Always On My Mind

As I type (Wed 27th of July). Always On My Mind is happening: an exhibition of art curated by Harry Pye at the Fitzrovia Gallery, London. Harry asked me to contribute 3 x drawings of Elvis. So I did. Proceeds from sales go to The National Brain Appeal.

Some more info here and here  - and here: 

Here's Harry standing by my Elvis Triptych...

In other news - I was glad to compose the soundtrack for this compelling, though-provoking doc. 9pm on Channel 4 this Sunday, 31st July:

Stephen Bennett is a great documentary director.

I remember this photo from when I met William Eggelston - briefly, yonks ago -  in Memphis:

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So I thought I would try and sketch him (and my shoulder):

Things that have tickled my fancy recently include Borgen (just started Series One); home-made treacle scones; and Joni Mitchell singing "Both Sides Now" at Newport this year.

Oh and Teenage Fanclub are playing this festival in Galicia.

Here are some more recent drawings...

Hast la vista x

Hebden Bridge and Doune The Rabbit Hole

On Friday (15th July) I sorted Bob Dylan tickets (Glasgow, Oct. Eek.) and hit the road for Hebden Bridge, sketching Bernard "Stan Ogden" Youens on t' way...

Teenage Fanclub played the splendid Trades Club. This time I chose not to trek up to Heptonstall between soundcheck and gig. Instead I decided to almost get locked in an antiques shop. (I didn't know it closed at half past four).

Bayview opened for us. 

Edwyn Collins and his wife Grace appeared at the soundcheck and said hello. Which was a nice. 

In the dressing room I drew Bernard "Yosser" Hill.

Gig was great.

On the way home I had a go at drawing Tucker Jenkins.

I headed over to Doune The Rabbit Hole on Saturday evening to catch the live return of the mighty Camera Obscura. They were brilliant! (d'uh).

Caught some Belle & Sebastian too before winding home.

The Fanclub played Doune the next day. 'Twas fun all over again. Before our set I saw The Bluebells. I read somewhere that Bobby wrote Young At Heart about his parents. Lovely. Soundtrack to the journey home = The Rutles.

I am enjoy this.

On to Series 3 of The Detectorists. 

A feature-length documentary for which I composed the music will be on TV at the end of the month. More info anon.

Meanwhile let's go over to The Gallery...

...no matter how well or badly...

This should be fun...

Here's a wee article about the happening, curated by Harry Pye. I am glad to have donated some sketches of Elvis for a good cause.

Teenage Fanclub play Hebden Bridge on Friday and Doune The Rabbit Hole on Sunday. (Camera Obscura play DTR on Saturday.) John Cale is also scheduled to play on Sunday. Might sell him this:

So I tore through Point Blank by Richard Stark featuring yon homicidal rapscallion 'Parker'. Decided to order the first Parker novel  - The Hunter - with a view to reading through them in order. The opening sentence seemed familiar. Turns out Point Blank is also known as The Hunter. D'oh.

For now I am savouring my last Don Camillo:

Enjoyed this:

I read They by Kay Dick. Made me think of this quote by Kurt Vonnegut:

“Practicing an art, no matter how well or badly, is a way to make your soul grow, for heaven's sake. Sing in the shower. Dance to the radio. Tell stories. Write a poem to a friend, even a lousy poem. Do it as well as you possibly can. You will get an enormous reward. You will have created something.”

More sketches (my attempt at Paul Whitehouse looked more like Bruce Springsteen's half brother so I won't be sharing that):

As I type no one has correctly identified the last one. (Then again we're not exactly talking about Rembrandt here.)

Now here's a song...

Anyway - back to writing documentary music.