BAIBS Tuesday 30/04/13

Two things occurred to me as I wrote the date up there. One: What the pigging hell am I gonna talk about?and two: Who nicked April? I lost 4 days at the start of the month in the biggest show and don't feel I ever really got them back. I've always liked April and I'd really like some more of it.

Another late and short blog. The excesses of a promotion weekend have finally caught up and with work tonight a nap was in order. It turned into a full blown snoring session so I better get a move on.

The final throes of the promotion weekend at The Keepmoat last night as Rovers received the League One Trophy. I'm meant to stick the sponsors name in there but they get enough from me every year so they can get bent. When we do the the match day music we have a script we pretty much stick to. Last night for the celebrations it was all pretty much last minute but as Shaun Lockwood pointed out to me he'd had to plan for  three different possible outcomes from Saturday, and us being champions was probably the least likely. Shaun and the commercial staff at Rovers do an amazing job, largely unappreciated, and often blamed for anything that goes wrong including, it has been known, Rovers losing. So as enjoyable as last night was I've heard Chelsea Dagger enough now to last me a lifetime. Still, me and Rob managed to sneak on the pitch after for a photo with the official board thingy!

Standard walk home today. The Peruvian jazz band and the Famous Villain selling kitchens. I was accosted in the Frenchgate though by someone wanting to sell a used £1.50 bus ticket for 80p. He struggled to comprehend how that just wasn't a bargain and decided instead that insults were maybe the way forward. His selling pitch left a lot to be desired.

Bit of a manic show today. Started two competitions, tickets for the Jamie McDonnell title fight and Sandall Park Fake Festival and got a message halfway through the show from the organiser of the Crooked Ways Festival in Pontefract asking if I wanted some giveaways for that too. All good fun.

Anyway, must dash. It's a live music while you work night.

SS

Laters

Playlist Tuesday 30/04/13

Papa's Got A Brand New Pigbag - Pigbag

Antarctica - Sound Of Guns

Lost In The Supermarket - The Clash

Best Of You - Foo Fighters

We're Not Deep - The Housemartins

Kennedy - The Wedding Present

Chevy Thunder - Spector

Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings

Be My Yoko Ono - Barenaked Ladies

Love In Outer Space - Hail To The Eskimo

Recovery - Frank Turner

Permanent - Section 60

All These Things I've Done - The Killers

Midnight Wave - Two Wounded Birds

A Certain Romance - Arctic Monkeys

Can't Get Used To Losing You - The Beat

Summer's Child - The Coopers

There's No Other Way - Blur

Just Like A Woman - Black Spiders

Rock 'n' Roll Star - Oasis

Small Circles - The Rainmakers

Like A Dancer - The Enemy

Bats - The Darlingtons

Rat Race - The Specials

Burn This City - Famous Villains

Local Boy In The Photograph - Stereophonics

Black And White Town - Doves

It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream

To Be Like - China Rats

Crazy Horses - The Osmonds

The Only Living Boy In New Cross - Carter USM

Kings For The Weekend - Missing Andy

Across 110th Street - Bobby Womack

Not Too Young - The Tricks

I Fink You Freeky - Die Antwoord

Enjoy The Silence - Depeche Mode

Mannish Boy - Muddy Waters

Chocolate - The 1975

Heavyweight Champion Of The World - Reverend And The Makers

Ask - The Smiths

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers 

BAIBS Monday 29/04/13

Another quick fire blog today all because of 18 manic seconds on a sunny Saturday afternoon. We'll get to that soon. Only just got in having pre-recorded a show for Thursday morning. My good friend, and fellow record breaker, Mark Kelly is getting married on Wednesday. My heart says I could do a show Thursday morning but my head for once has took control and said, 'Don't be an idiot. You know it wont happen. Bite the bullet and record a show.' So that's what I've done. I've gotta be out of the house again soon to get down to the Keepmoat to Tom Hark one final time this season. Rovers pick up the League One Trophy this evening and myself and the erstwhile Mr. Rob Dannatt will be entertaining the troops.

Had Marcello Trotta not been an arrogant glory hunter and let Brentford's usual penalty taker take the spot kick on Saturday chances are I wouldn't be rushing around today still  nursing a hangover from Saturday night. I presume I don't need to explain what happened. If you are unaware, somehow, of Saturday's drama no words I can find will do it justice so just watch this. Again and again and again as I have been doing all weekend.

I was lucky enough to be at Rovers end of season awards last night and as I said on Friday it could have been a very sombre affair. As it was it was a joyous celebration and I got to present the players' player of the season award to The Corporal, Rob Jones. I'd like to point out I'm taller than him. He's far better in the air though.

