Not everyone will admit to what they actually bought first. But I will. Homer: I realised that being with my family is more important than being cool. Bart: Dad. What you just said was powerfully uncool. Homer: You know what the song says. “It’s hip to be square.” Lisa: That song is so lame. Homer:…

Part 4 2004-2008 Thrilling highs, terrifying lows. The story continues… Parts one , two and three also available. The one great law of life is that it usually ends up going to form. Occasional glitches in the matrix are eye catching but rare enough to ignore. FC Porto winning the Champions League felt like a…

Part 3 1999-2004 My ongoing reminiscing of a recently ended journey. Part 1 and Part 2 available here. Note: I have updated Part 2 to include Jack Charlton’s last stand at Anfield in 1995. RIP to the great man. And so into the new millennium. I will try to keep the catharsis to a minimum…

My life as a longish distance Liverpool fan Part 2: 1994-1999 I hope you enjoyed Part 1. I will keep the introduction to Part 2 a bit shorter this week, perhaps only allowing for some choice scene setting.  I was still madly in love with the game in the summer of 94. And why not?…

My life as a ‘longish’ distance fan of Liverpool Part 1 (1988-94) Introduction Write about what you know some say. What about what you love? What sometimes seems unrequited love. Until you remember that a football team is under no obligation to love you back. The lessons of not only unrequited love are to be…

Aye, Corona. Normally I would relish the prospect of extended isolation. I guess when it’s forced upon you it feels a little less liberating. I tried to make the best of it, did some reading, did some writing and watched a lot of old films. Here are some of them. 52 Pick Up ( John…

What’s currently available and where… There was a little bit of consternation when this list was released at the beginning of May 2020. Many felt that some films had been unfairly overlooked. Rumours of a Damo and Ivor protest outside 28 Tara Street have yet to be confirmed but there were some controversial omissions. Conspicuous…

After my last dalliance with a blogpost on cover artists I decided to show you all just how much of a square I am when it comes to music. I’ve pretty much been listening to the same stuff for 20 years and I’m quite happy in my rut! These are some of my favourites plus…

Like most things in Irish culture, I guess my interest in cover versions probably can be traced back to a pub. Cover bands have been a staple of the local speakeasy’s entertainment offering for almost as long as rock and roll itself, always with varying levels of quality and/or accuracy. I often recall local bands…