The 1979 ZIG ZAG Reader’s Poll

Its That time of year for readers and listeners polls. In the light of the XFM Top 1000 Best British Songs Of All Time I thought I would go back in my time machine and see what what was happening in those far off days off Punk Rock.    

So these are the best singles from:
The 1979 ZIG ZAG Readers Poll from back in the day.

Best Single

1. Staircase (Mystery) - Siouxsie And The Banshees

2. Public Image - Public Image Ltd

3. Damaged Goods - Gang of 4

4. Hong Kong Garden - Banshees

5. White Man (In Hammersmith Palais) - The Clash

6. Where Were You - The Mekons

7. In A Rut - The Ruts

8. Teenage Kicks - Undertones

9. Cost of Living EP - The Clash

10. Down In The Tube- The Jam

11. Fairytale In The Supermarket - Raincoats

12. Strange Town - The Jam

13. English Civil War - The Clash

14. Memory - Johnny Thunders

15. Stop Your Sobbing - Pretenders

16. Tommy Gun - The Clash

17. Ambition - Subway Sect

18. Love Song - The Damned

19. Killing An Arab - The Cure

20. Get Over You - Undertones

Last Years Winner - Complete Control - Clash


Sweeeeeeeeeeeetttttttttttt!

Chapel Club

Its nearly 2011 and finally Chapel Club are due to release their debut album Palace on January 31st. They were another gem of a band that appeared on Jools Hollands later this year in between the usual eclectic choices of music. A great guitar based band who so far have released this year Five Trees, All The Eastern Girls and my favourite so far; O Maybe I. It has hints of Morrissey and has very catchy lyrics "O maybe I should settle down to a quiet life/O maybe I should chance it all on a perfect night ..."

They are similar to the Editors and White Lies but don't give their influences on their Myspace page. They are touring in the New Year and will be playing Heaven in London on 16th February before touring Europe. They will be releasing a new single Surfacing on January 24th. Another reason to be Cheerful in 2011!

Mona included in BBC Sound of 2011 list

The initial list of bands for 2011 has been announced this week. The list was compiled by "recommendations from more than 160 influential UK taste makers, who were asked to name their favourite new acts." according to BBC News BBC Sound of 2011

Among the list are 'fifties throwbacks' Mona who recently were featured this year on BBC later with Jools Holland. They are supporting White Lies in February 2011 and are also on their own tour at the moment featuring in the XFM Winter Wonderland on 15th December and also in the MTV Brand New 2011 show at London Koko on 26th January with Claire MacGuire. The main singles so far are Listen to your love  and current single Trouble on the way. Check out their website or the excellent fifties influenced video for Listen To Your Love.

Other notable bands in the BBC Sound of 2011 list are Warpaint, The Vaccines and Claire MacGuire.The list will be narrowed down to 5 main bands in January.

Zola Jesus Stridulum II

Zola Jesus has released various singles and EPs. I had heard her mentioned before but I didn't really discover her music until after a mention in the Guardian Guide. Her real name is Nika Roza Danilova originally from Wisconsin but now based in LA. She is a classically trained opera singer. Her music has been described as Goth She has been compared to Siouxsie Sioux and Florence Welch as well as Lydia Lunch. There are definitely strong influences but she prefers to have her music described as progressive.

Her latest EP follows on from Stridulum that according to Zola was influenced by the Sci-fi movie of the same name by Giulio Paradisi. Her earlier music is more experimental but this is - dare I say it? - more commercial. Synth and drums make for powerful atmospheric songs the best being Night, I can’t stand and the final track, Lightsick. She makes music for herself rather than to please record companies and I look forward to hearing what she does next.

These Stamps are FAB! Thunderbirds Are Go!

Creative Review - Lenticular Thunderbirds stamps are GO! Six new stamps from The Royal Mail include Gerry Anderson's classic supermarionation TV shows from the 1960's including Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray, Captain Scarlet and Joe 90. They will be available from January 11 2010.

Lest we forget Saville and Kelly's memorial to Tony Wilson

In the tradition of always being late Peter Saville was only three years late for delivering the headstone for Tony Wilson. Creative Review - Saville and Kelly's memorial to Tony Wilson Its beautiful and worth the wait.

Library Closures Decision Delayed

The decision to close one or more Libraries has been deferred for two weeks Mayor Defers Local Library Decision Sir Steve says "I did not seek election as your Mayor in order to close down libraries". This all sounds a bit C.J. when sunshine deserts has entered a slight financial wobble "I didn't get where I am today without knowing a slight wobble when I enter one." Or another great CJism "Time is the procrastination of thieves." Maybe there could be a reprieve or is this just putting off the inevitable?


For more great CJisms see LeonardRossiter.com

Brockley Central: Lewisham budget cuts - public consultation results | The online home for all things Brockley, London SE4

Brockley Central: Lewisham budget cuts - public consultation results | The online home for all things Brockley, London SE4

Lewisham Libraries The Struggle Continues

 I knew that there was a march against the closing of the Libraries but yesterday I went on a protest by mistake! This was thanks to the 171 bus making an unscheduled stop outside of the council offices where the protest was taking place. So I thought I would go along and listen to the views of the protestors. This was organised by  Lewisham Anti Cuts Alliance. There were a few speeches and I found myself agreeing with the views that these cuts are unnecessary. A school teacher put this very well talking about the way the public is paying for the mess made by the bankers who still are claiming bonuses whilst the directors are  also still paying themselves bonuses. There was quite a good turnout (see pictures on link above).
     There has always been a deficit and the government like to blow this out of all proportion to the real problem of the recession caused by the banking crisis.This is an ideological attack on the public services and it will be the public who end up paying for this. There are other ways of cutting the deficit The Robin Hood Tax is one of them and for more alternatives see There Is an Alternative campaign by the PCS. We keep being told we are 'all in this together' so lets have the money back we lent to the banks.
     Meanwhile Lewisham Council will be voting on the budget on 17th of November (which will include £60m cuts to public services). This could be the tip of the iceberg as more cuts could be likely.

There's more to life than books you know

Lucy Mangans article in last Saturdays Guardian ‘Both a borrower and a lender be’ was a humorous comment on the current threat to Libraries both in Lewisham and across the country. Lucy Mangan  At the moment five Libraries across Lewisham face closure. Various campaigns are going on either to stop the closures or to run them with the help of volunteers. This is part of the new culture minister Ed Vaisey’s idea of libraries taking part in the ‘big society’.

Other counties are also discussing  Community Run Libraries  I am a keen Library user and use  more than one library across Lewisham as I can’t always get the books that I want as each Library has different stock.  I often use  the online system for ordering books for the same reason. However  people use libraries not just to borrow books but to get other information. Recently when I was visiting New Cross Library - one of the Libraries on the closures list - I overheard some foreign students asking about English Language courses at New Cross Library. The Librarian was able to give them the information they needed . People also use libraries to study or to look for jobs.Computers are therefore an essential part of the Library experience and this should stay a free service for those people who still do not have access to their own pc or Broadband.

Recently there was news that  Lewisham was amongst the group of local authorities taking part in the ‘Future Library Programme’. Libraries face a difficult future and people argue that we can't afford to continue supporting the current Libraries that we already have. Libraries such as Forest Hill Library have had a lot of investment with new counters that read the books that are tagged with RFIDs but others like Crofton Park have not had the same attention. New Cross Library has a good selection of books and there were originally plans to move the Library to a new development but this is also threatened or abandoned in the current climate of cuts rather than investment. Meanwhile Blackheath Library's lease runs until 2013 See Information Overlords Blog A Future Worth Fighting For

Getting the community involved in running services is a great idea but it needs to be supported with future investment not just words but I can't see this happening when cuts are being implemented at breakneck speed.

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Other sources
http://www.informationoverlord.co.uk/?p=389

http://www.librarycampaign.com/ChangeIsOverdue

Random Things I heard on my holiday

"Will this crisis never end?" - my son.

"Call British Gas the waters cold" -my son again when he first went in the sea at Whitstable.

"Show me your courage of a lion" and "Don't let me down darling" - husband to his wife who was reluctant to go in the cold sea.

"You're an equal opportunities snob" - my partner's comment on my dislike of posh people and working class oiks.

"These icebergs are too big to eat" - my son trying to eat his ice cubes in his coca cola.

"Even washing powder smells better than you" - my son being rude to his mother.