On Wednesday evening we became nine: the final piece of the BlogCon25 jigsaw - in the shape of Khayem - dropped into place. Nine good bloggers and true (we'd been eight the previous night) met in one of Bristol's oldest hostelries and thus we etched, indelibly, our imprint upon the South West; we'd conquered Newcastle & the North East the year before, now it was time to carve the name of another unsuspecting city on our collective headboard.
Due to the anonymity of my fellow scribblers I'm sworn to secrecy regarding the identities of this year's cohort. Suffice it to say, if you look carefully at the above photograph I'm sure you can deduce the runners and riders. And if you're still struggling then I suggest you trawl back thru my pre-convention Delegates' Q&As.
What I can tell is that my three favourite taverns in the town were: The Bridge Inn (three dark beers, two types of pickled eggs, great music and original framed gig posters on the walls - including Generation X at Chutes in June 1977), The King's Head and The Cornubia.
I can also advise that my favourite breakfast caff/cafe was The Crafty Egg (very Omelegg, Amsterdam), and (wait for it) I walked north of 30,00 steps in just two days. In other news, Ernie, newly christened Ernesto Del Fuego III, is in need of a new gag writer.
★
Thank you to everyone who made the pilgrimage and I look forward to seeing you all next year when BlogCon26 will be pitching up in Amsterdam. Oh, and a final thank you to C for the fabulous BlogDolls and Alyson for the equally fab fobs.
I forget just how long* I've been hanging on to Phil Cooper's coat tails; long enough to know he's one of the most talented singer-songwriters around and certainly one of the best discoveries I've made in all the years I've been blogging. (And, in the immortal words of Donny Osmond, that's a long, long time.)
The fact that he hails from Bristol and that he's got a brand new album in the shops chimes in perfectly with this year's BlogCon meet-up in the heart of Brizzle (you fancy playing a little pub gig for us, Mr. Cooper?!). 'Playing Solitaire' is jam packed with some beautiful and intricate songs that expose a side of Phil we've rarely seen before. Several songs are quite raw and introspective yet it's still balanced with an underlying wave of positivity. The whole thing appears to have been recorded very sparsely, with primarily just one voice and one guitar - and none the worse for that. It's an album I've been playing the hell out of since it dropped a couple of weeks ago and could well be on the podium come my end of year roundup. My standout track? I'm gonna go for this five and a bit minute slice of homespun wisdom...
I defy anyone to listen to the following piece of music and not to be swept up in its sheer vitality and exuberance. Imagine this tune was playing in your buds as you were pulling into a certain railway station on the Great Western Main Line - with the sun streaming through the carriage and the guard over the tannoy advising you to ensure you've gathered up all your goods and chattels before disembarking. "Bristol, this is Bristol."
Ernesto emailed me this morning: he was sending me not only his felicitations but also his contribution(s) to May's Photo Challenge (it's never too early - as Freddie Laker, or some other besuited 70s celebrity, may have said). In his missive the 4th. Earl of Goggins was also enquiring if I was on the up and to, and I quote, "Hang on in there, baby." (J. Bristol, 1974). Without delay I replied that I was indeed on the up and that God/Allah (other worshipees are available) permitting it is my avowed intention, in June, to be, literally, Johnny Bristol.
Ernie may or may not be aware* that J. Bristol Esq. in 1974 also penned Love Me For a Reason for the Osmond tribe. In what must have been a bumper year for the non-Bristolian Bristolian, both records were in the charts simultaneously. Also, and again Ernie may or may not know, Love Me For a Reason is, to the best of my knowledge, the only single ever to have bothered the Hit Parade containing the word 'facsimile'. As I say, Ernesto will I'm sure confirm or deny my claim.
Martin. And I thought Khayem was keeping things on the lowdown
Please welcome Martin, our final #BlogCon25 interviewee. Martin has been blogging since Methuselah was in short trousers. In The Swede's recent Q&A I referred to him as the Father of the House; in that case, and he probably won't thank me for it, that must make Martin the Grandfather! His New Amusements blog has been a regular feature on my sidebar for as long as I can remember. I know he goes thru phases where he appears on the verge of ragging it all in but then comes back stronger than ever. Long may it continue (as Martin aludes to in the Q&A, we've lost too many great blogs over the years). Right, time for his interrogation to start...
* New Amusements - can you give me five Top Tunes (singles or album tracks) from this century?
