And another James' Today. Kinda already done my main blog post of the day so this is gonna be short I would expect.
On a similar theme I shall briefly discuss Wiley's discussion on twitter over Glastonbury. Not to much to say on it really, except for the fact that it is totally disrespectful to the fans. I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, that Glastonbury isn't about making a profit, not in the way that a bands gig is anyway. Wiley is going to perform for an hour and I bet he isn't getting the minimum wage for an hours set and lets be blunt he's not exactly talented, he just speaks into a microphone and moves some discs around, as far as I'm concerned he should leave the music scene. (You readers may now have learn't that I'm opinionated). There are talented rappers, Wiley is not one of them, end of. He's also proved himself to be a whinger. That's all he's good for. So if you're at Glastonbury give him a miss. And to Wiley, if you think the English treat you like a slave, find some talent OR find out how hard it is to live in Britain without being a popstar nowadays while that twit George Osbourne makes cut after cut, and if they're not giving you much, do you care to send me your pay cheque for the event, I mean it may be nothing to you, but some of us would appreciate it.
I realise this is short, but I'll finish this with a song by Glastonbury Headliners - The Arctic Monkeys
Yes, going for controversy in my title today clearly! And yes this will be a rant. This is all to do with the bands arguments to do with how much of their set will be showed at Glastonbury (a set I shall not be watching...). Initially the pensioners went and said they would only allow 4 songs to be shown by the BBC, the official broadcasters of a festival that has before claimed to be the biggest festival in the world. Now what the hell is going on here? Glastonbury surely has a contract and surely these pensioners are aware if this? Unless their drug use and age has made them beyond demented.
The other point is this band in my eyes are a bunch of con artists. Now I understand their success and longevity gains a lot of fans, I also understand that many of these fans are in an older generation than myself. However I also know bands that have had multiple hit albums and also have gigs in similar venues. But did anyone see the prices of the two gigs at the O2? For anyone who doesn't want to open the article there, here is a quote from the article of the ORIGINAL prices "Tickets - originally priced between £190 and £400 - sold out within seven minutes, however many were bought by resellers such as Via GoGo, Seatwave and Double8 Tickets to sell at an inflated price." Now I don't care what the Rolling Stones have to say for the price and they can sue me if they feel insulted by my comments because there are no legs to stand on but when the cheapest ticket is £190, you're not showing you care about the fans, it more or less feels like you're telling the average fans to "fuck off" and not to bother. Just regarding ticket prices, I have been to see the Arctic Monkeys at the same venue, tickets were priced at less than £40, as were Green Day at the LG Arena (the two massive bands I've seen at arenas). And with this economic climate I would love to know how Mick Jagger, already living the best lifestyle possible thanks to all this money can justify these ticket prices. Apparently I hear he can, by claiming ticket touts have made tickets "not so cheap". For £190 I can pretty much buy a ticket to Reading Festival, little bit better than seeing pensioners way past their best sing songs they wrote before Britain ever considered a female Prime Minister! So they announce they're to play at Glastonbury and people are excited, to see them at the festival and as with all headliners previously in my memory on the box. But then they tell us they're only to play four songs. So clearly people like myself, oblivious to the days when they were the biggest rock band by a mile on this planet can't make our judgements on them live. Well Mick, that's not good enough, that's not giving yourself a legacy to my generation, we have the Foo Fighters, The Strokes, Blink-182, Arctic Monkeys, Mumford And Sons, Green Day, Eminem, Biffy Clyro, Arcade Fire, My Chemical Romance, Muse...even Rihanna to create legacy through their sets in the last few years (and upcoming summer) to influence us and create a festival legacy. Missing the Rolling Stones isn't like missing a World Cup in England, there are now many artists on a parity (and to the youth of today bigger) regarding the Rolling Stones and every year there will be the chance to see various bands who are on this level. I'm perfectly fine with missing a band that charge more than 4 times the amount that the Arctic Monkeys do! They should be boycotted until tickets are affordable.
Now they've agreed to play an hour for the BBC, but have arguments regarding it being broadcast abroad, I urge the BBC to grow some guts, you have the rights to Glastonbury, as you do for Reading and various other events, show the full set. If it annoys them, let them sue. Glastonbury rights include the headliners however old and prehistoric they may be! And to the Rolling Stones, let people of my age see what you're about and play on TV, if it's that good, it'll go down in history, like Nirvana at Reading 1992.
