text:
|Publication number
|Publication type
|Application number
|Publication date
|Apr 26, 1988
|Filing date
|Jul 14, 1986
|Priority date
|Jun 26, 1984
|Fee status
|Publication number
|David S. Motersole, Jay A. Hartvigsen, John Zolnowsky
|Original Assignee
|Motorola, Inc.
|Export Citation
|BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan
|Patent Citations (8), Referenced by (28), Classifications (6), Legal Events (6)
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 625,342, filed 6-26-84, now abandoned.
The present invention relates to data processors which have a cache memory, and more particularly, to data processors which can disable such a cache memory.
Data processing systems frequently have a cache memory for improving performance. The cache memory is typically used to provide very quick access to instructions which are the ones being most frequently used.
The cache memory is typically in close proximity to a processing unit of the data processing system and has a relatively fast access time. The instructions which are being frequently used are advantageously stored there to improve overall system speed. These same instructions stored in the cache memory are also available elsewhere in the system and accessible via a common bus. The common bus is typically available to a user. When an instruction is fetched in the cache memory, it is desirable, although not necessary, to prevent this address which accessed the instruction in the cache memory from also reaching the common bus. This is desirable because system speed can be increased by not wasting time on the common bus with a redundant address. Consequently, data processors have been developed which prevent an address which accesses a location in cache memory from reaching the common bus. This has the effect of preventing a user from being able to discern an instruction which has been accessed in cache memory.
Being able to discern the sequence of instructions is necessary for a user who is experimenting with a program in microcode whether such experimentation is pursuant to creating or altering a program. Consequently, it has been found useful to provide the microcode programmer with the ability to force all of the instructions onto the common bus where they can be read. Such ability has been available only with software instructions, i.e., in order to achieve this result it has been necessary to place such a command into the program itself. In order to change the timing of such features, the program must be changed. Also because the timing of the feature is in the program, it is not easily tied directly to bus cycles or some other real time measurement.
An object of the present invention is to provide a data processor with an improved cache memory disable.
Another object of the invention is to provide a data processor with improved cache disable flexibility.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a data processor with a cache memory which is disabled via a single external signal line.
These and other objects are achieved in a data processor adapted for operation with a memory containing a plurality of items of operating information for said data processor. The data processor has an information processing circuit, a memory access circuit, a cache storage circuit, a cache control circuit, and a disable circuit.
The information processing circuit performs operations in accordance with items of operating information provided thereto, at least one of said operations including providing an information request signal requesting one of said items of operating information.
The memory access circuit, in response to said information request signal, retrieves said one item of said operating information from said memory, and then provides said one item of said operating information to said information processing circuit.
The cache storage circuit stores a selected number of all of said items of said operating information provided by said memory access circuit to said information processing circuit. If said one item of said operating information is stored in said cache storage circuit when said one item of operating information is requested by said information processing circuit, the cache storage circuit provides said one item of said operating information to said information storage circuit in response to said information request signal.
The cache control circuit, in response to said cache storage means providing said one item of said operating information to said information processing means, prevents said memory access means from responding to said information request signal.
The cache disable circuit, in response to a cache disable signal originating external to said data processor, prevents said cache storage means from providing said one item of information to said information processing means in response to said information request signal.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a data processing system for implementing the invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the data processor of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a data processing system with a cache according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 4 comprises 4A and 4B is a combination logic and circuit diagram of a portion of the data processing system of FIG. 3 useful for implementing the invention.
Shown in FIG. 1 is a data processing system 10 wherein logical addresses (LADDR) issued by a data processor (DP) 12 are mapped by a memory management unit (MMU) 14 to a corresponding physical address (PADDR) for output on a physical bus (PBUS) 16. Simultaneously, the various logical access control signals (LCNTL) provided by DP 12 to control the access are converted to appropriately timed physical access control signals (PCNTL) by a modifier unit 18 under the control of MMU 14. DP 12 is an example of a data processor which is capable of implementing the present invention relating to a cache memory and the disabling thereof.
In response to a particular range of physical addresses (PADDR), memory 20 will cooperate with an error detection and correction circuit (EDAC) 22 to exchange data (DATA) with DP 12 in synchronization with the physical access control signals (PCNTL) on PBUS 16. Upon detecting an error in the data, EDAC 22 will either signal a bus error (BERR) or request DP 12 to retry (RETRY) the exchange, depending upon the type of error.
In response to a different physical address, mass storage interface 24 will cooperate with DP 12 to transfer data to or from mass storage 26. If an error occurs during the transfer, interface 24 may signal a bus error (BERR) or, if appropriate, request a retry (RETRY).
In the event that the MMU 14 is unable to map a particular logic address (LADDR) into a corresponding physical address (PADDR), the MMU 14 will signal an access fault (FAULT). As a check for MMU 14, a watchdog timer 28 may be provided to signal a bus error (BERR) if no physical device has responded to a physical address (PADDR) within a suitable time period relative to the physical access control signals (PCNTL).
If, during a data access bus cycle, a RETRY is requested, OR gates 30 and 32 will respectively activate the BERR and HALT inputs of DP 12. In response to the simultaneous activation of both the BERR and HALT inputs thereof during a DP-controlled bus cycle, DP 12 will abort the current bus cycle and, upon the termination of the RETRY signal, retry the cycle.
If desired, operation of DP 12 may be externally controlled by judicious use of a HALT signal. In response to the activation of only the HALT input thereof via OR gate 32, DP 12 will halt at the end of the current bus cycle, and will resume operation only upon the termination of the HALT signal.
In response to the activation of only the BERR input thereof during a processor-controlled bus cycle, DP 12 will abort the current bus cycle, internally save the contents of the status register, enter the supervisor state, turn off the trace state if on, and generate a bus error vector number. DP 12 will then stack into a supervisor stack area in memory 20 a block of information which reflects the current internal context of the processor, and then use the vector number to branch to an error handling portion of the supervisor program.
Up to this point, the operation of DP 12 is identical to the operation of Motorola's MC68000 microprocessor. However, DP 12 differs from the MC68000 in the amount of information which is stacked in response to the assertion of BERR. The information stacked by the MC68000 consists of: the saved status register, the current contents of the program counter, the contents of the instruction register which is usually the first word of the currently executing instruction, the logical address which was being accessed by the aborted bus cycle, and the characteristics of the aborted bus cycle, i.e. read/write, instruction/data and function code. In addition to the above information, DP 12 is constructed to stack much more information about the internal machine state. If the exception handler is successful in resolving the error, the last instruction thereof will return control of DP 12 to the aborted program. During the execution of this instruction, the additional stacked information is retrieved and loaded into the appropriate portions of DP 12 to restore the state which existed at the time the bus error occurred.
The preferred operation of DP 12 will be described with reference to FIG. 2 which illustrates the internal organization of a microprogrammable embodiment of DP 12. Since the illustrated form of DP 12 is very similar to the Motorola MC68000 microprocessor described in detail in the several U.S. Patents cited hereafter, the common operation aspects will be described rather broadly. Once a general understanding of the internal architecture of DP 12 is established, the discussion will focus on the unique cache disable feature of the present invention.
The DP 12, like the MC68000, is a pipelined, microprogrammed data processor. In a pipelined processor, each instruction is typically fetched during the execution of the preceding instruction, and the interpretation of the fetched instruction usually begins before the end of the preceding instruction. In a microprogrammed data processor, each instruction is typically fetched during the execution of the preceding instruction, and the interpretation of the fetched instruction usually begins before the end of the preceding instruction. In a microprogrammed data processor, each instruction is executed as a sequence of microinstructions which perform small pieces of the operation defined by the instruction. If desired, user instructions may be thought of as macroinstructions to avoid confusion with the microinstructions. In the MC68000 and DP 12, each microinstruction comprises a microword which controls microinstruction sequencing and function code generation, and a corresponding nanoword which controls the actual routing of information between functional units and the actuation of special function units within DP 12. With this in mind, a typical instruction execution cycle will be described.
At an appropriate time during the execution of each instruction, a prefetch microinstruction will be executed. The microword portion thereof will, upon being loaded from micro ROM 34 into micro ROM output latch 36, enable function code buffers 38 to output a function code (FC) portion of the logical address (LADDR) indicating an instruction cycle. Upon being simultaneously loaded from nano ROM 40 into nano ROM output latch 42, the corresponding nanoword requests bus controller 44 to perform an instruction fetch bus cycle, and instructs execution unit 46 to provide the logical address of the first word of the next instruction to address buffers 48. Upon obtaining control of the PBUS 16, bus controller 44 will enable address buffers 48 to output the address portion of the logical address (LADDR). Shortly thereafter, bus controller 44 will provide appropriate data strobes (some of the LCNTL signals) to activate memory 20. When the memory 20 has provided the requested information, bus controller 44 enables instruction register capture (IRC) 50 to input the first word of the next instruction from PBUS 16. At a later point in the execution of the current instruction, another microinstruction will be executed to transfer the first word of the next instruction from IRC 50 into instruction register (IR) 52, and to load the next word from memory 20 into IRC 50. Depending upon the type of instruction in IR 52, the word in IRC 50 may be immediate data, the address of an operand, or the first word of a subsequent instruction. Details of the instruction set and the microinstruction sequences thereof are set forth fully in U.S. Pat. No. 4,325,121 entitled "Two Level Control Store for Microprogrammed Data Processor" issued Apr. 13, 1982 to Gunter et al, and which is hereby incorporated by reference.
As soon as the first word of the next instruction has been loaded into IR 52, address 1 decoder 54 begins decoding certain control fields in the instruction to determine the micro address of the first microinstruction in the initial microsequence of the particular instruction in IR 52. Simultaneously, illegal instruction decoder 56 will begin examining the format of the instruction in IR 52. If the format is determined to be incorrect, illegal instruction decoder 56 will provide the micro address of the first microinstruction of an illegal instruction microsequence. In response to the format error, exception logic 58 will force multiplexor 60 to substitute the micro address provided by illegal instruction decoder 56 for the micro address provide by address 1 decoder 54. Thus, upon execution of the last microinstruction of the currently executing instruction, the microword portion thereof may enable multiplexor 60 to provide an appropriate micro address to micro address latch 62, while the nanoword portion thereof enables instruction register decoder (IRD) 64 to load the first word of the next instruction from IR 52. Upon the selected micro address being loaded into micro address latch 62, micro ROM 34 will output a respective microword to micro ROM output latch 36 and nano ROM 40 will output a corresponding nanoword to nano ROM output latch 42.
