London Deja Vue: Pink Floyd, Pink Pigs Flying Over a 7th Wonder of London
Dec 13th, 2007, 06:29 AM
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London Deja Vue: Pink Floyd, Pink Pigs Flying Over a 7th Wonder of London
Ah things that make any day in London so intriguing - yesterday, as reported on Keith Obermann's Oddball segment on MSNBC nightly show - there was:
Flying high over the (redundant) Battersea Power Plant a big pink pig balloon, redolent of a Pink Floyd album cover of years ago showing the same exact scene - though pig was a bit different.
The pig this time was there to hype a DVD Simpsons release - the footage showed guys in battle fatigues with assault weapons ready to shoot porky down lest he escaped his tethers.
TOUT London has been annointing seven London sights as the modern Seven Wonders of London and last week the hulking remains of the former power plant, which dominates London's South Bank upstream from the London Eye big wheel, as one of London's 7 Wonders.
Q- the Battersea Power Plant is the 800 pound gorilla in this area of London, opposite i think Parliament, but has been vacant for years now.
Some kind of new development that officials i think have grandiose plans for and to revitalize a rather sultry section of riverfront are planned.
Any info of what's going on - a leisure centre i think i've heard but would like update on the redevelopment of this iconic London landmark.
thanks
Flying high over the (redundant) Battersea Power Plant a big pink pig balloon, redolent of a Pink Floyd album cover of years ago showing the same exact scene - though pig was a bit different.
The pig this time was there to hype a DVD Simpsons release - the footage showed guys in battle fatigues with assault weapons ready to shoot porky down lest he escaped his tethers.
TOUT London has been annointing seven London sights as the modern Seven Wonders of London and last week the hulking remains of the former power plant, which dominates London's South Bank upstream from the London Eye big wheel, as one of London's 7 Wonders.
Q- the Battersea Power Plant is the 800 pound gorilla in this area of London, opposite i think Parliament, but has been vacant for years now.
Some kind of new development that officials i think have grandiose plans for and to revitalize a rather sultry section of riverfront are planned.
Any info of what's going on - a leisure centre i think i've heard but would like update on the redevelopment of this iconic London landmark.
thanks
Dec 13th, 2007, 07:12 AM
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This was what they did before the film came out at the cinema:
http://www.stuffwelike.com/stuffweli...7/07/homer.jpg
(it's the Cerne Abbas Giant BTW)
The Battersea stuff is back on hold. Again.
http://www.stuffwelike.com/stuffweli...7/07/homer.jpg
(it's the Cerne Abbas Giant BTW)
The Battersea stuff is back on hold. Again.
Dec 13th, 2007, 08:50 AM
#3
"Q- the Battersea Power Plant is the 800 pound gorilla in this area of London, opposite i think Parliament" Huh?
Battersea Power Station is not across from or near Parliament. I'd think any first time visitor would know that. Even IF they hadn't seen the power station they would have seen County Hall/the Eye/St Thomas Hospital across the river - none of which look anything like a power station.
Battersea is south of the river across from Pimlico
Battersea Power Station is not across from or near Parliament. I'd think any first time visitor would know that. Even IF they hadn't seen the power station they would have seen County Hall/the Eye/St Thomas Hospital across the river - none of which look anything like a power station.
Battersea is south of the river across from Pimlico
Dec 13th, 2007, 10:36 AM
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There's been now about a 20-year history of businesses acquiring it, promising to do great things, then losing interest - but always selling it on (or at any rate with their liquidators selling ot on after they've gone bust) for a great deal more than they bought it.
We're currently at the "oh God, the idea doesn't make sense" stage of the latest wheeze. But since the property market's now in training for the Olympic high-dive medal, expect the Power Station to stay in limbo till the next upturn, since if they sell it now they'll lose a fortune.
Personally, I think Gilbert Scott's much over-rated. Liverpool Prod Cathedral's just an oversized, vacuous, pastiche of a real cathedral (even St Patrick's in New York does the pastiche better), his pesky phone boxes are the most dysfuntional industrial product ever designed - and don't get me started on his dad, who did a nifty hotel (a soak, he died of cirrhosis in St Pancras hotel, which he'd designed), but was hopelss at things like Leafield Church, which desecrates the Cotswolds.
The sooner someone has the guts to give the carcase of this power station a decent burial, the better.
We're currently at the "oh God, the idea doesn't make sense" stage of the latest wheeze. But since the property market's now in training for the Olympic high-dive medal, expect the Power Station to stay in limbo till the next upturn, since if they sell it now they'll lose a fortune.
Personally, I think Gilbert Scott's much over-rated. Liverpool Prod Cathedral's just an oversized, vacuous, pastiche of a real cathedral (even St Patrick's in New York does the pastiche better), his pesky phone boxes are the most dysfuntional industrial product ever designed - and don't get me started on his dad, who did a nifty hotel (a soak, he died of cirrhosis in St Pancras hotel, which he'd designed), but was hopelss at things like Leafield Church, which desecrates the Cotswolds.
The sooner someone has the guts to give the carcase of this power station a decent burial, the better.
Dec 13th, 2007, 10:59 AM
#6
"It does look like an upside down billiard table from a distance though."
That's exactly what I thought the first time I saw it 30+ years ago. It fascinated me - never seen anything like it.
I like this page http://bps.fika.org/gallery1.html
That's exactly what I thought the first time I saw it 30+ years ago. It fascinated me - never seen anything like it.
I like this page http://bps.fika.org/gallery1.html
Dec 13th, 2007, 11:04 AM
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The Hulk has only ever looked good twice.
The once that everyone knows is in the Ian McKellen film of Richard III (so good, even I enjoyed it, even it is bloody Shakespeare)
The less well-known - but infinitely better - depiction of The Hulk was a film I made of it with Arthur Mullard (and a life size cardboard cutout of Her Majesty) in 1979. Now that's what I call movie making.
The once that everyone knows is in the Ian McKellen film of Richard III (so good, even I enjoyed it, even it is bloody Shakespeare)
The less well-known - but infinitely better - depiction of The Hulk was a film I made of it with Arthur Mullard (and a life size cardboard cutout of Her Majesty) in 1979. Now that's what I call movie making.
Dec 13th, 2007, 11:19 AM
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IMO there are parallels between the two edifices
in present state the ex power plant is an eyeshore but wasn't the Tate Gallery's one as well?
It must be very iconic to so many Londoners who have passed it on trains into Waterloo or Victoria, etc. so it seems it should be preserved
does a building have to be beautiful to be preserved?
I think it gives london a different look than say Paris where such a structure, much like the old Renault plant currently being torn down largely, would be swept aside.
Maybe some American firm can buy it, like O2 and save it. Some day Whole Foods Market may well need it perhaps.
in present state the ex power plant is an eyeshore but wasn't the Tate Gallery's one as well?
It must be very iconic to so many Londoners who have passed it on trains into Waterloo or Victoria, etc. so it seems it should be preserved
does a building have to be beautiful to be preserved?
I think it gives london a different look than say Paris where such a structure, much like the old Renault plant currently being torn down largely, would be swept aside.
Maybe some American firm can buy it, like O2 and save it. Some day Whole Foods Market may well need it perhaps.
Dec 13th, 2007, 11:20 AM
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And i took a hardhat tour of the Tate power plant when it was being rehabbed and was all dust and nothing inside and it looked about as ugly as Battersea, though not quite so tall i believe.
Dec 13th, 2007, 11:28 AM
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flanner..film..Arthur Mullard. What fresh hell is this? Is flanner really Hylda Baker?
(Cultural reference here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbs1Ka5Iiic)
(Cultural reference here:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zbs1Ka5Iiic)
Dec 13th, 2007, 03:01 PM
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>>>The pig this time was there to hype a DVD Simpsons release-the footage showed guys in battle fatigues with assault weapons ready to shoot porky down lest he escaped his tethers<<<
That's the UK, for you. It's well crimewatch. They must have been concerned that a terrorist would hijack Spider Pig and...float it into the Parliament buildings in a spectacularly loutish display of anti-social behaviour.
That's the UK, for you. It's well crimewatch. They must have been concerned that a terrorist would hijack Spider Pig and...float it into the Parliament buildings in a spectacularly loutish display of anti-social behaviour.
Dec 13th, 2007, 09:59 PM
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"right since the Battersea eyesore is directly opposite Parliament "
How many of us does it take to get this into your head?
Janis has already told you:
It's not opposite Parliament. You can't see it from Parliament, because of the way the river bends. In fact, you can't even see the chimneys poking out on the distant skyline, even if you're on the terrace of the Palace of Westminster.
Yet another perk of being an MP. You don't have the hideous Hulk visible from your office
How many of us does it take to get this into your head?
Janis has already told you:
It's not opposite Parliament. You can't see it from Parliament, because of the way the river bends. In fact, you can't even see the chimneys poking out on the distant skyline, even if you're on the terrace of the Palace of Westminster.
Yet another perk of being an MP. You don't have the hideous Hulk visible from your office
Dec 14th, 2007, 02:39 AM
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Humourless Brits - i got janis the first time
though i have taken at least 100 separate trips to London, even like any first-time visitor would surely realize yes i should have said on the bank of Thames opposite side of parliament but further down, well past the London Aquarium probably a mile or so - when you come into Waterloo on train you clearly see the Eyesore with chelsea docks or something across the way, not Parliament
I was remiss and i do know practically every stone of the South Bank walkway by Parliament Bridge, the London Eye, town Hall, etc.
And yes i realize that the Big Eyesore is in Pimlico, right by the famous race track, one of HRH QEII's favorite haunts - i saw her there once sipping Champagne and eating strawberries.
though i have taken at least 100 separate trips to London, even like any first-time visitor would surely realize yes i should have said on the bank of Thames opposite side of parliament but further down, well past the London Aquarium probably a mile or so - when you come into Waterloo on train you clearly see the Eyesore with chelsea docks or something across the way, not Parliament
I was remiss and i do know practically every stone of the South Bank walkway by Parliament Bridge, the London Eye, town Hall, etc.
And yes i realize that the Big Eyesore is in Pimlico, right by the famous race track, one of HRH QEII's favorite haunts - i saw her there once sipping Champagne and eating strawberries.
Dec 14th, 2007, 05:55 AM
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I guess you could call my first gaffe, yeh a gaffe even though i knew it and wrote what i meant to mean wrong - anyway call it an
Ebbsfleet Moment i guess
Cheers Ole Toff
Septics don't do humour?
Ebbsfleet Moment i guess
Cheers Ole Toff
Septics don't do humour?
