Graphic Novel - "King for a Day"

I've been busy over the Christmas break creating snippets of Sin City-style comic art. I had been adding them to the bottom of a post I put up a couple of weeks ago but I think that there are enough of them now to warrant their own post. If I do more, I'll add them in - so check back!

Here we have what looks like the start of a graphic novel called "King for a Day". Don't ask me where it's going...

(Remember that this all started when I spotted a group on Google+ called Sin City Photogs, who use the #SinCityPhotogs tag.)

Developments

Just a quick post to let you know that I've joined the Electric Ukulele Land collective. The agenda is Electric Ukulele, but who knows, we might just topple the odd Government in the process...

If someone can show me how to do Blog Syndication then I might be cleverer about this in the future, but at the moment I will simply be double-posting my uke-related ramblings on both blogs.

So for readers of the Ukulele Blog it should be business as usual. And of course... as you know... I don't just write about banjos...

King Uke ponders ukuleles and electricity

Here are the Electric Ukulele links:

• Electric Ukulele Land website
• Electric Ukulele Land on Google+

How to Fit a Ukulele Pickup

Today's project was to fit a pickup in my £11 Stagg US-10 Ukulele.

My inspiration was a series of posts stuck up by Electric Ukulele Land on the Electric Ukulele Land website. After some words of encouragement and a few pointers from Julian Davies I got onto ebay and ordered the pickup: a UK-2000... from Hong Kong.

It arrived this morning!

Ukulele Chords

I got into an interesting discussion earlier this week with Julian Davies of Electric Ukulele Land. The subject was ukuleles and it wasn't long until we were chewing the fat over the various uke models, tunings and chords. I learnt some great stuff! Here are some highlights... with illustrations...

King Uke - Aloha!

Spaced - Series 1 (1999)

Momma Uke: You do know that you're 10 years behind everyone else?
King Uke: 12 years!

It's a well documented fact that I'm late to most parties. It's a knack I have... my special super power. Hold this thought...

Homage-a-plenty
Spaced, Channel 4 1999

I'm pleased to announce that I have just finished watching the first series of 'Spaced', the British comedy that aired in 1999.

That's only 12 years behind the curve! One of my better attempts!

Sin City Photogs

You may remember my review of "Sin City" earlier this year. I was quite hard on it feeling that it was let down by a poor script. I can be such a toe-rag sometimes! My review wasn't all doom and gloom though; I really liked the visual style of the film with its high contrast and stark minimalist use of colour.

Earlier this week I witnessed the birth of a group on Google+ called Sin City Photogs. It's an area for like-minded individuals to pay homage to the art-style that Frank Miller made famous with Sin City. Visit the page or search on the #SinCityPhotogs tag to see some of the efforts. It's very early days, but already there are some great photos cropping up.

Pen Cap Chew - Secret Santa (2011)

Last year the Pen Cap Chew boys set themselves the crazy challenge of writing a Christmas song... on Christmas Eve. That produced the classic "Message of Christmas". This year, they gave themselves a week and the result is "Secret Santa", the fifth single off the as yet unreleased Dream Theatre album. It's rough and ready and just a little bit different. Be sure to check out the B-Side for a re-recording of "The Message of Christmas".

A Side: Secret Santa

"It was a late-run thing, but Pen Cap Chew have written another Christmas song and they're releasing it as their 5th single off the Dream Theatre album. This time round it's an up-tempo number guaranteed to get the snowmen shakin'. Will it do better in the charts than last year's effort. Only time will tell. Merry Christmas!!!"

King Uke on 2011

2011 has been a busy year for the Ukulele Blog. After a slow start, I gave the site a make-over and acted on my New Year's resolution to try and put together some quality material for you. I gave you bigger and better posts on a kind of regular schedule. Readership is up so I'm guessing that you like what you see! I'll try and keep it up for another year.

Here’s a quick reminder of the highlights…

I Hate Online Scrabble

Scrabble has been ruined!

Sheet Music - "Christmas"

It's getting all Christmassy in chez Uke.  We had our first sprinkling of snow last night. The decorations are up and the kids are counting down the hours to presents. I keep checking under the tree for ukulele-shaped packages. Nothing yet! :-)

Time for my monthly dip into 'the crate'. This time the sheet music covers have a seasonal theme. See how many of these you know the words to...

Silent Night

The Evil Dead 3: Army of Darkness (1992)

Ever been trapped in time, surrounded by evil?

Yeah, me too!

"I could even have been king!"
Evil Dead 3, Renaissance Pictures 1992

If there was ever a final film in the Evil Dead Trilogy, I think that I might just have watched it! Army of Darkness picks up where Evil Dead 2 leaves off with Ash Williams transported back into the past to battle against the Deadites.

What a stupid film...

Evilution (2007)

"Once it's unleashed it can never be stopped!"

It's been a while since I watched anything zombie-related and I figured I'd go with something scary to dust off the cobwebs. I chose Evilution on the basis of the cover. Unfortunately I've caught myself out again! What a fool!

Oh dear, oh dear...

This is as good as it gets
Evilution, Brink 2007

The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle (1939)

I'll admit that I didn't know a great deal about Vernon and Irene Castle before sitting down to watch 'The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle.' (Surely they could have come up with a better name.)

Fred and Ginger mid-flight
The Story of Vernon and Irene Castle, RKO 1939

I may be being unkind, but the Castles seem like the worst kind of Showbiz entrepeneurs, making money out of pretty much anything they could. That reminds me... I really do need to get my Ukulele Blog T-Shirts printed. Get your orders in quick to beat the Christmas rush! :-)

Pen Cap Chew - Sunshine and Rain (2011)

"Sunshine and Rain" was Pen Can Chew's fourth single off the as yet unreleased Dream Theatre album. It's a little bit different to what we have come to expect. Here is a sort of scrapbook to commemorate the release:

A Side: Sunshine and Rain

"Sunshine and Rain is the A-Side of Pen Cap Chew's 4th single. It's an ambitious original song stolen from the yet to be released Dream Theatre album. Being equal parts silence and noise, happiness and sadness, sunshine and rain, this song may not be to all tastes. But if you like your guitar to blow like a hurricane...."