"Rumble in Brighton" by Stray Cats

Birthday wishes go out today to Slim Jim Phantom, drummer for the American neo-rockabilly act Stray Cats, whose 1981 song Rumble in Brighton was soon over-shadowed by the huge fame the band would garner the following year with such hits as Rock This Town and Stray Cat Strut - not to mention 1983's pervo classic (She's) Sexy + 17*.

Rumble in Brighton appeared on the band's self-titled debut album, re-released the following year in the US as Built for Speed; it refers to a period of civil unrest between mods and rockers beginning in 1964 and continuing well into the Thatcher Era, at which time the Iron Lady gave the two sides a common enemy. The conflict is best documented in the 1974 film Quadrophenia, which starred members of The Who and was based on the 1973 album of the same name.

Phantom briefly courted the tabloid limelight in 1984 when he married famed movie strumpet Britt Ekland; their marriage ended in 1992, having resulted in the 1988 birth of their son T. J.

*The title of which looks too much like an algebra equation for my liking...
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Spring Photo Essay: Tulips

This is the time of year when Vancouver enters into its greatest period of floral profusion. Over the next two months there will be daffodils and crocuses, even grape hyacinths will linger in some sheltered places; meanwhile, cherry and apple blossoms fill the air with both colour and perfume as rhododendrons begin their season, and everywhere else there are tulips.

Even the dandelions have begun to run riot. It's crazy, not to mention crazy beautiful.

So why not celebrate springtime? This is my longest photo essay to date - nine images! - all of tulips. I must warn you, though, I break the rules. The standard rule of photography is to never show an even number of things in a picture. This despite the fact that springtime is all about pairings. Since I never met a rule I didn't want to break, a pair of these pictures even feature a pair of tulips! If seeing the rules broken bothers you, I just have one question: what the Hell are you doing here?

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Pop History Moment: Princess Anne Foils Own Kidnapping

On this day in 1974 Princess Anne and her new husband Captain Mark Phillips escaped an attempted kidnapping unharmed while returning to Buckingham Palace from a charity film screening; it remains the only attempted royal abduction in modern times, and resulted in increased security around the royals.

In all, four people were hurt in the attack, which took place in The Mall; the Princess' Personal Protection Officer Inspector James Beaton was most seriously injured, having been shot in the head and chest. He'd been the first to respond when the royal car was forced to stop by a light-coloured Ford Escort. The driver of the limousine and long-time member of the royal household, Alex Callender, was also shot early in the attack.

A journalist named Brian McConnell happened upon the scene and he too was shot, which is when the assailant, a mentally unstable man named Ian Ball ordered Her Royal Highness out of the car. 'Not bloody likely!' she is said to have exclaimed as she dove out of the opposite side; she was then escorted from the scene by another passerby named Ron Russell, but only after he'd punched Ball in the back of the head. One police officer named Michael Hills attempted to arrest the assailant, but was shot; as Ball tried to flee the scene another officer, Peter Edmonds, gave chase and managed to capture him without incident. The Princess' Lady-in-Waiting Rowena Brassey was also present; history does not record any action or reaction on the part of Mark Phillips.

Beaton was awarded the George Cross for his heroism; Alex Callender, Brian McConnell, Ron Russell, PC Michael Hills, and DC Peter Edmonds were all awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal. Ian Ball was sent to Broadmoor Hospital, where he remains to this day, maintaining his innocence via his own website, despite the fact that a note demanding £3 million in ransom was found in his car. In 2006 Granada Television produced a docu-drama entitled To Kidnap a Princess - directed by John Alexander - which related the events of this incident.
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Now Showing - "The Ballad of John and Yoko"

Released by The Beatles in May 1969 - just two months after the marriage of its protagonists - The Ballad of John and Yoko tells the story of the affair and marriage of John Lennon and Yoko Ono leading up to and including their famous Bed-In at the Amsterdam Hilton during their honeymoon. Recorded without the benefit of George Harrison or Ringo Starr*, its pared down sound is the perfect showcase for Lennon's other important partnership at the time, namely the one he shared with Paul McCartney.

A true single, the song was released as such immediately before recording commenced on the band's legendary Abbey Road album; it was later released as part of the album Past Masters, Volume Two (1967-1970), as well as on the latter-day smash compilation 1.

*Harrison was on holiday and Starr was filming The Magic Christian.
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