Voices From The Pulpit (Ramblings of an Inadequate Messiah)

Regular readers will know that I'm rather partial to a bit of Nouvelle Vague - a French band who does some brilliant easy-listening/bossa nova covers of classic British & American 'New Wave' songs.

These include great renditions of The Guns of Brixton by The Clash and Too Drunk To F**k by The Dead Kennedy's.

Anyway, they have a new CD coming out soon and are previewing a couple of the tracks on their Myspace account (Don't Go and The Killing Moon).

They are also apparently playing the Jazz Cafe Picnic Festival on 13th August. Anyone up for joining me?

It just occured to me this mroning that both of Englands big Domestic Football Cup Finals this year have featured teams which were promoted into the Premiership last season.

Wigan played Manchester United in the Carling Cup and West Ham will be playing Liverpool in the FA Cup next Saturday.

That's a fantastic achievement for the new boys who entered the Premiership last year. The only failure was Sunderland who only managed to win three games all season.

Next year will definetly see Reading and Sheffield United in the Premiership with the third spot still to be decided (it's between Watford, Preston, Leeds and Crystal Palace in the Play-offs - my money's on Watford making it). If any of those teams do as well as Wigan or West Ham have this year by reaching a major cup final and also finishing upper-mid table in the League (having been near the top for a good chunk of the season) I'll be amazed. But then again I really didn't think that West Ham or Wigan would do it this season.

Both teams can be bloody proud of themselves.

(If only Norwich could have done that the previous season when they were promoted...)

I'm at work and have rewound myself back 16+ years. For my listening pleasure today I have the dleights of such bands as Transvision Vamp, The Wonderstuff, Carter USM, The Doors and Berlin.

For some reason I feel really knackered today. No reason behind that (wish there was...). At least I've got a load of work to keep me awake. Hmm...

Might take 5 and go for a quick walk round the block to get some air and wake up a bit. Oh, and maybe lunch whilst I'm at it.

'Til later folks!

Have to check my diary but does anyone fancy any of the following events at The Jazz Cafe in Camden?

Dreadzone - Tuesday 6th June (£16.50)
Natacha Atlas - Tuesday 13th June (£17.50)
Nitin Sawhney - Tuesday-Thrusday 5-7th December (£29.50)

also:

Jazz Cafe Picnic 2006 - Sunday 13th August (£35)
featuring: Zero 7, Nouvelle Vague, Femi Juti and the Positive Force, Breakestra, Koop and Snowboy & the Latin Section