#BBC Radio Sheffield

[lalaballa]

There’s this four-part series being broadcast on BBC Radio 2 this month (though online all four episodes are already available) in which “Johnny Marr takes listeners on a journey through Great British bands, spanning from the 1960s to the contemporary era.” In episode one he includes Crying Lightning and says the following about the band and Alex (starts at 28:30):

[Song ends] “Arctic Monkeys, Crying Lightning, from the album Humbug. Well, if we’re discussing great British bands… I mean… what more do you want? Arctic Monkeys. One thing about them… so, if you go to America – anywhere in America, in fact, because they’re pretty big over there – and you mention Arctic Monkeys, I think the first thing people are going to say is that they’re from Britain. They’re synonymous with where they come from… I think they could only come from Britain, and furthermore probably could only come from the North, Sheffield. It’s interesting, I think, that regional thing. But… yeah, proper British band. I played with Alex, with the Shadow Puppets, a couple of times, and he’s as good as you think he is, folks. You learn a lot about someone, standing next to them in front of a bunch of people playing. I found that with quite a few people that I’ve worked with. You really get a sense of them, when you stood next to them when they’re doing what they do. And what struck me the first time I ever played alongside him was… for the first time I realized that he reminds me quite a lot of David Bowie. You just have to trust me on that."

Source: AMUS forum (u/Fleur_aviation) https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m0023q6l

[rpfisfine]

jamie & alex's relationship over the years + jamie's importance to the band

unknown / hillsborough park sheffield 2023 / mojo december 2022 / alex's signature vs jamie doing alex's signature for him / studio brussel interview / on:off by tom oldham / birmingham 2018 / nme may 2018 / am watching interpol’s set at trnsmt / mojo june 2018 / acl fest 2018 / xfm interview / my propeller ep official cover / gigwise april 2014 / artist polaroids from lollapalooza 2011 / x / nottingham 2011 / highly evolved interview / reading festival 2014 / radio x / q magazine 2009 / plugged magazine 2013 / x / nme october 2022 / rio de janeiro 2014 / jakarta 2023 / bbc radio 2 / kings theatre 2022 (my screenshot) / sculptures of anything goes credits

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

Today - June 18th, 1976 - Queen Story!

'You're My Best Friend' bw ''39' released in the UK

- 'You're My Best Friend'

Written by John Deacon, this song was dedicated to his wife, Veronica Tetzlaff, a former trainee teacher from Sheffield.

The second single from the 'A Night At The Opera' album released in 1975

🔸"Well, Freddie didn’t like the electric piano, so I took it home and I started to learn on the electric piano and basically that's the song that came out, you know, when I was learning to play piano. It was written on that instrument and it sounds best on that, you know, often on the instrument that you wrote the song on."

- John Deacon

Interview 24/12/1977, BBC Radio One

- '39'

Written by Brian May

Taken from album 'A Night At The Opera' released in 1975

🔸"It's something that we have... people can't believe it, they can't believe it's us. It's something Brian May wanted to do and it's very, very unlike Queen really. I think it's going to the B-side for You're My Best Friend. It's something Brian wanted to do and that's nice."

- Freddie Mercury

Interview 21/05/1976, Record Mirror

📸 Pic: Cover album - Yugoslavian Sleeves

[earlycuntsets]

pt. 2

parts (1, 3, 4)

earlycuntsets.org sourced - where I got all my mcr pictures

first of a series. due to tumblr limits on how many links you can post. this full idea will be continued on future posts. here is 2007-2010. this is pictures. will make a separate post for youtube/recordings.

been needing to fully source my website so here we go! wanted to share with other kool mcr fans.

old fansites/website appearances:

08/11/2007 tampa fl - ishotyourband.com

11/13/2007 sheffield england - blackvelvetmagazine.com

04/02/2008 san jose ca - cluelessdoll18

11/30/2010 - iheardradio

12/05/2010 tampa bay - 97x

12/12/2010 91x rex the halls san diego hollywood icon magazine

flickrs:

07/28/2007 san bernadino ca - joey malone & scarlet lark

07/29/2007 mountain view ca - lex

07/31/2007 kevin and beans breakfast hollywood ca - alex rausch

08/03/2007 san antonia tx - diana

08/04/2007 dallas tx - kenneth smith

08/07/2007 charlotte nc - brittany davis

08/11/2007 tampa fl - tracie stockwell, melissa turner, matt downham

08/15/2007 long island ny - maria newman, miles tsang, paul sherwood, carrie musgrave

08/17/2007 blossom music center cuyahoga falls oh - rachael barbash

08/19/2007 bristol va - kyle gustafson

08/21/2007 toronto ca - taylor christina

08/22/2007 detroit michigan - dominique canning

08/24/2007 mansfield boston - dan gonyea, allmyoxygen, ashleyspotlightrocks

08/25/2007 camden nj - steve trager, cary liao

08/31/2007 noblesville in - eatthislight

09/01/2007 tinley park il - april a taylor

09/03/2007 denver co - liz sawyer

11/03/2007 milano italy - fabrizio galeone & luca fill

11/15/2007 london uk - emma webb

11/30/2007 sydney australia - kate walton

12/09/2007 kuala lumpur malaysia - jin lim

12/11/2007 singapore - phook afg

1/27/2008 taipei, taiwan - jo

2/15/2008 rio de janeiro - charline messa

2/18/2008 sao paolo brazil - 115th dream, alexandra m, mariel g.m., fernanda, alfredoow

