porterfield 73

Ian Porterfield has died today. He scored the stunning goal for Sunderland against Leeds in the 1973 F.A. Cup final. It was a beaut. Me and Geoff also named the studio where we recorded all the Kosmonaut songs after him. When I was younger and enjoyed football I scored quite a few goals as Ian Porterfield then as Gary Rowell, then I started collecting records and wearing glasses full time and my football career and interest in it came to an end. I think I'll watch the final again on Saturday though.

and the world comes tumbling down

if i could settle down, then i would settle down

indietracks festival 28th and 29th July 2007 Midland Railway, Butterley.


Admittance code printed. Google Maps printed and numbered 1 to 4. Travelodge reservation printed. Camera and camcorder batteries fully charged. Clothes all packed. Time to go.

It seems so long since I was in Derby, once upon a time when we we young and foolish and thought pop music could change the world and Marc lived in Normanton we would head over to Jyoti's Satya studios all the time, well it seemed like every other month, but I know it wasn't . The streets of Derby have changed so much since my last visit, next time I come I will be investing in either a Tom Tom or Garmin Navigator, it's got to save me a fortune in wasted petrol and hopefully stop me driving the wrong way up and down one way streets. Google maps are not ideal when your driving on your own , it's far too dodgy trying to read directions aswell as keeping an eye on the road.

I finally found my way to Butterley Railway station. It's really nice and quaint, my Uncle Brian would love it, he's really into his trains these days. It's very 50's with a Railway Children vibe about it. I got my ticket for unlimited steam train travel for the weekend. I decided to leave my car and go for my first ride up to Swanick Junction where all the action was taking place. The train ride was over far too quick, as I stepped onto the platform I could see indie kids and indie old folks all over the place. I thought I was going to be outnumbered by all the young 'uns but didn't feel out of place at all.

I went to the big engine shed to get my red wristband ,free indie tracks badge and buy a copy of the festival guide. I managed to catch the last couple of songs from the first band of the day the Loves, then my tummy started rumbling so it was over to Johnson's Buffet for a cup of tea and a ham bun. Then it was time to leg it back over to the shed for The Hermit Crabs, who Jimmy Matinee has been known to rave about. After their I walked out and bumped into Jyoti, who was taking care of Cats On Fire for the day. When they took the stage they looked like pop stars in the making, especially Mattias the front man with a ton of style and attitude. You can just tell he knows he's probably in the best band of the festival, just the way it should be. Their guitar infused music was incredibly exciting and thrilling and a total pop experience that reminded so much of the first time I saw The Love Parade at the Broken Doll , they put a great big smile on my face, I just wish I could grow my hair like Mattias , oh how I long to have a quiff again!


Seeing Rose McDowall live was one of the big reasons for me coming down to the festival, I loved Since Yesterday so much. I can remember it being played on Radio One for months before it was a hit . They did a live session on Richard Skinners Saturday afternoon show probably around that time , they played a beautiful song called Sunday Morning and that was I think my first introduction to the Velvet Underground. I wasn't really expecting any Strawberry Switchblade songs but I was crossing my fingers, hoping that just maybe. Rose played her set in the Church and I loved it, not only did she do Since Yesterday and Trees and Flowers but Sunday Morning and a beautiful version of April Skies to finish with. I managed to camcord some of the songs with my new camcorder, but I really should have had more practice with it before the festival, it might make you feel sick when you watch it. I'll put it up on YouTube as soon as I get chance, at least you'll be able to hear the songs.

I never saw the Orchids in their Sarah heyday so I wasn't going to miss this one. It was a treat to hear some of my favourite ever songs played live for the first time. Everyone knows the songs so well but hearing them live they seemed even more uplifting.. I've never seen a bass player so high on playing , he looked like he was having the most fun out of any of the bands I'd seen all day. A George Clooney look-alike commented to me the next day that he reminded him of Mani's dad!

I didn't stick around for the How does it Feel disco, thought I'd better find my Travelodge in Mansfield , I left it too late to get into the one at Alfreton, I won't let that happen next time. It took me about an hour to find it, according to Google maps it was only 22 mins away. Still better than camping out.

Got up on Sunday morning and headed for the festival, first band on were A Smile and a Ribbon who I didn't want to miss as one of there members is Chris/Kris the author of the excellent And The Rain Fell Down blog, which like one of my other favourite web sites Tangents has ceased to exist. They didn't disappoint either, a fine blend of all the best girl bands going as far back as the fifties, certainly not Fat Tulip/Talullah Gosh copyists as I had been lead to believe. They looked the part aswell, not sure which one was Chris though.

Then it was over to the church for Horowitz who were probably my favourite band of the weekend. There was only three of them and a drum machine but they made the poppiest , fuzziest and catchiest perfect pop tunes. One of them is apparently a ex-Rosehip , a band who they said received their very first fan mail from my friend Michael Robson , each member sent him a separate reply, so he told me the other night. Jyoti remarked that there was something a bit Bulldozer Crash about Horowitz, I had to agree and maybe thats why I liked them. The singer also a reminded me of Pete Shelley when he was rolling his eyes up to the sky. I bought the bands LP and their Tracyanne single and if you are after some exciting pop blasts I suggest you do the same. Every now and again I toy with the idea of starting a record label , if I was to start it next week instead of fitting a new kitchen I would ask Horowitz if they fancied being on it.

Another band who I would want on the label would be Countryside who may have been the youngest band at the festival. The noise they made was gorgeously warped yet splendid. I've no idea what FX pedals they were using but the sound that was being coaxed out of their guitars and synths was dreamy.

The last band I saw was Wake The President who were much better than the "new Belle and Sebastian" label some have tagged them with. They've got there own sound and style, I loved all the songs I heard so I was gutted that I'd only managed to squeeze into the packed church halfway through. The finale was their cover of Psycho Killer, where they managed to get the whole audience up on there feet.

I buggered off after them, I was shattered, shame I missed Darren Hayman as I have since grew to love his Caravan Song. It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed my first festival. If I'd known they were as good as this I wouldn't have waited until I was 40. As I was checking out of my hotel in Mansfield on Monday morning I passed two of the guys from The Electric Pop Group , I was going to say something but didn't.

last night i nearly died but i woke up just in time

I don’t know what is going wrong with my insides, but I have just spent the last six days in hospital with terrible stomach pains and a temperature spiking at 40 degrees at times. I have never felt so ill in all my life, at times I really did think maybe I was never going to get better. I had been having pains in my stomach for a couple of weeks and everytime I went to the toilet I would double up in agony, not wanting to go to the doctors I just put it down to eating something dodgy and my insides would put it right on their own. Only that didn’t happen, the pain just got gradually worse, until last Thursday night when it felt like hot lava was running through my veins one minute and the next I was camped out on Everest with no clothes on unable to stop shaking .

I decided tomorrow I would go to the doctors and get sorted, so I did. She wasn’t impressed I’d waited so long and immediately had me admitted to hospital. Then the tests began, I won't go into all the gory details, but it was very painful. They found out that I had an Urinary tract infection, but that didn't explain the stomach pains or the high temp, I was put on a drip and given tablets to bring down my temp. Over the next 5 days, I was suffering with high temps, low temps, low blood pressure, a blood thinnning drug was stuck straight into my stomach with a couple nurses saying, there wasn't much to get hold of. I was put on an antibiotic drip, then in tablet form which brought me out in red blotches all over my body as soon as I took one, but they made me take another just to make sure that thats what I was allergic too, so I took another one later in the day and sure enough I went ever redder and blotchier. Another sample came back and I had a small bowel infection, but apparently that wouldn't have caused the high temp either.

I couldn't sleep on a night, because I was sharing a room with someone who talked out-loud in their sleep, someone else who snored at incredible volume and another who was a sleep walker.When I did get to sleep I kept having Life On Mars moments, Jack Regan, Kojak and Kwai Chang Cain featured heavily , saving my life on numerous occassions.

I'm so glad that I had treated myself to an ipod for an early 40th birthday present to myself, the battery just managed to make it until I got discharged, I just wished I'd had time to put a few video clips on to watch before I went in, but I guess the batteries wouldn't have lasted quite as long. Have to go back and have a scan on my kidneys in a few weeks. But for now I'm just pleased to be home. Now I'll quit whinging, I'm still alive.

my last fm album quilt and recently played widgets

Isn't that sweet?

She changes colour with the sky, as the cars go rushing by

Took Neave to see the Angel of The North today, she'd seen it on Nina and the Neurons last week, and recognised it from trips to Newcastle and the Metro Centre and asked to go and see her. It's quite disgaceful living only 20 odd miles away from her and never actually going to see her until now, I just got used to passing her on the A1, and that seemed enough. I knew she would be big but standing right next to the giant rusting 50's sci-fi movie robot with wings made me feel so small. I was quite disappointed with Gateshead Council for allowing BNP graffiti to be daubed on the angels feet and the dog poo smeared up them was an unpleasant sight. Apart from that though she's incredibly impressive.


Created with Paul's flickrSLiDR.

