Having covered the best Nottingham songs, music releases, books, films and songs by me here’s 25 people, places and things (in no particular order) that have made my life better this year.
1) Sodajerker On Songwriting
2) Boston Legal
3) First Tuesday Songwriting Group
4) LeftLion
5) Brown Betty’s Sloppy Joe
6) WTF with Marc Maron
7) London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony
8) Noisetrade
9) Beastie Boys live video
10) Being named one of the ‘top 100 must follow’ on Twitter
11) Redmen TV
12) Mark Nelson
13) The Hillsborough Independent Panel Report
14) Bear Makes Ninja live
15) Banksy
16) Prof John Wyatt sermon
17) Filmsack
18) Nottingham Music Breakthrough
19) Billy Bragg’s John Peel Lecture
20) Mermaids video
21) Luis Suarez’s celebration
22) Annie’s Burger Shack
23) Nusic
24) Rob’s Record Mart
25) Pistol Allen’s drum fill
1) Sodajerker On Songwriting Podcast
Combining scouse humour and songwriting, consistently getting the best out of the often unsung heroes of songwriting. Start with the Narada Michael Walden, Mike Viola and Allee Willis episodes if you’re new to the show. www.sodajerker.com
2) Boston Legal TV show
Watched all 5 seasons and didn’t regret a minute. Seasons 3 and 4 are the highpoint. Buy it Boston Legal – Season 1-5 [DVD]
3) First Tuesday Songwriting Group
In March I started a ‘bring and share’ monthly meeting for songwriters in my home and it’s made me write more and write better. And my wife cooks amazing food! If you’re a Notts songwriter why don’t you join us? First Tuesday Songwriting Group Facebook Page
4) LeftLion Newspaper
For many years a lone voice in the wilderness preaching the riches of Notts artistic diversity with passion and humour, the UK is finally starting to take note. LeftLion
5) Brown Betty’s Sloppy Joe
The jewel in the crown of this Notts family run hole in the wall deli/restaurant. Props to Mark Graham and the award winning Oli Hrubiak for clueing me in. Brown Bettys
6) WTF with Marc Maron podcast
Marc’s interview with Weird Al was my introduction to his brutal style of comedic self analysis and has had a real effect on me as I seek to be more emotionally honest in my songwriting. Very sweary as you might expect. Listen www.wtfpod.com
7) London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony
It would have been so easy to celebrate all of Britain’s achievements in an upbeat US style ‘we are the world’ way that goes against everything British culture is. So for Danny Boyle to create a mashup of art and industry that made fun of the things we are all so proud of in a self-effacing and seamless (not to mention just plain bonkers) way was the artistic triumph of the year. Buy it London 2012 Olympic Games [DVD]
8) Noisetrade website
The Derek Webbsite has introduced me to so many great artists (Josh Garrels and Fiction Family stand out) and, just as importantly, ensured I didn’t have to spend money on other artists to find out I didn’t like them. noisetrade.com
9) Beastie Boys live in Glasgow 1999
RIP MCA. At least watch the 5 minutes or so starting from 2:30 and appreciate the energy, humour and passion these guys brought to the stage.
10) CD Baby naming me one of the top 100 ‘must follow’ music resources on Twitter
Here. Mainly due to my work on Beatles Songwriting Academy. It was an honour.
11) Redmen TV internet channel
A wellspring of scouse humour and stoic positive support for Liverpool Football Club. So refreshing to hear opinion and commentary from people who understand that we’re called ‘supporters’ for a reason. Watch The Redmen TV and We Are The Redmen
12) Mark Nelson – producer of Let’s Build An Airport
Professionally recording an EP had been a dream of mine for a few years, but Mark actually made it happen, and did a great job of shepherding my rusty brain through the process. Look out of the release on Amazon/iTunes/CD Baby next year. Mark on twitter
13) The Hillsborough Independent Panel Report – Justice For The 96
Growing up in the Thatcher era & having experienced abuse by the police first hand it was an incredible day when we finally heard the present Tory Prime minister apologise for 23 years of lies and coverups over the Hillsborough disaster. As many said, we finally have truth, now for justice. People should go to jail.
14) Bear Makes Ninja live at Stealth vs Rescue Rooms 18 Aug 2012
Only went to see a friend’s band supporting and planned to leave before the headliners. So glad I stayed. Some groups can play, some put on a good show, others have great material. Few can do all three AND boast two great lead vocalists. Bear Makes Ninja
15) Banksy
The artist, or artists, know as Banksy not only produce amazing visual modern art across multiple discipline but his/her/their philosophy of art as a subversive act is one of the most well thought out example of how to make things in a post-copyright age. (And yes, I did mean post-copyright). www.banksy.co.uk
16) Prof John Wyatt at Grace Church, Nottingham 18 Mar 2012
More than any other words spoken in church this year (with the possible exception of “Hey Matt do you want to go for a curry?”) Prof Wyatt’s sunday morning sermon recounting how God helped him through a mental breakdown was a ray of light in a year where not a lot of other things made much sense. Download the message here.
17) Filmsack podcast
Having listened to almost all of the 150 episodes of the show that plumbs the depths of (mainly) 80′s (mainly) bad films, I can say it’s still going strong and as hilarious as ever. Without this show I never would have seen Bubba Ho-Tep, They Live, From Dusk Till Dawn & Stripes. (But I don’t necessarily hold that against them). www.filmsack.com
18) Nottingham Music Breakthrough
2012 was the year Nottingham finally got it’s due in the national music scene. While the coverage was perhaps unfairly skewed towards major label signings Jake Bugg, Natalie Duncan and Dog Is Dead, other like Ram1, Shide Boss, THePETEBOX and Ronika were nominated for Mobos, got millions of Youtube views, signed publishing deals, scored international TV adverts, appeared on national soaps and got the attention of top producers.
19) Billy Bragg’s John Peel Lecture
Billy spoke eloquently about his own DIY rise to fame and how the government’s educational policies are pushing the arts out of the state schools ensuring the charts will be dominated by the privileged privately educated. And he bigged up the Nottingham music scene! Download here Watch here
20) Mermaids – Flight Of The Conchords
How many times can you say the word mermaid and get a laugh?
21) Luis Suarez’s Everton celebration
The context was Everton Manager David Moyes singling Suarez as a cheat and a diver in a pre-match conference. So when Suarez scored this happened…
The fact that Everton’s captain was later booked for diving only made the moment sweeter.
22) Annie’s Burger Shack
Annie moving to the Navigation Inn two doors down from Grace Church is surely God’s way of telling me to eat more gourmet burgers. The most fun you can have in a bun. Annie’s Facebook Page
23) Nusic
Along with the mighty Left Lion no one has done more to promote Notts music that Mark Del and his merry crew. www.nusic.org.uk
24) Rob’s Record Mart
The recent attempt to spruce up Rob’s domain and repaint the whole of Nocturne Alley in preschool friendly colours has fallen on deaf eyeballs and merely resulted in some nicer looking boarded-up shops. But dig into the mountains of vinyl upon vinyl and you might still find a rare Beatles album, a cheap region 1 DVD or the bones of a missing Northern Soul DJ. Words. Pictures.
25) Pistol Allen’s drum fill on What Becomes Of The Brokenhearted
Nothing sums up victory over a lifetime of adversity and anonymity like a pensioner hitting the skins in memory of all his fallen colleagues (3:23 on this video). Buy it Standing in the Shadows of Motown
