Let Me Tell You About Sweden

Miss P bought me a beginners kayaking trip around Kungsholmen  on Malaren.  Skiing as a Christmas present, kayaking for birthday, my mother is convinced she is trying to turn me into Indiana Jones or something.

In fairness I had said a few times that I fancied kayaking but I had no idea she would go out and buy me that. A very sweet present but just like the skiing its something I have not done before. Also I am not the greatest of swimmers. I get by but falling into a Swedish lake in Stockholm is not my idea of fun.

I found this good kayak guide which is visually good but I am not sure if it fills me with confidence or dread!

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Disappointed to read that the Iranian Embassy in Stockholm was stormed this week by protestors.

Whilst I am not saying their cause is wrong (or right!) this kind of activity only goes to strengthen the existing regime.

I personally dont think we should meddle in other countries affairs, how do we, here in the West know exactly whats gone on in Tehran? How do we know there was electoral fraud?…..

I am no friend of the Iranian regime since they kidnapped several British naval officers a while back but still…storming their embassy would have done their case no good at all.

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I am sorry to say that Norman Tebbit would have been very angry with me yesterday. I failed the Tebbit Test!

I genuinely want Sweden to do well but last night I had to cheer for England!

What a match, England score in the first minute and were soon 3-0 up. Shocking!  At half time I faffed around in the kitchen as I really couldnt see Sweden making a game of it, however as is often the case with England in semi-finals..they played with their eyes already on the final and Sweden launched a stinging counter attack which had England’s young guns on the ropes and it was 3-3. Extra time!

Stuart Pearce must have been in bits at the thought of penalties, we dont have a good record on them. However Pearcey had made the English team practice pens for the last year…the Swedes didnt and it showed as England powered through to the Under 21 final against Germany.

Spare a thought for Sweden though, they really ran England and on the second half performance and probably extra time should have won it.

Still its nice for us to get a bit of luck for a change!

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My head is banging today, its my birthday and my head is supposed to hurt the day after but alas I celebrated at the Morrissey gig last night and feeling the effects of it today.

I was very fortunate that Boz Boorer had left some aftershow (backstage) passes for us to pick up and I thought it wouldnt be right to turn up smashed. So I had one refreshing glass of Pear Cider and that was it.

I have been to Hovet twice before. Once to watch Motorhead and the other to watch that team from Solna play Ice Hockey. So both very different events. At Motorhead I was seated but there was no way I would sit for a Morrissey gig. Actually I hate sitting at any gig.

backstage passes

Unfortunately my camera was playing up so not the best pics but better than nothing right?

I have never been given a backstage pass before so it was a nice feeling to pick them up.

Hovet Stockholm Morrissey

OK the gig itself…musically brilliant. The Band are top notch, very tight and multi talented. One minute they play the slow ‘Life is a Pigsty’ then into a Punk rendition of I’m Ok By Myself. A personal favourite.

Morrissey Stockholm

Boz Boorer Morrissey Stockholm

Morrissey himself whilst giving his all as always, just seemed a little disinterested. Not much banter with the crowd, mind you I felt my age most people at the front were 16-20 and mostly female…a situation I would have really relished if I was the same age but I wasnt, I was enjoying the last moments of being 33….I dont have a midlife crisis..yet! Morrissey has had a lot of problems with his voice on this tour so maybe he wasnt pushing it to the level I have seen him before and who can blame him, its a gruelling tour.

Morrissey Stockholm

There is something I have noted about the Swedish concert goers..they are boring! yes BORING! When I am at the front I like to pogo and give it some..the Swedes clap gently, its not a fucking bowls match! Funnily enough a good German friend of mine who lives in Stockholm was telling me the same thing on the gigs she has been too.  Different culture I guess. A few of us tried to make a go of it to generate some atmosphere but got disgusting looks from some of the Swedes there. A few people actually fainted, but then why go to the front if you cant hack it? If I am in discomfort at a gig then I move away.