Blimey, straight in with a hard one. These aren't the Top 5, that would take an age to work out. But these are all okay, and all 21st Century releases:
- The WAEVE - Something Pretty
- Cathal Smyth - Are the Children Happy?
- Chris Wood - None the Wiser
- Radiohead - Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
- Martin Rossiter - Three Points on a Compass
Martin Rossiter - Three Points on a Compass (2012)
* Ditto Old Amusements - five bangers from before the millennium?
I thought about trying to surprise readers of the blog, but, really, what's the point? So I've reverted to type with five of the usual suspects, but maybe lesser known tracks:
- The Smiths - Wonderful Woman
- The Wedding Present - Catwoman
- REM - Wolves, Lower
- Gene - Supermarket Bombscare
- The Jam - Life From a Window
* Who/what got you into blogging?
I think I was just bored. I started in February 2005, a very transitional time for me and a period in which I felt a bit lost, looking for something but not knowing what. I deliberately eschewed Blogger and Wordpress for a long time - I had some free webspace and thought I could do it all myself. And I did: the HTML, the RSS feeds, I even wrote my own Javascript-based commenting system. Eventually I realised that the DIY approach made it very hard to attract any readers, which is how I ended up migrating to Blogger. Most if not all of the blogs that inspired me in the early days are defunct now: Chromewaves was an excellent music blog, as were Too Much Apple Pie and Ghost of Electricity. And of course there was Rol's debut, Sunset Over Slawit. The list of blogs I followed that have now retired is almost as long as the list of active blogs I still follow, and that makes me sad.
- Supplementary question - you recently took a blogging sabbatical with a difference; no live blog posts but a series of pre-written blogs that went out in their place. What was the thinking behind that and did it achieve what you set out to achieve?
The intention was to free up time to do other stuff, particularly creative writing. My standard excuse for not writing another, better novel is that I am time-poor. Whatever, I regret to report it didn't work. Sure, I had more free time, but life expanded to swamp it.
- Supplementary question to a supplementary question - do you think you'll still be blogging in five years?
I doubt it. If I am, I'll probably have driven all my remaining readers away by then. If a blogger posts and nobody reads it, are they still a blogger? (A question for the ages - JM.)
* It's a baking hot day, your car's just been towed, the trains are on strike and the last bus has just gone. You've got yer thumb out by the side of the road and, by chance, two cars pull up at the same time. One's a limo with Noel Gallagher (being chauffeured) in the back - the air con hits you full in the face as he winds down the window and shouts "Get in." But the car behind has got Damon Albarn at the wheel. It's a 1972 Morris Marina belonging to his dad. Damon's got a bit of a sweat on but shouts "Hop in, it's not too bad in here if we keep all the windows open." In the words of the Cars, who's gonna drive you home?
The easiest question on the list. I'll jump in with Damon. This is partly because I think he is probably slightly less of a tool than Noel, but mostly because my oldest friend and blog commenter The Man Of Cheese used to have a Marina, so going for a spin in one of those would bring back some happy memories from the late 80s.
* Is there a film, or a scene from a film, or even a line from a film, that lives/resonates with you?
So many. One I've been thinking a lot about lately, and have blogged about in the past, is the opening scene from American Beauty. This is problematic, of course, because Kevin Spacey has been cancelled, so there's the thorny issue of separating the art from artist. (It's actually easier than you think - JM.) But this scene resonates because of Lester Burnham's experience, and his soliloquy about losing something, feeling sedated hits the spot. Another scene, without any culture wars complications, is the scene from the Coen brothers' Inside Llewyn Davis, in which the titular hero talks about being tired.
* How do you file your books - alphabetically by author? Or title? Colour of spine? Size?
When I had time and space, it was alphabetical by author, and then chronological by publication date. Now it's wherever there's space, in rough thematic clumps. It irks me but it's a compromise, so what can I do?
* The time machine question (with a twist). You can go anywhere in time forwards or backwards no question asked. Where and when are you going? The twist to this question is that the owners of the time machine are feeling very benevolent: they're prepared to give you a cheque for £50,000 when you get back for your trouble. Just one slight hitch. If you take the cheque your memories of your visit will be permanently erased. You'll have no recollection of your journey whatsoever, not even in dream flashbacks. You're still gonna take the money, right?
No, I don't think I am, John, not if the alternative is to travel in time and not be able to remember it. (Is the right answer! - JM.) Sure, it's a lot of money but it's not crazy money. I'd rather go somewhere, some time, else, and be able to remember. As to where and when, well. I've always had an interest in ancient Rome but I think that is probably too far back and that I wouldn't cope well, without the comforts of modern life. I think I'd probably opt for mid-60s, SE England, get myself a scooter and a parka, and live Quadrophenia for real. Plus I could go and visit my parents when they were young, see my older siblings as kids, and acquaint myself with a world and people that I don't recall.
* Wots yer favourite skyscraper?
The temptation is to say something obvious like the Chrysler Building - it has the Art Deco thing going on, after all. Although if I was going with New York I'd probably say the very ordinary Rockefeller Center, because you can go up to the roof and see all the other, more beautiful skyscrapers from it. Closer to home, I do quite like 20 Fenchurch Street, aka The Walkie Talkie, because the Skygarden at the top is marvellous. All in all though, I'd probably go for the Montparnasse Tower in Paris. It's a big black monolith that makes me think of 2001, and offers fantastic views over the city, plus I have a great memory from the mid-90s of shooting up to the helipad on the roof in what was then Europe's fastest lift.
* Can you juggle?
Three balls, yes, all day long. Four balls, not very well. Clubs, barely at all. The demands of life?
The guest list for #BlogCon25 has just taken on an international flavour. It is a privilege to introduce Walter, our longstanding German correspondent. His excellent blog A Few Good Times in My Life is now in its thitreeenth year. As you can see, Walter was a great sport when it came to his (light) grilling...
* Your brief bio says you're a middle aged man who spends a lot of my time listening to music, watching soccer, reading books and other stuff. Therefore, my first batch of questions to you (and as I'm British I'm way too polite to ask your age) goes something like this:
- How much is a lot? And which band/artist takes up most of your bandwidth?
To be honest, I should update my short bio as it is already twelve years old and no longer reflects my age of 65. I spend several hours a day listening to music. Musically, I grew up in the 80s and can listen to The Clash, Echo and the Bunnymen and REM anytime without turning my back on new and good music like Sean Johnston's latest sampler.
- Who do you watch? Bayern? Dortmund? Leverkusen? So, I suppose what I'm really saying is, where in Germany do you live? Or is that not reflected in who you support?
I live in southern Germany near Stuttgart and I can't help but support VfB Stuttgart since I first accompanied my father to the stadium over 50 years ago.
- Favourite author/favourite book? Do you read German and English novels? Or translations? Or both?
John Irving and William Boyd as well as many novels that have a historical connection. Currently Lavie Thidhar about Israel over the last 40 years. Mostly in German, but books about music mostly in the original as they are not published in translation.
- Define other stuff?
By other stuff I mean going to the cinema and concerts, as far as they are available in my area. (Nine questions in one there, we're off to a good start! - JM.)
* Was your road into blogging via us Brits (you obviously write in English) or were you already writing in your mother tongue?
Yes, you Brits inspired me to start my blog. Especially The Vinyl Villain, Swiss Adam and Across The Kitchen Table. I never intended to write a blog in my mother tongue. It was also important to me that I could improve my English a little. (Your English is superb btw - JM.)
* What do the Germans really think of the Brits? They must despair.
As far as I can tell, I haven't heard anything negative. What is really exasperating is that nobody understood Brexit and that the national propaganda of Nigel Farage was the cause of it. But the European shift to the right is not bypassing Germany either.
* Will you be seeking out real ale hostelries in Bristol ("Of course!" came the emphatic reply before I could finish the question - JM) or bierkellers? In other words, do you like warm English ale or would you prefer cool European lagers?
I prefer chilled lager, but can agree with a Guinness as well!
* What are your memories of the Wall? (I told Walter he really didn't have to answer this question; I've been to Checkpoint Charlie a couple of times now and am always moved greatly. But to his credit he went for it - JM)
I grew up with the Wall, didn't know the socialist part of it and didn't concern myself with it until we went on a school trip to Berlin and I realised which regime was in charge there. I was depressed when we were in East Berlin and had to see how people lived there.
* Since you started blogging, how many 'real life' bloggers have you met? I understand you've already met Charity Chic (the man, the myth, the legend) - how did that come about?
