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James Morris

@jamesdmorris.bsky.social
323 followers 118 following 95 posts

polling, politics, music, misc other

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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 25/11/2025
Two nights, two sold out gigs in the round. The O2 slightly bigger than the Cockpit, but still each five brilliant musicians playing together, collaborating, creating sounds you haven’t heard before and ones that sound deeply familiar, to tell stories and inspire feeling. Both, unabashed art rock
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 24/11/2025
Last night. Tonight. Tomorrow night. Saturday night. London is an amazing place to live.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 22/11/2025
Wikipedia rabbit hole gold: Scarlet Rivera’s husband played keyboards for Wham #onemorecupofcoffee #clubtropicana
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
Saw The Producers last night. One deeply funny idea brought to life through lots of superbly executed but quite basic ideas.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 13/10/2025
Fair play to the picture editor for finding an image to summarise their reaction after mentally reconciling the second part of this sentence with the opening.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 24/09/2025
John Zorn at the Vanguard. He’s an absolute genius. Klezmer, Blues, Eric Dolphy whoknowswhatness. Incredible band. And a tight, hugely enjoyable 60min set. Nothing better.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
Andrea Berta bringing a new approach to making Arsenal players available
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 16/07/2025
Saw my third Eugene O’Neill play at the weekend - A Moon for the Misbegotten at the Almeida. Powerful about how people become trapped economically, socially and psychologically. Michael Shannon’s performance was stunning: fragile and forceful, decrepit but dashing. There a handful of tickets left.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 28/06/2025
Had tickets to see Beth Gibbons last night at the Roundhouse but gave them up to take my youngest to her first gig*; so watching her Glasto set now on TV. Sad to miss this tour - looks brilliant. *Olivia Rodrigo, Hyde Park, genuinely good, great band and top tunes. Will go down a storm tomorrow.
Olivia Rodrigo on stage - two huge screens at the side
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
Big big day in American politics as Dems learn it is good to come across like a human, appear in the media people actually watch and say you’ll do something about issues they care about.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
Yeah Yeah Yeahs at the spectacular Royal Albert Hall - even made use of the organ. Totally different to their full on 2022 gig in Brixton - pared back, intimate, less synth, more acoustic guitar. But still 100% them, continuing to try different things and push themselves even in their 25th year.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
Lots of insightful stuff out there now. This is really informative esp re timeline. “Fordow could convert Iran’s entire stock of high enriched uranium — assessed to be 408kg by IAEA inspectors in May — to produce in just three weeks enough weapons grade uranium to make nine nuclear weapons.”
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 15/06/2025
Leaving the gig during their last Brixton residency, I wished I could go back. Three years later @lcdsoundsystem.bsky.social booked another stand & I got my chance. Exhilarating enveloping live sound - the drop in Tribulations, the sonic variation in Losing my Edge, the euphoria of All My Friends
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Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 08/06/2025
The dangerous decline of child vaccination in England. Such a worrying trend at several levels.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
Iggy at Ally Pally last night. He’s got great songs, including on the new album, and the only hint at his age came in the box he left the stage in. The Stooges tracks sound huge now, must have been extraordinary back then.
Iggy Pop (singing), Nick Zinner (guitar) and Ale Campos (more guitar) on stageIggy with Ale Campos in the backgroundIggy stepping into a coffin that is propped vertically on stage
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 23/05/2025
2% of US electricity goes on Bitcoin ‘mining’ www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
The Bitcoin hum that is unsettling Trump’s MAGA heartlands
Trump has said he wants to turn the US into the crypto-mining capital of the world - but that has real-world implications for many of his core voters
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 17/05/2025
This was a great listen. Somehow both warm and forensic. Thanks @kirkhamilton.com podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...
podcasts.apple.com
"Heart of Glass" by Blondie–Strong Songs – Apple Podcasts
Podcast Episode · Strong Songs · 03/05/2024 · 56m
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
Very 90s night out at the Donmar Warehouse, watching Patrick Marber’s debut play be treated like a period drama. Somewhat amusing, highly engaging, ensemble piece where everyone is flawed in totally expected but nevertheless meaningful ways. Brilliantly staged in such a tiny theatre.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 02/05/2025
Sad to see many brilliant brilliant musicians self-righteously try to use their cultural power to silence decent activists who oppose support for violence against civilians - whether MPs or attendees of the Nova festival. It’s easy to oppose Israel/Tories without chanting for Hamas/murder.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Reporting focuses on the apology bit of this statement but chiefly it’s a conspiracy theory about the ‘establishment’ plus lawyered words (‘have never’). There’s an easy way to avoid being seen to support murderers & terrorists - don’t chant in support. Plenty of pro Palestine activists manage that.
