Category Archives: Uncategorized

Back from holiday. Back to blogging. Shakedown, 1979. The Lord of the Rings. Days of Heaven. The Warriors. The Castle of Cagliostro. Autumn Sonata. Lodger – David Bowie. Risqué – Chic. Tusk – Fleetwood Mac. Prince – Prince. Solid State Survivor – Yellow Magic Orchestra.

January: Estonia adopts the Euro and becomes the 17th Eurozone country A bomb explodes as Coptic Christians in Alexandria, Egypt leave a new year service, killing 23 people Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi dies after setting himself on fire a month earlier, sparking anti-government protests, collectively referred to as the Arab Spring, in Tunisia andContinue reading “The News of 2011.”

Biophilia. As ever with an album by the Icelandic goddess, Björk experiments through innovative instrumentation and musical production, for 2011’s Biophilia, Björk released the unique conceptual piece as a multimedia project accessible via app, breaking ground not only on how music is made, but how it is heard. The process of creating music and natureContinue reading “The Sound of 2011.”

The Artist. 1927. Hollywoodland. Egotistical silent movie star George Valentin basks in a standing ovation from the audience at his newest film’s premiere while his jealous costar watches on in the wings, angrily awaiting her share of the praise. Women clamour to be near George outside the venue; one such woman, Peppy Miller, slips throughContinue reading “The Cinema of 2011.”

Moneyball. Tyrannosaur. Incendies. The Artist. A Separation. Let England Shake – PJ Harvey. The King of Limbs – Radiohead. Bon Iver – Bon Iver. Bad As Me – Tom Waits. Biophilia – Björk.

January: The Internet’s Domain Name System is created Greenland withdraws from the European Economic Community as a result of a new agreement on fishing rights The first mobile phone network in the UK is launched by Vodafone The Sinclair C5, the world’s first bicycle car, is launched Tancredo Neves is elected President of Brazil, endingContinue reading “The News of 1985.”

Low-life. Off the back of 1983’s Power, Corruption & Lies, comes another New Order album who’s title aptly describes Boris Johnson’s tenure as Prime Minister, Low-Life. The record continues down the path started by P,C&L in transitioning from the dying post-punk scene into the world of synthesiser-packed new-wave/indie mash ups with synth-dance-pop tracks such asContinue reading “The Sound of 1985.”

After Hours. Following a long, boring day at work showing a new employee the ropes of word processing, Paul meets Marcy in a coffee shop where they bond over the book he’s reading. Marcy informs Paul that her roommate Kiki sells sculpted plaster-of-Paris paperweights, and gives him her number so he can buy one; afterContinue reading “The Cinema of 1985.”

I had a horrible nightmare. I dreamed that I went back in time. It was terrible. Well, I’m safe and sound now, back in good old 1985. 1985? Great Scott. Amadeus. Blood Simple. Brazil. After Hours. No End. Psychocandy – The Jesus and Mary Chain. Fables of the Reconstruction – REM. Hounds of Love –Continue reading “Week 21: 1985.”

January: Fulgencio Batista flees Havana as Fidel Castro’s forces, led by Che Guevara, advance into the Cuban capital. The Cuban communists execute 71 Batista supporters The Soviet Union launches Luna 1, the first spacecraft to reach the vicinity of Earth’s Moon Alaska is admitted as the 49th state of the United States The International MaritimeContinue reading “The News of 1959.”