Memories from '95

 Possibly the last warm week for a bit as I'm a bit dripping here recovering from being somewhat pawley Tm yesterday from the moment I got up, I'd hardly say woke up as I'd very little sleep thanks to major disruptions across the early morning.

Thoughts were drifting to the mid nineties, those days when we'd be "staying out for the summer", hoping for a "fine time" after someone said "wake up boo" and the gallagher brothers said "roll with it" to Mr alburn's "country house" in  chart spat.

Part of that is finding some of my SHINE compilations of indie hits of that era bought when Lesley and I used to hang around, share food and talk about photography, music over drinks.

She was into Hooch the alcopop brand massive back then and showing my beliefs was on regular pop although that was never an issue.

I'd bring videos of the summer festival sets the bands we liked to play as unlike me they didn't have have Sky and as her property unlike mine was rented you had to get permission from the landlord and it was only matter a few years from moving out of their parental home in the south of the city.

Those were the days.

Updating the Now's - Alternative 80's

We've looked a bit a Now's, mainly from the Updating the Now's angle as the original Now That's What I Call Music series started in late 1983 so there was a period before of less good compilations and certainly a lack of Year based Greatest Hits sets so we've been going back so far in to 1978.

Now these days is a massive brand when it comes to compilations so there are a few others on compact disc dotted about but on Friday one did come out which does slot well within the vinyl Now collection here.

The transition between the more recent Now Yearbooks and the Original Now's in my collection is 1983 with Now Yearbook '82 being the last one which was topped up around Christmas with Now Yearbook 80-84 and a series of five boxed lps one each for 1980 through 1984 covering tracks not in with the individual yearbooks.

Because of the limits on what would fit the three lp Yearbooks and constraints of the original nows being just Chart Hits some influential songs were missed and this is very true of Alternative Rock.

This release is a double pink vinyl lp set with a graphic cover but it is also available in four cd folding card cover form.

This set does help fill those gaps in vinyl form with tracks by Japan, The Cure, The Cult, the B-52's and Tom Robinson amongst many others.

Survived Saturday edition

Monday soon enough comes around although in truth this was started on late Saturday after watching a Barry Manilow concert where he performed Could It Be Magic.

Inspired by melody & chord progressions from the 20th (#20 in C Minor) out of 24 Preludes via Chopin's Prelude in C Minor Op. 28 upon re-release in late 1978 some three years later than its initial one, this was a massive hit in the UK and I did at the time buy it.

A good chunk of the reason I started work on this that late on is that it's been very hot around 29 degrees c which really knocks the stuffing out of me and all you end up doing is sipping soft drinks in a thin gingham dress as anything else is just too much.

Popping upstairs to play a record that just arrived after some forty minutes left me feeling drained to be honest but as it was a bit warm upon being picked up by the Royal Meow person in the van I did need to know it was reasonably flat.

I had had popped out for a walk about eight o clock in morning having gotten up early to try to avoid sunstroke and sunburn given how the forecasts were although I don't know what happened to our thundery showers and read some of my old summer comics specials with the fan running and windows open.

Mysterious June

I wasn't feeling too good late Thursday through Saturday morning with chest pains and a migraine so I had to rest so pretty much must things have been on hold like writing this blog.

I have done some work around my GT account as much of the profile stuff dates back to over ten years ago and it's not just that I've moved along around self perception it's that narrow definitions just don't work for me being rather more fluid and I don't see why I should be frozen into something that's not the whole of me to suit anyone or any group.

That's a new kilt skirt  ideal for wearing with opaque tights that had recently arrived.

It's probably a reflection on just how crazy last year got that while straightening out ones records as a bunch needed placing in a storage unit to minimize damage to either outer sleeves or warping as the weather heats up that I came by some things near the wardrobe.

Things bought for the ill fated winter 2022 get together that I had been working on replacing items, coming up with a look I felt comfortable with and in, things that I felt I looked good in.

A couple of quality pleated grey skirts still in the bag coupled with a brown one where having checked they had arrived I was that unwell I'd even forgotten about their existence.

Brand new gym knickers I intended to pack to colour co-ordinate with my skorts as well as skirts and dresses still fastened up, that never made it.

Maybe just one day they might.

Whit bank holiday round up

It's the bank holiday here in what has turned out to be very much a month of holidays this year so I will be out shortly sitting out in the sun as the last few days have been the hottest so far this year.

The windows here at Kitty Towers have needed to be open for most of the day not just for fresh air although just how fresh air is with car based pollution, wood burners and b-b-q's going is another matter but just to let some of that heat build up out.

I've been enjoying that Beano Summer Activity Special between playing some new compilations of music by Chuck Berry, in many ways the poet of the rock and roll era and Fats Domino presented in fresh stereo with all the original hit versions and completing the final touches in sorting out my Beano and Dandy classics whose home had to be moved when the new washing machine came earlier on in the month.

Thanks to some odd ideas around door dimensions and layouts it's very difficult to get anything in and out just using the backdoor, you often have to use the front and go through the lounge to the kitchen so much had to be moved.

There should be a new feature or two added in the front garden if you take the grumps word at face value as they are already here to be fitted this weekend.

Think Pink

This week we're not going monochrome which I remember doing in part of 1983 in move that baffled my parents but more monocolour.

Despite what it was doing on Friday, were are leaving Spring for Summer so a few t shirts needed replacing so I bought a couple in pink cos they go with most of skirts and short trousers.

Take the same concept but at foot level with added cuteness with pink Hello Kitty ankle socks to wear too and you can get things being more feminine but on your own terms which is more me than "little girl dresses".

It may not be everyone's idea but I wouldn't want to be in any place that just insists I gender confirm to the narrowest of expression - skirts/dresses only or not allowed in.

After all it is what what women and girls fought against in the classroom and work place for a very good reason.

Footwear of the past II (and something to read)

Well it's a week after the Coronation and a warmish weekend after the damp squid that was much of last week and we are officially going backwards as far as this blog goes, more with an entry in line with its earliest.

Coming I believe Wednesday, after last weeks Coronation inspired edition which given used prices are starting to rise already so I'll keep, is this years Summer Activity Special, the more modern and hip title of what we knew as the Summer Special with quizzes and stickers.

It isn't going to be be available to order at D C Thompson's online shop but can be ordered via Amazon as this has only just emerged unlike most years and I don't know, very few people do know, the across the issue plot as there's been no advance publicity unlike previous years.

If we're going back in time to the years we'd devour that, then there's every probability we'd of been in cute girls ankle socks with your skirt, dress, short tails or short trousers not unlike these and oddly enough I hadn't posted about cute socks for a good few years here.

If we'd of gone back a bit further laying across the floor in our school skirt or pinafore dresses reading or playing you might of been in long socks and these are some white pereline ones with a poppy patterned weave I had recently which are genuine vintage designs.

Everything as it was in an entry just like they used to be on here.

How about that boys and girls?