I'm telling you now people, Christmas can sometimes bring out the crazies, and I'm not just talking about Tom Cruise's wedding. ba-dom-tsssk! No, I was coming home from work yesterday (tragically blogging is not my full time job. BOO) and i saw all sorts of crazy situations. There was the woman trying to superglue her heel back onto her boot in the pouring rain. Then there was a 14 year old girl puking over the side of a bridge on the cars below, before wiping her mouth and taking another swig of (cheap) lager to the whoops and cheers of her chav friends. Then of course the train home was packed with festive revellers, so i tried to make my way down to a fairly quiet compartment. I did so and stood in between compartments. There was a lot of laughing and screaming coming for the bathroom, and i seriously thought someone was having sex in there. Then two navy guys come running out laughing and run down the train. I poked my head round the bathroom door and there was one of their sailor buddies now tied up to the toilet with his scarf round his mouth :O Dear God! I tell you it was like being on the opening scenes of some gay fetish high class porn movie. Anyway, let the craziness cease for a while so I can get on with today's abbreviated (but picture heavy) post :)
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THE 7 TO WATCH IN 2007 UPDATE (+ FRIENDS!):
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~ Pacific Avenue: The lovely Scottish boys are not only fans of the site, but are now holding a Christmas party for their fans in Glasgow. If any zapping readers are in the area and are able to attend, let me know! I want to go and win a copy of their album ;) Hmmm, let's see how much easyjet tickets are ;) And don't forget you can download a single of theirs free by following the link on their myspace page!
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~ Switch22: I love my S22 boys - and now i'm one of their top friends :) I'm in good company - they have the funkeclectism of Jean in there, the smouldering Sanderson and some good looking American dude called James. If that's not good enough reason to pop over to their site, try checking out their two slide shows of live and promo shots. And if that doesn't have you expostulating, then listen to the amazing 1985 on their media player. It's like a christmas gift wrapped in a saucy, slutty-in-the-best-possible-way bow!
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~ Simon Curtis: I could write a lot more about Simon other than I really like the zip in his jeans in this pic (edit! Below the right hand pocket, not the other zip :O ). And he is so youthful looking he makes me feel incredibly old. But that's all I'm going to write as I really want you to go and check his site in preparation for a HUGE feature coming on Dec 30th...
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~ Justin Lanning: It's all change in the world of JL. He's turned 21 so he can now legally drink should he so desire. He has also put up the fourth and most personal of his Justin's World video clips yet. All this and the news that he is working his ass off on his debut album. Plus the revelation that he is now single. Start an orderly queue ladies and gentlemen...
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~ Jeremiah: The only actor on the list, but certainly the only actor worth being on the list. And yay that Jeremy is busy busy busy for the next couple of months. He is in a new film called Deliver Me in which he plays Joe (currently filming); he plays a soldier in Henry V at RSC's Swan Theatre in Feb then is returning to the role that captured my attention - Claire in The Maids at Wolverhampton Arena Theatre. Plus he has a poem being published in an anthology book coming out. What a busy chappie :)
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Don't worry Gavin and Conor - thezapping still loves you, it's just that all seems quiet on your respective western fronts. As soon as you have some news, you know i'll be sharing it :) In the meantime, lets look at some of my other fave acts...

~ Lockdown: Lockdown's official website has been given a nifty makeover, much like the band themselves. Having completed a busy season of promotional work, the band have been hailed as one of the bright new hopes of 2007 by the Sunday People with their fine reworking of Alice Cooper's Poison. Love the new logo too - and be sure to check out the bands profiles. Am particularly loving Chris' look on his profile page...:) AND! Be sure to sign up to their lively forum....
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~ Billiam: Their myspace site says UK's next hottest boyband and i'm happy for them to wrestle it out with Pacific Avenue for that honour, but when new tracks like the jaunty Check It Out appear on their website - a song so brimming with pop goodness, enthusiasm and an amazing harmonised sing a long chorus that it makes you want to weep with joy - you know they are putting up a serious fight. Check out their live gig in Liverpool tomorrow (17th) and Manchester on 23rd...
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~ Beyond: Could it be more exciting that Beyond are doing a couple of dates with Eton Road? Check them out on the 22nd - twice (because it's Christmas) - and get the lovely Eton Road boys thrown into the bargain. you know that i am going to do my best to be there. But if not, and any zapping readers are planning to go, let me know! Now if we can arrange for a single release of A Little Bit of Ooh or sophisti-pop Show Me Out, it'll be a great Christmas :)
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THE PERFECT OUTFITS FOR CHRISTMAS PARTIES (PART ONE):
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I thought I would dress all my readers from the fab array of clothes at As Seen On Stars. And by all my readers, I mean the boys. Or girls who like to look like boys. There will be three occasions that you will need outfits for over this festive season, so we will kick off today with...the party...
The festive season generally dictates that everyone must attend at least one 'dress to impress' party. So the outfit must be smart without being too stiff. Jeans are perfectly acceptable, particularly now they are moving away from the faux-crease line look and becoming smarter. Try pairing them with a funky pair of black shoes and a rock star t-shirt that is toned down by a nice velvet jacket. Adding a sleek (not too chunky) scarf will complete the look...
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OR! You could still wear your jeans but add a shirt (perfectly ironed - the faux wrinkle look is also mercifully gone) and take some fashion tips from Dan Gillespie-(sex)Sells by adding a waistcoat and maybe a bandanna round your wrist... If you are feeling particularly daring, try finishing it all off with some white/black brogues, but be sure to strut confidently in them otherwise you will look a right tit....

LINK: Nudie Thin Finn Dry Black Denim Jeans (top)
LINK: Puritanical Printed T-shirt (second)
LINK: Single Breasted Velvet Jacket (ideal with above two items)
LINK: For All Mankind Washed Black Jeans (third)
LINK: SB3 Waistcoat (bottom)
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THE MYSPACE CHRISTMAS:
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Not only does myspace now provide you with opportunity to listen to new and often unreleased music (and sometimes videos) all year round, it also has a fair few artists using the site showcasing christmas cheer across the web. I mean, doesn't Tyler Hilton look all warm and snuggly above in his Gap chunky knit scarf. Got to keep those vocal chords warm! He offers up a rather foxy version of Merry Little Christmas that is just him and his guitar. Meanwhile, Ryan Huston has totally reinterpreted Let It Snow over at his myspace page. Play it back to back with Tyler and you've got yourself the perfect little twofer. Though to be fair, Ryan's serene voice belies the fact that he looks like he could totally take Tyler and would be an animal in the bedroom. Lets move on ;) To someone I need to really write more about fairly soon - Connor O Brien. He does a really enchanting haunting version of Carol Of The Bells that is both festive and almost menacing and aggressive at the same time. But it totally works and would sound amazing played any time of year. Myspace - it's the site that keeps on giving ;) PS, I'm still looking for the teddy geiger christmas ep. Hook me up someone ;)
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LINK: Tyler Hilton's myspace
LINK: Ryan Huston's myspace
LINK: Connor OBrien's myspace
MP3: Tyler Hilton - Merry Little Christmas
MP3: Ryan Huston - Let It Snow
MP3: Connor O Brien - Carol Of The Bells