Generally, a portion of each microword which is loaded into micro ROM output latch 36 specifies the micro address of the next microinstruction to be executed, while another portion determines which of the alternative micro addresses will be selected by multiplexor 60 for input to micro address latch 62. In certain instructions, more than one microsequence must be executed to accomplish the specified operation. These tasks, such as indirect address resolution, are generally specified using additional control fields within the instruction. The micro addresses of the first microinstructions for these additional microsequences are developed by address 2/3 decoder 66 using control information in IR 52. In the simpler form of such instructions, the first microsequence will typically perform some preparatory task and then enable multiplexor 60 to select the micro address of the microsequence which will perform the actual operation as developed by the address 3 portion of address 2/3 decoder 66. In more complex forms of such instructions, the first microsequence will perform the first preparatory task and then will enable multiplexor 60 to select the micro address of the next preparatory microsequence as developed by the address 2 portion of address 2/3 decoder 66. Upon performing this additional preparatory task, the second microsequence then enables multiplexor 60 to select the micro address of the microsequence which will perform the actual operation as developed by the address 3 portion of address 2/3 decoder 66. In any event, the last microinstruction in the last microsequence of each instruction will enable multiplexor 60 to select the micro address of the first microinstruction of the next instruction as developed by address 1 decoder 54. In this manner, execution of each instruction will process through an appropriate sequence of microinstructions. A more thorough explanation of the micro address sequence selection mechanism is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,342,078 entitled "Instruction Register Sequence Decoder for Microprogrammed Data Processor" issued July 27, 1982 to Tredennick et al, and which is hereby incorporated by reference.
In contrast to the microwords, the nanowords which are loaded into nano ROM output latch 42 indirectly control the routing of operands into and, if necessary, between the several registers in the execution unit 46 by exercising control over register control (high) 68 and register control (low and data) 70. In certain circumstances, the nanoword enables field translation unit 72 to extract particular bit fields from the instruction in IRD 64 for input to the execution unit 46. The nanowords also indirectly control effective address calculations and actual operand calculations within the execution unit 46 by exercising control over AU control 74 and ALU control 76. In appropriate circumstances, the nanowords enable ALU control 76 to store into status register (SR) 78 the condition codes which result from each operand calculation by execution unit 46. A more detailed explanation of ALU control 76 is given in U.S. Pat. No. 4,312,034 entitled "ALU and Condition Code Control Unit for Data Processor" issued January 19, 1982 to Gunter, et al, and which is hereby incorporated by reference.
Shown in FIG. 3 is an integrated circuit data processor system 300 with a cache function enclosed in dotted lines comprised of DP 12, a cache 301, a compare circuit 302, a cache control circuit 303. An external pin 304 for receiving a cache disable signal *CDIS is also shown in FIG. 3. Pin 304 is shown outside the dotted lines to show that signal *CDIS is generated externally from data processor system 300. An asterisk (*) indicates the signal function is active when the signal is a logic low. In this case when signal *CDIS is a logic low, the cache function is disabled. Pin 304 is directly connected to cache control circuit 303 of integrated circuit data processor 300 which receives signal *CDIS. A memory 305 is also external to integrated circuit data processor system 300 and is coupled thereto by a communication bus 306. Of course many other external pins (not shown) are connected to integrated circuit data processor 300. Cache control circuit 303 provides a hit signal HIT at a logic high when DP 12 can utilize cache 301.
Data processor system 300 uses cache 301 to store frequently used items of operating information normally called instructions. Each instruction has a memory location defined by an address. This address acts as a request signal for the particular instruction. A portion of cache 301 stores these addresses of the instructions which are stored in cache 301. The address storage portion of a cache, such as cache 301, is frequently called TAG cache and the addresses stored therein are called TAGs. DP 12 generates an address for an instruction which compare circuit 12 compares to addresses (or TAGs) stored in cache 301. This comparison will be valid only if cache control circuit 303 generates a compare signal *COMPARE at a logic low. If compare circuit 302 does not detect that the addresses are different (a miss), then an addresses compare signal ADCOMP is generated at a logic high. Cache 301 will generate a TAG valid signal TAGV if the compared address is valid. It is possible for the address generated by DP 12 to match an address in cache 301 which was placed in cache 301 at a start-up operation and not incidental to writing an instruction into cache 301. Consequently, it is necessary to verify that the compared address has in fact a valid corresponding instruction in cache 301. That there is a valid corresponding instruction is communicated by signal TAGV at a logic high. A signal TAGSACLK is a clock signal for synchronizing the comparison of the TAGs and the address of the instruction. Signal *COMPARE cannot be generated until signal TAGSACLK switches to a logic high.
Another signal, valid instruction holding state signal *VIHOLDS, also can prevent signal *COMPARE from being generated. DP 12 generates signal *VIHOLDS at a logic high during an access. Because such access may be to cache 301, it is desirable to prevent cache 301 from being disabled by signal *CDIS when signal *VIHOLDS is a logic high. Consequently, cache control 303 prevents both signal *COMPARE and signal HIT from responding to signal *CDIS when signal *VIHOLDS is a logic high.
DP 12 itself may or may not be in a mode where cache 301 is to be utilized. This information is communicated by a load cache register signal LDCACR, a state of cache register signal STCACR, and a least significant bit *BCO from an information bus (not shown except bit *BCO). DP 12 also provides a reset signal RESET which brings cache control circuit 303 to an initialized state. In the initialized state cache 301 is not to be utilized. The cache utilization state is communicated to cache control circuit 303 by DP 12 by providing signal LDCACR at a logic high and selecting bit *BCO to be the logic state which corresponds to the cache utilization state of DP 12. A logic high corresponds to not being in the cache utilization state, whereas a logic low corresponds to being in the cache utilization state. Cache control circuit 303 will store this information until DP 12 changes it. DP 12 can read the state of stored bit *BCO by providing signal STCACR at a logic high which will cause control circuit 303 to output bit *BCO at the stored state thereof. Bit *BCO at a logic low means that the cache utilization state is present whereas bit *BCO at a logic high means that the cache utilization state is not present and cache 301 is not to be utilized. An occurrence of signal RESET at a logic high indicates that DP 12 is being initialized and is therefore not to be in the cache utilization state. Cache control circuit 303, consequently responds to signal RESET at a logic high by forcing stored bit *BCO to a logic high. Whenever DP 12 is not in the cache utilization state as indicated by stored bit *BCO in cache control circuit 303, signal HIT is provided by cache control circuit 303 at a logic low. The effect of signal HIT being a logic low is that the addressed instruction must be accessed externally from data processing system 300 to memory 305 via communication bus 306. If signal HIT is a logic high, then cache 301 provides the requested instruction, and memory 305 does not receive the address for the requested instruction. Consequently, cache control circuit 303 has the effect of preventing communication bus 306 from carrying the address for the requested instruction when cache 301 provides the requested instruction.
An external access to memory 305 is required under any of the following five conditions; when system 300 is reset by signal RESET at a logic high, when DP 12 has set stored bit *BCO to a logic high, when the cache address and the address of the instruction do not match as indicated by signal ADCOMP being a logic low, when the TAG does not have a properly corresponding instruction in cache 301 as indicated by TAGV being a logic low, or when externally provided signal *CDIS is a logic low. A user of system 300 can prevent DP 12 from accessing cache 301 while maintaining normal operation by either software or hardware means, and thereby offering flexibility not previously seen in the art. Using software techniques, the user can cause DP 12 to store bit *BCO at a logic high in cache control 303 or can externally provide signal *CDIS at a logic low at pin 304. Either of these conditions will cause signal HIT to be a logic low, thereby causing DP 12 to make an instruction access which is external to system 300, and thereby making such instruction access readable by a user of system 300.
Shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B is a combination logic and circuit diagram of a circuit which can be used for implementing cache control 303.
|Cited Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Dec 30, 1976
|Feb 21, 1978
|Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
|Input/output cache system including bypass capability
|Feb 13, 1978
|May 8, 1979
|Intel Corporation
|Single chip MOS computer with expandable memory
|Dec 22, 1977
|Feb 26, 1980
|Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
|Out of store indicator for a cache store in test mode
|Mar 22, 1979
|Aug 26, 1980
|Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
|Cache memory control system
|Mar 30, 1979
|Apr 28, 1981
|Honeywell Inc.
|Virtual cache
|Dec 9, 1977
|Nov 2, 1982
|Digital Equipment Corporation
|Method and apparatus for disabling and diagnosing cache memory storage locations
|Mar 31, 1982
|Aug 7, 1984
|Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
|Multilevel cache system with graceful degradation capability
|Jun 30, 1983
|Dec 31, 1985
|Honeywell Information Systems Inc.
|Directory test error mode control apparatus
|Citing Patent
|Filing date
|Publication date
|Sep 18, 1987
|Dec 19, 1989
|Motorola, Inc.
|Dynamic disable mechanism for a memory management unit
|Mar 13, 1989
|Jan 29, 1991
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Single chip pipeline data processor using instruction and operand cache memories for parallel operation of instruction control and executions unit
|May 11, 1987
|Oct 13, 1992
|At&T Bell Laboratories
|Multi-purpose cache memory selectively addressable either as a boot memory or as a cache memory
|Jun 14, 1989
|Aug 17, 1993
|Silicon Graphics, Inc.
|Translation lookaside buffer shutdown scheme
|Feb 18, 1993
|Jun 28, 1994
|Silicon Graphics, Inc.
|Translation lookaside buffer shutdown scheme
|Apr 3, 1990
|Sep 20, 1994
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Data processor having logical address memories and purge capabilities
|Sep 10, 1993
|Sep 19, 1995
|Dell Usa, L.P.
|Processor and cache controller interface lock jumper
|Jan 23, 1995
|Oct 17, 1995
|Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
|Cache bypass system with simultaneous initial transfer of target data to both processor and cache
|Mar 31, 1992
|Jul 16, 1996
|Vlsi Technology, Inc.
|Cache controller and method for dumping contents of a cache directory and cache data random access memory (RAM)
|May 31, 1995
|Aug 6, 1996
|Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
|Data access apparatus for preventing further cache access in case of an error during block data transfer
|May 15, 1995
|Apr 22, 1997
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Logical cache memory for multi-processor system
|Nov 18, 1992
|Oct 21, 1997
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Data processor with on-chip cache memory and purge controller responsive to external signal for controlling access to the cache memory
|Mar 27, 1995
|Mar 17, 1998
|Texas Instruments Incorporated
|Data processing with first level cache bypassing after a data transfer becomes excessively long
|Jun 6, 1995
|Jun 2, 1998
|International Business Machines Corporation
|On-chip memory map for processor cache macro
|Jul 1, 1997
|Sep 15, 1998
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Purge control for ON-chip cache memory
|Mar 17, 1997
|Feb 1, 2000
|Oracle Corporation
|Method and apparatus for selective data caching implemented with noncacheable and cacheable data for improved cache performance in a computer networking system
|Sep 15, 1999
|Aug 7, 2001
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Data processor
|Dec 29, 1999
|May 28, 2002
|Intel Corporation
|Preventing access to secure area of a cache
|Nov 9, 1999
|Jun 17, 2003
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Method and apparatus for high performance transmission of ordered packets on a bus within a data processing system
|Jun 22, 2001
|Aug 17, 2004
|Hitachi, Ltd.
|Data processor capable of executing an instruction that makes a cache memory ineffective
|Aug 26, 2002
|Dec 27, 2005
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Dynamic cache disable
|Jul 12, 2004
|Aug 5, 2008
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Self-healing cache system
|Jun 9, 2008
|Nov 23, 2010
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Self-healing cache operations
|Oct 29, 2010
|Dec 23, 2014
|Freescale Semiconductor, Inc.
|Data processing system having selective invalidation of snoop requests and method therefor
|Aug 26, 2002
|Feb 26, 2004
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Dynamic cache disable
|Mar 11, 2004
|Sep 9, 2004
|Data processor
|Jul 12, 2004
|Jan 12, 2006
|Azevedo Michael J
|Self-healing cache system
|Jun 9, 2008
|Dec 11, 2008
|International Business Machines Corporation
|Self-healing cache operations
|U.S. Classification
|International Classification
|Cooperative Classification
|European Classification
|Jul 23, 1991
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 4
|Aug 18, 1995
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 8
|Nov 16, 1999
|Maintenance fee reminder mailed
|Mar 20, 2000
|Fee payment
Year of fee payment: 12
|Mar 20, 2000
|Surcharge for late payment
|May 7, 2004
Owner name: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC., TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTOROLA, INC.;REEL/FRAME:015698/0657
Effective date: 20040404
Owner name: FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR, INC.,TEXAS
Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNOR:MOTOROLA, INC.;REEL/FRAME:015698/0657
Effective date: 20040404


text:
In addition to the humiliation of being buried by dogs and dug up by science teachers, skeletons are ornery because they lack the musculature necessary to get massaged. Avoid taking your skin for granted with this Groupon.
Choose Between Two Options
- $36 for one 60-minute Swedish, deep-tissue, or Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi massage (a $75 value)
- $99 for three 60-minute Swedish, deep-tissue, or Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi massages (a $225 value)

With its ancient healing powers, Hawaiian Lomi-Lomi relaxes tense muscles like traditional Swedish massage but effectively unfurls tension like a deep-tissue massage.

East2West Wellness Studio
East2West Wellness Studio's certified massage therapists practice techniques that earned the business the title of Best Massage from CityVoter in 2010. During 60-minute massages, professionals practice modalities such as Swedish, deep tissue, reflexology and sports massage. Couples massages bring together dynamic duos such as friends, partners, or rival professional wrestlers for side-by-side muscle molding. Soothing music augments private relaxation sanctuaries where clients receive treatments.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
When republicans start whining about media bias, it's a bad indication! It mostly means they are losing and probably losing severely.
Republican vice-presidential nominee Paul Ryan told host 'Chris Wallace' on this weekend's broadcast of 'Fox News Sunday' that he and his running mate Mitt Romney predicted liberal media bias to influence their campaign from the first day.
"It goes without saying that there is definitely media bias," said Mr. Ryan. He said that he believed that most people in the news media were left of center and pro-Obama; which signifies the fact that he and his running mate, Mitt Romney, needed to take their message to the people, directly!
He further added, "Look, I'm a conservative, Chris. I'm used to media bias. We expected media bias going into this. That's why we're trying to cut through and go straight to people. That's why when in Washington you hear people complain about media bias, come out into these states with us and attend our town hall meetings."
Take a look at Paul Ryan saying that media is biased and wants Obama to win:
Mr. Ryan denied saying exactly where he saw such bias.
"I'm not going into a tit-for-tat or litigate this thing," Ryan said. "But as a conservative, I've long believed, long felt that there is inherent media bias, and I think anybody with objectivity would believe that is the case."
At the same time, he accepted that the Republican campaign has had its errors, including what he described as Mr. Romney's "inarticulate" comments about people who pay no taxes and obtain government help.
"We've had some missteps," he said, "but at the end of the day the choice is really clear."
"I'll let you decide what people want, what's in their hearts, what's in their minds. We're offering conservative reforms that are proven ideas to grow the economy. We want to reapply our nation's founding principles to fix those problems. I would argue our president is replacing our founding principles."
Check out some of the tweets, in response to his 'media bias' comment:
Ryan: Media bias! Christie: Complaining about the media is a sign of a losing campaign. politico.com/blogs/media/20… #GOP #tcot— Jack Sparks (@Jack_Sparks) September 30, 2012
Romney camp constantly switching messages and contradicting itself. Too late in the game for mistakes like this. politi.co/V2ls6p— Stuart Johnson (@stujo11) September 30, 2012
You tell me. Why is Paul Ryan still doing media bias when the Romney campaign said stop? politi.co/V2ls6p— Jay Rosen(@jayrosen_nyu) September 30, 2012
Oops! Sort of embarassing when one hand doesn't know what the other is doing. Paul Ryan blames the media, contra Romney politico.com/blogs/media/20…— Miss Anthropy (@MissAnthropy) September 30, 2012
Tired Cries of Bias Don't Help Romney nyti.ms/QQCqz9— Dan Farber (@dbfarber) October 1, 2012


text:
Cash out failures
Heart of gold ew
Heart of gold ew
carn the heart
carn the heart
So close
So close
yukky, pest grey ruined it
yukky, pest grey ruined it
champagne bob... lets go
champagne bob... lets go
WD Kris!!!!!!!!
WD Kris!!!!!!!!
2 Newbury
2 Newbury
3's form is good
3's form is good
Died lol
Died lol
bang 22222222222222222222222222222222...
bang 22222222222222222222222222222222...
last bet Newmarket.. lets go
last bet Newmarket.. lets go
1 ew
1 ew
trule scrumptios and denice the menace
trule scrumptios and denice the menace
4 Hamilton
4 Hamilton
agree gracemount!!!
agree gracemount!!!
On it to
On it to
go speith
go speith
Racing Discussions
Billwill - Saturday treble day..whoohooo Let's do this.
eagle - Townsviller3 How Can I Helpr4 Platinum Tycoonr5 Fastnet F...
eagle - Oh hang on here. We can';t have those that benefit the mo...
Charlie77 - Syd, r.9 no.3 Invincible Knight, great price, they'll pro...
Seano75 - Yeah I have been on UTF last couple of starts no point in...
Canstoptrains - You made me laugh Shizzl, 3 quick thrusts and it was all ...
StormJ - When Mrech has enough ride she will win it! Gun jockey I ...
ValueSeeker - i will add the 3 as well its slight unders on my market b...
RubbishPunter - Nah I'm with the Mexican. You're a selfish piece of trash...
ValueSeeker - I do admire her pants also.
Gogazza - Rand R8 N3...TAILLEVENT....Doomden 1200m was 5L last on s...
Macsta - Listen too@ suchy gun on the fours
Buzzdnb - Yep. Snoring time.
kyan972 - Theres not enough racing midweek for 3 sky channels (like...
Buzzdnb - OK. Interesting. Due to track conditions?
PabloSanchez - Yeah we had a few going for a while.
smallboy - buzzman..my 2rd choice.......[trains 1st choice i think]....
Macsta - Its been a good horse for him loves to get out and freeball
Bazargh - MTJ re : Lord got itchy. b|_|gger.!! Happy to take #3 Ta...
Promote Your Tips
belladin - BE$T BUY! CONSISTENT WINNERS AND PLACINGS REGULARLY!OVER ...
Quicksilver - 💥💥💥 Looking forward to Saturday and expecting my selectio...
FiveEachDay - Saturday Racing again. We all love weekend city races.Goo...
robbospicks - Grab my tips every race every country 24/7 a subscription...
BigBickies - Get on with my fantastic tips Today
sydney05 - 15 tips for Saturday...Recapping Friday 3 tips 2 winners,...
WinnieMac8 - Got 5 BB runners and 1 from a trainer who is expecting a ...
expert_tips41 - Very very very reliable can I assure we are making money ...
Other Sports
StormJ - Looks like he will miss the cut 😂
StormJ - Looks Speith up for the challenge! I wonder how much inve...
RubbishPunter - How trash are you blokes going to feel when you get beate...
garyf - With B/Calling re Swans every game like a final & you hav...
Matchbet - those are trade secrets haha
RubbishPunter - The sharks just played their typically 2017 season game.....
overlayer - Anyone have a good ratings software they are using for yo...
hardliner - qld trots harness racing driver rubbed out for 3 months, ...
uncle_rupert - should be like on the old gladiator, women do a similar c...
PabloSanchez - would spend half the game picking out wedgies
EdisonsMen - *crows at ethihad sorry
Puntz1 - There was one on U Bet yesterday in Singapore payed 12 th...
uncle_rupert - kyrgios is injured you dunce
BeCool - I'm with you although both teams are generally low scorin...
WIKILEAKS - 16/7 multi 5 legs MLB Seattle ($1.67) MLB Cleveland ($1.4...
Dragon19 - I like that. Call NSW the NSW Politicians not NSW Blues.
Wanderer62 - Alfie and Gilly versus Ronny Palmer , how big is this edg...
Forum Rules
The forum is here for the enjoyment of our users. If you post anywhere on Punters.com.au you agree to the commenting terms. We reserve the right to remove any posts it deems to be inappropriate. Anyone in breach of the terms may risk having their account suspended or permanently removed. Tough love.


