Sunday June 16
Which leads to one of those occasional briefs through the UK chart. Eminem spends his second week at #1, with said "Hero" the fastest climber at #2. Elvis Presley has the highest entry at #3 - "A Little Less Conversation" is the best seller in stores by volume this week, after being used in a television commercial. Top ten entries for the rather cool Sophie Ellis Bextor, and the frankly tedious Kylie Minogue.
It's an astounding 40th week on the survey for Nickelback's "How You Remind Me", just two weeks behind the run of Santana's "Smooth." I thought Carlos had that mantle for keeps - evidently not. The next longest runner is the Calling's "Wherever You Will Go," which has knocked up 26 weeks on the strength of its US success; like Nickelback many moons ago, the record is on the Foxy Poxy Chart on airplay alone, indicating that it's destined for a very long run indeed.
Comeback of the week: Anglo-German hard house act Scooter return to the Fab 50 after five years on the sidelines, with a speeded-up version of Supertramp's "Logical Song." Also good to see Paul Oakenfold finally release something under his own name, and Papa Roach are always welcome.
Because I'll do anything for my regular readers: she has a new journal. We'll be buying a set of lower case letters next year (;
Saturday June 15
That Friday Five In Full
1. How often do you do laundry? Depends on when I've got a full load. Usually three a week - one or two dark, one light, and bedclothes or towels.
2. What's in a typical wash load? About 2.2kg of clothes. Or all the towels I've been using, or all the bedding + PJs. (That's pyjamas, not neolithic BB3 contestants. Sadly.)
3. Front or top loader? Powder or liquid detergent? Front loader right now, it seems to be the most commonly available in this country. Liquid detergent, and only about 40% of the bottle recommendations.
4. Do you use fabric softener in the rinse cycle? Nada.
5. Dryer or clothesline?Clothes line every time. Outside for 8-10 hours if the weather will bear it; upstairs for a day if it won't or it's midweek.
New single releases
There are plenty due out. These are the one's I'm really looking forward to.
June 17
Jewel - Break Me
Muse - Dead Star/In Your World
Jewel because she fully deserves a hit, and won't get it with this release *either*. Muse because they're the cutting edge of British rock right now.
June 24
The Calling - Wherever You Will Go
Sheryl Crow - Steve McQueen
Lenny Kravitz - Believe In Me
Calling has been on my playlist since last year, just waiting for decent radio promo. Sheryl envisions faraway places, and Kravitz hasn't had a top 40 hit since "Fly Away", and he deserves better.
July 1
Marc Anthony - I Got You
Bush - Inflatable
Idlewild - American English
Prodigy - Baby's Got A Temper
Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way
With proper handling, Marc would have had three top tenners from his 99-00 album; this would be his breakthrough. Bush and Idlewild are on the verge of a breakthrough. Prodigy and RHCP are coming back from noteable absences, and livening the place up.
July 8
A-Ha - Forever Not Yours
Ashanti - Foolish
Goo Goo Dolls - Here Is Gone
One Giant Leap - Braided Hair
Aha! They're back! Ashanti is a grower. Goo Goos are another band that really deserve a hit. One Giant Leap is such a classy project.
The next month is subject to change...
July 15
Michelle Branch - All You Wanted
Vanessa Carlton - A Thousand Miles
Shakira - Underneath Your Clothes
July 22
Dirty Vegas - Ghosts
Doves - Pounding
Beth Orton & Ryan Adams - Concrete Sky
July 29
Kosheen - Harder
McAlmont & Butler - Falling
August 5
Coldplay - In My Place
Mad'House - Like A Prayer
People have come up and asked me,
What's the difference between
BIG BROTHER,
Big Brother,
and BB?
It really is very simple.
If you're me.
BIG BROTHER
is the
Hit Constructed Reality Show That Everyone's Watching.
As a television show,
it's written in CAPITAL LETTERS.
That's style.
BB
is the character
played by the producers
that rules the lives
of the contestants on BIG BROTHER.
Big Brother
is my personal guiding spirit
the one that looks after me
and generally provides guidance.
BIG BROTHER is spoiled by
crummy editing.
BB fails because
the producers are human
and sometimes don't listen.
By definition, Big Brother is perfect.
Big Brother will not let me down.
So it really is very simple.
If you are me.
BUFFY 3.09 - The Wish. After Xander and Willow are found out, Cordelia is introduced to Anya, a new girl with a necklace. And Harmony tries to pair Cordy off with Jonathan... if only... Clear from where they got the character of Dawn, the way Cordelia whines and whinges. Any excuse to see Xander in trailer trash and/or Willow in leather is good... mmm... something for all tastes there.
Friday June 14
On telly today. BBC1: S Club 7 in Don't Stop Moving. ITV: Back to the 50s with S Club 7. Erk.
Three young women were surrounded by police in a fast-food restaurant yesterday after being spotted on CCTV cameras playing with a Star Wars light sabre. Security men had mistaken it for a samurai sword. "Louise was pretending to hit the manager with the lightsabre and he got it from her," explained one. "Then about 10 officers in bullet-proof vests got out of their cars. They made the manager stand up against the van before they realised it was a plastic light sabre." British police's knowledge of films is solo, han.
You may have noticed the slight lack of updates around here. This is because I'm spending way too much time watching and writing about the 3rd UK series of BIG BROTHER. All the contributions are on the UKGS list. A weekly summary is on the WW archive. Some of them might appear here. If you're lucky.
Wednesday June 12
What's the worst record of the year? asks a contributor to the Popbitch forum. Usher? The French football team? Gur Gur Gur Gareth Gates? S Club Juniors? Victoria Posh Spice Beckham-Aadams? Air France? DJ Ötzi's football remix? These are all pisspoor, but for buttock-clenchingly how quickly can I retune the radio when this comes on awfulness, my vote goes to Ronan Cheating covering Garth Brooks. Makes me want to stop thinking about it already.
Tuesday June 11
Picture the scene. It's a swanky, posh do in an expensive suburb of Quito. Everyone is wearing cocktail dresses and smart suits. A slightly camp waiter is handing vintage Burgandy and expensive champagne from a silver salver, and offers some expensive chocolates and other petits fours. Suddenly, the calm and tranquility is shattered as the full-length plate glass window is broken by a grappling hook. Swinging through the shattered remnants of glass and wood is a woman in a push-up bra and shorts, wearing ammo clips round her thighs. "Hi. I'm the new ambassador." Yes, everyone's favourite sweaty-legged actress Angelina Jolie has become the United Nations Goodwill Ambassador to Ecuador. She will be spreading the joy of kicking botty to another country soon.
Another kick round Gemma's album, and it's a good 'un. Depths that are hidden from a quick listen.
Monday June 10
Well, the dream about trouble at t'BB house turned out to be a valid signal, though more metaphorical than actual. Does that make sense? Not unless you're the one signalling frantically. But it's slightly comforting to know that there's still a touch of the Drusilla around me.