My iPod Lies Over The Ocean
Ever since Sheva left for England, I find that I’ve been living in two time zones simultaneously. It’s weird, my whole time-sense has been thrown off and I feel kind of constantly jetlagged.
I’m busy doing the math in my head all the time, i.e., it’s noon now so it’s 5 o’ clock for her, etc., and feeling like the day is over when it’s just begun.
It’s that Libran indecision, I suppose. I’m unwilling to commit to a single time zone.
As for the innocent abroad, it sounds like she’s having a terrific time. First couple days were spent shopping and sightseeing in London, then it was on to Glasgow for the first clutch of Pogues shows.
Most importantly, of course, contact was made between the fan and the entertainers, which is always a thrill. She even managed a hello to the elusive Mr. MacGowan, who I’m made to understand comported himself as a gentleman of culture. No doubt he, too, had a sense of the gravity of the occasion.
Oh, I almost forgot. Apparently, British gentlemen are very easy on the eyes.
If you’re interested in reading more about it, as they used to say on those afterschool specials, be sure to visit the wife’s “travelpogue,” posted at Pogues.com. More to come!
Staying in the general vicinity, not long ago a good friend in the UK attempted to make a DVD copy for me of a documentary about The Fall called The Wonderful, Frightening World Of Mark E. Smith. Unfortunately we never seemed to be able to get our formats to align, despite our best efforts. Luckily, and extremely oddly, the doc gets a local premiere here in Philly at our International House this Friday and Saturday night.
Also on the bill is another feature that sounds equally good, We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen. Truly inspired and ahead of their time, The Minutemen were one of the best bands to come out of the West Coast scene for my money, neck and neck with X. If you’re in the area and would like more info, check out their site here.
I’m still waiting on my giant package of new Michael Nyman stuff from Amazon UK. Just to backtrack, composer Nyman recently started his own label and started putting out new stuff right and left. When I realized how far behind I’d gotten on my Nyman (and that’s never good for anyone), I decided to just order everything as a holiday present to myself, kind of like a do-it-yourself box set. Then, when it arrived, I could wallow in all of it like a pig in modern minimalism.
Unfortunately, there’s a French import in the group that seems to be gumming up the works. Hopefully diplomatic efforts will soon bear fruit and the various recordings will be able to come to a common understanding.
In the meantime, I’ve been listening to a good deal of the Nyman back catalogue in preparation. What beautiful, shining music. It puts me in mind of some lyrics from a non-LP Bowie track, Safe:
Are things getting better now?
Are things getting worse?
But I’m standing in the sunshine
And it lifts my heart and feeds my mind
Exactly.
I’m busy doing the math in my head all the time, i.e., it’s noon now so it’s 5 o’ clock for her, etc., and feeling like the day is over when it’s just begun.
It’s that Libran indecision, I suppose. I’m unwilling to commit to a single time zone.
As for the innocent abroad, it sounds like she’s having a terrific time. First couple days were spent shopping and sightseeing in London, then it was on to Glasgow for the first clutch of Pogues shows.
Most importantly, of course, contact was made between the fan and the entertainers, which is always a thrill. She even managed a hello to the elusive Mr. MacGowan, who I’m made to understand comported himself as a gentleman of culture. No doubt he, too, had a sense of the gravity of the occasion.
Oh, I almost forgot. Apparently, British gentlemen are very easy on the eyes.
If you’re interested in reading more about it, as they used to say on those afterschool specials, be sure to visit the wife’s “travelpogue,” posted at Pogues.com. More to come!
Staying in the general vicinity, not long ago a good friend in the UK attempted to make a DVD copy for me of a documentary about The Fall called The Wonderful, Frightening World Of Mark E. Smith. Unfortunately we never seemed to be able to get our formats to align, despite our best efforts. Luckily, and extremely oddly, the doc gets a local premiere here in Philly at our International House this Friday and Saturday night.
Also on the bill is another feature that sounds equally good, We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen. Truly inspired and ahead of their time, The Minutemen were one of the best bands to come out of the West Coast scene for my money, neck and neck with X. If you’re in the area and would like more info, check out their site here.
I’m still waiting on my giant package of new Michael Nyman stuff from Amazon UK. Just to backtrack, composer Nyman recently started his own label and started putting out new stuff right and left. When I realized how far behind I’d gotten on my Nyman (and that’s never good for anyone), I decided to just order everything as a holiday present to myself, kind of like a do-it-yourself box set. Then, when it arrived, I could wallow in all of it like a pig in modern minimalism.
Unfortunately, there’s a French import in the group that seems to be gumming up the works. Hopefully diplomatic efforts will soon bear fruit and the various recordings will be able to come to a common understanding.
In the meantime, I’ve been listening to a good deal of the Nyman back catalogue in preparation. What beautiful, shining music. It puts me in mind of some lyrics from a non-LP Bowie track, Safe:
Are things getting better now?
Are things getting worse?
But I’m standing in the sunshine
And it lifts my heart and feeds my mind
Exactly.
posted by Count Screwloose at 1:43 PM
5 Comments:
You haven't, until now, used your wife's name. Mightn't this blow your cover when discussing work or other matters?
I cannot tell you how many times I thought of your esteemed partner as I roved through southern England! I only managed one evening in London and it was a thrill.
We were in the Virgin Megastore on Piccadilly Circus and it occurred to me that I still had my passport in my purse. As the in-store soundtrack played song after song of wonderful Brit-pop stuff, I fantasized about claiming some sort of diplomatic sanctuary and living off the lattes and baked goods of the cafe and the kindness of shoppers. Something like the Tom Hanks movie about the airport.
Then in Dublin, I saw a poster for the Pogues and Dropkick Murphys at the Point. I look forward to hearing her own impressions on her visit.
Good Lord! I just visited Sheva's blog and see she's met Philip Chevron. If that should happen again, tell her to mention 'Horslips' to Philip and then listen to his stories. Or, indeed, tell her to say 'hello' to Philip from me.
What an amazingly small world this blogger.com is!
I'll have to write up a little on her blog as well.
Nice catch, Anonymous! That was an intentional slip, however, as the subject seemed to warrant it. And if there's anything I know something about, it's warrants.
Still, your diligence should not go unrewarded. An anonymous prize is already on its way to a random address!
RG
Miss T.,
You know, some of us have already been afraid that we could lose her to the magic of the Mother Country. Now I just have to hope she doesn't read your Megastore plan...
What a shame your paths couldn't have coincided, although you might have had to fight her for who got to be Lynn Redgrave and who got to be Rita Tushingham.
I have already alerted the wife to your request and I'm sure she'll be horslipsing Mr. Chevron within an inch of his life should the opportunity present itself again.
She's truly having a wonderful time, though. Week one down, one to go!
RG
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