From wiki:

Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the most populous city in the U.S. state of California. With roughly 3.9 million residents within the city limits as of 2020, Los Angeles is the second-most populous city in the United States, behind only New York City; it is also the commercial, financial and cultural centre of Southern California. Los Angeles has a Mediterranean climate, an ethnically and culturally diverse population, and is the principal city of a metropolitan area of 13.2 million people. Greater Los Angeles, which includes the Los Angeles and Riverside–San Bernardino metropolitan areas, is a sprawling metropolis of over 18 million residents.

And, as of tomorrow, the home of the Villains for the next 11 days.

Yup, myself and Rachel are flying off Stateside for a holiday….and we are going to be the guests of Jonny the Friendly Lawyer and his wife, Goldie the Friendly Therapist at their family home in Santa Monica.

I’d never have imagined back in 2007 when I got the blog up and running that so many new and wonderful people would come into my orbit.  I’ve been incredibly lucky to have met many of them over the years, and I’ve got plans formulating in my head to hook up with a few others in due course.

We hooked up with Jonny and Goldie in Barcelona a few years back when they took a trip to Europe.  We all promised one another that we’d meet up again, and plans were hatched that in the months after I retired from working, a trip to North America, including a stopover in LA, would be arranged.   That was supposed to be back in 2020, but the world went into lockdown and the plans were scrapped.  But finally, we are going ahead with things, and I can’t say enough about the generosity of Jonny and Goldie who have invited us into their home for such an extended period of time, and also appear to have planned a packed itinerary of things to and places to go while we are there.   It’s a real thrill.

The blog will continue as normal while I’m away from Glasgow….can’t promise that I’ll be checking in on things every day, but I’ll see what I can do.  In the meantime, here’s a tune.

mp3: They Might Be Giants – Los Angeles

Tomorrow’s post will offer Jonny’s take on things.

JC

MAJOR UPDATE

TRIP IS OFF!!!!!

your humble scribe has been under the weather in recent days, and a precautionary visit to the GP ended with a referral to the local hospital where blood tests have shown up a wee concern. It might be something….it might be nothing. I’ll know in due course.

I’ve taken down Jonny’s post scheduled for tomorrow but the blog, thanks to me writing posts days/weeks in advance, will be back on Thursday.

Take care y’all.

A GUEST SERIES

31. Birdhouse In Your Soul – They Might Be Giants (1989 Elektra Records)

Released as a single in March 1990 (Reached Number 6)

A song that reminds me of being a school and in particular about a girl who I’m going to call Lucy. Lucy was the first girl I ever kissed. A rather fumbled affair which took place on the corner of the road that leads to my dad’s house. About ten people inadvertently witnessing this embarrassment, including a lad who lived three doors down, Paul, who took great pleasure in telling literally everyone in the street what he’d witnessed. I didn’t mind really, my social status climbed about three rungs that week.

Another witness was Danny. He actually managed to break the kiss up (which lasted about ten seconds) by crashing his bike into us and laughing at me. Danny was an arse, and I am confident, that, despite not speaking or seeing him for 29 years, he is still an arse right now. I think he will still have the same high pitched squealing laughter and will probably have the same rubbish haircut and still be wearing chinos that are took small for him. Two years from that kiss, by the way, and it’s not relevant, I’m just sort of proud of this fact, my brother beat the shit of out Danny in a park. I say ‘the shit’ he hit him three times, once, in the stomach, once on the shoulder and third one in the face, before Danny ran off crying for his mother. I forget the reason why, it was probably something to do with football. That or the fact that my brother just didn’t like him.

Anyway, back to Lucy. We got to together on a school trip to a farm, about seven days before that kiss. It was dead romantic, I stood in a barn full of cows and shit whilst Lucy’s best friend, Penny, asked me the question. This was because Lucy had lost her voice. She genuinely had. I hadn’t really ever been out with girls at that stage, I kind of shrugged my shoulders and said “If you like”. For the next few days at school we walked around holding hands, and stuff, quickly shoving them in our pockets when the teachers ambled past.

