"Hey! It's A Thingy! A Fiendish Thingy!"

I've been working like a dog to get this bloody script finished, and I think I have a hard day's night ahead of me. There's no way I could be a paperback writer, I probably wouldn't finish a book until I was sixty-four! I could use a little help from my friends, mind you, we could all come together and we can work it out...

Do you want to know a secret? I'm dying for a taste of honey, but if I don't get any, I'll cry instead. It's as though everybody's got something to hide except me and my monkey! I can't even remember the last time I got a ticket to ride a helter skelter, it would have been fun to go on one yesterday, mind you.

I'm so tired, I should go to bed. It's back to the USSR for me... Tell me why she came in through the bathroom window? Well, I'm going to go on a magical mystery tour across the universe, and tomorrow, I'll take a wander through Penny Lane to get to Kansas City and listen to some rock and roll music.

Darren out, saying she loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Take A Sad Song, And Make It Better...

Yesterday was very much a mixed bag for me. From the lows of being called "hen" and "curly" at work by two old customers, names I did not like in the slightest, I might add, to catching up with Paul, Rachael and Calum after what's been far too long. I greatly enjoyed myself last night, having missed being surrounded by Rachael's apparent Frenchness, Calum's ability to get my pop culture references and actually laugh (which I love, by the way), Paul's fantastic banter and Kirstie, well, I can't describe what it is, you just have to meet her...

So yes, a great night was had, and I must say merci AGAIN for the Beatles records, I had them on for about three hours last night, although the constant getting up to change the sides became a nuisance... Is there a record player in existence that changes sides for you? I must have one!

With Christmas only one day away, It's fair to say I'm a tad looking forward to it...

Darren out, saying na, na na, na na na na, na na na na, Hey Jude...

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Now playing: Blur - No Distance Left To Run
via FoxyTunes

Touched By The Freakbeating Phantom, I'm Holding On...

Well, what a night yesterday was! The last post was only a quick one, I didn't want to incur the wrath of Kirst by sitting typing for half an hour saying how awesome Rage are while I was at her house (watching her) wrapping Christmas presents (because I'm not very good at it)...

So yes, Rage Against The Machine are Christmas number one! What's surprised me though, is that Simon Cowell's offered the campaign founder a job! Not surprising really, as it's probably just Cowell's way of making himself appear more gracious in defeat after initally saying the campaign was "stupid," "cynical" and "very Scrooge."

Today's been a good day so far, what with waking up to see fresh snow all over the place, and staying in bed to watch Wayne's World and Rage's live DVD, yes, I've rather enjoyed today. I may also be going to see Avatar tonight, but I'm still not entirely sure what's happening on that one.

I finally had a listen to track 1 of 44 of Smashing Pumpkins' new album, and while it's no Zero, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, 1979, Cherub Rock or Untitled, it's not too bad for a band with almost none of their original members, even with Billy Corgan himself admitting splitting the Pumpkins up in 2000 was a "mistake."

So, permitting I don't get called into work, it's going to be a good day. I think I might write a bit more today, after re-doing my opening scene last night. It's all about keeping the flow!

Darren out, saying it's right outside your door, now testify!

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Now playing: The Rascals - Freakbeat Phantom
via FoxyTunes

A Musical Triumph...

Rage Against The Machine are Number One! 50,000 sales up on The X-Factor makes me quite chuffed, and I seriously hope they play the free concert they've said they'll throw, but it would suck if it was in London, but let's face it, it's going to end up there...

Darren out, saying take the power back!

"Haha! Eat My Dust, Racially Stereotypical Plumber!"

Now THAT'S taking things a step too far...

I quite like the fact that only the tabloids are interested in the X-Factor winner, because the good newspapers know that it's not news. But isn't it typical that when Rage announce they'll play a free gig in the UK if they get Number 1, that they fall behind by 11,000 downloads!!! RAGE!!!

Yeah, so I'll stop there before I get all shouty again.

I watched Iron Man again last night, and I think I'm getting right into comic books/films again after reading Civil War, Batman: Year One and the Dark Knight Returns last night. Since I couldn't sleep because it was so bloody cold, I thought reading would help, and it did!

Darren out, saying you either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.

How To Disappear Completely (And Never Be Found Again)

Paul McCartney supports Rage Against The Machine's chart battle! :O Good man, please, for the love of Science, buy a copy of Killing In The Name!!!

With all the news about this UN climate change meeting in Copenhagen, and watching an awesome video of Thom Yorke getting into the conference after all of the pressure groups had been thrown out by using a press pass, it's got me thinking about the fact that there's no black and white evidence to support any specific course of action, that it appears to me politicians are just jumping on the eco-bandwagon to get some more votes, and that governments are just generally being dicks to each other. That's what I've taken from the last couple of weeks anyway, you decide what you will.

(Search "Radiohead's Thom Yorke Magically Appears at Climate Talks" on YouTube)

I like the fact that he's actually trying to make a difference, although, to be honest, I myself don't think much is going to come from these talks at all. I'm hardly the expert here, because reading a few issues of Rolling Stone and watching Channel 4 News really doesn't qualify me to be an environmental expert, although it's a sad day when Sarah Palin is seen as the voice of reason, even when she's blatantly talking utter balls...

