Arts
Crom’s Fav Albums of 2023
Below I present my five favourite albums of this year. They aren’t necessarily ‘the best’, (whatever that even means), just the ones that I am most likely to revisit over the ensuing years. Of the [more…]
Arts
Arts
Going Postal’s Monster Christmas Quiz
What do you or your family know about Christmas, and how it’s been celebrated and portrayed over the years? 120 Christmas questions! Doing the whole quiz in one go might be a bit much for [more…]
Arts
Fabulously Flamboyant Fridays: Synth-Pop – Part 2
Greetings pop pickers and welcome to another edition of Fabulously Flamboyant Fridays – our occasional Campari and soda drenched probe into the rainbow and glitter world of artistes who are quite simply fabulous, darling. This [more…]
20th Century
Postcard From Kiruna
Having been presented with the key to the door, my wilful 21-year-old self used the opportunity to close the lock tightly behind him and allow the trade winds to billow his sails north, all the [more…]
Arts
The Staffordshire Oatcake: a regional delicacy
When someone mentions the word ‘oatcake’, what is it that you first think of? I’d be rather surprised if many of you will not, like I used to do, immediately think of the commercially produced [more…]
Arts
P’tang yang Kipperbang
This was one of the earliest films shown on Channel 4. It was broadcast on the channel’s 2nd evening on 3rd November 1982 as part of the “First Love” series – please bear with me! [more…]
Culture
Can You Keep a Secret?
I would like, if I may, to share a secret with you, after all I am sure you can all keep a confidence. As I have mentioned before I have been travelling to Central Europe [more…]
20th Century
Grand Scarborough
Scarborough Beach Scarborough Beach is a renowned seaside destination known for its two sweeping sandy bays divided by the iconic Scarborough Castle. The North Bay offers a quieter ambience, while the South Bay is livelier, [more…]
Arts
Doves – The Last Broadcast (2002)
Whilst the dark, brooding and somewhat claustrophobic atmosphere of debut album Lost Souls (2000) can be heard throughout Doves’ second offering, The Last Broadcast undeniably bursts through with a confidence and energy sounding everything like [more…]