Wednesday, July 01, 2009
17.41 On Time
It seems unlikely, but I'm sure I know it to be true, that from the window of a National Express Coach pulling into Leeds coach station in 1982 I saw a billboard advert for John Player Special with the slogan "Black Up North".
In my head, right on cue, came the line: "the Northern Lights are in my eyes, they guide me back to you…"
My throat tightened, my eyes burned. Like the billboard almost said I was 'Back Up North.' There are some places you just know you were meant to be, and others where you will never thrive. Although I was still a good hour away from home, once that song started playing in my head I knew that, for a little while at least, I was safe.
They told me they were happy if I was happy, and then undermined it by saying I didn't have to go back if I didn't want to. Walking away, after that weekend, was the most difficult thing I've ever done.
My Mum told me, years later, she'd always felt she should've stopped me.
Of course, she wouldn't have been able to.
Northern Lights - Renaissance
It seems unlikely, but I'm sure I know it to be true, that from the window of a National Express Coach pulling into Leeds coach station in 1982 I saw a billboard advert for John Player Special with the slogan "Black Up North".
In my head, right on cue, came the line: "the Northern Lights are in my eyes, they guide me back to you…"
My throat tightened, my eyes burned. Like the billboard almost said I was 'Back Up North.' There are some places you just know you were meant to be, and others where you will never thrive. Although I was still a good hour away from home, once that song started playing in my head I knew that, for a little while at least, I was safe.
They told me they were happy if I was happy, and then undermined it by saying I didn't have to go back if I didn't want to. Walking away, after that weekend, was the most difficult thing I've ever done.
My Mum told me, years later, she'd always felt she should've stopped me.
Of course, she wouldn't have been able to.
Northern Lights - Renaissance
Labels: leeds, music, nostalgia
8.38 On Time
I'm a perfectionist.
If I do something I don't want it to be the best that I can do, I want it to be the best that anyone can do.
It's why I never do anything.
You're The Best Thing - Style Council
You Can Do Better Than Me - Death Cab For Cutie
My Very Best - Elbow
Best Imitation Of Myself - Ben Folds Five
I'm a perfectionist.
If I do something I don't want it to be the best that I can do, I want it to be the best that anyone can do.
It's why I never do anything.
You're The Best Thing - Style Council
You Can Do Better Than Me - Death Cab For Cutie
My Very Best - Elbow
Best Imitation Of Myself - Ben Folds Five
Labels: real life
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
16.53 Thirty Minutes Late
Five years.
So it wouldn't be surprising if I was running out of steam.
Hold Time - M Ward
Five years.
So it wouldn't be surprising if I was running out of steam.
Hold Time - M Ward
Labels: music, nostalgia, real life, train
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
17.41 On Time
The pissed-up Scot opposite hails everyone who passes his seat with an incomprehensible greeting. Other than that, he's no bother.
The dapper man who sits down next to me has the white hair and beard of a not-quite-incognito Father Christmas. He takes out his phone and begins to compose a text. He decides "Sorry I was grumpy" is too much of an admission and changes it to "I'm sorry if you thought I was grumpy".
It seems to do the trick anyway. Both of them look forward to him getting home.
Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation - Joe Henry
City Middle - The National
Tea And Sympathy - Janis Ian
The pissed-up Scot opposite hails everyone who passes his seat with an incomprehensible greeting. Other than that, he's no bother.
The dapper man who sits down next to me has the white hair and beard of a not-quite-incognito Father Christmas. He takes out his phone and begins to compose a text. He decides "Sorry I was grumpy" is too much of an admission and changes it to "I'm sorry if you thought I was grumpy".
It seems to do the trick anyway. Both of them look forward to him getting home.
Alone Again (Naturally) - Gilbert O'Sullivan
Richard Pryor Addresses A Tearful Nation - Joe Henry
City Middle - The National
Tea And Sympathy - Janis Ian
Labels: train
Monday, June 15, 2009
I'm beginning to wonder if there's some kind of bye-law operating in Lancaster requiring that, before you're allowed to put on an event, you first have to be called 'Richard'. Anyway, Friday was the final 'LAWM' .
