Assorted Thoughts From An Unsorted Mind

Upcoming gigs in Pompey

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 06:00:00 +0000

You wait ages for a Metal band to come to Pompey and then you get three shows arrive at once.

I don't know if I can make any of these because somehow my knees are 10 years older than the rest of me, but damn, these all look very cool.

Steel On The Solent 2026

The three big draws for me would be Holocaust, Quartz and Elixir. (I already saw Saracen years back.) An opportunity to see some bonafide, classic NWOBHM is something you get rarely and it's almost certainly the only chance I will ever get. The newer bands all sound like stuff I like too.

Then in June we get...

Riot V

A band I do not know as well as I should but I think we all respect the history here.

Then finally...

Fortress Under Siege

A Power Metal band playing Pompey? The gods of metal are being kind, aren't they?

Maybe I'll see you there?

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Motorcyle Mamas.

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 05 Apr 2026 11:23:00 +0000

It's been well over a year since I did a Cover Girls post so here we go.

For those of you wondering what the hell this is all about let me explain.

The short version: Album covers with women on them,

usually pretty, frequently badass, sometimes downright disturbing.

The longer version: Over the years I have noticed that rock and

metal cover artists have themes that they keep coming back to:
warriors, monsters, machines, things on fire and so on.

As a general rule of thumb, if a theme has been used once,

somebody else WILL do their own version of it.

Now you'd think that "Just put a hot babe on the cover"

is a theme in itself and yes, there are covers like that.

However I am more interested in album covers which

put in significantly more effort to set a theme

and give you at least an idea of the tone of the album.

Anyway, you're probably wanting me to STFU and get on with it.

Bitch Queen - Kill Your Friends (Switzerland 2014)

Ooh, not a happy young lady is she?

If this was a movie poster you just know there's some

"Carrie" levels of mayhem incoming.

Bloody Nightmare - Hellwolf (Colombia 2018)

Young lady, where is your helmet?

Where is your jacket and bike boots?

Then again, if you're riding pillion on a flaming bike, with

a satanic werewolf at the controls and

..wait... is that fucking lava?

Never mind, safety is not a big priority with you is it?

Next up, another topless pillion rider because once again, if it has been done once,

it has been done twice and maybe a dozen times.

Metaluria - Fuerzas En la Noche (Argentina 2016)

The band turned up with a list of things they wanted on the cover.

"We want motorbikes..and a sexy babe..and a guitar..and MONSTER TRUCKS

and it has to be totally badass. " and to his credit, the artist delivered.

Stutz - Keep Runnin' (USA 2022)

I am beginning to see a bit of a trend here.

None of these Cover Girls are in it just for

the pleasure of the open road and the

cameraderie of the motorcycle community.

Anyway, our blonde anti-heroine is clearly

having the time of her life so...

Good for you, I guess?

War Of Shards - Two Oaths (Single Russia 2019)

A lot going on here,
Sci-fi bikes that owe a lot to Akira and/or Tron.

Some sort of hot pursuit.

Bit unclear whether these are heroes or baddies.

And once again, a blatant disregard for even the most basic safety standards.

I have enough motorbike covers for a second post and for that one,

I plan to go with something a bit less ..destructive.

That's All Folks

Film Review: Cocaine Crabs From Outer Space (2022)

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 20:38:00 +0000

Two visitors from the Planet Crabulon come to Earth seeking...something... we never quite find out. Their first contact with humanity goes horribly wrong and leads to the Aliens going on a cocaine-fuelled orgy of violence.

Can a disgraced detective and a pet-store worker stop them before the world is overrun by coked up crustaceans?

This was an experience.

Whatever I was expecting from a film called "Cocaine Crabs From Outer Space", the reality was something different.

To begin with, this clearly has no budget. I've seen plenty of low-budget films before (Check out this page for a selection: FILMS ) but this doesn't even have that level of budget.

Case in point: the Alien crabs are plastic toys, occasionally being lobbed at their human victims by somebody offscreen.

The human cast are enthusiastic amateurs and the production crew is basically one guy called Chuck. (who also stars and possibly made the coffee & sandwiches too.)

Before you go away thinking that I hated this movie, not so fast.

No, this is not a "good" movie. Then again, with this sort of backyard project, normal definitions of "good", "bad" and "Sane" don't really apply.

Somewhat to my surprise, I sort of enjoyed it. It definitely was an interesting 83 minutes. I think what helped is that "..Crabs" takes the basic idea and the lack of FX budget and just goes for it.

The two leads are easy to like too. As are the crazed killer crabs. You might be baffled, but you won't be bored.

To sum up: Approach with caution and low expectations and see what happens

That's All Folks

The Metal Project: Metal Makes The Future

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 08 Mar 2026 18:40:00 +0000

The header above pretty much says it all but since I haven't done one of these posts in forever, let me quickly explain. This all started not long after I'd started this blog. I was thinking "I wonder how many songs with Metal in the title I can find on Youtube?"

It turned out that the answer was "A lot."

Like, seriously a lot. As of last counting, I'd found 1691. If you want a proper list check out this page here: Song List

(Not all of them are still up on Youtube because of that platform's distressing propensity for nuking accounts. Sorry.)

Anyway, that brings me to todays ever so belated update. Here's a selection of songs and I sincerely hope you find something you like.

Whistle Horse - Mexican Metal Force (Mexico 2026)

Honour to: NWOTHMFullAlbums

Freedom Call - Heavy Metal Happycore (Germany 2026)

Honour to: Steamhammer Records

Bullet - Chained By Metal (Sweden 2026)

Honour to: Steamhammer Records

Phantom Excaliver - Metal Makes The Future (Japan 2025)

Honour to: Phantom Excaliver band

Steel Sentinel - Pedal to The Metal (Mexico 2013)

Honour to: Steel Sentinel

That'll do it for tonight. If I have my calculations right, one more post and I'll be past the 1700 mark. I also reckon I have enough songs to keep this going for several years yet.

In fact, I think Youtube is adding songs faster than I can post them. Yikes.

That's All Folks.

Visiting The Vintage Toy Monster

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 12:40:00 +0000

So there I was, half-asleep on my sofa, idly scrolling through Youtube subscriptions and suggestions when something interesting popped up. Along with all the "I built a shelter in the forest with nothing but a backpack full of tools" and the AI-generated slop I got this:

Credit to: TOY OVERDOSE

My immediate reaction was "Oooohhhhh. That looks cool" promptly followed by "How come I haven't heard of this place?"

Because it's in Copnor and I never go anywhere near that part of Pompey.

Time to change that.

Come payday I climbed onto a bus and headed off to Copnor. Which took ages because: bus

First impressions were encouraging.

Peering at the window

I did ask if I could take pictures inside so here you go:

In short, exactly the sort of place I was hoping to find. And yes, I did buy some stuff.

Starting with some recruits for my army:

I now have a detachment of Lifeguards for my Imperial Palace.

The nice chap behind the counters seemed to think they were Britain's figures so lord knows how old they are. Good condition, regardless of age.

Initially I just found two or three figures floating out in the tub but the owner told me "There should be some more in there" so pulled out the tub, got on his hands and knees and began rummaging until he'd found the bag they'd all escaped from. I did appreciate that.

I then found a bag of Guardsmen. Also Britain's, I think

A nice little guard detachment and it is nice to add something to my collection that isn't generic Vietnam war soldier batch 16. I could actually display these if I had the space.

Memo to self: get a lottery ticket tonight.

While I was at it, I also found this striking young lady.

I have no bloody idea who this is but she's wearing a leather bikini and if you read this blog semi-regularly, you'll know I'm a sucker for that sort of thing.

To sum up: Was Vintage Toy Monster worth the long-ass bus ride. Yes

Did I get some cool stuff? Yes

Would I like to take my brother and his kids there so they can go "Oohh." as well. Very much yes.

That's All Folks

Film Review : Caligula - The Ultimate Cut

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 18 Jan 2026 18:20:00 +0000

"Caligula" has gone down in history as one of cinema's most troubled productions. The writer wanted to make a grand historical epic, the director wanted to make a darkly comic satire and the producer wanted lots and lots of sex. The result was a bit of a mess that nobody was happy with.

When it was released the film outraged critics, moralists and cinemagoers and also kicked off several lawsuits.

I suspect the real Caligula would have been delighted by all this.

This version has supposedly been put together from the original footage and is touted as being the "closest to writer Gore Vidal's original vision."

So after all this time has somebody managed to make this infamous trainwreck into a good film?

Well, my first thought is "Does this bloody movie really need to be almost 3 hours long?" A film about one of history's premier bloodthirsty madmen is always going to be a hard watch and all that extra time made it a real slog.

There are some positives: Malcolm Mcdowell gives an astonishing, dynamic performance. He goes from playful to malevolent and back again in seconds and even manages some tender moments.

It's difficult to feel any sympathy towards such a nasty piece of work but he almost manages it.

Maybe it's just my interpretation but the impression I got is that his Caligula is actively going out of his way to wind up the rest of the world. Like somebody handed him the world's biggest toybox and he got bored of it already.

Next up we have Helen Mirren as Caesonia. Ok, ridiculously hot - and also a great performance that's downright restrained compared to Mcdowell, but that's why it worked, I felt.

Peter O'Toole may have been drunk the whole time his raddled, degenerate Tiberius is on screen. Meh, it sort of fits.

Visually, "Caligula" looks amazing. The sets and costumes are glorious, and the whole thing is composed and shot really well.

However, all this still leaves the central problem. "Caligula" is not an easy film to watch.

A bit like Caligula himself, the film is trying to be shocking, so entirely too many graphic orgies and I could really have done without the bit where Caligula rapes a a pair of newlyweds. Or the scene where Caligula turns the birth of his child into a grotesque tableau. Or....

You get the idea.

Then there is the overall tone. Thanks to various people trying to pull the film in different directions Caligula keeps veering into absurdity. I couldn't tell you how much of it was meant to be absurd or just landed that way. It would be camp if it wasn't for the rape, murder and so on.

And lastly, I just didn't think the film flowed. It was just a collection of incidents, loosely hung together on a frame. I didn't get the sense that Caligula was descending into madness.

What you end up with is a film that doesn't work as a drama, is too grotesque to be erotic and too brutal to be camp.

I think I might have enjoyed the unrestored version more.

Might

Watching Caligula is definitely an experience. Whether you enjoy said experience is a whole other question.

Book review: Emma Carroll - Dracula & Daughters (2025)

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 21:42:00 +0000

"Strange happenings are afoot in Temstown. everyone is saying vampires are to blame and the townsfolk have their stakes at the ready.

But cousins Mina, Buffy and Bella are about to discover a family secret that might change everything. Could their connection to Dracula give them the power to heal vampires.

Temstown is about to welcome its very first vampire healing company.- Dracula & Daughters - and their first case is certainly close to the heart"

So right away the cover and the blurb give away some major plot points. Oh well.

Sticking with the cover, I think you can guess that this is aimed at a much, much younger audience than me - but that doesn't auomatically mean it's a bad book. Far from it. I've read plenty of books aimed at children or YA and a good story is a good story.

I think Emma Carroll gets the job done quite nicely. Our three heroines are endearing, there's an interesting take on vampire lore, things move along at a brisk pace and I quite liked the frequent nods to other vampire works.

This might be the newest book I've ever done on here - it only came out two months ago and as it happens , I found this advance proof-reading copy in a charity shop.

Worth checking out.

That's all folks.

Reinforcements Have Arrived: Car Boot Sale Haul

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 14:10:00 +0000

Hello out there.

I thought it was about time I posted again. I also wanted to show off some of the ..interesting stuff I picked up at the last car Boot Sale I went to. This was all part of a boxful I got for the massive sum of £3 and alongside some farm animals, and some generic toy soldiers I also got....

Spacemen.

I suppose I have a Space force now.

Musicians

These look old.

Includes one guy making sure the crowd don't throw fruit.

Shamen

Handy for those moments when you need to make sure the spirits are on your side.

Cowboys (I think)

Initially I thought they were supposed to have hats and they had come adrift

Nope. Their hair is flesh coloured.

So rocking the Yul Brynner look then?

Carnies

What the hell is that blue...thing...supposed to be anyway?

Shudder.

I might bury it in the ground somewhere far away.

So all in all, exactly the sort of weird & wonderful I was looking for.

Much better than yet more vaguely Vietnam War era Americans.

Not bad for £3.

Anyway, I need to go work out what to do with a dozen plastic sheep and pigs.

That's All Folks

When Commando Gets Creepy: Judgement

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Thu, 10 Jul 2025 19:49:00 +0000

So we've been looking at some of the times when British boys' war comic Commando decided to add a little supernatural into the mix. Well, for this final post we have two comics which apparently take their inspiration from Vault Of Horror.

