Lopez Blogs

Schlager is a hobby, jazz is a passion. To combine these two, I suggest you to listen to Roger Cicero and his big band. Last Sunday they gave a concert in Kulturpalast in Dresden. Yes, I was there. It was a good reason to travel to a city I never visited before.

Schlager är en hobby, jazz en passion. Om man vill kombinera dessa två så rekommenderar jag Roger Cicero och hans storband. Förra söndagen gav de konsert i Dresden och jag var där! Förutom Roger så var det bra orsak att resa till en stad som jag aldrig besökt.



The Kulturpalast (spelling is correct!) is a typical building á la “architecture brutal” from the DDR period. This kind of houses, monumental buildings from the 1700th century, bombed houses newly restored and residential areas with patrician villas, gives the city an interesting atmosphere and appearance. The river Elbe divides the city, which has about 500 000 inhabitants. The location close to the Czech Republic and Poland gives me a déjà vu feeling of Warsaw, Prague and Budapest.
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Kulturpalast (jepp – stavningen är korrekt!) är en typisk byggnad á la “arkitektur brutal” från gamla DDR perioden. Denhär typen av byggnader, monumentala palatsliknanden kolosser från 1600-talet, bombade hus som nyligen restaurerats och områden med patricier villor ger en intressant atmosfär och känslaFloden Elbe delar staden, som idag har ca 500 000 invånare. Dresdens närhet till Tjeckien, och Polen ger mig en ”déjà vu” känsla av Warszawa, Prag och Budapest.

Back to the concert. I discovered what a great jazz singer Roger Cicero is, during the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki 2007. The Germany entry “Frauen Regier’n die Welt” became my favorite song that year. The playlist consisted of songs from his two latest albums: “Argerecht” and “Beziehungsweise”, but he also did his Eurovision entry. The big band consists of 13 professional musicians. No women! No good! I sure there must be a lot of female musicians in Germany. Unfortunately my trumpet playing is far too rusty nowadays - otherwise I would send him my CV.

Men tillbaka till konserten. Jag upptäckte att Roger Cicero var en fabulös jazzsångare i samband med Eurovision Song Contest i Helsingfors 2007. Han tävlade för Tyskland med låten “Frauen Regier’n die Welt”, som blev en av mina favoriter det året. Låtlistan under konserten var mestadels från de två senaste CD-skivorna, “Argerecht” och “Beziehungsweise”. Givetvis framfördes också Eurovision låten! Storbandet består av 13 professionella musiker. Tyvärr inga kvinnor! Man kan ju undra varför. Även i Tyskland måste det finnas massor med kvinnliga musiker. Dessvärre är mitt trumpetspelande alldeles för ringrostigt idag. Annars hade jag definitivt skickat in en ansökan!

I read in an article that the lyrics in Cicero’s songs are very macho but I have a feeling that there is a hidden meaning. Or maybe not? Maybe this is the reason for the lack of women in the band. Roger is extremely popular among the ladies. Among the audience I discovered some couples where the husbands pretended to be not too much entertained …. Or influenced by Rogers’s charm! Overall - I would say that Roger’s music attracts all ages and categories. My wish is to see Roger Cicero in our neighbourhoods. He and his band would be perfect for Stockholm Jazz Festival and Pori Jazz. Or Berns, Nalen, Fasching... From my side I do what I can to influence his management.

Jag läste i en artikel att Ciceros texter är väldigt macho! Kanske. Det skulle i så fall kunna förklara frånvaron av kvinnor i bandet. Nåja – jag tror faktiskt inte på den teorin. Det verkar finnas en undermening i texterna som t.o.m. jag kan förstå trots min bristfälliga gymnasietyska. Roger är hur som helst mycket populär bland kvinnorna, vilket gav en del intressanta iakttagelser bland publiken. T.ex. äkta par där mannen gjorde vad han kunde för att inte bli alltför påverkad av Roger charm!! Men generellt måste jag säga att publiken är bred, både vad det gäller ålder och målgrupp.
Nu hoppas jag på att vi inom snar framtid ska få se Roger Cicero i våra trakter. Han skulle absolut passa på Stockholm Jazz Festival eller Pori Jazz. Eller Berns, Nalen, Fasching…. Jag gör vad jag kan för att bearbeta hans ”management”!

Grüss Gott!

I've just finished watching this week's clips so here is my review.

Tove: Mack The Knife. Backed by dancers in white shirts and braces, and you know how much i love that look. She seems to be this year's Amanda Jenssen and I think it would be fair to say by now that she has it in the bag, as she definitely has the cheeky charm and charisma to win it. This week she did enough and did it well.

Calle: It's Not Unusual. Great fun to see the rock singer in a suit and bow tie. After his good performance last week he deserved to be here, however there was nothing special or spectacular about his version of the Tom Jones hit and I can't help but reiterate my view from a couple of weeks ago that his days are numbered and he will go in the next 2 weeks.

Reza: New York New York. She is really growing in confidence, talent and stature as this contest goes on and this week she embraced the challenge. Unfortunately the last note was a bit off, but she deserves to stay for another week.

Eddie: Can't Take My Eyes Off You. Looks-wise, Eddie is the kind of guy that I would probably create in a lab as a scientific experiment if I had to create a perfect-gorgeous-man-hybrid of reality-talent contestants, for example Mathieu Johann and Darius Danesh. But looks aren't everything and unfortunately, for me Eddie vocally took a step back this week and he seemed to get the lyrics wrong at various times. Not one of his best weeks, and probably best watched with the volume down.

Erika: Sway. There was nothing too wrong with this but she has no charisma and I think that's the main reason why she went. She will probably turn up in Melodifestivalen 2010 if the rumours are to be believed though, so Erika-fans may get their fix early in the new year.

Erik: You Don't Have To Say You Love Me. One of the most difficult songs that anyone could be given to sing, but he did it well, as he has done week after week. If this competition is based on vocal talent and consistent performances then he is way ahead of the pack and for that reason I hope he wins. However we know what these contests are like by now...

Mariette: You To Me Are Everything. The Real Thing's soul/disco classic. Like Calle, Mariette seemed to be in very unfamiliar territory this week. As ever, she was good but there is still something missing - I can't really warm to her, even though she is very talented, and I think that may be her downfall.

