leave

I said to Jayne before, "See him, hey, see him???? I'd leave you for him!!!!!"

El Nino - an important winner against an alehouse Blackburn.

robbing

I've been going to a lot of record fairs recently. It's such a huge buzz to be able to get back into the groove (hah, hah - subtle pun of the day!) of doing something that brings me so much pleasure. Not that contemplating my navel for the last seven years hasn't had its' moments, but you get the idea.

My Beatles collection is getting back up to scratch, and I've nearly replaced everything that went "missing". I'm just more than a little peeved off at some of the prices that dealers' get away with.

I've gotten back a lot of stuff using Ebay. I've had a few bargains, but I'm unwilling to pay extortionate prices. The record fairs are much the same.

I went off on one about a particular dealer on the blog last time. He's a guy I won't go near because of his shit attitude to me many years ago. I was at a record fair in Chester, and I was at his stall browsing through the Beatles' singles. He had an original picture sleeve issue of "Strawberry Fields Forever" for........£50 - a huge amount of money for a record that sold in the millions. Both cover and vinyl were only in a fair condition. My eyes must've said you robbing bastard because the dealer says to me, "problem?". Now usually I don't say anything, but I was so incensed I said, "yeh, are you having a laugh trying to sell this for that price?"

He answered, "You can take it or leave it. That's what they go for."

"No they don't, pal," I retorted, "You must think we're all stupid...."

I quickly left before it got out of hand, and I think I avoided record fairs for a while after that.

But come all these years later, and the same guy seems to be at every bloody fair I go to and he always has the largest stall. He must remember that little incident between us, or knows something's gone on, because I stay away from his tables like the plague.

A few weeks ago, Jayne accompanied me to a record fair in Buxton - a fair distance from home, but it was a day out too. I'd told her about this bloke, and sure as eggs are eggs, he was there. As usual I just ignored him, but Jayne told me she'd been given some nasty looks from the dealer's wife. I told Jayne to leave it - because my beloved would probably kick off - the two of them weren't worth it.

Last week, we went to a record fair at the Holiday Inn in Liverpool. Again, rip-off man was there, and I blanked him. Jayne reckons some bloke gave him a couple of hundred quid for something or other. The funny thing about this particular fair is they advertised there would be 30 tables, and maybe I'm confused by tables/dealer ratio, but only 6 dealers were there - dominated by rip-off guy who easily took up half the room.

Today, I went to a new fair for me in Stoke-On-Trent. What a soulless place. Anyway, it was quite a good, if small, fair but sod's law - rip-off man was there again. I nearly went to look at his stall, I didn't realise it was him. I knew there was a big fair over in Leeds and thought the he would've gone that way to antagonize the public, but no, he was in me face - or I'm in his...

Just for a change, I didn't just buy Beatles stuff, but got hold of a lovely copy of the Scaffold's second album "L The P" in original mono for £15.

The catalogue number on this album is PMC7077. The catalogue number on the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" mono album I desperately want is PMC7070, but is so rare that it sells for around £200.

Why an album by a bunch of Liverpool comedians that didn't chart sells for £15, against a multi-million selling album by a Liverpool rock band that somehow sells for £200 will always be one of life's most pertinent mysteries.

genitalia

A sad indictment of the supposed-progressive society we live in is the proliferation of tribute acts set around, for want of a better term, the "Swing" variety.

Each week, in both the "Liverpool Echo" and "Crosby Herald", I am confronted by garish advertisements in their leisure time section offering nights-out listening to this.......shite!

Most annoyingly, they prove ever more popular. Are people really that dumbed down? Do they think they're on some kind of renaissance-kick because they force themselves to go all weak at the knees at a Michael Bubble wannabe? Mr. Bubble has a lot to answer for. Sure, he's tapped into a lucrative market where little of no originality is needed, where punters will kiss his arse repeatedly for doing very, very little.

Mr. Bubble and his ilk, when the Revolution comes, will be hung awkwardly by what little remains of their genitalia, whilst a four-year old with a rather large power tool drills 6" nails liberally into their skulls.

Music cannot be made in a vacuum. Inspiration comes from the past. And tribute acts, in their own secular way, can provide a form of nostalgia we all need. But for crying out loud, don't talk down to people and never give them just a night away from their problems.

