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A new flame

Simon Mayo|09:28 UK time, Friday, 6 January 2012

Yo bloggers. Greetings from the estate. More to the point, greetings from a warm and lovely kitchen in a warm and lovely house. A top heating engineer paid us a home visit and she was brilliant. All appears to be well- until the next time. Thank you ma'am.

Fascinating to see your comments about the Iron Lady oldies yesterday. I remember a discussion we had on 5 Live a few years ago on the Thatcher legacy and it was clear from guest and listener comments that she was as divisive now as she was then; it was as though she was still in power. Your posts yesterday suggest that is still true. We review the film on 5 Live today from 2 and we were hoping to have Jim Broadbent on to talk about being Dennis to Meryl's Maggie. Sadly he has had to pull out but he puts in a fine turn. Instead we'll be speaking to Ralph Nathaniel Fiennes on his directorial debut Coriolanus in which he also stars. And frankly he's terrifying. I spoke to him when the last Harry Potter film was out and he had just finished being Voldemort-and he was tough then. He is one of the actors who seems to find film promotion a tiresome chore but I'll have another go because his is a compelling performance.

Then (and picking up some cakes on the way) the first ARF of 2012 hits your radio. And it will be the same as in 2011, 2010 etc. I still love hearing of everyone's plans and schemes for the weekend, even if mine seem plain dull in comparison. Throw out the tree, neatly coil the lights and tell me your Twelfth Night ARF hit opening tune that is SO much better than everyone else's.

Here's to an energising and reassuring Friday, see you after 2 and 5

Comments

Page 1 of 4

  • Comment number 1.

    Good morning everyone.



    The first ARFO of a New Year needs some careful consideration. Therefore, after much deliberation, I believe it has to be:



    CHIRPY CHIRPY CHEEP CHEEP by MIDDLE OF THE ROAD



    ;-)

  • Comment number 2.

    Morning all



    Glad to read that the Mayo household is warm and toasty once again and it looks like you found out that if you want something doing properly... ask a woman to sort it!!!



    Off to think about an ARFO



    xx

  • Comment number 3.

    Good Morning Simon and Poppeteers



    Glad you got your boiler fixed and are cosy again.



    Simon, for all those who have had storm damage this week and have had to deal with Insurance Companies, please play



    Hanging on the Telephone - Blondie for the ARFO



    As this is officially my last day of the holidays, I am putting it to good use and going shopping!



    Have a good Friday and catch you later



    Shona x

  • Comment number 4.

    Good Morning Simon, Team and Blogpoppets. Or Yo, if you prefer! ;o)



    Glad to hear your boiler has been repaired. Trust a women to get it right...



    For the first ARFO of 2012 I would like to suggest:



    YOU'RE THE VOICE by John Farnham



    Back later for some chit chat, work permitting.



    Deebee ~X~

  • Comment number 5.

    Morning everyone! Glad to hear that all is warm again in Mayo Mansions - hope it stays that way.



    Blue sky, bright sunshine and most importantly - NO WIND - hope it stays that way because my ARFO choice is:



    MR BLUE SKY - ELO



    See you later



    Ps. #3 Shona - enjoy your last day - mine too - am going to purchase puppy supplies!

  • Comment number 6.

    #4 woman... Grrr, note to self: review before posting



    ~X~

  • Comment number 7.

    Morning all. Glad to hear you're all warm and toasty again Simon.



    Weekend plans? Nothing exciting, but I may head to the cinema on Sunday afternoon if it's a bit miserable to cheer myself up with a film and some popcorn (yes, I will be breaking the Wittertainment Code of Conduct, but very quietly I promise).



    ARFO - well as I said yesterday, in honour of the wonderful David Bowie's 65th birthday on Sunday (and the fact he's never been an ARFO) - I would be happy with any Bowie track.



    However the point of this is to choose one so after much deliberation and trying to think one which best fulfills the spirit of ARF:



    Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie (the opening is just so distinctive)

  • Comment number 8.

    #6 - likewise - to avoid repetition (see #5 - hope it stays that way)

  • Comment number 9.

    Hi Simon and Bloggers everywhere!



    Down with the kids eh Simon? Yo Yo Yo Boi!! Or summat like that!



    Glad all is functioning well on the boiler front.



    OMG! an early blog post a first for the week, I suspect I will appear earlier up the blog register than 50 or 65 next week as most of you will be back at work! A busy blog indeedy!



    And for my ARFO suggestion:



    1. MAKE ME SMILE COME UP AND SEE ME - Steve Harley and Cockney Rebe.

    2. YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE - New Radicals ( although you did give this an airing last night which Iwas chuffed to nuts to hear, so thanking you my dear!)

    3. GENO - Dexys Midnight Runners



    Have a lovely weekend to you all whatever, mundane or not!



    Laters



    Mandy ;)

  • Comment number 10.

    Morning all. And a beautiful one at that. Looking forward to a 12 mile ramble tomorrow, interrupted with a stop off at a local micro-brewery. I suspect the walk there will be quicker than the walk back.



    ARFO?

    I will persist with

    CHICAGO - 25 or 6 to 4



    If it can't be that, then in honour of an imminent Bowie birthday, for sheer over-the-top tongue-in-cheekiness...



    DAVID BOWIE & MICK JAGGER - Dancing In The Streets



    I know it's far from his best track, but sometimes a bit of camp old fun does the job.

  • Comment number 11.

    Good Morning again



    As I said earlier - it's rather Springlike here - blue sky and NO wind.



    I'd like to request something by FOREIGNER - never been played as ARFO -



    URGENT



    JUKE BOX HERO



    COLD AS ICE



    FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME



    HEAD GAMES



    HOT BLOODED



    Take your pick!



    Or there's always -



    THE BEAT by The Look



    Thankyou Kindly ...................

  • Comment number 12.

    Happy New Year to you Simon, NYM, team and fellow bloggers!



    What is it about your gym kit, Mr Mayo, that attracts thieves like a magnet??



    I have been incredibly busy at work this past week, but I have found time for the occasional lurk to see how you are all faring.



    Scaramouche- every time I read your name, I start singing the next line of Bohemian Rhapsody in my head. Not sure if that is a good thing!



    Well maybe this will be the year that I am lucky with an ARFO suggestion, which is:



    EVERYBODY WANTS TO RULE THE WORLD by TEARS FOR FEARS



    madchick x

  • Comment number 13.

    #7 good call!



    Happy warm Friday to you Mayo household and to all you bloggers.





    I think REBEL REBEL, Bowie would do the trick - happy birthday Thin White Duke and this would certainly get my weekend off to a great start!

  • Comment number 14.

    Morning all.



    Lovely to see you back Mcw, I hope you are better now.



    No wind, of any description here today, almost spooky!



    Off to have a thunk about my ARF....



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 15.

    A bit better thanks, MTF.



    Do you need any help with ideas for your ARF suggestion, MTF?? ;-)



    x

  • Comment number 16.

    Morning all!



    ARFO;



    OH PRETTY WOMAN - ROY ORBISON



    MTF - lol



    Pen x

  • Comment number 17.

    Morning all .. glad to hear that the Mayos are once again with heat, and that the effects of the week's weather are abating ..



    As I will be working on Sunday scraping the bottoms of the yachts at work, please may I request



    DIGNITY by Deacon Blue (sorry if I've stolen your choice Brandon)



    See you all later ..

  • Comment number 18.

    #17 I'm sure there's a pun in there somewhere Alison, but I'll leave it to someone else... maybe Harry, he seems to like the naughty step.



    ;o)

  • Comment number 19.

    Is it time to wake up and smell the coffee? I think, maybe so! Hoffs, you might be lucky and get the first ever ELO opener :)



    Thanks Flo for the links last night, will have a gander later.



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 20.

    Oh, by the way meant to say - hello to Madchick! I know we've 'spoken' elsewhere, but it's lovely to see you on here. Don't work too hard now.



    ~X~

  • Comment number 21.

    #18 Deebee (and #17), where should I be looking for the pun? Is it the notion that the Mayos are in heat or that bottoms are be scraped? ;-)

  • Comment number 22.

    # 18 I'm waiting for Harry to respond too ;0)

  • Comment number 23.

    Good morning,



    Chickster, nice to see you.x



    #1 Harry, look away now - you won't like this one bit. That was No.1 the day I was born.



    Some good oldies last night but particularly liked PSL's.



    As for ARFO:



    I ONLY WANNA BE WITH YOU by Dusty Springfield



    Because between 5pm and 7pm I only wanna be with Drivetime.



    As for the weekend, Mr 40 (39 finally) will be at work dealing with the dreaded year end. Big Girl will be busy planning her 6th birthday party, which is taking place next month, and Little Girl will mostly be wandering around singing like she does the rest of the week. As for me, I will be chasing around after them all just trying to keep up.



    Have a good day.x

  • Comment number 24.

    Good morning all from a less windy, bright but cool part of blogland.



    As its Twelth Night with all its traditions and superstitions how about



    SUPERSTITION - STEVIE WONDER



    Enjoy the day

  • Comment number 25.

    Happy Friday to the Driveteam and Blogpopsters all.



    Good to see the Bowie love. Thoroughly approve. I'm a-gonna go lateral on that one with a request for:



    LUST FOR LIFE - IGGY POP





    .... which contains Bowie's celebrated riff which was inspired by the morse code opening to the American Forces Network News in Berlin. So says Mr Pop.



    ❤♪♫

  • Comment number 26.

    Have just read Gazzas post.



    Well done Gazza on compiling all the videos to go with the ARFs. I will make it my viewing for this evening.



    Hey, and your mug aint that ugly! LOL!!



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 27.

    Nice to see Madchickster back today... and since you mentioned Bohemian Rhapsody, how about a Queen song today since only one of their songs (played twice) has ever been an ARF....



    A KIND OF MAGIC ~ Queen



    DON'T STOP ME NOW ~ Queen



    UNDER PRESSURE ~ Queen and the birthday boy, David Bowie

  • Comment number 28.

    #23 Julia, in that case, your birth was by far the best thing to happen that week :-)



    I used to quite fancy Sally Carr, the lead singer of MotR, although I would never have admitted it back then. She was a dead-ringer for my Latin teacher.

  • Comment number 29.

    #21 ;o))



    #22 Love your post, Julia! Your Little Girl sounds like a happy little soul.



    ~X~

  • Comment number 30.

    From yesterday blog



    .At 16:22 5th Jan 2012, Deebee wrote:

    #139 Hi Artfoundryman *waves furiously* Didn't see you there standing quietly in the corner. Lovely to see you here!



    ~X~



    Thanks very much Deebee



    And also to PSL, Zoe , Shona , Suziee and Nic who i talk to on twitter



    As usual Simon i would like to suggest for ARFO the following fine song , which i know will not get played , but as Bobby Goldsboro said in "Honey" - "but what the heck"



    The fine song is :- LITTLE SISTER - RY COODER



    Hope every one has a fine weekend



    regards



    Andy

  • Comment number 31.

    Whats the chances of ...



    A new flame - Simply Red, being picked as an ARF?



    Possibly better than *** Twilight *** By ELO, which has a 'fail' stamped alongside it for 2009, 2010 and 2011, so I cant see much chance of 2012 being any more successful.



    Whatever!



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 32.

    Morning all!!

    Dt team, bloggers and dogpoppets and the snuggly DT dude - warmed up by a woman, hah! T'was ever this.



    A frosty walk thru the Uni parks this morning, to the appropriate sound of Kate Bush's Aerial album - birds tweeting, etc lovely.

    That's one thing Richard Madeley has done for me - sent me back to my music on ithingy instead of listening to R2!!

    My ARFO is just for this time of year, and especially as the memo has no doubt gone down from the highest echelons of R2 to cheer folks up in this dreariest of months (highest suicide rate!!)



    REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL by IAN DRURY



    PS #1 I am thinking (and hoping) that snapped-up Harry is being tongue in cheek here?

    pps taking our decs down tonight accompanied with egg-nog (new, untried drink in our house) and damson gin...it may all go Pete Tong and we might find the cat is in the decs boxes and the decs in the litter tray - but heigh ho (it's off to work we go)



    Laters,

  • Comment number 33.

    #27



    Please no more bloody Queen / ELO songs

  • Comment number 34.

    #32 Here is the missing 'u' to replace the accidental 'i'

    Bleary-eyed

    Longest week ever (and only 4 days!!)

  • Comment number 35.

    Ooh - hello and HNY to the Easter Chick-a-dee - good to see you back amongst us -



    And you too Andyartfoundryman -





    :^D





    Twitfans - my next tweet is my 500th! Proof if any were needed that I am a lightweight when it comes to snappy instant social media platforms - -

    :^(

  • Comment number 36.

    #33... awww....there's only ever been one Queen song played, compared to The Who and Slade, who have each had four songs played!



    Not many 60s songs on the list either!



