Paul O' Grady - A Tribute

 Sometimes it is said people can have two sides and perhaps one reveals more about them than the other that they did not fully understand at the start.

On tuesday it was announced that Paul O' Grady, the Birkenhead, Cheshire born entertainer, presenter and comedian died aged 67 overnight suddenly.

For many of us though it wasn't Paul we first met but a fabulous creation called Lily Savage who originated from the London drag clubs who made her entrance on our televisions as a young woman from Merseyside area who liked popular fashion and had the most outrageously funny put downs that while a "drag act" was quite believable as a straight ahead character saying things as she saw them.

Paul's creation clearly took its inspiration - and it was inspired - from the feisty, caring young women of that area an area he knew well, able to shock but showing great judgement about how far to go so paul's act respected the women he loved and within the realms of drag expanded the range of expression you could have.

That the nation including a lot of fairly traditional people embraced and loved Lily as she moved to shows like Blankety-Blank and Blind Date, helping to spread greater understanding of drag and LGBTQIA issues in general speaks volumes for what Paul was able to do.

Create a drag act we all could relate to as that person.

Paul knew when Lily had achieved all she could and although there had been calls to revive her, Paul had the sense to decline that but to use that fame as a gay man to present shows as himself most notably For The Love Of Dogs, that raised awareness of the number of dogs in homes that needed rehomeing and looking at social issues which as a trained former social worker in London he was well placed to do.

In doing these shows, Paul revealed his empathy and love for people and especially animals, again helping to break the idea that sexuality was the only thing gay people talked about where all of us are many things and being a great human being is one he most certainly was.

He trailblazed for gay people to be accepted as they are - full people with many loves and interests - without favour from our front room becoming people we loved and respected as great people.

Rest in peace, Paul.

Reflections

 

This getting back to things hasn't been easy but I did get somewhere on Wednesday for taking a mental trip outside of everything that has been on my mind for most of year so far in, having the confidence to take a leap into making things anew.

I'm tougher than many people do think I am, hardly a walk over with my resilience forged in a childhood with episodes no child should have to endure and yet you don't get to the point you lose sensitivity or empathy.

I spent the morning out, enjoying the sun just walking and sitting watching the world go by talking with people.

It's about remembering the small things that lift your spirits, that the cycle continues on, you continue to care and that people care for you.

You just have to believe.

Joni Mitchell - The Studio Albums

There were a number of things I didn't get around to getting in the early part of the last decade and one was gathering a collection of the talented Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell's groundbreaking early albums which together with the Guess Who, Bachman-Turner Overdrive and Neil Young elevated Canadian rock challenging that of Great Britain and the United States.

The Studio Albums 1968-1979, released October 29, 2012 surveys Mitchell's discography from the folk-rock poetry of 1968's Song to a Seagull through to her more exploratory jazz collaboration with Charlies Mingus, 1979's Mingus. 

As a set of albums each is richly rewarding to explore to the keen musicologist interested in seeing an artist and sounds develop rather than just wanting just another set of songs written and performed in the same style.

That was never my thing really.

Each disc is reproduced in gatefold card format replicating the jackets of the original Reprise and Asylum lps of the era and held in cardboard clam type box.

At the rear there is a listing of each album and the tracklisting that aids the process of select a disc or two to play.

Recently I got a near mint used edition because such sets are often more rewarding for artists such as Greatest Hits sets that may include well known songs like Woodstock or Big Yellow Taxi.

This set doesn't include her live albums of the period but you can get them separately if you wish.

Birthday edition

This week we are looking a bit a birthday presents in a semi synchro post with the other blog but reworked.

Things are obviously a little different this year with everything around Mom's death and upcoming funeral very much overshadowing all else most visibly in lack of space in window for cards with cards for her.

Disabled birthday cards are hard to find even in an age of inclusion in most other respects.

To an extent then really little has been planned with time taken up with everything around that but I did this, the recent Gorillaz album on compact disc, one of those card cover ones so I may need to put the disc in a inner sleeve to prevent it getting marked.

This does to me sound more like a club centric Damon Albarn solo project than classic albums like Plastic Beach

The project that NOW started way back in 2021,the Now Yearbook series, a series of cds comprising of a main set covering the hits of one specific year in a book and a three cd extra set of often minor but more musically interesting ones continues with this, the volume for 1986.

This was on I got as one of the two main compilation series of the time, the HITS ones only saw the last one issued in 1986 issued on compact disc and then only as a single cd rather than the double which the record and tape versions were.

I have pre-ordered the Extra set to go with it.

I did get some new soft underwear, don't do really fancy colourful designs this year and some money from my brothers, other relatives and The Grump that I can buy some books or music with at some future point.

We didn't go out for a meal as there was little real mood for celebration and that obviously brings back memories from past years.

The Windsor Framework: Peace with the EU at last?

This week we are returning to the longest running story on this blog and one of the main reasons it didn't get paused at one time

Brexit. There, you read that word so you owe me a fiver for the swear box!

 

You can't square a circle without cutting off part of the sides but in trying to keep some sort of trade on the Island of Ireland between the Republic and Northern Ireland when leaving the EU puts up a customs border between the North which together with Great Britain forms the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic which is a part of the EU Bloc.

Toss in the Northern Ireland Peace Agreement with everything about no borders on the Island of Ireland and the head spins.

It seems fair to say that when on the mainland we talked about leaving the EU, collectively we seemed to forget all about Northern Ireland and the economic and political complexities as if we read Great Britain for any reference to the UK.

The attempt to deal with that mess, not being able to have a customs land border on the Island of Ireland but any restrictions on trade from Great Britain was then read from an Unionist point of view as a "sell out", a loss of place within the Union.

It has lead to a good deal of animosity between the UK Government and the EU.

At the more economic level, the agreement we did get made getting everyday stuff into Northern Ireland like foodstuffs and medicines difficult because of extensive checking and paperwork (something the EU seemed to gold plate) while sending anything back required VAT paperwork.

The Windsor Framework does simplifying things by recognizing there are two types of trade, Great Britain destined for Northern Ireland alone and that destined to the Republic, the former having minimal checks even if Northern Ireland has to accept a tiny amount of EU rules and the other the full checks but with increasing use of shared information to help speed things up.

It's not take back all (land) control as simply on the Island of Ireland so long as the Republic remains in the EU, it's simply not possible because of the interconnectedness of the economies and peoples lives.

It is a pragmatic attempt to make it the best we can, which was something I felt was needed at the start but got lost in the Brexiters vs Remainers battle in Parliament and then the purists Brexiters vs pragmatists battle within the Conservative party.

Don't expect the Democratic Unionists to start being reasonable and take their place in the N.I Assembly as they'll find something to be offended with until the cows come home and really that issue of refusing to take part in the power sharing executive needs to be discussed with the Republic, then the Northern Ireland political parties to the point of a constitutional meeting where an amendment to cover what to do in such cases can be discussed and a motion tabled.

Just stalling governance over everything by such stunts is irresponsible when there is much that needs action only the N.I. Assembly can deal with.