What do you think? Leave a comment or tweet me! If you're the Rolling Stones and feel insulted at what I regard the truth you can also leave me a tweet, or send me a fax, seeming that is probably new to you!
Yes I'm back home now and my sister didn't murder me for my typing in the car yesterday, so all is well! I'm sure you will all be celebrating this like the Italians celebrated when they won the 2006 FIFA World Cup (driving around just tooting that horn with flags dragging from the cars, gathering in squares and celebrating together)!
And to make this news even better, my iMac is back from Plymouth and I've set it up again! In fact I'm writing this blog from it now! I have also discovered that I downloaded GTA Vice City, Cricket Captain and Tomb Raider on it. How AWESOME is that?! Gonna keep me going when I've finally finished The Last Of Us...which is an amazing game, so buy it if you have a PS3, if you don't get a PS3 and the game, that is how good it is! I will compile a review of it when I have completed the game and had a bash at multiplayer so, clearly something to look forward to there guys!
So have you went on your computer/mac and found something that you're like "wow I forgot that!"? Or maybe on your games console or Sky Plus box, I seem to remember I found FIFA Street 3 on my 360, may it rest in peace. Now that gave some proper entertainment!
Also in other news, the most ambitious plan ever is going a step further, along with +Danièlle Owen, +Ryan Steppel and +Vikki Lamb I have been looking at a trip around the world visiting a host of places located across the continents. Because I would so definitely watch this on television I believe I have the pleasure to start to send emails to companies for coverage and sponsorship, to make this a reality. Also need funding because Mr Osbourne wants at least the 9kers in Uni to pay back quicker than they were meant to. Unfair right? Well this is a party which includes a lawyer who did 10 hours work and got 5k...I'd be happy is I could get this by working 100 hours! I mean if this was the case we'd be off on the trip when the year ends or the year after aha. But clearly watching 4 novices travel the world would be like, quite good to watch right? Comment below if you have an opinion on that.
And finally, what the hell, I looked at my phone in the car last night and Federer was in a tie break, which he lost, therefore losing the game. Wimbledon's gone strange. Not the same without Rafa and Roger. I shall now need to keep away from watching Murray cry or I'll end up wanting him to win and after all these years that is not good!
Anyway, I know this post is kinda rubbish, but please comment and tweet me and help me find something for tomorrow. I shall now leave you with a song, the first song I played on my Mac when I turned him on. By a headliner at Reading 2013 and no, it isn't that headliner....it's Eminem!
Okay so I imagine that this will be a shorter edition of my "Today" segment as I'm in a car and my sister gets in a serious temper about typing and being able to hear headphones and all of that rubbish. I don't know why but I can tell you that it is highly annoying and she is covering her ears now...she will love Plymouth University library with all of us on our laptops!!!
So what today...well I'm not sure writing this, I am thinking about the sun having decided to come out the ONE day that I have to spend the majority of the day in the car. Also I put in the keys to my flat today so I officially have no home in Plymouth until the first of November :(. Sucks right? As that's where we all wanna be! AND I have to pay for July. I'd advise anyone looking for a place at uni NOT to consider Shorey's. They're not great and that free organic food includes Mushroom's, my nemesis. And not just like two...more like 20...and when you have friends like I do they throw them at you. I can't stand them! Legitimate, compared to spiders, who in this country are relatively nice and help by killing flys, who are annoying little things!
I would also like to point out something I was thinking about last night, this is, what is the point of playing life safe and merely being just satisfied when you could take life by the scruff of the neck and take some risks, talk to people some people may not like but if the risks work you would be thrilled with your life. Yes that's right people, take some risks, go in the deep end, not the shallow end, and take those metaphorical arm bands off and go for it. At least you tried.
And finally, money issues, I'm annoyed at the lack of a job in the Nottingham area...this has led to me having to pull out of Mumford and Sons which is gutting as it was one of my only oppurtunities this summer to see school friends. Let's hope one or two of them go to Reading festival 2013 then! Either way that is gonna be HUGE. You can tell I can't wait for that, and freshers to be honest too.
But yeah I'm at a service station now and if I continue I think I won't be here on this planet to create James' Today tomorrow, and I know, you'd all hate that to happen.
6 months till Christmas!!!!! Yes, today is the 25th June! But before that we have festival season! Yes, the festivals are all beginning! Last week it was the Isle of Wight, but really, that's a preshow to the curtain raiser...Glastonbury! Over 5 days people are gonna get amazing moments such as a set by the Arctic Monkeys, which having seen them in the O2 I can definitely say will be great! So if you're going to Glastonbury I wish you an epic and unforgettable time! Personally my festival seems to be Reading, one of the last festivals of the summer, where Green Day, Eminem and Biffy will headline. Some top shows, as there are at full festivals. This said, it'll be hard to beat my five top Reading moments, which today I'm going to tell you here with the beginning of festival season!
5. Muse, playing Origin Of Symmetry in full in 2011. This was a unique experience and was followed up by their greatest hits from other albums. A very good show by a great great band. Being right at the front for this was a great experience and made watching the awful Interpol almost worth it!
The BBC Highlights of the set (misses out a lot of Origins of Symmetry...I know that's the bit that made it a unique and special show...)
Song of the set - Feeling Good.
4. Blink-182 - Reading 2010. Reading and Leeds this year seemed to be the festival of bands reuniting (another band in this trend is later in the top 5) and Blink-182 played their first shows in the UK since reforming at the Reading and Leeds festivals! Finishing the 2010 festival they played a montage of their greatest hits, with songs such as All The Small Things, What's My Name Again and Dammit being played.
Highlights of Blink-182 at Reading 2010.
Song of the Set: All The Small Things.
3. Green Day's Secret Set - Reading 2012. This would probably be higher if Green Day were a band I hadn't already seen and a band that I have since seen, in a gig where they played for considerably longer than the secret set. Playing through their greatest hits and songs they generally seemed to enjoy playing like the track "Murder City" they got the crowd mental and were broadcast on the main stage screens as well due to how busy the NME stage was. Luckily for me I was fairly close to the front.
Highlights of the Green Day Secret Set.
Song of the set: Stay the Night.
2. The reunion of the Libertines, Reading 2010. Now this was special, this was emotional. Coming on stage to the tune "we'll meet again" the band played hits from the albums they released when they were together to an incredibly passionate crowd, well respecting this could be the only time that any of the crowd would see them.
The full Libertines set.
Song of the set. Don't look back into the Sun.
1. The Foo Fighters, Reading 2012. This was simply amazing, Dave Grohl made it not just an event but an occasion, bringing up the fact he was there with the legendary Kurt Cobain 20 years ago. Playing hits and getting his family on stage this was simply an unforgettable experience. The best headline set I have ever had the pleasure of seeing and beating this may be impossible!
Then full set of the Foo Fighters.
You can't pick a song of this set, but I shall throw out a song to finish this blog as I am being rushed out of the house...annoying yes...to a strawberry farm...lame. Here's Walk by the Foo Fighters.
Hey guys and welcome to the second James' Today blog.
I think we should start off on a serious note here. I do a degree in Criminology and Law and therefore I find this article in the Daily Mail (I know, but it's one of the sites I find humour on!) about the case of Stephen Lawrence. I just think this is worth a read for those doing, or interesting in doing a degree similar to mine. It points out once again the institutional racism within the police. I should make a different section for this part of my post really, because this is meant to be generally light hearted and of course, this is not. That said it would be foolish not to read it if you are interested on developments in the Police.
So now, let's pick the mood up yeah?
Right so yesterday I talked about the Irn Bru campaign of names on the bottle. I think anyone who watched the adverts will have found them hilarious. I want to therefore point out that these weren't the only adverts they've done that are hilarious. So here is one related to the Scotland vs England rivalry!
This is one of the funniest adverts that has been broadcast on British Television and has given me the idea of a new section to my blog. This section will be titled "James' Top Tens" and every week on a certain day I shall update my blog with a certain top ten. Clearly the first will be adverts and I have a few in mind!
This would be such an ambitious idea, yet so cool! Maybe +Sony should consider this in many places when they launch the Playstation Four!