Rabih: That's Amore. Unintentionally hilarious and embarrassing. Imagine Michael Jackson singing Dean Martin and you get the idea. Is there some kind of "vote for the worst" thing going on here? This was rubbish. It's time he went.

Erika and Eddie in the bottom two: Erika leaves this week. I'm not too bothered that she's gone as I've never really warmed to her, but Rabih should really have gone this week.

It's all gone a bit topsy-turvy as I'm doing all my Friday night things on Saturday so all things being well I'll turn tonight into Saturday night instead - I'll do a couple of blog posts tonight including the final instalment of the Turkey Diaries. Retro Saturday is now fortnightly so it'll be back next weekend.

It'll be nice to get the Swedish Idol results live too! (Good luck Eddie!!!!)

Bad news for us Swedish music fans. The 2010 Swedish Grammy Awards, due to be held on 15th January 2010, will not be broadcast on Swedish TV. It will be the first time since 2003 that the annual music awards ceremony is not broadcast on television. TV4 has chosen to opt out for "practical and economic" reasons.

The annual music industry ceremony has not recently enjoyed high viewing figures, and the decision has also been made to move the Stockholm venue for the ceremony from the large Hovet arena to the much smaller Münchebryggeriet which holds only around 1000 people, therefore there will be no tickets made available to the public. Source: Musikindustrin

The last day at work is an odd beast isn't it? I mean, there really isn't much to do, yet you sort of have to show your face and get through the day by disturbing everyone else with "oh i'll miss you, let's be life long friend" chats and browsing google for whether Sophie B. Hawkins is ever going to release a new album. Then comes the inevitable sad bit where you leave and it's the people you'll miss rather than the place itself. Still it's off to pastures new and exciting land of opportunities on Monday so I guess I'll see what the next chapter of my life brings :) And while I'm waiting for that, here is the week that was!

TWEET THE WEEK:

• Just like the company I am off to work for on Monday, Erasure 'The Innocents' is a whopping 21 this week and I am already treasuring my remastered cd copy (plus mp3s of the Birmingham concert tour of 1988 which I was actually at. I'm pretty sure you can hear me screaming :P). It's all sorts of marvelous and you can download a guilt-free remix of the epic A Little Respect by clicking on this title :) (It is a dub so don't get too excited!)
• Other magnificent albums from the 14/15th year of my life that are obviously 21 this year also include: Kylie Minogue - Kylie; Debbie Gibson - Out Of The Blue; Paula Abdul - Forever Your Girl; Bobby Brown - Don't Be Cruel; Roxette - Look Sharp; Belinda Carlisle - Heaven On Earth; Gloria Estefan - Anything For You...
• Talking of albums, I'm really behind with my reviews but luckily lots of other people have done decent write ups that mirror my own opinions to one degree or another. Best write up (and most accurately reflecting my own feelings towards the tremendous pop album) is Nick's Alphabeat write up. The album is one of THE pop delight's of the autumn, and Nick's writing is always passionate and a joy to read. DJ absolutely has to be the second single, followed by Heat Wave please. Thank you
• I have a problem with The Saturdays. I really want to like them. I really do like some of their singles. I just don't find them cohesive as a group in the way that other girl groups are. Anyway their latest album Wordshaker is a mixed bag, but does have four very good tracks on that should all be singles. Ignore Forever Is Over because the wonderful Ego should have been first, followed by the made for dry ice and wind machines Here Standing around Christmas, then the poptastic One Shot and Wordshaker would round out the campaign. Everything else you can skip :P For alternate views see Nikki, Poppostergirl, Mel, Adem and J...
• Finally (album wise), I've been pleasantly surprised by how much I'm enjoying the Alexandra album, Overcome. 75% of it is quite good indeed and there is some nice diversity ranging from some doo-wop 60s girl band influence (Bury Me; You Broke My Heart), some cracking dance pop (Bad Boys despite flo-rida; Broken Heels) and the requisite ballad, wrought with emotion (though surprisingly it's The Silence that is much better than the title track. All of these songs deserve to be singles (bypass the Ne-Yo collab. Too desperate.) For more see (deep breath) Ken, Jessica, J and ADH...

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

Congrats on Simon getting to 6000 followers on twitter! You can now download the full remastered version of Delusional here guilt free for free. How generous. Simon has had his first (I think) US airplay this week courtesy of my twitter buddy Larry Flick, so as always I am convinced that great things are starting to happen for Simon :) Larry will be 'spinning' Delusional on his Sunday show this week and you can read my review of the song here :)

21 ~ Marina & The Diamonds, Mowgli's Road (NE)
20 ~ Mini Viva, I Wish (NE)
19 ~ The Dolly Rockers, Boys Will Be Boys
18 ~ Mariah Carey, I Want To Know What Love Is
17 ~ Whitney Houston, Million Dollar Bill
16 ~ Robbie Williams, Bodies
15 ~ Sugababes 3.0, About A Girl
14 ~ Alexandra Burke, Bad Boys
13 ~ Alphabeat, The Spell
12 ~ Westlife, What About Now (NE)
11 ~ Leona Lewis, Happy
10 ~ Nerina Pallot, Real Late Starter
09 ~ Simon Curtis, Delusional (NE)
08 ~ Madonna, Revolver
07 ~ Mika, Blame It On The Girls
06 ~ Blake Lewis, Heartbreak On Vinyl
05 ~ Little Boots, Earthquake
04 ~ JLS, Everybody In Love
03 ~ The Killers, A White Demon Love Song
02 ~ William Young, Hopes & Fears
01 ~ Darin, Viva La Vida (3 Weeks)

The glitter, the glamour, the cheese....it should be great fun on Idol this week.

I always look forward to reading Martin Söderström's excellent weekly analysis of the song choices - this week's article is at http://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/tv/idol2009/article6031271.ab

I have to agree with practically all of what he says. Erik's 'gimmick' has been to turn every song he sings into a vibrant rock song. For me, he has been faultless week after week but could this week be his undoing? And I agree that Rabih could be on shaky ground. Eddie (cue swooning outbreak at EuropeCrazy HQ) has a very appropriate song title as we can't take our eyes off him (groan)

Tove Östman Styrke – ”Mack the knife”.
Calle Kristiansson – ”It's not unusual”.
Reza Ningtyas Lindh – ”New York, New York”.
Eddie Razaz – ”Can't take my eyes off you”.
Erika Selin – ”Sway”.
Erik Grönwall – ”You don't have to say you love me”.
Mariette Hansson – ”You to me are everything”.
Rabih Jaber – ”That's amore”.