I'm not "green," not at all, and I know that, but I suppose taking steps here and there to cut down on emissions and all that can't hurt, can it?

Aye, so after watching the video, and going from that to watching the entire set they played at Leeds this year, I'm listening to Radiohead again, Kid A in particular. I love the experimental sound of it, with the style they later near-perfected in Hail To The Thief.

Smashing Pumpkins are also making a resurgence, with Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness being the highlight of their career. They're also releasing "Teargarden By Kaleidyscope," a 44-track album, with each song being released for free, one at a time. Fair enough, but with Billy Corgan being the only original member left, it'll never be as good as the original line-up of Corgan, James Iha, D'Arcy Wretzky and Jimmy Chamberlin.

Off to work for me, after last night's night out, I surprisingly feel fine!

Darren out, saying then someone will say what is lost can never be saved...

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Now playing: Smashing Pumpkins - Bullet With Butterfly Wings
via FoxyTunes

Blogs For The Deaf

At least one good thing that's came from the Anti-Cowell campaign is that I'm listening to Rage Against The Machine again, which is no bad thing.

In other lovely news, having listened to it straight for three hours, I can't find a fault with QOTSA's second album, Songs For The Deaf. You'll already know I love it, it's in both my favourite albums of the decade and the all-time list. It's just amazing, with a mix of tracks all brought together in a loose concept album, about driving through the Mojave Desert in California down to LA, while tuning into different radio stations on the way.

I also found an epic-looking green vinyl edition of SFTD on eBay, I wish I had more money...

Last night I saw the trailer for Iron Man 2, and it's safe to say I'm very impressed. I loved the first, and anything with Robert Downey Jr., the coolest man on the planet in it is well worth a viewing. I actually think Don Cheadle might make a better Jim Rhodes than Terrence Howard, who for some reason was the highest-paid member of the cast! And as for the small glimpse of War Machine, well, let's say you can find me in the cinema on April 30th!



I mean, come on, how cool is that poster?

I also saw the trailer for The Runaways, the Joan Jett biopic starring Kristen Stewart. Anyone expecting a Twilight-like performance will be sorely disappointed.

Darren out, saying my propeller won't spin, and I can't get it started on my own...

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Now playing: Queens Of The Stone Age - In The Fade
via FoxyTunes

A New Religion Prescribed, To Those Without The Faith…

After my Shit Factor rant yesterday, I feel like you deserve something better, more rewarding to read, and a bit less shouty. Hopefully, here it is.

I like Queens of the Stone Age. I also like lying on my bed, pen in one hand, notebook on my lap, and writing pages from my eventually forthcoming film script, Henry Sugar. Based on the utterly amazing Roald Dahl short story, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, I've chopped and changed entire characters, brought in new ones, introduced new settings and basically retained the charm of the original story, while giving it my own twist with an expanded storyline, new characters, a hell of a lot of new dialogue and the obligatory Morgan Freeman voiceover. Of course, I‘m kidding, I‘m not trying to do Shawshank Part 2... I like what I've done so far. Once I get a bit more written, I might scan a couple of pages and put them on here, but that's a long way off yet, as I've got loads of ideas to trawl through.

There's a lengthy note I typed on my iPod in August at Paul's, and I like looking back at it to see how much my vision's changed. Initially I had actually planned to totally expand the story into a six-part series, with an entire episode devoted to Imhrat Khan, the "man who sees without his eyes" mentioned in Dr. Cartwright’s journal, who gives Henry the idea to gain the power for himself.

I can find inspiration and ideas in the smallest and most unlikely of areas, even from a tree outside my house, walking through Dundee in the cold and going through to Stirling to cheer myself up on a bad day, going into Europa Music to look through piles upon piles of records and ending up writing down an entire list of songs that I reckon would suit pretty well… (500) Days of Summer showed me that the soundtrack is just as important as the film itself, and I think my choices might offer an insight into my eclectic tastes!

http://open.spotify.com/user/dhmufc/playlist/77rHJP2qK42Javp4xlv6FW

For those that don’t have it, here’s the list in full, with some added extras I couldn’t find:

Arcade Fire – Lenin / Keep the Car Running / Wake Up
The Beatles - Love You Too / Tomorrow Never Knows
(Both Beatles songs are for the Indian scenes – Revolver!)
Belle & Sebastian – The Boy with the Arab Strap
Bruce Springsteen – Atlantic City / The Ghost of Tom Joad / Lonesome Day / Waitin’ On A Sunny Day
Coldplay – Yellow
Franz Ferdinand – All My Friends (LCD Soundsystem Cover)
John Legend – Ordinary People
Queens of the Stone Age – Auto Pilot / Make It Wit Chu
Rivers Cuomo - I Was Made For You
The Smashing Pumpkins - The Everlasting Gaze
The Smiths – That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore
The Stone Roses – I Am the Resurrection
Thunderclap Newman – Something in the Air
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Heads Will Roll / Zero / Maps

Spike Jonze’s Where The Wild Things Are has a re-recorded version of Arcade Fire’s Wake Up in the soundtrack, plus Karen O, YYY’s lead singer, (and Jonze’s ex-girlfriend, by the way, for those interested) recorded the original soundtrack. I’m itching to see it already!

