Phil's eblog

For all Mothers today

2009-03-22T14:34:25+01:00

Simply have a great time and I hope all your children spoil you rotten. Phil xx

Sorry I've been away from this blog for a while

2009-03-19T16:40:33+01:00

I've been hard at it on another exciting blog about the world of caff and cafes and owt to do with tea and coffee drinking and most of all, people watching. Check it out and let me know what you think folks.

http://mugofstrongtea.blogspot.com

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Just a boy…growing up with Leo Sayer.

2009-03-19T16:37:11+01:00

Just a boy…growing up with Leo Sayer.

I was about seventeen when I discovered my first real pop idols in the early 1970s. In the previous decade I had grown up ignorant of the Beatles or the Stones and their contemporaries as my Roy Orbison loving father and general pop curmudgeon hated any music he called “modern muck”. He refused to listen to any of the youthful radio stations and wouldn’t tolerate being in the same room as Tops of The Pops! ‘Look at him! He looks like a girl!’ Personally, I put all down to conscription into the army.

At this time I had got acquainted with two young miners my age, that I had met on holiday in Ostende. They were called Andy and Dave and they finally introduced me to a brand new pop success that was Leo Sayer. Andy was also into T.Rex and Marc Bolan and Dave was a dead ringer for Noddy Holder of Slade, sideburns and all.

I hung around with these guys on a Wednesday night and sometimes at the weekend when I came over from Derby to Swadlincoate on the bus in order to drink lager and lime in a local smoke-filled pub full of miners and to listen to the music on the jukebox. We would spend hours drooling over the latest Leo Sayer album, starting with Silverbird released in 1974. The LPs had the lyrics of the songs printed on the reverse and we learnt each song word for word and sang along word for word, matching (vaguely) high note for high note and not forgetting mimicking the wild hand gesticulations on the bouncier tracks. My vocal chords have never recovered. Back then I even had the trademark mop of curly hair and was convinced I looked like my new hero.

Our passion for all that was Leo was supported by the music papers of the time like Sounds and the Record & Radio Mirror. We devoured every article and believed every word printed! There was some other band called Queen who looked and sounded pretty cool too and we dutifully learnt all the lyrics to Bohemian Rhapsody.
Andy was especially good at the air guitar and strutting.

Poor old Andy and Dave’s mums must have been tearing their perms out as we practised our Sayer singing in the lad’s bedrooms like any other noisy teenager. I can just imagine us now in our flares and bright coloured shirts giving it all to such tracks as The Show Must Go On – Quicksand – Bedsitterland – Moonlighting – Only Dreaming- One Man Band and Giving It All Away. These and many others were superb little songs that carried a good storyline. Some of the less jaunty songs were themed on loneliness and sadness and having no one to love and whatever did happen to those Moonlighting couple? Answers on a singles cover please.

I was always thrilled to watch Leo perform live at The Assembly Rooms in my home town of Derby and got ridiculously excited if he appeared on the telly on programmes like The Old Grey Whistle Test and the forbidden realm of Top of The Pops.

Ten of the original Leo Sayer albums were re-released on CD a few years ago and having thrown out all my old LPs and forgotten Mr Sayer for a while, I eagerly went out and bought them all. If only to remind my fifty-year old self of those fun times in a smoky pub. This time it was my ex-wife whose ears suffered my singing and raised her eyebrows at the notion of me going off to see a Leo Comeback gig in Derby around the year 2000.

Well the curly hair may have gone down the proverbial plughole of life and my musical tastes may have changed a bit but Leo – you still “make me feel like dancin’!”

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Facebook my arse!

2009-02-21T19:06:33+01:00

And the point is? Granted it is nice to catch up with people to know they are still happy and alive and - 'gowin out fr a drnk 2tnght and gonna get steamin' or rat arsed' becos they R so fed up with men or life or wimmin.

Otherwise the point is what? I'm not being a misery honest. It is just that the darn thing takes forever to load up and then - nix- rein- pas du tout! I am flattered that post nubile 22 year old ladies want an older man (can't stop laughing now) to date and that I get invitations to gigs that I would be seen as ancient at. lol

I am currently reading Yes Man by Danny Wallace. Maybe I should just go to these gigs!? Wadd'ya reckon? I could be smokin' on the dance floor with my moves from the 70's.Move it Grandad! Hey, didn't U used 2 be Leo Sayer?