One evening, the evening before the kiss, we went on our first (and last) date. This was to the Ice Rink, the place where everyone in the Medway towns goes on a date. We had a burger (or a cheese sandwich in my case, as I was proudly pushing my new found status as a vegetarian) and then held hands as we tip toed around the ice rink, trying not to fall over and trying not to embarrass ourselves. We had both ignored the fact that neither of us could ice skate or had any interest in it.

Eventually we gave up and we sat together in the little café on those rubbish plastic chairs that make it sound like you are farting when you wriggle around, we talk about life, parents, school, music, as I nervously pushed the tomato shaped sauce bottle around on the table.

It was then that I realised that Lucy’s favourite band on the planet was Bros. Something which you can’t ignore even when you are 14 and trying to be cool. I mean I don’t think Bros had been in charts for a good six months at this stage. Still she was my girlfriend and I could probably change rubbish tastes. I told her that Bros were shit and that there were a million better things to listen to (even back then I was a wannabe music critic)

When I got home after the date at the ungodly hour of seven pm, I made her a tape, with all my favourite songs on it – I mean that’s what you do when you have a girlfriend – right?

Side One – Track Two – was this song, because at the time it was one of my favourite songs in all the world. The next day I proudly handed the tape to her – which had a crappily drawn heart on it or something and she hugged me. After school I walked her home and the kiss happened.

The next day in the middle of a history lesson about Florence Nightingale, she sat behind and handed me a note. It said “Sorry, but it’s over.”

That is exactly what it said. Still eight days was my new record for how long I’d had a girlfriend for.

Let’s fast forward a bit.

Lucy for her sins, moved away at the end of 1991 (and I barely spoke to her after she dumped me in double history) but she stayed in touch with Penny. One lunchtime, towards the middle of 1992 Penny came up to me in the common room at school and handed me a tape and a little letter. It was from Lucy. I was surprised because I’d literally not given her a single consideration since she left the school.

The mixtape contained some fairly decent indie bands and such like (ok, it had The Mission and the Sisters of Mercy on it, but you know decent enough). The letter said (amongst other things), ‘I never got the chance to say thank you for the mixtape, it changed my taste in music totally. Bros were shit.” And there on Side One – Track Two, was ‘Birdhouse In Your Soul’.

This was also on the cassette, can’t remember exactly where though.

Box Set Go – The High

SWC

 

 

I’ve decided to close this week off with a look back at one of the pieces in the mini-series ‘The £20 challenge’ during which Tim Badger and SWC took their collective lunacy to new heights

It all stemmed from Tim finding a £20 note inside a book he’d bought from a charity shop….and deciding it should be recycled back to various charities by the purchase of CDs, with not more than £2 being spent at any one time and that the results of the various purchases should be shared with the readers of TVV.  This was week four…….and it appeared on 13 May 2016.  There’s a fair bit of conversation in this one…direct quotes from SWC are this colour, from Tim appear like this, while Mrs B (who as usual steals the show) has her words in this colour

———-

Readers of our blog ‘When You Can’t Remember Anything’ will know that SWC and I have spent a week in Newbury for work purposes. We were called late on Saturday night and told to drive there for a 10am briefing on the Sunday Morning. It has been a fairly hectic week, with things not really calming down until Thursday. On the Thursday SWC nipped out to buy this week’s CD from a charity shop, he played it safe choosing an Oxfam store about ten minutes’ walk from where we are working this week.

I’m going to drop the CD surprise early this week, as it becomes relevant to the story below. The CD he chose was ‘Flood’ by They Might Be Giants. It cost £2.50 (SWC blames South East/London Bastard Inflation for ignoring the £2 rule – but we are actually in credit still so I ignore it). Meaning we know have £13.00 in the kitty – its an envelope we haven’t stuffed the money inside a cat or anything.

They Might Be Giants are band I have heard of but never really been into. Weirdly in one of those strange events, SWC and I both saw They Might Be Giants in concert at the same time back in 1994 – at the Reading Festival I was waiting for Echobelly to come on I think – he was probably down the front. I can probably name two of their songs and perhaps hum one or two more.

There is obviously ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul’ but then again I think everyone probably could name that one.

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse in your Soul

Birdhouse in Your Soul is the story of a nighlight that is in the shape of a blue canary and is a wonderful song – telling the story of the nightlight and painting a picture of the room its in – talking about its ancestor the lighthouse. Its brilliantly surreal.

