I know that headline is hardly a shock, it's simple Maths, but to me it seems like a few years ago at most!

Historically in the UK not much was happening.  Obviously,  too much had already happened in the previous month and after all the funerals, referendums and Candles in the Wind, the news decided to take a break :)

Personally though, and very significantly to me, this was the first month of my life that I had spent completely out of the UK as I had decided to complete my final year of studies at l'Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, France. If you have a spare few months I will tell you all about that!

Looking back at the Cinema in the UK, these were some of the biggest films you could see:

1 An American Werewolf in Paris
2 Bean
3 Volcano
4 Free Willy 3: The Rescue
5 Event Horizon
6 Air Force One
7 Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery
8 Volcano
9 Spawn
10 Chasing Amy

This is not exactly the most classic list of films, in fact most of them are bloody terrible! Two films for me though stand out, Chasing Amy as I love Kevin Smith's films and Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery which at the time was a breath of fresh air after a long spell of bad comedies we had to sit through in the 90s.

This now leads me to look at the Top 40 Singles at the time:

1 Elton John - Something About The Way You Look / Candle In The Wind
2 Dario G - Sunchyme
3 Oasis - Stand By Me
4 Chumbawamba - Tubthumping
5 Louise - Arms Around The World
6 Janet Jackson featuring Q-Tip & Joni Mitchell - Got 'Til It's Gone
7 Will Smith - Men In Black
8 M People - Just For You
9 Backstreet Boys - As Long As You Love Me
10 Tina Moore - Never Gonna Let You Go
11 The Verve - The Drugs Don't Work
12 U2 - Please
13 Eternal - Angel Of Mine
14 Bellini - Samba De Janeiro
15 2 Eivissa - Oh La La La
16 The Lighthouse Family - Raincloud
17 Sly & Robbie featuring Simply Red - Night Nurse
18 Blackstreet - Fix
19 Puff Daddy & Faith Evans - I'll Be Missing You
20 No Doubt - Spiderwebs
21 Ricky Martin - (Un, Dos, Tres) Maria
22 Hanson - Where's The Love
23 George Michael - You Have Been Loved
24 Boyz II Men - 4 Seasons Of Loneliness
25 Foxy Brown featuring Dru Hill - Big Bad Mamma
26 The Rolling Stones - Anybody Seen My Baby?
27 Mariah Carey - Honey
28 All Saints - I Know Where It's At
29 House Traffic - Every Day Of My Life
30 Coolio - Ooh La La
31 Pixies - Debaser
32 The Seahorses - Love Me And Leave Me
33 Third Eye Blind - Semi-Charmed Life
34 Super Furry Animals - Play It Cool
35 Gala - Freed From Desire
36 Chris De Burgh - So Beautiful
37 Sleeper - She's A Good Girl
38 Mark Morrison - Who's The Mack!
39 DJ Flavours - Your Caress (All I Need)
40 Shola Ama - You're The One I Love

If the films around at the time were unremarkable, you couldn't say that about the music. Some of the biggest selling singles of all time are included on this list and there is plenty of variety to be had. In 2017 the UK Top 40 rarely sees Dance and Hard Rock sitting happily with cheesy pop and Chris de Burgh. Here are a selection of my favourites:

Do you have any favourite memories of the time? Why not share and let me know :)

Finally, here's picture of Foxy Brown for my little brother...he was a fan of her hits [autocorrected]

Daher review by Andrew Barclay

Daher is young Mexican singer songwriter whose debut 4 track EP is a fantastic authentic work and it’s a joy to listen to. Daher describes his sound as “healing” music, music to help soothe the soul.

There’s no cool façade with Daher he just IS cool.

His Facebook page is marching toward four thousand ‘likes’ and it’s justified.

The first track on his self-funded EP is ‘Alive’, a gorgeous mixture of acoustic guitars horns and steeped in Mexican music tradition yet still retaining an extremely catchy happy vibe that is something of a signature with Daher as he sings in the opening lines of “Alive”

“There are many possibilities there many ways anything you want it’s yours to take”

Dahers passionate vocal delivery is extremely endearing and you’re hooked on the first listen.

“Beautiful” is next up and is another celebration of love and nature and really lifts your spirits.

The backing music is slick and even has a twanging banjo in the background, along with other stringed instruments and a soft percussion.

“One” has a more danceable feel and is crying out for a full on dance remix.

It’s a lush mixture of acoustic guitars, Dahers soaring vocal horns and electronics.

“Soldier” is a more reflective serious track and darker in musical tone but still has such an uplifting chorus “I’m a soldier and I fight for love” sings Daher with conviction.

I firmly believe it won’t be long before a major label picks him up and quite right too,

Daher is a positive breath of fresh air and a beguiling listen, I wish him all the very best, and will be listening to his music for years to come.

Dahers Online Links; 

https://www.facebook.com/officialdaher/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/official_daher

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/officialdaher/

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/officialdaher

Bandcamp: https://daher.bandcamp.com

1. The prolonged period of roadworks in Manchester is coming to an end!

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/mancunian-way-hole-initial-work-9926966

As well as that whacking great hole on the Mancunian Way being repaired, direct trams are running through the city again from Friday. NO MORE REPLACEMENT BUSES!!

2. Manchester Pride is celebrating it's silver anniversary. 

It may have changed a lot over the years and people can have polarising opinions of it, but the fact that this event is now 25 years old is definitely something to celebrate! I hope that everyone attending has a great time and bucket loads of cash are raised for a great cause.

