One Step Beyond, a charity made up of staff and students at Angus College, Arbroath, is auctioning several pairs of celebrity shoes on eBay.

Up for grabs are Harry Potter's school shoes, donated by Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Thompson's Jimmy Choos (hands off, they're mine!), football boots donated by Christian Dailly, Steven Pressley and Barry Ferguson, Graham Norton's Versace shoes, and various other treasures.

The auction opened on Friday and will close at noon on October 19th. All proceeds go to charities in Asia and Africa.

S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT!

Well, the weekend's here and instead of being out getting a little of that Saturday night fever (or special, whatever), I'm here with you talking about porn. I hope you appreciate the things I do for you.

So, thinking about the Elton John song, I decided to try something risky. I plugged into my porn machines and I looked up videos that have "fighting" in them. Is it because, as Bush said, "there's no sex in your violence?" Well, no. More like a disgusting cocktail of me being bored along with professional curiosity and a dash of apparently the need to punish myself a bit. My results were... interesting.

So tonight I tell you: Saturday night's alright for fighting (although Carnal Knowledge in no way endorses, suggests, or gets off to violence in any way)(Unless it's funny)!

First up: Merry Fighting With Her Two Boyfriends. What starts out as some apparently good natured and friendly wrestling and goofing around with a German girl who's name would seem to be Merry and two of her male friends eventually turns into - what else? - a threesome. I have no idea what's being said in this clip and I don't know that I care to find out. Merry's cute and although tattoos don't really do it for me, she has a gorgeous body. It could get a lot worse than this.

And then, oh my God, it does: Sexy Farm Girl Fight (round 1). Seriously, there's quite a few more rounds to this, which just appears to be an excuse to have some girls strip each other in a horse pen and then do some rudimentary wrestling moves on each other and then a little face sitting while commentators hoot and holler rodeo-style. Incredibly ridiculous. But I'd still take it over the WWE any day of the week (including Saturdays)

From there, we go to something called 4-Chick Fight! It's really just two glistened up chicks rolling around in oil and scissoring. I know it's every guy's fantasy to either witness or pay host to this kind of party but take my advice, fellas: That shit is incredibly messy and kind of underwhelming in person.

From there we go to a 3 Girl Nude Pillow Fight. This could not be more accurately titled, let me tell you. Three lovely naked women have a tame little pillow fight and then form an excited make out triumvirate while grooving to some crazy European techno. I wish my Saturday Nights had a little more of this in them.

From there, my searches for "fighting" clips kind of hit a dead end (which was probably for the best). Everything else I came up with was basically some variation on "Two bitches fight for that cock." Boring. Or "So and so fights to swallow that down." Also boring (and a bit of over exaggeration, let me tell you). Or these bizarre Japanese clips where it's some kind of competition split into rounds with judges and commentators and everything, only seemingly each challenger is competing to see who can molest a girl to completion the fastest. Not really boring, just more... uhhh... Yeah. Stuff like that makes me scared as hell of ever going to Japan, you know? Meanwhile clips like Street Fuck Her Not Street Fight Her! make me want to move to Japan right now. But I'll wait to finish packing my bags until after this post is finished.

Oh, and here's a clip of two guys performing wrestling moves on each other, nestled in with the other clips I've shared with you already. It's pretty gay in the way that pretty much all wrestling is. Don't believe me? Go open up your high school yearbook and look at pictures of the wrestling team in action.

So, having hit pretty much a dead end after those clips, I thought, "Eh, what the fuck, I'll just look for clips that have something Saturday specific to them." Christ, look at me. I'm stupid.

The best I can offer you from the Saturday specific clips is Saturday Night Jive, a fairly ho hum entry into the low budget/possibly amateur let's-rent-a-hotel-room-and-make-a-sex-tape-in-it genre. The nicest thing I can say here is... Well, at least with sex tapes, everyone can feel like a star for two - maybe two and a half - minutes.

