THE CONCRETE ROUNDABOUT (TCR)

Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham

Another one of those books I've been meaning to read for decades, and finally got round to

Written as long ago as 1951 this is a true Brit stiff upper lipped catastrophe novel which is both clever and haunting. Combining a number of elements, in only 250 pages this interleaves worldwide pandemic, the rise of mobile, poisonous flesh-eating plants and the uncertain future facing isolated groups of survivors following the global breakdown of society. There are so many similarities with Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later it's almost untrue, and given when it was written it’s underpinned by some wonderful cold war conspiracy theories

It might feel a bit tame compared to later or contemporary sci-fi or thrillers, but on mood and plot it’s hard to beat - well worth a look if you have the opportunity

Loved that when I was a kid.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

I actually read that as an apprentice, which is forty odd years ago. I can remember reading the scene set in the mansion one afternoon when we were supposed to be revising for something or other. The old book hidden within another book comedy staple.

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

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I don't need your ill-informed, half-baked, idiotic opinions. I have plenty of those myself.

John W books are much underrated IMHO. Wasn't part of the premise of DOTT that spaceborne weapons systems that blind the enemy go wrong?.... there's also 'The Kraken Wakes' and 'Trouble with Lichen'to name but two others.

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

He also wrote The Midwich Cuckoos, which is an astonishing read.

There was another one of his which I've read but can't recall the title. It's set in yet another post-apocalyptic setting, where there's a wall separating one load of folk from another. Pretty good.

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

Yup. Brilliant book. That 60s (??) film of it in black and white is a real classic. That scene where they are breaking the guy down down....'you are thinking of.....a brick wall'.....

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

Sweet Dreams, The Story Of The New Romantics, By Dylan Jones.

A mammoth oral history of the late 70's youth cult that put paid to the punk movement. Includes interviews with all the movers and shakers from the Blitz Club, and where they ended up.

It's not my thing to be honest. I'd struggle to name a piece of music that I thought was any good from any of the bands associated with it. But the really interesting aspect if the monumental impact they've had on culture going forward. From multiple Bafta winners, award winning journalists, broadcasters, designers, producers, and on and on. Modern society would look radically different without the input of this gang on ex-peacocks.

It's an interesting read. The aspect I found most fascinating was how constantly being branded 'Thatcher's Children' still annoys them even to this day. They were almost exclusively working class and lift wing. Indeed, broadcaster Robert Elms espouses pretty left of center views almost daily on his Radio London show. The only outwardly Conservative voter amongst them was Spandau Ballet front man Tony Hadley.

The one thing that I'll take from this is how ambitious they were, especially Gary Kemp of aforementioned Spandau Ballet. He was, and still is I suppose, an opportunist. They were a band well before the Blitz Kids came into being. Their manager, Steve Dagger, spotted the nascent movement beginning to gain some traction in the media, and spotting that there wasn't yet a band, decided that he's charges should be that very band. So off with the power pop duds, and on with the frilly shirts. And The Gentry, as they were called at the time, just wasn't exotic enough. The rest, as they say, is history.

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.

Gary Kemp is now playing with Nic Mason's 'Saucerful of Secrets'

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Gimme Gimme Shock Treatment

... Believe In Magic, Heavenly Recordings, The First 30 Years by Robin Turner

Basically does exactly what it says on the tin. Documents the history of record label Heavenly, and it's associated offshoot enterprises such as the wonderful Sunday Social.

They've signed some cracking bands over the years, and some right stinkers. They released the first Manics single, let Saint Etienne do whatever they want for the last thirty years, and just signed my new favourite band in Working Mens Club.

It was an alright read. Nothing too taxing. More of an oral history as told by all the main players, and heavily illustrated throughout. Normally when I'm reading this sort of thing I tend to listen to the bands that are being talked about, this didn't make me want to do that for some strange reason.

I was somewhat surprised however to turn a page only to discover a picture of two friends of mine who were signed to Heavenly back when it first started. I had absolutely no idea they were on that label. And one of them had absolutely no idea that he was in a book.

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They say don't kick a man when he's down. Show me a better time.