I’ve adopted a new fear. I’m not scared of flying, but I am scared of planes flying in to me. In certain wind directions the flight path into Aberdeen airport is right over my work and where I live. Giving that there are several planes an hour landing and taking off, surely that is a greater risk to me than ever being involved in a plane crash myself?

I’ve been back from holiday now for 2 weeks and only today did I finally take the last of my photos off my camera (this is what has reminded me of my new fear). I’m impressed with the photos from the air, however after spending 2 weeks in Bergen, photos of Aberdeen are quite bleak and dull.

You can click on these photos by the way. They will take you to my Flickr page.

The last photo would confirm that the flight path is indeed over work.  In fact, the last turn the plane makes to line up with the runway is over work (hence the funny angle the picture is taken at). Surely that is a very dangerous part of the approach?  Saying all that though, maybe I should be more concerned that winter is approaching and from the air I can clearly see my work has a grass roof.  Nice in the summer, not in the winter.

Quite apt that Original 106’s Shetland correspondent (that’s me by the way) should be doing the travel reports on the breakfast show the morning that Shetland features in the news twice.

Firstly it has been claimed that Shetland is home to the fattest people in Britain.  Not so apt then that Original 106’s Shetland correspondent is probably Shetlands thinnest man (I weigh in at an impressive 8 and a half stone by the way).  I was having a think of people I know from Shetland who are obese and I can’t think of anyone. I’m sure that report can’t be right.

Secondly, Shetland has been the sunniest place in the UK this month. Not so apt then that Original 106’s Shetland correspondent hasn’t been on the island at all in August. In fact I’ve only been on the island twice this year (and both times the weather was questionable). I can’t help but think this report is slightly inaccurate as you’ve got to bear in mind that in the summer the sun rises in Shetland quite a bit before most other places.

Oh and by the way, the station don’t employ me because I’m their Shetland correspondent, they get that bit for for free.

David

Biffy Clyro played a gig in Shetland 5 years ago.  I didn’t know much about them, but when you’re 16, living in Shetland, when a band play you go see them just because it’s unusual for a mainland band to play Shetland.

Now that they are quite big, it would have been a great story to say I saw them when they were small and thought they were brilliant.  But that would be a lie. I thought they were awful.

Then about a year later they released a song called Only One Word Comes to Mind.  It was spectacular. And I started to like Biffy.

Fast forward a few years and the first single of their next album is just… stunning.

Mountains is the name of the song.  The BBC used it as the title music for their T In The Park coverage (awful presenting, but don’t let that put you off the song).

I have had it on repeat for a week and yet to grow sick of it.

Biffy Clyro - Mountains:

While we’re on the subject of Scottish artists. I listened to Amy Macdonald’s album This Is The Life for the first time in a few months the other day.  It was one of those albums that I slowly got sick of, having heard it so many times. But after a few months break, it was sounding lovely again. Pity on the tv coverage of T In The Park you could quite clearly see her expensive wedding ring.  Rubbish.

Amy Macdonald - Let’s Start a Band:

Memo to Simon Neil and the Biffy Boys:
As much as I enjoy your music, you don’t need to get naked on stage for me to enjoy it.  Thank you.

Memo to Amy Macdonald:
You don’t want to marry him. If you like your older man then I’m one, by 6 months.

This is old news now, but Jay-Z performed on stage at Glastonbury on Saturday. I’m not really a fan of his. Unlike Noel Gallagher though, it didn’t bother me that he was performing or headlining, I can understand people have different musical tastes and I’m fine with that.

But while watching his Glastonbury set, I did feel Noel maybe had a point. Glastonbury sets need to have something anthemic about them, and Jay-Z’s certainly didn’t.

The next statement has nothing to do with my massive love for Oasis, but Jay-Z tried to be clever with performing Wonderwall at the start of his set, but it didn’t work.  It was a very good idea, but it sounded like a poor karaoke version. If Jay-Z had personalised it a bit better it could have really made an impact. In fact by performing Wonderwall it led to the only anthemic part of his set, where the crowd sang along to the song.

Have a listen yourself, sounds pretty much like a typical Saturday night in the pub.

David

I’ve always been a semi fan of Coldplay. A lot of their material I like, a lot I hate. One of the funniest lines from Peep Show ever was “People like Coldplay and voted for the Nazis, you can’t trust people!” However I couldn’t wait to hear Coldplay’s much anticipated and incredibly catchy titled new album “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends“.

A copy arrived the other day, and on first listen I wasn’t that impressed. I’d already heard the title track and Violet Hill which on first listens I thought were both good songs, but as for the album, I felt it lacked something. I got to the last track and just thought “is that it?”

But I was aware that a lot of songs and albums take time to grow on me, so I put the album on my IPod and had it on rotation all weekend and I think it has finally clicked. Some observations… You need to listen to it from start to finish in the right order before it finally makes sense. For this reason I don’t think it’s very radio friendly, I can’t see how there can be many singles coming off of it. It’s very different to their previous work and I don’t think there are many anthemic tracks on it (no Scientists or Fix You’s).

The album is released on Thursday (randomly, most albums are released on Monday’s). But if you can’t wait till then, you can hear it all on their Myspace page. I would however warn, from past experience, it’s always nice to hear a brand new album in full proper CD quality and not being streamed off a Myspace page. So you may just want to wait till Thursday.

Best song on the album, Lost!

Conclusion. After the first listen I thought it was a bit of let down. After listen number 4 it is finally clicking into place. By listen number 8 it will probably be a stroke of genius.

David

Rockness - Who Can Beat It? by CapnOats’ on Flickr

Emma and her friends are off to Rockness tomorrow morning to partake in a weekend of live music and camping.

On being asked by one of her friends during the week “do you not wish you were going David?”, the simple answer was “no!”

As much as a like live music, drinking outside and uncooked food from burger vans, it’s the camping the puts me off. I’m a little bit scruffy, but even I couldn’t cope with 3 days of no showers, shared toilets and a lack of electricity.

So Emma and co, I’ll be thinking of you on Sunday morning when I contemplate getting out of bed to go and have a shower in my nice, warm, dry, clean (ish) flat.

royworld, taken by og2t on Flickr

I got myself a copy of Man In The Machine, the debut album from Royworld at the weekend and since then it’s been on heavy rotation on my IPod. It’s brilliant.

Emma and I were at their gig in Glasgow last month, going to see them on the strength of a couple of songs, and it was a really good (all be it quiet) gig.

I even got a little excited one day when I heard Radio 1 play them during the day. It’s quite unusual to hear Radio 1 play a song I like on daytimes these days. Original 106 have been playing them quite a bit recently too.

My main problem with Royworld isn’t their music or their act, but their name. It’s not the coolest of names out there is it? Think of someone you know called Roy and I reckon that person you think of isn’t very cool. I don’t know any Roy’s personally, so I immediately think of Roy Cropper from Coronation Street. Not exactly the image you want for your band.

That said it is a good album and well worth a listen, even if it sounds a little 80’s-ish. Sadly I don’t they will ever be huge. I think they will be one of those bands who in a few years time you’ll hear a song on the radio from them and say “Remember Royworld? They were great, what ever happened to them?” I’d like to be proved wrong.

Man In The Machine was out yesterday. Same Sun is my favourite track on the record:

David

Here are some follow ups to some of the “memo’s to” I have been writing. None of the companies in question have replied, it’s just observations I’ve made.

Memo To First Buses

Their bus stops are slowly getting updated with the new maps and numbers, but still nearly 3 weeks on after the timetable change there are lots and lots of out dated bus stops. Not good enough. First buses HQ is in Aberdeen. You’d think they’d get it right in their home city… think again.

Memo To Somerfield

So yes the Wellington Road branch of Somerfields in closing. Apparently being replaced by Tescos but I can’t confirm that and naturally they aren’t going to advertise that in Somerfields. They are advertising however that you don’t need to worry that branch is closing because you can go and shop at your next nearest Somerfield branch on George Street. Now anyone who knows Aberdeen should know that if you normally shop on Wellington Road for your food, chances are you’re not going to go to George Street. Apparently the Somerfields in Lerwick is now displaying a sign with “your nearest Somerfields store will now be Wick”. I’m sure my dad will be popping there to do the shopping instead.

I don’t know if the staff are transferring, you’d think they would, but the staff in the Wellington Road branch don’t seem to even care any more. One woman today on the till didn’t even say a word, she just looked at me when it came to the point of handing over the money. I’ve worked in a shop before, and yes the job wasn’t that exciting, but I made an effort, that was just ridiculous (I’m turning into an old complaining duffer by the way).

Bring on Tesco!

Memo To BT

I did a bit of research into why they charge me £4.50 a pop to pay my bill. That’s £4.50 ON TOP of what I already need to pay them. It’s because I’m paying by card rather than by direct debit. Paying by card (or cash or cheque at your local post office, that’s if there is such a thing any more) is more expensive to process than direct debits. OK, I can see the logic in that. But £4.50?! Surely it cant cost £4.50 to process my payment by card? If it does then BT are being ripped off somewhere too.

My life as a moaning idiot continues.

David

Memo To: British Telecolm
CC: Watchdog

Dear BT,

Why do you insist on charging me to pay my bill?

£77 I had to pay today.  Although I think your charges for the internet are a bit high, I will happily pay it.  Then there was VAT.  I don’t like the idea of the government making money from my internet, but hey, I’ll pay it.  But £4.50 payment processing fee is really taking the biscuit. What’s that all about?

You’ve even setup your own limited company to handle the processing fee, “BT Payment Services LTD”.  Do you really not make enough from my £77 that you need to take another £4.50? I really don’t believe paying with my card incurs a charge of £4.50. I used to work in a shop that charged 35p for using a card and I found that a bit steep, but £4.50?! Really.

Can’t wait till my 18 months are up. Sadly I’m only 9 months in.

Yours money-less,

David

Memo To: Somerfield

Dear Somerfield,

Why are you closing your store on Wellington Road in Aberdeen?

Yes you weren’t perfect, sometimes the cue would be very long and there would only be one (count them, one) till open, and yes sometimes you wouldn’t have any sandwiches I liked, and yes the woman behind the the kiosk never says hello despite me saying hello to her every morning, but all in all I liked shopping in your store.

Where am I going to buy my lunch on the way into work or my chocolate croissant on the way home from work? Where??!!

Yours hungrily,

David

P.S. I’ve just done a quick search on Google and I see that Tesco’s is taking over. Oh well, world domination continues.