Help Me, I'm Old!!

I have become my father ... unable to master this new fangled technology.

I have followed the FAQ Advice on Blogger ... downloaded Flikr Uploader ... and Picassa Uploader too. But for the life of me I CAN'T SEEM TO UPLOAD ANY FRIKKEN PICTURES!!

What's a blog without photo's? A frikken useless boring blog, that's what.

If anyone has any clues for the computerly illiterate (me) then email them through. Cheers.

In the meantime you can see the Cheap Sex pictures HERE.

[UPDATE] Will Photobucket work? Let's see...



Hmmm, problem solved!! Yippee!

I Gotta Whole Lotta Love

I have to say I was blown away when Jimmy Page played the opening riff of Whole Lot Of Love at the closing ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympics. It was, for me at least, completely unexpected. Sure, I knew it was Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin up there on top of the red double decker bus, but I just presumed he was there as window dressing to add some cred to whatever song Leona Lewis was about to sing. Sort of like when Slash from Guns N Roses played guitar on that Michael Jackson song (that I can't be bothered googling to remember the name of).

But when Leona's vocal intro faded to nothing and Jimmy started that riff ... OMFG!

The hairs went up on the back of my neck. Jimmy Page, from Led Zeppelin, is PLAYING Whole Lotta Love and a GAZILLION people are watching it WORLDWIDE! Not a watered down 'pop' version but the original dude playing the same dirty guitar riff the same way he played it 30 years before. Sure, you can argue that it's just an example of yesterday's rebellious rock re-packaged as pop product for today's mass market consumers but I give them all mad props anyway.

Having worked in event management I know that who ever came up with the idea of Jimmy Page playing Whole Lotta Love at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics to promote the 2012 London Olympics would have had to push shit up hill to get it accepted. David Beckham kicking a football? A no-brainer. But Jimmy? That was a master stroke.

Any chance we'll be seeing The Sex Pistols performing Pretty Vacant* at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics? I love that opening riff too.
(*C'mon, there's no way they'd be allowed to play God Save The Queen!)



[NB: I was hoping to post a YouTube clip of Jimmy's performance but the Olympic Games Megacorp have shut them all down. Just keep searching for it yourself and maybe somewhere you'll get lucky. It's worth a peep.]

Prostitution is the New Cool?

The recent Boobs On Bikes Parade down Queen Street re-ignited the debate over the mainstreaming of pornography. With 80+,000 people lining the street to watch the visiting porn stars parade topless down Auckland's main street, versus the 100 odd protesters marching in front of the parade ... well, I think that debate is done and dusted.

But one thing that those opposing the parade kept asking on Talkback radio ad nauseum was 'If we accept this, what's next?' The question was rhetorical since they always answered the question themselves with "Next there'll be male genitalia on display; and then they'll be copulating on the back of trucks not long after that".

Given that I could never have imagined a Topless Parade down Queen Street when I started Cheap Sex 10+ years ago I suppose I shouldn't rule out that one day we shall also see public fornication as street theatre. But I doubt it.

What I will say is that pornography has definately been mainstreamed. Mainstreamed as in most people just shrug and think 'whatever'. Again, who would have thought 10+ years ago that 'regular' TV would air a show called Girls Of The Playboy Mansion, detailing the 'reality' of Hugh Hefner shacking up with three (or is it four?) playmates? (BTW, can we take a minute to reflect on how icky it is for 3 young babes to be with a man old enough to be their grandfather? Ewww! Seriously, Ewwww!)

Anyway, if pornography has been mainstreamed, what is next? I saw a story on-line today that made me wonder if the Next Big Thing for the media will be Prostitution. Possibly no big deal here in New Zealand where prostitution is already legal, but in the US it's still illegal (except in Nevada) so for the US mainstream media maybe Prostitution is the next new frontier.

You can read the story Secrets of a Hipster Hooker in full here (NB: the pages seem out of order) but I'll give you an excerpt that I found particularly funny:

"These sleazy banker types came up to us and asked if they could join our table," Heather recalls. At first she told them to get lost, but she relented after the men ordered a cheese plate and some nice wine. One of the guys took a seat next to Heather and, after some small talk, disclosed that he had just left his wife. "I'm looking to spend my money," he said. He was fiddling with a cash clip stuffed with $100 bills...

... That night she went to his apartment in Trump Tower. "It was pretty straightforward. He offered me $3,000 to let him fuck me. I almost leaped on him."

[bold emphasis is mine]

I think that's funny because it's long been my impression that the Auckland City councillors (or their planning staff) can be bought by Big Business for the cost of a good Wine & Cheese function. Evidently the same in New York will convince an educated middle class white woman to join the ranks of the World's Oldest Profession.

Some Facebook Memories

I've set up a group on Facebook and some people have already posted comments on the Wall there ...

A few samples:

Phoebe wrote:
i remember, just. barney and glenn have lots of photos from these parties... we were so underage too, the bouncers snuck us in it was awesome

Adrian wrote:
having staffies on a sunday morning at squid, leaving with kev the hat
and falling down the stairs, crashing in a heap at the bottom
(first flight only from the top bar)
day people in vulcan lane looking at us well weird.

Craig wrote:
School on monday was always a challenge after teenage drag at Squid!

Timothy wrote:
yep remeber these nights well hot as

Owen wrote:
hahhaha i remember that floor fallin in one night..and dodgyness on the couches by the toilet.hehhe fantastic times

Bryce wrote:
My only memory is working bar with Gav Downie, stripped to the waist, smothered in cooking oil, with 'BITCH' written in lipstick on my chest. Good times, good times...

Chad wrote:
I have only pictures in my mind. They are not pretty.

Mervyn (Italy):
First time I ever wore a gimp outfit in public.......ohhhhhhh so wrong...

Conrad wrote:
I have a few print photos somewhere. And great memories. Excellent party fun times they were, like the best ever.

Jo wrote:
I also went the Sleaze Ball but I think I passed out under some chairs and a couple of drag queens found me there in the morning.. how very embarrassing!

David wrote:
Whichever beer it was, it tasted like shit.
ahh feijoa! how i remember the fumes..........

Grant wrote:
I have a picture of me dressed in drag somewhere...the only time this has ever happened, will try and dig it out.

Cheap Sex at Squid

In the mid to late 90's a series of club nights (dance parties?) were held at the Squid Nightclub in Auckland, New Zealand. They weren't 'sex parties' but they did get pretty wild. If you attended then join this blog and share your story ...

Email me via cheap.sex.and.other.stories@gmail.com and tell us your story (if you wish to remain anonymous just say so!). I'll post your anecdote/confessional and everyone can see, share, and reminisce.