How times change...

There was a time in the quite distant past (oh, how depressing that is) when I became obsessed with football. And with that obsession came the peer pressure: Liverpool or Manchester United??!

Well, my first experience of footballclubreplicakitmania was actually not the real McCoy, as they say. My mum very skilfully copied the Derby County ram and stitched it on to a pair of plain white shorts. And I wore those shorts with pride. This was the first time I had had football gear specifically for me. Before this, I'd had the usual hand-me-downs from my big brother: England '82, Villa '81 (already a hand-me-down for James), then another unofficial Napoli effort from the Maradona era, Liverpool '84, and then Liverpool '85-ish away.

And then, I gave in, and the pestering of my parents began. My first full football kit came as a proud 9 year old boy with my full Liverpool kit in red. I was on the bandwagon and it was Liverpool-bound. The next season saw me running around on that red Liverpool kit with the white flecks on that looked like I'd been flicked with paint - the one they wore when they last won the title. I also celebrated England's World Cup success with a full away kit (again, red - must have been my favourite colour or something).

Then something inside me changed. Even now, 20 years on, I find it hard to explain or justify. One April lunchtime I was sitting in my parent's loung watching the FA Cup Semi-final between Arsenal and Tottenham. James was rooting for Arsenal, and something that I can only put down to healthy brotherly competition stirred me to support the Spurs. Gazza's free-kick started off a glorious Tottenham victory and a new glory-seeking affiliation was born. Spurs won the cup sporting a fancy new kit, and weeks later, I was wearing that very same kit (less the beer sponsorship) on the school field in a summer football course run by the legendary Frank Clarke. But to us kids he was just 'Frank'.

A few years later, I was one of the many excited Tottenham fans awaiting the new season with Klinsmann, Dumitrescu, Anderton et al. I was suitably adorned with the Tottenham shirt of the time (with the funny double collar thing... you know the one), playing football with my mates, celebrating goals with Klinsmann dives through the mud. I even went as far as to buy Germany shorts on a school trip to Germany!!

And then, the replica kits dried up. Mostly because I was considered 'too old' by my parents to have a football kit bought for me, and then lack of funds meant I couldn't by my own. But for my 21st Birthday, my brother kindly helped me fill the void with the all-white Italy kit of the 2000 European Championships (complete with shirt number 21, and name Ercoli - a Sopranos in-joke for those wondering). Then, if I remember correctly, it wasn't until the 2002 World Cup that I bought my next piece of replica merchandise. It was England again.

Then, in the summer of 2004 (I think, I may be wrong) I purchased my first and, to date, only Shrewsbury shirt. A special day indeed. Being different, of course, it was the away shirt, but classy all the same.

A couple of years later, I picked up a Glasgow Rangers away shirt in a JJB sale for a tenner, much to my now ex-wife's chagrin.

And my most recent purchase came in the form of last years Rangers 3rd kit shorts, and home socks (basically both black). I'm always on the look out for a bargain - my next purchase may well be from Austrian football (yes, they do play it, and yes, they're not particularly good at it).

But last weekend, for the first time, I took my eldest son and got him a football kit. His head has been turned by the financial masters in the blue half of Manchester, but, just like his dad, he went for the away kit. A chip off the old block.

And I'm still waiting to buy him his first Shrewsbury shirt, but you know all about that...

Notice to 'Dave' fans

Evening all, because for me, it is the evening.

Just a quick note to say I've taken the Dave stories off the blog.

That's because they will soon be appearing in print. Not an e-book, not on Kindle, or shitePad. In print. On real paper. You will be able to turn the pages and everything. Won't that be nice?

Before you get carried away in congratulating me on a publishing deal to rival JK Rowling, calm down, I'll be going down the self-publication route.

If you want a copy, please leave a comment here, or on the inevitable Facebook post, or by tweeting in my general direction.

I can't give a publication date as yet, as I've got to pull my finger out and write another four or five stories, but I would hope to have something ready for Christmas.

I'm quite excited by the way.

Don't worry, I will be bringing some other writing projects to the blog over the next few months.

JM.

The End of the Long And Winding Albums You Should Own Beatles Special

It's been a while since the last blog post, but hopefully you've got everything you need up to now. You've been basking in the White Album, marvelling at Sgt Pepper and been confounded by Magical Mystery Tour.
Now settle down and prepare to be amazed by the Beatles final albums recorded and released despite the internal mayhem and bitching going on.

Yellow Submarine
The third Beatles movie, released purely to fulfill a contract and with next to no input from the band themself. The accompanying soundtrack album was also thin on new Beatles music, with just four tracks getting a first airing. Alongside 'Yellow Submarine' (obviously) and 'All You Need Is Love', we are treated to 'Hey Bulldog', 'All Together Now' and two George Harrison originals 'It's Only A Northern Song', a tongue in cheek observation on the Publishing Company responsible for Lennon and McCartney original compositions, and 'It's All Too Much'. The rest of the album is taken up by orchestral incidental music taken from the film, written by George Martin.

Abbey Road

Whilst technically not recorded until after the debacle that was the Let It Be sessions, for chronology's sake, as it was the next one to be released, it's the turn of Abbey Road. The quality and recording of the tracks allows this album to easily hold it's own in the 'Greatest Beatles Album' argument. From the opening intro of 'Come Together', which is followed by one of the greatest love songs ever written, 'Something' to the oppressiveness of 'I Want You (She's So Heavy)' the tracks ooze genius (not counting the childish 'Maxwell's Silver Hammer'). Even 'Octopus' Garden' has a charm about it, Ringo's second successful writing effort. Then, the medley that makes up the second half of the album winds and rises and falls through all sorts of moods ending in, well 'The End'. A perfect way to bring their recording career as a band to a close. But it doesn't. After the gentle piano ends, you get a couple of seconds of silence, then 'Her Majesty' comes from nowhere to finish it all off. And reminds you of one thing: Never try and second guess The Beatles!!

 

Let It Be

But it wasn't the end of it all, not as far as the fans were concerned. In May 1970, after months of wrangling, arguing, remixing and so on, John Lennon called in his new best mate, Phil Spector, to give the recordings an overhaul. From the original intention to be an 'as live' album, warts and all, it became more of the same. Schmaltzy choral sounds, double-tracking of sounds were added to the bare bones in some attempt to make the music marketable. And yet, the tracks are still heavyweight entries into the Beatles canon: 'Let It Be' and 'The Long And Winding Road' are two McCartney gems, John's 'Across The Universe' is a lovely song (and well used to sing my youngest son to sleep), George gives us 'I Me Mine' and 'For You Blue'. And the album closes with the return to basics, good old rock and roll stomper that is 'Get Back'. Proof indeed that the Beatles were, above everything else, incredibly talented musicians. As a band, they must be considered as a one off.

Past Masters Volume II
And so we arrive at the final album in the original Beatles catalogue. The second singles/curios compilation. The track listing is virtually a greatest hits in itself: 'Day Tripper', 'We Can Work It Out', 'Paperback Writer', 'Rain'... 'Lady Madonna', erm, 'The Inner Light', a real Indian flavoured effort from George. Then back on track with 'Hey Jude', 'Revolution', 'Get Back' and 'Don't Let Me Down'. Personally, the most underrated single, 'The Ballad of John And Yoko', is one of the stand out tracks - recorded by John and Paul only (the others were on holidays or just unavailable at such short notice) it tells the story of John and Yoko's wedding and honeymoon adventure. The last song on the album is the suitably ridiculous 'You Know My Name (Look Up The Number)'. Ridiculous, but still sublime in it's own way.

That's it then. All the reasons you could possibly want to own the entire back catalogue of The Beatles. And if you want the story behind it all, get yourself the Beatles Anthology DVD series and the accompanying 3 double CD album set. Once you've done that, all other music is redundant...

Well, no it isn't, but it definitely puts it all into perspective.

A Rant

I just want to take a moment to complain about my local football club. Shrewsbury Town. Some may not have a clue who I mean, some will. In particular, I want to complain about the whole commercial operation and the way they have lost touch with reality.

I decided that this year, I would buy my eldest son the new home shirt for his birthday, maybe even get a name and number printed on it too. The kit was launched on 31st July at the club's open day, and I have no idea how many were on sale because before too long, the smaller sizes had sold out. Another shipment was due on the 20th August it was announced. So, today, just two days later, I rang the club to see if I could place an order to be picked up and paid for in person. No chance. I was informed by a simpleton on the other end that they still didn't have any of the smaller sizes in stock, and wouldn't until Saturday (if at all, he wasn't sure!). "Could I ring on Friday, they might know a bit more then?" Like a wally, I said yes. I should have said "No. Here's my number. YOU ring ME when they come in!"

This is merely the tip of the iceberg. The junior shirt is going to set me back £30. Yes, that's right, £30. Just for the shirt. Printing will cost more on top. I'm all for supporting my local club and encouraging my son to support his local team instead of chasing glory with the likes of Liverpool, Manchester United and City or Arsenal, but the bottom line is, I can walk into a branch of JJB Sports and get a whole kit - shirt, shorts and socks for £30. It's just crazy. Which brings me on to my next gripe. You can only buy the Shrewsbury kits from the club shop. Nowhere else. You would think that a small club would want to cast their net as wide as possible. In days gone by, you could go into Salopian Sports or Sports & Games in the town and get yourself a shirt. Not any more. I tell you, they've got Premier League ideas being implemented by Sunday League cretins.

