Movie Review: Unfinished Business - Vince Vaughn be very ashamed

More than just a misfire, this attempt at a rude comedy goes so spectacularly wrong that it actually contradicts its own jokes even as it's telling them. But then it undermines everything as it goes along, for example indulging rampantly in comical cruelty before trying to say something meaningful about the dangers of bullying. The real question is how the cast members could have agreed to make a movie in which they all come across as incoherent idiots.

The story opens as Dan (Vince Vaughn) clashes with his boss Chuck (Sienna Miller) then quits dramatically, taking newly retired Tim (Tom Wilkinson) and airhead newbie Mike (Dave Franco) with him to start a new sales company. But after a year, business isn't good, and the future hinges on making a massive deal with Bill and Jim (Nick Frost and James Marsden). The problem is that Chuck is also bidding for the business, so Dan, Tim and Mike fly off to Maine and then Berlin to seal the deal with a handshake. Impossibly they arrive in Berlin at the same time as Oktoberfest, the marathon, a gay S&M festival and the G8 Summit, with its accompanying anarchist protest. Meanwhile back home, Dan's wife (June Diane Raphael) is having problems with the kids.

Frankly, there is so much going on in this film that it's exhausting. It's as if screenwriter Conrad just threw everything he could think of onto the page and didn't worry if it made even a lick of sense. Every scene feels interrupted by a bit of random chaos that isn't remotely amusing. And despite making a movie that's obsessed with sex, the filmmakers are unable to decide whether they want to make fun of it or are terrified of it (so they end up being both at the same time). Each time something interesting or funny threatens to happen, it's sideswiped by something so breathtakingly bungled that we don't know where to look.

While most of the side characters emerge with their dignity relatively intact, the three central actors are simply inexplicable. Vaughn is an even more smug version of his usual screen persona, Wilkinson is just embarrassing to watch, and Franco's character is too stupid to believe. Then they spend the entire movie teasing and picking on each other before suddenly spouting messages about the dangers of bullying in the social media age. We know that it's possible to make a hilarious movie about Americans acting like morons in Europe (see 2004's EuroTrip). But this is such a disaster that it's likely to vanish without a trace. Except from the worst of the year lists. If you are a glutton for punishment, the trailers above..

Bingley Music Live 2015 announces first headliner

Well our fave Northern fest Bingley Music Live last night announced its first Headliner. Yes, last night, sorry but we were at Lionel Richie in Leeds - more on that later - and there is famously very little signal in the First Direct Arena.

The legendary James have been announced as the first of the headliners at Bingley Music Live 2015

In a double whammy for fans of the festival, not only are the Myrtle Park faithful set to see the return of James, but tickets are to be frozen at last years prices.

An incredible, hay, unbeatable £49 for three days of international acts with the option to pay by instalments for those that are quick off the mark.

This year’s Bingley Music Live will take place on 4th – 6th September. Tickets to see three days of international acts are now on sale at £49 for adult weekend tickets and £34 for child weekend tickets plus booking fee with the option to pay by instalments for those that are quick off the mark. See here for details.

Rumours that we are particularly delighted by James headlining as it means we can leave early and get the train home, meaning a few more scoops are currently unfounded.

Retro Acts - Not what they used to be

When retro isn’t as retro as you hope..
Aka the case of the missing band members

Retro music is big business, the various 70’s and 80’s festival do great business year on year. Inevitably a kind of saturation point arrives as the same artists appear year after year, festival after festival, the search then for new “old” artists has mixed results.

With many band having being inactive or disbanded for many years it’s probably unlikely that the likes of Rewind Festival will pay enough to tempt a band back together again. At best you might get just the lead singer – generally acceptable, sometimes very welcome. This is best illustrated in the case of Tom Bailey, ex Thompson Twins, its so good to see and hear those songs sung again but once the excitement has died down, you recall how visual a band the Thompson Twins and just what Alannah and Joe brought to the band, vocally and visually. Watch Tom singing Doctor Doctor last year



The worst scenario those in increasingly creeping out now.. bands performing under a name but not including the lead singer, or in some cases none of the original members at all.

An example of this flashed across my desk earlier today…a press release asking would I be interested in interviewing Hot Chocolate. Now at Just Music and in this blog we don’t mind a bit of retro so we delved a little deeper…we could chat with the lead singer Kennie Simons..

Now hang on wasn’t the lead singer called Errol Brown, he of shaved head and budgie smuggling trousers, thats him on the left..


