Why Politicians don't understand art and why Barnet Labour's cultural strategy is a complete waste of money

What makes great art? The answer is very simple, but perhaps a tad uncomfortable. People who are exceptional and are genius's in their chosen form. That doesn't mean the rest of us shouldn't try, but when you see the work of someone exceptional, it is breathtaking. I am lucky to have seen the Mona Lisa, the Systene Chapel and The Ramones. All are without peer. I've dedicated my life to seeking out musical genius's and enjoying their talents live. Sometimes it isn't easy. In music, many are flawed individuals. Unlike Davinci, there best moments are not fixed and unchanging through the centuries. If you saw guitarist Johnny Thunders, he was more likely to be off his nut on Smack and completely useless than on the ball and amazing. But when he was amazing, there was no one better to watch. 

Unfortunately for me, I've heard countless discussions about art and culture in my 63 years on the planet. I've attended meetings to discuss art & culture in Barnet with both Conservative and Labour administrations. The one thing I have learned beyond doubt is that almost no politicians have a clue about art, culture and the creative process. The Tories shot down Church Farmhouse Museum in Hendon, which was about as bad an act of cultural vandalism as I've seen. Despite fine words at the time, now the current Labour adminstration want to flog it off as a 'development opportunity'. The Tories set up a scheme to promote art and culture in Barnet and made Brent Cross shopping centre a key partner. Labour hired a load of expensive consultants, who went on the radio to talk about the Boroughs art but couldn't actually give any examples of actual stuff going on (I could have told them for free). 

A couple of key words in all of the discussions were 'diversity' and 'inclusion'. Now as a woke snowflake, I am all for diversity and inclusion, but this is not at the heart of great art. Great art is all about exceptuonal people who break rules. That is why I suspect politicians don't really like artists and are highly suspicious of us. I am all for recognising great artists from diverse and neuro diverse backgrounds. I am all for letting eveyone participate as they see fit. But at the heart of any cultural strategy, we must put great art and culture. We should recognise and champion the people who are doing it. The bizare thing about many of the very best artists and musicians of the last century is that they are not people who were mentored, given grants and lauded by the hoy polloi (at least initially). They are mavericks who buck the system and make their own rules up. In London, the squats around Kings Cross and Maida Vale were a hotbed of artistic excellence. Free accomodation and the ability to build networks of like minded people to kick down the doors lead to a huge explosion in the late 1970's, which changed the world. Music, art, pop culture, magazines, fanzines, fashion designers all started working under the radar and working together. The reason that The Clash and The Sex Pistols had such an impact was not just the music. It was the artwork associated with the music, the fashion that the band was wearing and the underground press that was writing about them when the mainstream was trying to destroy them.
Of course Barnet Council was never going to have a cultural strategy that included setting up squats for artists, or doling out free hashish, so they could all have a spliff together and exchange creative juices in a chilled manner. But they certainly should have looked at how the creative process works and what they can do to help and assist the best creative people in the Borough. That means having places for musicians to perform, studios for artists to draw and sculpt (on zero or peppercorn rents) and support for writers, fashion designers, etc ( I am not so familiar with that world, so am less able to work out what practical support is feasable). 

What we actually have seen as a contraction in arts provision. Next years East Barnet Festival has been cancelled. At this years Mill Hill Music Festival, not a single councillor or local politician bothered to turn up, apart from the Mayor, who we always invite in their official capacity. Ironically, one of the festival founders was Jane Ellison, formerly a local Tory Councillor. I had very different politics to Jane but she was one of the few politicians who got art and culture. When Jane was active in Barnet politics, she made sure that councillors came along. As a result of her efforts, I actually believed that a few of them cared. Although I get that not every councillor will like every event we do, I cannot believe that between the 62 of them, there wasn't a single event they would be interested in this year.

If councillors can't be bothered to support the culture of the Borough, they are clearly not going to spend taxpayers money wisely on culture. I believe that the root cause of this is that our local political parties are not organisations that are interested in exceptional people, the sort of people who make great art. I think that they have some vague notion that if they do a few things that look like it is supporting art, then the local creative community may furnish a few votes for them. Sadly, all the local population see is bonkers schemes and wasted money. The sad truth is that that the type of things that might help local artists are the type of things that rich developers hate. Regulations to protect arts spaces, agent of change legislation to make developers rather than venues pay for noise abatement measures next to established venues, genuine low price accomodation for artists.

 

Sadly the developers seem to have the ear of councillors and our local artists don't. Some of us still try, but sadly my band the False Dots have done twice as many gigs in the Borough of Camden as we have in Barnet in the last three years. Camden work to do all the things I mention. Barnet do not.

