Head Space Daily Words...

The football match I saw today at Villa Park goes to show why sporting occasions are so vital for the human psyche. A first half of resolute defending felt like no more than an attempt by the Villa team at damage limitation, and delaying the inevitable. We offered nothing going forward and looked inferior in every department. We weren't bad but it felt like both the Villa team and supporters had accepted we were second best. City were faster, stronger, more confident and incisive. So when they went a goal up on the stroke of half time, the feeling was that it was game over. Of course, no football supporter or player would admit this, as it is a game of two halves and you have to keep believing but it felt like a vain hope. In fact, City were so superior in the opening 45 that I think the City team and their fans became complacent and a touch arrogant. I tweeted during the interval that we needed a miracle. Pulling a goal back relatively early in the second period was a good start, before reverting to type minutes later and conceding again, to then score two goals in two minutes to ultimately win the game. The miracle happened. Sport in general and football in particular, during these 'comeback' moments can lift you as a group of supporters and individually, to make you believe that you can achieve the seemingly unattainable, that you can push yourself further. They encourage you not to give up and that you can achieve what may seem improbable. Of course Manchester City fans won't be feeling this way at the moment but they have had their recent share of glory and comebacks, so for tonight, I'm going to savour mine...

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The Holte End roof. The sky. Divine intervention...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Mark Capanni - I Believe In Miracles

A sun drenched San Fran version of I Believe In Miracles. Enjoy...

Head Space Daily Words...

I've just watched the Northern Soul documentary on the BBC's Culture Show. I feel quite emotional, because it speaks to me about what music means and makes me remember why I have a love of both Northern Soul and many other types of music besides. Northern Soul to me is to lose yourself. It is passion, belonging, escapism, to be uplifted, to forget, to dance, to share in something that is not mainstream, that feels special to you. One three minute hit after another. I can put a record on my turntable and be instantly transported away from my day to day, of jumping through never ending hoops, to being in a place that feels good and is mine. No one else can interfere or pass judgement. It is me, a tune and my bad dancing, which feels marvellous...

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Not my photo obviously but a Northern Soul image had to be put up this evening...

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Tobi Legend - Time Will Pass You By

This amazing slice of Northern Soul closed the BBC documentary. I'm going spin some tunes...

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Having written on this very blog several months ago about people from Birmingham having a disposition to stick their thumbs up - and coming from Birmingham myself, I am certainly not shy in raising that particular digit - there is no contest in my eyes for the winner of the next 4th plinth sculpture in Trafalgar Square. David Shrigley's gigantic fist, supporting a ridiculously large thumb, pointing skywards, needs to become a national treasure. The piece is called Really Good and that is what the thumbs up sign is all about - a symbol of friendship, honour and something good happening, which we could all do with a bit more of. No doubt there are deep intellectual connotations to be derived from the sculpture but in my view, Brummies and the public at large, should be rooting for the ten metre high 'thumbs up' to grace one of Britain's national landmarks and I'm sure you will all agree that it can be no bad thing...

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My shadow on our beach in Brittany - and another Shadow on the Daily Tune...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Skullfuckery - DJ Shadow

My i-pod was on shuffle on the way home and I was delighted, for the first time, to come across this slice of jazz-funk-70s cop show theme action from DJ Shadow...

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You know you've had enough at the end of a day's work, when you stand at one of the electronic barriers of a train station, mindlessly tapping your oyster card on the pad, without realising that it's not the useless oyster card's fault that your access is being denied but the fact you are actually trying to open the barrier with your debit card. We've all been there...

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If you fall in the water on the Isle of Dogs, don't worry, this piece of plastic will save you...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Mos Def - Miss Fat Booty

Rediscovering another old hip hop classic, this time from 1999 and Mos Def's Black On Both Sides. What a great album, packed with exceptional tracks and what a great tune this is...

Head Space Daily Words...

