Nicholas Boldock

Nicholas is a prolific and brilliant writer who's contributions to thisisull.com include poetry, interviews, fiction and many articles. Nicks contributions are listed below..

Articles - The Drain - Memories of East Hull By Nicholas Boldock

	It can sometimes transcend strangeness, the things we humans can have a fondness for. Me, I rather like "The Drain", that muddy, filthy waterway that flows through East Hull, fostering luminous green algae and prehistoric hermaphrodite fish as it goes. At first glance the drain looks like not much more than a cleverly designed cesspool, Read more...

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Poetry - (I Ain't No) Corporate Cocksucker By Nicholas Boldock
	Someone chained me to a desk and handed me a phone They gave me a pile of invoices and left me on me own Me arse looked like me elbow cos I didn't have a clue By the time it got to five o'clock the air was fucking blue It took me just a week to bring the company to its knees But I somehow got away with it cos nobody knew it was me Read more...

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Poetry - Hulling It By Nicholas Long

	I love Hull, one letter from Hell. Hell-hole Hull, the bottom of the boat, arse- end of England. When you visit, you scrape the bottom. I love saying the word Hull. Out loud. It has as much resonance as a tin bath. Not barth, the southern way. It makes me smile to say its name. Read more...

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Fiction - 100 Words Competition - Walking Into Doors By Nick Boldock

	She squinted into the mirror and looked at the bruise around her eye. Already it was turning a sickening shade of purple. It throbbed when she prodded away at it. The thick laceration in her bottom lip was stinging as well, as she dabbed at it with a wedge of TCP-soaked cotton wool. She knew she ought to be more careful. Less clumsy, less thoughtless. He'd say he was sorry, Read more...

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Album Reviews - CD Reviews - The North Pole - The Grip b/w How Can I Explain By Nicholas Boldock
	Let me relate to you a few irrefutable facts. You, like 99% of the population of the world, have never heard of The North Pole. You don't own any of their CDs. You have never seen them live. You don't know what they sound like. You don't know their names. You've never met them - or rather, if you have, you didn't realise who they were. You don't know whether you like Read more...

Music, Album Reviews - Oasis: Don't Believe The Truth By Nick Boldock
	There was a time when it would sound faintly ridiculous to suggest that Oasis would ever again record a great album. Their last effort - 2002's Heathen Chemistry - suggested a renaissance, and despite mediocre media interest did contain some brilliance, most notably the Noel-sung numbers Little By Little and Force Of Nature. Certainly it was a sign of Read more...

Music Reviews - REM / The Zutons / Idlewild - KC Stadium, Hull, 05/07/05 by Nicholas Boldock photos by Matt Rudd & SMC
	As is the way with these things, it's chucking it down when Idlewild arrive on stage. Presumably the rain doesn't bother them - they are from Scotland after all, and therefore no strangers to Biblically-proportioned downpours. Which is just as well, as the heavens have well and truly opened. It's a shame that so many people Read more...

Music Reviews - The Sunnyside Of The Day By Nicholas Boldock
	First things first: I've had a really shit day. Having been in negotiations with a certain Hull-based company regarding possible employment, today it all went tits up as they pulled the plug and informed me that, after three meetings with various luminaries from the firm, my services would not be required Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Confessions Of A Hull City Supporter at Hull Truck By Nicholas Boldock
	There must be few examples of award-winning playwrights penning an entire play to celebrate a football team winning promotion, even if that promotion took 19 long years to arrive. After Hull City won promotion from Division 3 last term, local writer Alan Plater Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Up 'n' Under at Hull Truck Theatre By Nicholas Boldock
	Once upon a time, there was a young boy called James Crossley. James liked to play sport and did a lot of exercise. He bought himself some weights and trained hard until he became big and beefy. When James grew up he grew his hair all silly so that he looked like a blond spaniel. Then he became famous Read more...

