1207 The Tube programme and all that All this and Heaven too

This writing marks the completion of the second series of 101 Myspace writing, or as I now wish the work to be known as 101.75, a total of 1074 pieces if added to those on AOL, within 2 years. It commenced on May 24 2006, with 19 pieces that month, and then in June 151, July 76, August 76, September 99, October 96, November 76 December 87, January 2007 62, February 69, March 61. My objective is to complete a further set of 100.75 by the anniversary of my first year on Myspace on February 17th.

I commenced to write this piece while listening to a commentary of Newcastle at home to Portsmouth. Within nine minutes the score was Newcastle 0 Portsmouth 1, a minute later it was Newcastle 0. Portsmouth 2 and then Newcastle 0 Portsmouth after 10 minutes, with two mistakes. A scrambled own goal via Michael Owen made it 1-3 and from horror disaster the fifty thousand crowd sensed all was not lost.

There are many advantages to living in the North East and one of these the absence of traffic jams. When I travelled, usually by car, once a month to London, for a decade, I dreaded the last fifty odd miles where the choice was the M 25 stuck in a slow moving end less four and three lane chain of cars for miles from the area approaching London Airport through to Purley, or into central London, past Lords, across Oxford Street, to Victoria, with an option of routes through South London, with slow moving traffic and dozen upon dozen of traffic lights. Such was the nightmare of this apart of the journey that after several years I commenced to break up the journey, with a leisurely start, a visit to the cinema or to a country house, an overnight stay at a Travel Lodge paying as little as £5 a night, £10 or £15 and never more than around £25. And then after breakfast facing a morning drive in traffic, traffic, traffic.

Several years before this I learnt the reality of London traffic when serving on a sub committee of a committee organised by the Home Office which offered a car parking space for meetings which commenced at 10.30 am. I remember the first occasion well in that unsure of what the traffic would be like I set off after 8 am probably nearer 8.30 thinking the ten to twelve miles would take a hour to an hour and half which would give me timer to go through the papers once more and get ready any contribution, or chat with other colleagues as they arrived. I had anticipated some traffic congestion as I approached inner London, having in the later 1960's travelled for three years from Teddington to Ealing in West London a journey of a similar distance. I just had not anticipated the growth in traffic out into the suburbs in a decade and a half and arrived just as the meeting commenced. The alternative was a walk to the station, a forty minute train ride usually standing, and a crushed underground ride of one station from Victoria to St James, on a walk. I thought of these experiences as for the first time in years I encountered major congestion last night in the City of Newcastle.

For the second time in a week I miscalculated the time required to journey from my home, on this occasion to the Sage Concert Halls for a curious event to celebrate 25 years since the birth of The Tube, the Iconic contemporary music show produced by Tyne Tees Television for Channel Four in Newcastle from 1982 to 1987, 121 episodes and 10 specials. Given the previous experience I should have set off at 6.30 but it was after seven. I had planned to travel by car to Hewarth, then take the Metro to Gateshead and a special bus service to the entrance of the Sage. I decided not to risk a late arrival and took a taxi although I could have kept to the original plan as it was well after eight before the evening commenced. It was after 11pm when I I decided to take the first special bus which first went to the Baltic, then to the Quayside in central Newcastle and the City station, rather than wait the nine minutes for a bus which would have taken the short distance from the Sage to Gateshead interchange station.

From the moment the bus crossed over the swing bridge onto the Newcastle Quayside the traffic was solid and slow moving, from those leaving after a night out at the theatre, cinema, or concert hall or music gig and those arriving for the night clubs. The streets were pulsating with mainly young people, mostly in single sex groups, although as previously observed there was an age range down by the Quayside. One of the venues, a bar, which might also serve food, has been renamed Rumpole's, after the fictitious barrister created by John Mortimer who frequented a bar called Pomeroy's, popular with members of the legal profession. One group of young men, whop engaged in conversation with a single young man with the appearance of a bouncer, explained that they had stayed in Newcastle after work, doing the pubs and bars looking for lasses, and without success were heading for the night clubs in Shields, where they also had lodgings. I was right about the bouncer as he explained that he guarded the entrance to the restricted area of one of the clubs.

