JOHNNO profile picture

JOHNNO

All Who Are & Who Will Be Forevermore....(I'm Not Really Purple!)

About Me

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I love music, the outdoors, nature, animals, sunsets, sunrises, mountains, hills, trees, the sea, rivers, streams, waterfalls and visiting Scotland, especially the Ayrshire Coast and the Highlands!!!! I'm happy just chillin' out with a bottle of ale, preferably Hobgoblin, listening to music and having a laugh....even more so if it's outdoors.....and three fold if it's in a lovely part of Scotland with the sun shining down from the blue skies up above whilst I lay upon the lush green grass beneath me!! I'm pretty well happy with everything in my life at the moment and try and take each day as it comes and enjoy it the best I can! I was married since 1988, but unfortunately, recently separated but have two great children (well little adults now!) from the relationship.
I have been vegetarian for over 20 years now.Check out my vegetarian & vegan profile page;
http://funvegetarians.com/profile­/Johnno
Here are some famous celebrity vegetarian quotes;
Jack Johnson: "I saw a semitruck of chickens drive by one day when we were on the road, and it had really decrepit-looking chickens, and I felt so sorry for them. I was like, ‘Man, I can't eat chicken after seeing that.' It's been about three months. I love animals, and sometimes I feel like a hypocrite eating chicken or beef, because I know I wouldn't be able to kill one myself. If I was looking at a cow and I had a gun, I don't think I'd actually be able to shoot it."
Clint Eastwood: "I try to stick to a vegan diet—heavy on fruit, vegetables, tofu, and other soy products."
Wu Tang Clan's Masta Killa: "I never really liked meat. I was a child that had to be forced to eat my meat. Whatever you ate before [going vegetarian] that you loved—like turkey slices—they've got a substitute now that's not hard to find."
Sir Paul McCartney sums it all up: "If anyone wants to save the planet, all they have to do is just stop eating meat. That's the single most important thing you could do. It's staggering when you think about it. Vegetarianism takes care of so many things in one shot: ecology, famine, cruelty."
In 1990 I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, for which I underwent about 6 months of chemotherapy and came through the other side! Since then, I've appreciated things alot more and never try and take things for granted. I am now grateful for all that l have, all that l have had and all that l have to come. It gave me a damn good kick up the arse!!!!
I consider myself good natured and try to be helpful, but because of that, I often have people trying to take me for a ride, as they then think I'm soft, but they find out otherwise; I don't suffer fools gladly! I don't like rude, obnoxious, inconsiderate people, bullies, thieves, liars or s**t stirrers, or general moaners that always feel the world is against them. If you have me as a friend, you will have a good, loyal friend! I have some very good friends; Carl & Ed since school, Beano, Jez, Ugz & Mick, Tracey, Shez, John & Lee to name but a few, plus some great people I've met this year down at Rosedene, especially Ann, K8, Pete, Shaz, Dan, Scott, Sam, Toni, Bernie, Sheila, Lindsey & Em, and some great folk on myspace!
I have always loved my music, it has always carried me through life during my bad times and walked along side me and shared my good times, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young have always been there for me! So a big thankyou to all within that group for producing such fantastic music over the years! I think music has been the soundtrack for alot of my life! A music teacher at Chasetown, Mr Dearden, made me write an essay for being late with my homework, about the lyrics of Elton John's track "Song For Guy"; although there are hardly any lyrics (cheers Sir you f****r! Only kidding!), it does actually say a great deal and it made a lasting impression on me; "Life isn't everything...."; especially after losing my mate, Ian Summers in a motorbike accident on 22nd September, 1985. RIP Ian. I think that's when I realised that you are not invincible and things can happen to ourselves and people you know (although I grew up with my Dad being on kidney dialysis from the age of 6, and almost lost him numerous times, but I took that as the norm back then).

My Interests

Family, friends, animals and I do voluntary dog walking at Rosedene Animal Rescue, Rushall, West Midlands, which I really do enjoy! It's a great escape from the rat race, doing something for nothing and seeing the enjoyment the dogs get from being taken out for a walk and away from their pens! I'd love to able to spend more time doing this. It's one of the best things I have ever done!! I also love the countryside, the seaside, the outdoors in general, sunshine, rain, thunderstorms, misty mornings, walking, jogging, exercising, cycling, drinking ales and gigging (love the Robin, Bilston; great tribute bands and some classic artists there!), martial arts (trained in full contact Muay Thai for over 10 years at the Trojan Thai Gym, with Jon Roberts, Craig Silverstone, Jacko & Dave Styche, plus I trained in Aikido, did amateur boxing and also a mix of Jeet Kune Do, with Bob Breen, and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, again with Jon Roberts, A.K.A "Old Timer"; great bloke!), but I'm not a violent man, I prefer to walk away from trouble! I've always loved photography (I take my camera nearly everywhere!) & great, great music....... One of my favourite tracks is Echobelly's haunting "Dark Therapy";

& I love this track by Jose Gonzalez, so relaxing.......
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I just love listening to music and attending gigs. I average about 40+ a year!

