Return of the Roses

Middle aged indie Kids are rejoicing with the news that the Stone Roses have decided to reform.

Out of all the big 90s indie bands that have reformed, this was always the least likely to happen, but now it has happened it seems inevitable.

I asked a friend at work his thoughts, and he said The Stones Roses were one of those bands that define a certain time and era. He wasn't convinced they would have anything new to add to today's music scene.


She Bangs the Drum

I sort of agree, but I'm still interested in hearing any new material they might bring out.

For those of us who remember, The Stone Roses will always be associated with the 'Madchester era' of the late 80s early 90s. As a teenager in those days who was getting into Hip Hop and dance music, I tried my very best to avoid anything indie.

However, the Stone Roses along with the Happy Monday's were the sort of indie bands I could relate to. They were guitar bands that understood and embraced elements of dance music culture.

So now they're back, do we really need a Stone Roses reunion? And what does it say about the state of the music industry? A band that only produced two albums and split up 15 years ago has produced one of biggest stories in music this year.

Nostalgia seems to rule these days in music. Some of it’s understandable, there’s a lot of money to be made in live music. In fact it’s probably the only place where people can make serious money in the industry.

It’s easier for older bands who’ve had successful careers and popular back catelogs to reform and prove a success, than artists who are just starting out.

It’s like a snowball effect. One band makes a successful comeback, then other bands and promoters see the potential, and before you know it everyone’s at it.

There’s nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia but does it benefit the music industry?

Music companies and artists have seen the old music business model smashed with the rise of the internet and digital downloads, the live scene offers real money opportunities, especially with so many more music festivals around today.

I’m struggling to answer my own question.

Part of me thinks too much nostalgia means new artists won’t get enough attention, but maybe we just need to should accept the changing nature of the music industry. The old certainties of the pre-digital age are gone. Maybe we should accpet that a lot of bands will split up before eventually reforming at a future date.

Let me know what your thoughts. I’d love to hear your views.

England's football and rugby teams leave me indifferent

One of the great things about being a sports fan is the range of emotions that watching sport can bring.

There's the emotional highs and lows of following your favourite team, the real life drama that success and failure brings, as well as the thrill of watching great skills and performances from competitors.




An idiot abroad

Unfortunately after watching England's football and rugby teams this weekend, I was left with none of these feelings - only total indifference.

A 2-2 draw away to that footballing giant known as Montenegro, and another ridiculous sending off from Wayne Rooney.

I've given up on England challenging the world's best at football. For 30 minutes on Friday we gave the impression of being a serious football nation, before the inevitable mental collapse took place; perfectly represented by Rooney. There was no need to get upset, we've experienced this 'groundhog' day so many times.

Anyway, football was only the warm up act to the main event this weekend which of course was England's World Cup Quarter final against the old enemy France.

I've come to expect a lot more from England's rugby team. They might play a brand of rugby that for most of the time is stodgy, slow and uninspiring, but they grind out results. We occasionally even win stuff stuff like 6 Nations and World Cups.

Yesterday though was a complete disaster. 16-0 down at half time the game was over. The French were having a collective breakdown only a week ago, yet England provided them with the perfect therapy to get their World Cup campaign up and running again.

I couldn't even get upset at the end. The first half performance was so bad we didn't deserve to go through, despite a second half comeback.

The entire campaign seemed a waste of time, with poor performances and various off the field controversies dogging the England team. Sounds familiar to another England team doesn't it?

Die hard football and rugby fans have little time for each other's games but we're all united in seeing performances of mediocrity, under achievement and off the field bad behaviour ruining our teams chances.

When did our football and rugby teams become so similiar? Why do they always shoot themselves in the foot?

At least there's always the cricket.

The release of Amanda Knox....Some thoughts

After the release of Amanda Knox this week my initial thoughts focused on the following:

How Meredith Kercher's death has been completely overshadowed by the question of Knox's guilt.

The complete failure of the original criminal investigation into the case.

The media's obession with Knox that's turned her into a celebrity. There's been absolutely no interest from the media in her former boyfriend Raffaele Sollecito, who has also spent the last four years in prison.

There's now only one person that's been convicted of Meredith Kercher's murder and that's the Ivory Coast drifter Rudy Guede. There seems to be few doubts that he was involved in Kercher's death, but I'm not convinced he acted alone.

I almost saw the President

Last night I met some friends outside Grand Central Station in Mid Manhattan. We soon realised that the main road of 42nd St which runs outside the station had been closed off to traffic.












Here comes the President

President Obama's been in New York this week attending the United Nations General Assembly meeting.

There were a number of police officers on the street, making sure members of the public didn't break through the barriers onto the road.

Nobody really knew what was going on, but something big was happening. Seeing how Obama was in town it was easy to put two and two together.

Eventually we could see police sirens in the distance, a group of motor cycles passed, closely followed by a couple of Limousines.

I'm assuming Obama was in one of the limos, although they passed so quickly you couldn't tell who was inside. After the limos passed there was more police and a couple a black vans that looked like secret service vehicles.

It was all very exciting to think that I was only a few yards away from the leader of the free world!

It's unlikely I'll ever be that close to the President of the United States ever again!

My New York Post

I've already settled into a little routine here in New York.

I leave my hotel - find a cafe off Broadway, I have black coffee, some bagels, and I read a copy of the New York Post. I'm like a proper New Yorker.

The Post is a local New York tabloid paper owned by the media mogul everyone loves to hate, Rupert Murdoch. If you asked me to describe it, I'd say think of the Sun and a bit of the Daily Mail. Yes a nightmare thought for some of you out there!

Generally I find American newspapers pretty dry to be honest. They're just not as entertaining or as interesting as British papers. I did however like the Post, despite not agreeing with its political views.

It's ridiculously right wing and very anti Obama. Everyday this week there's been an attack on Obama's plans to raise taxes for America's highest earners. I already thought George Bush had lowered taxes for America's rich, but according to the Post Obama's plans are flawed.

Other big news stories in New York this week

New York Yankee pitcher, Mariano Rivera set a new record for the most career saves? Don't ask me what this means, I really don't get baseball. Anyway this was massive news, and the Post even had a souvenir poster of the event. When it comes to bat and ball games give me cricket any day.

Simon Cowell's X Factor arrived in America with a two hour special last night.

A New York housewife Barbara Sheehan is on trial for murdering her ex cop husband. She shot him using 11 bullets, following years of alleged abuse.

And a couple from Manhattan, kidnapped their 8 children from a Foster home in Queens New York. They still haven't been found.