Then we come to the match-day arrangements for fans. It's a 10,000 seater stadium on the outskirts of the town. They get average attendances of about 5,000 for a home game. But only parking for about 200 cars, and no arrangements for any parking elsewhere. You can pay a fiver to park in a pub car park just down the road, and that's about it. There used to be a park and ride facility from a number of places around the town, but apparently these weren't cost effective, so they were axed.

And if you want to go to a game, you have to make sure you know you want to go well in advance. Gone are the days when you could decide on a Saturday morning, or a Tuesday lunchtime to go to a game, give your mate a call and wander down to the Gay Meadow and pay on the gate. These days you have to buy a ticket. And before you do that, you have to register. Something my brother knows all to well!

But the worst thing of all is, I still keep supporting them and giving them my money because after all, they're in my blood.

Come. On. You. Blues.
Graham Turner's Barmy Army.

Back in the Beatles Album You Should Own Special

A week is a long time. When we were here last, I'd finished telling you to buy all Beatles albums up to and including Revolver. Hopefully you've done that and have been spending your hard earned money and been rewarded with a positively perfect piece of musical history gold.

Now, I'm here to help you complete the next step in your Beatles back catalogue bonanza. By the end of 1966, things were changing: they had quietly given up touring, been on various holidays and John had even appeared in a film, 'How I Won The War'. Even more momentously, they'd all had a bit of a haircut and grown moustaches. They were now in the process of recording what would become the ground-breaking album we all know as 'Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band'. And as if by sheer coincidence...

Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
This album probably took the world by surprise more than any Beatles record had done. Gone were the breezy two minute pop songs, replaced by a cacophony of new sounds and ideas. From the opening sound of an orchestra tuning up leading into the drums and guitar intro of the the title track, you know this is something different and special. After the title track, you've got the sing-along 'With A Little Help From My Friends' which is perfect for Ringo to sing (being as that was why it was written), followed by the controversial 'Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds'. Is it about LSD? Or is it merely based on a picture drawn by a young Julian Lennon of his friend Lucy? The BBC felt it was the former, and banned it. 'Getting Better' and 'Fixing A Hole' continue the album, leading us on to 'She's Leaving Home' - Paul McCartney's story of a girl sneaking out whilst her parents are still asleep to run away with a "man from the motor trade".

Then you get John's 'Being For The Benefit of Mr Kite', a smorgasbord of sound and noise, achieving the aim of actually sounding like the circus that John intended. More studio trickery and genius from producer George Martin, who was still guiding The Beatles through their musical adventures - helping them make the sounds they wanted. George Harrison's only offering on the album 'Within You Without You' takes his Indian mysticism to the next level. This is followed by two chirpy efforts from Paul - 'When I'm Sixty-Four' and 'Lovely Rita'. As the album draws to a close, with 'Good Morning Good Morning' and the reprise of Sgt Pepper, we are then treated to the best song on the album. 'A Day In The Life' is a musical masterpiece that not only broke all boundaries, but picked them up, gave them a good slap round the face, then climbed into a juggernaut and ran them over again and again. And just when you think it's all over, you get what could possibly be the world's first 'hidden track'.

Magical Mystery Tour
Released to coincide with the TV film of the same name, this was originally a double EP, but with the transfer to CD, the singles from around the time were added to make up a full album. Whilst the film was critically panned at the time, and left the public even more baffled than they were, the soundtrack album was still music to their ears. Stand out tracks for me are 'The Fool On The Hill', 'Blue Jay Way' (which incidentally is the name of my as-yet unproduced sitcom script) and, of course, 'I Am The Walrus'. Add into the mix, singles 'Hello Goodbye', the forever brilliant 'All You Need Is Love' and the double A-side single that signalled the beginning of the era (but failed to reach the coveted Number 1 in the charts), 'Strawberry Fields Forever' and 'Penny Lane'. It was always going to be difficult to follow 'Sgt Pepper' but this is a pretty damn good nontheless.

The Beatles (The White Album)
There are thousands of words in the English language, yet I struggle to find any good enough to describe this double album. The scale of it is mind-bending. Of the 30 tracks on offer, they all give something different. From 'Back In The USSR' to 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' via 'Blackbird' and the country rock of 'Don't Pass Me By', Ringo's first proper writing credit, after years of cleverly re-writing existing songs, much to the amusement of all! Then, when you change the record, you get battered over the head with songs like 'Birthday', 'Yer Blues', 'Helter Skelter', then soothed by 'Mother Nature's Son' and 'Good Night'. But only after the avant garde sound collage that is 'Revolution 9' - a Yoko Ono inspired John Lennon attempt at capturing the sound of revolution in action. Apparently.

It would be unfair of me to go on from this point until you've had chance to take it all in. I suggest you pop out to buy the albums featured in this blog, come back, find a darkened room somewhere and just listen. Then appreciate that this is music written and performed by people who weren't even 30 years old at the time and had been through so much in such a short space of time.

When you're done with these, I'll finish the job off. And you had better be prepared for that!!!