I'd like to meet:


My all time musical hero, David Crosby, followed by Stephen Stills! I'd love to meet up again with my late Grand Parents and Great Grandparents, plus my Uncle Alan Butler....you never know, though, maybe they do wait for us on the otherside.......I'd also like to have met J.R.R.Tolkien to have said thankyou for writing the Hobbit and Lord Of The Rings Trilogy (it gave me an escapism whenever I had troubles in my youth), and to meet Peter Jackson and say thankyou for filming it and bringing my minds images to life on the screen! I'd dearly love to have met up with Linda McCartney and said thankyou for everything she achieved for vegetarians! I would also have loved to have met Bruce Lee and possibly trained with him. I just generally like meeting people as I make my through life and in 2007 I've met so many great people at Rosedene!!

Click to zoom in on my visitor map!

Music:

Love everything & anything....that takes my fancy. If it sounds good, then I will lsten to it, no matter what kind of style it is; from folk to reggae, blues to metal, newage to classical......I love all types!!!
Find more music like this on Vegetarian / Vegan Exchange
One of my all time favourite bands that have constantly stayed with me, are; Crosby, Stills & Nash & Young. Other artistes I like (in no particular order) are Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Queen, T.Rex, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, Hawkwind, Motorhead, Black Sabbath, AC/DC, Jet, Reef, The Cult, Alanis Morrisette, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Faith No More, Rage Against The Machine, Audioslave, Chris Cornell, Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Live, Creed, Alter Bridge, Logan, Nickleback, Theory Of A Deadman, Black Stone Cherry, Alice In Chains, Jerry Cantrell, Wolfmother, Blind Melon, The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, The Music, The Dandy Warhols, Lou Reed, The Velvet Underground, Juliette & The Licks, The Breeders, Throwing Muses, Whale, System Of A Down, Incubus, The Offspring, OPM, Skunk Anansie, Skin, Harry, Rival Schools, Nine Inch Nails, Green Day, Sugar Ray, Placebo, The Eels, Tool, Melissa Auf Der Maur, Marilyn Manson, Kid Rock, Monster Magnet, Saliva, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, HED Planet Earth, Sum 41, Blink 182, Avril Lavigne, Oneyesblue, Bowling For Soup, Silvertide, Logan, The Answer, Atomic Rooster, Ozzy Osbourne, Judas Priest, Thunder, Lenny Kravitz, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, Blackfoot, April Wine, Heart, Argent, Stretch, War, Montrose, Sammy Hagar, The Scorpions, UFO, Girlschool, Gillan, Aerosmith, Blue Oyster Cult, Thin Lizzy, Deep Purple, Rainbow, Dio, Status Quo, Nazareth, Slade, Uriah Heep, Man, Budgie, Feeder, Snow Patrol, Rory Gallagher, Brian Adams, John Cougar Mellencamp, Matchbox Twenty, Talking Heads, The Doors, J.J.Cale, Peter Green, John Lennon, Paul McCartney/Wings, George Harrison, The Travelling Wilbury's, Ringo Starr, The Yardbirds, The Spencer Davis Group, Cream, Blind Faith, Derek & The Dominoes, Eric Clapton, Free, Bad Company, Paul Rogers, Muddy Waters, Family, Bachman Turner Overdrive, Little Feat, Robert Palmer, Vinegar Joe, Hookfoot, Yes, Roxy Music, King Crimson, Tangerine Dream, Genesis, Pallas, Marillion, Gong, Canned Heat, Mountain, The Byrds, Roger McGuinn, Buffalo Springfield, Jefferson Airplane/Starship, Country Joe & The Fish, The Grateful Dead, Janis Joplin, Joe Cocker, Santana, Sly & The Family Stone, Ten Years After, The Allman Brothers Band, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Steppenwolf, Blood, Sweat And Tears, The Dooby Brothers, Spooky Tooth, Spirit, The Band, Traffic, The Small Faces, Humble Pie, Steve Marriott, Wishbone Ash, Jethro Tull, The Levellers, Lindisfarne, The Average White Band, Stealer's Wheel, Simon & Garfunkel, Bob Dylan, Donovan, Arlo Guthrie, The Mama's & Papa's, Fairport Convention, Pentangle, Steeleye Span, Clannad, Claire Hamill, Beth Orton, All About Eve, The Waterboys, Hothouse Flowers, Tracy Chapman, Kim Richey, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, Zero 7, Morcheeba, Skye, Massive Attack, Moloko, Moby, Air, Jean Michel Jarre, Mike Oldfield, The Cardigans, Train, The Scissor Sisters, Jose Gonzalez, Finley Quaye, Eagle Eye Cherry, James Blunt, Damien Rice, Coldplay, Gomez, Beck, James Taylor, Nelly Furtado, K.T.Tunstall, Corinne Bailey Rae, Nora Jones, Sheryl Crowe, Macy Gray, P.J.Harvey, Patti Rothberg, Melissa Etheridge, Tori Amos, Kate Bush, Kiki Dee, Judie Tzuke, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Carole King, Anastacia, Blondie, Souxsie & The Banshees, Bow Wow Wow, U2, INXS, Billy Idol, Iggy Pop, The Stranglers, PIL, The Skids, Big Country, Paul Weller, The Police, Men At Work, Laidback, The Happy Mondays, Black Grape, The Stone Roses, The Verve, Primal Scream, The Fun Lovin' Criminals, Oasis, Ocean Colour Scene, Stereophonics, Crowded House, REM, Del Amitri, Travis, Deacon Blue, Texas, Simply Red, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Wilson Pickett, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Jimmy Cliff, Desmond Dekker, Smokey Robinson, The Temptations, Bill Withers, Johnny Nash, Bob Marley, UB40, The Beat, Bad Manners, Selector, Wild Cherry, Gerry Rafferty, 10cc, Sad Cafe, The Electric Light Orchestra, The Move, Tom Petty, Steely Dan, The Eagles, Joe Walsh, Steve Miller, Peter Gabriel, David Bowie, Marc Bolan, America, The Connells, Matthews Southern Comfort, Fat Mattress, Moby Grape, The Hollies, The Kinks, The Animals, Chris Isaak, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Bill Haley, The Shadows, Duane Eddy, Jet Harris....the list could just keep going!

Movies:

There are quite a few movies I really like. The Woodstock movie for one, just blew me away and opened me up to a new line in music! It reminds of some great times in my youth and gave a chance to see the lifestyle I yearned to live, and did to an extent as a young "hippy" in my teens! I liked the 1961 Greyfriars Bobby film and also Brigadoon, The Wicker Man (original version), Restless Natives & Gregory's Girl! I just like Scottish themed films I guess! I like films that make me happy, make me think, make me feel appreciative of what I have and those that take me away for an hour or two or three! I'm also a bit of a softee on sentimental films! Some of my other favourite movies which I can watch over and over include, Groundhog Day, Cocoon, City Slickers, Animal Farm, 12 Angry Men, Strangers On A Train, The Lady Vanishes, Vertigo, North By North West, old Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce Sherlock Holmes films, Dance Of The Vampires, A Knight's Tale, Sleepy Hollow, My Cousin Vinny, Meet The Parents, What Women Want, Big Fish, Big, West World, Big Foot & The Henderson's, God!, The Santa Clause, Miracle On 34th Street, Darby O'Gill & The Little People, The Boy With Green Hair, The Wizard Of Oz, Green Mile, 9/11, The Band's Last Waltz, Little Big Man, A Man Called Horse, K-Pax, Renaldo & Clara, Midnight Run, Goodfellas, Pulp Fiction, When Harry Met Sally, You've Got Mail, My Dog Skip, Black Beauty (Sean Bean) & also I Am Sam (great soundtrack). There are really too numerous movies to mention that I like, but the Lord Of The Rings trilogy was a movie I thought I would never have a chance to see other than in my imagination from when I read it as a kid, and it was made in such a fantastic way, it matched my images to a tee! Any films to do with fantasy, such as Willow & Legend. Also love the Back To Future films, Bill & Ted films, Terry Gilliam films, Time Bandits, Brothers Grimm, etc.. and the Arlo Guthrie themed, Alice's Restaurant!

Television:

There's not that much good telly really, well not that I find really good, but I do like watching "Friends"! Anything really that makes me happy or think! I also love "My Family", "Two And A Half Men", "Malcolm In The Middle", "The Simpson's" and "Futurama"! The last three, although aimed at kids, have some very dry, adult orientated humour thrown in! Then again, maybe I haven't grown up yet!!! I also like National Geographic, History Channel & Discovery Channel type shows on nature, animals and places of interest and the past. Nice watching shows that give a view of beautiful places whilst your sitting in on a dull day!!!! I also like watching Biography Channel programs too.......maybe I should get my pipe and put slippers on!

