Goodbye 2015

Don’t the years just fly by? It seems like only yesterday that I was waving goodbye to 2014, and now here I am showing 2015 the door as it heads off into the sunset of the past.

I’m starting to feel old.

Anyway, tradition dictates that I simply must summarise the past year with a meme that I stole some time ago.

This could be a long one – so here goes – dive in with me:

1.What did you do in 2015 that you’d never done before?

I travelled to South America for the very first time, visiting a country that is absolutely huge – Brazil, As part of that trip, I also spent six hours in Argentina too.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

2015 was a very good year for achieving some of the things I have procrastinated about for the past few years.

Firstly, I took it upon myself to take up a few 30 day challenges and I completed every single one of them. Here are some of the highlights:

(a) Improve my photography (completed January).There is still a long way to go but I have learned lot of technical stuff.

(b) Creative writing (completed March). All I did was read a book about the subject. I just need to put it into practice.

(c) Learn basic Italian (completed April). I did this because we visited Bologna in May. I learned a few choice phrases and some basic vocabulary, which I have since forgotten.

(d) Japan travelogue (completed August). The travelogue is still incomplete but at least I put a massive dent into this unwritten travel diary for our visit to Japan a couple of years ago. Another 30 day challenge may just complete it.

(e) NaNoWriMo (completed November). I actually wrote over 50,000 words of a novel that I have had in my head for the past couple of years for National Novel Writing Month. And I won. The problem is that the novel will end up being about 80,000 words and is, in its current form, full of major plot holes and is in fact rubbish. However, I hope to have completed it by the end of January, to set about rewriting huge swathes of it later next year. This particular challenge is the best of them all.

I also actually cycled to work one day this year. Can you believe that??? No – neither can I!!

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

A couple of guys at work became fathers but they didn’t actually give birth themselves.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

No, thankfully.

5. What countries did you visit?

I visited friends in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates in April.

The Grand Mosque - Abu Dhabi

In May, I went for a weekend away to Bologna in Italy with a group of friends.

View of Bologna from the roof of our hotel

In June, we visited Prague in the Czech Republic to celebrate Mrs PM’s mum’s 70th birthday.

A busy square in Prague

Also in June, I visited Beijing in China for a week with work, where I gave a training course.

Finally, in October, I visited Brazil for the first time and also popped across to Argentina for the day.

A famous statue in Rio de Janeiro

6. What would you like to have in 2016 that you lacked in 2015?

I won several major battles in my war with procrastination this year so I would like a bit more willpower to gain the upper hand.

I think it’s achievable.

7. What dates from 2015 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

March 22nd sticks in my memory because my beloved football team, Walsall, reached Wembley for the very first time in the Johnson Paint Trophy Final. I travelled to London with Mrs PM and my eldest lad and the atmosphere was fantastic.

The score at this point was 0-0 - so I was happy (briefly).

Sadly, we lost the game 2-0  – but at least I was there.

My eldest lad graduated from university on 10th July.

Like father like son?

Meeting old friends in a night of drunken debauchery in Liverpool on November 14th.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Without a doubt, writing at least 50,000 words of a novel.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Finding just enough willpower to cycle to work more often (i.e. more than once!)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nothing whatsoever apart from the odd cold. In fact, I've just recovered from two particularly nasty ones that waited until I had finished work for Christmas before unleashing themselves onto my poor old body!

11. What was the best thing you bought?

I didn’t buy any gadgets this year. I would probably say that the holiday to Brazil was worth every penny.

 12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

As usual, I award Plastic Mancunian Knighthoods to those heroes who dedicate their lives to helping others without wanting the plaudits that many more famous people crave.

I salute you all - you know who you are.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

There are too many to mention. But I will.

Kanye West, as usual for declaring himself the biggest rock star on the planet at Glastonbury and then performing like an old has-been (who was never any good anyway).

Katie Hopkins for still being in the news and on TV despite the fact that she is attention-seeking little Miss Nasty.

Sepp Blatter for doing his best to destroy FIFA and football in general and then acting as if he has done nothing wrong. Finally (hopefully) his ban from having anything to do with football will remain. The sad thing is that he still thinks he is innocent.

Donald Trump for starting out as an outrageous clown and then proving that he is a bigoted idiot, I honestly worry about the possibility of this nutcase gaining any form of power.

There is also so much evil in the world but I don’t want to go into that. Nor the hypocritical politicians who continue to use and abuse us all.

 14. Where did most of your money go?

Mrs PM’s had to buy a replacement car after it suddenly died and, as mentioned above, the holiday to Brazil, as well as kids and mortgage.

 15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

My first trip to South America and Brazil; it didn’t disappoint.

16. What song will always remind you of 2015?

I will discuss this in more depth in a later post in due course. However, this is probably the song that weill remind me of 2015. Steven Wilson is a genius in my view, and his music is sublime and magnificent. Every song on his latest album Hand. Cannot. Erase. is perfect. However, the title track is probably the most accessible and, for once, more of a pop masterpiece than a progressive rock masterpiece.

Judge for yourself:



17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

Happier, slightly fatter and perhaps a little richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I had cycled more. Having dusted down my bike, removed the cobwebs and actually rode the thing to work, I put it back to gather dust again. Whoever thought that having national cycle to work day in September, just as the weather is descending into dark wintry horror, needs to be sacked. If the day had been in the middle of April, I would have taken it up – honestly.

And yes, I will try to cycle in April 2016.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I wish I had gone to work less. Sadly, I have to work to live and sadly that is something I can do nothing about.

20. How will you spend New Year's Eve?

Exactly the same as last year.

21. Did you fall in love in 2015?

I am already in love – so yes.

22. What was your favourite TV program?

Of all the hours I spent watching TV this year, I reckon that my favourite was – and still is – Dr Who. Yes, I am a sad geek.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

Hate is too strong a word but all of the people I disliked last year are still disliked this year.

24. What was the best book you read?

I quite enjoyed Hunter by James Byron Huggins, not a brilliant book by any means but an enjoyable romp.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I will reveal all in a later post.

26. What did you want and get?

I wanted a kick up the arse to force me to write a chunk of a novel. Somebody or something gave me that kick.

27. What did you want and not get?

The power and means to quit my day job.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

Avengers: Age of Ultron but honourable mentions must go to SPECTRE and Terminator Genisys.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I am now 53 years old. I spent my birthday exploring Salvador in Brazil.

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Sorry to mention it again, but actually attempting to write a novel.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2015?

I reduced the length of my sideburns last month. Does that count? Also, I have been lazy for a couple of weeks and I now have a bit of a beard. Sadly, it is irritating and I can't see it lasting until 2016. Bizarrely, Mrs PM approves of it (apparently because beards are fashionable at the moment).

32. What kept you sane?

Mrs PM – apart from when she played her music.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

There are a lot of attractive female celebrities but nearly all of them are too young for an old git like me.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

Lunatic extremists and the ongoing hypocritical antics of the current party in power in the United Kingdom.

35. Who did you miss?

Nobody leaps to mind.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Again, nobody leaps to mind.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2015.

Coca Cola is a disgusting sugar-filled sickly drink that doesn’t even taste nice – but it is a great hangover cure.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

It's a thousand pages, give or take a few

I'll be writing more in a week or two

I can make it longer if you like the style

I can change it round and I want to be a paperback writer

Paperback writer

Those are the ideal lyrics but the truth is more like my own version:

It’s a thousand pages if I finish it

And if the truth be known, it’s a pile of shit

But I’ve had a go and I’m proud of it

Even though I know that I’ll never be a paperback writer

Paperback Writer

Goodbye 2014

Another year has almost passed and tradition dictates that I summarise the past twelve months this old meme.

There is a slight modification to this year’s questions.

First, I discovered I had missed some – thanks to Pandora at Princess Pandora, Queen of Denial  for showing me a few missing questions (she obviously stole it from a better source than I did).

Second, 2014 has been a great year for music, so I have decided to write a separate post about that.

Anyway, without further ado, let’s take the plunge:

1.What did you do in 2014 that you’d never done before?

I climbed a volcano by accident. You can read all about it here.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Yes – kind of.

I failed to complete my Japan travelogue but at least I I am closer to finishing it than I was last year.

I have increased my Spanish vocabulary but am really still far from fluency – nowhere near in fact.

I have failed miserably for the umpteenth year to cycle to work.

Will I make any more for this year? Of course, I will finish my travelogue, start a novel, continue with Spanish and try to scare myself every single day of the year by injecting a little more adventure into my life.

Actually, one thing I might try is to do a few 30 day challenges, where I spend a whole month dedicating a little time every day doing something that improves my life – for example, learning something new, exercising or giving something up.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

My cousin’s son had a baby boy. She's younger than me and is now a grandmother. That makes me feel really old.

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully no.

5. What countries did you visit?

I visited France, Monaco (which is strictly speaking a separate country), Germany and Greece on holiday, which was fantastic.

Monaco

It's nice in Nice

The Brandenburg Gate

The sun setting over a volcano in Santorini

I also visited Oman and Switzerland with work.

6. What would you like to have in 2015 that you lacked in 2014?

As I implied in my resolutions above, I think I’d like to add a few more sparks into my life. Whether or not I will manage to achieve that remains to be seen obviously. I’ve kind of been inspired by other people’s attempts to scare themselves every day and I don’t really want to be in the same position as Trent Reznor describes in his song Every Day Is Exactly The Same, where he sings about the monotony of life:

I believe I can see the future
Cause I repeat the same routine
I think I used to have a purpose
But then again
That might have been a dream
I think I used to have a voice
Now I never make a sound
I just do what I've been told
I really don't want them to come around

As I approach retirement (even though I still have fourteen or so years to go) I feel a need to expand my horizons a little bit more. I just hope this isn't the beginning of a midlife crisis.

7. What dates from 2014 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

No single date stands out.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

I guess it was actually getting down to learning Spanish. I know more words than I did this time last year and I can actually vaguely understand basic written Spanish. I just need to step up a gear I think.

9. What was your biggest failure?

The lack of book and cycling – the usual stuff.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I had a bout of man flu in January which resulting in a day off work. I rarely have sick days.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

This year was gadget heaven and the prize is shared between:

My HTC Desire HD smartphone simply died so I replaced it with a Samsung S4 mini.

I also bought a Google Chromecast. For £30 it is a bargain for watching stuff from the like of You Tube and BBC iPlayer on on any TV with an HDMI connection.

Talking of TV’s we decided to by a new smart TV, relegating the old TV to the back room where we can access Sky via an X Box 360 (a cast off from my eldest son) and, with the aid of Chromecast, watch video on demand from  the internet.

 12. Whose behaviour merited celebration?

 The same as every year, I think the countless thousands of people who deserve some kind of award but receive nothing. The New Year’s honours list will undoubtedly offer knighthoods and medals to celebrities who simply do their job. Services to politics? Services to acting? Services to business? Don’t make me laugh.

I award Plastic Mancunian knighthoods to all of those unsung heroes who constantly help people less well off than themselves and crave no thanks, no rewards and no recognition for their fantastic work.

I salute you – you know who you are.

13. Whose behaviour made you appalled and depressed?

The rise of Nigel Farage and the UK Independence Party (UKIP) with their bizarre and extremely worrying views. If UKIP have any say in the next government then we are in deep trouble here in Britain.

Also, FIFA as an organisation and, in particular, the President Sepp Blatter are beneath contempt. The sooner this organisation is purged and replaced with people who genuinely care about the beautiful game of football, the better!

Oh – and, of course, Piers Morgan!

14. Where did most of your money go?

I spent money on gadgets, my mortgage, travelling and kids this year.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

I am always really excited about going on holiday and this year was no different. I particularly looked forward to my trip to Berlin as I had always wanted to go there. My good friends the German people did not let me down in terms of friendliness and hospitality.

16. What song will always remind you of 2014?

I will discuss music in depth in a more detailed post in due course. But here is one of the songs that will remind me of this year – Paradise (What About Us?) by Within Temptation, featuring the fantastic voices of Sharon Den Adel and Tarja Turunen:

17. Compared to this time last year, are you: (a) happier or sadder? (b) thinner or fatter? (c) richer or poorer?

I think I’m happier than last year. Sadly, I am also slightly fatter (we are talking about 3 pounds based on my weight this morning – one too many mince pies already I fear). I would say that I am probably slightly richer but not by a lot.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

I wish I had exercised more. At my age, I probably need to make more of an effort. Don’t get me wrong; I walk almost two miles every work day and further on at least half of the weekends so I’m not doing bad. I just need to step up a gear (again!).

And, of course, I wish I had written more.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

I definitely wish I had watched less television. There have been so many great series on this year that I have probably spent too much time vegetating on my sofa when I should have escaped into the great unknown and done something far more interesting. I need to be more ruthless when selecting TV programmes to watch.

20. How will you spend New Year's Eve?

We are going to the Metropolitan pub in West Didsbury again.

21. Did you fall in love in 2014?

I’m already in love – so yes.

22. What was your favourite TV program?

As I implied earlier, there were some fantastic programmes this year. Here is a list of my favourites:

Game of Thrones, Dr Who, Arrow, The Flash, The Walking Dead, True Blood, The Following, The Strain, 24 (Live Another Day).

I must cut down!

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

I don’t hate these people but I would like them to stay out of public life and retire to a deserted island somewhere with no contact with any other human being (apart from each other), keeping well away from media of any kind:

Nigel Farage, the rest of UKIP (particularly the ones with bigoted views), Piers Morgan, Sepp Blatter, George Osborne, Simon Cowell and all X Factor judges.

I’d better stop there before I start a major rant.

24. What was the best book you read?

I enjoyed the two remaining books in the Hyperion series by Dan Simmons, called Endymion and The Rise of Endymion.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?

I will reveal all in a later post.

26. What did you want and get?

Apart from the new gadgets mentioned above, nothing sadly.

27. What did you want and not get?

A winning lottery ticket and the Fountain of Youth.

28. What was your favourite film of this year?

I didn’t see many films at the cinema this year. But of those I did see, my favourite was probably The Equalizer with Denzel Washington.

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?

I was 52 in October. I was taken for a nice meal by Mrs PM.

30. What one thing made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

To be honest, everything outside the drudgery of work is totally satisfying. If only I could find a way to eliminate that part of my life.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2014?

 Non-existent.

32. What kept you sane?

 Everything but work, which did its best to drive me insane.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

There are simply too many attractive female celebrities to name in one post.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?

The rise of UKIP frightens me half to death. The scariest thing is that there are lots of people stupid enough to consider voting for them,

35. Who did you miss?

Nobody in particular.

36. Who was the best new person you met?

Again, nobody leaps to mind.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2014.

 Never climb a volcano in beach shoes.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

What? Really? A silly question needs silly lyrics:

How about some Spinal Tap?

When we die, do we haunt the sky?
Do we lurk in the murk of the seas?
What then? Are we born again?
Just to sit asking questions like these?

If I Could ...

It’s been a while since I’ve stolen a meme so I think I need to be a thief again. This particular meme was stolen by Pandora at Princess Pandora – Queen of Denial, who is solely responsible for leading me astray, having stolen it herself.

Anyway, enough of that nonsense; let’s dive straight in.

Travel anywhere, where would it be?


I would take a round the world trip taking in places old and new. I would bypass Europe on this trip because it is so close and I go there often anyway. So it would be a flight from Manchester to Hong Kong, with a quick visit to Vietnam, Laos and Malaysia then off to Japan via the Phillippines and South Korea. From Japan I would fly south to Australia and then to New Zealand. From there I would head east again to Chile and a tour of South America calling in at Argentina, Brazil, Peru and Uruguay, before heading north to call into Mexico. Finally I would head to Cape Town and fly north towards home via Egypt.

Meet anyone, who would it be?

I think it would have to be the three members of my favourite band, Rush. I would chat to them about their music and history and how they have managed to produce fantastic songs like this:

Also, I would hopefully persuade Alex Lifeson to teach me to play the guitar.

Bring anyone dead back to life, who would it be?

I think that would have to be my dad – just to let him know that I have done okay. 

Be anyone for a day, who would it be?

I think I’d like to be an actor currently filming a blockbuster movie. When I was a kid, I always fancied treading the boards – it’s sad to say that I would probably have been too overcome with stage fright to actually do it. 

Get anything for free for the rest of your life what would it be? 

Free concert tickets for any band that took my fancy – complete with backstage passes so that I could meet the band.

Change one thing about your life what would it be? 

My chosen career. In fact, I would leave the rat race completely and relish in the freedom it brings.

 Have any superpower what would it be? 

I think I’d like to be able to teleport anyway – and anywhen! Imagine being able to go back in time and watch historical events? Or pop to the future and see life in the next century?

That would be fantastic.

Be any animal for a day which would you be? 

A bird of prey, for the simple reason that they have the freedom of the sky without fearing any other creature. 

Date anyone who would it be? 

Mrs PM- of course!

Change one thing about the world what would it be? 

I would eliminate extremism of any kind and banish all extremists to a huge island with no escape, with a view to letting them all argue the toss with each other for the rest of their miserable lives. I am sick of reading about the opinions of nutters around the world who try to impose their crazy notions on the peaceful majority. It would also have a great side effect – no more war.

A simplistic view but I reckon it would work.

Live in any fictional universe which would you choose? 

I think that would have to be the Star Trek universe. I would start by transporting to all of the places on Earth that I wanted to visit without the pain of having to spend hours getting there – and finally I would boldly go where Captain Kirk has gone before.

Eliminate one of your human needs which would you get rid of? 

I think that would have to be sleep.  We don’t live long enough as it is but wasting seven hours a day is a bit of a sick joke. That said, there are few better feelings than being in a comfy bed about five minutes before sleep is due.

Change one thing about your physical appearance what would it be? 

My hair! No question. 

Change one of your personality traits which would you choose? 

I would eliminate my shyness. People who know me are amazed to discover that I consider myself shy but the truth is I have been battling this particular trait since I was a young man. I have had many victories and I am much less shy than I was – but there are occasions when it catches me unawares and all I want to do is crawl under a rock. 

Be talented at anything instantly what would you choose? 

That’s easy; to be able to play the guitar as well as Joe Satriani:

Forget one event in your life which would you choose? 

I don’t think I would forget any event, even a bad one. Such things make you stronger as a human being. I wouldn’t be me if I could just forget something bad.

Erase an event from history (make it so it never happened) which would you choose? 

That’s a tough question because without such significant events, the world wouldn’t be the place it is now. If pushed, I would have to go for one of the most significant recent events, the attack on the America on September 11th 2001. There have been so many repercussions because of this event – none of them positive.

Have any hair/eye/skin color, which would you choose? 

I’m told that I have lovely blue eyes – it’s just a pity they are useless. I can’t imagine being anything other than blond, so I would probably just return the colour of my hair to the time I was a kid.

Be any weight/body type, which would you choose? 

I am Mr Average when it comes to height and body type. I would maybe try to remove the flab that has appeared over the last ten years and replace it with a more toned upper body. I would probably make myself a few inches taller so I could see over everybody at a stand up concert.

Live in any country/city, where would you choose? 

Hong Kong.

Change one law in your country, which would you change? 

I would make the weekend longer. I would rather work longer hours from Monday to Thursday and have Friday, Saturday and Sunday as weekend – oh and double the amount of holidays we get.

Be any height, which would you choose?  

See above – maybe 6’5’’.

Have any job in the world, which would you choose? 

A travel writer. That would combine my love of travel and writing.

Have anything appear in your pocket right now, what would it be? 

A cheque for 10 million pounds.

Have anyone beside you right now, who would it be?

Mrs PM and my two sons.

Goodbye 2013

2013 is almost over and it has become a tradition to dust off an old meme that summarises the previous year.

Please feel free to steal it yourself. I won’t tell if you don’t.

As usual, this is quite a long post so just in case you get bored, I will wish you all a Happy New Year right at the start, and I hope that 2014 brings all of your dreams to fruition.

Let’s dive in, shall we?

1. What did you do in 2013 that you'd never done before?

I fulfilled a travel ambition this year. I finally visited a country that I have always wanted to visit: Japan.

I am currently part way through a travelogue on my experiences there – and believe me there are a lot of them. I plan to sum them up in a series of posts in the coming months.

All I can say is that I absolutely loved the place – so much so that we plan to return in a few years’ time.

As well as visiting Japan, I also visited two new countries. Mrs PM and I visited Budapest in Hungary for a long weekend and I enjoyed three trips to Muscat in Oman (when I say “enjoyed” I mean that I endured the work aspect but enjoyed the rest).

Here are some snaps from Japan:

Busiest crossing in Tokyo

An attempt to fry my brain at the Robot Restaurant

The Japanese Plastic Mancunian

Mount Fuji

Half a bullet train

Thousands of torii in Kyoto

2. Did you keep your New Years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

Yes and no. Here are last year’s resolutions:

(a) At least TRY to write that elusive book.

I was going to try writing a novel in November but work commitments made that impossible. 

However I am writing a travelogue for Japan and have produced another “volume” of blog posts from this very blog. I am now up to five volumes and producing volume six as I type. 

Next year? I hope to complete the travelogue and, work permitting, have another go at writing a novel in November. 

(b) Learn Spanish to the point where I can talk to Spaniards without a dictionary.

My Spanish has improved a fair amount and I am thinking about actually enrolling in a proper course. I can vaguely understand some written Spanish and need to keep plugging away. I am enjoying it.

(c) Cycle to work at least twice a week (when the weather improves).

I have failed miserably on this promise but I did dig out the bike for a couple of trips around the local area. This is something I simply must do this year.

(d) And this year? 

I will attempt to strengthen the three resolutions above but I have another planned that I will reveal in future posts if I succeed. Watch this space.

3. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?

We will be heading for this pub in West Didsbury:

The Metropolitan

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Thankfully nobody close died this year.

5. What countries did you visit?

I visited Spain, Oman, Hong Kong, Japan, Hungary and Turkey.

6. What would you like to have in 2014 that you lacked in 2013?

I have kind of identified something but I don’t really want to reveal it on this blog – just yet anyway. That’s part of my secret resolution.

Of course, I still want to defeat the lingering stubborn procrastination that haunts me continually as well as somehow managing to correctly predict the winning lottery numbers.

Usual stuff really.

7. What date from 2013 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

No single dates stand out this year.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Visiting Japan without a doubt. I have wanted to travel there since I started exploring the planet and I finally made it. 

9. What was your biggest failure?

Failing to ride a bike to work.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

I suffered quite a nasty cold last month that lasted for about three weeks. For some reason I couldn’t shake the bloody thing. I wasn’t the only one though. It travelled around my workplace like wildfire and we had a month or so of constant coughing and sneezing.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Being a geek I wanted a tablet – even though I didn’t really need one. Rather than splashing out on an iPad, I opted for a Nexus 7, smaller and more compact. 

However, I find now that I can’t really live without it. It was a constant companion on my travels, acting as an entertainment device in Oman allowing me to watch movies in my hotel room after a long days’ work as well as providing me with a portable phrase book and guide book in Japan.

I would recommend one as a lightweight portable computer, book and media device, particularly if you travel a lot.

12. Where did most of your money go?

My kids tend to demand money and so does the house. Nothing changed in that respect in 2013.

13. What song will always remind you of 2013?

2013 was a fantastic year for music and once again I bought a fist full of wonderful CDs. Here are my favourite songs from my top five albums of the year.

(a) Joe Satriani – Shine On American Dreamer (from the album Unstoppable Momentum)

I regard Joe Satriani as the greatest guitar player in the world and each album release is a major event for me. His new album is, as usual, a superb collection of songs. This particular one is a classic driving song and all I can think of when listening to it is driving across America in a convertible on a beautiful sunny day with the wind running through my hair and a huge grin on my face. If you like good classic feelgood rock songs, follow the link.

(b) The Black Spiders – Balls (from the album This Savage Land)

I saw the Black Spiders a couple of years ago, supporting Airbourne and from the first notes of the first song I loved them. They play no nonsense hard rock music that is extremely catchy. I have seen them twice as a support act and both times they have challenged their hosts. Balls is from their second album and I expect great things from them in years to come. 

Follow the link if you like good driving catchy hard rock.

 (c) Dream Theater – The Enemy Inside (from the album Dream Theater)  

Dream Theater are masters of progressive metal and their albums feature songs that are typically over ten minutes long and are genuine masterpieces. Their new album is the usual high standard and while it features mostly shorter songs (of the order of six minutes) there is an opus that is 22 minutes long. Fear not – the link takes you to a song that is just over six minutes. If you like heavy progressive metal then follow the link.

(d) Nine Inch Nails – Copy Of A (from the album Hesitation Marks)

Trent Reznor is an Oscar winning genius. He won an Oscar for the soundtrack to the film “The Social Network” and, thankfully, this year he has returned to doing what he does best – Nine Inch Nails – electronic music with a dark edge. Hesitation Marks is a triumph and in the month or two since I have had it, it has barely left my playlist. I have been witnessed driving my car listening to this song bopping away in the front seat and singing loudly without a care about who else sees me and laughs.

If you like electronic music with a hint of rock guitar then follow the link.

(e) Steven Wilson – Drive Home (from the album The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories)

The album of the year is a progressive masterpiece from Steven Wilson and this is the best song on the album. It is a truly sad song about a man who lost his wife in a car accident and is so totally tormented with guilt that he cannot get over his wife’s death. The theme of the album is ghosts and in this case, the man’s dead wife intervenes from beyond the grave. The song is simply beautiful and brings a tear to my eye each time I hear it. If you follow the link, you will not only hear a truly emotional song but also see a very poignant accompanying video. The song is right up there with my favourites of all time.

14. What do you wish you'd done more of?

I wish I’d written more blog posts. This year I have averaged a post a week and as far as the blog is concerned it has been my least productive year so far. I will try to change that next year. 

15. What do you wish you'd done less of?

I wish I had wasted less time doing mundane boring things. I really should make more of an effort sometimes.

16. What was your favourite TV program?

Once again, TV has been great this year. Here are a few to mention:

The Walking Dead, Dexter, True Blood, Game of Thrones, 

Falling Skies, Warehouse 13, Revolution, The Tunnel, The Following, Sleepy Hollow, Under the Dome and many more.

A special mention has to go to the 50th anniversary of Dr Who and the demise of Matt Smith as the Doctor on Christmas Day. Two absolutely brilliant episodes.

17. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?

There are people who have annoyed me, sure – but “hate” is too strong a word.

18. What was the best book you read?

I’m going to name two books, one the sequel to the other:

Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons. I look forward to reading two more sequels this year.

I just have to say, though, that I am quite sad at the passing of Iain Banks. I love his science fiction novels.

19. What was your greatest musical discovery?

No new bands have crossed my radar this year.

20. What was your favourite film of this year?

I enjoyed Man of Steel and World War Z but my favourite movie was Star Trek: Into Darkness.

Well what do you expect from a closet Trekker?

21. What did you do on your birthday?

Nothing special. I went to work and then had a nice meal with Mrs PM.

22. What kept you sane?

I’ve had an extremely busy year at work but, as usual, I haven’t actually allowed it to get the better of me. I would once again like to thank the usual suspects: Mrs PM, blogging, beer, food, music and travelling to Japan for de-stressing me.

23. Who did you miss?

Nobody leaps to mind.

24. Who was the most interesting new person you met?

Probably the drunk Japanese gentleman who bought Mrs PM and I, what he regarded as the best piece of sushi in Kyoto. He spoke no English and we spoke no Japanese so communication was fun. He tried to persuade us to go on a bar crawl around his city but we had a bullet train to catch. 

25. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2013.

It is almost impossible to take a photograph of a Japanese Bullet Train roaring full speed through a station.

My A to Z Of Food

I love food. In fact, I haven’t met a person or animal that doesn’t like food. I know for a fact that some people love food more than others – and that’s also true of my cats. Jasper (aka “Fatty”) loves his food so much that he can barely haul his fat arse off the chair to wobble into the kitchen for his bowl of food.

While trawling the internet, I found another A to Z meme, this time food related, and I thought might be fun to have a go at.

As usual, please feel free to steal it.

A - Are you adventurous when it comes to trying unusual food?

Yes and no. There are certain things I will not try – such as insects or gastropods. I have eaten outside my comfort zone, particularly in China, Japan, Australia and even Europe. Most recently in Japan, Mrs PM and I were served an authentic multi-course meal and the waiter took great pleasure in telling us exactly what we were eating, including bizarre foodstuffs like sea urchin. I didn’t think people ate sea urchin. Recently in the UK and France, there was a scandal where it was discovered that everyday processed foodstuffs, such as lasagne, actually contained horsemeat instead of beef. I have to say that I actually willingly had a horse steak in Zurich and I loved it. Sometimes we Brits are a little stuffy when it comes to food; I think we should be more adventurous as a nation.

B - Breakfast – what does your typical breakfast consist of?

During the week I have Oat Flakes with raisins and a banana, all washed down with a glass of grapefruit juice. At the weekend I sometimes treat myself to bacon and egg or toast
or all three, all washed down with a nice strong cup of tea.

C - Comfort food – what do you reach for when you need cheering up?

I’m quite happy to eat a cheese sandwich and a cup of tea.

D - Describe a dessert to die for.

Black Forest Gateaux. I am not usually a dessert person, preferring cheese and biscuits to a sugary, creamy calorific mess that makes you fat just looking at it. However, I cannot resist a Black Forest Gateaux because the combination of ingredients hits a spot – and makes me feel dreadful afterwards, firstly because I have almost certainly put on several pounds, and secondly because I rarely eat desserts, I actually start to feel queasy.

E-  Eggs – sunny side up, scrambled, poached or another way – how do you like yours?

I like eggs, scrambled, fried, boiled and poached. I’m not that fussy to be honest.

F - Fruit – do you find it fiddly or fab? What’s your favourite?

I love fruit. My favourites are apples, bananas, grapefruit, nectarines, peaches, plums and oranges. I eat at least one piece of fruit a day.

G - Gourmet food – what do you make of it?

Sometimes I think it is overpriced rubbish. However, there have been occasions when I have been pleasantly surprised by the amazing taste. The problem is I still feel hungry afterwards.

H - Hangover food – what works for you? 

A full English breakfast: Bacon, eggs, sausages, toast, black pudding and lots of fruit juice.

I - Ice cream – what’s your favourite flavour?

I’m not a huge fan of ice cream but I really like the chocolate chip ice cream I had from Ben and Jerry’s last time I was in the US. Also, Italian ice cream is particularly nice.

J - Juices – just one fruit or a cocktail of flavours? And your favourite juice?

Grapefruit juice is my favourite but I sometimes mix it with orange juice (usually when we are low on one of them). Apple juice is also extremely pleasant as are most juices if I’m honest.

K - Are you a Kitchen King / Queen or a total disaster?

I hate cooking but when I do cook, I am a Kitchen King.  I have never had a disaster yet and I think I could impress a young lady with a wonderful meal, if I were ever to be young, free and single again. Mrs PM certainly likes my culinary efforts, although I’m not sure whether that is because it tastes good or because she wants me to continue cooking and is therefore buttering me up.

L - Lunch – tell us about a lovely lunch, real or ideal. Where? What? Who with?

I love a lunch with Mrs PM and/or friends in a pub or bistro that served decent light wholesome food. However, there are a few celebrities I wouldn’t mind having lunch with. One day I’ll make a list for a separate post.

M - Money is no object so what would you order in a restaurant?

I think I would go for a monstrous and very expensive steak.

N - No way! I’m not eating that! What foods turn your stomach?

Rhubarb. The very thought of putting it in my mouth makes me feel sick. It belongs in Hell (where I am absolutely certain it grows in abundance). It ought to be the 11th commandment: THOU SHALT NOT EAT RHUBARB! Rhubarb should be ILLEGAL!

O - Octopus – would you? Have you? How was it?

Yes I would – and I have on several occasions. It was wonderful. The first time I ate octopus was in a Greek restaurant in Liverpool in 1984. The last time was in a restaurant in Kyoto, Japan earlier this year.

P - Picnics – describe your perfect picnic platter.

Sandwiches, cheese, biscuits, fruit and plenty of wine and beer.

Q - Quick snack – what do you go for when you need something fast?

Sorry to be boring but I usually make a sandwich – or as we say here in Manchester – a butty. I also like olives or a piece of fruit. Mind you, if we have any in, I will also go for chocolate and/or crisps.

R - Roasted, baked, chips or mash? What’s the best way of cooking potatoes?

In this order: mashed, chips, baked, boiled.

S - Signature dish – what’s yours? Why?

Pasta. I can whip up a decent pasta dish in 15 minutes. Quick, easy and delicious.

T - Toast – how can something so simple be so complicated? How do you like yours?

Toast is toast is toast. My favourite toast has lashings of melted cheese on it. Or marmite (I realise that people either love or hate marmite; I love it – I’m sorry).

U - Underrated food you think everyone should try.

Avocado is underrated in my opinion. I love it in salads, on sandwiches with salmon and of course guacamole is simply wonderful. I know people who hate it – or at least claim to, most of whom have never tried it and simply don’t like the look of it.

V - Vegetarian dishes you love or hate.

I hate anything with celery in it. I love a decent salad.

W - Weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten.

Sea urchin.

X - X-rated – what food gets you in the mood?

Anything – if I’m in the mood I am simply in the mood. I have tried oysters but I have to say I will never ever do that again; one of the most disgusting things I have ever eaten.

Y - Yuckiest meal? What? Where? Why?

I have mentioned this before but I will again; eel stew in Hong Kong. It tasted as disgusting as it looked. Why did I have it? Because I was feeling adventurous, despite the earnings from one of my colleagues who urged me not to try it.

Z - Zero calorie options – are they an option for you? Why?

Absolutely but I need to have something that contains a little substance alongside it. I am slightly overweight but not really fat and I think that having a balanced diet is the key to staying slim. It’s fine to have a monstrously highly calorific meal but you need to cut down later. It works for me and I reckon it could work for most people.

And finally …

As I said above, please feel free to steal this meme. I would be interested in your answers.

A Book Meme

I found this book meme whilst travelling through cyberspace, so I thought I would have a go.

As usual, feel free to steal it if you want – I did.

1. Favourite childhood book?

I’m sad to say that when I was a kid I used to read a lot of Enid Blyton books. It’s hard to pick a favourite but the one I particularly recall is The Adventures of Mr Pink-Whistle, a strange creature that hates unfairness and strives to put things right; a weird version of The Equalizer, if you like.

2. What are you reading right now?

I’m currently reading my third Lee Child book, called Tripwire, featuring Jack Reacher, the ex-military policeman who drifts from crisis to crisis and uses a combination of investigative powers and brute violence to sort things out.

3. What books do you have on request at the library?

Sadly none. It’s been a couple of years since I last visited the library.

4. Bad book habit?

I don’t know whether this is a bad book habit or not, but I have to finish a book even if it is diabolically bad. And I’ve read some dreadful books I can tell you.

5. What do you currently have checked out at the library?

Nothing. See the answer to question 3.

6. Do you have an e-reader?

I have a Kindle which makes me a slave to Amazon.

7. Do you prefer to read one book at a time, or several at once?

I like to concentrate on one novel at a time but I have been known to read a couple of non-fiction books at the same time. As well as reading Tripwire (see question 2) I have The QI Book Of The Dead perched on my bathroom window sill for comfort reading while answering a call of nature.

8. Have your reading habits changed since starting a blog?

Not really. I have tried drifting into other genres but, like a moth to a flame, I am drawn back to my comfort zone.

9. Least favourite book you read this year (so far?)

I’ve enjoyed them all but arguably the worst is Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay, the inspiration for Dexter the TV series. It is not a bad book at all and I really did enjoy it; the rest were just  better.

10. Favourite book you've read this year?

The Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons; space opera at its best.

11. How often do you read out of your comfort zone?

Not often enough. I should read much more non-fiction and expand my fiction horizons. Perhaps I should force myself to read one book that is completely outside my comfort zone out of every three.

12. What is your reading comfort zone?

Science fiction, horror, thrillers, fantasy, comedy  or a combination of all of them.

13. Can you read on the bus?

Definitely. Reading saved my life in the days when I didn’t have a car and had to spend an hour or two on the bus to work every single day.

14. Favourite place to read?

On a beach with the waves lapping against the shore – or in bed.

15. What is your policy on book lending?

Since buying my Kindle I don’t lend books. However, I have borrowed books in the past so I think it’s only fair to return the favour.

16. Do you ever dog-ear books?

You can’t dog-ear a Kindle. In the past I have tried not to dog-ear books and mostly succeeded.

17. Do you ever write in the margins of your books?

Only text books or work related technical books

18. Not even with text books?

See previous question.

19. What is your favourite language to read in?

I am fluent in English, American and Australian so it has to be one of those.

20. What makes you love a book?

A story has to be intriguing, scary, thrilling and the characters have to be constantly having a bad day; either that it makes me laugh out loud.

21. What will inspire you to recommend a book?

I will recommend a book if I am disappointed that I have finished it.

22. Favourite genre?

With my hand on my heart, I have to say horror fiction.

23. Genre you rarely read (but wish you did?)

Any factual non-fiction.

24. Favourite biography?

That’s easy: I am Ozzy by Ozzy Osbourne. It is the funniest book I have read in years.

25. Have you ever read a self-help book?

I’ve read a couple and one or two have helped, particularly those that help me cope with workload, such as time management. I haven’t taken everything to heart but in a book full of advice, you can pick up a few gems and make them habit.

26. Favourite cookbook?

I have never read a cookbook and I have no intention of reading one.

27. Most inspirational book you've read this year (fiction or non-fiction)?

Probably my bathroom book The QI Book of the Dead, simply because I have learned a lot about several famous and fabulous historical people, facts that I had no idea about, as well as being introduced to some really crazy people I have never heard of. I haven't finished it yet either.

28. Favourite reading snack?

What a daft question.

29. Name a case in which hype ruined your reading experience.

The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown was hyped to buggery and I succumbed. I thought it was distinctly average and sadly I tried some of his other efforts too  - and they were so disappointing. I can’t believe he is so popular. I won't read any more of his books, that's for sure.

30. How often do you agree with critics about a book?

I don’t read what critics say about anything.

31. How do you feel about giving bad/negative reviews?

Personally I don’t care. If I read a book and don’t like it, I feel annoyed that I wasted my money buying it. And if it saves somebody else spending their cash on, what in my opinion, is a disappointing book then so be it.

32. If you could read in a foreign language, which language would you choose?

Any one of them.

33. Most intimidating book you've ever read?

No books have been intimidating but The Dark by James Herbert scared me half to death.

34. Most intimidating book you're too nervous to begin?

I’ll give any book a go.I can't imagine anything worrying me that much - unless it is a factual book about Satanism.

35. Favourite poet?

I hate poetry.

36. How many books do you usually have checked out of the library at any given time?

None (see above). I have taken six out at once in the past for a three week work trip to Russia in the middle of winter. I was 40km away from Moscow in an isolated hotel and the temperature ranged from -20 to -10 degrees. I was totally bored and those books saved my life.

37. How often have you returned a book to the library unread?

Once or twice but only because I didn't read them quickly enough.

38. Favourite fictional character?

I like Harry Keogh, the hero of the Necroscope series of horror stories by Bryan Lumley.

39. Favourite fictional villain?

There are so many villains in the books I read and I love them all. One leaps to mind: Randall Flagg from The Stand by Stephen King – but if you ask me tomorrow I will have a different answer.

40. Books I'm most likely to bring on vacation?

Any books in the genres mentioned in question 12.

41. The longest I've gone without reading.

I never go for more than a day without reading.

42. Name a book that you could/would not finish.

Fifty Shades of Grey. Mind you, I wouldn’t even start it.

43. What distracts you easily when you're reading?

Music. Music and reading do not go together.

44. Favourite film adaptation of a novel?

The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harries was a pretty good adaptation.

45. Most disappointing film adaptation?

The Jason Bourne trilogy by Robert Ludlum. Don’t get me wrong, The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum were fantastic films and I loved them. The big problem for me was the fact that the only thing they had in common with the books was Jason Bourne, the main character.

I would dearly love to see a proper adaptation of the three book based extremely closely to the books. The Bourne Ultimatum ranks as my favourite Robert Ludlum book and it is absolutely nothing like the film at all.

46. The most money I've ever spent in the bookstore at one time?

Probably about £20.

47. How often do you skim a book before reading it?

Never – unless it is a technical text book.

48. What would cause you to stop reading a book half-way through?

Somebody setting fire to it.

49. Do you like to keep your books organised?

No. Mrs PM makes me get rid of them. However, now I have a Kindle I can keep them all in alphabetical order on my device without interference from my beloved.

50. Do you prefer to keep books or give them away once you've read them?

I prefer to keep them. Mrs PM prefers to ditch them. I have a rule that I will refuse to break though. Comedy books and non-fiction must be kept (as reference books if nothing else).

51. Are there any books you've been avoiding?

Only books I have no intention of reading. Why avoid a book that you want to read?

52. Name a book that made you angry.

The Dark Tower by Stephen King. This was the pinnacle of a seven book series that supposedly rivalled The Lord of the Rings and when I finished it I was so disappointed that I almost threw the book into the swimming pool (I was on holiday at the time). I actually ranted to Mrs PM about it and she watched me blank faced because she had no idea what I was raving about.

53. A book you didn't expect to like but did?

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone by J.K.Rowling. I ended up reading all seven books as a result.

54. A book that you expected to like but didn't?

The Dark Tower by Stephen King.

55. Favourite guilt-free, pleasure reading?

A huge multi-volume space opera full of madness, monsters and mayhem.

Another Music Meme

Mrs PM and I are off on our travels again tomorrow, This time we are heading to Japan, a country neither of us has been too before, via my favourite city outside the UK – the wonderful Hong Kong.

And I can’t wait.

In the meantime, here is a music meme I stumbled across while drifting along through cyberspace and thought it would be fun to inflict yet more of my music on you, dear reader.

Here goes - and please follow the links for maximum enjoyment/pain...

      (1) Name some songs/music from your childhood:

I assume by childhood, you mean “pre-teen” (given question 2 – yes I did peek ahead). I remember being obsessed by a really weird tune. At the time I thought it was amazing – but then again, I was a kid so didn’t know any better. The song was Popcorn by Hot Butter.   Actually, listening to it now, it is quite catchy.

Other than that I was really into Glam Rock and loved The Sweet. Listening to Ballroom Blitz you can see the similarity between that and the rock music I love now.

And I still love songs like This Town Ain’t Big Enough For The Both Of Us by Sparks which is also quite a rocky little number.

(2) Name some songs/music from your teenage years:

I was really into the charts when I was a teenager and, although I am slightly ashamed to admit it now, I loved Abba – particularly a song called So Long which is also quite a rocky tune. Regular readers may recall that I have confessed to having a crush on  Agnetha Fältskog  and I took every opportunity to watch her when she was on TV.

I was also a huge fan of the Electric Light Orchestra, with songs like Turn To Stone.

(3) First live concert you atteneded:

My first concert was an American band called Cheap Trick when they played Birmingham. I had never heard of them but I didn’t want the ignominy of being a concert virgin at school. The mother of one of my mates worked at a theatre in Birmingham and offered him some free tickets to give to his mates.

I wasn’t overly impressed but it was free and musically, they popped my cherry, so to speak. Here is I Want You To Want Me. 

(4) Songs you parents sang along too:

My dad had an eclectic taste in music ranging from jazz to rock and roll via country and western. One of his favourite artists was Jerry Lee Lewis and I heard him singing Great Balls Of Fire more than once.

(5) Songs your grandparents played:

I really don’t remember my grandparents singing and playing music although I once found a book full of old time music songs in my grandad’s house. He had a small piano and my mum said that he used to play quite often. One of the songs in the book was an old time music hall number called Joshua and I can imagine my grandad playing and singing it.

(6) Did your family have sing-a-longs at home or with the neighbours?

In a word – no. I think I was born about 20 years too late for that to happen.

(7) Did you have a musical instrument at home?

My sisters had a recorder and I borrowed a school trombone for about five years making it a fairly regular visitor.

(8) What instruments do you play, if any?

I used to play a trombone, although I imagine that if I picked one up now, the neighbours would accuse me of torturing my three cats. That said, a tiny part of me wants to give it another go – just to see if I can still remember how to play one.

(9) What instrument(s) do you wish you could play?

Regular readers will know that I would love to play an electric guitar. To be honest I would also love to play a piano/keyboard as well as bashing seven bells out of a drum kit. At various points in my life, electronic keyboards have appeared in my home and, with a little practice, I have been able to play a tune on them. One day, I might invest in one – just for fun.

(10) Do you/did you play in a band or orchestra?

Yes indeed. I played in the school Brass Group, had a brief stint in the school orchestra and even briefer stint in a jazz group – that was until I confessed that I hated jazz.

(11) Do you/did you sing in a choir?

No. My music teacher held auditions for the school choir within a week of starting at the age of eleven. All I remember is having to sing a scale and failing miserably (partly because I could barely stifle the wild guffaws wanting to escape from my throat). The teacher was frank, telling me I sounded like a cat being strangled. This is yet another reason why I try not to curb my desire to sing at home in case the neighbours think I’m a serial cat torturer.

(12) Music you fell in love to:

Mrs PM and I do not share the same taste in music. It is therefore extremely difficult to put my finger on a song that we could share as our song. 

I guess the nearest from my perspective might be something by Morcheeba, a band that Mrs PM introduced me to when we first got together. Here is a song called Fear and Love.

If I were to choose one from my collection, it would have to reiterate exactly how much I love Mrs PM – so I would choose I Love You More Than Rock and Roll by Thunder.  

(13) Romantic music memories:

As I said, that’s tricky when it comes to Mrs PM because any songs we think are romantic will immediately be cast aside because of our mutual hatred of each other’s taste.

(14) Favourite music genres:

I am a huge fan of Progressive Rock but I generally like any rock music, ranging from Classic Rock to Heavy Metal. I am also a fan of ambient electronic pop music and I regard classic Motown as a real guilty pleasure. I also  love most chart music from the 70’s and early 80’s (up to about 1986). Finally, I quite enjoy listening to certain classical music, which leads me onto …

(15) Favourite classical music:

I love the Planet Suite by Gustav Holtz, particularly Mars .

I also particularly like Dance of the Knights by Prokofiev and Grieg’s Hall of the Mountain King. 

(16) Favourite opera:

I hate opera.

(17) Favourite musical:

One of my guilty pleasures is West Side Story and I love the song America.

(18) Favourite pop:

Pop music has always been lurking in my music collection and there are a fair amount of albums by bands that might surprise you. Here are a couple of songs by some of my favourite pop artists from over the years:

Minor Earth Major Sky – A-ha 

Clocks – Coldplay 

Mer du Japon – Air 

(19) Favourite world/ethnic:

Assuming that by World/Ethnic you don’t mean anything by a foreign artist (America is after all foreign for a Brit like me). I guess I’ll opt for Return to Innocence by Enigma. 

(20) Favourite jazz:

I hate jazz.

(21) Favourite country/folk:

I hate Country and Western – apart from Wichita Lineman by Glenn Campbell. 

(22) Favourite movie/show musical:

See (17).

(23) Favourite sound tracks:

That’s a tough one. I would probably choose the soundtrack to the Matrix because it has a couple of cracking heavy metal songs: Du Hast by Rammstein and Dragula by Rob Zombie.

(24) What music do you like to dance to?

These days I don’t dance unless Mrs PM drags me kicking and screaming onto the dance floor. I used to occasionally go to a rock club in Manchester many years ago and, after a beer or two I would basically go up and dance to any half decent rock song. Sadly rock music doesn’t lend itself to dancing so I probably looked like a complete arse.

(25) What dances did you do as a teenager?

A mate of mine taught me a dance to Tiger Feet by Mud which you can see if you follow the link. I later reproduced this at university at a night club when they had a retro night, much to the amusement of my new mates. I could also do the dance to Prince Charming by Adam and the Ants and I had another go at this a couple of years ago at 1980’s night, again amusing my mates in the process.

(26) Do you use music for called ID on your mobile phone?

Not now. I use a standard boring ring tone.

(27) What songs do you use for caller ID?

I used to use Clocks by Coldplay for a while and then replaced it with The Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin.

(28) What music do your children like or listen to?

Stephen actually likes some of the same music as I do but some of the bands he likes are not exactly my cup of tea. There is a significant overlap though, like Metallica and Rammstein.

Michael likes music that is similar to Mrs PM, i.e. complete and utter garbase.

(29) Favourite live music concert as an adult:

I’ve seen loads of concerts spanning a period of 30 years or more and there are only one or two of my favourite bands that I haven’t seen. Favourites include Rush, Dream Theater, Rammstein, Metallica and the Foo Fighters but most of them have been incredible.

(30) Silly music memories from your family:

As a kid, my dad used to listen to Lonnie Donegan and because his songs were mildly amusing, we used to sing them occasionally, songs like Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavour on the Bedpost Overnight.

I’m sure that my own kids would tell you, if they had a blog, that their old man (i,e, me) used to sing stupid songs when in the car or change the lyrics to existing songs in a stupid way.

I don’t care – its fun and it used to make them laugh (not now sadly – they would probably tell me I’m a bloody idiot).

(31) Silliest song you can think of:

Apart from the Lonnie Donegan song above, you mean? How about The Majesty of Rock by Spinal Tap?  

(32) Pet hate in music/singing:


Rapping and vocalists who over-sing.  Rapping is pointless and awful and over-singing completely ruins songs. Who are the main culprits? Any rapper and people like Mariah Carey and Christina Aguilera who sing like this.

(33) A song that captures family history for you:

For me, a great song to capture silliness in my family is Stupid Things by the Wildhearts. 

The reason? I bought the album shortly before Mrs PM and I got together – but Mrs PM hates the Wildhearts and this song in particular. 

So when I got the kids to repeatedly sing the chorus to her, it drove her up the wall  - and it still does.

Doing stupid things, doing stupid things

Ain't it funny how they all turn into saints and kings

If your only sin is doing stupid things

Doing stupid things when you're feeling low

Isn't something that you want all of the world to know

If your only sin is doing stupid things

You deflate, ego shrunk

You're just a little bit crap when you're drunk

But it's worse in your mind

‘cos everybody everywhere

Does stupid things from time to time

Marvellous – though Mrs PM would disagree.

(34) If you could only play 5 albums for the rest of your life, what would they be?

My goodness – that is a tough question. I have so many albums.

Off the top of my head:

Images and Words – Dream Theater

Fear of a Blank Planet – Porcupine Tree

Hold Your Fire – Rush

Moon Safari – Air

Mutter – Rammstein

(35) Favourite artists - list as many as you like:

Being ultra selective - take a deep breath …

AC/DC, A-ha, Aerosmith, Air, Airbourne, Black Country Communion, Black Sabbath, The Black Spiders, Coldplay, David Bowie, Deep Purple, Def Leppard, Depeche Mode, Dream Theater, ELO, Enya, Foo Fighters, Guns’n’Roses, The Hives, Joe Satriani, Judas Priest, Led Zeppelin, Metallica, Muse, Nazareth, Nine Inch Nails, Pink Floyd, Porcupine Tree, Queen, Queensryche, Rainbow, Rammstein, Rush, Steven Wilson, Supertramp, Tears For Fears, Ten, Thunder, Whitesnake, The Wildhearts, Within Temptation.

That really is the tip of the iceberg. If I were to name all of the bands I really like, it would be an enormous list.

And finally ...

That's enough for now. 

As usual, please feel free to steal the meme – I did.

See you in a couple of weeks.