20 years ago today, a crush of fans at the Leppings Lane entrance of Sheffield Wednesday's Hillsborough Stadium killed 96 people, among them the cousin of current Liverpool player Steven Gerrard (who has the dubious honour of being the youngest victim). Coming just 4 years after the Heysel stadium disaster, which killed 39 people and was officially blamed on Liverpool fans, and almost two decades of hooligan violence, the most obvious or convenient conclusion was that history had repeated itself. [more inside]
posted by MuffinMan on Apr 15, 2009 - 61 comments

Behind The Rent Strike [YouTube playlist; six parts of 50ish min. documentary] Nick Broomfield's graduation piece, a documentary on the 14-month rent strike by the people of Kirkby New Town, near Liverpool, which began in late 1973 in response (it wasn't the only one) to the Heath government's Housing Finance Act. Broomfield gets plenty of insight from local people and examines the social conditions behind the events. Great viewing of good film-making and an opportunity for a bit of nostalgia if you're a viewer from round that way.
posted by Abiezer on Jan 26, 2009 - 8 comments

La Machine - the troop who brought The Sultan's Elephant to London (previously) - are at it again. This time, it's a gigantic, mechanical spider in Liverpool. YouTube. flickr.
posted by MrMustard on Sep 4, 2008 - 27 comments

They were Britain's pop culture pioneers, bringing back American music and fashions to a nation still starved by post-war rationing and austerity. They paved the way for The Beatles. Meet the Liverpool Merchant Seamen known as the Cunard Yanks.
posted by PeterMcDermott on Jul 1, 2008 - 20 comments

Stan Kelly-Bootle began his career as a member of the earliest wave of computer programmers, who wrote prolifically about a wide range of computing issues. Back in his home town though, he's probably best known for his contributions to a lexicon of local slang, Lern Yerself Scouse, and for his canonical and not-so-canonical contributions to the British folk repertoire. [more inside]
posted by PeterMcDermott on May 12, 2008 - 9 comments

Did UEFA fix today's Champions' League quarter-final draw? [more inside]
posted by uk_giffo on Mar 14, 2008 - 35 comments

During the latter half of the twentieth century, Liverpool writers made an enormous contribution to television drama. Writers like Willy Russell and Jimmy McGovern have been hugely influential. But the daddy of them all was unarguably Alan Bleasdale, whose television dramas dominated our screens during the latter half of the 20th century in a manner that was unmatched by anybody besides the late Dennis Potter. [more inside]
posted by PeterMcDermott on Dec 14, 2007 - 30 comments

Shrinking Cities (virtual and real): Analysis and Interventions. [more inside]
posted by salvia on Nov 29, 2007 - 12 comments

Birth of the Beatles On July 6, 1957, John Lennon and Paul McCartney met for the first time at The Woolton Church Parish Fete where The Quarry Men were appearing. John Lennon was impressed that Paul McCartney could tune a guitar and his knowledge of rock & roll lyrics.
posted by psmealey on Jul 6, 2007 - 56 comments

Roger Eagle is one of the great, unsung heroes of the British music scene. Over a period of twenty five years or so, he was responsible for not one, not two, but three legendary music venues, each of which defined their particular era. Still fondly remembered.
posted by PeterMcDermott on Nov 20, 2006 - 4 comments

5 mins of highlights from yesterday's epic FA Cup Final between Liverpool and West Ham. Read the West Ham and Liverpool player ratings for a good idea of how the players performed individually. This game had everything.
posted by nthdegx on May 14, 2006 - 29 comments

£45 GBP lost to "compo" in Liverpool - Insurance fraud rife in UK A man who tried to sue a local council after he soiled his trousers tops a list of spurious public liability claims which cost UK local government and insurance companies an estimated £250m each year, reports the UK Guardian. Publishers of said report, Zurich Municipal are tackling the growing issue of fraudulent insurance claims. They found that "Only 16% of adults questioned said that they would contact the police if they knew someone had submitted a fraudulent claim against a council." Knowsley [Liverpool] Metropolitan Council "saw its claims from slips and trips soar ... to £5m annually." - for a borough of 111,000 adults that's an impressive £45 GBP per person per year. Among other factors, Zurich blames the "claims farmers" decried here by our Citizens Advice Bureau but also intriguingly says they are "continuing our campaign to combat school arson through initiatives such as our school theatre programme, ACT...."
posted by magpie68 on Jan 4, 2006 - 25 comments

The next Turner Prize winners? Art Craziest Nation is a mini-gallery of (in)famous pieces by modern artists, accurately reproduced with Lego by a duo called The Little Artists (John Cake and Darren Neave). The exhibition is at the Walker Art Gallery in Liverpool until next January. See the Lego version of Damien Hirst's Shark Tank, Tracey Emin's Bed, Jeff Koons' Balls, Andy Warhol's Money, Salvador Dali's Lobster Telephone, and many others. It's all in one single piece, with some of the artists themselves in Lego version - and others whose work is not exhibited, like Matthew Barney and Gilbert & George - hanging around sipping their Lego wine (ok, air) from Lego cups (or even throwing it at the Lego person standing next to them). Liverpool Football Club star Gerrard also featured in a tribute to the team's victory of this year's European Cup.
posted by funambulist on Sep 13, 2005 - 10 comments

Saranda's Story. 'My name is Saranda and I am 13 years old. I moved to Liverpool from Kosovo three years ago ... '
posted by plep on Jun 25, 2003 - 5 comments

Fish have feelings too. Or so says Dr. Sneddon of the University of Liverpool. Her research into "trout trauma" is leading her to believe that fish don't care much for hooks and barbs.

“Our research demonstrates nociception and suggests that noxious stimulation in the rainbow trout has adverse behavioural and physiological effects. This fulfils the criteria for animal pain.”

I'm all out of sorts now. My dad loves to fish. He taught me how to fish. I like to fish with my dad. And now I'm a fish-hurter?!?
posted by grabbingsand on May 5, 2003 - 52 comments

you gotta love 'em scousers and here we have possibly the best website I can find paying homage to all things scouse (guffaw).
posted by johnnyboy on Mar 27, 2002 - 11 comments

Let me take you down (from 15,000 feet), 'cause we're going to... be landing at John Lennon Airport. The renaming ceremony for Liverpool's airport takes place on Monday. So, who else deserves an airport named after them? [more]
posted by holgate on Jun 29, 2001 - 26 comments

Peter Jonny likes football.
posted by Mocata on Jun 22, 2001 - 9 comments

The Parole Board has decided to release the two murderers of James Bulger. They have made their decision, lets respect it.
posted by twistedonion on Jun 22, 2001 - 25 comments

Liverpool win the cup triple. It's the kind of thing bring a tear to your eye even if you're an Evertonian. I always said Golden Goals were a great idea.
posted by feelinglistless on May 16, 2001 - 11 comments