It wasn't just about football this weekend. Caught a couple of stunning gigs while working at The Leopard. The Avit Blues Band on Friday were better than ever, and that takes some doing. If there's a tighter band in Donny I've yet to see them. Saturday saw local guys Hail To The Eskimo showing just why their album, Invasion Of The Hollywood Androids, won the Sheffield Scenester's album of the year. Supporting Cornish band Auction For The Promise Club it was a truly great night. AFTPC (I couldn't be arsed to write Auction For The Promise Club again. Ah.) are gonna be huge. Simple as. As is standard when you wax lyrical about a band people ask, 'Who are they like?' I hate that question. They're like Auction For The Promise Club. Stop being lazy and check them out. I also had the pleasure of introducing them and JJ from The First 45 to the Yorkshire Pie House before I found the Rovers promotion party down at the RockBar. I think that's a win/win/win/win/win situation.

Anyway, gotta fly. That Tom Hark button wont press itself.

Laters

SS

Playlist Monday 29/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Wishing (I Had A Photograph Of You) - A Flock Of Seagulls

Bizarre Love Triangle - New Order

Boys Don't Cry - The Cure

Destiny Calling - James

Boxerbeat - JoBoxers

Country Girl - Primal Scream

Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings

Dancer - Auction For The Promise Club

Never Knew Your Name - Madness

The Fortune Teller - The 48ks

The Opener - The Courteneers

Let's Do Rock Steady - The Bodysnatchers

Break On Through (To The Other Side) - The Doors

American Slang - The Gaslight Anthem

The Chain - Fleetwood Mac

Everybody's On The Run - Noel Gallagher And His High Flying Birds

I Am The Resurrection - The Stone Roses

I'm In The Mood For Ska - Lord Tanamo

A Message To You Rudy - The Specials

Silly Thing - The Sex Pistols

Biblical - Biffy Clyro

The Cutter - Echo And The Bunnymen

Animal - The Pigeon Detectives

No Hope - The Vaccines

Stay Beautiful - Manic Street Preachers

The Electric Co. - U2

Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon - Urge Overkill

You And Your Ego - Hail to The Eskimo

Molly Gray - The DN Allstars

Dead And Gone - The Black Keys

Recover - Dexters

Right Now - Bang Bang Romeo

F.E.A.R. - Ian Brown

Ziggy Stardust - David Bowie

Is This Our Day In The Sunshine - Section 60

Don't Forget Who You Are - Miles Kane

Don't Go - Yazoo

Vicar In A Tutu - The Smiths

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Friday 26/04/13

Busked at again today. That bleeding piper. Turned my ipod up full but I could still hear the mournful drone. Thanks to Spector for trying to drown him out though. Never Fade Away has never seemed so apt. Further down and the standard young-lad-with-acoustic-guitar-and-Gallagher-haircut. Turned Fred and the boys off to have a listen and expecting Wonderwall was pleasantly surprised to hear him singing Matt Monro's On Days Like These. The word tunage sprang to mind. As did sunglasses, Italian Alps, red Lamborghini Miuras and bulldozers.

A busy weekend beckons but it's the best kind of busy. Behind the bar upstairs at The Leopard. Getting paid to watch live music. Perfect. Last night it was the brilliant Get Cubs. 5 young lads from Burton-on-Trent who are definitely going places. Radio 1 and 6music have already picked up on them. Think Dexters meets Little Comets and you're almost there. Tonight it's two of Donny's finest, local legend Frank Carline and the best rhythm and blues band around, The Avit Blues Band. And then tomorrow the award winning Hail To The Eskimo and all the way from Cornwall Auction For The Promise Club who apparently are sleeping on The First 45's sofa. It's rough with the smooth though. As excited as I am about these gigs The Leopard have just book The Defiled. My screamo days started and ended with Napalm Death's You Suffer. All 2 seconds of it. Still, each to their own.

And there's a small matter of Rovers final league game of the season away at Brentford tomorrow. A draw sees Rovers up. A defeat means the nerve shattering play off experience again. Two for two in play offs but I really don't fancy that route. I don't know whether to cling to a radio tomorrow afternoon are escape to the country between 3pm and 5.45pm. I'm also attending the Rovers end of season soiree at The Dome Sunday night which could be a muted affair or a glorious, messy party.

Sticking with sport local boy Jamie McDonnell fights Julio Ceja at The Keepmoat on May 11th for the IBF Bantamweight Championship Of The World. It's huge for the town and I've just found out I've two £175 tickets plus VIP passes to give away on the show. Seriously exciting times.

Well I've waffled enough and need to get my standard pre work nap in somewhere.

Laters

SS

Playlist Friday 26/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

The Dancing Song - Little Comets

Hold The Magic - Officer Kicks

The Passenger - Iggy Pop

Let's Dance To Joy Division - The Wombats

Love Will Tear Us Apart - Joy Division

Given To Fly - Pearl Jam

Biblical - Biffy Clyro

Everything - The Darlingtons

Driving Away from Home - It's Immaterial

Talk Tonight - Oasis

Ho Hey - The Lumineers

In The City - The Jam

Talking Woman Blues - The Avit Blues Band

Old Yellow Bricks - Arctic Monkeys

Sultans Of Swing - Dire Straits

Red Red Wine - UB40

Plastic Parade - Get Cubs

It Is Only You - Sunshine Underground

Carnival - The Cardigans

Ripples - The Coopers

It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream

Save A Prayer - Duran Duran

Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings 

Reputation - Section 60

Days Are Forgotten - Kasabian

Monkey Man - Toots And The Maytals

You And Your Ego - Hail To The Eskimo

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

Special Brew - Bad Manners

Hold Me - Tom Odell

Not Too Young - The Tricks

Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen

You Have Placed A Chill - The Eurythmics

Peter Gunn - Art Of Noise ft Duane Eddy

Spread Your Love - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Start To Run - Dexters

Recovery - Frank Turner

Sound Of The Suburbs - The Members

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Monday 22/04/13

So should we go with Stevie Wonder, 'Happy birthday to you,' Altered Images, 'Happy birthday, happy birthday,' The Beatles, 'They say it's your birthday,' or The Sugarcubes, 'Keeps spiders in her pocket, collects fly's wings in a jar.' Actually forget The Sugarcubes one. Whilst being by far the best song on that little list, and despite being called Birthday, it's meaning is hardly one of joyous celebration.

But yes it is my birthday. 45. And I'm hating it. It's not the getting older thing. That's never bothered me. It's the odd number thing. I can't explain it but I really don't like odd numbers. I was fine being 44 and I loved being 42 with all the Douglas Adams Hitch-hikers stuff that goes with it, but 41 and 43 I didn't enjoy at all. I might just skip straight to 46.

Another weekend has passed in pretty much a blur. Friday found me ligging with King Charles  at his Cockpit gig in Leeds. There's no other word for it. It was blatant ligging. Walking round with the nonchalant air that a guest list gives you then casually chatting with the band back stage while the mere mortals crammed for a peek in the dressing room. I have no shame. King Charles proved again just how talented he and his band are. And he had no objection to me helping myself to his beer, pitta bread and leerdammer as we chatted after the gig. Not that there was much left after Steve Ellis got at it. In my defence I did buy a cd. The gig ended with the greatest stage invasion I've ever seen. I may have joined in had I not been pushing 45.

Saturday found the Tom Hark button unused again as Rovers failed to do the necessary against Notts County. It was one of those games. They had one shot and scored an absolute stunner. Rovers had all manner of shots blocked and deflected. If we were still playing now we'd probably still be 1-0 down. A win would have seen Rovers promoted but we now need to go to 3rd placed Brentford next Saturday and secure at least a draw. Think I'm just gonna lock myself away come 3pm next Saturday.

OK I'm off to see what damage 45 candles can do.

Laters

SS

Playlist Monday 22/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen

Rat Trap - The Boomtown Rats

Heavyweight Champion Of The World - Reverend And The Makers

This Song - The Enemy

I Touch Myself - The Divinyls

Ready To Die - Famous Villains

Mardy Bum - Arctic Monkeys

A Girl Like You - Edwyn Collins

High - Bengal Stripes

Never Knew Your Name - Madness

The Woodpile - Frightened Rabbit

Bats - The Darlingtons

Dakota - Stereophonics

Souls Uncensored - Section 60

Bring On The Dancing Horses - Echo And The Bunnymen

I Wanna Be Adored - The Stone Roses

Pelican - Maccabees

Recovery - Frank Turner

Dancing Makes Her Happy - Jery At Controls

Born Slippy - Underworld

Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings

It Can't Be Me - The 48ks

You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover - The Strypes

Safe European Home - The Clash

Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters

Waterfront - Simple Minds

Bittersweet - New Model Army

Love In Outer Space - Hail To The Eskimo

See Through - Auction For The Promise Club

North Country Boy - The Charlatans

She Sells Sanctuary - The Cult

Ripple - The Coopers

Mary's Place - Bruce Springsteen

The Caterpillar - The Cure

On The Pull - Straight Razor Angels

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

Take Her Back - The Pigeon Detectives

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Friday 19/04/13

I'm eating pancakes like a boss. OK I have no idea what that means. I read it somewhere and thought I'd try it on for size. Not sure it worked. I've had plenty of bosses but don't ever recall them eating pancakes. I've also been a boss myself and don't recall my pancake eating technique being any different. I think as a phrase it's a failure. The basic upshot is I'm eating pancakes. The healthy eating goes on. Does the orange juice squeezed on top count as one of my five a day?

Got distracted then. Sham 69's Hersham Boys playing and it just got to Jimmy Pursey's 'You just hold on there boy,' bit. Don't ask me why but it's just one of my favourite bits of any song ever.

For a change the playlist is going in the middle of the blog and there's a reason for that. See you on the other side of the list.

Playlist Friday 19/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Basket Case - Green Day

Ride A White Swan - T-Rex

Just Like A Woman - Black Spiders

Grey Day - Madness

I Wish I Was Someone Better - Blood Red Shoes

Blue Monday - New Order

The Story Of The Blues - The Mighty WAH!