2/24/2008 santiago chile - sisforstph, felipebored, francisca

2/27/2008 caracas venezuela - natalia feliu, alxgt

03/30/2008 las vegas nv - sarah dope

04/08/2008 portland oregon - ciera walters

04/12/2008 mexico city - tony francois

04/17/2008 chicago il - sarah

04/27/2008 frisco tx - kenneth smith

05/09/2008 nyc ny - maura

08/01/2009 the roxy hollywood ca - jessxrevenge, lex, daniel rodriguez

10/23/2010 london uk - alessia cifali, justine trickett, lucy roth, justin ng, sarah tye, solange moreira-yeoell, emma webb, immy

10/24/2010 manchester uk - emilyisabelle, hayley johnson, sinead granger, frankie cooksie, paul

10/25/2010 edinburgh uk - emilyisabelle, hannah drake

10/30/2010 amsterdam - samantha, kimviciousphotography, stacey van shaik

10/31/2010 london uk - rikdom

11/01/2010 paris france - manuela, apoline mariotti, jem

11/11/2010 mcr in session for bbc radio maida vale - rhodri jones

11/22/2010 los angeles ca - andi tedesco

12/01/2010 nyc ny - ahorsewithnoname

12/03/2010 roseland ballroom nyc ny - kenny shin, rufus, jeremy wood, miwa sakulrat, ludovica ciccarelli,

12/08/2010 kansas city mo - todd zimmer, scott spychalski, wendy vong,

12/10/2010 101 not so silent night san jose ca - theowlmag, shannon gilb, scernea

livejournals:

08/10/2007 west palm beach - pookie_ray

part 3 here

[servants-hall]

All Creatures Great and Small: Samuel West on his Yorkshire heritage, meeting his fellow cast members and finding Siegfried

All Creatures Great and Small actor Samuel West talks to Stephanie Smith about his Yorkshire heritage, first meeting his fellow cast members – and finding Siegfried Farnon.

paywalled article - full article copied below

If there is a magic formula for making a hit TV drama series in the 21st century, All Creatures Great and Small has bottled and then gift-wrapped it. Values are key and, says Samuel West, the upcoming Christmas Special spreads a much-needed message of decency and kindness.

“It’s about people coming together in difficulty, to support each other, at a time when so many terrible things are happening in the world,” he says. “It’s got absent friends, people who are missing, people who won’t ever come back, just like life.”

Samuel plays Siegfried Farnon, the Yorkshire Dales vet with a short fuse and a huge heart. It is a role that he has more than made his own, even for those who remember Robert Hardy in the original BBC series that ran from 1978 to 1990.

Samuel West and Peter Wright in All Creatures Great and Small Meets The Yorkshire Vet. Photo: Channel 5

The “new” Channel 5 adaptation launched amid a pandemic-crippled UK back in September 2020, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the publication of If Only They Could Talk, the first of the James Herriot bestsellers penned by Thirsk vet James Alfred “Alf” Wight. There have now been four TV series made (and we are talking to mark the release of a DVD box set of them).

All Creatures has been a great success for Channel 5, with viewing figures for the fourth season peaking at 3.7million. Samuel saw the show’s potential from the off. “I was already thinking about Channel 5 as a good place, because they had given up Big Brother and so they had to fill about 250 hours a year of schedule, and they started filling it with drama, which was delightful.”

When approached to play Siegfried, he was already a respected actor, with a rich and varied career mingling theatre, TV and film, radio and voiceover work. Nominated in 1993 for a BAFTA for Howards End, his film credits also include Jane Eyre, Van Helsing and Notting Hill, while his TV work includes the BBC’s Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (filmed in York in 2015), Waking the Dead, Any Human Heart, Slow Horses, The Crown, Small Axe and four series of Mr Selfridge. He was artistic director of Sheffield Theatres from 2005 to 2007.

He learned that Golden Globe and BAFTA award-winning production company Playground was making the new All Creatures. “I had just finished watching Playground’s Wolf Hall, which I had adored, and that period stuff is hard to get right, and expensive to do well,” he says.

The treatment he was sent included a back story about Siegfried, written by lead writer, Ben Vanstone. “It was beautiful,” says Samuel. “Almost sort of Chekhovian in its detail and the cables that ran through the man. They had set a lot of things in this past that had made him layered, and I realised, just from thinking about the man, and looking at the books and remembering Robert Hardy’s performance in the 1970s, that he was going to need a lot of playing. It was going to need vocal and physical size. But I thought, if I am on the right track and I know where I am coming from, I think I’m quite good casting.”

He met Nicholas Ralph (James Herriot), Rachel Shenton (Helen) and Callum Woodhouse (Tristan) on the train from Leeds to Skipton for a couple of days’ rehearsal. Samuel says: “At the end of the journey, I thought, what lovely people, and at the end of the rehearsal, I thought, this ensemble really works, and then they cast Anna Madeley and she was the icing on the cake that was already rising.”

