Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) back issues from July 2009:
Out of this world.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Funtime Frankie - PAGE 3 Let's get rocked! ...
PICK OF THE FLICKS 7 TO WATCH.
Jul 05, 2009 ... SUNDAY: Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny (Channel 4, 11.25pm). Another so-so film from Jack Black's patchy film career. He plays rock wannabe JB, who teams up with busker Kyle Gass to form a band. They break into the Rock and Roll History Museum to steal the guitar pick of destiny. There ...
Jack's back; 7 heaven treat of the week.
Jul 05, 2009 ... AN ORDINARY day turns into a nightmare when every single child in the world suddenly stops dead. Then a message is sent to all global governments, with the sinister message: "We are coming." That's the gripping plot of a new Torchwood story, shown every night from Monday. ...
Square-eyed Charlie.
Jul 05, 2009 ... CELEBRITY comedy panel shows are popular with TV producers because they're cheap and easy to make yet usually attract high ratings. That's just the sort of cynical comment critic Charlie Brooker would make - yet now he's hosting just such a show, casting a sardonic eye over the ...
PRINCELY TALK.
Jul 05, 2009 ... HE may be slightly more tactful than his father, but we know Prince Charles isn't slow in speaking his mind. Which is why his thoughts on the key problems facing the world may ...
BBC GOES TO WAR.
Jul 05, 2009 ... MARTIN Jarvis, Doon Mackichan and Lloyd Owen play BBC journalists who arrive in Karibu to cover a small African war in this new comedy drama, ...
PAXO'S POSERS.
Jul 05, 2009 ... JEREMY Paxman is back barking questions in the cerebral quiz. After last year's winners had their prize taken away after it emerged one of the team had graduated, ...
Topical trouble.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: FRANKIE BOYLE WITH the recession, swine flu and terrorist scares, we all need something to laugh at. Thankfully one of TV's funniest and edgiest comedy shows returns this week to cheer us up. Dara O'Briain hosts Mock The Week and is joined by regulars Frankie ...
FOOD 7 TO WATCH.
Jul 05, 2009 ... WHAT TO EAT NOW, BBC2, 8.30pm: Chef and passionate foodie Valentine Warner returns for a second series of his guide to seasonal cooking. Each week Val will be taking us through the very best of summer's ingredients, showing us the food we should be eating now, how it grows and how to cook ...
SPORT 7 TO WATCH.
Jul 05, 2009 ... SUNDAY: Wimbledon (BBC1, 1.30pm). Sue Barker presents coverage of the men's singles final at the All England Club. Andy Roddick dashed dreams of British glory, but can the American stop superman Roger Federer? MONDAY: Live Cycling: Tour de France (Eurosport, 12pm). The tour ...
KATIE OPENS UP.
Jul 05, 2009 ... SHE desperately needs to put her side of the story across, as almost everyone sympathises with her estranged husband Peter Andre. So Katie Price has ...
AS IF BY MAGIC LOOK [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... AS IF BY MAGIC LOOK closely and you'll see this is TV presenter Ben Shephard, dressed as a wizard for a cameo role in the new Harry Potter movie. He goes ...
WITTY WARDS.
Jul 05, 2009 ... BBC4's Grey Expectations season continues with a fly-on-the-wall style comedy devised and written by its cast - Jo Brand, Joanna Scanlan and Vicki ...
CORONATION STREET.
Jul 05, 2009 ... DID Jason really think that David would quietly accept his relationship with Tina? He sent rival Gary Windass to prison, remember, so you can imagine he gets just a little wound up when he finds out who's seeing his ex. Especially as Jason is his brother-in-law. So he reacts in ...
EMMERDALE.
Jul 05, 2009 ... NATASHA and Mark's romantic break has the opposite effect this week. Their kids booked them into a posh hotel so they could spend time together, but they come back ready to announce their divorce. But then Natasha has a change of heart and tells Mark they can get their marriage ...
home & away ADEN [...]; this week.
Jul 05, 2009 ... home & away ADEN thinks the time is right to propose to Belle, and puts down a deposit for a ring, even though he's strapped for cash. Then Lou's boat is sunk, putting him out of a job and worried how he's going to pay for it. When he's approached by dodgy loan shark Clint, he ...
PHIL GLAD TO GO.
Jul 05, 2009 ... PHIL Daniels has voiced what many of us believe about EastEnders - it doesn't do comedy nearly as well as Corrie. He says he's glad his character of ...
IS TINA THE ONE?
Jul 05, 2009 ... AFTER all the problems Corrie's Jason has had with women - recent conquests include his stroppy wife Sarah, mouthy Becky and his own aunt (eww) - let's hope ...
BLONDE V BLONDE.
Jul 05, 2009 ... GET ready for yet more fireworks in Albert Square with the arrival of Danniella Westbrook, who's reprising her role as Sam Mitchell. Rita Simons, who plays Roxy, predicts that ...
Phil's bizarre appeal; eastenders the one to watch.
Jul 05, 2009 ... I'VE said it before and I'll say it again. What on earth is the strange power that Phil Mitchell holds over the women of Albert Square? Personally I can't see anything attractive about this thug, who's forever showing us his failings, from addiction to alcohol to letting down ...
MUCH as I love Master Chef [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... MUCH as I love MasterChef in all its forms, including the current Celebrity version, it doesn't half take itself seriously. With its inspirational music when people get through to the next round, and all the talk of going on "a journey of a lifetime", you'd think they were ...
Halfwits fail to make Big Brother interesting; telly talk.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: roz laws I NEVER thought I'd utter this sentence, but here goes. Isn't Big Brother a waste of time? I'm not saying this as one of those snooty TV critics who think all reality television is junk and unworthy. I actually like most reality programmes and was glued to Big ...
Animal insides; mark evans the big interview.
Jul 05, 2009 ... IT'S a good job that smellyvision hasn't been invented yet, otherwise Mark Evans's new TV series would have viewers swiftly turning off. As it is, audiences need something of a strong stomach to watch Inside Nature's Giants, in which experts dissect an elephant, whale, ...
fiction.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: DIANE PARKES THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH Patrick Gale GALE follows up his highly successful Notes from an Exhibition with this close-knit drama of middle-age possibilities and regrets. It follows the story of Laura and Ben, a couple whose student romance ...
crime.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: DIANE PARKES BLOOD MONEY Maureen Carter IT seems incredible that we are already on the sixth Bev Morriss crime novel from Birmingham writer Maureen Carter. By now those who have followed the chequered career of this forceful detective sergeant know ...
Feeling alone in a new home.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: LORNE JACKSON BEING an immigrant isn't easy. Struggling to understand a strange language; being confronted by suspicious and sometimes hostile faces; having to learn new traditions; adapt to exotic climates. And that's just the wrenching move from ...
Test the mind; Classic Word Games (DS).
Jul 05, 2009 ... Exactly what it says on the tin - classic word games on your DS. Get that grey matter working overtime with this very simple but very enjoyable collection of puzzles for you to tackle on that long and ardous train journey. Classics like Hangman and Crosswords sit next ...
Bricks kicks; Lego Battles (DS).
Jul 05, 2009 ... A real time-strategy game crossed with Lego Space, Pirates and Castle themes as made popular by the toys - it should have disaster written all over it but actually this game works pretty well. Build that army up and go to battle - that's the aim of the game. This aim is ...
Solve the mystery by becoming part of it; Another Code: R - A Journey Into Lost Memories (Wii).
Jul 05, 2009 ... IF YOU are bored with the same old games with the same old challenges and limitations I can strongly recommend this offering from Nintendo. This point-and-click mystery game is the sequel to Another Code: Two Memories which appeared to cult acclaim on the DS. The Wii ...
Games cheats If you can't win, cheat! Sims 3.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Ageing: You can stop your Sims from ageing without cheating. In the options menu simply uncheck the Ageing box. Use the Lifetime slider to slow down the ageing process, making a potentially longer (or shorter) game. Free Items: Anything you buy can be resold on the same day for ...
Jaw breaker; Fight Night Round 4 (360).
Jul 05, 2009 ... I AM a huge fan of the noble art of pugilism and over the years I have played just about every boxing game released. On the whole they have been pretty shoddy. EA revolutionalised the genre with realism of Knockout Kings/Fight Night and Nintendo have nailed the comedy aspect ...
DISNEY BRAVELY ENTERS THE THIRD DIMENSION.
Jul 05, 2009 ... THREE-dimensional experiences are taking over the film experience at cinemas in 2009 and Disney is leading the way in video games by introducing innovative stereoscopic 3-D features in two of its games this summer. G-Force and Toy Story Mania! both feature revolutionary ...
Heritage band show they are playing better live than ever; gig.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: STEVE JOHNSON STEELY DAN NIA, Birmingham REELING in the years they may be, but veterans Donald Fagen and Walter Becker are still capable of the most sublime music. Two years after their last appearance in Birmingham, the revered duo returned with a ...
Pure class from Sedaka; gig.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: ROY GILLARD NEIL SEDAKA Symphony Hall, Birmingham THE statistics are amazing - in 57 years Sedaka has written over 200 songs, recorded 140 of them as singles and made over 60 albums. A packed audience were delighted as the singer, now 70 years old, ...
Lenny shows he ain't over; gig.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: NICK McCARTHY LENNY KRAVITZ Civic Hall, Wolverhampton LENNY Kravitz raised the roof during a one-night stop at Wolverhampton's Civic Hall. Twenty years on from his recently re-released debut album, Let Love Rule, the rock legend treated the crowd ...
Rock royalty.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: ROZ LAWS show of the week WE WILL ROCK YOU Birmingham Hippodrome FOR a moment, I feared we were going to lose two music legends in the space of a week. It could have been nasty when Brian May collided with the drum kit of his Queen bandmate Roger ...
FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Lungs [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... FLORENCE AND THE MACHINE Lungs (Island) PLUCKED from the cuddly, credible world of indie rock and cast into the great music biz hype machine, Florence Welch follows up a string of singles and a Glasto gig with her fulllength album. Early singles Dog Days Are Over and the White ...
DAVID BOWIE VH1 Storytellers (Virgin) [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... DAVID BOWIE VH1 Storytellers (Virgin) FAST becoming the music channel's answer to MTV's Unplugged the Storytellers format is fascinating. Instead of asking stars to reproduce their best-loved songs, VH1 asks them to provide lengthy anecdotes and explanations around them - ...
WHITE DENIM Fits (Full Time Hobby) [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... WHITE DENIM Fits (Full Time Hobby) HAVING skirted the edge of the US indie scene, Texan trio White Denim have managed built a reputation for rowdy, eclectic garage rock. Their second UK album features the abrasive riffs, fierce drums and range of weird and wonderful influences ...
SLOW CLUB Yeah So (Moshi [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... SLOW CLUB Yeah So (Moshi Moshi) TWO precocious pups trading skiffle rhythms, whistled refrains and handclaps, the Sheffield duo's debut is a delightful blend of bittersweet folk-pop and contemporary country. Barnstorming Because We're Dead will inspire hoedowns in bedrooms all ...
ROB THOMAS Cradlesong (Atlantic).
Jul 05, 2009 ... ROB THOMAS Cradlesong (Atlantic) IF you weren't a Matchbox 20 fan, odds are that you first heard frontman Rob Thomas as the voice of global Santana hit Smooth. This solo set is more of the same, eschewing his band's recent rock muscle for undemanding radio-friendly fodder such ...
Workin' on a sunny day.
Jul 05, 2009 ... BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN Hard Rock Calling Hyde Park, London IT WAS as The Boss stumbled on the steps, returning to the stage after a trademark foray into the crowd that he came clean. "Somebody get me an elevator!" he yelled. "I'm f***** g 60!" And, indeed, Springsteen ...
bevan's heaven.
Jul 05, 2009 ... VARIOUS ARTISTS The Hottest BBQ Album (EMI Gold DON'T know about you, but I've already had more barbecues during the past few weeks than the whole of last summer. With a good long range weather forecast of more sunshine to come, here's a 40-track, double-CD of summery ...
ROAD-KINGS Dust & Gasoline (Road-Kings) [...].
Jul 05, 2009 ... ROAD-KINGS Dust & Gasoline (Road-Kings) BIRMINGHAM bikers Fredie Woodley, Jon Dewsbury and Brad Henshaw are seasoned session musicians who now celebrate their love affair with Harley Davidson on a fine blues-rock album. Songs such as Turn It Up and Passing Thru recall laidback ...
album of the week.(Sound recording review)
Jul 05, 2009 ... POPE Tall Tales & Cheap Thrills (Aspop) FORMER Chords frontman Chris Pope and drummer Buddy Ascott return with the most unashamedly feelgood rock-pop album since Pete Wylie's Songs Of Strength And Heartbreak. Hummable hooks and streetwise lyrics ride raw guitar riffs ...
Ice movie runs out of steam; ice age 3: dawn of the dinosaurs (U).
Jul 05, 2009 ... BY THE time it gets to the third movie in a franchise, you need to inject something new to keep audiences watching. In the case of Ice Age, they've introduced a third dimension and a major new character. Unfortunately, neither is entirely successful and don't make up for a ...
OUT NOW DVD.
Jul 05, 2009 ... MARLEY & ME (PG) is the heartwarming and tearjerking tale of journalists John and Jenny Grogan, played by Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston, and their adorable dog Marley. We follow them as the unruly puppy grows into possibly the world's worst dog. The schmaltz level rockets when Jenny has ...
Catch me if you can; public enemies (15).
