Updates!

Aye - marking a year of blogging here with a couple of long overdue updates. Wire in at your earliest convenience...

The Boxologist writes deep and interesting stuff, with a particular eye for middle easter politics. Incidentally, Im reading a book just now called 'A Politically Incorrect guide to Islam and the Crusades' its very well researched but pretty full on.

Hef is the spider fingered geetarist of fantastic livi prog-metalists Massacre On The Fjords. He pops in now and then so pay his myspace a visit.

Rock N Roll Zombies is a wee promotions collective thats come out of Wakenthedead. We're doing gigs in Livi, Stirling, a few in Embra and hopefully soon in Falkirk and Glasgow. Props out to all the chaps :)

YakNak is a Livi based charity for Nepalese street kids who's story is pretty cool. Basically 2 livi twenty-somethings went on their hols in Nepal. They where shocked by the street kids and decided to start a house for them. All the bands helped raise money by putting on a ream of gigs and now the house is built and the first kids have started school. They're far from desperate but you should give them some money anyhow.

Theres also a new section that stictly for the lads...

Kill Your Television (and other stories)...

About 2 weeks ago decided that it was time to get rid of the TV. The plan has been to spend less time mindlessly consuming and more time engaging with God. Its not really worked out so far, as Ive been spending every spare second on the ol' interweb so Im again reminded that walking with Christ is more about what you do, rather than dont do.

However, this could all turn out to be academic as I have to move across town this weekend. Of course, the new place has a telly. Kev (ma new hoosemate) isnae a huge fan of it (he favours a recording studio in place of a front room), so perhaps I'll be able to convince him to get rid of it. Komrade Waddelski has moved over to Boghall to a nice 2 bedroom skete-like flat. Deadstuartwakes will be moving into Glasgow to start doing Rock N Roll Zombie shows and perhaps even plant a church. I suppose that heralds the end of the prayer squat experiment in its current form.

As Kev's place is like, already his hime the move means I'll have to pass on a large proportion of material possesions, most of which was passed on to me. This feels like Im taking part in some kind of 'pass the parcel', which is defiantely as fun as it sounds. Its going to be weird moving into someones elses house from my own.

Aye - and apparently the lesley speaker in my old organ might be worth £600. Im stunned.

Rock N Roll Zombies...

Aye - thats the name of the wee promotions collective we've put together. Putting gigs on in Livingstonia, Stirlingshire, Edinburger and (soon), Glasweegie. Muchos fun. Check us oot @ www.myspace.com/rocknrollzombies or even better get yer self over tae the Subway in Embra (the wan in the Cowgate) this coming Sunday, Oct 29th at 7pm for -

Solacy - Thoughtfull and melodic metal types from the capital.
Death & Desire - US based alt.metal with wee grunge overtones.
The Expendable Penguins Of War - Fun loving Livi stalwarts play progish metal.

And since its such a last minute dealio we've decided to make it only £3. Yes - we're that good to you. Sometimes I wonder if we'll make you lot go soft with all this pampering.

www.myspace.com/solacy
www.myspace.com/deathanddesire

This cold, dark land of the picts...

I was watching Billy Connoly's world tour of Scotland tonight. In all honesty I find him at his funniest when he drops the act and acccepts that he's a bit of a pretentious weirdo like the rest of us. However, he does like Scotland - and liking Scotland is something I've stuggled with for a long time.

I dont know what made me not like it here. Perhaps it was only seeing a tacky facade. Perhaps it was growing up in a faceless new town. Maybe something as mysterious as the unshakeable feeling that really, Im only a tourist here. Mebs it was as mundane the distain most young folks hold for home. At least everyone else I knew seemed to thing the same.

I realise now that I was wrong. Theres something no too bad about this otherwise cold and dank land of the picts. It occasionaly sparkles underneath the self perpetuated tartan stereotypes. It sometimes seeps around the vain 'proud nation, hard as nails' crapaganda. It lies in the middle and we have to acknowledge it.

We just have to realise that we're ok. No better or worse than everyone else: we're OK. Have a look - can you see it? Good. Lets get on with the rest of our lives.

Starving Jesus...

Hope, hope and more hope.

www.starvingjesus.com (I especially recomend the podcasts).