Also, I finally got round to watching The Making of The Resistance, the DVD accompanying the latest Muse album, which I bought in September, and true to my theory, I always appreciate an album more if I read about how it was produced, and this is definitely no exception (Haven’t discovered one yet). From being 4th in my list of favourite Muse albums, with Absolution, Black Holes & Revelations, Showbiz, The Resistance and Origin of Symmetry being that list, it’s moved up a place!

I love records, as you’ll well know, and record shops in particular are a favourite of mine. I love nothing more than finding a new one, looking at what they have, buying a cheap vinyl to start me off, and then taking it from there. My aim is to have the Holy Trinity of Beatles albums (Revolver, Sgt. Pepper and Abbey Road), Metallica’s Master of Puppets and Metallica (The Black Album), The Smiths’ The Queen is Dead, Arcade Fire’s Neon Bible, Jeff Buckley’s Grace (if it exists on vinyl) and Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland by the end of next year. I already have Sgt. Pepper, Christmas is coming up and I‘ll be working a lot over the 2-month break, so I might catch up on that list sooner rather than later. Groucho’s in Dundee and Europa Music in Stirling are the two shops I like best, but if you know of any more, let me know!

I’ve quite enjoyed writing this, so much in fact the router’s been turned off, so I can’t post it, but it’s a quick copy-and-paste job from Word in the morning, and all will be well in the world, until Tiger Woods’ supposed 37th mistress comes straight from The Jeremy Kyle Show tomorrow afternoon and into the wallets of tabloid newspapers everywhere. Christ, the latest one’s 48, and the one before was a mid-30’s porn star, I’m sure! Next it’ll be Hillary Clinton, but Bill wouldn’t be bothered much, he’s had a bit of experience in the cheating department before…

Heh, listen to me, making political jokes. Maybe that’s why not many people find me funny…

Christ, I’ve been writing this for three hours. At 01.51am and 953 words, I think it’s time to stop there. If you managed to read this entire thing in one sitting, I applaud you.

Darren out, saying you think I ain’t worth a dollar, but I feel like a millionaire!

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Now playing: Queens Of The Stone Age - Better Living Through Chemistry
via FoxyTunes

X Factor? Shit Factor, More Like...

Yes, today I'm going to rant about that blatant cash-in of a TV show headed by the Antichrist himself (who's probably going to end up knighted next year), Simon Cowell and his band of merry idiots. Louis just looks like a garden gnome with a bowtie (at least he did in the 10 minutes I saw of the final on Sunday), Dannii's probably there because the producers couldn't afford the well known Minogue, and Cheryl's more than likely there to plug her own album, which I'm sure she did at least once.

Many people who know me will already be aware of my hatred of TV talent shows, and I believe I'm justified in this. Other than Will Young or Leona Lewis, name one more winner of the X Factor or Pop Idol who's had a career beyond their first album. No? Thought not.

Michelle McManus - (Sometimes) Hosts The Hour on STV. Daytime TV - Woo!
Steve Brookstein - Playing on cruise ships and Pizza Express restaurants is not impressive.
Shayne Ward - Who?
Leon Jackson - Having your album sold for 50p in an Asda bargain bin is not a sign of success.
Alexandra Burke - Only just released an album, but I don't reckon she'll last.
Joe Whatsisname - Starting your recording career with a Miley Cyrus cover puts you straight in the High School Musical market. Go you...

So aye, I'm not a fan. I think it's just a way for people who are too lazy to go out and get their own gigs and work towards something to get themselves on TV. Fair enough, there may be exceptions, but not enough to make the competition, and the winners, credible artists. And no, I'm not just having a crusade against pop music, Orange UnsignedAct was just as bad, with shitty NME bands thinking just because they look a wee bit like The Libertines (who to be honest aren't all that good), and play to a decent level, that they should just be handed a record deal, no questions asked. Just WORK HARD, and you'll eventually get there, and it'll feel that much better, knowing that you actually deserved it.

Also, I had set myself a challenge on Sunday, which was to go as long as possible without knowing who had actually won the X Factor. I lasted 10 minutes, thanks to some random on facebook giving her congratulations to someone who she's never met and who probably wouldn't like her anyway. RAGE...

And speaking of Rage, as of this morning, it appears Rage Against The Machine are beating Joe Whosywhatsit in the charts. Good news for anyone with good taste, musical sense or an interest in the world not going to hell in a handbasket...

Darren out, saying fuck you, I won't do what you tell me!

Come Up To Meet You, Tell You I'm Sorry, You Don't Know How Lovely You Are...

I miss listening to Coldplay at 3am, sitting in a freezing cold car with Kirstie after exactly 4 months from the 24th of June (I might be getting a bit cheesy here, but tough), in a place which may or may not be Linlithgow. I can't remember. Either way, I love late night drives. It was the best drive I've been a part of (I wasn't driving) but we were out for what must have been about an hour and a half, just going wherever we wanted, and nothing was getting in the way (apart from a horrible shift the next morning starting at 12). The best drive while I was behind the wheel was one of the many drives to Culross, in the car on my own, having finished work and catching up with the gang who were there before me. Springsteen makes the world go round...