Siegfried is often spotted reading The Yorkshire Post. “Quite right, too,” says Samuel. “ I also love the paper. I think your editorials are sometimes some of the most sensible things I read all week.”

In this series, Siegfried is a widower, a detail not in the Herriot novels but echoing the life of the real man who inspired the character, Donald Sinclair, whose first wife, Evelyn, died of tuberculosis. He was married to his second wife for 53 years. She was called Audrey, which just happens to be the lesser heard name of Anna Madeley’s character, Mrs Hall.

Samuel discovered more about Donald Sinclair when he teamed up with real-life vet Peter Wright while making the programme All Creatures Great and Small Meets The Yorkshire Vet, which airs on Channel 5 just before the All Creatures Christmas Special on December 21. He also visited The World of James Herriot with Alf Wight’s children, Jim Wight and Rosie Page, and has incorporated into Siegfried’s portrayal some of the details they passed on. “My father says, do as much research as you can because, even if only 10 per cent is useful, the more you do, the bigger the 10 per cent is. Except he says I say that.”

Samuel’s father, actor Timothy West, is Bradford-born. Family legend has it that Timothy’s father (actor Lockwood West, known as Harry) was on tour there at the time. “It's not true,” says Samuel. What actually happened was, in pre-NHS days, he and his wife, Olive, also an actor, had been told of an inexpensive maternity home up in Yorkshire. Samuel says: “They were playing in Eastbourne at the time. She went by train to Bradford, had the baby, and Harry continued to do eight shows a week.”

Samuel - who has two daughters, aged nine and six, with his partner, the playwright Laura Wade - plans to save the All Creatures Christmas special to watch with his father and mother, fellow actor Prunella Scales. “My father, in particular, is quite cross that he’s not in it, but he can’t be in everything,” he says. “And we would have to be related - we look increasingly like each other.”

The All Creatures Great and Christmas 2023 episode will be broadcast on December 21, at 9pm in the UK on Channel 5 and My5.

[beardedmrbean]

Britain and Germany have signed what the UK government is calling a "landmark defence agreement" aimed at boosting security, investment and jobs.

Under the agreement, German defence company Rheinmetall will open a new factory in the UK to manufacture barrels for artillery guns – supporting 400 jobs.

Both countries will work together to develop drones and a new long-range missile.

German maritime surveillance aircraft will also periodically fly patrols of the North Atlantic from RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland.

"Today is a significant day for UK and German relations and in the history of our two countries," Defence Secretary John Healey said at a press conference following the signing.

"This is the driving force behind our Nato-first UK defence strategy, behind our reset of UK relations with Europe," he said.

Labour promised to build closer military ties with Germany while in opposition and this is part of a wider push by this government to reset relations with key European allies post Brexit.

The German Ambassador to the UK, Miguel Berger, said the European Commission will have a very strong focus on defence in the next five years, and there is space for the UK to be involved.

"Obviously the question is - what can the role of the British defence industry and of the capacities of the United Kingdom be in this joint endeavour?" he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

The UK already has a defence pact with France – the Lancaster House Treaty signed in 2010 by David Cameron and Nicholas Sarkozy – but this is the first with Germany.

The UK and Germany are the two largest defence spenders in Europe and the biggest European military donors to Ukraine.

Healey said it was a "milestone moment", bringing the two countries' militaries and defence industries closer.

In reality the two nations already co-operate as members of the Nato alliance.

In a joint venture, they are also building new tanks and armoured vehicles for the British Army, Germany’s Rheinmetall and the UK’s BAE Systems-formed RBSL to manufacture the Boxer armoured fighting vehicle and the latest Challenger 3 tank in Telford, Shropshire.

Under the new Trinity House Agreement, Rheinmetall will build a factory in the UK to produce barrels for artillery guns – something the UK stopped doing more than a decade ago.

The site for the factory has not yet been announced, but the Ministry of Defence (MOD) says it will support more than 400 jobs and use British steel produced by Sheffield Forgemasters.

The steelmaker was recently acquired by the UK Government. The first artillery gun barrels are expected to roll off the production line in 2027.

The Trinity House Agreement also includes a commitment to develop a new long-range missile, which the MOD says will be more precise and can be fired further than any current systems – the UK’s Storm Shadow and Germany’s Taurus. Unlike the UK, Germany has refused to supply Ukraine with its Taurus cruise missile.

The UK and Germany will further co-operate on developing drones that might be able to fly alongside Typhoon jets operated by both countries.

German P8 maritime surveillance aircraft will periodically operate out of RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland to help patrol the North Atlantic. Other Nato allies have been doing the same for a number of years.

There is also a promise to bolster the defence of Nato’s eastern flank; both the UK and Germany have already sent hundreds of troops to the Baltic states as part of Nato’s enhanced defence plans following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Germany’s Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said the agreement would strengthen Europe and Nato.

"We must not take security in Europe for granted," he said, adding the projects being undertaken would be open to other partners.

