I'm just going to cry

You couldn't have just laid off the bud a bit, Ian......

HE admits he's barely strummed a guitar in the past year, but who needs rock 'n' roll when you can take the art world by storm instead?

Former Stone Roses legend John Squire unveiled his new artwork this week to critical and commercial acclaim.I hear that just a day after the launch he's already sold more than half of his collection - with pieces ranging from £2,000 up to
£28,000. And John tells me he's enjoying his art so much that he's now shelved-for good - any more music projects. He says: "Music and art are both disciplines that fulfil the same need, that is the need to create. I get the same buzz from creating a successful painting as writing a great song - it comes from the same place.

Contrary to

some reports, Dontatella Versace will not be designing the stagewear for the Spice Girls's tour. This is yet another example of crap that I should not care about, yet still do. (Though I must disagree with UK Vogue's assesment of the outfits at the presser last month. Both Mels looked FANTASTIC)

REPORTS in today's papers claimed the Spice Girls had found their much-needed fairy style godmother in the shape of Donatella Versace, who was said to be designing £200,000-worth of designer stage outfits for their comeback reunion tour - but a spokesperson for Versace has denied that this is the case. "It's simply not true," he told us. "I have no idea where the rumours have come from." The Nineties supergroup appeared under-styled and sartorially out of tune at the photo call to officially announce their reunion last month and, without the backing of one of the world's most highly-respected fashion houses, they may yet be delving deep into their wardrobes for their trademark platform trainers, leopard-print catsuits and Union Jack minis. (July 30, PM)

Go lads!

Our boys did well this weekend, Queen Bee!

Arctic Monkeys have played their biggest shows of their lives, as they performed at Lancashire County Cricket Club's Old Trafford ground this weekend (July 28 and 29). Recalling generation-defining performances from the likes of The Stone
Roses at Spike Island or Oasis at Knebworth, the band performed to 100,000 people over the two shows.Despite suffering a bit of technical trouble on the first night (28), the band rose to occasioning, playing two storming sets.

Gorgeous

So, it's not enough that I'm completely envious of Nicola Roberts being lovely, funny and a good singer, now I have to envy her mad writing skills? Shit, girl, leave something for the rest of us.....

They call it manufactured pop, as if that was something to be ashamed of- but we are a manufacturing country. Down our conveyor belts come cars, and shoes, and biscuits, and guns and pop bands. Useful things and beautiful things. Things that make us go faster, and things that make us feel like we're going faster. Things that we love passionately for a day and then throw away, and things that we love passionately for a day, and then keep forever.

Being able to plan for and make our necessary things- instead of relying on accidents or nature to supply them- is one of the first signs that a society has achieved civilization. And what could be more necessary than pop? What else should we aim to pump out in such greedy, thrilling, giddying amounts?

The factory is a democratic place. Sometimes, people working on the floor come cruising in on a Monday morning, still wearing Saturday night's makeup, and Sunday morning's smile, and say "sod this." They pull off their hairnets, and jump on the conveyor belts themselves. They announce that they are pop stars, now. They make a band.

That's allowed, in the factory, because we are a manufacturing country, and that means we are also allowed to manufacture ourselves. We are allowed to change our futures. We are Girls Aloud.

And in the band that we manufacture, we don't have to smile, if we don't want to. We won't have dance routines that ruin our hair. We don't sing songs where we pretend we're scared, or that we can't run in our heels, or that we don't know exactly what we want. We don't need no beauty sleep. We think you're off your head. We text as we eat. We flirt while we work. We flick our finger to the world below. If we'd know, or if we'd care, we would have stood around the kitchen in our underwear.

When Jack Kerouac wrote On the Road in 1957, he said that the people that he oved the most were the Fabulous Yellow Roman Candles, who were mad to live, mad to talk. We saw it on a t-shirt once. But anyone who was mad to live wouldn't want to be a Roman Candle. Roman Candles are the rubbish ones. They're over in thirty seconds. They don't even spin, or fly. If we were a firework, we'd be a limousine full of dynamite. And we'd put the fire out with vodka. If we could be bothered.

If you know someone that sounds like us, we'll give you a tenner. If you like someone better than us, frankly, we don't care.

We're Girls Aloud.

We're Made In Britain.

Top 25 most played

On me iTunes. And at work, too, if we're being honest.

Obviously, I can't sleep, though I have to say, this is a HELL of a playlist.

1. This Old Town- Graham Coxon and Paul Weller
2. Your Love Alone Is Not Enough- Manic Street Preachers
3. Shoot the Runner- Kasabian
4. Claudia- The View
5. Chelsea Dagger- The Fratellis
6. (Songs For My) Sugar-Spun Sister- The Stone Roses
7. Dance Into the Night- The View
8. Vince the Lovable Stoner- The Fratellis
9. Hung Up- Paul Weller
10. Autumn Song- Manic Street Preachers
11. L.S.F.- Kasabian
12. Detroit- Primal Scream
13. Going Down- The Stone Roses
14. Wasted Little DJs- The View
15. Boys In the Band- The Libertines
16. Not Big- Lily Allen
17. Listen Up- Oasis
18. Jealous Girls- Gossip
19. Living For the Weekend- Hard-Fi
20. Love Machine- Girls Aloud
21. You Know I'm No Good- Amy Winehouse
22. Fluorescent Adolescent- Arctic Monkeys
23. 20th Century Boy- T.Rex
24. Put Your Money Where Your Mouth Is- Jet
25. Round Round- Sugababes

OMG! LOLZ!

I WANNA GO, I WANNA GO

to tomorrow's show.

The Winehouse showed up with her game, sober face on, and the Arctics ripped it up. And I'm in Iowa.

Crap.

Hope the lads repeat this on Sunday. I am so proud of them.

So there we have it: the definitive lesson in how to rise to stadium-band level whilst totally retaining your cool and not turning in Bono or Johnny Borrell-style dickheads.

Make no mistake, tonight the Arctics were incredible.

Rather than drape the stage in huge set pieces, rely on fireworks and gimmicks, the lads played it like they were still playing the Barnsley Birdwell, standing no further than a few feet from each other and not bothering with a drum riser - a tight rock’n’roll unit blasting out hit after hit after hit. There was no sign of nerves and they looked comfortable in being up there – even after the technical hitch – but were more humble than cocky.

And then, of course, there’s the tunes.

If there was any doubt that ‘A Certain Romance’, ‘Fake Tales Of San Francisco’ and ‘I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor’ – once scratchy post-Libs garage rock tunes - could work in front of 50,000 people were blown out the water tonight.

North By Northwest

Tomorrow the Arctic Monkeys (featuring The Coral, The Winehouse, a Japanese Beatles tribute band and Supergrass)kick off their 2-night stand of ginormous shows at Old Trafford, continuing the grand tradition of Spike Island and Knebworth.

So as the NME says, "No pressure, then."

I'd like to state for the record, that I am completely unable to distinguish which I find more adorable-

a. that the Sheffie boys wanted a "bouncy castle" at the gig

or

b. that they call giant inflatables "bouncy castles."

I hope Helders busts out his Spidey costume again. Love that kid.

And hopefully, someone calls Amo off Al. Darling, you're married to the U.K.'s Federline. You shouldn't want to 'Do The Bad Thing' with anyone but him. Back off the Mistah Turner! Stop looking at him like he's a Rickstasy

pic from

'Miss Lucifer'

My fav track off Evil Heat.

For Kazza

Since girlfriend is on vacay, here's a great moment in both Thomas and Sergio to torture her, and remind her of her non-access to a non-husband-owned computer......

With added Miss Moss! Hee hee.

I told you I'd get you back for comparing Graham to Louis from 'Revenge Of the Nerds.'

Mr. Joyce and Mr. Rourke are right

'Pounding' IS a great song....

Pounding, Doves, from the album The Last Broadcast

Mike Joyce: Pounding is used a couple of times in the DVD [Inside the Smiths] because, like all great Manchester records, it never feels overplayed. It's such a feel-good song, and I love the bass. This song was like the soundtrack to my and Andy's DJing tour of America and reminded us of home

Random Ten

1. Driving South- The Stone Roses
2. The Boy Looked At Johnny- The Libertines
3. Toxic- Mark Ronson feat. O.D.B. and Tiggers
4. Why Can't I Touch It?- Buzzcocks
5. Come On Closer- Jem
6. Sexy! No, No, No-Girls Aloud
7. Night And Day- Bette Midler
8. Hazy Shade Of Winter- The Bangles
9. The Moneymaker- Rilo Kiley
10. Stutter- Elastica

Bonus-
11. Our Bovine Public- The Cribs
12. Listen Up- Noel Gallagher

I'm going to hell

the worst place in the world!

Why? Because the following came out of my mouth in regards to the pic at your left:

God, Wee Kyle needs to go without a top more often.

I'm not exactly the best Catholic in the world, but I think I need to do at least 3 Rosaries to compensate for lusting after young Mr. Falconer.

Tummy.

Shit, make that 4 Rosaries.

Face For the Radio- TITP

Fwaaaah, Wee The View lads......

Sexy! Yes, yes, yes.....

I've heard this song, which premiered on Chris Moyles's show last week. It features the typical GA bizarro production and insanely catchy chorus....

Girls Aloud are set to release their new single 'Sexy! No, no, no..' on September 3.The track is taken from the band's fourth studio album, which is yet to be named. The group will team up with songwriters Xenomania again, who have worked with since they began life on the 'Popstars' reality TV programme.

Oh, MY! Part 2

Um, Wellah is looking, uh, FIT, in this pic.

Oh, MY

Kazza, you're right. That shirt IS a great moment in Thomas. But you neglected to mention appearances by Carlito, Stanley, My Beloved Noel and The Fratellis in this video. I may have to retreat to my fainting couch. Or bed, as it's a bit late. Whatevs....

Dirty Pretty Things, Eden project, 22/07/07

Dirty Pretty Things, Eden project, 22/07/07, originally uploaded by RosieFoster.

Mmmmmm.........

. The Wast Bank .

. The Wast Bank ., originally uploaded by 3amfromkyoto.

She's So High

And the obsession continues......