Day 30 Picture 30

Tim McKenna, My brother Tim and me enjoyed a quiet night in with the telly. During 'My Name is Earl' there was some discussion as to which of us was more 'Earl' and which was more 'Randy' as the oldest and sporter of the best facial hair i thought the answer was obvious but Tim might have been able to argue that I am a little fatter... I always thought the Pictish Trail had something of the Randy about him next to king Creosote's Earl but I think I am in a gang of one.

A smile to share, I nearly wet myself when I saw this in the Craggy Island... I mean Lancashire Telegraph. Local News for local people.

Day 29 Picture 29

Rob Cotter, A day out in Manchester... checking out the sights and sounds of this fantastically diverse cultural city... or sitting in a tiny underground bar converted from a public toilet... Once comfortable and furnished with pints in the converted public toilet me and Rob had a great time drinking and talking about music. There was many smiles from Rob at my naive view point that Neil Young is a superior artist to Bob Dylan and many smiles from me that Neil Young is little more than Van Morrison's Trans-Atlantic cousin.

Ashley Chip Shop, Rob and I met Ashley in the Chip Shop at late O'clock, He could not stop smiling, nor in fact could his lovely girlfriend but I had been stuck underground with rob for many hours with just beer as sustenance so I only managed this picture of smiley Ashley with his eyes closed.

*Missed Smile # 64*

Bloody Guy Garvey... In the tiny pub was Guy Garvey and his pal Pete over the course of the afternoon due to a shared love of the occasional cigarette with our pints I found myself in friendly pub chat with a very genial Guy Garvey and caused several smiles and at least one belly laugh. I decided not to take his picture as I am guilty of taking his picture at the Mojo awards earlier this year and to do it twice would be a bit... a bit... a bit stalker.


One from the smile archive... fuck me I have put on some timber since June!!

Day 28 Picture 28

'Lil' Keri Farnsworth, Keri had me over for dinner, she made me and her lovely flatmate Nick a Spanish casserole and I provided some Kir Royale's and a drop of red. The reason I made Keri smile was to do with the fire. Keri made several attempts to light the fire and failed, I used all my boy scout (dodgy festival) skills to resurect the fire and make the evening cosy...

Keri, Nick and I barely had eye brows left such was the intensity of the fire... Very nice evening and a bloody roaring fire.

Day 27 Picture 27

Clare Grimshaw, My brother Tim is responsible for this smile... Tim and Clare got engaged on Christmas day. I think it was because Tim could not think of anything else to get her for Christmas. I think she wanted a PSP or some shoes, he may have overshot a bit *massive wink*

Family Party, I have a reputation in the family for a poorly placed rude 'joke'...

busy kitchen full of family

Auntie Janet- does anybody want a drink, i'm going to stick the ketle on.
Cousin Matt- can I have a sex on the beach

A small amount of laughter

Dominic- can I have a sand in me' knickers

Silence

Dominic- it is like a sex on the beach but more realistic...

Sustained silence

Matt Johnson. 'Uncle' Mick Johnson. Dominic McKenna. Three wiseass monkeys, pretty self explantery really. It was late and we had all had a bit too much to drink.

Day 26 Picture 26

Fergus and Annie McKenna, some people think it is unhealthy for you to live through your children vicariously... sod that! I will not rest until these two have been into space, scored the winning goal in a cup final or played in front of 10,000 people in a credible but huge band. Stage one- I got them guitars for Christmas, before you judge me and think it is all for me any guitar owners who I have visited with the kids will confirm their love of the guitar. They are still at the stage of trying to look good with the guitar, which is very important but at some point we are all going to sit down and learn the guitar together... watch out Mystery Jets I'm coming to get you... I mean we... we are coming to get you.

Day 25 Picture 25

Adam Rogers. Adam is my brother, at the start of July he was killed in a senseless attack on the streets of Blackburn. He was 24 years old and did not have a bad bone in his body. The loss to me and my family has been incredible, it is hard to talk about without falling into cliché but he is in all of our minds an awful lot and we miss him like crazy. We are also in limbo at the moment as we are waiting for the trail in January. Even with all of this, somehow my family has managed to 'do' Christmas. There have been a few sad moments but there have been a great deal of nice moments... a great meal and a lot of love. Annie and Fergus have been brilliant and given the day some kind of focus but everyone has been there and worked hard to make the best Christmas possible. I am very lucky and I am from good people and I am sure we will all get through this but it is not easy but I can report there was a good few smiles today.

http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburn/4475561.Tributes_to_loving_son_Adam_killed_in_Blackburn/

Day 24 Picture 24

Jonnie Common, Jonnie posted me his smile as part of his secret santa package... not that secret Jonnie! I met Jonnie through Fence records, he was in Down The Tiny Steps... a bloody great band. Anyways he sent me a very very cool T-Shirt, a fantastic mix CD and a brilliant smile. Best secret santa ever. He is a gifted songwriter/ musicain/ singer/ furnitre maker... bastard.

www.myspace.com/jonniecommon

Day 23 Picture 23

Matt Johnson, Kate Johnson, Ben Johnson, Becky Johnson, Michael Johnson, Mark Johnson and (Uncle) Mick Johnson... The cousins and one uncle a night out with snow, beers and lots of big smiles. A few missing from the photos, it was a great turn out and a really great night. Good folk.