Today has been the usual manic Saturday, of two energetic, mood swinging boys, arguing and fighting, coupled with football. The day's footy was set up by watching the mighty Villa on BT Sport, see off Norwich at Carrow Road. We then went to Champion Hill to watch our local non league side, Dulwich Hamlet, beat Canvey Island 1-0 in a three o'clock kick off, in the Isthmian Premier League (see Daily Image.) It was a terrific experience. We literally stood on the touchline at one of the corner flags, right next to the action. There is a stand which seats maybe three hundred people but you can walk around and stand wherever you want. A group of a hundred or so Dulwich Hamlet supporters stood behind the goal which was being attacked by 'The Hamlet' in the first half, before walking to the other end of the ground during half time, to swap places with the handful of Canvey Island supporters and congregate behind the goal which Dulwich were aiming to score into in the second half. The Hamlet went one up early in the second period but the hero of the hour was goalkeeper Phil Wilson, who made a series of incredible saves. He is a big bloke, who doesn't possess the most athletic of builds but he produced an astounding double save, a jaw dropping triple save, and with the final touch of the game, he acrobatically turned the ball over from a free kick. Wow. We all went home happy. Looking forward to the next game...

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The view from the touchline at Dulwich Hamlet today...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Gene Chandler - There Was A Time

There was a Northern Soul special on the Craig Charles Funk And Soul Show this evening and this is a blinding tune. Little Gene outdoing JB...

Head Space Daily Words...

At the moment, I'm working on the Isle of Dogs. It's a really interesting place. Firstly, you travel there on the DLR, which feels like some kind of visionary, futuristic mode of transport, as the driverless trains slice through the streets, on their raised train lines, passing over water ways, speeding by super modern, sci-fi buildings, constructed of steel and glass. The architecture in the area covers many eras, ranging from the few extremely old building that survived the war, through to modern contemporary buildings that have been built for banks and big business, as well other office blocks and residential properties, spanning all the other post war decades. What really stands out for me though, are all the huge, iron, alien like cranes, that tower over the docks and water ways, (see Daily Image.) These cranes were the power behind shifting the cargoes that ships were bringing in to the docks from all over the world. Hundreds, if not thousands of men would have been slogging their guts out on these docks. Hard as nails. Not like the media types (that's me) and the broker boys and girls, who now occupy the Isle of Dogs. We don't know we're born. It is a great thing that the cranes have been preserved in their position on the docks, over looking the constant and on going development, as the guys who worked there - performing daily hard labour - should never be forgotten.

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One of the huge, alien like cranes at Millwall Docks on the Isle of Dogs, (see Daily Words.)

Head Space Daily Tune...

Bobby Hutton - Come See What's Left Of Me

I picked up a reissue of this heart wrenching slice of soul today. Bobby Hutton the soul singer is not to be mistaken for Bobby Hutton, founder member and treasurer of the Black Panther Party.

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The original King Kong movie from 1933 is on TV at the moment. I've never watched it before and having seen a Ray Harryhausen exhibition a few years ago, it will be interesting to see the special effects and how they brought King Kong to life 80 years ago. In fact, I need to start watching more movies, my list of which is ever growing...

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Here is the view towards the main screen at the BFI before we saw Bonjour Tristesse last week. The curtains have a very Twin Peaks look about them...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Ennio Morricone - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly...

There was a very good one hour show on 6Music today about film soundtracks and Ennio Morricone's music is just immense and evocative...

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Today I made a cup of tea in your everyday, nondescript office kitchen. A half drunk brew on the worktop, a near empty bottle of fairy liquid standing guard over two soiled sponges that have seen better days. The difference between this everyday, nondescript kitchen and other everyday, nondescript kitchens, is the sight of eleven yellow antennae poking skywards from the O2 Arena, transplanted next to the river, like a huge alien mothership, satisfying its appetite by devouring a distant string of never ending cable cars...

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The moorings of a boat tied up in Crossharbour...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Arctic Monkeys - Do I Wanna Know?