Other than that, it seems to be universally accepted that Saturday is the day for men to film themselves jacking off. I didn't know this before, but I sure as hell got the message now, thanks. Take for example: Saturday 15 December 2007 black basque, which I include out of all the other possible entries because it's so date specific, in case you thought might've thought that he just filmed it on a Wednesday and called it a Saturday.

To give you something actually hot to view, I present to you a clip called simply Courtney Simpson and Sativa Rose. It's about two girls hanging out at work at the end of a day (a Friday, no less, because Friday is such a better day for porn that Saturday) and talking about their plans for that night: parties. They're both hoping to get fucked later, and one of them, Courtney Simpson, brilliantly suggests, why not just start now? A wonderful idea, ladies. And so they do start right there on the couches in the lounge at work, because all of their coworkers are gone (not really), especially their asshole boss (no, not really either). As they're beginning, the other young woman, Sativa Rose, remarks that she's glad he (of all possible coworkers) won't catch him because he's a huge dick. And then a few minutes later when he catches them, they could not be more pleased to get him, an old disgusting British man, to join them. The girls are incredibly cute but I still have to call bullshit on this.

There's a rumor that Sarah Palin will be on tonight's Saturday Night Live to spoof her spoofer, Tina Fey (one of CK's favorite people ever).

Is The Little Mermaid sexist? (The answer is yes.)

A Sativa Rose interview.

And just for my co-blogger, with love: Nina Hartley would prefer to be called a cougar rather than a MILF, thank you very much.

And now, for your moment of zen: ORGASM CONTEST!

Elton John will bring his outrageous Las Vegas Show 'The Red Piano' to Britain later this year with shows at the Liverpool Echo Arena and Manchester MEN Arena.

The larger-than-life set, complete with Elton's iconic Yamaha red grand piano, has been designed to reflect Elton's flamboyance alongside his peerless musicianship. The theme throughout The Red Piano is love, symbolised by the colour red and articulated through the songs and state-of-the art effects and high-end imagery.

During the shows, audiences will be treated to live performances of the phenomenal back catalogue of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, including hits such as Rocket Man, Yellow Brick Road and Candle In The Wind.

Sellers Hospitality is delighted to be offering official hospitality at both concerts and your package will include the following:

• Top priced ticket
• 2 hour pre-show party
• Seated three course dinner served with selected wines
• Open bar serving wine, beer and soft drinks pre and post-concert
• 1 hour post concert party
• Official souvenir programme per guest
• Private tables for 10, shared tables for smaller numbers
• VIP Pass for each guest
• Event Management staff and hostesses in attendance

Cost: £319.00

Provisional prices are per person and plus vat.
Package details, prices and dates are subject to change and availability.

Contact:
Katie Chin, Hospitality and Sponsorship Executive - ACC Liverpool
katie.chin@accliverpool.com
Tel: 44 (0) 151 703 7217
Fax: 44 (0) 151 475 7777
http://www.accliverpool.com

I was inspired for this post by ThatDudeYouKnow.  Its the Jewish holidays.  They just finished New Year, and the day of atonement.  They now come into various other holidays for the next couple of weeks.  Although I am no longer believing myself to be of Jewish heritage via my father (confirmed by my new found brother and sister) I still like to keep basic track of the holidays and consider each one as they come up and remember my teachings.

The day of atonement got me to thinking about what it is that I am sorry for in my life.  To actually sit down and think of those things I would like to atone for to God, and ask forgiveness for to my loved ones.

I guess one of the things I feel the most sorry for is the loss of a deep love and friendship.  It breaks my heart each day to think of the part I had to play in it.  And for that I am still truly sorry and hope for forgiveness down the road.  Perception and perspective on the situation changes with time, and I hope that it does for this.

I ask that I be forgiven for sometimes being too pushy towards other people to make decisions that *I* deem right for them.  

I ask that I be forgiven for my days of poor attitude, and seeming unforgiving towards others.

I ask to be forgiven for the days that I forget the small things for people who are important in my life and who give me so much.

I ask to be forgiven for my short temper and impatience towards my mother.  I know she is doing the best she can with the tools she has.  It is a process for her.  She has suffered much loss too.  I need to be kinder, firmer, and more patient.

I ask Holeycheese to forgive me into debating her husband for hours on end on whatever we start arguing about whilst she has to take care of the kids and do all of the housework.  I am a wife I should know better.  

I ask ISF - to forgive me because the last batch of cookies you stole had chocolate laxative chips in and you'll be running to the toilet for the next few hours.

I ask Mssc54 to forgive me for slapping him upside the head so many times.  That has to hurt....  *hug*

I ask Angry African to forgive me because the pictures that I gave him of myself weren't showing just a little more cleavage for his viewing pleasure.  lol - yeh right!

I ask the rest of you to forgive me if I have missed out on reading your wonderful posts, or have felt incapable of writing an interesting enough reply to you.  Sometimes words fail me - shocking I know but true.

What have I got to do to make you love me
What have I got to do to make you care
What do I do when lightning strikes me
And I wake to find that youre not there

What do I do to make you want me
What have I got to do to be heard
What do I say when its all over
And sorry seems to be the hardest word

Its sad, so sad
Its a sad, sad situation
And its getting more and more absurd
Its sad, so sad
Why cant we talk it over
Oh it seems to me
That sorry seems to be the hardest word

What do I do to make you love me
What have I got to do to be heard
What do I do when lightning strikes me
What have I got to do
What have I got to do
When sorry seems to be the hardest word

Depois de pagar peitinho, sair carregada de praticamente todas as festas, pintar o cabelo de rosa e de dar o maior vexame enquanto apresentava uma premiação ao lado de Elton John, Lily Allen voltou a falar de seu novo disco.

Quer dizer, o jornal britânico Daily Mirror voltou a falar dele. De acordo com o impresso, a cantora mudou o nome de seu álbum, que deve ser lançado no dia 9 de fevereiro de 2009, para It's Not Me It's You. Antes, ele se chamava . Enquanto o CD não sai, Lily Allen tem se distraído fazendo participações especiais nos novos discos de Wiley e Kaiser Chiefs.

Se o novo trabalho da moça não fizer sucesso, será que ela vai mesmo abandonar os palcos, como havia anunciado? Façam suas apostas!

You're a Christian who's also a musician, but you find the whole division between secular and Christian music a bit nonsensical.  Why do you think it's not always beneficial to listeners to throw music into these categories?

I think the categories prevent people from listening to good music.  There's a lot of good music out there and there's some bad music, too (I have written my share) - the problem is that when I get put into a category of "Christian" music or "secular" music, or whatever, my music takes on all the stereotypes that that genre brings with it.  So whatever a particular person feels about "Christian" music, good or bad, they're going to put some of that on my music before even hearing it.  And there are people out there who won't listen to "Christian" music simply because it's in that genre, and there are those who won't listen to "secular" music for the same reason.

So, you're that cute singer who belts out "So Close" in the movie Enchanted. Being a fan of Disney ballads, what was it like to perform one written by Academy Award winnining composer Alan Menken, who wrote songs for The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast? (Psst!  Tell us a little bit about being on the set with Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams, and the rest of the cast!)

I can't even tell you what an honor it is to be associated with names like Disney, Alan Menken, Steven Schwartz... it's ridiculous!  Being on the set of the movie was really fun - I felt a bit out of my league working with Patrick Dempsey, Amy Adams, James Marsden, and Idina Menzel.  They were all the nicest people and it was cool to get a glimpse of what their lives are like working late nights on the set and putting in such long hours.

After your appearance in Enchanted, sales of your first album on Island/Def Jam soared, causing many people to cling to your heart-wrenching song, "Beautiful Disaster."  What inspired the writing of this song?

The great thing about “Beautiful Disaster” is that it's relatable.  That's also the unfortunate thing about the song.  Everyone has a weird, warped image of themselves on some level and this song doesn't really offer a solution to the problem (although I wish it did) but it at least lets people know that everyone's in the same boat.

