Spare A Penny For The Karaoke Guv'nor

Over the past months I have had the chance, if that's the right word,to visit and witness the sights and sounds of a good few towns and cities.

It is with the sounds that I would like to concentrate on.

As a music lover and a former amateur tunesmith I have noticed a real and unfortunate decline in the traditional art of busking.

If you cast your minds back just a decade or so ago the streets,subways, alleys, in fact any spare piece of pavement was occupied by a chap or chapess and their guitar, open case,if they were lucky, on the floor or maybe their hat strategically opened to be able to hold the odd bit of change their efforts rewarded them.

Now at this point I'll repeat part of the scene, the person and their guitar...period.

What you heard was either their talent or their need to practice a bit more but it was them!

Various songs presented with varying degrees of success but you admired the effort and in a lot of cases the talent.

Let me bring you up to date and I'll use the example of my nearest city, Liverpool, though I could pick any of a dozen visited over the past months.

The main musical noise to be heard now in Liverpool, home of the Beatles and some of the greatest exponent of the guitar ever, is that of a cheap and tacky backing track which wouldn't seem out of place on the earliest singalong computer games.

In front of these machines are people who wouldn't know one end of a guitar from another and pretend to play and unfortunately not pretend to sing along to the tape.

Novelty at first, pain and sad now.

The voice and guitar can't really compete with extra volume generated by the karaoke kings.

It's like that worse nightmare at a party when the karaoke comes out and you know that the same person will hog it all night pausing only to remind everyone that they should be on The Voice.

Live music seems to have been relegated to the certain pubs or rooms with participants regarded as enthusiasts...real shame.

And it's not just live music that is suffering.

My other old hobby of DJ seems to be in the doldrums as well, a wedding I attended had a DJ armed not with discs but yep you guessed it a karaoke machine into which he and he alone sang all night, it was truly awful.

Karaoke was fun when it first arrived but now it seems no one can do anything without the backing track to support them...hardly surprising I suppose when TV programmes such as X Factor are just a glorified karaoke night.

It's time for our guitar toting musicians to hit the streets early, grab the best spots, grip your plectrums and get playing again, let's push karaoke back to where it belongs...behind closed doors.

Keeping Abreast Off The News

Now as those of you who have had the misfortune to stumble across or even read these rambles will know I am no prude.

So it may surprise some people to read that I was not totally disappointed to hear that the nations favourite alternative to Andrex is seemingly ditching the image usually reserved for the first inside page of its daily comic. 

So why I hear you yawn are you not disappointed? Well I am looking at this from a slightly different angle which is my want.  

This publication is thrust upon the public every day under the guise of being a newspaper, it isn't, so let's get that out of the way first. It then aims itself at the so called working man, another myth, but, a little closer to the truth, a word not normally associated with it, as males are in the vast majority the ones attracted to the image. 

It then in many cases takes the moral high ground and lectures to its masses, whilst looking to take their minds off their drivel by distracting it with an image that goes against what they preach. 

Images like these can be found everywhere on the Internet, so I'm told...ahem...so would there be any other reason to continue this practice? Maybe that is why it will continue on their online edition. 

But it may now challenge the printed copy to raise its game. There is no distraction, there is no skipping the front page and the pointless comment and opinion to gawp at something before turning to the back pages and read about Chelsea or Man U, it may now have to put something reasonable and dare I say accurate inside its pages...I live in hope, but I can't help feeling they may have boobed. 

Happy New Year?

Well...is it 2016 yet?

I write this at the end of the first full week of 2015 and what a week! 

I mentioned at the end of my final blog of last year that we went into 2015 hoping for better but I had my doubts...within days those doubts were confirmed.

It has been a horrible week.

I am not going to linger on the horrific events across the channel as we have all seen and heard more than enough of those scary 48 hours...and thoughts go out to all who lost their lives. 

What I will say though is surely now it is time to for everyone to stand back, take a breath and realise that unity is the biggest weapon we all have...

Just as sickening in my opinion were the attempts by some to use the tragedy for their own ends and promote the devision that is so dangerous. Blogging and tweeting about immigration, multiculturalism and putting it forward as a cause of what happened is truly loathsome. 

Creating even more fear, paranoia and mistrust is really useful isn't it? 

And if anyone is being swayed by the tasteless self promotion have a read of this from Dickens and ponder over it...

There are some upon this earth of yours,' returned the Spirit, 'who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name; who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us.

On a more trivial topic the new year has started for myself with someone giving me a late Christmas present of some kind of virus...apparently there are around 5 different virus' doing the rounds at the moment which is a bit scary as I have only had the one...so I was encouraged to read that there could be a new anti biotic on the way...all we need now is to be able to see someone who can prescribe it before the virus goes on its own. 

I did make a kind of resolution to make these blogs less of a rant in 2015... So I will always try to include something trivial but factual...so last Sunday before the virus invaded I was heading into town in the old horseless wagon. 

My route includes several roundabouts. 

