rare pair o'strides

Leonardo Di Caprio has been in some of the best and some of the not so best movies in his long career.

From the highs of Wolf of Wall Street to the lows of Romeo and Juliet, Leo has never failed to entertain at least. Be it backpacking to piloting, a french king to an undercover cop, Leo has always held the screen, the plot together with his presence – see his epic portrayal in Django Unchained or indeed The Departed.

Trouble is his latest movie is just total shite. It’s two and half hours of absolute dirge, the characters are crap, the story is crap and it’s about two hours too long.

I am not going to load any spoilers here – unlike the fucking trailers nowadays that give away just about any surprises you may want to find in the actual movie – but it starts with him and his boy part of a hunting group in 1823 America.

Stuff happens that causes Leo to be separated from the group and we now go through him surviving in the wilderness until he gets back into civilization and takes his revenge on those who wronged him.

Tom Hardy (Legend/MadMax/LayerCake/Batman/RocknRolla/PeakyBlinders) is in this and his, say, thirty minutes tops is fantastic but not enough to assist this from being bloody awful.

Its’s slow, it’s director indulgent, it’s so bloomin obvious how it will end it is just not worth watching. Avoid it. Completely.

Leo, Tom, I am sorry but this is total toilet. I just hope you were paid well!

For an example of how good their movies are usually check the following.

Leo

 

Tom

Whats your Onions?

RPOS GUV X

Yesssssssss been ages!

Apologies, but life gets like that right?SometiMes you get a bit of sidewinder that can knock the stuff out of you for while, so how do you get back and back on it?

It can take all sorts of people to drag themselves kicking and screaming but mostly there is a trigger, a point in theirs or your life that can push you.

Inspiration – can take any form, an act of kindness, an act of heroic comedic failure, a song, a sportsman, the local boozer, your dog.

What is your inspiration? I guess mine has changed over the years or there is a variety of inspiration I look to at different times.

Music, Film, Sport, all areas that create and inspire but I would say the biggest inspiration are the people closest to you and if you are a total muppet (ahem like moi perhaps?) you will overlook them at your peril. They hold you in the highest regard and only ever want the best for you and to support you through whatever you might be going through.

Yes there are songs, yes there are leaders to inspire you on film, Bond perhaps or Martin Luther, Cantona or The Rolling Stones but there are closer inspirations, just open your eyes.

Rock ‘n Roll is the soundtrack to life and will continue to be, how you choose it to inspire you, is up to you just don’t lose sight of the inspiration around you.

Not my usual rant or music bollocks and will be back on it next week …………….lots to do and say you cheesy wotsits!

you need to be yourself, you can’t be no one else………woof!

Whats your onions?

RPOS GUV

X

Friday 26th 2015, a date that will live long in the memory for the 100k plus attendees of the BST Hyde Park gig.

On a fantastically sunny day, the beers are going down smoothly, there is a slight breeze aiding the upbeat atmosphere of the crowd in anticipation of the forthcoming bands playing that day.

There were two stages the Oak (main stage) and the Barclaycard stage with bands gracing both stages at the same time until headliners The Who.

To be honest, I wasn’t bothered with the Barclaycard stage acts I was there for Gaz Coombes, Johnny Marr, The Kaiser Chiefs, Paul Weller and The Who.

First on was Gaz (ex lead of Supergrass) with a sweaty mix of soulful and rocking tunes which if the crowd weren’t aware of before they were certainly going to check them out after as he played a cool smooth set.

Johnny Marr – need I say more? Ripping through some new songs, old favourites and Smiths classics.

This is when I had to leave, to go and make room for more liquid refreshment and upon my journey back to the main stage, my ears were assaulted by some rip snorting riffs, sweet harmonies and a real rock voice. Where is that coming from? What’s that over there? Well, it was a third stage, the Summer Stage and on it were a four piece giving it some.

I watched for a few minutes and was instantly hooked – I got tapped on the shoulder ‘ excuse me mate, who are these guys?’, a question I also wanted answering. ‘Sly Digs’ a muso type shouted, ‘Sly Digs’ I tell the shoulder tapper, ‘Sly Digs? They’re my cousins’ wife’s boy’s band! I’d better go find him! Fucking good aren’t they!’. Something I had no issue in agreeing with, having watched for three tracks not knowing any of the song titles I knew I would have to look into them further when back at base. As I turned to go back to my group via the bar the crowd of maybe 8 deep had swelled to over 30 deep with singer Dean quipping that they must have sprinted after Johnny Marr had finished. No they hadn’t, their tunes, text messages of come see and word of mouth had pulled in the throng with them jumping up and down. Nodding to the freshest rock ‘n roll sound to come out of anywhere for so long.

Tight and loose, energetic, effortless melodies with dirty slick playing all combine to produce a Faces/Stones swagger that many bands aspire to and these guys have in spades.

Louis, Pete and Ben complete the line up and I for one hope these boys get the exposure they deserve, not for years have I seen a band be just so good, the attitude, the hair cuts! They have the capacity to spark another band explosion.

Noel Gallagher commented that there aren’t any good bands coming forward……..There is now SLYDIGS.

Check out their web site www.slydigs.co.uk go see them and lets get behind a deserved sound – fuck yeah!

Oh The Kaisers were typically polished, Weller was fucking immense and The Who were ok……….

SLYDIGS is the band and set I took away with me and look forward to seeing and hearing more of them.

Get into them, be cool.

What are your onions?

RPOS X

Download last weekend was rip snorting, it gets better and better every year.

A great mix of new and classic bands, make up a brilliant line up and many a tough choice as to who to see as so many bands are on at the same time!

I love music festivals, my first being Monsters Of Rock in 1990 a festival I have mentioned before – Twice as Hard – you cant beat live music in the sun (?) you almost don’t recognise the weather due to liquid refreshment, dodgy noodles and the whiff of rosemary……..

So, did you go? Who were your highlights?

Muse?

Hey Hello?

Kiss?

Billy Idol?

Slip Knot?

It’s always amazed me how many great bands get to play at such a great venue, great vibe and fans – all down to Mr Andy Copping – he took a great format and spun it upside down introduced more choice and made what was once a one dayer into a weekend party.

Being able to cater to all tastes also help introduce new and old alike to the new and old fan. Glastonbury has always been an eclectic mix of genre, new/old/weird. But Download gives a particular fan of ROCK the opportunity to taste all of it’s wonderful flavours. Plus showcase, if you will, new up and coming talent.

Its just fucking brilliant. A lot if hard work goes into it every year and I for one salute them one and all!

Here are a couple of  my highlights………

KISS

https://youtu.be/SDBuACb2U24

FAITH NO MORE

https://youtu.be/iLJjRr623pc

MALEFICE

https://youtu.be/jHuMKLCkrYM

CADILLAC 3

https://youtu.be/i6TW691iBVo

SLIP KNOT

https://youtu.be/8itIKSWrHxg

Looking for some Hey Hello video – let me know if you captured and have uploaded!!

What are your highlights?

RPOS X

HOW MANY SONGS HAVE BEEN WRITTEN WITH THE WORD BUTTERFLY IN THE TITLE?

• Bullet With Butterfly Wings – Smashing Pumpkins
• Butterfly – Crazy Town
• Butterfly – SMiLE.dk
• Butterfly – Weezer
• Butterfly – Mariah Carey
• Butterfly – Jason Mraz
• Butterfly – Andy Williams
• Butterfly – Tracy Lawrence
• Butterfly Boys – Procol Harum
• Butterfly Fly Away – Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray Cyrus
• Butterfly House – The Coral
• Butterfly In Reverse – Counting Crows
• Butterfly Kisses – Bob Carlisle
• Butterfly On A Wheel – The Mission UK
• Butterfly Tattoo – Bobby Valentino
• Butterfly Wings – Owl City
• Butterfly, How Long It Takes To Die – The Flaming Lips
• Elusive Butterfly – Bob Lind
• Free The Butterfly – Suzi Quatro
• Scream of the Butterfly – Acid Bath
• The Crow And The Butterfly – Shinedown
• Wings Of A Butterfly – HIM

NOW THERE IS ANOTHER, GREATER, ARGUABLY HARDER YET COOLER SONG – FROM THE ASHES OF TWO STRONG CONTENDERS, WE HAVE A NEW SONG RELEASED BY A NEW BAND.

WEARING SCARS

THEIR LATEST RELEASE ‘ BUTTERFLY ‘ IS AN EMOTIVE TRACK WITH A HOOK THAT WILL WORM YOUR EAR HOLE LIKE A SPERM THAT JUST WON’T QUIT.

A REAL BUZZ IS FORMING AROUND THESE GUYS – EX SACRED MOTHERS TONGUE AND MUTINY WITHIN MEMBERS HAVE FORMED WHAT IS A FRESH SHREDDING NOT OVERLY POLISHED CONTENDER OF A BAND THAT HAVE ALL THE QUALITIES THE DESIRE TO BRING THEM THE WORLD.

YOU CAN DOWNLOAD BUTTERFLY ON ITUNES https://itunes.apple.com/gb/artist/wearing-scars/id989250553

DO IT, LISTEN TO IT AND I DEFY YOU TO NOT LOVE IT.

CHRIS CLANCY, ANDY JAMES, LEE NEWELL, CRAIG DAWS, DANIEL WOODYER – NORTHANTS LADS WITH A COOL ROCK GROOVE ON A FOUNDATION OF RIFFROCKINGRIPSNORTINGBOOMBASTICSPLEENSPLICING POWER.

DONT BE FOOLED THAT ‘BUTTERFLY’ IS A TYPICAL OF THEIR ROMCOM CRUDENTIALS – LISTEN TO BECOME NUMB AND YOU WILL FIND GRANITE BEATS AND SHREDS IN BEAUTIFUL HARMONY.

SOARING VOCALS, SOLID DRUMS, DEEP BASS AND THE SIX STRING MENACE ALL BLEND.

DON’T FUCK ABOUT – GO LISTEN, GO SEE.

https://youtu.be/9p1MzRmZdkw

BE PUNK

RPOS X

Here in the UK on May 7th there are national and local elections being held, where we the British can stand up and put our mark on history by choosing the next dynamic group of people committing to fixing the issues, solving the countries problems and securing ours and our childrens futures.

Who will you vote for? Are you happy with your party of choice? Do you really give a fuck?

Politics is important as history shows us, vote the wrong people in for what you believe they would make good on has a habit of snowballing quickly and sometimes disastrously with epic proportions. Mismanagement leading to financial issues for us all or at worst putting lives at risk here or abroad on the latest ‘crusade’.

It’s so important to vote, apathy about it leads to the wrong people getting in and your lives being made worse.

But in my eyes the country has been in such mess from the 70s/80s/90/00s to now that no matter who gets in they are all screwed as it will take a monumental and strong  team of people to rectify such bad decision making.

Just like some half wit winning the best artist award at the Brits or major wannabe on x-factor, we all have an opinion then moan when our choice doesn’t win. They might have you had bothered to pick up your phone along with the thousands of others who have perhaps a valid opinion but do fuck all about it.

Even if your choice doesn’t win, at least you made the effort and can rightly shout from the roof tops – who knows your vote could tip the balance in your choice’s favour!

So, why haven’t I banged on about Music, the new Star Wars trailer, indeed the new Bond trailer, the upcoming snore fest BB2015 or latest Download announcements?

All I am saying is be punk – get off your arse and make sure if you have an opinion then use it this time – who knows you could actually make a difference, contribute to something positive and then you can actually say. ‘Hey I fucking made that change happen!’.

Enough of that bollards, The Wildhearts are touring at the end of the year and playing P.H.U.Q in its entirety and in appreciation of this marvellous news listen to this, don’t be a twat go get tickets. Music Matters.

http://www.ticketweb.co.uk/artist/the-wildhearts-tickets/34304

https://youtu.be/oKea-xN1aTA

What are your onions?

