Our trip to SXSW aka The day from Hell.

13th March 2012.


United my arse.


We were supposed to fly out from Burbank at 9am, but unfortunately Mark received a text, yeah a fucking text, from United Airlines just before midnight informing him that our flight was cancelled and we were now due to fly to Austin on Thursday instead.
The normally very placid Mark spent the next hour or so screaming down the phone and as a result we were switched to a flight at LAX at 9am which now meant we had to leave at 6.30am in order to beat the traffic as LAX is much more of a pain in the arse and a lot further than Burbank.
We arrived at LAX, checked in and then not long after were informed that our flight was cancelled again due to weather conditions in San Francisco, where we were connecting onto a flight for Austin.
Again we got to abuse a United employee, only this time it wasn't so great. We were given the option to fly to SF and then get a later connecting flight to San Antonio or wait until 6pm that night and be on stand by for a direct flight to Austin. (no thanks)

The band also were having similar problems and were being put on a later direct flight to San Antonio. We looked into renting a car in SA, driving to Austin and picking up the band's van and driving back to SA to pick them up. Unfortunately this plan was also thwarted due to the fact that every car rental in SA had been booked up weeks ago.
Plus by this point we were already in San Francisco waiting for our connecting flight. by the way the horrendous weather conditions that had caused countless cancellations was a bit of rain and some light fog. Or in other words, a typical day in Seattle or Manchester.
At this point I had a bit of a brainwave (it can happen on rare occasions) and remembered that our buddy Derek was already in Austin so I put it to him and Jessica that he could pick up the van, drive to SA and pick up us, (Me, Kellie and Mark) we would hang out for a while and then come back and pick up the band. It was agreed that this was the best, and probably the only option, so it was officially a plan.

We arrived at SA at 7.30pm and were informed that our luggage was still in San Francisco and would (hopefully) be at our hotel by 9am the next morning. While we were processing this information a familiar sight came approaching on the luggage carousel, it was the Wedding Present's guitars. Somebody (not me) had the bright idea of walking out with them and putting them in the van. But I surmised that in the unlikely event we were challenged by airport security, they wouldn't say politely to us

"Hey guys, those instruments don't belong to you, could you please put them back on the carousel?"
It would be more like with guns drawn and trained on us
"Freeze motherfuckers, step away from the guitars, you're under arrest. Hey Cletus, get the rubbers gloves and vaseline, we're having a strip search and probe party"

So we asked the kind lady behind the luggage claim desk to hold them for our friends and she graciously agreed.
We went and had a bite to eat, I had fish and chips with scrapings, we sank a few pitchers of Samuel Adams and then returned to the airport a few hours later.




TWP finally got off their plane at 1.30am, then they had to deal with the baggage claim, filling out various forms just like we had to hours earlier.
Then we finally set off for Austin. Derek was driving with DLG riding shotgun, with me, Kellie, Mark, Pepe, Charlie, Patrick, Sebastian and Jessica crammed into the back.
We finally arrived at the hotel at 3.45am, which made for a 19 hour day of travel.
It really was as bad as it sounds, actually it was much, much worse.
Fuck off United Airlines!!!!!

TWP @ The Mill, Culver City, CA.

Monday March 12th 2012.

This was supposed to be a small "invitation only" secret and intimate gig. I asked DLG if I could invite a small group of friends, he said "Yes" and apparently others had the same idea as close to a hundred people showed up.
The Mill is not yet another new L.A. music venue, but a rather swanky Media/Entertainment production office. It was decorated in that posh minimalist style, you know the one where people pay a small fortune to make it look like the place isn't close to being finished. I'm not pointing that out as a criticism, as it really was lovely, I guess one could refer to it as shabby urban chic.
Anyway, the performance area was set up across the room from a bunch of office cubicles just in front of the main entrance. We got there about 30 minutes before the show and our charming host Phil Crowe graciously directed us to the free hotdog cart and then the free open bar.
RESULT!!!!!!


Me upon hearing about the free hotdogs and beer at The Mill by Catherine Wygal

I had a few friends in attendance, Paul and Dolly, Catherine and Don, Lori and Ed, Carrie McNinch, Karl from work, plus my very good mate Mark and my 9 year old son Owen who came along for his first ever gig.
To kill time we indulged in a hotdog and took advantage of the free bar while Owen charmed the attractive young ladies of the office with his mohawk. One asked him if he was a big fan of The Wedding Present. "Yeah, I guess" he said, before adding "I let them keep their guitars in my bedroom"
The girls were besotted, and I must admit that I was as proud as Punch.



Owen and his mohawk.


The band came out and sheepish looking DLG explained how this was the final rehearsal before the band set off for SXSW, and how they normally would do this in front of a handful of friends and he hoped that everyone would enjoy the show and forgive the bands rustiness.



DLG at The Mill by Catherine Wygal


He really shouldn't have fretted, the gig was fine.
The set consisted of songs from The Wedding Present's new album Valentina and the whole of Seamonsters aka "The greatest album ever made" TM.
The new songs sounded great live, I had been listening to an advance copy for a week and loved it, but there is no real substitute for live (and loud) music. A few people did leave work for home during the performance, it was an office after all. This left me feeling a bit bemused, "Are these people crazy?" I thought.
"This is the first time Seamonsters has ever been performed in it's entirety in the USA and these people are rushing off to catch their bus. Indie music history is clearly being made and little Brad and Britney are going home to their microwaved vegan meatloaf and organic mac and cheese or whatever it is these fuckers eat"
Oh well, more beer for me I suppose.



The Wedding Present play The Mill by Catherine Wygal


The performance was top notch apart from one or two minor hiccups including the "semi legendary" Mr. Gedge forgetting the final verse to Octopussy.
We stayed and chatted with our friends and the band for a short while, but had to leave quite sharpish as it was a school night for Owen, we finally got him home by 10.45 which is quite rock and roll for a 9 year old.
He had a blast (as did Mark and me) and requested that I photocopied his signed setlist so he could have a copy at his (mom's) house and mine.



Owen's signed setlist

Recycling my arse.

Yeah I recycle, so what?
I'm not any kind of tree hugger or environmentalist, I just recycle our bottles and cans because Kellie makes me.
Let me tell you though, it's a tedious task.
After weeks of storing bottles and cans in the garage, constantly tripping over bagfuls of them in a quest to do laundry or find tools, I take them to the local recycling centre in Simi Valley.
I suppose this is looked upon as a noble thing, but let me tell you, it's a pain in the arse.
I (not Kellie) has to lug them in the car, drive over there, carry them to the check out and have to stand for what seems like hours and often in the blazing sun and wait my turn in line.
If you thought you run into the dregs of society at the DMV or social security office, then you clearly do not recycle. You might imagine that you would meet like minded hipster people as you try to save the planet. Beautiful, young and "green" types who drive Prius' and listen to great music. How wrong you are, it's full of immigrants (I'm one, so I can say that) and often smelly homeless types who root through the trash cans at the park in order to get money to buy whatever shit alcohol they drink.

So you stand in line, sweating and bored out of your skull, so you can put your bottles and cans into the machine one by one in order to save the planet and get your "refund" back, it's sooooo fucking mundane. This takes forever and the most annoying thing is when the machine rejects certain bottles and brands. I don't know what it is, but my local recycling centre hates any Fresh and Easy store brand bottles and just refuses to accept Fosters bitter cans. Fucking recycling fascist!!!!!


Bottles and cans, the bane of my fucking life.

And for all my troubles today I received the princely sum of $15.74.
It's always pay outs like this:
$17.22.....
$19.07.....
$12.48.....
$14.85..... or other such random totals.
It pretty much amounts to piracy, they make you pay a deposit when you buy a soda, beer or water. Then it's up to you if you get it back or not. To top things off, if you choose to put your bottles and cans in your recycling bin at home for the trash company to collect, you even have to pay a monthly fee for your city to haul this shit away on something they'd actually make money off. It feels like it should be illegal, but it's not.

In some recently made mafia movies or TV shows such as The Sopranos, the mob boss is often listed as employed in "waste management" in order to fool the feds. Coincidence? I think not.

It's not even like they even hand you the cash at the recycling centre, they give you a coupon and then I have to make the walk of shame to Ralph's next door in order to get the money.
So is it worth it? Is it fuck, I'd actually pay somebody $20 (or more) to come and take this "trash" out of the garage every month or so and bury them at the local landfill.
Like I said, Kellie makes me do it, I'd refuse but that would be a bigger hassle than the recycling chore.
In short, I'm not really arsed about saving the planet or the small change I get back. I do it for a peaceful life and for harmony in the bedroom.
Other than that, tree huggers can give my arse and environmentalists can go and get fucked.

Footy art: PETE McKEE

I am big a fan of Sheffield artist Pete McKee.
His cartoons are quite simple and colourful, but beautifully capture the England I know with his depictions of life in a Northern town in England during the 70's and 80's.
He pretty much covers all aspects of life including music, growing up, holidays, parents, pets and much more. I have decided to concentrate on his football pictures for this blog, he is a massive Sheffield Wednesday supporter, but even so does doff his cap to their bitter rivals United, which suggests to me that he is a proper fan.
Enjoy.


Lane Legends.
McKee pays his respects to Blades foursome Tony Currie, Keith Edwards, Jimmy Hagan and 90's goals machine Brian Deane.


Wednesday Legends, Class of 93.
Captured here are SWFC Hirst, Sheridan, Nilsson and Waddle. I love the attention paid to detail, like giving Geordie Chris Waddle a pint of Brown Ale.


Full Time.
A scene familiar to any football fan up and down the UK, the pint after the match, where you would celebrate or drown your sorrows depending upon whether your team was any good or not. I usually drowned my sorrows as Man City tended to be pretty shit back then.


The Lads.
An alternative version of the painting "Full Time" only this time depicting Newcastle United fans instead of Sheff Weds.



Yorkshire Mix.
Simple picture of a dad and his lad, early doors at the match, waiting for the ground to fill up. A common sight.


Wembely.
An intentional miss-spelling of Wembley (As in the stadium) We would play Wembely up north with a group of lads playing against each other in one goal, knocking each other out F.A Cup style until there was only two men standing for the final. Good times.