I reached the first roundabout at an unfortunate time as I had to wait for at least 15 vehicles of various descriptions, sizes, colours and drivers...all different but with one thing in common...their vehicles appeared to all have either, no indicators, or all their bulbs had gone, what a coincidence! Or is  the cynic in me correct in thinking that they weren't being used? Perish the thought...although as 80% of them were also in the wrong lane for the exit they were taking I do tend to believe my cynicism. 

None of us are perfect drivers, I have been driving now for longer than I care to remember 30years+ and what I am going to suggest frightenes me as much as anyone...but could it be time for a refresher session every 10 years or so? 

I realise that this would exempt drivers of BMWs and Audi's as I am aware that their cars are not fitted with indicator lights at all. 

Happier New Year to you all...

  

Looking Forward In The Rear View Mirror

Around a year ago I decided to make several resolutions for 2014, I succeeded with 3 out of the 5. 

One of my successes was promising myself a little spare time each month and put some ramblings to the digital equivalent of paper and write a blog.

This was the first time I had done anything like this and I would like to thank the 400+people who have opened and hopefully read about my take on things.

The subjects have varied wildly depending on what caught my eye at the time, they have ranged from Groundhog Days, to Good and Dark Friday's. From musical opinion to poignant anniversaries and social comment. A lot of the subjects are still valid today, which brings me to this particular ramble.

As this is, more than likely, the final blog of 2014 I thought it would be good to share some hopes for 2015 and relate it to some of the topics covered.

One of my early attempts was written at a time when thousands of people were being affected by serious flooding caused by exceptional storms and aided by poor planning and even poorer investment. The British "blitz" spirit was shown as the poor people rowed up high streets in anything that floated. I can't help thinking they would have preferred their river to have been dredged more or having the correct number environment agency staff doing the job they do so well rather than reduced numbers, or more money channelled if you excuse the pun to prevention rather than a single rail line reducing one journey by 20 minutes.

There was also a hope that lessons had been learned about planning so weather wouldn't bring chaos as easily as it did...this hope is extinguished because I write this twenty four hours after a few inches of snow practically brought the Midlands and North of England to a stand still, a disgrace, for a so called top table nation. 

A highlight of 2014 from an entertainment point of view was the reunion of the remaining Python's. Though it was never going to be anywhere near their younger days, it was a pleasure to have them and their comic genius in the forefront once again. 

As I stated in my blog at the time though the small mindedness of the  politically correct minority almost ruined it with senseless censoring. Can't the great British public think for themselves? If a show with a reputation for adult humour is being shown live then guess what? You will get some adult humour, if you don't like it turn it off...I am hoping that this kind of nonsense ceases in 2015 though I very much doubt it, I fear as we move into election year what we see and hear will be as controlled as ever. 

On that subject as a follow up to another blog I really do hope that the sleeping giant known as the "voter" will rise from its decades of slumber and meander down to its local polling station in May and give the country a true reflection of its feelings rather than the tiny, and I mean tiny, percentage of potential extremists seizing their moment, the consequences this time of saying I can't be bothered are very dangerous indeed. 

When I look back over my ramblings this year I am disappointed that the majority seem like a rant. But as unimportant as my views are its vital that opposing views are aired to the minority driving the agenda at the moment. 

One resolution from me would be to be able to write about more positive things in 2015, to blog about normal everyday stuff...I have a feeling though that this would one resolution I would fail to keep. 

I hope you all have a great New Year and happy and peaceful 2015 and thanks again for reading. 

Seasoning Reasoning

Now before I start I need to say that this is not a rant against depression which is a serious and debilitating illness and should never be taken lightly.

My point here is the annual moan in by people saying " oh aren't these dark nights awful?" Aren't these dark mornings awful?" Isn't it depressing? Etc etc etc... As if this is a rare event.

Allow me to explain why it happens...and how lucky we are.

It all stems from elementary geography...

This is the planet Earth...where we live

We are here...

Now as you will notice we are quite northerly...in fact very northerly...

It gets better...billions of years ago the Earth was knocked a little skew wiff and ended up at a slight angle...

This slight leaning is what gives us the seasons and as we are northerly between October and March our days are shorter and nights longer but...guess what? In the summer we have very long days and hardly any night...but that tends to be forgotten...I said at the start that we were lucky...here's why...if it wasn't for the natural weather phenomenon that is the Gulf Stream we would have extreme Siberian type winters most years...instead we have what we have and considering our position on our planet that justifies the word lucky.

So the next time you feel like moaning at it being dark at 4 or not light until 8 think about the dawn breaking at 3:30 and sun setting at 22:30 in just s few months and enjoy the special atmosphere that is Autumn and Winter. 

Dark Friday

Over the past few months there has been a sometimes fierce debate about influences and invasions from abroad.

Influxes of people, ideas and cultures undermining our British way of life, whatever that may be.

These discussions have tended to be directed one way...across the channel or the North Sea...mainland Europe, the source of all our troubles.

However, in my opinion, whilst the leaders of the major parties...and UKIP... Focus to the east, we need to keep at least one eye on the west and our cousins across the Atlantic.

Well,actually, we don't need to keep an eye on them, we need to avoid taking our eye off the ball and seemingly accept anything that isn't from Brussells.

Our relationship with America has been special and we have stood together on many occasions in the past and I am sure we will in the future but the influence of culture seems to have been notched up over recent times and we seem to be encouraged to accept it.

Here are two very different examples.

NFL being encouraged to create a franchise in England...not only encouraged but if the price is right they can use our national stadium, oh it's ok, the football team, sorry soccer team can go and play in towns and cities out of the way, at least we would fill Wembley for the NFL, well we would to start with until the novelty wears off... Next it will be rounders...err baseball at Lords!

Second example is the import of something that has, today, shown the worst side of our population. The introduction of an Americanism that works perfectly well in the States but over here?...

Black Friday is an excellent concept...a gift to the nation to finish off the most important holiday of the year. A chance for all to save a little money on early Christmas presents or just on that something you need.

Import that concept to a nation taxed to the hilt, cut to the bone, austerity weary and not in holiday mode and Black Friday turns very dark indeed.

Some of the scenes today in household name stores were difficult to watch and in a word shameful.

Scenes were so similar to the looting seen during the riots except this time they fought each other to grab the item but then raced to a till and pay the reduced sum before rushing home with their booty.

I wonder what these people think of themselves when they watch on their new...cheap...flat screen televisions? If I'm honest it will be a badge of honour.

Why has this been allowed to happen? Could it have something to do with thousands of pounds a second being flung at our tills?... I'll let you answer that, but I will ask one final question on this very Black Friday...would this have even been considered if today would have been noir vendredi? Or Schwartz Freitag? I feel the answer would sadly be no, any other answer and our leaders speech on the perils of immigration, made today of all days, would have contained I am sure a couple of extra paragraphs warning us that we are being further undermined from the East...it's not just a moral compass they lack.

History Repeating Itself?

Just a couple of weeks ago the nation honoured the men and women who gave their lives in conflicts since 1914.
Quite rightly the nation stopped and reflected on their sacrifice and stories were told and re told about the events that led to their horrible end.
As it was the centenary of the commencement of the First World War there was, quite rightly, a lot of focus on how that terrible and some would say pointless conflict was allowed to happen, relevant and thought provoking.
The Second World War was slightly different.
Our brave men and women, ordinary normal hard working non military men and women were fighting something totally different.
They were fighting a regime that had come to power in a country rife with, division, poverty, social injustice, inequality and for a vast majority of their population a sense of hopelessness and betrayal by their leaders.
The regime seized on this and began to implement their plan.
The plan was quite a simple one. Feed on all of the feelings the population was experiencing, emphasise, sympathise, put an arm around them and whisper in their ears, "it's ok, it's not your fault, it's theirs" and proceed to blame a minority of the population.
Put the burden of the majority of the populous at the doors of those who were deemed to be different, unorthodox, atypical...foreign.

These people were labelled as sponges, taking as much as they could and not giving anything back, depriving the idiginous people of their right to work, earn and live as they wanted to.
It is much easier to blame these kinds of people rather than the establishment or governments because  in bad times people like someone to point a finger at and it is much more simple to blame a person rather than a faceless governing body that may be based hundreds of miles away...these people lived in the same town and were a tangible presence.

The regime knew this and they soon had the desperate deprived people believing them and the persecutions started and the rest as they say is history...or is it?

I wonder what the brave people honoured so recently would make of their countries latest MPs? Or the party or society they represent?
Times are hard...money tight...injustice rife...division rampant...inequality everywhere...hopelessness and betrayal commonly felt. The establishment taking no notice and indeed fuelling it.
Who does this new "people's party" blame? Put the burden of the majority of the populous at the doors of those who were deemed to be different, unorthodox, atypical...foreign. Oops that was a copy and paste! Well actually it was no accident because it is exactly the same and people are actually believing it...all over again.
Lets have a look at what these people have supposed to have done... Plunged the economy into crisis by gambling trillions of our pounds in the financial markets? Oh no that wasn't them....inflict austerity not seen since Victorian times...still not them...Create a society where number one is the only one that matters...nope that wasn't them... Threaten a Heath service that is the envy of the world...except the U.S. but that's another story...and that is still not their doing...

Struggling to find what they have done...oh wait! Times are hard so blame the minorities, the ones who are different etc...

Now there are two sides to this coin and those of you who have read this far will now see the balance,  the ones who have stopped reading are probably blocking me and avidly reading their new party's leaflets for comfort.

The second side to this coin is that all parts of the populous must resist this new finger pointing blame game and not react in an insular defensive way...the huge majority of peaceful hard working people of all faiths and nationalities need to prove the bigots wrong and dismantle their arguments in front of their faces...How? By showing that they understand that only the divided fall...discourage the extremists in their own societies, allow their children to learn with other children about the different faiths and societies they will live in when they grow up for the more insular minority groups become the more they fuel the fires of the new party and its sheep...