Steve, I’m virtually passing out at the thought of the honey soy chicken flavour, can you send us a bag pleeeeeeeeeeeease, Walkers, eat your heart out or will you try and see off Smiths in Oz as well.
When Golden Wonder first came out, their standard bags from Ozzie Oscrofts local sweetshop cost 3d, but then, the massive 6d bag came out, what a dilema, the extra price was worth 12 Blackjacks!!!
No contest, down the train bridge for the afternoon with the ultimate bag of crisps and me blue plastic water bottle full of orange squash, ecstasy.
I’m concerned about Maynards, I noticed that my packet of wine gums that mother has bought me for Christmas since I was able to walk, didn’t quite live up to expectations this year, whose taken over the major shareholdings, Greene King, Walkers? I wouldn’t be surprised.
While we are on the subject, my youth has just been on a school trip to Washington DC, don’t ask, but my request for a present was simply a Hershey bar. What a let down that was, it’s ‘orrible, tastes like Ex-Lax with a wierd aftertaste, what do you lot think of this mythical chocolate, if the GI’s were handing this stuff out during WW2 I’m surprised they didn’t lose the war, half the population of Europe must have ended up on the toilet, or was that the point, to keep em safe.

Sorry to go off thread, but in relation to the last posting, was it true that when ‘The Right Stuff’ was filmed, circa 1983, no flying F-104’s were available in the USA and an F-104G had to be borrowed off the Luftwaffe, who were on exercise in the US, in order to film Yeagers NF-104 altitude attempt.
Back to Mig-23’s, has one ever flown at an airshow in the UK, I notice a picture of one being escorted by RAF Phantoms in the ‘Smokey Jets’ thread, where was he off to then.
Personally, I’ve seen few former Soviet fighters flying in the UK, the DX Mig 15, a stunning display by Hungarian Mig 21’s at Fairford many years ago, various Mig 29’s, the Russian Knights flying Fulcrums at Finningley and an unforgettable week of Polish Sukhoi air combat affiliation at Coltishall when I was on holiday nearby at the same time.

Sorry about the quality, my missus couldn’t cope with the noise when she took the picture, mind you, nor could anyone else, you should see my video footage go mental when their reheat kicks in.

As far as I’m concerned, Walkers have become the Greene King of the crisp world, they’ve taken over the market, seen off other competitors and their standards have dropped, compare the strange, flowery flavour of their plain crisps to their more naturally manufactured rivals.
I’ve been a self confessed crisp addict since the 50’s when all you could buy were Smiths crisps in red and blue striped boxes like cereal packets, from the Co-op.
Then individual packets in a type of grease proof paper bag came along with the blue twists of salt. Golden Wonder came on the scene in the late 50’s/ early 60’s and I’m sure that they introduced the first added flavours which seemed to taste more like the real thing and less synthetic, I remember one of the first was simply cheese, which really did taste like a good strong cheddar.
Smiths have now retired to Australia, as Steve has mentioned, Golden Wonder have just been relaunched, but I can’t see them making much headway against Walkers relentless and massive advertising budget.
Go into any corner shop, garage or supermarket and you get over run with Walkers products, if thats all there is to buy, then I don’t bother, as I simply don’t like the taste of their crisps.
If you want a really good crisp, try Seabrooks from Bradford, if you can get hold of them, which is difficult south of Yorkshire, especially their flavoured variety, which are really hard to find down here, Waitrose stock them, but the other large supermarket chains tend to hide them away.
Try their web site, that gets round the aviation issue as it features a Stearman!!
Quite frankly, the main supermarket chains tend to produce damn good crisps of their own, though limited in flavour range, funnily enough, the really cheap budget packets, especially the plain variety, are much more in line with the old crisps of the past, I prefer them, especially the Sainsburies plain range which has only just been introduced.
So, I’m sorry Walkers, you may be keeping the economy of Leicester bouyant, but you won’t find any of your new fangled flavours in my pantry, and please stick to football punditry Mr Lineker, stuffing your face with all those crisps will ruin your former sportsmans physique.

Incidentally, the idea of Mildenhall burger flavoured crisps sounds devine, I reckon that Polish sausage flavour would be even better, how about it Seabrooks, shall we start a campaign, or could this be my new career, production of Air Fete flavours for the more discerning at airshows, where’s me chip pan.
”Dear Colonel, please may I scrape out the contents of those rusting former barbecue oil cans that you have piled up in the weapons bunkers…………………………….

And just to correct a misconception; In Mama Mia Brosnan & Streep don’t ‘pretend’ to sing and dance, they have a stab at doing it for themselves. Nobody would dub anything that bad onto a movie.

Moggy

Sorry, I realise that they would be prepared to do themselves an injustice for the money, who wouldn’t.
Don’t get me wrong, if you like musicals, fair enough, I wouldn’t be prepared to critisize anyone for it, I just simply like to avoid them big time, they are simply not on my events list of things to see because they make me feel nauseous, thats my problem, I’ll never change.

I have quite enjoyed the DVD of Mamma Mia recently. I might give that a try live if it is revived.

Moggy

Now this is what I don’t understand, as far as us youths at the time considered things, Abba in the 70’s were the Boyzone of their day, utter contrived rubbish, anyone who started off their careers on Eurovision and all it stood for, wanted putting down as far as we were concerned. I was off seeing John Martyn, The Stones, etc etc, otherwise European music in those days to me was appalling, I was off elsewhere with Little Feat. I wasn’t the only one, as I recall Abba were considered an unpleasant reminder of music industry manipulation as far as us so called champions of ‘proper’ music thought at the time, but then again, many of these friends have changed their tune, I still stick by mine.
I must be wrong, but I still can’t cope with the thought of those grinning, ugly Swedish guys ruling the roost in their day with their contrite music.
I reckon that the best film of all time relating to Abba music has to be ‘Muriels Wedding’, the ultimate put down. Piers Brosnan and Meryl Streep pretending to sing and dance to that stuff just wants to make me puke, it’s not just me, my much younger missus is of the same opinion, but we seem to be in a minority of 2, why? are you suggesting that while you were off buying your Bowie albums Moggy in front of your mates, that you were secretly listening to Abba under the blankets.

‘Tank yoo for de moosik, and geeving eet too mee’………………..no thanks, thank Christ they all fell out.

Quite frankly, I absolutely loath and detest musicals, but most people like them, so I’m obviously the one with a problem, seriously.
I think it dates back to my childhood, my mother and father were keen theatre and show goers, and I was dragged off to the Theatre Royal in Nottingham at every opportunity. Looking back, I was priveleged to see some legendary acts, but it all came to a head when I was booked a ticket to see ‘The Sound of Music’ at the Odeon, I refused to go, I really didn’t want to see Julie Andrews prancing about singing and dancing on a hillside when it would have been more fun seeing the good old Nazis straffed by MH434. Similarly I refused to go and see ‘South Pacific’, despite my mothers insistance that it was a war film and I would enjoy it, light hearted dancing and singing with a threatening Japanese undertone seemed a bit bizarre to me.
My attitude remains the same, I have had no interest whatsoever in the Weber musicals that have been a ‘must see’ in London for years, nobody understands why I hate these productions, including me and my missus, but I have no interest in them whatsoever, I have tried, but failed, to see what they are all about.
Tommy, no way, a Who album, along with Quadraphenia, I refuse to own, I attempted to watch Tommy at the cinema, but it did nothing for me, I have never seen Quadro, Ok, I may be missing out on something, but I know what I like and musicals ain’t on the list.
I’ve really tried, I had a go at Evita on film, but, no, Jonathon Pryce bursting into song at any innapropriate moment made me cringe.
The only genre of musicals that I have any real respect for and would be prepared to, and have watched, are some of the lovely colour Hollywood epics from the 40’s and 50’s, particularly those featuring Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly. I can appreciate the amazing dancing of those two, they really are a class of their own, apart from that, I would sooner clean out a septic tank than go and see Mama Mia.
A little aside here.
Mr Rowell, I know that you are a great admirer of Tony Bennett, there was a superb documentary about him on BBC2, peak time Saturday night, it was a great programme, it featured quite a few glorious colour clips of some Hollywood musicals as well, I hope it’s shown in Oz or try the BBCi website to access it, you’ll love it, I know I take the **** of your love for the man, but I appreciate talent when I see it.
How are you doing by the way, feeling great I hope.

Can’t you contact Sting.