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Henry Mance @henrymance.ft.com · 16/04/2025
"the Israeli government instead chose to break the ceasefire... Israel’s soul is being ripped out and we, members of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, fear for the future of the Israel we love" A brave letter: www.ft.com/content/6a50...
ft.com
Letter: As British Jews we can no longer stay silent on the war in Gaza
From Harriett Goldenberg, Baron Frankal, Sophie Hasenson, Robert Stone and others
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 31/03/2025
Last time I went to Wembley Arena, Radiohead were touring OK Computer. Next time, it will be My Bloody Valentine. Bit surprised it’s in an arena but very exciting all the same.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 27/03/2025
What a treat the Bertha Dochouse is. A screen devoted to docs at the beautiful Brunswick centre cinema. Saw Dig! for the first time there on Tues. Great film about art, friendship, delusion and economics. Seeing the struggle, jealousy & conflict made Feb’s Brixton gig even more joyful in retrospect.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 15/03/2025
Max Cooper at the Roundhouse was all about huge visuals and huge sound but for most of it I felt like Id wandered into a screensaver convention where the conference manager had figured out how to train an LLM on Insides by Orbital. I liked the Squarepushery and Swervey bits but all too retro for me
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
Tbh I didn’t know there was a big need for workwear for children any more
Photo of shop selling workwear (yellow vests, boiler suits, etc); with a range for adults and one for kids
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 02/03/2025
Jack White at the Troxy. A rolling sprint, rooted in blues and bringing the peak of Jonny Guitar rock; stitched together as perfectly as an uber produced stadium boring mega tour, but played with no set list. Firecracking energy without a pause.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 24/02/2025
Uplifting view from the office earlier
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 22/02/2025
Three guys being released today were kidnapped in the early hours of the morning from a music festival and kept hostage for over a year. Others were also dragged off, assaulted, murdered. I’d have thought more people in the music industry might have said a bit about that.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 31/01/2025
The BBC can today exclusively reveal the faith of the pontiff
BBC news article. Headline ‘Prince Andrew’s Newsnight interview was ‘ill advised’, aide told alleged spy’
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 19/01/2025
In London yesterday the anger was aimed at Bibi. And he deserves it. But the war wouldn’t have happened without 10/7 - described by Hamas this week as ‘a source of pride’. @markurban.bsky.social interesting on views in Gaza, a world away from Corbynite zeitgeist. www.thetimes.com/article/de40...
An excerpt from the article linked to: In November Professor Salman al-Dayah, former dean of sharia school at Islamic University in Gaza, issued a fatwa, or religious opinion, condemning the group for the October 7 attack, arguing it should not have gone ahead because of its likely consequences for Palestinians. He added that Hamas had failed in its obligations "of) keeping fighters away from the homes of defenceless [Palestinian] civilians and their shelters and providing security and safety as much as possible in the various aspects of life".
In the first weeks of the war Moussa Abu Marzouk, a Hamas politburo member, noted that the group's tunnels were built to ensure the survival of its own fighters whereas the protection of civilians was not their responsibility. Months later in communications over a possible hostage deal, Yahya Sinwar, architect of the October 7 attacks went further, describing the loss of Palestinian civilians as a "necessary sacrifice”An excerpt from the article linked to: Just as there will be an eventual reckoning for Binyamin Netanyahu and the disastrous mistakes that allowed Hamas to succeed with the opening phase of its attack, as well as the times when he appeared to sabotage the chances of a ceasefire, so the Islamic movement in Gaza will face many questions as the peace plan takes hold. It is evident that support for Hamas has fallen during the past 15 months.
Polling, done remotely by phone, is problematic. But a survey done by Arab World for Research and Development last month suggested that just 16 per cent of Gazans would vote for Hamas if there were elections to the Palestinian parliament.
