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Sun 24th April 2011 |
Sun 24th April 2011 I am the spring, the holy ground, the endless seed of mystery, the thorn, the veil, the face of grace, the brazen image, the thief of sleep, the ambassador of dreams, the prince of peace. I am the sword, the wound, the stain, Scorned transfigured child of Cain. I rend, I end, I return Again, I am the salt, the bitter laugh, I am the gas in a womb of light, the evening star, the ball of sight that leads that sheds the tears of Christ dying and drying as I rise tonight. From Easter by Patti Smith |
St George's Day 2011 It's St. George's Day, then. National identity can be a strange phenomena, and is often malleable or plain transient. When I was younger I held the common belief that a country is just a set of defined borders, and I mocked the concept of a flag. I was a similar age to that when I thought that a marriage certificate was just a piece of paper. The 'A Little Knowledge Is A Dangerous Thing' phase, that many never reach, and fewer escape from. Some people refuse to accept that a piece of music has a different flavour, and produces alternative colour, when transposed into an alternative key. So many people dismiss passions as being not valid in their own right. Some people say "It's only music." Some say "It's only football." "You'll find someone better." "It's just hot water, milk, sugar & a teabag." People who think that an electric piano sounds as good as a real one, because it uses actual samples from a better piano. A little learning is a dangerous thing; drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring: there shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, and drinking largely sobers us again. Alexander Pope (1688 - 1744) As Blake says, "If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise." All or nothing at all. Break on through to the other side. I was in Prague in 2004 when the Euro Football Tournament was taking place. I consider myself English, my girlfriend at the time was Portuguese, my mother Greek & I was surrounded by friendly Czech people we'd met, and all four of these countries made the quarter finals (Including France - my grandmother is French!) Of course, I supported England principally, and of course, we lost horribly. But it was a complicated thing. When Portugal beat England, with the help of the beautiful Ronaldo, I felt some distasteful pangs of inferiority! Then Greece beat 'em in the final & I suddenly felt a lot more Greek than I did previously ;o) I had passed through Germany on the Days of Disorder tour with Jet Tea before I moved to Berlin, and something about their flag found it's way into my heart. It's like my brain used the nations colours to focus a growing love for the land in one place in my mind, like a trigger. The flag, and that wonderful Fernsehturm tower: 
I never much considered my French blood, until I spent a little time there last year, and noticed a strong connection with the soil. I went to visit a small town called Saint-Martin-au-Laert , which is where my father spent a lot of time as a child when visiting his grandfather, who was a grave tender. I went into a church graveyard to look around, and felt an overwhelming presence from the past, imagining that perhaps he had spent time keeping the gardens there. When I returned to England, my father told me that my great, great grandparents were both buried in that graveyard. My connection to the country intensified. The problem for me, now, is that I've so much passion for many places, and also a fistful of bitterness for each, that I feel utterly scattered & lost. But also lucky. I wanted a home, and a piece of paper, and I've got quite the opposite. This year, once again, I will embrace my river-ruled span. Life Is Elsewhere. |
Good Friday 2011 |
Fri 22nd April 2011 While investigating the forthcoming Directors Cut album from our national wonder Kate Bush, I discovered this video for Suspended In Gaffa which I have never seen before.. how is that possible, I thought I had the whole collection. Maybe this wasn't considered good enough to release until now, as it's pretty basic, but I fuckin' love it: Heavens, she's so good, I can't take it: I'm lost in her now, never seen this before either. So good it makes me want to give up music, & life, and go hide under a pile of wet leaves: |
Fri 22nd April 2011 Awake, arise, or be for ever fall'n.  
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Thu 21st April 2011 I finally got a mix of my Horror Me cover that doesn't sound too mental: |
Thu 21st April 2011 |
Wed 20th April 2011 I made this England Week 'cos I've been thinking about this country a lot recently, and have been making decisions about where to live for the rest of the year, but it's turned out to be a very English time for other reasons too. It's St Georges Day on Saturday, which is also the day that the traditional Shakespeare was born & died, and of course the streets of the land are full of Union Flag bunting & crests in preparation for the Royal Wedding next weekend. Bunting. As for Tea Tone & I, it'll be a quiet time for the moment. I'm hidden away working on stuff, and won't have much to share for a few days at least. David Goo gig at Cargo in Shoreditch on Friday if you fancy it. |
Tue 19th April 2011 Found a clowns eye today, which was a big plus. |
Mon 18th April 2011 Popped out with Jen to catch last orders, was tellin' her how I'd had the most healthy day in over a month, then looked down & didn't feel so good about it anymore:  
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Mon 18th April 2011 Photo's taken by not me of The Angel of the North:   
And if, like me, you've ever wondered if there is an Angel of the South:  
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