I should have mentioned that on our way to see NMA we parked (well, I parked - there wasn't really any element of democracy in my driverly decisions) a couple of blocks the other side of the Umbrella and walked back. This took us past a Wetherspoon's pub called the Sir John Moore. Being who we are, we of course started looking for pubs called the Sir Luke Haines and the Dame Sarah Nixey. If I win the lottery, these may well happen. Of course, I'd have to buy a ticket first. Or cheat.
This brings us to the thorny issue of Christmas singles. These are widely deprecated, of course, but there are some remarkably good ones, as I'm sure I've previously mentioned. This year, I am told that there will be one by the aforementioned Black Box Recorder in association with the excellent Art Brut (the singer of the latter allegedly having phoned in his contribution from the top floor of a bus). Good though that sounds, I'm looking forward even more to a rumoured release from that cheery bugger Malcolm Middleton, lately of Arab Strap (don't ask). He plans to release a cheery little number called
We're All Going To Die At Christmas.
You have to follow that last link, by the way, whether or not you would normally. As an example:
A few years ago I had quite bad depression and my mother - God bless her - saw fit to buy me a set of kitchen knives for Christmas.
Well, it made me laugh. Maybe it works better in context.