supergrass

Oasis will release their next album this year after quite a wait, that's a highlight. Dirty Pretty Things have had their album put back to possibly after the summer after "mixing problems", that's probably joint #1 on my waiting list. Also The Cribs have been working with Johnny Marr. Whether it's to produce a full album of just a few tracks it could/should be out sometime this year too. All three will be purchased upon release.

The next round starts shortly, hopefully Fabregas et al will have decided they do care about this one and not just watch as the Darren Fletcher's of this world stroll in for a couple of goals. On the subject of this tournament, BBC Sport have published some research on how many players of each nationality are likely to take part in the next round. It goes: Brazil - 23 Italy - 16 Spain - 13 France - 13 England - 11 Portugal - 9 Germany - 8 Argentina - 8 Scotland - 6 Turkey - 6 Greece - 6 Holland - 5 This apparently is proof of why England are so poor internationally and why foreigners are ruining our game. Surely that logic falls apart when you see we're going better than Portugal and Germany, who regularly spank/exceed us on the international stage. Although yes, for the FA it remains easier to say "foreigners = bad" rather than look elsewhere as to why England are crap.

He did. Although it remains a shame that once again he can only express himself through a series of dives and attacks. Sort of like Stephen Hawking and the voicebox...perhaps a little different.

Big thanks to all the players in white shirts who look like they simply don't care. Not embarrassing to be an Arsenal fan right now at all. Cheers guys! All credit to Man Utd though, have totally destroyed us from the start.

It's a bit of a stretch for him to claim this means we cannot/should not be allowed to host a major tournament. Not that he won't do so of course. Looking at Sepp, I always used to think what FIFA needed was a younger ex-player to come in with fresh ideas and change their outlook a little...but looking at Platini's appointment at UEFA and some of his brilliant ideas, it probably won't help. We'll always be that little island full of hooligans to FIFA/UEFA who generally have no idea what they're doing. Although I read somewhere Italy might be on standby for one of the major tournaments in case the hosts weren't ready? The aforementioned shortcomings don't appear to count against them.

Test Icicles were awful, Lightspeed Champion is amazing and by far my favourite "new" artist. I've got tickets for next Wednesday for the gig at Dingwalls and have spent my early train commute with Falling Of The Lavender Bridge on to numb the journey. Can't wait until the 20th. EDIT: My favourite song at the moment is Midnight Surprise, which I've recommended to various people and to all who may stumble across this post who haven't heard it.

What was the record than van Nistelrooy set?

Further to my post I will try and add something in a way of character preference discussion. This has mainly been sparked by the above Phoebe love, which I don't get. Anyway, my top 6 would be: 1) Chandler 2) Ross 3) Monica 3) Joey (tied) 5) Phoebe 6) Rachel Joey would've been higher if it wasn't for his devolution from the simple nice guy of the earlier seasons to 'man of absolutely zero intelligence' later on. I foresee Chandler love being something of a universal - although yes, those who feel the need to quote him constantly and adopt his mannerisms are quite the annoyance. Anyway, compare and contrast.

I find I don't enjoy the first season quite so much, however I'm like that on most things. Once I get acustomed to the characters, and their stories (or at the beginnings of them) are established I don't like to go back to before that all happens. But from then onwards it completely holds up for me. As has been mentioned, it is the show you can just stumble across at any time of the day, any day or night of the week, and instantly get into and enjoy. My girlfriend never watched Friends - by choice anyway, she caught bits and like everyone else has heard of 'Ross and Rachel' and the surrounding saga - yet whenever it's on we can both watch and not feel disjointed by the jumping seasons that are run over here. I can't think of many other shows that can appeal to such a broad range as Friends does (based on those I know who watched the show), definitely one of my favourite all time TV shows.

I don't really use music to fall asleep to, although a number of times I've put on something like Stephen Fretwell to just relax to and fallen asleep. Usually if I don't want to fall asleep immediately I'll through on one of the many different podcasts that loiter around my laptop. I can drift in and out of those, as I feel myself going I'll try to close the laptop and then pick up where I left off the next night.

The only possible plus point I can see to this is more money, and that's not exactly a problem in the Premier League now. Virtually all clubs can spend big (relative to the terms of who they are), certainly moreso than they could ever do before. This is just greedy. The league now is fair in as much as you play every team twice, once at home and once away. The best team after those games are the champions...unless they fail to beat Reading in Hong Kong on a special 39th game. It's one of the worst ideas I've heard any football association come out with, trumping anything Platini has been dreaming up since coming to power at UEFA.

I wasn't that impressed after seeing her in 24, although changed my mind after finally seeing Old School.

When it was new I used to watch it more or less everyday. Then the concept got a little old and I got a real job, so it was no longer an option. When I see it now, it seems like they're now encouraging the sob stories. "I need the money for this...my son wants to go to...my Mum can't live unless..." which I hate. Even when watching an old Supermarket Sweep on Challenge on the weekend, everyone wants to tell us either a sob story or a zaney tale from their lives, it is quite simply the most innane, pointless part of any show and a further reason why the general public should be heavily screened before going on TV.

I'll agree fully on TPT, nothing but pure hatred there.

My point exactly. Although you didn't specifically aim the hatred at the face. I find for me it helps if you dettach her completely from the music.

There's too much hatred of her supposed spoon/plate face in this world.

Chiming in, you'll notice for the most part there is a very basic formula. Pale skin, dark brown hair, a fringe? In. 1. Alexa Chung 2. Lovefoxxx - CSS 3. Zooey Deschanel 4. Rosay - The Pipettes 5. Amanda Ryan (not the best picture, but will do) 6. Sophie Ellis Bextor 7. Liv Tyler And those who break the formula.... 8. Scarlett Johansson 9. Eva Longoria 10. Amy Nuttall

I think over time I'd be more receptive to it. Right now I'm still caught up in recently seeing the original and how good it was. Thinking about what you've said, given that the story is about the people and the story the film-maker's involved are telling, as long as it's the same team involved I don't see why another format wouldn't work. It'd be interesting to see how they would tackle the first steps of the story a second time around if we're looking at a different group of residents in the area. This time you know exactly what is going to happen and (to an extent) what's doing it. Would they spend less time on character backstory and initial reaction to the monster's arrival given that the audience have seen it before and some might impatiently be awaiting more information on what we already know?

I too am a big friends fan, thinking of their careers post-Friends is what got me considering them. I then started thinking of the characters in Friends too and realising I just don't care for her character. The others are all so well played and have developed (bar Pheobe, who is something of a one-trick pony, although played very well). Rachel's story in Friends should allow her the most development, from spoilt rich daughter, to jilting Barry, meeting up with and moving in with old friends, working in the coffeehouse and then her long career in fashion. And yet, I still just don't really care.

I find it hard to pick someone who I just don't get, or haven't liked in anything. Katie Holmes would be one, I would also go for Jennifer Aniston. I liked The Good Girl, but generally I just don't think she's a very good actress and am astounded at how she has become as successful as she has.

I really can't see a sequel working on this one. From a camera point of view, if you move from a hand held to a conventional film taking in the events from the side of the military you lose one of the components that made Cloverfield what it was. But then if you do another one in the same style it's almost like you'd be trying to hard to try and repeat the same thing. Another of the great things about it is the lack of regard for the monster in as much as what it is and where it came from. Essentially it's just about friends finding each other, the monster/s are just a roadblock in the way as much as the fallen buildings or anything else. To do a follow up then goes into the explanation and again it feels like it'd take away from what Cloverfield is/was. I'd love to see this film again for the first time, but I can't. Making another would be interesting and I'd definitely watch, I just can't see how it would be done without disappointing in some way.

Much of the same as above. On the way to work I'll make time to listen to new songs I've been given or come across by various artists. Once those are out of the way it'll be a mixture of The Libertines (and the bands of the Pete, Carl (and Gary) and John) and The Cribs. Towards the end of the week I'll usually feel like a break which is when I'll break out the Britpop - mostly Oasis and Supergrass - as well as other bands like Kings Of Leon and Arcade Fire those in that vein. Of course there are then quiter times, for example when I read on the train home I'll pick some acoustic or softer artists like Stephen Fretwell and more recently Lightspeed Champion.

I'm seeing them also supporting The Cribs later on on the NME tour. Mine is Feb 22 at Brixton. I haven't heard anything of theirs yet, based on the reviews of the thread I'll make sure I check them out. Don't mind the Tings Tings, JL&TJJJ were ok when I saw them live a couple of months ago, a decent indie band but nothing exciting.