Swingin' Ryan

Agreed, easily the best thing they've done since EMG. 'This Joke Sport Severed' and 'Marlon J.D' have pretty much instantly joined my all-time favourite Manics songs list.

Was raking about in HMV in Glasgow for sale bargains and found the Young Marble Giants - Colossal Youth/Salad Days re-issue for THREE QUID!

Only caught the last 25 mins or so of last nights game at work, looked pretty mince. Some cracking commentary bias, Ballack jumps up after writhing around on the ground as soon as Barca are on the attack and he 'bravely battled on', Barcelona player (can't remember who now) does the same thing 5 mins later and it's 'typical theatrics'. Words cannot express how much I'm looking forward to having a pint and watching the game tonight after heaps of missed games due to work/uni/work (unless Arsenal win, in which case I'm never watching football again). 2-1 Man Utd though.

Haha, I love Lawrenson's general air of contempt for everything. I remember him having a go at the new young presenter they had during Euro 2008 when they guy was saying he was surprised Switzerland don't have a better team due to their position on the borders of so many talented footballing countries. Cue Lawrenson - 'But what's that got to do with football, eh? What's that got to do with football?'. Followed by a shake of the head and a sigh. Gold.

That'll be Ayr 'the only team in Scotland not to lost at home this season' United, I think you'll find As for the new stadium it was a complete debacle from start to finish, the council didn't give a shit about the stadium (probably all Killie fans) and it's made even worse by some muppet deciding to have 'Somerset Park 1888-2009' printed on this season's strip. A quick bit of tippex should easily change the zero to an eight for a more realistic timescale.

It's 'Topshop twee' though, I prefer the more hardcore 'NHS specs and plimsolls' stuff

Cheers, sorted it now. They are amazing. The 'teenage voice' they do on this bit makes me laugh every time.

I haven't properly watched any of this series of Skins. The first series had a degree of charm that made it watchable despite it being fairly embarassing and cliched but the second series seems to be nothing but an utterly loathable display of first rate wankery. People always harp on about how it's a 'realistic diplay of teenage life in 2009' and they are right. It's a realistic display of how teenage life in 2009 values being a flashy moron who bores the shit out of everyone who isn't a complete spanner by talking endlessly about drugs and sex and dressing up like some Camden cuntwit. The Adam and Joe discussion on their 6music show about the shoe-horning of 'teen reference points' at the start of the second series was absolutely golden. http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ZTr9k4BUxw 'mmmskateboardtextspliffturdcopperindierockdrinkingmmm'

The 3-0 pumping still ways heavy on my mind! You have had a rather impressive home record this year in general. Ayr still the only club in the UK not to get beaten at home this year other than Liverpool! If East Fife or Alloa somehow manage to ruin that I'll probably do a violence.

For some reason this is showing in our biggest screen at the cinema. Ten people watched the afternoon showing today. I watched the last five minutes today. I don't know what I was seeing.

Shite weekend of football for me. Man Utd getting put out on fucking penalties and Ayr getting stuck back down on second place after getting beaten by Brechin. Going to be a pretty tense last few games in the 2nd division!

One-Up was noted as one of the Top 5 record stores in the UK in NME this week!

That would be brilliant. Really good review I thought, glad they pointed out how great all the previous albums have been and how they've been totally overlooked (although NME is one of the culprits). Also thought he was a bit unduly harsh on Merge, Andmoresound and Elefant records, particularly the bit describing them as being run from a bedroom/garden shed. Also for anyone with a passing interest in the band, there's a 4Play documentary/interview thing with them on Channel 4 on Monday night at 12:55am called 'A Band Beginning With C'.

I'm off to Primavera Sound in Barcelona at the end of May. Sonic Youth, Neil Young, Aphex Twin, Bat For Lashes, Jarvis Cocker, Jason Lytle (Grandaddy), My Bloody Valentine, Shellac, The Mae Shi, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, The Vaselines, Throwing Muses, Liars, Kimya Dawson, Andrew Bird, Ponytail and Vivian Girls. Awesome. (Oh and fucking Bloc Party....shudder)

They played here twice promoting the last album but they're only doing Glasgow on the tour this time it seems. After some of the morons that were in the crowd for the Lemon Tree gig, I'd be hesitant to come back here if I was them. There were a group of girls who made an unfeasible amount of noise during the acoustic songs and spent most of the gig with their back turned to the band taking pictures of each other. Idiots.

Thank you! I was trying to convey that there was no genuine 'malicous intent' in his statement i.e he did not genuinely intend to throw jizz in the guy's face. I'll use less 'flowery' language next time. I don't remember Chomsky ever having to clarify his position in a debate over the malice of jizz flinging. I really need to start visiting more highbrow message boards.

There was no genuine malice in the jizz comment and it wasn't really homophobic in nature. Whereas Telecaster Sam's comment was just another dazzling example in a long list of him being a ridiculous, bigoted cockflute.

Aye you're right, there are a couple of tricky games left. Namely, Peterhead and Brechin away, which will be no walkover. Still to lose a game at home this season though, fairly confident about East Fife and Alloa. Raith have got a bit of an easier time of it fixtures-wise. Still, Stevenson is back on form, Prunty's been outstanding, it's a pity Kevin 'tallest man in Scotland' James loan is up, but I'm feeling pretty confident.

Glad to see someone else appreciating CO. They get woefully little recognition in Scotland yet do very well abroad from what I can tell, particularly in Spain and Mexico for some reason. I can't stop listening to this album, Sweetest Thing is the stand out for me at the moment. I've had it in the back of my head since they played it live last year. The production is amazing, I'd quite possibly kill to have Jari Haapalainen produce something I'd written.

Another decent win on Saturday, looking forward to the heady heights of the First Division now. Particularly relishing the thought of getting to slaughter Ross County again!

New album is streaming on the NPR website. On first listen, it's absolutely stunning, probably my favourite album so far this year. Looking forward to the Barrowlands in a couple of weeks, must have seen them about four times now and they've been amazing every time.

Haha, you are bang on. I hate the fact that all the guys look like studenty surfers and all the girls are 'kooky hippy chicks' and they've normally got on a poncho or a tie-dye headband or some other talisman of wankery. I think they're supposed to look like they've spent a year in Mozambique helping refugees in an attempt to add a bit of authenticity to their charity, when in reality they all study at Aberdeen Uni and go to Glastonbury every year with their wages from saving the world. I refuse to talk to, let alone give money to anybody who looks like they believe in the healing power of crystals and think that World Music is 'really trippy'.

Most people aren't worrying about it. Most people don't spend their days fixated on the sexual practices of gay men, you obviously can't take your mind off him. Little bit weird. Aren't you married? Exactly, it's only a boy wearing make-up and some girl's clothes. He is obviously an absolute ticket but I don't think we quite need the Aberdeen Music lynch-mob just yet!

Haha, I had exactly the same thought. Either that or Justin Fashanu.

I need to remember to pick up her album as it came out last week I think. I've got her first EP which was amazing, she sent it in a hand-sewn CD case with a little hand-written 'thank you' note which I thought was lovely. She also sent out little drawings to the 'ark' mailing thing, I still have one fo them on my wall. The effort she goes to is incredible!