Films of Colour at The Cowshed in Milton Keynes

The Cowshed Recording Studio

More information about this studio at TheCowshed.tv

SoulBoy All Nighter

Photos and audio captured by @Documentally at Kings Hall in Stoke-On-Trent at the SoulBoy premiere and all night party.

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Not What Rolf Harris Intended.

No i'm not just looking for distraction during hour 9 of an epic office clear out. I do keep finding things i should probably not pick up though.

Hunny Yum And The QT Bum Fairies - Didums

Anyway. Googling 'Hunny Yum And The QT Bum Fairies' very surprisingly brings nothing up.

Till now I guess. No doubt this post will feature pretty highly.

So if you do come across a copy, or any media out there that featured Ashley Steel Thompson, please let me know.

Apparently there is even an old music video (Didums) featured on 'The Old Grey Whistle Test' (1984) somewhere that has him carrying an eight foot ice cream whilst waring suspenders.

And you thought I embarrassed myself in public.

The Royal Albert Hall #bbcproms

Wow. What a great space.

Last time I was here I was a roadie and don't remember much on account of being asleep in the upper tiers between shifts.

The acoustics are great. As is the wine supplied in the box I am currently sat at. (thanks @sophiebr)

I'm tempted to get temporarily possessed by Statler & Waldorf and start shouting but so far everything sounds pretty damn good.

If classical music really does increase I.Q I feel about ready to take a Mensa test.

The view from our box #bbcproms

Sat supping wine with @SophieBr @MarshallManson @LGosling and a mysterious man who doesn't do Twitter.

The Chauffeur For The Beatles

My Grandad John is a very private person. A recent Widower he now lives alone spending his time taking photos and saturating in himself in his main passion, photography.
Get him at a family gathering with a glass of wine though, and the stories start flowing. Always off the record, private stories just for us.

John writes poetry and is in the process of writing his memoirs. He's had many adventures spanning many careers. Personally I always like to ask him about his time with the Beatles. He plays it down just calling it 'another job'. He has so many amazing tales that may never see the light of day due to the subject matter. John is a very honourable man and I imagine he will take many of these amazing tales to his grave. Sometimes he finishes a story with "..and that story never made the papers.. Only me _____ and the police know about that".

Fascinating stuff.

Anyway, today I took John aside for a few moments and asked him a couple of questions. Nothing probing, as I knew he was on the record very reluctantly.

Maybe i'll ask John to share more. Perhaps he will let me see his memoirs from this time. I am mainly interested in the truth and tales around the phenomenon that became the Beatles. Their story was honed, polished and drip fed to the press. John and the others that supported and worked with the Beatles hold the raw truth. They really know what happened.

Tech-no-harp

Another last minute VloMo09 blog entry.. I really wanted to play harmonica in the shower. It's a ritual I have in all the hotel rooms I frequent.

I turned my bag upside down though and with all the tech i have packed.. all the cameras, the power, the leads, the solar devices, the gps trackers and the tool.. I aparently didn't pack my harmonica.

Watch This Space

Yesterday (actually only a few hours ago) I was at Urbis for the opening night of a Hip Hop Exhibition called 'Home Grown'.

I met some great people, had some amazing conversations and grabbed some moments in photos, film and audio.

It's gone 2am here in my Manchester hotel room and I have been browsing some of the images and viewing some of the online conversations around the event.

I thought it was a great exhibition creating a window to a scene I am visiting only now. I could tell from the expressions and conversations from people revisiting this time that It was a job well done. Flashbacks were had. Memories allowed to flood back and friends reacquainted.

I'll name some of the photos, encode some of the video and no doubt drop the various bits and bobs online in the next few days.

If you are anywhere in the UK or have an interest in the history and origins of the UK Hip hop scene, please go visit the Urbis in Manchester before March..

Otherwise.. Watch this space.