Articles written by Tim Higgins

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About me - Tim Higgins

Hi. I have been a member of Helium for about a year now, and hopefully will get into the 'one article a week' habit soon, as a distraction from all my fiction writing! I may well add some of the shorter tales here in the future, but a lot of them have either

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Entertainment > Musicians & Bands Thoughts on John Bonham: 1 of 7
John Bonham (1948-1980) earned his place in rock history as one quarter of supergroup Led Zeppelin, but was he that good? Does he deserve his 'legendary' status? As with all those to whom the term 'legend' is applied, there are a fair number of people willing to denounce Bonham. Scores of people (almost always drummers) will... More..
Entertainment > Musicians & Bands Top five progressive bands: 2 of 12
As guilty pleasures go, there are few to match Progressive rock. Loathed by critics, many people are reluctant to admit to their loved ones their love this much-ridiculed genre. But there is a rich texture to be found, exemplified by the five bands I've selected for my 'best of prog' list. In these, you will find the charact... More..
Entertainment > Musicians & Bands Who are the best bass players?: 4 of 22
Bass Guitar - the unsung hero of almost every rock band, and the harmonic 'glue' in most poplar music. Even The Doors, famed for having no bassist, used several well known LA session men on their albums. It's often remarked that a band is only ever as good as it's rhythm section, and you'll notice many of the choices I've se... More..
Food & Drink > Dining & Restaurants (Other) Should restaurants be required to list calories and fat grams on their menus?: 46 of 164
It's your anniversary, and you and your loved one have left the kids with a babysitter and splashed out on a meal at that Michelin-starred place all the food critics have been raving about The atmosphere is excellent and even though you've made reservations there is still a wait before the waiter comes over and plops down tw... More..
Travel > Travel Planning & Advice How to travel cheap in the UK and London: 4 of 14
Travelling from one British city to another can be expensive - amongst the most expensive in Europe, in fact. However, with a bit of ahead planning, or a quick scan round the Internet, cheap and affordable travel can be sourced. First, let's start with the most obvious choice, travelling by train. Top Tip Number 1) BOOK IN A... More..
Relationships & Family > Humor & Laughter Joke-telling 101: Timing is crucial: 2 of 7
Timing, and the ability to remember a joke all the way through - there's nothing more annoying than a guy who starts off well, until a cloud of confusion passes over his features and he's stalled long after any decent chance of a recovery. Best way to avoid this: USE SHORT JOKES, and fire them out QUICKLY. Many people say th... More..
Entertainment > Music Genres, Trends & Scenes The blues: A doomed music genre?: 7 of 19
Is the blues doomed? The fact that it might be would only provide the thousands of artists making a good living from this genre something else to write and sing about! Is classical music dead? As a period (1750-1825) it died pretty much the same time as Beethoven , giving way to the Romantic period. But is it dead, or doomed... More..
Food & Drink > Cooking (Other) Cooking inexpensively on a student budget: 23 of 55
Great cooking can almost always be done on a student budget. The only exceptions are buying certain ingredients, like fresh fish, for instance. Most vegetables can be picked up in local stores or markets for relative peanuts, and it won't take you long to find the best shop for value when it comes to bags of pasta and rice -... More..
Entertainment > Music Education Improvising guitar solos: 2 of 4
If you'd prefer your soloing to be more exciting and adventurous, then try improvising. Most forms of popular music use the technique of spontaneously creating new melodies to fit the style of the rhythm and harmony of song. While it may seem like a dark art which only a few can ever truly master, the reality is that it's re... More..
Arts & Humanities > European History Plymouth: Starting point of the worlds most historical voyages: 1 of 1
Upon arrival at Plymouth, it felt to me very similar to a hundred other towns around the UK. Eventually, I found it's unique point, and it was worth seeking out. After a day wandering around, exploring the city centre - Identikit shops like any other town or city, with well-known coffee houses around every bend - and the cul... More..