scruffian

August 22nd, 2005

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Fever To Tell

Well, since lots of people search for it I might as well write some more about this band. I have had their first (and only I think) album for a while but it has taken me a long time to really get into it. The first few times I heard it I did like it, but it just gets better the more you hear it.

The end of the album is definately the best – Maps, Y-Control and Modern Romance are probably the best songs but the rest of the album is still really good. (You can hear pin on the easter 05 video). There are also two secret tracks, making 13 in total – good value for money.

I would really like to see them live. The lead singer is a woman. I heard her on the radio ages ago and she sounded a bit annoying but then I think she would be pretty entertaining as she seems to go a bit nuts in quite a few songs.

Also what I really don’t get is there are only 3 of them, and only 1 guitarist, but there are often 2 guitars and a bass on a lot of their songs. How do they do this live?

[edit: I have since learnt that the guitarist (Nick Zinner) uses a foot pedal to record a sample and then loops it, which is pretty clever stuff. ]

What else is there to say really. I don’t much like reveiws where people compare one artist to another, or try and classify the music into boxes. I guess I would recommend that you listen to Maps and Modern Romance. If you like these songs then buy this album. If you don’t then go and buy some Brian Adams.

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs are currently working on new material in the studio which they say is going in a different direction, (Did someone say tabala?) expected autumn 2005.
August 22nd, 2005

Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics

These are the most popular search terms on this site for this month. This gives me an idea of what people out there want to see more of on this website:

mako sharks 9 – Becky can sort this out
lemon shark 7 – and this
yeah yeah yeahs 5 – I’ll write something on this
gbh ramps 3 – I don’t know too much about GBH so if someone wants to write a review…
nick drake 3 – and I’ll do this
trampoline tricks 3 – I want to get the trampoline out again soon so more of this I hope
mirah hindley 3 – I have no idea how this came up, but Becky has a morbid fascination with this kind of thing
hastings skatepark 3 – Going here soon I hope, so some more pictures on the way.
saltbury bmx 2 – don’t know
brian molko 2005 2 – he’s in placebo right?
fathom bmx 2 – that’s easily dealt with
sharks eating 2 – another one for rebekah
where is coxhoe skatepark 2 – go here to find out
sharks eating humans 2 – rough
trampoline bike 2 – more on the way I hope
dirtsurfer uk 2 – hmm maybe we should get the dirtsurfers out again.
yeah yeah yeahs maps 1 – ok ok.
steath trails 1 – no sorry nothing on this
wearing new shoes 1 – what?
bare boy 1 – sick.
the shawshank redemption 1 – seb’s already done this but maybe I can add some more
kenji tsuruta bmx 1 – a rider from Japan I think
imogen heap hide and seek download 1 – good good
bmx jam at joey s woods 1 – yep that was yesterday. more soon.
stink socks 1 – what?
world war 2 sharks attacks 1 – ww2?
epsom bmx trails 1 – soon I hope
when did richard whiteley die? 1 – 26th June 2005
jumping mako sharks 1 – more sharks?
photos of dislocated wrist 1 – there are some x-rays here if that helps
unreal skatepark 1 – yeh, they need a website. I keep on meaning to offer to make one but it’s summer. I’ll make one when they get the new place.

Interesting? Got to keep the punters happy.
August 21st, 2005

Joey’s Jam

Joeys got dried out with a blow torch so the jam still went ahead. Have a picture:

More another day. I am off to finish my book – Pet Semetry by Stephen King. Scary.
August 20th, 2005

Rain :(

It always rains on my days off. I did get a car on Friday though which was good so I can still make some trips, but now all the jumps are wet so there’s not much point. Went to Paddock Wood and fixed some drainage while waiting for the insurance people to finish ripping me off. Too wet for anything.

Today we just went to the mini ramp in Tenterden as everything else was so wet. Dean can go high on that ramp. I updated NOiD so go there for more pictures.
August 18th, 2005

Busy

I have a busy weekend starting now really so this is my last chance to update for the next few days. My car failed it’s MOT yesterday.

Tonight I am off to help Gregory put up his ramp in a barn so that could be good. Then on Friday I have the day off to buy a new car – going to British Car Auctions. If someone wants my old car then it runs fine but our strict garage didn’t pass it’s MOT. If small things like that don’t bother you then you can have it for free.

Then Friday maybe do some riding although the rain is due then, and then off to Tenterden in the evening to see Nigel and Tom and make plans for the rest of the weekend.

Oh and it’s Joey’s jam on Sunday so hope to see you there.

In other news the A-Level results came out today. I hope you all did ok.

Apparently the pass rate has gone up again but I don’t understand that. When I was at school they always told us that there weren’t pass marks, they just took the top x% and they got an A then the next y% got a B etc. If that’s the case then how can the mark be getting better each year. Something strange going on there.

These happy people just passed their badminton exams.

Have a good weekend.

[gone but not forgotton]
August 16th, 2005

Countdown Update

Demise of Countdown Presenter
A month or so ago Richard Whitely, presenter of Countdown, died. Not such a loss. However, what really is a loss is that Countdown hasn’t been on since.

So here’s a news update: good news:

Countdown will be back in the Autumn with a new presenter who hasn’t been chosen yet but won’t be Richard Whiteley hooray. They think they might try out a few presenters a bit like Have I Got News for You but the key thing is it will NOT be Richard Whiteley.

Some key Countdown Facts:

On two occasions a contestant has scored 0 (zero points)
John Brooks – 0 points in August 1987
ie
Sylvia Pitman – 0 points in September 1998.

These are the letters they have in the piles:
Vowels

A 15
E 20
I 14
O 14
U 10

Total 73

Consonants

B 3
C 4
D 7
F 4
G 4
H 2
J 1
K 1
L 6
M 4
N 7
P 4
Q 1
R 8
S 9
T 9
V 2
W 2
X 1
Y 2
Z 1

Total 82

The best dictionary corner person is Susie Dent who has appeared 1199 times.
August 12th, 2005

Unreal

Bad news I am afraid. The planning permission for the Unreal skatepark move to it’s new premisis was rejected last night. This means that by November there will probably be no more Sittingbourne, since the current site will not be available.

It’s going to be a long winter.
August 12th, 2005

Mount Hawke

We went to Mount Hawke about a week ago. Despite it only being about 2 miles from the campsite we were staying at we only went once. The most annoying thing was that the rainy days (Saturday and Monday) were also the days when there is no BMX. This quarter to flatbank wallride was fun anyway.
August 11th, 2005

Fordingbridge Sk8fest

Just got another email from Lisa. There is a press release for some comp GBH organised for a new park here. I didn’t read it but you can. I didn’t like the use of the phase “rude awakening”. The last thing you want a skatepark to do to the residents is be rude or keep them awake.
August 10th, 2005

Planning permission

The planning permission for the unreal move will be decided tomorrow. The comments on it are here (scroll down to item 3.1). At the moment it’s due to be rejected. This is bad news as the current lease runs out in Novemember and will not be extended so there will be no indoor park at all. I don’t really see what more can be done though. Good luck anyway.

Part of the report talks about a petition with names from as far afield as Guildford and Tenterden!