Brown Eyed Girl - Van Morrison

Feed My Frankenstein - Alice Cooper (Request)

Bats - The Darlingtons (Request)

Kings For The Weekend - Missing Andy (Request)

Feeling Good - Muse (Request)

Whatever Happened To My Rock 'n' Roll - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Ultra Violet - U2

Old Red Eyes Is Back - The Beautiful South

Peggy Sang The Blues - Frank Turner

Start Wearing Purple - Gogol Bordello

Yellow - Coldplay

Settle - The Racer (Request)

Blue - Fine Young Cannibals

Red Alert - Bassment Jaxx

Talking Woman Blues - The Avit Blues Band

To My Knees - White Valentine

Dead And Gone - The Black Keys

Purple Rain - Prince

Black Betty - Ram Jam

Number Of The Beast - Iron Maiden (Request)

Red Army Blues - The Waterboys

See Emily Play - Pink Floyd

Twist And Shout - Deacon Blue

Lady Percy -King Charles (Request)

Fool's Gold - The Stone Roses

Red Light Spells Danger - Billy Ocean

We've Gotta Get Out Of This Place - The Animals (Birthday)

Pink Sunshine - Fuzzbox

Blue Skinned Beast - Madness

Old Yellow Bricks - Arctic Monkeys

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

Hello again.

Did you see it?

I don't give myself a set list. New releases, birthdays and relevant tunes to events this day in history get thrown in but apart from that I make it up as I go along. But after a throw away conversation with Jon Kelly earlier this week I decided to do a playlist that had a running theme. I decided to keep in birthdays (there was only one, Alan Price from The Animals) and requests. Wouldn't be right to not play requests just because they didn't fit in with what I was trying to do. As it was a couple of requests fitted in nicely (White Valentine and Prince, hence me picking Purple Rain). No-one listening seemed to pick up on the fact that, apart from the intro and outro songs and the aforementioned requests and birthday track, all had a colour in either the song title or artist name. And I don't think I'd have picked up on it had I been a listener. It's not until you see it written down that it becomes obvious. I thought I'd struggle to find getting on 40 related songs but last night armed with pen and paper it flowed nicely. Filled 3 hours with tunes to spare. I may try it again sometime. Any suggestions?

So it's the weekend again. Leeds tonight on an undercover Leopard recon exercise. This is helped by the fact it's King Charles we're off to see. And it's a guest list job. As you all know I have no shame. I love a good guest list.

Hopefully plenty of Tom Harking tomorrow. Rovers at home to Notts County. The basic principle is if Rovers win and either Bournemouth or Brentford drop points we're promoted. Hopefully it will be Bournemouth who slip up so we know at full time tomorrow because Brentford is a late kick off and we could end up getting promoted while I'm at work. There is a chance as well that we could get promoted at full time and then later in the day be confirmed as champions. I don't want to think about the permutations if Rovers don't win especially given Brentford away is the final game of the season. Hopefully we'll be promoted by the next blog.

Laters

SS

BAIBS Thursday 18/04/13

A very quiet walk through town today. Not the usual bustle of Donny town centre. Maybe everyone's been blown away. Does anyone know where I can get an English spell check thing? Bloody Americans and their wacky spelling. I've just woke up so maybe a bit ratty but that red line under centre is really annoying me. Where was I?

Oh aye. Donny. Quiet. Not even one busker. On Tuesday I had the obligatory piper. (I still intend to stand next to him with a kazoo one day). A violinist who's backing track was louder than his fiddle, just as well really. He was giving it some Celine Dion. Surely an arrestable offence. And there was what appeared to be a Peruvian jazz band. Think The Fast Show with a clarinet. Very odd. Still, at least it's diverse. Better than the solo acoustic guitarist who only knows 3 songs, 2 of which are Here Comes The Sun, and he doesn't know any of them all the way through. Actually that particular busker used to stand outside a pub I worked at in Liverpool every afternoon til the regulars attacked him with pickled eggs. I think they just threw them but you never know with a group of Scousers armed with pickled eggs.

'Just woke up?' I hear you say. Well working again tonight so thought I should get a couple of hours in. Can't see it being as tense a night as Tuesday was. The Leopard vs The Railway at pool. It was like the Auld Firm on green, sorry black, baize. It gives me great pleasure to announce The Leopard triumphed. So work calls and I've yet to shower, eat or sort tomorrow's show out so a reduced blog again.

I'd get through this quicker if my phone wasn't going mad. In the last 10 minutes I've been offered car insurance (I don't drive), home insurance (I don't own property), pet insurance (have a guess), several loans, compensation for my driving accident (see first set of parenthesis) and penis enlargement (I, er, oh OK then).

As I said, another shortened blog. Gotta fly.

