Attack the Blog

...and about time too!

This will have to be an organic kind of post. Stuff has happened and I haven't found time to venture in here so I'll freestyle in no particular order and see how few hits I get this time.

Both Adam and Joe have had news flutters since my last post.

The most vigorous net activity was around Joe's film "Attack the Block" (I feel stupid, continually typing that name. We all know about this now, don't we?).

The trade papers finally published a release with quite a bit more info about the plot, casting and crew. The general stance is that principal photography started this week although we know that playground and night footage has been going for a wee while. I know it's going to test my willpower more than I would normally enjoy but I'm going to attempt to visit this film with my little brain in as vanilla a state as is possible. I'll post some links but I may not have read them through.

If you're genuinely interested in pre-absorbing every tiny detail about this film, you'll have the temerity to find the info yourselves. The production vehicles are in place and it's easy to find out where. If this isn't too pompous of me, I'd just ask that a modicum of respect for the originators is deployed if you have stumbled upon pictures and/or video from the set (or in one case a description of 'the aliens' that I really wish I hadn't read). Some have been removed but others are out there still. They're seen completely out of context and whilst pre-release buzz is an essential in the marketing of such a product, at this stage in the game, it's just silly and potentially hurtful.

So, the grown-up links I'm going to include are from Empire and Film4, whom along with the Film Council, I believe were the first to the filthy money table on this one but perhaps that was due to the delicate nature of negotiations between Big Talk and Optimum in the early stages. Ignore my laboured musings. What's that? You always do? You sod!

Now, Film4 originally popped their page up with a lovely, hardly used picture of Joe from the Sony's press line but I see they now capitulated to Twitter pressure and used a ECU of the same old bed-head picture everyone goes with from his agent's page. I'm going to risk breaking my self imposed netiquette (and possibly copyright) ruling to post the original picture here. Of course, I have previously gone on record in this very blog to say that the picture currently featured is stupidly sexy so I'm not complaining, just sayin'.

Of the more blog-based offerings, one of the first out of the blocks was this giving the bald facts from the trades. I'm guessing Slash Film have made their/his usual job of efficiently gathering all the good bits and giving a nice, geeky slant. All I dared do was glance at the page long enough to absorb and covet what I presume is the crew jacket design. I now have this saved in an ebay search :shameface: I'm also going to link this sweet little blog which carefully trawls the UK for casting news and gathers photos together. According to a tweet, this fella has a role too but not sure of what calibre. I may have seen Jodie Whittaker on stage more often than on the big and little screens so I'm completely confident that she's a great asset to the production. I nearly got sunstroke when I watched her one time.

The Playlist put a page together but they're a bit wobbly with their info as they're not UK based and they even mis-quoted themselves in the first line of this one but they're a sweet bunch of people. I'm amused to see the news also made it into Female First.

As I've said before, I'm trying to skip reading too much about additional plot info but I've been very impatient to know who would be lighting this so I'm happy that name was revealed in the first report. None of these additions have slothed their way onto the IMDB yet but Tom Townend is a very welcome bit of info.
Terry Notary updated the IMDB when he was cast as The Alien. He's primarily a stunt person and motion capture performer which has set all sorts of delicious neurons firing in my head but his inclusion does once again make me wonder if part of the works scheduled on this will take our beloved Cornballs over the big, magical ocean for a spell.

All I'm going to say now is that I hope Joe is surrounded by a team of people who aide, inspire and provide some kind of comfort zone for him. Directing must be so daunting when a hundred faces are staring at you, waiting for a conclusive and authoritative answer to endless questions. I hope any nerves he may have had will dissipate so that he can have enormous, corpse-inducing fun. Edited to add: It sounds as though he's doing OK so far as Jodie Whittaker is concerned.

The news from Adam Buxton is far more immediately gratifying. Not only do we have an air date of Easter Sunday for his Big Mix Tape show but it would seem he went ahead yesterday to make two more shows. This is heartwarming news for our ears and for the dear Buckles. He has also mentioned that he hopes to attend the get together tomorrow. You can read more about that here. Please make sure you've made your feelings about 6Music plain in all the right places. If you go to Portland Place tomorrow, make sure you have sensible shoes and a clean hankie.

