Lessons in Adland from the 2008 Crash.

Lessons from the 2008 Crash.

From today's Business Plus Magazine https://bizplus.ie/adland-crash-lessons-from-stuart-fogarty/

What’s a crash really like?

You see the early signs like we’re seeing now and you start forecasting variance analysis. The what ifs. And it all looks okay today! Yes! Some small cuts, nothing too serious and you file that spreadsheet, job done. Until that is, tomorrow.

Tomorrow, it’s changed again, how did that happen? So more forecasts, another spreadsheet for the fire and now it looks heavier, the cuts deeper. What has just happened?

The Client you were sure would go ahead with the campaign, doesn’t. Billing looks dodgier. Forecasts bleaker and as the crash/virus goes on, but for how long? Months? And what after?

The virus of uncertainty spreads in your head.

Then you think the time lag of Clients advertising again, whenever that is, and the traditional Summer quiet of June/July/August are never good, but they’ll be worse now.

Serious decisions loom and each day, it gets more and more serious. Bleaker and bleaker. You have to make the cuts that you don’t want to, and you have to make them now! Everyone says it….

And you don’t, you can’t, because you don’t see spreadsheet numbers, you see people. Friends, Families, people who’ve been with you for 20 years, whom you like.

I can’t, I’ll wait. And it gets worse. Oh my God!

What shape do you get in?

Hell on Earth.

What happens in the blur of a crisis, is that you go from being a reasonably controlled leader, to a head lighted rabbit. And quickly.

It isn’t just emotional stress wreckage, but it manifests itself physically too. Expect damage.

People are at you for this and that, the family are in crisis crying, the banks are on, the phone is attached surgically to your ear, the creditors are calling and it’s all down to you. Me? It’s not my fault! But it is you, the buck stops. And there’s always the normal stuff to do too, because the business is still running.

You think just weeks ago I was sharp and on the ball and now look at me. I can barely walk. I could lose a lifetime of everything I have, in what, days?

And people will know. My god, people will know…..and I have kids!

Now you’re in the depths of a crisis and you’re not functioning. Mental anguish, physical hurt.

You’ll drink the two bottles of wine tonight but you’ll realise the problems are still there tomorrow. So you stop drinking and work 24 hours for 7 days a week. Forget the weekends, this is way more important right now.

And you go home, to darkness.

So what do you do?

You make some cuts but not enough. Don’t take that road. Don’t kid yourself.

You should start with zero, and then you move to a break even and see what that looks like. Then you take another -20% off.

You look at today’s costs (overhead) and defer what you can. Who can I pay later who’ll agree to it? Chip away.

Media Owners were our big creditors, so you try and defer them but you do it with their agreement, you don’t ignore it. They don’t need your bad debt and they’ve families and businesses too, so they need to hear from you. You depend far more on them, than they do on you.

Not paying Creditors has real consequences (it will close you as quick) so consent is the only way around it.

But you have reserves (our cash position was very strong at the start, millions) But for how long? They quickly deplete before your eyes as you put off the dreaded decisions.

“We can trade out of it”, you think. But you can’t.  

The phone calls come in and you must take them. You must. All of them.

No one ever called me and didn’t get a call back at any time. But it’s hard to handle and that starts as an hour a day of calls and then by day 3, it’s the full day.

You try and sweat the creditors, keep the cash but they’re persistent too. Fair enough, but they too, talk to each other…...

5 calls day one, quickly becomes 25 creditor calls day three, they just keep coming as they talk to each other. “We heard you’re in trouble”. So is everyone else and they know.

So it shouldn’t be you that deals with this, it should be someone else or you’ll get stuck in that mire. And that’s a big lesson from the outset.

Other overheads you do your best with and try. The landlord, the pension scheme, the this and the that.

But now people can see it in you, they hear it in gossipy Adland who love a bad story. Even staff, whom you’re desperately trying to protect, knows and they tell people. Human nature, but they make it worse. They shouldn’t, but they will and now you’ll have a run on the bank.

I remember the first ‘Chemistry Advertising’ staff meeting recently for example, where staff were privately being advised helpfully, of stress issues. I knew about their problems within an hour of that meeting and so did you. Advertising is gossip and it doesn’t help. Staff are talking themselves out of their own jobs because it puts a run on the Bank. That fundamentally, is what happened to us.

Like the peasants in Lambe’s essay, we know not how to roast pork other than to burn the house down.

You simply can’t pay everyone now, but if you don’t, you have the consequences. You try to balance. You part pay some.

So you communicate?

As little as you can. Don’t call your Bank, you’ll terrify them and they’ll respond, badly. Trust me.

Don’t call a receiver, solvency expert, or even your trusted Auditor, because they’ll bring you down a road that suits them, not you. You’ll add to your problems. Don’t do it, there’ll be time enough.

Clients you call, but only to re-assure them that the crisis is everywhere (and this virus is) and you’re doing your best, like everyone else. Confidence, re-assurance, but if you’re doing it all, you’re a mess and they’ll know. They can hear it, so do it when you’re prepared.

And staff?