Besides CC I was lucky enough to meet Swiss Adam, Jim from The Vinyl Villain, Drew from Across the kitchen table, Dirk from Sexy Loser and Brian from Liner Track Lives. It all started in December 2016 when Dirk had the idea of a blogging gathering. Together with Jim he made it possible to meet in Glasgow.
* The time machine question - Where and when are you going? (You can't go back to 1966 and nobble Geoff Hurst.)
They think it's all over...
Ha, no I won't go back to Wembley. That chapter is closed. I would go to Manchester and FAC 51 Haçienda because I hadn't the chance to part of the scene. Another journey will lead me to Berlin after WWI to see what was possible if you had the money.
* On a scale of Eins to Zehn, how excited are you about #BlogCon25?
To be honest Zehn just because the first blogging gathering was a highlight. (Let's hope #BC25 is every bit as enjoyable - JM.)
*
Danke Walter! Really looking forward to buying you a pint of Guinness in Bristol...
Our next #BlogCon25 interviewee is unfortunately not coming to Bristol in June. But, as with Rol, Swiss Adam is an honorary squad member. His longstanding invitation to this or any future blogging convention will remain open in perpetuity. I'll give you an idea of just how prolific a writer Adam is: we both started blogging around the same time and, in the intervening 15 years, I've written just north of 1,500 posts; Adam, meanwhile, has penned 6,000. Six thousand! Whereas I'm just playing at this blogging lark, Swiss Adam is the real deal. Over to you, Adam...
* What was the first band you ever went to see?
Madness at Manchester Apollo, 1983 (I was 13, half my school were there probably much the annoyance of their older fans). They were supported by JoBoxers, so technically they were the first band I saw.
JoBoxers - Keeping the devil in Hell
* The best single ever released is...?
Good question. Today it's White Man In Hammersmith Palais because I just heard the sad news that Johnny Green, The Clash's road manager has died.
* What or who got you into blogging? Is writing every day good for your soul? And where did Swiss Adam come from?
I got into blogging because I spent a couple of years reading other people's music blogs, back in 2007-9, some long gone and some still going (The Vinyl Villain, Acid Ted). Eventually I thought 'I can have a go at this' and started out. In the beginning, 1st Jan 2010, I was only intending to do it for a year, and see where it took me. Also, at fist I thought it was about the music but after a while I realised it wasn't just about the music, it was about the writing. And the community.
Writing every day is good for my soul. I like the discipline of it, of having to come up with something. It works for me.
Swiss Adam comes from my band Swiss Guards, active in the late 90s and 00s. I was vocals and some of the guitars, lyrics and ham-fisted chord changes.
* Guitar bands or DJ sets?
Both. Bands for the short hit, DJs for the longer journey
* Supplementary questions - Stone Roses or Happy Mondays? / Mr. Scruff or A Guy Called Gerald?
Roses / Gerald.
* Manchester is closing next week for major refurbishment. Could take up to five years. Everyone's being displaced. Where are you pitching up?
Whenever I visit Sheffield I think that's somewhere I could live. I love Liverpool but the respective fortunes of our football teams might set my teeth on edge. Having been to Belfast last week I could happily spend five years there if I had to.
Belfast - "Hello & Welcome"
* What item/thing/trinket/ do you own that you've had for the longest time and would never part with?
I have some books and records from teenage years I'd hate to part with.
* The pub 50 yards from your house has got the best jukebox in town but their beer is shocking. The pub five miles away has the best beer selection in Europe but the landlord plays Take That and Gary Barlow on constant rotation. Where are you taking me? (Obviously this is before Manchester shuts down!)
The pub with the good beer. We can sit outside to escape the TT/ Barlow horror.
* Books/Audiobooks/Kindle - what does it for you? And what are you currently reading?
Books. Every time. You can't beat the feel and the smell of a book. Storage becomes an issue but it's a price worth paying.
Munichs by David Peace and Dylan Goes Electric by Elijah Wald.
* The time machine question. (It's just been serviced btw so you can go backwards or forwards). Where and when are you going?
Late 70s, either the Clash live in concert in the UK, then across the Atlantic and catch them in the USA. Or a 1920s, post Great War, European jaunt to Paris, Berlin & beyond.
* Who put the Ram in the Rama Lama Ding Dong?
I dunno. Speak to Primal Scream - they had the Rama Lama Fa Fa Fa and borrowed & stole from all over the place, so maybe they know.
*
Thank you, Adam. And it's never too late to change yer mind about Bristol!