Laters

SS

Playlist Thursday 18/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Everlong - Foo Fighters

Pump It Up - Elvis Costello And The Attractions

James Dean - The Pilots

Tonight's The Kind Of Night - Noah And The Whale

You And Your Ego - Hail To The Eskimo

See Through - Auction For The Promise Club

Pelican - The Maccabees

No More Mr. Nice Guy - Alice Cooper

Don't Forget Who You Are - Miles Kane

Aubrey - Stone Ugly

Union City Blue - Blondie

Everything - The Darlingtons

Regret - New Order

So Far Away - Dire Straits

Summer's Child - The Coopers

I Want Everything - The Godfathers

The Zephyr Song - Red Hot Chili Peppers

Geraldine - Glasvegas

Don't Let Me Down - The Beatles

Time To Pretend - MGMT

It's Only Rock 'n' Roll - The Rolling Stones

Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings

My Girl - Madness

Since You've Been Gone - Rainbow

Chemical - Bang Bang Romeo

Start To Run - Dexters

Teenage Kicks - The Undertones

Goodbye Kiss - Kasabian

Gods Are Bored - The Datsuns

Lola - The Kinks

45 - The Gaslight Anthem

I Got You - Split Enz

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

When You Were Young - The Killers

Tom's Diner - Suzanne Vega ft DNA

Step On - Happy Mondays

Lip Up Fatty - Bad Manners

It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream

Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Crocodiles - Echo And The Bunnymen

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Tuesday 16/04/13

There is every chance that I will be a hypocrite today. Sheff Utd take on Brentford tonight and the best result for Rovers would be a Blades victory. There's lots of maths to be done but I think I'm correct in saying if United win then Rovers would need 4 points from 2 games. If United win tonight but drop points on Saturday and Rovers win then we're up. Just let me check that again! Yeah that's the easiest mathematical way at the moment. Could all change tomorrow.

I blogged earlier this season about what a detestable player Dave Kitson is. I always try to be sportsmanlike and give credit where it's due and I try not to be a bad loser but in a Portsmouth shirt at The Keepmoat last season Kitson cheated. Simple as. I abhor cheats in any sport. This season in a Blades shirt he performed one of the most disgraceful and inflammatory goal celebrations I've ever seen. But if Blades win tonight and it turns out the winning goal involves Kitson garotting the last defender, poleaxing the 'keeper, picking the ball up and throwing it in the net will I celebrate? Of course I will. I may say it's a disgrace but I'll be beaming from ear to ear as I say it. I'm like all football fans. When it really, really comes down to it we're hypocrites. So maybe I'll just look for the result and not examine it. Of course if Brentford win I'll blame Kitson.

I've decided I live just the wrong distance from town. Too close to merit a bus journey but far enough out for the walk to be a drag. Especially today. Working at The Leopard tonight so that'll be 4 walks up and down Balby Road. It's a horrible road. Constant traffic and it would appear that the pavement is the approved place for dog owners to let their mutts do their business. Lovely. And very dusty too. The wind is well up for it today. I've mentioned before wind is my least favourite weather. I don't mind a stiff breeze that makes my hair look all enigmatic, like it's escaped from a Fleetwood Mac video, but today it's blowing a gale. I had a full on wrap around going on with my hair. Couldn't see a thing. When the wind did blow my hair back it felt like the Sahara had been dropped in my eyes. A family of four walking the opposite way who seemed to share one tooth between them told me to watch where I was going. Fat chance of that.

Anyway, I must dash. Like I said work tonight and I've a funeral to pay for tomorrow.

Laters

SS

Playlist Tuesday 16/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Rebellion (Lies) - Arcade Fire

Hersham Boys - Sham 69

The Stars (Are Out Tonight) - David Bowie

Back Home - The 48ks

Rose Tattoo - Dropkick Murphys

Hoppipolla - Sigur Ros

Hands Off She's Mine - The Beat

Ready To Die - Famous Villains

Sing For The Deaf - Missing Andy

Beds Are Burning - Midnight Oil

Columbia - Oasis

Hey Girl - Dashboard Confessional

One Way - The Levellers

Lust For Life - Iggy Pop

Red Cortina - The Saw Doctors

Just Came Back - The Avit Blues Band

Start To Run - Dexters

Bones - Bang Bang Romeo

Personal Jesus - Depeche Mode

The Small Print - Muse

Destiny Calling - James

Maybe In The Dark - The Crookes

Nothing Our Way - Frankie And The Heartstrings

One Way Or Another - Blondie

Part Time Lover - The Tricks

To Be Like - China Rats

Stand - REM
I'll Be Fine - White Valentine

Baker Street - Gerry Rafferty

E=MC2 - Big Audio Dynamite

Juxtaposed With You - Super Furry Animals

Don't Dream It's Over - Crowded House

Antarctica - Sound Of Guns

Don't Forget Who You Are - Miles Kane

The Pink Panther Theme - Henry Mancini

Son Of A Preacher Man - Dusty Springfield

My God Is The Sun - Queens Of The Stone Age

Chevy Thunder - Spector

Transmission - Joy Division

Vicar In A Tutu - The Smiths

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Monday 15/04/13

24 years ago today I was walking home from work after a Saturday morning shift. No football that day. Rovers had played Friday night and I'd had a ticket for that days big game but sold it to a mate who had a more vested interest in one of the teams playing. My mate Mark was, is thankfully, a lifelong Liverpool fan but had failed to get a ticket for the FA Cup semi final against Notts Forest at Hillsborough that day. I knew how I'd feel if I missed a big Rovers game so didn't begrudge him my ticket.

It was a beautiful sunny day and I treated myself to a few beers in the Hallcross beer garden before heading home to watch grandstand. Just gone 3pm and the news starts filtering through of trouble at Hillsborough. The first thought is automatically one of hooliganism. The so called '80s curse that this weekend has shown is far from over. But as the events unfold it becomes clear that this is something different. Already the police are blaming drunken fans turning up late breaking a gate down and storming into the centre pen on The Leppings Lane End. The police ordered the gate opened and herded the fans down the central tunnel. In previous years this tunnel was closed as soon as those pens were full. The cover up had already begun.

96 football fans never came home. As if this wasn't tragic enough the behaviour of the police, some politicians and certain sections of the media post Hillsborough were, and sadly in some cases still are, abhorrent. It took til last September for the truth to finally come out. Hopefully 2013 will be the year that finally sees justice for the 96. As a football fan in the '80s it was a 'there but for the grace of God' moment. Even following a small lower league club like Rovers you can look back on certain instances that could have lead to tragedy, notably the FA Cup ties at Norwich and Everton when far too many fans were crammed into cages. As football fans we were always third class citizens and the authorities used Hillsborough to force that image home. I don't believe Thatcher and the Tory government had an active hand in the cover up but I firmly believe they were aware of the whole truth and she takes that to the grave this Wednesday. In a week when the taxpayer forks out several million on an undeserved ceremonial funeral for the most divisive leader this country's had in living memory we should remember those that suffered. Today make it the families of the 96.

On a personal footnote I sat at home that day fretting til the phone rang later that evening and Mark said he needed a pint. He's never really spoke of Hillsborough since that night.

I was summoned to the office after today's show. I thought I may be in trouble. After playing You'll Never Walk Alone I voiced out loud, 'Sod Wednesday. Justice for the 96.' Not the most impartial bit of radio ever. I was actually summoned to ask if I wanted to go to Strasbourg in June to a European conference on commercial radio. Sine FM's cultural attache at your service.

So another weekend gone. Rovers a step closer to promotion as we all get out the calculators and brown trousers after coming from behind to win at Crewe. Nice one Chickenman. Donny beer fest on Friday night. A great atmosphere and some quality real ales on offer. I even managed to enjoy the band despite the poor Pogues covers and predictable Wild Rover ending. Saturday saw me back behind a bar as I started work at The Leopard. A steady introduction back but it felt good to be doing what I do best.

Laters

SS

Playlist Monday 15/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Holidays In The Sun - The Sex Pistols

Chipping Away - Middleman

Making Plans For Nigel - XTC

Fictional State - To Kill A King

David Watts - The Jam

Burn - Iggy And The Stooges

Are You Gonna Be My Girl - Jet

Marlene On The Wall - Suzanne Vega

Police And Thieves - The Clash

Permanent - Section 60

Walk - Foo Fighters

Skinny Genes - Eliza Doolittle

Song 2 - Blur

Possessed - Vegas

Ceremony - New Order

Flick Of The Finger - Beady Eye

Itchycoo Park - The Small Faces

Uptown Top Ranking - Althea And Donna

Feel Like This - Missing Andy

You'll Never Walk Alone - Gerry And The Pacemakers

The Whole Of The Moon - The Waterboys

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

Spread Your Love - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

What's Up - 4 Non Blondes

Blitzkrieg Bop - The Ramones

Sheena Is A Punk Rocker - The Ramones

Hanging On The Telephone - Blondie

By Your Hand - Los Campesinos

Stay - Rita Payne

Pork And Beans - Weezer

Peggy Sang The Blues - Frank Turner

It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream

Rebel Rebel - David Bowie

Ripple - The Coopers

Elephant Stone - The Stone Roses

I Hear You Knocking - Dave Edmunds

Shadow - Gringo Star

Shiny Happy People - REM

American Slang - The Gaslight Anthem

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Friday 12/04/13

That thing that I did last week, you know the long radio thing that I said I wouldn't talk about. It's still taking it's toll. I'm off for a nap!

I did promise to not mention the show again but I'm still waking up confused every time and still convinced there's a webcam constantly on me. Bit worrying. And every dream is somehow linked to the show. The latest was that my sleep would use up more of my allotted break time.

Started working through the play list for the biggest show today. I'm up to 284 songs and I think I'm 30 hours through! Might post the full play list next week.

And I've woke up hungry. God bless the crisp sandwich. I'm not a massive fan of the crisp but stick em between two slices of buttered bread and I'm all over it. Why is that? And what happened to the sandwiches of my childhood. Tomato sauce was a favourite. As was sugar. Sugar sandwiches. Sounds awful but I may have to try one just for old times sake. I've been lead to believe that it's the sign of being a proper working class child in which case I shall embrace the said sugar sandwich (don't try that if you have a lisp) for all my worth.

This week has flown by but as is the way of these things it's the weekend again. Celebrating Cherry Blossom's birthday tonight down at The Hub for The Doncaster Beer Festival. No Tom Harking tomorrow, Rovers away at Crewe. I'm not gonna call it a must win game but we really must win! Tomorrow night sees me back behind a bar at The Leopard. Paid employment again. Such a good feeling. Especially as the DWP had come up with at least 7 flimsy reasons not to pay me benefits for the last 10 weeks. (Visiting a very ill parent and charity fundraising will get you a sanction on your benefits. Nice). Ah Ian Duncan Smith, not so much the quiet man these days, more the silent assassin. She'd be very proud of your persecution of the least well off, the disabled and the sick. Hope your dreams are as f***ed up as mine!

Think my mandate at The Leopard will be to pour pints, get involved with the band nights and generally educate the masses on tunage. I've spoke at length with boss Paul about the venue's plans, specifically as regards live music and it looks like exciting times ahead.

And The Hallcross re-opens tonight keeping the live music scene going. I wish them all the best. I know just how hard it is.

So this late blog is just about done. See you Monday.

Laters

SS

Playlist Friday 12/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Dancing With Myself - Billy Idol

Viva La Vida - Coldplay

Do You Realise - The Flaming Lips

I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye

Mr. Grieves - Pixies

It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream

War Baby - Tom Robinson

The Distance - Funeral For A Friend

Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

Flick Of The Finger - Beady Eye

Gotta Get Out - The 48ks

Banquet - Bloc Party

Like A Dancer - The Enemy

Wrecking Ball - Bruce Springsteen

Two Princes - The Spin Doctors

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

Acquiesce - Oasis

Gold On The Ceiling - The Black Keys

Is This Our Day In The Sunshine - Section 60

Go Right Ahead - The Hives

Hong Kong Garden - Siouxsie And The Banshees

Burn This City - Famous Villains

Recovery - Frank Turner

Brand New Friend - Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

Chance - Big Country

Vienna - Ultravox

Weather With You - Crowded House

Kings For The Weekend - Missing Andy

Every You, Every Me - Placebo

The Only Living Boy In New Cross - Carter USM

Let The Day Begin - Black Rebel Motorcycle Club

Drinking In L.A. - Bran Van 3000

Boy In The Photograph - Stereophonics

You And Your Ego - Hail to The Eskimo

See Through - Auction For The Promise Club

Bring On The Dancing Horses - Echo And The Bunnymen

I Will Steal You Back - Jimmy Eat World

Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

To Be Like - China Rats

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers 

BAIBS Thursday 11/04/13

I'm gonna talk about two things that I'll attempt never to talk about on here again. Thatcher and the 80 hour show. I was gonna leave the Thatcher thing well alone but a few comments have riled me somewhat, out of their naivety if nothing else.

'It's only men having a go because of she was a woman'

Yes, that's the only reason. Nothing to do with politics at all. And there are no women criticizing her policies at all.

'She saved the country' and this from, amongst others our glorious shiny faced Eton twonk of a leader.

If by country you mean a square mile in the heart of London then you're quite right. And let's not forget that when Shiny Dave's party unceremoniously dumped her in 1990 there was no great leader who saved our country comments then.

'She's only hated because she won.' from some faceless Tory MP daring to raise her head above the parapets.

Won? That statement should just be left to hang there and pick up all the contempt it deserves on it's own with no help from me.

'It's only people with dead end jobs who are Thatcher bashing.'

Yes the double Oscar winning MP Glenda Jackson must be wondering where it all went wrong.

Right, hopefully I won't get wound up again and can stop talking about her. This blog's becoming another rant.

There's a smokefree stress ball languishing next to the laptop. Maybe I should start using it. Then I wouldn't be ably to type though. It's a dilemma.

Started work on the paperwork for the Even Bigger Show today. It's a mammoth job. Probably another 80 hours worth of work. OK, maybe not that much but with 40 witness statements and logs to go through plus checking every song was correctly taken note of you can see it's gonna be more than a 5 minute job. I reckon we probably played about 750 tunes during the show. All the video evidence needs uploading too. 18 breaks (start and finish), the beginning and end of the show plus the moment we broke the record. That's 39 clips to find, edit and catalogue. Then making sure that all the video evidence and witness logs tie up with timings. Any media coverage needs including too. It's another reason why I've said never again. And I shall mention the show no more. Well maybe when we get confirmation of the record but that's it. I promise.

Spellchecker is insisting catalogue is wrong but only offering cantaloupe as an alternative. Maybe we need to send the bods at Guinness a melon as well. They didn't mention it though. I hope we don't miss out on the record for not sending them large fruit.

We still have plenty of bananas if they'll do. I'll ask.