No, sorry, no. You need to get a plan in place quickly. A dramatic plan (to break even and then take -20% off) and do it, now. We didn’t, we kept waiting for brighter days that will never come.

It shouldn’t be you. It should be someone outside the business who is disassociated from it and just gets the things done. You’re the pilot, keep going, but you must let someone else deal with these things because you can’t and you’re the wrong person to do it. You’re just too close to it all. I’ve said that twice, deliberately

And what happens?

In our case it was different than today. A Competitor bought the Agency from the Bank through a pre-pack receivership, over our heads. I wasn’t party to it, even though I owned it 90% and I still have never seen the sale purchase agreement to this day. So you can lose control, it can go out of your hands, over your head. Shockingly.

To keep everyone calm and appeased, you agree to things that you shouldn’t that will facilitate smiling vultures. Don’t.

When you’re asked to agree to something, think why are they? Think, what’s their move here? And be ruthlessly belligerent. Say no for now, as a standard. You’re swimming with sharks that smell opportunity. They were there in 2008 and they’re here now. The ambulance chasers. Trust me.

In the virus, the only joy is every business, bar a few, are in that same boat. There’s a different ‘understanding’ and you can work with that. It’s not as secretive but that doesn’t help if you’re going down. Keep it close, do your thing quickly and quietly. With people at home now, it’s better.  

Is there a way out, an end game?

Always.

Look at a scenario of zero income and the cash bleed. Look at a bare break-even minimum and realistically see what’s really there in income terms and work back from that. You’re going to be a smaller business for a while again and get over it.

Then you’ll have cuts to make. Get someone independent who knows the business and make them.

Tell nobody and get on with it. Look at replacing services with automation – that ‘Digital Transformation’ you’ve been telling yourself (and others) about. It’ll replace overheads and give you an edge. Like Twitter and Facebook and LinkedIn have.

That’s us by the way. Agencies and Media Owners should have Admatic Self-Op online booking engines. It’s 2020 (!) and you’re behind the curve that the digital duopoly has stolen.

I can buy a Twitter Ad now from my kitchen and be live in 5 minutes, but not a Press Ad, a Radio Spot, a Poster, a TV spot? 

Work every day 9 to 9 and sleep properly. You can’t go out socially now, so don’t do anything that deflects. You’re in a fight.

Communicate when you’re clear. Definitive action. 

And keep watching. Keep on top of it. The job is never done until there’s some real sense of normality. Get into shape and look at other options.

Is there a merger on the cards? We did 5 of them. They work.

Is there a part Sale? Maybe a division?

Is there a really low cost life ring you could throw to another Agency and get some volume back in?

Is there a loss-making division you could close?

Is there an element of the business you can automate now? Admatic has that solution.

And remember, this is not going to be the last virus lockdown. Of that, be certain.

And the other end game?

You collapse. The tiredness, oh the tiredness, means you eventually give up. I’m done. And you’ll regret that.

Don’t give up, keep going. You’re fighting and you’re going to fight until you’re killed, not before. That’s my big regret, I didn’t have the stomach anymore, but I didn’t expect it nor understand it. I really felt I’d been beaten with a baseball bat for weeks.

It happens like a blur, hour by hour and so fast - but if I was back there now, I know it would be different. I know I’d have done better because the lessons are learnt and the downfall is horrible.

People do cross the road when they see you, that is actually true, like you have the virus. Hero to zero. Staff you loved, blame you. Family life changes. People point at you. Court appearances. People say untrue things about you. Newspapers call you and you dread tomorrow’s ink. The man in the petrol station says, I’m sorry to hear that and you die again. But time heals.

You have to dust yourself off and start all over again – which you do. Thankfully, it worked out but I’m much tougher now and it’s a long time ago (April 16^th 2000 in fact, I won’t forget). Ironically, Admatic benefits from the downturn as automation comes into play. Ironically, but so be it.

But even recalling this, it sends shivers up my spine to think about my Advertising Media friends and what they’re going through right now. But maybe they’ll understand, although I so wish they never had to.

There are these lessons, use them.

If you want to call me, just don’t hesitate. Do not.

But I say this to my friends here……

Never, ever, give up.

Keep going.

Get someone else in.

A cool head in a loose pants.

Stu Fogarty is a former President and Fellow of The Advertising Institute (IAPI); Board Member and Fellow of The Marketing Institute; Chairman of The Advertising Press Club; Board member of The Publicity Club; former Ad Agency CEO and Owner of Ireland’s largest Ad Agency AFAO’Meara/McConnell’s; Founder of Club Internet (floated Nasdaq March 2000 as Via Net Works); founder of ICAN; Founding Director Realex payments; Founder Member of Core Media.

He currently runs Admatic Ireland, AFAO’Meara Advertising and Streamabout The Video Agency.

www.Admatic.ie

www. Streamabout.com

He’s happy to chat at Stuart@admatically.com. 085 7100458. 

You've seen it? But have you seen it all? The Staircase. On Netflix.

The Staircase. You've seen it on Netflix but have you seen it all? There's 13 episodes with 3 added from the original 10.