(On the back of my recent BlogCon25 Q&As, Alyson & C, between them, have been vox popping our fellow bloggers and have presented me with a number of their questions! (The tables are well and truly turned. I'm sure Robin Day never suffered such a fate). So, as Alyson said in her covering email, "this is a guest post from your blogging pals." Even the title of today's post is hers, nothing to do with me! - JM)
I think we can all agree that John is the least anonymous of any of us in our little corner of the blogosphere. Bit by bit, however, he has cleverly and sensitively drawn the rest of us out from the shadows, and what with the Swedey McSwedeface gallery, and the three meet-ups in the real world, many of us are now a lot less anonymous than we ever intended - but what a joy it has been, and for most of us a completely unexpected bonus from this hobby of ours. Covid got in the way for a couple of years but without John's persistence BlogCon22 would never have got off the ground and for that we thank him. BlogCon25 is not far off now - who would have thought ten years ago such an annual event would be on the calendar?
We've all been enjoying his recent Q&A series with BlogCon25 participants and affiliates. Now it's his turn to spill the beans, the questions coming from bloggers north, south, east and west. Over to you John.
From Charity Chic:
What would be your Desert Island Disc record and book?
As a devotee of BBC's DID I'm assuming CC is asking me which of my favourite eight discs I'd rush to save from the waves on my desolate island? Having a constant diet of just eight discs would be a kind of torture in itself, let alone just one. Therefore, as big a Beatles nut as I am I wouldn't feel the need to have any of their stuff with me as every note, every hook, every verse, chorus and melody are hardwired into my skull; I hear them even when they're not playing if that makes sense. So I'll go with something that won't grate every time I hear it (providing I get rescued before too long!). And that disc would have to be Blockbuster by the Sweet. My book? That's easy. The complete works of Magnus Mills. I can reread his novels and short stories and always find something new in there.
From Ernie:
You are commissioned to present a travel series called 'Medd on the Med'. Where do you head for first and why?
I'm reliably informed there are 33 cities on the Med. I'd like to spend a few days in each one and go round them all in alphabetical order (much to my producer's chagrin) - starting in Alanya in Turkey and winding up in Vlorë in Albania.
From C:
As you know, I do like your taste in shirts. Have you always been a fan of unusual and striking designs and are there any particular characters whose sartorial style has inspired your choices?
Why, thank you! Nope, I just buy shirts I like (and fit). Back in the day, I used to love Pop 84 and Disciple shirts; these days they can be from goth shops, charity shops, Ebay. I'm not proud! Many moons ago, whilst watching Have I Got News For You, I was chuffed/put out (in equal measure) when I saw Paul Merton wearing a shirt I'd recently bought in Madrid.
From Khayem:
What, when and where did you first perform as a musician to an audience, and why that particular song?
It was the early 90s and I was performing in a trio called The Three Daves (don't ask). We played a local beer festival in a big tent to a crowd who were nearly as drunk as we were. I was on vocals, guitar and percussion. We did a load of Beatles covers but for some reason I can only remember Across the Universe.
From The Swede:
The old time machine is on its way out I'm afraid. I've tried turning it off and on again to no avail, it's basically kaput. It has two seats, but only three still operating settings and just enough juice left for you to make use of one of them. Which do you choose?
(a) A journey back to 1972 to witness ELP play Trilogy in its entirety, exclusively for you and a guest, (b) A similar trip to 1974 to be in an audience of two while Sweet play Sweet Fanny Adams from start to finish, or (c) To 1978 where Generation X will bash through their debut LP for the delectation of you and your +1.
The supplementary question is of course, just who would be your +1?
Oof! This is tough. So when you say a performance just for me and my +1 you mean like a soundcheck? Sorry to be pedantic. Three very appealing scenarios but I think I'd have to plump for the Sweet; I never saw the original four piece with BC so, yeah, it'd have to be SFA. My +1? It would be my good friend Steve. Even now, rarely a week goes by where we don't talk about the Sweet. (FYI - if I'd have gone for Gen X my +1 would have been Riggsby. We did see them at West Runton Pavilion together in '78 when they essentially did the setlist you mention (it'd be great to relive it). And if I'd have set the coordinates for ELP then the Swede would have been riding shotgun with me.)
The Sweet - Blockbuster (1973)
From Alyson:
We all know you have a great love for photography and taking artistic shots. What was the first camera you bought with your own money and what did you first take pictures of?