SWC gives me the CD after a night out in Newbury with some of our hosts for the week. – a decent Italian meal followed by several beers in a Wetherspoons pub. Football is the main topic of conversation. I keep quiet that I am a Spurs fan, fearing the derision and laughter at Leicester’s recent success.

SWC is in top form though, telling anyone who will listen that he is a Stranraer fan and regularly travels there from Devon to watch ‘The Blue Brazil’ (he is aware that this actually what they call Cowdenbeath but I don’t think he cares). That’s the thing with SWC sometimes I can’t tell if he is winding people up or being serious. Its 449 miles from his house to Stranraer’s ground – yet people are convinced he makes a 1000 mile round trip there every two weeks

The following morning we are going home and SWC asks to put the new CD on – as he wants to listen to it. He then tells me this: –

“This album was once featured in a Steven Spielburg cartoon series. It features Plucky Duck and Hampton Pig playing along in a music video style cartoon to songs off the album. Plucky and Hampton were the offspring of Daffy and Porky if remember the series correctly, I think the songs chosen were…..”

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

and

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Particle Man

“The second one was about wrestling I think”

I immediately laugh and think he is winding me up and say that its ok, we not in the pub anymore. ‘True Story’ he says. I laugh again. Last night he told me that ciabatta was only invented in 1976. He said this whilst the waiters brought us some ciabattas in the Italian restaurant we were sat at. I think people believed him until he added the ‘In a back room of a dentists just outside Croydon’ bit. Then he laughed. I remind him of this and tell him to stop winding me up. A small argument ensues and for the first time in ages SWC looks generally cross with me.

We listen to the album and I agree with him that it is very good. His mood lightens.

I get home and dump my bags in the lounge and start to sort out my washing, Mrs Badger wanders into the room and see the CD. “Where did you get that?” she say holding it and adding “I used to love this album…”.

I tell her the story of the CD and she says three things: –

“Can I buy SWC the next CD?” – definitely is my answer (he doesn’t know that bit yet).

“I got into They Might Be Giants through Jason, my gay ex boyfriend – they were the first band I ever saw live – well – the second if you count the support band (yes you do, so the first band my wife saw live was indie no hopers Family Gotown, ha ha ha ha ha – sorry where was I). It was at a theatre in London and we went with a chap called Nick, who turned out to be a massive racist and actually stood for election for the BNP. The idiot.”

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Your Racist Friend

“I once saw an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures which featured two tracks from this album recreated as cartoons, one was about wrestling. It was brilliant.”

“What?” I say – meaning the bit about the cartoons, I had been listening. “You mean it was true – SWC told me that in the car and I thought he was winding me up. Then again he also told me that ciabatta was invented in Croydon in 1976, so you can’t blame me.”

“Its definitely true” she says and after a few clicks on here computer I can actually watch the cartoon, its brilliantly mental, totally bonkers. Sorry SWC.

“Oh” she says and you better read this

“Ciabatta is Italian bread invented in 1976 by a baker from Verona in response to the sudden popularity of French baguettes…” ah crap.

The Skinny

Bought – Oxfam Newbury

Price £2.50

Left £13.00

The wife is off on Saturday to buy SWC the next CD. I can barely wait.*

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Lucky Ball and Chain

Tim

* it was a Simon & Garfunkel CD.  Here’s how that story unwound…..

Tim Badger writes…..

Readers of our blog ‘When You Can’t Remember Anything’ will know that SWC and I have spent a week in Newbury for work purposes. We were called their late on Saturday night and told to drive there for a 10am briefing on the Sunday Morning. It has been a fairly hectic week, with things not really calming down until Thursday. On the Thursday SWC nipped out to buy this week CD from a charity shop, he played it safe choosing an Oxfam store about ten minutes’ walk from where we are working this week.

I’m going to drop the CD surprise early this week, as it becomes relevant to the story below. The CD he chose was ‘Flood’ by They Might Be Giants. It cost £2.50 (SWC blames South East/London Bastard Inflation for ignoring the £2 rule – but we are actually in credit still so I ignore it). Meaning we know have £13.00 in the kitty – its an envelope we haven’t stuffed the money inside a cat or anything.

