foolhandy

Until someone tells me to remove them…

I’ve uploaded the mp3 files I created so you can just download them if you wish.

www.foolhandy.com/songs.zip is just the three songs they played live and is about 18mb. They’re MP3s recorded at 192kpbs.

www.foolhandy.com/interview.zip is the whole interview up to when Bob played the studio version of WIWWY (there didn’t seem much point in uploading a studio track for you to download) which is when he says thanks and bye. It’s 30 minutes long and so even though I recorded it at 128kpbs it’s still about 28mb.

They’re obviously going to take a few minutes to download, but hope this helps.

Latvia’s 2008 Eurovision Performance was something special…
Here it is for your viewing and listening pleasure!

Especially for Murph & Steve because I just know they won’t have looked it up…

Why deny it? Everyone loves David Hasselhoff…

All together now…
“Moonpig Dot Com!”
Who can resist the charms of the moonpig advert?
Hmmm…

There is one around these parts who can’t help but dance to the moonpig.com advert jingle.

It is therefore in his honour that I present the moonpig mp3, taken directly from the moonpig.com advert theme tune with the help of my old friends vixy.net & YouTube.

Just click on the picture to download. Enjoy!

I’m listening to The Feeling’s new album ‘Join With Us‘!

As their debut ‘Twelve Stops And Home‘ went straight into my Top Ten Albums Of All Time list this is big news. Full review to follow (probably) but initial impressions are generally favourable. Phew…

As soon as someone says “I’m not a rascist but…” you know they read The Daily Mail. Despite this, I’m going to start by saying I’m not a prude. I don’t believe that someone who takes drugs should be condemned and/or ignored. But I don’t think that the drug taking itself, or the consequences, should be ignored either.

Newsround was on CBBC this morning and they featured an article on Ami Winehouse winning five Grammys. Fair enough. However the reason she wasn’t there in person was given as this :

“Amy had trouble getting the paperwork, called a visa, to fly to Los Angeles. Although it was sorted out in the end, she decided not to go.”

It’s the same on the CBBC Newsround website (from where the above quote is taken).

It’s all very Auntie Beeb isn’t it? I obviously wouldn’t expect them to explain in detail that the Visa problems were caused by her arrest in Norway late last year, or the fact that she’s in rehab, or that she’s had to be moved to a hospital because she’s in such a bad state that rehab can’t cope with her medically, or that police are currently investigating a video or her using a crack-cocaine pipe, but some mention of the fact that if she wasn’t a drug addict there wouldn’t be any visa problems would surely have been a good idea. It’s not just a joint every so often is it?

How about this?

“Amy had trouble getting the paperwork, called a visa, to fly to Los Angeles because of the problems she is having with drugs. Although she was later allowed to fly to Los Angeles, she decided not to go.”

It’s not heavy handed, but it makes a point. It was continued heavy duty drug use that caused the Visa problems, not just because she forgot to date the form…

She’s a troubled lady and I hope she gets better soon, but isn’t it also a good opportunity to point out to children that with drugs there are consequences unless you’re very careful? Or am I being a prude?

Ami Winehouse (pictured) is 24.

I don’t know why I didn’t do this before, but here is the choir version of the James Bond theme tune from the Casino Royale trailer. And only a year after the movie’s release…

Trains to Brazil by The Guillemots. The last verse is on repeat in my brain, making me lurch between euphoria and melancholy. Whatever, I have to be up in four and a half hours and I can’t sleep.

It’s 1 o’clock on a Friday morning,
I’m trying to keep my back from the wall.
The prophets and their pawns have had another success
And I’m wondering why we bother at all.

And I think of you on cold winter mornings, darling
They remind me of when we were in school,
Nothing really mattered when you called out my name
In fact nothing really mattered at all

And I think about how long it will take them to blow us away
But I won’t get me down!
I’m just thankful to be facing the day.
Cause days don’t get you far when you’re young.

It’s 5 o’ clock on a Friday morning
One hundred telephones shake and ring
One of those was someone who knew you

And I’ll still think of you on cold winter mornings, darling
They’ll still remind me of when we were in school
When they could never have persuaded me,
That lives like yours, were in the hands of these erroneous fools

And to those of you who mourn your lives through one day to the next
Well let them take you next!
Can’t you live and be thankful you’re here?
See - it could be you, tomorrow, next year.

