It Speaks To The Souls Of A Million Strangers

I am glad to be part of this current exhibition of art by 22 drummers at the Cornerstone Gallery, Hope University, Liverpool curated by Crash Ride Snare.

Teenage Fanclub have announced some more shows for next year - looky here.

Paddington 2 was an impossible act to follow, says I - but I enjoyed Paddington In Peru. 

And I sure liked this...

Hanif Kureishi's "Shattered" is a powerful listen.

So too is this Nile Rodgers interview for This Cultural Life. I particularly *loved* Ted Dunbar's wise words to Niles regarding Sugar Sugar...

Looking for some music to dig? Dig this...

Meanwhile this is a book about love. (Well done, Katy!)

Grimly fascinating Scottish true crime documentary series? To quote Glen Sherley -  Step Right This Way (a song that used to make Alex Chilton chuckle) for  'Limbs In The Loch'.

In fact here's that song.

What an * utter joy* it was to see this on the big screen at the good ol' GFT:

I am composing music for something I can't tell you about. (It doesn't involve Bob Dylan.)

Anyway. I know why you're really here...

Zimmy in Embra

So I saw BOB DYLAN last night at the grand ol' Usher Hall, Edinburgh.

At 7.30pm sharp and with zero fanfare, band members materialise onstage. The Zimmerman settles himself behind a grand piano but faces drummer Jim Keltner ie, he has his back to the two thousand-strong congregation of paying punters. He picks up a guitar. The Bob-meister proceeds to noodle (ropily isn't the word) through a random, spiky-with-generous-helpings-of-atonal-notes axe solo which serves as a prolonged intro to the usually-3-chord classic All Along The Watchtower. Tonight, however, it seems to have been shorn of two of its trusty chords. So much so that until the vocals decide to make an appearance I thought it might have been Political World which does have just one chord. After all hasn't there just been a significant political election in Bob's home country? But it wisnae it. Eventually The Z-Man deigns to turn and face the piano (and therefore, I suppose, us) to growl-sing, with flighty articulacy and the kind of attendance to and respect for established melody and phrasing that makes you think (before Enlightenment descends) 'What on earth is this?':

"There must be some way out of here..."

A delighted chuckle spreads to my shoulders. 83 years old and still not giving a flying monkey's feck. This is why we love Him. Nearly two hours and one standing ovation later, hopes of an encore are forlorn. The Maestro departs us once again.

Earlier that day I visited The National Portrait Gallery...

W. E. Henley by Rodin

...and also The National Gallery. This Rembrandt self-portrait is one of my favourites (photos don't do it justice, of course):

If you fancy something poptastic to listen to, I would recommend "Future Me" by Radhika

I've finished Alan Bennett's "Keeping On Keeping On" and now I am digging this:

And still I am drawn to drawing. (See if you can spot Paco de Lucia, Frank Meadow Sutcliffe or John Lavery)...

Fare thee well and adieu. x

Soul Wandering

Boo.

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So I saw Nigel Planer & Henry Normal live at the Voodoo Rooms in Edinburgh. 

A great, somehow old-fashioned night of stories and poems. One of my highlights was the love song that Mr. Planer sang towards the end. Also loved, among other things, Henry's insights into the making of The Royle Family. And let's not forget the Pam Ayres/Bob Dylan sing-a-long mash-up. To paraphrase Neil Armstrong I guess you had to be there.

On a whim I took myself off to Scottish Opera's production of Donizetti's Don Pasquale.

Cheap seats ahoy. It was great: the staging, the performances, the costumes, the music, the singing and the last minute upgrade (gratis) which meant I wasn't sitting behind a pillar for two and a half hours.

Finally got around to watching Alan Bennett's The Lady In The Van.

I liked it. (I should really be a film critic.)

Paul Weller was brilliant at Glasgow Barrowlands. Second time seeing him this year. I like this song from his last album...

I am listening to "Every Kind Of People" on Radio 4; a study in compassion. 

Some more art (it keeps me off the streets):

I just heard the sad news of the passing of Chas Banks who used to manage Teenage Fanclub. A font of wisdom and experience, his tenure with the band came to an end maybe a year or so after I started working with them. Norman, Raymond, Gerry, Brendan & Paul had more professional time with Chas and his wife and co-manager Shirley. But over the last 20 plus years he was still present in the many fondly-recalled stories and anecdotes about his time looking after everyone. Something he did so well. When we played Manchester Chas always came along with Shirley, holding court in the dressing room, offering constructive thoughts on the show, the fortunes of Manchester United and other issues of the day. I wish his loved ones strength at this time. You can read the band's tribute here:

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