In with the new ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On New Year's Eve, in days gone by, there'd only be one thing on my mind as I drove into work that morning. Was it a revue of the year just gone? Or my resolutions for the next? Hell no, I'd be wondering where I was going to be when the clock struck twelve. At home, alone? (Sod that!) In a Manchester nightclub, for which I'd have had to buy a ticket at some outrageous mark-up and spend a fortune on a taxi home (if I could find one)? Or at a house party in some far-flung corner of either Manchester or Warrington, almost impossible to reach as the night buses went onto limited service?..

Well, nine times out of ten it would have been the house-party. The journalists I worked with were always good at throwing a bash, and so a night in a crowded pub and a race back in time to bring in the New Year was my general mode of celebration. They must have been good nights, because I can't remember any of them. All I know is that I'd get home about ten the next morning and, in what became a tradition, throw U2's 'New Year's Day' on my turntable as the first record of the year. Forty years on, I think I'll just play the record! I hope you have a great night, and I'll catch you in the new year ..

Stars on 45 ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't pay much attention to the pop charts anymore. Haven't for years, not with all the bloody rubbish they call music these days (© My Dad 1977). But when I was a lad I followed like a hawk the competition to be the Christmas Number One. Remember those days? When everyone from Cliff Richard to The Damned squeezed out a Christmas single. I for one bought many of their offerings, right from Slade's 'Merry Christmas Everybody' in 1973 (And I'll confess to owning Steeleye Span's 'Gaudete' and Elton John's 'Cold as Christmas in the middle of July'). But, with a week to go until the Big Day, it's time to pull out my four real favourites, the singles I put on the turntable every year. And Number One this Christmas? Kate Bush's 'December will be magic again'. It's magic! Click here to hear it. It's beautiful. You're welcome ..

Well, that's nice ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was ego-boost on toast for breakfast this morning, as another review came in for my book 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft'. An unsolicited testimonial as they say and, seeing as this blog is all about me, darlings, I'm going to print it in full ..

"Thank you Martin O'Neill, for the laughter, tears and moments of nostalgia from my era. Music and cars! What an enjoyable read. Really recommend Page 99."

So now, all you have to do is order a copy too! Click here and let me know what you think ..

 

Buy, buy, buy ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In keeping with the true spirit of Christmas - ie: blatant and unabashed commercialism - my picture today is a graph from my Amazon account, showing my book sales for the month of December. I'm so delighted the month's off to such a great start. There's obviously a lot of Christmas shopping going on out there. My only question is this .. where is 'other'? If you're from 'other' can you please let me know ..

Ps: You want the links to the books? Certainly! My photo-books are here, and my illustrated children's books are here and here. 'Page 99, by Joe Bancroft' is here, 'Snaps' is here and 'Tofalofalos' is here. 

And that's the end of the commercial break ..

Goodbye, Denny ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denny Laine must be the most famous man I'd never heard of. I think I owned a Wings LP but was certainly never into the Moody Blues, so when I was commissioned to take some portraits of him I had to ask around to find out who he was. He died today, and I immediately thought back to that 90's photo-shoot ..

Ok! Magazine asked me meet him at some swanky pad up in Lancashire. This was back in the days of colour transparency film, shot on a Mamiya RZ67, and it was just me, him and a guitar. We had fun, as you can see, and I got a lovely spread in the magazine a few weeks later. Rest in peace, Denny, and thank you for some lovely photographs. But Mull of Kintyre? I can't forgive you for that one. Sorry ..