For a week that started with a celebration of Employee Ownership, it was a fitting pivot to end it on a recognition of ‘Community Ownership’. As of October, the iconic Joiners Arms in Southampton is now owned by Music Venue Properties, a charitable community benefit society (CBS), established to take grassroots music venues out ofContinueContinue reading “The Joiners becomes Community Owned”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Me and the music
Live music is back on Poole Hill in Bournemouth, courtesy of The Vault venue and Coach Party, one of my new favourite bands from the past few years, who headlined the first ‘gig’ put on here, in what is primarily a nightclub. Some of you may remember this venue as being The Winchester around 10ContinueContinue reading “Me and the music”
Celebrating 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. 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 and collectively we were veeringContinueContinue reading “Celebrating 20 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘B is for B-Sides’”
Toy photography on ‘Coruscant’
Presenting my first foray into the world of toy photography… The figure is Wullf Yularen of the Imperial Security Bureau. I purchased him at Sandown Toy Fair as an addition to my ever growing collection of Star Wars figures. Passing through Canary Wharf the next day, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to photograph himContinueContinue reading “Toy photography on ‘Coruscant’”
The value of joining in and the positive impact it’s had on my life
For this year’s You Are The Media ‘Creator Day’, event organiser and programme curator, Mark Masters asked if I would be up for talking on the theme of ‘joining in’. This invitation follows a few years of me stepping up to host the YATM Game Nite and world record attempt segment of the regular YATM Lunch ClubContinueContinue reading “The value of joining in and the positive impact it’s had on my life”
Subscriber Series: Music + Memories (Volume One)
In Summer 2023, I welcomed subscribers to my mailing list by asking them “what’s a favourite song of yours and what are you reminded of when you hear it?”. Here’s a compilation of the responses I received. https://youtu.be/sBW8Vnp8BzU?si=e9fovAUoX9JwwPCb Alan Stevenson: “My favourite song is The Waterboys – The Whole of the Moon. It was originally releasedContinueContinue reading “Subscriber Series: Music + Memories (Volume One)”
My ‘Twin Suns’ moment
Had things played out differently, we would have been in cinemas this month for Star Wars’ return to the big screen, with director Patty Jenkins’ Rogue Squadron. It’s fair to say we were living in an uncertain climate when the announcement of this film was made in December 2020. The project is currently dormant and wasn’tContinueContinue reading “My ‘Twin Suns’ moment”
Tour Memories: 2008
In 2018 I put together the following photo gallery and memories of the first UK tour with our band, Canada Water for the 10th anniversary (I just reposted my tour diaries, written back in 2008). Most of these were taken by me, with a Sony DSC-T20 point and shoot camera. 15 years on, I’m stillContinueContinue reading “Tour Memories: 2008”
Bournemouth and Poole college panel talk
Photo credit: Kerry Staddon This photo is from 19 years ago this Autumn on my first day at Bournemouth and Poole College, outside the infamous D Block on the old “Connie Hill” campus. I dug this out to coincide with my return to The College for a panel discussion hosted by Mark Masters this monthContinueContinue reading “Bournemouth and Poole college panel talk”
Mighty Morphin: Multicoloured, multicultural, millennial superheroes
At a pub quiz in spring 2019, I stood confidently as I answered “28th August 1993” to a solo question our team had been asked. The question was, “when did ‘Mighty Morphin Power Rangers’ first air?”. Our team got the points and I got some bewildered stares. How the hell did I know that? I amContinueContinue reading “Mighty Morphin: Multicoloured, multicultural, millennial superheroes”
Celebrating 20 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘Anthem’
I first got into Less Than Jake in late 2000. By this point in time I had 4 studio albums and a bunch of other releases to catch up on. Anthem was the first of their albums I got to experience the full release cycle for, and I remember it all like it was yesterday. This likelyContinueContinue reading “Celebrating 20 years of Less Than Jake’s ‘Anthem’”
Amateur Half Hour: The shows that preceded an era of user content
On 22nd February 2023 it was announced, to little fanfare, that ITV’s home video show You’ve Been Framed! would be cancelled after 33 years. Perhaps the lack of remorse is because we’ve lived with TV for so many decades now we know we’ll likely see once axed shows come back around (Both Big Brother and Deal or No Deal are setContinueContinue reading “Amateur Half Hour: The shows that preceded an era of user content”
Liam Toms 