Listened through the new Metallica album a few times more now, and I like it. I've never been a major fan of progressive, 10 minute tracks, which Metallica sticks to - but I guess you have to let Iggy be Iggy and Metallica be Metallica. Anyway, The End Of The Line is one of the better songs I've heard in quite some time - and the album in full is well worth the money.

Bought it at lunchtime, really like it.

Naughty, talk about baiting a trap.

I read the post earlier, yes it will return, the son of Billy. He does however state it will not be used as previous.

He says, he will only use it to drum up support, when needed (lack of vocal support)

I'm sure Billy said in his LET article that he was off to sit in the Riverside with his kids? If it's really son of Billy - does that mean the drum will be in the Riverside??

Let's hope so, so the BBE can get back to singing.

Supermarkets have seen most town butchers off unfortunately Tris. Don't go to any of those for fresh meat. Best butcher by most accounts is Roy Porter at Chatburn but it's a bit of a trek unless you are passing that way. Failing that decent butchers proliferate along the A59 at Samlesbury. Huntleys, Fairfield Farm and George Sharps in Mellor are all good. (btw Huntleys also has a good food hall and a superb fishmonger). Closer to home I'm sure that you'll get good meat at Darwen and Blackburn markets. Farmers markets are usually good but I find em a bit expensive and the Hoghton tower one is only every month or so.

If you want lamb or beef in quantity for the freezer lots of local farmers will supply you and even organic is available locally.

Good hunting

Cheers for that. Was aware of the farm shops, but not the Chatburn and Mellor butchers. Will bear them in mind.

When we moved to Darwen, was thinking we'd support the market. However I'm not convinced, especially by the quality and freshness - I just don't think they have the footfall to shift enough produce.

I went to the fishmonger one Monday at Darwen market for a couple of tuna steaks, they looked crap so I asked what day they'd been delivered - they'd been sat there since the previous Wednesday.

We buy our eggs from a farm just past Blacksnape which are great (and cheap), but unfortunately within a convenient radius for food shopping, Sainsburys beats the market on most other stuff (except bread from local bakers).

Hence the initial question, because I'd rather buy good quality local meat.

Crikey Tris you certainly get about. Have you not got a kitchen in your house yet?

Sunday roast's in theno

Anyone got any views on the best local butchers?

Seeing as we're going down the pubs which do good food route, as well as pure restaurants ...

Great eating pub here - Eagle & Child, Staveley - only an hours drive from Blackburn just off the A591 near Kendal.

Had lunch there yesterday, they do a choice of half a dozen or so mains for just a fiver in addition to the normal menu. Very good.

There are two other great dining pubs within a few minutes of Staveley - The Water Mill at Ings, and Queens Head at Troutbeck.

Eating here next Wednesday night. Any good ? Tris ?

Can't say I've been there I'm afraid ... you'll have to let us know!!

If it's crap then I'll be at an old favourite next Wednesday after the England game - Rajasthan I at Monument - never fails!

Thinking of going to Strada in Manchester this weekend, has anyone been there before?

Went to Strada in London last night (South Bank).

It's OK - would recommend sticking to pizza and pasta dishes though. I have a suspicion that my lamb and my colleague's salmon had arrived at the table via the microwave.

So OK for a work meal, but probably wouldn't take anyone I liked there unless there was nothing else to choose from - and Manchester has so much more to offer.

Who knows and who cares?

I've met him quite a few times, he's a proper nice guy who supports the Rovers with heart and soul, and in his case it appears the health of his joints.

I didn't think the drum helped our support home or away, but then home support for Rovers is quiet and away is lacking in numbers, so it's hard to fault a guy who has spent 20 odd years trying to encourage both to overachieve.

Hope Billy is made to feel welcome in the Riverside - I'd always buy him a pint.

suhkis tris suhkis

Haha - I meant Anaz but typed Akash - and Suhkis is almost as good ... you can't have a bad curry in Darwen

You finished yet?

I could murder a curry

When my best mate moved to the States, we did investigate using the likes of DHL to send his favourite kebab and curry restaurant fare to his front door in New Jersey. It can be done.

I used to work closely with an airfreight provider who specialised in bringing in live Koi Carp from Japan - they were well up for kebab transport. Unfotunately the fish are worth around £500 each, and kebabs/ currys aren't - so it's probably cheaper to fly back to enjoy the curry in situ.

Let me know if you want a quote for an Anaz menu item though - delivered to either Haute Vienne or China

Day 21 for August and, in Darwen, it's now rained on 19 of them. Just thought you'd like to know. I'm bored.....and wet.

When we live somewhere as beautiful as Darwen though CLB, it's great even when it's raining. Agreed it was a bit damp at lunchtime - I went for a run out the back and was running in flowing water on the paths on the moor. It's always a shame when Jubilee tower disappears in the mist.

But then tonight it was clear, the view over to the tower was fabulous and the colours at sunset were stunning.

AC\DC new album and tour soon for the greatest band in history,,,,,,,announce soon apparently.

Good news.

Anyone else going to see REM in Manchester on Sunday?

Keep singing the praises of the Anaz in Darwen, and will do again.

I think it's a great barometer of how good a restaurant is, if it's buzzing on a Sunday night.

We went in there at around 9pm tonight after watching a band in a pub, and it was properly buzzing.

Great food as always, not expensive, I know the Akash and Sukhis are also not bad, but for me the Anaz is streets ahead, and is the best curry restaurant in the area.

Last night at The Crown in Darwen we saw this lot ...

Decadenze

They covered a number of songs by ACDC, Led Zep, Iron Maiden, Guns and Roses, Metallica, and also played some of their own stuff which is far from disappointing. The drummer in particular won't be playing in pubs for too long - he's awesome.

Decadenze playing at The Crown in Darwen again this Sunday at 6pm (next door to Sainsburys).

...

W4000 Tris?

That's the one Den. Watching the U-19 European Champ match between Germany and Bulgaria on ch 412 in full HD and it's amazing! Doesn't look like I need to do anything with the settings at this stage either - certainly not for HD channels.

TV arrived this morning, SkyHD arrived this afternoon.

Very impressed with everything, especially with the TV which has a USB port and shows digital photos at a size and definition I've never seen before.

Also (by tactically moving my old Sky+ box from the lounge to the bedroom last night) ensured that the engineer put in a twin LNB feed upstairs so we have full Sky+ functionality in both rooms now - and the obsolete box is a standard digibox rather than the Sky+.

Cheers for the advice people

And a bit closer to home, last night at The Crown in Darwen we saw this lot ...

Decadenze

They covered a number of songs by ACDC, Led Zep, Iron Maiden, Guns and Roses, Metallica, and also played some of their own stuff which is far from disappointing. The drummer in particular won't be playing in pubs for too long - he's awesome.

As a couple of locals said last night - by far the best band to have played at The Crown. They're playing in Colne tonight, and have gigs in the next few weeks in Great Harwood, Chorley, Burnley (also Liverpool, Blackpool and around Manchester) and will be back in Darwen on August 17th.

Only seen one other band cover rock as well as these - and we ended up booking these Londoners for our wedding reception at Ewood!!

Decadenze are younger and less refined, but they're not far away. Will be seeing them again for sure and would recommend to anyone who enjoys a bit of proper music.

After a reasonable period of HD being available I am now interested in having sky hd installed. My question to those that have it is :- was it worth it or is it all hype? :- would you still have it installed or would you advise me to wait.

FYI I have a 32" Sony Bravia tv and subscribe to the full sky package.

Quick question for people with Sky HD - when they come round with your new HD box, do they also supply a HDMI cable? Or do I need to go and buy one. Cheers ...

Just back from Iron Maiden at Twickenham.

Awesome, totally awesome!!!!

May have a spare ticket for IRON MAIDEN on Saturday week (5th July) at Twickenham - any takers drop me a pm. East stand upper, will be looking down at the stage from the left.

Saw the Charlatans on Thursday night at Kentish Town Forum in London - 6/10.

Their new album isn't quite up to it, but they threw in quite a few of the old favourites.

Finally, I admit to hardly having seen Taylor play (a few times playing for ENgland U19s). But, as ridiculous as it may seem, that's not important to my argument. What is important is that Taylor was rated by Hughes to the extent of receiving a extended contract. He was rated by Glynn Hodges to the extent he was made captain of the reserves with whom he played consistently well for a number of seasons. He was rated by Dario Gradi to the extent they wanted to sign him for a season loan. He impressed Simon Grayson at Blackpool who was keen to purchase him. He had promise and was one of the best reserve players. This fact should've been enough for him to get a chance to back-up the firsts - unless Hughes was going to sign a genuinely superior and valuable left back - but that Bruno Berner is not.

Berner has made nearly 200 appearances at the highest league level in 4 different countries, as well as having 16 international caps. The Premier League is his most demanding environment to date, but he hasn't really made any errors on the few occasions he's been called upon.

In these days where half a million quid is at stake for each league position, I don't see the problem with bringing in a player like Berner as a great insurance policy. He cost next to nowt. It looks as if Olsson will displace him at Rovers as back up to Warnock - but hey that's football.

Taylor is nowhere. That's what you fail to see time and time again when peddling your ridiculous, never ending, circular argument. There are three better options for Rovers for his position, but in the name of sticking to your guns you just keep banging on and on like a stuck record.

I have two further questions. Why are you a Rovers fan, and what do you do yourself to promote youth football in your local area (wherever that might be)?

My belief is, anyone can play DM in a relegation-scuffling 4-5-1, who has basic ability and more importantly, the physical attributes. Could Jon Douglas not come on for 15 minutes with a remit of holding his position in front of the back four? Of course - it is a truly undemanding role.

What a bunch of crap.

Just got tickets for Carter USM with support from EMF at Brixton in November.

Can;t wait

See you there! (Unless my mate's got us tickets for the Birmingham gig instead).

On a slightly different note, we're going to see Bach's St John Passion tonight at Blackburn Cathedral (Renaissance Singers / Baroque Orchestra Canzona). Nowt like a bit of culture (and it's great to be able to see something like this right here in Blackburn).