3. Jess Glynne 

4. Antony Murphy on Gaydio

Most radio now has become very safe and generic with no sense of fun anymore, so it's always pleasing whenever I hear this guy with his 90s show on Sunday nights. 

http://uk.gaydio.co.uk/on-air/antony-murphy/

So many great songs from the best decade of music! It really has been a perfect way to close the week :)

5. Pixar has got its mojo back!

The last few years for Pixar haven't really been the best. There have been too many sequals not really reaching the high standar set by film like Up and Wall-E. So when I saw Inside Out for the first time I was absolutely elated! It already is a true classic and, for me, the best film of the year so far. 

6. Who's Back

 Do I need to say more? Like most Doctors, Mr Capaldi has had an uneven first series, but I have every faith that now he has settled in to the role that things are going to be marvellous!

 So these are so of my reasons to be cheerful at the moment. Is there anything else that deserves a mention? Please let me know and have a great Bank Holiday!

Can you believe that 1995 was 20 years ago? Obviously it is but it really doesn't feel like it.

I remember the summer of 1995 being a pretty damn good one! I went to the Hacienda and Benidorm that summer - something that would never happen again after thay year for obvious reasons

My bank that then were also throwing all sorts of benefits for students, the one I used the most were the heavily discounted Cinema tickets at the Cannon Cinema in Salford. 

 Remember this place?

Looking at the top movies of the time however,  I don't think I was enjoying myself much - it's fair to say that this year wasn't a classic when it came to cinema!

1 Waterworld

2 Batman Forever

3 Casper

4 Free Willy 2 

5 Judge Dredd

6 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers The Movie

7 The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain

8 Bad Boys

The best film of the Summer by a long way was Bad Boys, who would have though that Michael Bay would go on to make such awful trash? 

In the news, only one event seemed to have happened around this time - the launch of WINDOWS 95! 

Start button, I love you :D

The Uk top 40 this week got more publucity than ever. Brit Pop bands Blur and Oasis decided to release their singles on the same day and the press milked it to death making it a battle between the North and the South (it really wasn't!)

In the end, Blur won. It was worth it just to see the smug smiles wiped off Liam and Noel!

1 Blur Country House
2 Oasis Roll With It
3 The Original I Luv U Baby
4 Take That Never Forget
5 TLC Waterfalls
6 Clock Everybody
7 Seal Kiss From A Rose / I'm Alive
8 JX Son Of A Gun
9 Michael Jackson You Are Not Alone
10 Corona Try Me Out
11 Michelle Gayle Happy Just To Be With You
12 Madonna Human Nature
13 Diana King Shy Guy
14 Berri The Sunshine After The Rain
15 Deuce On The Bible
16 The Rembrandts I'll Be There For You
17 Xpansions 95 Move Your Body
18 The Charlatans Just When You're Thinkin' Things Over
19 The Outhere Brothers Boom Boom Boom
20 The Real McCoy Come And Get Your Love
21 Suggs I'm Only Sleeping / Off On Holiday
22 The Connells 74-'75
23 De'Lacy Hideaway
24 Boyzone So Good
25 Supergrass Alright / Time
26 Alanis Morissette You Oughta Know
27 Ali Campbell Let Your Yeah Be Yeah
28 Echobelly Great Things
29 Scatman John Scatman's World
30 U2 Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me
31 Felix Don't You Want Me
32 Montell Jordan Somethin' 4 Da Honeyz
33 The Shamen Destination Eschaton
34 Bjork Isobel
35 The Levellers Hope Street
36 Radiohead Just
37 Eusebe Summertime Healing
38 ADAM featuring Amy Zombie
39 Edwyn Collins A Girl Like You
40 Happy Clappers Hold On

So many great tracks in this week's chart, it really was a fantastic year for Dance and House remixes. My favourite being number 9 - an instant Michael Jackson classic

Number 16 was the theme to the best TV comedy show show of that year, decade and all time

And finally, number five was one the greatest pop songs of the 90s - absolutely timeless!

All in all it was a pretty fantastic time!

A film by Wade Radford & Jason Impey

RETIRED. EXPIRED. NO LONGER DESIRED!

Wade Radford is NOT your average LGBT filmmaker.

His work is challenging, engaging and always controversial.

Wade, who wrote and starred in ‘Sex Lies & Depravity’ and the gritty prison drama ‘Boys Behind Bars’ is back with his finest work to date.

‘Twink’ tells the story of ‘Quinn’ a former porn star finding it hard to come to terms with his self and the industry he sees as having exploited him. It’s presented in Documentary style with ‘Quinn’ being the topic of a filmmaker’s curious interest in this former porn stars life.

‘Quinn’ appears not to be looking after himself as he tells the filmmaker how his life had descended into a living hell.

Is ‘Quinn’ his own worst enemy? It’s a question put to him in a variety of ways throughout the movie.

Whilst I won’t spoil the movie for those wanting to see it, what I will say is this, ‘Twink’ explores some of the darkest depths of human nature and the reflection we see is an ugly one. Are porn stars damaged people? Are they all this way? The film is raw and unapologetic and for that it deserves considerable merit.

Wade Radford is one of the UK’s most exciting new acting/writing talents and his natural charisma allows him to put across a portrayal of a washed up porn star, as equally disturbing as it is addictive.

If you’re aware of Wade’s previous work then ‘Twink’ will not surprise you but it will delight you, if you’re new to his work this is a great place to start.

To keep an eye on the releases and screenings please check out the films Facebook page at

https://www.facebook.com/twinkthefilm

Review By Andrew Barclay