Laters

SS

Playlist Thursday 11/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Down At The The Doctors - Dr. Feelgood

Return Of Django - The Upsetters

Signal 30 - Public Service Broadcasting

Can't Stand Losing You - The Police

Follow Baby - Peace

Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen

Hold Me - Tom Odell

Mary's Prayer - Danny Wilson

Pelican - The Maccabees

Right Now - Bang Bang Romeo

Recover - Dexters

Love Her Madly - The Doors

Lorelei - The Pogues

Not Too Young - The Tricks

The Rockafeller Skank - Fatboy Slim

All Together Now - The Farm

The Rising - Bruce Springsteen

Madness - Madness

It Ain't What You Do - Fun Boy Three ft Bananarama

A Message To You, Rudy - The Specials

No Hope - The Vaccines

I Want It All - Queen

Feel Like This - Missing Andy

Molly Gray - The DN Allstars

Island In The Sun - Weezer

She Will - Savages

Summer's Child - The Coopers

Learn To Fly - Foo Fighters

Graceland - The Bible

Bats - The Darlingtons

Blue Collar Jane - The Strypes

Made Of Stone - The Stone Roses

Road Rage - Catatonia

524 Fidelio - The Wedding Present

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

Into The Valley - The Skids

In A Big Country - Big Country

On The Pull - Straight Razor Angels

Temptation - New Order

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers

BAIBS Wednesday 10/04/13

Have we had Brazil before or is that a new one? I think it is. Welcome. Boa-tarde.

A personal game of two halves last night with my two first loves. I've been in love with Doncaster Rovers since Saturday 1st September 1979. (3-0 defeat by Bradford City). It's been an up and down relationship ever since and if I'm honest more giving on my part than theirs. Last night was a prime example. A pretty woeful performance. Like date night actually being a trip to the chippy followed by a warm pint and a pickled egg. No Tom Harking for me last night. They left me hurt but at the end pecked me on the cheek with the league table and told me it'll all be OK. And, as always, I believe them. They know I'll never leave them. I've never looked at another and never will. I think sometimes they take advantage of this.

So feeling slightly used I head to The Leopard for my other first love, music. (Sod grammar). Music is different. It's acceptable, encouraged even, to sample as much as you can. You should never stick to one lover. When one lets you down (notably The Waterboys and their Room To Roam album) another will step up and make everything wonderful again. King Charles was live at The Leopard last night and it's possible that the man is a genius. Guitar playing that's pure delta blues one minute and classic Prince the next. The Prince comparisons are hard to ignore with his look as well. There's also a hint of Morrison presence with Jimi having his say too. And tunes! Oh man does he have some tunes.

I met him on yesterday's breakfast show when he'd been dragged from his tour bus for a half awake interview. After the show last night he was wide awake though and we talked at length about Fred MacPherson's mind (Spector) and Iggy Pop's penis. He's a truly likable guy who shares my third first love, alcohol. Hence another late show this morning.

So if Rovers was the first half and King Charles the second then for me it ended in a 2-1 win.

I've avoided the whole Thatcher thing til now. There's been a lot said and posted. Facebook has become a microcosm of her reign. divisive as ever. What has appalled me is the 'show some respect' comments that spring up as soon as she is criticized  If you can praise her then I can damn her, dead or otherwise. She doesn't become faultless through death and she had many, many faults. Her dismantling of the manufacturing industry, her decimation of whole communities, her whole uncaring nature to the plight of so many under her cosh. It cannot and should not be dismissed because she's dead. So what of the good she did? Most people seem to point to to The Falklands War and the buy your council house policy. Yes back in 82 as a 14 year old I got jingoistic when the Union Flag flew in Port Stanley again but let us not kid ourselves. She didn't fall in the mud at Goose Green but she did go from becoming the most unpopular PM in history to a landslide general election victory on the back the war. A war that had far more to do with her own political survival than the repatriation of The Falklands. And yes she gave people the chance to own their own homes who previously never had that option but left nothing in place for those that still needed cheap housing. There are now 2 million families waiting for a council house. It's a direct link.

What has been equally sickening are the spineless eulogies from those you expect to stand up for the working man. I'm looking at you Ed. God I miss Socialism!

So in my lifetime 3 former Prime Ministers have died. Wilson, Heath and now Thatcher. 2 private funerals and 1 £10 million ceremonial funeral with military honours? Why? That is what I find most galling of all. That and the phone hacker Piers Morgan saying, you guessed it, 'She's dead. Show some respect.'

Rant over.

Laters

SS

Playlist Wednesday 10/04/13

Tom Hark - The Piranhas

Lady Percy - King Charles

Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys

Gimme Shelter - The Rolling Stones

To Be Like - China Rats

Reap The Wild Wind - Ultravox

Diane Young - Vampire Weekend

Just Like The Rain - Richard Hawley

Get Back - The Beatles

Let My People Go-Go - The Rainmakers

Forget Never Met - The 48ks

Panic - The Smiths

Pictures Of You - The Cure

Love In Outer Space - Hail To The Eskimo

Mansize Rooster - Supergrass

The Day The World Turned Day Glo - X Ray Spex

Heavyweight Champion Of The World - Reverend And The Makers

(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais - The Clash

Antarctica - Sound Of Guns

It's Alright, It's OK - Primal Scream

The Day We Caught The Train - Ocean Colour Scene

The Trooper - Iron Maiden

The Female Of The Species - Space

Hunger - Frankie And The Heartstrings

Roll To Me - Del Amitri

Wasteland - The Mission

Paranoid - Black Sabbath

Walking On The Sun - Smash Mouth

Sacrilege - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Flick Of The Finger - Beady Eye

Midnight Wave - Two Wounded Birds

Egyptian Reggae - Jonathan Richman And The Modern Lovers