Jacob Ratcliffe, 16, attending The King's School, Grantham. This blog is an insight to what I think, think about, and enjoy.
Monday, 3 January 2011
Tallest Man On Earth
I first heard 'King of Spain' on the KEXP Song of The Day podcast back in May, and Will Scarborough recently posting it on Facebook reminded me of The Tallest Man On Earth. Admittedly his sound takes a bit of getting used to, but by the end of the first track on his 2010 album 'The Wild Hunt', you should be very much immersed in his melodic acoustic guitar playing and fascinating lyrics. Highlights for me include the encouraging and upbeat Troubles Will Be Gone, and King Of Spain, the lyrics of which made me smile. In fact, I'd go as far as to compare him to Bob Dylan!
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Gentleman's Quarterly
I'll probably get a subsciption soon! Like a tasteful FHM, this monthly men's lifestyle magazine has very well informed features on style, entertainment, women, sport, culture, and everything else that interests a gentleman. At the moment in the magazine itself they've got a big photo shoot with Rihanna, and on the website everything from "100 best things in the world at the moment", to things you didn't know about Frank Sinatra, to a Jessica Alba photoshoot. Well worth checking out, especially for the "25 manly must haves" and the interview with Iron Man himself, Robert Downie Jnr.
Monday, 27 December 2010
I've got the magic in you, you say OH NO!
If you like that, listen to Drums of Death Steps Into The Ring, which is along the same lines, again really fun stuff!
Sunday, 26 December 2010
Boris Johnson, debates, and dark days in 'Death Valley'
Some photos I liked from the Sunday Times magazine's year's events article.
Boris Johnson flustered over winning the cheerleaders' vote.
Cameron's frustration over Brown's ceaseless mimicking of Cleggyweggy.
A soldier from the Afghan National Army allied with US forces in 'Death Valley' adding a touch of black humour to his life with a halloween mask.
Thursday, 23 December 2010
Patrick Melcher
Not only do I want his Salvador Dali moustache and generally sick facial hair, and rad jacket, I want his way of looking at things, especially when it comes to skateboarding.
Wednesday, 22 December 2010
Hey yo, the Wu is back
The Wu (or as close as you can hope) is back! Ghostface Killah sounds just as sick as he ever did on the new album, 'Apollo Kids', which features old Wu head Method Man, as well as his frequent collaborator Redman, both bringing clever rhymes and easy flows to the track 'Troublemakers', Busta Rhymes with his well-known jerking, powerful delivery on 'Superstar', and other Wu related heads and frequent Ghost collaborators including Raekwon (also on 'Troublemakers', and 'Ghetto'; well known for 'Incarcerated Scarfaces' during Wu Tang Clan's reign), Cappadonna (on 'Black Tequila' and 'Ghetto' here, and famously 'Iron Maiden' with Raekwon and Ghost), and GZA (of 'Liquid Swords' fame, featuring on 'Purified Thoughts' on 'Apollo Kids'). Overall, this is classic Ghostface Killah, with a real old-school feel and a return to the old Wu Tang Clan sound, which is hard to find in 2010, and will be even harder in 2011! Get listening!
Tuesday, 21 December 2010
Monday, 20 December 2010
Fuck yeah Queen's Royal Lancers
Tonight (monday 20th) at half 8 and repeated at half 11 on the BBC News Channel is a documentary following the lives of soldiers in the Queen's Royal Lancers regiment. It covers their training and life in camp, their operations in Afghanistan, and their return from what has become today's Vietnam. I seriously recommend watching it, especially CCF guys : ) There's also a website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-12018214) entitled 'Life with the Lancers' which complements the documentary, and has features on all of the above and more. Check it out and support the Lancers!
Sunday, 19 December 2010
Chinoz
You never heard of a guy or a team on the scene who could flow like this
The 2010 EP from Flux Pavilion, 'Lines In Wax'. It's so good to hear some dubstep that isn't just a remix for the sake of a remix, and doesn't just have the label of dubstep slapped on to make it cool to listen to, this is actually decent stuff! Plus the title track features Foreign Beggars, which is a definate bonus!
Friday, 17 December 2010
Whale, swim with me
Tuesday, 14 December 2010
It's Blitz
It's Blitz - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The 2009 album from Yeah Yeah Yeahs: 'It's Blitz'. Such a good album, everything from the beautiful Skeletons to hyped up Heads Will Roll. Give it a listen!
Saturday, 11 December 2010
Tuesday, 23 November 2010
YOU KILL THE JOE, YOU MAKE SOME MO'!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RzToNo7A-94
Credit to Will Jones. SO RAD!