Day 22 Picture 22

Alex Murphy, Me and Alex went out to watch some Comedy in Farringdon. Things did not go as planned, the addition of the word cabaret the A board outside the venue to the equation made us suspicious. The barman then promised that most of it was improvised and used audience members as part of the act... after a quick peep into the room seeing only 5 people in the room all of them 'acts' we decided to pass. Instead we swapped rude stories, gossip and even the odd joke. I can't remember which 'joke' gave Alex this smile but I would not be able to share it on the internet. Funny night.

Day 21 Picture 21

Paul 'Pablo' Turner, with the help of Adam Ogilvy I managed to get Paul into the James Yorkston gig. The gig was great fun, a couple of people in fancy dress, lots of people enjoying Christmas festivities all gathered around out if the snow to listen to some sad songs. Paul , Adam and Dominic and been on the lash for day's so any smiles were pretty hard to find. Adam not pictured gave me a dead leg for liking James Yorkston's first album more than his later works.

The Rogersons, Fancy dress winners, Pirates and lovely folk... smiles all over.

Day 20 Picture 20

Ben Slade, I won't embarrass my cousin Ben by saying what a nice young man he is turning out to be... despite growing up in Hackney. Instead I will highlight the fact he has really great music taste and is a hit with the ladies... despite being 16. I made him and a few others smile yesterday by cooking a 3 course meal for 12 people round my uncle's house.

Day 18/19 Picture 18/19

James Breton, James, the shy and retiring Katy and a few more of us went round to Jane's house for a late supper on Friday night. Everyone had had busy weeks so it was meant to be a nice gentle Christmas treat. Jane cooked up a storm everyone brought round a nice bottle and things were set for some civility in this crude and over the top time of year. Unfortunately we all seemed to have missed the memo. By twelve we had run out of wine, normally at this point in the evening I blend into the wallpaper and wait for someone much nicer than me to volunteer for the inevitable off licence run. In my quest for smiles I stood up to the mark and not only volunteered but insisted. Twenty minutes later after a journey into the frozen tundra of Hackney I returned laden with 6 bottles of wine and 40 cigs, I returned to many smiles and a brief round of applause. Things at this point did unravel a little as more people joined in the 'relaxed supper' the party, as it had most certainly turned into, carried on into Saturday which is why this post covers two days. The fact of the matter is I had to cancel Saturday and any smiles it may have brought.




Above is selection of smiles from the evening to make up for my slackness on the Saturday.

Amidst all the smiles the worlds newest and easily the best boyband was formed. As yet unnamed the band will be bringing it's own brand of pop, dub-step, indie, alt country and up front techno power ballads to a packed arena near you very soon.

Four things I learned on Friday and Saturday

- I am not 25
- Self mocking humour only works for a limited time
- I am not allowed to describe Jon Hopkins as ambient any more.
- I have some pretty funny and lovely friends.

Day 17 Picture 17

Snow smile, It snowed in London last night while I was out for the works Christmas dinner. There were many smiles during the night but I was far to busy enjoying them all to take pictures. I ended up at the Daily Mail Christmas party but can't provide any photographic evidence. I could have taken a picture of me starting day 18 as proof of a good time but I have sparred you all that sight. On a missed smile note, I helped a lady in a cheese shop in Chiswick as she kept dropping her cheese, I am a model citizen at heart.

Day 16 Picture 16

Meg Greenhorn, I work with Meg to make her smile I (we) hatched the perfect escape plan from a bad party and I also took time out to enjoy her cat cards that she got as her secret santa. ( I am allergic to cats but not cat cards). The party was one we were invited to through work, it was held in a seedy and slightly dilapidated nightclub under a seedy and dilapidated hotel in Earls Court. The music was rubbish and too loud, the free booze situation was shambolic. We escaped to the pub for a couple of nice drinks and then returned to the party without being missed. The music was still rubbish and too loud, but (more importantly) the free booze situation was much less shambolic. I missed the last train home and it took me two and a half hours to get back to Islington... The End.







The main picture of meg is not very good, let's just say I was experiencing technical difficulties.


The Dance floor at 8.30pm


The Dance floor at midnight


Tequila.

Day 15 Picture 15

Annie McKenna, I picked Annie up from school. She wanted to scooter home, I wanted to get the bus. She won out and I got a little bit cold. Another easy smile. To be honest smiles were a bit tricky to come by, Emily and Fergus both have the piggy flu and other than being at work these were the only people I had contact with. I think Emily would have smiled because I did her washing up, shopping and cooked some food, instead she just looked ill and largely asleep... I was tempted to take a picture but this could have been deemed as cruel.

Day 14 Picture 14

Tim Cary, Tim was my boss years ago when we worked for University Of East London Student Union. We have remained friends but don't see each other that often. Last night we went to The Charles Lamb (best local in the world) for some ales and pies. Our conversation managed to cover world politics, parenting, Hawkwind, Sinita, ladies, smoking and of course ale and pies. I am surprised Tim had the energy to raise a smile at the end... we should do that more often. I could have included some tales from old in this post but Tim has more stories on me than I have on him...

Day 13 Picture 13

Ben Clough, I have been Ben's friend since we were boys... I know his dad... blah di bloody blah. Thing is I have not seen him in 3 years, we got mobile numbered up through mutual friends and arranged a lunch date. He lives in the deep south so we arranged to hook up in Greenwich. To get a smile was always going to be hard, because the fact I have managed to get your number after 3 years is the stuff of most peoples nightmares, so I bought Ben Lunch...

We had a massive roast...

on the bank of the river

I then set about ignoring one sign but heeding another...





One last sign to ignore... come on, it is good we don't smoke inside any more... places are much nicer but you can bugger off if I am going to have to find a place outside outside to have a cig (I am giving up in January) but these idiots can still kiss my massive shiny balls


Shiny balls on route to new non shiny home...

BALLS

Day 12 Picture 12

Random Irish Girl, I was Djing last night at the Strongroom... it was a busy night and as is the norm I got loads of people requesting songs. This young lady came up and asked for about twenty songs, I played at least 2 of them 'Tainted Love' and 'Thriller' (which is a great record to end the night on by the way). I didn't manage to take her picture during the night as it is bloody dark in The Strongroom and I was busy looking for all the songs she requested but I did bump into her on the 214 on the way home. The people who asked for Alice In Chains and Cheryl Cole did not leave with smiles but if anybody had wanted to listen to Kids of America by Kim Wilde they would definatly have left with big smiles.


Leah Stuttard and Jussi Tolvi, I have know Leah since we were 17 we may have been boyfriend and girlfriend for a little while when we were young. If you are a fan of medieval music you will no doubt recognise her as she is a very much in demand harpist. She and her lovely fella Jussi popped into The Strongroom to surprise me which was nice. To return the favour I played ' Wish I Was Skinny' by the Boo Radleys which as effectively as any time machine available on the market today transported us both back to being young and being in dodgy Blackburn nightclubs.

The Pictish Trail, I posted this link on the Fence Records forum... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJvGdOC6D1Y it made the young lad Pictish smile, so i asked him to send me his smile all the way from Fife. He said he would not and sent me a picture of his big nosed stunt double instead.

Fergus McKenna, again, sorry. I made Fergus a Ben Ten watch from a loo roll tube... if anyone from Blue Peter reads this, please get in touch.

Day 11 Picture 11

Richard Martin, Today in the office there was a couple of arguments about music. Rob duly started it by putting on the Chipmunk album... it was very bad, but Rob refused to take it off. Later in the day Richard put an album on... I can't actually remember what the album was but I thought it sounded like one thing and young Richard another, we fell out for a brief moment and I called him a 'cloth eared cl**n'... he took it the right way... anyway it turns out you can make some one smile by calling them a rude name. Who would of thought it.

Lina Jamoul, I worked with Lina at UELSU or The University Of East London Student Union. She was the communication officer and I ran the ents and one of the bars. We had previously been comrades in various political adventures when I was still a student. I have a memory that we once had some kind of deal that at some point we would get married... I have a feeling that this deal will not make her brilliant 100 day blog... http://linajamoul100days.blogspot.com/


Fergus McKenna, Emily was not well so she decided not to go out and keep the little ones at hers. Not wanting to miss out on a cuddle from the little ones (and an offer of a stir fry) I popped in on my way home from work. After dinner there was silence from the boy when his name was called so I went to investigate... I found him on his sisters bed wearing her belt around his head like a big gay John Rambo. At first you could argue that I did not cause this smile... that is until I point out that he is his fathers son.