It’s been ten years since one of the most important cultural events of our, or anyone else’s, lifetimes. The Papples’ debut album, Wasting my Life, was released in May 2009 to a largely indifferent public.
To celebrate this milestone, Ian and myself made a pilgrimage to a number of sites on the south coast where the photos for the album sleeve were taken. We then recreated as many as we could find to mark this seminal tenniversary event. Join us, now, as we take you through all of the photos we recreated, slowly, one by one, whether you want to see them or not, like a distant relative showing you some old holiday photos.
Let’s start in Rottingdean where the album cover photo was taken.
The building on the left has been repainted and the “Peter’s” van has, inexplicably, moved. Ian’s shoes are also different. But this is it. This is the iconic slice of rock history, recreated.
Rottingdean coffee no longer tastes like gravy.
Head to the seafront where there’s still only half of me.
Ian’s rock has moved but his lunging, clawing pose is no less powerful ten years on.
My rocks have been redeveloped into an open air theatre, leaving me propping up a leg unconvincingly on a low wall. The passage of time has turned my power stance into a slightly awkward catalogue pose.
Onward, now, and eastward to Seaford.
Ian has replaced his shoes in the last decade but they remain no less aerodynamic.
Ten years of wear and tear have barely left a mark on this shouting beach hobo. And how many of us have the chance to compare our tongues over the passing years?
Oddly, the houses in Seaford have grown taller, and I have not.
Nearly there now. Nearly at the end of the journey. Just one more stop to make atop Ditchling Beacon, with its extensive views of the South Downs.
That’s what you do with an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Give it a good shouting at.
Now stay tuned to the Beans – which will definitely still exist – for the Twentyversary post, due in June 2029.
12 comments on “Tenniversary”
This brings back so many memories, mainly because I was there both times. I expect we all would prefer 2009 Ian to stay in the past though. He was a bit of a gobshite.
Yes, your memories of this must be especially fresh and tangy.
I don’t remember 2009 Ian being particularly Gobshitular, but I do have a solid idea what his gob looks like because it is recorded here.
We all know the kinds of guff that came out of his mouth, and through his fingers on this website. He should stay ten years in the past, mainly because if he was here now we both couldn’t exist at the same time and something catastrophic would happen.
#science
Also LOOK AT MY MOUTH!
I would look at your mouth, but I’m still revelling in the majesty of your crouch/claw pose. It’s only grown more dignified and profound with every passing year.
The more I come to this post the more I admire us for doing something and then ten years later doing it again. It shows we’re consistent and reliable.
Also LOOK AT YOUR MOUTH!
MY mouth? Look at YOUR mouth.
Get yourself a good long look, too. You won’t be seeing the inside of that again until June 2029.
Gone are the days when I could stare at my lovely mouth for hours. Sigh, I will take a long look, sir, and a full glass of that, and then I will pine for next ten years until I get to see it again.
A detailed inspection once a decade is all anyone can hope for. That’s what my dentist tells me, anyway.
I’m still impressed that we managed to get the flying shoe shot. Sod us looking old, give me a shoe in the air any day of the week.
We totally did, and in no way did we fake it.
Not faked. Nen fakes. It was true-ingtons shoe-ingtons.