Poetry - Clair180 By Nicholas Boldock
	Almost like a virtual death The passing of one faceless username A collection of letters and numbers Playing games on a flat screen universe As if existing only in the imagination. Notified by email, appropriately almost Read more...

Reviews, Opera - Gilbert & Sullivan The Mikado at Middleton Hall, Hull University By Nicholas Boldock
	Dagger Lane Operatic Society are old hands when it comes to Gilbert & Sullivan. - in fact, they've been performing their operettas for 20 years now. Way back in 1984 their inaugural production was HMS Pinafore. This year, for their twentieth anniversary show, it was the most celebrated Gilbert & Sullivan Read more...

Sports Football - Farewell 2 Division 3 By Nicholas Boldock

	It may have taken nineteen years to come along, but Hull City's promotion party was a celebration well worth the wait, and one that will be remembered for a long time yet. The official festivities may not have started until the day of the final league game against Bristol Rovers, but for City fans Read more...

Articles - Death On Camera By Nicholas Boldock
	I have just watched Death On Camera, the BBC documentary about Christopher Alder, who died in police custody in Hull in 1998. If you missed the programme and don't already know the case, here are the facts: Christopher Alder was in Waterfront Nightclub on the night of April 1st, 1998. There was an altercation inside the club Read more...

Articles - Pregnancy - Revisited by Nicholas Boldock
	Life - it's a funny old game. Love, loss, rejection, success, pride, humility, happiness, sorrow - all part and parcel of the old cradle-to-grave board game. Personally, my life has taken a turn for the "bloody hectic" over the last week or so. And I think I now have an idea what this funny old game is all about. Those of you who are lucky enough to have no problems with short.. Read more...

Humber Mouth Interviews - Tony Petch: Vanishing Point By Nicholas Boldock
	Tony Petch could be regarded, in the nicest possible way, as an elder statesman of poetry in Hull. He's certainly been around for a while now (and I'm sure he won't mind me pointing that out) and has been published in innumerable anthologies and magazines over the years. It comes as a surprise to discover that Vanishing Point is his first solo collection. Read more...

Interviews - Faith & Football: Stuart Elliott speaks.
	by Nicholas Boldock Having heard Elliott interviewed a number of times on Radio Humberside (usually post-match, having scored yet another spectacular headed goal), I knew he would be an articulate and engaging speaker on any subject, even one I would not ordinarily be interested in. And do you know what? He didn't disappoint. Read more...

Reviews, Books - "A Drink With Shane MacGowan" by Victoria Mary Clarke and Shane MacGowan
	By Nickolas Boldock Shane MacGowan may just be a medical miracle. He is, of course, a chronic alcoholic, whose love affair with drink will likely never cease until he is six feet below. His consumption of other inebriants is now the stuff of legend. His hedonistic exploits are usually the first thing to come to mind at the mention of his name; the first subject covered in any interview; the introduction to any article (even this one). Forget that though. Read more...

Articles - This Is East 'Ull By Nicholas Boldock

	Way back in the October of 1975, I popped my head out in Hedon Road Maternity Hospital, wailed a bit, and said hello to East Hull, which was to be my home for the next 18 years, give or take. Read more...

Fiction - Halloween - One For The Road

	by Nicholas Boldock Jason Travis tip-tapped the steering wheel in time to the music blaring from the car's speakers. He glanced at the digital clock on the dashboard - 16:53. The sky was darkening, even at this early summer hour, not as a result of the setting sun but brought about by the lumbering grey rain clouds overhead. Read more...

Fiction - Telling Lies by Nicholas Boldock
	At half past five Harry arranged all the papers on his desk into neat piles, as he always did before going home. He shoved his pens into the blue plastic desk tidy and shut down his PC. He performed this same ritual every evening, did it automatically, even unconsciously. He felt overjoyed to be finally going home - the days seemed to be getting longer and longer and longer - even though home, to Harry, was only marginally more bearable than work. Read more...

Articles - Rudston Monolith by Nicholas Boldock
	Think of standing stones and you automatically think of Stonehenge, yes? That beautiful and world-renowned monument sited smack in the middle of greenest Wiltshire, spiritual home to druid and crusty alike, scene of many a cider-fuelled Solstice party. Read more...

Holidays - Prague by Nicholas Boldock
	So off we went. On arrival at Ruzyne airport, my main worry was that our taxi driver would not be there. For some reason this was the thing I was most concerned about. My fears were unfounded. Read more...

People - An Interview With David Rovics By Nicholas Boldock
	David Rovics, like many musicians, was born into a musical family. Both of his parents are classical pianists, and his father is also a composer. He has a sister who plays the flute. Little wonder then that David is also an accomplished musician, though his own expertise lies not in the classical arena but as a contemporary folk singer, guitarist and songwriter. Read more...

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Music Reviews - Cracktown By Nicholas Boldock
	Cracktown - consisting of Silver Fox on vocals/harmonica and King Rat on guitar/vocals - have been together for nearly a year. Time, then, for their first demo CD - and here it is, all 45 minutes of it. No four-song samplers for these boys - no, you get 12 tracks for your money, and not a filler among them. Read more...

Poetry The Godfather Of Cool
	By Nicholas Boldock The easy-skunkin', acid-funkin' Godfather Of Cool With eyes like strobes in velvet robes this mover ain't no fool The finger-flippin', midnight-trippin' Minister for Bass With discs on slicks and mixing tricks he'll keep it in its place With eyes on stalks and drunken walks the kids are all alright Read more...

Reviews, Theatre - Julius Caesar at Hull Truck Wednesday 10th November 04 By Nicholas Boldock
	Predictably, Hull Truck dispenses with tradition for this pulsating performance of one of Shakespeare's most ambitious plays. The differences between Godber's version and Shakespeare's are glaring - an original cast of 51 is slashed to just 6 actors (although most of them play multiple roles) Read more...

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Opinions - Comment on Fear And Loathing In Hull By Nicholas Boldock and In Reply To - Fear And Loathing In Hull By Anonymous By Anna
	In my first contribution on this website I referred to the nice experience I had in Hull as a foreign student. When I read the articles on Hull's racism, I thought I can share my view since I have had some experiences from both sides. Albanian immigrants residing Read more...

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Reviews, Theatre - Julius Caesar at Hull Truck Wednesday 10th November 04 By Nicholas Boldock
	Predictably, Hull Truck dispenses with tradition for this pulsating performance of one of Shakespeare's most ambitious plays. The differences between Godber's version and Shakespeare's are glaring - an original cast of 51 is slashed to just 6 actors (although most of them play multiple roles) Read more...

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Poetry - The Bard Of Bilton Grange
	By Nicholas Boldock The hurtful glances made me try To get out from my cage And I looked towards the day I'd be The Bard Of Bilton Grange Read more...

Poetry Tell Me Again
	By Nicholas Boldock Tell me again how you saw me in the queue How my eyes drew you in How my wrinkled shirt made you laugh and broke the ice Tell me again how you looked and looked Hoping we would meet again And remind me how you smiled when finally you found me. Read more...

Opinions - Fear And Loathing In Hull By Nicholas Boldock
	Strange how one little comment from one person can change your whole day. There I was the other day, in the office, trying to cope with the daily grind, chatting away to my colleague Mel about a whole load of nothing much, when someone swapped nice, bubbly, friendly Mel for a closet racist with a bad attitude. Read more...

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Poetry Is This Place Freedom?
	By Nicholas Boldock The roads stretch out ahead of me To which town will they lead? And will there be a lady there With dark brown eyes and long blonde hair Who'll let me love her if I dare Own up to what I need. Read more...

Poetry Mr Joseph Ginger
	By Nicholas Boldock Mr Joseph Ginger was an indisposed old man With electrodes in his brain and arthritis in his hands He'd nearly fifteen grandchildren But he didn't know their names And he'd written a dozen books he could no longer understand Read more...