As promised, I have decided to compile a playlist of all my favourite songs of 2010. There has been some awful crap released this year, but also some little gems. This is my list of favourites (in no particular order)...
Aloe Blacc- I Need A Dollar
Ash- Arcadia
Bruce Springsteen- The Wrestler (possily released late '09 but hit my ears in '10)
Glee Cast- Loser (I know, bit lame, but a cracking version of the Beck classic)
Cobra Starship- Good Girls Go Bad
Cypress Hill ft. Everlast- Take My Pain
The Divine Comedy- At The Indie Disco
American Bang- Wild & Young
The Duckworth Lewis Method- The Age Of Revolution
Florence & The Machine- You Got The Love (XX Remix)
Eminem ft. Rihanna- Love The Way You Lie
Fozzy- Enemy
Fun Lovin' Criminals- Classic Fantastic
Just Jack- The Day I Died
Slash- I Hold On
Katy Perry Ft. Snoop- California Gurls
Lloyd Cole- Like A Broken Record
Kid Rock- Born Free
12 Stones- We Are One
Travie McCoy- Billionaire
Otep- Smash The Control Machine
Paul Heaton- Welcome To The South
Story Of The Year- Just Close Your Eyes (again, I think released in'09 but a big part of '10)
Peter Marshall & The Lomos- Eggs Are Nuts (A 5-A-Day Song)
Pixie Lott- Mama Do (This one surprised me too! )
Scouting For Girls- This Ain't A Love Song
Robbie Williams & Gary Barlow- Shame
Train- Hey, Soul Sister
Sheryl Crow, Kid Rock & Keith Urban- Lean On Me
Uncle Kracker- Smile
Eliza Dolittle- Pack Up
Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys- Empire State Of Mind
Cee-Lo Green- Forget You (A late adition to the list. Been stuck in my head in for weeks)
Downstait- I Came To Play
So there it is, my songs of the year. They cover all sorts of genres, some may surprise you, some may not, but like all music, each of these is special to me for different reasons. I would encourage you to go to itunes, or wherever you get music from, and give all of these songs a try...
Showing posts with label Aurally Fixated. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Aurally Fixated. Show all posts
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Tuesday, 19 October 2010
Fixated?
So, since I last wrote anything here I seem to have started an empire. In addition to recording the podcast with Howard, I seem to be doing another. So I'm now the brainchild behind 'Culturally Fixated'. This is a podcast about TV, movies, comics, music, pretty much anything pop culture based. I'm joined by a new host, DrNeevil who wishes to be known as DrNeevil (not her real name.) We have recorded 6 shows so far, picked up a decent, if small and loyal listenership and the show is a work in progress.
DrNeevil and I didn't know each other before the show, although we do have a mutual aquaintance, or good friend in DrNeevil's case. We were put in touch with each other by the wonderful world that is Twitter. We realised we had a lot of TV shows in common. The rest is pretty much history...
So far we have talked about our favourite American shows, the new season pilots, lots of Psych and whatever else crossed our minds. After a couple of shows we decided to focus the show slightly, in order to make it more accessible to those who don't download US TV. So far we have done two episodes based on children's TV shows from our youth, and one based on UK television shows. There seems to be an awful lot more mileage to be had in both of these subjects, but we will adapt along with what our audience wants to hear.
The Fixated empire has also taken a new twist, given that Howard is being a new dad, I have recorded with two new co-hosts on Aurally Fixated. First up was a listener, which I appreciate was a little odd, but Marc Foster (@dudefozz) came in at the last minute to stand in for Howard, for which we are incredibly grateful. I actually had a really good time recording with him, which could have gone badly wrong. We seemed to click pretty well, and the show was fun. Then I needed a stand in again, so this time DrNeevil stepped up. It was odd recording Aurally Fixated with her, given that the show is usually pretty blokey, and we talk about boobs and such like. I enjoyed that as well, different vibe to it, and I was really conscious that we didn't go off and talk about TV shows, much the same as I was careful not to stray too far into movies with Marc.
It seems we have chemistry all over the Fixated universe.
So, if you don't mind too much, why don't you go listen to our shows? You can get Aurally Fixated from itunes or aurallyfixated.podbean.com and Culturally Fixated from itunes or culturallyfixated.podbean.com.