    I GET AROUND ~ The Beach Boys



    OUT OF TIME ~ Chris Farlowe



    GLAD ALL OVER ~ Dave Clark Five



    BRINGING ON BACK THE GOOD TIMES ~ Love Affair

  • Comment number 37.

    #33...



    There has never been an ELO opener on a Friday!



    MTF :O

  • Comment number 38.

    Good morning one and all...........................yippeee we have now got through the first working week of 2012!



    Blue sky and sunshine here...............................plus hardly any wind for a change!



    #31 MTF....great minds think alike.....I also thought of Simply Red - A new Flame......but maybe that was a little on the obvious side........................so after much deliberation I have plumped for.........................................................



    The Damned - Eloise





    Have a lovely day everyone.........................................................................



    Dougal x

  • Comment number 39.

    #32 Suzieeeee, what's wrong with Middle of the Road? Perhaps I should have gone with my first choice of:



    I'M IN THE MOOD FOR DANCING by THE NOLANS

  • Comment number 40.

    #32 Ian Dury, Drury Lane, never to be confused....'cept by a weary blogger.

    Roll on 12.30 when I am OUTTA HERE!!

  • Comment number 41.

    Another song I was thinking might be a change for an ARF is that one and only Chesney Hawkes' song, especially since he's been injured so won't be appearing in Dancing on Ice!



    It must be the curse of the 'CH' because seemingly CHesney Hawkes was a replacement for CHeggars and now CHico is replacing CHesney, so I wonder how long it will be before he's affected by the CH curse!!!!



    I AM THE ONE AND ONLY ~ Chesney Hawkes

  • Comment number 42.

    Ok, will the person who loaded 'Agadoo' on to my son's shuffle please own up now...

  • Comment number 43.

    ..... push pineapple, shake a tree....



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 44.

    #33 That's one way to stop people ignoring you LOL

  • Comment number 45.

    #39 Now you're talking, they're so YOU!!



    ps will there be a 1st dance at your nuptials, and what will it be to??

    Are there going to be dancing lessons involved?



    We shuffled around to Elton John's 'Your Song' sung & played on the piano by a best friend - magic!

  • Comment number 46.

    #30 You are welcome! And good luck with your ARFO - wouldn't mind hearing that myself.



    #35 Lightweight! Pfft! I'm nearly at my 7000th - mind you most of what I tweet is not particularly interesting. Make your 500th a goodie. I think mine was probably a song suggestion to our leader...



    #39 I really hope that gets chosen...



    ;o)

  • Comment number 47.

    #44



    Too true Harry



    #37



    Too much ELO and Queen played on Radio " in general MTF



    Regards Andy

  • Comment number 48.

    Yo Drivetime Dude! Good morning team and felicitations to lovely poppets everywhere.



    A bit late on duty this morning .. but.. but.. but.. I have a very good excuse. The Mister has surprised me and taken the day off. He was supposed to have a few extra days over the Festive season but due to him being so very busy he had to go into the office on most of them. However he has planned and connived and here he is with me for the day :) And that is not all. He has only gone and booked lunch for us at Marco Pierre White's pub/restaurant in the beautiful East Sussex countryside!

    To cap it all it is the most beautiful day with blue skies and bright sunshine and not even a whiff of a breeze.



    Happy days indeed :D



    So to the ARFO. Was also thinking along the lines of something Bowie related to mark his milestone birthday so my choice for this week is ...



    UNDER PRESSURE - QUEEN & DAVID BOWIE



    Hope everyone has a lovely day... I think I am going to!

    Jillyx :D

  • Comment number 49.

    #42 #43 Now we'll all be singing that for the rest of the day. Thanks!



    ;o)

  • Comment number 50.

    #33 - LOL -



    #44 - even louder LOL!



    Can't stand Queen ... and ELO are overplayed on R2.





    *nails colours to the mast*







    ;^D

  • Comment number 51.

    OOPs another Queen suggestion!



    Have a lovely time Jilly.



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 52.

    #33 Surely you should be suggesting a ditty by your locals, SMOKIE - or KAISER CHIEFS?!

    ;-)



    My locals are Supergrass (music a bit summery?) and Radiohead - as unlikely to get picked as having a female heating engineer....on which basis I throw into the ring of unlikelys:



    CREEP by RADIOHEAD



    or ALRIGHT BY SUPERGRASS

  • Comment number 53.

    #49 - sorry about that - fyi, once that had finished it was on to Def Leppard 'pour some sugar on me' and then now we are back to Alvin and his little chip-munkey friends warbling 'I gotta feeling'.



