Yearly Archives: 2012

A short walk along the old A1 at Neville’s Cross, Durham

30 Sunday Dec 2012

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A Sunday morning walk on the outskirts of Durham, from my parents’ house to visit the parents of one of my oldest friends.

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A wood has grown here in the last 10-15 years, planted by housing developers in what was a field for dairy cows, obscuring the view across the valley to the north west.

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Converging parallels: peering down to the East Coast Main Line as it approaches Durham station.

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This was once a half-decent pub; now it looks as though the owners have taken Phoenix Nights as an aspirational business model.

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Looking West towards Ushaw Moor and Langley Moor.

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It were all filling stations around here when I were a lad. Now housing developments, some completed, some on hold for the foreseeable.

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Scrubland on the outskirts of the city.

Royal Victoria Docks

22 Saturday Dec 2012

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Royal Victoria Docks, originally uploaded by neilclasper.

The Royal Victoria Docks side of the cable car is a strange place: windswept, with very few people to be seen; almost peaceful – the expanse of flat water is quite serene – but for the planes in and out of City Airport. Then you notice the so-bland-they’re-barely-there office blocks, and it starts to feel a little sinister. What are all these people doing, tucked here out of the way, in buildings with few clues as to their ownership? One thing I realise: it makes my workplace in Aldgate seem almost glamorous.

Wilton’s Music Hall

21 Friday Dec 2012

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Finally made it to Wilton’s Music Hall. Or to the bar at Wilton’s Music Hall, at least. Been meaning to visit for ages, but never quite made it. And it turns out, maybe inevitably, it’s nearer work than I thought, has really good drinks (Meantime London Lager, Adnams Old Ale, something by Truman, some kind of porter from a Scottish island, etc), and a great atmosphere. A long time since I’ve been to a pub where I’ve felt I’d quite like to move in.

The best 5 new things I heard this year

19 Wednesday Dec 2012

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Ty Segall – You’re the doctor (on Letterman)


Noisy and snotty and surprising and Fender Mustangs and a bloody great tune. “Don’t neglect your studies!”

Spiritualized – Hey Jane

Starts out like J Spaceman at his most pedestrian and ends with one of his finest choruses. Words and tune you think he must have borrowed or used before but can’t work out where.

Y Niwl – Undegpedwar

Offset guitar action. And because words are for idiots.

Lightships – Electric Cable

Woozy, warm, wistful, and uncool and gorgeous.

The Dubwood Allstars – Under Dub Wood

A brilliant idea that could have fallen apart under its own novelty but works unbelievably well. Listened to it over and over and over again.