I was only half-joking at the end of Dan Haywood's New Hawks when I said that was probably the most fun we were going to get all night. I'm coming round to the New Hawks: plenty to watch, occasional tunes, light & shade. Next up, Mary Hampton held the room in the palm of her tiny hand and sang about some spine-tingling scary sounding stuff that I didn't quite understand but was hypnotised by all the same.
I was only half-joking at the end of Dan Haywood's New Hawks when I said that was probably the most fun we were going to get all night. I'm coming round to the New Hawks: plenty to watch, occasional tunes, light & shade. Next up, Mary Hampton held the room in the palm of her tiny hand and sang about some spine-tingling scary sounding stuff that I didn't quite understand but was hypnotised by all the same.
It is desperately ungrateful to say it, but actually, two bands a night is probably enough for me - although if I'm sitting down I can sometimes enjoy three. It's all about engaging. For me, Mary Hampton did it, Diane Cluck didn't. Alasdair Roberts attempted it but struggled with the language barrier. Dan Haywood does it - although, I did get an uneasy feeling that he'd really rather be doing it with himself.
Anyway, had a good night, met a fellow Cheesehead and, until Richard comes back in his new incarnation, guess we'll just have to make do with Richard and Richard.Labels: music
Sunday, June 14, 2009
"...it's four in the morning and everyone said that she'd taken some asprin and gone back to bed"
Although it wasn't so much gone back to bed.
My phone rang (which, of itself, is an unusual occurrence) and the question was: how did I feel about spending an evening playing games I wouldn't understand with some people I didn't know?
It's the kind of question that would normally cause distress. I'd need ten days for the panic to subside enough to allow me to even consider such a proposition but - I don't know what came over me - I had to say it sounded like a great idea to me!
It seemed to work out OK. And Sundays were made for struggling through, right? I'd forgotten that.
Not Every Moment Rules - New Zealand Story
My phone rang (which, of itself, is an unusual occurrence) and the question was: how did I feel about spending an evening playing games I wouldn't understand with some people I didn't know?
It's the kind of question that would normally cause distress. I'd need ten days for the panic to subside enough to allow me to even consider such a proposition but - I don't know what came over me - I had to say it sounded like a great idea to me!
It seemed to work out OK. And Sundays were made for struggling through, right? I'd forgotten that.
Not Every Moment Rules - New Zealand Story
Monday, June 08, 2009
Sunday, June 07, 2009
"...bruised black and blue"
What with the way things have been kicking off lately I'm a bit reluctant to express any opinions on any of the recent audio visual experiences I've been having. Maybe I should stick to: 'all this culture - it's exhausting'.
I was already a bit concerned that last night's event was going to be less easy to love than John Bramwell's Yorkshire House performance - which was pure joy (and he did do 'Black and Blue' and (in my head) it was because I asked for it (I know others were shouting for it too, but I like to think adding 'please' made the difference)).
It was an ambitious programme - Belly dancing, Dada, 'Improvised' 'comedy' (that's just asking for trouble), spoken word, sensitive singer songwriting and Mikey Kenny But, aside from the dour poetry, I enjoyed it all. I think the German was my favourite.
Something needs to be done about those annoyingly noisy doors and the audible hand dryers though.
I was already a bit concerned that last night's event was going to be less easy to love than John Bramwell's Yorkshire House performance - which was pure joy (and he did do 'Black and Blue' and (in my head) it was because I asked for it (I know others were shouting for it too, but I like to think adding 'please' made the difference)).
It was an ambitious programme - Belly dancing, Dada, 'Improvised' 'comedy' (that's just asking for trouble), spoken word, sensitive singer songwriting and Mikey Kenny But, aside from the dour poetry, I enjoyed it all. I think the German was my favourite.
Something needs to be done about those annoyingly noisy doors and the audible hand dryers though.
