To future memory
Posted by: Massimo Bertola on 03 November 2017
This group of relaxed people is me, Silvia, Hilary and Mr Fish. The pic was taken on the roof of the Duomo in Milano, among tourists and statues, spires and breathtaking panoramas. The sky was blue, the weather perfect and Mr Fish was referring insistently to lunch since some minutes. I post it here as a souvenir from a nice day, and to prove that both HH and me are able to look content.
HH was wearing super shoes; and don't be fooled by this forum – I am a pure stinker, and he's a very nice and witty guy.
Thanks for the visit, H&N, and please come again.
S&M
Well this is nice! 
- I need a holiday too
That's a handsome quartet, the ladies flanked by two forum knights. Thanks for sharing it, Max.
Because I really liked it. If I may dare a silly way of expressing it, Nigel and Hilary work extremely well together, you have a feeling that he's working seriously and cleverly to catch up for the 'borderline' time he's been robbed of, and that she cares with love and discretion that all is ok. And Nigel has brains (not all of it has spilled out in the accident, of course), so the conversation is easy, casual, relaxed and never plain. A good day.
I’ve just found this, only because I sent the picture to Chris M, and he said he’d already seen it, and that this is where it was. We had such a good time in Milano, and Massimo and Silvia are delightful people. We really must do it again.
HH looks younger than I thought from his posts - I presumed mid 50s (my age) but he looks barely 40 in the photo.
I love walking around Milan and the San Siro on game day is special too.
Ray
Glad you had a great visit HH and good memories - friendship and loads of Italian culture.
thebigfredc posted:HH looks younger than I thought from his posts - I presumed mid 50s (my age) but he looks barely 40 in the photo.
Max - you may need to confirm (or correct) the order of names you present. Is that you on the far right or HH?
Seeing pictures of forum members is slightly disconcerting as of course we all have a mental picture in our mind of what someone looks like. I didn't really have an idea of how Hungry Halibut would look in the flesh but I have to say I would never have picked him from a crowd the youngish looking man in that picture looks like a rather benign teacher or social worker when the Hungry Halibut in my mind was more a James Whale type perhaps an angry fishmonger, although if I were being really forensic the the DM shoe, 80's Smiths connection may have been a clue.
Gavin B posted:thebigfredc posted:HH looks younger than I thought from his posts - I presumed mid 50s (my age) but he looks barely 40 in the photo.
Max - you may need to confirm (or correct) the order of names you present. Is that you on the far right or HH?
Massimo is the good looking Italian on the left. I’m the slightly geeky one on the right. BTB’s comment about me looking like a teacher is interesting, as it’s what lots of people say. I sound like a teacher too, so people say.
Hungryhalibut posted:Gavin B posted:thebigfredc posted:HH looks younger than I thought from his posts - I presumed mid 50s (my age) but he looks barely 40 in the photo.
Max - you may need to confirm (or correct) the order of names you present. Is that you on the far right or HH?
Massimo is the good looking Italian on the left. I’m the slightly geeky one on the right. BTB’s comment about me looking like a teacher is interesting, as it’s what lots of people say. I sound like a teacher too, so people say.
Take it as a compliment HH better than looking like a hairy a**** builder. Round these parts a full head of hair (that isn't white) could probably evoke more envy than any Naim system up to and including a statement!!
Things must have changed in Hove since I was last there, which is a few years ago now. If you are passing by on the A27 you must pop in for a cup of builder’s tea, and you’ll see for yourself that I’m nothing like James Whale!!
Gavin B posted:thebigfredc posted:HH looks younger than I thought from his posts - I presumed mid 50s (my age) but he looks barely 40 in the photo.
Max - you may need to confirm (or correct) the order of names you present. Is that you on the far right or HH?
It's Nigel. The clue of the DM shoes, as BTB wrote, was not marginal. I am the one on the far left, looking like I practice how to smile in front of a mirror.
I can imagine HH rocked a quiff to match a young Morrissey back in the day. Complete with National health glasses for sure.
Having watched Morrisey on the Graeme Norton show recently, it reminded me that time is kind to very few of us comparing him with this youthful photo.
He was/is one of my favourite singers, especially his languid vocal style and keen observations on contemporary affairs, but his powers are inevitably on the wane.
Ray
I love that picture of Moz. I saw them in autumn 83 at Leicester Poly, and they were just stunning. And many times after that of course. As time passes, he becomes more a dick, and it’s probably wise that GN didn’t let him speak. The Smiths albums, and Moz’s earlier solo efforts are still superb though. And I’ll give the new album a go, it’s like a duty.
It's probably more a case of Moz, not wanting to speak, he is certainly a talented 'dick' though...
HI Massimo, didn't you pay a visit at the Ricordi store nearby ? probably meaningless for a Brit used with London's shop but you never know.
Regards
Roberto
No need, as I get my music as downloads. I’d rather have lunch.
I – who have never consciously listened to The Smiths – have started to pick something by Morrissey on YouTube. The character is well known to me, but I have somehow always skipped his music. I understand it can be a major loss and a guilt, but I knew nothing. Now I know 'I spent the day in bed'. I plan to learn it and arrange it for myself on the guitar, so that I'll have something to do when I'll too decide to spend the day in bed. So far – unless with high fever – I could never do it.
Find ‘Hand in Glove’ on YouTube if you want to find out what early Smiths were like. There are some Top of the Pops performances I believe. Spent the Day in Bed is a pile of crap compared to The Smiths in their heyday.
Firstly Max The Smiths and Morrissey IMO are two entirely different entities a certain Mr Marr was as much if not more important to the Smiths sound than was Morrissey.
HH there were two TOTP's appearances that absolutely set the playground alight the next morning one was of course Culture Club and Boy Georges androgynous antics and Morrissey dancing around with a bunch flowers in his back pocket.
Although I don't consider myself a big Smiths fan I do own all The Smiths LP's but it is The Queen is Dead that gets played in our house all most as much as any ohther LP I own a stone cold classic.
Hungryhalibut posted:Things must have changed in Hove since I was last there, which is a few years ago now. If you are passing by on the A27 you must pop in for a cup of builder’s tea, and you’ll see for yourself that I’m nothing like James Whale!!
In these parts I meant the forum HH my part of Hove has suffered the double edged sword that is gentrification and has been invaded by lots of trendy 30 something families so lots of hair! Your offer is most kind HH and I may well take you up on it one day and of course extend the same kindness to yourself.
Thanks Bob, and Nigel, I'll do proper research and will learn something new (!). It happened to me this way with a number of artists, whom I knew who they were but never got to familiarize with them until at the end, or after the end, of their careers. The first album I owned and liked of Weather Report was Domino Theory, 13 years after their first one.
My friends in the know said it was leftovers of leftovers, but I still like it. I hope I can catch up with some Smiths before it's too late, although I believe that you really have to be English to fully catch them. Anyway, I can also ask RSCH, who seems to be a serious connoisseur and collector of Smiths memorabilia.
You'll need a record player though, Max. And a liking for chips and gravy :-)