2004 - the best year of my life...
And so that was 2004. We ended the year by going to see the movie “Lemony Snicket’s Series of Unfortunate Events” which didn’t disappoint at all. I had a lump in my throat and a tear in my eye as the credits rolled as it’s easily one of the best flicks that Jim Carrey has done. I’m so chuffed for him. I then proceeded to see in the New Year by drinking lots of champagne and sparkling wine and I was actually quite surprised to not wake up the following morning with a hangover!
Looking ahead, I just hope that 2005 is as good as 2004 and provides us with lots of great memories. It’s hard to put the various aspects of the past twelve months into their various nutshells but here goes:
My Top Three Memories of 2004 (in no particular order):
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival (complete with late night comedy shows and socialising with high profile people such as Christian Slater, Stewart Lee, Adam Hills and Jenny Éclair as if they were our best friends)
Meeting Lou and Andy from “Little Britain” (and have Andy say his popular catchphrases to me)
“The Producers” in the West End (we experienced the spectacle from the second row of the stalls and after such a wonderful show, I had no option but to start the standing ovation that the cast so deserved and see the entire theatre crowd rise to their feet)
My Top Six Movies of 2004 (in no particular order):
Shaun Of The Dead
Lost In Translation
Collateral
Lemony Snicket’s Series Of Unfortunate Events
Kill Bill 2
The Bourne Supremacy
My Top Ten Albums of 2004 (in no particular order):
“Gravity Pulls” by Echobelly
“Faded Seaside Glamour” by Delays
“The Runaway Found” by The Veils
“Who Killed The Zutons?” by The Zutons
“Riot On An Empty Street” by Kings Of Convenience
“Kill The Last Romantic” by Easyworld
“On Your Side” by Magnet
“Mercury” by Longview
“Everything I've Got In My Pocket” by Minnie Driver
“City” by Client
My Top Ten Heroes of 2004 (in no particular order):
Nathan Lane:
For saving the West End show “The Producers” by replacing Richard Dreyfuss and stealing the show as only he could.
Lee Evans:
For proving all the doubters wrong and showing he can act and hold his own on the West End stage via perfect performances in “Endgame” and “The Producers”.
Brendon Burns:
For his truly awe-inspiring under-rated Edinburgh Fringe show which contained everything from comedy to tragedy and still didn’t get a Perrier nomination.
Andrew Maxwell:
Revered by the public and his fellow professionals, he’s naturally funny and as his Edinburgh show proved, he’s possibly the best comic currently on the circuit.
Minnie Driver:
She wanted to be a singer years before her movie career escalated, so for pursuing her dream and launching a music career in front of critics who obviously haven’t done their research, I’m fully behind her career change and wish her all the luck in the world with her debut album.
Glenn Johansson (of Echobelly) and Sarah Blackwood (formerly of Dubstar, now with Client) and Tony Wright (formerly of Terrorvision, now with Laika Dog):
For being down to earth, genuine people, only too happy to give us their time to chat and sign autographs at the Birmingham Bar Academy.
Adam Bloom:
Another firm favourite on the comedy scene, he’s another truly genuine, down to earth guy who was very generous to me.
Delays:
As many bands fall by the wayside, it looks like I’ve finally found a band that are hitting the big time and it felt great to see them grow from an intimate, low-key gig in April to a truly awesome gig with full lighting show in October following a successful tour of the States with Franz Ferdinand.
The Glee Club in Birmingham:
After experiences of The Comedy Store and Jongleurs around the country, it’s always nice to know that the best comedy club in the country, loved just as much by the acts who perform there as the public who pay to go there, is on our doorstep.
George W. Bush:
One of the funniest people in the world and a good reason to watch the normally boring news programmes, comics have said that they do not need to think about writing jokes any more as he does such a good job for them.
My Top Five Villains of 2004 (in no particular order):
David Beckham and Sven Goran Eriksson (for being disloyal to their partners at such an important time of the year for the England squad, and for getting away with such awful behaviour)
Endemol (for making the reality TV show “Kings Of Comedy” such a farce when it could have been so much better if they had stuck to their tried and tested formats)
Centro Trains (for providing such a bad transport system and timetables that seem to operate on a day to day basis, hacked together by a team of chimpanzees sitting at typewriters)
The entire Chav community (no need to elaborate)
Arsenal FC (after being denied their 50 games unbeaten run by Manchester United, they took the defeat so badly that they decided to throw all of their toys out of their collective Gallic pram and moan at every opportunity while other teams have to face being beaten week in, week out)
Here’s wishing everyone a happy new year. I’ll carry on posting on my journal as often as I can with the usual stuff (comedy news, personal memories, the odd controversial comment) so even though it’s a new year, it’ll be the same old journal. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, all the very best for 2005. :o)
Looking ahead, I just hope that 2005 is as good as 2004 and provides us with lots of great memories. It’s hard to put the various aspects of the past twelve months into their various nutshells but here goes:
My Top Three Memories of 2004 (in no particular order):
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival (complete with late night comedy shows and socialising with high profile people such as Christian Slater, Stewart Lee, Adam Hills and Jenny Éclair as if they were our best friends)
Meeting Lou and Andy from “Little Britain” (and have Andy say his popular catchphrases to me)
“The Producers” in the West End (we experienced the spectacle from the second row of the stalls and after such a wonderful show, I had no option but to start the standing ovation that the cast so deserved and see the entire theatre crowd rise to their feet)
My Top Six Movies of 2004 (in no particular order):
Shaun Of The Dead
Lost In Translation
Collateral
Lemony Snicket’s Series Of Unfortunate Events
Kill Bill 2
The Bourne Supremacy
My Top Ten Albums of 2004 (in no particular order):
“Gravity Pulls” by Echobelly
“Faded Seaside Glamour” by Delays
“The Runaway Found” by The Veils
“Who Killed The Zutons?” by The Zutons
“Riot On An Empty Street” by Kings Of Convenience
“Kill The Last Romantic” by Easyworld
“On Your Side” by Magnet
“Mercury” by Longview
“Everything I've Got In My Pocket” by Minnie Driver
“City” by Client
My Top Ten Heroes of 2004 (in no particular order):
Nathan Lane:
For saving the West End show “The Producers” by replacing Richard Dreyfuss and stealing the show as only he could.
Lee Evans:
For proving all the doubters wrong and showing he can act and hold his own on the West End stage via perfect performances in “Endgame” and “The Producers”.
Brendon Burns:
For his truly awe-inspiring under-rated Edinburgh Fringe show which contained everything from comedy to tragedy and still didn’t get a Perrier nomination.
Andrew Maxwell:
Revered by the public and his fellow professionals, he’s naturally funny and as his Edinburgh show proved, he’s possibly the best comic currently on the circuit.
Minnie Driver:
She wanted to be a singer years before her movie career escalated, so for pursuing her dream and launching a music career in front of critics who obviously haven’t done their research, I’m fully behind her career change and wish her all the luck in the world with her debut album.
Glenn Johansson (of Echobelly) and Sarah Blackwood (formerly of Dubstar, now with Client) and Tony Wright (formerly of Terrorvision, now with Laika Dog):
For being down to earth, genuine people, only too happy to give us their time to chat and sign autographs at the Birmingham Bar Academy.
Adam Bloom:
Another firm favourite on the comedy scene, he’s another truly genuine, down to earth guy who was very generous to me.
Delays:
As many bands fall by the wayside, it looks like I’ve finally found a band that are hitting the big time and it felt great to see them grow from an intimate, low-key gig in April to a truly awesome gig with full lighting show in October following a successful tour of the States with Franz Ferdinand.
The Glee Club in Birmingham:
After experiences of The Comedy Store and Jongleurs around the country, it’s always nice to know that the best comedy club in the country, loved just as much by the acts who perform there as the public who pay to go there, is on our doorstep.
George W. Bush:
One of the funniest people in the world and a good reason to watch the normally boring news programmes, comics have said that they do not need to think about writing jokes any more as he does such a good job for them.
My Top Five Villains of 2004 (in no particular order):
David Beckham and Sven Goran Eriksson (for being disloyal to their partners at such an important time of the year for the England squad, and for getting away with such awful behaviour)
Endemol (for making the reality TV show “Kings Of Comedy” such a farce when it could have been so much better if they had stuck to their tried and tested formats)
Centro Trains (for providing such a bad transport system and timetables that seem to operate on a day to day basis, hacked together by a team of chimpanzees sitting at typewriters)
The entire Chav community (no need to elaborate)
Arsenal FC (after being denied their 50 games unbeaten run by Manchester United, they took the defeat so badly that they decided to throw all of their toys out of their collective Gallic pram and moan at every opportunity while other teams have to face being beaten week in, week out)
Here’s wishing everyone a happy new year. I’ll carry on posting on my journal as often as I can with the usual stuff (comedy news, personal memories, the odd controversial comment) so even though it’s a new year, it’ll be the same old journal. Whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing, all the very best for 2005. :o)