Odd Musical Collaborations, that worked (last century), from an old fart's point of view

Shirley Bassey + Propeller Heads "History Repeating Itself" (1997)
Run-DMC + Aerosmith "Walk This Way" (1986)
Dusty Springfield + Pet Shop Boys "Nothing Has Been Proved" (1989)
Tammy Wynette + KLF "Justified & Ancient" (1991)
Liza Minnelli + Pet Shop Boys "Results" album (1989). I think I was the only one who bought it in Australia (found it in a bargain bin of cassettes).
Bing Crosby + David Bowie "Little Drummer Boy" (1977)
David Bowie + Pet Shop Boys "Hallo Space Boy" (1996)

Any suggestions?

What is the story with Austin, Texas? Cool capital?

It's the state capital of Texas with a small population, compared to other U.S. cities (under 1.9 million). In recent years (2008-2009) more adults in their 20's and 30's moved to Austin than any other U.S. city. Why? Creative, divergent thinking people choose to live there? Hipster reputation? Arts and festival scene (e.g. SXSW)? Austin bills itself as "Austin, Live Music Capital of the World" so it must have a thriving live venue scene.
Take film directors - arty Terrence Malick, quirky Wes Anderson (Didn't you love "Moonrise Kingdom"?), Tarantino buddy and multi-tasking Robert Rodriguez, horror buff Tobe Hooper - all come from Austin or call it home.

I just finished a weird hobos-on-a-quest book ("Mr Shivers") written by Robert Jackson Bennett. Where does he live? You guessed it, Austin.
My 20 year old daughter's favourite Internet comedy group (at the moment) is Rooster Teeth - based in Austin, TX.
There is a pattern here.

The battle of the i-pod playlists

On a road trip at the moment, travelling from Melbourne, north to Sunshine Coast, around 4000 km round trip.  It is the battle of the i-pod playlists in the car.

My wife’s playlist is a lot broader than mine and a lot more hard core:

The Beat, House of Pain, Cypress Hill, Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Joy Division, Led Zeppelin, David Bowie, The Models, Hunters And Collectors, The Clash, Ian Dury, Roxy Music, UB 40, Simple Minds, Echo and the Bunnymen,  The Smiths, Sigue Sigue Sputnik, Nick Cave, Butthole Surfers, Wall of Voodoo, Nina Hagen, Malcolm McLaren, The Cure,  Souxie and the Banshees , Rammstein - mainly 70’s and 80’s alternative (like being stuck in a John Hughes movie),  with a smattering of 90’s and newer stuff.  Some opera, “Ride of the Valkeries” and “Madam Butterfly” is in the mix too.

My playlist sounds very gay in comparison – some musical soundtracks (mainly Sondheim), Pet Shop Boys, The Presets, Scritti Politti, Heaven 17, New Order, Culture Club (“Time”), Mental As Anything (“Berserk Warriors”), EMF (“Unbelievable”) Hurts, Blur, Kate Bush, The Police,

We have some overlaps:

U.K. Squeeze “Kool  for Kats”, Lou Reed “Walk on the Wild Side”, New Order “Bizarre Love Triangle”, “World in Motion”, The Clash “Rock the Casbah”, The Church “Under the Milky Way”, Amy Whitehouse “Back in Black”, Violent Femmes  “Blister in the Sun”, Duran Duran “Planet Earth”, The Verve's "Bitter Sweet Symphony"

Anyway, it made the kilometres pass.

"Vicious" ITV Episode 3 review Please Sirs!

Pl-lease Sirs! (apologies to the wonderful Esmonde/Larbey TV series)
I gave this stinker another go. I need not have bothered. The running jokes aren't worth running with - the geriatric pussy, slagging off Violet, the vain, hammy actor. Did Jacobi and McKellen sack their agents after viewing this debacle? Juvenile dialogue like "is that dog shit I smell or just you?" could have been written for a junior high school skit. The "Downton Abbey" bit part involving potatoes caused a smile, but that's it. A lame resolution to the episode too.
Only rarely do you see a glint in Sir Ian McKellen's eye or a bit of business from Sir Derk Jacobi - a glimmer of what might have been. This series features one dimensional characters and tired situations. I won't bother with it again.
"Quel dommage" as Mr Clary would say.

P.S. The opening title music "Never Can Say Goodbye" is the Jimmy Somerville/The Communards version (I remember Jimmy from Bronski Beat). The music is probably the highlight of this meagre show.

One hit wonders on my playlist.... embarrassing or still worthy?

• "You're Unbelievable" - EMF
• "Baby, It's You" - Promises (don't tell the wife)
• "Love and Pride" - King
• "Too Shy" - Kajagoogoo
• "Love Plus One" - Haircut 100
• "You Get What You Give" - New Radicals
• "Temptation" - Heaven 17
• "Bang Bang Bang f. Q-Tip" - Mark Ronson
• "Fish Heads" - Barnes & Barnes
• "Shut Up and Let Me Go" - The Ting Tings
• "Sometimes" - Miami Horror
• "We Are The People" - Empire of the Sun
• "Wonderful Life" - HURTS

Dog blog (by my dog) "Bark life"

My owner writes crappy lists so I thought I'd have a go .......

Favourite actors: Terrier Thomas, Danny Bonaduce, Robert Wagger, Kirk Doglas (he was great in Bartacus), MacCollie Culkin. Gene Collie
Favourite actress: Ellen Barkin, Ruff Gordon, Eleanor Barker, Sarah Jessica Barker, Jacqueline Bassett
Favourite films: Dog Day Afternoon, The Howling, Must Love Dogs, The Hound of Baskervilles (the Basil Rathbone version), Dogs in Space, Reservoir Dogs, Straw Dogs, Rambone : First Bloodhound
Best 2012 Oscar film: Zero Dachshund Thirty.
Favourite music: Bow Wow Wow, Bono, Boney M, Pointer Sisters, Joe Cocker
Favourite pop group:  of the 60's (The Fab 4), The Beagles; of the 80's, The Korgis, Jo Boxers
Favourite book: The Dogs of War, The Bone Identity, The Bone Collector
Favourite song: Devo's Whippet
Favourite TV shows: Bones, Inspector Rex
Favourite cars: LandRover, Maybach
Favourite tipple: "Johnnie Walkies"
Favourite celebrities: Michael Barkinson, Joan of Barc
Celebrities I hate: Cat Stevens, Moggy Smith, Raymond Burrs
Celebs I'd like to chase: Katey Seagull, Steven Seagull, Samantha Fox, Deborah Mailman
Celebs I'd like to be if I wasn't a dog: Virginia Woolf, Ernie Dingo
Favourite leisure activity: dogging, walks in the park

Why old fart music is better than new music - another A to Z list

A  Alphaville, Aztec Camera
B  Bryan Ferry, Blondie, Blur, BAD
C  Cure, Clash
D  David Bowie, Duran Duran
F   Echo and the Bunnymen
F   Frankie goes to Hollywood, Funboy 3
G  Gorillaz
H  Hunter & Collectors, Hoodoo Gurus
I    Ian Drury and the Blockheads
J    Japan, Joy Division
K   Kate Bush, KLF
L   Led Zepplin, Lou Reed
M   Madness, Morrissey, Mott the Hoople, Mental as Anything, Malcolm McLaren, Models
N    New Order
O   Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
P    Psychedelic Furs, Police
Q   Q-tips
R   Roxy Music, Ramones
S   Sex Pistols, Stranglers, Souxie and the Banshees, Smiths, Specials, Simple Minds, Spandau Ballet, Scritti Politti
T   T-Rex, Ten Pole Tudor
U   Ultravox
V    Visage, Violent Femmes
W  Wall of Voodoo, Winehouse (Amy)
X    XTC
Y   Young (Paul), Young (Fine Young Cannibals)
Z    Zevon (Warren), ZZZ Top - okay, not great, but great fun.



The above list is a joint effort with my wife, wiling away time on a long car journey.