Alex Chilton died a week ago. Because of this, I have been listening to a lot of Big Star recently. Radio City is my favourite. Packed with perfect pop. Slightly twisted pop and the better for it, in my opinion. It also has a fine cover, with one of the most important and influential photographs of the 70s, William Eggleston's "Red ceiling".
I can't find any videos of Big Star in the 70s, so here's a teenage Alex in the Box Tops...
It's Garry Shandling's Show dates from the late 80s, a year or two before Absolutely. I think I am the only person in the UK who ever watched It's Garry Shandling's Show.
It's Garry Shandling's Show is a programme which I associate with a very strange but very happy time in my life, a time when I was young, invincible, capable of anything. It was shown on BBC2 at teatime on a Sunday and watching it was part of my Sunday routine. It disappeared from view for the last 20+ years (scary to think that it was more than 20 years ago... my, how things have changed since then...), but quite by chance, I discovered last week that the first series would be released on DVD this week. It will be interesting to find out whether it is as funny as I remember it. I bet it isn't.
Somewhat inevitably, Absolutely wasn't as funny as I remembered it, but there are a few priceless moments :-)
Absolutely was a Scottish (well, mostly Scottish: there was also an Englishwoman and a Welshman in there) sketch show which was on Channel 4 in the late 80s. At the time, it felt like my then-girlfriend and I were the only two people who watched it, but I have since met two other people who also used to watch it. Today, I discovered that all four series are on 4oD. Now I can find out whether it's as funny as I remember it. I bet it isn't.
One evening, sometime after the end of the fourth series, I think, I was out for dinner at Marinette, a long-defunct restaurant in Leith, and the entire cast of the show (plus some friends) were at the next table. I felt like going over and telling them how much I liked the show... but I didn't...
Marinette was memorable for two other reasons. First, it was in Coburg Street, right at the centre of what was then Edinburgh's "tolerance zone" (i.e. red-light district). Second, on a later visit it gave me the most godawful case of food poisoning I have ever experienced. I felt like I was going to die. But I didn't.
More comedy nostalgia tomorrow, provided my Amazon order arrives on schedule :-)
And a woman in pink trousers smoking a cigarette.
And the beginnings of a toy shop.
Here's the rhinoceros.
We're both feeling a little delicate today for no good reason, but it was a gorgeous afternoon so we took a wee walk to the pond. I was trying to take a lovely picture of the roadway when this young fella got in my way.
Here are some swans sunbathing :-)
I wish I had enough hair to make an expensive haircut a realistic option. I would still think it was a waste of money and go for a cheap haircut instead, but it would be nice to have a genuine choice.
Mild today, but windy.
Nothing interesting happened today. Nothing exciting or amusing. It was pretty much as uneventful as a day could be. But the weather was nice.
Disgraceful. Here's me, thinking of myself as a cultured, artistic type, and I can't remember the last time I went to the theatre. Mind you, I can't remember the last time I heard of something I would've liked to have seen at the theatre. Except for last year's production of Godot with Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart. But I didn't hear about that till well after all the tickets had been sold.
Almost half way through the week.
I think my brain has been getting in the way of my eye. That isn't as painful as it sounds, but it does mean that I haven't been taking loads of brilliant photos like wot I used to... Nevermind. These things come and go.
Another lovely weekend with Imp :-) Little else to say.
I've taken a gratuitous day off today, so Imp and I have been enjoying a lazy Monday. I thought I would put a few more shots from the weekend up here, starting with a minimalist landscape.
The next two are as close as I got to street shots...
There is certainly some fine shopping to be done in Pitlochry.
Naturally, Imp managed to get in the way of the scenery...
and I couldn't resist a self portrait with Griff. He's Welsh, you know.
Some of my friends have a holiday home at Pitlochry and they invited a few of us up there for the weekend. We drove up yesterday, went for a walk in the afternoon, drank lots and had a huge and very tasty Indian takeaway.
Today, we drove across to Glenshee, where the more energetic members of the party went skiing. The less energetic of us pottered round in the snow. I took lots of photos, some of which are on Flickr, and it was a good chance to play with my nice new lens.
Much fun was had by all. This picture shows my favourite little person and his Mama :-)
I bought myself a (slightly late) birthday pressie today.
I've never been in the habit of using telephoto lenses before. Until today, the longest I had for the D700 was 50mm. We'll see how it goes with this big fella. It should certainly satisfy all my telephoto needs. Whilst in Jacobs, I also played with the 16-35, which was very nice and much more expensive. One for the wish list, I think.
Imp is on her way across. I think she may be bringing a pressie or two too :-)
And it's Friday! All is good.
No wiser.
This is how I looked first thing this morning. I don't feel or look my best first thing in the morning.
Other news: Michael Foot died today. Or, at least, his death was announced today. He may have died yesterday, for all I know. In any event, this is sad news. He was one of the last from the good old days when intelligence and integrity mattered more than image. RIP.
I haven't been taking enough photographs recently and as a consequence I haven't been blogging much and as a consequence I haven't been looking at other people's blogs. Must try harder.
