My First Blog.... by way of introduction

This is my very first blog. 

I've been thinking about doing one for ages now and some of my friends have been encouraging me to give my writing a bit more of a go and so, here I am. Of course I am aware that they may simply be keen to say anything if it means I will stop sending them epistle length emails about music, politics, style, education and whatever else is bugging me at 1am in the morning.

By way of introduction I thought I'd put up some things that will give you an insight into me and what I'm about. This is the stuff that formed me. These are the elements which underpin everything I think, feel and believe. No matter what I am writing about I won't ever be able to stray too far from these cultural and social foundations. This is how I see the world. 

Hopefully you'll like some of the things that I put up here and if you do, or if you are just intrigued by what it is that pulls these disparate threads together, then please drop by again, there'll be more to read, soon.....

Sunset over the River Mersey... 

In front of you, the Atlantic Ocean & New York City -
adventure, aspiration, hope & glamour: 

behind you, Liverpool city centre - 

identity, memory, history, love & way too many limits.....

  

'Easy Terms' is the finest song I've ever heard and the song that best expresses everything that I am. If I was to post up only one thing on this page, it would be this. 
Barbara Dickson singing 'Easy Terms' from the Willy Russell musical 'Blood Brothers'

The Tango scene from 'Scent of A Woman' is a visual manifesto of everything you need to know -  how to conduct yourself, how to live your life and why you should endeavour to do both whilst wearing a good suit.

The Tango scene from 'Scent of a Woman'

The Road to Serfdom by the economist F.A. Hayek -  F.A.Hayek - The Road to Serfdom

When I was 21 I read Lenin's 'On Religion' pamphlet, cover to cover, whilst on a train journey to Crewe. I never went to Mass again. Many years later I read this book. Despite being from polar political opposites they have much in common. They are both books about freeing people from the binds of searching for 'the answer'. Hayek helped me understand the economic theory of why 'big answer' politics never seems to work out. We need to just let people be, they're big boys and girls, they can work it out themselves........ You can download the book for free from The Institute of Economic Affairs using the link above. 

Life without Elvis Presley? Forget about it..... Of all the wonderful, soulful and joyous musical moments that Elvis gave us, his performance of 'American Trilogy' was the pinnacle........20th Century Western Popular Music does not get better than this.....  

Elvis Presley singing 'American Trilogy'

I think that'll do for now; everything I'm going to be writing on this blog, no matter what the subject, will always be founded upon these things and what they represent. It's all there.