UK Watercooler Twenty-Twenty-Twenty-Four Hours To Go: I Wanna Be Sedated

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That's a shame, because I'm sure there's a market for a "A Finance Director Hums The Sex Pistols" CD. Where's K-Tel when you need them?

― C J, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 12:46 (seventeen years ago) link

He was clearly just trying to look "cool" because I namechecked Hawkwind in an email that totally criticised him and his staff.

(I mean, in my defense, that report went to FOUR different people to check before it went to the owner - and not one of them noticed the errors. I ask people to check my work for a reason. Because I am not an accountant, I am a data analyst.)

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 12:51 (seventeen years ago) link

Whenever I come back from a CD buying jaunt, people always make the mistake of asking me what I bought, then shaking their heads in despair because they've seldom heard of my choices.

That's what always happens to me at work too.

― Forest Pines, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 12:52 (seventeen years ago) link

because I namechecked Hawkwind in an email that totally criticised him and his staff.

Yeah, I hate it when that happens.

― Dr.C, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 12:53 (seventeen years ago) link

Sex Pistols songs aren't really designed to be hummed.

― The Wayward Johnny B, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 12:54 (seventeen years ago) link

THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE SEX PISTOLS!!!

It has to do with the Finance Director being a twat. And not just a twat, but a twat obsessed with looking "cool" in front of his staff even though we know he's a golf-playing wanker! Come on, his staff call him MIGHTY MOUSE behind his back.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:00 (seventeen years ago) link

"Golf-playing wanker" is giving me an interesting visual.

― C J, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:03 (seventeen years ago) link

My immediate boss is lovely, she is great. We work really well together. But this guy is ... grrr. Annoying considering that the old FD (the one that hired me) was great. (Ha ha, my colleagues are now discussing how much better the old FD was.) Ah well, small concerns.

Wank-playing golfer, ha ha.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Stop it CJ!

Kate IGGY POP plays golf!

― Dr.C, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:05 (seventeen years ago) link

and Alice Cooper!

― Grandpont Genie, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:07 (seventeen years ago) link

I know. But Iggy Pop is less of a wanker than our FD. I know that's really saying something.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:08 (seventeen years ago) link

his staff call him MIGHTY MOUSE behind his back

be even better if they sang "here he comes to wreck the day" as he approached.

― Grandpont Genie, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:10 (seventeen years ago) link

Bah, still in meetings in belgium, they are going well but I want to leave and be out in the cloudless sunshine. Ed

― Ed, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:37 (seventeen years ago) link

Bah, I wish I were in sunny Belgium. I am rushing to get everything done before I go on holiday, but they keep piling more and more on. Bah. Require hott pictures of Bob Calvert to keep me going.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:40 (seventeen years ago) link

It's clear blue sky and sunny here again. Been like this everyday for over a week now, and here I am stuck in with a cold :(

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 13:50 (seventeen years ago) link

I worry about it being too sunny in Belgium. Surely all the chocolate will melt??

― C J, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:05 (seventeen years ago) link

Do I have to do everything myself? Sigh.

http://www.kadu.demon.co.uk/media/archives/umbrella.jpg

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:09 (seventeen years ago) link

Errr... Ed, can you have James make us some of these?

"I've designed new speakers in chromium boxes which gives us a metallic appearance more in keeping with the group's image," Barnet told me, "And we've painted various areas in apposition to the Pythagorean musical scale."

DO -MARS - RED
RE - SUN - ORANGE
MI - MERCURY - YELLOW
FA - SATURN - GREEN
SO - JUPITER - BLUE
LA - VENUS - INDIGO
TI - MOON - VIOLET

"All the speakers and boxes in that area will be painted those colours and the musicnauts Del, Dik, Simon, Lemmy and Dave will stand in those positions relative to their signs."

Or is that just getting way too far into Spinal Tap territory?

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:11 (seventeen years ago) link

I mean, even my "ooh, I know everything about modern indie music, me!" colleague had never even heard of Secret Machines.

This is one of the strange things about hanging around ILx -- you start think these are the people who like music, and the stuff that people talk about here is what other people are listening to. In fact (I think - correct me if I'm wrong because I live in SOVIET RUSSIA) we are all pretty far ahead of the curve/out on the margins.

― mitya, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:28 (seventeen years ago) link

I bet the russians are still listening to Hawkwind;)

I bet you see lot and lots of Metallica fans, mitya.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:31 (seventeen years ago) link

I dunno. I always think that I'm so far behind, because so many of my friends are music writers and they know *everything* about music, and I know so little compared to them.

But then compared with 12-CD people... except this dude isn't even a 12-CD person! He's a music lover. There's just no intersection at all. Thing is, I've at least heard of most of the bands he listens to - just feel a bit sneery about them.

So I guess we are further out on the curve than I thought.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:34 (seventeen years ago) link

Since when did music writers know anything? *Runs*

What music is this guy into then?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:36 (seventeen years ago) link

(OFF TOPIC: I have an interesting moment from work today that I want to ask one of you in a corporate environement about, but would prefer to post from home, in an hour or two. Actually, does anyone besides Kate work in a corporate environment?)

― mitya, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:41 (seventeen years ago) link

(Yup, but prolly won't be here post-5)

― peteR, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:43 (seventeen years ago) link

i'm in corporate purgatory (although it's quite nice) and will be around for another two hours. now intrigued!

― CharlieNo4, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:46 (seventeen years ago) link

TBH, I think most people here (except Pash and Kerr and Nath and maybe Emsk) work in corporate environments!

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:50 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't know what this all makes me -- I have no idea what Mika sounds like but I know exactly what Thee More Shallows sound like, for example.

― Grandpont Genie, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 14:52 (seventeen years ago) link

I have not heard Mika either.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 15:14 (seventeen years ago) link

Am I missing much?

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 15:40 (seventeen years ago) link

I wouldn't know.

I used to have a penpal called Mika when I was a teenager. I wrote some songs with her, but they were just teenage goth folk type stuff, and I doubt that's what they mean.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 15:42 (seventeen years ago) link

What did everyone vote for on the best band from birmingham poll on ILM?
I voted Black Sabbath.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 15:56 (seventeen years ago) link

Me? dEUS. haha

Mika is the one that does that horrendous Grace Kelly song, right? Urgh! YUCK! B.A.R.F.

― nathalie, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 15:58 (seventeen years ago) link

I was torn between Black Sabbath, Dexys and The Move. But I forgot to vote anyway. The Sabs are worthy winners.

― Dr.C, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:00 (seventeen years ago) link

I don't read ILM much. Especially not threads by Dom "flaming misogynist" Passawhotsit.

The best band in the history of Birmingham was clearly Duran Duran anyway.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:01 (seventeen years ago) link

Blimey, Keith Emerson was once Kate Bait.

http://www.united-mutations.com/n/nice.jpg

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:06 (seventeen years ago) link

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!!

http://www.guitarhero.com/images/KeithEmerson_side.jpg

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:18 (seventeen years ago) link

OK, I'm bored and I've done enough work for the rest of the day. I'm going to post pictures of Keith Emerson's increasingly ridiculous keyboards for the rest of the day...

http://www.britannica.com/psychedelic/images/opsyroc148p1.jpg

WHEN KEYBOARDS ATTACK!!!

http://www.hammond-organ.com/Artist/image_directory/ELP_B_29Acrop_hammond.JPG

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:21 (seventeen years ago) link

Duran Duran was from Birmingham? Didn't know, but if so, then YES probably best band to hail from B.

― nathalie, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:38 (seventeen years ago) link

Were Yes from Birmingham? I thought they were from OUTER SPACE or something. I was just listening to Yes - GIS brought up a picture of Rick Wakeman's amazing keyboard setup so I had to hear it.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:39 (seventeen years ago) link

Oh wait, I just totally misunderstood you. Ha ha ha.

Yes, Duran Duran were from Birmingham. The band Yes were from ~~outer space~~, I mean London.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:40 (seventeen years ago) link

Wait, a minute - Chris Squire was in The Syn? As in the "Created By Clive" Syn?

Whoa small world. I've got to dig out all my Nuggets and Freak Beat comps.

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 16:44 (seventeen years ago) link

Where should I eat in Camden?

Ah, why am I asking here anyway, everyone else has gone home...

― Masonic Boom, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 17:31 (seventeen years ago) link

I work in an entrepreneurial rather than a corporate environment.

― Ed, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 17:51 (seventeen years ago) link

Yes, he was in The Syn. Who knew anyone had ever heard of them.