In the meantime, why not follow any of us on twitter? @stevecult, @aurallyfixated, @CultNeeve, @dudefozz (www.towatchpile.co.uk)
DrNeevil and I didn't know each other before the show, although we do have a mutual aquaintance, or good friend in DrNeevil's case. We were put in touch with each other by the wonderful world that is Twitter. We realised we had a lot of TV shows in common. The rest is pretty much history...
So far we have talked about our favourite American shows, the new season pilots, lots of Psych and whatever else crossed our minds. After a couple of shows we decided to focus the show slightly, in order to make it more accessible to those who don't download US TV. So far we have done two episodes based on children's TV shows from our youth, and one based on UK television shows. There seems to be an awful lot more mileage to be had in both of these subjects, but we will adapt along with what our audience wants to hear.
The Fixated empire has also taken a new twist, given that Howard is being a new dad, I have recorded with two new co-hosts on Aurally Fixated. First up was a listener, which I appreciate was a little odd, but Marc Foster (@dudefozz) came in at the last minute to stand in for Howard, for which we are incredibly grateful. I actually had a really good time recording with him, which could have gone badly wrong. We seemed to click pretty well, and the show was fun. Then I needed a stand in again, so this time DrNeevil stepped up. It was odd recording Aurally Fixated with her, given that the show is usually pretty blokey, and we talk about boobs and such like. I enjoyed that as well, different vibe to it, and I was really conscious that we didn't go off and talk about TV shows, much the same as I was careful not to stray too far into movies with Marc.
It seems we have chemistry all over the Fixated universe.
So, if you don't mind too much, why don't you go listen to our shows? You can get Aurally Fixated from itunes or aurallyfixated.podbean.com and Culturally Fixated from itunes or culturallyfixated.podbean.com.
In the meantime, why not follow any of us on twitter? @stevecult, @aurallyfixated, @CultNeeve, @dudefozz (www.towatchpile.co.uk)
Friday, 2 July 2010
Aurally FIxated till the cows come home...
So I guess it has been a while since I wrote anything here. Firstly, podcast news! Had a busy few weeks with the show (Aurally Fixated), what with having guests and holidays and stuff to do. So we got back from NY and straight into a networking event in Leeds with CultureVultures website. Normally I would have sent Howard or at least made him come with me, he is the one comfortable with public speaking after all. I am distinctly ill at ease in social situations, I just don't like people enough to be nice to them. Especially pretend nice! I met some nice people there though, so that was nice. Almost forgot, we got some business cards made up, which you can see below...
It was, shall we say, a bit wanky! Lots of people full of their own self importance because they write a little blog or write some poems. But then there were some really nice people who we will probably do something with in the future. Picked up a few extra followers which was the whole point of going. Also going to perform/present at an event organised by one of the people I met there, Richard from @bettakultcha. He does this thing where people get 5 minutes to talk about anything they are passionate about, accompanied by 12 slides which change every 15 seconds. We are meeting on Monday to write it, but I think we will be performing our origin story.
We have had 3 sets of guests recently, all of which went really well. Episode 17 featured Peter Marshall and The Lomos, or Spencer and Pete. They do comedy-pop songs and we got on really well with the show coming out very funny. We even sang along, badly I might add.
Last week we were joined by 'friend of the show' Richard Massara, a friend of Howard's from university days. He is a comedian/actor who played a storming set at AF-Live a couple months back. He and Howard get a bit carried away when they get together so while it was a very funny show, it got a bit much for me and there was a good 5 minutes where I didn't speak. Although they were talking about milking my testicles at the time!
This week we had another guest, or rather 3 guests. We were joined by 3/4 of local metal band Drowned In Flames. Both Howard and I know the bass player Arran pretty well from working together and I know the singer Craig a little. We thought it would be a nice change of pace for the show and went really well, we had a really good laugh and all 3 of the guys were chatty and funny. We will probably have them back for part 2 at some point.
Next week will be just Howard and I, we decided the sound quality is better when it is just the 2 of us, and we haven't done one just the two of us for over a month now!