Music has a responsibility to promote spirituality and social conscience.

aforementioned

Like most right-minded people in the UK, I am heartily sick of this cold weather and the constant threat of snow. Once was a novelty - but anything after that has been a life sentence languishing in the pit of Satan's bottom.

In Liverpool, we don't get that much snow....ever. Being a coastal resort (irony!), the wind is our top type of weather. Great for the windfarms and kites, but bog-all use to anyone else.

I was pleasantly surprised today to find the ambience outside is akin to the first day of spring. There was I, kitted in a huge coat, gloves and scally hat, only to wip most of the aforementioned clothing items off quicker than one can say antidisestablishmentierism.

The shame with the flat (another thing wrong with it) is I have no access to a washing line to naturally dry my ragged clothes, but the flat roof is fine for a re-enactment of the Beatles' rooftop gig of 1969.

Then there's the bedroom - which I want to redecorate, but really can't be bothered doing because it means moving everything out. I haven't the inclination or willpower after shifting work out in recent weeks.

It frustrates me how lethargic I am, in a general sense anyway. Writing a blog is ample evidence of that.

pointless

Ah, the beauty of modern technology means I can blog to my heart's content in the comfort of my living room (not "lounge" - that's sooooo crypto-fascist) due the the wonder that is wireless broadband and a half decent laptop.

When work went under, I got a Government-sponsored redundancy package that I've used, to my mind anyway, wisely. There were a couple of jobs that needed doing on Anya3. I've booked a ferry for me and Jayne to visit Dublin at the end of May. And I got this laptop and the assorted technological bits and pieces to surf the interweb whilst lying on my back!!!

Red Tube is now so much more......stimulating as a result of this marvellous equipment.

On the subject of things that happen for no apparent reason other than they do, who really gives a rat's chuff about Cheryl Cole and her bint of a husband. I opened the "Daily Mirror" to be confronted by over eight pages of pointless speculation, Chinese whispers and idle gossip. Surely if Mrs Cole wants to divorce her philandering husband, moral decency would dictate she doesn't announce her intentions over Twitter. No wonder Ashley's shagged his way across Europe - if I was getting the same amount of earache I'd have probably done the same!

Without actually doing any shagging...obviously.

selfish

I find the above person, and his supposed-legitimate political party, completely and utterly morally bankrupt.

Why, with a General Election coming to the UK in May, anyone is tempted to vote for the Conservatives after the shite they put us in during the 80s and 90s is a mystery beyond contempt?

It must take a warped set of selfish values to want to vote for David Cameron. He's promising us the world, without actually saying how he's gonna pay for it all. Well, actually the poor will pay for what tax breaks he wants to give his cronies, but that's nothing new from the Conservatives.

For God's sake, don't be fooled by the utter bollocks that spews from this man's arse....sorry, I mean mouth. He doesn't give a fig for you, he doesn't give a toss for me, he doesn't even give a damn about the people who want to vote him in. But, for instance, he is quite concerned about repealing the Hunting Ban so he and his odious band of inbreds can rip defenceless animals to death. And other things like that.

6th May. Don't vote Tory.

unshakable

Probably against my better judgment, I've decided to come back on this "thing" and warble about pretty much anything that is of little or no consequence to anyone but me.

Since we last inter-acted, things have changed. Work went tits-up, which was expected, but we're back running the branch in Aintree as a stand-alone business now. And I'm together with Jayne, who along with her kids Aaron and Bethany, are providing me with companionship and love.

I'm back buying up Beatles albums again, after a seven-year hiatus, and that feels good. I also have a copy of a left-handed Gibson SG and mini HiWatt amp. And I try to play it properly too, which I can't, but you know what? It feels.....so good, and so RIGHT!!!!!

I still believe that Rock will save the world!

And my faith in my football team is still unshakable, even though they're quite, quite shit at times.

So to old friends and enemies - howya, what d'bleedin' story?????? To new DVFM watchers....erm, hello, and where have you been? I was once vetted by Criminal Records Bureau and I'm still good. Don't run away too soon.

This blog is a DREADEDVACUUMFLASKMONSTER production. And don't you forget it! Love me xxxxxxx