Similarly, on your new album (which is amazing) you composed the lyrically-driven song "4 Years" which encourages kids to just be themselves.  Why did you write this song?

"4 Years" is a song I've been wanting to write for a long time.  Ever since I graduated from high school.  I just wanted to write a song that would remind high school kids that high school is not the rest of your life...and that every decision in high school is NOT life or death.  When you're 15 it's hard to see past graduation day and part of you feels like the world you're in while you're in high school will be for the rest of your life - but it's not true....it's just 4 years.

Ok, Now's first song "Beating My Heart" was actually written "on the spot."  Can you regale me with the story?

Well, it had been over a year since I finished Indiana and I was experiencing a little writer's block but it was beyond time for me to start writing songs for the new record.  So I was wracking my brain but nothing was coming.  So one day, the band and I were at a sound check and Chad, my drummer, asked me to play some of the new material I had been working on.  I didn't have anything written but I didn't want to admit to the band that I was having writer's block so I said I had this new song, it's not quite finished, but here it is...and that's what came out.

I'm gonna make this a "Take 5" +2 because I have to ask a Billy Joel question because you're such a big admirer of his work.  If you were asked to perform a song on a Billy Joel tribute album, what song would you pick and why?

I would do ANY Billy Joel song because they're all awesome...but if I had to pick one I would probably pick "New York State of Mind" - I just love that song.  Everything about it.

Since you're "the movie song guy," which song from Ok, Now is predicted to be the next "movie song"?  I'm thinking “We All Need Saving," but what's your take?

I think you're right.  There's just something about "We All Need Saving" that feels like film.  It just feels like it should be synced up to that one scene in that one movie.

Print copy of Take 5.

Na lista abaixo, em negrito estão os nomes dos artistas e em itálico os nomes das músicas.

1. Jet “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” parece com Iggy Pop “Lust for Life”
2. Fergie “Fergalicious” parece com  J.J. Fad “Supersonic”
3. The Beatles “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” parece com  Offspring’s “Why Don’t You Get a Job”
4. Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run” parece com  Blondie “X Offender”
5. Nirvana “Smells Like Teen Spirit” parece com  Boston “More Than a Feeling”
6. Nazareth “Hair of the Dog” parece com  the Beatles “Day Tripper”
7. The Doors “Roadhouse Blues” parece com  Oasis “Put Yer Money Where Your Mouth Is”
8. Foo Fighters “Monkey Wrench” parece com  Elton John “Whipping Boy”
9. Sublime “What I Got” parece com  the Beatles “Lady Madonna”
10. Wilco “Walken” parece com  Spoon “Don’t Make Me a Target”
11. Akon “Don’t Matter” parece com  R. Kelly “Ignition” (Remix)
12. Billy Joel “Honesty” parece com  Elton John “Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word”
13. Phish “Farmhouse” parece com  Bob Marley “No Woman No Cry”
14. Elastica “Connection” parece com  Wire “Three Girl Rhumba”
15. Bryan Adams “Summer of 69” parece com  Green Day “Jesus of Suburbia”
16. Def Leppard “Pour Some Sugar on Me” parece com  Weezer “Beverly Hills”
17. Natalie Imbruglia “Torn” parece com  The Black-Eyed Peas “Where is the Love”
18. The Kinks “Picture Book” parece com  Green Day “Warning”
19. The Killers “When You Were Young” parece com  Bruce Springsteen “Born to Run”
20. Pearl Jam “Given to Fly” parece com  Led Zeppelin “Going to California”

by [|-DaRio-|]