And the event? Was a little disappointing. There were six individuals on the platform but no presenter although Jules Holland did a good interview in which he described how he was appointed and the significance of the show as the creator of a culture in which musicians and comedians would come up to Newcastle, often staying over for the party atmosphere although BA reorganised its Friday flight schedule to bring up those who wished to travel from London for the day or return after the evening performance.

The most rewarding aspect of the evening was the account as to how the show got off the ground, including a meeting in a Newcastle fish and chip restaurant in which Sir Jeremy Isaacs, the founder and chief executive of Chanel allegedly told the commissioning director and programme directors, Don't' f…k up. The use of descriptive expletives was a feature of the Tube, with Jules Holland having to resign after he unintentionally swore on a live programme which went out early evening tea time and was watched by school age children. The programme also gained notoriety because of the outlandish appearance and behaviour of its main presenter with Jools Holland, the later Paula Yates, the former wife of Sir Bob Geldorf. Paul had responsibility for the first 45 mins of the programme which concentrated on interviews, fashion items and comedy, with Paula conducting her interviews on a bed and one on occasion persuading Sting to remove his trousers.

It was the second 45 minutes of live music performances which made the show essential viewing for popular music promoters, managers and record producers and who in some instances snapped up a new artist to make them instant successes, with the Liverpool band Frankie Goes to Hollywood giving their raunchy performance of Relax. They immediately appeared on Top of the Tops and Relax shot to number 1 although he video was banned by the BBC and MTV which had just started.
For young people to day there are over 20 music dedicated stations providing 24 hour entertainment as well a similar number of radio stations with the number exponentially increasing through the use of the internet, there are hundred of music live music gigs and an area such as Tyne and Wear but back in in the early ages, when I was middle aged, until MTV there was only Top of the Pops, The Old Grey Whistle Test was coming to an end and the Tube was a significant break through with its midsummer special programmes lasting five hours.

Looking at the footage of the first programmes in black and white I was struck by the audience, unsophisticated , also church like in their wonderment at the experience unfolding around them and how different from the lively crowds in the Quayside and Bigg Market after the show, many looking as if they had come from on were going to appear on Top of the Pops during its sexual hey day of up short skirt close ups and Pans People. Some of those young original young people were in the audience at the Sage from a hand sup request. There was also a gathering of insiders with many of the crew and production team. My taxi driver said that there had been a feature on the show on regional news before he came out to work for the evening.

The disappointing aspect was the absence of an appearance on the night or a film tribute collation from a major performer. Heaven 17 was a Sheffield based band which appeared on the first show and lead singer was part of the platform team and because he had agreed to participate whereas I suspect many others invited had not, an inordinate amount of attention was given to his work with two numbers from the original show and then a ten minute film, which was out of proportion to what the Tube came to stand for. I very much enjoyed the first part of the show but the second was something of anti climax, rushed because of over running with some clips cuts.

This was an interesting project something of an experiment for the Sage and there was no doubting the enthusiasm of its organiser who acted as chair of the panel and the best were the reminisces of panel members who I thought they were less convincing when they attempted to evaluate the show or comment on whether a similar kind of rough at the edges spontaneous show was required as an antidote to the polished scripted professional music channels and videos and orchestrated live music and dance performances of today.

This is an appropriate moment to mention that New astle eventually lost 1-4 at home indicating what I anticipated as a failure of Sam Alladyce I only know how to play one way with also ran players. Sunderland are at Man City who lost heavily at Chelsea last week so theatre is no expectation of a match which is live on Monday night TV. The following week it is Sunderland laying Newcastle at home with both teams wish to give their loyal fans something to shout about for the rest of the season, or at least the return Derby game.

