Sam's BARTS

1.     Best Album

Haven’t bought any but really want “Toy” by Toy

2. Best Song

“Video Games” – Lana Del Ray

3. Best Musical Re-discovery

Queen as music-for-kids (with thanks to Raymond)

4. Best Film           

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (from LoveFilm, so probably not released this year)

5. Best Book

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (very much not released this year)

6. Best Gig/Event

“Grousetonbury” at The Grouse, Birch Vale, with White Van Man headlining.

7. Best TV Programme

Hollow Crown series of Shakespeare plays on BBC2. My kind of Saturday night telly.

8. Best Radio Programme

Radconie

9. Best Website

http://theoldbatsman.blogspot.co.uk/

10. Best Sporting Moment

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26Wfs4RG_DM

11. Revelation

Credible comeback single from The Stones. Unlikely but true.

12. Worst Purchase / Disappointment

That I seem to have failed to see any real live music. Related to lack of babysitters. Must sort both out.

13. Best Child-Related Thing
Just loads of little things. But being able to read whole books chapter-by-chapter for Gene at bedtime has been great - Danny Champion of the World was a highlight.

14. Best Lifestyle Change

Self-employment and home-working really does have a lot to recommend it

15. Sort

Rachel Riley (in no way connected to home-working…)

16. Person, People or Thing You’d Most Like to See Set Upon By a Pack of Wolves

Jo Whiley (just before she plays Mumford and Sons).

The Winning Thing You’d Most Recommend Your Fellow Judges to Own/Have/Consume/Do

Read to your kids. But, assuming that you already do, buy “Toy” and burn me a copy.

'Steve' 2012

1. Best Album
'Making Mirrors' - Gotye

2. Best Song
'Under The Westway' - Blur

3. Best Musical Re-discovery
Blind Melon

4. Best Film
Prometheus

5. Best Book
'The Hydrogen Sonata' - Ian M Banks

6. Best Gig/Event
Haven't been to anything

7. Best TV Programme
Doctor Who

8. Best Radio Programme
Ronnie Wood's show on Absolute. To be honest, I only heard a bit of it a couple of weeks back, but it was quite good. The rest of the time I just listen to non-specific programmes on Classic FM.

9. Best Website
Autosport.com

10. Best Sporting Moment
The Saturday in the Olympics when 'Team GB' won loads of medals for running and that.

11. Revelation
The Olympics

12. Worst Purchase / Disappointment
My spending this year really hasn't allowed for any gambles.

13. Best Child-Related Thing
Megan is a big fan of the first Two Door Cinema Club album. The first music she has shown a definite interest in*. (*dances around like a maniac to)

14. Best Lifestyle Change
Still Fatherhood. Every day brings something new and wonderful.

15. Sort
Whatever happened to that delightful Heidi Range?

16. Person, People or Thing You’d Most Like to See Set Upon By a Pack of Wolves
David Cameron, Michael Gove, George Osborne. Any of them will do.

17. Best Rock-Related Headline
Can't think of one. Sorry.

Andrew 2012

1. Best Album
I bought two albums, The Smiths - Complete and Alt-J, the latter I haven't listened to yet.

2. Best Song
I'll go with Ray's nomination 'Laura'  or for some cheesey pop 'Titanium' by artist unknown.
3. Best Musical Re-discovery

Really lovely song. Worth a read of the lyrics - a paen for a bygone age of love-letters and patience.

4. Best Film
The Artist, closely followed by Ides of March and Kick-Ass

5. Best Book
This Is The One by Daniel Taylor - a book about Fergie for Fergie lovers and haters alike.

6. Best Gig/Event
n/a
7. Best TV Programme
American Horror Story - Asylum from this year, and from yesteryear, The Wire Series 4 which I finished last night and left me feeling slightly bereaved for its 'loss' from my life.
8. Best Radio Programme
n/a
9. Best Website
Twitter
10. Best Sporting Moment

11. Revelation
n/a
12. Worst Purchase / Disappointment
n/a
13. Best Child-Related Thing
Doing proper stuff with George i.e. arts projects, playground visits..or just chatting even.  Huge difference in him over this year (as you'd expect). And of course the arrival of Isla.
14. Best Lifestyle Change
Moving to a rural village. Peaceful.
15. Sort
Rihanna. Seems to be the most reliable celeb to appear on the front of a tabloid barely concealing her lovely bits
16. Person, People or Thing You’d Most Like to See Set Upon By a Pack of Wolves
George Osbourne
17. Best Rock-Related Headline
n/a

The Winning Thing You’d Most Recommend Your Fellow Judges to Own/Have/Consume/Do
Listen to We Used To Wait and listen properly to the lyrics. 

Video

I noticed that (understandably) this had dropped off the categories. However a special mention goes to Jack White for:
1) copious sideboob;
2) genuinely surprising cameo at the end.

The others....

With apologies for skipping a few that I don't have answers for:

Best Child-Related Thing
DIY facepaint

Best Lifestyle Change
Dropbox: has probably gained me 30 mins per working day.

Person, People or Thing You’d Most Like to See Set Upon By a Pack of Wolves
Needy Facebook posters

The Winning Thing You’d Most Recommend Your Fellow Judges to Own/Have/Consume/Do
Go to more gigs and buy more music.

Revelation

Martin Rossiter’s comeback: Didn’t Gene have an album called ‘Revelations’?

You can listen here

Radio

TV programme

Gig

Book...

A fairly reserved recommendation for:
A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

Film

The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists

Best music rediscovery

Lou Reed: Transformer

Song of the Year

Albums of the Year

I've still gone for five:

Efterklang: Piramida
Mark Eitzel: Don't be a Stranger
Mark Lanegan: Blues Funeral
Paul Buchanan: Mid Air
Tindersticks: The Something Rain

Lists

best NME tracks here with a link to the albums list

http://www.nme.com/blog/index.php?blog=147&p=13017&title=50_best_tracks_of_2012&more=1&c=1

Sheamus

I guarantee this will be better than Sam's favourite sporting moment of the year....in fact, in a new rule, you're allowed to veto someone from voting in one category and that's my veto.

Celtic 2 Barcelona 1

Grant, Efterklang & Maconie...

I went to see John Grant in The Bridgewater Hall last night. He was actually the support act so it was only six songs. But 40 mins of sheer perfection. Main band was Efterklang. Anyone heard of them? Did a set with a substantial orchestra - was rather good. And Maconie was in attendance.

Radiohead

Really good gig last night. Cracking seats (in the third row of the 1st block of seats to the left of stage) were the defining factor. Probably the best view I've ever had of a Radiohead gig.

Highlights:

Airbag: rifftastic.
Pyramid Song: arguably my favourite Radiohead song.
Arpeggi/Weird Fishes: My favourite song off In Rainbows.
There There: you forget how much the second half of this song rocks.
Give up the Ghost: a surprising highlight of the encore.

IJ

Classic tune...popped into my head out of nowhere t'other day

Dukes of Hazard

6 Music playing this currently. Great tune. Didn't realise it was such an old track. Strong touch of Fleetwood Mac about it.

Bat For Lashes

So this is pretty much great...

Octopus...

I assume everyone's heard this as it's getting pretty heavy airplay. As good as anything else they've done IMHO.

This will mostly interest Andrew

But we all like a good cover.

I cannot get this e-mail thing fixed. Respond to this would you?

First album syndrome

Right, I think I've got the e-mail thing sorted. To test that, I'll start off a riveting discussion.

We're all aware that for 99% of bands their first album is their best. But there's a converse to that. Of bands that have gone on and made multiple good albums, I say that for them, the first album is never their best.

Your counter-examples to destroy my theory please...

Blur: Under The Westway (official lyrics video)

One last piece of blogging from me for tonight - one of 2 new Blur tracks. I don't get a chance to listen to decent radio these days, is this getting airplay?

Places Of My Life - Alan Partridge

Sam, you wondered what this might be like and my verdict would be "hit and miss" but there were some excellent bits. I've linked into this about half way through. Quality is poor as it's some bloke videoing his telly but you'll get the general idea

The Hollow Crown

Richard II

You may have had better things to do on Saturday night. But this was exceptional.

Hope I've sorted the e-mail thing, try replying to this if you'd be so kind.

Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Official Trailer (HD)

Saw this last night. Way better than I would have expected...and even got a highly sceptical wife interested.

This one's for "Steve"

The re-resurrection

Funny, and definitely worth watching for Shaun & Bez's Tears for Fears story...

Hawley

I like this a lot.

And I'm liking a daily diet of 6 music. I feel like I'm re-connecting with actual music again.

The Biff

6 music informed me earlier today that Biffy Clyro are releasing a concept double-album later on this year.

As a precaution, I have closed my Amazon and i-tunes accounts.

Hocus Pocus - it's Focus!

11 November sees Hebden Bridge Trades Club play host to the frankly remarkable....Focus!

Old Shaky

6 Music are indulging in a 2 hour Neil Young special, and have just played this song. There's a great moment in this clip at 2:10 where the banjo leads into the first chorus and inspires a spontaneous ripple of appreciation from the crowd...

Coxon

Radconie have just reminded me that I like this a lot...

Clarke

I didn't see that Buchanan track, but it is rather lovely. When you go on "Jools", does the conversation go something like:
Manager: "Great news lads, we've got a booking for a major teevee show".
Lads: "Yay!"
Manager: "Now, regular pianist, you've been working really hard lately, why don't you just sit this one out..."
Anyhoo, I actually came on to recommend the John Cooper Clarke documentary on last night http://www.bbc.co.uk/i/b01jcdbc/ Whether or not you like his poetry, you can't help but like him, or be impressed by the talking heads lining up to praise him

Buchanan

It's all gone a bit quiet round here. Anyone see this a while back? Very lovely.
Note: this video does not contain any boogie-woogy piano.

27 October

Anyone fancy a night out in Leeds?

James McAvoy and Irvine Welsh on the set of Filth - Film - Scotsman.com

In pictures: James McAvoy and Irvine Welsh on the set of Filth - Film - Scotsman.com

Probably my favourite book of the late 90s. How many people did I thrust this into the hands of? Ray (or should I say "Cuntybaws") I definitely remember doing so.

Curious choice to film it 13/14 years later. Hope they retain the gags rather than make a Trainspotting meets Police 'scuzzfest'.

Big Train: Tom Henderson New Office Manager

nothing to do with best of 2012, just thought it was worth an airing...

Radiohead

I suspect none of us have 2 hours to spend watching a full Radiohead concert online but nevertheless here it is. Doesn't actually start until 06.45. If you want to go "straight to the chorus" setlist is as follows:


07:47 Bloom
14:18 15 Step
18:26 Weird Fishes/Arpeggi
24:13 Morning Mr. Magpie
29:28 Staircase
34:05 The Gloaming
37:55 Pyramid Song
43:32 The Daily Mail
47:28 Myxomatosis
52:00 Karma Police
57:17 Identikit
1:01:18 Lotus Flower
1:06:44 There There
1:12:30 Bodysnatchers
1:16:48 Idioteque
--Encore--
1:23:40 Lucky
1:28:35 Reckoner
1:34:08 Everything In Its Right Place (With "After The Gold Rush" intro)
--Encore 2--
1:43:56 Give Up the Ghost
1:49:47 Paranoid Android

Le Tissier x 10

Worth 2 minutes and 11 seconds of anyone's day. Should we have a football related category? Goal of the year? Balotelli story of the year?

Outspan

 5 points to the first who works out the reason for the title of this post...

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy - Official Trailer [HD]

Yet another film entry (I'm still to make a single musical purchase this year) and another worthy of your time. A lot of detail crammed into 128 minutes and it does feel a bit dense at time...but nothing too much for cerebral chaps like us....

Hanna (2011) - Official Trailer [HD]

Shades of Leon/Kick Ass about this one and well worth a slot on your 'Rental List'

The Categories

In answer to my previous question: There wasn't, but there is now.

Lest they get lost in the move, here's those all-new Barts 2012 categories:
1. Best Album
2. Best Song
3. Best Musical Re-discovery
4. Best Film
5. Best Book
6. Best Gig/Event
7. Best TV Programme
8. Best Radio Programme
9. Best Website
10. Best Sporting Moment
11. Revelation
12. Worst Purchase / Disappointment
13. Best Child-Related Thing
14. Best Lifestyle Change
15. Sort
16. Person, People or Thing You’d Most Like to See Set Upon By a Pack of Wolves
17. Best Rock-Related Headline

The Winning Thing You’d Most Recommend Your Fellow Judges to Own/Have/Consume/Do

Is there a "Best Rock-Related Headline" category?

If not, then there should be:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-17456053

'True Grit' Trailer HD

Saw this t'other night. liked it a lot. I've never seen the original so can't compare.

Lanegan/Divers

Penny and I went to see Mark Lanegan in Leeds on Saturday night. He was really great. 90 minutes of no nonsense, no chit chat, no smiling, rock. In Leeds Met Students' Union - sticky floor and all. Was mildly surprised that one of the key forces in his band was Michael Divers burning it up on lead guitar...

Books

Just heard that Iain M Banks has a new book coming out in October. That's at least one thing I'll no doubt be able to include in my 2012 nominations!

It's been a quiet year for me so far.

Still re-reading lots of old books. At the moment I've picked up 'The Light of Other Days' by Arthur C Clarke and Stephen Baxter, after months of re-reading nowt but Banks.

What have you been reading? Any recommendations?

V 2012

While I acknowledge that this is of limited interest to gentlemen with our levels of parental responsibility, any thoughts on the V line up?  *stands back and awaits unbridled scorn*

Kick Ass - Warehouse

Had fairly low expectations for this film but it's actually very entertaining. This clip worth watching if only for the cracking tune (also heard in 28 Days Later)

Drive

Saw this last night. Much better than expected. Recommended. Jason Statham nowhere in sight. And it's got Malcolm in the Middle's dad...

Black Doe

In spite of the somewhat underwhelming monicker of "Mary Epworth", this is a cracker...

John Grant

Buy Queen of Denmark. Do it.

Crime

Finished my first book of the year. Revisits the progress of Ray "Cuntybaws" Lennox from Filth. This is much more serious than that, much more soul-searching, hardly any gags. Well worth a read though if you've liked his previous stuff.

The Maccabees - Pelican

quite like this. Something of the Fleet Foxes about it, though maybe a bit poppier.

Night Fever

There are some things that buying your music from iTunes just can't replace...

Jack White III

Madeon

Controversial this one. Not my usual cup of tea. But I defy you to listen to this and not think "choon". Apologies for Pete Tong shout-out in the middle. Couldn't find a version without that. Apparently 'Madeon' is 17 years old. Bah...

Pleasant image for a dreary January day

Originally posted thus:

@IAMKELLYBROOKkelly Brook

Breakfast time.... Grab the Coconuts!!

Looking For Sparks Seafruit

Sam/Steve, do you remember this track? If not, would be interested to get your thoughts on it...

The Mystery of Edwin Drood

Anyone watch this? Great teevee.

And #357 on the Watlingiser.

Sir David of Bowie

65 today. We will never see his like again...

Dry the River

Dry The River 'No Rest' from Academy Films on Vimeo.

I stumbled across this last year. It starts off a bit warbly, but ends up being rather good...

Sound of 2012

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/soundof/2012/

Some artists who'll be vaguely familiar to under 20s right now and one or two of them to us in 12 months' time.

To be fair they've got a decent record of spotting some up-and-comers though I'm not sure the criteria was as strict when they first started doing it.

Serpents...

Anyone heard this one? I like...

Actual 2012 stuff

Anyone see the new episode of Sherlock on New Year's Day? Out of the blocks like Usain Bolt for this year's teevee.

Rather taken with his love interest too....