Monday 15 December 2008

TV

Thanks to the BBC's iPlayer being available on my TV, I now live my life by watching nothing when it's on and then having to catch up on it all. And today I have caught up on...

Lead Balloon
3x05 Spikey

Outnumbered
2x05 Episode 5

Survivors [2008]
1x04 Episode 4

Wallander
1x02 Firewall

Articles

2009 TV Preview: Law & Order UK by Neil Wilkes
(from Digital Spy)
Or, as I believe it's actually called, Law & Order: London. Some interesting info for those interested in the production side of TV, as this is semi-adapted from old US L&O scripts.

Elton John hits out at X Factor by David Balls
(from Digital Spy)
Go go Elton!

Christmas singles

As well as the campaign to make Jeff Buckley Christmas number one, there are a variety of other Christmas singles out now. The chances of them beating The X Factor? Small. But you can do your bit to help by buying them, so here are some handy links...

Let's Not Fight This Christmas by Chris Difford & the Decorations
(aka The One Show Single)
iTunes | 7digital

Little Drummer Boy/ Peace on Earth by Bandaged
(aka Sir Terry Wogan & Aled Jones)
iTunes | 7digital

It's Christmas Time by Status Quo
iTunes | 7digital

Once Upon a Christmas Song by Peter Kay's Geraldine McQueen
iTunes | 7digital

And, of course...

Hallelujah by Jeff Buckley
iTunes | 7digital | tunetribe

The Killers & Elton John were supposed to have one out too, so I'd heard, but there's no sign of that.

Heck, if you really have to, I'd rather this was number one again still:

Run by Leona Lewis
iTunes | 7digital
It's a cover, you know. You probably do, but I feel I should point it out -- it's not original. Much like Amy Winehouse's over-praised rendition of Valerie.

buy Buckley!

Today's the day people -- it's time to stop The X Factor being Christmas number one! So buy Buckley -- or any of the other Christmas singles. I'm intending to post a list & links sometime soon, but for now here are places to buy Buckley that count toward the chart:

7digital - unencumbered high quality 320k mp3 89p...

tunetribe.com - cheaper but semi-crippled WMA (windows file) only 49p

iTunes - 79p but DRM AAC file from Apple

And I'll be posting a reminder every day, just so you don't forget.

Poem of the Day: The Trust Territory VI

VI. December
by Andy Brown

This week, Poem of the Day is continuing to present Andy Brown's 10-part poem, The Trust Territory. The first five parts were published daily last week. I think there's much to enjoy in each individual segment of this work, and even more so when all ten pieces are put together. Also, at least some parts of it are especially suited to this time of year.

Please see after today's piece for information on where to find the poem in print.

Convinced it is a good idea, we spend
the long, dark nights unloading ourselves.
We watch each other twist and bend.

Such a weight of 'this & that' my friend:
each night we pull confessions from the shelves
convinced it is a good idea and spend

the nights awake. Where will this honesty end?
Too late, the old advice not to dig and delve
too deep; we watch each other twist and bend.

Resigned to the damage we may never mend
we drive the clock past Ten. Eleven. Twelve,
convinced it is a good idea. We spend

hours addressing the nightmare of 'The End',
cling tight together, like digger's hand to helve
and watch each other twist and bend.

Once more we see there's nothing really to defend.
Perhaps the answer lies in making love?
Unconvinced it is a good idea, we spend
ourselves, watching each other twist and bend.

The Trust Territory was originally published as a poetry chapbook, now out of print. It's currently available in Fall of the Rebel Angels: Poems 1996-2006 (find the best prices online here). The versions posted here are taken from the latter. From the author's acknowledgements for that volume: "Many [poems in this collection] appear as they were first published in individual volumes, others have been edited over the years and it is these final versions I wish to preserve."

Andy Brown's latest book is Goose Music, co-authored with John Burnside.

Please see here for information on Poem of the Day and copyright.