Earlier in the day I saw the beginning and the end of a melodrama with a young Bette Davis showing the talent which made her I to one of the finest Actors of Hollywood. There were sugary children and one sided characterisations and dodgy script. All this and Heaven too. In past years when it came to a choice between the X Factor singing and the dancing with celebrities there was no context, and last year was exceptional with the amazing Leone and several others destined for a career in 'the business.' This year there are several weak finalists and no one world class uniquely outstanding, and the youngest was booted out when it emerged she had put on phone record a violent outburst involving a former friend. However there is a former school teacher from Luton who has a great voice and the right kind of image and personality. The programme also manufactured two groups one of five, originally six young men and one of six young women, who have talent and are learning presentational skills quickly. There is also one odd looking young man with a powerful stage voice and polished entertaining presentation. But the dancers took the honours.

My chess playing skills matches by lack of concentration and application since the monster work effort a week ago and having reached 50 and 40 runs of wins on level 2 I have not failed to progress into double figures several time in succession but suffered several checkmates. I know what the problem is but the mood and inclination is against making the required changes. So I shall watch the first 15 mins of the Newcastle horror show, the masochist that I am and then start the final episodes of the Great War to mark the third series of 101.75 writing.

1201 Casanova a play

Last night, as I was saying, I left the theatre at the interval. The work was called Casanova although if this is a male name the play ought to have been called Casanove although traditionally the converse would have been batter. I was attracted to a play about the life of Casanova. I have seen nothing better since the 1971 BBC TV series written by Dennis Potter with Frank Finlay in the starring role, but I also liked the 1976 Fellini Film with Donald Sutherland and I have a Men of Destiny volume on his life, a work by Chevalier de Seingalt, translated by Bonamy Debree. I ought to have known that this was an experimental concept work for two three reasons. Casanova in this work is played by a young female actress whereas in most other works it is about an old man reflecting back, now where I have heard that approach before? Secondly it was billed as a comedy, and I usually avoid anything which sets out to attract an audience as a comedy. Thirdly the company attempted to get bums on seats by displaying the part of the naked bum of the lead actress although she admitted on local radio that this was a stand in. The radio show was about he fact that it was alleged people had been stealing posters of the play, no doubt to put on their student room walls, and certainly the theatre was more than a quarter full of students, mainly young women, given that it was about half full overall. Anyway I sat there for the first half saying I am not enjoying this, I am not amused, intellectually challenged or emotionally engaged. This is adding nothing to my life and I could be making better use of my time. I blamed myself for not taking more care before making the investment.

I was unsure that I had made the right decision when I attempted to book a ticket for a performances at the Sage next month, w eek Friday in fact. This a celebration of the Tube, a Newcastle music programme twenty five years ago presented by Jools Holland, Paula Yates and Murial Gray for Channel 4. The show" will include a production commentary on the first show, plus exclusively screenings special guest When I appeared to fail to complete a booking twice on the internet I gave up only to receive two tickets in the posy, one of which has been returned. The indications are that the performance is not well supported as the tickets were for rows two and three. Among the long list of performers who emerged through the five years of the show were , the Boomtown Rats, Big Country, Culture Club, Duran Duran, Elvis Costello, Frankie goes to Hollywood, Human League, Iggy Pop, Madonna, Meat Loaf, Paul Young, REM, Simply Red, Siouxie and the Banshees, the Jam, The Pretenders, Thin Lizzy, U2, Ultravox, the Smiths and on and on and on.

However while tempted to get a half season at Newcastle, given the progress being made in results, but not in the quality of the football, and at Durham given their progress, the latter at a fraction of the costs of the football, there is the question of allocated the time if I am to undertake a major work project which could move me into a new dimension for the last phase of my life, winning the lottery or a major premium bond prize being unlikely. Such a win will be necessary to buy a home in the new Ocean Village complex built out of a former industrial shipyard area which was already underway when I last visited in 2004. This is an upmarket residential and leisure development for those with lots of dosh. The Gibraltar radio news hour featured the development today together with the extraordinary development that GB airlines, operated by BA at Gatwick and been sold to Easy Jet for over £100. What this means in terms of flights from other airports and on price remains to be seen. It is such commercial enterprises that has driven the political changes between Gibraltar GB and Spain, and will in due course alter the sovereignty question and the composition of resident voting population changes. The thought of all this is very dissatisfying so I wills top and do something else.

