Blog Archive: January 2003

New Song! New Song!
Sing HURRAH to the Gods of ROCK, for LO! Last night I finally finished off New Song "Walkman In My Head." I am especialy joyous about this because it does at least prove I am ABLE to write a new song, as it's been at least six months (possibly longer but I am scared to THINK of that) since I wrote a new song, and I was starting to worry. OK, I had BUNGED UP the tune chute of my own accord to facilitate completion of The Album, but still.

Anyway, I think it's Rather Jolly, and you will be able to judge for yourself, dear reader, when it goes up on the New! Improved! Website! If! I can be bothered! To get it sorted! Yeah!
posted 31/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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On a happier note...
Hooray! I got tickets last night to go and see Teenage Fanclub at the Astoria! BRILLIANT! The last time I saw them, at Bowlie, was the LOUDEST gig I have ever been to. Being a bit of a Clever Clogs I have, of course, developed a theory/system/SCHEME re. Getting To The Front At Gigs, as follows:

"Go round the back to the furthest point from the entry (and lo, this shall usually be Stage Left), and then walk forward along the edge. Surely you will then get right down the front."

Never fails. So me and my old pal Mileage duly DID walk right round to the left and towards the front, and found ACRES of space... but this time it was because it was PHYSICALLY PAINFUL to stand anywhere near the speakers. Man ALIVE it was loud! But, also, BLOODY GRATE!

On holiday last summer we saw a Beatles Tribute Band, and Charlotte was frankly HORRIFIED by the ghastliness of my singalonga-stylee singing. I dread to think what'll happen when she hears me trying to do TFC HARMONIES in a similar stylee...
posted 30/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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People Who Will Be Severely Censured When A Grateful Nation Hands Me The Reins Of Power: 4
Bloody Volunteer Train Conductors. On the TUBE for the past few days (I told you I am becoming a Londoner now - the tube the tube the tube and Property Prices) it's been RATHER full due to the biggest line being switched off - and by the way, I wonder why it is MORE safe to take off 85 trains and make half a million people completely fill up carriages than to run the deadly risk of a once a decade accident happen twice in the same month - and this has given COUNTLESS tossers the opportunity to feel more important by constantly shouting "Move RIGHT down the carriage". Like big old tossers.

Usually the REASON they are doing this is because they have noticed a MILLIMETRE gap about thirty feet away, and rather than take a picosecond to note that it's arisen because Human Beings are showing respect for other Human Beings and ALLOWING THEM TO GET OFF THE TRAIN, they LEAP at the opportunity to BELLOW and prove how very important they are, so much so that they HAVE to shove everyone else around rather than wait two minutes and get the next train. GOODNESS ME, it's no wonder your general londoner is so very less friendly than everyone else in the country, everyone has about an HOUR of this kind of nonsense to go through every day.
posted 30/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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Bad Chips
I have felt POORLY all day today - the only thing I can think of that it MUST be is that bag of chips I had on the way to the pub. For LO! I went to the pub last night, and it was GRATE. It was, in fact, The Dublin Castle, where I went to see the very marvelous Plans & Apologies, and MARVELOUS they very much were, even if they did only do two songs off their album and thus only give me TWO opportunities to sing along.

It was an evening of DELIGHTS really, including:

Saying "Hi! I'm from the label - great album, I look forward to working with you!" to The Band.

Pauly talking happily to the lovely Barb and Mark, until he realised they were German and then Suddenly   . Talking   . Very   . Slowly.

Being RECOGNISED by someone! For some reason it's ALWAYS blokes who say "Hey, aren't you MJ Hibbett?" and they ALWAYS do it in The Gents, ALWAYS when no-one else is around to Corroborate the fact. Cuh!

Seeing loads of people I hadn't seen for AGES.

The classic BAD SIGN moment: realising I had two pints of lager in my hands and thinking "Brilliant!" then wondering how quickly I could drink them both and get some more.

Managing to get home by proper TRAIN style train and bus

Realising that I WOULD be getting home within one hour, rather than three, and not having to dash off to get the 23.22 from St Pancras.

Yes, sometimes living in That London is BLOODY GRATE. Actually, thinking about it, so far it's ALL been GRATE! Gor blimey Mary Poppins, 'free cheers for Larndan Town and no mistake!
posted 29/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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ROCK NEWS
Rejoice, Children Of The Future, there is news of ROCK! It looks like I'll be heading back up to Leicester next week, probably on the Friday, to do some Consulting, so in a fit of EXCITEMENT I have booked in with Mr Reverb to RECOMMENCE the Mixing Process that, one day, will bring a completed "This Is Not A Library" into the hands of a grateful nation. I'm a little STUNNED I must say, as I've been waiting (it feels like) AGES to get going on this again, and doing so was PEASY. COOL.

I also have a VAGUE idea for a song for a compilation album which I haven't actually been invited to be on (yet), but still. Also the REDESIGN of the site progresses APACE and is looking rather jolly - the KNACKERING of the Central Line has had the beneficial effect of a) introducing me to routes into work that are quicker (although not going the other way) and b) making me stay in work before hitting the TOWN and thus DOING some work, also non-work. Anyway, can't stop here chattering all day - tonight I'm off to see the MIGHTY Plans & Apologies, HOORAH!
posted 28/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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Today I Am In A GOOD MOOD
Little did I know as I eulogised the tube yesterday that I was about to be THROWN into CHAOS by that selfsame transport system! I've always thought media coverage of London Things was MADLY over the top (if all the buses in Birmingham got cancelled, for instance, I very much doubt we'd get this much coverage), and today I was Mildly Surprised to find that the much trumpetted MADNESS of INCONVENIENCE seemed to involved, well, people going in a bit later. Personally I had a LOVELY time - got the Silverlink a bit later than usual, got a seat all the way in, and STROLLED down Tottenham Court Road without a care in the world. Aah me, what a joy it is to be alive!

GOOD MOOD has also been helped by a very very relaxing weekend in which myself and the Heat Applied To My Popcorn moved some furniture, went to see "Chicago" at the pictures (i really liked it...) and had three tons of KIP. ALSO there was some piddling about with JavaScript to make a database/switchboard thing which a) will be part of this site's redesign but mostly b) I have been looking at all day with GLEE. This sort of programming stuff is utterly ACE - you get to think of an IDEA, try and make it WORK, and then piss around with it for ages thinking "Cool! I did this!" And it's FREE!

The only trouble with such a good mood is the NERVOUS FEELING that something make cock it up at any moment...
posted 27/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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This Is Not A Library Either
Before I came to London I had a GRAND DREAM about what it would be like going to work on the tube every morning. I had VISIONS of sitting glued to a book as the morn's first light flooded the carriage, surrounded on all sides by fellow lovers of literature, occasionally finding someone immersed in the same tome with whom I might share a smile or, dare I dream it, an opinion.

However, I go in on the Central Line, so it isn't quite like that... there always are a lot of people reading, but they're all reading their books at a distance of about 5mm balanced on the back of someone's head, and sometimes, if someone Large is in front of you and you're pinned against the wall, it gets too dark. Otherwise though my dream has become reality, and I fully expect WOOD PANELLING to be brought in next time they do a refurbishment. I'd say they'd have a sign saying "NO TALKING", but nobody ever does that in the mornings anyway.
posted 26/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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Some Cliches Are Cliches Because They're True
Today, as I wended my way through downtown uptown Leytonstone, I thought I might pop into my local comic shop, to see what it's like.

I've always done pretty well with comic shops. In my YOUTH I shopped at "The House On The Borderland" in Peterborough which was (and indeed still is) EXACTLY what a comic should be, even smelling vaguely of POT. LAWKS! After that I shopped at "Final Frontier" in Leicester, which was fairly GROOVY, but then I gave up for ten years (and didn't, apparently, miss much). When I came BACK I shopped at... well, The Android's Dungeon really. It wasn't that bad to be honest, people were a Different, yes, there WERE waistcoats in evidence, and one of the people there apparently HAD named one of his children after WOLVERINE (though I wonder if he called him Logan or James or ... shit.) but at least it was friendly, and clean, and you could get IN.

None of these things can be said for My Local Shop. From the outside, it was FILTHY - knackered old hand made posters falling off the inside of windows, where, inside, were displayed months old yellowing copies of 2000AD. Once through the door you were HEMMED IN by racks of festering cardboard boxes, full of FILTHY dusty comics (and I'm not the most FASTIDIOUS type, or I try not to be, but these were DISGUSTING) that no-one in their right MIND would ever want. At the end was a SCARY looking man who MIGHT have been a Lord Of The Rings BODY DOUBLE, and on the wall were about 12 randomly selected comics from the past few months, with a charming sign above saying "We don't mind you reading the comics AS LONG AS YOU PAY FOR THEM FIRST".

The scary man said "What are you after?" and I, politely, said "Oh, have you got Promethea Volume 2?" "Never heard of it." he said, and turned his back on me, so I, dear read, left. ASTONISHED. Have I had a sheltered life or something? I'd thought "Forbidden Planet", with it's horrific "Days Of Future Past Wolverine STATUETTE" section, was as GRIM as Comics Shopping gets these days, I never expected THAT. I very VERY nearly went back in and said "It's by Alan Moore ACTUALLY, have you ACTUALLY heard of him ACTUALLY? Eh? ACTUALLY?" But didn't.

Then, as noted, I came home and had an INTERIOR D
posted 25/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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Domestic Bliss
I've just been listening to the new album again - WHOO! It's sounding ACE! BRILLIANTLY we've spent much of today rearranging the rooms that me and The Pea Of My Pod are renting here in That London, and we seem to be getting it pretty right - I now have my STEREO set up and can finally sit around listening to records again, and MAN is it a wonderful thing. I was VERY strong also, I listened to TWO albums by People Who Aren't Me before putting "This Is Not A Library" on... oh yes, I AM very well behaved.
posted 25/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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People Who Will Be Severely Censured When A Grateful Nation Hands Me The Reins Of Power: 3
As noted in point 2, swimming pools are often divided into lanes, sometimes into "Fast" (i.e. usually people doing The Crawl) and "Slow" (breast-stroke) lanes. My current pool has a General Twatting About In lane too, which is a good idea. Anyway, there are SOME PEOPLE who DELIBERATELY go in the Slow lane and do the Slap The Water HARD version of The Crawl, thus BLINDING all and sundry as they (painfully slowly) overtake everyone. If you want to go "Fast", go in the "Fast" lane, ESPECIALLY if you are a bright red-faced middle-aged man who will INEVITABLY attempt to do at least one length doing "the butterfly", and ending up just Slapping The Water even HARDER and clocking several people round the head. GRRR!
posted 24/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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People Who Will Be Severely Censured When A Grateful Nation Hands Me The Reins Of Power: 2
Sometimes a sensible swimming pool/gym Management Team will divide up their pool into lanes, and dictate that swimming be done either clockwise or anticlockwise. This is a Good Thing, until the system is ABUSED by Miserable Faced Old Women who INSIST on turning up when it's REALLY BUSY and doing the bloody back stroke. This would be bad enough WITHOUT her stubborn and UTTER refusal to let anybody else by, or to, like, politely stop at the end of a length (like what your more Refined swimmer is wont to do, especially if he is knackered and fifteen Olympians are biting at his ankles hem hem) and let people by. The worst of ALL these chafing mean spirited old gits will also TUT loudly when someone OVERTAKES them, and indeed once i saw just such a vicious old curmudgeon STAND UP and given someone a STERN TELLING OFF for DARING to want to actually use the swimming pool when she was in it. GRRR!
posted 24/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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People Who Will Be Severely Censured When A Grateful Nation Hands Me The Reins Of Power: 1
Drivers who RACE up to zebra crossings, SCREECH on the brakes when they NOTICE somebody is crossing, then benevolently yet impatiently wave them across. It's the LAW you git, you're not being GENEROUS you're avoiding PRISON. GRRR!
posted 24/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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Not My Day
It's not my day! This morning i spent nearly an HOUR on the bloody tube, rather than the usual 23 minutes (of course i've timed it, what fool wouldn't?) EERILY 23 minutes is exactly the time it used to take me to walk to work in Leicester, EERIE huh?). First of all the doors BROKE, and the driver spent a merry 20 minutes telling us off ("Move AWAY from the doors. This train will NOT depart until you move AWAY from the doors. I can stay here all day, I've got marking to do" etc etc) inside a Dark Tunnel. When we got into the station we got kicked out, reluctantly, into a vast mob of people who thought the best way to speed up proceedings was to stand RAMMED up as close to the doors as they could so we couldn't escape FOR PITY'S SAKE. Then the announcer said "Do not get on the next train, it is full - the one after will be completely EMPTY".They repeated this LIE four (4) times, until i gave in and got back on. When i got in to work i was NERVOUS of the wide open spaces and the sudden movements of things.

Yes, the ROMANCE is over - i am now COMPLAINING about the Tube and therefore i officially LIVE in London. STRIKE A LIGHT GAVNOR etc etc. Should i start moaning about property prices yet, or would that be a bit much?

Anyway, THEN (yes gentle reader, there is MORE) i went for a lunchtime swim, only for the FIRE ALARM to go off. We struggled out of the pool, into tinfoil blankets, and then were ushered out. "Don't worry", said the young tykes in charge of us "We'll take you somewhere room - follow us!" and off we went, round to the other side of the University of London Union building. Passed all the people who had been insides. HUNDREDS of them.

I wouldn't have minded if it had been a bit further into the year, and my MANLY BODY had fitted a little bit more comfortably into the SKIMPY TINFOIL, or if 15,000 people had not said "Ho ho! Look at the wet nearly nude people! Are you cold?"

LAWKS. It ain't right i tell ee, is this any way to treat a poor country boy, cast into the big city?
posted 23/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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Hello All
Hello to one and all, and welcome to the astonishing NEW LOOK (much like the old look) version of these pages. "What's the difference?" you cry? A good question, and one well asked - my dears i have grasped THE FUTURE, and am using BLOGGER to power this page.

Yes yes, all very 2001 i know, but truth be told i was INSPIRED by stumbling over Richard Herring's webpages. He's a proper person off the telly, and he's using the BLOG thingy to rev himself into writing action, and i thought "Hey! I could do that too!" I'm EAGER to get back into the ROCKING SWING of things, and i reckon utilising Modern Technology in this way on a daily basis will get me doing it.

So, here we are then. Hopefully there'll be almost DAILY updates of progressions in the world of rock. Probably this will be replaced by me moaning about trains, as is my WONT, but we'll see. Exciting though, isn't it?
posted 23/1/2003 by MJ Hibbett
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