I’d watched Big Brother since series 1 in the year 2000 (wasn’t it strange that we were all fully grown?). I even applied to be on it, sending in a video of me cutting meat in Steenson’s butchery (I’m going to have to find that video sometime and fire it up!). I also appeared in Read more about The Lock In Part One: Auditions, Voting and The Big Night![…]
Back in 1998 in those glory days when simply watching Northern Ireland playing football or getting pished down the Wins (Bangor) or the Monico (Belfast) I happenned to help with an election campaign. It wasn’t by chance and it wasn’t because I wanted to. It was just because I had just turned 18 and life Read more about “Everybody Has To Lose Sometime” – The Jack Beattie Campaign June 1998[…]
Selling our self-produced ‘Here We Go…Again‘ fanzine (for the Northern Ireland national team) next to Marty Lowry for years had meant we chatted about all sorts of random things, including Marty telling me about Shaun with an H. This man was Shaun Schofield, who had been attending every single Northern Ireland home and away match Read more about Book Review: There’s Always One by Shaun Schofield[…]
It’s that usual old thing that we never think about – we all just assume our identities and who we are. Life is really too much of a surreal event to question it. We all have names! Some of us have nicknames, given by mates, family or while at school. Its funny how those all Read more about What’s in a name??[…]
‘Multiples’ is the title of the brand new 6 track E.P. from Bournemouth singer-songwriter Ben Paulley. I’m always intrigued when I hear local music and this is an excellent debut from Paulley, a member of former Bournemouth band ‘The Waves’. Taking inspiration from the likes of Bob Dylan and Embrace, Paulley’s E.P. features half a Read more about “The script will write itself…” – Ben Paulley[…]
While growing up I just loved football. And ANY football really. It was my Dad who got me into it to start with, but if he hadn’t I’d have got into it anyway through the friends I made whilst growing up in Bangor. My first real football memory was watching Algeria versus Northern Ireland with Read more about Bangor Amateurs FC…and just any football team really…and Joe Blair…[…]
Music is one of those things in life. You need it. You buzz off it. You get emotion from it. You pay for it. You love it. BUT only if its good. That’s the general rule. Good in music could mean anything. It could be good because of a good singer, clever lyrics, it reminds Read more about Last Train To Somewhere (Come Take A Ride) – Wee Blue Folk[…]
“I can’t belong here; alone inside of you…” – Ben Paulley, 2005 The era of music I grew up with was Britpop. I loved Oasis and that’s the sort of music that makes me tick. I love it. Guys with proper tunes, proper enthusiasm, guitars, melodies, catchy choruses etc. In 2005 I was working for Read more about That Time I Managed a Rock Band Called The Waves[…]