Gene_Clark

honestly i could see me, you & him sitting in The Trent upstairs, back in the day, having a crack on about football. unlike the trolls i've put on ignore, LM is a time served NUFC fan

i find the best way to avoid confrontation, other than self control, is to put posters who irritate / confront you on ignore; since i put 4 posters on here on ignore, i enjoy reading the board much more. also, the chance to delete posts that, in retrospect, may be inflammatory, rather than simply editing them, is a superb touch.

it's certainly intriguing that he's been banned for effectively being so boring & repetitive that people aren't using the board as much. i suppose he is the nearest thing to a troll on here. i feel trolls blight messageboards.

i've met LM in real life & he's a thoroughly decent, normal, middle-aged bloke; not really followed his stuff on here (though i know he's a Shepherd devotee, for inexplicable reasons i must say). surprised he's been banned, though he is typically xenophobic in his opinions; have many others been banned? what for?

I've just finished "Skagboys." Like all Welsh novels it's a joy to read; the understated morality & politics blend perfectly with characters you know well enough to consider them as friends. Of course there's biting, cruel humour in every situation, as well as real pathos & superb attention to the nuances of speech & the importance of period detail. Thoroughly recommended.

Saw Parastatic, who veered between New Order (tame) & Faust (inspired). The Exes were great; reminiscent of Thee Headcoats. On Sunday, Treetop flyers & Slim Chance were both excellent; a lovely vibe at Summertyne - one of the real treasures of the Newcastle summer social calendar

The night Carroll went to Liverpool, I saw a Shakespeare play; "The Comedy of Errors" at the Theatre Royal. The night he was rumoured to be returning, I saw another Shakespeare play; "Much Ado About Nothing" in Jesmond Dene. Irony......

I'm particularly keen on seeing Parastatic & The Exes at The Tanners

Well worth a dodge down tomorrow to either or both. Summertyne line up = http://www.jumpinhot.com/club_gigs.htm NARC line up = http://www.kyeo.tv/2012/07/18/download-narc-fest-clash-checker/

stuart moxham - blackfriars 29/09

My son wants to do History; the degree with highest graduate unemployment. Then again, as an only child who is set to inherit 2 houses, he can afford to pursue an academic interest that is the furthest away from vocational....

When I started University in 1983 (last game before I started we beat Palace 3-1 at home), the full grant (which I got because my parents earned under the threshold) was £1,680 per annum. There were no fees & I could sign on in the Summer, which I did until I found work in both summer 84 (Joe Corals in Felling Square) & summer 85 (Gateshead Library Prince Consort Road). In addition, any travel costs (3 return trips home & all daily travel as part of study) over £50 was repayable. Prescriptions & dental work were both free. A different world...... During term time, my rent was £10 per week in 1st year, £11.50 in 2nd year & £13.50 in 3rd; we paid 50% of this for mid June to mid Sept as a retainer.

Where exactly does this leave Xisco?

To take the second point first, I've not really looked at the line up yet, but I know Parastatic are playing The Tanners & I need to see them. The Fall were excellent; blogged about it here http://payaso-del-mierda.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/that-man-loves-you.html some excellent youtube footage as well, especially "Nate will not return" - much better than November, as atmosphere was excellent, band were superb & MES in a great mood.

30/11 - Vic Godard supported by Davey Henderson & Sexual Objects at Star & Shadow

preening, vacuous narcissist certainly, but not as evil as cameron, clegg etc

07/07 - The Fall at Hoult's Yard 21/07 - NARC Festival in Ouseburn pubs 04/09 - Patti Smith at the Academy 08/09 - Euros Childs at Star & Shadow 13/09 - Plainsong at Sage 2 06/11 - The Wedding Present in Carlisle 10/11 - The Wedding Present at the Academy 15/11 - Half Man Half Biscuit at the Academy 26/11 - Dirty Three at Sage 2

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0q8ICINBgjX

When asked who your player of the season is, I strongly urge every single one of you to state, without equivocation, “all of them.” The whole lot of them have been heroes for almost all the time; sure the level of form and fitness has dropped at times, with Colo and Tiote having stinkers home to WBA and Demba Ba’s season being bookended by frustrating inconsistency for instance, but the great and glorious thing about this current squad is that every single one of them have been prepared to pick up the baton when required. They have all rolled up their sleeves and grafted whenever it has been necessary and that is as great a compliment to them, to Alan Pardew, his coaching team and the genius Graham Carr, assisted by his squad of scouts, as I could possibly pay. Of course, the irony is that this club had to touch bottom 3 years ago for such progress to have been made possible at all. Never mind the relegation at Villa Park, that was only the start of the problems; once dross like Viduka, Owen, Martins and the rest of the mercenary prima donnas had been cleared from the decks, it took the 6-1 savaging at Orient in July 2009 to finally make them stand up and be counted. What Hughton oversaw at Newcastle United should never be forgotten; the fabulous promotion season and some stunning, morally cleansing wins at SJP over Villa and the Mackems will stay with us all forever. However, and this isn’t a criticism, while he managed the club, he didn’t really lead us forward once we’d been promoted. We didn’t stagnate as such, but there wasn’t the momentum surrounding the squad that is easily discerned now. It was a harsh decision and a sad day when Chris Hughton was let go, but hindsight shows us it was both necessary and beneficial for the greater good of Newcastle United. Alan Pardew arrived on Tyneside with an atrocious reputation and an utter lack of goodwill. However, and I speak as someone who found him initially to be a smarmy, glib egotist, he has proved 50,000 matchgoers and every single armchair fan across the nation, to be completely wrong. While Chris Hughton was the shop steward promoted from the ranks who embraced principles of democratic centralism to bring the club back from the precipice in a superb example of teamwork, Pardew is a tactical genius and above all, the boss; unequivocally so. In short, the “group of lads” who played for us from 2009 to 2011worked for Chris Hughton as they admired him and didn’t want to let anyone down, whereas the current squad believe in Alan Pardew and have been inspired by him to strive to produce more and more quality in their performances. We can only speculate as to where this will lead us, but I’ve never felt this good about our team since the 5-1 thrashing we handed out to Blackburn (managed by Souness of course) in March 2003. I'll admit I’d never heard of any of the players we’ve brought in over the past couple of seasons, certainly since promotion. However, in Carr and in Pardew I trust; while we may see some leave, I truly believe we will see those of equal ability arrive. It is with this in mind and with full gratitude for all we’ve seen in 2011/2012 that I again urge you to nominate every single one of the first team squad as our player of the season.

Godspeed You! Black Emperor Cornelius Cardew & Scratch Orchestra

Do you prefer his stuff with AMM & the Scratch Orchestra, such as "The Great Learning," or the post "Stockhausen Serves Imperialism" People's Liberation Music like "We Sing For The Future," written after he joined RCPB (ML)?

it's no joke; i've never broken the law & don't see why those who do should be indulged

Delighted that Cabaye clouted a ball boy mind; the French have higher expectations of children's behaviour (& a Socialist President) than the odious Cahill does. This brother of a criminal needs to be kicked out of the game forever.

Lightships, The Wedding Present, Christy Moore, Snowgoose, Trembling Bells & Fairport Convention