"We all try hard to live our lives in harmony"

So what's been going on in world of Flash since we last got together eh?
Not much, to be honest.
The plan has been executed & put into action, though we were a little bit late for it to work this week. Still there's always next week. I'd love to tell you all the details but I'd love it even more if I could just come out & say: Right everybody make sure you watch this, then, on that channel.
I feel it will have greater impact that way.
Trust me.

The plan consumed pretty much all of Wednesday & Friday evenings & then yesterday I spent the whole day in front of the telly round at Reckless & Dream Girl's. I was of course watching Live8. We all enjoyed it immensely.
My personal views are thus:


I missed most of U2 but I did catch "Vertigo" which was mega.

Coldplay underwhelmed me a tad & the appearance of Richard Ashcroft for a performance of "Bittersweet symphony" left me a bit cold too, despite it being, on paper at least, a fantastic idea.

I thought Elton was plop & so was his junkie mate.

I have no time for Dido in general but I did enjoy "7 seconds" with Youssou N'Dour. I've always liked that song though.

Now perhaps I'm a little biased but I thought Stereophonics were on top form. It was a fine choice of songs & they seemed to me to be the first band to get everyone rocking.
"Dakota" was sublime.

REM? You just can't knock 'em, eh? "Everybody hurts" was nothing short of spine-tingling.

Miss Dynamitee-ee gave me an opportunity to nip to the shop to stock up on fags & vodka, for which I can only thank her. Good work missy!

Keane pulled it off, didn't they? "Bedshaped" was utter class.

Travis. Now as Swiss Toni rightly mentioned in a recent comment, Fran & the boys have gone very, very bland of late. I didn't hold out much hope, even less when Mr.Healy came on dressed as a gypo & then proceeded to murder "Sing" which is one of my favourite Travis songs. Then they played "Side" which is not very good. However the lyric had the right message & they then turned it into "Staying alive"!!!! Marvelous! A crowd pleasing singalong of "Why does it always rain on me?" later & they'd snatched a memorable victory from the jaws of defeat. Fair bloody play!

Bob then did his bit which, come on, we all would do in the same position. And it's still a great song.

Annie Lennox & UB40 held no interest for us so we went into the kitchen to make tea.

Snoop Dogg is not my cup of tea at all, but I thought his set was blinding! Really enjoyed it much to my surprise.

I was a bit worried for Razorlight, being perhaps the most junior of the bands on show. Johnny Borrell clearly wasn't fazed at all because they delivered a rip-roaring performance. Absolutely fantastic & the crowd seemed to be well into it. I would not be surprised too see their profile rocket after that set.

Madonna: She's not the queen of pop for nothing, eh?
Prior to her coming on all 3 of us had active tear ducts when the beautiful young woman came onto the stage, the woman who we'd seen 20 years ago, diseased & emaciated on the film that famously was backed by The Car's "Drive". A truly moving way of illustrating that our voices can & do sometimes work.

Snow patrol were lukewarm, Gary Lightbody seemed to be dying with nerves! "Run" seemed to get them back on track though & when interviewed coming straight off the stage you just wanted to give him a big hug, bless him.

It was a travesty that The Killers only got to do one song but, crikey, did they choose the right one, or what? With just "All these things that I have done" they played a blinder.

In truth, from that point on, there wasn't much left on the bill to get us too excited. I'm just not into Pink Floyd or The Who. Sorry.

One more performance was to come that I found spellbinding. I make no apologies for it either.
Robbie Williams is a consummate performer. I felt a little wistful while watching him getting the whole park* eating out of his hand.
See in the grand scheme of things I always wanted to be like Robbie. Fuck credibility, Fuck the fawning praise of people like me heaped onto the cool, obscure little bands that make excellent music that nobody hears & Fuck being B, C or Z list.
The dreams I had of being a famous singer when I was much younger always pretty much looked like what Robbie did last night.
There I've said it.

*I know this fella was there & I can't imagine for one second him falling under the spell of Robbie.

The star of the latter half of the show had to be Peter Kay though, He had us pissing our collective pants!

I did watch the rest of it, except for the hour when Big Brother was on, & though I could appreciate what a massive thing it was for some to see Floyd,etc it just didn't move me.

The event as a whole did though & I now sincerely hope it has the desired effect on those 8 men in Edinburgh this week.

All that remains now is to look forward to tomorrow's trip to Bolton to see Coldplay with Lordy B & Swiss Toni. I'm 100% positive that I will not be underwhelmed by them this time!


Moving on to more personal things; a couple of noticable anniversaries passed on Friday, July 1st. It was 17 years to the day that I first left the bosom of my family & moved out of my home, my home town aswell. I moved to Crapsville - Doh!
It was also 3 years to the day since I left Temper Tantrum. Now there's a desicion I have never ever regretted & I'm damn sure I never will - Hurrah!

Though the likelihood is remote to say the least, if any of you ever end up sharing a home with me you better keep a close eye on me come the first day of July!