That is why we are doing our Xmas gig in Camden this year. On Saturday our blog listed the history of False Dots Xmas Parties. Fourteen in Barnet up until Covid and all since have been in Camden. Sadly this coincides with a Labour administration that claimed it wanted a cultural strategy which promoted Art in Barnet.

The Sunday Reflection #71 - Fingertips should not be for just holding on as the tide of life washes you away

 

I stuck a nail through the fingertip on my index finger of my left hand last week. This is a bigger problem than you might realise. I play guitar in a rock and roll band and it made playing almost impossible. As The False Dots are playing our Xmas party at The Dublin Castle, and we needed to rehearse it wasn't pleasant. You don't really know how much you need your fingertips until such things happen. I heard a caller to a radio show in the week, talking about a crisis in their life. They said "I was just about hanging on by my fingertips". Of course it was a metaphor for struggling, but it reminded me of my sore fingertip and got me thinking. Hanging on by your fingertips is bad enough, but when you've had a nail through a fingertip what is difficult becomes impossible. The last couple of months have been difficult. I wouldn't say they are the worst time of my life, but I've had some massive challenges in my business, in our family life and in some of the organisations I have positions of responsibility in. I don't really want to go into any of them here and now, but I feel at the moment as if every time my phone rings, I get a whatsapp or text message, it will be some new crisis or problem. I am a resilient person, but it is fair to say that things have been difficult. Not impossible, but very challenging. I wouldn't say I am just hanging on, that would be too overdramatic, but when you wake up and the first thing that you see are more problems and aggro, it is disheartening.

But for me, there has been on light at the end of the tunnel. As I mention, I play in a band. On Wednesday night, we had an amazing rehearsal. My fingertip had recovered from the previous week. My guitar playing was not quite where it should be, as I'd hardly practiced since I'd hurt my finger, but it was passable. We got a brand new song together and it sounded great. When our trumpet player Tom turned up, he announced that he'd come on the bus as his car had broken down. This meant that what is normally a ten minute journey for Tom became a 45 minute schlep, getting two different buses. What did Tom do?? He didn't moan, he bought some beers. If he couldn't drive, he could have a beer. He bought a few for us. It was one of my designated non drinking days, but as Tom had made the gesture and I was walking I had a couple with him. It made me think. We've not had a beer at rehearsals since long before Tom joined the band. It was very pleasant to share a can after we'd done the hard slog. But there was a deeper element of what happened. Tom had seen a bad thing and made it into a rather good thing. 

The challenges I've faced with the business, have meant that we've had to do things that we should have done a while ago. It has been disruptive, expensive and chaotic and caused a few short term problems, with a couple of angry customers. We still have a few challenges, but having our hand forced has meant that we are in better shape now going into the new year. It is so hard to see when you are up to your neck and think you may be sinking. But if you manage to stay calm, and see the opportunities that such things give, you often find that when you come through, you realise that God/The Universe/Fate threw up a challenge so that you could improve. 

Two years ago, I was still recovering from prostate cancer surgery at Xmas. Having a cancer diagnosis is devastating and the surgery I had was life changing. It is a situation that has no upside and I can't think of a single benefit of such a crisis. I was pretty depressed about the whole thing. A few months ago, a mate of mine was faced with a similar challenge. I spent a lot of time chatting to him. All I could do was offer my support, my experience and point out that I am still having fun, playing in a band and spending quality time with people I love. He made a point of saying "Thanks so much Rog, you really helped me to get through it". I really only had a few conversations, but just knowing someone who has been through such a thing and can give you support is a great thing. It made me realise that although it was not I talent I'd ever wanted or had sought, as a human being who has friends and cares about them, it does matter and I am reconciled to my situation and am now proud to wear the survivor badge. In my life, I suspect the cancer diagnosis was my biggest challenge, the thing that really did have me hanging on by my finger tips. I have often said that for me cancer was more a mental health challenge than anything. It still is at times. I am OK, I am clear at the moment. But it is like a big hairy spider under the bed. You hope it stays there.

I was in the 8.30 mass at the Sacred Heart and I was listening to the readings and thinking about what I would write today. One of the things that they do during the service is read out the list of people who have passed away. Sadly, two grand old ladies, mothers of people I am friends with, were on the list. Both were in there 90's. Both were big figures in the Parish when I was growing up, their families part of the wider local community. I felt so sorry for the families, having their first Xmas without their mothers. Both ladies had lead a full life and their passing will cast a shadow. It reminded me that the life of us all has a full stop at the end. For every one of us, sooner or later that will mean an empty chair at the Xmas dinner table. It is inevitable and rather sad, we can't avoid it. But we can make the most of the time we have. Fingertips. Mine will be playing the guitar this week. I hope they are strong enough to hang on when the tide comes in and tries to wash me away again, but for now they will be making music and hopefully putting a few smiles on peoples faces.

Have a great Sunday

Weakness

Just a few words on the subject. What is weaknesss in a person? Is it to be prepared to listen to wise council to  avoid rash decisions? Is it to avoid making rash decisions when people irritate you? Is it to try and see the other side of the story? Is it to try and make the best decision once all of the facts are available, rather than to jump in and burn bridges before the truth is known. If all of those things are a sign of weakness, then I am proud to say I am a very weak person.

The Saturday List #369 - My memories of False Dots Christmas gigs

Next Sunday at 2pm sees The False Dots annual Christmas party gig. This is a long tradition dating back five decades! At the behest of Tom the Trumpet, we have put together a very special Xmas song for our lovely fans. It has verses in Portuguese, Spanish and English! Maybe a unique thing. Our Xmas gigs are always a blast.

Some of the most important moments in my life happened. The list below is the year, the sequence number of Dots gigs and the venue

1980  - 1 -  13 December  - The Harwood Hall, Mill Hill

Our first ever gig. Number one. We had all manner of things planned, but our singer never turned up. We had a blast and it was the moment I realised the False Dots will never die (while I'm alive). The Local paper came down to review it and we made enough money to go for a curry and have a beer after and to pay for Xmas presents for my friends and family!

1983  - 29 - 18th December, Barnet College

This was an amazing gig. Venessa Sagoe had joined on vocals and we really kicked ass. Barnet College really rocked that night. We'd just learned we had a gig in February at Dingwalls, which we knew was a massive opportunity. We had an amazing post gig party at the caretakers cottage at Bunns Lane Works. I'd never felt happier as everything seemed to be going right in my life. I had an amazing band, I'd just got a brilliant day job, I had a I girlfriend I loved and the future was rosy! What could possibly go wrong?

1985 - 44 - 22nd December, The Three Hammers Pub, Mill Hill

Our next Xmas gig was the night that changed my life! Who would believe such things happen in the Three Hammers Pub? It was the night I met Clare, who is now my wife and with whom I have three amazing kids. We played with Rob Taskers band, Soldier Bike. Their manager Eamonn Burns worked for John Henry, so borrowed a massive PA system, drapes and lights. The Hammers has not seen a night like it  before or since. Allen Ashley was on vocals. we'd just got back from Belgium and were in high spirits. We went a Warehouse party in Shoreditch after. It was a very special night. 

1988 - 46 - 28th December, The Midland Arms (now Claddagh Ring), Hendon

Our next gig was at the Midland Arms. We had ex Mods vocalist Neil Cox on vocals. Neil was obsessed with Mod music. The set was sprinkled with covers of Mod classics such as All or Nothing by The Small Faces. It was a good gig and we had a little party back at my house after. It was the first post gig Xmas party I had in my own house. We parties until 6am. 

2002 - 52 - 20th December, The Three Hammers (Boz Boorer joined us on guitar)

There was a big hiatus in the band,but we got back together and decided to do a special party back at The Three Hammers. No wild parties, as we had a two year old baby! The gig was a real blast and the Highlight was Boz Boorer singing the Polecats hit Rockabilly guy with us.

2007 - 58 - 18th December, Mill Hill Music Complex Party

In 2007, we decided to do our Xmas party at The Mill Hill Music Complex in studio seven. As usually happens, it was a pretty good bash. I didn't realise it would be the last Xmas party with Paul Hircombe on bass. That story had a bad end, but we were on good form. As often happens at MHMC parties, there was a brilliant jam session after the band played.

2009 - 60 15th December, The Claddagh Ring, Hendon

This gig was organised by Barnet Unison for activists. It was our first with Ady Denton on bass. It was a good night, we played with an Irish band and then there was a DJ playing hardcore drum and bass.

2012 - 69 - 13 December, Friern Barnet Library (End of occupation party)

This was the night Graham Ramsay AKA Rambo and Allen Ashley rejoined the band. We were chronically under rehearsed, Graham handn't drummed for a while, but my best memory was my Downs Syndrome cousin Tessie dancing to Action Shock. We got a good reaction and it inspired us to get back gigging properly. 

2014 - 71 - 20th December, Midland Hotel, Hendon

This was more a jam night than a full on gig, but it was a blast. The Midland was struggling and the then Landlord John was trying to make the pub a music venue and so we stepped in to support him. We did a fair number of gigs there. I think we played there more than anywhere else apart from The Dublin Castle in Camden. It was always fun. 

2015 - 75 - 19th December, Chandos Arms, Colindale

We were  very excited to learn that new landlords had taken over the Chandos Arms in Colindale and we proposed an Xmas party gig there. It was a blast, the pub was packed and it went well, helping to establish the Chandos as a music pub, winning pub of the year. We formed a very close alliance with Emily and Are at the pub and really helped them get music going at the pub.

2016 - 79 - 16th December, Midland Hotel, Hendon

We were back at the Midland Arms. We came up with the idea of the Barnet Eye Community Awards and we held the ceremony at the pub, then did a gig. It was a great night. For the next four years, until covid, it was a big fixture in the Barnet year. It was great to get people down and show our appreciation for their efforts for the community

2017 - 83 - 9th December, Chandos Arms

We were back at the Chandos Arms and back with the Barneteye awards. The Barnet Labour Party decided to hold their Xmas dinner at the pub on the same night. I dragged the Ex MP and GLA member Andrew Dismore up to present the awards. He doesn't like me but he joined in the fun. There are some great videos of it on the blog.  Brilliant local band Drop Pink joined us.

2018 - 89 - 14th December, Mill Hill Rugby Club

We chose The Rugby club for the awards in 2018. For various reasons, this was perhaps the Xmas party gig I have least good memories of. The Rugby club agreed to host and promote it. They forgot and when we turned up, they were really embarrassed. To make matters worse, their own party was the night after. A few punters and friends turned up, but it was a grim night. 

2019 - 93 - 13 December, Midland Hotel, Hendon

This was the night after Boris Johnson won the 2019 General Election. Most of my friends were in a dour mood. It was our last gig with Allen Ashley. Although we didn't realise that it was the end of an Era it felt like it. None of us knew that Covid was around the corner. In hindsight, it is clear that the False Dots had run out of steam and ideas. It was a good gig, we had fun, but we were stuck in a bit of a rut. The Community awards also was not quite what it had been. In hindsight, it was the perfect end of the decade, given what followed. There is a nice video on the blog. 

2023 - 104 - 23rd December, The Dublin Castle, Camden Town (supporting The London Sewage Company)

By 2023, the Dots were back and kicking as a three piece. I was back on vocals after 40 years! In September, Tom Hammond joined on Trumpet. Initially it was to do a few songs. He is now a central part of the band. We were supporting Punk Legends The London Sewage Company. It was a real blast. It was perhaps the gig where I realised the new line up kicked ass. Even better, I had a drink after and watched a great band.

2024 - 119 - 13th December - Our big Xmas Gig at The Dublin Castle - Supporting Radical Dance Faction!

Last year, our gig was supporting the legendary Radical Dance Faction. They were brilliant. It was packed. One of the best things about being in the False Dots is we get to see such bands for free! All of my kids, their mates etc came down for the gig. We had a blast. The perfect preparation for Christmas!

We have prepared a special Tri Lingual treat in Portuguese, English and Spanish to celebrate Xmas.

We will also be premiering our new single, coming out in the Spring. We think you'll love it. It mashes up Punk, Ska, Hammer Horror and Benny Hill.  Don't miss out!

And next Sunday we do it all again!

Rock and Roll Stories #52 - Dying on stage!

I've been asked what is the most bizarre thing that ever happened during a False Dots gig on several occasions. Depending on my mood and my state of inebriation, there are several things that come to mind, but I can say without doubt what the most tragic was. 

On the 15th January 1982, The False Dots played at The Underground Club in Stockholm. It was our tenth gig and the second of our tour of Sweden. The first eight had been at small venues in outer London, schools, youth clubs, church halls and pubs. And yet here we were headlining the hippest, most happening club in Sweden. To give you some idea, Duran Duran had played their a couple of months before. I had cooked up a scheme with a local promoter, when I was living in Stockholm, to hype us as  the next big thing from London. It worked. The club was busy, if not sold out. I'd lived there for nearly six months prior to the gig, and a lot of friends came down. There was some decent publicity and the support band were also well known. We had a decent set and were pretty tight. It was a great experience, although financially, it was pretty devastating for me. I hadn't really understood the mechanics of touring and the hidden costs. I just added up the money we were being paid and subtracted the fares etc, and assumed that we would make a small fortune. If I had the opportunity I'd make the same mistake tomorrow. It was a blast.

So here we are, at onstage at The Underground Club in Stockholm. We start playing and the audience start bopping around. My eye was drawn to a guy with a Rod Stewart hairdo and Tartan pants, dancing like a lunatic. For the first five songs, he was all over the place. On the sixth song, our slow moody number called Suburban Dance, he sat down at the edge of the stage. He then slumped over my guitar pedals. I kicked him, as I needed access to them. He didn't move. Then two bouncers came and dragged him away.

