2006- Top Ten Songs

Best song of the year? Erm, no idea, but I compiled this list in less than ten minutes which must count for something...

The Pipettes- Pull Shapes



(The video makes sense when you see this clip from Beyond the Valley of the Dolls)

The Scissor Sisters- I Don't Feel Like Dancing- watch the video here...

The Mountain Goats- Woke Up New- watch the video here...

Girls Aloud- Something Kindah Ooh




Primal Scream- Country Girl- watch the video here...

Tilly and the Wall- The Freest Man



Band of Horses- The Funeral- download the mp3 here...

Cat Power- Lived in Bars- download the mp3 here...

Camera Obscura- Lloyd I'm Ready to Be Heartbroken- download the mp3 here...

Casiotone For The Painfully Alone- The Subway Home

Get Cape, Wear Cape, Fly!

Help me out: is this epoch-making genius, or twee nonsense that I'm going to hate in two weeks?

The Dog Up and Died

My favourite YouTube video (of many)...



A seriously talented individual. And when he died, the Las Vegas Strip dimmed its lights for ten minutes as a mark of respect, a thing that had happened only twice in its history, once when John F Kennedy had died, and once when Martin Luther King had died.

This video here is from the 80s.

America didn't speak when the news of his death was read out on the teatime news in 1990- he was 64 when he died.

Men becoming Bhoys

There you go- what a night- and when the penalty was saved (see below), I swear that something unhinged in the old place- I have never seen Celtic Park like that before.

We are SO proud of those boys tonight- to step out there and do it when NOT ONE member of the Scottish media (or any former player working in the mainstream press, to my knowledge) had given them the slightest chance...

An amazing effort- God bless them, every single one, on this night when men became Bhoys.

Forever Changes- The Beatles, Love

Good title, great album- how come I didn't know about this 'eagerly awaited' new Beatles album? Anyway- moments like the intro to 'I Want To Hold Your Hand', 'I Am the Walrus'or a sublime stripped back 'Come Together' that remind you of what you're dealing with here. Haven't seen the dvd yet, but that'll be sensational too.

Love it, and read about it here...

Fill Your Heart With Ecstasy

The celebrations continue with the Flaming Lips at the SECC- the band consistently make us feel glad to be alive, and last night was a continuation of a glorious series of life-enhancing concerts over the last twelve years.

Do we love them? Indeed we do.

Get a taste of the atmosphere below- hundreds of beach balls floating in ecstatic animation to one of the finest songs of recent times...

Fun For A While

At the risk of posting slight variations on the same picture until we all die. I did think this shot of Celtic Park on Saturday was pretty dreamy.

Also- Virginia Plains by Roxy Music is indeed a cracking song. To continue this pretty random theme, here's my fave, better than Bill Murray's version, with hilarious eighties video symbolism...

The Information

Got the Beck album, The Infor- mation. I think it's ok- surely his best since Sea Change. It was described as being like a cross between The Postal Service and The Beta band. I'm not sure where the Postal Service comparisons are coming from (although it got my attention), but certainly the Beta Band are important here.

As always, the melodies in Beck's songs are his weakest area- his lyrics are always interesting though, and I agree the record sounds great- the production is excellent throughout.

I fast forwarded a couple of songs, but on the whole I listened to it, and enjoyed it. I'll give it a 6 (very high for me, for any Beck album apart from Sea Change). Good work.

And here's some more Casiotone live at Tuts:

Heaven, a gateway, a hope...

Johnny, this one's for you- I hope everything's good, and goes well...

CFTPA in Tuts- Video

Give it a minute- takes a while to load- this could be the start of a whole new side to Walking on Snow if this works.

Linger at the Twinkle Lights

Celtic Park looking all cold, v Copenhagan 26/9/06.

Celtic Park looking lovely and warm (and some Rangers players looking slightly scared), three days earlier.

Anyway- this new camera- Sony Ericsson k800i. Cool piece of kit. Here's Casiotone at King Tut's on 27/9/06, setting up his big keyboard:


And here's him playing his lovely music:


And here's the lad walking off stage, job done, audience floored by full-band show, comparisons to Dylan at Royal Albert Hall ringing round the venue, smiles and tears, and gratitude lying in his wake:


When I get round to it, there will be world exclusive video clips here of Casiotone's moment of greatness...

...call that versatile...