[freakingoutthesquares]

THE PULP INTERVIEW 1987

So where do Pulp fit into the scheme of things, Russell? "There's a big gap between the sugary horrible pop charts and the ugly spiky indie sludge and there aren't too many bands in the middle though that's where our future lies I reckon. I think what we do is normal and healthy and what a lot of people are looking for - music that sounds beautiful but doesn't insult your intelligence isn't that absurd a thing to do."

Unknown fanzine (via PulpWiki)

Along with the equally excellent Blue Aeroplanes and Colenso Parade, PULP have formed a crucial part of the Fire records tour-de-force. Originally treading the boards back in 1983, the Sheffield-based group have re-emerged this year with only Jarvis Cocker remaining from the previous line-up, and have to date offered us 3 splendid 12-inch singles, with an album coming v. soon. No strangers to controversy, Pulp's first release for Fire, the haunting 'Little Girl (With Blue Eyes)', had a BBC ban slapped on it due to the direct nature of the lyric. Were the band surprised by this?

Jarvis: "Not really I suppose. There seems to be an attitude that anything is acceptable in pop music as long as it's never put directly; e.g. it's all right to say 'Let's make love tonight baby I wanna feel your body' but not 'There's a hole in your heart and one between your legs'. I wasn't too surprised."

Guitarist/vocalist Russell puts the other side of the coin: "I was very surprised seeing as we'd been playing that song live and on local radio for years and nobody had ever passed comment on it. I suppose that we thought it was pretty tame really. What really cracked us up was that Jane Solanas, a feminist writer for the NME, gave it the biggest slagging off."

As Sheffield has a fine track record for producing groups, I wondered what Pulp saw as the pros and cons of hailing from the city, and how important it was not to be seen as 'just another Sheffield band'.

Jarvis: "we'd rather not even be thought of as another band, let alone another Sheffield band. We play music so obviously we're seen as a band, but music is just our chosen form of communication really. Nice tunes are all very well but a song should get something across as well. As for Sheffield, it's big and smelly. There's no scene - just lots of people trying to outshoot each other."

Russell reciprocates this view: "In Sheffield the 'local' stigma is a pretty difficult one, i.e. there's an image of what Sheffield music sounds like (A cross between New York funk and a steel factory) and we don't sound like it. What pisses me off is that the tag doesn't fit Sheffield at all. We're proud to be part of the varied and very healthy scene that is Sheffield music. For the record I feel that Pulp stem very much from Sheffield's industrial culture, but that doesn't mean we can only appeal to Sheffield people or that we sound horrible. Something to do with having to make your own beauty because the sights and smells around you all offend the senses. Now the 'scene' is entirely different and there are a lot more bands like us (i.e. with songs rather than noises or textures) doing interesting things."

I make mention of the song 'Will to Power', to be found on the 12" of 'Little Girl', which attracted some criticism due to its (ahem) right wing connotations. Russell, who wrote the song, expands: "To be honest, I wasn't too surprised at the Nazi flak we got. It is in fact a real commie anthem dedicated to Arthur Scargill, and Nelson Mandela and the I.R.A. The reason it got flak is: 1) it mentions 1933 (the year Hitler came to power) 2) the title is also a book of Nietzsche writings compiled by the Nazis and taken out of context to try and prove their race theories. 3) I look very similar to Adolph Hitler(!). On a couple of occasions I've had to dash out of my local when yobbos started chanting 'Zieg Heil!' and taking the piss."

To their eternal credit, Pulp shun any attempt to look self-consciously hip (or indeed self-consciously unhip) in their appearance. For despite Jarvis' own admittance that "we are usually told that we look like a party of inmates from an asylum on a day trip", Russell is quick to point out that Pulp's image is important the more so because it's not a chosen or contrived one. Jarvis agrees: "We don't attempt to avoid current trends", adding "we can't help it if we're 2 years ahead of everyone else!"

Russell thinks that there are too many easy reference points in most bands, to the extent that people will tend to fashion their lifestyle according to the types of bands they go to see, citing batcave music as a prime example. So where do Pulp fit into the scheme of things, Russell?

"There's a big gap between the sugary horrible pop charts and the ugly spiky indie sludge and there aren't too many bands in the middle though that's where our future lies I reckon. I think what we do is normal and healthy and what a lot of people are looking for - music that sounds beautiful but doesn't insult your intelligence isn't that absurd a thing to do."

Overall I reckon Russell has every justification for saying this - listen particularly to the first 2 Fire singles, both truly tender but with a lyrical twist in the tail, or the eerie, relentless 'Aborigine', or the tranquil beauty of 'Goodnight', featuring Jarvis at his gravest, if you don't believe me.

If I had to compare them with someone, I suppose The Velvets spring to mind, but really, trite comparisons do Pulp no favours at all, and more importantly they can never hope to communicate the many facets of Pulp. The best way to find out is to buy one of their records, and find out for yourself. Enlightenment is just around the corner.

[burlveneer-music]

Electric Sufi - Breathe In Love

This is Breathe in Love, the new album by Electric Sufi. A first single 'O Ignis Spiritus' will be released on 1 February 2023, the album will be released later that year.

Electric Sufi are Sheffield based Professor of Music and Sound Archaeologist at Huddersfield University Rupert Till, Manchester based singer-songwriter and environmental activist Sarah Yaseen and Nottingham based multi-instrumentalist / University lecturer Mina Mikhael Salama.

