Bastards

Wham Bam Thank You Sam. The street corner was never a lonelier place. Tears stained the swelling cheeks. Bitter words emanating from the tender, split lip. Anger challenged by resignation. The blows returning one by one, tempered by the loss of breath. Headlocks and warlocks. The grim, saddening reality that the soul and the body had been scarred. The glare of the streetlight failed to emerge victorious over the darkness streeling from within. Three into one would never go.

Thanks to K, S, and most of all A, for being there.



Band of the Year: The Arcade Fire, by a country mile. Honorable nod to Franz Ferdinand, Bell X 1, and of course, Transit!

Album of the Year: Funeral

Song of the Year: Rebellion (Lies)

Performance of the Year: Interpol at Oxegen

Villians of the Year: The Frames for becoming what they've become, Bono (not since Stalin walked away with the honors in 1942 has there been a more inappropriate Person of the Year), Mary Kenny, John Banville for dissing television.

Ultimate Soulless Corporate Bile Should Never Have Returned from the Trenches to Destroy The Fabric of Society Award: Who else but James Blunt

Book of the Year: The Rooms by Declan Lynch.

Most Important Time of the Year: 1.30am, April 1st. This old fool has enjoyed every minute since.

And on that enigmatic note(!), Royston bids adieu to Blogland for 2005. It's been one hell of a carousel. Enjoy the mince pies.