text:
Select a name below or choose from any of our other offices at left. You can also view all staff alphabetically.
Direct all written communication to:
2329 India Street
San Diego CA 92101
(800) 207-9301
(800) 207-9324 Fax
Charles W. (Bill) Arnold
Director and General Manager
Keith Scally
Gene P. Hillger
Robert Spencer
Anne Spencer
Chris Spencer
Timothy Davis
Letitia Scally
Gene P. Hillger
Gene P. Hillger heads our Blue Water Hull department. He iis one of our marine hull surveyors and one of our managing claims adjusters, handling the full line of adjusting.
Gene is an attorney admitted to the California Bar in 1986 and the American Samoa bar in 1996. In addition, he is an accredited marine surveyor and member of the Society of Accredited Marine Surveyors (SAMS). Gene graduated from the United States Merchant Marine Academy, King's Point, in 1979, with a degree in Marine Transportation. He is a graduate of The American University's Washington College of Law.
Prior to entering law school, he sailed with Military Sealift Command's Pacific Division as first, second and third deck officer on ocean tugs, tankers, cargo and research vessels. After law school, Gene practiced insurance defense law in San Diego for two years handling medical malpractice and general liability cases. He then spent one year aboard support vessels in the Gulf of Mexico oil fields and working on oil platforms prior to joining our firm.
Gene holds a USCG 1600-ton Master's License and an Unlimited Tonnage Second Mate's License, and was a lieutenant in the US Naval Reserve. Gene is a certified open water diver.
Gene has been with us since 1994.


text: Happy Monday! I actually couldn't wait for today because yesterday I was not feelin' so hot. If you saw my snaps you know what I'm talking about ;) Momma can't hang anymore! Andddd if you saw my snaps...we're moving to DALLAS! I'm so excited to be close to family (literally - our house is two blocks from Kyle's parents!) and to finally be in a house. I'm definitely going to miss Chicago so much and of course all my friends but I'm ready for a new chapter. Luckily, it's a short flight ;) We aren't moving until end of November so I have a huge bucket list of things I want to do here before we leave. I will post more about it once it gets closer! Okay, on to my outfit! This dress is SO comfortable (the material is super soft) and perfect for when you don't feel like getting dressed up. I love the black but thinking about ordering the grey as well - I know I will be wearing it all the time this fall! I would definitely go up a size. xx


text:
1943. Two piece dress: top buttons in front below the notched collar. ¾ or short sleeves, the latter may be finished with cuffs. Pleated skirt is joined to a yoke. Upper edge of yoke joins to a waistband.
Links to reviews/blog posts Edit
Sources/Vendors Edit
Gallery Edit
[insert your photos of this pattern made up]
Wishlist Edit
[insert your username, and make sure your preferences allow for people to contact you via e-mail. Do not list your email address here!]


text: 2003 John Deere 717 ~ 48" Deck ~ 19 Horsepower, Kawasaki ~ 496 Hours ~ Hours will increase since post, b/c I use the machine. ~ 2 extra sets of Gator Blades included in sale Reason for Selling: I need to buy another 60" mower. I have acquired a few more larger accounts this year. The 48" is in excellent condition. If you're in the area, you are more than welcome to come by to check it out for yourself. Asking Price: $5000.00 (OBO) Thank You


text:
Citation Edit
Oates v. County of Sacramento, 78 Cal. App. 3d 745, 143 Cal. Rptr. 337 (1978) (full-text).
Factual Background Edit
Oates owned real property leased to the county superintendent of schools for administrative purposes. A portion of the space was used by the superintendent to store educational tapes and to house a print shop and computer data processing center. Some of the educational tapes and some of the computer time were rented out to private schools. Oates sued for the refund of taxes paid on building space leased to the superintendent, arguing that under the California Constitution,[1] the property was exempt from property taxation.
Trial Court Proceedings Edit
The trial court ruled against Oates on the ground that the property was not exclusively used for the purpose found in the exemption, but its use was only incidental to the public school system. The court of appeal reversed and remanded for apportionment proceedings, holding that the term "exclusively" includes incidental as well as primary uses; such incidental use, however, must be directly connected with, essential to, and in furtherance of the primary use. The court further held that the extent of the nonpublic use of the computer was de minimis because it serviced school districts in Northern California, the State Department of Education, and the Chancellor's Office of the Community Colleges and because private users paid for only 3% of the computer time.
- ↑ Cal. Const. art. XIII, § 3(d) provides, inter alia: "The following are exempt from property taxation: (d) Property . . . used exclusively for public schools."


text:
I love it! Feel free to vent anytime :)
I'll join the chorus of "Great Rant"!
Golly, just a couple of weeks ago, some Lib quote (I think it was copied over from DU) described FReepers as "Young, sad and self-loathing"...we had a lot of fun with that on the thread.
Now we are all pajama-wearing middle-aged men?
I'm more of a nightgown, terry robe and fluffy slippers girl, myself. :-)
Keep up the great work, FR!


text:
Podium for SRT in Lédenon Lédenon. "The first and main objective of this season was to finish on the podium in the French GT championship as quickly as possible", declared Patrick Selleslagh, team manager of SRT,...
Podium for SRT in Lédenon
Lédenon. "The first and main objective of this season was to finish on the podium in the French GT championship as quickly as possible", declared Patrick Selleslagh, team manager of SRT, after the race on Saturday. "We got our first podium today and after tomorrow's race we will focus on a good performance in the opening round of the FIA GT Citation Cup in Silverstone next week." Laurent Cazenave and Eric Cayrolle drove to a very good third place in the opening race of the second FFSA GT meeting of the year, right behind both Oreca Saleens. On Sunday the French drivers came home in fifth after a stunning come back by Eric Cayrolle.
The beautiful French track of Lédenon was the host for the second round of the French GT championship. As usual, the B drivers qualified for the first race and they also took the start. Laurent Cazenave drove the blue and yellow Corvette C5-R of SRT to a strong third on the grid. Cazenave: "I was right on the pace and was close to pole position during the entire qualifying session. Finally, I finished third, only three and two tenths behind the first and second on the grid, but I was not completely satisfied. I could have been even better."
Cazenave made a brilliant start and was second only metres after the green lights. Only a few laps later, he passed the leader, Narac, and took first position. Cazenave maintained the lead until the mandatory pitstops. "The fight with Narac was very good one, his Saleen was maybe somewhat better, but I was faster in overtaking the backmarkers." Half way, Eric Cayrolle took over the Corvette, but was unable to beat the Oreca machines. "They were simply too fast and I decided to secure third. Finally, I think, we were best of the rest. SRT finished ahead of Larbre, PSI and Alphand, which is, I think, a very nice performance", said the man from Pau. "My tires were better than in Nogaro, but I preferred to finish third instead of taking any risks, as a podium meant a lot to the team."
Sunday qualifying was less successful for the Belgian team. "I had no free lap and didn't find the good pace. I did not get any higher than tenth and feel really sorry for the team", admitted Eric Cayrolle after qualifying. The former ETCC driver took the start on Sunday and drove a superb stint. He took the Corvette from tenth to sixth, a stunning performance on a track where it's hard to overtake. Despite a race incident, Laurent Cazenave came home fifth.
"After all a fine result", explained Patrick Selleslagh. "Laurent was hit by a backmarker and lost fourth and possibly also a podium spot. I feel sorry for him and Eric as they both drove a very good race. But we score points again and the team feels confident before our debut in the FIA GT Citation Cup next week in Silverstone."
-credit: srt


text:
China's GDP expanded 9.1 percent year-on-year in the third quarter of the year, the slowest pace since the third quarter of 2009.
The growth rate was down from 9.5 percent in the second quarter of this year and 9.7 percent in the first quarter, the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said Tuesday.
The country's economy expanded 2.3 percent in the July-September period on a quarterly basis, NBS spokesman Sheng Laiyun said at a press conference.
According to preliminary statistics, the country's GDP reached 32.07 trillion yuan (5.01 trillion U.S. dollars) in the first nine months, up 9.4 percent year-on-year, Sheng said.
He noted the country's economic performance was "generally good" and had developed according to the macro-economic regulation in the first nine months.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties both at home and abroad, there was great chance that China's economy would maintain its stable and relatively fast growth in the coming period, boosted by a strong growth momentum, Sheng said.
He said there was an obvious trend that the country's economic development was shifting from a stimulus policy-driven growth to a self-initiated mode.
Industrial value-added output rose 13.8 percent year-on-year in September, up from the 13.5 percent annual growth in August. Fixed asset investment rose 24.9 percent year-on-year in the first nine months, compared with a 25-percent gain in the January-August period.
In September, the country's retail sales grew 17.7 percent from a year earlier after a 17-percent increase in August.
Sheng said the country's consumer price increase had been "preliminarily contained" as growth of the consumer price index (CPI), a main gauge of inflation, has been declining for two consecutive months.
The government made curbing consumer prices a top priority in this year's marco economic regulation and vowed to keep the annual growth of CPI at around 4 percent this year.
To mop up excessive liquidity that helps fuel inflation, the government implemented a prudent monetary policy this year. The central bank has raised the benchmark interest rates three times this year and hiked the reserve requirement ratio for commercial banks six times.


text:
This website requires cookies to provide all of its features. For more information on what data is contained in the cookies, please see our Privacy Policy page. To accept cookies from this site, please click the Allow button below.
We use cookie for our website to work flawlessly. By using our website, you agree to our use of cookies. Please read our Privacy Policy for details.
TRACK LISTING:Midnight Man / Don't Say Nothin' / Rock 'N' Roll Again / 6 Years On The Road / Snooze You Lose / Widow / Danny / Seven Eleven / Where Were You / All For Love.
CD release on the original 1977 Commander Cody album, with the addition of a previously unreleased bonus track.
Raucous Records is the longest establisted 1950s Rock 'n' Roll, Rockabilly and Psychobilly CD, DVD and vinyl specialist on the internet.A world of Rockabilly, Psychobilly, Surf, Swing and 1950s Rock 'n' Roll delivered to your door.
© Raucous Records 2017 All Rights Reserved