The Casuals.


Saturday Lads.
A couple of pictures with a nod to the casual culture. Obviously it was big with me, I still fancy myself as a bit of a casual and still wear Adidas, LaCoste and other gear, only now I sport a slaphead instead of a Perry flicker.


Sunday Moaning Football.
As a Sunday league footballer anyone devoted enough to cheer their mates, kids, husband, boyfriend or other loved ones gets my seal of approval, but doing this back home was on another level as the weather was usually awful and made your dedication even more admirable.


Sound of the Crowd.
Captures the exit from your local footy ground in the 80's perfectly. A bit of a crush, all male domain, kid on his dad's shoulders and a geezer smoking a ciggie as he sells the local "Pink Final". I can almost smell dodgy burgers and salt and vinegar coming from the nearby chippy.


Pre-match warm up
Looks like a young lad left sitting at the table in the pub alone while his dad and his mates empty their bladders in the bogs, just before the short walk to the ground.


More Yorkshire Mix
Same as Yorkshire mix only this time featuring Sheffield United instead of Wednesday.


Half Time
Halftime break during a probably epic game on a northern council estate. Jumpers for goalposts, the only thing missing is the bottle of Vimto we would take with us and drink during the middle of the match, Don't remember seeing many 0-0 draws and they were usually settled by a "Next goal wins" shout as we played until it went dark.


Football Highlights.
Possibly boy at the match with his grandad sharing a flask of hot tea or soup before the game. It usually was freezing and it looks like one of those Aladdin flasks that shattered into oblivion is you even glanced at them wrong.


Early Doors.
This was the norm for me and my mates when we first started going to watch City. We'd get into Maine Road as soon as the gates opened and would wander around the Kippax bored out of our heads waiting two or three hours until the ground filled up and the match started.
Just the various sounds and smells you encountered during that time and the sights, which were often violent were fucking magical to my 9 or 10 year old eyes. I can't imagine letting Owen going to the match with a few of his mates these days with a chaperone no older than 12 escorting us, but that's what we did back then.


9-0
Says it all really, I was and still am shit at foosball, and I hate the game as a result. What's the point of playing if you're rubbish?
Exactly.


Oasis - Heaton Park.
A poster McKee did for an Oasis concert in Heaton Park, Manchester.
A couple of kids hanging out in the park (One in a City shirt) waiting for others to show up just so they could start a game.
We'd do this as kids as there was a school at the bottom of our street with football goals. We'd start off with maybe 4 a side and people would see the game from their living room or bedroom windows and come out and join in. Even grown men staggering home quite drunk from the pub were known to join in and sometimes our little game would end up 18 a side. It was beautiful really.
Fights, rain, snow, hail, thunder and lightning or even a rare glimpse of sunshine never stopped play, only a ball popping could do that. And it did happen a couple of time, we hardly ever had a spare with us.
Sigh, life was a lot better and simpler before video games came along.

So City finally lost today.

It had to happen sooner or later.
We have played 15 in the EPL so far, won 12, drew 2 and lost 1.
If you would have offered me that at the start of the season I would have snatched your hand off.
Of course there was a bit of bitterness attached, we should have had a pk and Meireles could and should have been sent off for a nasty looking foul on Zabaleta, but it wasn't to be, we're still two points clear at the top of the league.
No complaints about their pk or the stupid Clichy sending off though, both acts of stupidity that cost us dearly.
And a special message to all those ManUre fans getting excited by tonight's result, I seriously doubt anyone will beat us 6-1 at home this season.

GALAXIAN CHRISTMAS PARTY.

So we Galaxians after much debate on Facebook, settled on December 3rd for our Xmas party.
We held it at El Pescador in Carson (Right by the HDC) and were lucky to have Nicole and Emily from the Miss LA Galaxy court attend along with Aaron who brought the Supporters Shield and the MLS Cup with him.
Let's be honest if it weren't for Aaron bringing the silverware with him the night would have just consisted of dinner.
One of the ladies let it slip that one of the players took the trophy home with him on the night of the final and his dad dropped it and put a small dent in it. She wouldn't say which player it was, but based on Galaxy player's twitter posts I have my theories, but I am obviously too polite to spill the beans.

**cough** Chris **cough** Birchall **cough**



Anyway, we had a great night, it is always nice to see fellow Galaxians.
It was just a shame that some people couldn't make it.
Oh well, me, Kellie, Owen and Mark had a fine time.
It was great to lift the MLS Cup, dinner was lovely and the company was as good as ever.
Owen had a blast as usual hanging out with Marcelo and Mia and I enjoyed chatting with familiar faces. It was just a shame that the band was so loud later on, killing off all hopes of a proper conversation in the process.
A big thank you to all who attended especially the Miss LA Galaxy girls, Aaron, Carlisa for organizing things and to Linda for providing photographs.
Already looking forward to next season.

BLACK FRIDAY.

I went out shopping on "Black Friday", why do they call it that?
Went up to the Camarillo outlet malls and most of the people I saw were Latino or Asian.
Time for a rethink for the guy responsible for naming landmark days in the USA.