True Crime documentary featuring Michael Peterson, a former newspaper columnist, for the murder of his wife, Kathleen who had fallen down stairs. Or had she?

Originally for French TV, it created a real Netflix stir when first aired but the follow-ups might have been missed. Have a look. And if you hadn't seen the original, start at the start. It's gripping.

Netflix this weekend? Try this. 'Who killed Malcolm X'.

This is a 2020 Documentary and it's on Netflix, which is about, well, as it says. But in exploring the 1965 assassination of Malcolm X it's more interesting because it remembers the time. Civil Rights, Ali, Black Power and of course, the Nation of Islam.

It's also great for those, like me, who really knew very little about the man. And it brought about the 're looking' and probably, reopening of the case. 3 men were jailed around the time. 

6 episodes but very watchable.  Malcolm X was on the opposite side to Martin Luther King's non-violence and clearly a very interesting (and likeable) man. 

Well worth a look!

Netflix? Try 'Hunter Killer'.

Now okay, it's a shoot em' up movie with a US sub, seal teams and a Russian coup but as they go, it's one of the better ones. 2018 based on a book 'Firing Point' and it features Gerard Butler and Gary Oldman.

You won't think about it for days afterwards but it's a good way to lose a little time on Netflix. At least for an hour and a half, you can think you too could be part of Seal Team 6. Go save the President!

A good book for the times? Antony Beevor 'Stalingrad'.

There's great reading in books like these. Not only are they true historical, but written like good 'Boys Own' stories (novels). So you learn as you read and they're an easy read. 

There's a few writers like the great Max Hastings, Simon Sebag and recently Sinclair McKay who write like this, but Beevor's 'Stalingrad' was probably the one that defined the genre.

1998 and it's about Operation Barbarossa, the 1941 German invasion of Russia and how Hitler so nearly got it right. His stunning start to the invasion, the hold up at Stalingrad and his ultimate defeat by fighting on two fronts. But it was a close call. 

In a way, it puts today's suffering into some perspective - and a view of the apocalypse. All of it is not good. 

One is left wondering was it really D-Day that ended the war or the Russians invasion into Germany? The Russians lost about 24 million in the war, the Americans about 400,000 so the scale and the crimes, in this book are beyond belief.

If you're looking for a good read, here you are. 

Agencies have a chance. But it’s here and now.

From IMJ/Adworld today 
https://www.adworld.ie/2020/04/10/opinion-agencies-have-a-chance-but-its-here-and-now/

I’ve been here before.

I know what happens.

In the crash of 2008, we saw Advertising Agency income drop a ‘mere’ -40% because, put simply, Advertising is the first thing clients switch off when they struggle. It’s easy. They stop Ad expenditure today, without the need for even a Board meeting and when they’re looking through their P&L, they see big Advertising savings sticking out like a sore thumb.

Today, it looks like it might be heading to a shocking figurative zero.

You can of course, continually tell them that they’re wrong – brands who advertise in a recession stay stronger blah blah blah – but it’s like standing on Dollymount strand trying to push out the waves. They’ll cut Advertising first, and frankly, if I was them, so would I.

When it’s a choice between letting people go or, stopping Advertising, which would you do?

The 2008 crash looks halcyon, because today, it’s looking like Advertising is going nowhere now and, when businesses get back, Advertising will not be top of their list either. 

They’ll be more concerned about getting their machines fired up, people back to work, sales calls, getting drivers on the road, putting product in the hands of customers to generate income, to perhaps, advertise then only when they’re paid. So there’s going to be a time lag.

Added to that, as we sit here in April, it’s looking like a summer time lag, at best. The 2008 crash took nearly 2 years to right itself.

Which summer coincides, as the horrible Ad gods would have it, in the annual June/July/August ad shutdown anyway. Most Agencies traditionally do more business in an October than June/July and August combined and that’s been the way for a thousand years. The perfect storm.

Like all businesses, Agencies have fixed monthly overheads (probably 30/40% of income). Rent the obvious one (I know Agencies faced with 100k+ a month rent) but there’s also staff vhi, mobile phone bills, likely 5% pension contributions, insurance, company cars  and so on. Then there’s the salaries representing 60/70%.

Deferring the fixed overhead now, is possible, to avoid the constant dip into current cash reserves but in effect, you’re just moving debt into other months. It’ll still have to be paid, have to be financed from cashflow later. That day cometh.

Staff salaries can be cut (if they agree), redundancy is a substantial cash cost now, so you’ll avoid that, and anyway you’ll need those staff resources too in order to provide a service later. Agencies are a measure of their staff after all. Your assets go home in the lift every night.

In the short term, the likely course is you’ll finance as much of it as you can from reserves and defer what you can. See what happens. Too big to fail. So were we, Ireland’s biggest Agency at the time.

A ‘holding pattern’ in the hope of better days ahead but with no clients today in the mood or even available for business conversations (they too have other things on their minds), you’re living in hope. Fingers and toes crossed.

You cheer yourself up with ‘what if’ healthy looking projections that do not materialise. Possibly government assistance will help?  (They will until they run out of cash too and bonds will eventually start to wobble). Or bank loans for liquidity? (They won’t because like you, they don’t know where you’ll be in three months). You think, but it’s all short-term. Then you open the wine.

We did all of that and in time, it’s worthless.

Because as no bright horizon appears, the debt burden increases and either you pull the plug or someone else does and, it comes quickly. We were trading on a Monday, gone on a Thursday morning. Four days. We should have acted faster and not lived in hope, and kept our reserves.

There is a way out. The change that needs to be taken now, is structural.

I have been beating this drum for 10 years – all business is an online business. That includes Agencies and if ever you needed the proof, look around you today.

The solution for Agencies is to provide their services online, as much as they can, without the need for high staff (and the associated other overhead such as cars, pensions, mobile phones, vhi), no high rent and frankly, better 247 365 delivery. Automate whatever you can and it makes Clients stick.

Client self-op platforms for Planning, Media buying (Traditional and Digital) in real time, Automated Invoicing, Online support/advice via Skype (to home workers in some cases), sophisticated Client dashboards and even creative uploads of Advertising material. Media Agencies can do what they do best in person, Media Planning and then automate all Media buying but with the same margins.

Admatic has that turnkey solution for Agencies.

You start now and you/we build on it. We do it with you because we know the Agency business. Backwards. We’re here to help.

The game has changed, the time is up, move fast and move now.

Been there, done that and have the T-Shirt.

It cost me 33 million.

That’s the T-Shirt that you don’t want.

Stu Fogarty is a former President and Fellow of The Advertising Institute (IAPI); Board Member and Fellow of The Marketing Institute; Chairman of The Advertising Press Club; Board member of The Publicity Club; former Ad Agency CEO and Owner of Ireland’s largest Ad Agency AFAO’Meara/McConnell’s; Founder of Club Internet (floated Nasdaq March 2000 as Via Net Works); founder of ICAN; Founding Director Realex payments.

He currently runs Admatic Ireland and Streamabout The Video Agency.

He’s happy to chat at Stuart@admatically.com. 085 7100458.

More YouTube classics for the weekend? Try Sherlock Holmes with Basil Rathbone.

Say what you like, but there was never ever a better Sherlock Holmes duo, than Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce. They are stunning together and between 1939 and 1946 they made 14 Sherlock Holmes films. I've seen them all, many times.

But again they're all on YouTube for free (and I've added some below) just if you're looking to see classic movies this weekend.

The first one was 'The Hound of The Baskervilles' but the second was 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' which really defines it all and that's the one on top. A quick look will give you a sense if they're for you. 

The duo came together as radio shows originally and it was Rathbone who ended the partnership when he simply thought, they had just become too predictable, too formulaic. 

Nigel Bruce you might know from Hitchcock's 'Rebecca' (a fab film) and 'Suspicion'. He died in 1953. 

Rathbone was more of a Shakespearean actor (and South African in fact, but fled to Britain after he father was accused of being a spy in The Boer War) and known as 'Ratters'. 

He served in The First World War where he was the British Army fencing champ and so his acting career became more of a 'swashbuckler' (Robin Hood, The Mark of Zorro, for example). Very brave, he won The Military Cross. 

Hi died suddenly in New York of a heart attack at 75, in 1967.

They're great films, have a look and they're free! You won't see a better Sherlock Holmes... 

YouTube full of free movies like this one, 'Dear Murderer'.

We keep saying it but don't forget it...YouTube is awash with free movies and especially if you like classics. Always worth a search.

This one is free, 'Dear Murderer' and it's great. A 1947 British film noir that has such a love triangle, someone has to die. And they do.

The title seems odd but when you see it, you'll find a letter is part of the story. 

Jack Warner is the terribly British Policeman ('Dixon of Dock Green' if you remember that) but we have to say, the Brits made some great movies with fine acting. Dennis Price (you might know him as Jeeves?) is in it too with whom we made a TV Commercial many years ago, for 'Cookstown Sausages'. There ya go.

Either way, it's great and it's free and it might get you thinking YouTube when you're bored with Netflix. Other YouTube tips on this blog recently - like 'Witness for the Prosecution' - check it out. 

It's worthy for a change. 

Simple copy and paste of this report today from 'AdExchanger'. Viewing habits changing....

Coronavirus shelter-in-place orders have been in place for less than a month nationally, but consumer media habits are already massively changing.

Streaming is the clear winner of social distancing. From March 9 to March 16, total streaming time grew to 156.1 billion minutes per day in the United States, compared to 127.6 billion minutes during the last week of February, per Nielsen. 

In March, streaming accounted for 23% of consumer TV viewing time, up from 21% in February and 14% a year ago.

Meanwhile, live TV viewing grew between 1% and 3% during the last week of March across all demos, while streaming increased by up to 8% during the same time period. NBCU saw an 80% spike in viewership across its digital assets in March compared to a 20% increase in linear TV viewing.

Homebound people are streaming more TV during the daytime. Streaming between 10 am to 5 pm grew 39% during the week of March 17 to 23, compared to the previous week, Conviva found. Meanwhile, prime-time viewing declined by as much as 5% between 8 pm and 11 pm.