Did Hillary Clinton set herself up? With the accusations of misogamy, leveled at us by a British Pop Star (whom I love and respect greatly on a variety of issues) I thought about it, not for the first time and responded with a slant that an "American Student of History" has evolved. I cannot pretend to understand what it would be like to be a Black, Gay or Female American citizen, and cannot discount out of hand biases derived from such, I can point out "Historical Facts". Early in the initial years of the Clinton era, Hillary examined and discussed the job of being the "First Lady of the United States", as a model she choose one of the "Finest"examples of this ever, Eleanor Roosevelt. I think this was just an example of Hillary's best qualities, determination, character and vision, but when looked at now (hindsight is a wonderful thing) as the same person is running for "President", may have been ill concieved? We on the left, consider "Eleanor Roosevelt a "Secular Saint", our "Conscience" and the "Best ever, ever", but she was never in an elected office, She was the "Social Conscience" of one of our finest Presidents, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and I offer other essays on these two individuals to illustrate this. Franklin Delano Roosevelt was often disliked by conservatives for his use of Goverment to try to solve the nations ills, but Eleanor was viewed as way, way out on the left (and she generally was to the left of FDR). She was loved in rising and lowering polls by the great majority of Americans, and one of my favorite cartoons from the era shows two coal miners deep in a Applachian mine trying to straighten up because as one says, "Oh my God, here comes Mrs. Roosevelt"! (out as usual, checking on peoples lives on behalf of FDR). So, with the "Nobelest" of intentions, Hillary set herself up for being seen as the "Spiritual Heir" of one of the most roundly detested persons ever by conservatives, and not knowing her future options (or having them yet) did nothing to move away from that image, and at the time, why move away from being likened to Eleanor? I cannot deny and refute sexist thinking, but I admire and respect Sir Elton John enought to want to offer up these interpetations on "American Politics". By doing that, Hillary became the lightning rod for all conservatives in "American Politics", hence another candidate running well on a "Uniter, not a Divider" campaign. She choose to emulate as "first Lady" one of the finest examples of "human compassion and concern", without realizing the Political cost of being viewed as that far out on the left, it's sad, but it's Politics?

I love Ben Folds. And I mean LOVE. Every since the Ben Fold's Five 1995 album, "Whatever and Ever Amen," I've been addicted. We don't have many musicians these days that can play a piano and sing a song with as much heart as this guy. Yes, he's kinda dorky. Yes, he's kinda funny. YES, he's absolutely amazing!

See above for his rendition of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" from his 2005 album "Ben Folds Live". Love it.

I've been requested to give details about The Prep date...

...but before we begin, I thought I'd share a piece of my life with you and show you my garbage. This could be the reason I've gained weight lately (that and my fruit juice addiction). This picture is a bag of empty Nana's bar boxes. Nana's bars are a vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free, "cookie" bar that comes five in a box and is like heaven to me. They are simply amazing. And, as you can see, I've overdosed on them. Just thought I'd share. I'm quitting, cold turkey. I can't even have them around cause I'll have like a box a day. Sigh.

Okay, as for the date with The Prep. We met up at around 9:30. Got some coffee. We were very comfortable with each other from the start. He's adorable with fantastic blue eyes and a set of dimples that are to die for. We sat in Starbucks and chatted a while and then walked around town. It was a brisk night, but not too cold, so we sat on a bench and traded college stories. He really likes to talk.

After that we went to his car, because it was getting late, and we listened to music and laughed a lot. He's a funny person, for sure. He knows how to crack a joke, and he had great stories to tell. I wasn't nervous around him. He even let me hold his Crackberry the whole night so he couldn't check it. I thought that was cute.

Even cuter was when he said he was going to bring me apple juice (again with the juice, Miss March...) instead of flowers because he knew how much I liked juice (seriously, I have a problem). He didn't bring either, but it's the thought that counts.

It was getting late, for a school night, and we still hadn't kissed. Finally, Crocidile Rock came on the radio and I told him that if he guessed the singer, he could kiss me. He guessed it. He kissed me. It was sweet. I felt like I was sixteen again.

I really liked being with him, he's very sweet and silly. Very cute and smart. Here's the problem, he lives in The City, and I live in the country. I told this to one of my teacher friends today and she said, "Hell, living in The City is like living in a different country, as far as I'm concerned." She's right. It's hard for me to find time to get into The City and see people; I have barely enough time to see my friends who live there.