Jul 05, 2009 ... GIVEN the state of the economy and the part banks played in causing a recession, it's interesting to ponder what the reaction would be to a charming criminal who robbed them of their cash. Would the public idolise this Robin Hood character and even admire him as he evaded the ...
Pick of the day.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Hope Top Gear Springs (8.00pm) On Gil and Ann Marie's wedding, the kiss with Ellie is still playing heavily on the groom's mind and he starts to get cold feet. (8.00pm) The trio try to beat the recession by finding good deals on three cars, and James May meets stunt driver Ken Block ....
Pick of the day.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Torchwood The - Children Supersizers of Earth Eat (9.00pm) New series. Five-part scifi thriller, starring John Barrowman. (9.00pm) Giles Coren and Sue Perkins taste the treats of revolutionary France. Hannah's Inside Killer - Nature's Nowhere to Giants Hide ... ...
Pick of the day.
Jul 05, 2009 ... EastEnders The Wire (7.30pm) After confronting Dawn about her affair, Minty explains the situation to Manda, who fears Garry could attempt suicide if he finds out. Shirley offers Heather drastic advice. (11.20pm) Avon plans a trap for Marlo, the detail tracks the buyer of ...
Pick of the day.
Jul 05, 2009 ... The Richard Taking the Dimbleby Flak Lecture 2009 (10.35pm) Prince Charles delivers a speech. (9.00pm) New series. Comedy drama. An aspiring journalist hopes to get his big break covering a war in Karibu. With Martin Jarvis. Coronation Skins Street (7.30pm) Kevin and Molly's ...
Pick of the day.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Celebrity RHS MasterChef Hampton Court Flower Show 2009 (8.30pm) The winner is decided as the three finalists prepare their best three-course meal for judges John Torode and Gregg Wallace. (9.00pm) James Wong gives the presenters a guided tour. Emmerdale A Place in ...
pub quiz; pot luck.
Jul 05, 2009 ... 1. Born in 1957, which legendary horse won the Cheltenham Gold Cup three times? 2. Who played the title role in Woody Allen's 1977 film Annie Hall? 3. After how many points do players change service in table tennis? 4. On which author's stories was the TV series Tales Of The Unexpected ...
JACKO IN BRUM.
Jul 05, 2009 ... www.sundaymercury.net ...
SHARIA LAW IS HERE! . 22 Islamic courts in Midlands. Gays condemned: . Wives can be ordered to have sex.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: BEN GOLDBY THE Sunday Mercury today reveals the 22 secret Islamic courts handing down sharia law judgements in the Midlands. Muslim clerics are using the tribunals to make rulings which can be backed up by county and high courts. Online sharia ...
Blues boss: We can tame Joey Barton!
Jul 05, 2009 ... VOTED BRITAIN'S ...
Shakespeare with chips.
Jul 05, 2009 ... WILLIAM Shakespeare has just been named Britain's greatest national treasure ... above fish and chips. Think that's impressive? ...
jackson 5.
Jul 05, 2009 ... 1MANCHESTER United have bought Michael Owen. So this is Sir Alex Ferguson's idea of a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo. Aston Villa have nothing to worry about next season in the race for the title. A permanentlycrocked OompaLoompa is a poor swap for the world's ...
Great Scot Murray's left me lost for words.
Jul 05, 2009 ... Byline: LORNE JACKSON IN the words of the movie: "Houston, we have a problem." It's not as though I didn't have a column ready to rocket this week. All my sentences and paragraphs were prepared on the launch pad; the countdown had commenced; smoke billowed from the ...
Man hit by train dies.
Jul 05, 2009 ... A MAN died after he was struck by a train in Birmingham. Emergency crews were called to the railway tracks near Marston Green station, yesterday afternoon ....
Service for swim teen.
Jul 05, 2009 ... FRIENDS of a Worcester teenager who drowned in the River Severn have held a service in his memory. Tony Ballard, 17, had been swimming with friends when he got into difficulty near the city's racecourse on ...
crazy world.
Jul 05, 2009 ... BEIJING, China - A budget airline has applied for permission to sell cut price standing room only tickets. Passengers would stand ...
Tipplers' tuk tuk to end.
Jul 05, 2009 ... AN ASIAN tuk tuk vehicle which ferries revellers between two Bewdley pubs has been ordered off the road. Wyre Forest ...
Demand for public inquiry.
Jul 05, 2009 ... DOCTOR Naseem is holding a public meeting this evening to demand a public inquiry into the bombings on July 7, 2005, which killed 52 people and injured 784, in Britain's worst terrorist attack. The meeting will be attended by controversial anti-war campaigners Tony Gosling and ...