All will be revealed on Friday night!

It's a bit cloudier to start with today, but don't be fooled - the weather is as hot as ever. I wouldn't exactly say that we're acclimatised by now, but we have coped remarkably well in this heat, and the hotel air-conditioning has literally been a life-saver.

I wanted to mention one particular thing about Icmeler - everywhere is so clean and there is no rubbish lying around the street yet you very rarely see public litter bins!

Today it was time to get out and about again, but in another direction. Whilst Marmaris lies to the left of Icmeler, there is a smaller, prettier resort to the right hand side, it's called Turunc, and that was where we were heading today. The best way to get to Turunc is by taxi boat rather than taking a hair-raising journey by road. It’s probably the most hilarious boat trip we’ve ever been on (I won't go into detail, but it was great fun!) and we arrive in Turunc 25 minutes after leaving Icmeler. It’s also a very scenic trip past all the stunning rocks and mountains, and the sea is beautiful.



Turunc is lovely and small and is a bit like Icmeler-in-miniature, it even has its own little canal - just like Icmeler!

Turunc is more laid-back and there is less of the hard sell going on. We actually passed a couple of shops and didn’t get dragged in to buy something. Needless to say there was a morning tea stop and a fascinating chat with a very articulate and intelligent young waiter.

Afterwards, well what else but a bit of shopping! In one shop we receive the usual polite service and the owner tells us that today is the end of Ramadan which means that there are lots of treats and goodies around so he offers us some sweets too.

Lunch at the Sahin Restaurant, which is a real Turkish place so let's have something distinctly Turkish - pide, which is the Turkish version of pizza.


After lunch we go for a walk up the street and then down to the seafront where there is a nice little walkway, smaller but similar to the one in Icmeler. There are more Turkish holidaymakers here than in Icmeler.

Faithful travelling companion finally gets his elusive Galatasaray home top at a "good price". The seafront here is very nice and has a few bars and restaurants - very handy for another stop off in the afternoon for the usual apple tea (can you guess that I'm addicted to it by now?) By this time the weather is now very very very hot.

Later in the afternoon we take the taxi boat back to Icmeler and we take in more of the stunning scenery on the way.

We grab some more purchases including an expertly-haggled deal on boxes of Turkish Delight (I don't like the stuff myself but I know a lot of people who do!!) I have my own little haggling triumph as I buy a T-shirt with the Turkish flag on it and get a very good deal.

Unfortunately the gloom is starting to gather with the realisation that we're approaching the end of our holiday. Back to the hotel to start packing and get ready for our last night out. Tonight I want to go to Dream Boys again for one last time to see the gang (specially the legendary Yahya and his balancing fish bowl cocktails) for one last time. Get the hankies out - it's going to get emotional....

But before that it's time for dinner, which is usually determined by a meet-and-greet waiter catching your eye and by that time there is no escape! Tonight it was another set-menu deal with mezes, nan bread, chicken, chips and veg. Dinner is accompanied as ever by a very nice Turkish wine (served as ever by a very nice Turkish waiter!) Needless to say we also have the legendary Turkish coffee to finish. I liked that big nan bread....


It’s "Kalinka" time in some of the bars on the main street. We pass one bar and one guy asks us "You like that music? Are you Russian?"

So for the final time we head to Dream Boys which is very very busy tonight. Anyone for Turkish folk dance/Grease/Dirty Dancing/Michael Jackson/Stavros Flatley? Yes it is groundhog day once again, but when it's this much fun then we don't care. For our last night in Turkey we tried a Turkish spirit called Raki, which tasted of aniseed and was ok.

As usual the party ends at midnight and we finally leave at 12.15. Hugs, kisses, tearful farewells.... In the immortal words of the MC, "Dream Boys we love yoooooooooooo!!" We don’t go anywhere else but go straight back to our hotel. On the way I breathe in that last late-night Turkish air, as this time tomorrow we will be in the airport for our night flight home. Maybe feeling a little sad tonight at leaving Icmeler behind, but I just want to say that this holiday has been great fun, full of new experiences and different situations. The smiles never left our faces tonight, nor for that matter on this holiday.

Only one more day to go: I'll put the final part of the Turkey Diaries on the blog before the end of the week.

There was a time when Robbie Williams could do no wrong. I lapped up every single release and raved about them to anyone who would listen. Then just as I started my blog back in 2006, Robbie released Rudebox and my initial knee jerk reaction didn't fairly represent how devoted I was to his music. Rudebox was an experimental album and took me a while to appreciate it fully. Then of course Robbie took a break, Take That came back and the way music was marketed completely changed. So how does Robbie fair on his first album in 3 years? Pretty darn well...

What 'Reality' does incredibly well is manage to blend the sound of Robbie the Multi Million Album Seller almost seamlessly with Robbie The Experimental Music Man. It's commercial but not at the expense of innovation, wit and charm baked directly into each song. There's a consistency throughout the collection of songs that must partially be credited to Trevor Horn as producer. Strings are omnipresent throughout and there's enough diversity to stop it being repetitive or dull. Opening (and closing) track Morning Sun cleverly begins with just a piano to showcase Robbie's distinctive vocal before building up to a huge mid-tempo ballad that sounds ever so filmatic in it's production - like it could almost soundtrack the opening moments to some lush opulent heartbreaking movie. This leads instantly into the first two singles from the album - Bodies is well known by now. It's been pointed out that this song is every Robbie single to date packed into four minutes of music. This isn't an unfair argument, but it doesn't detract from my love of this song. It's more of an attention grabber than a brilliant first single and in that respect it certainly did it's job. You Know Me is pegged as Robbie's bash for the Christmas Number One slot. It's a doo-wop 60s influenced ballad and is quite lovely (at the BBC Electric Proms he merged the song with Unchained Melody quite wonderfully) and is a big important romantic ballad along the lines of Misunderstood and Advertising Space. Much like those two songs, I suspect that it will unfairly peak at number eight. Lovely piano twiddling at the end and a swoony outro make this a big winner with me...

