Homage-O-Meter

This "Homage-o-meter" is, in itself, a homage to, and inspired by Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright's DVD extras. A full version, including many more weird-and-wonderful pop culture references is included in the back of the book.

• 'Mood: Apathetic' - The Emo Song by Adam & Andrew, on YouTube


• 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' - Bobby McFerrin hit, 1988


• I Should Be So Lucky' - Kylie Minogue's debut single, 1988


• 'Two lovely black eyes' - Song by 'Herman's Hermits', 1966


• 'nutjob' - standard term of insult from 'Grange Hill', 1978


• 'scum-queen' - from 'The Man With Two Brains', 1983


• Tau Ceti - home of the aliens in 'I Was Probed By Aliens And Lived To Tell The Tale!' by Barry J. House


• Dave Burger Van - reference to David Taylor's Burger van in Fairwater, Cardiff, 'Something's Cooking'


• 'The nice young men in their clean white coats' - from, 'They're coming To Take Me Away', by NapoleonXIV, 1966


• 'What a piece of junk!' - line from Star Wars, 1977


• 'Shangalang / Bay City Rollerism' - reference to 'The Bay City Rollers' and their 1974 single 'Shang-a-lang'


• Bod, Famabalimo, Antflo, Peeseekoppa - classic children's cartoon 'Bod', featuring Bod, Farmer Barley Mo, Aunt Flo, and PC Copper


• 'naffed' - substitute for f-word in BBC's 'Porridge' 1974-77 eg; 'naff off! ', a word that had been recorded at least as early as 1966.


• 'Hasto La Bisto, Gravy!' - amalgam of, Hasta La Vista, baby ( from the Spanish - 'see you later') and popularised in Terminator 2 (1991) and also:


• 'Bisto' - a meat-flavoured gravy powder, invented in 1908. it became a bestseller in the UK. It was named 'Bisto' because it 'Browns, Seasons and Thickens in One'. (BSTO)


• 'safety, obscurity.' - from 'Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas' by Hunter S.Thompson, 1971


• 'clackers' - briefly popular in the early 1970s. Its name refers to the fact that its point was to have the two balls of which the toy consisted of clicking against each other. It was similar to the actual Argentine weapon known as bolas. Enjoyed a brief renewal of popularity in the 1990s.


• 'My God - It's full of bars!' - from 2001: A Space Odyssey, 1968 :'My God - It's full of stars!'


• ‘The best star pilot in the Galaxy’ – from Ben Kenobi to Luke - Star Wars, 1977


• "I've got a bad feeling about this" - Classic Star Wars line


• "I've got an idea..." - last line from 'The Italian Job', 1969

Oh, and by the way. If you haven't ordered your copy of Kangazang! yet, why not?
Click this spacehopper link and go buy it. You won't regret it.