Category Archives: Blog

David Bowie Blackstar album- a retrospective

Posted on January 12, 2025 by garylongden

I feel unease about both the album itself, and listening to it nine years on from release. – I am aware of no other major musical composer ( popular or classical) who composed and recorded his own epitaph, and then … Continue reading →

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Conclave – film review

Posted on December 15, 2024 by garylongden

**** A film for grown us. There will be no video game spin offs for this one. Based on Robert Harris’ 2016 novel, Conclave takes the viewers inside the Vatican during the College of Cardinals’ process of selecting the new … Continue reading →

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Doing the 92

Posted on November 14, 2024 by garylongden

Doing the 92 It started in 1968, Belle Vue Stadium, Doncaster Rovers v Barnsley, an evening game in front of a crowd of 18,000, I was aged 10, totally unaware that it was a local Derby, but enthralled by the … Continue reading →

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Transformer – Lou Reed ( a retrospective)

Posted on November 8, 2024 by garylongden

It is a great album, and an astonishing document for its time. David had a long time love for the Velvet underground, and  their songs  “Waiting for the Man” and  “White Light White Heat” were live staples for long periods … Continue reading →

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Life on Tour with Bowie: A Genius Remembered – Sean Mayes. Book review

Posted on October 7, 2024 by garylongden

I am a very hard to please Bowie, and music, fan. The vast majority of music biographies and auto biographies are poorly written and lack insight. Biographies all too often are written merely to piggyback on the success of the … Continue reading →

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The Scottish UFO & Paranormal Conference, 2024- Queen Margaret union, University of Glasgow

Posted on June 21, 2024 by garylongden

A week ago today myself and Jane Osborne were setting off with expectation and apprehension to our first Scottish UFO and paranormal conference. Jane specialises in Past Life Regression and Alien Encounters so we hoped to meet some kindred spirits, … Continue reading →

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Yarmageddon 13 in 2024

Posted on June 9, 2024 by garylongden

This was my first experience of this rock festival in a holiday camp, guaranteeing no weather interrupted performances, and food and drink, and toilets on tap. I offer this as a record rather than as a  review, On Thursday evening  … Continue reading →

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From the Mediterranean to the Caribbean

Posted on June 2, 2024 by garylongden

Our adventure started in a still warm Malaga , Spain on 27th Nov 2023. Our first voyage on Explorer 2. The weather was fine and pleasant enough to sunbathe on the pool deck. Our first stop was Gibraltar which we … Continue reading →

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Napoleon

Posted on January 4, 2024 by garylongden

I visit the cinema infrequently these days,  however the Christmas break lured me to see Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon”. Firstly, it is loooong at two hours and thirty eight minutes. Incredibly, it is effectively an edited version of a mini series … Continue reading →

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Doing the 92- Wetherby Rd, Harrogate Town v Mansfield Town fc.

Posted on October 26, 2023 by garylongden

The motivation for “doing the 92” can vary from person to person, and even from season to season. This was my sixth new league ground of the season so far, from the 32,500 capacity PL standard Pride Park, to this, … Continue reading →

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