1184 Our Friends in the North

Tomorrow (yesterday I went) I go to a theatrical performance of Our Friends in the North, a TV series which I saw when first broadcast and again subsequently. Although this is a fictional drama it expressed the political and social history of a North East which was very evident when I first arrived in the mid 1970's. It has now changed beyond recognition, I believe!

I missed the conference speech of Ming Campbell, and was very impressed by that of Prime Minister Gordon Brown. He had the middle England Scotland Wales and Ireland gravitas which Blair lacked and the power base he established at the Treasury over central and local government departments through budget control will have provided him with the mechanism for at least having some prospect of translating political decisions into effect, although whether the outcome will bear any resemblance to the political aspiration is another matter. Yesterday, as it is now tomorrow, I listened with growing concern about much of what David Cameron had to say. It was clever and will have great appeal to his own supporters but not without reservations from his right wing, however there was much about delegating power to school heads for example or the abolition of ring fencing in local government that would be disastrous and dangerous given my experience and which hopefully should outweigh his main bribe, that of the abolition of the inheritance tax on properties worth under £1 million with those who it will affect most in the outer London suburbs and which are marginal seats.

Overall I thought his approach was likely to have greater appeal than Labour's presently, because of the ten years of government and the attraction of a new group, despite their lack of experience in Government. However if as in the past this was to be an election of Gordon versus David there is no competition. David was the right match for Blair but wrong for Gordon. I am still of the opinion that there is no need for an election unless things about the economy, about terrorism or other nasty's are known and are likely to have great electoral impact, or if he knows that internal division will open up once legislation is put to the Parliamentary test. The one potential nasty which I should have mentioned is the Diana Inquest which has opened and where information has been disclosed which begins to show a different light on previous official investigations. I mention this because one major theme of Our Friends in the North is cover up

This is the second opening of a season's major production of the Playhouse Directed by Chief Executive Erica Wymark that I have experienced. I was not taken with the Potter play Son of Man because I was still full of the experience of Mel Gibson's The Passion and I did not think using the double stage worked. Although this is a long production of a play with approaching a two hour opening act and then approaching a one and half hour second act 19.00 to 22.45 performance I thought it was terrific and having a sequence of dramatic endings which were more effective than the TV series and which enabled the three level structure of the play to be understood as an integrated whole.

Our Friends in the North is fiction but because of the deaths of a number of individuals the programme has a Timeline of real life events which covers in the North East the significant moments in the political life of Newcastle City Boss T Dan Smith, and his subsequent imprisonment for six years for corruption. I worked in local government in the North East just after the prison sentences commenced so I knew politicians and senior officials who knew the man and who did then not look the other way. Without exception they spoke of a dedicated man with a vision and a determination to make the City Newcastle a significantly better place for the majority of all its people. I met Dan when after his release he obtain work for an prison after care organisation, at his request, in an official capacity to discuss the role of a social service department when individuals are prison and afterwards, especially on the impact of partners and children. Having been the only local authority chief officer appointed who had been prison beforehand he expected me to have taken a greater personal interest than I did, but my responsibility was for the policies and services of my authority in general and for the Social Services Department in particular, so I identified the specialist staff in the department who coordinated our work with the Criminal Justice system and its agencies and had no subsequent contact.

While the first level of the play concerns the working of politics in the North East1958-1982, when the play was first performed, starting with the covering up of a accident between a car and bicycle as the driver was a member of the Police Committee and ends where one of the victims considers executing the culprit, much of the play is about a second real life situation when it was found that the a significant group of Metropolitan CID officers were receiving substantial amounts of money to effectively protect the Porn and sex club industry in Soho London from prosecution. Detective Chief Inspector George Fenwick was jailed for 10 years as the chief Architect. As previously mentioned I had spent several years of my youth around Soho because of my interest in Jazz and activist politics and I was aware of street life and the clubs, and subsequently I learnt something of the problems at that time at being a straight cop from someone who had worked for the Met CID.

The third level in the play does not suggest an obvious immediate connection, the time in Northern Rhodesia when in 1965 the Harold Wilson led British Government imposed sanctions on a white minority led independence and where it was subsequently alleged that a British oil supply company found a way through the technicalities to maintain the flow using agents and oil from other countries, just as arms manufacturers are always able to find ways of supply any and every side or interest that wishes to buy their wares. The Timeline also makes reference to the unusual choice of honours in Prime Minister Wilson's resignation list and to one in particular where one individual, the son of a close personal supporter of the former Prime Minister, committed suicide a year later during investigation for fraud. It was established that a former senior Conservative Cabinet Minister was an adviser to one of the companies of this man. The former Minister had resigned as Home Secretary four years earlier because it emerged that he held a directorship in the architectural firm of John Poulson who had also gone to prison for five years for corruption along with T Dan Smith
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The individual who links what happened in Northern Rhodesia before it became Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe, with Porn police corruption in Soho, London, and the building of dangerous and unliveable flats on Tyneside is Geordie, was one of the young men who witness the bike accident and cover up. When his loses the love of his life to his best fiend, he decides to make his fortune in London and by accident becomes involved with London porn and club life as personal security and bag man for the man bribing the police at their request. When things hot up Geordie is the fall guy who goes to prison, although in the play the police escape because of the way the enquiry is fixed by those with the most to lose. When Geordie is released is seeks revenge first on the minor villain who has scarred his drug taking soliciting female friend because she has advised that Geordie would know who the bribe taking police were, and then on the boss who betrayed him. He then goes as a mercenary to Northern Rhodesian hired by South Africans to help their friends in the North and in the least credible segment of the play is spared by a ruthless black rebel commander who has recently murdered his former farm master and his wife. It on his return and the funeral of the former Labour and life long socialist activist parent of the third friend in the bike incident that the play comes to an end when Geordie confronts the corrupt politician. A second link through the play is that the young constable who expected the corrupt politician to be prosecuted for the bike incident becomes the Assistant Chief Constable appointed to advise the Met on the allegation of corruption involving the Soho porn world. I was reminded that Get Carter also centred on the connections between criminal gangs in London and Tyneside was the catalyst a funeral, and where as in most films about the US Mafia, bootlegging, dealing in girls and porn and thefts from business is considered to be acceptable but switching to illegal drugs and child pornography involving is not and often leads to dispute and power battle between the older time criminals and the upstarts who take their place.

Because it is a good but long play which could have done without the African oil dimension, no doubt included now because of Iraq, it would be wrong to quibble too much about where fiction leaves reality someway behind. In the world North East Politics that I know a senior politician would not have pretended non involvement in an accident involving the loss of a bicycle and he would have settled it on the spot replacing the bicycle with a couple of quid for the trouble or it had to be officially reported because the rider of the bicycle had been hurt, then any offence would have been dealt with quietly minimising publicity by inducements to enable the aggrieved party to settle with the minimum of fuss. I also believe that the whole situation regarding the building and subsequent state of the flats in the North East would not have led to a prosecution had not the 1968 Ronan Point disaster occurred when a gas explosion affected a load bearing wall in a 23 storey Tower Block at Newham, site of the 2012 Olympics and new high speed train stop via the Channel Tunnel.

Unfortunately because the servicing of my car was not completed until today. I could not stay for the after show discussion at which the author Peter Flannery was to be attendance. It is probably just as well because I would not have been able top resist asking him the question, Do you think anything has changed given the ending of a four year enquiry into allegations of fraud involving the leadership of a North East local authority in the early 1990's came to nothing and that a similar level of allegations involving child abuse rings involving the police and local and health authority and other big wigs also came to naught? Perhaps that is material for a new play?