Kraftwerk - Retro German Band

Kraftwerk means power plant or power station and the name is synonymous with the very influential Retro German band. Their strictly electronic style started in the 1970s. They are regarded as pioneers of the late seventies and early eighties electronic music movements. Kraftwerk had a great presentation style that accompanied their music, almost like un-dead, yet something ultra clean and almost sterile. It does not sound complimentary, I know, but there still remains something evocative about their simple lyrics and their germ-free appearance – something pristine and self-assured still won through and captivated people all over the world.

SKINHEAD Photos for the moonstomp spirit of 1969'

I was just eight years old in 1969, but I can remember the older kids of the neighbourhood looking like this and my cousin in the early 1970s. The people in the first photo above, would be around eighteen I would suppose. Today they would be touching sixty. That is scary. At school some of the youngsters had skinhead haircuts and the whole little culture liked reggae music that was refereed to as Ska. We all wanted Ben Sherman shirts and Doctor Martin boots with straight Levi jeans that had neat turn ups - also black crumby coats. I think in Britain, this faze metamorphosed out of the mods, though (no doubt) some would disagree. Sadly in later decades the Skinhead culture changed to a less desirable doctrine. However in 1969 there are much more pleasant memories with the moon stomp reggae dances. The world as changed so much since, though I never noticed on a day to day basis. These little retro Brit photos from above make me realize just how much Britain and the world has changed. It is a nice nostalgic trip from the memory of my childhood.

Genesis - Watcher Of The Skies - 1973

I used to be very fond of Genesis and I particularly like Watcher of the Skies. Therefore I had to download this one from YouTube when Peter Gabriel was the lead singer. I made the wonderful discovery of them when I left school in 1977 and bought one of their albums with this track on. I did this on a whim because my work friend liked them. The result was guaranteed when Watcher of the Skies was the first track. They had an easy, yet strange, compelling sound that I loved. Over the years they developed a proven following of fans - the result of many great songs and albums.

Moyra Melons Wanting Ear Ring Advice

Moyra Melons was waiting for her husband to walk in through the front door after another hard day at the office. One might think he would have got used to it by now, but once again, he glared in pleasant surprise as he saw his lovely Moyra staring at him, as in the photo before.

"Good Lord Moyra!" he exclaimed.

"I want your advice on what sort of ear rings would match this jean skirt and top. I'm flummoxed as to what type of ear ring would go with this."

"Do you like being flummoxed then?" asked her husband.

"No but sometimes I just am," she replied.

"Well your going to get flummoxed again my dear. By the way I'm a man with a pretend speech impediment, when I say 'flumexed.' Do you understand." He grinned wolfishly.

"No I don't understand, but I've a feeling your about to explain," she replied and then the penny dropped for Moyra Melons. "Oh! 'Flummoxed,' and you have a speech impediment. I think I get it."

"No darling you are about to," he repled and closed the door and Moyra Melons did get it then - really, she did... :)

 

English language and the Anglo-Saxon Invasion of Britain.



King Arthur fights the Anglo-Saxons

The Romans began to leave Britain in 410 A.D as their grand empire began to shrink. Across mainland Europe barbarian tribes were causing all sorts of migrations as Huns, Goths and other tribes ventured into the western areas of the continent - lands rich with over 400 years of Roman administration.

Neighboring tribes that had previously been driven back by the Roman army began immigrating to the British Isles en masse. All of Britain, including Caledonia, to the north, were under threat. The Picts who had been able to keep Rome at bay began to attract interest from Hibernia (Ireland). A northern tribe known as Scoti began to migrate to their northern lands.

Demise of Roman Britain

In the Romanised parts of Britain's south east; the Germanic people of Northern Europe, known as Saxons, Angles and Jutes began to migrate onto the island. They were fierce tribes fighting to secure lands in southern Britain. 

The Roman Celts termed the Anglo-Saxon tribes as invaders. They were pushed back westwards towards Wales, Devon and Cornwall. The stories of King Arthur are about his Britons fighting against Angles and Saxon invaders. Though the legends have become corrupted over time. (Some making King Arthur a King of England when it was the English tribes he fought against.) For the Roman Celts, the demise of their civilization must have been along an apocalyptic scale as they saw their industry and commerce decline and their lands swamped by the English tribes. They had to integrate or flee west.



Invasion of Anglo-Saxon tribes

Eventually the Angles and Saxons became the dominant force through out the entire Isle with their language, one day, becoming most widely spoken. Of all the tribes in Britain, during the beginning of the Dark Ages; the English ones were illiterate. It is strange and quite a feat that their language would one day progress so far.

Of course this language as developed over the centuries and if anyone went back among the Dark Age Anglo-Saxons, I think Dutch people might have a better chance of understanding what they were saying, then people of English speaking nations would.

Saxon Quest is a story of Gewisse Saxons and Dumnonian Celts of South West Britain in the year of AD 567.

Saint Columba of Iona - Hibernian Mission - Dark Ages



Saint Columba

Saint Columba was born in today’s county Donegal, Ireland during the year of AD 521. He is a very important figure because he founded the monastery on the western Scottish island of Iona. In time, the missions from this small sanctuary would have far leading consequences for Christianity throughout the British Isles and into mainland Europe’s Frankish Empire. Among the Picts of Caledonia (Scotland) and later the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms; (Today’s North and South Eastern England) the Hibernian missionaries spread Christianity across the Isles. Iona would become a mini Rome for Celtic and Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of Britain. Many of the Western areas of today’s England were Celtic Kingdoms too, along with Wales.

Hibernian is another name for Irish and Scots. The Scots/Irish colonised and integrated with Caledonia's Picts. Often the Romans referred to Ireland as Hibernia and the Anglo-Saxons (English) called Irish and Scots Hibernian Missionaries.

Saint Columba was of a high distinguished bloodline from Cenel Conaill in Gartan. Here and throughout Ireland, the spread of Christianity had brought about the collapse of druidism. Monasteries were built and the teaching of Christianity and Latin flourished. Young Columba entered into the monastic teaching at Clonard Abby and was tutored by one of Ireland’s founders of Irish monasticism. There were over three thousand students under instruction at Clonard Abby and from Saint Finian’s teaching came twelve Apostles of Ireland – Columba was one of them. He left Clonard as a monk and was then ordained as a priest. He went on to found other monasteries of fame in Ireland. 
  

However, before this, Columba had copied a psalter from a scriptorium at the Movilla Abby. This must have been a feat that required a lot of concentration as the books were also elaborately decorated and the binding was a skilled undertaking also. St Finian got into a quarrel with Columba because he wanted the copied Psalter to be kept in another Abby, reasoning that it was the property of the monastic order, while Columba wanted this book to keep with him, where ever he went – an accessory for psalms and other things he might need – something to hand at all times. After all, he had put in a lot of work to acquire this. Perhaps Saint Finian regarded this as self-indulgent and priests could not be permitted such luxuries.

In AD 549 Saint Finian died, but the argument concerning the psalter must have been championed by other followers of Saint Finian because it all came to a dreadful confrontation about eleven to twelve years later (Around AD 560.) Some historians quote an argument about it in AD 560 and Saint Finian being involved.  However, if Saint Finian died in AD 549; it was either another Saint Finian or people of his cause?

This argument of the copied psalter from Movilla Abby’s scriptorium eventually caused a pitched battle of Cul Dreimhne in which many men were killed. Columba was called to account for this and faced being stripped of his robe (Priest status). Instead, he was banished to Caledonia (Scotland). He landed on the west coast with his followers and began to travel north, teaching Christian doctrines. He was given authority over an area of land on the island of Iona on the west coast. From here, he was charged with creating a new monastery and evangelising the Picts. With his group of devoted followers, he managed to Christianise the Pictish kingdoms and then sent more Hibernian missions, from Iona, far and wide. He gained the respect of many Pict realms and became very influential in the overall governing of Caledonia (Scotland)

He died in AD 597 at the age of seventy-five.  He left a lasting legacy of spreading Christianity across much of Europe after the fall of the Roman Empire. He was a man of many letters, hymns and some three hundred books. His devotion to Christian doctrines was colossal at a time when civilisation was adjusting in the Dark Ages and looking for a collective way forward.

Le Mans Disaster 1955

Le Mans 1955

Le Mans in France is a great motor racing venue and in 1955 many of the top car makers were competing tenaciously against one another. The best and most skilled drivers of the time were employed to drive these great car manufacturers to victory.

Mike Hawthorn 1929 - 1959

Britain’s Mike Hawthorn was one of the old school Brits who chose to champion the Jaguar car making company. They were in a constant battle against all other car designers like; Mercedes, Ferrari, Aston Martin and Maserati. The rivalry was bitter and none more so then the German constructor of Mercedes.

Pierre Levegh 1905 - 1955

The Mercedes team had a veteran Frenchman named Pierre Levegh driving for them with an American driver called John Finch ready to take over driving duties at a later stage of the race.

When the race started it was extremely fast and more lap records were being broken than normal. On the fatal lap 35, Mike Hawthorn was flagged for a pit stop and he hit his brakes upon reaching the stop. These new disc brakes made his Jaguar slow much quicker than usual for the other cars following – they still had the drum brakes. Another Brit named Lance Macklin in an Austin Healey was forced to brake and swerve. He did not see two Mercedes Benz 300SLR coming from behind as he swerved outwards to bypass Hawthorn's slowing Jaguar.   

Pierre Levegh's car smashes upon the mound scattering debris

The rear of Lance Macklin’s Austin Healy had a ramped rear design and as the Mercedes driver, Pierre Levegh, clipped the side;  his racing car shot upwards and became airborne. It twisted and smashed into a mound that separated spectators from the track. Fragments of the car flew off at high speed as the smashed vehicle somersaulted – wreckage sliced through the tightly packed spectators like a scythe – decapitating and killing 83 of them and leaving another 120 injured. It was one of the worst racing disasters in history. The French driver Pierre Levegh was killed too.

Aftermath

The race was continued because the French authorities did not want more spectators from other parts of the track congesting the accident scene where ambulances and other emergency services were at work.  Hawthorn and his teammate Bueb were pictured by French press celebrating their race win with champagne; this was looked upon with scorn and distaste.

The entire race of Le Mans 1955 is infamous because of the horrific accident. The inquiry found that Jaguar was not at fault, but that safety barriers were inadequate. Many nations stopped races being staged until new safety criteria were brought in.

Mike Hawthorn was killed in a motoring accident in 1959 when his Jaguar crashed into a lorry on the A3 Guilford Bypass. He was just twenty-nine years.