Ali's Space

The doorbell rang the other day and when I opened the door, there was nobody there, just this thing:

Turns out Elle rescued it from being thrown away after the carnival.

So he now lives in our living room, and is called Boris...  Apparently.

Last year, I edited a music concert for DVD release for The Last Drive, a reformed rock/punk band who are massive in Greece and big in other European regions.  The DVD has now been officially released as part of a Live CD/DVD pack entitled Time Is Not Important.

The footage we edited from was recorded in Athens last year.

From Wikipedia:

The Last Drive is a Greek garage revival rock group which formed in 1983 and broke up in 1995. They are regarded by many as the most important Greek rock group of the 80's and one of the most important and influential groups of Greek rock history.

In early 2007, the band announced on their official website their reunion for some gigs. They performed live in Athens on May 11th, 12th and 13th -all three dates being sold out- in Thessaloniki on the 19th and in Larissa on June 2nd.

Their first record ("Midnite Hop") is re-released by Greek DIY label Blind Bastard Records. They also played at the "Open Air Festival" in Athens on July 6. Finally, they were the headliners on the first day of the "Indie Rocket Festival 2007" (along with the Devastations, Acid Cobra and the Cesarians) that took place in Pescara, Italy on June 22nd . In May 2008 the band did another Greek tour while a live CD-DVD covering their reunion shows in Athens was just released Blind Bastard Records. The band is currently active composing and performing new songs.

More information here
Band's web site is here
Buy it here

Had to get up to London earlier in this week for a couple of reasons - one of which was to pick up the hard drive containing all the footage, in glorious high definition, of 5:13, the horror film I'm editing this year.

Had the day to kill, so kidnapped Ben for some touristy fun, and a bit of shopping.

Spent the morning trying to track down a Louis Vuitton replica bag for Ben, who managed to pull of a classic move by parading it in the Louis Vuitton section of Harrods later in the day.  Genius.

Had lunch on the embankment and just generally acted like tourists for the day.

Also, stumbled upon the premiere of Adulthood with Danny Dyer, grabbed some Malaysian food with Sam and finished off in the Haagen Dazs cafe on Leicester Square.

Photos are here.

Anyway, spent the last couple of days ill.  Serves me right for living with a zoo keeper and a nursery nurse - they bring home all sorts.  Spent the good part of today on the sofa watching Lost with Leanne, and playing Sealife Safari (GTA isn't relaxing enough today).

Jason Mraz's new album is actually amazing.  So good, in fact, that I've bought a couple of extra copies for friends.  It's a weird blend of singer/songwriter melodies/reggae/80's funk.

I got into listening to this guy by complete accident a few years back by following some of those "recommendation links" based on other music I'd bought previously through Napster.  I ended up with Jason Mraz, Dexter Freebish and Hoobastank.  Not a bad selection.

Anyway, the new albums really quite good.  On his previous albums his slower stuff doesn't normally stand up so well compared to his more up-tempo stuff (Wordplay is amazing from his last album), but that's not the case this time.   There's not really a weak track on the album.  I'm sort of bummed that I missed him on his UK tour a week or two ago.

Buy from UK / Buy From USA

Here's the video from the first single taken from the new album ("I'm Yours").  Oh, and his web site is amazing.

...And this is Wordplay from his last album (Mr AZ) - still my favourite song.

Courtesy of the household chef (that'll be Jo).  An even better effort than Maz's cake.

Elle was in the Portishead Carnival over the weekend with her nursery, as a bunny rabbit.  She looks a treat.

Some might even use the word "special".

Photos here

Is a great idea (video link).

Although wiring Alex up to the mains and broadcasting it live would be far more entertaining.

Just realised a whole load of my favourite artists have new material out this year.

New albums from Gavin DeGraw, Train, Alex Band, Jason Mraz (amazing/weird web site too).... And Concerto for Constantine look interesting (the lead singer was formerly in JJ72).

Enjoyed a much needed night out on Saturday night for Elle's parents' 25th wedding anniversary.  It had all the ingredients of a good 'family party' - drink (lots of it), nibbles (I don't know how, but me and Leanne got through 3 bowls of Bombay mix) dodgy singing courtesy of Elle, line dancing dinner ladies(!) and Elle's Aunt Meg who stayed with us for a few days - she's amazing!  We're all off to Brighton for the Summer to visit her.  Award for drunken behaviour for the night goes to Leanne who managed to pull down a bookcase on top of her when we got back.

Photos here.

And, a special video of Elle's singing ability can be found here.

We've been taken over by Azure-winged magpies!  Leanne's brought home some abandoned baby chicks from the zoo over night.  They're kind of cute in a weird way.  Elle, with her bird phobia, thinks differently (in fact, she didn't sleep at all last night).