onionbagblog

I gave Weller’s 22 Dreams another play first thing this morning. It all came about after a particularly vivid dream.

Hey! I know. Let’s play 22 Dreams at 5am to get me through the first work shift of the day. Job’s a good ‘un, etc.

I absolutely rinsed this album when it was first released at the start of the summer of 2008. It pretty much defined that period for me. I had to force myself to stop listening to this and nothing else as the year drew to a close.

Seventeen years have somehow passed between then and now. 22 Dreams is still an outstanding, mixed up album.

There’s so many disparate parts that somehow all hang together around the theme of a dream; Northern Soul, psychedelia, Krautrock. It really shouldn’t work, but it does.

It reminded me of listening to the White Album from start to finish on the punishing sound system at the Colchester Arts Centre last week. So many different styles, what a racket. But a bloody glorious racket at that.

22 Dreams started the resurgence period for Weller. Every other album since then has been outstanding. No bad feat, considering he delivers pretty much each and every summer.

The album carries itself, rewarding you when you reach the end. It sounds like a chore, but it really isn’t. It’s like coming to the season close of a boxset that you’ve binged. You’re left wanting more.

A lot of crap is written about Weller. Erm, just read the above.

But time and time again, he comes up with the goods. His back catalogue is now looking pretty much unrivalled in terms of UK artists. He’ll leave quite a legacy.

“If you loved feeds and mourn the day the music died, I have good news, it didn’t die, you all just stopped believing it could happen.”

Dave Winer on the enduring love for RSS. Add in forums. And blogs. Social media can do one. Let’s celebrate the modern interweb like it’s 2003.

“Designed by car commuters”: New station cycle parking mocked as cyclists are forced to push bikes up flight of stairs

There was an impressive high tide down by the Muddy Banks this lunchtime. The eastetny wind was blowing up a bit as well. Rowing was cancelled, natch.

The midway point along the Trail that floods over with high water was just about passable. I prayed to the Bicycle OCD Gods as I gingerly cycled through.

Always changing, always the same.

Friday lunchtime at the Table of Dreams 🏓 BATTERED her 4-1. Wind may have played a part.

We played with the heavy wind ball. It bounces like a demon.

In Boules News: the new boules strip built by the Town Council looks ready to play.

I look forward to the culture clash, when the stiffs look down on two young-ish urban kids living out their table tennis fantasies. Yep.

#tableofdreams

New Bits! A lovely pair of Moscot Lemtosh, all the way from NYC.

Another find via the excellent Clobbered TV.

Hype the YT Channel, and you too could blow your monthly salary on New Bits recommendations 🍋🍋

#ponce #specponce

BUZZING OFF ME TITS, innit 💥

Gotta say that the result from the New Town & Christ Church by-election for Colchester City Council was something of a surprise: a Labour HOLD.

For the record:

ALLAN, Angus (Tory) 200

BOURNE, Richard (Lab) 800 ELECTED

CHILD, Simon (Reform UK) 600

MCCORMICK, Alex (Green) 401

PARTRIDGE, Ian (Indie) 38

WHYBOURN, Chantelle-Louse (LD) 657

First things first: the final totals of 200, 800 and 600 for the Tory, Labour and Reform candidates suggests that the counting took place in bundles, or the good folk of New Town & Christ Church are OCD in their voting habits.

Note that no one called for a recount, natch.

The Labour HOLD - and by some fair margin - is a surprise. I’m not telling you anything new when I say that the party isn’t exactly experiencing a national love in.

Locally on the ground in Sunny Colch, and the picture is a little more mixed. There is the view that Colchester Labour has some good eggs, along with some rather unpleasant characters.

It’s the same for most CLP’s around the country, tbh.

Factor in that the seat became vacant after City Councillor Pam Cox managed to get elected as the MP for the Colchester constituency over a year ago, and the Labour HOLD is actually quite remarkable.

If ever there was an opportunity for the national party to get a good old kicking locally, then New Town & Christ Church was a gift horse.

Reform is the other obvious talking point here. They have come from nowhere locally, with little to no organisation or local party structure.

Never underestimate the foot soldiers and data that are required to fight a successful local campaign. Starting from scratch and blagging 600 votes is a bloody good effort, not to mention a rather frightening one.

If Essex devolution ever happens and the new Unitary authority finally gets set up, then you can see how three party politics in the city has come to an end.

Elsewhere and it’s difficult to comment on the level of tactical voting that may - or may not - have taken place.

The progressive vote with the Greens, Labour and LibDems is strong. If any of them can be arsed to enter into informal coalitions, then this is the way to stop Reform at this level.

I wonder how many votes were lent by the electorate to each of these three parties with a view to crowning the progressive poster boy or girl?

Playing 3D chess at the ballot box is a dangerous game.

Overall it means that there is no overall change in the seats at Colchester City Council:

Conservative - 19

LibDems - 14

Labour - 14

Green - 1

Indies - 1

The LibLab love in limps on, although behind the scenes relationships are a little more ahem fractured.

The 29% turn out yesterday was poor, btw. It was pissing it down all day to be fair.

Just kick it until it breaks, etc.

Clever songs, but never too knowingly. Prefab Sprout have always navigated the fine line between polished and smart arse when it comes to their craft.

Appetite is a statement alone; When Loves Breaks Down is lush.

Overall the album does well to capture that transition from early 80’s indie pop to the arrival of the CD audience. It has a delicate touch, but still sounds professional.

Very decent.

⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

Three-quarters of Brits support Green Party’s wealth tax, YouGov poll finds Disturb the comfortable. Comfort the disturbed, etc.

Only Plaid Cymru can beat Reform, only Reform can beat Plaid Cymru (£) Farewell to two party politics. And thank fuck for that.

The team selection was a slight surprise. I wasn’t expecting to see Zinchenko in there. Disclaimer: in there can mean absolutely bloody anywhere on the left hand side of the pitch, given previous performances.

It was good to see the balance on the wings. Forest always play better with width; Brenan, Franz Carr, Robbo - you can trace the lineage.

The reception for Woan and Stone for the warm up alone was a little emotional. Bloody hell - it’s good to see those two Forest boys back at the World Famous wearing the badge.

Dyche’s introduction was rightly downplayed. He did what he had to - which was to make the short walk from the home dressing room to the home dugout. Not as easy as you might think. Ask Big Ron.

Welcome to the World Famous, Gaffer.

It was a rare occasion for me where I unmuted the telly and turned off Sir Colin of West Bridgford on BBC Radio Nottingham. You have to make the most of Fletch calling the shots in the telly gallery.

He didn’t let us down, although I had slight panic attacks each time he mentioned the name Rosario.

The Zinchenko early injury was a worry. Not so much for the game itself, but the nature in which it leaves the full back cupboard a little bare over the coming weeks.

The ref was bloody awful. How difficult can it be to avoid being hit by the ball on a pitch that size? Booking an attacking player and giving a free kick, to then being reversed for a home team penalty is one hell of a reverse ferret, fella.

The MGW pen itself was a little nervy. Don’t fanny about, mate.

POW. Right in the kisser. And thank chuff for that. It was good to see MGW starting to find his puppet master strings once again.

2-0 up and…

Defend! Defend!

Defend! Defend! Defend!

…as we use to sing back in the old Trent End days. We knew how to amuse ourselves each time Wimbledon rocked up in town.

The clean sheet was a bonus. I had forgotten how precious these are.

SHOUT OUT to Big Wily at FT for being the official Forest Cheerleader. Likewise for Ola celebrating in the tunnel. Pretty in pink, etc.

The Premier Grill fireworks were a welcome return. It’s been a while. Forest All Over the World had me singing after my three pints of Bank’s Bitter.

Chin chin.

As for Dyche?

P1 W1

I’ll take that.

There’s a slight concern about McAtee, Kalimuendo, Bakwa (injured?) and the Europa AWOL Hutchinson. This could be the most expensive set of Forest flops since Hartford, Wallace and Fashanu.

Onwards. To Bournemouth.

Oh Lordy.