    At the risk of self-repetition (not that I ever do) 'I gotta feeling' its going to be a long day...........

  • Comment number 54.

    Are we going for locals?



    I've got a brand new combine 'arvester - The Wurzels!



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 55.

    Should have read back before I posted!



    #27 Can we share if it's 'our' song? ;)



    Nice to see you over here Andy. Is a bit of Queen mixed in with David Bowie ok? ;)



    Everyone has their bugbears, musical ones included. ELO and Queen are fine by me but the amount of Status Quo we have to endure has me spitting feathers.



    Jx

  • Comment number 56.

    #48 Wonderful post Jilly [even with the Qu**n word in there] - come back and tell us all about it. Please.

    :^)



    MPW is on my ... er ... list

    ;^)

  • Comment number 57.

    #45 Suzieeeee, I hadn't really thought about it.



    The future Mrs Snapper's favouritest song is Dylan's Forever Young but that makes her cry so maybe it's best not introduce ambiguities.



    First time round, former Mrs Snapper surprised me with Captain & Tennille's "Do That To Me One More Time".

  • Comment number 58.

    #52 My 'locals' are Pink Floyd... #justsaying #beatthat...



    I used to work with someone who lived in Sid Barrett's old house in Cambridge. Not at the same time as Sid, obviously.



    ;o)

  • Comment number 59.

    #30 when Mr e was loading my not inconsiderable CD/Album collection to his PC (to put on my ithingy which was last year's Xmas presssie) he discovered my Ry Cooder collection and LOVED it, having never heard his music before.

    I love the 'down South' cajun feel to his music.

    His music was featured in 'The Big Easy' film - which is worth a watch if only for the 'fridge scene the morning after the night 'afore...hee hee

    if you get Ry Cooder played, I'll eat my hat (brown beret since you ask)



    Thrash rock seems to be the main choice for ARFO ('cept for Liza Tarbuck's choices who goes off piste a bit more, good for her I say)

  • Comment number 60.

    #52



    i think the only locals i would chosse would be either :



    The Wedding Present - from the fine town of Otley



    Or



    Soft Cell ( a mate of mine was at school with Marc , name dropping again !)

  • Comment number 61.

    Hello All,



    As with others to celebrate David Bowie's birthday, a favourite song of his is:



    ARFO suggestion 'Young Americans' David Bowie



    Have a good day everybody

  • Comment number 62.

    #57 well I think the Nolans song fits the bill, as you will no doubt 'feel like dancing'!

  • Comment number 63.

    #59



    suziee



    loved Ry cooder since the late 70's , especialy the early albums and the soundtrack work particularly Paris, Texas



    Major return to form over the last five year including a great album last year berating american bankers and other ills of the modern world

  • Comment number 64.

    Jilly, how fabulous! Have a great time, and as KatyMatey says please tell us all about it when you get back.



    Is it David Bowie's birthday by any chance...?



    ;o)

  • Comment number 65.

    Locals eh?!





    DAVE DEE DOZY BEAKY MICK & TITCH - THE LEGEND OF XANADU



    TROGGS - WILD THING





    *watches as any music streetcred she may have had trickles down the drainpipe of 60s bubblegum pop ...*

  • Comment number 66.

    Queen of the New Year - Deacon Blue



    Willy the Shake

    x

  • Comment number 67.

    My 'local' is so famous that I have forgotten his name. Will get back to you.....

  • Comment number 68.

    I have to confess that in terms of 'locals' - where I went to school (which was the girls school over the road from the DT Dude's boys school) a certain Dave Hill of the popular music combo Slade moved in to a large house next door - something of a marketing ploy I now think, as I remember being corralled outside his house by the local TV to be filmed swarming around his car as he arrived (he was in full Slade regalia, platforms etc which he could blatantly not have driven in!)

    On that basis, I suppose locals from my home town have been well supported on ARFO tunes - not to mention Led Zep who are brummies too!

  • Comment number 69.

    #54



    I'm A Cider Dinker - with the orignal singer Adge Cutler better song !



    Better still would have been anything by Portishead or Massive Attack !!

  • Comment number 70.

    #65 are they still alive??!

  • Comment number 71.

    I'd love to hear Ry Cooder but I don't think many of his songs meet the criteria Lord Ammo has set down several times. Main one I can think of is his cover of Johnny Cash's "Get Rhythm".



    I saw Ry Cooder about 15 years ago and he requested, on the ticket, that people refrained from smoking. Half way through the show, just before he sang "Fool for a Cigarette", he thanked the audience for not smoking as he knew they were gasping. At that point, the bloke sat next to me got his fags out and lit up .................. quickly followed by all the the other smokers :-)

  • Comment number 72.

    Morning all :-)



    just a quick pop in....



    CANDI STATON YOUNG HEARTS RUN FREE



    Thanks you Simon



    PSL x

  • Comment number 73.

    Good morning Simon, Team, NYM and fellow blogpoppets!



    Greetings from the blue skies of Kent! Greetings also from my new laptop and my study! Yesterday was spent transferring things from old laptop to new one - a tedious process but worth while.



    Loved Julia and Jilly's posts.



    Local bands? Sadly, Chicory Tip. They even played in the village hall the week before Christmas. The only song I can remember of theirs is "Son of My Father". I won't be requesting that.



    Glad to see you back Chickster! Hope you are feeling better!

  • Comment number 74.

    #63 will seek that new Ry Cooder 'LP' out - Mr e's day job is in the banking world....!



    Bugger this 3 minutes rule....

  • Comment number 75.

    #65 Katy, if you have any street-cred left, you could mention again that Sting is local to you ;-)



    I don't know of any famous musicians from Carlisle although there must be at least one, surely? Black Sabbath did live in Harraby for a short while but they will have to remain Brummies.

  • Comment number 76.

    ....rattles the swear tin, for those that wish to donate this morning :O

  • Comment number 77.

    Ooo interesting theme going but I have to be somewhere else drat n dash :-(



    PSL

  • Comment number 78.

    #68 Suzieeeee, Led Zep Brummies?????? No way! Percy's a Kiddie lad and he wouldn't thank you for calling him a Brummie. Same with John Bonham; he's from Redditch. Jimmy Page is from Essex and John Paul Jones is from London.

  • Comment number 79.

    #71



    Harry



    Seen Cooder a few times , first time in about 79 at the Apollo in London,



    hight light was a fine version of Sam Cooke's "Working on the Chain gang" with 3 great male singers and cooder on lead guitar - just wonderful





    The new "banking" Album



    https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pull-Some-Dust-Sit-Down/dp/B005BY8MSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1325849743&sr=8-1

  • Comment number 80.

    And Slade ............... Noddy is a Walsall lad and others (including Don Powell who is my Mom's 2nd cousin) are from Wolverhampton. Brummies? NOT!!! :-)

  • Comment number 81.

    Ooh, forgot to post my ARF!



    In common with many today, would love to hear some Bowie. Heard his concert on R2 last night - cracking stuff. So hows about:



    MODERN LOVE - David Bowie



    Btw, when is the man going to be knighted? A glaring ommission from the honours lists.



    Bless, Mr P is in his studio and I can hear joyful noises coming from down the garden. He is obviously having a good time with his basses.

  • Comment number 82.

    #81 Alex G, some time ago, B&B said on here that Bowie had been offered a knighthood but had turned it down.

  • Comment number 83.

    If your talking local to where i was born



    I was in the same art class at school as Wayne Hussey of The Mission



    #justsaying

  • Comment number 84.

    #80 ah now, I am confusing their 'brummie' accents with the exact location within the Midlands (west, east - no north or south?) where they come from - brummie to me is a midlander with that particular and some say peculiar range of flattened vowels, upturning voice at the end of sentences and I say all this as a Brummie (who hails from the W Mids- (which used to be part of Stratford) so presumably as I'm from Shirley, West Mids, I'd be a erm, well, a Shirley girl, I guess.

  • Comment number 85.

    Locals? Not sure. I've seen Shakin' Stevens in the local W**trose a couple of times (other supermarkets are available). Ozzy Osbourne isn't too far away. But closest of all, just across the river and down a little bit, the musical legend that is Rolf Harris.

  • Comment number 86.

    Morning all (just)



    Got a quiet few moments so thought I'd pop in with my first ARF for 2012.



    HIGH ENERGY - EVELYN THOMAS



    Not Queen, not ELO and not local (at least I don't think so!). Just off to have a quick trawl through the earlier postings ...



    GoD

  • Comment number 87.

    #28 Harry, thank you for the compliment (I think) ***scratches head***



    #29 Thank you Deebee and yes she is. We certainly know she's there. Don't tell Katy but I'm afraid she's a bit of a Queen fan. Has been singing "Don't Stop Me Now".