See Kenny Miller find out what it's really like to be a footballer at the best club in the world here...

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

Gorgeous Can't Be Ordinary

This is the trailer for the really cool American indie film Brick- I recommend it.

The guy who directed it, directed the new Mountain Goats video, Woke Up New, as previously recommended on here.

Wake Up New

Good news all round- Gravesen in (he is a sensation!!!), Petrov goes with good riddance after his display when Celtic won the league last year- what a way to lose the affection of 60 000 people in one go. So, we get a better player, plus £6m- sounds like decent business.



As if Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink wasn't enough- it took him less than 35 minutes to win the man of the match award on Saturday in a cracking game at Celtic Park- see the highlights here...

As the Mountain Goats would say, we're waking up new- see John Darnielle's very beautiful new video here.

Happy 6-2 Day!

Six years ago to the very minute (as I write this, the second half would have been kicking off)! Relive that day of days here...

Everyone remembers Larsson's sublime chip ('THAT... IS... SENSATIONAL!!!!!'- great commentary from Ian Crocker- and Davie Provan came back with the excellent 'A very special goal, from a very special player!')- anyway, everyone remembers that goal, but watching the highlights, it was Moravcik, of course, who detroyed Rangers in the first fiteen minutes- two unstoppable corners, then a wee moment of magic where he spun 180 degrees in the box to set up Lambert's screamer.


Anyway- so much to say about it- just watch the highlights, and love it, love it, love it...

Jandek- The Cell

As you've never heard him before- this is surely the most beautiful windfall in recent music memory- recorded at the CCA in Glasgow in May 2005, Jandek with quiet, contemplative Sati-like delicacy. Please enjoy it here.

If you want something a bit more poppy, check out the lovely I'm From Barcelona; or if you want to stay weird, look at the vaguely-threatening-in- a-middle-class-sort-of-way Daddy and the Husband: as they say, only in the West End of Glasgow...

The Predictor

Belated congratulations to Hungry Roy for his runaway victory in last season's SPL Fantasy Football league- a special Walking On Snow compilation cd is his prize, which he will receive shortly...

This year- something different: can you predict the results in each of the six games in the SPL every week? I know, I know, it'll be a hassle to do it every week, but it could be good fun too, with each week the possibility of getting zero or full points.

Right- go here, register, then click on the bit 'Join a Minileague' in the left hand column- the title of the league is Walking on Snow, and the password is gpdv7gwz.

This is the blurb from the BBC site as to how it works:

The Predictor is a season-long game - each week, simply enter your score predictions, top the overall Predictor season league table and win the end of season prize.

You receive one point for a correctly predicted result (win, lose or draw) and three points for an exact scoreline. You can also double points for an individual match by clicking on the JOKER. Jokers double points in the SPL game you choose. If you don't enter any predictions in a given series of fixtures, then your scores are automatically entered as 0-0. You'll still get some points if the game ends 0-0 or in a score draw.

The player with the highest points at the end of the season is the Overall Winner.

Best of luck- try to get registered before next weekend, 5th August!

In other news- check out this little diamond from US unknowns Say Hi To Your Mom- cool indie pop. If that's your thing, you can find a load more of their stuff here.

Speaking of MySpace- anybody else a member? Believe me, that is an interesting world you enter when you start having a look round that site. Enough said about that for now, though...

Last- season 5 of 24 is available soon- and the good news is that that gives us the excuse to print a picture of Elisha in the same article as Roy Aitken, because she's back for a couple of episodes in the middle of this season- the pairing of Roy and Elisha does, I think, make us record breakers, never before have this couple been paired.

Life's good...



Enjoy the sunshine...

...we are, we are ,we are the mods...

Go here, comrades, enter the site, and see the the Who paying tribute to themselves- personally, I'd watch the bit "Watch the Who", the Who playing a strange tribute to the real good lood lookin' boy pictured beneath...

Il Mondo Nostro

'The world is ours...'

See the highlights of the best World Cup Final since 1978 here.

So what happened with Zidane and Matterazi? The best one I heard was that the conversation went something like this:

Matterazi- Hey, I heard you were signing for the Huns next year!
Zidane- What? Shut up...
Matterazi- Naw, Hun-lover...
Zidane- *Nuts him*

Anyway- I thought it was great. Highlights were Grosso's almost catatonic calmness before taking the last and winning penalty, Zidane's nut (admit it- you loved it), and the expression on Buffon's face when he was 'sorting out' the linesman to make sure something happened to Zidane. And so it ends- as a tournament, 7/10, as a final, 8/10. It wasn't all we hoped for, but it was more than I expected, and I'll take that...

Italia 2 Germany 0 (aet)

Now that is what we want from a football tournament. The only sad thing is that it wasn't the final. Both teams were worthy finalists, the Germans have made a fine contribution to the tournament, but that Italian display tonight gives the lie to the cliche of Italian negativity. Forza, forza, azzuri- Peronis all round...

Click here and follow the link at the top of the page for the highlights.

Boa Sorte, Portugal...

Fingers crossed...

Big Bad Joh-hhn, Big Bad John

Yep- sad to see you go, even though the time is right- crackers against Liverpool to put us into the UEFA semi, against Rangers to record MON's first victory over Eck, league winning goal against Hearts, and a hundred others- fare thee well, Big Bad John...

Let's Go to Babylon...

Oooohhh! Back from the dead- Walking on Snow very nearly petered to a whimpering death, but no, Back once again for the renegade master, with the ill behaviour, the ill behaviour...

I think Lordi's ugly faces took away from the avowed intent of the site- no more ugly people, that's resolution number 1. Here's the beautiful album cover from the beautiful Isobel Campbell:


What else? The World Cup comes to the end of the group stages: what have we learned?
Argentina peak too early;
Ronaldo is two stone overweight;
Steven Gerrard is the only world class player England possess- that is not enough to win a competition (unless you're Diego Maradona);
Henrik Larsson's matchwinning appearance in the Champions' League final was not an anomaly, it turns out he is really good after all;
Germany will win the tournament...

And so on- Martin O'Neill said that if it keeps up, this will be 'THE World Cup of World Cups, and he's right- it has been fantastic, absolutely brilliant, great... Speaking of the great man, check out this tribute to O'Neill on Celtic Minded- those were happy, happy days.

Walking on Snow throws its considerable weight behind the anxious and nervous Italians.



On the musical front- we are LOVING Dirty on Purpose- click here and listen to the really really beautiful song Light Pollution. It's like Teenage Fanclub before they blew it with Bandwagonesque, or My Bloody Valentine with the reverb turned down, and the vocals turned up. A magical record- the first person to post a comment to this article gets a rip of the cd...

Also, music fans everywhere should check out Pitchfork, the tastemaking online indie music magazine in America- click here for their (good) review of Dirty on Purpose. More entertainingly, click here for to see them rip Primal Scream to shreds. The Primals record is indeed one of the worst things any proper band has released- Country Girl, though, almost makes it worthwhile- click here for the fantastic video- and prepare to fall in love with (and be sort of frightened by) the girl...


Ok- nice to be back- summer kisses and summer love to everyone!

Lordi Lordi

For those who haven't yet worshipped at the feet of the majestic Lordi, click here. Their victory at 33/1 ensures that Walking on Snow is now able to to renew the season ticket at Celtic Park next year- 'the day of Rockoning', indeed...

In addition, Tilly and the Wall on Saturday- a little bit of rough and drippy May sunshine in King Tuts- in terms of the last two songs they played (a new one, then the monster Nights of the Living Dead), they were the best thing we've seen this year.

And now Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, the very bery beautiful Casiotone for the Painfully Alone, play in Glasgow two nights in a row on Friday and on Saturday- as a great man once said, how much better, how much better, can my life get? (Well, I can think of some things, and those things will stay buried in the Snow...)

And lest we forget, Happy European Cup Day, all you people of the world! Click here for the history lesson of history lessons...

...a common sea...

Just some music, some little bands who deserves a fair hearing:

First up, this is a, ahem, 'little gem' from a band called The Islands (you see, the song is called Rough Gem, so it's kind of like a pun...)

Then there's the Silver Jews- cracking tune to listen to late at night- called The Wild Kindness. Very atmospheric, and sad.

And, let's have this while we're being atmospheric- 90 sublime seconds from Jens Lekman... At the Department of Forgotten Songs.

And, picking the mood back up, take this from the Wrens... This Boy is Exhausted. (Everyone, I predict, will like this Fanclub-type diamond...)

Otherwise, Celtic are champions, well done, pats on all nearby backs, firm handshakes between all readers. Also, the transcendent Tilly and the Wall are playing in King Tuts on Saturday 20th May, and no absent notes will be accepted. Attendance mandatory.

Doubtless this will get pulled really quickly, but if you're quick, here is the whole of the Simpsons episode written by Ricky Gervais!

Hey, look at this really old photograph of the old Hampden Park, under snow. Ok, it's not very summery, but is perfect for looking at while while you listen to Jens Lekman.

Synth pop is an unquenchable fire! Destroy the past!

Break out the fizzy wine with the summery pop of Printed Circuit- go here, click on Banana Split, fall in love with what synth pop can do.

As the slogan for Sarah Records used to go... Habit and fear of change are the worst reasons for ever doing ANYTHING...

The Everly Brothers

Aren't they underrated? By people of the younger generation?

...the time of spring (azaleas, triliums,/ Myrtle, viburnums, daffodils, blue phlox)...

I had an uncle who once played
For Red Star Belgrade...

Isn't that a great line? Another thing that made me laugh out loud this week is this- a David Hasselhoff video which turned up on YouTube- utter magic.

Love out- God bless the Irish- I'm not a rugby fan, but that game at Twickenham today had me jumping up and down- fantastic stuff (Shane Horgan's last minute superhuman effort to score a try after a wee moment of genius from Brian O'Driscoll is pictured below).

Bring it on Celtic tomorrow- do it in style, but the main thing is- just do it.

Come. On. You. Boys in green. Come on you boys in green...!

Thank You For The Days...- Jimmy Johnstone 1944-2006 R.I.P.

Just after Jimmy Johnstone was voted the Greatest Ever Celt, he came onto the pitch at halftime at the next Celtic game to get proper acclaim from the people who had voted for him. There was a standing ovation, You'll Never Walk Alone, waving, smiles, congratulations and all the rest.

He started to walk back towards the tunnel, and then something amazing happened. Sensing that there was something more to give, one last moment of noble note on that pitch, he turned amid the applause back to the Jungle, the terracing he had electrified forty years previously with energy and skill as sublime as the game has ever seen, and this tiny little frail man raised his arms once more: the rapture, the swell of love and noise which tumbled from the stands to greet this gesture had to be experienced to be credited.

The following comes from the Celtic website:

'They never die who live on in the hearts they leave behind.’

It’s this message, known to every Celtic supporter as the poignant inscription on John Thomson’s headstone, that Martin O’Neill today offered in tribute to the late, great Jimmy Johnstone.

The respect and admiration Celtic’s former manager had for its greatest ever player pre-dated his arrival in Glasgow, but as he recalled his first meeting with the Lisbon Lions, in which Jinky predictably held court, O’Neill – like so many others - admitted to cherishing his memories of Johnstone the man as dearly as he does those of Johnstone the footballer.

In a tribute penned for the Celtic website earlier today, he wrote: “I was desperately sorry to hear the news of the death of Jimmy Johnstone, one of the greatest footballers the world has ever known. “Jinky, as he was known to everyone, possessed phenomenal ability matched only by the size of his heart.

“I met Jimmy along with the rest of that ‘67 Lisbon Lions team when I first came to Glasgow almost six years ago. As we gathered round the table, it was obvious to me the respect and regard in which he was held by his team-mates.

“He was wonderful company that evening, with a subtle mixture of charm and humility, sometimes teasing everyone in sight, yet at other times deflecting the conversation away from himself and his legendary exploits, and making you feel as if you were his best friend.

"However, you still felt in complete awe of this footballing genius. ..as long as Celtic Football Club breathes, Jimmy Johnstone - voted the greatest player in the club’s history - will live forever.”

Tribute videos and songs (right click, save as to download):

Jimmy Johnstone With Simple Minds- Dirty Old Town (and two other songs- maybe the best video tributes I've found, taken from the Lord of the Wing dvd)

Nice Tribute from Celtic FC Website
You'll Never Walk Alone
Jimmy Johnstone- The Best
Johann Cruyff? Not On Your life! Wee Jinky Beats The Rest What a song:

...They talk of men like Pele,and the great Eusebio,
and even Stanley Matthews,who played so long ago.
He's even aced the Belfast boy,wee George was second best.
Not Johann Cruyff, not on your life- Wee Jinky beats the rest...

And lastly, I thought this was nice on Celticminded today.