Norman The Gambler

Hi again, there certainly are some interesting contributions to this thread! Of course I'm still dipping into the recent batch of Saint Etienne re-releases. Not too fond of Sound Of Water, but the others - Foxbase Alpha, Continental, and So Tough are amazing. Recent non-StEt stuff to hit my CD player/mp3 player includes: The Best of Del Amitri - I had totally forgotten what a good band they were until a good friend reminded me. Pure quality, easy to listen to without being easy listening.. It's All Over Now Baby Blue by Marianne Faithfull - I'm very fond of this CD, which is taken from her 'forgotten period' between the days when she was better known for being Mick Jagger's girlfriend than her music, and the Broken English/Ballad of Lucy Jordan era classics. It's Like This by Rickie Lee Jones - another (fantastic) CD full of cover versions but Ms Jones gives each song a fresh take. Wonderful CD from another almost forgotten singer. This CD took me to: Low Spark Of High Heeled Boys by Traffic - the title song of which is covered by Rickie Lee on It's Like This. I really do love discovering unexpected connections; an obvious example being Saint Etienne covering Neil Young; I wonder, can anyone name The Equals song covered by The Clash? Blue Lady by Petula Clark - yes I am serious. This is a wonderful CD recorded in Nashville that is quite unlike anything else the lady ever recorded. I would urge anyone with an open musical mind to give this CD a listen should you ever be fortunate enough to have the opportunity.

That's hilarious! And I will quite happily confess that I got suckered in before realizing the guy isn't being totally serious!

Hey Gem/Gemma from London, I've contributed my 2 votes, and also voted down Neil the fool!

Although my favorite band by far are Saint Etienne, I listen to a wide variety of music. Recent faves include: Foxbase Beta - Richard X's reworking of Foxbase Alpha, Saint Etienne's Classic debut album Saint Etienne Present Songs for the Dog & Duck - a far more cohesive compilation than the previous 'Mario's Cafe' set The Small Hours by Eliot - a recent discovery (thanks to the StEt mailing list!) that includes 'Love To Be Real', a gorgeous track heavily inspired by Saint Etienne's 'Former Lover'. Sock It To 'Em J.J.: The Soul Years by Jimmy James and The Vagabonds - another recent discovery, this 2-CD set pulsates with '60s style soul and energy. Foot Stomping Soul by Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band - in a similar vein to the Jimmy James set, picked up on a recommendation, my very latest CD purchase. Walking The Line: The Legendary Sun Recordings by Johnny Cash - no home should be without a Johnny Cash compilation, and this set is not only one of the best available, but is also a total bargain. Afterglow by Dot Allison - her debut solo CD and still her best output to date, not quite on a level with One Dove's 'Morning White Dove' perhaps, but still a classic in it's own right.

Hey from what I've seen, Anelka is having his most consistent season ever!

Yes it was a poor game, particularly our the first half performance. On the other hand, I always felt the team were capable of upping their game to another level if necessary. With qualification already achieved and with Arsenal at the Emirates to look forward to, it was prudent of the players not to expend too much energy or risk injury. Furthermore, should the team not have achieved a positive result, I am confident that the victory required to finish the group in top spot would be a virtual foregone conclusion in the final game against Apoel, so all in all it the result was of far more importance than quality of the performance.

I have no idea how much was paid for Alex but I would say that Carlo Cudiccini rates way up high on the bargain stakes. I believe he cost just a few thou, having recently returned from a prolonged spell of injury.

Hey in all fairness to Deco, wasn't he unavailable thru injury before the Porto game?

Courtesy of Violens, to coincide with their France & UK tour you can download their "Winter Mixtape" for free: You'll need to enter an email address, but there are no strings, no mailing list to join or mailshots to wade through. Get it from http://www.violens.net/ or from their presspage at http://violens.net/press/ if you'd like a little more info.

I'm inclined to share your optimism.. I would find it a little strange and disconserting if the club had allowed Drogba to go away on international duty having failed to discover these supposed breakages.

