leftboy

Emails to mike@doaberdeen.com, cheers.

DoAberdeen.com is a new listings and what's on website for Aberdeen. We're seeking people who attend local gigs and club nights to write up their experiences and let the world know how it went. Reckon you've got some writing chops? Know what's happening in the live music and/or clubbing scene? Drop us a line and introduce yourself, with a write-up of a location or event of your choice.

I seem to have incredibly vivid dreams. Last night I dreamt that I chopped the head of someone (who looked like the female character in "Misery") with an axe. Then I put the body and head in a large bucket, and was stresing about whether it would get found; luckily the bins got taken away so I was in the clear. I'd been talking about "The Shining" before I went to bed so that may have had something to do with it! Then later I dreamt I was seeing my new flat, which somehow still had one of the former residents in it (who looked like a woman at my work). Things got rather, ahem, steamy after that so I'll a draw a veil over the rest of the events.

Seen the film many a time. It's been credited with inspiring a reform to the Borstal system, so some good has come out of it. The brutal style is perfect for what they're trying to do. I like the fact that there's no music whatsoever: utter starkness. Chockfull of good lines: "Back, grass!" "Where's your tool?" "What tool?" (Carling whacks bloke with a metal pipe). "THIS FUCKING TOOL!" "A fully fledged humanitarian, with a BA in Hatred". "I'm finding myself... strongly drawn towards Mecca, sir-" "MECCA, ARCHER?!" "Banks you bastard! I'm the daddy now! Next time I'll fucking kill you!"

Grimsby is a toss-hole. It's not just the grim associations of its name, its the bunch of bams that live there. I lived there one summer back in the day, so can vouch for this. Stirling is also a pit. I went to uni there and found the place so full of wanna-be Weedgie neds it was mental. Saying that I had a barjob in Raploch at one point, which may have put me off. Bridge of Allan is nice though, if very bourgeois. Closer to home, surely Peterhead and the broch are the local shitpits? I'm working in Peterhead just now and it's one ugly town.

Closer - Joy Division (nice and cheerful) The New York Dolls - The New York Dolls (vampy, trampy) Symphony Fantastique - Berlioz (it was 1, gets a mention in "Revolution In The Head")

To be fair most of the music I encounter on the radio and TV is pretty poor. The big bands of the 90s are now releasing tepid crap - Oasis, U2, REM. When Coldplay get to be the biggest band in the world and Keane (aaarrgh!) are thought to be talented... it's a poor state of affairs. Similarly, when I go to Moshulu to hear the metal, the newer stuff doesn't appeal to me really - I don't like Korn, Muse, , Velvet Revolver will never be GN'R, and so on. Back in the day when I was a greaser (1992) you had Metallica when they were good, Alice In Chains, Black Crowes, GN'R, Nirvana, Slayer, Faith No More, Mudhoney, Fudge Tunnel, Obituary... could you get as good a lineup today? You'll probably say "well find the good music of today then". The Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Spritualised, The Music, Franz Ferdiand and Belle & Sebastian are all tremendous. But I don't hear the era-defining stuff of before...

I'm from Buckie so I know the town a wee bit. The "The Friendly Town" roadsign always amuses me no end. Apart from that it's just a handy trainstation, really.

Aye, the whole of "Angels With Dirty Faces" is a long grim trip. Still good though. As is his "Christiansands" - Christina saying "Helsinki" sounds so... weird. Also creepy is a band called Fudgetunnel, anyone know them? Their "Hate Songs In E-Minor" has this really ambient song (a reprise of the title track) - it's like death-ambient, the sound of your life slowly fading. A stunninly creepy song. Let's not forget "Thriller" either!

Rarely go to gigs, sadly, so my list is quite extensive: Yeah Yeah Yeahs Spiritualised The Music Morrissey Sonic Youth Velvet Revolver The Damned (I think they're still touring!) Belle & Sebastian

Oh yeah, and also uncool are: smug couples very fat men with tshirts which they think are hip but are in fact anal-retentive pretentiousness screaming queens (shut UP about kylie) white jeans comb-overs bad teenage 'taches young kids smoking (i.e. less that 15. It's just wrong!) the dire lack of good clubs in Aberdeen. Mudd Club RIP.

GENIUS.

23% gay. Which is quite funny because I'm bisexual.

Amaway to start work as an English teacher at Peterhead Academy. Don't know tthe town, can anyone fill me in? I hear it's ned-ville. Prior to that I have worked as or in: Hogshead St Magnus Court Hotel Lava (that's Kef now, kids) Franklyns Bexx Bar Force Ten Windows and Doors (soul-crushing teleseales) That's just in Aberdeen; I seem to have moved about a lot, for no good reason.