So anyway, here's my tidbit, although everyone really has gone home now. The issue is basically this. In my company people get paid an annual bonus, usually right around now - once the company has a clear idea of how they've done for the year and therefore how much "profit" they have to distribute. And the way it is usually announced to you is in percentage terms (x% of your salary) at least as far as I understand. In theory, having worked for only part of the year, my bonus would be pro-rated for the time I was there. But:

1. When the time came, my boss gave me an actual number as opposed to a percentage.
2. When the money showed up in the bank, it was exactly that number.

The problem is that this is really out of proportion. Troublingly, but not impossibly so.

Not that I'm going to run out and spend it all, but I guess my question is, How concerned should I be that someone will come up to me next week or next month or next year and say, "Ooops sorry, we just realized that we made a mistake and we'd like our money back. Now." Do mistakes like this one happen? If it is a mistake, can they actually expect to get the money back?

― mitya, Wednesday, 4 April 2007 18:35 (seventeen years ago) link

kate, the country gentleman is for you

― Ed, Thursday, 5 April 2007 06:54 (seventeen years ago) link

Keith Emerson was interviewed on Today on Radio 4 the other year, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the invention of the Moog, and related tales of keyboards so large he needed a stepladder on stage to reach some of the controls.

I am in a mildly corporate environment, but it isn't really very corporate compared to most people on this thread.

― Forest Pines, Thursday, 5 April 2007 08:14 (seventeen years ago) link

I have only heard of The Syn because I was heavily into the mod/freakbeat/garage psych scene in my day. My ex-boyfriend absolutely loved the song "Created By Clive" and used to play it all the time.

re: your bonus. If it is exactly the number that your boss told you, chances are they haven't made a mistake. Then again, part of this department's job is to work out bonuses, and yeah, sometimes they make mistakes and have to take the money back. If you're really concerned, a passing visit to your finance department might not go amiss - couch it in not very obvious terms, like, ask if tax has been taken on the bonus, or if you are responsible for additional tax. That way you can bring the amount to their attention without going OHMIGOD DID YOU REALLY MEAN TO PAY ME THAT MUCH?!?!?!??!?!!!11 - if it's really wrong, someone will hopefully speak up and go "oops, we stuck an extra naught on that" - if it's not wrong, well, be especially nice to finance. They appreciate it, as most people aren't, as they never come to visit unless they're complaining about it.

Oh god, that Country Gentleman is gorgeous. I wonder what the reserve price is.

― Masonic Boom, Thursday, 5 April 2007 09:50 (seventeen years ago) link

ANyway, I am sleepy this morning because despite planning a lie-in, my old boss texted me at 8AM to say happy easter. Nice of her, but still. I could have done with the extra sleep.

My ears are still slightly ringing from last night. Kontakte were really super-amazing-good. They were really LOUD and the sound was ever so slightly DIRTY in a way that really suited them. Sometimes they can err on the side of being slightly too pristine and Germanic, but they really rocked the house down last night.

The other band... Electric Koolaid or whatever they were called. Disappointing, because they ticked so many of my boxes, and I should have loved them, but I just didn't. Despite having EIGHT dirty dronerock boys (one of whose job was simply to Bez out on maracas) they didn't really do much with all that sound. Most of the time it just seemed like a BJM/Dandy Warhols tribute band. Which should have been great, but it just... I dunno. They were very good at what they do, and they were doing a thing I really like, but I'm just sick of tribute bands. But then suddenly on the last song, they seemed to flip out, and started making feedback and odd noises and suddenly turned into a good band. If they'd sounded like THAT the whole set, they would have been my favourite band on earth.

Ah well. It was a fun night. I liked the psychedelic projections, though, that was good.

― Masonic Boom, Thursday, 5 April 2007 09:55 (seventeen years ago) link

I haven't clicked the link but I assume it's not an auction for a husband for Kate.

― Brigadier Lethbridge-Pfunkboy, Thursday, 5 April 2007 09:58 (seventeen years ago) link

No, I'm bidding on this one for my future husband:

http://a778.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/01050/77/79/1050289777_l.jpg

It is the most beautious guitar I have seen in a long time.

I was playing along with "Space Is Deep" on my 12-string this morning. It sounds lovely. We should do a cover of that, I've been saying that for years.

― Masonic Boom, Thursday, 5 April 2007 10:02 (seventeen years ago) link

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