What nearly half of Palestinians want now, apparently, is a national unity government that would include some prominent Islamist Gazans, technocrats, as well as those parties committed to a two-state solution with Israel.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 17/01/2025
Does anyone understand remastering? I recently listened to the remastered Blue Lines and it sounds way better. I thought maybe they couldn’t afford studio time in the 90s. But now listening to the remastered Time Out of Mind and it sounds amazing and that is not a budget thing. So what’s going on?
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
“If classic surrealists celebrated irrationality and sought to liberate the fantastic in the everyday, Mr. Lynch employed the ordinary as a shield to ward off the irrational.”
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
The second time I watched Twin Peaks was at uni. We lived on the top floor of, basically, a castle (weird university) and watching the final episode in the Black Lodge, a storm was so fierce it flipped a window open and a huge torrent slammed onto the table. It was 3am and perfect. RIP David Lynch
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Paula Surridge @psurridge.bsky.social · 07/01/2025
Worth drawing attention to the table in this piece - it is absolutely the case Labour faces a 2nd placed Reform in 89 seats but in most of those they are a long way behind Labour, and still behind Labour if you give them all the Conservative vote in those seats as well.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 05/01/2025
A twelfth night celebration outside The Globe
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 29/12/2024
Listening to Kurt Vile, whose name is not a stage name but his actual name; having watched Home Alone directed by Christopher Columbus whose name is not a stage name but his actual name
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Adam Drummond @adamdrummond.bsky.social · 23/12/2024
Amazing thread about the Quiet Batpeople that rendered building impossible in so many places
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 04/12/2024
One thing I really like about this Arsenal team is that they all work really hard, and the best players work hardest of all. No preening.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 01/12/2024
Hearing Brand is changing his first name to Russelll in solidarity
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Post election, people wanted a bit of that hopey changey stuff. Instead they got loads of pessimism and stuff about free clothes. The copy-Osborne strategy clearly failed.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 24/11/2024
@jonnelledge.bsky.social thought you’d appreciate the design of the seats on the Lisbon metro
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
You might not expect an article about an NFL team to provide useful insight into foreign policy, but it contains a great quote from the likely next US Ambassador to the UK: “you know, thinking is overrated.” www.nytimes.com/athletic/593...
nytimes.com
Why Joe Douglas never stood a chance as Jets GM
As owner Woody Johnson took on a bigger role running the Jets, the writing was on the wall.
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Alan Beattie @alanbeattie.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
I wrote a screed about ag subsidies once and got a cross email from a farmer going "you don't know what it's like, it's so difficult, next time I'm in London I'll tell you how hard farming is". Met in his private club just off Whitehall, so posh I had to borrow a tie from reception. True story.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 15/11/2024
Bizarre pushback from a ‘senior figure’ in this. Apparently, it’s fine to assess kids on multiple dimensions and boil each down to a grade. But doing the same for schools is ‘punitive’. Maybe Ofsted should write poems? Ofsted proposes assessing schools on 10 areas of performance on.ft.com/40LrMWX
on.ft.com
Ofsted proposes assessing schools on 10 areas of performance
System would replace old single-word assessments of overall standards
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 12/11/2024
There is something a bit malevolent about the media obsession with Sue Gray’s career turns. Like she threw the bums a dime in her prime.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 06/11/2024
Anyone surprised that polling error was systematic rather than just random is reading too many stats books and not enough political history. When it comes ti the horse race all polls should be trusted to do is tell us which neighbourhood we’re in; not which house.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 05/11/2024
There is no such thing as ‘the will of the people’. An American electorate that picks Kamala over Trump by even a few points isn’t that different from one that does the opposite. Butterfly effect scale consequences from small differences.
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James Morris @jamesdmorris.bsky.social · 06/11/2024
There will be lots of read across from US results to UK politics, so worth remembering how very different the age profile looks. Here, Tories got almost double the Labour share among over 65s; there it was a tie (if the exit poll data is okay)
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Gavin Kelly @gavin-kelly.bsky.social · 05/11/2024
Well worth reading @timleunig.bsky.social on why the old IHT rules were so bad for family farms & why the government is right to reform them. timleunig.substack.com/p/how-to-pre...
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