I don't think I said I detest reggae... no I didn't, I didn't even say I don't like reggae, I just said it's not my main thing. Like I said, my bro is a HUGE reggae fan but me I'm mostly into different stuff. This is the CD the King Tubby song comes from: http://www.amazon.com/Songs-Marios-Cafe-Sa...1633&sr=1-1 1. Man Alive - Tony Hatch 2. Sunny Goodge Street - Donovan 3. Can't See for Looking 4. Dark Shadows and Empty Hallways 5. Music Box - Ruth Copeland 6. Are You Trying to Get Rid of Me Baby - Candy & the Kisses 7. I Love You for All Seasons - The Fuzz 8. Gee - The Crows 9. I Trim the Barber - King Tubby 10. Umbopo 11. She's Not Like Any Girl - The Rockin' Berries 12. Traitors - Packabeats 13. Haunted 14. Do You Remember Walter - The Kinks 15. Do I Worry - Derrick Harriott 16. Getting Nowhere in a Hurry - Roy Budd 17. I'm on My Way to a Better Place - Chairmen of the Board 18. Day I Found Myself - Honey Cone 19. Let's Break Up for a While - The Sapphires 20. I Do - The Moments 21. Don't Hide It Away - The Searchers 22. Come on Back to Me [45 Version] - The Foundations 23. Take My Hand - New York City 24. Wishful Thinking - Black Ivory 25. Last One As you can see it includes a whole load of dfferent styles of music. It's kind of a concept CD supposed to represent what you might hear on a jukebox in Mario's Cafe in Kentish Town in North London.. It's an ok CD but don't actually listen to it too much.

I totally agree. Thankyou to whoever took ithe picture and thankyou to whoever posted it. It quite simply screams to me: "put me as your wallpaper... NOW"

So is Paul Cook http://theshed.chelseafc.com/celebs.shtml Music Damon Albarn - Lead Singer with Blur Bryan Adams - Musician Suggs - Lead Singer with Madness Woody - Drummer with Madness Madonna (her husband is) - Singer Paul Cook - Sex Pistols Steve Jones - Sex Pistols Morten Harket - A-Ha Jimmy Page - Led Zepplin John Taylor - Duran Duran Alan McGee - Head of Creation Records (Oasis) Andy Fletcher - Depeche Mode Dave Gahan - Depeche Mode Justin Chancellor - Tool Lloyd Cole - Musician Billy Idol - Musician Nik Kershaw - 80's Pop star Busta Rhymes - US Rap star Gary Numan - 80's Popstar Geri Halliwell - Singer Danni Minogue - Singer Martine McCutcheon - Singer/Actress (lived at Stamford Bridge for a bit) Andy Cairns - Lead Singer with Therapy Ed Ball - Musician Ben Watt - Everything but the Girl Tracey Thorn - Everything but the Girl Charlie Harper - UK Subs Alex Paterson - ORB Paul Hardcastle - '19' Recording Artist John O'Neill - Undertones Neneh Cherry - Singer Lil Wayne - Singer Paul Oakenfold - DJ/Producer Trevor Nelson - "DJ, Radio 1" Jeff Young - DJ Graham Dene - DJ Paul Anderson - "DJ, XFM" Tim Simenon - "DJ, Producer , Depeche Mode" Gary Crowley - DJ Iain Baker - "DJ, XFM, ex Jesus Jones" Seb Fontaine - "DJ, Radio 1" Ian Collins - Talksport radio presenter Mark Fuller - Nightclub owner Rifat Jawaid - Broadcaster/Presenter - BBC World Service

Hey that's cool. I don't actually dislike reggae, it's just not my main thing This little gem comes from a CD called Saint Etienne Presents Songs For Mario's Cafe:

Hey thanks guys that's real nice of you. I hope this won't disappoint you but the whole reggae bag was never my thing. It's my bro who was (and still is!) the big reggae fan of the family. I'm way more into stuff like Saint Etienne. It's more accurate to say I'm OBSESSED with Saint Etienne... Chelsea Football Club and Sarah Cracknell (don't tell my wife!) are the two big loves of my life. So I have to ask... do we have any more St Et fans in the house?

Norman Bated! Much as I appreciate the Hitchockian inference, I think I'll let that one go if you don't mind. To answer your question, no I never was captain of my school volleyball team.. I'm happy to say I don't suffer from insomnia, but I will admit to sometimes working rather odd hours. And hey mad_mac, sorry to let you down there. Truth is, my nickname to do with a CD set called Arkology by Lee Perry that my brother used to play ALL THE TIME. This set includes a song called, yeah you guessed it Norman The Gambler, and he'd sing it at me after I absolutely stone cold flat out refused to go along with a dumb ass bet that I absolutely no way am gonna tell you about here so don't even ask! And thankyou all for the welcome. This seems like a real nice place. KTBFFH

Name's Norman but I'm not actually much of a gambler ... it's one of those ironic nicknames that stick after the original reasons for it are lost in the mists of time. But enough of that, I'm a long time fan and found this forum a few days back. I'm a little busy at present but hope to have more time in the not too distant future, so for now I'm just stopping by to say hi all. KTBFFH