Author: Paul Villers

This week we didn’t think things in the political spectrum could get any more farcical. But they did. We like to think that this particular column is read with a healthy dose of scepticism and that regular readers appreciate the (occasionally) satirical nature of it. Things have now gone beyond satire though we feel. Even a scant analysis of the ‘European Problem’ would point out that we are in the mess we are because of divisions within the Blues. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: 2nd South Carolina String Band “Bonnie Blue Flag””

This week we were visited in The Bunker here at Americana-UK Towers by our friend Bob. Bob likes to remind us that B O B stands for ‘bored of Brexit’, a fact which he chuckled about continuously whilst he raided our bar for strong liquor. Now we’re not sure if Bob is a ‘gammon’ or a ‘snowflake’ – we just consider him a bigoted twat – but whatever he is the most important political situation probably in our lifetimes is hardly something to be bored about. In fact we are so interested in it that we hardly sleep at night, hanging on every twist, turn and shenanigan of the Brexit process. It’s not like we are either desperate to leave or desperate to remain. We’re just increasingly desperate. We’re not sure what is going to happen and the politicians aren’t helping us in any regard since they don’t know either. No one does. What a horrible mess.

We’re not big rioters down here at Americana-UK Towers. We prefer to settle our differences by honest, quiet and frequently drunken discussion. Things rarely get out of hand and when they do The Editor is on hand to restore order in his usual calm and collected way by cutting the throats of those with whom he disagrees. It works for us. What we don’t resort to is turning water cannon on people because, well, it’s undignified and makes a hell of a mess. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Laura Veirs “Cannon Fodder””

This week saw the “celebrations” (?) or “commemorations” (?) of one hundred years since the end of the World War One. Obviously the big talking point was that Red Jez wore the wrong sort of coat or had on the wrong sized poppy at The Cenotaph. The unspeakable rogue. The fact that he is a life long pacifist is just beyond the pale – should he, in fact, even have been there at all? We gathered in The Bunker at Americana-UK Towers in order to watch the Peter Jackson film ‘They Shall Not Grow Old” which affected us all deeply. Particularly telling was the segment towards the end in which ex-soldiers reminded us that on their return nobody actually cared what they had done. They couldn’t get jobs and were actively discriminated against. It’s a funny old thing war. Maybe we just shouldn’t do it…

So the mid-term elections have taken place in The US and to all appearances it might look like something of a draw. Of course its probably more nuanced than that but we did wonder how many outside of the States actually know what is going on. Here’s our Americana-UK handy guide: Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: Alice Cooper “Elected””

In this weeks news we learned from chancellor Phil Yer Boots and his boss PM Terry Might that the end of austerity is fast approaching and that we should all be grateful. To celebrate Phil announced tax ‘giveaways’ which should please the forelock tugging amongst us. We read a statistic that of the money in that ‘pot’ fully fifty per cent will go to the top ten per cent. Just let that sink in for a moment. For whom, exactly, is austerity over?

 

We have little time for fossil fuels here at Americana-UK Towers. The entire roof is covered in solar panels and the former stable block now houses the wind turbine. And as stated last week we are fond of recycling (indeed now that all submissions to our site are now digital we don’t have to turn all those CDs into bird scarers in the gardens). We were somewhat surprised recently when those anti-fracking protestors were sent down for over a year for sitting on the tops of some lorries because they didn’t like the idea of mining company Cuadrilla causing potential environmental damage in Lancashire. Continue reading “Pick of the Political Pops: R. Stevie Moore “Conflict of Interest””

This week we were reminded again by those who know that global warming is going to kill the planet and take us all with it. Then again we were reminded of that last week and the week before and every week for the past thirty years or more. Here at Americana-UK Towers we are fond of doing our bit and we often recycle the hopes and aspirations of the musicians that send us their stuff on the Compost Heap of Shattered Dreams. At least we are not like that Australian geezer who thinks it will be a good idea to resurrect the coal mining industry or that Brazilian geezer who wants to open up the rainforest to mining concerns or Donny John who… well who knows what he wants this week but its bound to be bad for the environment somehow. The simple fact is that we are fucked – so we are going to do the only thing we know to cope in such a situation. That’s right pour a stiff drink and play some tunes. Joni knew what was happening even back then: