Monday Mix-tape - 07.01.2013

Well, here were are in 2013! Did you all have a good New Year? For those of us who have been back to work, haven't those three days felt like a whole year already?!

Well, this first weekend of the year has gone, and for the British readers of a certain age, the highlight was most definitely the weekend of retro, or 'Old Skool' children's programming on the Citv channel. The programmes that we grew up with and had our view of the world formed by. Rainbow, Count Duckula, Super Gran, The Sooty Show and many more nuggets of televisual wonderment! For those who have no bleedin' idea, just Youtube it, ok?!

And so, in honour of that slice of retro, this first Monday Mix-tape of 2013 is my own slice of retro - the music I was listening to in my formative years...

1) Living In A Box - Living In A Box
The sheer brilliance of the lyric made it stick in my mind!

2) Me, Myself And I - De La Soul
Heavily influenced by my brother's record collection here!

3) Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice
Look, I felt comfortable with it at the time!

4) Mama Said Knock You Out - LL Cool J
Another brotherly influence, but what a track!

5) Ghostbusters - Ray Parker Jr
Courtesy of the NOW compilation albums rather than the film itself!

6) What Do You Want To Make Those Eyes At Me For? - Shakin' Stevens
It just got into my head, and it's still there if you look closely!

7) Heaven Is A Place On Earth - Belinda Carlisle
It probably stood out on Top of The Pops!

8) Man In The Mirror - Michael Jackson
It was my Jacko phase post Moonwalker!

9) Funky Cold Medina - Tone Loc
Another NOW compilation nugget - always made me laugh!

10) Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns N Roses
My brother's introduction to 'real music', aged 8!

There you have it. Arguably the soundtrack to my first decade on this planet. There are probably loads more I could pick out if I felt like it, but these ten are certainly a pretty good snapshot!

So, what songs have stood out from your childhood?!

Until next week...

Playoff Predictions

Welcome all to January 2013! While most of you are nursing hangovers, or struggling to keep your New Years resolutions already, a certain section of people are looking forward to the next month with one thing in mind: The Superbowl.

That's right, it's NFL Playoff time. Last year, you may recall I had a go at predicting the road to the Superbowl, and got it wrong more often than not! Well, not to be humbled by this, I'm going to have another go this year too. So prepare to be amazed as I get things badly wrong once more!

Wild Card Weekend
The opening weekend of the Playoffs consists of the two division winners with the worst records and the two non-division winners with the best record in each conference (that's AFC and NFC). The two divisional champions are seeded 3rd and 4th, and the other two teams 5th and 6th. In order to reward the better finishers, the 3rd seed plays 6th seed, and 4th against 5th.

In the AFC, there is a rematch of last years Wild Card round as the Cincinnati Bengals have been pitted against the Houston Texans again. Houston started well this season, but have started to fade over the final weeks, while the Bengals have gone on a run to overhaul and eliminate my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers from the Playoffs. It's a tough call, but I am going for a Houston victory.
Also, in the AFC, we have the Indianapolis Colts up against the Baltimore Ravens. Having been 1-15 last season, the Colts have made an improvement of unexpected proportions to return to the Playoffs on the back of the form of rookie Quarterback Andrew Luck. The Ravens meanwhile, have continued to be classed as a big hitter in spite of the inconsistency of their Offense. For me, I think the big game experience will prove telling, and the Ravens will sneak through.

Over in the NFC, we have a divisional battle between the division winning Green Bay Packers, and the runners-up Minnesota Vikings. Despite the Vikings winning a close game in the final week of the regular season, I think that Green Bay will take home advantage and use it to generate a victory.
Finally, the Washington Redskins will host the Seattle Seahawks. Two teams with impressive first year Quarterbacks, Robert Griffin III for the 'Skins, and Russell Wilson at the Seahawks, both have shown they can pull off a big game performance. But for me, I think the overall quality of the Seahawks will see them through to the next round.


Divisional Round
This is where the two divisional winners with the best records come in. The Number 1 seed is the team with the best record from the regular season, and they have what is called 'Home-field Advantage' - they are guaranteed to be at home for as long as they are in the Playoffs (except at the neutral Superbowl, of course). The Number 1 seed will play the lowest seeded team left in the Playoff competition.

In the AFC, it was the Denver Broncos who secured the top seed courtesy of a huge winning 11-game winning streak. With Peyton Manning back to the form that made him a Pro-Bowl regular, Denver are looking particularly dangerous, and so, by my reckoning will be up against the Baltimore Ravens. Sadly for Baltimore fans, the adventure will end here as Denver will be too strong for them.
This leaves the New England Patriots to battle the Houston Texans. With the Texans fast becoming a potential Superbowl team, and the Patriots still justifying the 'dynasty' tag, this is a tough one to call. However, I'm going to stick my neck out and tip the Patriots for a narrow victory.

The NFC is equally tough to call. The top seeded Atlanta Falcons have gained a reputation as Playoff chokers, and so playing the Seattle Seahawks might not be the best match-up for them. It could be close, but Seattle will be the winners for me.
To complete the Divisional round, a mighty battle between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers. These two have history! The 49ers have put their faith in back-up QB Colin Kaepernick at the expense of Alex Smith, and it's hard to argue that they haven't been rewarded. In a game that could go either way, it's going to be the 49ers for me. Sorry Cheese-heads!