Each issue uses a framing device before going into individual stories, all of deal with bad people doing bad things. Interestingly, the miscreants are all on the Allied side.

Suffice it to say, at the end the hammer of judgement comes down hard.

Commando 5693: Nightmare Express (2023)

Four men are detailed to guard a train compartment. Strangely, for such an important the door isn't locked. Temptation quickly proves too much and all four men step inside to find something terrifying.

Two airmen murder a comrade and all seems well until he comes back to fly with them one last time.

A soldier robs the wrong shop.

A shipwrecked sailor is rescued by a lifeboat from a civilian liner. A liner that sank decades ago.

(My personal favourite out of the three0

I am confident that there is no way this would have been published in the 1970s because bloody hell, this is straight out of one of the darker Twilight Zone episodes.

Like a lot of Commando stories, it ends with the bad guys getting their karmic reward; but in most stories, the villain dies and that's it. Here it looks like that's only the start.

Commando 5795: Strange Frequencies (2024)

Three members of a medical team are sent out into the desert to check on an observation post. They arrive to find a collection of graves and a single dead body. What happened; disease or something worse?

Struggling to get the radio to work, a signal finally comes through from somewhere and for each of the three, the voice on the radio reveals secrets that nobody should even know, sparking visions of a grim end.

Bullying RSM Curtis meets a soldier he tormented one final time.

Nurse Mary Barclay hatches a plan to "acquire" a valuable necklace. Shame she also acquires the curse that goes with it.

Captain Marlowe had a little help to get promoted to an officer. Now he has to face the consequences.

I loved "Strange frequencies" and the way the threads tie together right at the end. The atmosphere is spooky and, I think, easily one of the best Creepy stories Commando ever did.

Like "Nightmare Express" this is a tale of ghastly people running into something unearthly before revealing that everybody is trapped in something darker still.

Interestingly, considering that Commando is a war comic, the war itself is only vaguely in the background.

Anyway, that's enough Commando posts for the time being.

That's All Folks

When Commando Gets Creepy: Ancient Nightmares.

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sat, 28 Jun 2025 09:52:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to another post about British war comic Commando and the times it got all Weird War Tales.

(Probably not that often but when you've racked up nearly 6000 issues, eventually you end up with enough material for a clutch of blog posts)

So far we've covered ghosts, haunted artefacts, tanks with a mind of their own, lethal curses and that time a forest started eating people. (See previous posts for more details)

I was originally going to finish this series off with one last post but had a bit of a think and really, I would be better off splitting things up. Makes it easier to write if nothing else.

Commando 5589: Night of the Gorgons (2022)

1943 A fighter sweep over one of the Dodecanese Islands ends in a nightmare when the Spitfires return to base and one of the pilots has, somehow, turned to stone. His friend decides to join a commando team investigating the island, expecting some sort of Nazi super weapon. What he finds is an awful lot of statues and a mysterious woman...

You will be relieved to hear that yes, there is a mid-air fight between a winged Gorgon and a Spitfire. I think we can all agree that this is awesome.

The rest is also a good read that takes an out-there idea and runs with it. The way the commandos are gradually picked off is pure horror-film territory. The malevolent Melania Mandrapilias is a memorable villainess and makes a nice change from the usual Nazi brutes.

Somebody on the editorial team must have liked her as well because, for what may be the first time ever, a Commando villain made a second appearance.

Commando 5689: Dawn of the Gorgons (published 2023)

A British carrier on the way to participate in the Suez operation runs into - you guessed it, a deserted ship filled with really good statues. Soon commandos start dying horribly as a pissed off Gorgon gets revenge on the world.

What I like about both these stories is that they are set during military campaigns well outside the norm. The ill-fated Dodecanese operation for the first, the Suez crisis in the second.

(Hmm, I wonder if the writers deliberately picked operations that were massive failures. )

Also, commandos vs gorgons is a cool idea that somebody needs to make a film about. Preferably not the Asylum because we all know how that's gonna go.

I think I preferred the artwork for "Night.." but that's a minor quibble. "Dawn..." is a worthy sequel and I wouldn't mind seeing a third installment.

Moving eastward and somewhere much, much colder and we get...

Commando 5729: Baba Yaga (Published 2024)

After a Russian T-34 is destroyed by a King Tiger Ivan, the lone, injured survivor meets a beautiful woman. After some reluctance, she agrees to take him to the cabin in the forest where she lives with her sisters. In exchange for performing 3 tasks, they will heal him and then help him fight the Germans.

Initially alarmed by the cabin having a whole load of skulls on stakes outside, Ivan takes on the tasks, even if he can't quite understand the reasoning. There's also something a little odd about the 3 sisters...

Another interesting issue. It's deliberately set up to follow the structure of old folk tales, especially Russian folklore. The 3 sisters, the 3 tasks, the way it all pays off at the end when our hero uses what he learned. I also think Baba Yaga is aimed at an older readership, who are aware of the old myths about a forest dwelling witch and also why a King Tiger is a big deal.

So to sum up, 3 Commando issues that are worth checking out if you want your war stories with a healthy does of weird shit.

I have maybe one more post to go so see you next time.

That's All Folks.

When Commando Gets Creepy: Revenge

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 08 Jun 2025 15:53:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back to another post about some of Commando's weirder stories.

Revenge is a theme that Commando absolutely loves, whether it is a good guy wanting to avenge his fallen comrades or a bad guy looking to get even after a humiliating defeat. There's that old saying about "Revenge is dish best served cold" which I've always interpreted as "The best time to get revenge is after you've had time to really give it some thought and quite possibly long after the other person forgot all about it."

That doesn't make me sound like a psycho does it? It's not like I have an ongoing list of people I want to stuff into a woodchipper or anything...

Anyway, revenge is a powerful motivation and in the comics below, it's so strong that certain characters come back from the afterlife just to get even.

Commando 2647: Dead Men's Revenge (1993)

1940. During the Battle Of France Corporal Nick Gray's unit are getting hammered by the Germans when a shellburst knocks him out cold. When he comes to, the rest of his platoon are gone. But then 4 men in outdated uniforms walk out of the mist.

In 1917 they had been falsely accused of cowardice and executed. They are not happy about this and would like Nick to clear their names.

Like a lot of Commando stories a flashback delivers important background. There's also that other Commando favourite: an officer who is a complete wanker.

