This autobiography tells the tell of McFly. Written in an interview style, Tom Fletcher, Danny Jones, Harry Judd and Dougie Poynter start in their childhood’s and proceed chronologically through the decade that the band has been together (2003-2013).
It’s one of the most honest autobiographies I’ve ever read. It tells-all (well almost!) about the band including: the band nearly ending before it had began because of weed, Tom’s struggles with his mental health and Dougie’s battle with addiction (and how he got into recovery).
The good, the bad and the ugly (not that there’s any ugly) it’s all in Unsaid Things…Our Story. As is how the band celebrated and enjoyed their successes and learned from their failures.
In Unsaid Things…Our Story McFly acknowledge the support from their fans and thank them. There was a suitable amount of glossy photo pages, but more would always be welcome with these attractive guys.
People of my sort of age (late twenties) will get all their references. A good example is growing up we all watched Back to the Future. This film had a huge influence in how the band got it’s name. Want to know more? Buy Unsaid Things…Our Story and find out.
In Unsaid Things…Our Story McFly fans will learn when they wrote which songs, what those songs were originally about and what they feel about their past albums now – looking back.
I enjoyed reading this honest and open book about McFly’s ten year journey. Here’s to the next decade and beyond McFly! Unsaid Things…Our Story by McFly is available to buy on Amazon.
The other weekend Boyfriend-A, his housemates and I visited Manchester Museum. Manchester Museum is on Oxford Road, in the heart of Manchester City Centre and has free entry. It has lots of history to see including (click on any picture for full size image):
Gorgosaurus Skeleton
Gorgosaurus Information Board
Mammoth Skeleton (front)
Mammoth Skeleton (side)
Many vases, bowls, etc. to View
A great Classic Weapons Collection – If there’s ever a zombie apocalypse, I’m looting my weapons from here.
Slavery Chains
My two favourite sections were the Egyptian section and Geology section. In the Egyptian section I was fascinated by the Soul Homes (photo below) and creepy looking mummy (also photographed below):
Egyptian Artefacts
Egyptian Soul Homes
Egyptian Sarcophagus with creepy looking Mummy
In ancient Egypt soul homes were for people who couldn’t afford a tomb to be built. Somewhere for their soul to live during the afterlife. Boyfriend-A couldn’t believe how bad my geography was, after I thought Egypt was in Europe. Apparently it’s in Africa.
We moved on to Geology section, with this rather nice quartz crystal cluster that I wanted to take home:
Geology Section
Geology Section: A Large Quartz Cluster
We finished with the main attraction a complete T-Rex Skeleton:
T-Rex Skeleton
A Random Room-sized Fish Skeleton
There’s lots of history to see at Manchester Museum, but more interactivity e.g. videos/staffed tours would have added to the experience.
Even so we had a great time. If you’ve never been, go and check it out. Oh and it has a good gift shop that is reasonably priced to.
When’s the last time you saw a gay character in a mainstream movie? A while? Recently? Although gay people are under represented in the film world, there are more of us around than you might think.
We’ve put together our list of the top 11 gay characters in mainstream movies. Each one of them is terrific in their own special way. Here’s the list:
11. Dr. Frank-N-Furter – The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Image Credit: Fanpop)
Dr. Frank-N-Further (Tim Curry) from The Rocky Horror Picture Show is technically bisexual. He seemed to prefer men to women, after all he created Rocky, but we also see him get it on with Brad and Janet.
10. Michael Caffrey – Billy Elliott (Image Credit: Great Blus @ Tumblr)
Michael Caffrey (Stuart Wells) comes out in Billy Elliott after warming Billy’s cold hands on his body. It’s brilliantly shot and shows that to Billy, Michael’s friendship is more important than whether he likes boys or girls.
9. Jack Twist – Brokeback Mountain (Image Credit: Fanpop)
Jack Twist’s (Jake Gyllenhaal) journey to self-acceptance is a beautiful one. It’s great to see his character grow in confidence as he accepts his sexuality, even if what happens to him at the end did leave us a bit traumatised.
8. Ennis Del Mar – Brokeback Mountain (Image Credit: Jonathan Hurwitz)
Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) is reluctant to form an emotional connection with Jack in Brokeback Mountain. But after learning about his childhood memories of what he saw done to gay men we could understand why.
Blaine Tuttle (Joshua Jackson) was so brilliantly 90’s gay in Cruel Intentions. Blaine was openly out and self-confident, as well as being mean and sinister.
6. Stuart Dakin – The History Boys (Image Credit: What Else Mode @ Tumblr)
Stuart Dakin (Dominic Cooper) is a sexually confident pupil in The History Boys who tries to seduce his male teacher at the end of the year.
5. Irwin – The History Boys (Image Credit: Ma Vie En L’air @ WordPress)
Irwin (Stephen Campbell) was the Teacher in The History Boys. A geeky character who encourages his students to follow their passion. There’s a spark between him and pupil Stuart Dakin (played by Dominic Cooper above), but Irwin is too afraid of the consequences of acting on his attraction.
We couldn’t resist adding in a picture of Irwin and Stuart together here: (Image Credit: Sinclair_furie)
4. George Downes – My Best Friends Wedding (Image Credit: Omundodoemarco @ Blogspot)
George Downes (Rupert Everett) is best friend to Julianne Potter (Julia Roberts) in Hollywood flick My Best Friend’s Wedding. He’s any openly gay man who charms everyone.
3. Graham Dashwood – The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (Image Credit: Total Film)
Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) is a High Court Judge in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. As a teenager in India he fell in love with a boy. But when the families found out Graham was shipped back to Britain and he never went back. He lived a life as a bachelor until the start of the film where he goes back to India to find his former lover.
2. Armand Goldman – The Birdcage (Image Credit: Screen Used)
1. Albus Dumbledoor – Harry Potter (Image Credit: Fanpop)
Albus Dumbledoor (Richard Harris / Michael Gambon) was Head Teacher of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter books and films. It was never said that he was gay until author J.K Rowling outed him, but his fabulous robes and flare of body language (particularly when Michael Gambon took over playing him) hinted at his sexuality.
So whom have we missed? Who’d make your top list of gay characters in mainstream movies? Comment below or on our Facebook page.
Published by: The Gay UK on Saturday 2nd August 2014.
John Barrowman recently released his Pledge Music fan-funded album You Raise Me Up. It reached #16 in the UK album charts, much better than two of his previous studio albums with record label Sony.
Another Side (2007) Barrowman released with Sony BMG only managed to reach #22 in the UK album chart. Music Music Music (2008) also with Sony barely entered the UK album chart at #35. After this the record label dropped Barrowman. A fan at a convention in the US later asked Barrowman when his next album was coming out. He explained that it wasn’t and the young fan said: ‘We’ll fund it!’
Barrowman when talking about You Raise Me Up said that he felt privileged to make the album and that: ‘I think this is the best album that I’ve ever, ever made.’
Despite dropping to #25 on the UK album charts this week, it seems that Barrowman is having more success with Pledge Music (a site that allows fans to pledge money to artists in exchange for a copy of the album, merchandise and meet and greet opportunities) than he was with the record label.
So does this mean that the Record Labels need to watch out? Comment below.
Published by: The Gay UK on Tuesday 15th July 2014.
