On the 4th of June 1976, the Sex Pistols played to a room of 30 to 40 people in a tiny club in Manchester. After being subjected to jaded glam rock for most of the ’70s, the small number of gig-goers craved something new. They got it. They were so influenced by the performance that… Read More

Sometimes the claims made in advertisements don’t quite pan out. For instance, a few years ago, an advert for Kellogg’s cereal stated that “Eating a bowl of Kellogg’s Frosted Mini-Wheats cereal for breakfast is clinically shown to improve attentiveness by nearly 20%.” This was so wrong, that the brand had to pay out around $4m… Read More

I’ve decided it’s about time to lose a little bit of weight. Not too much, just enough to make me slightly less cuddly than I am right now. As you might have guessed, I don’t really need to put too much thought into how I set a weight loss diet up for myself, but it… Read More

When I was a much younger man I used to smoke, until one day, at the age of 22, I decided it was time to stop. I didn’t feel the need to announce this to anyone or make a fuss, I just did it. However, one of my, then, friends found out and decided that… Read More

I’ve seen some crazy shit in gyms. People doing curls while standing on Bosu balls to someone trying to use dumbbells and the leg press at the same time. I once watched a guy set up numerous boxes, cables, and chains in a rack before attempting to squat about 250kg with the intricate setup. After… Read More

When I was a kid we used to go on holiday to Wales every summer. One time, I remember looking out of the rain-speckled window at the sodden field outside our caravan, wishing I was allowed to play outside and cursing the UK weather. Our holidays weren’t always damp, though, some of them were scorchers…. Read More

We’ve all got that friend. The one who eats pure junk, gets hammered, sleeps for 4 hours a night, and is still skinnier, more muscular, and better looking than us. These genetically endowed pals are the ones who don’t gain any weight in studies designed to make you fat, while all you have to do… Read More

Auditioning for bands isn’t as hard as you think. Sure, being able to play your instrument helps, but there’s a knack beyond that. The secret is to do your homework. Knowing the bands’ songs isn’t enough, you have to know their influences, what they grew up listening to, what books they read, what films they’re… Read More

I’m fairly good at spotting film plot twists. I got the sixth sense, realised who Nicole Kidman was in The Others, and guessed Teddy Daniels’ real identity in Shutter Island. The Usual Suspects, however, floored me. Not only didn’t I guess, I didn’t even see it coming. When the actual bad guy was revealed I… Read More

I used to know a guy who was a serial re-inventor. Every month or so, without fail, he’d declare himself as something new. It wasn’t like he’d take up a new hobby or find a new interest, he’d fully change his identity. “I’m a photographer” he’d state, before dropping top dollar on the newest course… Read More