We carried on and did a perfectly fine set. At the end, I was talking to the club manager. He told me that the poor chap had died. He apparently had a cardiac arrest due to taking huge amounts of drugs. The manager was extremely upset, not because the poor fellow had died, but because it meant the club would face an inspection and may lose its licence. It also meant that we became famous, as the band where a bloke died, for a short time. To make matters worse, two underage girls disappeared at the gig. The police suspected that we'd taken them with us for our gig in Finland the day after. We hadn't, they had gone off with another school mate and not told their mums.. But for one day, the news in Stockholm was all about this terrible English Punk rock band, who's fans were drug addicts and who kidnapped schoolgirls. We were blissfully unaware of the furore. There were no mobile phones in 1982, and it was only when we stepped off the ferry to arrive back in Stockholm that we realised. The bands publicist had got the mother of one of the girls, who had said very nasty things about us the previous day, to publicly apologise in front of TV cameras. We didn't even know what she was apologising for. 

When I left Sweden, as we'd not had a work permit, my passport was stamped "No return for ten years". It was actually one of the one year jobbies that you could get for a pound at the Post Office. On return to the UK, I was pulled into a room and grilled by Special Branch. I suspect they were deeply disappointed with my answers. "Did you sell the man who died drugs?". No, I'd never met him before. "How did you finance the tour?", I'd saved up my paper round money at school to buy the tickets and then the venues paid us a fee to play. "Did you use money from the proceeds of drug dealing to finance your tour". Nope. "Where is the bands manager and why didn't he come back with you?". I am the bands manager and I did come back with me. He then said "I hear your a pretty rubbish band", to which I replied "We'll from what I can see, you are a pretty rubbish policeman", at this he lost his cool and started shouting at me, saying "I can lock you up and throw away they key". I was extremely hung over at the time and simply replied "Well get on with it because at least I won't have to listen to you droning on asking stupid questions". I was then strip searched by customs with a rubber gloves. The customs officer said "You are not going to enjoy this". I replied "By the looks of it, you are, did you dream of doing this for  a living at school?". It's fair to say I didn't enjoy it. As I left, They informed me that I'd missed my coach back to London. They were wrong. The band had got the driver to wait. It doesn't really pay to give verbals to such people, but in all honesty I am glad I did. They were extremely rude and disrespectful and as far as I could see were bullies in positions of authority. For the next ten years, I got pulled over every time I went through customs. The last time, I said to the officer "You know, I get pulled over every time I come through, I could make a fortune as a professional decoy". He assured me I wasn't on any list, and after that, it stopped.

I was 19 at the time. I'd been out of school for six months and was not as worldly wise as a I am now. My biggest regret of all is that I didn't realise what a unique event in my life the bands tour of Sweden would be. At the time, I assumed that within a couple of years, we'd be a  big time band and we'd be doing it all of the time. What I didn't see then, was that we were far too niche for the mainstream music industry. We've always done well on the live circuit, some people love our music, if you come to see us, you will be entertained, however record company moguls, big league managers etc, never get bands that cannot be summed up in one sentence and are not seeking to be flavour of the month. In truth I am rather glad. I still enjoy making music. You can see the band play on Sunday 21st December from 2pm. We still do one of the numbers we played on that tour. We have songs written in 1979, songs written last week and songs from the era's in between. Click here for details  False Dots Xmas Party (Matinee Show) it really will be a blast.

Is the TV Series Riot Women any good?

 We've just binge watched the first series of Riot Women, on the recommendation of a few friends (mostly ladies of a certain age), who said it was amazing. It was recommended to me on the basis that I like everything and anything to do with bands, music and rock and roll. I will start by saying my lovely wife Clare thought it was brilliant. Then again she's not been in a rock and roll band, so she just saw it as engaging TV light entertainment. I had rather hoped that it would be an advert for women of a certain age to go out and form bands. Being in a band is the best thing I've ever done with my clothes on! But I am not entirely sure how many women would watch it and think "I really want some of that". This is a real shame, because they should. It seemed to me as if every character in the show was lurching on the edge of a precipice and none of them had anything else to pull them back from the edge. Of course there are plenty of people in such situations, and writer Sally Wainright has to make engaging TV, but for me, the sheer joy and fun of being in a band is missing from the series. There were far too many plot distractions for me. I wish that the writers had spent some time with such a band. 