I feel the ghosts in this story are the least proactive here. Aside from popping up a couple of times to remind Nick that they require his help, they play little part. As we shall see, other restless spirits are happy to get stuck in.

On the whole, not a bad tale.

Commando 3428: Ghost Of Evil (1986 republished 2001)

Mortimer "Black Mortimer" Somerville terrorised the people of his estate until they finally had enough of him and somebody jammed a sabre into his chest. Pausing long enough to promise he'd be back for revenge, Mortimer expired. And there was much rejoicing.

A century later, an RAF officer has a freak accident at the site of Mortimer's death and begins acting like a bloody lunatic. As his crew begin wondering if he's trying to get them all killed, one man realises that "Black Mortimer" is back. Since the man in question is descended from Mortimer's killer, that is going to cause some issues.

A rare case of a villain making a comeback, and a proper, bastard he is too. As long as you're Ok with Commando's spooky side, this is a fun read.

Commando 3996: The Lost Legion (2007)

3rd Century AD . A Roman legion is betrayed and wiped out when their German "Allies" lure them into a trap and drown every last one of them by cracking open a dam

As the Roman leader dies, he curses the Germans.

Well you would, wouldn't you.

Afterwards a forest grows up at the site of the defeat, suspiciously fast. Supernaturally fast.

Fast forward to 1944 and Captain Blake Farley is due to join his unit in Germany but before he does, his uncle - a veteran of WW1 - warns him "Beware of the Hunzberg Forest. Scary shit happens there."

Cue the traditional Commando flashback and a horror story that Captain Farley ignores -at first. Who would believe in a forest that hates Germans anyway?

Certainly not the ruthless SS officer who has a fiendish plan to lure British troops into the valley and blow the new dam, drowning all of them.

The forest has other ideas...

I loved this one. It has all the classic elements: History repeating itself, Nazis getting their comeuppance and the supernatural coming to the aid of the Allies. Worth a read.

Commando 4160: Back From The Dead (1991 republished 2008)

Lightning strikes a museum, scoring a direct hit on the Pz IV on display. The dummies crewing the tank come to life - well, four of them do at any rate - and the Panzer roars into life and rolls off into the night. Meanwhile one of Germany's richest wankers is speeding down the autobahn in his Mercedes. When the two collide there could only be one result.

The police officer investigating is left with a mystery: what the bloody hell just happened?

That's when a ghost pops up to deliver a flashback. In the final days of the Reich a young panzer crew is betrayed by one of their own and murdered. This pissed them off.

Wonder how the copper put that down in the report?

I must admit this has to be one of Commando's wackier stories but still works. I could have put this in with the "Haunted" post ( SEE HERE) but felt it was better suited under "Revenge". It's interesting that the good guys and villain are all Germans.

And that will do for now but I think I'll make at least one more Creepy Commando post so I'll see you soon.

That's All Folks

Reinforcements Have Arrived: Knights And Stabby Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Mon, 19 May 2025 19:23:00 +0000

Taking a break from the commando posts for a moment to update you on the status of my Toy Soldier Army. I've had some more stuff come through, partially from Ebay and partially from Southsea Car Boot Sale.

I don't want to post everything but I did get some interesting stuff so here we go. Let's start with this odd couple...

Just to show you what a job lot can throw up, what we have here is a grizzled old dude from the Wild West. A townsman who's finally taking up arms against them, thar cattle rustlers.

Right next to him is - I think - a Greek soldier in traditional uniform. I didn't know anybody made those so it's nice to have.

Sticking with the "Motley" theme we have these:

A native American warrior, an unidentified rifleman , a fast-moving GI and two brightly coloured dudes with blades.

I think these might be pirates but given the bare chests and bare scalps, they might also be some sort of martial arts warrior. Makes a change from generic Airfix knockoffs, I feel.

I also got a load of KNIGHTS.

Heroic Silver knights both afoot and a-horse.

And Dastardly Black knights intent on mayhem. Obviously I then had to do this:

FIGHT

That's All Folks!

When Commando Gets Creepy: Cursed.

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Mon, 05 May 2025 09:02:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back

This is the third post in this series looking at long-running British comic Commando, and more specifically issues where things get supernatural.

So far we've covered stories where characters deal with something that may or may not be paranormal but is (usually) helpful.

This is about the other side.

Literally.

The characters are Axis pilots and assholes to boot. Since Commando is old-fashioned about such things and has never liked anti-heroes, this is not going to end well.

Commando 1559: Squadron Of Doom (1981)

I am 90% sure I read this one when I was a kid.

The Story: Occupied France 1941ish. Members of an elite Luftwaffe fighter unit decide to jazz up their BF109s with personal markings. A local artist does the work but then gets stiffed on his money. And humiliated. And his pet bird gets killed.

I suspect it's that last one that really pushed him into Vengeance is mine territory. One good cursing later and the Nazi wankers start meeting unfortunate and improbable deaths, each being directly related to the design they chose. The guy with a lightning bolt hits electric pylons, the guy with the hammer design gets a hammer dropped on his head. You get the picture.

The pilots quickly work out what's going on and start freaking out. Or rather, some do, others scoff. It's a bit Final destination, really.

This is a theme Commando used several times, with slight variations, and it does work quite well. The artwork (uncredited) is neat and if you look at the cover the expression on the pilot's face is marvellous. Commando cover artists really need more appreciation.

Commando 3427 : Strike Them Down (1986. Reprinted 2001)

Another Axis squadron gets Voodoo-ed. Don't feel bad for them

The Story: Burma 1944-ish. With the Allies dominating the skies, an elite Zero unit is moved into a hidden airstrip to cause some mayhem. But first, some of them take a break to desecrate a local shrine. The priest warns them that the gods of Air, earth, fire and water will not be happy.
The Japanese promptly use the shrine statues for target practice and swagger off.

You know what's coming next.

The four pilots die horribly but with a definite karmic justice. Serves them right.

If this was written today I wonder if they would make the pilots British instead. I guess that would depend on the writer. Maybe Garth Ennis needs to take a crack at something like this.

Can I remind you all that this is a children's comic. Bloody hell, kids in the 1970s and 80s were bloodthirsty little sods.

Anyway, that's it for now but I still have more Creepy Commando to post. Check back soon.

That's All Folks.

When Commando Gets Creepy: Haunted

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 19:13:00 +0000

Welcome to the third installment in this series. I wasn't originally planning on it being a series, even a short one, but I find that what I plan to write and what actually happens don't always match.

