I consider this my personal space

Hello! Welcome my niche, my nook, my netherworld of pointless trivia. You can visualise it as the crawlspace I have carved into the wall of the ditch beside the information superhighway. Over coming months I will no doubt decorate it with all sorts of objects that have varying degrees of relevance to life, the universe and everything.

This being my personal space and all, I've added a few bits on myself and my life. Read on if you have a sado-masochistic streak.

Sections to be found within: Who is this loser? | How can I avoid him? | Just how sad is this guy?

I am a student, currently living near Basingstoke in Hampshire (although this could change with very little warning). I have past the age of responsibility, although you wouldn't know it to look at me. I am currently between educational institutions, having recently finished at Basingstoke's very own Queen Mary's College, a place that looks like a correctional facility and is about as fun. I've now completed my A-levels so I don't have to think anymore, and have thus resolved to put my brain to work on more interesting projects such as this site.

I fill my time in multitudinous different ways. I play trumpet, I read, I surf the proverbial web, I swim, I repeatedly attempt to pass my driving test, I pretend to play the drums, I pretend to be useful on my local youth council, I make pretentious "art" and I continually rail against the capitalist/corporatist orthodoxy.

I have an interest in politics. I know this is not conventional practice for wild young things such as myself, and I can't tell you whether it is an inherited or acquired condition, I only know that I find myself strangely drawn to the controversies of national and global politics. I do not as yet support a particular party, but any insinuations about myself with regard to the young conservatives and I'll Basement Jaxx your face up.

Sorry Bob, it's not always good to talk

The easiest way to avoid me is by not emailing me. This will ensure that you will never have to talk to me, or indeed suffer my inevitable replies.

In addition, you can not Instant Message me. My somewhat obscure screen name on AOL Instant Messenger is "demagogue82", which has got something to do with the fact that I consider myself an anti-corporate rebel.

I must confess that this is not the only site upon which I inflict my presence. For starters, I have been instrumental in the construction of one or two and can regularly be seen hanging around them hoping to be recognised. Secondly, there are many I visit and contribute to. For the completists out there, you can take extra steps to avoid me by not visiting the following sites.

- The Tadley and District Youth Council Website was single handedly designed, built and filled by yours truly. As my first website, I'm fairly proud of it, although it is perhaps showing it's age now.

- My utterly pointless homepage will be added to the ranks of other equally pointless homepages shortly. I am adding my "art" (believe me, it needs those quotation marks), my social comments and my incisive wit, so it's sure to be "unmissable".

- Another project underway is "Consumed", the brainchild of Big Mad Mr T. This will be an outlet for the many people who are justifiably narked by the sheer contempt for human rights that is shown by many big corporations, and who have problems with the way the world is stacked. Find out how things are going at the Consumed Progress Page.

- A website of the political persuasion that I often visit is Ornery. I have to warn you, the guy who runs it, author Orson Scott Card, has fairly strange political views. These are very prominent on the front page, but the heart of the site is in the forums, where people of all political persuasions post. You will not find a politer or more intelligent political discussion forum on the web.

- For humour I recommend 2 sites above all. The Onion is a satirical news site and The Brunching Shuttlecocks is simply unique.

I like music, a wide range of music. However, my taste has its limits. I acknowledge that music is a subjective field, and therefore different opinions are acceptable, but I reserve the right to rant at you if your taste is "wrong". You have been warned.

I have personally never been able to pick one band to call my favourite. It all seems to depend on how I feel at a certain time of day. The closest I can get is to split artists into an inner sanctum and an outer circle.

Bands I would have round my house for tea

Grandaddy are a band from California who have a truly unique sound. They evoke fierce loyalty from their fans, probably due to their brilliance, humility, and humour. They often imbue their albums with a science fiction flavour, almost post-apocalyptic at times. Their songwriting is of extremely high quality: evocative lyrics combined with shiny Synths as well as the traditional elements of a rock and roll band. While they don't go in for "clever" lyrics or complex arrangements, I have heard nothing else that can evoke the same level of emotion as their understated compositions. Grandaddy's 2000 album The Sophtware Slump is a concept album of the highest order, and an essential purchase regardless of what kind of music you usually listen to.

Pavement have sadly split now, but in their day were some of the true originals of rock; staunchly uncommercial and unwilling to be categorised. Frontman Stephen Malkmus lives on in solo form, but his own debut didn't match up to Pavement in their glory days. There was something very engaging about the hilariously off the wall lyrics and Pavement's loose yet enthusiastic playing. Essential Albums include Slanted and Enchanted and Brighten the Corners.

The Beta Band are an eclectic four-piece from Scotland. Their music again refuses to be categorised, but influences ranging from Soul through to Hip Hop can be detected. They have released 3 EPs and 2 LPs, but declared their debut album "a load of S***", which did not aid sales. They have now bounced back with Hot Shots II which is worth buying if only for the superb artwork, but the true classic is to be found in the EPs (Champion Versions, The Patty Patty Sound and Los Amigos Del Beta Bandidos), collected together in 1998's surprisingly titled The 3 EPs.

Lambchop are a truly wonderful band. Hailing from Southern USA and boasting no less than 12 members, they create some of the most beautiful and laid back music I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. It's slow and country-influenced (but definitely not country), soulful yet lowkey. Find out more at Cityslang records. Other great bands on this label include Calexico and Tortoise.

Bands I would give the time of day to

I can be found listening to many other bands which I don't need to describe. I like classic punk such as The Clash, The Sex Pistols and the Ramones, classic funk such as James Brown, Isaac Hayes and Labi Saffre, and recent bands who continue to be creative such as The Black Crowes, Gomez, Radiohead, Gorky's Zygotic Munci, The White Stripes, R.E.M., U2 and Blur. I have a pretentious side and so can often be found listening to jazz, and even classical music on occasion.

Radio DJs I listen to regularly

John Peel is possibly my favorite DJ. I don't know about you, but I find his utterly unconventional style added to the fact that the guy broadcasts from his house really appealing. I have, on several occasions heard him play a record he particularly likes, twice in a row. Where else do you find such behaviour? The mix of music on his show is also unsurpassed. If you want to hear more from new bands, you only have to tune in for an evening. Hear him on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10pm - midnight on Radio 1.

Now for a more controversial pair. Mark Radcliffe and the boy Lard seem to split the nation down the middle. It seems impossible to be indifferent to their hilarious if repetitive, catch-phrase based humour. Listen to their show just once (Monday to Friday, 1pm - 3pm on Radio 1) and you will know for all time whether they are for you. Humour aside, they manage to bypass the Radio 1 playlist to an extent, squeezing in some fantastic tracks by bands that rarely get a sniff of the top 40.

The End...?

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