Mental Health - The Ginger Quiff

Songs that Saved Your Life? Pt 1*

July 17, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

*Borrowing from lyrics from Rubber Ring by The Smiths, and a book by Simon Goddard with the same name.

“The passing of time
And all of its sickening crimes
Is making me sad again
But don’t forget the songs
That made you cry
And the songs that saved your life
Yes, you’re older now
And you’re a clever swine
But they were the only ones who ever stood by you”

My experiences in the last few weeks have inspired me to write a (currently undetermined) series of blogs covering some of the albums that, without being too over dramatic, played a part in saving my life.… Read the rest

Live Music – The Best Bad (Good) Influence…

July 10, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

This is a post I started writing earlier, but the outcome has changed as a result of today’s activity…

Rollercoaster of Emotions

I’ve been on a bit of a rollercoaster for the last few weeks, experiencing some of the highest highs and the lowest lows I’ve felt in a long time from a mental health perspective.

Yesterday I finished delivering a two week induction training course in Perth for 10 new starts, and I’m now emotionally and physically drained after two weeks of putting my heart and soul entirely into work. I’m glad to say the actual training was an entirely positive experience, with the odd left field issue thrown in to test me.… Read the rest

Tom McGuire & the Brassholes – Interview

July 4, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Tom McGuire & the Brassholes have recently released a couple of top quality soul funk singles and on the eve(ish) of their gig this Thursday at the Euro Championships fan-zone in Glasgow Green, I had to the opportunity to pose Mr McGuire some questions.

Oh Savanna

The Ginger Quiff: You’ve returned recently with a brace of stunning singles, most recently Oh Savanna, and prior to that Super Solid Soul Vehicle. I read that Oh Savanna was based on a meeting with a real person, and Super Solid Soul Vehicle is inspired by the wonderful Bill Withers. Tell us more about the story behind Savanna.… Read the rest

Jim McCulloch – When I Mean What I Say – album review

June 1, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

I’ve never had the good fortune to meet Jim McCulloch, but I’m willing to bet he’d be one of life’s good guys. I’m also willing to bet that the vast majority of music fans will own or love at least one song featuring the talents of McCulloch the maestro in their collection. Whether they know it or not.

I may be wrong, but he gives the impression of being a quiet unassuming genius who just loves creating and playing music. Keeping his head just under the parapet focussing on what he loves and producing some timeless, unforgettable records in the process.… Read the rest

Mindful March

March 4, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

Let’s not sugar coat it. January was shite. If anything, February was worse…

I’m willing to bet I’m not the only person that in any “normal” year hates the early months of a new year. The promise of a buoyant New Year seen through the haze of a Hogmanay dram, usually fades to a miserable grey thought as the realisation hits. It’s January.

I mean, January and February are normally a barren wasteland of dark mornings and dark evenings. Days and nights of nothing much happening after the hustle and bustle of December. 2021 has added a whole new dimension of shite to the mix.… Read the rest

Cup & Nuzzle Productions

January 31, 2021 By neilho27@sky.com

I feel it is very remiss of me not to have featured this podcast production company before now, but as the saying goes, better late than never.

Ok, so there is an element of nepotism here. Cup & Nuzzle is a production company co-founded by BBC6 Music presenter, and drummer from Menswe@r, one of my favourite bands to rise out of the awfully named Britpop “scene”, Matt Everitt and of course, and perhaps more importantly, my talented cousin, Graham Hodge.

I know of several people who have spent a large proportion of the last 12 months furloughed due to the worldwide pandemic.… Read the rest

Pick of the Pops – Xmas songs 2020

December 14, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I’m hoping many of you won’t have been in the same position as me, having had the misfortune to hear three monumental fuck ups of Christmas singles. The words-fail-me-how-bad-it-is cover of the greatest Christmas song of all, Fairytale of New York by Jon Bon Jovi, talent vacuum Gemma Collins (I’m hoping most of you don’t actually know who she is, your life will be better for not knowing) duetting with Darren Day. Finally, the cheeky chappie that I wouldn’t tire of smacking in the face with a shovel, Robbie fucking Williams, and his Christmas song, the lyrics of which seem to have been written by a chimpanzee who has an extremely limited vocabulary and has learned most of their words and phrases from watching a succession of idiots on daily COVID 19 briefings, cobbling them together clumsily in a vain attempt to create a song.… Read the rest

Lockdown Ramblings

December 10, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I recently almost killed the Ginger Quiff website. I had reached a point where it wasn’t giving me any joy, it wasn’t serving the purpose I first started it for. It felt like a chore and I was putting myself under stress and pressure to get some content up. I began to see it as an unimportant “nice to have”. And in many ways, it is. Nothing I write is going to change the world or have a massive effect on anyone’s life. Well, that’s not entirely true, it has made a massive difference to my life since I started writing.… Read the rest

Bob Vylan – We Live Here – album review

June 8, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

I have been angry, truly angry. But ultimately, I know my heart is full of love.

In the last week or so my mental health has taken a dip. While I thought I was dealing well with the current situation, it would appear otherwise. I can’t put my finger on one particular trigger, the low point I reached was the culmination of several factors.

Anger (is an energy?)

I was an incredibly angry version of myself last weekend. So much so that I received a very scathing and personal direct message – accusing me of having “a lot of anger” and having “no love in me”.… Read the rest

The Destination

May 29, 2020 By neilho27@sky.com

Even the recent past felt like a lifetime ago. Life had been unrecognisable for so long, being out on the streets was disquieting. On previous occasions when he had ventured out, he had flinched every time another human approached. He wasn’t really sure why, or what he was expecting them to do. Maybe he’d watched too many zombie movies and the eerily quiet streets had unearthed visions of a dystopian future. The words “go for the head” kept repeating over in his mind.

Hearing anyone approaching was a challenge, what with having headphones in and walking along hands plunged deep in his pockets staring at the ground to avoid eye contact with the world around him, the refrain of the song he was listening to – “anytime, anytime, anytime, anytime….illuminate… Read the rest