I woke it was the first of may, wading through cherry blossom falling

I used to always try to play this song by the Rain whenever it was the first of May, if I ever forgot I would be gutted because it just wasn't the same playing it a day later. I had been thinking about it today and would have loved to have heard it, but like all my vinyl, it's still in a crate at the back of the garage. I probably would have hunted it out tonight if my garage door wasn't broke so I can't get it. New door been fitted tomorrow though. I usually check the Rain fell down blog and noticed a new entry today DROP 55 is all about the Rain song and there is a downloadable mp3 available, have a listen to hear a lost classic, and then remember to play it early on the morning of the first of May next year for best effect. Chris/Kris who writes the rain fell down blog, didn't think the song had been released but I have definately got it on an LP by the Rain , with this song on it,I think it's called To The Citadel, can anyone confirm this?

Me and Neave had a walk in Bluebell Wood on Sunday morning, well I walked she scootered, took my new camera that I am still fumbling about with so photos aren't that great,but put a few up on flickr if anyone fancies a look.

if only i had john lennon's hair, i'd shake my head wildly and sing yeah, yeah,yeah!

Just thought I would post a few MP3's from the Denver single that was put out on the Spanish Elefant record label back in 1996 (I think). My favourite band at the time were Felt, (they are still up there in my top 10 of all time) as you might be able to tell if you have a listen to "World of Pages" . I recorded the songs on my Tascam 688 just after Bulldozer Crash decided to go on an extended vacation. "World of Pages also features the keyboard wizardry of Jyoti Mishra who also indirectly named the band . I used to always have short hair, then for some foolish reason decided to grow it and Jyoti said I looked liked John Denver ( I always thought more Harvey Williams), so again I foolishly thought Denver sounds like a good name for a band! If only I'd been thinking ahead and thought that with a name like Denver the chances of my bands name ever coming up during a Google search was going to be zero! The b-side "Elizabeth Brown's Wedding Day" was me trying to sound all summery like Long Hot Summer by the Style Council and failing miserably. I have also included the song "You, Me and Brian Epstein" recorded at around the same time and released on a compilation CD from America which I never received a copy of. If you would like to have a listen to the songs you can download them from my public Box.net account here....

world of pages 7"

i was bitter for a while but now i know it's true, look for the good in others and they'll see the good in you, fa fa fa faaaa

Once again it's been a while since I wrote anything in my blog. I thought once I bought this MacBook I would be keeping it more up to date with at least one entry a week. I have been adding bits to my northern electrix web page a little more regularly. There has been a free mp3 download of Ocean Child which managed to use up all my regular bandwidth allocation on my web providers server so I had to upgrade to another GB , which was duly used up. Thankfully it was the end of the month so my bandwidth got reset on the 1st. Every thing seems to have died down now, I think it was the review on indie-mp3.co.uk that created the traffic. I'm not complaining though , hopefully a few of those who downloaded the song liked it.

David Macmillan the Radio Cleveland DJ who has been playing Spaceage Superstar has asked me to go on his radio show to talk and play some more of my songs. It's one of those things I've always wanted to do while I've been in bands, it's just a shame I'm doing it on my own instead of when I was in a band. I am really happy about doing it, but scared about it it as well.

Like loads of people for the last few years I have been buying all sorts of stuff off the internet , records, dvds, music equipment, computer bits and bobs and local farm produce. Everything has been fine until last week when I noticed a couple of payments on my card that I didn't recognise. So I googled the name of company and it was connected to online poker sites, knowing that I hadn't visited one of those sites , my heart sank, some bastard has my card details and spending my money. But who? It could be any number of the company's where I have bought goods from in the last few years. I didn't notice the unauthorised payments until 3 days after they occurred and it was 11 at night. I still searched for numbers for my bank. The fraud department was shut. Customer services couldn't help , the cancel your card number kept hanging up on me and the lost or stolen number couldn't cancel it because it wasn't lost or stolen, even though I said "OK then it has been lost", they still wouldn't cancel it. So I had transfer all my money out into another account in case they tried to use it again before I got to the bank to cancel my card. Now I can't get any money out for five days when my new card arrives. It has made me rethink my use of my card on the internet. I'm so used it. Not sure what to do. But I'm pissed off.


I've decided to board out my loft so I can get loads of the stuff that is blocking up my garage into it, so that I can then convert that into a room that I can use as a recording studio. Even though I have just set up all my gear in the corner of my bedroom. You wouldn't believe how happy having all of musical equipment at my fingertips has made me feel. I haven't recorded anything yet, I'm just re-acquainting myself with it all. Some of it has been boxed for over three years. It was packed away before Neave was born. Lifting some of it out of their boxes was like when I first bought them. Back to boarding out the loft, it was going so well until I came out, tidied everything away hoovered up etc, then went to turn the light on and nothing! I must have screwed through an electric cable without releasing it. Shit and bricks. I couldn't be arsed to go back up that night and sort it so I did without lights upstairs for a night. Next morning I was back in the loft looking for the hole in the wire . I ended up taking up every board that I put down the day before and some from the previous week, but could I find the damaged cable, not likely. So I went back down tried the lights and the buggers worked fine. All I can think is I kinked one of the cables and then unkinked it whilst looking for the damage. Arrggghhh, now I have got all those boards to put down again. I may have damaged a few in my anger to find that cable.

