Apologies for the radio silence for the past week. That bloody thing called work just keeps getting in the way.
This week saw my final trip down to our Surbiton site to finish the consultation periods with the folks affected by the closure of that office. They were surprisingly, and thankfully quite up beat about the whole thing, as most had found other jobs already.
Due to our usual hotel being full we were forced to go all up market and stay at the Holiday Inn instead. Wow, amazing what an extra £20 a night can get you. Well, if I’m honest it gets you some mood lighting, a mini bar and a couple of free pens. Still, it was a nice place.
Due to the weather (how boring has it become to just talk about this crap weather all the time…so I won’t), I travelled by train rather than drive, and it was quite painless to be honest. With only a minor detour around the bowels of the tube station upon changing trains at Euston, the whole trip took less than four hours!
The rest of the week has been quite uneventful work wise, and I’m sick of going to work so I’m sure you are sick of hearing about it. Those who listen to me tweet (FOLLOW ME!!!) will know that I have a cold. Not that I complain about it or anything, but I could have wallpapered a room with the contents of my nose this past week, with no need for any paste!!
So I returned home late on Thursday evening, and was in bed by 9.45, with sleep taking me a milisecond before my head hit the pillow. Friday was a blur of boredom, and so to the start of the weekend.
We watched a good film last night, vacating the living room for Rebecca and her friend so they could watch some horror flicks. I dread to think what they watched!! Anyway, back to me…this is my blog…..we watched the Taking of Pelham123 with Denzel Washington (Louise tells me he is a beautiful man) and John Travolta (Louise made no comment).
It was good, although not quite as good as I thought it may be. Denzel has packed some pounds on for the role it seems. I hate to see these middle aged men letting themselves go, what are they thinking!!
Then I had a bit of a revelation. Being all high brow, I flicked over to BBC Four to see if there was some documentary on post modern art in 1950’s Poland, or similar, only to find a surreal programme from the 1980’s. It was a sort of Audience with, television special from Neil Sedaka. If asked to describe him I would say he is a slightly more butch version of Liberace…but only a bit more. To paint the picture he was wearing a pink sequined tuxedo with matching cuban heels. Well, I guess it was acceptable in the 80’s!!
Anyway, as the programme progressed I was absolutely amazed at the massive amount of classic songs he has written. I am a big fan of songwriting, quality songwriting, and I don’t mind who does it. I like all sorts of them from all over the specturm….let’s have a non comprehensive list…
1. Crowded House (Neil Finn is a Kiwi Genius)
2. McFly (Danny and Tom are massively underrated, and highly talented. I am slightly biased as Danny is a local lad, and his parents live round the corner from the mother in law)
3. Hue and Cry (Obscure 80’s reference, but just great songwriting overlaced with swoonsome vocals)
4. Jellyfish (well, long term readers will know all about them. You tube is your friend to learn more)
5. George Michael (Class and quality over many decades)
6. Gary Barlow (no explanation needed)
7. Manilow (see, no amount of lack of crediblity can daunt my admiration for a good tune smith)
There are many more of course, but I was truly blown away with the Sedaka, and my iPod will be taking some Sedaka home later I can assure you. Just to highlight a few of the gems from his pen…
Solitaire
The Hungry Years
Love will keep us together
Breaking up is hard to do
Calendar Girl
Neil….much respect!!
I am a sucker for a good hook line on a song, and have scant regard for the cool factor…yes my iPod includes the Backstreet boys, Rush, the Buble, Level 42, and McAlmont & Butler amongst others. Heck, I’ll even admit to seeing Nik Kershaw live some years ago…damn he should have been in my list too. Forget his teenybop stuff, after that he got all grown up and wrote some belters that me and three others heard.
So there we go, I seem to have made you some sort of old school compilation tape of just a few of my favourite musical things…all because of the Sedaka. He moves in mysterious ways.
Till the next time…..
Mkingdon's Blog 
~Not sick of hearing ’bout any.thing. Your writing’s always been better when it’s for your enjoyment and no pandering. And you make my case, outlining fav. singer/songwriters regardless of whether the masses agree ‘rnot. -s’personal thing. More respectful to be appreciated for quality, rather than as fad.
~Was concerned with where headed when began, ‘guess what an extra 20 quid got me in a london hotel room’ reminisce. Have not heard of, ‘lighting’, ‘mini-bar’, or ‘free pens’ as euphemisms before, so feel safe to assume you do not run in those circles.
~you are not in your favs. list of singer/songwriters. Surely enjoy both and are too modest.
~thank god things weren’t quite so bleak for job hunters. 😦
~in pink tux n heels?! -you lie! Surely never acceptable, poor Neilsie.
~abs. fun as ever. –love the piccies, need more pet ones. (am pandering).