text:
- Track-road
- Track-road Track"-road`, n. A towing path. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.
track road — noun Etymology: track (IV) : towpath … Useful english dictionary
Single track road — A single track road or one lane road is a road that permits two way travel but is not wide enough to allow oncoming vehicles to pass. This kind of road is common in rural areas across the United Kingdom. To accommodate two way traffic, single… … Wikipedia
Single track road — mit Ausweichbuchten in der Nähe von Kinlochewe in Schottland Eine single track road ist eine schmale Straße, die lediglich für ein einziges Fahrzeug breit genug ist. Sie sind in Großbritannien sehr verbreitet. Single track roads haben im… … Deutsch Wikipedia
single track road — n BrE a road that is only wide enough for one car to go along it … Dictionary of contemporary English
single track road — noun (C) BrE a road that is only wide enough for one car to go along it … Longman dictionary of contemporary English
Road America — Motorsport venue Name = Road America Image caption = Road America Track Layout Location = N7390 Highway 67, Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin Time = UTC 6 (UTC 5 DST) Opened = 1955 Owner = Road America, Inc. Operator = Road America, Inc. Former names =… … Wikipedia
Road to the Riches — Infobox Album | Name = Road to the Riches Type = Album Artist = Kool G Rap DJ Polo Released = 1989 Genre = Hip hop Length = 46:40 Label = Cold Chillin /Warner Bros. Records 25820 Producer = Marley Marl Reviews = * Allmusic Rating|4|5… … Wikipedia
track — {{Roman}}I.{{/Roman}} noun 1 marks left behind by a car/a person/an animal ADJECTIVE ▪ deep ▪ fresh ▪ animal, car, tyre/tire ▪ The beach is criss crossed with animal tracks … Collocations dictionary
Road running — in a U.S. Air Force marathon People taking part in the … Wikipedia
Track cycling — is a bicycle racing sport usually held on specially built banked tracks or velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the track banking is relatively shallow) using track bicycles.Track racing is also done on grass tracks… … Wikipedia


text:
EO Chicago provides members with the tools to inspire change and growth as an entrepreneur.
EO Chicago is focused on providing our members with the tools and resources to take your business to the next level. There is no other organization in the world that's working to harness the creative power and leadership of entrepreneurs to drive progress and growth in their businesses, communities, families and personal lives.
Without EO, I quite literally would not have started Hireology. I wouldn't have met my business partners, and I'd still be scraping by, wondering what I was doing wrong. Thank you forum, thank you EO.
Adam Robinson, CEO at Hireology
EO Chicago membership dues must be paid in full by June 30th each year. Because a full array of programs and services have been planned and paid for, no refunds will be given after July 31st. EO's operating budget is based solely upon the renewals received each year.


text:
Sukkerbiten is a playful all cap display typeface in three weights. It was designed as a proprietary type for the Oslo bar and food venue with the same name, as an exam project at Westerdals in 2013. The main feature is a shifting high and low meeting point of the shapes in the letters that are asymmetrical. The idea is to alternate from one letter to the next, to create a dynamic word image. As the typeface was developed and designed in one week.
Examples of applications
Wayfinding poster:
Beer glassware:
Tote bags:
Packaging for take-away food:
Thank You!


text:
See below for our most recent images and videos, or use navigation on the left to view all images & videos in a specific category.
Live Webcams
View a live webcam of the Animas River, provided by the Durango Chamber of Commerce, as well as views of other Durango locations, provided by Durango Live Cam.
Latest Images & Videos
All Galleries Videos Shopping Dining Animas River Kids Wildlife Spring Summer Fall Winter Train Arts, Culture & Culinary Special Events Outdoor Downtown Other


text:
chic alors
fanzine est. 1997. @bobchicalors
Chatting to Ariana Grande about pop stress, being single and her brother Frankie.
A long distance phonecall with Charli XCX
So this was a frustrating interview, purely from a technical point of view. I bloody love Charli XCX, and much like her career has just crept up on everyone, so has my love of her songs. I've often noted how I get obsessed with one singular track and put it on endless repeats, and the mid-album single SuperLove has taken a serious hammering chez Bob. The album Sucker is amazing, like all the best bits of Shampoo mixed in with my favourite elements of electronic pop. So my only frustration was that our phone connection - from San Francisco to Brixton - kept dropping out. I'd just spoken to Anne Rice in New Orleans just minutes before this chat with no problem, so I'll blame her phone. Anyway here goes:
I'm gonna start with the first time I saw you play, which was in Munich at the Queerbeats festival, at the start of 2009...
In Munich? Oh yeah, wow. With Peaches?
Yeah! That was an amazing early show in terms of playing in a queer space, and one of your early "art rave" experiences. What's it like thinking back to that time and how has it informed what you do now?
It's crazy because I remember when I got that show, that was my first show out of the UK and one of my first proper shows ever, one where it wasn't just 'oh we're having a houseparty in London' or a friends house or whatever, it was like an actual show and I just remember I was so excited. 'Cos Peaches had hit me up directly about that and it was cool. I remember being so excited to play that show and that kind of excitement it feels the same now, I guess it's just I'll get excited about different things. It's weird looking back and it feels like I've been working on this for a very long time, so it's cool that it's happened. I'm happy that people are actually listening to my music now and actually seem to care.
An interview with Nicole Scherzinger
So your new single Your Love. It sounds as if there are three Nicoles singing, do you have different personas when you're doing a song?
I think I do, depending on the music, depending on what I'm singing about, the context. Sometimes when I'm doing backgrounds I'll say 'I'm gonna do her' and I have different voices in my head. But it all comes from the same place.
Who is your favourite persona to be?
Just full out, I think. The verses, I think it's just the way that I sang them, the verses are very flirtatious and fun and sexy and then the pre-chorus reminds me of Michael [Jackson, presumably]. When I did the bridge it reminded me of Whitney Housten and Michael. Then the chorus reminds me of Etta James, 'you're love makes me feel like', you know that song [she sings] Oh, oh, sometimes… I get a good feeling. I was inspired by that. And then the do's remind me of MGMT or some indie rock band.
There's one bit that sounds a bit like you're in a cupboard
Yeah. Because it's really intimate. [she whispers] It's all about being intimate and being one of one with somebody.
Candi Staton The (almost) Uncut Interview
Original disco diva Candi Staton is back with a brand new album Life Happens, which is as good as (the only) reason to get on the phone with an icon. I think I even cut bits of this, but it's a pretty good chunk of what went down. One day I'll get the hang of editing audio so I can include bits like the interviewees laugh, for now you'll just have to use your imagination...
You've done a new album! How do you keep track of how many albums you've done? I was trying to pull it together…
Oh my goodness, I think I've done about almost 30.
That's amazing
It is, it's amazing! And I'm still doing it.
The Saturdays only London date for their Greatest Hits Live Tour
I spent quite a long time studying the backing dancers (not just the beardy one Jonny), particularly their outfits. I'm not saying they're especially cheap but one of them was a Puma vest with tasseling sewn on, and rather than sequins they used that foil-y circles fabric that fancy dress hire costumes are made of. It went see-through when the dancers opened their legs and were backlit. ANYWAY, two things - 1.) Aaron Renfree, don't think I didn't see you. 2.) Next time I go to Vogue Fabrics, I'm wearing a jacket with the armpits cut out. Overall the staging was satisfactory, but distinctly lacking in the wow factor that you need from a stadium show. It doesn't necessarily have to be big and flashy, it can just be clever. When they played All Fired Up, they had some fire... But they ended on some confetti canons, which I've said before and will say forever more, you simply cannot go wrong with.
Stuck On Repeat: Jessie Ware's Keep On Lying
Every now and then, a song comes along and I can't stop playing it. The past few weeks - more than I care to mention - I have been hammering the new Jessie Ware album track Keep On Lying. It's not obviously a banging hit, it's not even a tear inducing ballad, it's just a gentle, lulling, calypso-kinda-bossanova-kinda-keyboard-demo sounding pop song. It's simple and I can't explain why I keep listening to it in such a grotesquely obsessive way.
I'll be honest, I didn't get Jessie Ware before. I didn't really listen to her first album, and snootily dismissed her as hipster fodder. When certain people start swooning at new artists I instinctively, snobbishly have a knee-jerk reaction and decide that I can't possibly like them THAT much. I didn't give her a chance. I gave her new album a review spin - that is I put it on in the background while I picked up the dirty laundry off my bedroom floor, put a wash on, made some coffee and popped outside to collect the post. But I stopped what I was doing when this track was on and sat watching the uninformative interface of Play MPE.
Fellow journalists will shudder at the mention of this notoriously tricky music streaming service, personally I don't think it's that bad - even though I've had to keep skipping to the end of the album to listen to Keep On Lying. I would be ashamed to know the statistics of how many listens I've had. I always check out listening figures when I get sent a private link to a new album on Soundcloud, just to see if there are any obvious spikes in listening habits. Usually they just dwindle towards the end of an album as people/music journalists clearly lose interest and have already made their minds up about a record. I'm certainly guilty of doing that. Time is short. Rihanna has a new single coming out. Slow songs don't get the time of day.
Which makes my obsession with this ONE SONG even more baffling. I wish I could share it with you now, but it will creep online soon enough. The album is pretty good too, once (if) I get sick of this song, I'm sure that'll get my full attention too. I've listened to Champagne Kisses quite a lot too (similarly brilliant, if in a higher register and lacking the melancholy), just by the Play MPE default of not being able to have a track on repeat. Don't be put off by the black and white serious singer songwriter posing. Jessie Ware is a - what, treasure? dreamy? - I don't know. A friend of mine jokes that he can tell I'm on autopilot when I've written a review and used the word 'addictive'. But I'd say I'm hooked.
Ella Henderson: Scots, Squats and Sofas
Here's some unpublished excerpts from my phone interview with Ella Henderson, a true X Factor survivor. People say the whole 'one to watch' thing with reckless abandon, but Ella will be denting the charts for years to come, as herself or as a songwriter. And we share a surname! Which is always a good opener. Well, it's the only time I've opened with it, but still.
One for the Debbie Downers
The Drums - I Can't Pretend
I saw The Boy Who Climbed Out Of His Face last night, which has given me lots to think about the nature of what constitutes a piece of theatre (I had a long heated debate with a friend in a corridor of Green Park tube) but for now I'm putting this on repeat. I've never given The Drums much attention to be honest, but this song has grabbed it. And having heard their new album, there are atleast two more songs that are this good and full on teen-hormonal mopey. By which I mean brilliant.
The Pierces Creation album launch
I saw these two last night, it was all very lovely as is my write up over here. (I didn't see Greg James, but he's crept into the blog anyway.)
Bright Light Bright Light: a Skype chat with Rod Thomas
This is an interview I did for GT, which appeared in their July 2014 issue. It's always funny chatting to Rod, because I sort of know him through mutual friends in a see-him-about-say-hi kind of way. Infact he suffered one of my karaoke Ke$ha performances the other night in the Joiners Arms and left pretty much straight after I'd performed. I'm sure he was just tired… anyway the day of our Skype chat, I'd been banging on about the last track on his new album, Happiness from Life Is Easy. And that's where we kick off.
Basement Jaxx launch Junto the old fashioned way
Ah, an album launch party. There was a time in my life when I was going to really massive lavish parties several times a week, living off canapes and having a barely ironic obsession with Zoe Griffin. Halcyon nights those, and with the launch of Basement Jaxx's new album Junto, I got to relive them a little. Running late I missed the live sets (I can only assume the microphones were for that purpose, although there was a numerologist - maybe they had bingo too) but the party was a classic big old booze up, with a free bar, balloons personalised with the album logo, a big statue of said logo [pictured] and a venue that has consciously been kitted out to the theme with video projections and solar lights that look dangerously like ashtrays. The band were there having a ball, and possibly every singer who has ever worked on a Basement Jaxx record was there. It was fantastic eavesdropping, grabbing snatches of conversations about record deals, who was and wasn't at the party, what DJ was doing what soul funk reggae residency and have you been to that new pop-up gourmet hot-dog restaurant? Divine! And for the record, Junto is a great album but you can read some of my thoughts on that here.
PopJustice Deluxe Edition ft Ace Wilder, Indiana and Amelia Lily
I'm not a fan of The Basement venue, but PopJustice and co are still churning out amazing ('Amazing') line ups for these Deluxe Edition nights and I've got a feeling that my loyalty card will get stamped up before too long. I caught the last two songs of Rashelle, who teamed with the theme of her hot as hell guitarist in matching baseball caps. She's a working definition of hot mess, but in those few minutes I managed to regret not braving the humungous getting in queue. I was waiting outside for friends and managed to miss M.O, but I did see them last time at PJDE so don't feel so bad. Which meant Ace Wilder, of (busy busy) Busy Doing Nothing (at all) Eurovision fame was next. Obviously the hit was the last thing they played to rapturous audience applause, but their short and sweet set including Do It and a dubious but fun track that went along this lines of "bitches like Friday" couldn't be ruined by the obtrusive camera man hell bent on capturing all of her well practised moves.
Then came on Amelia Lily. Oh my. It was an amazing performance, as one friend cruelly noted "a bit like watching one S Club 7 perform", with the added grim audience participation of sing alongs and hands in the air. Opening with Shut Up And Give Me Whatever You Got (technical issues) she professionally battled through the sound issues which were rectified in time for a baffling karaoke rendition of We Found Love. What I really loved about Amelia Lily's performance was her steely grim determination to keep things going and to entertain the crowd. She started riffing between songs "I've been awake 17 hours!" and in regards to her glittery gold hairdo, "Do you like my hair? It's dead hard". My favourite bit of the whole show was that bit in her new single California where the music cuts out and she brays "you're full of shit". It's these moments of class that I love, and with that glitter she could be the UK's answer to Ke$ha one day. One day.
I'll be a bit honest, as reviewers aren't want to do about these things, and concede that I was getting a bit drunk by the time Indiana came on. And she was not there to get the party started, delivering sophisticated multi-instrumental electro pop, singing with a husky affectation that wavered between Lana Del Rey and Sinead O'Connor. After all the high-octane electro pop of the evening, it came as a bit of a wet slap, though I imagine I'm going to fall in love with Indiana in the sobering light of day.
The Last Month (or so) in One Blog.
I went on a day trip to Margate to enter a sandcastle competition. Didn't win, but did formulate plans to take it as seriously as everyone else next year.
I went to see My Night With Reg, which was "Funny, powerful and bleak" - Gay Times ****.
I did my first ever podcast, interviewing Jetta and standing in for Dylan on the Dylan & Jack podcast.
Talking of Jack, we went to Latitude as part of the Johnny Woo TRANSformer entourage. I had a ball, my phone died of wet, my body was ravished by midges and it was the first music festival I went to without making a timetable. Like a fantastically glamourous camping holiday, with a side of Lily Allen.
I went to London Fields Lido for the first time. S'alright, bit small, bit nippy. Could do with some nicer places to sit around and chat.
DJ'd quite a bit at my pop-up global pop night VOYAGE VOYAGE, at Koko and Dalston Superstore. Who knows where that will land next.
Went to Summer Rites Out On The Dock event, which was a surreal afternoon that felt like Vauxhall had been moved to a shopping centre, saved by some of London's best trash cabaret.
I saw Jane Badler. I saw Bianca Del Rio. I saw Neon Jungle. I saw Charles Aznavour. I saw Lindsey Stirling. I saw Kiesza. I saw Mumbai Science DJ in the mixmag offices on a friday afternoon and drank quite a lot.
I saw hot fresh n young Italian electro trio M+A play at the Bedroom Bar in Shoreditch.
I spoke to Neil from Clean Bandit on the phone, just before they flew out to shoot their Come Over video. That's in the new issue of GT.
I meant to go and see We Were Evergreen at Soho House, but ended up getting a last minute writing gig. We did however all go for breakfast the week before, and they were as lovely as their debut album.
I had a funny phone chat with a disco diva (adding to my Christian Disco list of Donna Summer and Gloria Gaynor), I'll add the html link in here when that goes live.
I finished all the AM Homes, and have found a suitable replacement in Barbara Kingsolver. Loved the long slow read of The Lacuna, and getting stuck into Flight Behaviour which has started as well as any Homes.
I went to a lot of dinner parties, and held a few. It's the new going out.
I got sucked into watching The 100, which no amount of bad acting and corny one liners can stop me being compelled to watch.
I met Nicole Scherzinger in a hotel room. For an interview.
I did go out a bit. Sink The Pink's Summer Ball was kinda fun, though there was a lot of staggering around on the Troxy carpet.
I deleted my Facebook - not in a self-righteous shunning of social media (my twitter and instagram will get all the surplus attention) - but just because it because a source of anxiety, I was getting angry at myself for wasting time on there and with the other two I can take them or leave them. Besides, you can't ACTUALLY delete your Facebook.
