| Tigers at Layer Road 21:11 - Sep 23 with 59293 views | SparkfilmsTV |
In a strange twist of events l found myself in conversation with a young lady who had attended Layer Road for a match against Hull City in our first season in The Championship. The 5-1 encounter.
We were attending a promo evening for a band called The Datsuns in North London in 2008.
During the evening she explained that she had been present at a party that made the national news due to the tragic death of someone by the name of Mark Blanco.
The incident occurred in December 2006.
This incident will be shown on Channel 4 on Monday night at 22.00 in an hour long documentary and several people known to me have made contributions.
It may be of interest to some.
I am very much hoping that the police will reinvestigate the death of Mark Blanco as a result of what will be included in the content.
I know that what l was told by this young lady 15 years ago has been instrumental in the making of this documentary.
|  | | |  |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 17:48 - Dec 31 with 665 views | SparkfilmsTV |
Blur - 'To the end' documentary, 2024.
This was shown on Sky Arts a few evenings ago and there were plenty of references to Colchester featured.
Interesting that Damon, Alex, Graham and Dave had been out of communication for 10 years.
The Colchester Arts Centre warm up gig was featured and Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon returned to Stanway School to view the music facilities ( named after them ). | | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 18:09 - Dec 31 with 649 views | SparkfilmsTV |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 17:48 - Dec 31 by SparkfilmsTV |
Blur - 'To the end' documentary, 2024.
This was shown on Sky Arts a few evenings ago and there were plenty of references to Colchester featured.
Interesting that Damon, Alex, Graham and Dave had been out of communication for 10 years.
The Colchester Arts Centre warm up gig was featured and Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon returned to Stanway School to view the music facilities ( named after them ). |
I was half way through that when my ex wife invited me to a New Year's Eve celebration in New Street, Brightlingsea this evening.
Anyway, the Blur documentary - it was mighty interesting to see Damon Albarn, who is now around 54 and his lifestyle.
Producing creative work is addictive ( me too to some extent ), and Albarn is visibly traumatised from those endeavours.
Alex James was virtually chain smoking throughout the production process of the film ( and on stage too ), Graham Coxon who l last ran into in 2005 in The Boogaloo, Highgate, North London seems troubled and Dave Rowntree who learnt to drum two doors away from my current home also had problems by the time of the Wembley gig and was actually on crutches after playing tennis and getting seriously injured in the days before.
Having said all that, fair play to Damon and the band for pulling it all off.
Super documentary, and explained Damon popping up in Colchester on his bicycle in '23 for some of the film clips ( High Street, near The George for example ). | | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 18:22 - Jan 2 with 546 views | SparkfilmsTV |
The July 2024 Wembley concert by Blur was featured on Sky Arts last night ( as it was a few evenings prior but too late for me ).
The package of the 'To the End' documentary together with the Wembley film is a five hour haul, but l am glad l have managed to watch it in it's entirety, even though it took me two hits.
Most of us think of Blur as a four piece but there is a fifth member on keyboards ( sax too ) by the name of Mike Smith who is vital to Blur's sound.
Graham Coxon's guitar work was mighty impressive throughout and so was the range of his instruments.
I have just written a six second film script.
It features a 30 year old woman who walks into a police station under duress.
She says - I've got a stalker and have a picture'
She shows the image to the officer on duty at the desk.
Then the image is shown onscreen.
🙃🙃 [Post edited 2 Jan 18:25]
| | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 16:57 - Jan 3 with 494 views | SparkfilmsTV |
I've just relayed some stories relating to Peter Doherty ( circa '04 ) to a musician friend who found them entertaining and amusing. These are incidents that Peter would probably have included in his book if he had editorial control.
Not sure who had the pizza delivered to me at HQ but thanks anyway.🙃🙃
The new collage / poetics poster range is beginning to sell through retail outlets ...was a slow burner, but some promising feedback today. | | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 22:26 - Jan 5 with 353 views | SparkfilmsTV |
Here is a story told to me around 1986 by Andrew Gallant, formerly of The Gilberd School in Colchester.
Andy died a few weeks ago.
When l heard this sad news l recalled the following.
Andy was trying everything in his power to win over a young lady. His efforts appeared to be being deflected but he was utterly determined to carry on - no matter what.
There was a heavy snowstorm in Colchester and after a few hours the roads were virtually impassable.
Andy trudged from Catchpool Road to Stanway, virtually the only person out in the snow.
When he eventually arrived at the home of the young lady he built her a beautiful snowman with a very special and heartfelt message.
It did the trick.
Andy was a very kind and thoughtful person and a good friend.
Andrew Gallant R.I.P. [Post edited 5 Jan 22:27]
| | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 13:30 - Jan 8 with 205 views | SparkfilmsTV |
Black Sheep of the Family - this is actually a track l first discovered on a progressive album by Quatermass that was released in 1970 on the Harvest label.
