London

I've said it before and I'll say it again - I do like London.

On Sat morning I got the train down in order to see the wonderful Camera Obscura at St John's at Hackney as part of The Visions festival. En route I took a trip down Pre-Parenthood Memory Lane and actually read a newspaper. Crazy.

On arrival I made a beeline for the National Gallery and had a mooch about. I think my favourite painting was the Rembrandt self-portrait. Not that a side-on smartphone snap is going to do it any justice...

It just so happens my pal Harry Pye was having an end-of-exhibition party in Hackney so I caught up with him there. Here we are pointing at some of our Jean-Luc Godard stuff (that's me on the right):

And here's our Jean-luc Godard song and video, edited by Gordon Beswick:

Anyway. Back to Camera Obscura.

Lovely venue, brilliant gig. Lots of l-u-v in the room. It's good to be at a show where everyone seems to be dancing - a bit like a filming for Top Of The Pops.

 

 I caught up with old faces, ate some dreadful late-night food, had a beer in the hotel bar and went to bed. I know -  Charles Bukowski eat your heart out.

I'll be back in London for the premiere of "Building Jerusalem" at the Odeon, Leicester Square on Sept 1st. If you're there I'll be the one sporting the tasteful I AM THE COMPOSER t-shirt.

_____

PS: A few years ago at an airport bookshop at the start of a Teenage Fanclub tour I read the first few sentences of David Nobbs "I Didn't Get Where I Am Today".  I bought it and liked it. Sad to hear he has passed away.