I can hear music, sweet, sweet music...

Before I get to my annual music round up (it's a newish tradition, that is - this is the first) here's a little snap of me with the school's senior leaders. If you want a formal version you'll need to go to the Principal's blog - http://shsprincipal.blogspot.com .

The last Mojo I read was the January 2009 edition – containing their Best of 2008 list and their usual end of year survey of what some celebrities and musos listened to in 08. As a little exercise I went off into my CD collection and rounded up all of the 2008 CDs I’d bought. I was a tad shocked – there were only 14! Most of the stuff I bought was much older. I don’t keep up!

So here’s my top 14 of 2008 - in order of how much I listened to them (and therefore liked!)

14 – Ringo Starr – Liverpool 8. Yes Ringo put out a new album in 2008 – bet you didn’t know that! It’s not very good (you DID know that). Sorry Ringo, but I bought it out of a sense of duty (that’s why I own ALL of your back catalogue). Liverpool 8 has one goodish song that is worth listening to twice – the title track. The best thing about the CD is a picture inside of George and Ringo in Beatlemania times – in Liverpool, in an open top car. They look gear!

13 – Brian Wilson – That Lucky Old Sun. I’ve tried to like this but after repeated listens it hasn’t hooked me. Sorry number 2 to Brian - I did try, really I did.

12 – Madonna – Hard Candy. A disappointment – I think it’s a mistake that she’s retreated to her ‘True Blue’ voice – you know the helium fuelled one. I bought it cos I loved her last few. This one can be avoided.

Okay – into the decent ones now – 11 – The Desotos – Cross Your Heart. Roger gave me this CD with some other Ode releases and I listened to this one a lot. I like the open road/New Zealand feel to the songs.

10 – The Datsuns – Headstunts. A return to form after their last few albums. I bought it out of a sense of duty cos I have all their stuff and they come from Cambridge High School of all places. Good (at times Great) New Zealand guitar rock.

9 – Opeth – Watershed. I didn’t listen to this a lot because Opeth polarises the family (they hate it!) but when I do it gets the juices flowing and there were times in 2008 I needed to put on some REALLY LOUD music. Opeth and Watershed were great! There are some really prog moments on this (rather than their death metal approach).

8 – Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely. Adam Jenna and Keegan gave me this for my birthday but it’s an album I would have bought if they hadn’t. They made a good choice in other words. Another Good (at times Great) rock album.

7 – Snow Patrol – A Hundred Million Suns. I really like Snow Patrol (not love though). I listened to this a lot and it reveals it’s quality over time – I like albums like that.

6 – Oasis – Dig Out Your Soul. I really like Oasis (not love though). Another one I like to listen to over and over because I hear new things in it each time.

And so to the top 5: 5 – Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and all his friends. Not an album to love in an uncontrollable way (like I do X and Y) but has some classic Coldplay on it.

4 - Sigur Ros - cool Icelandic moodly soundscapes (it's a bit weird in other words). It's actually a strange album - it starts off with some off kilter pop songs and then just gets more and more ambient sounding until it feels like that scene in 'Never Cry Wolf' when he's dropped off into the Arctic. The plane leaves and he looks around in total silence and finally says..."Interesting".

3 – The Kooks – Konk. The Kooks I do love cos they remind me of Lewis’ old band – Plus Special Guests for some reason. I love pop music and the Kooks know how to deliver. This feels fairly ramshackle in places (more reason to love it). Great British pop!

2 – Aimee Mann - @#%&*! Smilers. If Aimee has made a duff album I’m yet to hear it. This is music that is appropriate in any circumstance – Saturday night, Sunday morning, before school, after school - whenever. I love her voice, the texture of the music, the lyrical flips and the off kilter pictures of America/ Hollywood. She’s the woman! This is a great album. Go and buy it and tell me I’m wrong.

1 (Best thing I bought in 2008) - Fleet Foxes - You're probably saying - 'Who?' This is their first album and I only bought it because Mojo did a rave review of it during the year (and it incidentally ended up as their record of the year too). I love harmonies (Crosby Stills..., Beach Boys etc) and these guys obviously love them too. It's again fairly off kilter stuff but I've gone back to it time and again. You will too!

Other stuff -

I get quite a few weird emails from my staff alerting me to 'fun' sites and jokes - most of them are pretty lame but here are two goodies. First up a youtube advert from T Mobile that was filmed guerrilla style at an underground station in London:



and finally get a load of this!!!



Look at the picture above, and you can see where this driver broke through the guardrail, on the right side of the culvert, where people are standing on the road, pointing.

The pick-up was traveling about 75 mph, from right to left, when it crashed through the guardrail.

It flipped end-over-end, bounced off and across the culvert outlet,and landed right-side-up on the left side of the culvert, facing the opposite direction from which the driver was traveling.

The 22-year-old driver and his 18-year-old passenger were unhurt, except for minor cuts and bruises.

Just outside Flagstaff , AZ on U.S. Hwy 100.


Now, look at the second picture below . . .



Whoa nelly!!!

All for now - take care. Love and peace - W