OKAY, WITH ONE GAME STILL TO PLAY IN THIS ROUND, BOTH MY SUPERBOWL PICKS HAVE LOST!!


Championship Game
This is the last game before the Superbowl. This decides who will represent each conference in the greatest game of all.

The AFC will be between the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots. Yet another battle between Tom Brady and Peyton Manning should be awe-inspiring, and if I'm honest, both deserve to appear in the Superbowl. Unfortunately, only one can. And for me, I think Manning will be leading his second different team to a Superbowl. Broncos to shade it, possibly in Overtime.
As for the NFC, a third meeting this season for the 49ers and Seahawks. With one win each on home territory (Seattle with a more spectacular win), this is one for the Seahawks to win I feel.

This gives us a Superbowl match-up of Denver Broncos against Seattle Seahawks. Possibly.
I think that Peyton Manning will haul his Broncos over the line for glory. Potentially.

Now, watch me be proved wildly wrong!!! And if you want to leave your predictions below, you are most welcome.

Monday Mix-tape - 31.12.2012

And so, here we are. The final Monday Mix-tape of 2012. It's been quite a year in general, what with that sporting event in London, a non-existent Apocalypse, crazy American gun nutters, continuing unrest in the Arab nations and other stuff.

To go alongside all that, I have tried to guide you all through a musical minefield of what you should be listening to using themes ranging from TV theme songs to stuff I listened to on holiday in Austria. Hopefully you've taken some of it on board and your music collection is suitably enriched.

For this last edition of 2012, I'm going to look forward to 2013. I am featuring two artists who will hopefully be releasing a full album of material into the world, one who I've been enjoying for a while, and one I discovered as recently as the 22nd December this year. I shall leave it to you to work out which is which...

1) Jesus Won't Dance In My High Heels - Four Dead In Ohio
It's got a guitar riff to die for!

2) Utah - Four Dead In Ohio
A real slow burner!

3) Debbie's Whiskey Bar - Four Dead In Ohio
From their most recent EP release!

4) UFO - Four Dead In Ohio
No aliens, promise!

5) Peasants Prayer - Four Dead In Ohio
No mention of food or running water, or anything like that!

6) Emma - The Hummingbirds
Best use of a whistling for a long time!

7) Back In Liverpool - The Hummingbirds
Why would you want to leave?!

8) Break Your Heart - The Hummingbirds
Title track from latest EP!

9) Bankrupt Blues - The Hummingbirds
Bills need to be paid!

10) You - The Hummingbirds
Just go and buy the EPs!


Two different bands, two different sounds, but two bands well worth a listen folks!

Happy New Year from Specs, Rugs And Sausage Rolls!!!

Monday Mix-tape - 24.12.2012

So, well, bloody hell. It's really Christmas. After all that anticipation and hassle over what to ask Santa Claus to bring you (wink, wink), in two sleeps time, he'll have been and left you a pile of gifts under your tree, drunk your brandy and eaten your mince pie. And left you with the difficult question to answer: "How did Santa come down the chimney when we've got a Gas fire, Mummy/Daddy?"

So, while you try and come up with ways to get out of that one, here's my Mix-tape list of ten festive tracks that simply have to be played at this time of year...

1) Merry Xmas Everybody - Slade
It's Chriiiiiiiiistmaaaaaaass!

2) I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day - Wizzard
Highly impractical!!

3) Christmas Time (Don't Let The Bells End) - The Darkness
The best festive tune of recent times!

4) Wonderful Christmastime - Paul McCartney
A cheery old singalong - as all festive tunes ought to be!

5) Happy Christmas (War Is Over) - John & Yoko
Combining a message of peace with Christmas!

6) Power Of Love - Frankie Goes To Hollywood
Not particularly a Christmas song!

7) Lonely This Christmas - Mud
More Seventies Christmas schmalz!

8) Must Be Santa - Bob Dylan
An unlikely source for a Christmas tune!

9) Little Drummer Boy - Bing Crosby & David Bowie
Ba-rum-pum-pum-pum!

10) Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley
The King does Christmas!

A Short Message From Specs, Rugs And Sausage Rolls

So, on the day the world DIDN'T end, and a second American nutter with a gun took innocent lives exactly one week after the Newtown events, I would just like to say:

Americans, you are being let down by a minority of knobheads.

The National Rifle Association seem to me to be nothing more than a bunch of people too stupid to understand one simple fact of life - GUNS KILL. They have no other purpose than to end the life of whatever they are pointed at, be it bears, birds, or sadly, humans.

Do you really need to own a gun?! Really? I understand that there is a need to defend yourself, but hey, here's a thought for Barack and his buddies. If you stop people having a constitutional right to own a gun, then surely fewer people will have one. And to solve the problem of all those existing gun-owners, just hold a gun amnesty where for every five guns handed in, you get a free Big Mac Meal or something, you know, just to encourage them.

There were statistics banded about showing the number of gun-related deaths, and naturally, the US were miles ahead of places like the UK, Australia and France. I'd imagine things would look a little different if Mexico and Colombia were included, but that's not the point here!

I'm a parent of young children, and there are millions of parents of young children in the US and all over the world. And I would think we all have one thing in common: none of us ever want to be told our young ones have been murdered by a lunatic wielding a gun whilst at school. Nor do we want to have to comfort them having seen many of their friends and teachers murdered by the same lunatic.

So. Get. Rid. Of. The. Guns.

Merry Christmas to you all.