This could go in Realizing… but that’s not really what that bit’s for. This is real though…

I’m tired I can’t explain
All the troubled notions scrambling my brain
I’m tired let me be for now
Was a time when I was interested by you
But it isn’t now

If only I could escape leave a dummy in my place
Slip away thru the walls
Not listen at all

I’m tired I can’t explain
I may as well have been talking to myself by the look on your face
I’m high I don’t feel myself
I think I should feel happy
But I only want to lie down

If only I could escape leave a dummy in my place
Slip away thru the walls
Not listen at all

For I’m tired I might go away
I’m tired I’ve no more to say
I’m tired
I’m tired
So take me
Take me away

I’m Tired - From the album “People Move On” by Bernard Butler

I’m watching Michael Jackson : What Really Happened on Channel 4.

Fascinating stuff, and watching the empty auction scene swiftly followed by him as performing genius singing I Want You Back and Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough I can’t help but feel sad for him, even if (and maybe because) he’s brought it on himself…

And now, a quiz. For two points, what does Michael Jackson think he’s saying when he shrieks “Shambo!”

Incidentally, I am a Michael Jackson fan - that’s why I know the answer, and why I specifically chose a non-freaky picture…

Edit :

And here are the lyrics to Billie Jean

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean

She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene
I said don’t mind, but what do you mean I am the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round

She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one
Who will dance on the floor in the round

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don’t go around breaking young girls’ hearts
And mother always told me be careful of who you love
And be careful of what you do ’cause the lie becomes the truth

Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

For forty days and for forty nights
The law was on her side
But who can stand when she’s in demand
Her schemes and plans
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice
(Do think twice)

She told my baby we’d danced till three, then she looked at me
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)
‘Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby

People always told me be careful of what you do
And don’t go around breaking young girls’ hearts
She came and stood right by me
Then the smell of sweet perfume
This happened much too soon
She called me to her room

Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son

Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
Billie Jean is not my lover
She’s just a girl who claims that I am the one
But the kid is not my son
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son

She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son
She says I am the one

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Not my lover
Not my lover
Not my lover
Not my lover

Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)
Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)
Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)
Billie Jean is not my lover (she is just a girl)

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Billie Jean is not my lover
Billie Jean is not my lover

Billie Jean is
Billie Jean is

Here are some YouTube highlights. Thanks to those who uploaded them…

Tattva

Govinda (Clip)

Dr Kitt

Die For Love

Govinda (Full)

I’m amazed at how good the quality is of some of these…

I was jigging too much to video anything last night, but when someone YouTubes it I’ll link to it here. Those who, as Shirley Bassey put it, “won’t dance if they don’t know who’s singing” (and they know who they are!) can turn their noses up but Kula Shaker were great fun and played a blinding set. You’d have had to be dead or pig headed not to have enjoyed it - and how pretty was Crispian’s hair?!

Incidentally I recommend visiting www.myspace.com/drjoelmusic, playing “I Can Sing My Song”, and imagining a crowd of people ready for Kula Shaker’s roaring hippy-rock and realising the support act really was just Dr. Joel stood in front of a keyboard doing his stuff. With audience participation as well! What a lovely man… Helen was less impressed but I grinned from ear to ear and joined in enthusiastically. Don’t forget to roar in the tiger song!

I’ve moved! Or at least foolhandy.com has…

The page addresses are a bit different and some of the pictures might not work for a while but I’ll get there. The biggest loss to me is that tenderhooligan’s comments from this morning have disappeared into the ether. Sorry!

I also have a new toy, but more of that another time.

I’ve got to stop working for a moment and go downstairs for a drink. I need to compose myself. I never think it’s going to happen, but when I’m sat quietly working or reading or whatever and I’m listening to ABBA’s last album The Visitors I end up crying.

It’s the last two tracks, Slipping Through My Fingers and Like An Angel Passing Through My Room. They get me every time. The words, the music, the way they’re sung. Quite unlike the songs ABBA are famous for, these are two of my favourite songs from any artist. I’d go so far as to say they’re beautiful…

I have been toying with the possibility of getting an iPod, so when I heard that Apple were releasing the iPod Touch I was eager to find out more. And now I know more I’m a bit disappointed…

Yes it’s lovely, and yes that means lovelier than the (newly re-christened) iPod Classic, but look at the stats :

iPod Touch : $399 and 16GB memory

iPod Classic : $349 and 160GB memory

I know one’s a flash drive and one’s physical so there’s a reason for that difference in memory size. I know that the Touch is based on the iPhone and has wi-fi and internet capability and that’s why it was going to be costly. I know that the Touch has that fantastic touch screen interface rather than a simple click wheel.

But.