listen to the radio

Spaceage Superstar has just had it's first play on the radio. BBC Radio Cleveland's Pure show has just given it a spin, I'm smiling from ear to ear. Why did it sound better coming out the radio? David Macmillan the DJ said we were from Darlington which is fine and he really liked the robot and panda on the cover.

surely some mistake

I'm over the moon because northern_electrix are one of this weeks recommended listens on the front page of indiestore.com Here is what they had to say.....

"northern_electrix 'Spaceage Superstar'
When musicians claim they like messing around with instruments, it usually spells trouble. Not so with northern_electrix who here serve up a total corker which kicks off like Primal Scream before swelling into our favourite tune of the year so far."

Thanks very much indiestore.

tell my girl that I miss her

Well I went to my first gig of the year last night. I hate going to gigs on my own but thats what happens when you don't have friends who share your "weird and strange" tastes in music. I'm glad I ventured out on a windy northern night ,my little Polo was getting blown all over the A1, but I got there in one piece . Parked up in Fenkle Street car park, unfortunately I didn't have enough change on me to last all night, which meant I was going to have come back out at 10 o clock to top the meter up, I do it everytime,forget to take change. The gig was at the Head of Steam straight opposite the railway station, after turning the wrong way I asked a lad I was passing, who was a bit of a giant , (at least 7 foot tall) if he knew where it was , he was heading there aswell, so showed me the way, I should have bought him a drink but I never, sorry mate. This was the first time I'd been to the venue, but what a really great basement. I was really expecting it to be full of young people but I would hesitantly say they were outnumbered by the over thirties, not many as old and bald as me though. Anyway I stood around like a plank on my own drinking coke because the dry cider was off.


The evenings star attraction were Perth popstars Sodastream, having only heard a handful of songs but read Alistair's rave reviews, I knew I would enjoy them. Also playing were ex- Lust boy band St James Infirmary and Milky Wimpshakes Pete Dales new folk combo.

First band on were Ashington, Northumberland's St James Infirmary, It was probably The Broken Doll a very long time ago where I last saw them, I'm sure I've got a tape of it somewhere, I used to always take my recordable walkman to any gig I went to, I really wish I'd taken it with me tonight,quality was never great, but it was always nice to listen back. Seeing as it's more than 10 years since I heard the band all the songs were new to me, Gary the singer always seemed a bit of mad songwriter or maybe that should read eccentric, he hasn't changed going off the songs the band played tonight. The first one being Young People Fuck Off, mmm nice, I'm 39 so I knew he wasn't talking to me. They played some beauts, including Matty Cabbage House, which reminded me of some of the houses I have painted in the past. A short walk is a modern folk classic. They also did a great song with a female member of the audience supplying the vocals. I was hoping for The Boy Detective, maybe I should have shouted for it.

Next band on were Pete Dale and the Beta Males with some great political songs. Unfortunately mid-way through their set I had to make my way back to the car park and drop another 70p in the meter. I did manage to catch a handful of songs before I went though, best were Why I am a terrorist, Menwith Hill with it's jazzy tinges that reminded me of the Beiderbecke Affair, Music Rules is my favourite though, that sorrowful violin is heartbreaking, just wish the song was twice as long. After running around the streets of Newcastle like a mad man looking for Fenkle Street ,I am unbelieably shit at re-tracing my steps. Ray Mears has taught me nowt. I found it eventually, totally shattered, not used to dashing about. I made it back in time for the last 10 seconds of the last song. I was going to go and say hello to Pete and ask him if he still had my copies of Are you scared to get happy which Mike from They Go Boom!! had lent him years ago but chickened out, might e-mail him about them though.

After getting bashed in the back with the yellow case of Sodastream's double bass, it was time to enjoy some of the best songs I'd never heard before, I had read about the band being the best Australian band since The Lucksmiths, who were the best Australian band since The Sugargliders who were the best Australian bands since The Go-Betweens. So I had to go and see them. They are but two .... a singer guitarist and double bass / saw(!) player. The songs they played just soared straight into me, yes they were a little like previously loved Australian bands but they also had something else, something special, something that made me feel warm inside . Not a song played that I disliked, not a song played that I didn't love. Sodastream, my new favourite band,I am now furiously searching the internet for the bands back catalogue and can't wait for those CD's to start dropping through my letterbox.

i loved you once but i gotta go ...... yeah

Well I'm still in love with my MacBook, I know I need to get a life but I'm fine for the moment, really I am . I registered www.northernelectrix.com the other day seeing as iWeb makes it so easy to design a site, it makes a lovely change from doing it all in notepad. I've started with a few pages more to come soon. I know i'm doing all the obvious stuff like using the reflections on the images just like in iTunes but I really like the way it looks. I resisted the urge to make the background black which made it look all the more like iTunes. If you get chance have a look and maybe download a song . There is also details of how you can either buy real cd's or mp3 downloads.

today will be yesterday so soon

I'm typing this on my shiny brand new MacBook. I finally succumbed to the world of the Mac and so far so good. It's taking a bit of getting used to but I'll get there. Even though it's a totally new OS for me to get my head around most things seem so easy to do. One of the first things I've tried to do is import some Bulldozer Crash footage from a DVD which was a breeze to do. Then I split it up into the 3 songs and have stuck them up on YouTube. The quality isn't that great but someone out there might like to see them. It's the start of me sorting everything out to do with Bulldozer Crash, I've just registered the bulldozercrash.com domain and will be setting up a web site with more downloads and stuff real soon, something else the Mac seems quite good at doing with relative ease.



The gig is from the Heaven Records Party at The Old Vic Tavern, Nottingham 05.12.1992.
Marc Elston - Vocals,Guitar and hat.
Jyoti Mishra - Bass and suit
Stephen Maughan - Guitar and back
Roland - Drums

If you want to see the other two songs this is the way to go

Bulldozer Crash - Changing
Bulldozer Crash - Headfirst

what was that you said to me, well not that it matters

Back to work tomorrow, oh well, it was fun while it lasted. Actually I hated the first few weeks after the operation, it's a terrible feeling not being able to walk very far without having to stop because your in far too much pain to carry on. After that though I quite got used to just taking it easy, no rushing around getting breakfast, sometimes even having two breakfasts, if I was up early enough. I don't think I've ever listened to so many songs that I wanted to listen to, yet I still never managed to digitise all my CD's. I spent far too much money on DVD's , will I ever get around to watching them? I doubt it. I've even done a spot of recording, never finished a song but started quite a few. Look out for the LP sometime next year.


Also look out for a CD of all Bulldozer Crash songs that I hope to release early next year, if Marc is up for it. If there are any Bulldozer Crash fans reading this I've just uploaded some very old photos from 1991 and 1992 to my flickr account.

Just noticed tonight that my new single spaceage superstar(3" mini cd-r actually) has just been released on i wish i was unpopular records. You can buy it here

a long hot summer just passed me by...

...shooby dooby
dooby do aaaaah .

Another selection of some of Neave's handy work with the camera..

Ever fallen in love with someone you shouldn't have fallen in love with? I have on far too many occasions and it's just happened again, unfortunately it's not a girl this time, it's quite sad really because it's Apple computers, for about two hours today I just sat watching quick time movies about the features of the new MacBook and the iLife software it comes with , I have even been watching presentations about the operating system. I have fallen head over heels with it all, if it works as good as it looks like it does in those clips I can see myself converting.

I had a little go on one of the white MacBooks in PC World the other day and thought it was quite magical (it is a computer I'm talking about isn't it?), the buttons on the keyboard were enough for me to want one all rubbery and squishy like Christopher Scotts' old ZX Spectrum, and now that I know all the stuff that it can do and what comes as standard, I want one now. I have ignored them for so long and I just wonder how long they have been this good. There are a few rumours on some of the Music Tech forums I frequent that Apple may update them with better processors just in time for Christmas so I might hang onto until then.

I installed iTunes today aswell, all part of my new Apple infatuation. It took ages for it to organise the library thats on my external USB drive. I love the way it displays the record covers. Today I also purchased my first song from the iTunes store . White Town - "A New Surprise". It was just what the doctor ordered lifting my spirits sky high. It seems such a long time since I heard a new song by White Town I didn't really know what to expect. It certainly wasn't this groovy upbeat handclapping little number. I wish I could get up and dance , but for now though I'll satisfy myself with some serious head nodding and a bit shoulder shimmying. A song I think about loving life , the Jetsons and not golfing on the moon. It makes me smile and laugh and I know it's the song I will want to hear when I first get up tomorrow morning. It doesn't take that much to make me smile just 79p for a download on iTunes. . . . .try it here. Once you hear it you'll want to buy the new 7" vinyl e.p. on the Swedish label Heavenly Pop Hits which it includes "A new surprise" and 3 other tunes.

.

I do try and do a little bit for the enviroment, but probably like most people not nearly enough. We have got the green recycle bins that the council come and empty every fortnight. This is just for paper, tins and glass. I also collect all my cardboard from packaging, cereal packets, ready meals (well I do live on my own and sometimes just can't be arsed to cook) and when I've got a decent amount, enough to fill the back of my car I tottle off to the local council recyle depot and deposit in the right skip, they seem to be well organised, and have skips for most things that can be recycled . They also have what looks like a stall for selling stuff that other people have thrown away, I always check to see if there is any analogue synths dumped but there never is.

The council also come and collect all our garden waste, grass cuttings etc which goes to some big compost pile and they sell it back to us at the recycle centre. I bought some for my little organic veggie patch that I used to have at my old house. I managed to grow some potatoes, carrots, radishes (anyone can grow them, so my old next door neighbour Dave told me as I pulled my first one up, I was over the moon I'd grown something I could eat!) turnips (they were called red top milans, if my memory serves me well) my faourites were peas (karina) they were beauties. I've really missed not growing any this year, once I get myself sorted out I'm hopefully going to dig up a little bit in my new garden and grow some veg again for next year.


I bought a book from Amazon called Save Cash and Save The Planet and I keep delving into it every now again and try and put some of it's advice into practice, nearly every lightbulb in my house is an energy efficient one,I'm looking into getting it cavity wall insulated, I thought a house built in 1983 would have already been insulated but no such luck. As you can tell I've got a long way to go before I save the planet. The Guardian on Saturday had a free Green Living Guide with it and made interesting reading . In it's top 10 recommendations of what we can do now was sign up for an organic vegetable box from a local farm. Well the nearest farm that I could find that delivered here was in Richmond but I thought I'd give it a go and ordered a mini veg bag, a mini fruit bag, some organic butter and 1/2 dozen organic eggs. It all arrived this morning left outside the back door while I still in the land of nod. Thats my organic fruit bowl on the right, I also got some lovely plums aswell. So far I've only tried the eggs, I had a fried egg sandwich for my dinner and it was very nice, it always reminds me of Quadrophenia when I have a fried egg sandwich. I must add that to my DVD wish list. I can see me spending a fortune while I'm off on the sick for the next few weeks. I've already ordered 5 while I've been off...... Ripping Yarns, which I never watched when it was originally broadcast, so need to catch up . Mr Benn which I did watch but I'm buying for Neave, (really!) I'm sure she'll enjoy it. Planet of the Apes the 6 DVD box set of the films, I remember I was a big fan of the TV series when it was on but never paid much attention to films , so now I am. Blakes 7 series 3, the best Sci-Fi show ever as far as I'm concerned. The Complete Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin, it always used to make me piss my back off and I'm not sure I've seen them all. I do have a terrible habit of buying DVD's and never watching them, I guess it's a nostalgia thing, it's usually stuff that I remember watching when I was younger. 70's police shows strangely enough, Starsky and Hutch, Kojak, The Sweeney. Some some sci-fi too, Blakes 7 , Tomorrow People, Moonbase. Comedy aswell . . . . Citizen Smith, Scully, Solo. I tend to start watching a couple of episodes then I go and buy something else and start watching that then go and buy something else and it just goes on.

Back to the first reason I started this entry, the enviroment. Included with my organic veg bags was a newsletter and I think the best thing to do is just quote it direct, it makes a nice change to have something important here rather than from me ranting about myself or Paul Weller.

"Dr Bruce Pearce, a customer and Head of Research at Elm Farm Organic Research Centre has made me aware of worrying and imminent government plans to legislate with abandonment the production of GM crops. There is a consultation which ends on the 20th October 2006 and he feels that it is imperative that ordinary people and not just the scientists let their views be known - for perhaps the last time ! He writes to you :

“The Government slipped out a consultation in July on the coexistence between GM and non-GM crops. The coexistence regime recommended for England will allow routine GM contamination – “pollution” – of our food, crops and the countryside. What was understood to be the basic premise that everything should be done to minimise cross contamination has been ignored and will have particular impact on organic food and farming. This is despite Government assurance to the organic sector that everything would be done to ensure that any introduction of GM crops did not compromise the viability of UK organic agriculture. The government are proposing minimal separation distances ( even less than the GM industry body recommended ), inadequate notification to neighbours, a weak liability and compensation system and they do not want a register of GM crops/land. To make matters worse they have made it personal to everyone by saying that gardeners and allotment holders have no right to notification or compensation if their own grown food is contaminated.

The consultation runs until 20th October 2006 and it is important that we have our say. The consultation web site can be found at http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/gmnongm-coexist/index.htm

Friends of the Earth also provides information at www.stopgmcontamination.org and Elm Farm Organic Research Centre at www.efrc.com “.

