Die Hard 4 (possible spoiler warning)

Went to see Die Hard 4 with a friend last night; what a fantastic film. If you enjoyed the previous Die Hard films you will definitely enjoy this one.

The one thing I will comment about this sort of film is how super human everyone always is. One guy jumps out of a crashing helicopter and falls about 40 feet without sustaining any injury. A woman gets hit by an SUV and the crashed through several office walls with barely a scratch. Bruce Willis himself falls onto an (F16?) that is in the process of crashing and manages to escape unscathed.

Two years ago today I lost my balance whilst playing badminton, landed badly, and fractured my arm in possibly the worst place I could possibly fracture it. I had to have two operations, I was off work for six weeks, and I had to go through about three months of painful physiotherapy; JUST FOR FALLING OVER WHILST ON LEVEL GROUND. So I am extremely jealous of all these super humans who can fall through a hole in the floor, bounce (painfully) off of several big metal pipes, and land about 15 feet down without so much as a broken fingernail. :-)

The Fratellis

Was listening to "The Fratellis: Costello Music" album whilst washing up (and photographing rainbows). I love this album, it is just fun, feel-good, rock.

The first Fratellis track I ever heard was "Creepin Up The Backstairs" which was played on the Zane Lowe show on radio 1. I loved it, but it never really took off, not the way "Chelsea Dagger" and "Whistle For The Choir" did.

My absolute favourites on the album are probably "Whistle For The Choir" and "Doginabag". The lyrics for "Whistle" are just wonderful and the tune just carries you along. "Doginabag" is just an absolutely fantastic tune, I love the guitar in this one, and John Lawler's vocals are amazing.

The next tier would be "Creepin Up The Backstairs" (love the refrain), "Chelsea Dagger" (a real anthem), "Henrietta", "Vince The Loveable Stoner" (love the verses but find the chorus a bit... I don't know, out of place or something), and "Baby Fratelli".

The only one on the album I am not really that fond of is "Got Ma Nuts From A Hippy", although I have not made my mind up about "Ole Black 'n' Blue Eyes" either.

Double Rainbow

Was doing my washing up this evening whilst outside the rain lashed, thunder rumbled, and lightning flashed. Then, the rain slowed down, the sun came out, and a rainbow appeared. The rainbow got brighter and brighter, and then, slowly, another rainbow appeared above it.

I took some pictured through the window and the picture below was about the best I could get given the angle and conditions.



The second, fainter, rainbow can just be seen above the brighter rainbow. The lower rainbow was really bright.

Rap Music

I've been listening to a bit of rap over the last couple of days. A friend loaned me a big sub he wasn't using the other day so I have been testing it out listening to some thumping basslines.

I listened to Eminem: The Eminem Show yesterday and Busta Rhymes: Genesis today.

A lot of people don't like (or get) rap, mainly (I think) because gangsta rap tends to be the most "commercial" so it is what most people hear. This gives them the impression that all rap is "I'm gonna kill that mothafucka", "I'm gonna slap them bitches", and "I'm gonna fuck them ho's". It isn't all like that, that's just what tends to sell the most.

I tend to think of gangsta rap as being the black mans heavy metal; Very brash, in your face, and designed to piss off those who aren't into it.

I went to see a rock band called Bad Influence last night. Had an absolutely brilliant time. I have seen this band loads of times before and they always give a great show. They play a mixture of covers and originals. The covers include such songs as "Long Train Running" , "Breakdown", and "Mercury Blues". I think I like them because they are a very high energy band that really gets you going.