Suzi Quatro Unzipped

This is Suzi Quatro's autobiography which is one of my fabulous buys at Fopp. I finished reading it on Thursday and I must say, it has to be up there with my favourite books of all time.

I have to admit, although I have never possessed a record of hers, I have been a fan since I was 9 years old when my mum took me and my sister to see her live at Butlins. She came on at 11PM and I was asleep in my chair! But boy, did her music wake me up!

Okay, she's no Robert Plant. But she has an amazing voice and she has written some wonderful songs.

Her autobiography was definitely written by her, 100%. And the way in which she tells her story is so unique, intimate and honest. I just found the whole thing interesting and I was actually sad when I finished the book!

For those that don't know, she played Leather Tuscerado in Happy Days, she played Annie Oakley in the West End show Annie Get Your Gun. She had major UK hits with "Devil Gate Drive" and "Can the Can" and she can count Elvis Presley as a fan!

Her life has been so interesting but what you get from the book is the soul of a truly inspirational and humble person.





In other news, I have successfully completed my PTLLS!

Downloads vs CDs

^^^^From Purina website

I'm coming towards the end of the PTLLS course now, eek!

I'm getting involved in allsorts of voluntary work. Next week I shall be helping out at The Moggery and I shall be watching a performance by the group of students I have been helping to teach.

The ball's started rolling with Oxjam, I've started contacting musicians to perform at a gig already!

In music news, Eminem has filed a lawsuit against Universal for better royalties from download sales. This could be a landmark battle and I think it could mean a better life for all musicians.

I don't know about you but I feel it's sad that downloads have pretty much replaced CDs in music sales. Not just for sentimental reasons but it means less music is actually being bought and sold and musicians are making less money.

Of course, mega-rich celebrities like Eminem aren't exactly struggling but the fact is the majority of artists are.

Someone please comment!

^^^^From bbc.co.uk archive.

May I draw your attention to a superbly written blog - http://theturkblog.wordpress.com which contains some wonderful poetry, all by the same guy, Nick Turk. Without reading his blog I would not have discovered the huge crime against literature - Cheryl Cole - talentless chav who beat up a toilet attendant - is to be paid £5m to write a fiction book.



:O



What is the world coming to?

Please, if this book gets released, do not buy it. Spare a thought for the real writers out there with real talent who struggle to earn a crust. Come on. Which book would you rather read? That written by someone who has studied the art of writing a story and can do it well, or the opposite, who pays a ghostwriter to do it for them, such as Jordan, Billie Piper et al...Basically, if you have a brain, you will know not to purchase this book.

Anyway...

Just to keep readers updated, I have started working for Oxjam, I have been speaking to people at work, getting the word out about it, and I have put up a poster and some leaflets at my place of work. If this sounds interesting, find out more here.

I have just 4 sessions left until I will have completed my PTLLS course! Yaaaay!

I'd like to take this opportunity to say that I have been on a diet and have been working my butt off at the gym since January and have lost 9 lbs. I would like to lose 26 more by my 23rd birthday on the 6th May.

Okay, lots of personal information there I know but maybe it will encourage someone to post a comment, maybe about their own struggle with their weight.

I want this blog to be as interactive as possible, so pleeeeeease comment. If you disagree with what I say, yes, I still want you to comment. I'm all for healthy, adult debate.

I will reply, I promise!

Update about me and an update about music

I attended my first PTLLS class on Monday which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was a real keener and submitted my homework via e-mail on Tuesday night. I've had it back and I've made the grade on them so woohoo!

A problem I've got is confidence. The course requires me to do presentations and a "micro-teach" for my peers. I tend to fall to pieces on anything that involves me speaking in front of an audience. Quite badly. Which doesn't bode well for teaching, does it, haha!

I seem to be alright when I perform my poetry though. I mean, I feel the nerves, I shake and everything, but on camera I look okay, just a little shy.

I'm hoping to get on the poetry circuit again as it's been nearly a year since my last performance.

Maybe reading out poetry in public will help me gain confidence with the teaching course, or vice versa??

Anyway, in other news.

Amy Winehouse has been offered her first film role - as a music teacher! I say, hurrah!

Amy is a fine singer and musician. I recommend people listen to her first album "Frank" which in my opinion is much better than "Back to Black".

Back to Black is essentially 60's style Motown, whereas Frank is more her style, it's total jazz with a contemporary beat and feel. I hope her new album will return to this genre.

Yes, she has drug problems but she is getting help and has put on weight recently which is excellent news for her fans and the music world.

I downloaded Frank from iTunes for a very reasonable price.

For some relaxing music and an interesting website, please go to www.mywoollyhat.com .

This is a loooong post...

I love St. Ives in Cornwall. Beautiful beaches, art galleries, cornish pasties and ice creams. However what a lot of people don't know about St. Ives is its excellent music culture. It has a very big blues scene. My favourite St. Ives band for the past donkeys' years has been Dirty Livin' Rhythm Band which can be found at http://www.myspace.com/dlrb .

They are looking for a lead singer if anyone is interested!

By the way...

LISTEN TO REAL MUSIC! Don't listen to X-Factor rubbish. I've had my ears tortured for the past four days at work having to listen to Burke murdering "Hallelujah" on GWR fm twice a day. Come on, this cannot happen again! Stop the awful covers!

Kiss FM is utter rubbish, while we're on the subject of bad radio. Listen to Radio 1. They always showcase new bands and DJ Colin Murray really helped the Christmas Jeff Buckley campaign by publicising it at the beginning of one of his shows and playing the definitive version of "Hallelujah"

Just think, "what if I were in a band, trying to earn a crust"?