This is Kennie Simons here on the right

Not entirely dissimilar are they?, now its not for me to suggest that Mr Simons has been stylised to be a lookalike for Mr Brown, I don’t know but will anyone point it out that it isn’t that silky voiced purveyor of You Sexy Thing.  Would you really know when they trotted out that this wasn’t the singer, wasn’t the voice that featured on all those glorious hits. Are you being conned? Should it be far clearer?

Fact is Errol left the band many years ago. Let’s be honest could you picture any other member of the band? In this case the band are actually, more or less, the actual band, would you know, or even care. The casual observer wants the original vocalist or else it’s just glorified Karaoke. Having seen Hot Chocolate at a couple of events, I would dare to suggest that the crowd were sure it was Errol..

Consider Odyssey – they of Native New Yorker, Going Back To My Roots and Use It Up Wear It Out – are also touring this year and take in the Lets Rocks shows around the country. Admittedly its very unlikely anyone will go to these shows expressly to see Odyssey but were I not to know better I would go and see them as they were classic songs of the era.
See Odyssey singing Looking for a way out..

The only trouble is dear reader that you, your mate and I may as well get up on stage and call ourselves Odyssey because the trio that will have nothing to do with the original hitmakers. Unfortunately original lead singer Lillian Lopez died in 2012 and had retired from music some years prior to that. Instead now it’s some bloke Steve Collazo (some family relation I understand) together with two twins (absolutely no relation).  Since 1990 The Flying Pickets have been performing with no original members in the band. Close your eyes and remember Only You, if you are of an age you can picture a couple of blokes surely, the one with the big sideburns and the big bald bloke…  I contend this does matter. OK Odyssey and The Flying Pickets are not the biggest pulls but would you be happy to go see Go West and find a couple of young dancers performing We Close Our Eyes instead? They do it because they can and because often nobody knows or indeed cares.

Its why you see mostly solo artists on these shows, as long as you have the singer you cant go far wrong. Katrina from Katrina and the waves, Clare Grogans Altered Images, the rest of the bands were after all largely just sleeperblokes (sorry for the mid 90’s reference there).

Occasionally legal issues mean you are alerted to the fact this band may not be the complete package. The Straits (who actually called it a day last summer) performed the music of Dire Straits, the name though tells you something is missing, most of the band in fact but predominantly for audiences sweat banded guitar hero Mark Knopfler. The Straits were one former member and two occasional members but at least you couldn’t say you weren’t warned.

It can also get a bit ridiculous.. two versions of skirt ripping Eurovision bothers Bucks Fizz are on the circuit…one is doing a 70 date tour this year…one isn’t.

Cheryl Baker, Jay Aston, Mike Nolan and Bobby G were Bucks Fizz and they had a stack of hits leaving behind their Euro beginnings. Much has happened since but the net effect is that Baker, Aston and Nolan are essentially Bucks Fizz but have to be called (deep breath...) Cheryl Baker, Mike Nolan, Jay Aston formerly of Bucks Fizz. Just so you aren’t in any doubt.. Poor old Bobby it seems would cut off his nose to spite his face as he toddles around in Bobby G’s Bucks Fizz with his wife and two other revolving door singers.

The split in the UB40 camp and subsequent legal issues sees Ali Campbell, the undisputed voice of the band now being legally obliged to be billed as Ali Campbell - The Legendary Voice of UB40 reunited with Astro and Mickey, two other founding members of the band. Again two versions now battle for space on the bills but frankly, if it don’t say Ali Campbell then you aint going to hear those One In Ten and Red Red Wine vocals. Again clarity provided.

Am I too precious about my music, maybe, but I think, when paying what can be big money for some of these festivals we are entitled to authenticity around what and who are seeing and hearing. Some won’t care as I said early.. some just want to hear the songs, close their eyes and be transported back to their youth. Me, I want more than faceless karaoke.

Big Feastival Announce First Acts

The Big Feastival today announced that Groove Armada will be getting the party started on the opening Friday night.  BRIT Award winning songstress Paloma Faith will be taking over the main stage on Sunday night.  With a whole host of favourites expected to be announced soon including the  Saturday Headline Act, this year’s festival is predicted to be the best yet.


As usual the Big Feastival whas more than its share of culinary talent taking centre stage. Among the top chefs joining Jamie Oliver are Two Star Michelin masters Raymond Blanc, Ashley Palmer-Watts and Nathan Outlaw with the inspirational Monica Galetti and many more.

This year will see the return of Feastival favourites including Adam Henson’s Cotswold Farm Park, Little Dudes’ Den, The Big Top in association with Mini Nom Noms and, of course, Alex James’ Cheese Hub. Brand new for 2015 are the Village Green Games, Weber Grill Academy On Tour and the Healthy Living Zone

We are making The BIg Feastival on of our two festivals of choice, the Northern one announced tomorrow!

Tickets for the Big Feastival available now, here

Paul Whitehouse and David Cummings Interview: Nurse, BBC2

Paul Whitehouse stars in Nurse, a poignant character comedy drama for BBC Two. Whitehouse plays eight different characters whose lives are connected by Liz, an overstretched Community Mental Health Nurse played by Esther Coles.

Nurse is written by Paul Whitehouse and David Cummings with additional material by Esther Coles. Paul and David have collaborated many times in the past on The Fast Show, Down The Line and Happiness.

Nurse is based on the acclaimed BBC Radio 4 series of the same name, which aired in February 2014 and was commissioned for BBC Two shortly after.

This series includes a mixture of returning characters from the radio series, plus many new characters.


Each episode follows Liz as she does her daily rounds visiting the homes of her patients (or 'service users' in today's jargon). The series recounts the humorous, sometimes sad and often frustrating daily interactions with the nurse, whose job is to assess their progress, dispense medication and offer comfort and support. Paul Whitehouse takes on the roles of Liz’s clients or their relatives. With supporting roles from Rosie Cavaliero (Inside No. 9), Simon Day (The Fast Show), Ben Bailey-Smith (Law & Order: UK), Vilma Hollingberry (Psychoville), Colin Hoult (Being Human), Jason Maza (The Hooligan Factory), Cecilia Noble (Waking The Dead).

We caught up with Paul and David to find out a little more about the new show..

What was the idea behind Nurse?
Paul: We wanted to explore the world of a Community Mental Health Nurse with warmth, compassion and humour. Mental health issues touch most people’s lives but there is still something of a taboo around the subject. Mainly we wanted to create memorable characters, that viewers would enjoy, who just happen to require this service. This is a show about people, not about mental health.

What made you come up with the different characters? Some of them are from the radio comedy, and some are brand new, correct?
Paul: Some of the characters even precede the radio version! Graham Downes first came to life on our radio comedy Down The Line. For the TV version of Nurse we have expanded the characters from the radio series and created some brand-new ones. One of the more poignant ones would be Jack, the PTSD soldier.

David: It’s interesting, we spent some time with a community mental health nurse and just spoke to her about her work and her patients. At the moment they are mainly PTSD soldiers.

Paul: She’s at the end of a phone if we need a little bit of advice. It’s a delicate area. But for people who work in community mental health and people who are touched by it, either through their own troubles or those of relatives and friends, actually there’s always some humour in those situations. People find humour in the most difficult of circumstances and if you don’t you’re in trouble really.

Characters such as Graham and Billy, we think the fact they’ve got mental illnesses is almost irrelevant really. They are just people dealing with life who have slightly more severe problems than the rest of us. We like to think they will strike a chord because we are all there or thereabouts. In a way it’s not really about mental health it’s more about the state of the nation or the lives we lead now.

David: It’s a comedy about people, relationships, families. The hook we used to hang it on is the community mental health nurse.

Paul: She’s the line through it, and then me playing the different 'Service Users' or the relatives of the characters who require treatment. The nurse has a sympathetic heart but has to be quite firm with the patients as well. She takes us through it all while trying to deal with problems of her own.

David: I get the impression it’s a job only for people who have a huge amount of empathy because one thing we’ve learnt is many patients don’t really get better, they just learn to cope.

What is the transformation into the characters like?
Paul: I play a variety of characters on this show. To differentiate them from each other, visually, requires prosthetics. The prosthetics on this show are sensational, but they take a hell of a long time to apply. I can’t really complain too much but it takes about two or three hours usually to get it done. The most depressing element is at six o’clock in the morning, knowing I’m going to be stuck in the prosthetics for another 12 hours or so. They're hot, heavy and itchy! But the team are fantastic and I am unrecognisable in some things.

David: I’ve known Paul since we were both 18 and when he was made up to be Maurice I found it actually quite weird speaking to him. It was his voice, his personality but it was coming from a different human being. I was quite spooked.

