Getting older has its drawbacks – but it's a lot better than the alternative.
June 1, 2011 • Feeling My Age • Comments
In case you haven’t seen this, The Guardian reports: “Féilim Mac An Iomaire, who erected an advertising hoarding on the busy Merrion Road in south Dublin in an attempt to find a job, has said he has been overwhelmed by the response.”
Brilliant, just brilliant. Stil no job, mind you: check out Féilim’s Jobless Paddy page on Facebook.
May 19, 2011 • Feeling My Age • Comments
Nina Simone’s version of Please Don’t Let Me Be Mistunderstood is being used by the BBC in a trailer for their cop drama Luther. It’s a powerful reminder of her importance as an artist. Have put together a few other favourite tracks to remember her importance as an advocate for Afro American rights.
In her songs you can hear Simone’s massive talent suffused with simmering rage. “You don’t have to live next to me – just give me my equality” (Mississippi Goddamn) “Hard times in the city… in a hard town by the sea” (Baltimore) “You better stop the things you do… I ain’t lyin” (I Put A Spell On You) “Shall we kill them now – or later?” (Pirate Jenny).
Having been born in 1933 and grown up in North Carolina she had plenty to be angry about. See her biography on Wikipedia. Meanwhile here’s that TV trailer…
May 7, 2011 • Feeling My Age • Comments
Like most people who grew up in the 60s, I take a lot of drugs. It’s only when you chat with friends that you realise how many others are doing it. I wonder how much R&D cash at the pharmaceutical companies gets diverted from malaria and Aids these days into treatments for the acid reflux, insomnia and dodgy prostates of gents in the affluent West. That and trying to break Pfizer’s lucrative Viagra monopoly. A hard man is still good to find.