Blasphemy is a gentle little ballad that initially reminds me of She's The One. I'm loving the placing of Robbie next to the piano at strategic points throughout the album - it lends an air of intimacy to balance out the big orchestral moments. Some clever lyrics ("No singles, just fillers") help Robbie lay himself raw for the listener and it's quite a nice experience. Was it a blast for you, because it's blasphemy, he sings about the ruined relationship. Exquisite. And then, blimey it's all change for Do You Mind - a song that is both frisky and flirty, while channelling influences of Marc Bolan and T-Rex. It's his brashest rockiest song since Old Before I Die and demands to be sung loudly (and inebriated) while stumbling out of pubs during this upcoming holiday season. It's a song to strut to and exudes cockiness and confidence - two things Robbie has always managed to pull off without alienating the general public (see Danyl Johnson). Experimental/Rudebox Robbie returns for the sheer amazingosity of Last Days Of Disco. Not only is it a sleek and loving tribute to the synth sounds of the 80s (done in a way that La Roux has never managed to pull off with such effortless ease), but Robbie's seductive vocal matches the muted beats perfectly. Don't call it a comeback, he purrs amidst a swirling orgasm of strings and it's hard not to fall in love with him all over again. And of course this being Trevor Horn, the middle 8 is vaguely reminiscent of Frankie Goes To Hollywood and conveys a slightly menacing air. Another genius moment.

Somewhere is a mini-track that bridges the first half of the album with the second. It's harsh strings and manages to pack more into 1 minute and 2 seconds than most pop stars cram into an entire album. It's almost theatrical - like a brief interlude by a narrator in a musical. "Someone, somewhere is loving you" he insists before the exiting stage left... Deceptacon (not the Le Tigre song) is vaguely pyschedelic in it's delivery and one can only imagine what it would look like if delivered through that girl who sees music in Heroes! It's entirely pleasant but not an instant favourite of mine - though I suspect that the more I hear it the more I will like it. Starstruck, however, is a different kettle of fish (whatever that means). It's his big George Michael tribute moment - like the dirty love child of Amazing and Fast Love. It's an elegantly produced uptempo moment, with just enough hint of weird production values to keep it exciting. I'm not sure what the British public would make of this if it were released as a single, but I can't help but hope it is - imagine the remixes and who wouldn't love to see Mr W do a proper dance routine to match the music? This song has such potential to be massive. Love love love.

Difficult For Weirdos is another stand out moment on the album - both complex and accessible, it's a massive 80s tribute that sounds not only like it could be a Robbie Williams single but equally at home coming out of the mouths of the Pet Shop Boys. It's a massive tune and benefits from a sophisticated arrangement. Superblind finds Robbie back doing what he does best - stunning heartfelt ballads where the music soars with his voice rather than overpowering him (as it would with a lesser performer). Perhaps the song that would most suit William Young on the entire album. And then it is sadly all over as Won't Do That closes out the album in a rowdy singalong moment that frankly leaves you begging for more. Perhaps the inclusion of Morning Sun (reprise) at the very end is designed to bring your experience full circle and send you back to the beginning to listen again. It works - I've been obsessed with the album for 24 hours and can't help but feel I'll be obsessed for a long time yet. If this is a comeback, it's certainly a triumphant one...

Potential singles: Bodies; You Know Me; Last Days of Disco; Starstruck; Blasphemy

Mini album reviews of Alexandra, Alphabeat and The Saturdays coming either later today or tomorrow!

US network television has always baffled me to a certain extent - by and large their programming runs from September to May and they only show 22 weeks worth of shows during this time (often leaving long gaps between new episodes). If shows aren't performing well, they are unceremoniously yanked, leaving fans wondering if they will ever return (9 times out of 10 they won't). This means that many shows over the years have been left with unresolved storylines - where did that baby come from on Lois and Clark? Did Brooke survive getting mowed down by Nicole on the wonderful Popular? Did the malevolent Bob go wild once he possessed Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks?!

All of this means I'm always a bit wary of watching new tv shows until they are at least picked up for a season, but each year I'm drawn into a few shows just to see what they are like. I've become quite enamoured with 5 new shows this year so here they are and why they are wonderful :)

5 ~ Community (NBC): I had no interest in this Joel McHale fronted show (his Talk Soup show irritates me no end) until I watched the laugh out loud pilot episode. It manages to mix together snarky humour with a quite charming view of friendship as the cliched bunch of misfits manages to be both amusing and endearing. Key dialogue: “Oh, sorry, I was raised on TV, and I was conditioned to believe that every black woman over 50 is a cosmic mentor.”

4 ~ Eastwick (ABC): Despite the fact that it's Charmed for a major network, this adaptation of The Witches of Eastwick won me over for a couple of reasons. Firstly, it's setting - often a quirky village can make a show - look at the insular townfolk of Everwood or the mysterious trappings of Twin Peaks. Eastwick is a slightly less whimsical version of the always marvelous Stars Hollow (Gilmore Girls) with a supernatural twist. Secondly, the characters of Joanna (one of the non-titular witches) and her pal Penny are ace - full of pithy pop culture references ranging from Like A Virgin to Nancy Drew. Plus who wouldn't have a crush on Will the photographer?! Key dialogue: "Oh, and by the way, you also have terrible bacne, a mild case of halitosis, and miniscule man-berries."

3 ~ Modern Family (ABC): I'm often incredibly wary of the "family sitcom". On the one hand it could really be as amazing as Blossom. On the other you may end up with a festering turd on a scale of Two and a Half Men. It's a bit hit and miss isn't it? Modern Family however has totally managed to make the family sitcom entertaining and funny again. Whether it be the cool "lets be buds" dad figure, the grandad with his new younger bride (and her hilarious son) or the jewel in the show Mitchell and his partner Cameron, there is something everyone can relate to here - all done in a complex, intruiging, smart yet ultimately heartwarming way. As Nick Alien Hits pointed out, it can turn from sweet to cringing in mere seconds and still be everso engaging. Long may they reign. Key dialogue: "There's a fish in nature that swims around with its babies in its mouth. That fish would look at Mitchell's relationship with his mother and say, 'That's messed up.'"

