[andy popp]

Neville Drasdo: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/28/neville-drasdo-obituary

I love the picture of the two teenagers about to set out for a route on Skye.

[Oldmanmatt]

Neville Drasdo: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/28/neville-drasdo-obituary

I love the picture of the two teenagers about to set out for a route on Skye.

Seriously inspirational figure.

And what an advert for the Welfare state, had he been born even ten years earlier, that story might never have been written.

[andy popp]

Neville Drasdo: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2019/nov/28/neville-drasdo-obituary

I love the picture of the two teenagers about to set out for a route on Skye.

Seriously inspirational figure.

And what an advert for the Welfare state, had he been born even ten years earlier, that story might never have been written.

I've long had a lot of respect and liking for Harold Drasdo, but it seems Neville had quite the life too.

Brad Gobright; this is clearly a terrible loss of a much loved man, but I also have quite a few conflicted thoughts/feelings on it

[andy popp]

An interesting obituary for someone I'd never heard of.

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2019/dec/05/tony-brooker-obituary

[andy popp]

I've only read Lanark, and that many decades ago, but I'm still moved by news of the death of Alasdair Gray:

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/dec/29/alasdair-gray-influential-scottish-writer-and-artist-dies-aged-85

[Johnny Brown]

Ham-acting scouse charlatan:

[SA Chris]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50752089

I think we missed David Bellamy

[tomtom]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50752089

I think we missed David Bellamy

or didnt... :/

[Andy F]

Neil Peart 
Thank you for everything. You saved a life.

[Falling Down]

RIP Neil.  Thanks for all the music.

[SA Chris]

Terry Jones from Monty Python

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51209197

Hard to think of anyone who has made me laugh so hard so many times. RIP.

[andy popp]

Both "Holy Grail" and "Life of Brian" are still firm favourites in our household - the 13 year is a complete convert.

I saw him give a lecture on some of his historical research when I worked at Royal Holloway. He was very entertaining, as you would expect, but it was also very clear that the academic from the history department took him seriously as a historian.

[mark20]

Loved not only in this country, but around the World, Nicholas Parsons aged 96.
 

[SA Chris]

Kobe Bryant

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/basketball/51258733

barely knew of the guys existence, not being a big follower, but a tragic death.

Christopher Tolkein

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jan/20/christopher-tolkien-obituary

clearly overshadowed by dad, but significant in getting a lot of his work published.

Nicholas Parsons

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51278023

seemed like a decent chap..

[Will Hunt]

Loved not only in this country, but around the World, Nicholas Parsons aged 96.
 

Very sad to see him go. There's not so many nonagenarians who were as sharp and funny as he.

[andy popp]

Loved not only in this country, but around the World

Nicely played, writes a Mrs Trellis of North Wales.

[winhill]

Nicholas Parsons

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-51278023

seemed like a decent chap..

I'm afraid that's repetition.

[cowboyhat]

Kirk Douglas, 103.

a good excuse the re-watch the excellent Paths of Glory.

Or if you haven't seen it; watch Stanley Kubrick direct Kirk Douglas in Paths of Glory.

[SA Chris]

Or Heroes of Telemark, with some very fetching knits on Kirk.

[Falling Down]

Andrew Weatherall (Musician, producer, artist and DJ) - passed away this morning with a pulmonary embolism.  What a loss.. that’s really saddened me.

[Yossarian]

Me too. I didn’t realise he did the Lino / woodcut artwork for the Two Lone Swordsmen albums until I watched this last night...


I was obsessed by Haunted Dancehall. I also remember going on a first proper roadtrip to Verdon in the mid 90s on which, despite having brought a plastic bag filled with new music, we ended up listening to Higher than the Sun over and over and over again. A track that was about 98% Weatherall 2% Primal Scream. I also liked the way he always looked entirely the opposite of any general notion of how a DJ should present himself at all periods in his career.

I’ve just put this on...

[danm]

I'm so gutted. One of those figures who made such a huge body of work across a variety of genres that he never got penned in to a particular scene. Always ready to try something different, not giving a shit about commercial success, and in the process inspiring so many others who achieved greatness. As the tributes flood in, he seems to have been a really good bloke too. I think many people will have had a "moment" or two listening to Screamadelica at some point in their life, but for me I'll never forget one summer when I had his Heavenly Social mix on rinse/repeat. I just couldn't stop playing it even though it was a genre (deep house) that I wasn't particularly in to.

[cheque]

we ended up listening to Higher than the Sun over and over and over again.

A long time ago I shared a  psychedelic experience with a bunch of mates and at some point the CD player was somehow put into repeat mode for what was probably quite a long time with that track playing, immortalising the phrase “Is this still Higher than the Sun?!” 

[Falling Down]

What you guys have all said.  I really loved his music and he has hitting his stride as an artist and curator in recent years.  I went to a great event last year, 'Fullalove' featuring all the writers up for the Gordon Burns prize reading their own work and some Burns.  Weatherall finished the evening with a mesmerising short film/music/reading of Alma Cogan.  He reminds me of Alan Moore a bit, not just in looks but that his art has a genuine magic(k)al creativity to it and both staunch outsiders.

His last two albums, Convenanza and Qualia are both brilliant.  They get played a lot here at home.

[andy popp]

My PhD student was at his last show just last week - he's completely gutted.