Rol Hirst

Rol: he wants to believe

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.

Pookah

I was in need of a pick me up this week; despite my recuperation generally going well - I certainly have more good days than bad days - I must admit I was feeling pretty low mid-week. Wednesday was one of those days when just planning something as normal as taking a shower or even making a sandwich took a massive amount of planning in my (fuzzy) head.

However, help was at hand. A DVD copy of a classic James Stewart picture from 1950 had recently dropped on the doormat: Harvey is the tale of gentle soul Elwood P. Dowd and his (imaginary?) 6'-3½" rabbit. Elwood regularly takes Harvey to his local bar, Charlie's, and introduces him to all and sundry. His sister however is not so keen on her brother's 'pookah' and is trying to get Elwood committed into the local sanitarium. To say hilarity ensues would be far too glib. The script is way too tight to be construed as a mere farce - Harvey was originally a stage play and indeed Stewart came over to London's West End to reprise his role as Dowd in both the 1970 and 1975 sell out runs. 

The film pulls you in from the get go - yes, It's got comedy, yes, it's got pathos but it's also sprinkled with magic dust. (Stewart was often quoted saying it was one of his favourite roles.) 100 minutes later my spirits were well and truly lifted - with my personal wellbeing meter shooting up from a lowly 6/10 to a solid 8; it was then time to dive in the shower and rustle up some nosebag out of the fridge. This film should be made available on the NHS.

Harvey - Trailer (1950)

Alyson Mac

The Freewheelin' Alyson Mac

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. 

 ★

Thank you for sharing, Alyson. Looking forward to hooking up in Bristol. 

Alyson's hugely entertaining blog can be found here.

Khayem

Surely that's Kope with a K?

The lineup for #BlogCon25 is shaping up nicely. For our next delegate this will be their first convention: although Khayem has yet to break bread with his fellow bloggers he's been religiously and forensically chronicling indie music and bands of the 80s & 90s (as well as a host of other music related tangents) under the Dubhed masthead since 2020. Despite his slightly sinister profile pic above I've actually found K to be both very approachable and very agreeable (he's got a cat, he must be OK). See what you think...

* What was the first 45 you bought with your own money? And yer first album?

In typically contrary fashion, the first vinyl I bought with my own money was a 33 not 45, the Kings Of The Wild Frontier album by Adam & The Ants, age 10, £3.99 from my local record shop, Sound Seekers. When I bought Prince Charming the following year, my parents banned me from playing the last song because it was called S.E.X. They obviously hadn’t been paying attention to the lyrics of Kings… otherwise that would have been banned too! My first 45 was probably the 12” single of See You by Depeche Mode, on a school geography trip to Cwmbran, circa 1985. We were supposed to stopping people in the streets to complete a questionnaire. I did a bunk and found a record shop instead.

* To what extent were your record buying habits dictating the mixtapes you were compiling so prolifically? 

That’s a good question! I guess it largely came about because at first I tended to buy lots of singles (mostly 12”) and not so many albums, so it was a way of putting together compilations of my favourite songs. I used to do lots of tapes for my friends, as a way of sharing my excitement about new music that I heard. And of course, what better declaration of love as a teen than a mixtape for a girlfriend with an obscure Talk Talk 12” mix? Although I passed my driving test at 17, throughout my teens and twenties, I still used to walk a lot and I always had headphones and a cassette player. I had to listen to music pretty much all of the time, every day. 

*Apropos of that, bad news I'm afraid: I've just read that Keir Starmer is bringing in a retrospective cassette tax on all C90s bought in the 70s, 80s & 90s. Let's not beat about the bush here, this is gonna wipe you out isn't it? 

I might just scrape through, but if it applies to CD-Rs as well, then I’m done for. Damn you, Keir! 

* We all know you as Khayem from the Kotswolds. Have you ever konsidered living in Kumbria, Kambridge or even Kolchester? 

No, but I quite like the idea of Kork! And I did spend a memorable few days with a friend in Kalgoorlie, a mining town in Western Australia, does that count? 

* Family aside (and blogging) what gets you out of bed in the morning? What are you passionate about? 

What gets me out of bed in the morning is the darned family cat, who has a strict regime of harassment and wailing starting at 4.30am, regardless of daylight saving. It sounds glib, but I am passionate about trying to do something every day that is selfless and/or makes a difference to someone. This offsets the majority of the time, when I’m a grumpy, selfish git! 

* Where's your natural habitat - pub/coffee shop/gig?

I feel simultaneously relaxed and painfully awkward in all three. I drive a lot for work and live miles from any decent pubs, so they are a rarity these days. Coffee shops more often, but frequently as an ad-hoc workspace or a rushed stop with Mrs K whilst running around town on chores. So it has to be gigs, as that’s the only time that I’m there doing exactly what I should be doing, that is, relaxing and enjoying myself! 