Rupert has produced ambient dance, chillout and electronic music under the the moniker Professor Chill throughout his career, including the album Dub Archaeology released in 2018. He’s also written the book Pop Cult which delves into the mysteries of music and spirituality, participated in the BBC TV series Civilisations as well as numerous other TV and radio shows, plus written articles in The Quietus, Huffington Post and New Scientist. His extensive research projects have been wide and varied, covering a multitude of subjects ranging from ‘The influences of Religion on British Club Culture and Electronic Dance music’ to ‘Sound Archaeology, Acoustics and Cave Art’.

Sarah, whose family roots are in Kashmir, is known in world music circles as a singer in UK Womad favourites Rafiki Jazz and Danish all-woman ensemble Radiant Arcadia. In Electric Sufi she sings in Urdu, Punjabi, Persian, Latin and English – and by doing so, draws upon a wide range of cultural influences. Inspired by Qawwali (Islamic devotional singing from India) and Ghazals (Arabic poetry), she has one foot firmly placed in a contemporary multicultural world and the other in the ancient lyrical and musical traditions on which she draws.

Mina, a Coptic Christian from Alexandria, Egypt, came to the UK as a refugee, taking asylum here from persecution in his homeland. He has since contributed much to UK culture through his performances at WOMAD, Edinburgh Festival, The Southbank, London as well as Cardiff, Leicester, Manchester and beyond. Along with Rupert, Mina has also contributed to the BBC TV series Civilisations where he demonstrated a 30,000-year-old Isturitz Vulture bone flute. On an international level, Mina has contributed to the music score on Disney’s Aladdin, directed by Guy Richie and starring Will Smith, Mena Massoud and Naomi Scott.

With a first performance at Bradford’s Kala Sangam Arts Centre, which received much applause from a diverse audience, this trio brings much collectively and individually to the Electric Sufi sound, resulting in a rich tapestry of cultural and musical layers of influence that their album Breathe In Love explores in much detail. Their modern interpretation of O Ignis Spiritus is a wonderful introduction to this enchanted world and their message of hope.

[thesocialchronicles]

by Jerome Sale, BBC Radio Oxford's Oxford United commentatorWhen a team has won only once in 15 games it might seem strange to talk about the outright shock that cascaded through Oxfordshire within moments of this news breaking. It is not about Des Buckingham being a local guy, or even the guy that took Oxford into the Championship for the first time in 25 years. I did a phone in when of the 100 or so calls, text messages and social media comments we received after Oxford were beaten at home by Sheffield Wednesday, a grand total of one called for a change of manager. Relegation always was, and remains, a possibility for a club that almost surprised itself by winning the League One play-offs following a late charge last season. My initial thought is that the fans have been happy just being in the Championship – the club clearly isn't. 2024-12-15 13:43:26 https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/ace/branded_sport/1200/cpsprodpb/eefb/live/b90d7d30-bae9-11ef-bd28-8bf58d194d82.jpg

[candy-floss-crazy]

For those who haven't seen it on the news, or social media, Mi Amigo was a USAAF B-17 Flying Fortress that was returning heavily damaged from a raid. It crashed into trees in Sheffield's Endcliffe park. At the time a group of kids were in the park, having met up for a prearranged fight! One of them, a gentleman called Tony Foulds, witnessed the pilot turning the aircraft to avoid the kids and sacrificing himself and his crew to save them. Memorial To The Fallen As he grew up, Tony started to tend to the memorial that had been placed in the park. A labour he has undertaken for 6 decades. This was unnoticed by all except a few locals. Until a chance meeting with Dan Walker. Host of a radio programme for the BBC he was jogging through the park. Noticing Tony sweeping the monument they got to talking. Tony explained what he was doing and why. He told Dan his ambition was for a memorial flypast to commemorate the anniversary of the crash. Dan told him to "Leave it to me" and decided to help. He tweeted about the meeting, asking if anyone knew how much the red arrows would cost. Dan found the story going viral, with both U.K. and U.S. military chiefs contacting him regarding the request. A Memorial Flypast The upshot was that on 22nd February, a number of both countries military craft flew over the park in tribute. The final flyover was 4 Mcdonnell Douglas F15 Fighting Eagles, which flew the "Missing Man" formation. This is a poignant tribute, where the flight approaches with 4 craft in close formation. One of the middle aircraft suddenly breaks away and climbs vertically, leaving the rest of the formation to fly on with an obviously missing place. This is to honour a pilot, who can no longer fly the formation due to his death, and was a fitting tribute to the heroism of a long ago pilot. F15 Strike Eagles Fly The Missing Man Formation WWII Era Dakota Transport Eurofighter Typhoon Fighter Aircraft Saluting The Mi Amigo Now you might well ask, what has any of this got to do with a company specialising in Corporate Entertainment. Well, to be honest, nothing really, other than since I obtained my Private Pilots Licence I have had an increasing interest in aviation. Oh, and if it wasn't for men like the crew of that B17, this blog might well be called Zuckerwatte Verrückt (That's German for Candy Floss Crazy). Read the full article

[cppsheffield]

Centre for Poetry and Poetics in Collaboration with Black Humanities Series Presents:

A Reading With Safia Khan, Inua Ellams and Imtiaz Dharker

Venue: The Diamond, LT2, The University of Sheffield, 6pm.