2~ Flash Forward (ABC): You know, I wasn't really looking for another sprawling arc-ridden sci-fi esque drama in my life (I'm still committed to Heroes, Supernatural and Lost) but the rather good "What Did You See?" campaign drew me in and the rather yum Joseph Fiennes convinced me to stay. Of course it is all utter bonkersosity at the moment and nothing will make sense for a while but it's all quite compelling and seems to have been well thought out. Love that the FBI thought a website would be a good way of compiling all the flashforwards - can you imagine the meltdown twitter and blogosphere would have gone into if this had actually happened? Key dialogue: "Six months from now I see myself and I'm like this invincible, fearless black guy... like Shaft or Bryant Gumbel."

1 ~ Glee (Fox): What is there to say about Glee that hasn't already been said (the EW cover above sums it up perfectly)? Remember how obsessed I was with Pushing Daisies? Since that died (I'm still mourning, let's no dwell, the pain is still raw) the hole in my heart has mercifully been filled by this show which has become a pop culture phenomenon - almost the (choke) Lady Gaga of tv. It's everywhere - 2 soundtracks before Christmas, a Wicked themed episode next week (hurrah! My fave musical meets my new fave show), a Christmas single (a cover of Last Christmas by Wham!!) and the dvd box set of the first 13 episodes just in time for my trip to Las Vegas. None of which tells you how amazing the show is - but you are either already in love with it or need to try it shortly (get back to me when you do). Key dialogue:

• "I, for one, think intimacy has no place in a marriage. Walked in on my parents once and it was like seeing two walruses wrestling." (Sue)
• "It was a message from God: Rachel was a hot Jew and the good lord wanted me to get into her pants." (the delicious Puck)
• "Every time I try to destroy that club, it comes back strong than some sexually ambiguous horror movie villain" (Sue)
• "Being a boy band did wonders for my love life... we started doing it once a week." (Will)
• "Oh, HELL to the no! Look, I'm not down with this background singin' nonsense. I'm Beyoncé, I ain't no Kelly Rowland." (Mercedes)

Best of the rest:

• Honourable mention: Cougar Town, Cleveland Show
• Looking forward to: V
• Returning champions: Greek, Gossip Girl, Brothers and Sisters, Dollhouse
• Much improved: Heroes, Grey's Anatomy
• Not as good as last year: Desperate Housewives, Family Guy
• Tried and trusted stalwarts: Supernatural, Smallville, Nip Tuck, Dexter, The Simpsons
• Stockpiling for a rainy day: Private Practice, Ugly Betty, Vampire Diaries
• Wished I watched but never did: Fringe, How I Met Your Mother, 30 Rock
• Need new seasons now!: Lost, True Blood, Big Love, The Tudors

And ace UK TV returning soon! Oh! What's occuring? Gavin & Stacey is back this Sunday! The wonderful Beautiful People is back (with an ace new soundtrack no doubt) on Nov 13th and Dr Who will return shortly and most definitely on Christmas Day.

What are you watching??

Expressen reports today http://www.expressen.se/noje/1.1756730/expressen-avslojar-lena-ph-pa-vag-in-som-schlagerjoker that all four of the singers of the 'joker' songs in next year's MF will be female....and they named two of them, one being Sofia Jannok who is a relative newcomer, and the other one is none other than the legendary Lena Philipsson. Is it a rumour, is it true, or is it just wishful thinking?

Oct 21st 2009: Simon Curtis is coming. It´s been far too long coming but the time is nearly upon us. Full details soon...

Oct 26th 2009: Simon Curtis gets Delusional...

There are 3 things in life that I am sure of as I write this:

1. Despite Hugh Jackman being all sexy in Australia, Moulin Rouge remains the greatest Baz Luhrman film of all time
2. This is the best Muppets show clip ever produced
3. Since June 2006, I have been utterly convinced that Simon Curtis is going to be a massive star.

I remain resolute in my convictions on all 3 of these, but today - as I so often have done in the past on this blog - I want to talk about Mr Curtis. I have a feeling that all his on the job training (as it were), all the ups and downs that come part and parcel with breaking into the music industry and everything learned while doing Spectacular has led Simon to this point. Stars who are in control of their music very rarely happen overnight - it takes talent, luck, timing and that je ne sais quoi to capture lightning in a bottle. Well pass him a big metallic conductor and a glass cylindrical object because Simon is taking charge (yes, Ms Jackson, he wants to be the one in Control) and it's all about to get VERY interesting...

The album Alter Boy has been on my playlist for a very long time now and anyone who has heard the tracks that have dotted Simon's myspace over the years will know that it is full of thought provoking, danceable and addictive pop tunes that make you sit up and take notice. It's time to put that on hold (for now) as Simon embraces a new single (from a brand new album) that will be free to fans of his music. The free track - called Delusional - will be availabe when his twitter page reaches 6000 followers - a clip has been on his myspace for a while and I wrote this about it back in 2008...

'Another mega effort from Simon and his producer Jadion - this gives people a peek into the hit laden Alter Boy, and reveals a sound that progresses naturally from his previous work and moves him firmly into club-pop territory. Heavy beats, take-no-shit lyrics and a fuzzy synth ridden chorus all combined with an impassioned vocal from Simon means this ticks all my boxes. The pop messiah is coming.'

Just to add to that - the middle 8 beat breakdown is one of the best pop-dance instrumentals in a while and vaguely reminiscent of something Janet Jackson would have done for RN1814. Potentially it could have an amazing dance routine to accompany it - fingers crossed! Once this single has been saturated into public consciousness, this will lead to a brand new album - something designed to introduce Simon to a much wider audience and will be supported by online videos, a new website and plenty of twitters from the man himself.

Above is a video announcement from Simon himself (loving the Ghostbusters top!) regarding the new album and just as exciting is a snippet of a brand new song in the video below which has the potential to be the best Simon song yet! Opera! Addictive beats! I need more :) Loving the salute signoff by the way...