If we all spare a few minutes to make our protest heard, it could really make a difference. Once GM crops are established in our environment there can be no recall and the potential impact could be severe."

It's three weeks now since my hernia operation, the wound is healing nicely, still in a bit of pain but I've almost given up the pain killers, I don't like putting chemicals in my body, I would never have made a rock 'n roll star, I used to love the image but whenever I was offered anything I've almost always said no, (twice I've tried something but neither seemed to have any effect at all, just like the painkillers for my hernia op.) at the time feeling like a square but I felt better for it the next day and even better now.

I spent the first six days of recovery at my Mam and Dad's, I couldn't really do anything for myself, I just stayed in bed nearly all day the first day, only venturing out to go to the toilet. I didn't feel like eating but the nurses told me had I had to eat lots of fruit and veg and fibre and water , but what I really fancied was a Big Mac, sorry but true. The first morning Neave came up to see me and said "Daddy why are you still in bed?" then she just climbed in and laid next to me for ages, which really cheered me up. She was over the moon the next day she came and I was sat downstairs, "Daddy your up , is your tummy better? Are you going to play with me now?" Sadly, not just yet.

While I was at my Mam and Dad's house I watched allsorts of TV that I wouldn't look twice at like Lovejoy and Poirrot and NCIS, don't ask me why I just sat there like a sponge taking it all in. Just couldn't be arsed to switch channels on the remote control. When I did manage to drag myself away I managed to read a book for the first time this year, a terrible confession but I've just never managed to sit down long enough to get engrossed in one. I've started a few but never finished one, not until Margrave of the Marshes by John Peel and Sheila Ravenscroft. It was one of last years Christmas presents , it was so sad to read, my eyes filled up on a fair few occassions.

Like most people "into music"I used to listen to Peel in my younger days, taping sessions and whole shows , I would listen back to them fast forwarding any songs that I wasn't keen on and then dub the good ones onto another tape, I've still got a couple of compilation tapes with sessions and odd songs on. Off the top of my head I know there is songs by Double D and Steinski, Men They Couldn't Hang, Sensible Jerseys, the stranger the name the better I used to think. I like the fact that there are quite a few blogs and web sites dedicated the shows and sessions. The first time I heard lots of songs was on Peel. Reading this book brought back all sorts of strange memories, I suppose I should have been out enjoying myself when I was so young instead of listening to the radio, just like I should be out now instead of writing this.. Sometimes I would fall asleep with my headphones on and I'd wake to the sound of his (cowboy-ish) theme tune playing, then the pips for the news and if I remember correctly Radio 1 would become Radio 2 until the breakfast show. Before he died I would only occassionally listen to him, usually in the car on the way home, he still played some good tracks, the electronic stuff was the perfect soundtrack to drives home from Geoff's house on those foggy nights after we'd been practising. Reading the book made me want to listen to the radio again and not just Radio 2 while I'm at work.

Well it looks like I have survived my first operation. A week ago tomorrow I finally had my hernia operation. I've no real idea how I got my hernia , I'm guessing that it was when I moved house on my own and had to put all my worldly goods including my very heavy crates of vinyl into storage. I noticed a lump , went to the doctors, he told me I would have to have an operation and I've been shitting myself for months ever since.

It's a long time since I'd had a good nights sleep, just worrying about all the things that could go wrong while I was in surgery, I won't dwell on them now because I still come out in a hot sweat. I got up last Wednesday morning at half six,I could see it was going to be a lovely day, hopefully if everything goes to plan and I'm one of the first in I should be out by dinnertime, or so I thought. Rachel was taking me to hospital so I could say bye to Neave, I sat in the back with her and held her hand all the way there.. Me Dad was going to stay at the hospital with me. Got there at 8.30, went in to see the nurse for pre-op blood pressure tests etc (100/50) she said it was very good. She said she wouldn't get me to put my gown on yet as there were two more people having the same operation before me. So we sat and waited and waited, watching all sorts of shite TV that really shouldn't be on air, e.g. the Jeremy Kyle show, it was so appalling it almost took my mind of the operation, I would much have preferred some nice calm relaxing music music to listen to while I was waiting , Radio 2 would have been ideal. I wish I'd thought to take my MP3 player. It did cross my mind on a few occassions to just get up leave me Dad sitting and walk out the hospital and try and live with the pain of the hernia but I resisted those urges.

The time came for me to go and get my gown on , they aren't the easiest things to get on by yourself, all that fastening of ties behind your back, I finally managed to get it on and then it was time to wait and wait some more. More crap TV to watch, and my Dad telling me to try and stop shaking like a leaf, easier said than done. It was 10 past eleven and a nurse from surgery came and took me down to room 5 "just here on the right", now I was papping my pants, they got me to sign my life away , well it could have been, I wasn't paying any attention now I could see the table I would soon be lying on. The surgeon came and shook my sweaty palm and then I had to lay down on the bed while they tried to get a vein so they could inject me with the general anaesthetic, I could feel my whole body just shaking it was like when I go to the dentist only a hundred times worse. The surgeon said "Your shaking all over" (no it wasn't Johnny Kidd a his Pirates doing the op!) "are you cold?" , "No" I replied "I'm fucking scared shitless , I've changed my mind, can I go home?" well thats what I might have said, but instead I quivered like a little child " um...I... I... I... I... I'm just a little nervous, thats all" . "Nothing to be nervous about just take some deep breaths into this mask", oh yes, that made me feel tons better. I managed to count to about ten breaths and that was it, out for the count.

The next I knew I was in recovery, the nurse was by my bed "Stephen, are you OK? Stephen", at first I said yes, fine, then I moved and said actually no I'm not, I was in pain. Which was unexpected because the nurse who did my pre-op said I should be OK if I agree to the pain relief that they stick up your bum, she told me it was very effective and got to work straight away and lasted up to 16 hours, well if i'd had one of those and they told me I had , it wasn't working. I couldn't move without a stinging pain that made me shout. I'm not 100% certain but I think she might have given me a couple of tablets to take round about now, but I was nodding off every now and again, so I can't really be sure. I did notice it was 10 past one though, and thought that it was strange I'd been out for the count so long. I just seemed to lie there for ages, every now and again the nurse would ask if I was OK and I would say "No I'm in a bit of pain, maybe I'm just soft", she never reassurred me, it would have been nice if she'd said, "Your bound to be in pain, everyone is after that operation". The surgeon came to see me and she told him I was in a bit of pain (A bit! A lot!) he told her to give me something which she did, no idea what, but she kept injecting it every now and again. Didn't seem to help at all, I couldn't move without moaning. Time was getting on , it was 10 to 3 and said to the nurse that I shouldn't still be in recovery should I? She just said everyone is different, and once she gave me the last bit of painkiller I could go back on the ward.

It was about 10 past 3 , when they wheeled me back on to the ward, the nurse who gave me my pre-op came to look after me then, she was really nice. I was still in pain but somehow felt better for being up there. I had some water and moaned some more. They brought me some tea and toast but then I just started to feel dreadful, a sick bucket was required, thankfully I didn't have to use it. Geraldine, my nurse asked if I wanted an injection that would stop me feeling sick, why not, I've got all sorts of other chemicals running through my veins, a few more aren't going to make any difference. It wasn't long after this that my blood pressure was checked, then checked again and again.... "There might be something wrong with the machine, test his blood pressure manually, it seems quite low." The student nurse checked it manually and confirmed that it was low. I asked what it was but they wouldn't say. Time to shit myself again. My dad came over to see me and said I looked fine, I didn't feel it. He was only allowed to stop five minutes, so that I could rest. Then I heard a phonecall ... " He's OK but not recovering that well, looking at him now I don't think he'll be home today" , couldn't be talking about me, my Dad just said I looked fine. Then I fell back to sleep.

When I next opened my eyes, I felt alright, no lightheadedness, didn't feel sick, just hungry and thirsty. They checked my blood pressure but it was still low. They brought me some tea and toast , which was the best tea and toast I'd ever had, I started to feel really great, still in pain but better in myself. "Thats better" said the nurse "You had us all worried there for a while, your arms are warming up now and you've got some colour back in your lips", my Dad said "You looked terrible an hour ago", eh? "didn't you say I looked fine?", even the sudent nurse said I was looking a whole lot better. All of that got me worrying again.

The nurses told me I would have to make the effort to get myself mobile or else I was going nowhere except ward 32. I had to be able to sit up, which I just about managed. Then I had to get up and walk to a chair, which was very painful, but I knew I had to or else I was going to have to have an overnight stay in hospital, and that was the last thing I wanted. Blood pressure time again, still low but on the up, a can of pop will help they said, so I chose a can of Lilt with it's totally tropical taste. My eyes lit up when the nurse walked towards me with my clothes and bag ,time to to dress myself, it took me a long time but I managed, even got my socks on! The final test was to go for a pee, this wasn't as painful as I expected, butI still can't stand up for one a week later.

That was it, time to go well one more blood pressure test, almost back to normal, the drip had to come out of my arm , which absolutely killed me, I made more noise from the nurse ripping the tape off my hairy arms than when I was in pain from the op, I think they had double insulated it with tape that was stronger than gaffer tape. It really really hurt. The nurse said I could go so I thanked them all very much and I was out of there. Now I'm just resting.