So far, I've only found the odd, unofficial mention of this but Andrew Collins himself declared that he and his friend would not be covering the Adam and Joe Show on Easter Saturday because there would be a "Highlights" show. In a few hours, this page will confirm that and the Radio Times has it listed so I think we can say it's a done deal.

Just remember, the info mumbled in this blog is about as reliable as the so-called facts that Adam and Joe used to hurl at us from their radio show. This post will probably be most notable for it's omissions.

==================Fiddle Zone==================

From the wonderful Ben Mercer
(of Electric Proms/Sontum of Quolace Fame)


Last weekend there was a joyous moment in Trafalgar Square which was happily recorded by all and sundry.

and you'll find a fantastically speedy response to a Twitter request to apply the correct dubbing to one of the first to be uploaded.

If you're a fan of Robin Cooper, listen to these before the iPlayer kills them. I suppose you've already got the CD if you're a fan, so if you're a fan of laughing till you need an ventilator, listen to them.

Finally, check Edgar Wright's blog for Scott Pilgrim updates and if you can stand this level of excitement, the first teaser trailer is out there on iTunes.

Buxom Blogging and a fiddle zone

This is bound to be a bit Buxton-heavy again. Is it my fault that he's as ubiquitous as John Barrowman and Joe is being so bloomin' precious about his little video drama?

The 6Music concern is still keeping a high profile and Steve Lamacq added his voice to the cause last week. The BBC Trust page is here and to make it even easier, this is a really helpful page.

If you want to join in a friendly meeting of supportive minds, there will be a gathering at the end of the month. Details are here but I'm quoting in case you don't use the Facebooking.

Date: Saturday, March 27, 2010
Time: 12:00pm - 2:00pm
Location: Broadcasting House, Portland Place, London
Description: On Saturday 27th March at 12pm, we will gather together outside Broadcasting House to protest against the closure of BBC 6Music.

We have lined up some well-known speakers and live buskers to create an air of festivity. This is a celebration of our beloved station; a demonstration of support for the staff, musicians, and a collective show to the Consultation team that we do not want to lose our station.

What the BBC proposes is unacceptable. 6Music is the only place that caters for our diverse tastes; the only station where you will hear Howling Bells played back to back with Seasick Steve; The Isley Brothers leading into dEUS, Delphic, Yeasayer and all topped off with dash of Half Man Half Biscuit.

The DJs play the music they love for people who love music. It is valuable showcase for new bands and artists, and regardless of what the BBC thinks, we will not find this on Radio 2.

So please join us on the 27th. Come along to show your solidarity and support; bring a flask of tea and have a sing-along all in the name of saving 6Music. Invite everyone you know who might not have been invited through the Facebook group and let’s make this a protest to remember!


**Please note that this is intended to be a friendly, peaceful and safe protest. **
------------------------------------------------------------------

Further details

Broadcasting House is Located on Portland Place, W1A 1AA.
The nearest station is Oxford Circus although it can also be easily reached from Great Portland Street.

See here for a map of the area:

Adam has enlisted 6Music's own Tom Robinson to help make a version of Bowie's Changes as part of the 6Music support campaign.
It would be too much to hope he'd perform it during the above meet-up but more excitingly, people will be invited to make videos to go with the song, just like the old days of video wars. I'll bet the Emmett family can hardly contain their creative juices right now.

Keeping with the 6Music news, Adam has made a pilot show based on one of his long standing passions, the mix-tape.
Read more about it in a post at the BBC 6Music blog. That post has had a record number of responses and everyone seemed excited to know that Julian Barrett joined Adam. Won't it be satisfying if this gets commissioned?
There's more about the show and some priceless remarks in a wonderful three page interview with Adam at Shortlist. John Plunkett swiftly brought the pilot news to the mass media.

Earlier today, the same lovely John Plunkett organised a webchat with Adam! How enjoyable was that? It was flagged up on Monday and the webchat is here but you can cut to the chase and just read the responses here.

I've got quite a bit more Count Buckules stuff to post but I'm going to take a brief moment for Dr Sexy.

Recent updates on the Attack the Block IMDB page add a frail piece of substance to my musing about some of the prosthetic and puppeteering work being done Stateside but it's all good stuff. Still no news about who the cinematographer is.

For some reason, the lovely people at Playlist decided to post something about the casting tweet we saw last month. I don't know if it's genuinely to do with them only just stumbling across it or if they have some privileged information that prompted today's post. Nick Frost's tweets imply that he is not shooting it at the moment but for that matter, neither is the loose-lipped tweeter.

If the apparent two moons bleaching the streets of South London were anything to go by, night shooting continued last week. Joe must be looking pale and weedy.

I really can't manufacture any more Cornballs news so it's back to Buckles. 4OD have put Ladies and Gentlemen on their YouTube Channel. It has an age advice warning so I'm linking rather than embedding.

Adam brought BUG18 to town last week and there was an added frissant in Twitterland due to the amazing work of @WickWox (see last week's post) and her incredible collection of well-wishes which she presented in scrapbook for the great man himself. @Monastico made this beautiful felt sleeve for it. You may have read in the webchat about the joy it brought to Adam.

The BUG evening itself had some technical problems and Adam had intended to play his version of Changes (see above) to us but he just sang a couple of lines instead. It was completely wickles. He also showed us this project and once you've got the hang of what that's about, click here to see Adam's contribution. I'm not going to embed that one because it's totally out of context if you don't visit 'In B Flat' first.

I also saw Adam in a beauooootiful little short film the other week, directed by Matthew Walker and Arthur Cox. The quality of all the films was very high but Little Face stands a very good a chance of walking away with a prize on the 8th April Awards Night.

Adam has appeared in the line-up for Latitude again, bringing a special tent-based version of BUG to the country folk. He sounded unsure about it earlier but he was probably just being modest. I'm sure Corin Hardy will cover for him if he can't make it. This festival gets bigger every year but I hope it doesn't loose it's charm.

So finally, Adam made a small but worthy contribution to BBC Radio 1's broadcast about making fan music videos. He mentions lots of his work so I'm going to put them in a little fiddle zone below.

It's a shame there is nothing more to say about Joe. If he's lucky, he'll be having a lot of fun and I'm sure there are plenty of lovely young assistants tending his needs. I'm secretly quite pleased there's not too much information about his film out there. All the better to enjoy when it's released. I do hope he's not too jealous of Adam's lovely scrapbook. Surely, he'd have had one too if there was a public appearance in the diary but that's not his scene at all. Any seemingly bitter comments made here about him can be instantly ignored. It's my coping mechanism because I miss his stupid voice and lanky bones. Thank goodness Adam has so much energy to share.

=====================The Fiddle Zone=====================

Save BBC 6Music an' shit

The more and more likely demise of 6Music has left me poleaxed into an unbloggitudinous stupor which I must overcome herein.

If you don't care about 6, I doubt you'll be reading this. I'm just going to throw some clicks in here and you can do the thinking for yourselves in the unlikely event that you've missed just one of these items.

You can achieve most of your preservation objectives by poking around this organic compost of sweetly fermenting information. I believe these people were suspended from Twitter due to over zealous activity but happily there are enough other individuals continually punching their cause to ensure the fight is still bothering that feverishly demented aviary. Edited To Add: They're back on Twitter! Follow, follow.

Tom Watson is leading a tribe of MPs in defence of Mr Thompson's apparent decision. It's really in the hands of the BBC Trust Consultation Department now and we have until May to react. Do it now!

This blogger has put together some things worth reading and acting upon but if you want to cut to the chase, this is the most important part, I believe.

Here’s a template e-mail, based off the one posted by my good friend Seb Patrick. You should download the cover note from the BBC site, fill it in, and attach that to your e-mail, which should be sent to: srconsultation@bbc.co.uk.

The current petition du jour is here but if you make comments, please try to remain positive about 6Music and the Asian Network rather than resorting to name calling and generally dissing the BBC. That will achieve nothing. This should be a constructive campaign. This one is still gathering names too.

The list of celebrity support for this cause is so vast that I dare not detail it here for fear of glaring and embarrassing omissions. I'm sure you've all been heartened by a missive from your childhood idol this week.

To everyone's deep respect and joy, Adam had his chance to put his case publicly.


You can go here and download/subscribe to every available 6Music Podcast to boost figures. I have no idea if this works but I have also been leaving the iPlayer going even when I'm not at my computer and thereby entertained my goldfish beyond their wildest imaginings.

If you'd prefer to vote with your feet, there seems to be a gathering of like-minded people in the vicinity of the BBC's premises in Langham Place on Sunday at 2pm. There are more details on this Facebook page.

Enough with all the serious stuff. Upon completion of all your supportive duties you have my permission to quickly scan over the rest of the nonsense I seem to have gathered over this last couple of weeks.

Just when you thought Joe Cornish was up to his very lofty lugholes in celluloid and loud hailers, he's gone and tossed a few clips together, punched and stretched them against his Exit Music for The Shining and for the first time in months and months, plopped something into his YouTube Channel. If you want something doing, ask a busy person.


Digital Spy, are suggesting that the Ant Man project might be off or resting again. I've not noticed Edgar comment on this piece anywhere but I may have missed it.

Earlier in the week, somebody tossed a cod snippet onto YouTube showing an elevated view of an effects shot from Joe's Attack The Block. I am very happy to say it was removed. I'm not going to dignify it with any detail here. I'll just say that my feelings about things like this finding their way onto the net fill me with dread.

My interest, nay obsession with certain pieces of upcoming media make it almost impossible for me to prevent the twitching click of deathly exposure but in my opinion, there are few things on this special, shiny planet as gratifying as viewing a film or work of art, free of the burdens of precognition with the glorious impact intended by the director and team of collaborators. Stills and on-set snips are imbued with such burdens of fan-hunger that are perpetuated around the net to be twisted and misconstrued. Yes, I clicked on that clip but wished I hadn't. Yes, I saved it before it was removed, such are my reflexes and yes, I hope I won't be tempted to fire it up until I've watched the completed film at least half a dozen times. It was a tiny, pony thing but if one person does it, others will follow.

Since my last blog entry, I think the only IMDB additions have been a couple in the art department. It would seem that this week's shooting has been fairly near to the area of London where Joe is proud to tell us he lives and indeed set his script. Since a cast member has removed a tweet about the shoot and no other cast has been officially updated, I can only presume it is the wish of the production team that this project receives as little uncontrollable exposure as possible. Forthwith, I shall be respecting that and consequently limit my updates to information gathered from the wider domain. If any of the crew see a goblin carrying dingle and wearing an "Auntie Nubbins Say Stephen!" t-shirt, it surely won't be me.

We have been delighted by no less than TWO updates at the BBC 6Music blog this week. James has given us a lovely, clean mp3 of Adam's Magical Forest song. When I posted this a month ago on my silly Posterous side-blog, it got one of the highest numbers of hits but my file was just a dirty version clawed out of the iPlayer.

Earlier today, Adam put my pathetic webcam grabbing video to shame with a proper glimpse into the exiting world of two middle aged men being paid to giggle like schoolboys in everyone's favourite clip of the Mr Wolf Pants exchange. As soon as this goes up on the BBC YouTube, I'll change the link for our overseas revellers.


There are still a few tickets left for BUG18 next week.

Supreme Tweeter, #TwitSquadron Leader and Electric Proms Runner Up, @Wickwox is going to present a giftly book of support to Adam at BUG and is inviting contributions from anyone who feels moved to submit. Just punch #giftsquadron into a Twitter search & you'll get the idea. Edited to Add: WickWox had blogged some more details. This is my entry - I put it through the shamboliser on purpose, you understand?



Last month, James reminded us of the street sign enhancement from last year and I was very pleased to notice that although the exclamation mark had been cleaned up, the sign is still suitably respectful. I might include this photo in my #giftsquadron contribution. I wish I'd had my little Adam and Joe on a stick with me to complete the image.


Off Topic Mentions of the weeeeeek.

Funny Or Die and Popcorn have a fun evening planned round the corner (my corner) at The Tabernacle and while we're in that area of fun, the imperial time waster himself got all confabulated last week. Remember the code: Remove all liquids from the immediate area before watching any Robin Cooper output.



I've been watching a few Oscar nominated DVDs this week. When it came to Up In The Air I wondered if I should have been cringing at the silliness of the original concept of this blog. It all started when Adam and Joe went away & I packed little cardboard versions of them to take with me and photograph. I can't even claim it was an homage to Mr Reitman since I'd stopped using them by the time the film came out.

I've lost the will to write so you surely must have given up reading a few inches ago. Have a good weekend and don't forget to listen to Collins and Herring who are getting better and better, week on week.

Remember, the main object of this entry is to double check you've done all you can to make the BBC Trust hear you. To help you, this popped up today.