I, personally have a long couple of weeks coming up, starting with going to see Ash on Sunday, very excited!! Then we have The Lomos gig at The Basement, City Screen on Friday, before we trek through to Leeds for BettaKultcha 3.
So, before I go, go buy tickets for The Lomos gig here: www.picturehouses.co.uk/cityscreenyork
And go check out Drowned in Flames here: www.myspace.com/drownedinflamesrock
Oh, and of course not forgetting to visit Rich Massara for details of his Edinburgh show here: www.facebook.com/RjrMassara
It was, shall we say, a bit wanky! Lots of people full of their own self importance because they write a little blog or write some poems. But then there were some really nice people who we will probably do something with in the future. Picked up a few extra followers which was the whole point of going. Also going to perform/present at an event organised by one of the people I met there, Richard from @bettakultcha. He does this thing where people get 5 minutes to talk about anything they are passionate about, accompanied by 12 slides which change every 15 seconds. We are meeting on Monday to write it, but I think we will be performing our origin story.
We have had 3 sets of guests recently, all of which went really well. Episode 17 featured Peter Marshall and The Lomos, or Spencer and Pete. They do comedy-pop songs and we got on really well with the show coming out very funny. We even sang along, badly I might add.
Last week we were joined by 'friend of the show' Richard Massara, a friend of Howard's from university days. He is a comedian/actor who played a storming set at AF-Live a couple months back. He and Howard get a bit carried away when they get together so while it was a very funny show, it got a bit much for me and there was a good 5 minutes where I didn't speak. Although they were talking about milking my testicles at the time!
This week we had another guest, or rather 3 guests. We were joined by 3/4 of local metal band Drowned In Flames. Both Howard and I know the bass player Arran pretty well from working together and I know the singer Craig a little. We thought it would be a nice change of pace for the show and went really well, we had a really good laugh and all 3 of the guys were chatty and funny. We will probably have them back for part 2 at some point.
Next week will be just Howard and I, we decided the sound quality is better when it is just the 2 of us, and we haven't done one just the two of us for over a month now!
I, personally have a long couple of weeks coming up, starting with going to see Ash on Sunday, very excited!! Then we have The Lomos gig at The Basement, City Screen on Friday, before we trek through to Leeds for BettaKultcha 3.
So, before I go, go buy tickets for The Lomos gig here: www.picturehouses.co.uk/cityscreenyork
And go check out Drowned in Flames here: www.myspace.com/drownedinflamesrock
Oh, and of course not forgetting to visit Rich Massara for details of his Edinburgh show here: www.facebook.com/RjrMassara
Tuesday, 27 April 2010
The Aftermath...
So yet again it has been ages since I wrote anything here. Sorry, should any of you care...
So, the show was last night, and it went really well! Got a decent crowd, and they laughed at everything, so that is always good! Some last minute additions to the sketches (me and Caroline) didn't slow it down, people laughed, everyone's stand up seemed to go down well. Thinking we can maybe make this a regular thing. Howard wants to make it a showcase for new comedy, headlined by our brand. I'm okay with that...world domination here we come. I realise none of the relevant people are going to read this but I'd like to express my thanks to everyone involved, as well as everyone who came down.
In other news...well, I'm getting itchy feet. Thinking I need me an investor for my T-shirt business. If anyone has £10k lying around and wants to invest it in a solid business then let me know!
So, the show was last night, and it went really well! Got a decent crowd, and they laughed at everything, so that is always good! Some last minute additions to the sketches (me and Caroline) didn't slow it down, people laughed, everyone's stand up seemed to go down well. Thinking we can maybe make this a regular thing. Howard wants to make it a showcase for new comedy, headlined by our brand. I'm okay with that...world domination here we come. I realise none of the relevant people are going to read this but I'd like to express my thanks to everyone involved, as well as everyone who came down.
In other news...well, I'm getting itchy feet. Thinking I need me an investor for my T-shirt business. If anyone has £10k lying around and wants to invest it in a solid business then let me know!
Friday, 5 March 2010
Promised Land...?
Been a long week...
First I was ill, then we got a new area manager, then he got ill, then he came and spent an entire morning kicking me in the balls. I've had better weeks.
On the plus side, we recorded Episode 3 of the podcast! If you haven't yet listened to it, please do go to itunes and download it, Aurally Fixated. Really enjoyed the reording this week, we increased the length of it substantially this week. Up to nearly 45 minutes. Hopefully people will enjoy it again, been getting positive feedback from people so that is good. Howard wanted to record one of his sketches to give away as a little bonus to our dear listeners, and also to have for his online comedy/acting CV. I quite enjoyed recording it, but then the character was not a million miles away from me.
We are planning world domination with the podcast, maybe pitching to a radio station or two. Howard came up with the idea of maybe doing the recording live, with an audience of paying guests, which I like, although I'd like to build up a little more following first. I think a video version of the show would be good, then the listeners could see my ridiculous hand gestures!
I have hit the promo trail hard again, we now have a facebook group, profile, twitter, website, email address. All go for us! Oh, and I have ordered us our first piece of merchandise...some badges.
First I was ill, then we got a new area manager, then he got ill, then he came and spent an entire morning kicking me in the balls. I've had better weeks.
On the plus side, we recorded Episode 3 of the podcast! If you haven't yet listened to it, please do go to itunes and download it, Aurally Fixated. Really enjoyed the reording this week, we increased the length of it substantially this week. Up to nearly 45 minutes. Hopefully people will enjoy it again, been getting positive feedback from people so that is good. Howard wanted to record one of his sketches to give away as a little bonus to our dear listeners, and also to have for his online comedy/acting CV. I quite enjoyed recording it, but then the character was not a million miles away from me.
We are planning world domination with the podcast, maybe pitching to a radio station or two. Howard came up with the idea of maybe doing the recording live, with an audience of paying guests, which I like, although I'd like to build up a little more following first. I think a video version of the show would be good, then the listeners could see my ridiculous hand gestures!
I have hit the promo trail hard again, we now have a facebook group, profile, twitter, website, email address. All go for us! Oh, and I have ordered us our first piece of merchandise...some badges.
Monday, 22 February 2010
The Importance Of Being Idle...
Been a manic few days for us. Firstly we had half term, which automatically means I'm tired. Dealing with lots of little bastard kids all day is hard work!
Then I had to give up my day off because we got word through that one of the directors of the company was coming up to see us, see how the shop runs. Their words not mine!
Howard and I finally recorded the podcast. It was relatively painless for me, mostly because Howard is a clever, clever man and knows how garageband works. At least I think that is what it is called? I went with a compilation story about telling stories, which you may have read a version of further down this page, and a couple of stories featuring one of my favourite people in the world, Kerry. I rambled a bit, but hopefully people will find it charming rather than annoying. Howard is much better at this stuff than me, all those years of stand up and performing have given him a perfect radio voice! His recording went really well too, enjoyed his story of dying on his arse at a stand up gig.
So then it was technical stuff time, we found some free music online, edited it into a funky theme tune and voila. Howard submitted it to itunes and 2 hours later we were approved. We finally went live on itunes on Sunday evening, so far the feedback has been mostly positive, but it has also so far been family and friends. So we will see!
Howard again surprised me by setting us up a website, designing some logo's and getting us an email address for the show. Feeling like something of a slacker...luckily I came up with the name. 'Aurally Fixated' it became, and to make up for not knowing how to do any of those other complicated Mac based things, I hit Facebook hard, plugging the show left, right and centre, creating us a group/fanpage type thing and inviting what seems like the entire population of York to join us. Going well so far.
What else? Well, think I'm in the process of setting up a Theatre Company with Helen, my assistant manager at work. We want to make contemporary adaptations of interesting things into plays for grown ups. All the theatre in York seems to be youth groups or shakespeare based. We want to make a stage version of Chasing Amy, although having rewatched most of it, it might be a touch too rude for the good people of York. Clerks it is! I tweeted (yes I know that makes me a twat) Richard Kelly, writer/director of Donnie Darko to ask his opinion on a stage version of Donnie Darko, only to be told it had been done already. Denied! But that does save us a job, means there is a script already out there...
Turns out I might have to play Silent Bob, well I'm fat but not too fat to fly! Just for Kevin Smith fans that one. No, in all seriousness, I think my role will be non stage based, I'm no theatre director, and I'm certainly not an actor. I think I will be the ideas man, and in charge of finding the funding and support for the group. Oh, and I think I will have some wanky title like Ideas Consultant!
If you made it this far, why not go to itunes and download our podcast, Aurally Fixated? Or you can go to our website aurallyfixated.podbean.com and email us on aurallyfixated@live.co.uk.
Then I had to give up my day off because we got word through that one of the directors of the company was coming up to see us, see how the shop runs. Their words not mine!
Howard and I finally recorded the podcast. It was relatively painless for me, mostly because Howard is a clever, clever man and knows how garageband works. At least I think that is what it is called? I went with a compilation story about telling stories, which you may have read a version of further down this page, and a couple of stories featuring one of my favourite people in the world, Kerry. I rambled a bit, but hopefully people will find it charming rather than annoying. Howard is much better at this stuff than me, all those years of stand up and performing have given him a perfect radio voice! His recording went really well too, enjoyed his story of dying on his arse at a stand up gig.
So then it was technical stuff time, we found some free music online, edited it into a funky theme tune and voila. Howard submitted it to itunes and 2 hours later we were approved. We finally went live on itunes on Sunday evening, so far the feedback has been mostly positive, but it has also so far been family and friends. So we will see!
Howard again surprised me by setting us up a website, designing some logo's and getting us an email address for the show. Feeling like something of a slacker...luckily I came up with the name. 'Aurally Fixated' it became, and to make up for not knowing how to do any of those other complicated Mac based things, I hit Facebook hard, plugging the show left, right and centre, creating us a group/fanpage type thing and inviting what seems like the entire population of York to join us. Going well so far.
What else? Well, think I'm in the process of setting up a Theatre Company with Helen, my assistant manager at work. We want to make contemporary adaptations of interesting things into plays for grown ups. All the theatre in York seems to be youth groups or shakespeare based. We want to make a stage version of Chasing Amy, although having rewatched most of it, it might be a touch too rude for the good people of York. Clerks it is! I tweeted (yes I know that makes me a twat) Richard Kelly, writer/director of Donnie Darko to ask his opinion on a stage version of Donnie Darko, only to be told it had been done already. Denied! But that does save us a job, means there is a script already out there...
Turns out I might have to play Silent Bob, well I'm fat but not too fat to fly! Just for Kevin Smith fans that one. No, in all seriousness, I think my role will be non stage based, I'm no theatre director, and I'm certainly not an actor. I think I will be the ideas man, and in charge of finding the funding and support for the group. Oh, and I think I will have some wanky title like Ideas Consultant!
If you made it this far, why not go to itunes and download our podcast, Aurally Fixated? Or you can go to our website aurallyfixated.podbean.com and email us on aurallyfixated@live.co.uk.
Saturday, 20 February 2010
Podcast a-go-go!
It seems, to quote Miss Penny Lane, that ‘it’s all happening’. Howard, being the technical marvel that he is, has created us a website, got us cleared through Itunes and even got us an email address. It would appear as though ‘Aurally Fixated’ is a go. By the time you read this we should be hitting the itunes store. I really enjoyed recording the first one, Howard is a radio natural, and I think people will like our little show.
We had some issues coming up with a name for it. Originally it was going to be ‘Telling Stories’, which I like, but there were way too many things with the same name, so back to the drawing board we went. Inspiration hit me at work of all places, ‘Aural Fixation’, but then Howard checked it out and there were loads of them too, so he tweaked it a little and voila! We have a name. I have even come up with a new story for the next episode, you will of course have to go download it and listen.
The broadcast is also available at our website aurallyfixated.podbean.com, but the website is very basic and Itunes is probably easier. Anyway, enjoy!
We had some issues coming up with a name for it. Originally it was going to be ‘Telling Stories’, which I like, but there were way too many things with the same name, so back to the drawing board we went. Inspiration hit me at work of all places, ‘Aural Fixation’, but then Howard checked it out and there were loads of them too, so he tweaked it a little and voila! We have a name. I have even come up with a new story for the next episode, you will of course have to go download it and listen.
The broadcast is also available at our website aurallyfixated.podbean.com, but the website is very basic and Itunes is probably easier. Anyway, enjoy!
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