What we're currently looking at is the long-running British comic series called "Commando", which is a digest sized title focusing on wartime heroics and tending towards titles such as "Desert of Death" and "March or Die"

But every now and then Commando gets a bit strange.

Today I'm going to bring up another three examples of stories with a supernatural element. A bit like the last lot, an item has a history and some unexpected properties. However this time the object in question is a lot bigger. And can move. And has guns.

Better hope it's on your side.

Commando 2050: The Haunted Tank (1986)

I mean, the title says it all.

The story: "New boy" Sid Raleigh has finally been accepted by the rest of his tanks crew which means they let him in on a big secret: Their particular tank is haunted, most likely by the spirit of a notorious practical joker. Sometimes the tank will stop for no reason. Sometimes it will start for no reason. Funny thing is, it always saves the crew from incoming danger.

Sid is a bit dubious, as you'd expect, but we all know how this goes. Eventually Sid and his mates get dragged into a nefarious Nazi scheme and the ghost has to take decisive action.

An entertaining story that manages to work with the premise without making it too silly.

Commando 2977: The Haunted Halifax (1996)

Again, the title is right there.

The Story: 1944. RAF Bombers are raiding Italy. One of those bombers is a Halifax affectionately dubbed "Creaky Kate" by her crew who believe that Kate will always get them home. However Kate gets hit hard by a nightfighter and that means her crew fly their next mission in a strange aircraft. When they are posted as "missing" their friends are devastated.

But maybe the newly repaired "Creaky Kate" will find a way to get her crew home after all.

Not sure about this one. Something doesn't gel here and that's a shame because the artwork is pretty good.

Commando 3517: The Haunted Hurricane (2002)

It's about a Hurricane that is haunted.

What I find interesting is that in all of these cases the "ghost" is benevolent and making a point of helping the crew. Possibly that's because a haunted Stuka would crash on the next mission.

The Story: Wilf Judd has just arrived at his new squadron in the Middle East, more than a little worried because he's a mediocre pilot and he knows this is not good for his survival chances.

Crashing the brand new Hurricane he's ferrying does not help his confidence and it does give his new CO the best impression either. In response, Wilf is handed a battered Hurricane with the name "Ghost" and a mysterious background.

Naturally the Hurricane starts behaving oddly: refusing to answer to the controls, flying itself in dogfights and oh yes, talking to Wilf through the radio.

Seems the previous pilot decided to stick around to settle a few scores.

Firstly, some really good art work on display for this issue. Secondly, it's also interesting that the crews never seem to have any problems accepting that their vehicle is haunted. Very matter of fact about it. Thirdly - yes I enjoyed the haunted Hurricane and I bet 12 year old me would have absolutely loved it.

I'll be back soon with more spooky wartime escapades but in the meantime...

That's All Folks!

When Commando Gets Creepy: Artifacts

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 09:55:00 +0000

Back in December I made a post about an issue of Commando that managed to be the comic equivalent of a Christmas Horror movie. (Read it here: Krampusnacht).

Well, I had a dig through my stack of Commandos and found enough issues with a supernatural element to make either one long-ass post or several posts that are a more reasonable length. I'll do the latter and try to work with a rough theme.

I'm not going to do Sci-Fi stories for the time being, so nothing about aliens, time-travellers or Nazi Wunderwaffe. I'm strictly covering the eerie, Weird War Tales sort of story.

(Hey D C Thomson, if you're reading this then I have an idea for you: you already published a Commandos Vs Zombies collection so why not do a Commando Chills volume? )

What we'll look at first is something Commando used several times over the years.

Artifacts

To clarify, what I mean here is: an object from the past with some supernatural properties. When it falls into the hands of an ordinary squaddie strange things happen.

Commando 1320 The Magic Blade (1979)

Possibly inspired by the Fairy Flag of Clan Mcleod, this is about a family heirloom passed from generation to generation and war to war. As we shall see, other artifacts are a bit more random.

The story: 15th Century Scotland Warriors from Clan Broderick arrive a little too late to save the local witch from the raiders from a rival clan. She appreciates the effort and before dying promises that the Brodericks will receive a talisman that will give them victory - but can only be used three times.

Shortly afterward a meteorite strikes down the enemy chieftain in the middle of a battle. The Brodericks promptly turn the lucky star-rock into a dagger. Over the centuries this comes in handy when things get truly, truly desperate before we finally arrive at WW2.

The new chieftain leads his clan into battle once again, this time as a special commando unit. And during the Normandy campaign, the dagger is used for the third and final time as the men of Clan Broderick fight off a panzer attack.

A fun story, maybe a little old-fashioned but that's part of the charm of Commando comics anyway. I did like the time spent developing the history of the clan and their talisman.

Commando 3807 - Tin Hat Terror (2005)

A trope Commando used a lot over the years is the idea of a mild-mannered man becoming a hero.

Sometimes he just finds the courage within himself when it's needed. Sometimes...well...he has a bit of help.

Like the last issue, this one starts way back in the past. Unlike the "Magic Blade" the artefact takes effect on the person wearing it.

The story: 9th Century England. A Viking warrior goes into a berserker state when his clan is betrayed and ambushed, laying waste to everything in his path until he finally takes a death-wound.

As he dies, his steel helmet is struck by lightning.

Centuries later the Viking's cairn is opened up by archaeologists who are surprised to find the berserker's helmet in pristine condition.

(Personally that would be a giant red flag to me and I'd rebury the bloody thing immediately. Under concrete and holy water, for preference.)

Thanks to an unfortunate combination of events, during WW2 the helmet is melted down to make a "tin hat". This is issued to timid Pay Corps clerk Perry Gosling - who promptly stops being timid and starts being a rage monster every time he puts it on.

This does come in handy when the Germans launch their invasion of France and poor Percy gets caught behind enemy lines. Not so much fun for the German troops suddenly faced with a kill-crazy nutter.

Another fun story and to be honest the artists' depiction of Psycho-Percy's KillFace makes it even better.

Yes, the fight on the cover does happen.

Commando 4210 - Dead Man's Boots (2009)

Another one where the object(s) in question come with the previous wearer along for the ride. Plus we're in familiar Commando territory - the terrible soldier makes good.

The Story: D-Day 1944. Aboard one of the troopships one particular soldier has the shiniest boots you could imagine. Why? He starts telling his tale and it goes back to the Fall of France.

Trev Walker needed a new pair of boots and quickly, as the Germans were on their way and he couldn't get far in his socks/ Luckily he found a shiny, shiny new pair in an abandoned museum.

It gets a bit weird when the previous owner pops up in the shiny leather to say "Go on, borrow these but take good care of them."

It gets weirder when the boots make Trev significantly better at marching and running. Also, there's a Nazi senior officer with an unhealthy interest in Trev's new boots.

Seems there's a history there and it goes back to WW1.

I would say this is a bit more light-hearted than usual but it is still a war comic with all that entails. Worth a read.

To sum up: Three variations on a basic theme that still manage to work within the Commando famework. It helps that the usual under-rated Commando artwork is on display. And I think I can safely say that all three are very British in tone. If you are into this sort of thing, keep an eye out for a copy.

I have more Commando Chilling Combat tales to show you. Pop back in a bit and bring a torch.

That's All Folks.

The Metal Project: The Triumph Of Metal

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Mon, 10 Mar 2025 20:36:00 +0000

Time is a funny thing. One day you start thinking about that person you haven't seen in a little while and then you realise that the last time you chatted was 5 year ago. Then you realise that you haven't done a Metal project post in over a year.

Oops.

So, my apologies for the delay but I thought I'd better put up some songs. As always the criteria are as follows:

1. It has to be a metal band. (Or at least metal adjacent, whatever that means)

2. The song has to have "Metal" in the title. Hence the name "The Metal Project"

3. No covers.

4. No live songs (unless that's all I can find)

5. No instrumentals (Unless I like them)

6. No NSBM (Because fuck those nazi bellends in the ears)

7. No AI songs. (Because AI scares me.)

Now we're all caught up, let's get some music on. No theme this time; I just grabbed some new-ish stuff. I hope you like it.

Iron Curtain - Heavy Metal Rush (Spain 2025)

Credit to: NWOTHMFullAlbums

Air Raid Sirens - Heavy Metal Party (India 2025)

Credit to: Air raid sirens

Hartlight - The Triumph of Metal (Switzerland/France 2025)

Credit to: Hartlight

Visagem - Speed Metal Infernal (Brazil 2024)

Credit to: LINK

Sign Of The Jackal -Pedal to The Metal (Italy 2024)

Credit to: DyingVictimsProductions

Brothers Of Metal - Heavy Metal Viking (Sweden 2024)

Credit to: AFM Records

So as we can see, in the year 2025 people are still making metal songs about how awesome metal is.

There's still hope for humanity.

That's all folks.

Dear Youtube...

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 09 Mar 2025 18:17:00 +0000

Hello there Youtube, you got a minute for a little chat?

We've been together for quite a while now and while for the most part it's been great - I honestly don't know what I'd do without you giving me a regular supply of music, dogs and memes - there are a few things I wanted to bring up.

Starting with:

1. Adverts.

We both knew this one was coming, didn't we? Look, I am OK with you needing to make a profit but 50 minutes of unskippable ads before every video? 30 minutes of unskippable adverts every 15 minutes? Calm it down will you?

Also, I am a 55 year old man. Why am I getting adverts for beauty products and tampons?

Are you trying to tell me something?

2. Youtube Premium

This is never going to happen. Accept it and move on.

3. The Algorithm.

Please stop recommending me things I have already watched. Jeez, that gets frustrating after a while.

4. AI Music Videos

...Are creepy and disturbing. Make them stop.

5. Deleted videos

Lastly, I'd like to make a suggestion. Can you please add a feature where I can remove deleted/private videos from a playlist without having to go through each and every one? Cheers.

Now that wasn't so bad, was it?

Let's sit down with a cuppa and some hobnobs, and find a video of people failing at parkour.

Sound like a plan?

That's all folks.

Heavy Metal Cover Girls: Gorgons and Lamias

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 18:10:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to another edition of "Heavy Metal Cover Girls"; an occasional series where I put up album covers from metal & rock acts sharing a loose theme as well as the female form.

What I have said many times across this series is that there are certain themes that pop up time and again. Warrior women are always popular, as are angels, demons and close-ups of buttocks. (see previous posts for more details) All of which makes sense for Metal bands.

What also makes sense is for bands to have a fascination with the tragic figure of Medusa. A beautiful woman cursed by cruel gods to become a monster. How hideous the monster is, depends entirely on the artist and band. Interestingly, the gorgons on these covers are never presented as victims.

I also had a few covers where the woman/snake combination is built differently: Lamias are part woman, part snake and, here anyway, always gorgeous. "What the hell" I thought "Let's throw them in as well."

Let's go in and meet these ladies.
Remember not to look them in the eye.

HEARTSCORE - MEDUSA'S HEAD (GERMANY 2021)

Medusa looking contemplative here. I am relieved to see that Medusa's head is still attached to the rest of Medusa here.

MIECZ WIKINGA - GRONA GNIEWU (POLAND 2004)

Another headshot but clearly not a happy gorgon. Having a load of living snakes on your scalp must itch like blazes.

Russell - Guns - Medusa 2024

Medusa having a s surprisingly tender moment with her latest victim. Well, tender on her side. Where he's concerned, it's an agonising, terrifying death. You can just imagine her whispering in his ear. "Shushhh, honey. Let it happen."

RIP Jack Russell

MEDUSA TOUCH - TERROR EYES (UK 2019)

MEDUSA TOUCH - INSANITEYES (UK 2022)

It's always nice when a band has a consistent theme going. Here we have the same idea but presented very differently. "Terror Eyes" has the standard "Hot Gorgon" thing going on. While "Insaniteyes" suggests that the poor woman has had a bit of an accident.

Incidentally there are 3 completely different bands called Medusa Touch

IRONFLAME - LIGHTNING STRIKES THE CROWN (USA 2017)

Another Gorgon and her victim except this one seems to have wings which is just plain cheating.

Imagine being a king just trying to relax after a long day of reigning when a naked woman pops in though the window.

By the time you notice the snakes on her scalp and realise what's going on, you're already a big lump of rock.

I'll finish with a couple of Lamia.

JENNER - TO LIVE IS TO SUFFER (SERBIA 2017)

"Look at what happened to the last jerks that asked where my nipples got to?"

SWEET EVE - TOOTY (USA 2022)
First off, that's a terrible name for an album. What does that even mean?
Secondly, why does she look so annoyed?
Did we catch her about to take a shower or something.
I think we better back away slowly...

