Head Space Daily Words...

I've been in, I've been out. Kids dropped off, school account settled. On the blower, off the blower. On line, off line. Body stretched, form filled out. Boy one back, boy two back. Rain lashed, wind wailed, sun shone. Drink required...

Head Space Daily Image...

For all its beautiful views and rolling green spaces, Blythe Hill in Honor Oak upholds the British Parks tradition of being decorated with random cans of super strength cider...

Head Space Daily Tune...

A Man Called Adam - Barefoot In The Head

The first proper dance club I ever went to was Coast to Coast in Birmingham for a night called Club Safari where Dean Thatcher from Flying records was resident. I can remember that first night clear as day. The D.J flooded the dance floor with sweet tasting dry ice, so you couldn't see your hand in front of your face and when it eventually cleared, there was my mate's girlfriend at the time, dancing with a huge smile on her face. This classic A Man called Adam track sums up the wide eyed optimism of the club...

Head Space Daily Words...

Whilst I wait for my freelance hotline to ring, I may as well use my time to become a jack of all trades. I could take my editing skills to a higher level, I could learn how to bevel and glow OR, I could take a six foot Spring Spiral Drain Cleaner and with the vigour of a Brummie Hercules, I could heroically unblock the toilet. Yes, I am now a real man... 

Head Space Daily Image...

In an age of technology and communication, with e mail, fax and courier, the faithful red post box still proudly stands on our street corners, as a pillar of society - allowing us to receive Christmas and birthday cards, credit card bills, items from ebay and for our children to send thank you notes to distant relatives. The post box has been around since Queen Victoria was on the throne and the character Penfold in popular kids cartoon series Dangermouse, who lived in a pillar box, was named after John Penfold, designer of a hexagonal shaped post box in the early 20th century. Now you know...

Head Space Daily Tune...

The Specials - Gangsters

Shaun Keaveny runs a daily item on his 6Music breakfast show known as 'ear worm.' An ear worm in case you didn't know, is a tune that you cannot get out of your head - it is stuck there, like a car in a traffic jam. Listeners e mail in their particular ear worm and Shaun plays his favourite. My constant ear worm happens to be 'Gangsters' by The Specials. The pounding intro and first line is forever in my head, bouncing around as if in an endless echo chamber. It's just the way it is... 

Head Space Daily Words...

The ability to sleep eluded me last night as I lay in bed semi-sub consciously staring at a white washed ceiling. A subdued mood hung over me but as it is my eldest son Noah's birthday, I had to ease out of my slumber. A train to Shoreditch, a bagel from Brick Lane and a mooch around The Whitechapel Gallery set me back on track. Now home with my boys for more dining table table tennis, then off to the local tapas bar later on to celebrate Noah's eleven years on planet Earth...

Head Space Daily Image...

Like I say, Noah is eleven today and this family portrait he drew as a five-year-old leapt out at me this morning. Time flies...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Laura Mvula - Green Garden

This is my favourite tune of the year so far. I think she has a lot of potential and will hopefully push it further, rather than play it safe.

Head Space Daily Words...

This morning, that great fireball in the sky chose to show itself. People were smiling on the school run, kids had a spring in their step, the world seemed a happier place. This is what that burning mass of volatile gas, some 150 million kilometres away can do for us. It can lift us from our winter gloom, dismiss the doom, and for a few hours at least, give us thoughts of brighter days...

Head Space Daily Image...

Will eating a Super Pizza give you X-Ray vision?

Head Space Daily Tune...

The Pixies - Debaser

When I first listened to the Pixies Doolittle album at the age of 16, I was blown away. It made me feel excited, intimidated, elated and nervous all at the same time, with the demonic screeching of Black Francis and the angelic backing of Kim Deal merely adding to the confusion. Still one of my all time favourite albums...

Head Space Daily Words...

It's been a Sunday for stopping in, for losing my red wine head, watching a valiant Brit outclassed down under, and for savouring Sunday sounds on Six Music... 

Head Space Daily Image..

