SpaCeMonKeY UK

Holiday news soon (just back from a coach trip across Europe!) but first of all... Album Project News! 'Pin Ups' (1973), 7 of 25. This, interestingly, is an album of cover versions. I have to admit I hasn't heard many of them, though the last track is 'Where Have All The Good Times Gone' by Ray Davies! Hooray!

Labels: 1973, Album Project, David Bowie, Pin Ups

Oops, was a bit behind with this... Album Project Update! 6 of 25. 'Aladdin Sane' (1973). I really like this album. Lots of saxophone on it. Some of which was played by David Bowie himself. I guess you might not have heard many of the songs on it, though you should know 'Panic in Detroit' and 'The Jean Genie'. Even though it's not packed with hits it's a very satisfying collection of songs.

Labels: 1973, Aladdin Sane, Album Project, David Bowie

Album Project Update! 5 of 25, 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' (1972). This is a very strange album, very strange story behind it. Basically Earth has five years left, aliens come and inhabit Ziggy, he becomes a massive rock and roll star, at the end the aliens rip him apart on stage. I think that's about it. Very, very strange. A brilliant album though. Songs you'd know from here include 'Starman', 'Moonage Daydream', 'Suffragette City'... Great stuff. Surreal but brilliantly so!

Labels: 1972, Album Project, David Bowie, The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Lots has happened since I last blogged. Nothing I voted for in the four elections came to pass, so that was a bit rubbish. I wonder about democracy sometimes. I was sitting behind a girl on the bus who sounded like she'd voted for the first time. She was telling her friend how she'd seen a man called Barry White on the ballot paper and found his name so hilarious she'd voted for him. Hmmm...

Mum and Dad came to visit for a few days. They did loads of work in the garden, it looks amazing! Lots of cutting back plants. I think Dad did 11 trips to the tip in the end with it all. Just have to finish digging the end of the garden then we can put the little plants in. Hooray! I had Monday off and we looked round an auction house. Mum went to the auction the next day and won a dinner service and a pair of Russian binoculars for us. :)

What else... My friend Ali is pregnant. Scary! But great. Little Squig should be with us in about 6 months time.

Went out with the Christian Fellowship at work last night. Due to a mishearing by my colleagues I now refer to its as the 'Equestrian Group'. They seem to think we run around in a Pythonesque way with coconuts. :)

Anyway, I think that's about it.

Album Project Update! No. 4 out of 25 - 'Hunky Dory' (1971). This is a great album. My favourite so far by a long way. I don't think there's a bad song on here. Obviously there are songs everyone knows, like 'Changes' and 'Life on Mars'. But I really like 'Kooks'. What a charming song about parenthood! David Bowie wrote it due to the arrival of his new son, Duncan Jones (or Zowie Bowie, hehe). All in all, a brilliant album. :)

Labels: 1971, Album Project, David Bowie, Hunky Dory

Looks like Smile (well, the Co-operative Bank) is sorting out my credit card problem. After not having much help from Smile they told me to phone the stolen card line, which is kind of a Co-op thing (I know Smile is too but it's sort of separate) and they've logged the disputed charges I discovered, cancelled my card and are issuing a new one. Not sure what the Smile man I talked to on Friday was talking about really! Ah well. It looks like it'll be ok now. Wish I knew where they'd got my card details though. I will wait for the Fraud department to contact me...

In other news, I did watch the Royal Wedding and enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. It was a very moving service, good mix of modern and traditional. And it's always impressive to see all the soldiers and carriages and such like. I think I am a bit of a Royalist at heart. I don't really see why people want to get rid of the Royal family. They do a lot of diplomatic stuff that the prime minister doesn't have time for. Anyway...

Not looking forward to voting on Thursday, though I feel I ought to. I have to vote in the referendum (like everyone else in the country) to say whether I want AV instead of First Past the Post. But I also have to elect local councillors, a new MP and a mayor! D'oh... Too many decisions.

This weekend was fun, what with it being another long weekend (Royal Wedding bank holiday and May Day). My brother John came to visit so we did a few things together, like going for lunch with Rob's parents and sister (and her man) and going to Everdon to look at bluebells. He's gone home now though. Boo.