As a teen I had an instamatic that I took everywhere, including Charlton in 1976 when I saw The Who. Then came a cheap and cheerful 110 film camera - quality was poor but I was only snapping cars and girlfriends so it didn't really matter!. It was only when I discovered 35mm SLR photography that I 'got serious': I bought a clunky East German Praktica MTL3 which was virtually indestructible. Not long after I also got my first Olympus XA2 (point and shoot) which meant candid photography became so much easier.
From Martin:
You write, you make music, you take photographs... if a Faustian pact was offered that promised widespread critical and commercial acclaim in one of those fields but at the expense of having to completely give up the other two, permanently, would you take it? And, if so, which field would you choose to be a star in, and why?
You flatter me, Martin! However, I only profess to be a jack of all trades. Neither my writing, my photography or my music, I feel, (with a couple of exceptions*) is good enough to warrant plaudits. I'm just happy that 1. I still enjoy doing all three and 2. (Sometimes) others seem to enjoy it too.
* That said, there are a couple songs of mine I would really like to see 'out there' i.e. with someone else singing them. Maybe one day...
From Rol:
Imagine the Beeb bought your script about Lennon & McCartney back in 2009, and as a result, Sir Thumbs Aloft himself invited you round for tea. What would you talk about? Would you be embarrassed to meet him? Would you try to think up some questions nobody had ever asked him? What would you wear?
Good question(s)! I'd try not to be a fanboy, but it'd be hard. I think I'd like to talk to him about John and Stuart Sutcliffe: the best Beatle stories, for me, are of those early days in Liverpool and Hamburg when they were being managed by Allan Williams. I'd probably wear my Monkees tee shirt.
From Swiss Adam:
My question is in honour of the Manchester's 90s dance music magazine Jockey Slut who used to close every Q and A with this question...
Have you ever ridden a horse?
Yes. And it didn't end well.
Thanks, John, for your entertaining series of Q&As and thanks also for taking the time to answer our questions above. I think we all knew the Sweet would put in an appearance.
*
(Thank you, Alyson. And to all my inquisitors! Just a quick footnote: remind me, TS, when we meet up, to give you a copy of the owners' manual for the time machine. It probably just needs its annual service - JM.)
Although Rol Hirst may not be on the team sheet for #BlogCon25 (he gave me some jive about picking up a knock in training, or washing his hair that night; I forget) he's most definitely a squad member: Rol's standing on the blogging stage is set in stone and although I make light of his reluctance to come out and play in Bristol I know he'll be cheering the rest of the team on from the touchline. But one day he'll surprise us and, rather than just buy him a digital coffee, I'll be able to buy 'Mr. Saturday Snapshots' a real cup of java.
* What was the first 45/cassingle/CD single you bought with your own money? And if it was Queen, what is it with you and Queen?! (I'm joking.)
First 45 I bought was Respect Yourself by Bruce Willis & first LP I bought was The Return Of Bruno by Bruce Willis.
I'm guessing Queen doesn't sound so bad now, does it? (I probably had the Queen Greatest Hits LP by this point, but my sister bought me that.)
(And as to the second part of the question, I never understand the animosity a lot of people feel towards Queen. Then again, with the exception of That Irish Band and the two Mancunian Muppet Brothers, I can't understand the animosity people feel towards any musical acts. It's OK to say "that's not my cup of tea", but it's the hating I don't get. And as for my own hatred of the aforementioned two... even that isn't really about their music. It's about their egos. The music I can take or leave, but my appreciation of the music has been coloured by a distaste for their arrogance.
Bruce Willis - Respect Yourself (1986)
* You're a prolific writer (not least a daily blogger), a voracious reader, father of a young son and full-time teacher. Are there enough hours in the day?
No.
* It's Friday night, you and Mrs. Rol have decided to push the boat out. Of all the fine dining/takeaway establishments in West Yorkshire, what are you ordering? And what are you washing it down with?
We're a bit restricted as Mrs. Rol is gluten free so Chinese is probably the safest takeaway. (She likes curries but I can't stand cumin.) I'll probably have ribs and sweet and sour chicken with a nice glass of cranberry juice. Followed by a lovely spearmint and chamomile tea. Rock and Roll!
* Supplementary question - it appears a lot of bloggers are addicted to coffee. Am I right in suspecting you are one of them?