The new Arctic Monkeys album came out on Monday. If this track is anything to go by it should be a good one. Simmer down and pucker up...

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That early September, back to school feeling is in the air at the moment. Full of the hope of new beginnings, coupled with a touch of sadness at the passing of summer. There is a noticeable change in the weather, which turns your thoughts to the autumn and winter months that lie ahead. The annual holiday fortnight when I let it all hang out on the beach is now stored in the memory banks. There I was, wearing my turquoise swimming shorts – a last minute TK Maxx purchase – so bright that you could spot me half a mile away. I turned 40 whilst on holiday and can’t think of a better place to have reached that so called milestone. The campsite that we go to in Brittany is now a home from home. We even see the same people each year. The Wolves supporting vicar with his wife and kids, the German family on the neighbouring pitch, with whom we played football on the beach until 11PM and the bass player from Gramme and his family, whom we met when they moved into the vicar’s pitch. That’s not to mention friends from London who pass through at various points whilst we are there. It’s two weeks when nothing really matters. There are no computers, PS3s and phones are kept to a minimum. The important things are the beach, the sea, the sun, ice cream, good people, good food and good wine. What more do you need. Roll on next year…

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The sun setting over the beach at the campsite we go to in Brittany that has become a home from home...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Sindecut - Tell Me Why...

An unbelievable slice of soul from 1990...

Head Space Daily Words...

To my viewers from the Philippines, my Zimbabwean and Israeli viewers, I know you have missed me. To everyone who has ever browsed the hallowed pages of HSD – got to love a good acronym – panic no longer, worry no more. I have not been abducted, although I have been somewhat marooned in the heart of Soho recently. After spending two weeks camping in Brittany, I returned home to a three week contract of full on work, so HSD has not been on my radar – until now. Your (sometimes)daily dose of words, tune and imagery is back, so stop your fretting.

I won’t be sharing holiday stories and pics this evening but instead, reflecting on a topical childhood memory.

When I was around ten years old I went on a school trip to the Birmingham Hippodrome for a Christmas performance by Rolf Harris. He did all the usual crowd pleasers; that peculiar hyperventilating, which today makes me think of Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet; he drew his part Rolf, part kangaroo cross bred caricature; dropped his “can you guess what it is yet?” catchphrase; he sang the classics about two little boys, tying kangaroos down, and extra legs; as well as flexing his wobble board and playing with his didgeridoo. Nothing unusual about that. All good, clean, innocent fun. Nothing for a ten year old boy to be concerned about, apart from the fact that Rolf seemed a little grumpy. It felt like he was going through the motions and probably didn’t really want to be there. Playing to a bunch of school kids may not be a career highlight and I guess everyone is allowed an off day.

At one point, probably during an interval, us kids got to pull a Christmas cracker and my ‘gift’ was a little plastic whistle. What else was I going to do with a whistle, other than relentlessly blow it? I was at the Hippo, I was excited, I had been drinking pop and eating lots of sweet stuff and I was watching the mighty Rolf. After every gag, song, at every opportunity in fact, I blew this shrill plastic whistle. I needed no second invitation. No one else seemed bothered. None of the other kids, none of the teachers, no one in fact, asked me to stop peeping my appreciation. Then Rolf’s mask slipped. The persona cracked and another side to the lovable Aussie rogue reared its head. Perhaps I was disturbing his ability to hyperventilate effectively with my whistle blowing but he stopped in his tracks and with a steely, threatening, gaze, looked up into the audience and vowed to end the show unless the whistling stopped. Grumpy sod.

I was mortified and wanted the ground to swallow me up. 

Who would have thought an established and revered icon of 80s TV entertainment could have a dark side lurking within?

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The blue-black dusk sky above Regent street this week as a double decker passes by...

Head Space Daily Tune...

Main Source - Looking At The Front Door...

I've been listening to the Main Source album Breaking Atoms a lot recently and it could well be my all time favourite hip hop album...