Wonderful Woman.

Another great FC flag from the prolific Voxra. This one is based on an original design for the TUC which currently resides at The People's History Museum in Manchester. Can't wait to see it 'in situ'.

White Riot.

fcum, originally uploaded by mithering.

It’s been a week so I guess it’s finally time to reveal what a fucking ballache I found that last round of the cup. Right from the get go, with the reduced allocation from Brighton being made based on bad information or information applied in a bad way, which led to the match down at The Withdean Stadium being categorised as a Category C game. The worst possible rating for expectations of all-round hooliganism and insane puppy-stabbing debauchery. Queuing for tickets for me and The Eldest before the Hinckley game, with season ticket and membership cards in hand. Queuing just before the end of the Hinckley game, with our kid’s membership card in hand, and missing the handbags. The interminable journey down to Brighton. Getting lost, missing the first twenty five minutes, and the angst and misery that generated. Our Kid standing outside the ground, waiting for me to turn up with his tickets twenty five minutes late.

Then the upswing in mood as we took the lead and held on to right near the end. Brighton’s inevitable equaliser, the penalty save and all round Player of the Round performance by Sam Ashton. Back on the coach and stuck on the M40, frost ghosts appearing beneath each vehicle as we did one mile in an hour. Getting up at 5.45 and going to bed at 2.45.

Then the teeth-grinding madness associated with getting tickets for the replay. Calling every day until I finally got through only to find out that all the tickets for Main Stand and MRE were gone. Where were all these fuckers coming from? Ooops, I know, I have four new people from work alongside me in the Cemmy End. The wait for tickets. Throat-croaking, mind-bending illness which also affects The Eldest, meaning he wasn’t able to come along. I’m glad he didn’t, the temperature at pitch side would have killed him. Then being at that game and not being able to sing, not being able to make a noise that would have helped push things on. The faces of the goalkeeper and the defence when the fourth goal went in. Like seeing crushing disappointment on the faces of your children and not being able to do anything about it. The score in the end was meaningless; we were always going to be on the end of a thumping at some point, over-achieving, noisy infants that we were, but somehow it doubling in the last few minutes made it that bit more difficult to take.

Sorry, I had to get that off my chest. And now, let’s get on with the league.

Incidentally, the picture above was taken by James "The Curse" Three-Stands who I work with. He's been to the last three home FC games. Each time in a different stand (Main, MRE, Cemetery) and is looking to get to Vegas on Sunday. I've suggested he has a go in all four stands. Just to keep his average up.

The Ten Million Quentins - The Golden Mermaid (Video). 1986.

Ten Million Quentins was a band I was a member of in Brighton, for about a year, around 1985-1986. We were the archetypal C86 band before the archetype existed. Not because we were necessarily clever or ahead of the game, more that there were people around us who were. Mainly Josh Dean and Dennis Wheatley. Josh, Dennis, myself and The Paul Griffin Show had a great time during the autumn of 1985 putting on bands on Tuesday nights at The Royal Escape Club on Brighton seafront, under the name of The Big Twang.

The first night saw the then newly-formed That Petrol Emotion play, supported by The Wolfhounds and Whirl. Later gigs in the (roughly) twelve-week turnaround included Primal Scream with The Wedding Present, Microdisney, a Pink Records night starring The June Brides, which also saw the return of The Wolfhounds with McCarthy in tow, Del Amitri and a famous Christmas double bill of The Shop Assistants and The Pastels. And always cropping up on the bottom of the bill were The Ten Million Quentins. The house band of The Big Twang. The baby band of The Big Twang were 14 Iced Bears, formed when a happy clique called The Dancing Boys went off, practiced briefly and emerged as a fully-formed twelve-week turnaround bouncing baby band.

I've posted this for reasons of serendipity, synchronicity and beautiful coincidence. Bored in work I decided to have a quick search for "Big Twang" and "June Brides". Just to see what might come up. What I found was a blog with a picture of myself 'on stage' at The Big Twang Mystery Tour. Twenty five years ago today. To the very day.

Veronica (Bat) Quentin, Janet Quentin, Me. December 15th 1985.

I've posted the video to YouTube before, but it seemed appropriate to liberate it again today for the Silver Jubilee of The Big Twang Mystery Tour. Thanks to Fruitier Than Thou Blog. Here's his review of the day: http://fruitierthanthou.blogspot.com/2008/08/magical-mystery-twang-with-clive-pig.html I hope he doesn't mind me lifting the picture. The picture of me with hair.

Next up, Hacienda DJ Graeme Park with a dyed blonde Human League comb-over and a matelot's jacket. Viva the 1980s.

Chemical Warfare.

Jim Medway's Comical Animal web comic is finally upon us. An anthology dedicated to funny animal strips created by some of the finest comic artists currently pushing a pencil. And it's all free. And all ages. So go and read it. And let The Kids know about it. And if you are interested in Jim's reasons for producing this gem have a look at Kenny Penman's interview with him on the FPI blog. It's all about The Kids and choice and quality and all that other stuff that gets you hugging other grown-ups.