* Echo & the Bunnymen or the Teardrop Explodes?

Do you really need to ask?! I love the Bunnymen, but it’s the Teardrop Explodes every single time. (I should've known as soon as I saw K's Swedey McSwedeface - JM)

Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth (live) (1987)

   

 * Indian or Chinese? Beer or Wine?

 Japanese. Whisky. 

* Are we allowed to ask where your blogging moniker comes from? 

I’d love to say that it was inspired by the Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám, a 19th century translation by Edward Fitzgerald of works by 'the Astronomer-Poet of Persia' dating from the 11th-12th century. But I discovered this some time later. Those who know my secret identity will realise that the real reason is far more mundane! (I'm still none the wiser! - JM)

* A blogging staple - You've just acquired a time machine. Where and when are you going? 

In my personal timeline, possibly back to my 10th birthday in December 1980, with the following words of wisdom: Say “yes” more, what have you got to lose? You think it’s bad that Ronald Reagan is going into the White House? Believe me, you ain’t seen nothing yet! Keep a diary and write something down every day. One day, it will come in handy, I promise you. Outside of that, I’d like to sneak a peek in about 30 years time, to see that Lady K’s okay. And it should be just in time for Matt Johnson to come out of cryogenic suspension to release a new The The album! 

* Tell us something about yourself you've never told another living soul.

I signed up for the recorder class at primary school as I thought I’d get to play around with tapes and sound recording. You can imagine my disappointment when the teacher handed me a stick with some holes in and told me to blow into one end. I didn’t last long in that class.

★

Thank you, K. Really looking forward to meeting you in Bristol.

Charity Chic

CC pictured with Adrianne Lenker 

Our latest #BC25 delegate to submit to having lighted matchsticks stuck under his fingernails is Glaswegian blogger, Charity Chic (again, not his real name: the world of blogging is awash with nom de plumes). CC, as he's known in the trade, spends his days sitting on buses, rifling through the CD racks in charity shops and drinking pints of heavy (of course I may be generalising).

* What was the first record you bought with your own money?

Part of the Union by the Strawbs and Tie a Yellow Ribbon by Dawn - 1973, Selfridges in London on aPrimary 7 school trip.

* CDs in charity shops/blogging about CDs in charity shops - how did it all start? 

Probably due to lack of cash. I was still buying new and 2nd hand from record shops but this was a cheaper alternative. When I decided to join the blogging fraternity it seemed to be something different. Initially the plan was to post exclusively on charity purchases but that changed fairly quickly.

* You're a daily blogger - does writing every day ever become a chore?

Yes - more and more. Sometimes you get a purple patch with plenty of ideas and series on the go - at other times, which is happening more and more, you're frequently  devoid of ideas and it does become a bit of a chore. Usually, however, I enjoy the challenge

* Do you have a favourite charity shop? Give me yer Top 5. 

Not really, tho' I do have a soft spot for BRICC (Ballantrae Rural Initiative Care in the Community) on the west coast. There was a Chest, Heart and Stroke shop in walking distance from my house, but it's long gone now. The Community Shop in Kingussie is pretty good. Oh, and a shoutout to Debra in Shawlands where I got my biggest ever haul; I'm not a fan of ones with snotty staff - Gatehouse of Fleet springs to mind! 

* If I was coming to Glasgow where would I go for a. the best breakfast and b. the best pint? 

It's along time since I've done a breakfast out. The University Cafe in Byres Road was a favourite in my hungover student days. Best pint is Jarl from Loch Fine Brewery in the Laurieston Bar. Great pub - a throwback to the 60s/70s - look it up. (I just have and it looks right up my strasse - JM). 

* Teenage Fanclub or Primal Scream? 

The Fannies all day long, although the Memphis Sessions by Primal Scream is rather good.

* Indian or Chinese? Beer or Wine? 

 Indian and beer - preferably an IPA; although I am partial to a nice Rioja.

* With your access all areas bus pass - where are the outer limits? Do you use it to the max? 

My bus pass covers the whole of Scotland. Broughty Ferry is the furthest I've got to. 

* Nice Swedey McSwedeface btw; who's Adrianne Lenker?

She's the singer with Big Thief. Her song Not from their Two Hands album is pretty special. The SMcSF is her latest solo album Bright Future which is also well worth having.

Big Thief - Not (2019)

 

* You've just acquired a time machine. Where and when are you going?

The American South in the late 40s/early 50s to catch a Hank Williams Concert or a visit to the Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals in the mid 60s. 

* Tell us something about yourself you've never told another living soul.

No secrets! I'm an open book.

★

Thank you, CC; that wasn't too painful, was it? CC's blog Charity Chic Music is but a mouse click away.