Post-hype post-mortem of Sia and her 1,000 Forms of Fear
I wrote a lot about Sia in the last month or so, and none of it really got published, so excuse the self indulgence while I mop up on my own blog.
*puts on 'magazine' voice*
The ultimate, real diva, is the one who refuses all the trappings of celebrity and fame. Sia was on the cover of Billboard magazine in a paper bag way before Shia Labeouf tried to make it a thing. And her back to the audience performances and wig motifs are brilliant, splitting into the two following categories:
She's single* handedly reviving the art of interpretive dance. Forget your weak Wuthering Heights impressions, shit got real.
The way she's taken Dance Moms star Maddie Ziegler the star of her 25 million and counting youtube video for Chandelier, the way she got Lena Dunham to wave a bit of toilet roll around, the Jimmy Kimmel LIVE face-painted thing. I liked the song and indeed original video when I first heard it, but with every new incarnation comes a new way to love it.
She's single** handedly reviving the blonde bob wig. Like we (*cough*, I) need an excuse. Forget the fact that you don't need to add Furler to those three letters in her name - you can spot her by the outline of A WIG. There's a thesis there on reproduction, imitation, Warhol, Cindy Sherman and intepollation.
Sia has the most sought after toplines in pop - if you haven't had a Sia penned song on your album, you're simply not on the pop radar. Beyonce, Rihanna, Britney, Katy - all desperately checking their emails (or not, Perry) for the Sia bat signal. She co-wrote Sexercise too, but you can't win them all.
With all the emphasis on her penwomanship, you can easily forget what a beguiling voice she has. It's at it's huskiest on album track Hostage, her poppiest throwback to her We Are Born sensibility and growly to the point of indistinguishable.
Her new album is full of debbie downer moments as you'd expect from the opening taster tracks Eye Of The Needle, but there's plenty of covert pop moments tucked inbetween her lushly orchestrated melancholia. The seemingly endless end track Dressed in Black has some glorious Xylophone bits, and there's a whole break of them in Fair Game.
Burn The Pages is a perfect example of how she does bleak, twisting a verse (that sounds like a chorus) into a minor key and back again that defies all traditional routes. It's sad and beautifully innovative in a way that would need a PHD in composition to explain. I only have Grade 5 Music Theory, but there's something about an unexpected tiny minor twist that grabs my insides - there's a really great, almost unnoticeable 10 second one on the Clean Bandit album too on Telephone Banking.
I should probably slam down this namedrop here - I've met Sia twice. Once was for a few minutes a coffee shop in New York, where she was playing chess with her girlfriend of the time JD Samson. Without being patronising, it was SO CUTE (so patronising). Then I went on to interview her for DIVA magazine for the release of We Are Born. It was kind of sad actually, as she basically told me that doing press and interviews and all the attention was driving her crazy and she was on so much medication and that she never wanted to do an interview ever again. I've never wanted to hug someone more during an interview than then. She was lovely, anyway.
*it's a very collaborative process, obviously.
** Jessie J and more recently Sinead O'Connor have played their parts in the Smiffy's wig revival.
Dominika's Top Polish Pop Songs
If you followed the BBC Three show Hair, you will not have missed Polish hairdresser Dominika, or her incredible weekly hair creations. I've already put my love online in her Gay Times interview, which I'm sure you've read. Anyway, I DJ at the global pop night Voyage Voyage, and though I have the odd track in Polish, my knowledge of their music is scant. Of course I ask my favourite Pole, and Dominika blows me away with a selection of YouTube videos and some little translations. "I tried to translate what they are about but it sounds so random! I don't think Polish translates well..." Here's her pick of the Polish Pop.
"My Slowianie!" Poland's Eurovision contestant. There is also an English version which Dominika thinks is shit.
Kayah - Supermenka
"If I was a man I'd be superman! I know it all about women!"
Kasia Klich - Lepszy model
"You broke down again ! I'll swap you for new model!"
Reni Jusis - Zakrecona
"crazy /party girl!"
Brathanki polish folk
"love me! any time ?! in bus! in cinema! in jumper!"
Czarno Czarni - Nogi!
"I want to watch your legs. keep wearing mini !"
Piersi - Caluj mnie
"kiss me! its such a beautiful game"
DENA getting Flashy at Birthdays in Dalston
You - or rather the press in general - can't describe DENA without a string of qualifying geographic specifics. I'm the same, even conversationally, calling her the Bulgarian-born, Berlin-based minimal electro rapper. What this description misses out is the massive 90s influence, that came into full effect last night at her live show in London, The United Kingdom.
The idea of 90s nostalgia usually has me running for the hills and in many ways DENA is a one woman Little Mix made for a Shoreditch palate. But it's all the good bits of girl rap like TLC, and it's co-opted with a loving ear. Listening to Boyfriend on record, it's almost a parody, but when you see her dancing in the vocal break it totally makes sense. I can't pinpoint exactly what it is, but her voice is much more expressive in the flesh, even when the expression is a kind of bored version of 'don't fuck with me'. She has one of these day-release personalities, the true bedroom creative who rarely sees daylight, finally let loose in public. She's not trying to be cool or win anyone over - and yet achieves both by simply loving what she does, and radiating that love with a childish grin.
I got exactly the same feeling of seeing Robyn play live, in that both artists really understand the difference between a karaoke PA - which many solo singers fall into - and the logistics of putting on a live show and making the songs stage ready. The Sweden-based songstress does this by having two drummers; DENA does it with a jazzy moustached synth player and a beat perfect drummer armed with samples. They don't just accompany a backing track, they create it.
Of course she's known for THE HIT, Cash, Diamond Rings, Swimming Pools, which she saves for the grand finale, complete with false ending and virtuoso synth soloing. It was preceded by the brilliant reworking of Skee Lo's I Wish, which took on a much darker grandiosity. I'm making grandiosity a thing. The whole show was simply packed with feel-good pop which is an anomaly in the otherwise trend-obsessed worlds of electro, rap and 90s nostalgia.
Stalking Dana International
Every now and then I get to do an interview that is so fist-gnawingly exciting, it's surprising I still have any hands left. The prospect of interviewing Dana International was one such interview, and the fact that I happened to be going to Tel Aviv for a holiday made the prospect of meeting her even more tangible (should my hands remain). Sadly, it turns out that she was in Sweden when I was in town. The phone interview we arrange is put back, then she's in the studio, then her assistant answers and tells me to call her manager. When I finally get through to her, she's lovely and gets very excited when I mention that I have an Israeli boyfriend. I ask her if she's in Sweden and she says "a little bit" before suggesting we meet the following day instead for coffee, as I'm staying literally five minutes from her house. Next day, as instructed I call 15 minutes before to be directed to the exact cafe for our interview. Nothing. A call to her manager and it turns out her phone "isn't working". Riiiiight. Everything up to this point has told me she is, by song, by nature, a bit of a diva. And so it continues. My hands remain very much intact, and in the end I just throw down an ultimatum for a phoner or nothing. It does, eventually, happen. Though I would've loved to hang out with her and her dogs.
It's a funny phone interview, because everything comes across as very literal. I love the way she speaks in broken English, but half the time she didn't hear my question and just plowed on with what she wanted to say. As one of the twelve people in the UK who went out and bought her last 2007 Hebrew-language album HaKol Ze LeTova, I'm pretty excited about the prospect of a new album, which we obviously talk about.
Dana: I'm doing things my way. Have you seen Loca?
I'm going to do things more of a this atmosphere and less you know average Israeli song for the radio to like me, and just to express myself in a very intimate way.
Is that a good sample of what's on the new album?
I think it's very exciting and I think it's going to come out around May, June.
It's a shame it won't really get heard in the UK, we don't really play anything that isn't sung in English.
The British market is very unique, you have your own sound as far as dance music is concerned. The Israeli crowd is more about US kinds of music, New York house, electro and less modern music. Less Tinie Tempah you know?
Less who?
TINIE TEMPAH. Less things like that, less breakbeats, more house music, it's very hard to come into the UK music because you have so many of your own talents trying to get some of the light. Foreigners are last in the line, I think - unless you have a lot of money and connections.
Anyway, my whole interview was about Dana's status as a Gay/Eurovision Icon rather than her musical career, which you can read about in GT432.
Christina Perri: And her 75-year-old alter ego, Judith
Christina Perri is Big In The States (like, insanely big - 415 million combined YouTube hits and counting) after one of her songs got used on So You Think You Can Dance. It was Twilight soundtracks and big emo ballads a go-go ever since. Her second album Head or Heart is out in a few weeks, and I met her what feels like a lifetime ago up in Atlantic Records Towers. She is, as her song states, only human and a very humane, friendly, chatty one at that. You can read my actual journalism in the next issue of GT, but here's some fan-pleasing unpublished chit chat about her tats, my lack of tats and her alter-ego, who happens to be a 75-year-old woman called Judith.
I was gonna talk about your tattoos today, I know everyone does. But you've covered them up today…
Yeah today they're kind of covered. You can almost see through the lace. I have about 70.
Oof. Thats a lot. What have the best fan copycat or tribute tattoos been?
I think the best ones are my lyrics, because that just always makes me happy. When I see people get my signature or my face, I get really freaked out. Because Ii'm like 'you poor thing, please don't do that'. Then again, I have Johnny Cash's signature on my arm, so I do understand having a favourite but for me the ones that really really make me happy are the lyrics, 'cos that's my little piece of art that I did share with the world and I'm always honoured when i see anything like that. Then there's girls that definitely have the same tattoo in the exact same place, which again is a form of flattery so that's real sweet. There's a couple of actual portraits of me and I'm like 'awwww' not my favourite but then again, whatever, I still think it's cool but I just feel sorry for them.
Portrait tattoos are always amazing because they never quite look right.
Portraits are tricky. But seriously, all power to them, obviously I don't think it's awful. All power to them, everyone has their own free will. But yeah. I like the lyrics ones the best.
Do you have any of your lyrics on you?
Not of my own lyrics. I have Shakespeare, I have John Paul George and Ringo just their names, I have a couple of sayings like 'Nothing is random', 'Bitten' is my Twilight tattoo that's in the font of the books. This one Jason Mraz drew of me and him and he put it in my car and wrote 'me & you'. I'm trying to think - I have 'head' and 'heart' in Italian on my hands.
What are you going to do when you run out of space?
I don't think I'll run out of space. I've got a lot of skin. Here's the thing, this cheeseburger that I got the other day, that's small and so if I continue to get little tiny ones.... I can't get massive ones because then I'll ruin years worth of little ones. I'm sort of planning it out. Kinda.
Can I say you're addicted then?
100% addicted yeah. There's a line I crossed years ago. There's an invisible line that's like 'hey, I can cover them!' and I have two, now I have 70.
I find myself doodling on my skin but have never gone through with it.
Zero tattoos? I love people with none. Because I feel like you either have none of lots. People inbetween freak me out, like people with one…
Commit people, come on!
Please! I don't enjoy people with one tattoo, and then I make fun of them. There's no way. You're going to get another one. Like Michael Buble I just saw him, he's got 'Noah', his baby on his wrist. And I was like 'cool, next time I see you, you'll have two'. and he was like, 'oh I do have...' and I was like there you go. Everyone has got an idea. So people with no tattoos, I love that. Because that says something, it's really good, I'm really spontaneous and don't think before I do a lot of them, that's why I don't even have a list of ones I'm waiting to get, if i'm thinking about it I just go and do it.
I always wanted to get one to remind me of a time in my life and to actually regret it. You are with a tattoo for life and your feelings will change.
Yeah, there's a lot that I wouldn't get twice.
I almost got a cartoon panda, now I'm glad I went for the non-tattooed option.
Awww, oh my gosh. Well, one day. You know what, my dad got his first tattoo when he was 65. So you've got time. You could get your first one when you're an old man. Never too late to start.
Since nothing is random, what's the name of your penguin?
The one I carry around with? It doesn't have a name! I called it Ceeps Penguin. It's just Ceeps, c-e-e-p-s 'cos that's what everyone calls me, it's my nickname. My band came up with it and now everyone calls me that. So it's ceeps penguin pillow. I just call it penguin. I think the truth is, if I named it and I lost it, I would feel awful. This is my fourth one because I lose it on tour or I forget it at a hotel, one time I left it on the airplane, I was devastated. but if I lost it and it had a name, I would really really be sad.
It's kind of amazing that there are three in the world out there.
I know, somebody has got my penguin pillows that's for sure, they don't know how loved and beloved they were. But now I learned that I can't name them.
Did ceeps come out of nowhere?
Well I always sign my emails CP my initials, and I think at one point my drummer called me Ceeperoni, Ceepizzle and all these silly names, but Ceeps ended up sticking really well.
Is it useful to have that as an alter ego?
Well, I have other alter egos…. there's this really old lady version of me we call Judith. Because I'm really dorky and sometimes I answer the phone like [adopts high pitched voice] 'helloooooo' and that's Judith. I also really love the vocal chords and reading science books about that. Actual medical books I like reading for fun, that's Judith. When everyone goes out to drink on tour and I'm like 'please be careful', that's Judith. So I wish I had a cooler alterego. I feel a bit lame now that my alter ego is 75 years old.
That's amazing, you should do all your interviews as Judith.
Ahah! Easily. But Ceeps is a really good representation of me on tour, I'm very silly. So no, I don't have a different one, I should come up with one.
Christina Perri dot com.
Angela Lansbury brings Madame Arcati back from the dead
As you can see from the billing and advertising, this is Angela Lansbury Presents... and clearly why everyone, myself included, bought tickets. The steep seating meant I could watch people's phones, and the gays infront of me were looking at Terry Richardson's photo of her. I'm not judging, it's the only copy of The Gentlewoman that I own and was tracked down for the same strange purpose of staring at Angela in those glasses.
Everyone duly claps when she first arrives on stage, but I was thrown by the microphones - it took me a while to work out that was what was happening. I wouldn't expect Angela to be able to project up to my seat, especially with a loud younger cast. But sat in the gods (there is no advantage buying cheap tickets early on, this is the second time in a row where I've ended up being sat as far as physically possible from the stage) you can't really see anyone's lips move or any subtle facial expression. The result was that to begin with, I was trying to work out if she was miming. MIMING! ON STAGE! But no, just the mic. Which you eventually get used to.
As it turns out, the already perfectly cast Lansbury played it to the hilt. Unless you have a microscopic knowledge of the text, there was no way of telling where the scatty fictional Coward creation began and where the encroaching senility, fluffed lines, off-script ad-libbing ended. But it was marvelous to watch, even some batshit crazy line picking up a dropped hanky could've been straight from the pen of Noel, or off the cuff of Angela. Who knows, and who cares.
It was kitsch, cute and a everything you want from seeing Jessica Fletcher turn into an eccentric elderly Brit.
Twenty One Pilots @ Heaven
Weirdly for a London gig, it was busy as I sauntered in to catch the last "thankyougoodnight!" of the first support band. The second, Prides (according to a flyer) were pleasant enough, something between early MGMT, Foster The People and a vague 80s soft rock vibe.
Much like Icona Pop at Electrowerkz last year, I felt exceedingly old. Between bands, a bunch of kids pose for a photo, all wearing white balaclavas. If they have some Pussy Riot style agenda, it only seems to be fighting for the right to post anonymous selfies, or promote their love and belonging to the Twenty One Pilots fan gang. They've managed to foster a tribal gathering, one that I don't get and probably aren't meant to.
They take to the stage in afrenzy of fan love, and the lights go mental. This above photo is the view from the back (I really need to start bringing a camera with me) a stunning, blinding visual work. They pull out all the stops, doing some crowd surfing drumming and zipping across the stage from side to side, launching themselves off the piano, glowing drum sticks, the works. It's everything you deserve to get for going out and seeing live music, it's alive.
Musically, they were fun. More fun than an elementary youtube viewing session before hand had lead me to believe. Part rap, part piano pop - A Great Big World sprang to mind at points, albeit a much, much cooler incarnation. I can't qualify this, but there is something deeply American about their brand of pop, that goes beyond them singing in their American accents. I'll get back to you on that one if I ever figure out what I mean by it.
Dear Diary: NME Awards 2014
This blog is kind of a diary (note to self: locate and delete Live Journal account) so I'm just going to make some notes for my own amusement really, rather than having any kind of intelligent input on this. It was car-crashy and incredible, a world that I'm somehow part of and excluded from at the same time. I've never been to the NME Awards and at 6pm last night I got an invite. Of course I went.
I was hanging around waiting to get in when Haim arrived to sign pictures, get papped and do their red carpet interviews. It's insane how pushy the autograph collectors are, aggressively shouting their names yet clearly ruthlessly and unpassionate about who they're getting to sign stuff - the girls sign their own images on a stuffed folder full of glossy pictures of all the stars arriving tonight. The real fans, if they're lucky, get a crappy obscured phone pic from the back.
The celebrities and nominees all get tables downstairs with the Very Important People, while readers, comp winners, ticket buyers (?) and sponors are in the upper circle. Things - eventually - got off to a great start with METRONOBABES. This was the first (and best) live act, and then Jarvis Cocker comes on to present an award. If the whole night was like this, it was going to be amazing.
Oof, it sounded much better on the night. And that was the highlight of the evening. I started compiling a Buzzfeed-style TOP TEN CRINGIEST MOMENTS in my head, but obviously I've forgotten them all. Some edited highlights:
* Fat White Family - what the hell was that, an introduction, an acceptance speech, the english language?
* Belle & Sebastian getting people onstage to "boogie". In a way, you've got to respect some shameless mum-n-dad-dancing, but it was painful to watch.
* Host Huw Stephens, bravely and gallantly filling time by going into the celeb filled tables and trying to conduct mini interviews. First woman he encounters, "so who's table are you sat at?" "Dunno" "So you just blagged it?" "...".
* Damon Albarn completely glossing over the existence of Melody Maker.
* PAUL MCCARTNEY. Get a grip people. The picture I've taken above is of everyone simultaneously standing up and taking pictures.
Pretty sure there were a few other points where I was murmuring no no no no... I can't even begin to expand on my growing hatred of Alex Turner, so will try being nice about someone else. Blondie headlined. Lily Allen was funny, and was by far the best at capturing the whole eyerolling self indulgence of the whole thing.
As I left, Jerry Hall (like an elegant giraffe) lollopped into a taxi. One solitary papparrazzi captured her departure into the night.
Brody Dalle @ Hoxton Bar 'And Grill' (or is it Kitchen, who knows)
We're going to put our hands up and admit that before turning up to the show, we were not one of the many hardcore Distillers fans, loved them as we did. We barely followed Brody into the Spinnerette era. And as it turned out we didn't even recognise the four or five Distillers songs that she played last night. But that, surely, doesn't matter as she's gone solo and it's her - on her own terms - that we came to see.
Brody Dalle plays the kind of terse punk rock that has grown men who should know better scream "Oh, Em, Gee" before tearing through the crowd, liberally waving beer over Hoxtonites and doing some polite middle-class moshing down the front. It's unlikely Brody noticed, as she barely acknowledged the crowd other than to ask the repeated and bizarre request for yellow socks. "where's my yellow socks?" was the first thing she said to us. Third song, second address to the crowd was a repeat of the statement. Had we fortuitously been wearing yellow songs, in the spirit of punk rock, we would've been compelled to rip them from our sweaty feet and throw them at her.
Her latest single Meet The Foetus / Oh The Joy was dropped after a handful of songs, and was far more straightforward that the recorded version which you can only hear on noisey at the moment. No Shirely Manson or Emily Kokal from Warpaint, but just their combined ghost hovering in the vocal effects. Which leads us on to Brody's unique vocal charms - though you can point to Courtney Love, it had the raw rasp of ripping denim. Didn't make out a single lyric throughout the whole show, except something about masturbation. And yellow socks.
She was wearing a neon orange top, that we initial thought it said WI (an amazing thought) then another letter appeared and it was PWL. Again, wrong, but more proof that we were not in Kansas anymore. Glowing in the UV lights, her skin occasionally turning an Avatar blue, she had an amazing presence - snarling and screeching away behind her horror film hair, which served to frame her, unlike her bassist who simply hid behind his long locks. Without the singing, the songs were rock solid punk tunes, that stand up against any number of punk greats from The Ramones to (honestly) Elastica, as Dalle has honed her craft in the band line ups she once fronted. It's tight, if abrupt like the brutal final chordgoodnightDJmusicexitstageleft.
This blog review was written for @gaytimesmag and can be found here.
We Built This City on (Soft) Rock and Roll
Every now and then an advert comes along, and before you reach the end of it, you're wondering what the hell it is and who the hell made it. The little girl peddling around a cul-de-sac singing Starship's We Built This City is one such ad and the twitter response by everyone and their kitten proves it. In fact the only bad thing about the ad is it's hashtag, #SingItKitty.
You only have to see the advert once and you'll be humming it in your subconscious for as long as 3/three decide to keep airing the ad. And I'm totally all for it, and *does Kathy Griffin voice* HERE'S WHY.
It goes further than simply thinking 'oh, kittens are cute, let's capitalise on that' which is the one trick pony Cushelle are trying to pull with a koala bear, albeit with the added twist of a computer game premise, or indeed what three/3 themselves did with the pug in a christmas hat poster campaign. Where #singitkitty works, is in marrying the cute with the cheesy anthemic song. It's both nostalgic and thoroughly modern. The other day, when someone realised you could watch youtube videos on a tv via their mobile phone, we sat and watched cat videos. Then pop videos by Ke$ha and Die Antwoord. Then an episode of Kathy Griffin's chat show. We are terrible human beings with horrendously low attention spans - and it's striking that this advert feels luxuriously long. It's a a few verses and choruses, not even the whole song.
The super clever bit is marrying all these cynical, traceable, viral, market research groups say type things - pink! - into a cheesy Guilty Pleasures anthem. It reminds me of the kind of rock my dad listened to when I was growing up, and I'm not exactly the young trendy target market here (my phone? a cheap imitation high powered android from Argos so I can check email, twitter, etc, but use my £10 pay-as-you-go sim card which covers all my calls texts and data).
I had to google the song to find out it was by Starship, but I knew the song. It in turn reminds me of another song that I was simultaneously drawn to and repulsed by: "Take me down to the paradise city where the grass is green and the girls are pretty, take. me. home." Even without a feminist vocabulary, or a full grasp of my sexual leanings, I knew there was something off about these lyrics. But they've attached themselves to my psyche, like it or not, like a hymn that I was forced to sing at school, popping into my consciousness at the most inopportune of moments. And if we're taking that detour, the worst offender in this category is, surreally and unreligious, "Autumn leaves when the grass jeweled and the silk inside a chestnut shell".
It's the ultimate cheesy feelgood but slightly clever advert. It doesn't make me want to change phone contract - or offer any insight into what services three/3 are offering - but whoever came up with the concept and everyone who made it a reality deserves the same warm fuzzy feeling inside. You might call it silly, which they point out everyone needs.
Mariam The Believer @ Electrowerkz
What will win you over with Mariam is not so much the songs, but the voice. It's one of those unique ones that hit on several others without mimicking anyone. For the first half of the gig I couldn't relax as my brain was struggling to make those links, that who-does-she-sound-like neat little comparison to make. I couldn't make a satisfactory one, but I could let go of my thoughts once I'd come up with "Shakira doing an Antony Hegarty impression". Something about her timbre for the former, and delivery in the latter (though nothing as shaky).
There's a po-faced seriousness that threatens to make you want to run away wailing yourself, but you only have to scratch the surface to see that it's a very thin facade. During the most intense moment of ululation, the crowd was utterly silent. Apart from the radio mic of the security guard who interupted, as did the smoke machine one song later, and Mariam's reaction was to simply laugh and let the laugh bleed into her vocals - rather than succumb to anything so British as embarrassment.
Not all the songs were immediate, but there was one that I could've listen to for hours more; an all-too-short interlude, introduction or half song that had lyrical content along the lines of "nothing and nobody stays the same". It was just Mariam and one of the many synth/organs playing a dark, funeral march. She does melancholy very well.
Final aside and to counter the stunning gig photography witnessed above, I was pretty jealous of Mariam's gold and silver combo outfit, glittery and ornate. Kind of like a one colour version of the decorative tissue boxes I've been eyeing up in poundshops in Dalston.
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
2008 Mercedes-Benz S550 Questions
Get answers to questions about your 2008 Mercedes-Benz S550 at RepairPal. Find solutions, diagnose problems and get back on the road.Refine by vehicle
I'm a owner of a 2008 Mercedes Benz S550 and I'm feeling a vibration in periods of two seconds then it disappears for one second and then back again at all times and it's felt through the chassi and in the seats. The dealership told me I had bad transmission and engine mounts so I changed them but problem still exist, I googled for people with the same issue and people talk about bad flex discs so I changed them too but problem still exist, I checked if the rims are bent and they're not. I've tried to locate the problem by put in neutral in highway speeds and the vibration is still there. Have anyone any clue what it could be? I have new tires too and the problem still was the same thing with old tires. I've made a road force balance with the new tires. It all happened one day when I drove into a pothole on the freeway. Does anyone know what can be wrong?
Also when i play my CD'S it will play for abot 15 second then dtop
Basically the side mirror on the right hit the garage wall and twisted back ward and although damage was minimal, however since then, I does not stay in one position and I have to set it every time I start the engine.
need some assistance.
The front an back suspension of the driver side lift a little bit and than fall again , that make the car not level , I try many time to level it but not working . What could be the problem ??? is it related to pressure hose ???
Meany tks for helping
Both used & new CD's stop within two minutes.
Drivers & passage side underneath the bumper
Approximately how much will this cost? It is not the actual mirror but the turn signal.
Do I need a special tool to change the brake pads on this vehicle