Sorry, Alison...

So I watched this.

Preposterous, accidentally funny baloney come codswallop. All it lacked was Leslie Nielsen popping up to announce, "I'm a doctor". But I was glad to see it again for the first time since Hamilton Odeon in 1977 (?!).  I had flickering remembrances throughout. Crazy.

Here's the proper Transmission Card for Extraordinary Escapes. Next episode Thur 24th Feb.

(I enjoyed working on the music.)

I've been re-watching The Office; Series 1&2 plus the Christmas Special. Still great. I was always indifferent to Yazoo but the masterful use of this towards the end of the Christmas finale converted me. Great song. Great vocals. Sorry it took me so long, Alison.

Michael Rosen's Sticky McStickstick is a beautiful book.

Isn't this a bit good? Ah, Alex...

More sketchy drawings...

Full marks if you can spot:

De Niro, Harry H Corbett, Michael Gambon, Lucian Freud (about to batter me for my dodgy efforts), Tony Hancock, Stanley Baxter, Shakespeare, Robert Mitchum, Matisse, Picasso, Einstein, Al Pacino, Sita the dog, Jean Dubuffet (I'm so sorry, monsieur (voice from the back: "he's one to talk")), Vincent Price and Sophia Loren.

I think I got the idea of sketching Freud from listening back to this:

Au revoir.

I Must Ask You Not To Speak To The Guests

I enjoyed working on the music for Series 2 of Extraordinary Escapes With Sandi Toksvig so much - I made my own incredible TX card...

(*and he never worked in telly again*)

I v. much enjoyed Series 2 of The Mind Of Herbert Clunkerdunk

A rewatch of Series 1 & 2 of The Office continues to excruciate.

I've got the notion to watch The Cassandra Crossing - possibly for the first time since sometime in the late 1970s at The Odeon, Hamilton, Lanarkshire with my big sister. Hmm. We'll see.

I saw Almodovar's Parallel Mothers. I like a lot of Almodovar's films. They always look good. I like how they often play around with time. I like Alberto Iglesias's soundtracks. I will always try and see his latest work. But I think my favourite was the first one I saw, Talk To Her.

Another extract from John Cacavas's autiobiography...

More sketchy drawings...

Sorry:

Alison Steadman, Peter Saliss, James Stewart, Brian Cox, Michael Hordern, John Geilgud, Leo McKern, Judi Dench, Arthur Lowe, Frank Muir, Sherilyn Fenn, Richard Harris, Lauren Bacall, Brian Blessed, Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, Jack Klugman, Judd Hirsch, Lee J. Cobb, Roger Moore, Audrey Hepburn, Bernard Cribbins & Sita ("woof").

Toodle pip! x

"Satisfied With Great Success"

They say never judge a book by its cover. And they're right...

I picked this up because the late John Cacavas wrote the soundtrack to one of my favourite horror films "Horror Express" (more here). It's got some great wee anecdotes...

Recent watching: Radio Days, Midnight In Paris, Season 3 of Succession, The Responder, Blackadder III.

I've been digging this Radio 3 series from Abel Selaocoe about the cello.

And I enjoyed hearing Judi Dench spontaneously recite this in her garden on some Radio 4 thing recently.

More sketchy drawings. Recognise anyone?

 

 

My apologies to:

John Gordon Sinclair, Frank Thornton, Rod Hull & Emu, Stan Laurel, John Waters, Snowy, Timothy Spall, Steve Pemberton, Leonard Bernstein, Tintin, Pedro Almodovar, Townes Van Zandt, Pavarotti, John Astin, Charlie Chaplin, Bob Carolgees & Spit The Dog, John Byrne, Basil Rathbone, Archie Gemmill, Mel Brooks, Michael Palin, Diana Ross, Walter Matthau, James Finlayson, Jim Broadbent, Jacques Tati, Marion Cotillard, Brian Murphy, Yootha Joyce, Connie Booth, Arvo Pärt & Brian Cant.

I've been asked about commissions. (!?) Trouble is - you never quite know what you're going to get. I finish a drawing and it is what it is. Somebody might ask for Victoria Wood and end up getting Theresa May...

Apart from sketching away with the zeal of the late convert, I've been writing music for various projects that I can't tell you about.

Teenage Fanclub have announced a trip to Galicia in July...

More Fanclub gig news here.

Tinkety-tonk! x