Category Archives: Blog

I visit the cinema infrequently these days,  however the Christmas break lured me to see Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon”. Firstly, it is loooong at two hours and thirty eight minutes. Incredibly, it is effectively an edited version of a mini series … Continue reading →

The motivation for “doing the 92” can vary from person to person, and even from season to season. This was my sixth new league ground of the season so far, from the 32,500 capacity PL standard Pride Park, to this, … Continue reading →

David Bowie’s love affair with  Japan,  and Japanese style, underpinned his early career. He sold 1,000,771 Albums in a country whose western tastes otherwise were dominated by Maria Carey and Michael Jackson. This feature is intended as a reminder that … Continue reading →

The Abba Voyage revenues are jaw dropping. Average £70 a ticket, 3000 capacity, seven shows a week two dark days, two with matinees equals £1.47m a week before merchandise/ refreshments. That is £76.44m per annum. Production costs, exclusive of live … Continue reading →

From Japan comes the Shinrin-yoku: the “forest bath” . In the 6th century BCE, Cyrus the Great planted  gardens in the middle  of cities in the Persian Empire   to improve  human health. In the 16th century ,  the Swiss philosopher … Continue reading →

Chanting does go back to the late 19th century with its origins in Scotland and folk songs popularised by  Ceilidhs. The Old Firm popularised insulting and confrontational chants in the 1920’s – But it became popular and more widespread  in … Continue reading →

Lou Reed was an enigma. A name associated with the Velvet Underground, some of whose records I owned, his wonderful Transformer album produced by David Bowie whom I admired. His Live albums “Rock n Roll Animal” and “Live” were, and … Continue reading →

The Guitarists of David Bowie- from Space Oddity to Diamond Dogs Space Oddity, normally regarded as David’s first proper album post Deram featured two guitarists over and beyond David’s contribution. Keith Christmas In 1969 Keith Christmas had recorded his first … Continue reading →

On 22nd May the results of the Stafford Litfest poetry competition will be announced. I was honoured to be given the opportunity to judge the entries. Many people have approached me asking what  the process was? I have entered numerous … Continue reading →

I was seven and living in America when England won the World Cup. The game wasn’t shown. My dad told me the result though. But the whole experience passed me by. When we returned to England in 1967 the firsdt … Continue reading →