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Am I alone in this?

2009-02-18T09:30:52+01:00

I have come to the conclusion that I have a habit that I can only describe as watching 'comfort dvds'. There are times when I feel tired or just in the need to relax and I will go for one of my dvd collection that could come under this heading. It is usually Rick Stein's French Odyssey. I love Rick's programmes and this particular series makes me feel that I have been on the barge trip through South West France with him. I have watched it countless times - at least twenty or thirty times and never tire of it. I have a few other ones I like to watch regularly but Rick's is number one for me.

Anbody else have any dvds they would see as 'comfort dvds' or am I alone in this?

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who needs tippex?

2009-02-10T09:21:14+01:00

I used to have a typewriter many years ago and made so many spelling mistakes known as typos as I was learning to write creatively.In these days of blogging and the internet and computers I only have one thing to say.

spelchequers aunt thay just grate

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And the Bafta for the happiest cinema goer goes to...

2009-02-10T08:45:41+01:00

... Phil Lowe!

Speech: Oh wow (gulps back tears) thankyou Bafta! I've never been happier than when I'm watching films and now I can sell this lovely Bafta award on eBay so I can afford to see even more films. I have a few people to thank. I (gulps back more tears)want to thank Kate Winslet for being so talented and utterly gorgeous. I have all your dvds Kate. Pop round later and you can have them back. (cut to kate laughing)Thanks too to my late Father for first taking me to the pictures to see Ben Hur, the first big screen film I ever saw. Or was it The Wizard of Oz? Dorothy and that chariot pulled by Toto - amazing! Also (starts blubbing happy tears)Kate Winslet -oh no said that already - erm - Slumdog Millionaire!(awards ceremony erupts with applause for the umpteenth time).

Fantastic film! What a story! Brad Pitt and Angelina struggle to survive in Mumbai by working in a call centre and singing songs by Abba. Terrific!

Thankyou Bafta for my Dafta award and for making me the happiest cinema goer and the most confused.

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Do pets and other animals think?

2009-02-10T08:12:12+01:00

I am intrigued. Obviously animals can think otherwise they wouldn't carry out un-thinkable actions like scratching my furniture (next door's cat) or sniffing other dogs bums (any random dog on a walk) but the question that intrigues me lately is: what language do they think in?

Do we assume that they too think in the human language? If the goldfish lives with a multi-lingual human family can it think in those languages too or just goldfish language? If you want your moggy to learn another language where can you get those elusive 'Animals guides to thinking in German/French/Spanish' ?

Your thoughts are urgently needed on this dilemma

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The kiss

2009-02-08T09:33:51+01:00

In remembering a soft cheek and a sweet face.

I kissed thy cheek
And melted as the night
Doth melt into the day.
O’er thy soft flesh
My aching soul did brush
And fall into your spell.
And parting thus didst
Clamour for another chance
To taste the ecstasy of thy beauty.

Phil Lowe

PS: this was about someone I fancied a few years ago. Alas I wasn't met with similar feelings. lol

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Les Miserables: schools edition

2009-02-05T23:36:46+01:00

Being an old time fan of Les Miserables the musical I was amazed to discover that there is a schools edition that schools are allowed to perform (shortened to approx 2 hours long) and that the Nottingham Arts Theatre are staging this next week in my city. I had no idea that this existed and may well go along to see it performed next week. I am curious to see how well this can be done.

The proper London West End production is what I know best and having listened again to a full cast recording with all those powerful professional voices on disc I wonder how it can possibly be done well by children and young adults (up to 19 years max) in an amateur theatre or school setting.I am very supportive of kids being being introduced to and involved in drama and musicals but still unsure of them portraying very tormented characters like Javert or characters of great humanity and depth such as Jean Valjean. I look forward to being proved wrong and will blog my critique next week. Here are the official guidelines which I found on the net tonight.

http://www.josef-weinberger.com/weinberger/lesmizframes.html

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Larkrise to Candleford

2009-02-02T19:17:53+01:00

I smiled as the cows were herded through the town in last night's programme and wondered what would happen if someone tried to herd a bunch of large animals, cows, sheep etc through a modern shopping mall!

