onionbagblog

It’s difficult to understand the importance of Ziggy at the time when I was only three years of age back in 1973. But it still sounds like the future, more than fifty years later.

The album starts in such an understated way with Five Years. It’s a softener for what is to come. By the time Starman kicks in, then we’re rocking.

Despite the WHAM BAM force of nature, it’s also a sorrowful record. Lady Stardust in particular always lowers the mood for me.

Four songs that have the word star in the title - he was trying to tell us something. My brain hurts a lot.

Oh how we miss him.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Near Miss of the Day 940: “Do you always scream when a bus passes you?”

One of the first albums that I bought back in 1981, and one that I continue to play almost forty five years later.

Gosh.

OMD mastered the delicate balance of subverting beautiful pop ballads with a dark and atmospheric message. The music hooks you first, before the lyrics then leave you thinking.

Any album that can have a song (and consecutive singles!) with the same name sitting side by side, tells you that OMD weren’t playing the game.

A rare example of 80’s music that understood that the medium is the message.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

This sounds a little like Stars on 45 - HIT after HIT after HIT. And all under 23 minutes as well. It’s a breakneck speed of an album that leaves you a little breathless.

What Jerry Lee lacks in his vocal abilities, he makes up for with the piano playing. It sounds like the vocals of Donald Trump with the body of Jools Holland.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

If it’s a Sunday night, then I must be listening to some folkie shit, right?

OH HAI Dick Gaughan.

Sunday nights back in the late 80’s and early 90’s meant Here Be Dragons with the legendary John Shaw on Radio Trent.

John is sadly no longer with us. He really, really is missed. Most of my musical education during this period came from his unique tastes.

When I should have been mashed off me tits and getting into sorts of trouble, I was listening to late night folk radio in bed.

That’s not as WEIRD as it might seem.

Dick Gaughan was occasionally played on Here By Dragons. But not as much as the House Artist, Richard Thompson, and all things Fairport.

On the CD player this evening is Gaughan’s Handful of Earth. It was picked up in the wonderful second hand St Helena music shop in Walton-on-the-Naze.

I became more aware of Gaughan following his collaborations with Billy Bragg. This album includes World Turned Upside Down - a song that Bragg would also cover on the Between the Wars EP.

It’s wistful, almost soulful Sunday evening music. The burden of the new week ahead doesn’t loom as large with a little folkie interlude.

That’s very much how I remember the great John Shaw and Here Be Dragons.

There was a BIG Sunday afternoon crowd at the Essex Arena for the visit of Loughborough Riders.

I’m not sure why. It wasn’t a double header game, and the Rebs hadn’t made an extra effort to push the tickets.

GOOD EFFORT all round. The strap-line of Colchester’s Best Kept Secret might soon have to be scrapped.

Rebs were down at the end of the first quarter.

Oh dear.

We know how this game is going to end.

There’s an acceptance that the Men aren’t the best team in the league. The Rebs organisation is all about developing talent - both on and off the court.

All we ask for as fans is to put in a decent performance and push the opposition as far as you can.

But don’t take your eye off the ball - especially when High Flyer Tyrese Hudson is playing the game of his life out there.

WOH! This is a classic example of a Rebels young player who has grown to become a baller who can compete with some of the toughest men in the league.

All of a sudden and the score was 34-34. Some huge turnovers for the Rebels allowed them to control the game, and not be bullied by the Riders.

The new Mr Mic Man did a commanding job. He’s found his voice and isn’t afraid to express it. Stan is a tough act to follow.

HT saw birthday celebrations on the court for some local kids. The Rebs handle these events very well. It’s not easy herding around a small army of ankle biters.

Chuck-a-Duck followed. Much to my surprise, this remainsrather popular.

The second half of the game was tight. Riders stretched to a two point lead at 61-63.

Now or never for the Rebs. Don’t let them get out of sight. Sure, we’re here to win, but this is a young Rebels team with a rookie Coach.

Speaking of which: SHOUT OUT to Coach Hart, who took to the court with the big wiper and helped to clean up some sweat.

In it together, etc.

Kyron Martin came big for the Rebels, just when we needed it. He stepped forward on two occasions to sink all four points from his free throws.

These put the game out of reach for the Riders. Man has ice in his veins. Decent beard as well.

And so a fantastic 87-82 home court win for the Rebs.

Yep - you always back yourself at Our House, but once again, this is a Rebels team that is punching above its weight.

What’s really interesting to see is how the organisation is growing behind the scenes, year on year.

Last season was tough due to some tragic off the court circumstances. The club has regrouped, and decided to move on and continue to see where this takes us.

We’re not the strongest team, but we have a strong team spirit.

#uptherebs

Forest always do Remembrance Sunday very well. It’s respectful without being OTT.

The fella on the trumpet was note perfect, both sets of fans reacted in the right way.

This wasn’t always given in a Forest Vs Leeds match. We’ve heard all the scabs chants, and in return, we’re rather fond of DIRTY, DIRTY Leeds in return.

But for Remembrance Sunday, the occasion rises above this. Credit has to go to Forest as a club for managing the occasion with deference it deserves.

I was surprised not to see Yates in the starting eleven. This game had his name all over it - especially in a team picked by Dyche. Sangaré didn’t disappoint.

The game started decent for Forest.

Hey! Betcha Leeds are going to score.

Oh bollocks.

Some Championship level defending led to us going 1-0 down. Please don’t collapse. It would be such a Forest thing to do in front of the live telly cameras.

Oh hang on. Blimey. An instant equaliser. I wasn’t expecting that. Or maybe it’s just that we aren’t use to this with a Nuno or Cooper team.

It was a fantastic recovery and comeback. I always had faith in Sangaré. Yep. Never doubted it.

The Big Fat Greek looked happy for once. I prefer his Miami Vice look compared to the recent airings of the You Are the Manager jacket.

MGW was much improved. Neco continued with his impossibly high consistency levels. Our best left back since The Skipper back in the day?

We do miss Wood up front though.

HT came and went.

Oh hello - TAIWO!

He always raises a smile.

Considering he was pretty much out the door with twelve hours or so to go on Deadline Day, it’s quite a turnaround to see him getting regular minutes of late.

Hutchinson was part of the same substitution bundle. Now there’s a fella who needs to perform.

Yates was Yates.

The MGW goal was bloody great. Two headers in the space of a week, both glancing.

#MoratoTime

Hutchinson was actually very encouraging as the second half played out. Rumours of his demise, etc. He’s the player we always thought we had bought, albeit with some reservations over the price.

And then came the pen. Thank chuff MGW was already off the pitch.

Andersons TWATTED it.

3-1, Forest All Over the World, Eva’s Grill fireworks.

On and off the pitch, etc.

Time for some BOOZE.

Bark Psychosis' Hex, Lowell George’s Thanks I’ll Eat It Here, and Ali Farka Toure’s Talking Timbuktu.

Look - I’ve been away.

I’ve been away buying CD’s…

But that’s not the point.

One of the pleasures of returning home is finding the stash of CD’s that the local Postie has left for me.

I’ve been after Hex for a year or so now. Prices between £15 - £20 are not unknown.

I managed to pick this up for £8 - a fiver or so above my usual personal threshold.

It’s bloody good though. Dark, early 90’s proto post-rock. That makes it sound a lot more pretentious than it actually is.

At the other end of the scale we have Lowell George.

Erm, I’ve not actually heard this. But Robert Elms always bangs on about how bloody good it is. He’s yet to let me down.

And finally Ali Farka Toure. This was a recent album from the 1,001 Albums list. It’s an uplifting record that gets even my downbeat feet dancing.

What can I trouble the postie with next?

Don’t stop off at the Oxfam in Herne Hill and spunk away more money on CD’s.

DON’T STOP OFF AT THE OXFAM IN HERNE HILL…

Yeah, you know what’s coming.

I find it impossible to resist the lure of the Herne Hill Oxfam each time that I cycle past.

There’s a steady turnover of quality CD’s to flick through. Not the usual Simply Red charity shop crap, either.

Fifteen minutes later and I was £7 lighter, with three CD’s - one of which is a triple.

Not bad.

I hesitated over The Jungle Brothers' debut. I love their hip house crossover, with the Daisy Age angle. But is it really a CD album?

Who gives a shit at £2. Add it to the basket.

Then there was Mozza, with Ringleader of the Tormentors - his last acceptable album before he became, erm, a little questionable with his views.

So that makes it alright then.

Finally a triple package from Fats Domino. That will pass away the winter evenings with a bottle of red on the go.

I must try and plan a different bicycling route from Herne Hill back to Sunny Stockwell.

“Alternatives like Signal, Wire, and Element prove that secure communication doesn’t require monetising our attention. They’re no harder to use. The challenge lies in convincing your social circle to move with you. The real choice sits between convenience and conscience, between what’s easy and what’s ethical.”

Documentally on Meta’s Big Brother

In Pictures: London’s Lesser-Known Art Deco Gems

One day I will get to live and own the dream.

Yeah, right.

Jetpack Tools Every Blogger Should Be Using in 2025/2026

Sunday morning listening: Nobukazu Takemura’s mixtape, via the always wonderful #latejunction

Are “mind-altering” shoes the next big performance gain in cycling?

Don’t be a daft twat.

Labour’s Dirty Secrets