This is one of my favourite pieces of progressive rock ever ....what l hadn't realised is that it was first recorded by Chris Farlowe and The Hill and written by Steve Hammond of The Hill.
I acquired an original copy of this album last year and it is incredibly rare.
I purchase collections of vinyl records from around the UK with the key years of release in the 1968 to 1972 timezone my target.
The Hill album was among a really good collection from a former member of the Entertainments Committee at Bristol Uni who moved to Colchester in the eighties when she got married.
I have just purchased a reissue of Catapilla - Changes, that was at Sister Ray in Berwick Street, Soho. Despite being a reissue it was still rare and the only copy of this run available in England.
There is another in Scotland.
It features the 'out there' vocalist Anna Meek who was a one off.
The music is often the back drop for the writing which has had to morph into collating as l have produced heaps of works in '24 and need to group them for possible publication. | | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 15:46 - Jan 9 with 130 views | SparkfilmsTV |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 10:27 - May 14 by SparkfilmsTV |
THE BALLAD OF LILY ALLEN
We find ourselves
Sharing this battered sofa
With it's cigarette burns
And tales of drunken nights
Of chaos and carnage
Here in Shoreditch UK
It's Wednesday morning
Eleven am
We could be here
To see a therapist
A journalist
Or a street artist
Such is the allure
Of this Old Street location
Now l can study you
Close up and personal
LRBA
Arrived on the second of May
A journey that has taken you
From council estate
To Number One
In the singles charts
With some stop off's
Along the way
You smile
It seems apt
And your fragrance
Is in keeping
With your original career goal
As a florist
The receptionist
Seems invisible
Perhaps another late night
At an awards ceremony
At China White
Your bag is open
I find it difficult
Not to glimpse inside
I wonder
What treasures it hides
Ecstasy?
Your violin?
The handwritten lyrics
To 'Smile'?
The receptionist arrives
She looks like
She's been up all night
And can't wipe
The sleep from her eyes
She apologises
Soon there is
The aroma of coffee beans
A motorcycle messenger arrives
And leaves a package on the desk
Which l duly sign for
It's time to go
Our separate ways
We shake hands
You turn to the left
But l find myself
Chasing you
Down the corridor
With your bag
That you left
On the sofa
You are appreciative
And you smile again .... [Post edited 15 May 2024 11:01]
|
Lily Allen is having a difficult time currently.
This is a reminder of better times when she was floating on air.
xx | | | |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 08:35 - Jan 10 with 78 views | SparkfilmsTV |
Someone was asking about the Lily Allen encounter.
This was at the office of Dazed & Confused Magazine at 112 - 116 Old Street, London and was in the summer of 2006.
We were featured in the July edition.
My piece is in conversation with Dot Allison and is still listed on 'Dot Allison Unofficial' - Dazed & Confused.
There is information on there too of Peter Doherty and Babyshambles and it joins up quite a few 'dots' from that timezone.
I need to drop in there again as it's a useful diary of what we were all doing back then.
It's almost twenty years ago but most of us are still working away on new ideas.
Dot Allison is a great talent and introduced me to the indie scene and so many interesting and quite crazy individuals. [Post edited 10 Jan 11:28]
| | | |
Login to get fewer ads
| Tigers at Layer Road on 12:29 - Jan 10 with 58 views | SparkfilmsTV |
| Tigers at Layer Road on 08:35 - Jan 10 by SparkfilmsTV |
Someone was asking about the Lily Allen encounter.
This was at the office of Dazed & Confused Magazine at 112 - 116 Old Street, London and was in the summer of 2006.
We were featured in the July edition.
My piece is in conversation with Dot Allison and is still listed on 'Dot Allison Unofficial' - Dazed & Confused.
There is information on there too of Peter Doherty and Babyshambles and it joins up quite a few 'dots' from that timezone.
I need to drop in there again as it's a useful diary of what we were all doing back then.
It's almost twenty years ago but most of us are still working away on new ideas.
Dot Allison is a great talent and introduced me to the indie scene and so many interesting and quite crazy individuals. [Post edited 10 Jan 11:28]
|
Little update re. Unofficial Dot Allison site.
This was run from Fairford Road, Detroit, Michigan in the US by Jeff Birgbauer.
He also ran sites for One Dove ( Dot's first band in Edinburgh ) My Bloody Valentine and Primal Scream.
There are some spelling mishaps on there including my name but Jeff did some great coverage of the scene for many years - which reminds me, we all had MySpace accounts back then that travelled like wildfire until the servers blipped out and all the data was lost. [Post edited 10 Jan 12:41]
| | | |
| |
By continuing to use the site, you agree to our use of cookies and to abide by our Terms and Conditions.
