Guitar String Bravado
I’ve been playing guitar for 30 years but this week had something of an epiphany. (warning dull short post about guitar strings).
Through My Eyes
My wonky eyes have given me an idea for a new photography project.
The Best Worst Guitar
Epiphone 435i – a 1980s superstrat. HSS, with locking trem. I didn’t know anything about guitars. But I decided I wanted to play electric guitar. Mainly to fit in with some new friends at sixth…
A Voice for Ellie
Today I published my first short story on Amazon Kindle. Well not my first ever short story. It’s just the first that I’ve published on Amazon’s Kindle platform.
Videogame Ghosts
Lack of interactivity is something I’m noticing more and more in games. It’s not that the worlds used to be more interactive – it’s that as the detail in games has increased the level of…
Trouble in Greendale
For many years now Royal Mail Postman Pat Clifton was the man you could always rely on in Greendale. He was the glue that held the community together, the face of officialdom that could be…
Satan’s Navy – not by Patrick O’Brian
It seems the Royal Navy has officially recognised its first Satanist. You can read the full story courtesy of the BBC. At the urging of a friend and because clearly I had nothing better to…
Bagpuss – The Chocolate Biscuit Episode
Remembering a childhood classic now, in the form of my rant about the political ideas behind a certain episode of Bagpus. Well as you remember, Emily, the little girl who seemed to have somehow become…
Behold a Random Selection of Nonsense
Children & Violent Videogames
Do you ever just read something and hold your head in your hands in despair? I did when I just read some online debates among…
The Magic Heliclopter
One of the great joys of being a parent of a three year old is the mad stream off chatter emerging from them. Granted if…
British TV Is Rubbish
What on earth has happened to television in recent years? Yes I know we’ve always had plenty of guff on TV such as Mind Your…
Being sent to church
I hated going to church as a kid. Not unusual that. Not only did I find it boring, I just didn’t believe – and realised…
The Corned Beef Tin of Doom
A gruesome story from ten years ago…the faint-hearted might like to look away now.
The Wuss-Tones of Modern Rock
What in Tony Iommi’s blessed name is wrong with modern, so-called rock bands? I look at these bands such as Strokes, Kaiser Chiefs, Franz Ferdinand…
The Watchers
I went for a walk at Westbay today, which is something I do quite often. I took my camera along and my Samyang 50mm f/1.2…
Ending the Guitar Tone Obsession
Do we guitarists obsess too much about tone? I’ve realised I certainly do. If I look back to the first 15 or so years of…
Happy #nondom Day
Every general election has certain days you know will be super important. Even now it only takes a word or two to evoke those memories…
Videogame Ghosts
Lack of interactivity is something I’m noticing more and more in games. It’s not that the worlds used to be more interactive – it’s that…
Lancaster Reunion 2002
In January 2002 a few of us old Cartmelians made our way to the hallowed ground of Lancaster University. Those present were James, Harry, Rob,…
My Sex Is On Fire
I wrote recently about how I wasn’t well at the moment and some of the rather unpleasant procedures I’ve undergone to get to the bottom1…
Bishop David Walker on Poverty
I’ve read an excellent piece in today’s Guardian by Anglican bishop David Walker on the subject of the church’s recent head on collision with the…
Bugera V22 Review
Judging by all the chat online the Bugera V22 has become a very hot talking point. That’s no surprise given what it offers for the…
An Open Letter to Oliver Letwin MP (Con)
Dear Mr Letwin, I returned home from shopping this lunchtime to find a poor tree had died partly to fund an election “communication” from you…
The Food of Kings
The Goblin Meat Pudding sounds like something Gollum would buy down at Crazy Saruman’s Convenience & Liquor Store. But behind the silly name lurks a…
Contrasting Days
My twins were eight years old yesterday. Eight. I can hardly believe it.
Lazy Town Fit Fruits & Super Squash Review
Don’t worry, I’ve not become a mummy blagger – I’ve not sold my soul for some Duplo or a free holiday. But I have been…
IronGear Pickup Review
For the guitarist keen on replacing pickups on their electric guitar there are a wealth of choices. Well known names such as Seymour Duncan and…
Bagpuss – The Chocolate Biscuit Episode
Remembering a childhood classic now, in the form of my rant about the political ideas behind a certain episode of Bagpus. Well as you remember,…
The Spider Valve MKII
I really like tinkering. I also like computers. I’m no cork-sniffing guitarist that is only happy when playing through 1950s technology full of glorified lightbulbs.…
The Best Worst Guitar
Epiphone 435i – a 1980s superstrat. HSS, with locking trem. I didn’t know anything about guitars. But I decided I wanted to play electric guitar.…
Day of the Fondleslab
A few weeks ago my laptop died. The internal fan over the GPU stopped working and within short order the graphics card melted. The first…
The Technology of Perverts?
I went for a walk along the canal a couple of days ago. It was a pleasant trip and I took some pictures I’m rather…
That’s Not My…
There are signs that the “That’s Not My…” baby touchy-feely book series has run its course. It looks like the authors are running out of…
What’s the matter with Harry?
I’ve not enjoyed the latter half of 2011 thanks to a lingering illness. What’s wrong with me? My guess is something as simple as kidney…
Jumping Ship from Sony to Fujifilm?
Next week Sony will announced its successor to the NEX-6 camera. I’ve owned an NEX-6 since the camera was launched in the UK and it’s…