Issue 109 – December 2021
Blow, northerne wind, Send thou me my sweating. Blow, northerne wind, Blow, blow, blow! Ichot a burde in bowre bright. That sully semly is on sight. Menskful maiden of might. Fair and fre to fonde, In all this wurhliche won. A burde of blod and of bon, Never yet I nuste non. Lussomore in lode. Ancient English text, an old traditional poem brought to life by the magnificent Mediæval Bæbes on their ‘A Medieval Christmas’ album. And they’re gracing Leeds on 10th of December at what should be a truly special concert. We’ve a competition for two tickets, have a look at the article on page 32. Which kind of reminds us, we are approaching that time of year again. With the cancellation of the lights switch on and the German market, Alan C’s come up with a great alternative. And Lee Murtagh’s found himself with a bit of spare time over the winter months, so he’s busy making another film, ‘for the laugh!’ And they say laughter is the best medicine, so as we approach another Covid affected yuletide, it’s probably just as well to say Merry Christmas and a very, very Happy New Year, from all at East Leeds Mag.
Issue 108 – October 2021
I’m just a man who’s battling with his mind. One hundred and eight battles within the Minds forever changing what you began Life’s a waste of time, Battle with your mind.
Kula Shaker‘s ‘108 Battles’ from their Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts album in 1999. A sacred number for many Eastern religions, In Buddhism, this number is reached by multiplying the senses smell, touch, taste, sight and hearing, with positive & negative, past & present …6 × 3 × 2 × 3 = 108.
There are 108 pressure points in the human body. 108°F is the internal temperature at which our body’s organs begin to overheat. The distance of Earth from the Sun is about 108 times the diameter of the Sun. The distance between the Earth and the Moon is also about 108 times the diameter of the Moon. In Homer’s Odyssey, the number of suitors coveting Penelope, wife of Odysseus was 108. There are 108 outlaws in the Chinese classic the Water Margin and there are108 lines in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”. And, this is the 108 issue of ELM.
Thanks, a 108 times, from all at ELM and a 108 thanks to Mark Hillyer – truenorthuk.com for cover photo. Oh, and a 108 thanks to Ann for editing.
Issue 107 – September 2021
Show me the way, To the next whiskey bar. Oh, don’t ask why, Oh, don’t ask why. For if we don’t find, The next whiskey bar. I tell you we must die, I tell you we must die.
The words of a German poem written by Berthold Brecht.Kurt Weill adapted it as a song in 1929 for the opera City of Mahagonny and it was later performed by his wife Lotte Lenya and she included it in the US release of her ‘Berlin Theatre Songs’ album where it was picked up about 50 years later by the Doors who immortalized it on their debut album.
The general perception is this was a Doors original, penned by Jim Morrison, but sometimes the truth can ‘be stranger than fiction. As Lee Murtagh found out recently as his friend Steve Ward, the oldest active boxer in the world, prepared to hang up his gloves, but not before his final ‘Legends title fight.’ Alan C is also a bit bewildered by the Covid 2 & 8 tests whilst Abel tells us about his Grandma’s struggles with pain and finally Warren Enters the Dragon Fly.
Issue 106 – August 2021
Born free, As free as the wind blows.
As free as the grass grows.
Born free to follow your heart.
Live free, And beauty surrounds you.
The world still astounds you.
Each time you look at a star.
Born Free…Matt Monro in 1966 or Andy Williams in ‘68, the choice is yours!
As our ‘Freedom Day’ came and went and let’s face it nobody really knew what they were doing, we got round to thinking about hobbies and outdoor theatre and rounders, as you do. Alan C was more concerned about Mike and Bernie Winters and Lee Murtagh was busy with a legends title fight in that well known seaside resort of Mansfield.
Issue 105 – July 2021
Oh baby baby what can I do, You know you drive me crazy when I’m looking at you.
The summer’s really here and it’s time to come out, Time to discover what fun is about.
Here comes the summer,
Here comes the summer.
The mighty Undertones from 1979, whatever happened to Feargal Sharkey? It was the Undertones fourth single and it was their shortest.
One minute and 45 seconds of pure bliss!
And as we move towards summer, hopefully, things are returning to normal.
After months on hold, Lee’s finally hoping to get a show back on and Warren warns us…look after the bees and they will look after us.
Thanks for reading!
Issue 104 – June 2021
I’m a happy man an, I’m a happy man, Yeah yeah an, I’m a happy man, Come on down and sing the song, Sing it just-a one more time.
The Great Jive Five & the Incredible voice of the late Mr. Eugene Pitt. Well you might have noticed Abel’s a happy man as he celebrates 10 years of peddling drugs to the good people of East Leeds! Not so happy is Alan C in Sunny Spain who can’t get hold of a tin of baked beans for love nor money!
And while we were all stuck at home and concentrating more on eating pies and chocolate, Warren was out and about watching Otters and Lee Murtagh who knocked a film up ‘for something to do’ is now preparing for his first show since 2019, meanwhile Roy Norcliffe’s busy with an Ipswich based avian problem.
Issue 103 – May 2021
“I’m free to do what I want any old time,
I said I’m free to do what I want any old time,
I say love me, hold me,
Love me, hold me,
‘Cause I’m free to do what I want any old time,
And I’m free to be who I choose any old time.”
The Soup Dragons with a Rolling Stones cover in 1990.
And at last we are seeing some form of freedom. And we’re free to do whatever we want as long as it’s outside! And while we’re at it, it’s time for a brew and if anyone wants to mix art, a nice cuppa and a historical setting then have a look on page 34 and local artist Sandy Holden. And if that’s not your thing and you prefer a nice ice cream during the summer months then you’ll be pleased to know there’s a community ice cream van doing the rounds, set up by a cross section of local groups.
And it’s nice to see all the usual columnists back, Abel, Lee, Warren, and Alan C and a special mention to Quincy who starred in the East Leeds gangster movie Straight’ner and won the Jump Cuts Best Young Actor award, he even ended up on Radio Leeds.
Issue 102 – March 2021
The line it is drawn, The curse it is cast, The slow one now, Will later be fast, As the present now, Will later be past, The order is rapidly fadin’, And the first one now, Will later be last, Oh the times, They are-a-changing. Fine words from Boring Bob, he might have a voice like sandpaper and some questionable beliefs but he couldn’t half knock a tune out back in the day. But lyrics he wrote back in the 1960’s still seem relevant now fifty odd years later as we hopefully come out of lockdown and society resumes to some kind of normality. Whether this is a new normality or we return to the old, only time will tell. One ‘new normal’ is the aftermath of travel, especially if we throw Brexit into the mix, ‘fit to fly’ test, blue passports or long queues in passport control in EU countries. Alan Cuthbertson tells us his hopes and fears for the future. The times are indeed are-a-changing, we might be better staying at home and watching netball.
Issue 101 – February 2021
Get in a taxi, subway train, don’t make me cry these tears in vain, baby, A hundred nights without you is murder baby, A 101 just won’t do, oh no
As we looked for lyrics from Joe Strummers original 101’ers band, we came across that other bastion of punk, Sheena Easton who released the Prince penned song ‘101’ on her 9th album.
Anyone who thinks the world has gone mad in 2020-21 should check….Sheena Easton really released nine albums? And Prince wrote for her?
Anyway, as we step gingerly into 2021, with hopefully a vaccine on the way that won’t see us all grow two heads, life seems to go on, just a bit differently, Warren implores us all to feed the birds, Alan’s moaning about his new Spanish neighbours and we’re still wittering on about an art exhibition for East Leeds in the late summer.
Oh and Sheena Easton actually released 15 studio albums and a live album which hasn’t been compared to the benchmark live album ‘The Who Live at Leeds.’ The world was already mad, pre 2020.
Issue 100 – January 2021
My heart was broken My heart was broken | Sorrow, sorrow. Sorrow, sorrow | My heart was broken My heart was broken | You saw it, you claimed it, you touched it, you saved it | My tears are drying My tears are drying | Thank you, thank you Thank you, thank you | My tears are drying My tears are drying | Your beauty and kindness | Made tears clear my blindness | Sunshine on Leith. A sad but inspiring and optomistic song from the Proclaimers.
Most of us have taken a hit one way or another this year and as we’ve published our 100th issue, it doesn’t feel so much like a time for celebration, more of a time for optimism and looking to the future. And if you need a hand, have a word with Mark James Hypnotherapy.
It’s not only our anniversary, Michael Tattersall’s Leeds Premier Karate Club has also just celebrated its 30th Anniversary. Congratulations.