Handbags and glad rags

Sorry, the headline has got nothing to do with what I'm going to say but actually I love that song a lot!

Anyway...

Last night Helsinki played at the Dingwalls for the Hawley Arms fundraiser. Pity that the press today is only focusing on Amy Winehouse's misadventures. The only interesting article I've found is this, from BBC News. "What a good night" sums up Insearchoftheperfectwave from FDW (great name!) "Helsinki were amazing, Drew was lovely and Noel (Fielding) was funny".

Speaking of the tabloidization of British culture, this initiative involving Drew and Carlos and reported by NME.com might sound interesting:

"A new website aiming to reignite political and social debate and tone down the tabloidisation of British culture has won the support of a host of musicians. Dirty Pretty Things' Carl Barat, Babyshambles' Drew McConnell, Kaiser Chiefs' Ricky Wilson and John McClure from Reverend And The Makers have all given their support to Instigate Debate, which launches at V Festival this weekend (August 16/17). The concept of Instigate Debate revolves around a competition - with a particularly unique prize on offer that will see some of Britain's best musicians, including Barat and McClure, performing a unique, one-off gig in the winner's living room. To be in with a chance of winning, organisers are asking people to submit a self-filmed video themselves with a public figure talking about something other than tabloid gossip or self-promotion. "We are asking people not to ask public figures for autographs or film them surreptitiously with their mobile phones," Instigate Debate said in a statement to NME.COM. "But to ask them if they can film, then ask socio/political questions, rather than next album/merchandise/love life stuff." Several bands at this weekend's V Festival are set to publicly announce their support for the project. Instigatedebate.com is set to go live on August 16, and will feature the likes of Barat, McClure, McConnell, Wilson, Alan McGee, Suggs, Jon Snow and George Galloway waxing lyrical about everything from foreign policy to whether money has changed them as people".

All this looks promising enough but I'm also a bit doubtful as to whether it may work or not. I can't help but see flashes of an army of screaming frinkers clutching their weapons (i.e. mobiles) in their hands while struggling with each other in finding the most interesting "socio-political question" to ask poor Carl and Drew so that they can have the two hunks playing together in their bedroom. This would even surpass the most infamous Libertines reunion dream one might have. Well, I don't want to crush your hopes, Carl and Drew, but forgive me if I'm a bit skeptical.