Books:

The Phone Book....lol! I'm not a big book reader. Just like the odd autobiography and books on places I've visited or plan to, and the odd book on history or facts, mainly local! Some of the books that I have enjoyed are "The Hobbit", "The Lord Of The Rings", "The Lion, The Witch &The Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian"; these books helped me escape some traumartic times as a kid when my Dad was seriously ill. George Orwells "Animal Farm" has always impressed me, as too has "The Crucible", by Arthur Miller. I think we can relate to those books in any time period.

Heroes:

My parents, Eve & Ian (my Dad has been on kidney dialysis for over 30 years and my Mom has nursed him during that time; they have both been to hell and back, but they have always been there for me, my family and anybody else who's needed help), my friend Denise who was diagnosed with mutiple scerosis back in the '80's, and has defied doctors by coping and dealing with her symptoms through diet and exercise, and is now happily married with 3 kids! My late grandparents, Joe (one of my best mates) & Marge, great granparents, Jim & Lil, my late uncle, Alan Butler, a major influence in my early years with his image and humour, and Alan Martin, my eccentric late uncle, who helped me out more than he probably ever knew; brilliant bloke, sadly missed! Linda McCartney is my big hero, for revolutionising vegetarianism and doing so much for animal wefare, plus all the folk at Rosedene, in particular Ann, K8, Shaz. Pete, Sam, Toni, Dan, Sheila, Lindsey, Em, Scott & Berni and anyone else who helps out there, as they do a fantastic job, all voluntarily, often without any recognition as to the efforts they put in there! And all people who stand up for the little guy without wanting any reward or acclaim and anybody who does voluntary work, either human kind or animal kind!

My Blog

Getting there......

Well, I've moved into my new place fully now. I've had one night sleeping on the floor and two on an air bed (thanks to Sparky Mark!) and tomorrrow my bed and my settee arrive! Bliss! It seems a good ...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sun, 10 Feb 2008 01:39:00 PST

New beginnings.....

Well, since my last blog, things have progressed quite quick. Me & the wife are talking things through and getting along okay. We are still separating. There's no turning back. She's quite ad...
Posted by JOHNNO on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 02:06:00 PST

Oh well.....looks like I'm single again!

Well, got home today after my dog walking at Rosedene, for my wife to tell me that she wants a seperation as she doesn't love me anymore after almost 20 years of marriage! Wasn't a complete surprise a...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sun, 06 Jan 2008 02:19:00 PST

Chasetown FC & the seagull.....

Well,  just come back with my brother from non-league Chasetown's 3-1 defeat to Cardiff at the Scholars ground. They played really well and made the area proud! It was a great atmosphere and brou...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sat, 05 Jan 2008 09:53:00 PST

Little Things....

Thanks for this Danica! The Little ThingsDo something nice for yourself today. Pick one little trivial, insignificant thing that you would normally get very upset about, and just let it go.Save yourse...
Posted by JOHNNO on Fri, 28 Dec 2007 11:08:00 PST

Daz RIP

Just heard today off my friends, Jane, Chris & Mark, that an old friend, Daz, has just passed away. He asphyxiated whilst having an epileptic fit. It's a shock to us all that knew him. He was a go...
Posted by JOHNNO on Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:13:00 PST

Led Zeppelin ; The Battle Of Evermore put to The Lord Of The Rings!

Oh man! This is better than eating chocolate! Led Zeppelin's brilliant "The Battle Of Evermore" (featuring the late Sandy Denny) put to the fantastic Peter Jackson take on Tolkien's "The Lord Of The R...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:32:00 PST

Led zeppelin - Ramble On to The Hobbit video.

One of my all time favourite Led Zeppelin tracks, "Ramble On", put to a video of Tolkien's book "The Hobbit". For me this is pure self indulgence! I've found my heavenly place! Ladies; this is my equi...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:28:00 PST

Crosby & Nash ; Guinnevere

This track just gets better with each and every performance of the song. It's one of my favourite David Crosby tunes, and the two of them just make it perfect! I always remember playing this when I bo...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:21:00 PST

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young live, Oct 1969

This is such a great performance by one of my all time groups performed absolutely live on Music Scene, October 1969. It's better than the Neil Young studio version in my opinion; the guitar jam is ju...
Posted by JOHNNO on Sun, 09 Dec 2007 01:05:00 PST