The Fallen Angel pub closes Hell's door

The Fallen Angel pub in Angel, Islington is officially shutting its doors. But, even though it has a Hell room, it gives quite the opposite impression.

Unlike the tacky red and gold  flames that decorate the walls and confused music playlists on a loop, the pub is not half bad. Well, not half bad for a group of broke twenty-somethings who just want a cheap glass of wine on a Thursday night after a Veggie Indian buffet.

Not only do they hold free live music each week, the last one being on the 17th September, happy hour takes place between Monday and Thursday and drinks are only £3. Beer, house wine (although they were unfortunately out when we arrived) and any spirit and mixer. Not bad eh? Interested in visiting this strangely unusual pub in the middle of Chapel Street Market? Well, you'd better hurry because The Fallen Angel is indeed falling. Soon.

Apart from the cheap and cheerful drinks and the ability to satisfy a girl's George Michael and Linkin Park cravings all at once, what shocked me the most was that the staff had only just been told of the closure which loomed upon them. One bar lady, who will remain nameless in case her last week is ruined, has less than a week to get a new job and let's face it, in London that is not an easy task. The other guy at the bar did not seem happy when asked when they were shutting."Where did you hear that then?" He said abruptly.  We got the gossip from the best place to get the gossip these days. Facebook.

Angel is known for its pubs, restaurants and bars. But, on this occasion, a short post to say farewell to a place that calls itself The Fallen Angel seemed necessary. I did a similar post when The Gaff closed in 2011 and was turned into yet another Costa Coffee. It now has three all in the space of one road. I love coffee as much as the next person but really? Another one? Let's hope The Fallen Angel doesn't have the same fate. The bar manager seems to think it will be changing hands and remaining a good old pub. Although the decor does make you cringe, I hope it doesn't become yet another pretentious bar serving overpriced cocktails, and too small to be called dinner, food. A trip will be needed in a few months to see what has happened. I say, keep the cheap £3 wine and just give it a makeover.

Are there any pubs that have shut down that you will never forget? Let me know and comment below.

Naughty Boy and Emeli Sande pair up for another success

British music producer, Naughty Boy and Emeli Sande, have paired up again for their new single, Lifted and it's a flippin' great tune. 

The producer who started in a shed in Watford is definitely making a name for himself after producing the Sande's number one best selling album of 2012, Our Version of Events. The public were then swept away this summer with his debut ingle La La La,  featuring Sam Smith from his debut album Hotel Cabana. The very catchy song, which was released in May, made number one in the charts and was supposedly the quickest selling single of 2013. It also stayed at number one on the BBC Asian network download chart for eight weeks. But who is he and where did he come from?

Naughty Boy, also known by his real name, Shahid Khan, is a Pakistani music producer and appeared on Channel 4 Deal Or No Deal and won £44,000 which was said to have been into setting up his recording studio. He now resides in Ealing, West London with a "state of the art recording studio" and has worked with celebrities from Wiley, Cheryl Cole to Leona Lewis.

The first time of hearing La La La on Choice FM  I knew I'd love it. Simple but melodic, repetitive but catchy it caught everyone's attention - especially when they watched the unique music video which features a young boy holding his hands over his ears, something we all did when we were younger.

But now he's onto his next single, and I personally think it's great, especially when I realised the female vocal was the brilliant and talented Emeli Sande who everyone has fallen in love with over the past year, including my Grandad. Yes, she is pretty, quirky, and isn't your generic female singer songwriter. But, her voice sends shivers through us in every single song. Whether it be a slow ballad such as Clown, or a more upbeat dance track such as Heaven - she never lets us down.

Lifted was officially released and available to download (legally, of course) on the 18th August. Naughty Boy's album, Hotel Cabana, which features Sande on five tracks which also include Wretch 32 and Tinie Tempah and a bonus track of Lifted with Professor Green, is out on the 28th August. I for one, cannot wait to give it a listen.

Rihanna's new single Stay

Rihanna's new single Stay will be available to download on the 7th January 2013, and I have to admit I am loving it. The Barbadian star has not thrilled me in a while - with latest dance track singles such as We Found Love ( high end production and little vocal talent or skill) But, it was did well in the charts and after a few hearings it grew on me too. Unfortunately, after the hundredth time on the radio it began to bore me and like most over played songs, made me want to turn the channel over.

Diamonds,  her other latest single was also hit, and again I liked it. But, it didn't make me want to play it again and again at home whilst I was washing up or instead of doing that long overdue essay. Stay for the first time in a while excited me. It's a slow song, the lyrics actually have meaning, and her vocals are at last shining again.

I especially like these lyrics:

Ohhh the reason I hold on
Ohhh cause I need this hole gone
Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving
Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving

Nice use of rhyme, and the piano riff is simple but effective,. She is stripped back and raw, just like the old says with Unfaithful.

Here is a clip as she sung it on the X Factor finals last Saturday evening on ITV1 followed by We Found Love.  No matter what people say, you cannot deny she is a versatile artist, she sells records and gets the crowds going.

What do you think about her new single?

The Power of James Arthur

X Factor 2012 has brought it's ups and it's downs. But, for me, there has been one continuous great artist who has performed his best week after week. James Arthur.

His performance last night was incredible as he sung the beautiful Power of Love by Gabrielle Aplin. This was his first ballad, and he truly nailed it. He has a tortured way about him as he sungs, always puts maximum emotion into his songs, and always makes me questions if I prefer the original. I love love love the original of this song, but I have to say, his version gives me shivers too!

Here it is:

For the semi- finals, he has done everything he can in my opinion in getting to those much wanted finals. Ella left a few weeks ago and I was devastated. But, seeing this performance today I am happy James stayed. (Not that Ella was amazing and did not deserve to be in the bottom two)


So, there it is. James Arthur to win, please. Jahmene second and please, please, please let Christopher go tonight.

Leona Lewis' Stunning New Single Trouble

Trouble is Leona's second single from album Glassheart

Leona Lewis is probably the best singer to have come from The X Factor, and she continues to create great songs which send shivers down your spine. Her new single Trouble released this month, featuring American entertainer Childish Gambino. It  really inspired me as a singer as she uses a new, higher range of her voice and it pays off. She sang it on X Factor last Sunday, and I immediately loved it. Some minor notes in the song help it be unpredictable but I also love the rhythm that the song manages to keep without the need of much percussion.  The lyrics are also meaningful, and describes perfectly how you can be in a relationship when you know you need to escape it. We've all been there, haven't we?

"You smoked ten now it's twenty, bet you wished you'd never met me, to stick around you must be crazy, go on  let it bleed."

She is an incredible artist, and she gets an A* from me. Keep up the good work Leona - you make me want to write more songs and sing more melodies. Listen to her live on Alan Carr.

X Factor 2012 Returns With More Drama

X Factor 2012 judges: Louis Walsh, Nicole Scherzinger, Tulisa, and Gary Barlow

It's back. X Factor 2012 is on our TV screens every Saturday night and it's riveting us once again. But, is it entertaining us for the right reasons? Last Saturday we saw as Gary Barlow storming off as his act Caroline Poole was the first contestant to be eliminated.  It shocked the nation as Louis Walsh let the decision go to deadlock between Caroline and the controversial Essex contestant  Rylan Clark.

So who did you think should have gone? Caroline Poole was gorgeous and had a country finesse to her voice which made her stand out in the competition, and I think most would agree, she was a definite contender this year. Then we have Rylan. Funny, I think hilarious, Camp, oh definitely, but great singer? Absolutely not. His survival song, One Night Only by the legendary Beyonce, was a disaster.  He could barely reach the higher notes and it was clear, or so we thought, that he would be going. Take a look if you want to go through the pain again.

Caroline then went on to sing There You'll Be by Faith Hill, and she was pitch and performance perfect. So what is happening? My real concern is whether X Factor is really about the talent anymore? We've seen great stars such as Leona Lewis, Alexandra Burke and Ollie Murs make a success out of themselves and they all have obvious talent. But the we have also had acts such as Jedward appear on the show and last very close to the end! We still keep watching, I myself still can't wait for the show each week, but it is starting to become more abou entertaining and getting the viewer to laugh more than sit and feel the shivers at the stunning voices before us. What do you turn it on for? Laughter or to see great singers? I think it must be a bit of both, but the public have definitely backed up my point last week. Rylan is in, let's just hope he keeps us laughing, because it can start to become a joke when great acts and talents are then lost.

My favourite acts this X Factor are:





Ella Henderson (although I think she should be called Ella, she is amazing and only 16!)

Jade Ellis

James Arthur












Jahmene Douglas (please Louis pronounce his name correctly)







I think these have the most versatility and can definitely win the show.  Bring on tonight for more drama, laughter and hopefully more great talent.

Jessie J revealed as a lesbian in biography

Jessie J and her group of ten on the The Voice UK

Jessie J, artist and current judge on The Voice UK, has been outed as a lesbian in her latest book 'Jessie J: Who's Laughing Now, an unauthorised biography by Chloe Govan.

Chloe Govan, a British journalist/ writer has also written a revealing biography of Katy Perry, in a biography called Katy Perry: A Life of Fireworks, where she also discusses her sexuality, relationship with Russell Brand and other personnel information. This was released 4th September 2011.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Katy-Perry-A-Life-Fireworks/dp/1780380747

I came across her blog: this seems an old blog which she started in 2009 - did I mention it has no followers? Is this even the real Chloe Govan that is currently in the media because of her contraveral revelations in her latest work?
http://chloegovan.blogspot.co.uk/

Jessie J, along with Will.i.am, Sir Tom Jones,  and Danny O'Donoghue (The Script) are all judges on the latest TV hit, The Voice UK on BBC1. The show is already a success, as it has been competing with ITV's Britain's Got Talent. The show is a new take on a talent contest, where all judges cannot see the contestants when they sing. If they like their voices, then they turn around as their chair flashes 'I want you'. The contestant, if they have more than one judge who has turned around, can then choose who they want as a mentor.

It's a simple but successful idea, and Jessie J is definitely, as always, is in the spotlight. Week by week she entertains the viewers with her wit, rivalry against the other judges, and now and again she belts out a line or two showing off her strong and unique vocals. She has always been known as a bisexual, and the biography just released has revealed this was all a cover up, as the record label were afraidI  it would deter people. How silly.

Jessie J has a great voice, and a great image. Last March, she confessed to fancying Rihanna, but who doesn't? She recently tweeted how she has sold 12 million copies of her album ,Who You Are. She also has tweeted several times about her illness which was also revealed in the biography.

"Every interview I did when I 1st bought my music out I was asked how I pulled through&kept;going through the health problems I had when I was young & I always said 'Because I wanted to prove you can"

She suffered from Wolff - Parkinson - white syndrome, which speeds up her heart four times faster than normal. She had a stroke at eighteen, and had to be put on beta blockers. 

It;s hard being a writer; I know. You want, and need to make stories that are interesting to the public, but often it means having to delve deep into a particular aspect of someone's life. If it is true, and Jessie J and her label have been hiding her sexuality, then I think it's a good thing it has all come out in the open. It doesn't make me like her more or less. It's just the truth.

Here's her new single. I Haven't decided whether I like it yet or not: