago through a mutual friend. He is a great guy and although I prefer his acoustic version of this song, there is no denying that its a seriously catchy sing-a-long tune.

No. 18 - Sadako (Blow Up The World) - 3dBs Down.
Awesome band. Awesome song. Both are truly missed round these parts.

No. 19 - Chop Suey - System Of A Down.
I like this song. It is silly, it has some really stupid lyrics and it definitely takes its self too seriously.... But the video is interesting and there is definitely a get up and dance vibe to it.

No. 20 - White Wine In The Sun - Tim Minchin.
Another poignant song by a comedian. This song is all about family and the support and love they give you. It is also about how Christmas is basically no longer about what it should be. This song made me want to drink wine with my family in the garden on Christmas Day! And it reminded me of a few people who were miles away this year.

So there you go. The completely compelling reasons behind my Christmas CD. I imagine you will all sleep a little better tonight knowing now why each epic track found its way onto it.

Lates.

Matt.

Hey

So. Its been one year and four days since I last posted on my blog.

I'm not sure why. I started posted again in December 2009, determined that I would continue to do so. I always have a lot of things on my mind around the Christmas / New Year period so I though that if I got into the habit then I would keep posting throughout the year, but it didn't really work out like that. Still don't really know why, I've some ideas but I'll keep those to myself for now.

Anyway, I've finally managed to write another entry, and as with all the previous ones I'm making it up as I go along. I've been meaning to post for about a month and have had various ideas about what to post, but I've not been feeling it I guess.

However I can tell you that now I have started I will undoubtedly produce a few more posts over the coming weeks and I thought that I'd let you know what they will be about.

First up is the traditional 'Why I stuck the songs I stuck on my Christmas CD' That will be a not entirely interesting post, but if you received a copy, it will hopefully be more enlightening than if you didn't.

After that I'm gonna do some top 5/10 lists including 'top 5 hates' 'top ten movies' 'best songs of the noughties' and 'favourite places on Earth'

After that I have no idea, but I'm sure they will be amazing, or a least mazing, or maybe just azing. You never can tell eh?

But I can tell you are waiting for these with baited breath so I will in all lightly hood disappoint.

That's how I apparently rock and/or roll.

Lates.

Matt.

Still Not Figured It Out

Its weird you know?

You can survive all sorts of major and minor upsets, knockbacks, fuck-ups and general shit in your life.

But every now and then something, that at first appears completely innocuous and insignificant, really hits home.

Strange, definitely somewhat annoying, but unfortunately, inevitably, and irrefutably true.

Life’s a bastard eh?

Lates.

Matt.

Christmas CD

So. This is my Christmas CD for this year:

Here is the whys:

1. Beautiful Days - Venus
This song is on the soundtrack for a beautifully shot but rather strange film called Immortal. It was one of those songs that fit so well into the film, it reminded me of the cover of Coldplay's Scientist in Wicker Park. Beautiful Days is an awesome song, and I love the fact that as it is song by a group who do not speak English as their first language they have rhymed some very strange words. 'Days' and 'place' rhyme lovely as do 'made' and 'fake' Brilliant!
This song sounds great played really, really loud.

2. All These Things That I've Done - The Killers
I have always liked this, as silly as some of the lyrics are, but it was after seeing Southland Falls, where Justin Timberlake enjoys a drug induced episode with this song that I really loved it. Check it out: You Tube
Best bit of the whole film.

3. You Can't Count On Me - Counting Crows.
I realised, after burning the CD that this song is on last years CD too. I'm pretty sure that that says more about me than it does about the song, but its still pretty good.

4. Wisdom Teeth - Frank Turner.
I love Frank Turner. So many of his songs seemed to be about my life. But I'd have to say that this song pretty much sums me up to perfection. Sad, but true.

5. When You Find Me - Joshua Radin
Joshua Radin is amazing. A couple of my best ever memories are accompanied by his songs. This is a relatively new one that I found and it is excellent.

6. I Will Follow You Into The Dark - Death Cab For Cutie.
An incredibly depressing song on one hand, and an amazing declaration on the other. You decide which is more apt.

7. Falling Slowly - Glen Hansard & Marketa Irglova.
I first heard this song at New Ash Green Open Mike and instantly loved it. It wasn't till I got home I realised it was sung by the lead singer of The Frames(not at open mike you understand, but originally), a band I've loved for over ten years. It is on the sound track to a bloody brilliant film called 'Once' that I could not more strongly recommend.

8. Let It Be Me - Ray LaMontagne.
A sentiment that I'm sure we have all felt at one time in our lives. Great tune.

9. I Am John - Lonely, Dear.
This was an i-Tunes single of the week that I downloaded and never got round to listening to for ages. When I finally did listen to it, I found it incredibly catchy and even though half the time you can't understand what they guy is saying I still thought it was great. So listen to it and enjoy, even if you have no idea what its about.

10. District Sleeps Alone Tonight - Frank Turner.
Another Frank Turner tune, although this is a cover of a Postal Service song. It reminds me of a time in October 2008 in fact, but fuck it, I thought it deserved to be on my CD as I've listened to it a shit load this year, so there you go.

11. Reason Why - Rachael Yamagata.
This is a great song. And I have fond memories of singing it with a brilliant friend at the end of a very alcohol fuelled night. It will always remind me of that night and them.

12. Anyone Else But You - Michael Cera & Ellen Page.
This is from a great film called Juno. It is sung by the two main characters. I love the raw, slightly shit quality of it as it goes so well with the honesty of the words. You can't take life to the studio and clean it up to make it better.

13. Samson - Regina Spektor.
Heard her at Glastonbury. Brilliant. I love this track for the first line alone - 'You are my sweetest downfall.' Cracking line full of so much emotion and it transports me somewhere I'll keep to myself thank you.

14. The Universal - Blur.
Saw them for the second time at Glastonbury this year and they were Fucking amazing. So much energy and emotion for a band that rode the Brit Pop revolution to the top when I was trying to become a grown up 13 years ago. This song was one of many I could have chosen. Can't really say why this one, but I do love it.

15. The Road - Frank Turner.
Shit, I didn't realise I'd put three Frank Turner songs on here till just now! This is a cracking song, and the fact that it says 'To the south' (which anyone who knows me, knows is a favourite phrase of mine) makes it even better.

16. I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor - Arctic Monkeys.
Well, I bet you do, don't you?

17. Dance, Dance - Fall Out Boy.
I remember two of my friends dancing to this in my living room. A memory that makes me smile.

18. Killing In The Name Of - Rage Against The Machine.
I have always loved this song. It is part of my youth. I remember dancing to it 16 years ago in a French campsite bar in my combat boots, pissing off a lot of French kids in flip flops. I remember that when this came on in the Indie Club in Gillingham, we all knew that there was gonna be one hell of a mosh pit / fight. I love the fact that it was chosen to go up against X-Factor by some random guy, and I love that it won. It made my Christmas.

So there is my Christmas CD line up. I hope you like it, or to be honest I don't really mind if you do or not. I like it and as far as I'm concerned that's all that really matters!

I am currently compiling an Album Of The Decade(In CAPITALS no less!) I have asked a number of people to give me their song of the decade and I will put them all together in one album. So far I have five, which to be fair is a bit shit. So if you have a song of the decade, send it to me and I'll wack it on there.

Take it easy and I'll see you around, or asquare, depending on your feelings on the matter.

Lates.

Or Earlies.

Depending where you are I guess.

Matt