dirtyleeds.net

If I was a politician embroiled in the Expenses scandal (or whatever word you want to use) then I would be seriously worried. Not about whether I owed any money or whether I’d done anything wrong or right seeing as the ’system’ allows all sorts of shenanigans to go on, but I’d be seriously worried about my motives for being in politics in the first place. I’m no angel but I know if I’d ever got involved in politics, local or national, I would have been so with the right intentions - to help whatever real people’s cause I was supporting. To misquote Elvis Costello, my aim genuinely would have been True. So, I don’t really give a damn about what the partly political arseholes have been claiming expenses for, but I do give a damn that they have been involved in politics for completely the wrong reasons - ie themselves, the greedy bastards. Not for the people, not for valid causes, not for the benefit of society, but for their own benefit. I know some people would think me naive or just deluded, but I have always thought that not ALL politicians are selfish tw@ts, that there are some who do believe in what they’re doing and do believe in fighting for what’s best for their constituents. Sod who to point the finger of blame at, ANY politician who is ‘guilty’ in this whole shitty situation should be worrying about ‘why’ they’re there in the first place, and if they can’t ascertain that their reasons are still worthy and for the people rather than their own pockets, then the bastards should resign. 

On a slightly different tack, I was originally quite impressed when MEP for Yorkshire & Humber, Richard Corbett announced he would be asking about Leeds United being given the 1973 European Cup Winners’ Cup which was undoubtedly won by cheating, by AC Milan and of course the bent Greek referee who admitted afterwards to have been ever so slightly bent (and shit). All well and good, and I believe Mr Corbett has a 12,000 strong petition in support of this little crusade. He’s replied by email to some if not all the people who signed the petition, and the words ‘if I am re-elected this June’ (or similar language) sprang out, as if he DOESN’T get re-elected then I assume he’ll jack in the crusade, as if really, he doesn’t care about it. He admitted to not even having seen the game, other than one minute on You Tube, so who is he fighting for, and why?   

Millwall v Scunthorpe in the play off final then, seeing as we blew it. Fair do’s, we could and possibly should have beaten millwall in the second leg but they put up a battle and must feel confident. I’m hoping Scunny win though that would then mean we’d have to play the millwall twice again next season.

Good luck to JONATHAN DOUGLAS who has been told today that he can leave LUFC. He’s never been everybody’s favourite player but I’d prefer him to stay, he has worked harder (and better) for the team than plenty of pretenders over the last couple of years, and he played really well at right back for much of hte seasin.  So I wish him well. I have a gloomy suspicion we’ll lose Beckford and maybe Delph too this summer, but what the hell there’s nothing I can do to change LU events.

Just getting over a neck/back injury which was annoyingly quite nasty for a couple of days. Not sure what caused it, but I’ve been numb for 10 or so days now thanks to the painkillers! Hasn’t stopped me working though, even if what I’ve been writing is maybe halluciogenic drivel!

Off to see the SPECIALS on Sunday, looking forward to that. Would be even more fun to see the past it two-tone has-beens of newcastle united get relegated earlier in the day! Good luck to Hull too, hope they stay up.

Leeds lost in the first semi-final leg of the play offs, 0-1 to millwall. I thought we played well enough first half but not the second, so the result was just about fair.  Dregs like those who ran on to the pitch when the goal was scored, plus those with their Galatasaray flags etc really aren’t worth anything other than disdain so I’m not bothering to waste any more text on them.   I believe in ‘what goes round comes around’sort of thing and that people usually get their just desserts in life.

The showcase of 14 plays at West Yorkshire Playhouse went pretty well and even though it didn’t all ‘work’ in my partocular production, I learned plenty more about play writing as well as wishing that people who like talking through plays would just stay on their park bench and bother the pigeons rather than spoil the theatre experience for everyone else, including the actors themselves!  The four actors who performed all the plays were brilliant, and when I find out their names I’ll post them up here.  No props, no scenery, no sound effects and all in-hand scripts, but the actors were true professionals and did fine jobs, I thought.

Important debate going on in my head, in advance of the Leeds-millwall 2nd leg this Thursday: should I get a) cosily drunk, b) paggeredly drunk or c) not drunk at all?  Decisions decisions!  I must admit, whilst I KNOW the team should win the tie because we’re a much better team than that mob, I’m not as confident as a lot of fans seem to be.  Somehow I think something will work against us, again.