Mooooo! 'Sorry sir, they can't go into Boots.'

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Do you love the snow?

2009-02-01T11:37:03+01:00

I'm really looking foward to a bit of snow as it means I can get out and about with my camera and take some interesting pictures.

How do other folk feel about the possibly of lots of white stuff?

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Sometimes you just can't beat a lamb chop

2009-01-30T20:30:22+01:00

I can smell them cooking from my kitchen and am going to have some mashed potatoes and carrots and haricot vertes for tea. Yum!

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Pass the hankies and the chocolate

2009-01-27T11:00:59+01:00

It's official. I am now a big wuss. I watched Music and Lyrics - you know- the feelgood film with Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore? I laughed, I pondered, I wondered what was going to happen as all was going far too well and in the end I wept (tears of joy). Yep! I am officially a big wuss bloke blubbing at a soppy film. Pass the chocolates and hankies.

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What would you do? (just for fun)

2009-01-19T11:02:05+01:00

The bank cash machine gives you £200 instead of a £100 when you withdraw.
A. Would you keep quiet and walk away with the extra cash?
B. Pop in and tell the manager what the machine has done?
C. Try for another £100 and hope for a repeat action?

I am generally an honest person but I think I would be persuaded by the A option.

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how come?

2009-01-17T22:14:11+01:00

How come I started my delicious stew cooking at 7pm and it is now 9.12pm with still another half an hour to go until the mashed potato is ready? Answers on a Carte Postale s'il vous plais.

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Health and Safety check - the play.

2009-01-14T11:20:03+01:00

Plot: The stage is completely empty of anything that might cause danger to actors or audience.

The main character, Health and Safety Officer, arrives stage left and taps clip board and emits evil laugh. He/she exits - not pursued by a bear.

Two new actors arrive on stage. They are gagged as to avoid them 'tripping up' on their lines.They do nothing - they say nothing - they just look bored.

Nothing at all happens for an hour and a half including interval.

The End.

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Question and Answer (just for fun)

2009-01-10T16:21:49+01:00

I have copied the format from the Guardian magazine today and added my own answers.

Q & A

When were you happiest?

Anytime I was enjoying writing or cosy in bed.

What is your greatest fear?

The hot water bottle leaking.

Which living person do you most admire?

Rick Stein, because of his passion for his art.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

Taking on too much.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Bad manners.

What was your most embarrassing moment?

Being caught naked in the kitchen sink, aged 12 years old. My Auntie and her daughter walked in unannounced. I was bathing.

Aside from a property, what’s the most expensive thing you ever bought?

My old computer. It was over a thousand pounds twelve years ago.

What is your most treasured possession?

Wit.

Where would you like to live?

Somewhere warmer than today. France comes to mind.

What would your super power be?

Instant languages, like a babel fish.

What makes you depressed?

Newspapers full of doom and gloom and phone calls about double glazing.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

Slight beer gut.

If you could bring something extinct back to life, what would you chose?

A Dodo, because a bird with a name like that deserves a second chance.

What is your favourite smell?

Roast beef and Yorkshire pudding type dinner.

What is your favourite book?

Time and Again by Jack Finney.

What would be your fancy dress costume of choice?

Cyrano de Bergerac.

What’s the worst thing anyone’s ever said to you?

Put yourself in manager meeting. A call centre instruction and I always thought I had done something sackable even if I hadn’t.

What is your guiltiest pleasure?

Sitting watching hours of French films.

What do you owe your parents?

Ten and sixpence circa 1969.

To whom would you most like to say ‘sorry’ and why?

Ah ‘sorry’ that must be the hardest word. Hey, there’s a song there! Now what rhymes with ‘why’? Cry, bye, sigh. This could work. Dear Elton…

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

Being kind and caring to others.

What does love feel like?

Happy spiders dancing in the heart.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?

So and but.

What’s the worst job you’ve done?

Shovelling shit in an abattoir. Close second was working in sales at a call centre.

If you could edit your past, what would you change?

Spend slightly less time with the Cubs and Scouts as a youngster and go on more dates back then. I was cripplingly shy with girls but I did get my Camper badge.

If you could go back in time, where would you go?

Roman times or Victorian times. The sanitised versions.