Right and now for a tune to finish this off with! This song, is about something I clearly wish for, the sex, alcohol and violence (as long as I live) that James Bond gets is something for anyone to wish for!
So my first post on Wimbledon is going to be on the British players, two reasons really, they get a lot of press from now and well only one will actually make it to week two! And I'm presuming we know who that will be. Well yeah, I was thinking Laura Robson...nah Andy Murray of course.
The British Women
So there are five British women in the draw, two to keep your eyes on most would say. But then, you never know, all five have made the second round at least of a grand slam.
Elena Baltacha
Back from injury Baltacha shall try to carry on what seems to be good form in the early part of this week. Realistically the second round would be an achievement and is within her grasp as she players Pennetta of Italy in the first round, you never know, if the draw works out like a miracle round three could be on the cards, this is a woman who took Kirelinko to 3 tough sets and really, if she won important points, would have won!.
Anne Keothavong
The former British women number one, not that it's much to talk about, once a top 50 player...just...but now she's not even in the top 200. She does have a match against the unseeded Muguruza, but honestly getting to the second round would be about retaining the points she got for reaching round two last year!
Johanna Konta
She changed her nationality from Australian to British in tennis terms and sits at her highest ranking ever but it's only 137th in the world and honestly, that isn't about to go up at Wimbledon, she faces 16th seed Jelena Jankovic and to be honest having seen Konta play occasionally when the BBC showcase the British players over top 20 players in some competitions, it would take something special, this said she got to the second round of the US Open last year but couldn't follow it up at all in Melbourne. You almost wonder if she changed nationality to get the Wimbledon wild card...
Laura Robson
If any of these players have any hype right now it's the 19 year old British player Laura Robson, just missed out on a seed at Wimbledon, yet most of these points come from the second half of 2013. Her issue has been some poorer performances in the clay season particularly. On hard courts she reached the fourth round in the US Open with a stunning win over Clijsters as well as defeating Li Na. Here though, she faces Kirelinko. The question therefore is, can Laura Robson defeat another seed in a Grand Slam? One things for certain, the pressure is on compared to the US and Australian Slams.
Heather Watson
The British number 2 who looks to be in a battle really to be the number one, Watson has been able to impress many before at Wimbledon. This was last year, a third round. The last British woman standing. Now she has it all to prove again coming back from an illness that saw her miss Roland Garros. To prove Wimbledon 2012 was not a fluke she did get to the third round in Australia 6 months later. She may well do it again, if she can get through the young American Madison Keys, in what will be a close encounter.
The British Men
Kyle Edmund
There isn't much to say on Kyle Edmund really, he's only just coming onto the tour where he has taken part mainly in challengers, until now. He got to the quarter final of the junior French Open this year, yet he has looked good in other matches he has played, notable the 7-6 7-6 loss to Simon. But over five sets does he really have a chance against Janowicz, the only thing I can see on his side it a lack of knowledge about his game from the oponent, a good outcome though may be to win a set or two...
Andy Murray
Not a Wimbledon Champion yet he has won a tournament at the club in the 2012 Olympics, Andy Murray seems a changed man. He is a given to go far, at least to the quarter finals where he may well meet Rafa Nadal. He's also a Grand Slam champion now and the question will be, can Andy Murray deal with the extra pressure he recieves at the British Grand Slam? One can only wait and see whether he lifts that trophy or gives another emotional message like last year.
James Ward
Plays unseeded Lu in the first round and despite being another British player with a low rank, he has surprised before getting to the semis at queens a few years back. Although he won't go far this year, let's hope he pulls through the first round...as then he will play Andy Murray, not quite a Henman vs Rusedski but still a battle of two British players.
So there you have it, make what you will of the British competitors in Wimbledon, one thing seems sure though, Andy Murray will be the last Brit standing and unless Robson or Watson produce a few great results or it rains without fail for a week Andy Murray will also be the only Brit in week two. So if you want a British person to win Wimbledon, you'll be hoping for something similar to this.
Got any thoughts on this article, or Wimbledon itself, then please leave a comment, tweet me or email me, contributions are highly welcome and appreciated and may well be used in the next article.
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