I will give one example. The scene in the recording studio was all about the sexual relationship between the (female) bassplayer and the (male) younger recording engineer. I was so disappointed that so little effort was made to portray the sheer joy and excitement of taking a track you have written and hearing it sound like a proper record. In the career of The False Dots we've had plenty of smirksome moments in the studio, but they are dwarfed by the joy of hearing the music sound how you want it to sound. Now credit where credit is due, the scene was one of the funniest moments on TV of the year and should be in there, but the moment where you listen to the final mix wasn't and that is a sin. When you are in a band, you never really know what you sound like until you hear that. Often, it all sounds a bit ropey and weird when you are putting backing tracks down. There was none of the bits where a band member chips in and suggests some tiny change, that makes a song. You may think "that would go over the head of most of the audience", but it is the absolute key to a recording a great track. There is another aspect, that may not be appreciated. Everyone in a band should have an opinion that counts, and an opportity was missed to show that it is a collective and sometimes the best bits in music come from the oddest places.

I also felt that the songwriting process was note explored properly. The compromises made, to ensure a song works, the choices, the debates as to whether you are geting the message you want out there. Given the complicated challenges some of the band members had, this would be a great way to get into this. Having had numerous female members in the band, I also felt that the opportunity to show the sort of creeps female musicians can attract was missed. Although the scene with the singers son's stepfather was put in, sadly it is not people who can simply be smacked in the mouth. It is people who exploit artists and then seek sexual favours as a sort of payoff. It is also not usually done in a crowded place. I would have preferred to see these sort of leeches explored, rather than just generic horrible men. An opportunity was missed to cast a spotlight and show some of their dodgy practices.

So all in all my verdict? I'd give it a 7/10. It was pretty good, it kept the viewer engaged. It could have easily been an 8 or a 9 if they'd done a bit more homework on the key theme, getting a band together.

And why does it matter? Well let me put it this way. When I play at the Dublin Castle with my band, The False Dots, I always nick a poster for my wall of fame at home. Here are a few of them that are on the kitchend wall. Here they are

Of all the bands on the wall who played with us, only one are all female. A big shout out to the wonderful Vampyra. A few of the bands have key female members, but the vast majority are all male. There is no earthly reason why females should not form bands. During the Punk era, we saw a few such bands break through, The Slits being the most memorable for me. The industry didn't know how to market them and had little interest in giving them major support. They are quite happy to have pretty girls in vocal groups, but anything more authentic and real is something they have no interest in. One aspect of Riot Women which was really spot on was the decision to make the key song about HRT. I'd be well up for a campaign to make it the Xmas number one. 

I was curious as to how much of what we actually heard was the actresses playing. Being a purist, I'd have liked to see them actually playing, even if it sounded ropey. That is how bands sound when they start. It would have been great to see them actually progress. 

Click for cheap advance tickets

Finally, one last comment. I guess I owe Sally Wainright a word of thanks. After watching it, Clare said "Blimey, I thought you were bad, you are an angel compared to the blokes in this" (or words to that effect). 

I cannot pass up the opporunity to plug North West London's finest Ska/Punk Band The False Dots and our next gig. Please come down. We may not be Riot Women, but I do predict a riot as its our annual Xmas Party!

The Sunday Reflection #70 - Is technology destroying the humanity in human beings?

 Is there any such thing as morality anymore? Now I am an ageing punk rocker. I have always stood against the hypocricy that I saw in society. Single mothers marginalised. Children born out of wedlock marginalised. Paedophile priests lecturing us on morality are a few examples of where morality was completely subverted for me as a teenager. However, there are many aspects of morality that I think are important and beneficial to society. Kindness and decency are important aspects of this. Be it offering a seat to an old lady with shopping, apologising for mistakes (and accepting genuine apologies) and not seeking undeserved plaudits from ones peers. In the last 20 years, we've seen the rise of social media. My first exposure to this was Friends Reunited. This gave us the opportuiinty to catch up with school mates we'd lost touch with. That was superceded by Facebook, Twitter (X), Instagram and TikTok.

When I first logged on to Friends Reunited, I didn't realise the Pandoras box I was opening. I've learned many things about friends and acquaintances which I really wish I didn't know. We no longer find partners by meeting them at the pub. We go on to dating apps. When I met my wife, we clicked and found out that we had things in common. We've had a lot of fun over the years. These days, it would be easy to swipe past someone who you might get on with like a house on fire. If we set up dating profiles, I doubt we'd have too much in common. I see so many pretty girls, who have been surgically enhanced in some way. Oddly, I rarely think that this is an improvement, but I presume it makes them think they will be more attractive on a dating app or will help them get more views on tiktok? 