When did you last cry and why?

Watching Lark Rise to Candleford Christmas special. Because it was set in simpler times and a ghost story about searching for family. I cried at the happy ending.

How do you relax?

Watching Frasier or Rick Stein on dvd with some nice food and a glass of wine.

What is the closest you’ve come to death?

Nearly drowning in a swimming pool aged about 15. My step mum rescued me.

What single thing would improve the quality of your life?

Love.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?

Keeping happy day to day and entertaining people through theatre and writing.

What keeps you awake at night?

Noise from the pub next door. Ear plugs help.

What song would you like played at your funeral?

Always look on the bright side of life or Benny Hill’s Ernie (simply because it is daft.)

How would you like to be remembered?

A talented and friendly, loving person who inspired people to be creative.

What are the most important lessons life has taught you?

Never work in a call centre. Always strive to have warm feet and wear a hat in the winter. Show others that you care.Be kind to animals.

Where would you like to be right now?

In someone’s arms.

Tell us a joke.

War is worthwhile.

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Chalky, Chalky, we all all love him too!

2009-01-07T23:51:41+01:00

Just finished watching a 90 minute show dedicated to the tv chef Rick Stein. Great stuff. I think he is brilliant and now I can't get the catchy 'Chalky' song out of my head!

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do less day

2009-01-07T15:00:27+01:00

I am in a do-less mood today. It is darned cold so the heating is going on, sod it!

Too many things going through my brain and I can't decide what to do.

Do I: contact the Bygones dept at the local paper and ask if they are interested in a article about my student years as a mature student?

Do I: Resign myself to applying for a job at Specsavers? All the jobs seem to be advertised full time money and then qoute part time only! Argh!

Do I: Get on with something active and warm up or curl up and watch a film?

At least old Rick Stein is on the telly tonight. Yay!

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Mad with joy!

2008-12-31T08:57:23+01:00

I have been really frustrated of late at not being able to view the text on some (often the most important) websites because it is ridiculously tiny and this morning I discovered a way to enlarge the text to whatever size I want!

If anyone out there uses Internet exploroer and has the same problem here's what to do. Press down the ctrl key and if you have a wheel mouse twiddle the wheel and watch that text grow!

If you use any other method or operating system see this website below.

http://www.blackwidows.co.uk/clients/imp-guide/accessify/small-text.php

Thankyou Blackwidows. I am so happy!

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other people in the cinema

2008-12-30T11:30:06+01:00

Perhaps I should have my own cinema or vet the other members of the audience as they go in because sometimes other people can be so irritating around you. This is all meant in a light hearted way, but do you recognise these traits?

The sweetie paper rattler - always in the quiet moments of the film and usually accompanied by loud whispers and scuffling in the sweet bag.

The kid who likes to swing its legs tapping the seat behind you and its parents ignore it.

The person behind you constantly getting up and down and grabs the top of your seat or even your hair as they lever themselves up.

The ladies who like to lunch and go to the pictures afterwards - pissed - and then proceed to giggle all through the film until one staggers across the row in search of a loo.

The very tall or big person who you don't want to sit in front of you and obscure your view and then does.

The shuffler who sits in front of you and constantly moves from side to side, usually to explain the next bit of the plot to their friend 'cause they have seen it before.

Lastly, the person who sits in the cinema making notes about annoying people in the cinema!

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A bunch of amateurs

2008-12-30T11:16:56+01:00

I went to see this film 'A bunch of amateurs' starring Burt Reynolds yesterday and would recommend it to anyone. It is very sweet and very funny and I was particularly impressed that the 'amateur actors - played by professionals'weren't written as or acted as, a bunch of over-the-top eccentrics or luvvies.

As an amateur actor myself I found it great fun to watch and loved some subtle touches like the big boy on the front row of their production of King Lear who is following the Shakespeare script as they perform live. I've seen that happen in real life and as a performer, best ignored.

Go and see it!

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Sunday and the sun is shining

2008-12-28T11:43:09+01:00

Today I have a dilema. Do I stay in and continue to write up my Bordeaux holiday journal (on page 50 of 56 so far)which could take all morning - bacon sarnie permitting - or do I get dressed and go for a walk in the local park and come back perhaps not in the mood for writing? I think another cup of decision making tea is in order.Or then maybe I could go into town and see a film or maybe ...

