Roddy Superb

Unless you've been living under a metaphorical best days social media style rock this week, you will have noticed that we've been going on about this guy Roddy Woomble quite a lot recently. I felt like I should explain our love for this man in a bit more depth and perhaps encourage you to go and buy his entire back catalogue and come and see him at Colchester Arts Centre on the 22nd of April. WARNING: If you don't like gushing praise it's probably best to stop reading now. 

Roddy is the singer in one of Steven and I's favourite bands of all time. They're called Idlewild. You thought we only listened to blur right? In my opinion they're one of the most criminally underrated bands of the last 20 years ok. Here's why I love them and specifically him. 

1. They write great melodies

2. Roddy writes lovely evocative lyrics

3. They rock when necessary. 

4. Their sound has evolved from punk, through sweeping widescreen anthems to a more folky vibe. 

5. They're lovely people. 

6. Roddy likes a stripy t-shirt/jumper like what I do. 

7. They're amazing live. 

8. Roddy has a lovely warm singing/speaking voice. 

9. Roddy is movie star handsome and rocks long hair these days, sometimes a big bushy beard too. 





I could go on forever with this list but it's  all starting to sound like extracts from my diary aged 13. The point is they don't get nearly enough recognition for being ace. Anyway Roddy has made 3 folky solo albums which, surprise surprise, I also really like. He is playing in Colchester next month in support of the most recent one. I suggest you buy tickets now and use the up-coming weeks to familiarise yourself with his work. 

Maybe go Partridge style and get the "best of" Idlewild to start with and take it from there. I guarantee you won't be disappointed. Here's some of my personal favourites from the Roddy Canon.

I hope you give these tracks a listen and enjoy them, they really are the tip of a majestic iceberg, and I also hope to see you at the Arts Centre on Tuesday 22nd of April.  You can win a brace of tickets by entering a competition that we have running on our Facebook page right now! Steve and I will definitely be there. We'll be the ones at the front trying desperately to look cool but actually punching the air and generally being two over excited divs. Can't wait. Love you. Jez x

Rubber up

Good morning pals. I genuinely hope you are healthy and happy and if you're not then I hope something makes you happy today. If you're not healthy then there's not too much I can do except say contact your GP if the swelling doesn't go down within 24 hours. 

Thank you to everybody who came along to our club night at V Bar the other week. I must say I had a rollicking good time. Why wouldn't I? There was banging tunes, 2 great bands and an atmosphere that one reveller described as "lovely stuff". I think it may have been Shakin Stevens. Sure for a while it did kind of smell like burning hair but that's only because someone's hair was on fire. Yes I did knock a man's pint out of his hand doing an over exuberant Jarvis Cocker impression, and yes he was a soldier and yes I was genuinely frightened but I talked my way out of a rumble and we said no more about it. I would say it was a rip roaring success overall which is why we're ruddy well doing it again. 

Friday the 28th March is the next Leisure and we shall have all the key ingredients for a cracking night out. This month's bands are Electric Child House and The Jorneta Stream. The former are a London based psychedelic rock band who cite The Beatles and Radiohead as influences. That's good enough for me. Look out for the double Maraca action in this video. You don't see that enough in my opinion. 

The second band are The Jorneta Stream who are from Colchester (Woo!) and play that stop starty, time signature shifting, clever brand of alternative rock that when Steve and I were in a band couldn't play because we weren't talented enough. They have a song called "Do you know the fireman, who lives on Pudding Lane?" so they're in my good books straight away. This song is called Third Wheel and is ace. 

  

Then after 2 cracking bands lets dance the night away to indie classics until 2am whereupon you can either get a kebab and go home or come with me to Climax gentleman's club. First band will probably be on around half nine so I'd get there promptly if I were you and remember it's free to get in. 

In other shop related news you may have noticed that the weather has taken a turn for the better. We have responded and the store is full of spring /summer items now such as playsuits, summer dresses, t shirts, Hawaiian shirts, Harringtons, sunglasses and lots more. Remember we get new stock in every week and it's all one off pieces so if I were you I'd come and see us at least once a week to get first dibs on the best stuff. First dibs is a technical term we use in retail, sorry to bore you with jargon. 

We're also working very hard behind the scenes getting ready to launch our website. We're not too far away from selling our wares online now but obviously I'll let you know precise launch co ordinates nearer the time, I just wanted to whet your appetite a little bit. Here's a picture of Matt taking a picture of a Lion T shirt that will be available on the website. 

Matt takes great pride in his work. Please e mail me more lion pun based captions. 

Anyhoo, it was nice speaking to you and I hope to see you soon. Enjoy the sunshine but do remember to rubber up. Love you. Jez x