This is our Roberts DAB Radio - modern technology dressed up in retro - our main source of household entertainment. Sitting on a ledge between the kitchen and dining room it is rarely turned off, with the sounds of 6Music generally pouring out. Sunday is a treat, with Cerys Matthews, Huey Morgan and Jarvis Cocker standing out, not to mention Guy Garvey last thing. It goes beyond being merely a radio station. It entertains, it teaches, it informs and is something I can't imagine being without...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Marion Black - Who Knows



I bought this tune on ebay for a fiver a few years ago and it is utter brilliance - a great Sunday tune - classy, melancholy soul, with a superb vocal. Have a listen...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

2013 is going to be the year of the 40th, with lots of us, including me, reaching the Big One. Tonight is the first of many as we're off to a restaurant called The Elk In The Woods, in Islington, to celebrate our long time good friend Miranda Boulton's birthday. Miranda is a fantastic artist, one of her paintings hangs in our front room and you can take a look at her work by clicking the link below...

http://www.mirandaboulton.co.uk

Head Space Daily Image...

The Tories are trying to close Lewisham A+E and maternity unit, meaning no emergency or maternity healthcare in the whole of Lewisham. This is madness. Today was a march against the proposed cuts.
Last night's Millwall game, in which Villa embarrassed themselves, was moved to Friday to allow more people to demonstrate. Well done Millwall FC. The old boy pictured, who looked to be in his early 80s,  could catch a bus from this stop to Lewisham hospital in 10 minutes, to get to the hospital in Woolwich it would take over an hour and wouldn't be direct. If the Tories get their way, not only will they be putting lives at risk, they will possibly be killing people who would have otherwise been saved with local care...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Letta Mbulu - What Is Wrong With Groovin'


Great soul/jazz dancer championed by Gilles Peterson. I remember it going off at the Southport Weekender 2003 when he dropped it into his set. The 7" is on Jazzman...

Head Space Daily, a few words

Today, I would like to honour the East London Line, our Overground rail link to the rest of london. It is bloody marvellous. Several years ago we had to drive everywhere, now the dots have been joined up from Crystal Palace, through Forest Hill, to Canada Water and over the river to Shoreditch and beyond. It has been a revelation and made London Town fully accessible. For that, I raise my glass to the East London Line...

Head Space Daily Image...

This picture represents many local train stations in London and probably around the country. A tall staircase with a lot of stairs, daunting if you're a parent with a push chair and if you are physically unable to climb the stairs, you're screwed. As we're living in a post paralympics world, perhaps this should be looked at...

Head Space Daily Tune..

Young Disciples - Get Yourself Together



I picked this up on 12" yesterday from a charity shop on Lordship Lane. Coming from one of the great albums, 'Road To Freedom,' it brings back a lot of early 90s memories, particularly from clubs in Sheffield like HQ and Make It Funky...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

Out and about today. Some days as a freelancer you've just got to keep busy and be around people. Sitting by yourself, waiting for the phone to ring is not a good move. So haircut was followed by charity shop record hunting, photographing a local landmark followed by a swim. Episode 14 of The Killing was bisected with collecting my boys from school and some cooking and food was rounded off with a dining table top table tennis tournament. Oh, and a few e mails enquiring after work were sent in between...

Head Space Daily Image...

This picture, which I took today, is of a section of a gigantic mural painted on the side of a house in East Dulwich. In the twelve years I have lived in the area, I have never stopped to take it in or probably even noticed it for that matter. The mural is a community project and if you want to know more about it and see some images that show off the entire mural, click on the link below...

Vision of Angels Mural, Goose Green

Head Space Daily Tune...

Frank Ocean - Monks


The more I listen to Frank Ocean 'Channel Orange,' the more I love the album. It is not a bunch of songs, it's a whole piece of work, where all the components come together and play their part. On this track I love the lyric "Monks in the moshpit, stage diving Dalai Lama..." Hats off Frank...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

When your team has left you embarrassed and bewildered, as Villa did the previous night, there is no better way of putting life into perspective than meeting up with an old friend and her three month old baby boy. To do this in Peckham Rye Park, watching the snow fall, whilst eating a sausage and egg sarnie is pretty much perfect. I can only put two consecutive meat based sandwich references down to the time of year...

Head Space Daily Image...

Amongst the white vans and family estate cars in the Peckham Rye Park car park, this little motor stood out like an eccentric sore thumb...

Head Space Daily Tune...

The Jam - Move On Up


One of my favourite singles is the double 7" of The Jam 'Beat Surrender' from 1982. It shows off Weller's soul influence and although the original Curtis version will never be bettered, this cover of 'Move On Up' is pretty tasty...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

Today started with the dentist, then got better. I had forgotten how breathtaking it is to see the dome of St.Paul's Cathedral disappear as the 172 bus goes up Ludgate Hill. Across Millennium Bridge to Tate Modern and I discovered John Heartfield, who was a pre photoshop photo montage artist, who seemingly attempted to single handedly bring down the Nazis. Top man, very funny and interesting work. This was rounded off with a bacon sarnie and a builders brew at top greasy spoon 'Harpers,' near London Bridge station.

Head Space Daily Image...

I took this picture of a father and son feeding pigeons in front of Millenium Bridge and like how the guy is looking at me as if to say 'who are you?'

Head Space Daily Tune...

Ishola Muhammad - Open Up Your Heart

I'm still an absolute sucker for a piece of quality limited edition vinyl and when it is this good and soulful, who can blame me? The 12" (limited to 500 apparently) came with the contact sheet pictured below and an article about Ishola Muhammad from 1976. Trainspotter...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

I am currently half way though a terrific book called The Last Holiday:A Memoir by Gil Scott-Heron. As well as being about Gil's life (he passed away in 2011,) it focuses on a nationwide US tour he did with Stevie Wonder, campaigning for a National Holiday to remember Martin Luther King's achievements and to celebrate his birthday. In 1983, January 21st became known as Martin Luther King Day and was established as a National Holiday in America. Pretty cool for Obama's inauguration to be on the same day. Stevie and Gil, I salute you...

Head Space Daily Image...

Quite possibly the only snowman in South East London wearing Aston Villa scarf and gloves...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Gil Scott-Heron - The Bottle

Stevie Wonder 'Happy Birthday' is the obvious tune for Martin Luther King Day, but this post is about Gil Scott-Heron...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

That's more like it. Proper good snow today. The two things that bring the neighbours together are the annual street party and a good old fashioned snowball fight. Chucking snow at Ozzie the ice cream man always brings me particular pleasure...

Head Space Daily Image...

The big question is, will school be open tomorrow or will it be a trip to the nearest park with suitable hill?

Head Space Daily Tune...

The Kinks - I Gotta Move


I heard this for the first time today and it has a real minimal groove to it. It was apparently b-side to All day And All Of The Night released in 1964. Now you know...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

Slightly late with updating the blog this evening. It's been a busy day. The snow didn't properly materialise as had been forecast. If it is going to snow, it should do it properly!!

Head Space Daily Image...

You can't beat a Tunnock's on a cold Winter's Day...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Cat Power - Nothin' But Time

The only real tune of note I listened to today. I've been getting into Cat Power's latest album 'Sun' recently and this is a storming track. The girl got talent...

Head Space Daily, a few words...

The snow came, "extraordinary conditions" according to the media, as they attempt to make it sound like the second Ice Age is descending. My advice is to stay in and watch another re run of Mr Bean's Holiday, Back To The Future or Harry Hill's TV Burp on ITV2. Failing that a family game of UNO always goes down a treat...

Head Space Daily Image...

Always nice to see a cafe adhering to the sacred law of Fish & Chips on a Friday... 

Head Space Daily Tune...

Bobby Patterson - My Baby's Coming Back To Me...

I came across this little gem today whilst playing through some of my old soul singles which someone has handily posted on you tube. Great voice, catchy tune. Also check the colour of the vinyl and the logo on the centre label - don't make 'em like they used to!!

Head Space Daily, a few words...

I've been trying to work out this blogging malarkey for a large part of today but there is that sense of anticipation, coupled with the kids excitement this evening, for the snow that is meant to arrive tomorrow and last for the next few days...

Head Space Daily Image...

A child's lost winter hat hangs sad and lonely on the school railings. Unlucky kid, you're going to have a cold head with all the snow that's coming tomorrow...

Head Space Daily Tune...

JB - Get Up Offa That Thing...

I've been listening to a James Brown vinyl compilation from 1977 recently and the man is pure genius.