Darren out.

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Now playing: Coldplay - Yellow
via FoxyTunes

Each Day Just Goes So Fast, I Turn Around It's Passed...

It's only just dawned on me today that it's been 7 months since I finished school! While I'm not complaining in the slightest, it just seems a bit weird that time's passed so quickly since then, and so much has happened, what with starting uni, turning 18, finally going out with Kirstie (January will be awesome for me), getting a car, going to T in the Park, seeing BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN, getting myself a pretty awesome group of friends, although it did suck to all go our separate ways in September after only 2 and a half months... Christmas catch-ups are in order!

It's weird to think I'm in the position I am now, having been, and this might not make sense, but a completely different person, yet still exactly the same. What I mean is, the fact-hoarding, music, book, and film-lover and pop-culture reference machine is still there, yet I've completely came out my shell I was in at school and became totally different, and couldn't be happier for it.

This weekend in music, it's been Beatles, Springsteen and the wonderful Arcade Fire on the iPod this week, with Revolver, Nebraska and Neon Bible being the albums of choice, although AF's Wake Up is on Funeral, their debut. I've been listening to all of them straight through on multiple occasions, and obviously you'll know my clear appreciation for Nebraska after yesterday's heap of praise.

I was also introduced today at work to Melechesh, an Isreali "Mesopotamian Metal" band, who really are possibly the heaviest band I've ever heard. I'll just stick to Metallica, thank you very much...

Well, I have an exam tomorrow, so I might as well do a bit more studying, best of luck to me!

Darren out, saying I guess we'll just have to adjust...

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Now playing: Arcade Fire - Wake Up
via FoxyTunes

Well, They Blew Up The Chickenman In Philly Last Night...

Ladies and gentlemen, I have an amendment to make. On a previous Facebook comment, I listed my 10 favourite albums of all time. Today I would like to change that list.

Here is the original, for those who hadn't seen it before:

The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
Blur - 13
Daft Punk - Alive 2007
Jeff Buckley - Grace
Jimi Hendrix - Electric Ladyland
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
Pearl Jam - Ten
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf
Simon & Garfunkel - Bookends
U2 - The Joshua Tree

I'd like to hereby remove Simon & Garfunkel's Bookends from the list, as difficult a decision this is to make, and I'm going to replace it with Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. For those that haven't heard it, it's a collection of demos he recorded in his bedroom. It was later recorded with the E Street Band, but the original demos were released because they apparently sounded far better. I like the fact that it was entirely recorded by himself, in one room, with a 4-track recorder, and I can imagine it well. It's a rewarding experience listening to it straight through, and I for some unexplainable reason feel like a better person for having listened to it. Only Sgt. Pepper and Jeff Buckley's Grace have made me feel the same way after the first listen.

Therefore, it's fair to say I love listening to albums straight through...

Darren out, saying "if I hadn't had music in my life, it's quite possible I'd be dead. And I'd much rather be alive."

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Now playing: Bruce Springsteen - Highway Patrolman
via FoxyTunes

Listen All Of Y'All It's A Sabotage!

The Beastie Boys' classic song "Sabotage" has the best music video ever. Discuss.

Darren out, saying 'cause what you see, you might not get...
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Now playing: The Breeders – Cannonball
via FoxyTunes

"The King of the World" and Other Great Directors

Today's a slow news day, ladies and gentlemen. After getting up at 12, and with the time of writing being 5:17 in the pm, I've managed to fit in the Director's Cut of Terminator 2 and a 3-hour session of Call of Duty, during which time I shouted in anger approximately 12 times after I was killed in THE EXACT SAME SPOT each time. A military strategist I am not.

Having marvelled at the story and, for its time, groundbreaking special effects, a very rare mix in a big-budget film, which had the highest budget ever at the time of production ($102m for those interested), Terminator 2, as you will know, is a James Cameron film. I am currently of the belief that James Cameron is one of the finest directors of all time. You may disagree, and that's perfectly fine, but when you consider all of his films (except Piranhas II) he's never set a foot wrong, plus he's arguably done more to advance film-making technology than any other director of his generation, with Avatar being the prime and current example. Ok, I found a blip. His 3D camera system was used to make the 3D Hannah Montana film. He's still awesome though! He's also responsible through the innovations he's brought for the current trend in 3D movies, which has had mixed results for me so far, but I'm looking forward to seeing Avatar, Tron: Legacy and the Star Wars films, when they eventually get released in 3D (Lucas says it's happening!)

So yes, back to Cameron, and I'll list my opinion of all of his films I've seen:

The Terminator - Low-budget epic.

Aliens - An action horror movie at it's finest, only bettered by the original.

The Abyss - Haven't seen it, but the stories behind the production alone make me want to look into it...

Terminator 2 - Judgement Day - Improves upon the sequel in every way, up there with The Godfather Part II and The Empire Strikes Back.

True Lies - Arnold Schwarzenegger's best non-Terminator film, if only for the line "You're fired!" (If you haven't seen the film, you need to youtube that line...)

Titanic - It didn't win 11 Oscars for no reason...

