Author Archives: John S

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About John S

I'm blogging about the things I love: music, sport, culture, London, with some photos to illustrate aspects of our wonderful city. I’ve written a novel called “The Decision”, a futuristic political thriller, and first of a trilogy. I’m also the author of a book on music since the 1970s called “ I Was There - A Musical Journey” and a volume of poetry about youth, “Growin’ Up - Snapshots/ Fragments”. All available on Amazon and Kindle.

Scenes from Berlin – 10

Posted on March 7, 2014 by John S

Who can resist a Hauptbahnhof? Berlin’s new central station…            

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Scenes from Berlin – 09

Posted on March 7, 2014 by John S

The Holocaust Memorial is situated just south of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin. It was opened in 2006, after 17 years of planning and controversy. Above ground it is a vast landscape of concrete blocks, inspired by the Jewish graveyard … Continue reading →

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lovelondonscenes – 47

Posted on March 6, 2014 by John S

I took this photo with my iPhone through the window from an office on Millbank, near the Tate Britain. I like the layers: the tree, the river, Lambeth Bridge and Palace and then the towers of the City and, of … Continue reading →

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lovelondonscenes – 46

Posted on March 4, 2014 by John S

Wembley, Sunday 2 March. The League Cup final. Man City 3 Sunderland 1. Sunderland put up a great fight, but City’s class told in the end. Jon G (big City fan) and I were there courtesy of late tickets from … Continue reading →

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Scenes from Berlin – 08

Posted on March 4, 2014 by John S

The Brandenburg Gate, originally built in 1788-91, in the reign of Friedrich Wilhelm II. At one end of the Unter den Linden boulevard and on the edge of the Tiergarten, Berlin’s central park. It has been the scene of huge … Continue reading →

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Scenes from Berlin – 07

Posted on March 2, 2014 by John S

I had to go and see the “Zoo Station” while in Berlin. It was the opening track of U2’s brilliant album “Achtung Baby”, which was partly recorded in the Hansa studios. I wasn’t expecting much, just maybe some iconic scenes. … Continue reading →

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Have You Heard? – (48) Lenny Kravitz

Posted on February 27, 2014 by John S

I’ve just been writing about Lenny Kravitz for my book on music. His early days. A retro sixties sound but fresh and individual. I first heard him when I was living in Paris in 1989-90 on a fantastic radio station … Continue reading →

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Scenes from Berlin – 06

Posted on February 27, 2014 by John S

Alexanderplatz is the heart of the old East Berlin and still a major transport hub. It is showing its age – the transformation hasn’t reached it yet. The square is pretty bleak. The TV tower lurks nearby. That is one … Continue reading →

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Scenes from Berlin – 05

Posted on February 25, 2014 by John S

The Reichstag, first opened in 1894, and the scene of some momentous occasions in its history, is today again the home of Germany’s national assembly, the Bundestag. In 1991, the Bundestag in Bonn voted – only by 338 to 320 … Continue reading →

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Catfish and the Bottlemen at the Borderline, Soho

Posted on February 25, 2014 by John S

Last year at Latititude my friend Jon caught a band called Catfish and the Bottlemen in the late afternoon. I was somewhere else at the time. He came back saying they were brilliant – really rocked. So tonight we went … Continue reading →

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