RPOS X

On the 11th March 2015 at a location in that London, a band was playing another of their relentless shows which have grown with more energy and vibrancy than the last.

As a support act you rarely get to say that you remember more for them than  you do the headliner but these guys have been stealing the shows, fans as they go, picking up more and more plaudits.

Judging by their social media the demand for their merchandise is reaching sell out proportions.

Now, is this just some clever media campaign by their management team or is it a genuine ground swell for a real band with a real future?

New Album album Gold Dust is due out on the 11th May and it promises to be packed full of punk attitude married with rock experience and a smattering of hey look at us you fuckers. Single ‘The One’ aside (overly electronic filled and not perhaps their best but luckily their only iffy track) they pack energy, guitar licks, soaring angry vibrant vocals with every track played live. If you want a catch up get Red Light Fix – Rise up, Requiem of the Drunk, Fight and This is for you are a taster to start then grab single Alive. I guarantee you will want to secure Gold Dust.

If you can, go see them now – it won’t be long till larger venues beckon and the merchandise disappears.

Social Media campaign – done.

https://www.facebook.com/thedirtyyouth 

@thedirtyouth

My favourite track? Well I have two cos I’m greedy like that –

Alive

https://youtu.be/eHdzXO0vZ3E

Fight

https://youtu.be/wX1wPLjPhlc

What are your onions?

RPOS x

Pirates.

Jolly Roger, Avast me Hearties, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum and so on.

Captain Pugwash, Black Beard, Captain Jack Sparrow, Davey Jones.

If you have ever loved watching tv shows, cartoons, movies, reading books, dressing up as any of the characters above or as your regular standard pirate, then like me you may well associate pirates as being like being in a band. A band of brothers, fighting to keep going, competing in shark infested waters for a hand full of gold until the next show.

Until it becomes more than the looting and the music and it becomes political, people become greedy, paranoid. Have outsiders whispering in your ear about how you should be captain of your own ship, treachery, sex, money, greed with a swagger.

So Saturday, was the XV episode in series 2, well its actually episode 7 in series 2, but far cooler to call it XV. What am I on about? Black Sails. Just about the best thing on TV while Game of Thrones is off waiting for Winter.

I found it by accident last year, when series 1 was being aired in the US. I found it on Amazon – what was Love Film – and was instantly hooked – Pirates+drinking+fighting+looting+raiding+whoring+betrayal+drinking+fighting = an 18+ view of Pirates based in Nassau. Nassau a caribbean trading island full of debauchery and intrigue as the Pirates battle for control and supremacy whilst being kept in line (ish) by the governess (Hannah New). It makes for an epic show, the characters drag you in with their very different traits, there are twists and counter twists with a cracking cast the whole way through series 1 which finishes with an epic cliff hanger.

Captain Charles Vane, Ann Bonny, Captain Flint, John Silver, this is a prelude to Treasure Island and one to watch with the twists and turns keeping you hooked.

Series 2 goes at a faster pace, rarely is there a lull in the action or tension.

Special effects are fantastic, colourful shoots, excellent characters

I can’t go any further as not one for spoilers all I can say is watch it – Pirates like Rock Stars having the time of their lives, living by the seat of their pants whilst swashbuckling their way around money, greed, ‘love’ and power.

Here is the trailer for the first series – watch it and I defy you not to want to watch more…………

http://youtu.be/Pvxpv_fycl8

BE PUNK

RPOS X

Morning

What’s the Story Morning Glory?

I Don’t Like Mondays.

Stan.

Three songs that were written by song writers not knowing what the response would be from their fans – not actually giving a monkeys perhaps – Skid Row wrote an emotional tender ditty about really not giving two hoots about the reaction of their lady friends’ appreciation of their courtship. It was a song that the local Wembley council felt was way too emotive to be played live at Wembley Stadium, fearing a sudden 70,000 people outpouring of gentle singing would be some what offensive.

The singer Sebastian Bach was so upset he felt they had to read out the letter advising them of the council’s intention to administer severe repercussions should the band play their love song and then promptly perform the said song.

To use words in the process of restricting the use of words for fear of offensive words being heard, not taking into account the 70,000 people there to hear said words is a funny old situation.

Yes not everyone likes certain language, prose, adjectives nouns and so on being used in the wrong context or indeed in an offensive manor. To be honest I couldnt give a shit.

Being able to say what you want when you want is our right as a human being – whether you feel using a level of language in front of your kids, parents, Nan etc is up to you – you will know if its the right time to say something a certain way or not.

Words in song, jest, sonnet, poem, rap, speech, performance, written, spoken, delivered, posted, tweeted, emailed, yelled, chanted, may or may not be taken as offence or personal insult. They may be misinterpreted, misunderstood, misused.

Emotion plays a huge part in how we might respond to a situation and the use of certain words to accentuate a feeling.

Before you all start saying shut up you rambling twonk, I have a point to make.

I was told once that its not in what you say its in what you do and how you do it. Words are empty without meaning ‘yes I will help you move house’ then you don’t bother ‘ I will go with you to watch Take That’ then disappear ‘If you don’t stop doing that I will stop you’  and then let them continue putting a fork in the socket.

Use words how you wish, be prepared for words to be used back at you in any manner of positivity or indeed negativity.

Just be yourself, don’t take any crap, push back, be cool, BE PUNK

Oh, Wembley Council?????? See below

http://youtu.be/eTtQQs_VRcs

RPOS x

Anyone who doesn’t get music being integral to their lives, music marking significant moments, life changing decisions. monumental shifts in their own universe or just the soundtrack to a good time, for me are a bit stoopid.

Growing up though the 80’s there were plenty of punk/rock/pop bands pushing boundaries – videos, picture discs, and plenty of those behemoths of that era who lasted and still produce to this day from Madonna to AC/DC, Metallica to Prince, plus many more.  Many of which have written and released tracks that trigger memories of good and perhaps not so good times.

One such band that captured my imagination in 1990 was a band called The Black Crowes. Made up of two brothers – singer Chris Robinson, guitarist Rich Robinson, Steve Gorman drums, Johnny Colt bass, Jeff Cease Guitar who wrote a brand of rock n’roll that grabbed me and shook me big time.

Yes, there were bands before them the influences abound – I grew up with my dad playing The Faces, The Stones etc. But these guys were my era and they were fucking immense.

So, having bought the LP, played it to death my friends and I got our tickets to Monsters Of Rock Aug 1991 – headliners were AC/DC with Metallica, Motley Crue, Queensryche (oof), The Black Crowes.

Most of my mates were Metallica nuts, so they weren’t any where as near as excited as myself that The Black Crowes were playing.  That all changed by halfway through opener Twice as Hard, the sun was shining we were properly hydrating and at the front the crowd went nuts as did we.

Blistering set, cracking vocals, big bold bluesy dirty rock ‘n roll set a very high bar and showed that day that these boys embodied a mix of american blues with english swagger and man could they play!

Queensryche was the lift music to our out pouring of love for the Crowes as we made blood promises to go see them as soon as we could.

The rest of the day/night was amazing, the Crue rocked, Metallica were hungry aggressive brilliance and topped off with a mental ball busting AC/DC set with Rosie 40ft tall billowing out behind the rock stalwarts.

So, after hiatus after hiatus from the Crowes – line up changes – brothers arguing/loving (they toured the US with a band from England as their support who also had two brothers as the core, singer and guitarist Oasis) they have finally called it quits. No I am not the first to announce it.

Just wanted to express my love for this band, seeing them several times in the UK and US they have been there for parties, girlfriends, holidays, parties, the arrival of kids and more parties .

We all have bands/songs that trigger good times and sound track parts of our lives The Black Crowes is a major one of mine and to know that right now they are no more is gutting.

Still have their music, my memories and future memories to make – does knowing there is no new music from The Crowes to come make it twice as hard?

Who/What are the songs/bands that soundtrack your life? Thing is no matter what you can never lose them

Appreciate your Onions!

Love it………..

http://youtu.be/XQJY2DumfvA?t=1m24s

RPOS x