They Might Be Giants are band I have heard of but never really been into. Weirdly in one of those strange events, SWC and I both saw They Might Be Giants in concert at the same time back in 1994 – at the Reading Festival I was waiting for Echobelly to come on I think – he was probably down the front. I can probably name two of their songs and perhaps hum one or two more.

There is obviously ‘Birdhouse in Your Soul’ but then again I think everyone probably could name that one.

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Birdhouse in your Soul

Birdhouse in Your Soul is the story of a nighlight that is in the shape of a blue canary and is a wonderful song – telling the story of the nightlight and painting a picture of the room its in – talking about its ancestor the lighthouse. Its brilliantly surreal.

SWC gives me the CD after a night out in Newbury with some of our hosts for the week. – a decent Italian meal followed by several beers in a Wetherspoons pub. Football is the main topic of conversation. I keep quiet that I am a Spurs fan, fearing the derision and laughter at Leicester’s recent success.

SWC is in top form though, telling anyone who will listen that he is a Stranraer fan and regularly travels there from Devon to watch ‘The Blue Brazil’ (he is aware that this actually what they call Cowdenbeath but I don’t think he cares). That’s the thing with SWC sometimes I can’t tell if he is winding people up or being serious. Its 449 miles from his house to Stranraer’s ground – yet people are convinced he makes a 1000 mile round trip there every two weeks

The following morning we are going home and SWC asks to put the new CD on – as he wants to listen to it. He then tells me this: –

“This album was once featured in a Steven Spielburg cartoon series. It features Plucky Duck and Hampton Pig playing along in a music video style cartoon to songs off the album. Plucky and Hampton were the offspring of Daffy and Porky if remember the series correctly, I think the songs chosen were…..”

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Istanbul (Not Constantinople)

and

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Particle Man

“The second one was about wrestling I think”

I immediately laugh and think he is winding me up and say that its ok, we not in the pub anymore. ‘True Story’ he says. I laugh again. Last night he told me that ciabatta was only invented in 1976. He said this whilst the waiters brought us some ciabattas in the Italian restaurant we were sat at. I think people believed him until he added the ‘In a back room of a dentists just outside Croydon’ bit. Then he laughed. I remind him of this and tell him to stop winding me up. A small argument ensues and for the first time in ages SWC looks generally cross with me.

We listen to the album and I agree with him that it is very good. His mood lightens.

I get home and dump my bags in the lounge and start to sort out my washing, Mrs Badger wanders into the room and see the CD. “Where did you get that?” she say holding it and adding “I used to love this album…”.

I tell her the story of the CD and she says three things: –

“Can I buy SWC the next CD?” – definitely is my answer (he doesn’t know that bit yet).

“I got into They Might Be Giants through Jason, my gay ex boyfriend – they were the first band I ever saw live – well – the second if you count the support band (yes you do, so the first band my wife saw live was indie no hopers Family Gotown, ha ha ha ha ha – sorry where was I). It was at a theatre in London and we went with a chap called Nick, who turned out to be a massive racist and actually stood for election for the BNP. The idiot.”

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Your Racist Friend

“I once saw an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures which featured two tracks from this album recreated as cartoons, one was about wrestling. It was brilliant.”

“What?” I say – meaning the bit about the cartoons, I had been listening. “You mean it was true – SWC told me that in the car and I thought he was winding me up. Then again he also told me that ciabatta was invented in Croydon in 1976, so you can’t blame me.”

“Its definitely true” she says and after a few clicks on here computer I can actually watch the cartoon, its brilliantly mental, totally bonkers. Sorry SWC.

“Oh” she says and you better read this “Ciabatta is Italian bread invented in 1976 by a baker from Verona in response to the sudden popularity of French baguettes…” ah crap.

The Skinny

Bought – Oxfam Newbury

Price £2.50

Left £13.00

The wife is off on Saturday to buy SWC the next CD. I can barely wait.

mp3 : They Might Be Giants – Lucky Ball and Chain

Tim

JC adds……….Apologies for the lateness of this popular feature.  It arrived very late on Thursday night and by the time I picked it up, the Kirsty MacColl post was already up.

Oh and I have this album on vinyl.  Always meant to rip the tracks and feature it but never got round to it. Cheers Tim.