His crown is under threat from a very small number of directors, Michael Mann being the top contender. Manhunter (with Brian Cox as Hannibal Lecter, or Lecktor as he is in this film, and with CSI's Gil Grissom as Will Graham) is a far better film than Brett Ratner's remake (Red Dragon), Heat (Al Pacino, AND Robert De Niro!!!) Collateral (Tom Cruise's best film, with Jamie Foxx, Ali (Will Smith's best film), and Public Enemies are also top-notch.

Bryan Singer, with The Usual Suspects, X-Men, X2 and Superman Returns, is another favourite of mine, and because he couldn't do X-Men: The Last Stand because he was filming Superman, so Brett Ratner was left to fuck up YET ANOTHER franchise, having already confirmed his place in hell by directing all 3 instalments of Rush Hour, although while giving Jackie Chan a much-needed job, he also introduced us to the impossibly high voice of Chris Tucker, and for that, he should belong in cinematic Room 101.

Cameron Crowe would also be on the list if he hadn't directed Vanilla Sky, so he joins Wes Anderson, Judd Apatow and John Lasseter on the nearly-there list.

George Lucas doesn't make the list because he didn't direct the best two films in the saga, Empire and Return, Irvin Kershner and Richard Marquand did respectively, so he's not in the list either.

So, that's my list over, although my hatred of Brett Ratner will live for a long, long time. Also, here's another franchise he'll fuck up: He's directing Beverly Hills Cop IV! Admittedly the third was kinda shit, but director John Landis and the ever-fantastic-for-no-good-reason Judge Reinhold saved it from certain doom. Ah well, if you fancy letting me you who your favourite is, feel free to comment away!

Darren out, saying if you set your goals ridiculously high and it's a failure, you will fail above everyone else's success.

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Now playing: Bob Dylan - Positively 4th Street
via FoxyTunes

Joy. Discovery. Revenge of the Sith

So I finally managed to acquire gig tickets of some form today! On Thursday, 29th April, I'll be in Perth, to see Biffy Clyro! Joining Team Biffy has it's advantages (PRESALE!!!) so I'd recommend doing it if you're planning on going to their only Scottish date of the tour. So as you may well know, I've gone from getting tickets to Isle of Wight, to Rockness, to holding out for a Metallica gig in Scotland, to getting tickets to see Biffy! I'd say it's a downward, yet pretty goddamn awesome spiral!

So obviously, I had to start re-acquainting myself with their earlier stuff, because I've not listened to anything other than Only Revolutions since it came out, and having so far listened to Blackened Sky, I'm remembering just why I love them. Another thing I love doing more than anything else is listening to all of a band's albums, and seeing just how they progress from album to album. The Beatles obviously being a prime example, having gone from the strict 3-minute pop song to the calm of Here Comes The Sun, by way of Tomorrow Never Knows, Eleanor Rigby and A Day In The Life. Fucking love The Beatles... Other good examples are Pearl Jam (a so-called "corporate cash-in" to grunge pioneers), Blur, Nirvana (low-fi garage-punk to an insight of a man whose state of mind is really in trouble) and Kasabian (from near enough Oasis clones, good as they were, to a tremendous band in their own right)

Yeah, so the Star Wars reference in the title? I capped off my 4-film Star Wars marathon (Don't have Episodes 1 and 2) and was noticing all the way through Revenge of the Sith that it was THIS ( <--> ) close, (yeah, that's pretty close) to becoming a brainless action movie. At multiple points throughout the film, I could imagine somebody saying the word "motherfucker" just before a fight, and take this for an example:

Yoda blocking Palpatine from leaving his office: "If so powerful, you are, why leave?"

Here's how it could/SHOULD have been:

"If so powerful, you are, why leave, MOTHERFUCKER?!"

Since George Lucas is always making changes to his films (HAN SHOT FIRST, by the way!) I'd like to see a 15-rated edit of the saga with all the obvious moments where swearing should have been left intact.

Just imagine Chris Tucker doing the voice of Yoda (the guy in Rush Hour that isn't Jackie Chan), and you'll hate me forever.

Darren out, saying thejediwhopoptodaywillrocktomorrow.

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Now playing: Biffy Clyro - Wave Upon Wave Upon Wave
via FoxyTunes

Double Discount, and Kashyyyk & Dagobah's Finest

As of today, I've officially got all of my Christmas shopping done and dusted, and thanks to the double discount day at work, I got myself a little something as well: The original Star Wars trilogy boxset, basically the 3 films that matter (although Attack of the Clones is quite good), with Empire being my firm favourite, because it proves sequels can be better than originals (also see The Godfather, JUST) and it has the best twist ending I've seen outside of an M. Night Shyamalan film. After watching it again, and it'll most likely be on again closer to Christmas Day, which is another thing I love about the festive season, the amount of awesome films that are on just to fill up the schedule! Personally, either Chewbacca or Yoda are my favourite characters, because of the touch of comedy Chewie brings to the proceedings, and Yoda's voice and philosophy makes him interesting to watch. Overall, I love this film, and it certainly contributed towards my possibly unhealthy interest in films in general, not just science fiction as well.

Darren out, saying "no, there is another..."

Arise, Mr Dylan!