What really concerns me is that we seem to be sacrificing our basic humanity on the alter of technology. I suspect some people would only offer a seat for an old lady on the bus, if they could post it on TikTok and have all their friends say they were marvellous. Is this really the society and the image of humanity that we want. I quite like it when people do acts of random kindness and don't brag about it. I always think that having someone say your marvellous is a wonderful thing, but only when it is unsolicited. We will not see the demise of such platforms any time soon, so we have to get used to it. All I can say is that I do hope we realise that what we see on social media platforms is not the real world. There is more to life and I think a lot of us would be a lot happier if we spent a lot less time on line and worried far less about what strangers had to say about us.

The Saturday List #368 - My top ten favourite dishes in Indian restaurants

 Yesterday was an unusual Friday night. I didn't go for a curry! There were two reasons. The first was Hadley FC had their Xmas lunch and drinks and I was unavoidably detained in Barnet. The second was because I had a curry on both Tuesday and Wednesday. I was catching up with friends. Sadly at this time of year, all of my good resolutions for refraining from overdoing it go out of the window. I actually managed my two days of abstinence and dieting, but the calories and exercise columns are in the red. But hey ho, it is good for ones mental wellbeing to catch up with mates, drink and eat curry. 

However, I woke up this morning and was thinking about curry. Our football team boys had our night out at The Mill Hill Tandoori on Thursday and we got a selection of starters, which we shared. I thought a few of my readers might appreciate a few tips.

Starters

1. Onion Bhajis -  If I don't have these, I feel like I've not had a curry. The Mill Hill Tandoori do excellent Onion Bhajis.

2. Tandoori Lamb cutlets - As I usually go for a curry and don't eat meat on Fridays as a rule, I rarely have these, but they are one of my favourites. We had them on Wednesday and it was a treat.

3. Vegetable somosas - One of my favourite restaurants in town is The Halal in Alie St. You now have to bring your own booze. They always give you complimentary somosas that are wonderful. It might be the best value meal in Town. They even let you bring pints over from The Swan over the road.

Main Courses

4. Tandoori Salmon - This, IMHO is the best dish that the MH Tandoori do, delicious. As I eat fish on a Friday, it is rather handy.

5. Tandoori Mixed Grill - My meat feast for when I go with mates and it isn't a Friday! Clare doesn't eat meat at all and we like to share, so this is a rare treat.

6. Lamb Madras - I do like a good lamb madrass. If it has a good kick and the lamb melts in your mouth, it is excellent. My friend Romel who runs the Day of The Raj does a great takeaway Lamb Madras. I rarely get a takeaway, as I like to eat curry in a restaurant. I actually hate dishes out of plastic containers.

7. Bhuna King Prawn Masala - I didn't eat meat at all between 1984 and 2000. This was my go to dish.  After I started eating meat again, I didn't have one again. Maybe I will soon....

Side dishes.

8. Tarka Dal - As most of the dishes I like are dry, this adds a bit of spicy sauce. I like lots of chillies in it, Clare doesn't, which causes a few issues on occasion.

9. Brinjal Bhaji - I do love a bit of aubergene. If we do get a takeaway, I will save some to warm up for my lunch the next day. 

10. Garlic Naan - These are the one thing that you can only really properly enjoy in an indian restaurant, when piping hot. The imitations that you get in M&S etc, are really awful.

As an aside, on Tuesday, we had our curry at the Great Nepalese on Eversholt St. I started with a Mas co Bara (lentil pancakes), a Nepali speciality, in Tamarind sauce. The main course was Lamb Khursani, accompanied by a Garlic Naan. Delicious.

I hope I've not made you too hungry.

I will end with a date for your diary. Please come down to The False Dots Xmas party at The Dublin Castle on Sunday 21st December. It will be fun!

 

Rock and Roll Stories #51 - Sartorial Elegance and Rock and Roll

 Back at the dawn of time, well actually the dawn of The False Dots, in 1979, Paul Marvin, son of the the legend that is Hank B. Marvin of The Shadows was the drummer of The False Dots. Although Paul wasn't a great drummer, we thought that having him in the band would open a few doors. Maybe Hank would put in a good words with their label EMI. Sadly, he was none too keen on our then lead singer, so this never happened. There were three things that he did do that were pretty cool though. The first was he wrote a guitar lick for us for our punk classic, Not all she seems, which we play to this day. 

The second thing was that he let us jam in his private studio and play with his guitars and amps. They were amazing. The third was that he gave me some advice. The one thing that he said that stuck with me was "Always where good shoes when you gig, people do not want to see someone who looks like they have just walked out of a builders yard playing guitar". He also advised me to make sure I'd had a proper hair cut before we did gigs. Being a punk, it took a few years for me to take his advice seriously.

We were anti everything when Paul Marvin was in the band, maybe Hank wouldv'e been more helpful if we had been a bit more respectful and nice. I have always tried to be polite around people, but our lead singer was not. I thought his behaviour was a bit off, but in his opinion, Hank Marvin was a boring old fart. What I didn't really appreciate then was that Hank had a wealth of experience. He was also right in his advice that the band should take our look seriously. I am just back from a weekend at Butlins for the House of Fun festival, with Madness and a host of other bands. Over the weekend, I think we saw 14 bands. All of the bands were decent bands who play regularly on the UK live circuit. Most were Ska bands and what struck me was that the level of effort different outfits made with their attire was massive. There were a couple of bands that were musically excellent, but made no real effort to look the part. For me, they made a mistake. Once you were in the festival, you could watch anything you wanted. It seemed to me that the bands that looked the part seemed to engage with the audience better. I don't know if its a subconscious thing that if someone looks the part, you take them more seriously, but it certainly seemed to be the case to me.

I can recall one gig, many years ago, where The False Dots decided that we would go for a French look for a gig. We appeared wearing berets and stripey t-shirts and introduced the songs with silly mock gallic accents. I think it might have been Bastille day, but we had a laugh with the audience and it went well. We were the support band and the headline band were verys sniffy and snooty about our act. We were sharing a dressing room, and one of them said "We are not into being posers, our image is that we have no image". Paul Hircombe, our then bassplayer replied "You are confusing image with personality".  After that, there was a rather frosty silence between us. They did not go down particularly well and it seemed to me that they seemed to think that because they played long, boring guitar solo's well, they felt entitled to a great reception. I heard one of them say as we were all packing up "I hate playing places like, this where the audience knows nothing about music". I remember watching them pack their van and go. Paul said to me "Do you think that there is a market for slob rock?". I laughed and said "Not if tonight is anything to go by".

The truth is that all of the best rock stars look great. It is not an accident. Although The Sex Pistols were thought of as dishevelled punks, they were dressed by Vivienne Westwood. The Beatles had a look, as did the Rolling Stones. People put posters of them up on their walls because they looked great. I think that we thought Hank Marvin was telling us to wear suits, he wasn't. He was telling us to have a cohesive band look which would appeal to audiences. In hindsight, he was spot on

.

You can't trust AI! Lee Thompson of Madness is alive and kicking, contrary to what Google has to say!

 On Saturday night, I was watching Madness at Butlins as part of the House of Fun weekender. I am mates with the sax player Lee Thompson as well as his sons Daley and Kye. A friend who went with us asked me how many kids he has. I said I thought the nunber was three. She decided to google it and the Google AI search confirmed it. It also confirmed a rather more disturbing fact. It informed her that Lee had passed away in 2024, but his legacy lives on. 

Now given that we'd just seen him perform on stage, this was quite disturbing news. Had Suggs roped in a doppleganger and not told anyone. In truth, there will only ever be one Lee Thompson. I have no idea how such a stupid AI algorythm could get it so wrong. I was chatting with a mate, who is an AI guru yesterday and they explained the problem. If someone starts a malicious rumour for a popular personality, it will get shared thousands of times and get millions of hits. AI engines see this and pick up on it. As people often realise immediately the information is a load of old cobblers, the truth is not propogated in the same way, so the false rumour appears to be the legitimate story. Of course, AI is developing all of the time. The people who work out the algorythms will get better at getting things right, but the sad truth is that if someone posts a fictitious story on Twitter that gets massivey circulated, current AI I models can get spoofed into making all sorts of nonsense up. As often such things trends, AI will pick up on it as people are wildly asking and will see the latest info. Now of course, my explanation is a very simplified view of what AI does and how it learns. But it is clear to me, as someone who sometimes uses AI to research blogs, you have to be really careful. 

There was a fascinating article in the Guardian yesterday about AI, by Robert Booth. It seems that there is a South Sea Island boom in AI stocks. We all know what happens next, don't we? 

BTW, just for fun, I asked AI if Robert Booth was the last President of the USA. This was the answer it gave me

AI Overview

No, Robert Booth is not the last President of the USA

; he is a fictional character from the Judge Dredd comic series who is a villainous former president. The last real President of the USA was Joe Biden, who succeeded Donald Trump. 

• Robert L. Booth: A fictional character in the Judge Dredd comic series who serves as the main antagonist in the "Origins" story arc.
• Fictional role: In the comic, he is the last President of the United States and is responsible for the Atomic Wars of 2070.
• Real-world President: The most recent President of the United States is Joe Biden. 

So there you go, I am sure Robert will be pleased to learn that AI thinks that he is a fictional character.