Morrissey Stockholm

Also it amazed me that a lot of the people, ok the young kids at the front all looked confused when anything from before Morrissey’s last album Years of Refusal was played. Amusing if it wasnt so sad. Dont get me wrong we all gotta start somewhere but beg, borrow but dont illegal download some of his other stuff. And the screaming, fucking ell its Morrissey not Boyzone or Take Shat! You can hear it on some of the video footage I took. Annoying as fuck.

It wasnt all bad though, got to hear ‘You Just Haven’t Earnt It Yet Baby’ for the first time live which was a nice treat. And to be honest it was worth enduring the teenage hoardes just to hear ‘I’m Ok By Myself’.

During the encore though it did get rowdy as people tried to invade the stage, thank fuck for that, the security guys were stopping people left right and centre but someone got badly hurt I think, even Moz looked concerned and it was a genuine concern. He does care about his fans despite what his detractors say.

So did I enjoy it? I always enjoy Morrissey but the atmosphere didnt help. I think the atmosphere at the Cambridge gig was so much better.

At the end of the gig..see I am smiling really

Morrissey Stockholm

We went to the after party and met Boz, he seemed a bit tired, I think we had both drunk a bit much the night before in Stockholms Old Town. He enjoyed the gig and said the sound was better than last time. We didnt meet Morrissey, not sure where he was, but you know what I am kind of pleased not to have met him because I would not have known what to say really. The man is a legend and sometimes its better not to meet legends.

I did tell Boz about my Marathon Morrissey Stockholm lyric posts which amused him, he did wonder sometimes if some of the lyrics were about him which just goes to show..that if Moz’s guitarist doesnt even know what the lyrics are about the rest of us havent got a chance of working them out.

Songlist:

1. This Charming Man
2. Billy Budd
3. Black Cloud
4. How Soon Is Now?
5. When Last I Spoke To Carol
6. Ask
7. I’m Throwing My Arms Around Paris
8. How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
9. You Just Haven’t Earned It Yet, Baby
10. Irish Blood, English Heart
11. One Day Goodbye Will Be Farewell
12. The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
13. I Keep Mine Hidden
14. Let Me Kiss You
15. Girlfriend In A Coma
16. Life Is A Pigsty
17. Sorry Doesn’t Help
18. The Loop
19. I’m OK By Myself
Encore
20. First Of The Gang To Die

Tagged as: Morrissey, Morrissey Stockholm, The Smiths, Tour of Refusal, Years of Refusal

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So the day has arrived, I can hear you all clapping your hands and stamping your feet in excitement. Mainly because you wont have to endure any of these Morrissey lyrics posts anymore. If I still have any readers left, thanks for indulging me.

Tonight is the gig, tomorrow is my 34th birthday, I will celebrate in the best way!

So the last lyric and very poigniant for those who felt these lyrics were in fact a cry of help..they may have been during the life event in question but…

Could this be an arm around my waist?
well, surely the hand contains a knife?
it’s been so all of my life
why change now?
“it hasn’t!”
now this might surprise you, but
I find I’m OK by myself
and I don’t need you
or your morality to save me
no, no, no, no, no
Then came an arm around my shoulder
well surely the hand holds a revolver?
it’s been so all of my life
why change now?
“it hasn’t!”
now this might disturb you, but
I find I’m OK by myself
and I don’t need you
or your benevolence to make sense
Noooooooo!
Noooooooo!
Noooooooo!
Noooooooo!
After all these years I find I’m OK by myself
and I don’t need you
or your homespun philosophy
no, no, no, no
This might make you throw up in your bed:
I’M OK BY MYSELF!
and I don’t need you
and I never have, I never have

Tagged as: Morrissey, Morrissey. Years of Refusal

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taking his Musical Director and guitarist of 17 years Boz Boorer on a record shopping trip in Stockholm..

Shane and Boz find a copy of Moz's oh and Boz's latest work in Stockholm

and a pleasant few beers and a curry afterwards. Was a pleasure and a privilege to meet the man musically behind many of the songs I listen to and also to chat about the Punk Rock days when young Boz saw many of the great acts play.

Tonight was a real privilege.

Tagged as: Boz Boorer, Morrissey, Morrissey Stockholm

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Day 23, just one more day to go!

from How Soon Is Now

You shut your mouth; how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does

Tagged as: Morrissey, Morrissey Stockholm

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Day 22, almost there

This song is very emotional for me for very personal reasons,. I still think of a certain house where I grew up in when I hear this song. Not everything that happens in this song happened to me but it does bring up painful memories.

Winter coming
Winter push on
(push on)
Oh, winter push on

Winter is so long
Winter moves on

The last night on maudlin street
Goodbye house, goodbye stairs
I was born here
And I was raised here, and
…i took some stick here

Love at first sight
It may sound trite
But its true, you know
I could list the detail
Of everything you ever wore or said
Or how you stood the day
As we spent the last night
On maudlin street
Goodbye house, forever!
I never stole a happy hour
Around here

Where the worlds ugliest boy
Became what you see
Here I am – the ugliest man
Oh, the last night on maudlin street
Truly I do love you
Oh, truly I do love you

When I sleep
With that picture of you framed beside my bed
Oh, its childish and its silly
But I think its you in my room, by the bed
(…yes, I told you it was silly…)

And I know
I took strange pills
But I never meant to hurt you
Oh, truly I love you
Came home late one night
Everyone had gone to bed
But, you know
No-one stays up for you
I had sixteen stitches
All around my head

Oh, the last bus I missed to maudlin street
So he drove me home in the van
Complaining, women only like me for my mind…
Dont leave your torch behind
A powercut ahead; 1972, you know

And so we crept through the park
No, I cannot steal a pair of jeans off a clothesline
For you
But you … without clothes
Oh, I could not keep a straight face
Me – without clothes ?
Well, a nation turns its back and gags…
Im packed

I am moving house
A half-life disappears today
With every hand waves me on
(secretly wishing me gone)
Well, I will be soon
Ooh, I will be soon
I will be soon
I will be soon
Will be soon, I will be soon
Mmm … I will be soon, I will be soon

There were bad times on maudlin street
They took you away in a police car
Inspector – dont you know ?
Dont you care ?
Dont you know – about love ?

Your gran died
And your mother died
On maudlin street
In pain, and ashamed
With never time to say
Those special things … oh
I took the key from maudlin street
Well, its only bricks and mortar !
Oh, oh, truly I love you
Oh, wherever you are
Wherever you are
Wherever you are
I hope youre singing now
Oh, I do hope
I hope youre singing now
Oh …

Tagged as: Morrissey, Morrissey Stockholm, Morrissey. Years of Refusal

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Last night I watched the last of my 4 DVD Beck box set.

Yeah it took me almost 6 months to get through them.  Watching DVDs is a good way to learn Swedish now the next step to help me improve my Swedish is to watch them without the subtitles and see how I get on.

I think they are pretty well made dramas, a predictable formula..a maverick cop, an over officious boss, a young blonde female detective though at least she has brains and of course a ‘punchy’ detective!

I am looking forward to and daunted by the Berlitz Swedish Total Immersion Course I am attending in July. Looks heavy, 60 one to one lessons, 8 till 5, even lunch is with the teacher and in Swedish!  They assess what level you are and then what your interests are and then build the course from there. Here is hoping the teacher either loves football, politics or is attractive at least

Seriously its pricey, 40,000 SEK so not for the faint hearted. Fortunately my boss agreed I should go on and they are coughing up, though I will use some of my holiday to take the course.  I am going to try and produce some video clips after each day to talk through my experience and hopefully talk a bit in Swedish and see if there is an improvement by the end of the week…I wonder what 4000 Euros worth of improvement will sound like…mind you I wonder if I will last the week…I suggest all friends leave me alone that week as I will be mega stressed and in need of a large drink by the Friday night!

I will publish the clips (if I can work out the technology) on my Learn Swedish blog.

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