    #58 Deebee again. "Beat that"? I am not particularly competitive but my locals as a child were The Rolling Stones. Keith's mum lived just down the road, his daughter went to my school and his stepdad used to take my little brother to school everyday. Mick's dad taught at my school (before my time) and used to come back for prize nights/musical concerts etc. As head girl I used to be invited along to the special guests receptions afterwards where I would see Mick's parents. They were both absolutely lovely.



    #73 Thank you Alex Girl.

  • Comment number 88.

    #84 Suziee, I'm from the Black Country and, believe me, we're very proud of the fact that we're not Brummies. Until the local government reorganisation in 1974(?) we were in Staffordshire. Birmingham, I believe, was in Warwickshire?



    The accents, although the vowels are very similar, are quite different.



    As the tweeters seem to add .............. #justsaying :-)

  • Comment number 89.

    #80 ps Had no idea there was a backlash agin being called a Brummie amongst the Musos & Glitterati of the Midlands area - I must re-invent myself immediately!

    ;-D



    pps Born in Edgbaston, is that a Brummie? In which case, no getting away from it...



    #slowtocatchon

  • Comment number 90.

    Don't really know where I'm from but some of 'Doves' went to the same secondary school as me (if a little later) and credited our music teacher on their first album.



    As regards current area of residence .... Des O'Connor was apparently evacuated this way during WWII!

  • Comment number 91.

    #81 Alex Girl, a husband playing a bass - a sound I am very familiar with. Mr 40 (39 finally) recently visited the Bass Centre down in Surrey where he ordered some new lightweight and thin double bass to add to his collection. It's due to arrive sometime next week. I must remember to add ear plugs to the shopping list.



    Jilly, how lovely. Hope you have a fab time and make sure you pop back later with a full report.

  • Comment number 92.

    ELO? Now, they're Brummies, aren't they? I'm fairly sure Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood are.

  • Comment number 93.

    Just reading back the Bowie discussions...............................my fave two are....



    The Jean Genie



    Suffragette City



    plus maybe even



    Boys Keep Swinging



    I saw him in 1983 (when I was very young ;0) ) at the Milton Keynes Bowl for his Serious Moonlight Tour. My big sister took me as a treat.............I can honestly say it was an experience I shall never ever forget.



    Was interested to read recently that Jo Whiley was also there and rates it as her all time favourite concert.



    Dougal x

  • Comment number 94.

    #88 My mum's best friend is a Black Country lady, one of the most impenetrable but heart-warming accents I've ever heard*!!

    (her name is 'Auntie Dot' and betting on a horse with her name at a Grand National way back won me some decent lolly!)



    *And I have a friend from Ayr who speaks with an Italian/Ayr accent - at speed



    Yes, we used to be Warks and when we became West Mids, my folks were incensed!!

  • Comment number 95.

    #89 Edgbaston? Solihull? I think their location depends on if you're buying or selling.



    My sister lives in Kingstanding which, for those selling a house, is in Sutton Coldfield; Birmingham if buying :-)



    I had an aunt who insisted Solihull was not in Birmingham.

  • Comment number 96.

    Aah, I remember as a six year old, stopping off at a motorway services en route to see Family in Brum.



    Lo and behold, there was the whole of the group 'The Move' the like I had never seen before!



    Happy Days.



    MTF :)

  • Comment number 97.

    #93 saw Bowie at those gigs too!

    1st night as a worker in the Bowl

    2nd night as a punter!

    Also saw him at NetAid, 1999 - the man has 'what I call' stage presence in bucketloads.



    Not like these Johnny-come-lately, instant TV show 'stars'

    Harrumph

  • Comment number 98.

    HNY everyone

    My locals were Bay City Rollers :-(

    So Bye Bye Bye Baby!

  • Comment number 99.

    I love it when Simon talks to his 'callers' on Fridays. The only time really, that his accent becomes apparent, is when he asks them.... 'How are Youuuu?' Listen out for it, it always makes me smile :)

  • Comment number 100.

    Afternoon All :)



    Must read back...



    After I've joined Autumn Gale, and anyone else who has suggested a Bowie song for the ARFO...



    LET'S DANCE - DAVID BOWIE



    I can't believe he hasn't kicked off proceedings on a Friday before, and in celebration of his 65th, and because he's a legend, I hope one of his songs will prevail, if not my choice :)

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