“Prime time is starting nine hours earlier than normal,” said Conviva CEO Bill Demas. “Even if people are working from home and kids are distance-learning, streaming accelerates at 10 am and goes throughout the day.”

In APAC, where people are slowly getting back to work, streaming hours decreased 10% between March 17 and 23, according to Conviva. That dip offers a preview of what may happen in other regions as lockdown restrictions ease.

“Streaming will go down as people go back to work,” Demas said. “But the rollback into work will take months. How many habits are formed in that time because people got used to streaming?”

Ad dollars, however, are likely to lag until the economy gets back on track and the industry creates a common currency and measurement standard for streaming that brands can trust.

What are people watching?

Netflix is the SVOD player gaining the most traction, with people spending 29% of their total streaming minutes with the platform during the week of March 16, per Nielsen. Nine of the top 10 streamed shows during the second week of March are on Netflix.

Netflix is followed by YouTube, where people are spending 20% of their streaming minutes, followed by Hulu at 10% and Amazon at 9%.

But 31% of streaming minutes are spent on other platforms, meaning that ad-supported viewing could be seeing a boon as the economy crumbles.

Well-funded, top-tier players such as Netflix and Amazon appear to be best-positioned to weather the storm, as are smartly packaged bundles such as the $13-per-month Disney Plus, Hulu and ESPN combo.

What about linear?

Without live sports, linear TV is hanging on by the thread of local news and increased daytime viewing during the pandemic.

Viewing of live local news grew 7% across demos from early February to the week of March 9, with adults over 25 spending 30.4% of their TV consumption time watching local news during the same period, according to Nielsen. 

Ratings increased 3.5% to 12.5% across local markets as more people tune into the news to find out what’s happening where they live.

Daytime cable news viewing skyrocketed 347% year over year during the last week of March, growing 50% more than total TV viewing time during the same period, according to Samba TV.

But people are also turning to social media for local news. During March, local news engagement climbed 196% on Twitter, 62% on YouTube, 34% on Instagram and 15% on Facebook, according to Conviva.

“Local news is so important because every area is [responding] differently,” Demas said. “But when the pandemic ends, is local news less vital or urgent?”

Linear TV will also be hit by a lack of live sports. Roku found viewers who watched live NHL and NBA games in February increased their streaming time between 58% and 63% in the first three weeks of March, while their linear TV viewing was flat.

If the NFL season can’t start on time this year, linear TV might be in even more trouble.

“The main driver of linear TV is NFL football,” Demas said. “Where is NFL football come August and September?”

Goodbye John Prine.

We had the pleasure of drinking with John Prine in Smyths of Haddington Road, Dublin. He was a friend of Dermot Moynihan who ran a recording studio and they were sitting at the bar, quietly.

Nobody knew who he was, but I did, because being a folk/country singer wasn't in the spotlight. But more than that, he was an unassuming, polite man anyway. 

A Chicago mail-man originally, he never lost his wit in looking at the world. 

For us, it will always be 'Speed of the Sound of loneliness' (above) covered by Nanci Griffith amongst others. You only have to see what Dylan, Springsteen are saying today of his greatness, on his death from this virus.

And I can tell you he was great that night in Smyths with a gentle laugh. An ordinary man just having a beer with friends. God bless John Prine. 

Anything good on Netflix you say? Power is better than good.

American crime dramas have rarely been as good as this and there's 6 seasons of it.

James St Patrick a street wise drug dealer, wants to restart life as a nightclub owner. But his life keeps catching up with him and so does his best friend, Tommy Egan (the excellent Joseph Sikora whom you'll see in the new series of Ozark).

This is down and dirty. Almost film noir, it is dark and gritty but it's so great. 

If crime is your thing, stick it on and be hooked. You won't think about the virus, you'll be looking behind the couch.....

Nothing good on Netflix? Oh yes there is...Joe Exotic Tiger King.

It's trending on Netflix and for good reason.....with talk of a second season because "there's much more to come". Which in itself is impossible, surely?

The story of Joe Exotic who runs a 'zoo' in every way and his trials and tribulations which are more than extraordinary. Hard to believe what happens but it doesn't really get going until Episode 3 onwards. It's all probably about 2 hours too long, but stick with it. Get your teeth into it. And other puns. 

There are more tigers in captivity in the US than there are in the wild. But this is a story of mayhem, strippers, guns (lots of them) politics and murder for hire. From the crew that brought you 'Fyre' which is also well worth checking out.

So too a Louis Theroux doc also on Netflix:

Stick it on and start growling. 

Something for the weekend Sir? Try the BBC Iplayer.

The home alone scenario we're all in, means we're getting bored with Netflix, TV although remember, YouTube. But coupled with the growth in podcasts, radio is seeing a resurgence at the minute.

The BBC Iplayer is superb.

Apart from being able to listen to live Radio 4, radio 3 and others, it has lots of cool features. Like being able to pause (catch up), a great archive, a cool snooze button (so you can leave the music on as you go asleep with a timer), great alarm for the mornings and much more.

Productions are world class. In fact everyone on Radio 4 sounds like a British Airways captain, very quintessential posh radio. Really easy to use too and so worth the change.

You'll get it in the Apps store.

A lovely change in these boring times.....

Great great viewing. The Americans.

I can't say it any plainer, but this is the best thing to watch. Now you'll need an Amazon Prime sub (about 7 euro pm) but don't hesitate to get one just to see this.

2 KGB sleeper spies living as husband and wife in Washington, as Americans to spy during the 1981 Reagan Cold War years. It's a thriller, but it's also human. 

6 Seasons (last one was 2018) with Keri Russell (Felicity, Mission Impossible) is incredible it in with 'husband' Welsh actor Matthew Rhys who is great too. In fact, it's all great and they both formed a relationship during filming. Always good because you see it on screen. 

Lots of awards including a Golden Globe but binge away because you won't stop. Forget the virus, think Cold War. Be a spy for a while....

Feel better. Roberta Flack 'Quiet Fire' 1971.

I don't know what it is, but there's so much positivity out there. We seem to have moved from being very, very scared to embracing where we are at. Maybe we're beginning to understand that there's more to life than the daily grind.

The fish are back in Venice, people are smiling again and my kids are planning a trip to our local restaurant once they re-open. Something that we would do every week and take for granted, in and out. Now it's a treat to look forward to and so it should be. Life balance is changing.

So, you need to do no more to feel greater, than to put on Roberta Flack's third album from 1971 'Quiet Fire'. There is no better feel good record.

It's cover songs but you'd hardly recognise 'Bridge over troubled water' because she's re-invented every song, beautifully. You'll probably recognise the single 'Will you still love me tomorrow?'.

Working in the kitchen, the study, the bedroom, just put it on. And feel good. And Take care. It's going to be better.

Something for the Weekend? Try Witness for The Prosecution.

Just for these peculiar times, yesterday we mentioned that YouTube was a good source of movies or online, if you get bored with TV or indeed, Netflix. A lot of them are free, especially classic movies.

Yesterday we talked about Billy Wilder's 'Double Indemnity' so here's another, 'Witness for The Prosecution'.

Marlene Dietrich a german anti-Nazi star of the silent era, steals the show but so too Charles Laughton (Mutiny on the Bounty, Night of the Hunter)) as the typical Rumpole of The Bailey defence barrister and that's not to take away from the murder accused, Tyrone Power (who died at 44 and this his last film). The housekeeper is Una O'Connor from Belfast. 

They're all great in this 1957 Courtroom drama.

Based on an Agatha Christie play, you don't know the real story until the shocking very end and theatre goers then, were asked not to reveal it. Because it's a great, great ending to a superb picture. You'll never guess it...Duckie....

Another Billy Wilder classic. And classic it is, if you're looking for something different to take your mind off things. This one will. 

A movie deadlier than the virus...The Amazing Double Indemnity.

We all think TV and Netflix, but few of us ever remember to go to free YouTube and there's lots of movies there, that you don't get anywhere else! Lots and free. 

Notably classic movies and film noir. So go on a search of discovery on YouTube and you'll hopefully find this one because it's one of the greatest and considered the first film noir. 

Double Indemnity is the clause in some insurance policies that doubles the payout in unusual deaths - like falling off a train....

It's 1944 directed and written by the great Billy Wilder of course (The Apartment, Sunset Boulevard, Some like it hot, etc) and the great film noir writer Raymond Chandler (Philip Marlowe books) a recovering alcoholic at the time. Although they didn't get along on this film, Chandler has a cameo in the film looking up from a magazine as Neff walks past. 

(If you want to see another Billy Wilder superb film noir classic, go to 'Witness for The Prosecution' on YouTube - Marlene Dietrich/Tyrone Power. It's fab too.)

Edward G is Walter Neff the insurance chief but gets little screen time. Fred Mac Murray is the insurance salesman and Barbara Stanwyck (one of the most popular Hollywood actresses IN Hollywood) is the femme fatale.

There's lots of dark techniques like the Seitz 'venetian blind' lighting and you'll see it in the trailer above.

But go looking on YouTube because sometimes, an Insurance salesman can be more dangerous than a virus....but DO NOT miss it. 

Something for the Week? Netflix, The Politician.

Bored? Want to watch something really good on Netflix? Try this.

The first season went out in September 2019 and you need to start there. Then series two because there's two series up there.

Created in part by Ryan Murphy ('Glee', 'Pose', 'Nip Tuck') raised by an Irish catholic family no less and paid an estimated 300m usd by Netflix for 5 years....

It starts with a student body presidential race but watch the real life parallels....it's one step on a dream to be President of the USA. 

Ms.Paltrow is probably the best known actor in it (although Barbara Streisand, Jessica Lange were cast) but beautifully produced and put together. Beautifully shot in LA. Bette Midler makes a guest appearance.

Nominated for two Golden Globes it's a terrific series. You will just need to get past the first episode but it's so worth it.

Everyone we've told has said thanks and the thumbs up thing they do on text. 

Stick it on tonight and let your mind drift. 

A book for these troubled times from other troubled times?

Looking for a good read during these times?

Dresden is a super book, not just about the WW2 dramatic bombing, it is that, but also about the impact on the real people on the ground. The obliteration of a beautiful city and the people who lived there.

McKay comes at it differently with real human stories that make it unput downable. So well written it really brings a whole new dimension to war.
And we read a lot of war books....but this one is a true stand out. Max Hastings, perhaps the greatest war writer of them all, said,

'Powerful . . . there is rage in his ink. McKay's book grips by its passion and originality. Some 25,000 people perished in the firestorm that raged through the city. I have never seen it better described' Max Hastings, Sunday Times

It's for everyone too - it's not a 'manly' war book but a great insight into devastation and how people cope. Smashing read that takes the mind off things.

What we're listening to: Van 'Tupelo Honey'

Van's 5th Album from 1971 when he was living with wife Janet Planet Rigsbee  (and that's her on the cover and Rigs"bee" is the honey link). She's also doing backing vocals.

It created one of the best love songs in history in the title track - "You can take, all the tea in china...an angel of the first degree...." which sits with 'Crazy Love' from Moondance.

It's very Van and full of love (we've been listening all week!) - 'You're my woman' a standout track, 'Tupelo Honey' is superb and 'Old Old Woodstock' where he wrote the Album. They shortly moved from New York to California where he made the record and you get that rural feel from the cover shot. 

It's a bit country like on 'Moonshine Whiskey' where Van had worked with The Band and you get a sense of their influence too. 

It's a beautiful record but that said, Van wasn't happy with it. It came at a strange time in his life with the move out West and probably, with a new Band, wasn't great for him. A time when he didn't want to play live and was famously, cancelling gigs. 

But he's wrong, it's great and ever there was an Album for one track alone, it's this. (For Sarah) 

Previous "listen tos" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Earth Wind Fire: The Japanese House 'Good at Falling': Dire Straits 'Debut': David Gray 'White Ladder': Kacy Musgraves 'Golden Hour': Finley Quaye 'Maverick a strike': Doobies 'Taking it to the Streets': T Bone Burnett 'The criminal under my hat': Steely Dan 'Gaucho': Kacey Musgraves 'Same Trailer Different Park': Phil Spector 'Christmas Gift': The 1975 'A Brief Inquiry' (Our Album of the year 2018): Wings 'Over America': Sheryl Crow 'Tuesday Night Music Club': Dwight Yoakam 'Gone': Deep Purple 'In Rock': Police 'Reggatta de Blanc': Dylan 'Freewheelin': Stevie Winwood 'Arc of a Diver': Jamiroquai 'travelling without Moving': Eels 'Meet The Eels': Curtis Mayfield 'Superfly': Bowie 'Ziggy Stardust': Fatboy Slim/Norman Cook: REM 'Automatic for the People' :Coldplay 'Parachutes': Springsteen 'Hammersmith 75': Barry White 'Can't get enough': The Band 'Before the Flood': Dimitri from Paris 'Le Chic': Santana 'Abraxas': Suzanne Vega 'Debut': Michael Jackson 'Bad': John Hiatt 'Bring the Family/Budokan': JJ Cale 'Naturally': Ray Lamontagne 'Trouble': The Bluetones 'Expecting to Fly': Norah Jones 'Come Away with me': Macy Gray 'On how life is': John Cougar 'American Fool': Earth Wind & Fire 'Greatest': Boz Scaggs 'Silk Degrees': Durand Jones + The Indications: Elton John 'Captain Fantastic': Nirvana 'Nevermind': James Brown 'At The Apollo' 1962: Grateful Dead 'American Beauty': Frampton 'Comes Alive': Snow Patrol 'Final Straw': The Jayhawks 'Hollywood Town Hall': Alanis Morissette 'Jagged Little Pill': Chris Stapleton 'Traveller': Shelby Lynne 'I Am': Lauryn Hill 'Miseducation': Alicia Keys 'Songs in A Minor': Beatles 'Revolver': The Allergies 'Push On' (Our Album of 2017): Sinatra 'Jolly Christmas': Stranglers 'Rattus Norvegicus': Happy Mondays 'Pills Thrills and Bellyaches': The Verve 'Urban Hymns': Jim Croce 'You don't mess around with Jim': America 'America': Hall & Oates 'The Singles': George Michael 'Older': Rolling Stones 'Sticky Fingers': Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue': Mink Willy De Ville 'Backstreets of Desire': Ten Years After 'Undead': The Beat 'Just can't stop it': George Thorogood/The Destoyers '2120 Michigan Avenue': Tom Waits 'Franks Wild Years'; Glen Campbell 'Rhinestone Cowboy': Rory Gallagher 'Live in Europe': Michael Jackson 'Thriller': Daft Punk 'Discovery': DJ Dimitri 'Disco Forever': John Martyn 'Grace & Danger': Peter Gabriel 'So': Crowded House 'Woodface': Springsteen 'Born to Run': ACDC 'Back in Black': Grace Jones 'Nighclubbing': Stevie Wonder 'Songs in the key of life': The Cars 'The Cars': Billy Joel '52nd Street': Beatles 'Sgt Pepper': Tom Petty 'Damn the Torpedoes': World Party 'Bang': Eric Clapton 'Slowhand': John Mayer 'Room for Squares': Ry Cooder 'Bop til you drop': Jon&Vangelis 'Friends of Mr. Cairo': Mary Chapin 'Come on, Come on': Frank Zappa 'Joe's Garage': Joni Mitchell 'Blue': Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without Predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black'; Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill.