Bob Dylan has done a very nice thing. Obviously this is old news, being that the album's been out for nearly 2 months, but for those that hadn't heard, Bob Dylan has released a Christmas album, with all of his royalties going to hunger and homelessness charities. I like that idea, because although the songwriting royalties won't be his, since all of the songs are covers, but the performing royalties will go straight to the good causes, and let's face it, it's Bob Dylan, so it's going to sell well!

As you can tell, along with The Godfather of Punk, IGGY POP, I've engrossed myself in the music of Robert Zimmerman once again. Tomorrow afternoon (not tonight, have an exam tomorrow morning I need to study for) I reckon I'll watch I'm Not There, the colossal mindfuck of a film directed by Todd Haynes, and I think it's possibly Heath Ledger's finest performance, because I didn't think very highly of Brokeback Mountain, and The Dark Knight, as awesome as it is, was overshadowed a bit by his death, so on the film alone, and controversy aside, this is his best appearance on film, in my opinion at least.

Well, must dash, really can't be bothered with this exam...

Darren says how many roads must a man walk down before you call him a man?

Exams, The Godfather of Punk and Wall Street

Firstly, I have exams tomorrow and Wednesday. Major CBA.

Now, on to happier subjects. Not grunge at all, but music-related nonetheless, Scott Weiland, Stone Temple Pilots singer and one-time member of Velvet Revolver, has released a version of Have Yourself A Merry Christmas, and I'm shocked by the fact that I love it!

I also now a have a new favourite album of mine, Iggy Pop's The Idiot. Produced and co-written by David Bowie, and Iggy's first solo album, it's fantastic, and if you've seen Trainspotting, you'll know the song "Nightclubbing," I'm sure it's in one of the many drug scenes, although given the content of the film, that really doesn't narrow it down...

Also, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, by Spiritualized, is another epic album, just to let you know.

After reading about the sequel that's in production, I decided to go back and watch Oliver Stone's Wall Street, with Charlie Sheen as the young Wall Street trader, and Michael Douglas (in an Oscar-winning performance, by the way) as the mentor figure, who's a bit of a nasty man...

Anyway, I'd better get back to studying.

Darren out, saying, life comes down to a few moments, and this is one of them.

"So Close, No Matter How Far..."

Once again, I'm no longer going to a festival, since the early bird tickets for RockNess, also featuring THE STROKES as headliners, went off sale last night and I couldn't afford them, it's safe to say I'm a bit sad :( Although, with the announcement of a second date in Belfast, I'm getting more optimistic about Metallica returning to Scotland by the minute! I watched Cunning Stunts, Metallica's 1997 live DVD, and the recording of the gig in Glasgow I went to, and it reminded me of how good a live band they are. I also found a tribute album with Metallica songs reworked to sound like Christmas songs! I finally found a Christmas album I would actually buy! It's called "And Christmas For All," which I like, nice pun! Since the DVD was on the mid-90's tour, it had a lot of their less heavy stuff (See Load and ReLoad for more) so I assume it could appeal to more people. That annoys me though, when people complain that bands "sell out" and get less heavy. They can sound however the hell they like! If, and that's a BIG if, I were ever to be in a band, release albums, etc, every album would be completely different! This week it's been Metallica, Queens of the Stone Age, Led Zeppelin, etc I've been listening to, the week before it was LCD Soundsystem, Daft Punk and The Beatles! I can't ever make my mind up, so I don't think I'd ever get anything done...

I think I may have just lost the point I was writing about...

Oh yeah, live bands. Every group I've seen, with the exception of Music Go Music (LAME!) and Florence and the Machine, I've enjoyed (to an extent, at least,) every band I've seen live.

And here they are:

Glasvegas
White Lies
Friendly Fires
Machine Head
Metallica
The Enemy
Kasabian
Oasis
James Morrison
Maximo Park
Franz Ferdinand
Kings of Leon
Calvin Harris
Paolo Nutini
James
The Specials
Razorlight
The Killers
In Case of Fire
The Gaslight Anthem
Eagles of Death Metal
Elbow
Snow Patrol
Blur
Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band
Franz Ferdinand (again)

Quite the list for someone who went to his first gig in January!

Anyway, I'm off, saying life is ours, we live it our way...

The Onslaught of Festive Cheer and the Magic of Vinyl...

So December is upon us... with a mixed opinion from myself. On one hand, I love the traditions, the constant hope that it'll snow, and what that brings, of course being epic snowball fights, sledging down massive hills, and that amazing childhood memory of building a snowman in my papa's garden and having it stay there for nearly 2 weeks. The dark side of Christmas, however, and I am far from a Scrooge-type character, but I really can't be bothered with the total commercialisation of the whole thing! By rights, I shouldn't be celebrating it at all, given my religious views, but I find that it's becoming 2 things: A time for parents to drown themselves in debt buying a GoGo Hamster or the latest 3-wheeled scooter with rally suspension, and it's also becoming a prime target for the Political Correctness Brigade. "Festive Celebration" is just daft!

And now onto cheerier topics... After listening to Sgt Pepper, Tonight: Franz Ferdinand and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours, I'm officially in a vinyl mood at the moment. The sound quality's just so much better, and I like having my favourite LPs framed on the wall. (Thank you Kirstie) Once I get a bit more money, I'm looking into buying Master of Puppets, since it's such a great album, and I'm sure I'll find it somewhere eventually, but if someone wants to give me one as a gift this "Festive Season," I'd be most grateful!

