Some friends of mine considered calling their kid Rocktober but alas they didn’t. But I digress. October has been a rocking month. I saw some great bands at CMJ, spending most of my time at Union Pool (because it’s close by and I’m lazy). La Société Expéditionnaire showcase last Wednesday was wonderful. There’s nothing I like more than sitting on a barstool in a cozy venue listening to people with lovely voices playing guitar. Check out all the artists on…

Ok, I know this is slightly off topic but is it just me or does this cloud not bear a striking resemblance to Lyle Lovett? Thanks to Jesse for the photo!

Radiohead are letting their fans decide how much to pay to download their new album In Rainbows. When you order the download it gives you the option to fill in the amount saying “It’s up to you” and then “No really, it’s up to you.” Is this the future of the music industry – trusting loyal fans to pony up the bucks for the work that they value and love, circumventing the bureaucracy and dishonesty of the music industry? Would…

I’m probably going to stray from the point now but that is largely the point of this thing anyway so run with it. Besides, the slow grind of feature film development is enough to put anyone off ever attempting to do anything creative ever again and so a large part of my life is currently a battle to keep my interest up. Which, incidentally, and this is not the point of what I’m writing here, is why I have mixed…

All of which previous ranting brings me back to the bar of the Old Oak Manor and four or five pints of (appropriately named) Directors’ bitter and a conversation with some old friends about a low-budget (£500k) comedy script that we could hopefully write in the space of a weekend. I hope you’re following this. Wednesday 4th July The hole has been repaired and so I spend the morning painting my ceiling. Also start listening to the new Frank Black…

This is Zee: He is standing here: And for those of you not on intimate terms with all the commercial ports of the Scandanivan seaboard this is the delightful Danish coastal town of Arhus. Zee was here with Chris and myself to watch the first ever performance on Danish soil of singer/songwriter Soko who, at the time, was enjoying top ten Danish chart success with her song “I’ll Kill Her”. Soko is French and brilliant. I’m not going to attempt…

Recently I’ve been writing a lot and going out only to take brief and mentally revitalising walks in the countryside. It’s been great for me but hasn’t given me that much to write about here for your further entertainment and distraction. Still, maybe that’s meant that you’ve stopped wasting your time reading shit on the internet and have got on with some proper work. You can thank me later. Yesterday though I did go out and here are some of…

A few years ago the Water Rats in Kings Cross was mine and Zee’s second home. Which was strange because, sat in the corner last Friday night, our return to the venue naturally led to reminiscences but neither of us could remember any of the bands that we ever saw save for the Realistics, a superb New York four piece who seem to have lived and died on the crest of the wave started by the Strokes. However the joy…

My central heating has broken. Although, apparently, it’s not so much broken as finally woken up to the fact that it should never have worked. I expect it’s been reading, that’s what usually ferments discontent. Anyway, a really nice man called George is now making regular visits to try and coax it back into life but so far has had little luck. Especially as he keeps finding dead rats under the floor. I think a lot of pointless fuss is…

Look at me, I am cynically using my blog to promote a thing I’m involved with. Who have thought it. But it should be quite a good thing so if you are free next Wednesday night and you can get to Brixton then please do. Charlie who runs the Hope and Anchor on Acre Lane has kitted the upstairs out to be a rather swanky new bar he’s calling the Myth Bar. Partly he’s done this to make money, and…