Screenplay - going very well at the moment, though will definitely need to review it all at some stage soon. Main issues have been how to keep the balance between humour and drama right, and how much of World War 1 footage to incorporate without depressing the viewer too much.  Try try again is the answer (on writing it), until you think it’s right. I’m hoping to be near at least to hitting the right tone.

Playlist - Thin Lizzy, Everything But the Girl, Stranglers gig, the unsung genius god that is Bill Nelson and The Divine Comedy are all taking up the CD hi-fi space at the moment. I always get a bit sad when I hear Phil Lynott’s voice, God bless him.

Last Thursday I was at the New Roscoe, Leeds, to listen to Roxyrama play in a live Radio Leeds United Unplugged broadcast, as hosted by the brilliant Adam Pope, Gaz Jones and guest Karl Harrison (former RL star, now coach of Batley Bulldogs as well as loyal season ticket holder at Elland Road - what a bloke!).  I thought the band were superb and the Radio Leeds chappies only added to the quality of what was a brilliant night all round.  There was also one of the legendary Grumbleweeds there, and a very nice fella he is too (Graham Walker) who I will never forget from my childhood, with his Gasmask Grimshaw antics!  ‘Sam’ Hirst out of Roxyrama (lead guitar-hero) spoke with Graham before the gig, telling him how much he’d loved the Barron Nights when he was a lad haha!

Please let’s have a good enough win on Thursday!

As the theatre world works itself in to a frenzy in anticipation of my stageplay debut this coming Saturday, I’m trying to remain calm and collected, in the hope that good Karma will shine kindly on my 5 minute epic ‘Communication Breakdown’.  

Course I’m meaning to talk utter tosh about the mini-play but I am excited about it all, and I hope my effort is received fondly as well as the other 14 or so stageplay debuts. They are all as a result of the So You Want To Be A Writer course so impressively set up by the West Yorkshire Playhouse. Tickets are only £4, if anyone who’s reading this (IF anyone is!) is interested.  A BARGAIN price is that!

The same day, though it’s 12-45 kick off, Leeds are at Millwall. I dearly hope for a positive result - whatever, it will be hard to not get paggered while watching the game but I have to behave as I have the theatre to attend on the night, don’t you know. I’ve a feeling this match will be the hardest of the possible 3 (two semi’s, and the final) so I’m praying that Simon Grayson and the boys do us proud, like they have done for most of the time he’s been here.  It’s looking pretty good, the team’s in form and are probably the most consistent of the four play off teams.

PLAY LIST

On the hi-fi are: the god that is Bill Nelson and his fantastic ‘Quit Dreaming and Get on the Beam’ album.

Plus U2’s Zooropa which is capped by a fantastic track with Johnny Cash on vocals {it’s called ‘The Wanderer’),

plus The Ruts - Best Of, which says it all. What a vocalist Malcolm Owen was, RIP.

Plus two live Stranglers bootlegs, both great quality and both with the maestro Hugh CornwEll singing - live in Glasgow from 1985 and live in London, 1981. Brilliance, virtually throughout. Not that I’m biased like!

Was yesterday the quietest and coldest May bank holiday Monday of all time? I’ll be a bit warmer if the gooners beat the scummers tonight!

Saw the play ‘It’s a Lovely Day Tomorrow’ last night, and today (this isn’t a timezone related gag, don’t worry) I’ve had more chance to think about it. I thought it was bloody great - the writing, the acting, the humour, the drama, the sadness and the atmosphere. Okay, so Dom Grace (with Boff) is a mate, this is still an objective comment!

With it, containing the same cast of 4 actors (top notch too) was ‘Me As a Penguin’ by Tom Wells which definitely had its fine moments too.

Leeds play Northampton tomorrow - not sure if it will be as easy as some people think, as Northampton need a draw to stay in this division. Regardless, I can feel a rake of ale approaching.

It looks like we’ll be meeting Millwall in the semi-finals. Rather then than the final anyway, I would like to go to Wembley and actually enjoy the game. If it had Millwall involved there’s as much chance as that as there is me being named the Pope!

Happy Bank Holiday folks, see you next time!