Mmm…
Only Michael Clark could put 10 naked dancers on stage and have them create a scene so achingly beautiful and moving (set to Send In The Clowns by Barbra Streisand). The show on Saturday was stunning and had a PiL, Wire and Pistols soundtrack. The 2nd half was Clarks interpretation of Stravinsky’s Rite Of Spring (the double piano version played live) and even had the Mother Earth/Leigh Bowery scary monster in it. The Chosen Maiden in the finale was danced by a topless lady wearing a Hitler tache and a pair of huge support knickers and she was bloody brilliant. And when did you last go to the ballet and hear the crowd demand an encore and get rewarded with a few more minutes of perfect pure energy to something by Swell Maps? Mmm is on until next Saturday so go if you can.

I must mention the Royale Family special on TV on Sunday which was first class and had us both choking back the tears when Nana died. The Guardian correctly called it "a tour de force of direction and photography". I hope there’s another series in the pipeline.

Christ, I’m getting crap at writing my crap on my scrappy crappy blog.
Blackpool was great last week and New Order were unusually cheerful and even did an encore. Factory no-hopers Section 25 supported and were awful. I got drunk on cider and awoke on our sofa at 2am with a peanut butter smeared mouth. Darren bought me The Fall Peel Sessions box set as a gift but I can’t listen to it in the car (or when he’s in the house) as he hates The Fall (pity him for he is but a fule). I also like the new Robbie album. Stuff at work is still in turmoil but big decisions will be made by important folk with big bags of money in the next two weeks. My future plans include walking dogs, plumbing, buying a pub, driving a bus/fork lift truck, signing-on, clinical depression, make-up artist, rich mans fat play thing and death. Nice things to look forward to include two weeks at Disney World in December (I’m trying not to focus too much on the fact that my Mum and Dad are coming with us, thankfully in a different hotel), a new job (I suppose), Christmas (we love Christmas), a new house (Hebden Bridge vs Lytham?), 32w jeans, Michael Clark resurrecting his Mmm at The Barbican this Saturday and the new Tim Burton film (set in the 1960’s and looks like it might be right up my strasse). See you all in the future.

Tatts all done now. It took an extra hour to fine tune the colours but Saira was happy to stay past closing time and I was more than happy with the end result. She hates finishing a big job because it usually means 'goodbye' to someone whom she's built up a relationship with. I was flattered that she admitted to looking forward to my visits because we discuss 'stuff' that she doesn't usually talk about with others. I know I will miss her.
Car is packed (I'm sweating, 20 degress in October? ridiculous). How can the area under our stairs hold so much junk? I've emptied it into the car to be stored, guess where, under the stairs in the Blackpool house! This must be the circle of life Elton sang about (I already know of a ton of crap in other rooms that I'm going to re-fill the empty under stairs area with when we get back).

Right, New Order albums in car, check, daily tide times noted, check, address of farm/boarding kennels in Essex to check-out on the way to Blackpool, check, New Order tickets, check, X Men trilogy box set, check, Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 3 box set, check, clean pants, check and ibuprofen (for tattoo pain), check.
Back on Tuesday.

It rained until 11 am today so I didn't bother going to work.
I had sardines on toast for tea and they are repeatedly repeating on me now and it's nearly bed time.
Last tattoo session tomorrow. My bank manager will be pleased.
My Mum and Dad are at our Blackpool house and have just rang to ask if they can turn the heating on! Bless. I told them to leave £20 on the table when they left.
Darren and I are off to Blackpool this weekend to see New Order at the Empress Ballroom. I've seen New Order more than any other band over the last 25 years and they're getting on a bit now so this may be the last time.

Yesterday I visited the annual London Tattoo Convention at the Truman Brewery on Brick Lane. I hadn't been prepared for the sheer scale of this three day event. It was enormous, three floors like this one, filled with the worlds top artists. There was a huge art gallery (my fave pic), burlesque dancers (Sabina and The Suicide Girls), shops and a huge outdoor arena with bands, bikes and a bar. And of course there were thousands of horny spunky fellas to gawp at. I was pleased to see that the event was much less of an 'alternative' thing (i.e. not many of those crusty, multi-pierced festival-goers from ten years ago) and was actually filled with smart rockers, 70's skinheads (nice to see that most of these were 'good with colours') and Hoxton modernists (even the Hells Angels have had a wash and cut their hair these days). Saira (she's doing my arms) was busy the whole time I was there so I only got to wave at her but I did grab this pic.

Below L-R: Three of the most famous and studly artists:
Troy Denning wearing his trademark black gloves (NYC)
Shane O'Neil (USA)
Nico (Switzerland).


Below: Dunno who these fellas are but they were easy on the eye.


Below L-R:
I think I know where this scene was heading after they'd all had a few pints
Sabina is so beautiful she scared everyone off
Japanese master Hori Ken doing a traditional tattoo (non electric) using one huge v. sharp needle.


Despite watching him work for at least 20 minutes I failed to get a good pic of Steve Byrne (Morrissey's artist of choice, can you tell why?) but I found this one in flickr. He guests at Frith St in London every few months so maybe I won't stop when my arms are all done.

Been for a day trip to Birmingham today. To a 'start your own business' type of exhibition thing. Quite good, lots of ideas and worth the trek. No one asked to see my train tickets on both journeys so I could have saved £40. Of course, if I had chosen to travel ticket-less, and with my luck, I would have been nabbed and forced to buy a full price £108 fare. On the way home I saw this billboard. What a horny ad! A hairy chest painted with Marmite (slogan: 'you either hate it or love it', hence the hairy chest I suppose). To those lucky enough to be ignorant of Marmite, it's a black sticky concoction made from yeast and crushed insects and is eaten on mouldy bread by the mentally challenged. Can you tell which side of the fence I sit on?
I do love hairy chests though.

The world fireworks championships have been held in Blackpool over the last few weeks (France won) and on Friday night there was a finale by one of the UK's best teams. They lit up the sands over the North Pier with a stunning show.


Sunset before the show: