Yes, it's a nonsense post but then arguably so is everything else I write on here. So. Given that there is a new movie out, it seems timely to remind ourselves that Bridget Jones wasn't the first woman of note (see what I did there?) to wear big pants.
Note: it is also acceptable for Wonder Woman to look like this. Maybe this too, but I'm not convinced. If I were you though, I wouldn't go Googling WW images too hard - there's some deviant stuff out there, don'tcha know?
Like a lot of people my age, I first got into Prince and ska as a result of Madness. They loved him - they took their name from one of his songs (Madness, obviously), they covered him (One Step Beyond) and even had their breakthrough hit with a song about him (The Prince). If you liked Madness, as I did (and still do), then it stood to reason that you would investigate Prince Buster. So when I saw a cassette copy of the album pictured here, deep in the Woolworths' bargain bin for 99p, I was intrigued. The Mod imagery on the sleeve drew me in further - it seemed out of place to my teenage brain but this was before the internet and I lived in small-town East Kent, so I had no way of knowing how popular the Prince had become with scooterists. Anyway, I bought the tape and immersed myself in songs about Orange Street, Al Capone, Judge Dread and more.
Some years later, I went to see Madness at day two of Madstock, their seminal reunion at Finsbury Park. Morrissey was due to support but was (in)famously bottled off on day one, so cancelled his day two appearance. I was gutted - if I'm honest, Moz had been more of a reason for going than Madness, much as I loved the Nutty Boys. But all was well, for Prince Buster graced the Madstock stage, and I felt like I'd seen a little bit of history. If memory serves, Ian Dury was also on the bill - I know, right?! Not even Gallon Drunk and Flowered Up could spoil the show.
Anyway, enough old-man reminiscence - here's a song, Barrister Pardon, in a live performance from Later that also featured the late Rico Rodriguez. The Prince was nearly 70 when this was recorded - how cool was he? Enjoy.
As spotted recently in Granada's beautiful old town; this is probably what happens when the local highways department uses Google Translate.
I had an MRI scan yesterday, on my increasingly decrepit knee. As you may know, the scanner makes a hell of a noise. A loud, repetitive, fast, atonal noise. Not for the first time, I couldn't help but wonder whether Norman Cook had an MRI before recording Praise You and, especially, Rockafeller Skank. Altogether now, Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri-Ri...
Time to update the mobile phone chronology, as I have a new handset. And guess what - for once it is the same size as the last one!
I know it looks bigger, but that's an optical illusion caused by having a different colour bezel. It's actually smaller, being about half a millimetre thinner. But otherwise, it's the same. Hooray, I don't have to buy a new case...
What I have found is that it's getting increasingly difficult to get a high spec phone that isn't a behemoth. Aside from an iPhone, which I do not want, only Sony really seem to be pushing on with a compact flagship. Good for them, and lucky for me.
Lucky also for you that I don't post this rubbish often, no more than once every couple of years. Here's last time, the time before that and the time before that. Sometimes I wonder if I only ever really blog for myself.