The Prep date gets an A: fun, sweet, smart, fun to be with. We still are talking a lot; he's definitly into Miss March. I'd like to see him again, for sure. I just don't know when. But, in the meantime, it's fun to crush on him.

Anyone else have a date-rate to share?

El ídolo de muchos, Elton John, ya anunció su visita a México (además de Venezuela y Colombia, y chance Brasil, Argentina y Chile) para el 2009. Aún no se sabe ni a dónde ni la fecha exaita, pero lo que sí se sabe es que parte de lo recaudado en los conciertos, será donado a diversas instituciones, en el caso de México, el dinero quedará en las manoplas de Formando Formadores.

Suelta la sopa

"En enero 2009 estaré en América Latina, en Colombia, México y Venezuela (...), con fechas adicionales planeadas en Brasil, Argentina y Chile. En algunos países, nunca me he presentado, así que aguardo con anticipación esta gira" –Elton John

Con datos de El Universal

Elton John (Inglaterra)

1969…

Sir Elton John, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Cliff Richard. What do they all have in common? Well, several things, actually, but the two main ones are knighthoods and shameful recording histories.

So, working on the principle that being old and useless gets you a knighthood, then why on Earth hasn't there been a peerage, at the very least, for Lord Mungo of Jerry. Yes, Mungo Jerry. One of the finest seventies artistes, now sadly written off as a one hit wonder. Which he wasn't. There were at least two.

Facts: Mungo Jerry started off life as a folk singer in the sixties trio, Mary, Mungo & Midge, a technicolour UK answer to Peter, Paul and Mary. However, having fallen on hard times, Mungo found himself sleeping rough and trying to sook the final drops of liquor out of a whisky bottle.

Luckily for him, an evil music mogul happened to have stopped on his way home from work, planning to set fire to a few tramps. Just for fun. But he found himself oddly transfixed by the music emanating from Mungos empty bottle. Scooping him into his limousine, he pleasured himself all the way back to the recording studio, where he locked Mungo away for months on end, conjuring hit after hit after hit.

Due to a rare form of alopecia, and lacking shaving equipment, when Mungo Jerry emerged into the light, his mutton chops had grown to remarkable levels, and with no time to spare before his first Top of The Pops appearance, a new craze was born. Even a primary school Mr H, lovingly cut out the "MungoChops" from his copy of Look-In, wearing them proudly.

Sadly for Mungo, the British music industry is a fickle mistress, and they soon traded him to Germany in exchange for Kevin Keegans recording contract, and he's been marooned there ever since. However, we here at GHMI remember the majesty of Mungo Jerry, and today we bring you three choice slabs.

Snakebite
Hello Nadine
Alright Alright Alright

You can get a 40 track double Best Of CD for a fiver here.

Watch some prime Mungo below;

Garth Brooks - Friends in Low Places - 1990
M.C. Hammer - U Can't Touch This - 1990
R.E.M. - Losing My Religion - 1991
Bonnie Raitt - Something to Talk About  - 1991
BeBe& CeCe Winans - Addictive Love - 1991
Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart - 1992
Whitney Houston - I Will Always Love You - 1992
*Nirvana - Smells Like Teen Spirit - 1992 (top song of the decade)
Sheryl Crow - All I Wanna Do - 1994
Boyz II Men/Mariah Carey - One Sweet Day - 1996
Eric Clapton  - Change the World - 1996
Elton John - Candle in the Wind - 1997
R. Kelly - I Believe I Can Fly - 1997
Will Smith - Men in Black - 1997
Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On - 1998
Dixie Chicks - Wide Open Spaces - 1998
Lauryn Hill - Doo Wop (That Thing) - 1998
Shania Twain - You're Still the One - 1998
Destiny's Child - Bills, Bills, Bills - 1999
Faith Hill - This Kiss - 1999
Tim McGraw - Please Remember Me - 1999
Ricky Martin - Livin' La Vida Loca - 1999
Santana/Rob Thomas - Smooth - 1999
TLC - No Scrubs - 1999

Here's the top song of the decade:

Enjoy!