Paul: I think Esther’s found it a bit like that as well. Obviously having done quite a lot of stuff on the radio looking at each other just doing a voice, you can stop doing the voice anytime but with the prosthetics you can’t just lose the look. She has found it quite disconcerting. And I thought she might. She really is in a room with these people rather than just a version of me.

But, do you like doing characters, is that what you enjoy?
Paul: I love doing them because I do like playing lots of different characters; I’d get bored just playing one role through a drama or a comedy. I like the variety and I think we have always been able to, or always tried to, imbue our comedy with a huge helping of tragedy as well. So I get asked “Wouldn’t you rather do some straight acting?” Well no, not really, I’d rather do some comedy without any jokes in it, which is what we do quite a lot.

Can you talk to us about the writing process and how long it took?
Paul: Yes its quite simple, isn’t it, Dave? You turn up, I’m usually at the café and then I’ll come back and then we go to the café together. Then we slag off other comedians, we have a little moan about women, we slag off other TV shows, we slag off our neighbours, we slag off our families. And then I say I’m nearly done, I have to go now. That’s it, that’s how we write. We sort of built up via the radio, which was a really useful and enjoyable way to build up to the TV series.

David: Gertrude Stein said, “I only write half an hour a day, but what people don’t understand is it takes a really long time to write for half an hour.” And that’s a sort of intellectual way of describing our process.

Paul: Part of it is us sitting around shooting the breeze and talking rubbish, and then you go yeah that’s good, put that in. You’re actually writing even though you think you’re sitting around talking rubbish.

Did it feel good to get your radio comedy made into telly? Was it daunting?
Paul: No, it was always in our minds going to be a TV project. It wasn’t something we did on radio and then it became a TV show. But we had the opportunity to develop the characters and do it on radio first, and I love doing radio, I really enjoy it. Since doing Down The Line, I really love to be able to do radio. It’s much more spontaneous and you can just do something on a whim. Whereas TV is really slow; it’s like an old oil tanker. It has a very slow turning circle, whereas radio is much more dynamic. So it was good to be able to try the characters out and we whittled the material down to cram it into 15 minutes. The advantage of TV is that we can give it a little bit more space and develop Esther’s character as the nurse more.

Liz’s own story is that she's coping with some of the problems of middle-age. It’s like you have to be a superhero where you’re looking after your young children and your aged parents and you feel like you're overwhelmed with responsibilities in life. So I hope we haven’t lumbered her with too many of those, and where we have, we have tried to do it in our usual sort of tragi-comic way.

Is it tricky playing eight characters in one show?
Paul: I don’t know really - I’m sort of used to it. The only thing I’d say is that there are similarities between the characters. They have similar problems and because it’s nominally based in London - it’s not really but we can’t do loads of regional accents because it would be like ‘where’s her jurisdiction?’ So we are slightly constrained by a little sense of reality. I’ve done some of these characters before or versions of them, so I’m just giving them a different perspective. Graham Downes I’ve done before. Rockin’ Ray we do as a kind of shorthand for any old rocker really. He is a man out of time, language courtesy of The Troggs Tapes. We use that language, not just Dave and me but all our circle of friends, we lapse into that all the time. But we developed the character into a slightly lumpen rocker with a higher opinion of his achievements than they merit. Where do they go, those people, when that career is over? Some of them are quite wealthy but they’ve got no life, their heyday is 30 years ago and they just have to regurgitate their two hits over and over. So they take up something like martial arts to fill the void. Reg Presley got a tidal wave of money from Wet Wet Wet’s cover of his song ‘Love Is All Around’ and spent it all on UFO hunting. I don't think he found any.

Is Nurse very different from playing different characters in a sketch show like The Fast Show?
Paul: It is, in that the content is much more intense, I’m always relating to Liz the nurse. So it’s not like I can come on and do a monologue to the camera or a catchphrase and get off. There is an intensity to the scene. So it is very different to doing The Fast Show, not least because there were six of us and I could have a lie down while the others were filming.

Is it good working with Esther again since the radio comedy?
Paul: Esther is a friend of mine. We haven’t known each other many years, but it seems like we have. I personally have got a lot of time for her. It’s lovely having her on the other side of the set. She’s a very funny and warm person and it was nice to use somebody that hasn’t done a lot of TV recently. It was lovely to be able to write for someone people who aren’t tired of. Like me; “oh it’s not him again.”

Imagine Dragons: Smoke and Mirrors Review

It wasn't long ago that if you were asked to name an internationally successful rock band from Las Vegas, the likely answer would have been The Killers. In 2012, Imagine Dragons provided an alternative response, falling just short on both sides of the Atlantic of topping the album charts, but making an impact nonetheless. Indeed, anyone in doubt of their rise to stardom need only glance at their touring schedule - constant until the end of the year, it includes UK arena shows in November.

Opening number 'Shots' is a synth-laden dance-rock tune that hits the target in creating a cross-genre anthem that is clearly intended for arena settings.  Dan Reynolds' vocals are just about manageable without the aid of helium whilst the shimmering guitar parts will not for the last time nod toward the delay effects favoured by The Edge. Setting the bar high, it ultimately proves to be the best thing about this record, a point emphasised when the plodding 'Gold' follows it and saps all momentum. The title track, which shares the name of the record, should be a slow-burning success but ultimately feels soulless, a conclusion which also applies to the likes of 'It Comes Back To You', 'The Fall' and the meandering melodies of 'Hopeless Opus'. On first listen, they seem fine, songs that with a few listens will find a place in your psyche, but they fall flat. The latter in particular ruins some enjoyable guitar playing with some awful hip-hop mixing of vocals that is quite frankly embarrassing.

When the Dragons let their hair down they're a more intriguing prospect, but a reluctance to stray from familiar ground regularly makes these moments very much an exception to the rule. 'I'm So Sorry' ploughs along with a fierce rhythm backing some funky guitar, while the outro really should have been extended. Fans of Mumford & Sons may find 'Trouble' as a good entry point to this band, the elements of country and increased tempo providing a pleasant variation to the general tone of the record. Given the accolades that Imagine Dragons have accumulated for being a premier rock act, this is ultimately a disappointing listen, especially given the promise of the first track.

Brian Wilson - No Pier Pressure Review

Brian Wilson's solo back catalogue has been an impressive re-imagining of the distinctive song writing that catapulted The Beach Boys to success half a century ago. The 72-year-old's eleventh studio recording under his own name does little to change that formula. The thirteen tracks here work hard to embrace the past, re-uniting Wilson with Al Jardine, while introducing more contemporary contributors to the mix. For the most part, it's a successful collection that is unmistakeably Wilson at his laid back best.

The playful album title, 'No Pier Pressure', seems to suggest that Wilson doesn't feel motivated to emulate the latter day triumphs of artists like Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen. Instead, he's content to play in his own sandbox and explore the possibilities of his favoured vocal harmonies. It's a record that manages to simultaneously be full of nostalgia and is musically a world away from pop music in 2015, while embracing some of the most recognisable voices in the charts. It's an interesting approach that doesn't always pay off, but it doesn't detract from the feel-good sun-drenched hallmark sound of Wilson's music.

The duets that really work are those with Kacey Musgraves and Fun. vocalist Nate Ruess. The former called 'Guess You Had To Be There' nods to Mugraves Country roots with the inclusion of a banjo that broadens Wilson's typical Californian sound. It's a weird fusion of two musical styles that works well thanks to the warmth of Wilson's harmonies. Equally, Ruess' lead vocal on 'Saturday Night' emphasises the innocence and teenage sentiment of the lyric. Crucially, both of these collaborations broaden the appeal of 'No Pier Pressure' beyond the nostalgic tone that prevails elsewhere.

While Musgraves and Ruess complement the material, some of the other artists seem more of an awkward fit. While I like Zooey Deschanel's performance for 'On The Island', the Caribbean cabaret vibe seems a little whimsical and feels more like Wilson is contributing to her song, rather than the other way around. This problem is most significantly felt during 'Runaway Dance', which uses Sebu Simonian as a guest vocalist. It's all processed vocals and dance floor beats with a giant pop chorus. It feels completely separate from the rest of the record, but as it's the second track, you're left with a creeping sense of doubt as the album progresses as to whether more oddities in the same vein will follow, thankfully they don't.

In truth, the strongest moments recall Wilson's classic song writing. For example 'Sail Away' brings to mind 'Sloop John B'. While Im unsure about some of the guest contributions, my Mrs reckons its a shame that Lana Del Rey's planned appearance didn't happen on the best track here, 'The Last Song'. It might just have provided the key moment to propel 'No Pier Pressure' into the territory of being an album that defines Wilson's latter-day career. Instead, it's a record that has broad appeal, and a handful of great songs; it's fun, but certainly not essential.