Lemme indulge for a bit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wpKb6xPnKpY
Never thought I'd say it, but Nicki Minaj can actually rap! Plus, she's mad hot.
Sunday, 21 November 2010
Far East is beast
My favourites from the various guys' photos from the Annapurna Base Camp Expedition 2010. Some incredibly beautiful photos, of sights we saw as part of everyday life.
Friday, 19 November 2010
'Stay Positive'.
Skateistan: To Live and Skate Kabul
Skateboarding in war torn Afghanistan, absolutely amazing that something so positive is happening despite such a negative situation.
Tuesday, 16 November 2010
The third 'thing that you really don't need to take a photo of'
Starting to realise why the ABC guys' photos only interest the people who went on the trek...
PS So glad I found Oatmeal, it's amazing!
Sunday, 7 November 2010
PhoneShop
Only just got into PhoneShop, and it's costing me a fuckload of sleep! So funny though:
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/phoneshop/4od#3126838
http://www.channel4.com/programmes/phoneshop/4od#3126838
Friday, 5 November 2010
Wu Tang Clan!!!
Wu Tang Clan Ain't Nuthin' Ta Fuck Wit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WvrZpkt7vZo
Gravel Pit
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGS7I8_UXhM
Monday, 6 September 2010
Flutes are rad
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6SHsF1n9Qw&NR=1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBRyjMHO_Ew
Sunday, 22 August 2010
Friday, 20 August 2010
Saturday, 14 August 2010
France vs UK
Legal drinking age in Britain: 18
Legal drinking age in France: 16
Amount of beer cans and empty bottles of Lidl vodka on the pavement in the morning in Britain: uncountable.
Amount of beer cans and empty bottles of Super U vodka on the pavement at any time in the day or night: Next to nothing. I've seen just 2 beer cans, in a city, in 17 days of being here.
So we have a legal drinking age of 18, the same age you can have a say in how you're country is run, and yet we still have more street drinking and alcohol abuse than a country with a drinking age of 16? Makes sense.
Legal smoking age in Britain: 18
Legal smoking age in France: 18
So both have a legal smoking age of 18, the same age as when you're considered a fully accountable adult in a court of law. In France, you can smoke in public places, and despite also having a legal smoking age of 18, a much greater number of people smoke. And yet the streets aren't covered in cigarette ends and packets.
We might give France shit for frogs legs and running away before Dunkirk, but I'd rather be able to walk through town without dodging beer cans, fag butts, and the odd pool of vomit. The UK considers itself to be 'developed', but taking having enough pride in one's home to keep it in a decent state as a measure of 'development', as far as I can see, France is by far superior. Surely a 'developed' country doesn't have nearly as much alcohol abuse as the UK, and doesn't have residents with general and near-complete disregard for their own streets and towns. I know which nation I'd say respects and takes some responsibility for the state of its own country.
Surely the legal smoking and drinking ages in Britain are set at 18 because it's only at that age we're sure to be mature enough to deal with them? You can blame it on government, recession, or anything else you can think of, but really, you don't have to look hard to start seeing reasons why Britain is slipping. It's the people that're the problem.
Legal drinking age in France: 16
Amount of beer cans and empty bottles of Lidl vodka on the pavement in the morning in Britain: uncountable.
Amount of beer cans and empty bottles of Super U vodka on the pavement at any time in the day or night: Next to nothing. I've seen just 2 beer cans, in a city, in 17 days of being here.
So we have a legal drinking age of 18, the same age you can have a say in how you're country is run, and yet we still have more street drinking and alcohol abuse than a country with a drinking age of 16? Makes sense.
Legal smoking age in Britain: 18
Legal smoking age in France: 18
So both have a legal smoking age of 18, the same age as when you're considered a fully accountable adult in a court of law. In France, you can smoke in public places, and despite also having a legal smoking age of 18, a much greater number of people smoke. And yet the streets aren't covered in cigarette ends and packets.
We might give France shit for frogs legs and running away before Dunkirk, but I'd rather be able to walk through town without dodging beer cans, fag butts, and the odd pool of vomit. The UK considers itself to be 'developed', but taking having enough pride in one's home to keep it in a decent state as a measure of 'development', as far as I can see, France is by far superior. Surely a 'developed' country doesn't have nearly as much alcohol abuse as the UK, and doesn't have residents with general and near-complete disregard for their own streets and towns. I know which nation I'd say respects and takes some responsibility for the state of its own country.
Surely the legal smoking and drinking ages in Britain are set at 18 because it's only at that age we're sure to be mature enough to deal with them? You can blame it on government, recession, or anything else you can think of, but really, you don't have to look hard to start seeing reasons why Britain is slipping. It's the people that're the problem.
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