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creative thoughts of the day

2008-12-27T11:12:45+01:00

Leave room for trial and error and always some time for play.

Artists are rarely satisfied people. They like it this way. Their creativity is fueled by unrest and dissatisfaction, which makes them stand out from everybody else, and which is why they appear to be more alive than the rest.

Do not be guided by your fears, instead consult your dreams and your hopes.

From the book, a thousand paths to Creativity

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Hold up in Nottingham at Christmas

2008-12-23T21:08:31+01:00

No, Santa hasn't robbed a bank. The hold up was caused by some fool who decided to run across the gap in Broadmarsh bus station where all the buses stream out on the green light to join the constant flow of traffic out of the city. Sadly it was dark, sadly he was drunk, sadly he timed his mad dash to literally collide with a very forward moving,large coach full of folk bound for London and he fractured his hip and lay in the road, bleeding and pleading for help. Not nice for him, of course, but this random choice of hell - for- leather mad dash meant that for 90 minutes no bus could exit this busy bus station and a 20 minute journey home for me took nearly two hours.

I hope that you get better Mr 'Merry'Christmas.I thank my lucky stars that I am now at home and the next time I decide to take the 'quick' route across that particular danger spot I shall think twice.

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I may be skint but I am happy

2008-12-22T12:40:32+01:00

I might be out of work presently and the wallet is looking a bit dusty amongst the moths but I have never had a happier Christmas because:

My Christmas Carol play was a big success and brought a lot of joy to lots of people, audience and actors alike.

Lots of old friends have rallied round and wished me a Merry Christmas through visits, card and emails.

Being skint I have learnt to do without things I wasted money on when I was employed.

I have learnt the skill of smiling nicely at the helpful folk (no irony implied) at the dole office - sorry- jobseekers leisure centre.

I have been able to dedicate more time to my creative talents and look forward to utilising them to bring in an income in the future.

Merry Christmas all and a Happy New Year in 2009

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Oh Nigella!

2008-12-16T09:14:08+01:00

She promised to be in my home by 8.30pm and she is a woman of her word. By 8.32pm she was 'slipping into' the fridge and 'whipping up' something 'hot and spicy' for supper. She then brushed it until it was 'firm'. She lifted the tasty 'creamy' morsel to her sensual mouth and licked her lips. She flicked back her lustrous hair.... STOP!Naughty Nigella!

Yes, Nigella Lawson was back on the telly last night for her Christmas Special - 'Christmas Special'oh God now even those words have innuendo written all through them. Thanks Nigella, you've made my Christmas. Same time tonight?

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All over now

2008-12-15T12:23:40+01:00

We had a fantastic week and The Lace Market theatre were delighted with the comercial and artistic success of my adaptation. on top of the that the cast all had fun and the audiences loved it. I am one happy (but tired) bunny. Now, if only I could get rid of this chest cold....

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the review as promised

2008-12-12T00:08:42+01:00

Review of A Christmas Carol in Nottingham Evening Post

TOP SHOW IN A GOOD YEAR

IF you don't much relish the prospect of Christmas this production will change your mind. Phil Lowe's adaptation of the Dickens masterpiece is superb: it captures emphatically the enduring potency of the original.

What with Tiny Tim and his crutch, it's maudlin, of course; but as a tale of love, redemption and lost opportunity it can move strong men to tears.

Martin Berry's direction is inventive and imaginative. The way he realises the potential of a totally minimal set is admirable. And, wisely, he allows old Lace Market sweats like Linda Croston and John Parker, at for instance the Fezziwigs' party, scope to do their stuff. Ensemble scenes are handled well.

Roger Newman's central character is beautifully played: Newman looks and sounds absolutely right as the unbending skin-flint. But there are also some well-judged comic touches, most obviously after Scrooge's moral awakening when he breaks into a jig. And supporting characters are well observed: Christmas Present (Mark Breach), Bob Cratchit (Paul Johnson) and Mrs Cratchit (Katherine Morrant), for example.

From the initial funeral scene, when we hear some Bruckner, music and background sound are extraordinarily well done.

This must be the Lace Market's best production in a very good year.

ALAN GEARY

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