Dolores on the Late Late Show, 2007

I first saw the Cranberries in 1992 (or was it 1991?), playing live in the college bar in UCC, where I was a student at the time. In fact, my brother had an EP on cassette which they had released in Ireland. I think there was a dolphin on the front of it. They were called the Cranberry Saw Us at the time. Anyway, there was 6 people there to see them play live at the college bar in UCC that night. But it was brilliant. Its the only time I've ever seen an almost unknown band play live and know that they were going to be huge.

Pissed off with HMV

I waited for Amy Winehouse's 'Back to Black' album to come out on vinyl before buying it. When I didn't find it in the local record stores I purchased it online from HMV. When it arrived in the post the cover was torn. Bad luck. I sent it back and asked for a new one. Can you believe it, the second copy they sent me was also torn, even more so than the first one. After about 10 messages of complaint, and them continually saying yes yes yes, no problem, the customer is alright right, etc etc, they still haven't replaced the record for me. Its been about 2 months! They're just fobbing me off in the hope that I'll give up and leave them alone.

There's shit in the meat.

I read this book a few years ago but I (conveniently) forgot about much of what I read, except for one main message which stuck in my head. I saw the movie last night and it remined me of that message. Its simple, there's shit in the meat. I remember that that had a huge impact on me when I read that line in the book.

Bruce Willis plays his part very well in the movie. His answer is that every now and them you have to eat some shit. So every time you tuck into a super mac muggy meal, remember that there's a teeny tiny piece of shit in there somewhere. Its really small, you probably won't see it or smell it, but it's there!

Music and the Movies

I haven't written anything in weeks. Its been a crazy time at work, tyring to get as many projects closed as possible before the summer holidays in August! I have a load of new music to listen to but haven't had much time (new albums by New Young Pony Club, Sinead O'Connor, Athlete, Cherry Ghost, Interpol, as well as some other albums nominated for the Mercury Award).

Anyway, last night I saw one of my favorite movies on TV, High Fidelity. I'd forgotten how much I like it! In fact I have the DVD but I watched it on the BBC (I think). Does that ever happen to you? You have a movie on DVD but you end up watching it when they do it on TV. In fact, I rarely watch a movie more than once, at least for a few years, because I remember everything before it happens. Then a few years later I don't even remember seeing it at all! Anyway, what a great movie. I can really relate to the main character Rob as much as I can't relate to him at all, if you know what I mean. I relate to him being such an asshole at times, and knowing you're being a wanker. And his nerdy obsession with vinyl records, of course.

The cast is great. I recognised one of Rob's old girl friends (Lili Taylor) from the series Six Feet Under (highly recommended tv series, by the way) (John Cusack, Iben Hjejle, Jack Black, Todd Louiso, Tim Robbins, Lisa Bonet, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Joan Cusack, Joelle Carter, and Lili Taylor.) For anyone who hasn't read the book, you should check out Nick Hornby and his books, many of which have been made into quite fine movies, except for the US version of Fever Pitch which is total crap, check out the original UK version about football (something I know nothing, zero, nada, about!). In fact, football (soccer) bores me so much the first time I read the book I gave up after 2 chapters. I came back to it a couple of years later having read other Hornby novels and I really enjoyed it.

Yes, good! Be warned, stay away from US version of this movie.

On a similar note, I saw another music themed movie a few nights back, Music and Lyrics with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore. And I really enjoyed it! Well, yes, it's not a great movie, the plot is simple, Hugh Grant plays himself (but he does it so well!) and Drew Barrymore (terrible in US version of Fever Pitch) is very very sweet, verging on sickly but she held back just enough to make this a very entertaining movie about 80s pop. The opening video of Hugh singing 'Pop Goes My Heart' is extremely well done. 80s music lovers will enjoy and laugh.