Yes. But I have to limit myself to a couple a day or the anxiety levels go through the roof.
* What do you hang on your walls? Which piece in which room fills you with joy every time you look at it?
I have a series of three paintings over the bed in the spare room / my office which depict:
1. Hill Valley, California (with the town hall clock).
2. The road leading into Twin Peaks.
3. The 'I Want to Believe' poster that Fox Mulder has on his wall in The X-Files.
Over my desk there is also a painted image of Walter, Donnie and The Dude in their bowling alley (The dude abides! I love The Big Lebowski - JM.) and a framed photo from an old movie mag of Jack Nicholson ordering a drink in The Shining.
* Your blog is predominantly music oriented but is never afraid to tackle social issues (not least mental health, which you not only hit head on but write about very movingly). How much are you drawing on your lived experience?
It's all true. I've kind of run out of time & energy to do the mental health posts lately though. I still want to do them as they helped me and other people seemed to like them, but... I refer you back to Q2.
* I know you used to work in radio. Were you living the dream? Or were you surrounded by Smasheys & Niceys?
In the early days, it was heaven. Then it gradually became more and more corporate and the fun, creativity and variety was sucked out of it by bean counters. I'm glad I was eventually made redundant because since then the local radio industry has died a slow and painful death in this country. Don't start me off.
A nice quiet night in (or a great night out) with Smashey & Nicey
* The old chestnut - You've just acquired a time machine. Where and when are you going?
Hill Valley, California, 1955. (Figures - JM)
* Tell us something about yourself you've never told another living soul.
I wish I had an interesting answer for this. I could make something up if you like?
* Did you honestly think that when you started Saturday Snapshots it would still be running all these years later? And are you aware how many people are setting their alarm clocks (on a Saturday morning!) to ensure a prime 'fingers on buzzers' box seat?
I'm surprised anything I do on my blog lasts more than a couple of weeks. As much as I say I only write the blog for myself, the only impetus I have to keep doing anything is if other people find something worthwhile in it. That's why I can find the energy to keep doing Snapshots... even though I seriously question why you're not all bored of it by now, and secretly wonder if... wait, this is an answer to Q9: maybe you're all continuing to take part because you're worried about my mental health? That's sweet if it's true, but please don't worry about me. The same goes for George and Ernie who insist on keeping Namesakes going. I mean, if you guys genuinely get something out of this nonsense, then great. But please don't humour me! (Having now written that, I worry about whether I should have written it, whether in itself it crosses a line you, John, were concerned about in Q6. But such is the nature of my insecurity.)
On the other hand, if you really are setting your alarm clocks for 8.30, then thank you. But that's your own competitive nature driving you. It's nothing to do with me. You've got all day to answer the bloody thing if you want. Except... what if someone else beats you to the answers? Arrgh!
I like the sense of camaraderie and belonging Snapshots creates though. So much of the internet is negativity, people arguing or slagging everything off. This - and our whole little corner of the blogosphere - shows that social networking in its purest sense can be a success. I have more friends here, who I speak to more regularly, than I do in the real world. And even if it's just a one line comment or a joke or an answer to the quiz, it's always appreciated. Keeps the loneliness away from the door.
Thank you, John. I hope that wasn't too much. (Not at all, Rol. It's perfect - JM.)
*
Rol's honesty is admirable. I offered to redact anything he wasn't comfortable with but he gave me the green light. Thank you, Rol.
No Blogger Convention would be complete without Alyson Mac. While myself and others idly batted the idea of meeting up back and forth a few years back, it was only when Alyson took hold of it (in true Ents. Officer fashion) that a workable plan emerged and, quite simply, she made it happen. It was Alyson who got boots on the ground. And as a result, I know, all #BC25 delegates are eternally grateful. So without further ado let's have a look under Alyson's hood. Ooh, matron!
* What was the first 45 you bought with your own money? I'm guessing you also hotfooted it straight to the newsagents & bought the issue of Disco 45 songbook magazine with the lyrics in it?
I can't actually remember as by the time I had enough pocket money to buy my own records that most wonderful of gadgets, the Cassette Recorder, had come about and teens everywhere rejoiced as suddenly we could own the whole Top 20 if we so wished. My first C60 would have contained such gems as The Jean Genie, Crazy Horses and Gudbuy T'Jane.
* You've made no secret of the fact that much of your obsession with music in the 70s came from Eurovision. For you, what was the Eurovision Song Contest's golden period?
I feel I should set the record straight. I first fell in love with Eurovision watching Sandi Shaw win with Puppet On A String and always watched it after that with my parents, the years with Cliff, Lulu et al, where we invariably won or came second. Once we started to head through the 70s even I realised it was all a bit naff, and as I had started to have a bit of a social life, I was never in on a Saturday night to watch it. I still kept an eye on who had won - Brotherhood of Man in 1976 and Bucks Fizz in 1981 - but other than that I was a bystander. What changed was that in the early 2000s we started to watch it with our daughter and I relived those years with my own parents. From 2003 onwards we have hosted a little Eurovision party with our good friends and in 2015 went to Vienna to watch the show live with them. What do two couples dress up as at this massive juggernaut of a show - why Bucks Fizz of course! We thought loads of people dressed up, but it turned out they didn't, so we caused quite a stir and one of the best weekends of my life.
* I suppose this is almost a supplementary question - Bucks Fizz or the Bay City Rollers?
As I explained above, it's not going to be Bucks Fizz but most definitely The Rollers. They were skinny, pasty and wore terrible outfits, but hey, they were Scottish, sang some great Bill Martin/Phil Coulter pop songs and performed flawlessly in concert. They have kind of been airbrushed out of pop folklore but if you were a 14-year-old girl in 1974, there was a good chance you would have been in love with a Roller. My crush was Les.
* When I started blogging there seemed to be a lot more women writers. It wasn't as 'blokey' as it is now. How do you see the current blogging landscape?
Compared to most of the rest of you I started blogging quite late (2016) so there have never been many women bloggers around that do what we do. I was so chuffed to discover C from Sun Dried Sparrows early on, otherwise I might not have been brave enough to join the comments boxes and build up virtual friendships with all you "blokes". There are still plenty of women bloggers around, but they possibly concentrate on different subject matters - or have moved to podcasting!
* I have it on good authority that you coined the term Yacht Rock. True or false?
Most definitely FALSE, but I do like it a lot. It took me some time to admit to liking such fodder (the West Coast soft rock of 1975 - 1984 produced by people such as Christopher Cross) but you all know me and my tastes by now so I'm out of the closet.
* Everyone connected with #BC25 sees you as the woman who gets things done. Are you a natural leader? Were you a prefect at school? (That's not a sleight by the way, some of my best friends were prefects!)
I was a prefect at school actually but I wouldn't say I was a natural leader. I was usually the assistant to the leader in the workplace, the one who got things done. I would never push myself into the role but if I'm asked to help with organisation I'm right there with my spreadsheet.
* Italian or Chinese?
Italian. I can't remember the last time I had a Chinese actually. The monosodium glutamate doesn't do well with me. Maybe if we had a good local restaurant it might be different, but we don't.
* Favorite tipple? What do you reach for as the sun passes over the yard arm?
To be honest I don't tend to tipple much at all nowadays and wherever the sun is I would probably plump for a cup of Earl Grey. However, when the occasion arises - as in a Bloggers Summit - it would either be a long cool lager, a glass of Merlot or a G&T; not too many though - lightweight! Back in the day however...
(The 'dot dot dot' may, or may not, be code for 'dancing on tables'. I'm saying nothing! - JM)
* Do your close friends know Alyson? Are they aware that you lead a double life?
A lot of my good friends know I have a blog but also know I like to keep it private, open to people in Greenland and Guam, but not to them. Makes it easier to write about the personal stuff you might not normally share widely. I very briefly started off writing using my own name but soon changed it to Alyson. Writing about the "tracks of my years" I do occasionally have to write about ex-boyfriends and the like so wanted to anonymise it all somewhat.
* I ask everyone this - You've just acquired a time machine. Where and when are you going?
One of the series I have enjoyed researching and writing most is A Special Place In Time, and the special place I would like to travel back to is Laurel Canyon, California in the late 60s. I could set up home in one of those cute cabins in the hills while watching Jim Morrison, Joni Mitchell, CS&N, Jackson Browne, Cass Elliot and others wander past and hang out in my garden. Heaven.
* Tell us something about yourself you've never told another living soul.
Serously? You must know by now John that I tell everyone everything. I'm an open book.
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Thank you for sharing, Alyson. Looking forward to hooking up in Bristol.
Alyson's hugely entertaining blog can be found here.