It’s a device for playing music. Sure it does other things too and Apple is to be applauded for adding features that lift the iPod beyond being just a digital Walkman, but in the end it’s core function is playing music. The beauty of an iPod Classic is that you can store every song you’ll ever need (and much more besides) on one device you can take anywhere. That’s why I want one. So what is the point of the iPod Touch? It’s an iPhone without the phone bit. It’s $50 more for 10% of the storage capacity. It’s taking the reason for buying one an awful long way down the road away from rational towards purely emotional. I’m sure it’ll sell like hot cakes…

For me though sometimes lovely - even this lovely - isn’t enough…

At some point this evening broadband returned to my life, and to celebrate I post this - the second piece of music I recorded for posterity. Some of you may have had the displeasure before. It was recorded in Seychelles in 2003 and it’s called Number 2. Partly because it’s the second piece of music recorded for posterity and partly because its an appropriate name considering its quality…

It’s me playing guitar, and if you have to blame anyone remember it was Martin Kennedy who taught me how.

Ladies and Gentlemen I present : Number 2
(I’ll embed it to play right here if I ever find a way that works nicely…)

I mention this here because earlier in the week I collected from my Mum the cassettes featuring a six-year-old me singing songs I had learnt at school - the first part of my recording career, soon to be committed to digital remastered mp3ness, coming to foolhandy.com this fall. In a world…

Now I know that I shouldn’t really buy Cheestrings (note missing ‘e’ - it’s a trademark you know…) as I’m a grown adult who should have more cultured tastes, but I like them.

They were on offer in Somerfields today so I bought a packet of the Twister type. They are currently running a competition to win an iPod Nano with speaker set, and so I excitedly went to the Cheestrings website, entered my code and…

I won a runner up prize! According to this ad on eBay (hence the nicked picture) it plugs into your TV via the scart socket and you get to exercise on it so you can work off all those Cheestrings you’ve eaten. I am very excited, as I’m sure you can imagine…

Incidentally, the music on the Cheestrings website is the best thing I’ve ever heard. Apart from the TV menu music on Sky. Obviously.

This morning, whilst trying to acquire Homer Simpson singing “Spider Pig” I came across vixy.net, a site which makes it possible to download video and/or audio from YouTube videos. So I processed one of the Simpson Movie trailers and I now have this new Spider Pig MP3* as my ringtone… Cool!

Three days to go!

* This is a new version of my original MP3 ring tone which features the full version of Homer Simpson singing Spider Pig without any background noise or breaks.

Spider Pig is one of the funniest bits of the film, and the makers know it. The song Homer sings appears in various forms throughout the film. My previous Spider Pig MP3 didn’t have the middle section asking whether Spider Pig can swing from a web. So this morning I got another sound clip from the movie (again using vixy.net & YouTube) and made this (using Audacity) - the new full Spider Pig MP3! It’s not perfect but I made it myself for free so I’m happy with that. I think I’ll have this as my ringtone so Helen & I can tell whose ‘phone it is. Sad eh?

Edit : I have now got a full version of Spider Pig and the link above is to a high quality version.

The epic double album for the Summer of 2007…

Sun
Summertime Blues - Eddie Cochran
Summer Holiday - Cliff Richards
Summer In The City - The Lovin’ Spoonful
Sun Is Shining - The Feeling
Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles
Staying Out For The Summer - Dodgy
Light & Day/Reach for the Sun - The Polyphonic Spree
Sunny Afternoon - The Kinks
We’re Going To Ibiza - The Vengaboys
Summer Nights - John Travolta & Olivia Newton-John
In The Summertime - Mungo Jerry
Lost In France - Bonnie Tyler
Sunny - Boney M
The Pop Singer’s Fear Of The Pollen Count - The Divine Comedy
Sun Is Shining - Bob Marley vs. Funkstar De Luxe
Let Me Take You There - Betty Boo
Love Is In The Air (Ballroom Mix) - John Paul Young
It’s Summertime - The Flaming Lips
Summertime - Robbie Williams
Medley: Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In - Fifth Dimension
Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) - Wham!

Rain
My Head Is My Only House Unless It Rains - Captain Beefheart & the Magic Band
Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head - Burt Bacharach
Raining In My Heart - Leo Sayer
It’s Raining - Shakin’ Stevens
Have You Ever Seen The Rain? - The Jeevas
Rainy Days And Mondays - The Carpenters
Surrender The Rain - Lindsey Buckingham
Queen Of Rain - David Hasselhoff
And It Rained All Night - Thom Yorke
Rain Must Fall - Queen
Why Does It Always Rain On Me? - Travis
Here Comes the Rain Again - Eurythmics
It’s Raining Men - The Weather Girls
Red Rain - Peter Gabriel
Dry The Rain - The Beta Band
The Rain Song - Led Zeppelin
Purple Rain - Prince

Where else would you find Mr. Hasselhoff followed by Mr. Yorke? Genius…