Sadly, I'm no longer getting Isle of Wight tickets, since I'm not exactly in the greatest of financial situations. Instead, I'm holding out for Metallica making an appearance in Scotland again next year!

Darren out, saying come with me if you want to live...

A Celebration of a Decade of Musical Discovery

As 2009, and The Noughties, draw to a close, I'm left considering what albums over the last 10 years deserve the accolade of being called "The Best." After buying Q's Artists of the Century issue for the interviews with Robert Plant, U2, Brandon Flowers and the green guy from Gorillaz, I was appalled to discover that Amy Winehouse's Back To Black was voted Number 1! Just because the leader of the Lib Dems and Tom Jones say it is, doesn't make it true! In order to combat this abomination, I'm going to provide my own list, and if you agree/disagree in any way, let me know! As long as you don't try to discount my opinion, I won't force mine upon you. This is the entire point of my list, that everyone has their own opinion, and I'm just letting you know what mine is.

Here we go! This list is alphabetical order, it's too difficult to choose a Number 1:

Arcade Fire - Neon Bible (2007)
Arctic Monkeys - Humbug (2009)
Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (2002)
Daft Punk - Alive 2007 (2007)
The Killers - Sam's Town (2006)
Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak (2004)
Noel Gallagher - The Dreams We Have As Children (2009, but recorded in 2007)
Queens of the Stone Age - Songs For The Deaf (2002)
The Strokes - Is This It (2001)
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures (2009)

2 of these albums are live, so I'm not sure if they'd count, so if not, I'd replace them with U2's How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb (2004) and Kasabian's West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum (2009).

My favourite compilation album is a toss-up between Morrissey's Greatest Hits or the soundtrack album to (500) Days of Summer, the best movie soundtrack by a country mile.

Well I hope you like the list, and the main thing is it gets you thinking about your own! I love nothing more than sitting and listening to an album from start to finish. Once I finish The Strokes, I think Sgt. Pepper needs another listen!

Also, with festival announcements already underway, I'm now in the middle of a battle to rustle up money to get a ticket for Isle of Wight next year. The Strokes, Jay-Z, Blondie and Pink have already been announced, and I bet you can guess who I'm most looking forward to! Wish me luck!

Darren out, saying you stay classy... Planet Earth!

Thom Yorke

Just a quick post about the Radiohead lead singer...

Isn't the guy just awesome?

Darren says don't worry, be happy.

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Now playing: Thom Yorke - The Eraser
via FoxyTunes

"And there was much rejoicing."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enSYlCEz5VI

Ah, Messrs. Chapman, Jones, Idle, Cleese, Gilliam and Palin, I salute you. Yes, I've just watched The Holy Grail for what seems like the 20th time, and it's just as funny, if not more so than when my Mum and Dad gave me the Python films boxset for my 16th birthday. Maybe it's because I'm older I understand the jokes a hell of a lot more (I remember the first time just laughing at "Ni!") and because I learned to respect what each member's done since The Meaning of Life:

Terry Gilliam: Directing the WONDERFUL Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas (It's influence extends to the top of this very page!)

John Cleese: Basil Fawlty. What else can I say?

Terry Jones: Made a number of documentaries and written a number of books (One of which he wrote entirely naked).

Michael Palin: Travel shows, books and also appeared on Home & Away. If that's not a career-defining role, I don't know what is.

Eric Idle: Wrote Spamalot, co-created The Rutles, and basically done a hell of a lot of voice acting.

Graham Chapman: Sadly no longer with us, he did appear in the video for Iron Maiden's "Can I Play With Madness" as a strict teacher. I like the irony in that.

So as you can all tell, I'm a Python fan! British comedy's often had its hits and misses, which I'll no doubt list at some point in the future, but I'll spare you that for the moment.

Think I might watch Pulp Fiction, since I found out yesterday that the co-writer's in prison for manslaughter...

Here's a new feature I'll be starting, well, now, I suppose!
Fun Fact: Did you know Life of Brian wouldn't have been made if George Harrison hadn't given £3 million to fund the film?

Aren't The Beatles fantastic?

Darren says look both ways when crossing the road...

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Now playing: Thom Yorke - The Eraser
via FoxyTunes

"I Think Before My Days Are Done, I Want To Be A Fisherman..."

If you know what song that line's from, leave me a Facebook comment and I'll be very happy :)

I have a problem with TV these days. You can't go half an hour without Jeremy Kyle shouting in your face, a TV chef complaining about having to COOK in the jungle. I'm not happy. I wish we had more US shows over here, some of the best shows in the last few years have came from America. Please, for your own sake, bear this list of shows in mind when you're looking for something new to watch:

Modern Family
The Office
30 Rock
The Big Bang Theory
South Park (Not strictly new, but the latest season is brilliant)
The Cleveland Show.

Watch these, and you'll thank me greatly.

Also, I'm listening to a hell of a lot more, well not all new, but bands I hadn't listened to very often before, so that counts, I'm sure. Primus' Frizzle Fry, Weezer's Maladroit and Thom Yorke's solo album, The Eraser, are all worth listening to.

