UK Watercooler 29: Waldo Jeffers Had Reached His Limit

Damn, stupid line break. That is going to irritate me.

Though it is officially summer now, I got the Byrds records out last night.

Has everyone just gone off to the mailing list? (honestly, you guys talk so much at the weekend I'm not sure I can participate.) Is everyone working? Or just out in the sun? Lucky you.

It's not 'Waldo Jeffries'?

Well, OK, Cale has quite a strong Welsh accent, but every web lyrics thing I checked had Jeffers.

Also... HOW DO I SHOT CAMPING?!??! Where do I get an tent?

Hello there.

When I last bought a tent, I got it from a YHA shop near Covent Garden.

We got ours from Halfords.

I got mine from Millets I think, but it leaks now. That might be because I packed it up while it was still wet and then left it in a cupboard for 5 years though.

What is YHA? Young Hebrew Association?

Oh, and here is your DDB for the day. Why do these images always look darker on a PC than they do on a Mac? Do I have some funny settings implemented to save eyestrain or money?

This is Phil, and he's supposed to be blond, but he doesn't look very blond on this monitor:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1160/1027309836_89a22193cf_o.jpg

I love the way you draw hair.
Those background effects are cool too. How do you do that, or is it a Closely Guarded Artistic Secret?

boss returned to work today after three weeks -- seems more like three months...

Hello! Working, here. Holiday next week yay!

Re DDB: His hair looks fairly blond (blondly fair?) to me I think.

oh and YHA = Youth Hostel Assocation

Closely guarded secret ha ha ha... it's all done with gradients in photoshop. You can set them to form a halo pattern - and then if you set the transparency right, you can overwrite them to get interesting interference. It's a very simple moire pattern. They (TEY) do they same thing with their light show. I've spent ages trying to recreate that amazing light show in filters. (Using things like Hard Light, Linear Burn/Dodge, Exclusion filters.)

I think my monitor is just too dark. I've never adjusted it.

Hair is my favourite thing to draw. Hair and jawlines. Noses are most difficult. Phil has a slightly crooked looking nose, like he broke it when he was a kid, and it's really hard to draw.

OK! My friend D has found a B&B right by the venue! I think we're going to split a twin room. That would be AWESOME.

Hello.

"the resemblance in shape of breasts to bells led to the adoption of Agatha as the patron saint of bell founders; and their resemblance to round loaves apparently accounts for the custom observed... of blessing bread in church on her feast day".

Hi. Kate, how's the nude boys going, or hasn't that started yet?

hahahaha
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/6932801.stm

Ha ha, that's one of the things I love about St. Ags! The breast bread!

Nude boy drawing hasn't started yet. M@ck1n the Younger has started to follow his elder bro's email habits. :-(

They HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAte me.

Talk much? I don't think it was *that* active, certainly not for a starting ML. Then again I dl it to my Mail program which means it's easier to wade through than on the Gmail site.

You can also access the google group page. Which can be the best way to read everything. (anyone who doesn't want emails can disable them and simply read on group page at their leisure.)

^ That's what I've been doing.

By the way, I'm off down to the big London next weekend. My friend W is having a birthday bash on Saturday, and the original invite did say to bring any nice people along that I knew...

Ah, we're off to Norfolk next weekend! (I think... haven't heard from Ed as he's off the radar in Wales, obv.)

When is ed back?

Later this week.

Argh, B&Bs all booked up near the festival site. I don't WANT to have to camp. D thinks we could commute, train and N133, but that means you have to leave so EARLY... (no pun intended for once). I should check the train times.

Last train is at 10:52, next one not until 5:55. That's not really doable. Especially as TEY are playing LAST.

:-(

And damn, I've just lost MySpace so I can't get back to her.

I am slowly facing THE HORROR, THE ABSOLUTE HORROR that I am going to end up camping. :-(

dude, if you go into it with that attitude, it WILL be awful.

emsk would you like to join our group?

http://www.last.fm/group/UK+Watercooler/charts new charts up.

Well, I'm glad someone else has been listening to Echo and the Bunnymen as much as I have.

BUT YOU PUSHED TEH EARLY YARES OFF THE TOP SPOT and now you must pay.

I don't think anyone listened to the early years at all according to the charts

I have been listening to Do It Clean a bit lately cos it was on my Ipod. But I'm not in the last.fm group cos I don't use it and don't actually know what it's for!

Just got back from pub which is unusual for Monday but tis my birthday, turned 21 today!

Well, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.

(OK, they should hurry up and finish their next album so you have something new to listen to, but still.)

Happy birthday, Poo! (do not believe you about the 21 bit, though.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

(Would you like to join the google group?)

What is google group? Waht is it made etc?

(sigh) crush, etc:

http://www.doctormacro.info/Movie%20Star%20Pages/Tierney,%20Gene.htm

http://www.doctormacro.info/Movie%20Star%20Pages/Tierney,%20Gene-Annex.htm

the watercooler cookie group!
x-post

Kerr is trying divert traffic away from my threads to his email group.

:-(

Happy Birthday, Colonel!

I don't know if I can dl/ul cookies at work, but sure why not.

I'm not a day older than 21 I assure you.

I'm not saying anything bad, I'm just saying you seem a lot more mature than most 21 year olds I've known! It's a compliment, dude. :-)

I have got to stop saying "dude".

Sheesh, I was even listening to country music at the weekend. When the weather gets hot, I get nostalgic.

OK, I'll stop derailing the noses thread now.

http://www.australianrules.com.au/image/gramparsons.jpg

Oh yes.

Colonel Poo we need your email address then!

DOn't you want to pinch those butt cheeks? YUUUUUMMY!

Oh yes, it's like he's go those little lip prints on his cheeks just to say PINCH HERE (or worse).

I suspect he has (or rather had) the grebtest legs ever. Well, the way I like'em anyway. Hmm.

He had just about the greatest *everything* ever. Nose, hair, legs, butt... well, OK, maybe not LIVER, but when was the last time you lusted over a boy's liver?

My email is my username with no spaces at Microsoft's popular email service dot com. Well, that's not my proper email address but it works.

PS not really 21, you can add 10 years to that!

xpost to butt lust!

Ha ha, I was going to say!

Oh good lord, I was googling for Byrds pictures and found this...

http://www.artistpages.net/chrishillman/thumbs/lrg-4-e66-scan--chris_and_roger_photo_booth_small.jpg

And this is where we have the discussion where we vote who had the better hair, Roger or Chris...

http://mog.com/pictures/wikipedia/98648/Byrds.jpg

(And I'm suddenly realising whose parents must have had the biggest Byrds fixation.)

JAYSUS, look at that fringe...

http://www.musictap.net/Interviews/ArtforInterviews/HillmanByrds.jpg

i don't know what the group is

waaaahhh i ordered a cd off amazon last week and it turned up today except it DIDN'T, i got a package with an invoice in it and no cd. WAHT TO DO.

I sent you an invite. It is a COOKIES group. Except everyone is just nattering on about nothing. You know, just like here.

Call Amazon and complain! (Do they have a place you can phone?)

Now back to googling Gram Parson's arse and Roger McGuinn's granny glasses.

OK, it's a good thing I didn't buy aviator shades with F on Leather Lane last week, because... WANT:

http://www.loti.com/sixties_fashion/granny_glasses/mcguinn_shades_mcguinn.jpg

I wonder if I can get them in prescription... I had a great pair when I was 22. They were purple, and they turned the world great colours. Yeah, even when I wasn't on druqz.

You can post cookies, kate!

prob no point since i can't dl at work for some stupid reason (it is not not allowed, my computer just won't do it) and the computer at home is already groaning under the weight

PHONE my arse

i have emailed them

Well, you're never going to get anywhere with them if you take that attitude!

My boss is back for the first time in a week, but she has disappeared off to a meeting all day, so I've got nothing to do and am back googling pictures of boys with fringes and stripey shirts. :-(

http://www.georgehernandez.com/h/aaBlog/2005/media/11-29_DennisTheMenace_UK.jpg

http://news.bbc.co.uk/olmedia/1215000/images/_1218832_gnash_150.jpg

You know... what on earth WAS Gnasher supposed to be?

He's nothing like a dog, he's more like a bog brush with legs.

that b/w (hillman?) pic: PHWOAR!

The one in the turtleneck is Hillman, yes. Phwoar indeed! The one in the stripey shirt is McGuinn with Hillman sticking his head in. Double phwoar!

I have dreams that look like that.

Ooh I wish I could steam/lend some of your dreams. Mine are much too weird lately, probably due to bluesy state of mind. :-(

Gnasher - a wire-haired Abyssinian tripe hound

Really, Kerr? Did they specify that in the comic, or did you just make that up?

(When I say "dreams" I mean daydreams... or fantasies ;-) )

I remember that from the comic. I was in the Dennis The Menace Fan Club and Gnasher Fang Club you know!

I think they did specify that in the comic. (xpost)

THIS is just not right though. The Dandy will be dead within a year.

Xtreme to the MAX!

Dandy Xtreme? WTF?

OK, I never read Dandy (I was a Beano purist) but that's just wrong.

What's right, though, is this:

http://www.nostalgiacentral.com/images_music/byrds_03.jpg

What do you think would happen if I took that photo to a hairdresser and said "do this to my hair" ? Would I end up looking like an idiot?

(Though I am sure that is probably just what Ian Masters and Colm O'Cusack did)

Dandy editor Craig Graham said: "Following extensive research, we discovered The Dandy readers were struggling to schedule a weekly comic into their hectic lives. They just didn't have enough time.

"They're too busy gaming, surfing the net or watching TV, movies and DVDs."

Mr Graham added: "They still enjoyed The Dandy, but if they were going to buy it themselves they expected more than just 'a comic my dad used to read'.

"They required a guide, packed with the stuff kids need to know to stay in the loop - a lifestyle magazine attuned to their hectic lives, featuring all the latest trends, must-haves, must-sees and must-dos.

"They made us promise to retain comics, but suggested we make our characters cheekier, edgier, and more extreme."

He added that the Dandy Xtreme would still qualify as the world's longest running comic because the publication had been updated, and not replaced.

I always wanted to get my hair cut like roger mcguinn, but never had the nerve.

What's Thurston Moore doing in that picture?

xpost

Colonel Poo did you get your invite?
Kate hasn't started her Daily DDB Picture thread on it yet.

I think the McGuinn is one of the few bowl cut type hairstyles that actually looks good with wavy hair. My hair isn't very thick, though, so I would probably just look mentally deficient.

Kerr, dude, I'm not being mean or anything, but I was under the impression that the list was a supplement to the 'Cooler thread for cookie exchange. Not a replacement for. You may be reading it as threads, but it's coming in my inbox, and the volume is way more than I can handle.

I did get my invite but it went wrong. I joined the group but I couldn't view it because I wasn't signed in to googlegroups, then I signed in but using my gmail address so now I'm not a member of the group because it's the wrong address :P

Well, you're never going to get anywhere with them if you take that attitude!

THERE ARE NO NUMBER

i think you can sign in using your non gmail though. Or request an invite with your gmail and i'll add you and delete the other one?

ok I applied for membership :)

but suggested we make our characters cheekier, edgier, and more extreme.

http://cache.wonkette.com/images/2006/04/poochie.jpg

Yo, Mutt L double E!

"Cheekier, edgier and more extreme" ???

When did kids get so rubbish?

Just wait til NME Xtreme hits the shelves

Don't feed the birds, Byrds!!!

http://delivery.viewimages.com/xv/3137627.jpg?v=1&c=ViewImages&k=2&d=FBFD2EE751F199B8AA37962E89DDEB83329DF394FE942516

When did kids get so rubbish?

When we grew up.

Don't feed the birds[

http://www.lacoctelera.com/mr_pleasant/imagen/BirdsComp.gif

Dammit, that picture showed a moment ago!

http://www.ne.jp/asahi/45rpm/kenta/byrds/byrds.gif

I love those Birds! And not just because they're my namesake.

what? is your full name Colonel Bird Poo?

Colonel Bird Poo III KBE to you, squire.

I wish people would scan these damn things better!

http://www.pearlsnap.com/images/nudiegram.jpg

Has anyone heard Michael_Nesmith solo albums? Country rock!

Those are Monkees, not Byrds.

I have a whole pile of Michael Nesmith solo albums. Not really my thing though. They belonged to my grandpa.

Actually, one of my friends in high school was obsessed with Michael Nesmith. She was the only other person I knew at the time who had also seen the Wicker Man (coz he produced it or something).

I have just filled out my expenses form, but there is no one around to sign it. It's only £27, but still. It's MY £27!!!

I know, but have you heard? Or would you rather talk about Chris Hillman albums?
x-post

I don't wanna talk about any of it! I just want to look at pictures of hott boys. I'm listening to the Byrds greatest hits coz I lost Sweetheart of the Rodeo on tour several years ago and never got another copy.

OH MY GOD!!! I sent my brother my flickr coz I wanted him to look at my artwork. So he sent me his - he's got all this pics of my family I've not seen. My dad has turned into the biggest hippie in the Bay Area, honestly. Though I think the helicopter cut the end of his ponytail off...

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1083/708731736_1bf61ab3d5.jpg

Look at those ears! They're worse than Prince Charles' ears!

He's got a BIG CAMERA, though:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1125/708725368_1458cb3df3.jpg

Blimey. He looks SO MUCH like my grandfather now it isn't even funny.

HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!

Spot the Goth! I win!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1225/709772216_a513cbaf6a.jpg

(Not Cowboy Jim sitting next to me; my brother.)

Bro and cousins, Less Than Zero:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1175/709775732_d5f29aa51e.jpg

I always wanted to get my hair cut like roger mcguinn, but never had the nerve.

Aw, man, I never need an excuse to listen to Orange Juice, but cheers for getting me to do so anyway.

This thread makes me want to listen to Listen To The Band.

Wow, so much to listen to today!

So LITTLE to do. Good god, another boring day. I'm going to go out of my mind. :-(

I wish I could stop thinking about SEX. It must be the weather. Or no, it's that boy's fault for distracting me. I should just stop talking to him until it all goes away and I get my good, pure mind back and my concentration comes back.

D'you patch things up?

You realise your grandfather is turning into IGGY POP!!! (or vice versa)

sorry, yr DAD! I should read thread more.

Look at those ears! They're worse than Prince Charles' ears!

Well, yer ears do get bigger as you get older

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA. I never noticed that before. I think neither my father nor Jim would be amused by that. (x-post to Mark)

Goobs, I sent an email, but it kind of spiralled into rambling like I always do, and then realised by the end of it that it was so long he probably wouldn't be ABLE to answer it. Not like I can check anyway. I gave him my work email, but I doubt he will write. I just hate feeling like this. Brain to start functioning properly again, please.

Ah, I'm sure it's fine, relax!

That's what I told him!

I'm sure we're fine. I just want to stop feeling like this! The hormonal switch in my brain to please switch off and stop sending me sexual fantasies at inconvenient times! This has just got embarrassing!

"cookies"

Argh.

Though looking at those pics of my dad, you can see where my taste in men comes from. The long face, the big nose. Apparently, when I was a little girl, my mum was talking to some her friends about men, as you do, and they said "well, @l@n's not the greatest looking bloke in the world, but he's smart and he is a nice bloke..." And I got OUTRAGED and informed them all "MY DADDY IS THE MOST HANDSOME MAN IN THE WORLD!!!"

Now that I'm an adult, I can see that people thought he was kind of funny looking, I mean, with those big ears and all. But I still just think men that look like him are lovely. Especially if they have 12-strings. Sigh.

Fancying people who look like their parents is what people do generally, isn't it?

Well, you always end up with people just like your opposite gender parent. But that doesn't mean you fancy them. I always thought I HAAATED my dad or rather that he HAAAATED me or whatever because he left. So it's complicated, the sort of worship/hate relationship I have with him, and with men because of him.

Anyway. Brain! Leave me alone. I'm celibate. Stop sending me sexual fantasies when I'm trying to work, or in the kitchen making a cup of tea or other inappropriate times.

I've just asked to have a meeting with my boss, but she's not available until 5... so what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Twiddle my thumbs?

Argh.

I suppose I could put together a list of the stuff I'm waiting on other people for. And go back into ::argh:: the report of all reports. Which I hate so much. It's so boring. But I'll put Sweetheart of the Rodeo on the headphones and my lovely Byrd boys will make everything better.

OK, I have GOT to find another job. I just got ANOTHER email complaining about my eating "hot smelly food at my desk".

Dude, I didn't HAVE A CURRY yesterday.

They can go eat a bag of dicks.

At this meeting, I'm going to tell my boss that if they want to sack me, just go ahead and sack me. Don't fucking try to peck me to death with small pecks.

send the person a peg through internal mail with a Post-it note attached saying "pls place on nose while I am eating curry kthxbye"

Oh, man, The Christian Life!

I can't believe how this escalated. Office manager freaking sent back an email CC:d to the FD AND one of the directors. FFS! Over a bowl of pasta! My boss was really understanding about it - she was all "of course Kate is eating at her desk now, since that's the only time she can use the internet!" and I told her I had specifically switched from smelly curry to non-smelly pasta for those purposes.

It's so freaking petty. :-(

But at least we have... a B&B for the Dream Machine!

omg kate. i always thought 'the office' was quite exaggerated. i guess not. do they srsly have nothing better to do??

I guess not. :-(

I have just re-read the email I sent MNSSC and I just sound like a mentalist. Oh, I give up. I am a mentalist and I should be banned. Everybody hates me, and with good reason.

Oh yeah, and I smell.

But on the plus side, B&B!!! No camping! yes!

GIRLS NAMED POLLY!!!

Do not relax your guard because you think you're in a Byrds song, and therefore safe - IT IS STILL A FOLK SONG, AND YOU ARE STILL GOING TO DIE.

So that song's not about a parrot after all?

God, Hickory Wind makes ME homesick and I've never lived south of Brooklyn!

Anyone else going to Psychodahlia tonight?

It's another 3 bands of total dudeishness, but hey.

who where?

hi all, scotland is on, although details are still a bit sketchy

will be in london tomorrow on the way up north and then again on the 18th, if not sooner. fap-pery expected on one end or the other (hm, why didn't i plan this so i could make poptimism, too :( oh well

(OMG i am SO unprepared for this - must rush out now and pick up plane ticket)

yrs, m

Oh, some dudeish BJM wannabe psychedelic bands, can't remember which ones. At Bar Monsta in Camden, that place we went last time to see Flowers of Hell.

Mitya! I have nothing to do tomorrow. Call me, and we'll FAP.

where in Scotland will you be and when?

oh gawd i hate that place (bar monsta)
and last night i was at purple turtle which i also hate (though last night i did actually have a GREAT time which is a first)

ooh i tested out my new spaceship trainers last night, i thought i might have forgotten how to run. but i haven't. yay.

Well, yer ears do get bigger as you get older

I should post a pic of my gran, she has the biggest ears you have ever seen (and then some). They are GIGANTICALLY LARGE! :-) Dumbo's ears are nothing compared to hers. Ok, that's enough rambling. :-)

Kate, send your colleague an email with in 5468768786 size font: CHILLAX.
Sheesh, people can be so arseholish. :-(

I hate Bar Monsta, but hey, I didn't choose the venue. :-( I think D will be there as she is BJM stalking, I need to talk to her about our B&B.

Post a pic of yr gran and I will post a pic of my grand dad, and we will see who has the biggest ears, Nath!

I know that I should chillax over the whole thing, it's stupid to let something like that get to me. But it does. It just seems like nothing is going right at the moment.

HELP
i am tying to remember the name of this london webzine
it is really good
it is on the tip of my tongue
it is something like smoke but not that
any thoughts?

Oh, that one that Amp talked about on her blog? Specifically East London?

...Savage Messiah? Is that the one?

naw, not specifically east... they are based somewhere unlikely... like, er, surrey, or kingston, or something. i had a flatmate who used to write for them... i remember the frontpage as being red and black but may be wrong... people REALLY like it and so they should... DAMN...

http://londonist.com/

THANK FUCK FOR THAT

I don't know what you're talking about, but when you remember, share a link, please? that sounds good. x-poost thanks!

Listening to The Church and doing something very mindless and busymaking and trying very hard not to be in a bad mood.

I forget every now and then how much I love The Church, those sort of washes of woozy 80s atmospheric synth dribbled all over with jangley 12-string, like Brian Eno sitting in on The Byrds. Steve Kilbey just has one of those VOICES that sounds like treacle and honey on ice cream on a hot day.

YAYAY I AM GOING TO DUBLING! DUBLINGFAP? ROCKTOBER?

Hello all. Glad to see Tom D is back. Did you get your google group invite Tom?

Today I am listening to Spirit

yayayay I am going to Connect (http://www.connectmusicfestival.com/content/default.asp?page=s12) and I is EXCITED!!

JAMC OMG YAY!

Did anyone read this?

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/article2841357.ece

What bands are you going to watch, Ailsa?

Lots of them. Dunno. See when I get there. Definitely JAMC as I said. And not the fucking Beastie Boys.

ooh ailsa i am bloodydamn jealous! i am having 0 luck trying to invent a legit reason why i should be there...

Hello all. Glad to see Tom D is back. Did you get your google group invite Tom?

What's that for?

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1193/1040563806_14e4380e4b.jpg

ME GRAN!

I'm not entirely sure you can see how big they are. She's very aware of them and as such almost always covers them up. Half of it is hidden under hair. But you can see how big her loves are, no?

Oops, I guess her ears made the pic bigger? :-(

legit reason = um, checking out new bands, maybe?

(just sayin': the number of watercoolers in the uk still estonishes me somewhat)

Hello all. Glad to see Tom D is back. Did you get your google group invite Tom?

What's that for?

Check your gmail.

I did, too much to take in. There's too much music in the world.

Your Gran looks cool, Nath! What a great nose. But yeah, even though her ears are hidden, I can see the size of them! I bet that's where it comes from - my Dad's maternal grandmother was Afrikaans, I bet it's a Dutch/Flemmish thing.

Though that doesn't work, as my other Grandfather also had wingflaps and he was pure Scots. Damn.

Man, I had forgotten how much "It Doesn't Change" ROCKS!!!

No one does spooky quiet - to MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS OF PSYCHEDELIC ROCKING OUT!!! like The Church did. Ever. They have the best album closers of any band in the history of the world!

Roffle. Could be! Flemish lasses are known for our... uh... horse-ish looks. Wasn't it Henry the 6th who said that? I can't remember. Ok, uh, that makes it look as though I am accusing you of looking like a horse, which I am not! I do however. :-(

Then again I just discovered that my father's side originated from ENGLAND. Our family used to live in Lincolnshire (?). The family started in the 1000s! Woohoo! We have ROOTS! And in ENGLAND! Maybe that's why my English is pretty good. haha

Roffle. Could be! Flemish lasses are known for our... uh... horse-ish looks. Wasn't it Henry the 6th who said that? I can't remember.

The fat bastard did describe Anne of Cleves as a "Flanders mare"

He's the one!

Henry VIII of course

Henry the eighth, not the sixth though, yes?

xpost

Well, this book on "British" genetics (debunking the whole Celtic thing) says that the English are all really "Belgae" anyway.

And it was Henry 8th. Fat bastard. Though apparently, he was really good looking in his youth!

Fat ginger bastard an' all

Oi, now, don't be gingerist.

His family were bloody Welsh anyway.

Stop being Welshist!

Yeah, he was, apparently, the original "Prince Charming"...

just goes to show, really... "happy ever after"

xposty

ticket purchased!

will do, k8. task for tomorrow is to track down various outdoorsy-type gear. (or maybe continue irresponsibility and go to tate m) have just checked out my waterproof jacket in unseasonable moscow downpour (weather is freaky here, too) and it is, as usual, water resistant but not really 'proof'. hmm...

ailsa, the likely plan is

london wed-thu
sleeper to inverness - f. around there for the day
inverness to ft. william - 5 days
glasgow - in between time (thu/fri?)
fri sleeper to london

i need to study my guidebook tonight - i haven't really thought to much about the other bits - e.g.,
a) is inverness worth spend a full day there or should i take the train into edinburgh, spend the day there, and take the last bus/train to inverness; and
b) what to do after ft. william - glasgow is kind of the geographic default

Go look at the statue of Auntie Maggie's Arm in Inverness. OK, it's actually supposed to be a statue of Flora MacDonald, but my Auntie Maggie - OK, like great, great Aunt Maggie was the model for it!

Depends what you want to do. Edinburgh's got more museums/culture/things than Inverness - you can get a good feeling of Inverness just walking out of it on your way to Fort William.

And yes, do Glasgow on the way back - it's nearer to Fort William for a start

http://www.scottishpatterns.com/flora3.jpg

Look, here is a picture of the Flora Macdonald statue in Inverness.

Almost lifesize too, sorry :-/

Why did that side of the family get all the good noses?

I bet she had the same massive ears as the rest of us, though. That's why they're covered up with her bronze hair.

Morning!

Went to Psychodahlia last night. All the DDBs in the world. OK, this is something I never ever thought I'd say in my life, but I'm kind of sick of bands who sound JUST LIKE the Dandy Warhols/BJM. I never thought I'd be jaded by a herd of DDBs, but uh... by the end of White Light Sound or whatever they were called, I was just longing for a bit of Girls Aloud or something. It's all SOOO dudeish.

However, the really cute little blond one from ver Koolaids might play 12-string with us at the next gig. Though he did try to run off with my sketchbook. :-) This happens if you draw paisleys at a dronerock club.

I guess Mitya is in London, or on a plane headed here at this very moment?

omg, flatmate's small son came home last night after 2mths away - SO DIFFERENT. big and weird and TALKING PORTUGUESE. it is ace to have him back though. we were all up til 2 just pissing about.

We got our new fridge. I was all excited about the fact it has more SPACE in the fridge, but I now discovered the freezer isn't that big. It's a bit rub. I can't seem to put that much more in it. :-( I just bought boxes (for veggies and fruit) but it seems I'll need to stuff the bags in it instead. :-(

You don't freeze fruit, do you? Can you? I have a HUUUGE freezer I never use. It's kind of a waste. I wish I could figure out how to turn it off without turning the fridge off, as well.

Oh, and BTW, HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATES me. :-(

We have frozen fruit in our freezer. We use it for smoothies at the weekend. You chuck them in the blender with some yoghurt and you've got (nearly) instant frozen smoothie! Yum. Dunno what that does to the vitamins and stuff tho.

Of course you can freeze fruit. I freeze berries all the time so you can have them all year round!

xpost

Well, I never! Something to do with all those strawberries and raspberries to keep them from going off in my fridge!

Yes! I made the horrible mistake of not putting strawberries in the fridge and they INSTANTLY spoiled. :-( I had read that putting'em in the fridge ruins the taste. Grrr.
BUt yes, you can indeed freeze fruit! As I have some of my groceries delivered, I decided to buy big amounts of veggies and fruit. The latter is used for making marmelades. Well, most of the time anyway. I should use'em for smoothies as well! Grebt idea!

Usually I stick my strawberries in BOUZE. Actually, that reminds me, I put some strawberries in BOUZE about a month ago and forgot about them. I have no idea if they are still good, if the booze will have preserved them or what? When is Ed back? He knows these kinds of things.

if you freeze bananas they go like icecream. NUM.

No, I was always told that freezing bananas makes them POISONOUS. I know this isn't true, but i can't get past it.

Now we investigate the response rates of DDBs WRT texting. At least I exchanged phone numbers with this one, and am not reliant on horrible MySpace.

God, lookit his guitar, though! Wow! What a beauty. (It's bad, I don't even notice the boys attached to them any more. They all look like sheep to a shephard.):

http://a677.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/25/l_d278adc920299fca5183508548ad4344.jpg

No, I was always told that freezing bananas makes them POISONOUS. I know this isn't true, but i can't get past it.

who told you that? i am not dead yet.

I don't know. Some member of my family. Possibly my botanist gran. I have no idea. But I cannot get past it.

Bananas are poisonous at all times

No, I like bananas! They are good. You and Ed can go form a banana hating consortium elsewhere.

HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATES me. :-(

I need a crush removal service, for when good crushes go bad.

Now I've got the bloody Cult stuck in my head.

BABYBABYBABYBABYBAAAAAABYYYYY CRUSH REMOVAL MACHIIIIIINE!!!

Yay, my boss says she finally has some work for me - which she will give me after lunch. Now tell me to get off the interweb and stop obsessing about boys, OK, just That particular boy.

You and Ed can go form a banana hating consortium elsewhere.

I knew there was someone else who hated bananas as much as me

Putting bananas in the fridge makes them go brown and taste a bit funny. I don't think that's because of POISON though.

Please stop talking about bananas. They're such classic phallic symbols and make me start thinking about that boy again. Oh, I need a hobby or something. ARgh. "Boys, boys, nothing but boys, I've had my eye on quite a few, but you know that I'll be true coz my only hobby is you!"

Shoot me.

...with a bananagun. :-\

Hello

Hey, Kerr, how's it going?

Alright. My dads up at the hospital to get more xrays. Hopefully they can find out what it is, and hopefully its minor and can be sorted easily.

He said the reason he hasn't had other painkillers is because of his heart medication. He could've got them if it hadn't been for that.

I hope everything's OK with him! I'm sure it will turn out to be fine.

He just phoned he's on his way home. I suppose it will be another few weeks wait for results.

It's usually just aspirin-based painkillers that you can't take with heart medication due to risk of overdose since that's a regular treatment for angina (it's angina, yes?) - my dad has angina and I'm pretty sure he's taken pain killers in the past. Has he thought about any alternative therapies?

I guess he will just wait and see what happens.

He's been waiting and seeing for months! Tell him to kick some medical ass if he's in that much pain and seeing so many inept doctors/consultants all the time.

Anyone interested in hearing this? or any of his other solo albums?

Thanks, Kerr, I have too much to listen to this week! I'm behind on my backlog.

OK... studies show... DDBs just as bad at communication by text, as by email. :-( Actually, probably he was just drunk when he agreed to do the show, and sobered up and realised what a mad idea it was.

Urgh! Yay!

Finally breaking the lodge and heading home 18 hours after hitting london. Have had sucha a great time with the lesbians, anarchists, politicos, yoghurt weavers and allied trades; teching kids how to be nice to one another and how to take control.

Will divulge more later.

Caminando pregontamos!

Oh, and HA HA HA HA... I was eating smelly curry today, so I went to the breakout area, and the OWNER of the company just followed me down the hall to find out what I was eating becuase he was all "that smells SO GOOD! I bet people follow you all the time when you cook things like that." I told him, "yes, to complain about the smell!" and he told me that was crazy. I didn't quite have the guts to say "tell that to the office manager, pls..." but was tempted to.

It is SO PETTY around here, it's stupid. (Though that said, this morning, the Director sent an email saying GIVE IT A REST to the office manager.)

Ed returns! Hurrah!!! Welcome back from the wilds!

Anyone interested in hearing this? or any of his other solo albums?

Got 'em all + his Monkees stuff, he rules

Also, how long have busses talked?

What are you talking about, Ed? Lay off the mushrooms, busses don't talk!

They occasionally sing

Ha ha, that was one of my fave books when I was a kid! Now I can't even remember what number routemaster it was. :-(

http://www.bookonn.com/br-146-/br-161_2.jpg
http://www.bookonn.com/br-146-/br-161_4.jpg

233?

Is that Franz Liszt?

What, conducting the choir? I don't know, but I always loved that pic.

Look, I can play it with one hand!

http://www.pianoparadise.com/liszt.jpg

No one requesting any cookies then?

The 233 is a real bus! It goes from Sidcup to Eltham! I never knew that!

OK, I am going to get some tea and try to do some work.

I've just asked for a bunch of days off here and there, to make it so the rest of August is 4 day weeks. I think this will make things less stressful for me while it's not busy.

Look, I can play it with one hand!

Maybe he's playing some of the stuff that was written for Wittgenstein's brother, the famous one-handed concert pianist.

Nathalie, where in Lincolnshire do you come from?

(or your ancient family, rather)

Argh. Logistics nonsense. Have arrived

Are you still up for a drink after work, k8? Newly returned Ed? Anyone else? If not, could meet early-ish tomorrow or next weekend.

I am up for drinking. Though I might need supper first. (This is dependent on this DDB not actually getting back to me and me having to deliver a CD to him, which I'm beginning to think will not actually happen at all now.)

i, too, like to eat. i have your mobile, i think - need to run pick up train ticket and a few other things - will call around 5:30 to see how things look?

is this tonight? could well be up for it

Cool! That sounds good. Yes, tonight.

(I'm getting the paranoia that my email is broken. I don't know if people just aren't responding to things I've sent (non lame non-DDBs) or if it's bouncing again. Which it has been doing recently.)

I won't get out of work until about 6.30 at the earliest, but will keep an ear out for the phone.

No, not bouncing. I am just paranoid.

We are going to eat curry behind Euston if anyone wants to join us! I don't know where we will FAP afterwards. Possibly in one of those strange little pubs off the Greys Inn Road?

norfolk arms on leigh st?

smelly curry?

Possibly! Will you join us, Ed? Shall I text you later? I think we'll probably go to Chutneys for smelly smelly curry.

text me

OK, will do.

Also, ha ha, Dronerock Festival have stopped being weird and secretive and actually asked people to publicise the show. So!

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1350/1037934075_a023bb027a_o.jpg

(It must be legal now.)

Also, singer from DDB band last night just MySpaced me to say he wants a copy of the drawing of him. ha ha, these DDBs, they just want me for my drawrings!

Just ordered new Plan B. Is it any good this month?

i have joined yr group (haha figured how to fix dl problem, was stupid really) but i cannot chat as much as it looks like you do

i may be going to boxer rebellion tonight

or staying at work late then running then either home or join you

Right, I'm out of here. Might actually be on time to meet Mitya! I have a pathological fear of being late, even when I've told someone I will probably be late.

Chutneys then Norfolk Arms!

There's not really that much chat. Apart from a couple of people , most of the chat was the introduction thread and posts about the "cookies".

x-post bye kate

I might contribute to the WC Group, if I could work out how the fuck to use it:

Click the "+ Add new page" button at the bottom of the page. Alternatively, you can click the "+ add new page" link under the "Pages (default)" navigation link.

I see no "+ Add new page" button at the bottom of the page. I see Sweet Fanny Adams at the bottom of my page. Ditto "+ add new page" link under the "Pages (default)" navigation link. .

Apparently ILX is not working for some people this morning.

I'm in via the sandbox just now.

Huh. Works fine for me.

Tom, why do you want to add a new page?

Kicked me out at home just before I left, then at work about an hour ago. In via the Sandbox.

Tom, why do you want to add a new page?

Isn't that what you do? What do you do? If you want to post a link, I mean. Jings, crivens, help ma boab, I'm up tae high do' wi' this...

I think you want to click the '+new post' button, which is at the top of the 'discussions' section of the page, below Kerr's long intro paragraph.

Hmmmmmmm, not exactly user-friendly/idiot proof or, more to the point, idiot-friendly/user proof

Ah, waht on earth... I'm so confused. Is this the sandbox or real ILX?

Had a lovely time with Mitya last night, and sent him off to Scotland with a hangover.

Here is the DDB for the day:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1382/1059498961_73766199e6_o.jpg

Astonishingly enough, the 12-string playing DDB actually got back to me last night! Sending him a CD today. If this one turns out to be reliable, I'll eat my... Velvet Underground box set?

Good lord, I just looked up Leighton Buzzard on a map! So that's where it is! I never knew. It's halfway to Milton Keynes.

"Halfway to Milton Keynes"

Could be a lyric or song title?

Well, the Lollies had a song called "Left My Heart In..." and the chorus went "I left my heart in Leighton Buzzard, I left my heart in Leighton Buzzard..." (none of us had even been there. We just liked the name.)

That was the split single with the Gossip. It's worth a bomb now.

I would have gone there a whole lot sooner had I known there were DDBs there!

Hello sandboxers

Morning. Afternoon, dang! I am slow today.

I have to go mail a package to a DDB (heh, I said package) but I don't want to go while MySpace is still online. This effectively makes me glued to my desk between noon and 2.

Do you like the sound of this folk cd kate?

Oh yeah, I was going to post some real folk music (not a bunch of goth poseurs) to the Watercooler Group but I couldn't work out how to do it

you just click new post and fill in the subject line then post the link

Someone's eating fish in the office! That's not on, is it??!! And Kate got berated for eating curry!!!!!

People eat fish quite blithely in this office, despite the fact that it could actually kill me (allergies) but you don't see me writing nasty notes to their bosses about it.

you just click new post and fill in the subject line then post the link

How do you post a link?

Just paste it into yr post, and it becomes clickable, like here:

http://www.international-klein-blue.com/

Eeeeeeeeeeh, I'm right naive, me

Awesome! Shimura Curves just got asked to DJ at Night of the Long Swords in December. Finally, a place where Ed and I can play all our awful prog records.

Don't they expect you to play records by other people?

(hey, a zing's a zing)

Nurrrrrrrr.

We are going to play Fresh Maggots and Hawkwind. It will be aces.

I am trying to figure out exactly which Church song it is that Simple Solution really really reminds me of. I know I have heard it recently, which means it's on Seance, as I've been caning that album.

I think it's a bit like the guitars from "Travel By Thought" and the drums from "Dropping Names".

They'll probably try to say they ripped it off some Neu! song but I know it's The Church.

My mum ordered this and it arrived today. Went thirds on it with them. So I have some good stuff to watch!

Ah I got one disc from when the BBC shop closed down, £5 it was.

I have obtained them from elsewhere, except someone else has them and I can't remember who I lent them to, bah.

Eschelons of the eschela.. DON'T THINK I'VE FORGOTTEN!!!

where you want to go where do you want to go?

Travel by thought travel by thought

Travel...

intercontinental drift....

Anyone else managed to get in today?

Here? Still in via sandbox. ilxor.com still knacked.

I'm in yr web cafe turning in my Plan B copy!

Got in through Sandbox, too. The ilxor.com domain has expired, that's why no one can get in that way.

aaaaahhhh, rehearsal with Sande last night was SOOOO GOOOD. It's so lovely to hvae 3-part harmonies again, and she has SUCH a gorgeous voice. It was really cute, she was quite nervous at first. I'm so in awe of Sande as a musician that I just didn't think for a sec that she could be intimidated by me. But I guess it's always weird walking into a new band. But it just really gelled, and soon we were all singing our hearts out and dancing about and it sounds AMAZING. We were all just "wow, that was good, wasn't it?" I love when things just come together like that. :-)

Morning all, posting from casa leigh as i've been off sick all week thanks to the pesky antidepressants and the associated side effects/withdrawal symptoms.

Oh no, that sounds awful, Leigh. :-(

Yep, essentially felt like I've got the flu for the last few days. Been told to return to the GP in a couple of weeks to rethink things - on the upside, in spite of feeling shitey i've not really felt that down.

Right there with you in spirit, Leigh.

Also, if health permits, I could well be through in Edinburgh tomorrow to meet Andrew F for a pint or two - if you are up to it, it'd be lovely if you could come too.

Can anybody who does meet Andrew point him at my FAP thread and get him to see if any of the other LJers (Martin S would be nice) are up for it please? (11th September if he asks.)

Trying to get to Edinburgh next weekend to see Tracer Hand's and someone elses shows, it seems that lots of other people are too and it is very expensive by any means except coach and if I spend 8 and a half hours in a coach I will probably kill someone, possibly myself.

Travel by thought!

(I have got to stop listening to the Church or I am going to turn into a wibbling hippie.)

OK, I am officially going to try to forget about MNSSC. This sucks, as having a crush makes the world sparkly, but I don't think it's doing me any good. Having a crush on people you know just makes it really, really awkward as every single thing is over interpreted.

I just want people's respect as a musician. I just want to be treated as an equal. I have always wanted to be "one of the boys" with regards to music. And acting stupid like this doesn't help that. :-(

Right, I'm gonna do something fun with the rest of the day. Like finish recording the guitars on OPC or draw saints for Cowboy Jim or do that Sonic Cathedrals poster I'm supposed to.

That folk comp looks like a crock of shit! "goth poseurs" Tom d OTM!!! x1000!!!

Hang on, rewind a bit, is Tracer Hand doing a show in Edinburgh?

*google*

oh aye, so he is. Never mind.

Hello everyone.

hello

ARGH I JUST HAD TO GO IN BOTH VIRGIN AND HMV

i want to PUKE

or at least WASH

ugh

What did you buy? HMV is ok Virgin is nearly always utter shite though for music.

ah no, i had to get a cd of someone we're working with to send to someone else but i had run out and so had the manager so i had to run and buy one.

i don't remember when was the last time i set foot in any of those places... it's like 3 or 4 years i think. it is revolting, i thought i was gonna snap, i had to exercise my zen master. tbh i have been having a bit of a heart-that's-full-up-like-a-landfill day anyway cos i saw this band last night that someone else here is working with and asked me to check out cos he may want a hand with them and i thought they were v ordinary and was trying - like, genuinely, trying very hard - to understand what was good about them and asked what i should be listening/looking for and he just got pissed off with me and wouldn't give me any pointers and thought i was deliberately being obnoxious and sismissive and i *wasn't*, at all, i would prefer to love a band than hate a band or be indifferent, i always go into everything wanting it to be great, and even today was still angry at me and *still* won't/can't tell me a single positive thing about them which makes me feel like everything's all fakey-fakey, and after that gig i went to see dead meadow and omg they were fantastic and gave me a heart-that's-full-up-like-an-ocean instead and i was walking down oxford st surrounded by trash (i mean the stuff in the shops, not the people, though the people were like vultures to the trash) and i hate that the shit floats to the surface and that there are amazing bands and stuff that no one values and that people are so easily bought by shiny trinkets and and and and and er actually i think i am being a bit ott and hormonal.

er, dismissive

Why does it really matter though? They're just people in bands.

i'm not sure what you mean? i don't mind what the people in bands think.

this is why it matters:
music is desperately important to me. it's ok if you don't agree, i don't need other people to have it be desperately important to them. some people think fashion is desperately important and i think it's stupid, and i don't think the people who care about fashion need me to have it be desperately important to me either. this guy, who is working with this band we saw - i have a lot of respect and liking for him both personally and professionally, he's excellent at his job, i'd love to be as good at mine as he is at his, and i want to take the opportunity to learn from him while i can. music is his life - he doesn't do *anything* else - he gets up, comes to work, stays until it's time to go to whichever gig/s he's got, does that, goes home and works for a couple more hours. same on weekends. we get on really well, have some overlapping taste in which bands we love but more that doesn't overlap, and i've really enjoyed wrangling over music with him - and i like him trying to persuade me into liking bands i don't, because even if it doesn't work (which is most of the time tbh, i think he's won me over with 3 bands in the last 5 months) he can usually make me see *something* valid or good where before i didn't. as far as i've seen he's got a lot of integrity, he's stubborn and can't be bought/hoodwinked, which i admire and think is rare. so when he suddenly can't tell me anything good about this band, that collapses a bit.

Anyone around today?

fewa.

sorta

Links to ilx that work have now been passed on the cooler google group so maybe more will show up now.

I am sort of "around" but having trouble focussing on anything at the moment - I haven't recovered from my weekend yet! Maybe coffee and chocolate will help. I hardly ate anything yesterday which I think screwed up my metabolism or something, I was all shakey earlier until I had my lunch.

I have just spent the weekend in heaven... or Leighton Buzzard? I don't know. If I told you I'd spent yesterday on a beautiful Country Life style farm with fields and a river and stuff, hanging out with a gang of drop dead beautiful DDBs, in a poolhouse stuffed with vintage guitars, playing dronerock until the sun went down, would you think I had finally gone insane and lost my mind?

Somebody pinch me. I'm still not entirely sure it all happened.

I was just waiting for God to bring out the hot tub full of tiramisu... and then I woke up. And Mr. S Barrett was doing apeshit MBV guitar noise all over the end of Hung With Joy. Oh god, yes.

So I've got TWO DDBs for the next gig. I may explode.

Sounds like you had fun.

YAY Kate! That does sound like fun.

Back at work today. Why oh why. I wish I were still in Leighton Buzzard. Sigh.

Wrote a great song, yesterday, though. And finished the Sonic Cathedral artwork, too! Hurrah! And more saints for Cowboy Jim!

I'm so productive when I don't have to be here. But now I've got so much work piled up in the my inbox. :-(

Working sucks

Work is for jerks.

We have nothing to lose but our chains, brothers and sisters

We have nothing to lose but the mortgages on our homes and the clothes on our backs and everything when the bank comes to reposess it all...

Anyway, here's my Sonic Cathedral poster. Can't sent the proof to Nat because of stupid MySpace being blocked, but you can tell me if you'd buy an A3 poster of this for a quid or two.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1363/1114008242_7d65724548.jpg

It's weird, you can never quite tell how the colours are going to look on other monitors. They're much brighter on my Mac. I suppose what counts is how they look when printed!

Tremendous! A Peaclock!

Brilliant. Gimme some o' that Owsley acid, man.

(It's actually a Firebird, not a peaclock - but I might do another one as a peaclock.)

I found this amazing book of Russian fairy tales in Oxfam for £2 at the weekend. I can't read a word of Russian (have to wait til the Russian comes back from holiday) but the illos were so beautiful! So I drew mine own version of the Firebird.

(OK, I know it was a firebird because the titles were translated in the index, the only English in the book. At first I was laughing, because there was this man riding on a wolf showing this princess "look at my GIANT COCK!!!" but it turned out it was a Firebird.)

That's brilliant, Kate.

