Blog: Uprock Narratives and Unknown Pleasures

I'm happy to report a fine victory for my favoured rugby team yesterday. My word, the Kingsholm pitch was wet and muddy and grassless but the players responded intelligently and seven tries wi'out reply tell the story well. Gloucester continue to climb the league table but will require doughtier opponents than yesterday's lacklustre and underwhelming Sale outfit to truly test progress and prowess. This season seemed to be slipping away before Christmas but now the club finds itself in two cup semi-finals and with a chance to end the season in sixth spot and achieve Heineken Cup qualification. I would [...]

Like London omnibuses, when one moving image period drama examining a 20th century icon appears over the horizon, another is sure to follow imminently. It was the turn of John Lennon last evening. Gripping steaming mug of tea and with Mars Bar coquettishly poking out of breast pocket, I entered the Guildhall kino with expectations high. Nowhere Boy awaited, impatiently tuning a banjo. It did not disappoint. This proved a beautiful feature film, highlighting a fascinating section of the youthful Beatle's life. Here was the era of skiffle, drainpipe trousers, fleeting glimpses of a [...]

Me and Orson Welles proved an engaging feature last evening. A party of three Coles enjoyed the hospitality of our favoured arts centre; warming beverages, invigorating cola drinks and an array of chocolate treats accompanied us into the auditorium. It was merry. I would suggest that the 'Orson Welles' of the title engaged this viewer more than the 'Me' aspect. 'Me' was Richard Samuels, played fairly routinely by teen heartthrob Zac Efron, a youthful chap decreed by fate to join Welles's company and play the small part of Lucius in his 1937 production of Julius Caesar. The [...]

My favoured rugby club, the Gloucester outfit of Gloucester, is enjoying a year of feel-good fervour. Key players are re-signing in droves, the coaching team seems focussed and invigorated and the first fifteen seems to be on fire with splendid wins arriving relentlessly. Last Saturday was smashing. There are many genres of Gloucester victories (rearguard, gritty grind; forward slog rewarded by high penalty count; elegiac comeback against all odds; insipid limp-to-the-line against poor quality opposition etc.) and I am able to classify our latest victory against an adequate Harlequins team thus: a widely expected win embellished by sparkling [...]

It was a special occasion on Wednesday. Former Trade Minister and Postmaster General Tony Benn was appearing as part of Gloucester Guildhall's 'Speakers' series and it was merry to witness quite a key figure in our nation's recent history. The evening kicked off with Benn being interviewed about his life, influences and outlooks before the audience was given the chance to question the ageing politico. It was an interesting event although understandably Benn, at 85, cuts a more tired and less passionate figure than the firebrand that stood at the centre of British politics for decades. It proved charming to [...]

Heck, I've been playing the new Midlake album to death. A quick glance at my iTunes facility (wi' a grateful tap of the forelock) informs me that I've spun The Courage of Others a dozen times and each listen has been intense and focussed. It's that kind of record – it demands attention and concentration. This is the embodiment of the long-awaited follow-up. Midlake's last collection The Trials of Van Occupanther proved to be one the few classic albums of the past decade and wooed this consumer with its evocative and atmospheric songs and tales. Could the earnest [...]

Just popping by to greet hepcats. Without ever knocking plaintively at death's door, I've been a touch under the weather for the past week and I'm already working out the most constructive time to slurp some Night Nurse. The rugby union was pleasing and moderately enjoyable yesterday. Although there was, officially, a competitive edge to proceedings, Gloucester's clash against Worcester carried more of a 'friendly' feel and it was refreshing to witness a fair degree of adventure and verve from, it has to be said, both teams. I liked Freddie Burns's composure at full back and, [...]

It's always fine to have things to look forward to and I am contented that tickets have been acquired this week for a brace of splendid-sounding future events. The Coles will be attending Tony Benn's, er, gig at the Guildhall next month. I don't often pull rank and insist on Master Cole's attendance at an 'appening but I've bought him a Tony Benn ticket and am keen for him to listen to one of the great names in post-war British politics. I'm imposing at least a two line whip on the lad. It should prove a thought-provoking and [...]

I'm back in the habit of playing plenty of long playing albums although, having written that, I'm struggling to recall a time when the habit left me. 1975 possibly. Anyhow, I have a hat trick of home deliveries to appreciate this month and the first one arrived on Friday. Vampire Weekend's long awaited follow-up to their eponymous debut is entitled Contra and early spins indicate a slight departure from the earlier stuff. There's a bit of unexpected electronic enhancement to Ezra Keonig's vocals and a few less guitars and more synthesized pleasures to enjoy. Plenty of the learned [...]

It is curious how one's mindset changes in a short space of time. Yesterday morn, I steered my motor car elegantly past Kingsholm Stadium, noted the flags were flying proudly, the age-old indicator that a rugby football match would be played out that afternoon, and cogitated sombrely. I reflected upon my differing outlooks towards my favoured sporting team, the Gloucester outfit of Gloucester. As a youth I would have glanced up at the flapping ensigns and be filled with great excitement that my heroes would be running out upon the fabled turf before nightfall. Yesterday I deliberated how my peep [...]

My Christmas holidays are lasting longer than expected. I was supposed to head back into work on Wednesday and here I am, on Friday, still to return. Britain is freezing and ice and snow dominate the section of Regency Longlevens that I call home – and beyond. The Cole females and I met for lunch at Gloucester's splendid Guildhall earlier (a warming spicy lentil broth, since you were curious) and the walk home from the bus proved utterly chilling. I sense the temperature may drop further. It is unsettling and awkward but there are worse off than me. [...]

I thank A, whose love of podcasts is rapidly eclipsing mine, for subtly introducing me to my latest favourite, the Classic Albums production. This is a defiantly lo-fi, under-produced half hour which remains utterly charming and fascinating thanks to the giddy enthusiasm conjured up by the genial hosts Gary and Stephen. These two fellows, hailing possibly from Manchester (but we're never told) have devised a beautifully simple format. Effectively at the end of each show they swap long playing records that are personal favourites and that they want to introduce or reacquaint their affable cohort to. These recordings [...]

I did enjoy yesterday's rugby union action at Kingsholm Stadium. Other commitments insisted that I arrived two minutes before kick-off and had to guiltily scurry away at the very, very death (although I missed not one second of the drama). It was strange not being stood in the Popular Side an hour or so before the referee's 3pm blast and, in a strange way, my tardiness meant it took me a while to really warm up, focus on the match and analyse the performance. Scampering up Worcester Street at 2.53pm, I was surprised to witness so many supporters making their [...]

I salute A. He's gone all end-of-year crazy over at his place with two lists summarizing his varied highlights. It's a witty and interesting selection and I'm proud to note I was stood loyally by his side (mainly physically but also, at times, in spirit) on numerous occasions. Anyhow, it's time for me to look back and select my album of the year. To be honest, for months it was seeming a one horse race as The Decemberists' The Hazards of Love eagerly won my heart and the fierce battle for my aural affections. Wilco's [...]

I thought I'd mention my enormous admiration for the BBC's Great Lives podcast which has been absent for a while but has, in the past couple of weeks, been slipping elegantly onto my iPod once again. As the title suggests, this is a production dealing with the biographies of fascinating folk but it's the format that provides this listener with deepest satisfaction. Engaging host Matthew Parris traditionally, er, hosts a couple of characters, one a (forgive me) celebrity enthusiast of the great life in question while the other guest is an expert, often a biographer of that edition's [...]

The rugby was adequate yesterday. Effectively a dead Heineken Cup rubber against an earnest and energetic Glasgow proved mildly entertaining and reasonably encouraging. An insipid and somewhat dull first half, dominated by aimless kicks, made way for a fairly energetic second period in which the Gloucester backs conspired to run with a touch more guile and grit. A couple of well-taken tries proved ample reward for my favoured team's ambition and the strong galloping of Morgan, Sharples, the young prince Simpson-Daniel, Robinson, Voyce and Molenaar. It's hard to judge just how strong or weak this current Gloucester outfit is; sterner [...]

I returned home from the gold-lined streets of the nation's capital yesterday, weary and wan but contented. It had proved a splendid day and a half in 'the smoke' shopping and strolling and, importantly, enjoying an evening of that new-fangled rock music at the large and impressive Barbican Centre. Spiritualized presented the whole of their classic 1997 long player Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space and, my word, 'twas a mesmerizing, loud and wondrous event. This album has only recently soared into my consciousness and I've grown to admire its melodic and introspective allure. This concert [...]

Well, the first Green Man Festival headliner was announced today and, although I hadn't tipped The Flaming Lips in my last posting, I wasn't too surprised to hear they would be playing on the Saturday. I'm not delirious with happiness at the choice, nor am I sinking into depths of despair. I think they'll put on a fine show. The Coles enjoyed this combo at Birmingham's historic Academy 1 a few years ago although I felt they were slaves to the video accompaniments that formed a backdrop to every song. There was a vaguely contrived wackiness to the [...]

The first headline act for the Green Man Festival is to be announced next week. A clue from the official website states giddily: ' they're one of the best bands in the world ever, they've never played Green Man before and we're literally going out of our minds with excitement! ' Who could it be? I suppose one hepcat's idea of a top combo is different to another's. It hints that this group has been around for a goodly while which (possibly) rules out The Decemberists or Midlake. The word 'best' is a touch insipid and I'd rather [...]

I must admit to feeling enormous excitement at the World Cup draw last Friday evening. I know I favour the rugby union code of football but I do love soccer's main event – possibly more than any other sporting occasion. Well, on Friday it was simply a few balls being selected and countries being allocated groups and locations but this viewer was thrilled and was heard to ululate loudly, 'Not Portugal! Not Portugal!' when it was time to select a non-seeded European side to face England. As things stand, one must be contented with the draw; U.S.A., Algeria [...]