I'm off to watch Season 5 of Seinfeld on DVD, still far and away the best TV show of all time, only because I've never seen The Wire, Battlestar Galactica or The Sopranos.

DH says Relax...

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Now playing: Weezer - (If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To
via FoxyTunes

New Moon

Yesterday, I went to see New Moon with Kirstie, honestly not expecting much at all, basically counting down the days until Avatar comes out... I left having been very pleasantly surprised at how quite good it actually was, although the slow motion walking and the general toplessness was a bit far, but then again, I'm hardly the core audience, am I? Overall, the film was pretty decently written, sticking pretty close to the book, although the introduction of Harry Clearwater's death scene (which you don't see in the book) let me hear Thom Yorke's "Hearing Damage," which is on the soundtrack CD, and I LOVED IT!! The entire soundtrack fits very well, and I think I'll be looking out for the majority of the artists on it very soon.

Anyway, I'm watching the Scientology South Park episode, I love taking the piss out of organised religion, especially one made up by a science fiction writer!

Here's the Final Thought... "How amazing are Led Zeppelin?!"

Hunter out.

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Now playing: Thom Yorke - Hearing Damage
via FoxyTunes

Supergroups

I'm going to start this off by listing my favourite supergroups:

Cream
JOURNEY!!!
Traveling Wilburys
Temple of the Dog
A Perfect Circle
Audioslave
Velvet Revolver (my taste changes often enough I'll eventually like them again)
Monsters of Folk,

and finally, the newest my list, Them Crooked Vultures. Members from bands like Nirvana & Foo Fighters (Dave Grohl), Queens of the Stone Age & Eagles of Death Metal (Josh Homme) and Led fucking Zeppelin!! (John Paul Jones) released their album on Monday. And I have to say, it's utterly epic. There's not one track of filler, but the standout songs for me have to be Gunman, Spinning in Daffodils or Elephants. Truly brilliant album.

Also, Blur had a live CD in the Sunday Times today, bought it just for the CD, then binned the paper, being the RIGHT THING TO DO... Loved listening to it though, brought me right back to T in the Park, how wonderful are Tender and The Universal?

Well, that's me for however long it'll take to find something to praise/rant about.

Bye for now, DH.

The Wonderful Surprise of Live DVD Announcements

Within 2 weeks, I happen to find out, out of the blue, that 2 of my favourite all time bands, Metallica and Kings of Leon, are both releasing live DVD's, with KOL's being released in, say, half an hour, and Metallica later on in the month. I already knew about the Killers one though, because it was well enough advertised. I already have Cunning Stunts, Metallica's '97 live dvd, which had a guy run across the stage while on fire, which was cool, and the new one's filmed in the same place as Rammstein's, so you know it's a cool venue. Yeah, metal...

Also, "The Scottish Foo Fighters" (That's Q's statement, not mine) Biffy Clyro also release their new album in half an hour, and it's going to be off the chizain! Bloody love Biffy, me...

Never thought I would, either, but Foo Fighters' Greatest Hits cash-in single, Wheels, is actually fantastic!

Right, I need to finish this can of Monster and head off...
Bye for now, DH

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Now playing: Them Crooked Vultures - Mind Eraser, No Chaser
via FoxyTunes

The Thick of It

Just after watching In The Loop, thinking, this can't get any better, along comes series 3 of The Thick of It. Major creamage.

Henry Sugar

Although a very few people who knew this already, I'm planning on filling up my spare time (of which I have a lot) by writing a script based on Roald Dahl's short story, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. I had first thought of doing a version of Fantastic Mr Fox, but since Wes Anderson beat me to it, (and it looks awesome, can't wait to see it on Friday) I decided to adapt Henry Sugar. My basic idea is pretty close to the book (Henry learns to see through cards, wins a hell of a lot of money, has a change of heart and gives the money to charity,) but I've decided to give it my own twist as well. Whether I'll manage to finish it or not is another thing entirely, but I'll certainly give it a go, I might as well, since i spent £16 on a scriptwriting book which has helped in no way entirely...

Listening to:
Eagles of Death Metal - Death By Sexy
The Strokes - Room on Fire
Sepultura - Roots
Cavalera Consipiracy - Inflikted
George Harrison - Let It Roll (Greatest Hits)

Relentless Inferno, Ribena, Sandwiches and a Newspaper

I write to you this evening, having gotten myself totally confused by a Contract Law question due tomorrow, bored and in need of money...

Having a total lack of control over my spending, I now have the grand total of £20 to last until next Friday, when the Gods financially bless my bank account.

I blame my financial situation on 4 things: Relentless Inferno, Ribena, Sandwiches and a Newspaper. Combined, one of each easily costs a fiver, and being in uni 4 days a week, well you do the math...

On a happier note, I bought the Sunday Times today so I could get The Motorcycle Diaries on DVD, and I thoroughly enjoyed it, it's a good insight into pre-Revolution Che. I've also started listening to Sepultura, Cavalera Conspiracy and Soulfly, and I'll thank James and Gavin for that, cheers!

Anyway, before I get too bored, I'll say goodbye for now, but I'll surely be back soon to impart more of my opinions and other random thoughts...