I thought it would be too obvious to draw a giant clock for the Quarter After, but I wanted to reference the band's name in a subtler way. Hence the clocks in the feathers. Also, I was listening to "25 O'Clock" by the Dukes of Stratosph34r.

I didn't actually run into Rick at the weekend, he was coming to the DDB Farm as I was leaving.

that is beautiful.

WOW! (puts sunglasses on..)

WHAT AM I SAYING?? naturally I never take them off!

Thanks!

I want to get on MySpace so I can show Nat! I can't remember his yahoo account, and can't find any other emails from him, so I have to look it up on MySpace. How annoying!

That's a great pic!

Also

"25 O'Clock" by the Dukes of Stratosph34r

that whole EP rules. I have the compilation of both EP and album, and the album drags a bit. The EP is just pure psych goodness.

omg freud's cocktails. why am i not in there ALL THE TIME?

BECAUSE THEY ARE SO EXPENSIVE.

Did you have Freuds special coffee? Ohmigod, I could just mainline that stuff. Soooooo good.

Yeah we have that compilation CD, know what you mean about the album. The EP is super great.

The album sounds too much like XTC :(

THE ALBUM IS TEH GRAET TOO!!!!

you lot!

I'm with Dada on this, it just sounds like another XTC album. Blah.

Right, let's do a 'pure essence' on it!

(you remember.. delete one track until you are left with the essence...)

"25 O'Clock" – 5:03
"Bike Ride To The Moon" – 2:23
"My Love Explodes" – 3:49
"What In The World??..." – 5:01 (The Red Curtain)
"Your Gold Dress" – 4:42
"The Mole From The Ministry" – 5:58
"Vanishing Girl" – 2:59 (Curtain)
"Have You Seen Jackie?" – 3:21
"Little Lighthouse" – 4:31
"You're A Good Man Albert Brown (Curse You Red Barrel)" – 3:38
"Collideascope" – 3:22
"You're My Drug" – 3:19
"Shiny Cage" – 3:17 (Curtain)
"Brainiac's Daughter" – 3:59
"The Affiliated" – 2:31 (Curtain)
"Pale And Precious" – 4:58

I'll delete "lighthouse" as that actually was/is an XTC unused track...

Morning all. That poster looks amazing.

I'm confined to a liquid diet today - woke up this morning with horrendous earache which means chewing is excruciating. Am going to make a big pot of sweet potato and butternut squash soup when I get home, probably won't do me any harm to stay off solids for a day or two.

Admittedly "You're A Good Man Albert Brown" is genius

Let's not do a "pure essence" whatever that is. That's what ILM is for.

Aw man, you are really in the wars lately, Leigh? I hope yr ear feels better. Liquid lunch is an excuse to partake of BOUZE or are you not allowed to, with the meds and all?

Speaking of liquid, it's 11.30 and I haven't had some tea yet! Must rectify this immediately.

I'm off the meds now so I could drink but I'm kind of teetotal by default these days - I no longer have a taste for it and just get maudlin when pished. The daft thing is that apart from the ear i'm feeling pretty chipper with bags of energy. I think the probs with the meds have actually done me a favour in terms of catching up on sleep and just slowing down and relaxing for a change.

I have tons of energy today, too, but it's I'm back from a long weekend.

Is there a thread on The Artist's Way on ILX? Have we done that? I always thought it was a load of hippie wank. But I've just suddenly got over a MASSIVE creative block that was hanging around for months. Now maybe it was because I had a holiday. Or maybe it was because I bought the Artists Way for £2 at Oxfam and started reading it, and doing some of the things it reccomended. But I wrote 2 songs this weekend, when I hadn't written a song in months.

It's impossible to search for "the artist's way". :-(

Never 'eard of it, guv'nor

I always kind of avoided it, because I associated it with wanky "writer" types who do "creative writing" courses, and thought it was for, like, housewives who wanted to do pottery or whatever.

But reading it, it just seems a bit like CBT specifically for creative types. And lots of the things it reccomended were things that I *used* to do anyway, totally common sense things - that I somehow got out of the habit of doing once I got a shitty dayjob.

I did a writers course (comedy), and it was quite surprising the amount of ideas you can come up with purely by doing a "brainstorming" session...

as you sort of imply, I thought it'd be the housewives/pottery thing.. but I went for it anyway.

Is it like an extended version of Eno's "Oblique Strategies" thing?

Results 1 - 10 of about 217,000 for "The Artist's Way" book.

Julia Cameron?

Just looking at that on amazon--having never heard of it before--I'd wonder how much the book's references to god and "spirituality" would put me off.

xpost yeah, i assume

Yeah, the language is hard to get around. I don't mind "god" but "spirituality" gets my hackles up. It doesn't have so much of that so far, but it has lots of "your inner artist" crap.

Sorry, dude, my artist is not INNER. My artist is stomping around my head all the time.

But some of the suggestions - daily journalling, feeding your aesthetic sensibilities by new or stimulating experiences - are very very sensible. The rest of it is cod CBT.

It's nothing like the Oblique Strategies. Maybe I should have dug them out instead. But they are more about fixing something when you're stuck, not really about getting unblocked when nothing is coming out at all.

Oblique Strategies Widget

I don't mind "god" but "spirituality" gets my hackles up.

It's the other way round with me

Eh I could do without either of them. I have no soul.

Sorry, dude, my artist is not INNER. My artist is stomping around my head all the time.

Is that not inner, then?

I have no soul.

I've met you, you have.

Nah, I sold it ages ago.

"Inner" suggests that it's somehow hidden, or internal. I'm a bratty little temper-tantrum throwing genius 24 hours a day! ;-) I need to get in touch with my inner accountant more often.

Oblique Strategies is great for solving problems once you have a work, which you are trying to get to go somewhere. But I've not found it helpful when you're totally blocked and nothing is coming out. When it gets to that point, you need to either pull back and put some input in, or else churn to get the well primed again. It's hard to know which.

Dean has totally got me on a Nancy Sinatra kick, cause he was playing Lee and Nancy in his car. (Not that it takes much to get me on a Nancy Sinatra kick.)

http://www.newburycomics.com/images/bmh/BU/103-977259NEWBU.jpg

I really REALLY wanna watch Wild Angels or whatever now. I used to have it on a DVD with Hells Belles (I think?) but no idea where it's got to. Damn.

housewives/pottery

Careful there, guys.

Huh? Wha?

Am I insulting potters or housewives? Or both?

Ok, I am NOT going to get an absurd crush on one of my new bandmates. That would be BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD. Think unsexy thoughts. Margaret Thatcher. Ernest Borgnine. How to harsh buzz clit-on, pls.

(I know you are SUPPOSED to have crushes on yr bandmates, that's how it works. If you're not totally into yr bandmates, why bother being in a band with them? It's like a 4-way marriage without sex, you *have* to have an almost romantic fondness for them. But this is VERY COMPLICATED when said bandmate is a boy. A HOTTT boy.)

::BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE::

4-day weekend, and I'm turning into Emsk in terms of energy levels!

(My mum is a ceramicist)

Ah. My mum is a priest, but if I let people insulting priests get to me, I'd never go on ILX!

Anyway, here is the DDB farm! Hurrah!

http://a84.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/images01/37/l_db8a24973cd91de9bd4d25e520b7abdb.jpg

(not a very good picture of the farm, as it's only the pool house - I wish you could see the river and the little twee bridge and the barns and stuff. it's really really lovely.)

I haven't even mentioned our weekend in the country (OK, Andover)--twas great! We recorded a whole album in three days! On vintage mics that make voices and drums and acoustic guitar all sound amaaaaaaaaazing. I came up with all sorts of great harmonies. The band is super, super tight and the record's gonna be awesome, I think. We sat out in the garden and drank beers and ate supermarket pizzas and played scrabble and geography and cribbage and didn't shower for three days (nice house, but no hot water, alas).

