A Tight Squeeze To Get In

I have a similar relationship with Swindon, as John Betjeman had with Slough, largely because its such a cultural backwater. Just occasionally, there is a small beacon of hope that helps one to forget the sprawling mix of not very good clubs, chain pubs and fast food outlets that passes for Swindon's night-life. We have a great new music venue, The 12 Bar in the rodbourne area of town, that is as good as any city venue, and it has it's own individual charm.

Last night, one of my musical heroes, Glenn Tilbrook, the former lead singer of Squeeze played a sold out acoustic show at the venue. Although it was a tight squeeze to fit into the venue with over 200 people, It was certainly the best gig I have seen in the town. Although, Sleeper at the Oasis Leisure Centre in 1997 was also memorable.

Tilbrook (pictured above) still charismatic in his late forties, played a two hour set that included tons of Squeeze classics, some good cover versions and some of his newer solo offerings. Tilbrook is a genius at working the audience, he really gets them singing the hits, by some hilarious coaxing. People going past the pub, must have been amazed at the sound of 200 people belting out "Goodbye Girl" "Black Coffee In Bed" and "Up the Junction" along with Glenn as he masterfully played the guitar. The song "Hourglass" also amused me, because decades on, I still know all the words of Chris Difford's wonderful bit of nonsense.

Other gems in the evening, included a breathtaking cover of Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Chile, with Glenn making his acoustic guitar sound as good as an electric one. We were also treated to one of Squeeze's best records, the marvellously jaunty Piccadilly. I can never stop humming that one, whilst walking through the capital. Glenn was also quite happy to take requests from the audience, and seemed to revel in the humourous banter which you always get at his gigs. The highlight for me, was a rendition of "Some Fantastic Place" from the album of the same name, a quite beautiful song which never fails to move me.

It is a disgrace that musical rubbish like James Blunt is passed off a great singer-songwriter, whilst Tilbrook is largely ignored by the masses. In my view, Glenn and Chris Difford are second only to Ray Davies as England's greatest song-writers.

The bombs that Betjeman recommended for Slough, can be temporarily saved from falling on Swindon, providing we continue to get gigs of this quality in the town.

Casino Triumph

Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant and can I just add a final Brilliant.
As you know, I am a huge Bond fan and have been awaiting this movie for over a year. You may remember that I addressed the furore over Daniel Craig being cast in the role earlier. I thought he was a good choice, but nothing prepared me for just how damned good, Casino Royale is. It has replaced On Her Majesty's Secret Service as my favourite Bond film, and it is easily the best movie of the year, full stop.

Casino Royale is based on Ian Fleming's original novel, but with a post 9/11 terrorism theme, blended in like a well shaken Vodka Martini. After Bond stops a terrorist attack on a superplane, he is reluctantly sent by M to Casino Royale in Montenegro. His mission to stop terrorist fundraiser Le Chiffre from raising more funds on the poker table. What follows is an incredibly tense thriller with Bond having to win the game, otherwise the British government will be directly funding terrorism. Never has a game of poker been so tense...

What makes this very interesting, is that the Bond film-makers have wound the clock back, and this adventure is Bond's 1st, like the original book. Although set in the present day, 007 has only just made his first two kills, to gain his 00 status and is seen as reckless by M. Bond is only put on the mission because his card playing skills are the best in M15. Gone are the gadgets, Q and Moneypenny. This film is about James Bond, the man, the spy and how he begins his career.

Daniel Craig is nothing short of sensational in the role, he brings a vulnerability to the role, when he falls for the treasury girl, Vesper Lynd sent to keep an eye on him by M. None of the previous actors could have portrayed this as well. However, its the violent intensity that Craig brings to the killing/action side of the role that is startling, you actually believe he is the hired killer of Fleming's world. The opening black and white sequence when Bond kills his first victim in a nasty looking public toilet is out of place in a 12A certificate movie but quite superb. There is also a terrific punch up on a staircase which made the audience gasp due to its violence and technical skill. Craig also handles the one-liners with ease, although there are not as many.

Mads Mikkelson who is an impressive Danish Actor (check out the Pusher Trilogy) oozes evil as Le Chiffre. The scene when he tortures Bond is one of the screen's nastiest torture scenes since Marathon Man. Although graphically violent, it was in the original novel, so well done Director Martin Campbell for including it.

The only criticism I have of the film, is it's certificate. I love a violent action film as much as anybody, but this is wrongly certified for financial reasons. Eon now insist on a bond film being a 12A for maximum audience revenue. A man having his testicles flogged with a piece of rope until he is near death, is not suitable for young children, is it? It is a clear certificate 15, like Licence To Kill.

The girls are all stunning, Caterina Murino as Solange has to be one of the worlds most beautiful women.

Eva Green is wonderful as Vesper Lynd, the film's main Bond girl. A strong character for once, and she is vital to the plot, Bond actually falls in love with her. There is an amusing spiky-ness, and then a believable tenderness to her scenes with Craig, which bring to mind, the similar relationship in On Her Majesty's Secret Service.

The action sequences are all breath-taking, the scene when Bond chases a villian through a building site, free jumping all over Cranes, pipes and debris, will surely go down as one of the best ever filmed. The shoot-out in a crumbling venice building is also jaw-dropping.

I hope Craig stays in the role, for a very long time because he has made the role his own. This is quite something, considering the stick he has had to endure. Craig also had the legacy of other great Bonds to compete with such as Connery and Brosnan, but incredibly his Bond outclasses them in just one film.

A Masterpiece, then. Not something you could expect to say over something so populist as a Bond film.

Golden Graham

The best album of 2006 for me has been Graham Coxon's outstanding Love Travels at Illegal Speeds. Belle & Sebastian's The Life Pursuit and Gypsy Punks by Gogol Bordello were also pretty damned good as well. Apart from these shining beacons of great music, it has been a pretty lean year musically with nothing much to get excited about in terms of ear-candy. Those pesky Artic Monkies offered brief hope, but apart from the mighty last track on the album, A Certain Romance, I would judge it as an disapointment. Far too chav for my taste.

I got a chance to appreciate the album of the year, some more when Graham Coxon played the wonderful London Astoria venue on October 25th.

After a storming support slot from Switches (mark my words, these guys are going to be massive) I made my way down to the front with a trusty strongbow to join the "kids". The former Blur guitarist then came on with his newly created band "Burnt to Bitz", to the sound of a thunderous piece of classical music.

Coxon began with his customary starter "Escape Song" and played an amazing nearly 2 hour set with material from all six of his solo albums. We were treated to such musical treats as Bittersweet Bundle Of Misery and the superb Freakin' Out which saw absolute carnage in the mosh pit. Everybody also enjoyed People Of The Earth, when Graham vents spleen on those who read the Daily Mail and The Sun. By his own admission, Coxon is an unusually shy frontman, but it does not matter, because he is so goddamn good with that guitar. However, even his showmanship has got better, giving some mighty scissor jump kicks and falling around the stage like his old mucker, Albarn in their britpop heyday.

The highlight of the gig was a rendition of "I can't look at your skin-because its doing me in". If this is not the finest song from a male viewpoint, on the subject of unrequited love, then I don't know what is. The tune is like The Jam at their best.

Coxon finished with some of his older noisey crowd fave's including the seminal "Who The F**k" which left me in dire need of some more liquid refreshment. Thank heavens for the sensible licensing laws now in place, that you can now get a drink after the gig is over.

A brilliant gig, and what was an added bonus, I have enjoyed it about four times since, because a Double CD was pressed of it, and sold on the night, ten minutes after the finish. A wonder of the modern age and mint quality as well.

Alex James is apparently trying to talk Coxon into reuniting with his Blur pals for one final Blur album. Although this would be great because I am a big Blur fan, I would be surprised if Graham could come up with anything as good as his last two solo albums. Who would have thought that twelve years on from Parklife, it is Graham Coxon, who has emerged as such an impressive solo talent.