➰ Last Chance Rodeo

Thu, 06 Aug 2026 22:39:11 +0100

Great piece from Zoe Williams in the Guardian today:

I knew Rod Liddle and hated what he became. He would have wanted me to say so

You should read it. But here is the punchline:

I won’t miss Rod Liddle, but I miss the person he was when the world was different, and I miss that different world.

Sat, 25 Jul 2026 01:36:03 +0100

Tongue in Chic by Banco de Gaia. Embarrassing. But there you go.

View entry: www.crucialtracks.org/profile/m…

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:57:56 +0100

Do you use 37signals’ products? I’ll not link to David Heinemeier Hansson’s piece on Europe. You don’t need to read it - and I’m sure you can Google it if you want to. But, fuck me. What a nasty piece of work this techbro Nazi is.

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 09:39:28 +0100

This is an odd headline from the Guardian this morning:

Ann Widdecombe killing: police investigating possible leftwing motivation

“Extreme left motivation” I could swallow, but “leftwing”?

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 08:12:32 +0100

Why have British elites failed? Why despite the evidence of failure do they continue to fail? What are the institutional and educational determinants? Can they be fixed in a reasonable (years not decades) timeframe? Who are the beneficiaries of failure given the negligible impetus for change?

Wed, 01 Jul 2026 08:07:21 +0100

The political class dare not say, “our policies are impoverishing people”. So, instead, we have “cost of living crisis”.

Crucial Track for 24 May 2026

Sun, 24 May 2026 23:00:01 +0100

"Total Eclipse" by Klaus Nomi

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It's a Total Eclipse. I miss Klaus Nomi.

View Miles Metcalfe's Crucial Tracks profile

A puddle collects just where you step off the crossing. Pedestrian-hostile London at its finest.

Wed, 20 May 2026 20:48:43 +0100

A GB Rail Freight train passes through Hackney without a single container loaded

Wed, 20 May 2026 20:46:22 +0100

Sat, 16 May 2026 23:41:04 +0100

The deal is that I shouldn’t do recommendations. They drum this into you, and make you feel bad for killing off the dinosaurs.

Crucial Track for 15 May 2026

Sat, 16 May 2026 22:53:15 +0100

"Everybody Loves a Loser" by Morcheeba

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20-odd years ago, everybody loved a loser. I won't be lonely long.

View Miles Metcalfe's Crucial Tracks profile

Sat, 16 May 2026 22:44:55 +0100

Amazing! The way to tell the difference between antisemitism and “legitimate concerns” is the colour brown. Welcome, friends, to bonkers Britain.

Sat, 16 May 2026 21:38:49 +0100

Itunes is suggesting that I “explore Belgian rock”.

Sat, 16 May 2026 19:21:58 +0100

One of the amusing things about English politics (for small values of “amusing”) is the number of people who have literally done nothing all their lives gabbling on about “delivery”. I mean, I get the political class shafted the sub-postmasters, but must they continue to gaslight them?

Crucial Track for 16 May 2026

Sat, 16 May 2026 01:50:36 +0100

"Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak

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Who remembers Wicked Game by Chris Isaak? It has this misogynistic edge that makes me feel uncomfortable to this day.

View Miles Metcalfe's Crucial Tracks profile

Sat, 16 May 2026 01:41:39 +0100

Have I mentioned FiiO EH11 Bluetooth headphones? They’re a mere £33 at Advanced MP3 Players. They sound fine, have a nice retro-kitsch vibe, are super-light, and are great for listening at home.

Sat, 16 May 2026 01:07:40 +0100

My parents never shoved Quakerism down my throat, and, in any case, if I’m not quite an atheist, I’m a Quaker non-theist these days. But, if I ever pause to think (tbh, I rarely do), I internalised a lot, and it’s not as if I ever read the whole way through Quaker faith and practice.

Sun, 10 May 2026 10:40:05 +0100

Bridget Phillipson says Labour “needs to tell its story better”. Bridget Phillipson is complacent, out of touch and wrong. Clueless complacent class cabinet members like Bridget Phillipson have destroyed the Labour Party.

Sat, 09 May 2026 11:43:03 +0100

I am stunned at how tone-deaf Starmer and the people around him are.

Fri, 08 May 2026 13:41:45 +0100

The Greens’ Zoë Garbett takes the Hackney mayoralty form Labour in a convincing if not overwhelming win. Labour’s Caroline Woodley came second. I like Caroline Woodley, and thought she was a good mayor. But I understand this result. I hope the Labour party does too.

Thu, 07 May 2026 06:31:43 +0100

If you live in London and are registered to vote, don’t forget to vote today. Polling stations are open from 0700 to 2200. Remember you need to bring ID.

What do local councillors do for you? earlier I shared some short propaganda videos.

Wed, 06 May 2026 22:23:12 +0100

It’s local elections in London tomorrow, 7 May. Don’t forget to vote! Why do people become councillors? What do they do? Here’s another cute video from Canning Town South councillor Rohit Dasgupta on what he’s doing for local residents.

Tue, 05 May 2026 22:54:41 +0100

I’m kind of liking these cute little videos made by local councillors for the upcoming elections on Thursday 7 May. It’s going to be a tricky election in Newham for Labour - but there’s certainly individual Labour councillors I’d support. Here are some in Canning Town South.

Tue, 05 May 2026 14:48:30 +0100

Greatorex Street. 📍

At 📍 Greatorex Street watching the Air Ambulance come in to land.

Mon, 04 May 2026 19:55:31 +0100

I haven’t decided how to vote in the local elections on Thusday. My decision-making would be easier if a boundary change hadn’t moved me from Canning Town to Custom House, as Canning Town South Labour Councillor Rohit Dasgupta is a good, hardworking councillor and all round good guy.