Just a quick post following Everton's second win in Group A of the UEFA Cup. It was generally a comfortable game for them with another strong finish to put them at the top of the table. It should be enough to progress to the knock out stage which is a mouth watering prospect when you consider all the Champions League drop outs plop into the mix. A lot of Everton's success so far in the competition has come from Moyes bringing on Victor Anichebe as a one match wrecking machine late on in the game. The way he took his goal tonight was a brilliant display of power, speed and deadly finishing. I felt a bit for FC Nurnburg midfielder Jawhar Mnari who was made to look like a weakling when Anichebe bumped him aside before calmly slotted the ball past the keeper. And best of all he's only 19!
I didn't know much about FC Nurnberg going into the match tonight. I was amused to hear the name of their stadium is The Easy Credit Stadion and the fact their shirt sponsor read Mister*Lady only complimented my ridicule. I wasn't expecting to recognised any of their players but then I was alarmed to see one name on the team-sheet I knew... Marek "Scourge of the Welsh" Mintal. This swine has scored four goals in two games for Slovakia against Wales and part of me was anticipating him to be a goal scorer tonight. Luckily he was kept under control tonight but I reckon I haven't seen the last of him. All in all plenty to be pleased about if you're an Everton fan.
RANDOM MOAN - Ian Wright is currently appearing in adverts for Wii, Asda, Kelloggs and Ladbrokes. Every time it went to an ad break tonight his face popped up trying to convince me to buy something. Throw in those bad memories of him flapping his arms in those Chicken Tonite adverts in the 90s and you can safely say this man has no integrity. Maybe he can sense his punditry work is coming to an end so he's making as much money as possible. He is after all the worst football pundit ever. To say he is impartial would be an understatement. When England lose he just sits there slumped in his chair mumbling one word answers like a moody child. And the way he says "we" instead of "England" really annoys me, he's meant to be a journalist. I don't know why the BBC just doesn't let him dress up as a Beefeater and have done with it.
08 November, 2007
04 November, 2007
Porter Wagoner 1927-2007
While scanning through Ceefax on Monday morning I came across the news that country music legend Porter Wagoner had passed away.
If you’re not a fan of country music you can be excused for not knowing anything about Porter Wagoner. Until recently I hardly knew anything about him either. He’s briefly mentioned in Johnny Cash’s autobiography ‘Cash’ as being one of the first artists he toured with. Cash goes on to say he’s a fan of Wagoner and reveals how well liked he is in the industry. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I properly began to learn more about Porter Wagoner and it came purely from the fact I‘d bought tickets to see ‘The White Stripes’ at Madison Square Garden.
I was thinking a band the size of ‘The White Stripes’ playing an arena the size of Madison Square Garden would demand some formidable support acts. When I found out the two supporting artists were Nick Cave’s new band Grinderman and some country act called Porter Wagoner I’ve got to admit I was initially disappointed. Despite this I thought I might as well find out a bit about him and maybe download some of his music as a taster. The more I read the more I could see how highly regarded he was in country music and why he was suitable choice for a support act. He had enjoyed a long solo career but was perhaps better known for his duets with Dolly Parton which spanned three decades. Parton has said in past interviews that her universally recognised song ‘I Will Always Love You’ was written for Wagoner. Away from music he hosted his own TV show in the sixties and seventies, the imaginatively titled ‘The Porter Wagoner Show. He had recently undergone a Johnny Cash/Rick Rubin style makeover with his acclaimed album ‘Wagonmaster’ introducing him to a new market and younger audience. This renaissance combined with the ‘The White Stripes’ support slot created a genuine excitement around him at such a late stage in his career.
His appearance at Madison Square Garden was great fun with the alcohol fuelled New Yorkers whooping “Yee Haw” at every opportunity. It perhaps wasn’t the sort of music your average East Coast American would listen to but the entire audience went with it. The set included his version of ‘The Green Green Grass of Home’ and his emotive last single ‘Committed to Parkview’ (Check out the video on Youtube if you get the chance). The one thing that struck me about his performance was how good his voice still sounded at 79 years of age. He had to be assisted on to and then off the stage but in front of the microphone his age wasn’t an issue. The following night he appeared on 'The David Letterman Show’. We queued up to apply for tickets at the Ed Sullivan Theatre the next morning but sadly we were unsuccessful. Despite his age you really got the sense that there was more to come from Porter Wagoner.
Ironically on Monday, the day I heard of Porter Wagoner’s passing, I was meant to see ‘The White Stripes’ in Cardiff, a date cancelled due to Meg White’s health problems. I imagine had the concert gone ahead we’d have witnessed some sort of tribute from the band, something I’d have loved to have seen.
If you’re not a fan of country music you can be excused for not knowing anything about Porter Wagoner. Until recently I hardly knew anything about him either. He’s briefly mentioned in Johnny Cash’s autobiography ‘Cash’ as being one of the first artists he toured with. Cash goes on to say he’s a fan of Wagoner and reveals how well liked he is in the industry. It wasn’t until earlier this year that I properly began to learn more about Porter Wagoner and it came purely from the fact I‘d bought tickets to see ‘The White Stripes’ at Madison Square Garden.
I was thinking a band the size of ‘The White Stripes’ playing an arena the size of Madison Square Garden would demand some formidable support acts. When I found out the two supporting artists were Nick Cave’s new band Grinderman and some country act called Porter Wagoner I’ve got to admit I was initially disappointed. Despite this I thought I might as well find out a bit about him and maybe download some of his music as a taster. The more I read the more I could see how highly regarded he was in country music and why he was suitable choice for a support act. He had enjoyed a long solo career but was perhaps better known for his duets with Dolly Parton which spanned three decades. Parton has said in past interviews that her universally recognised song ‘I Will Always Love You’ was written for Wagoner. Away from music he hosted his own TV show in the sixties and seventies, the imaginatively titled ‘The Porter Wagoner Show. He had recently undergone a Johnny Cash/Rick Rubin style makeover with his acclaimed album ‘Wagonmaster’ introducing him to a new market and younger audience. This renaissance combined with the ‘The White Stripes’ support slot created a genuine excitement around him at such a late stage in his career.
His appearance at Madison Square Garden was great fun with the alcohol fuelled New Yorkers whooping “Yee Haw” at every opportunity. It perhaps wasn’t the sort of music your average East Coast American would listen to but the entire audience went with it. The set included his version of ‘The Green Green Grass of Home’ and his emotive last single ‘Committed to Parkview’ (Check out the video on Youtube if you get the chance). The one thing that struck me about his performance was how good his voice still sounded at 79 years of age. He had to be assisted on to and then off the stage but in front of the microphone his age wasn’t an issue. The following night he appeared on 'The David Letterman Show’. We queued up to apply for tickets at the Ed Sullivan Theatre the next morning but sadly we were unsuccessful. Despite his age you really got the sense that there was more to come from Porter Wagoner.
Ironically on Monday, the day I heard of Porter Wagoner’s passing, I was meant to see ‘The White Stripes’ in Cardiff, a date cancelled due to Meg White’s health problems. I imagine had the concert gone ahead we’d have witnessed some sort of tribute from the band, something I’d have loved to have seen.
02 November, 2007
Pea Green Boat
Just wanting to post that the both of us are going to see a bonefide comedy genius (and anti-hero) tomorrow night in Cardiffs Millennium Centre, which sounds grand, but he's playing something of a side-bar at the venue as i understand it. He is of course, many times mentioned here, stand-up comedian, stage and screen writer, satirist, sage, free-thinker; Stewart Lee.Looking forward to this, he's recently had to re-adjust his stand-up routine; Something to do with his routine revolving around the BBC who had not granted him his pilot TV show this year, but mid-way through his current tour, have changed their mind, and filming begins mid-November, intreaguing - the pilot/series is described by him as "Hopefully, it’ll be a stand-up show with some sketches in it. I want to do something like the old Dave Allen shows. I’d love to get the series because I’d love to see if you could make proper stand-up work on telly, and also because I’ve just had a baby and it’d be really nice to get paid and then we could get an bigger flat with an extra room for him to sleep in". Lee is also said to be writing a sit-com about the Norse God Thor!
For those unfamiliar with Lee, take time-out to view the following YouTube clips and envy me and my mates going to see the man himself tomorrow night:
This next clip is a great coming together as Stewart Lee appeared on Charlie Brookers "Screenwipe" earlier this year, speaking his mind about "Skins":
A recent 2 minute audio clip here of Lee's outburst at the studio audience on a Radio 4 programme, putting politial correctness into context:
He has promised to continue this tour after filming is complete for his TV show, and will tour extensively again in 2008! If you've watched the above and still reading, book to see the man. In the meantime go find more Stewart Lee clips on YouTube here.
Pea Green Boat is also a great listen written by Stewart Lee, i've got the limited edition 10" vinyl, but it has recently been released as a CD by those wonderful Cardiffians at Go Faster Stripe, of whom i'm sure will be in attendance tomorrow night.
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