Celebrating Steve Marriott – the real Modfather

Paul Weller is renowned by many as the modfather of English rock but few scratch beneath the surface to realise that talented though he undoubtedly is, Weller was heavily influenced by soul rocker,  the former Small Faces and Humble Pie frontman, cockney rebel Steve Marriott.

Here’s a tribute to Marriott performed by a house band covering ‘All or Nothing’  – the band includes Paul Weller, Noel Gallagher and former Small Faces drummer Kenny Jones and former keyboard player Ian McLagan  who opens on vocals.

and to get the real power of Marriott’s voice listen to him here as he adds B/Vs (backing vocals) to this old Easybeats song called Good Times.   His vocal contribution lifts the song onto another level altogether.

Into the Mystic – A new anthem for Irish soccer fans in Paris?

How about the Irish fans attempting to sing/chant this one as a tactic to mesmerise the French before le game?  Sure beats the predictable offerings.

Of course,  this is just an excuse to alert you to a fine treatment of an equally fine Van Morrison song.

Fr. Mick Sinnott – a Real Tonic and an example for all of us

With all the doom and gloom around including the seemingly endemic lack of responsibility and culture of impunity at leadership levels in so many sectors  that has unnerved so many of us  across the country,  I thought the self-effacing honesty, lack of ego, forgiveness  and strength of  the 79 year old priest Father Mick Sinnott following his release from kidnappers in the Phillippines during the week,  was uplifting  and a salutary reminder to all of us about the real values of humankind and what being Irish should be all about.   This is a value, a leadership example  and a strong communications message worth holding on to.

'They won't kidnap me again, I'm too old, perhaps somebody younger'

Government’s media strategy keeps public eye off NAMA

If I was asked to sum up the one definitive power the Government / Cabinet holds over all others, it is the power to set the national agenda. And events over the past two weeks only go to prove this.

As the NAMA debate raged in the Dáil chamber, the FF/Green coalition’s diversionary media strategy swung into action with Noel Dempsey’s proposals to bring Irish alcohol/blood ratios in line with our European counterparts causing apoplexy among who?  Why government-supporting Fianna Fáil backbenchers, of course.

Stop Press – Social Media overtakes Porn on Web?

Here’s a quirky video advertising the Digital Media Awards which take place on the 25th February 2010 in Dublin. The vid claims that, among other interesting stats,  social media has overtaken porn as the number one activity on the web. Now we’re talkin’!

Some excellent articles in latest edition of The Village Magazine

 

Excellent articles in latest edition of The Village Magazine

In an earlier post ‘How can we create a new vision and value system for this country?’ I mused on the paucity of leadership from senior politicians,  senior public servants, financial institutions and others, including the lack of detailed analysis and explanation from our fourth estate.

So interestingly, may I suggest you go out and buy the latest edition of The Village magazine.  There are some extremely well-written observations on the state of our governance.

Wilco – Ashes of American Flags

Sat up last night and watched Wilco’s ‘Ashes of American Flags – a videomentary of the band on tour.

I really like this band.  A real musical touring band that can pack a punch.

Watch them perform the title song here:

10:10 Campaign launched in Dublin this week

“Oh no”,  I hear you say,  “not another one”.  But please folks, this campaign may just be the difference we have been waiting for.

Launched in the UK last month by film producer Franny Armstrong, he of The Age of Stupid  fame, the 10:10 campaign is about individuals and by extension, organisations putting their names on the line to pledge to reduce CO2 emissions by 10% by the end of 2010  – its a lifestyle change, a behavioural change.

By signing up to 10:10 you are not just promising to reduce your own emissions – you become part of a national drive to hit an ambitious goal country-wide. In homes, workplaces, schools, hospitals, sports clubs and universities, it’s a support network that backs each other to take the first necessary steps on the road to becoming a low-carbon society.

Read about the UK campaign here.

John Gormley launched the Irish version last Thursday, Oct. 29th

Redemption Song – The Ballad of Joe Strummer by Chris Salewicz

Just finished reading Redemption Song – The Ballad of Joe Strummer by Chris Salewicz.

This is a 613 page extremely well written epic tome by an intelligent writer who was also a personal friend of Joe.  This notwithstanding, he still manages to portray Joe ‘warts and all’, the over-indulgence,  the humanness, the often inexplicable behaviour and the sheer contradictions of the man.  It also gives a real flavour for the rules and ethos of the punk generation.   The democratic nature of  running a band, dealing with fans, treating them with respect. It was all about three chords and the truth, dumping the self-indulgent rock star image and lifestyle to be down there mucking it with the kids.

There’s also some laugh out loud moments, an example of which was the advice given when going drinking with Joe  – ‘make sure and take your sunglasses – why? – you’ll need them when the sun comes up’!

Here’s a review of the book.

Here’s Chris Salewicz’s website

In any other country O’Donoghue would be gone

Ceann Comhairle John O’Donoghue went to great pains a couple of weeks ago, issuing a four page letter,  which drew a line in the sand on his expensive travelling tastes on the basis that ‘that was then and this is now’.  He also claimed that he was not aware of the scale of the bills that were being run up nor would he have had any input into the persons, organisations  or services hired.

On Friday we find that John O’Donoghue has continued his shameless fondness for business class travel,  five star hotels, fancy restaurants, limousines on 24 hour call and airport VIP lounges.

What is striking about a lot of this expense is the similarity with which two completely separate departments of state have managed to book the same hotels and hired the same car hire companies.

These actions are obviously  not the actions of a man who empathises and understands the sacrifice and hardship being endured by families on a daily basis or on the 160,000 people who lost their jobs here over the last year due to his own party’s incompetent handling of the economy.

His over-indulgence and princely lifestyle is a gross abuse of his position.

Failure to remove O’Donoghue from his post now, is a tacit support and a justification for such behaviour by Fianna Fáil and by the Green Party.  And remember,  this is the man who chairs the Oireachtas committee that monitors Oireachtas members remuneration and expenses.

Support for this behaviour makes a mockery of the Government’s call on the ‘rest of us, the ‘coping classes’ to make sacrifices.   He should go now.