Avatar Tenniversary

It’s been ten years since one of the most important cultural events of our, or anyone else’s, lifetimes. The Papples’ debut album, Wasting my Life, was released in May 2009 to a largely indifferent public.

To celebrate this milestone, Ian and myself made a pilgrimage to a number of sites on the south coast where the photos for the album sleeve were taken. We then recreated as many as we could find to mark this seminal tenniversary event. Join us, now, as we take you through all of the photos we recreated, slowly, one by one, whether you want to see them or not, like a distant relative showing you some old holiday photos.

Let’s start in Rottingdean where the album cover photo was taken.

The building on the left has been repainted and the “Peter’s” van has, inexplicably, moved. Ian’s shoes are also different. But this is it. This is the iconic slice of rock history, recreated.

Rottingdean coffee no longer tastes like gravy.

Head to the seafront where there’s still only half of me.

Ian’s rock has moved but his lunging, clawing pose is no less powerful ten years on.

My rocks have been redeveloped into an open air theatre, leaving me propping up a leg unconvincingly on a low wall. The passage of time has turned my power stance into a slightly awkward catalogue pose.

Onward, now, and eastward to Seaford.

Ian has replaced his shoes in the last decade but they remain no less aerodynamic.

Ten years of wear and tear have barely left a mark on this shouting beach hobo. And how many of us have the chance to compare our tongues over the passing years?

Oddly, the houses in Seaford have grown taller, and I have not.

Nearly there now. Nearly at the end of the journey. Just one more stop to make atop Ditchling Beacon, with its extensive views of the South Downs.

That’s what you do with an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Give it a good shouting at.

Now stay tuned to the Beans – which will definitely still exist – for the Twentyversary post, due in June 2029.

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