I have been hearing about it from Cowboy Jim! It sounds really good. Right, I should write him back. MySpace is gone again, so I can't stalk new crushes any more.

NO WAIT, IT IS NOT A CRUSH, I DO NOT HAVE A CRUSH, THAT WOULD BE REALLY AWKWARD AND INCONVENIENT.

I cannot wait until this gig is over and he stops being a bandmate so I can have a really stupid ridiculously massive crush.

DID I JUS SAY THAT?

Recording in the country is the way forward, it sounds great. Pizza and beers and cribbage. I don't even know what cribbage is, but it sounds great. Sweaty boys, woo. STOP IT.

Cribbage has given the English language all sorts of terms and phrases - tho "taken down a peg or two" is the only I can think of offhand

Oh, the pics stay up, even when MySpace is down. Nice. I can still crush just look, OK, that's all I'm doing, looking. No crushes here, nosirreee.

Cribbage involves the phrase "and one for his knob" so also gives cheap giggles.

Pegging someone back as well when you're catching up with someone, that's a cribbage term as well.

Ha ha, knobs and pegging, ha ha ha ha, this sounds like the greatest game ever. How do you play?

It's so nice to be able to make the requisite Public Service Jokes again. I had to control myself all weekend. It is NOT good to make the usual "fnah, big muffs, knobs, fnar" jokes in mixed company, boys get very flummoxed by it.

So I had to be VERY VERY GOOD, and you know how hard this is for me when boys are asking me about my pedals. OK, I made exactly one - I couldn't help it, it just slipped out when one of them made a comment about the size of their organ (as in, a hammond) and I just went FNAR LOL and made a rude joke like Miss AMP and then had to quickly stuff my fist in my mouth to stop me from making any more. Bad, bad, bad.

OMG saints look AWESOME!

Enjoying the Chris Bell album, Gooblar?

Have you seen Jim's mockup, then? x-post

I feel like just chucking them all over to him, and letting him get on with him, since what he's done with them looks great.

Yeah, just seen the mock-up; it's gonna be an incredible cover.

Just putting the Bell album on the iPod, Kerr; it's gonna be my reward when I leave the house in a few hours (a reward for reading 200 pages today, I hope).

I'm really pleased with the way it's come out.

And dealing with Cowboy Jim, as opposed to dealing with rubbish DDBs I've done art for! he actually gets back to me with feedback! Promptly! And credits it properly! And is enthusiastic about it! That makes it really worthwhile.

No boys I know get flummoxed by knob gags, perhaps I hang around with the wrong boys (not that I spend all my time in mixed company going "fnarr, knobs" etc, but I can be quite infantile from time to time. Disguising it with a Beavis'n'Butthead "hehe, you said muff, hehe" etc works.

Cribbage is about the only card game I can ever be arsed with. It is easy.

It's virtually Christian Rock, that Chris Bell album! He had heavy thigns on his mind that boy (xxp)

Oh, don't put me off it. I was going to listen to it, but now I'm escared!

Oh no, it's quite uplifting, "Look up, look up, you'll see the light" etc or The Light to be exact

Oh, OK, I'll give it a whirl, then. I need a break from the Church, seriously!

OK, this is going to be distracting as heck. If you are wondering why I will have completely forgotten how to play any of the songs tomorrow, it will be because I'm getting distracted by this:

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1065/609868396_d2f5d4354f.jpg

GIVE ME YR SHIRT. TAKE IT OFF AND GIVE IT TO ME. OK, it totally wouldn't fit me, cause he is like 2" tall, pocket sized DDB. But still.

I had a go on that guitar, too /\

I thought it was a bass at first, coz it was in a big, heavy coffin case like my Vox bass is, but no, lovely lovely hollowbody Vox 6-string. (Not what he's playing at the gig tomorrow, he's playing the Vox 12-string. Good lord, the purdy guitars that boy has got.)

There's some truly great songs on I Am The Cosmos

Are there any truly great guitars, tho? ;-)

I'm going to see Big Star in a couple of weeks - last time I saw them they did I Am The Cosmos and it was teh awesome.

I'm really not hearing it, whatever it is that's supposed to be so great about this album. The 70s production and overplayed bass is really getting on my nerves. Also, I don't really like Bell's voice. It's kinda whiney.

Is that, like, heresy or something?

ha, it might have been awesome because it wasn't Bell singing on account of him being dead.

WAH! I do not want to be in Helsinki right now.

Ed, yr gonna come back and totally find you've been replaced with a hott DDB.

(j/k j/k, I wouldn't do that. Seriously. Especially as Leighton Buzzard is a LONG way to go to rehearsal. OK, not as far as Helsinki, but still.)

OK, WTF? Is that a talkbox on the bass? This is just awful. They might be the best songs in the world (I doubt it) but I cannot get past the production. I can't even make it to the end of the record.

Just.. no. Got to put on the Byrds to erase the awfulness from my mind.

(I have a funny feeling I don't like Big Star, either.)

I have a funny feeling I don't like Big Star, either

Oh no

Does that mean we can no longer be friends?

::cries::

Tom OTM.

I'm getting the feeling you don't like the 70s much

No, I like lots of stuff from the 70s! I just don't like the production on that record. Or his voice.

Maybe if I listened to other Big Star albums - I haven't in about 15 years or so. My memory is that I didn't like them very much back then. But my musical tastes have somewhat widened since 1992, I mean, I listen to stuff that isn't Spacemen 3 and Ride and My Bloody Valentine now, really!

Big Star rule.

You can be put to death in Glasgow for not liking Big Star

Ha, that's probably true. I once went to see a teensy little gig downstairs in the old 13th Note which was Alex Chilton playing with Teenage Fanclub and there was about 8 squillion people rammed in there, and about 18 squillion more who claim to have been at it but weren't.

At one point, you could be put to death in Glasgow for not SOUNDING like Big Star

At one point in Glasgow it was bands influenced by Big Star, Sonic Youth ,Pixies, Beach Boys and Pavement. Occasionally Gram/Byrds.

No idea what it's like now.

You know,I always knew my gran was suspicious of Glaswegians WITH GOOD REASON. :-P

OK, I've figured it out! He's Jay Ferguson!

(the DDB, not Chris Bell. Much as Sloan want to be Big Star. Weird that I can like bands that want to sound like them. So I *should* like them.)

On a different note, do you like Redd Kross , Kate?

Ooh, I saw Redd Kross once. They were really dull. They were giving away free tickets for their gig at the Barrowlands and there was still hardly anyone there.

I do indeed like Redd Kross. I'd love to find a copy of Desperate Teenage Lovedolls and Teenage Lovedolls Superstar. Damn, who was I telling about that film? (Specifically the sequence where a Kiss Doll orders them to assasinate Bruce Springsteen.) Was that you, Goobs, or was it Jim?

Not me.

I'm going to eat posh fish & chips (YAY!) in East Dulwich (BOO!).

When was that, Ailsa? I saw them at the Cathouse in Feb 1997 I think it was and then supporting Foo Fighters a few months later. 2 great gigs by them.

x-post

i saw redd kross in about 1997 too, at room in hull. i didn't like them then (i think i may even have gone to sleep for five minutes) but i suspect i may like them now

Emsk, we both fell asleep at that gig due to smoking too much. It was possibly one of my more regretful room appearances. I lost my bankcard and possibly my mind. Have listened to too much Hall and Oates tonight. How long do you think a 1st class mix CD takes from Epping to Brixton anyways???

I can't wait for the reformed Redd Kross album that they've promised for ages.

Oh, Shonen Knife had a song about them, fine song indeed.

I found a cassette in an HMV sale, 50p, bought it and went oh.

The only Big Star track I know was on a magazine CD, Kangaroo I think. Had a sound like a bucket being hit. