10 years and me....

Sitting on ya arse with nothing much to do has always been an incentive for me to become creative. In recent months/years it's been with the still camera, but occasionally, I have been known to fanny about with the camcorder.

Usually this has been around my "brother-from-another-mother" Goober, when he's been either gigging, rehearsing or maybe the odd road trip.

So. I dug out the "Simon Wood shagged this Video" DVD which I compiled in 2003 from a weekend trip to Cambridge in 1998 where we (Goober, Simon, myself and not forgetting Pete Moore) hired a studio for no other reason than to celebrate 10 years since the last time we were actively in a band.

So it's 10 years on. Lots of things have changed. I no longer have to imagine what it must be like to work alongside The Wonder Stuff, nor do I feel the need to ignore Mr Wood..... maybe I need to explain.

Mr Wood and I seldom got on (he's the guitarist.... actually, do any drummers and guitarists get on?), lets just put it down to a personality clash.... He probably had one and I didn't.... or something along those lines. Anyhow, I've not spoken to the fella since August 1998, and I think it's worked out just fine but I'm always open to new experiences and if anyone from "Edd Smash & The Dinosaur Wangs" wanna do a 20th anniversary get together then I guess I'll be up for it....... I even know of a decent rehearsal/studio.

I digress..... I sat down yesterday morning, and played the DVD "Simon Wood Shagged this Video". I was quite surprised how good the "shagged" bits were, even more surprised how funny the The Wonder Stuff piss takes were and just a little impressed with Goobers "Miles Hunt" impressions.

So, here they are, warts and all.

Pete Moore: Rhythm method guitar
Goober: Bass, Vocalist, songwriter and Vehicle delivery operative
Simon Wood: Lead Guitar, antagonist and shagger of videos, accommodation
Dave Dawson: Drums, gobshite, cameraman

Royston Vasey

I read a book!

Actually I read a lot of books.... well I try to read a lot of books, it just that most of the ones I get my hands on tend to be pointless drivel that have me wishing for temporary blindness (just about anything to do with Stephen King comes to mind)

Anyhow, I was in Tesco's a few weeks ago and came across Roy "Chubby" Brown's autobiography, it had a tenner knocked off so I thought I'd give it a go... especially as he's done a lot of his growing up in the North East.

Now, if you haven't heard of Chubby Brown its probably best that you just move on, he isn't for you, especially if you are southern or female or just so stuck up your own arse you'll complain at anything just so you can hear your own voice..... there are exceptions to this rule, but tend to be few and far between.

Chubbs is a comedian, a northern comedian. He specialises in "blue" comedy and lobs in the odd song along the way..... and this is the reason you probably haven't seen him, he does not do telly but does do a roaring trade in DVD's of his shows.

Anyhow, his book is a damn good read and tracks his life from childhood to the present day. It follows his home life and career and documents his battle with cancer.

So, I read the book in record time and decided to send Chubbs an e-mail telling him how much I enjoyed his book..... and now my e-mail is part of his marketing! How bloody great is that!

I'm off to see him live soon, should be a hoot

Stephen Lynch...... funny man.

Oh dear...... he is a very funny man. There I was, stark naked* as usual in my living room pondering if I should open up my Speciality Bag of Tomatoes and along comes a very funny man and a guitar. Not the type you meet at Weybridge train station who insists he only needs the money for a coffee then suggests you have bottom sex with him behind a hedge.....

No, this one was on the telly, and he was very very funny indeed.

Goto his website and play "Grandfather". I nearly lost a nadger laughing.

Then buy the following..





*hehehehe, you now have very disturbing mental images of me naked. I have the power!

A Fantastic thing.....

It's no secret I'm a lover of laughter. I've loved over some of the funniest people out there, but recently, I've emptied my happy sacks over Julia Davis for her creation of the BBC3 series Nighty Night.

Julia plays Jill Tyrell, an attractive 27 year old with a lust for life and a flexible spine. In reality, she's a devious, manipulative, evil passive-aggressive with one eye on the main chance and the other on Don Cole (Angus Deayton).... She's the kind of woman I have married in the past and had children with.

But for me, the most amazing part of this comedy series is that the BBC have decided to have the entire series available on line... Video On Demand (you'll need RealPlayer to watch it)

I know the BBC is not the first to do this kind of VOD, but it's free from adverts and wont cost a penny.

Hey Ho....another day June...

First day of the holiday.....

Lots of sleep, lots of cleaning, lots of drinking cider that I found in the fridge!

Gotta start thinking about where I'm gonna go on the bike over the weekend. Too many choices you see. Up North? Local? I dunno. I'll probably just spend most of the time in the flat, thinking of places to go.

I have been watching The Comic Strip Presents DVD box set which can be a strain..... Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic, but it does turn me to drink and eventually a messy flat strewn with DVD's, empty bottles of drink and an uncontrollable urge to shout at passing cars.