Punk Rock – for room 101 – I think not!

I have seen the new edition of Room 101 a couple of times in the last few weeks; the format is nowhere near as good as the original (what was I saying about originals last week?). But a few weeks ago Danny Baker was guest and suggested that Punk Rock went into room 101.

I have a lot of time for Mr Baker – I thought we were kindred spirits – he was, after all, there when Punk smashed onto the scene. He’s a bit older than me (not much!) so I had high hopes for him defending Punk, but alas no. He promoted it to be sent away to the great dustbin in the sky.

This is wrong on so many counts. OK, so some of Punks musical legacy is questionable, but some is still brilliant. Punk wasn’t just about ‘music’ (wonder what Alesha Dixon would think to the ‘musicality‘) it was about rebellion. It was trying to push against the blandness of the music scene, but also of the blandness soy life at the time. We were trudging through treacle.

I still listen to the music from that era – the period from 1977-1979 is still my favourite time. The Sex Pistols, The Clash, The Ramones, The Boomtown Rats, The Stranglers all feature highly on my iTunes ‘top played’ list. Who can ever forget Geldof tearing up a picture of the cuddly bunnies of Bright Eyes on Top of The Pops? This was what we needed…

So, in my view there’s no chance of putting Punk (and everything that followed it) into Room 101 – I think rather that we should resurrect is. And to prove a point I bought The Rezillo’s vinyl in New York just before Christmas – it is brilliant!

Punk Rock lives on…. and I wonder if it should make a comeback to rid us of the Cowell-ridden drudgery in the charts at the moment?

Pseudoscientific clap trap in advertising?

Years ago we played a game with friends based on Room 101 and blogging the other day reminded me of my pet hates … important (scientific sounding) ingredients.

Bacteria courtesy of Indiana University


It’s not that I don’t believe that these things exist, it’s just that they don’t add anything – other than as a marketing tool to make you think they will dramatically change your life with some sort of mystical (but scientific) element.

Bifidius ActiRegularis is quite a good one. Its in your Danone – but do you know what it looks like? Have you ever tasted it (I bet it tasted horrid).

Yakult has some worse sounding stuff – Lactobacillus casei Shirota. Not for me thanks! I think that might make me ill.

And then there’s some vitashield technology on Pantene Pro-V. I’m sure that this makes all the difference? Is Pro-V better than Amateur-IV?

Sometimes you feel like you are listening to a British Medical Journal radio show – as “clinically proven”, “dermo-clinical trials”, “in vitro testing” all make an appearance on TV adverts! But what does it mean? Have they really found a cure for ageing?

I particular like the sound of retinyl –in Olay products as it seems to be the equivalent of a time machine – by applying a bucket-load (worth every penny) it will take you back to your youth…

This pseudoscientific language just makes me very cynical and I wonder how many people feel the same? I feel conned – even if they do have some basis.

I think I’ll stick to my carbolic soap and tar shampoo… And eating Alpen for breakfast!