Smash Hits’ Songwords Cards were a genius way to access and collect lyrics before Genius.
Author Archives: Liam
September 2024 Mixtape
Tracklisting: 01. Motion City Soundtrack – Stop Talking02. beabadoobee – Beaches03. Pixie Lott – Midnight Trash04. Charly Bliss – Back There Now05. Frances Forever, Miya Folick – Mr. Man06. Magdalena Bay – That’s My Floor07. Abby Holliday – Steve Martin08. Phoebe Go – Something You Were Trying09. Old Sea Brigade – Heaven In The RightContinueContinue reading “September 2024 Mixtape”
The saga begins, again.
Last week I had the novelty of seeing Attack of the Clones in the same cinema and screen that I first saw it 22 years ago back in 2002. Here’s my ticket from that night alongside last week’s. £3.75 in 2002, £5 in 2024, and let’s be honest the latter is a bargain. I rememberContinueContinue reading “The saga begins, again.”
Celebrating 9 years with Grapevine
Today I’m celebrating 9 years with Grapevine. My 9th year started with the huge recognition we received at the Dorset Business Awards last Autumn and we rode the wave of that through into 2024. The 2nd half of the year has presented the question “what happens when you’ve finished telling everyone that your business isContinueContinue reading “Celebrating 9 years with Grapevine”
20 months and a lifetime of mixtapes
At the beginning of last year I started compiling a monthly public playlist on Spotify. My interest in new music and artists has been renewed in the first half of this decade and I felt inspired to share the songs that have been soundtracking my life, much like I did over two decades ago. All that’s reallyContinueContinue reading “20 months and a lifetime of mixtapes”
The mad merchandise of The Phantom Menace
25+ years later I’m still finding and buying items from one of Star Wars biggest merchandising campaigns. Let’s explore why.
Beer Tours: Southampton
Belgium and Blues, 184 Above Bar Street, Southampton, SO14 7DW The Bookshop Alehouse, 21 Portswood Road, Southampton, SO17 2ES Bottle & Stoat, 45 Bedford Place, Southampton, SO15 2DG The Butcher’s Hook Alehouse, 7 Manor Farm Road, Southampton, SO18 1NN Clockwork, 323 Shirley Road, Shirley, Southampton, SO15 3HW Dirty Barrel (Beards & Boards), 33 Bedford Place,ContinueContinue reading “Beer Tours: Southampton”
Dorset Business Focus EO article
The press has a way of capturing the cultural zeitgeist. Select magazine coined the phrase ‘Britpop’ in 1993, Top of The Pops magazine gave the Spice Girls their iconic nicknames. Let’s not wait 30 years to credit Caroline Sharp and the Dorset Chamber team for documenting a new emerging scene in the August edition ofContinueContinue reading “Dorset Business Focus EO article”
August 2024 Mixtape
Tracklisting: 01. PRONOUN – i like lizzy (but she doesn’t like me)02. The Beaches – Takes One To Know One03. Alice Merton – pick me up04. The Greeting Committee – Tell Me I’m Wrong05. Distant Matter, Transviolet – Keep You06. Chicane – Watching Over Me07. Holiday87, Betsy – Something Bout You08. Couch Prints – JustContinueContinue reading “August 2024 Mixtape”
Get Cape returns with a novel new NFC release format
Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly is one of the many monikers of musician and producer, Sam Duckworth. I’ve been a fan since his breakthrough GCWCF album, 2006’s Chronicles of a Bohemian Teenager. His latest release, the Monopolies EP is available now in an unusual physical format; oversized monopoly pieces with NFC technology baked in. Two years ago this month I wroteContinueContinue reading “Get Cape returns with a novel new NFC release format”
Calling time on my CD / DVD collection
I have a lot of things I collect. I like to put these things on display. When the pandemic hit and we began spending a lot more time at home, there came a need to reclaim some space in the house and I was faced with the dilemma of deciding which shelving unit would need toContinueContinue reading “Calling time on my CD / DVD collection”
20 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘B is for B-Sides’
A lot changed in my life during the 14 months between the release of Anthem and its companion record B is for B-Sides, which turns 20 today. I was in my first proper relationship, I’d left school and was getting ready to start college in the Autumn. My friends were going through similar developments in their lives andContinueContinue reading “20 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘B is for B-Sides’”
Liam Toms 