THAT'S ALL FOLKS

Woman Wrestling Comics: Sensacional De Luchas 46

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 11:20:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back to the blog. Sorry I haven't been updating recently but life happens and it gets in the way of blogging.

If you are here for the first time then looking at my statistics, you are probably here because you searched for "Women Wrestling" or "Women Wrestling Comics" so I think you're going to like today's post.

In the past I've covered comics from the USA, Japan and the UK (check HERE) but this is the first time I've done a comic from Mexico.

It makes sense that Lucha Libre and comics have a long history together. People more knowledgeable than me have pointed out that Luchadores are treated as larger than life character, practically cartoon superheroes. And in fact a pocket-sized digest called "Sensacional De Luchas" ran from 1986 to 1954 starring real wrestlers in comic thrills & adventure. (ComicVine page can be found here: sensacional-de-luchas.

Given that during this period women's wrestling seems to have been a bigger deal in Mexico than the USA, it makes sense that some issues feature lady wrestlers. (Although I don't know if any real female stars got their own comic)

So, I reckon it's time to start posting pictures.

Sadly, we never actually get to see a Nun performing dropkicks.

My Spanish is non-existent to the point there is at least one retired Spanish Teacher who has nightmares about

trying to get me to understand regular verbs So that means I had work out what the story is by panels alone.

As near as I can work out, it goes like this:

Our beautiful heroine is a lady wrestler with a career in the slumps.

She keeps getting knocked about by bigger, scarier women.

I haven't been able to work out what Blondie is called so let's just call her "Blondie"

I refuse to believe that Blondie is really called Bertha.

She's just not Bertha material.

Anyway poor Blondie is getting a lot of flak from her boyfriend, management and the

other girls but then has an encounter with a nun that gives her a new view on life.

It also helps her with the whole "Not getting battered" thing too.

Brunette seems a bit miffed here. Maybe she though she was in for an early night.

Montage time!

Art looks like something from the 1950s, doesn't it?

Blondie also starts spending quality time with the local nuns.

Since nobody is wrestling in those pages I didn't scan them.

Not sure what happens next but our heroine's confidence takes a bit of a knock again.

Having an opponent try to rip your tongue out will do that to you.

So after a bit of a pep-talk from her boyfriend Blondie pulls that wrestling classic and secretly returns as a masked mystery woman.

You'd think the glorious mane of blonde hair would give the game away but 1. this is Mexico and Lucha Libre has it's own rules and 2. this is the 80s when "smart" fans weren't on a dozen message boards telling everybody what Wrestler A had for breakfast.

Anyway, Blondie has decided to stop being so nice.

Including the Mike Tyson special.

Having won, she immediately reveals "It's me, Mexico. It was me all along"

which may have rendered the whole thing pointless.

And we get a happy ending where the queen of the local nuns congratulates Blondie on almost maiming another woman.

Ok then.

The final page is a pinup of some dashing chaps.

On the whole this was an interesting read and if I ever get my paws on more issues I may can them.

That's all folks!

When Commando Gets Creepy: Krampusnacht

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 09:16:00 +0000

Hello and welcome back.

This is an early start on something I've been meaning to do for a while.

Commando has been published since 1961 and as the name suggests, it's a war comic.

There are certain themes it tends to rely on: mild-mannered milksops discovering their inner badass,

enemies forced to work together, destroying secret bases and a big dose of old-school heroism.

Then there are the times thing get weird.

This particular issue is currently in the shops and not surprisingly it is Christmas themed.

Although given that it's a Commando comic it's a wartime Christmas comic.

It is also legitimate nightmare fuel.

Seriously.

I'm a grown man and this one disturbed me.

Christ knows what it would to an unsuspecting kid.

Then again, anyone who sees this cover and buys it anyway deserves anything they get.

For those of you who don't know, Krampus is the German Anti-Santa.

Instead of delivering presents, he snatches up naughty children.

You already know where is going, don't you?

To sum up the story, a detachment of Waffen SS arrive in a small,

isolated German village deep in the forest and proceed to act like

utter wankers. The locals warn them to stop being utter wankers or

else Krampus will get them. The SS ignore them so one

of the village elders delivers one of Commando's trademarks:

The flashback to set up the backstory.

To sum up: "Back when I were a little girl, a bunch of

utter wankers showed up and Krampus got them."

As an aside, this where we find out what happens to the

children Krampus snatches. Basically they become his

eternally damned servants to help him hunt the naughty.

I don't know if is this is accurate to German tradition

but since the whole idea of Krampus disturbs me,

this is just an extra level of "What the actual fuck?"

Anyway, this goes down as well as expected.

The SS Commander laughs it off right up until

his men start screaming...

So yeah, that was a bit dark.

I particularly liked the image of Krampus's sack.

A black void with clutching hands reaching out to seize

a horrified soldier and drag him into eternal imprisonment.

Oh, that one's going to pop up in a super-fun dream,

I just know it.

Here's some screenshots.

Don't worry, his comeuppance is on the way with big, pointy teeth.

Here's a useful tip.

When a local tells you all about the scary legend...

TAKE IT SERIOUSLY

Seriously Germany, what is wrong with you?

Merry Xmas Everybody

Book Review: Django Wexler: How To Become The Dark Lord And Die Trying (2024)

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Fri, 01 Nov 2024 17:26:00 +0000

"Davi has done this all before. She's tried to be the hero and take down the all-powerful Dark Lord. A hundred times she's rallied humanity and made the final charge. But the time loop always gets her in the end. Sometimes she's killed quickly. Sometimes it takes a while. But she's been defeated every time.

This time? She's done being the hero and done being stuck in this endless time loop. If the Dark Lord always wins, then maybe that's who she needs to be. It's Davi's turn to play on the winning side."

I picked this one up purely because of the title, The author happily admits that it is inspired by the current wave of Isekai manga.

To explain Isekai for those who have no bloody idea - ordinary dude from our world gets dumped into a fantasy world where he ends up being the hero needed to stop the Big Bad. It's nearly always a dude too.

Well in this case, our "hero" is a heroine with a good line in snarky inner monologue, a tendency to throw footnotes about with cheerful abandon and a healthy libido.

Davi is also really, really sick of her efforts to save the realm ending in a messy death and yet another rebirth/reset. Hence the whole "Fuck this hero shit, let's go down the Sith route instead."

Despite this, Davi is actually very easy to like and less of a jerkass than most heroes these days. Big plus point, believe me.

I can't honestly describe this as the sort of book that makes you go "Wow." Not quite on that plateau but not far underneath.

What you do get is a story that moves along with a nice mix of action, flashes of humour and some interesting takes on what it really means to lead people. I was entertained the whole way through and will be keeping an eye out for book #2.

Heavy Metal Cover Girls - Actually Wearing Armour

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sat, 10 Aug 2024 18:22:00 +0000

Hello and welcome to another edition of Heavy Metal Cover Girls.

There's a very good reason why I keep posting album covers with women warriors on them. Heavy metal artists have created lot and lot of them. At this point I think I've done six posts and I could easily do another ten more.

But today I fancied doing something a bit different. Out of all the pics I have saved, amongst all the chain-mail bikinis and topless amazons, how many of these women are actually wearing proper armour.

I found six

Ok then, let's dive in, shall we?

Fiona - Greatest Hits (USA 2009)

This one is cheating a bit because somebody just recycled a bit of Dragonlance artwork.

It's also an odd choice for an artist who has no fantasy influences in her music whatsoever.

Savage Grace - Sign of the Cross (USA 2023)

Not wearing a helmet but to be honest, I don't know how she'd get all that hair under a bascinet anyway.

The rest of the harness seems pretty realistic though.

I do want to know the story with the bloody guy at her feet.

Friend? Enemy?

Is she offering the late rites or telling him "I told you I'd get my revenge."

Scythia - Lineage (Canada 2016)

In a rare example, she is wearing more armour than he is and look how that worked out.

Simacota - Suando El Silencio Se Rompe (Colombia 2017)

Why are none of them wearing a damn helmet?

Anyway, a nice samurai-influenced rig that protects most of the important bits and the

designer has resisted the urge to add a boob-window, boob plates or massive shoulderpads.

I approve.

A Sound of Thunder - Only One Can Rule EP ( USA 2024)

I guess she couldn't find a helmet that fit her horns.

I also feel those spikes on her should plates are more a menace to her than the enemy.

Minor Quibbles.

This last one is stretching it a bit but I want to emphasise something here.

Even though her armour is apparently put together from bits found in the bin,

she is still wearing more armour than normal.

Soleil Moon - Warrior (USA 2019)

You're not wearing any padding so that's gonna chafe you to buggery.
Maybe once you kill that wizard, you can upgrade to some leg armour too.

For those of you missing the chainmail bikinis, normal (fan)service will be resumed next time I do one of these.
Or I might post Gorgons instead. We shall see how I feel.

That's All Folks

Going to Southampton to look at a boat.

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 04 Aug 2024 09:39:00 +0000

It was payday and I was itching to get out of the house and out of Pompey. I hadn't been anywhere interesting for a while and fancied doing something new.

People with more money might hop on a flight to Antigua or take off to London to hit the theatre district or wherever. Me? I was going to pop over to Southampton to look at a boat.

Southampton has plenty of boats and ships to choose from but what made this one different was that it was firmly inland. More on that in a minute.

The weather a was a gorgeous, sunny day so that was good, at least until I got out of Southampton rail station and into direct sunlight. This is where I realised that jeans and a black t-shirt is not great for scorching hot days, especially if you're a middle-aged couch potato who avoids sunlight and exercise.

Some hot, damp, sweaty trudging later I found my way to the bottom end of Western Esplanade and turned right to follow the old, stone city walls. There it was, the reason for this trip.

So what you're looking at right now is a replica of a medieval "keel" merchant ship built 1997ish by local Maritime Skills Centre manager Alex Ward and refurbished in 2017. (Daily Echo article)
If I understand it right, the wall on the right used to be the quayside city walls which were put up after a visit from French and Genoese in 1338 left things in a proper mess. (More about that HERE)

Since there wasn't a fence around it, or a big sign saying "Keep off" I took the opportunity to climb aboard.

At this point a family walked past and one of the children loudly asked if they could get in the boat, to which the mother loudly responded "No, you're not supposed be on that.." while glaring at me. I didn't case. I was on a boat and she wasn't.

By this point I'd explored all the options the boat could offer. There was another point of interest just up the road though. After a landbound ship, we had a landbound lighthouse.

There's a chain of them all along the high street and beyond.

The next place on my itinerary was the Tudor House museum.

I didn't have too much trouble working out which of the local buildings it was.

Bigger than I was expecting too.

The building itself was nice and out the back they had a small but interesting garden as well as some Tudor era fortifications.

A nice little fountain in one corner

Plants. Don't ask me what, I am no gardener.

Pretty though

Looking back at the garden from a stretch of wall.

After that I slogged off to the town centre in search of comics and a cold drink. Oh dear gods, I really, really needed that cold drink. Hot weather and me do not get along.

I did take a couple of snaps of the tower at the city centre end though. I do like that sort of thing.

It's weird how this is right next to a big, modern complex made of glass and concrete. The world has a place for both but I know which one I wanted to take a picture of.

One rampage around Southampton's bookshops later I was on my way home with a bag of books, sore feet and mild heatstroke. All worth it for a jaunt away from the same old, same old.

I will leave you with a photo I took of some graffiti at Pompey's Hard, outside the bus station.

I can't disagree.

That's all folks.

This Schnapps advert is totally metal

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Tue, 23 Jul 2024 10:30:00 +0000

I'm a sucker for a beautiful warrior-woman. So when I stumbled across this old Schanpps advert, I had to put it on here. It really ought to be on a metal album cover - a band that loves USPM circa 1986 and thinks that needs to be a thing again.

Whoever she's charging at is about to have a really bad day

Music From The Weird Part of Youtube: Frog Metal

noreply@blogger.com (Dale Brown) — Sun, 07 Jul 2024 09:43:00 +0000

One of the things I like about metal is the way it can be adapted to fit so many requirements. Although metal might originally have been seen as something for young white men by young white men, metal has also become a vehicle for other voices and experiences. Muslim youth in Indonesia have their bands, African bands sing about themes that Africans can relate to. Gay people have metal, gamers have metal, anime fans have metal...

Everybody should - and probably do - have a metal band that totally gets where you're coming from.

Well I am happy to report an exciting new development. Clearly spurred on by the realisation that "amphibians don't gots no good metal", somebody created it. Ladies and gentlemen, boys girls and tadpoles may I introduce you to:

FROG METAL

Pagefire - Morbid Osculation of a Decomposed Amphibian Corpse

RIBBIT, RIBBIT MOTHERFUCKERS.