Life is absurd. You must either laugh at it or go mad.

I am pinning this post, because it has come to my attention over the past month that I’ve been informed that there are people who took my scanned pics to post on X (fka Twitter) and didn’t credit me. Particularly, it was from a Blur fan and a couple of Coldplay fans.

Specifically, here are their usernames, their posts which they’ve posted my scans, and my own posts to as the source:

Blur - coxonauts (My scanned pic of Graham Coxon and coxonauts’ post that appeared 2 days later)

COLDPLAY

Exclusive interview with NME's 2016 Godlike Geniuses

Coldplay on the front cover of NME AWARDS SPECIAL (February 19th, 2016)

’CHUTING STARS!

Coldplay

Parachutes (Parlophone)

It’s all a question of what you want from your rock stars. The criticism most often levelled at Coldplay (certainly round these parts) is that they will never be the saviours of rock’n’roll. They will never cause front-page tabloid sensation and they really like their parents. Frankly, they’re more likely to enjoy a nice cup of tea in front of the TV than throw it out the window.

But, hang on. Weren’t Oasis everything we could want from a rock band once? They fought, had rock star girlfriends, slagged people off and wanted loads of cash to blow on stupid houses. Fine, but those are exactly the things that have made them an embarrassment; an endless, dull cocaine comedown. Remember the disappointment you felt after ‘Be Here Now’? Coldplay will never let you down like that.

Like Travis before them, Coldplay care about what really counts. ‘Parachutes’ is all that matters in the world to singer Chris Martin. It only takes one listen to realise how he has poured every thought, every feeling he’s had in the last two years into this record. With the focus so much on Chris’ voice here, it’s like reading one long, intimate love letter.

Indeed, for all Chris’ perceived mildness, there’s nothing half-hearted about some moments here, moments which indicate there’s more to him than anyone knows. For a man in his early 20s, the mind boggles over the tragic air of his love life; the number of feelings gone unrequited, the number of loves pined for. The band’s biggest hit so far, ‘Shiver’, is a heart-rending case in point, its first line saying it all (“So I look in your direction, but you pay me no attention”). It’s powerful because its sentiment is so simple. And, let’s face it, so easy for everyone to comprehend.

Again, in the devotional ‘Yellow’ (“For you, I bleed myself dry”, no less) or the gorgeous regret of ‘Trouble’ (“I never meant to do you harm”), it’s the force of feeling which counts. That’s what brings the entirely favourable comparisons to Jeff Buckley, The Verve, even Radiohead. But it’s far gentler than anything the latter have ever done. Unlike Thom Yorke, Chris exists in a place we can almost understand. A place that Fran Healy might have passed through, but is too happy with his girlfriend to really remember.

All told, it’s incredible this is a debut album. Accomplished, yet subtle, it works perfectly as a whole in a way all the production skills in the world couldn’t replicate. Forget trashing rooms and rent-a-quotes, just listen. This really is all that matters.

Let it be that simple for once. (9)

Siobhan Grogan