So make sure you follow Simon on twitter. Join his youtube site. Tell your friends. And blog about it til your heart's content. I've already convinced ace US radio DJ Larry Flick to play some Simon on his morning show "The Jolt" this week (EDIT - 11.37AM GMT - check comments for the twitterfest that occurred when Larry played Simon!!) I've been saying it for nearly 4 years now and I've never been more positive that it's about to happen - Simon Curtis is coming. You better be ready.


5 Essential Simon Snippets...

1. He thinks Paranormal Activity may terrify you this Halloween...
2. He needs to watch Hocus Pocus at least 5 times before 31st October every year...
3. He wishes the X Factor would air live in the USA so he could understand what Popjustice are live-tweeting about...
4. He's addicted to Palm Pre...
5. He's recently been to Uganda for the amazing Friend A Gorilla campaign. Hopefully more on that very soon :)

As I was on holiday last week, there was obviously no X Factor write up (though you can see some delightful holiday pics on my twitter!) although I did get to see the results show while having dinner in a restaurant, so I scribbled all my thoughts down on a napkin much to Darren's chagrin :P Here is what happened...

PREVIOUSLY ON THE X FACTOR RESULTS SHOW (18.10.2009):

• Clearly this week two judges have been absent. One has quite rightly taken some sentimental leave while the other has been busy making the show all about her performance rather than her acts. Thus poor Lloyd has evidently butchered Bleeding Love, is called on it by Simon causing Cheryl to pout and cry and be comforted by a 16 year old boy whose career she holds in her hands. Yes, the Cheryl Factor is back...
• Because Whitney "Euston" (oh Dermot) is on the acts continue their American Idol-esque group numbers by singing Queen Of The Night. I mean, really? Out of all the Whitney canon this is what they choose?! It's not good and sadly the boys aren't allowed to sing the title line. Dannii wisely chooses not to comment on this, but Cheryl must be fuming - I mean boys singing a girls song? It's ridiculous!!
• Cheryl sings Fight For This Love and Girls Aloud & the cheater are in the audience. Still don't like the song and for some reason Cheryl is dressed as Elvira wearing one of Chris Martin's jackets. Still, all credit due it was quite a good performance. See, and she's all smiles now things are going her way!
• Whitney, whitney, whitney! The performance was not bad though clearly her is dress is a bit too long and the straps fly open. Mercifully, the nation is spared a Janet Jackson nipple moment. The real highlight is the painfully laborious conversation with Dermot...
• "Hello" he says. Good start Dermy. She 'hello's back and looks him up and down as if he is poo on her shoe. He tells her she was very good and she says thank you in a way that indicates she knows it was very good and doesn't need some 2-bit nobody from a tv (ew!) show giving her affirmations...
• It gets worse. Dermot asks when the album is out and she either is furious that he doesn't know or more likely doesn't have a clue (She's Whitney Houston. She has minions for this!) even though it's what she is there to promote. Clive Davies beams proudly from the audience, clearly as dotty as Whitney! Then when asked what advice she would give the contestants, she stares at the floor for A VERY LONG TIME (is she praying? seen a penny? Do something love! Flash a nipple!!) and mumbles something about them being young (what? even the over 25s?!) and they need to practice practice practice. What a wonderfully roundabout way of saying they are not very good.
• It's poor Rachel and not so poor Rikki in the bottom two and Rikki goes. Cheryl is no longer smiling and says she can't believe he is gone over John and Edward who have no mentor to defend them. Classy!

AND NOW ON THE X FACTOR!

It's big band night! Dermot flirts with the orchestra! It's the X Factor weekend that starts here (clearly Dermot has been reading the blog!) so the normal weekend can resume starting when it's meant to start. Father Time will be pleased. And hurrah! L'il Louis is back!!

OLLIE:
Michael Buble thinks Ollie is a good looking kid. I'm sure in some circles he is but standing next to Michael he is just a pile of puke (aren't we all?!) Ollie says if he doesn't get it right he will be going home. Honestly, I don't know where the contestants get these profound insights from. He sings Bewitched or something in ajacketless tux that he manages to make look like it's something you would wear out on a saturday, which I quite like. He looks terrified - a cross between a deer caught in the headlights and a deer caught doing something else (I don't know what!) I thought it was ok but the judges love him and practically spaff on his bowtie. Simon praises the two witchy dancers and says he knows what it is like working with 2 witches. How rude of him to talk about Cheryl and her ego like that!
LLOYD:
Simon hopes Lloyd doesn't do something obvious like Fly Me To The Moon. Is anything in big band week not obvious really though? Lloyd sings Fly Me To The Moon. He's a charming lad but not really a contender and then bizarrely does a backflip. Really? I'm agog, I'm aghast at this cheap trick. It's not really big bandy is it?! Perhaps he is trying to make it "real"? He failed. Louis says that he should be in a boyband and you know what? He's right! Dannii in a very very nice way says most of it is crap. Love her. Dermot molly coddles Lloyd until Simon tells him to stop being patronising. Hurrah.
MISS FRANK:
I just don't get or like Miss Frank. Especially that Graziella. They are doing a song that 'made us fall in love with them' (apparently) which in reality means they are whipping out some old number they have done before. I'm irrationally annoyed by this. It's That's Life. It's not bad. It doesn't sizzle though and the middle 8 and rap is just horrible. The most entertaining moment comes when Louis is trying to hip hop nod his head to the rap but looks a) bamboozled and b) like he has early on-set dementia. After the slagging off the back flip (rightly) got, the rap of course passes by without a single comment. The double standards on this show are utterly ridick.
RACHEL:
I feel so sorry for Rachel. Bottom two every week. It will break my heart if she is there again. I'm very excited though that she is singing Proud Mary. Bon courage mon petit! Best song choice of the current series so far. Oh - she looks lovely with her hair down. Gorgeous. Nails the slow part and the rough part is spot on. Ace dance routine, though predictably the cameramen cut to the orchestra during this. How Britain's Got Talent of them. Still, great great performance. Love love love. There is clearly something very wrong with Britain if she doesn't sail through (although there is clearly something wrong anyway as they have helped Cheryl achieve what Victoria Beckham never could - put a ropey old urban 1990s sounding b-side on top of the charts with record sales. Bravo britain. Slow clap, etc). She does go a bit Stacey during the Dermotview which is a bit irritating and I want to shoot her with a tranquilizer dart, but she's still wonderful.

JAMIE:
Jamie (I keep wanting to Summer Heights High his name and call him Ja'mie) and Simon have apparently had a tiff this week over the song choice leading Simon to change it at the very last minute. Oh dear etc. It's that time for that plot twist is it in the script?! Actually if I was in the orchestra I'd be well annoyed by this, but I'm not and I'm sure they are all professionals. He sings U2's Angel of Harlem, which is hardly very big band but then we've had raps and flips so what can one expect anymore? Louis says the song choice isn't big band (I just said that Louis, keep up) and that it's cheating. Ooo. Louis is on bitchy fire this week.
STACEY:
Everything that comes out of Stacey's mouth is pure gold - whether spoken or sung. Get her a reality show charting her journey to fame when this is finished please. Her brother in the VT is quite good looking. Stunning dress and hair this week. She sings a very elegant version of When You Wish Upon A Star and I very briefly wish I was doing Christmas and NY at Disney rather than Las Vegas. It leads up to a big crescendo and a key change. Quite lovely indeed. Simon and Cheryl think she looked better than she sounded. This might possibly be true but who cares. She whitters to Dermot that "oh ma gawd, i cannot breeve or mooove in this dress". Spectacular.
DANYL:
His VT is really boring and I know he'll just come out with the undone bow tie look. Oh he does. His vocal is really good and his stange presence is a little bit menacing, just the right side of cocky and quite engaging. He practically makes sweet sweet love to the dry ice surrounding his crotch. The "own the stage" comment comes from somewhere (Louis I think, I was getting a juice box) but is actually quite deserved for a change. Dannii says he was very good and the way she says it is just dripping with sex. The naughty minx. Quite a compelling performance overall.

JOE:
My god his teeth are giant. Apparently Joe says when you think of big band you think of Michael Buble - this is very convenient seeing as he is the mentor of the show this week. Good choice Joe. Brian says the dancing is very sexy and he's right - except the sexiness comes from the backing dancers rather than Joe who has a look of being caught looking at internet porn about him. It's oddly disconcerting. I'm honestly unsure what to make of it all, because it's good - the voice is there, but the whole thing was a bit... off. Simon says he is a cutesy performer, which might actually be true.
LUCIE:
I like that in a photo of Lucie on her holidays she is wearing a Madonna t-shirt. I don't know why this is important but it is. She sings My Funny Valentine and while it may not be the best song choice for her, she absolutely draws you into her performance and makes the massive X Factor stage seem small and intimate. Not an easy task. The big notes near the finish are lovely. Simon weirdly says it is sung like she is an actress. I'm not sure what she means and clearly neither is he. Bravo then Simes...
J&E:
The twins talk about how they want their performances to be memorable - and love them or hate them they certainly are that. This week it's She Bangs (what was Louis saying about chosing non-big band songs being cheating?!) and once again it's grotesque and yet mesmerising all at the same time (and is that Sammy Taylor in the dance ensemble?!) Ah just imagine what good singers could do with this type of stage show performance?! Louis says they are better than Zig and Zag. High praise indeed.

And that's it! Tonight is Westlife and I assume, the lovely Boob. Updates will be in the comments box. Westlife will be singing their new single from their album with no cover versions on. It's a cover of the Daughtry track. Now, my theory on this is that when Simon hears a song that has been a hit in one part of the world, he takes that track and gives it to another artist in a different part of the world to create a hit with it there! In his mind, he's just sharing good songs among friends! But a cover is a cover is a cover. Let's hope Nicky looks fine enough to cancel out that mess...

Thursday. Groundhog day. Sunny again, hot again, so on with the hat and the sunblock :)


We're staying in Icmeler again today, chilling out (if that's an appropriate phrase to use in this excessive heat) anyway the good thing about this holiday is that the pace has been slowed right down. Which is something we're not used to, as we don't really do relaxation on holiday - trying to fit everything in. So this is good, and we've established this little tradition of a Turkish apple tea stop at 11.30 am. This is a picture of Turkish apple tea, which is a very wonderful thing indeed.


Icmeler has a rather lovely promenade which we have become familiar with. Along the way there are a number of wooden signs and here is one of them.



One of the really nice things about Icmeler is the canal. There is a number of shops/stalls/bars/restaurants alongside. I took this picture of where the canal meets the Mediterranean Sea.


After this we do the Turkish shopping experience once again. Faithful travelling companion, being a Galatasaray football fan, haggles his way to the purchase of an away strip - which I like, because it is purple (my favourite colour) although he really wants a home strip. Meanwhile I buy lots of bracelets in different colours with the 'evil eye' which is a particularly Turkish speciality. Everywhere you go you are met with what I call the "Turkish Inquisition" - a regulation set of questions: what's your name, where are you from, what hotel are you staying in, when did you arrive, are you married, do you have children etc etc. Initially I thought I'd have found this intrusive but when you are in Turkey it seems to be the most natural thing and is a nice, friendly gesture. The shopkeepers/waiters seem to be taking a genuine interest and the amazing thing is that they always remember your name, or where you come from!


More shopping. I buy a box of apple tea: I really love this drink and was very happy to see that Whittards sell it at home so when my Turkish box is finished I'll be investing in some more.


We spend the day exploring, lunching, exploring some more, having a mid-afternoon coffee and cake stop at a cafe where I spot the most gorgeous guy I've probably seen all year (!) and then we make our way back to the hotel to get ready for our trip this evening to the Kervansaray Turkish Night in Marmaris.


If you go to Turkey on holiday you have to go to 'Turkish Night' which is basically an evening's entertainment of music, folk dancing, belly dancing and some audience participation (a belly dancing contest followed by some Eurovision-style nationalistic voting). There is some food and wine too! Here is the Shakira-lookalike belly dancer who was rather fabulous, like all the other acts in the show. I want to learn how to belly dance now!!



At midnight it was time to head back to Icmeler after yet another very enjoyable day and night.

And now for something completely different. "Dat" by Pluto (Shervington) was a 1976 hit about the very unlikely subject matter of a Rastafarian trying to buy pork, something strictly against his faith. As a child growing up in the 1970s I didn't really understand what it was about then, but I thought it was very catchy anyway.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqRYVp3hpKw

Surprised I haven't featured them before now. A brief explanation is required as to how I got here. Last Monday on the always excellent "Sounds of Europe" (www.gu2.co.uk) Rachel and Keira played Sergey Lazarev's cover version of "Shattered Dreams". Of course, being of a certain age where I remember the mid-to-late 80s original by Johnny Hates Jazz, I thought this would be a good one to feature tonight.

JHJ were a pop band and "Shattered Dreams" was their debut hit in the UK: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX-8MHKuQ5I

I liked that, and I liked "I Don't Want To Be A Hero" even more. For a pop song of its time, the anti-war sentiment is as relevant today as it's ever been: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKSgxQSk2UM&feature=related

"Don't have to ask you to get up - you do it on your own!"

Anyone for a bit of musical nonsense from 1986? I haven't heard this song for many, many years but as usual, most of my Retro Saturday picks end up on here as a result of totally random musical flashbacks which pop into my mind in the strangest of places. I was walking to work yesterday and this, inexplicably, popped into my mind on the way.

I remember my local radio station playing this a lot, in a time when local commercial radio stations weren't strangled by rigid playlists, the way they are today. It's silly, it's fun, it'll bring a smile to your face.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFoaKeETWsI

(photo courtesy of www.tv4.se)

An annual tradition in Swedish Idol, 'Rock Week' can sometimes be good, sometimes be bad and occasionally even ugly.

My verdict this year: good. Mainly because there is quite a high quota of 'rock' voices this year, and for them it was another day at the office. It was effortless for Erik as usual, for example, and even though I'd predicted Calle to go this week, he was firmly in his "comfort zone" (as they say on these reality-talent shows) and needless to say he sailed through. As for Tove, she was good although not spectacular. Reza meanwhile goes from strength to strength.

The bigger challenge in a rock-flavoured week was for those whose vocal style is not suited to the rock style. Before you accuse me of favouritism, I'll just say that Eddie Razaz was, for me, the most improved contestant this week. Since the live shows started, it would be fair to say that Eddie 'could do better' and finally, surprisingly, this week of all weeks, he did it. He took on U2's "Beautiful Day"....and of course it was :))

SO WHY WAS HE IN THE BOTTOM TWO???

The other inhabitant of the bottom two this week was Nicklas. To use another over-used Louis Walsh-type phrase, "the song was too big for him". I don't know whose idea it was for him to sing "Black Hole Sun", as vocally Nicklas is no Chris Cornell; and the end result was a disappointment.
Rabih should have gone. I will probably repeat this phrase every week until he goes!

Rock week on Swedish Idol can usually be a bit of a nightmare but I would agree with Aftonbladet's view that this year it might just get better.

Erik Grönwall – ”Why can't this be love” (Van Halen)
Eddie Razaz – ”Beautiful day” (U2).
Erika Selin – ”Here without you” (3 Doors Down).
Mariette Hansson – ”Just a girl” (No Doubt).
Rabih Jaber – ”Driving one of your cars” (Lisa Miskovsky).
Tove Östman Styrke – ”Living in America” (The Sounds).
Nicklas Hocker – ”Black hole sun” (Soundgarden).
Reza Ningtyas Lindh – ”Don't stop me now” (Queen).
Calle Kristiansson – ”Are you gonna go my way” (Lenny Kravitz).

I still think Calle will go this week, I'm expecting strong performances from Erik & Tove, and as for Eddie....he might struggle or he might surprise us!

No no, I haven't gone gorgeous in a suit on the rocks of the beaches of Gran Can. More on that pic in a mo, but first just a quickie this week (ooo that's what he said, etc.) - being away on holiday is lovely and relaxing and I'm sure I will be telling you all about it shortly whether you want to hear it or not (say you do or my fragile ego will shatter onto the floor like that badly placed White Russian. I still mourn it. The White Russian, not my ego). While I've been busy investing a little time in new albums from Mr Hudson, The Saturdays, Alexandra, Blake Lewis, Dragonette and Faydee, the one album that I keep returning to because it best suits my "sit back relax and chill as I thrill" mood (bonus points if you know what song those lyrics are from!) is the ever so gorgeous to look at and listen to Daniel Boys. If you haven't checked out his album So Close yet, you are missing out on some gorgeous tunes. I insist you at least have a little toe dabble right away! Or at least gaze for a while at the picture above and dreamily sigh :P

So i'll be back on Sunday with the latest X Factor news and gossip and then probably sometime next week catching up on everything I've missed! Has the Robbie album leaked? Are Westlife back? Do the Sugababes still exist? Is Jan Moir still a rancid old bitch? These and other questions will all become apparent in the fullness of time! It's a bit of transition time once I return - only one week left in my current job before I go to be Director of Operations for a national charity. Scary! I also really do need to pull my finger out with the novels I'm working on and stop pussyfooting around. I've said it before, but this time I'm all motivated and determined. So that may mean slightly less posting again for a while (though i do miss the daily rants about life I used to do back on thezapping - they may return in some form, though maybe not here). And then Christmas!! So lots to do. Hope you'll stick around :)

TOP 21 SONGS OF THE WEEK:

21 ~ Mini Viva, I Left My Heart in Tokyo
20 ~ Madonna, Celebration
19 ~ Shakira, She Wolf
18 ~ BWO, Love Comes Crashing Down
17 ~ Whitney Houston, Million Dollar Bill
16 ~ Mariah Carey, I Want To Know What Love Is
15 ~ Sugababes 3.0, About A Girl (NE - blame in on Bar Tubos!)
14 ~ Alexandra Burke, Bad Boys
13 ~ Alphabeat, The Spell
12 ~ The Dolly Rockers, Boys Will Be Boys
11 ~ Leona Lewis, Happy
10 ~ Madonna, Revolver
09 ~ Mika, Blame It On The Girls
08 ~ Robbie Williams, Bodies
07 ~ Nerina Pallot, Real Late Starter
06 ~ Little Boots, Earthquake (VID)
05 ~ JLS, Everybody In Love
04 ~ Blake Lewis, Heartbreak On Vinyl
03 ~ The Killers, A White Demon Love Song
02 ~ William Young, Hopes and Fears
01 ~ Darin, Viva La Vida (2 weeks)