Right what I am about to say is very truthful. I am very honest when it comes to this kinda stuff; if I think its good I'll say its good, If I think its shit, I'll say it's shit! As I am also an artist I don't want anyone to think that I'm hating on this guy cos away from the music he's a cool brudda but I'm judging the album & this album is poor, very poor!

I was actually hoping I'd be suprised but Ironik has failed to do that & not just him but his A&R has not delivered a well rounded product!

I was half asleep listening to it & then had to wake myself up, start it again n make sure my ears wern't decieving me.

I am very shocked at the fact his A&R has released an album with 18 tracks all about Ironik loving, falling for or missing a girl! (Excluding one which is about his mum, which is the only track I won't really take apart because of the subject matter, but I will say this, he should have made more of an effort on it; when I make a tracks for my mum there is no room for errors of half-heartedness)  

There is no depth in this album whatsoever.  I think albums should take the listener on a journey but this does no such thing, instead it stays on the same page from beginning to end. The lyrics are terrible & he finds himself not rhyming at times, on top of that using the same word to rhyme is not really a rhyme & anyone can do it! I can't even be bothered to quote something!

Ironik doesn't deserve talented features such as Ghetto, Chippy, Ny, Wiley & Stryder nor should they tarnish their perfected art which they have worked at for years. Bless Beats is a producer so giving people with a deal; material, pays so I understand his hustle.

Having Elton John on an album should mean you have crossed over & be in Westlife world 'Flying without Wings'. If Dizzee, Sway or myself had that feature we would be out of this world! But he fails to impress on this also!

R&B Albums don't even have this many songs about love!

Maybe girls up & down the country will like but that is a MASSIVE maybe! I think every guy will think what I think.

It's sad that labels choose to sign these kind of artists over an artist with depth & something to say (n i'm not talking just me here, there are many others).

 One thing pissed me off today. Wretch phoned me & said he read in the paper that a journalist wrote Ironik's track 'Stay with Me' was the biggest anti violence tune of the year....Get out of here, which fucking part!?

In a time when there is nuff shit going on in the streets & the world we don't need albums like this!

I always support UK music but I feel like I've wasted a tenner! My hard earned bumbaclart £10! Pissed!

Oh yeah I do like one track on the album by Digga called Broken! The best track on it! (I think Ironik is presenting a new artist)

So now that the Sun has appeared to have passed into the southern hemisphere (actually the Sun moved very little while the tilt of the Earth's axis is causing us to think... hey, you had rudimentary astronomy at some point, figure it out on your own) and the season's are changing. So here's a new sample playlist to get your fall on:

1. September Morn - Neil Diamond: What better way to start autumn than with a little bit of Mr. Jewish Elvis himself.
2. Keep Me In Your Heart - Warren Zevon: Autumn is a time of reflection about what has been. When WZ wrote and recorded this he already knew he didn't have much time left on this Earth. If I'm ever faced with a situation like this, I hope to react the same way WZ did by fully embracing every living moment, by accomplishing as much as possible with the ones I love, by leaving this world a little bit better off because I had been a part of it, and by enjoying just how good every sandwich tastes.
3. Harvest Moon - Neil Young: Autumn is the last stage before death. That is why we have the expression "the autumn of our years." Although this is a love song, and at that, maybe the best damned love song ever written (read the lyrics here), it concerns a couple in their latter years. The symbolism is simply magnificent.
4. Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me - Elton John: Speaking of imagery, I've always thought this song is the best example of autumn imagery. Once again, read the lyrics if you have a chance.
5. September - Earth Wind & Fire: Who said fall had to be a downer. Get up and dance like nobody is watching.
6. Slow Turning - John Hiatt: The single greatest song ever written about growing old. Once again, it's that whole "autumn of our years" thing.
7. Wake Me Up When September Ends - Green Day: I think the lyrics get overlooked due to the overwhelming popularity of this song... or maybe that's exactly why it was overwhelmingly popular.
8. November Rain - Guns 'N Roses: Who knew Axl Rose was so reflective? Actually he isn't. The song is based on a Del James short story called The Language Of Fear. By the way, this is longest top-10 song ever and it features the longest guitar solo of any top-10 song (technically there are two guitar solos in this song).
9. California Dreaming - The Mamas and Papas: A song with the lyrics to take you from late fall into early winter.
10. The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles: First of all, this is my personal favorite Beatles song of all time. For those of you who bought into John's comment about silly love songs here's the proof that there was far more to Sir Paul.

I loved Elton John when I was in high school.  Maybe I should say I loved his music.  But I didn't just love his music, I loved him.

When he released CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY, it was the height of my celebrity-worship phase, something I see most teens go through.  (I wonder how Amish kids go through that.  A topic for another day...)

When he came out, it was weird.  He said in a Rolling Stone magazine interview that, sexually, people should draw the line at goats.  The writer went on to explain that this was Elton's way of coming out. 

I couldn't love him after that.  I could say things like, "I still like his music."  And then it became, "I really liked his earlier stuff."

My sister Cathy, five years younger than I, still loved him.  She could get away with it.  She kept her room decorated with Elton for years.  She even had a home-made Elton doll. 

The years went by.  Lots of my celebrity idols faded out of the public eye.  Lots of them died.

Elton went through a sham marriage, alcoholism, and--I think--some drug issues, too.  He seems to have come out on top physically.  He's one of the great philanthropists in AIDS research.  He's still recording.  He's even become a mainstay for the Disney folks on their soundtracks.

When I look at celebrities who have crashed and burned (sometimes literally), I am happy for Elton.

I have one great, great regret about Elton, though. 

I went to his concert in 1976 and I didn't let Cathy go with me.  She was my kid sister and I just didn't want her with me.  In retrospect, I was an idiot. 

The friends who went with me on the concert trip (there were ten of us in all, as I recall) are scattered hither and yon for the most part.  Cathy is still my sister.  I see her now in a different light.  I'm blessed that I still have her.

I was worshipping celebrities rather than seeing the great people all around me. 

So, Elton, if you ever stumble across this blog, help me make this right.  Cathy is a middle-aged mother of three living in Locust Grove, Georgia.  You're often at your home in Atlanta.  It would be pretty cool if could give her a call.

First it was Tony Perkins, from the little hate group American "Family" Association, based in Tupelo, Miss.  (Main message of AFA:  "Always remember, when eating McNuggets, you are becoming gay.")  Then it was wingnut extraordinaire Mike Heath, he of the Peter LaBarbera BFF-ship, of the "Christian" Civic League of Maine.

But now, forming the bigot trifecta (this is what real bigots look like, Mom), and pleased to be doing so, is Mat Staver of the "Liberty" Counsel.  (Note -- Guys named "Mat" have a lot in common with guys named "Chadd" and "Elton John.")  Using Google's position against the bigoted hate-amendment Proposition 8 in California as a springboard, Mat casts his loathing net even wider:

"Google should focus on technology instead of warring against marriage and family values held by the majority of people worldwide. Marriage between a man and a woman is the norm throughout the world. Google executives should be searching for ways to make the internet more usable rather than promoting a radical redefinition of marriage. Companies that promoted anti-family policies have learned the hard way that such policies are bankrupt. K-Mart learned its lesson several years ago. Washington Mutual and Wachovia, both of which actively promoted the homosexual agenda, have come to realize that anti-family policies will bankrupt the bottom line."

Oh, Matty.  Google is already good at technology.  Also, Washington Mutual and Wachovia have had a lot on their minds the past few weeks, but Teh Gay is not one of them.  Perhaps you should speak to your Republican congress-critters about that, that is, if they're not busy in bathroom stalls in Minnesota airports.

Again, funny if they didn't have mailing lists full of people who will naively believe anything they say.

Dumb Asses.  Like, seriously, if you're not smart enough to give yourself a crash course on what's going on right now, then STFU.

OH, if you missed the new "Vote No on 8" ad, click here immediately.  It made me sniffle a little.

(h/t Jeremy)