Safia Khan is a junior doctor and poet. Her debut collection (Too Much Mirch) was published in 2022 with Smith | Doorstop and won the New Poets Prize. She has been commissioned to write and deliver lectures in poetry for various universities and literary organisations, including The British Library, The University of Oxford, The Poetry Business, and the Hippocrates Initiative for Poetry and Medicine. Her work has been published in various journals and anthologies including The North, BATH MAGG, Poetry Wales, Introduction X: The Poetry Business Book of New Poets (New Poets List), We’re All in It Together: Poems for a disUnited Kingdom (Grist), Dear Life (Hive), Surfing the Twilight (Hive). -- Born in Nigeria, Inua Ellams is a poet, playwright & performer, graphic artist & designer. He is a Complete Works poet alumni and facilitates workshops in creative writing where he explores reoccurring themes in his work - Identity, Displacement and Destiny - in accessible, enjoyable ways for participants of all ages and backgrounds.

His awards include: Edinburgh Fringe First Award 2009, The Liberty Human Rights Award, The Live Canon International Poetry Prize, The Kent & Sussex Poetry Competition, Magma Poetry Competition, Winchester Poetry Prize, A Black British Theatre Award and The Hay Festival Medal for Poetry. He has been commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company, National Theatre, Tate Modern, Louis Vuitton, BBC Radio & Television. His poetry books include ‘Candy Coated Unicorn and Converse All Stars’ published Flipped Eye, 'The Wire-Headed Heathen' by Akashic Books, The Half God of Rainfall by 4th Estate and The Actual by Penned in The Margins. His plays include ‘Black T-shirt Collection’, ‘The 14th Tale’, ‘Barber Shop Chronicles’ and ‘Three Sisters’ published by Oberon. He founded The Midnight Run (an arts-filled, night-time, urban walking experience.) The Rhythm and Poetry Party (The R.A.P Party) which celebrates poetry & hip hop, and Poetry + Film / Hack (P+F/H) which celebrates Poetry & Film. -- Imtiaz Dharker grew up a 'Muslim Calvinist' in a Lahori household in Glasgow, was adopted by India and married into Wales. She is an accomplished artist and video film-maker, and has published six books with Bloodaxe, Postcards from god (including Purdah) (1997), I Speak for the Devil (2001), The terrorist at my table (2006), Leaving Fingerprints (2009), Over the Moon (2014) and Luck Is the Hook (2018). Her seventh, Shadow Reader, is published in 2024. All her poetry collections are illustrated with her drawings, which form an integral part of the books; she is one of very few poet-artists to work in this way. She was awarded The Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry for 2014, presented to her by The Queen in spring 2015, and has also received a Cholmondeley Award from the Society of Authors and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Over the Moon was shortlisted for the Ted Hughes Award for New Work in Poetry 2014. Her poems are on the British GCSE and A Level English syllabus, and she reads with other poets at Poetry Live! events all over the country to more than 35,000 students a year. She has had a dozen solo exhibitions of drawings in India, London, Leeds, New York and Hong Kong. She scripts and directs films, many of them for non-government organisations in India, working in the area of shelter, education and health for women and children. In 2015 she appeared on the iconic BBC Radio 4 programme Desert Island Discs. In 2020 she was appointed Chancellor of Newcastle University. She lives in London.

Please note this is an in-person event and we would love you to be there but if you can't make it to Sheffield you can log in by no later then 5.50 on the following link: meet.google.com/fdh-igyk-hrr

Recording now available:

[chrisryanspeaks]

Experience Daydreamers' Latest Hit "All I Ever Dream About" – A Perfect Blend of Emotion and Melody

British alternative pop band Daydreamers have unveiled their infectious new single, "All I Ever Dream About," available on all digital streaming platforms. This track, an airy and romantic piece, exudes a warm ambience that perfectly complements the band's previous buzzworthy singles, "Call Me Up" and "Beach House," released earlier this spring. "All I Ever Dream About" continues the band's tradition of embedding sentimental value into their music. Vocalist and principal songwriter Riley describes the band's sound as "sad euphoria," a term that captures the emotional depth and heart-wrenching themes they explore, while maintaining an upbeat musical vibe. The song features a soaring chorus that reaches for the skies, with verses that delve into themes of uncertainty and insecurity. Riley explains, "You’re super obsessed with somebody, and you know it’s not good for you. It’s pure infatuation, but there’s a slight irony because you know the situation is never going to last. You’re basically saying, ‘You’re all I ever dream about,’ with a bit of a wink." Daydreamers have already made a name for themselves as a must-see live act. They will be touring with fellow UK band Sea Girls this fall, alongside appearances at major festivals like Latitude and Reading & Leeds. Previously, they have opened for acts such as Kings of Leon and Pale Waves, and sold out their first headlining gig in London before even releasing their debut single. The band consists of Riley (vocals, guitar), Aurora (bass), Jay (drums), and Marco (guitar). Formed in 2023, they quickly gained traction with their debut single "Call Me Up," which sparked a frenzy on TikTok and translated to several million streams. Their follow-up single, "Beach House," released in May, garnered early critical acclaim from BBC Radio 1 and MTV UK, with Uproxx noting that "Daydreamers display the potential to resonate indefinitely." Riley reflects, "I think music exists to help us understand life. Maybe, Daydreamers can help you make sense of things." Check out their full touring schedule below and experience the euphoric sadness of Daydreamers for yourself. daydreamers Tour Dates: July 27 – Suffolk, GB – Latitude Festival August 23 – Leeds, GB – Leeds Festival August 25 – Reading, GB – Reading Festival September 26 – Sheffield, GB – Octagon* September 27 – Newcastle, GB – O2 City Hall* September 28 – Manchester, GB – O2 Apollo Manchester* September 29 – Glasgow, GB – O2 Academy Glasgow* October 1 – Nottingham, GB – Rock City* October 3 – London, GB – O2 Academy Brixton* October 4 – Cardiff, GB – The Tramshed* October 5 – Manchester, GB – Neighbourhood Festival October 6 – Portsmouth, GB – Portsmouth Guildhall* October 7 – Norwich, GB – The LCR, UEA October 8 – Birmingham, GB – O2 Academy 1* October 9 – Liverpool, GB – Mountford Hall* October 12 – Belgast, GB – Limelight* November 16 – Leeds, GB – Live at Leeds in the City Festival Read the full article

[audiofuzz]

Experience Daydreamers' Latest Hit "All I Ever Dream About" – A Perfect Blend of Emotion and Melody

British alternative pop band Daydreamers have unveiled their infectious new single, "All I Ever Dream About," available on all digital streaming platforms. This track, an airy and romantic piece, exudes a warm ambience that perfectly complements the band's previous buzzworthy singles, "Call Me Up" and "Beach House," released earlier this spring. "All I Ever Dream About" continues the band's tradition of embedding sentimental value into their music. Vocalist and principal songwriter Riley describes the band's sound as "sad euphoria," a term that captures the emotional depth and heart-wrenching themes they explore, while maintaining an upbeat musical vibe. The song features a soaring chorus that reaches for the skies, with verses that delve into themes of uncertainty and insecurity. Riley explains, "You’re super obsessed with somebody, and you know it’s not good for you. It’s pure infatuation, but there’s a slight irony because you know the situation is never going to last. You’re basically saying, ‘You’re all I ever dream about,’ with a bit of a wink." Daydreamers have already made a name for themselves as a must-see live act. They will be touring with fellow UK band Sea Girls this fall, alongside appearances at major festivals like Latitude and Reading & Leeds. Previously, they have opened for acts such as Kings of Leon and Pale Waves, and sold out their first headlining gig in London before even releasing their debut single. The band consists of Riley (vocals, guitar), Aurora (bass), Jay (drums), and Marco (guitar). Formed in 2023, they quickly gained traction with their debut single "Call Me Up," which sparked a frenzy on TikTok and translated to several million streams. Their follow-up single, "Beach House," released in May, garnered early critical acclaim from BBC Radio 1 and MTV UK, with Uproxx noting that "Daydreamers display the potential to resonate indefinitely." Riley reflects, "I think music exists to help us understand life. Maybe, Daydreamers can help you make sense of things." Check out their full touring schedule below and experience the euphoric sadness of Daydreamers for yourself. daydreamers Tour Dates: July 27 – Suffolk, GB – Latitude Festival August 23 – Leeds, GB – Leeds Festival August 25 – Reading, GB – Reading Festival September 26 – Sheffield, GB – Octagon* September 27 – Newcastle, GB – O2 City Hall* September 28 – Manchester, GB – O2 Apollo Manchester* September 29 – Glasgow, GB – O2 Academy Glasgow* October 1 – Nottingham, GB – Rock City* October 3 – London, GB – O2 Academy Brixton* October 4 – Cardiff, GB – The Tramshed* October 5 – Manchester, GB – Neighbourhood Festival October 6 – Portsmouth, GB – Portsmouth Guildhall* October 7 – Norwich, GB – The LCR, UEA October 8 – Birmingham, GB – O2 Academy 1* October 9 – Liverpool, GB – Mountford Hall* October 12 – Belgast, GB – Limelight* November 16 – Leeds, GB – Live at Leeds in the City Festival Read the full article

[11111rffffffff3242]

30/09/2000 - BBC Radio 1 'Lamacq Live'

An excerpt from a radio program touching upon a subject of rock bands recruiting new members and problems related. The short interview was held at the time when Queen Adreena was looking for a bass player (they eventually chose Orson Wajih).

Narrator (Steve Lamacq): Little did I know I would be on the phone to, among others, a band who were about to play the Kerrang! Weekender. Crispin Gray: Hello? Steve Lamacq: Hi, I'm phoning about the advert in this weeks NME; "Bassist Needed ASAP", I wondered if the job was still open? CG: Yeah, it's still open. Have you heard of us? We're called Queen Adreena. SL: You're Queen Adreena? You've got a record deal. CG: Yeah, we have yeah. What have you done before? SL: I've done a bit of bass playing in my bedroom and I once made a couple of demo tapes with a mate. CG: Well actually to be honest with you I think we're probably looking for somebody a bit more interesting. So maybe give it a couple more years. SL: Bit more interesting? CG: Yeah.

N: Despite being told I wasn't interesting enough, I did decide to drop in on the Queen Adreena auditions to get an idea of what to expect. Three days into the auditions they weren't very happy.

Billy Freedom: It's the most gruelling experience I've ever had. You can tell within about thirty seconds whether it's appropriate, whether it's going to work or not, and I think we've been being kind and giving them their five minutes. There's quite often been no point at all but I always feel incredibly mean especially if somebody's hitched from Sheffield, they plug in and tune and you say "Leave now, just get out." You've got the sort of richter smile by the end of the day because you don't want to hurt people's feelings and most of them don't even notice you want to kill them through that smile. It's really irritating but then as I say, if they've hitched down here and they've brought their girlfriend with them...That's the thing I can't believe. Some people have come in here and their girlfriend has just come in and sat next to them while they've been playing. I don't get it, it's like bringing your mum with you. After a couple of days of an endless stream of inappropriate people walking in, you actually feel the only way to deal with it is to be really cruel and I never ever thought I'd think like that about auditions because I always thought it was so mean to make people feel uncomfortable, that I'd actually enjoy making them feel uncomfortable after this.

N: I guess Billy Freedom from Queen Adreena has a point. The now quite beleaguered Queen Adreena again:

CG: First impressions they definitely count and you are usually about 95% correct on your first impression. BF: The worst impression that people create is when they dress the way they think you would want them to dress, like if they come in wearing a cape or if they've got a bat on a piece of springy wire above their head or they bring their own dry ice machine, you kind of think; well this isn't really going to work is it, you've totally misread the whole situation completely.

N: Losing the love for life; Queen Adreena:

BF: Today's been really really good so far there's been some really good people. I'm surprised actually. Katie Jane Garside: I think out of everybody there's two people we could definitely consider. BF: So we're probably going to have to toss a coin or pick who had the nicest shoes on, you know it does come down to that. You have to make a decision somehow and live with it. KJG: Yup. BF: And maybe we'll have to meet them separately outside of this room and just see what they're like when they are drunk, which is usually a pretty good test you know. If they start crying of getting violent then they'll almost definitely get the job.

[azspicegirlstimeline]

May 25, 2000

very sorry for the late response, this ask got buried way down in my inbox. i also unfortunately couldn't find anything for this date either. this is typically the case with the post 99 dates, since by this point the spice girls started their solo careers and were no longer working daily (for the most part). i've included may 24th 2000 instead:

may 24, 2000: melanie c's website updates

Melanie is included in the line up at a special hour long Top of the Pops at this years BBC Music Live event at Sheffield Arena on 29th May. Jamie Theakston hosts some of the biggest and best musical acts from around the world celebrating the records and artists of the eyar so far. All Saints, S Club 7, Ronan Keating, Gabrielle, Moloko, Craig David, Artful dodger, Fragma, Andreas Johnson and Chicane with Bryan Adams have also confirmed their involvement. Tickets are unfortunately sold out but you can still listen in by tuning to Radio 1 for a live broadcast from 16:30.

may 24, 2000: geri and george michael attend a charity dinner held in honor of elizabeth taylor at london's dorchester hotel.

[blatantlybluntblog]

Coco x Tsuki - Fly Tonight (Visualizer) [Helix Records]

Sheffield artist Coco delivers drum and bass smash, “Fly Tonight,” featuring the pulsating production from DJ/Producer Tsuki, available now via Helix Records.

Coco is renowned for his ability to craft soulful, infectious melodies and high-energy tracks. "Fly Tonight" is no exception, as it showcases his innate ability to craft dynamic bars. The energetic production from talent Tsuki adds a new dimension to the song, infusing it with depth and anthemic-like qualities.

COCO is regarded as one of the UK’s hottest rising talents and has previously collaborated with the likes of Alcemist, Armand Van Helden, Bad Boy Chiller Crew, Darkzy, Toddla T and Conducta. In particular, the collaboration with Alcemist has so far accumulated 40M + streams to date resulting in high-profile support across the likes of BBC Radio 1 / BBC Radio 1Xtra / Reprezent FM / KISS FM & more. Across the live circuit, 2024 is set to be an exciting year for Coco who is confirmed to open for Example across his UK Tour as well as setting off on his own UK headline shows later in the year.

West Midlands producer Tsuki is fast becoming one of the most talked about emerging artists in the UK, reaching all corners across the globe as he has coined his high energy style. Securing an array of support across heavy weight labels in the game including DnBAllStars, Cru-Cast & Rampage Recordings, Tsuki is on the fast track to success with collaborations already with the likes of Bru-C, Dread MC & Taiki Nulight. Highly in demand, he has also created official remixes for the likes of Sigala, Skepsis & TECH IT DEEP.

Coco x Tsuki - Fly Tonight by Helix Records Out Now! https://helixrecords.ffm.to/flytonight