Wednesday 14 May 2014

Existential, Unrequited Love Letter from Salford

I was in Manchester over the past few days, and my friend and I went on a magical musical adventure around the city, seeing some of the significant Mancunian music-related sites. This included a trip to Salford Lads Club (don't you love the fact that it's 'lads' rather than 'boys'?) to strike a heaven-knows-I'm-miserable-now, Smiths-esque pose, inspired by the famous shot in The Queen is Dead album sleeve.

Lisa Marie, May 2014

I think this is the first time I've appeared in my glasses on this blog, which feels somehow appropriate for the Smiths' aesthetic. I don't need them all the time - just for seeing details, like when I'm catching trains, and reading things from a distance, and when I fancy seeing everything in super-sharp focus, which is often the case when I'm going on devoted architectural wanderings...

The Smiths, c. 1986

14 comments:

  1. AAAH, so cool! I like your glasses, as you said, especially for a Smiths-inspired look. I also like the "Lads" in the title ("No men, no boys here! Just lads!") Neat photo recreation!! :D

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    1. Thanks very much! Glad you like my glasses, and glad I'm not the only one who is amused and delighted by the "lads"club.

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  2. yes, love this post, agree, you look cool,
    long live Morrissey!!!!

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    1. Ha ha! Thanks! Shame he's such an arrogant bastard, though!

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  3. I'd totally forgotten the Lads' Club was in Coronation Street! I like your spotty umbrella.

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    1. Yes, that took us by surprise as well - doubled up cultural references. And glad you liked my umbrella - I felt a wee bit soft and southern carrying it around, in all honesty!

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  4. I spot this building from a distance and let out a little squeal every time I come off the motorway from Liverpool but I've never actually visited it. Always wanted to though

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    1. I would be exactly like you if I passed it regularly, letting out unintentional squeals. You should stop one day and get your own posey pic.

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  5. Lovely snaps, as if you were in my neck of the woods hope you had a lovely time x

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    1. Thanks very much. I forgot somehow that it's your neck of the woods. It's a great neck of the woods to be in, I must say. It's been 10 years since I visited Manchester and it was great to be there again, and to enjoy it as much as I did as a 20-year-old!

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  6. Eeek this is amazing!!! What a great photo of you it captures the mood perfectly! I am totally the same with my specs really do need to wear them all the time but what can I say I sometimes prefer the world to be in soft focus!! xx

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    1. Ha ha! Thanks! And my glasses are really weak so I do only need them on occasion, but I can't see the harm in people who need them more than me sometimes going without. As you say, soft focus can be good sometimes, if you've got no need to be sharply focused!

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  7. Fabulous! (or perhaps I should only have chosen that adjective if you were in Liverpool and struck a pose inspired by the Fab Four). I am excited about the Salford Lads Club. Lads. Brilliant! I'm intrigued about their choice of no apostrophe, either before or after the 's'. Couldn't decide? I know sometimes it is the correct way. You look great : ) Black and white works so well. Even if it wasn't to follow the Smiths photo, it gives the best look with your patterns and the background.

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    1. I pondered the same thing about the apostrophe - I would have put it at the end (as I noticed Mondoagogo did above). And I am pleased about how the photo turned out with the black and white, though I was a little sad to strip out the red of the bricks and the blue of my dress! I have more photos I may post at some point...

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