Monthly Archives: December 2005

Last week in Barnstaple, Devonshire, an eighteen-year-old homeless man named Christopher Brown was sentenced to life in prison for setting fire to two wheelie bins. The sentence was passed under new legislation which permits judges an indeterminate discretion when handing down sentences for any offence which is potentially punishable by a life sentence. Arson is one such offence. This discretion has the effect that, so long as an offence falls within a particular category, no matter how relatively minor it is, a judge can hand down a life sentence. This means that Chrisopher Brown, who harmed no-one and only cause a few pounds’ worth of damage, is now beginning a life sentence. Mr Brown’s choice of fire as his preferred means for his act of petty vandalism, has made the world of difference to the sentence – the arbitrariness of this outcome is astounding. Continue reading →

This is pretty fucked up. I was on the train back from Manchester and mistook the oil smoke for a big dark cloud on the horizon. I did think it looked like smoke but obviously assumed it could only be a cloud. Jesus… Continue reading →

Every band on this planet could do with a frontman like this one. Davey Macmanus is staggering on the line between genius and lunacy with quite some skill. Either it’s just what he does, or … dammit, I want the drugs he’s on!

No further ado, The Crimea launch straight into a sweeping White Russian Galaxy. What goes on in her pretty little head?’. Hell, what I want to know is what goes on in his pretty little head. On second thoughts, maybe I give that one a miss, actually. The Crimea seem oblivious to the fact this is ‘only’ Koko (that’s the Camden Palace to you and I) and most of the people there appear to be First Year fashion victims who’re here for Club NME. They obviously think BIG. But somehow they manage to stay just on the right side of the big fat line that divides the posers on this earth from those who somehow have a godgiven right to do the rock’n’roll thing to the bitter end. Mind you, the guy on the left acts like he’s in the wrong band and would much rather join Status Quo in a large stadium. He likes to strike a pose and his facial expressions would make any budding panto star green with envy. But, somehow, this doesn’t ruin the overall picture. Continue reading →

have you ever felt a bit druidy?