What we're listening to: Earth Wind & Fire 'That's the way of the world'.

The great 'Earth Wind and Fire' 6th Album from 1975 which was part of a movie soundtrack of the same name. The movie bombed but the soundtrack didn't.

Triple platinum, it made the band in that heady disco, soul, funk, r&b 70s.

Formed by Maurice White in 1969 (who died in 2016), they are actually one of the highest selling bands of all time and also hold a huge number of awards.

But they were great and so is this. Right on.

And I'm sorry but one of the and their greatest songs is 'September'. It's here now so crank up that sound and feel good...

Previous "listen tos" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......The Japanese House 'Good at Falling': Dire Straits 'Debut': David Gray 'White Ladder': Kacy Musgraves 'Golden Hour': Finley Quaye 'Maverick a strike': Doobies 'Taking it to the Streets': T Bone Burnett 'The criminal under my hat': Steely Dan 'Gaucho': Kacey Musgraves 'Same Trailer Different Park': Phil Spector 'Christmas Gift': The 1975 'A Brief Inquiry' (Our Album of the year 2018): Wings 'Over America': Sheryl Crow 'Tuesday Night Music Club': Dwight Yoakam 'Gone': Deep Purple 'In Rock': Police 'Reggatta de Blanc': Dylan 'Freewheelin': Stevie Winwood 'Arc of a Diver': Jamiroquai 'travelling without Moving': Eels 'Meet The Eels': Curtis Mayfield 'Superfly': Bowie 'Ziggy Stardust': Fatboy Slim/Norman Cook: REM 'Automatic for the People' :Coldplay 'Parachutes': Springsteen 'Hammersmith 75': Barry White 'Can't get enough': The Band 'Before the Flood': Dimitri from Paris 'Le Chic': Santana 'Abraxas': Suzanne Vega 'Debut': Michael Jackson 'Bad': John Hiatt 'Bring the Family/Budokan': JJ Cale 'Naturally': Ray Lamontagne 'Trouble': The Bluetones 'Expecting to Fly': Norah Jones 'Come Away with me': Macy Gray 'On how life is': John Cougar 'American Fool': Earth Wind & Fire 'Greatest': Boz Scaggs 'Silk Degrees': Durand Jones + The Indications: Elton John 'Captain Fantastic': Nirvana 'Nevermind': James Brown 'At The Apollo' 1962: Grateful Dead 'American Beauty': Frampton 'Comes Alive': Snow Patrol 'Final Straw': The Jayhawks 'Hollywood Town Hall': Alanis Morissette 'Jagged Little Pill': Chris Stapleton 'Traveller': Shelby Lynne 'I Am': Lauryn Hill 'Miseducation': Alicia Keys 'Songs in A Minor': Beatles 'Revolver': The Allergies 'Push On' (Our Album of 2017): Sinatra 'Jolly Christmas': Stranglers 'Rattus Norvegicus': Happy Mondays 'Pills Thrills and Bellyaches': The Verve 'Urban Hymns': Jim Croce 'You don't mess around with Jim': America 'America': Hall & Oates 'The Singles': George Michael 'Older': Rolling Stones 'Sticky Fingers': Miles Davis 'Kind of Blue': Mink Willy De Ville 'Backstreets of Desire': Ten Years After 'Undead': The Beat 'Just can't stop it': George Thorogood/The Destoyers '2120 Michigan Avenue': Tom Waits 'Franks Wild Years'; Glen Campbell 'Rhinestone Cowboy': Rory Gallagher 'Live in Europe': Michael Jackson 'Thriller': Daft Punk 'Discovery': DJ Dimitri 'Disco Forever': John Martyn 'Grace & Danger': Peter Gabriel 'So': Crowded House 'Woodface': Springsteen 'Born to Run': ACDC 'Back in Black': Grace Jones 'Nighclubbing': Stevie Wonder 'Songs in the key of life': The Cars 'The Cars': Billy Joel '52nd Street': Beatles 'Sgt Pepper': Tom Petty 'Damn the Torpedoes': World Party 'Bang': Eric Clapton 'Slowhand': John Mayer 'Room for Squares': Ry Cooder 'Bop til you drop': Jon&Vangelis 'Friends of Mr. Cairo': Mary Chapin 'Come on, Come on': Frank Zappa 'Joe's Garage': Joni Mitchell 'Blue': Steve Gibbons 'Caught in the Act': Elton John 'Tumbleweed Connection': Elton John 'Honky Chateau': Gallagher & Lyle 'Breakaway': Warren Zevon 'Excitable Boy': Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without Predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black'; Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill.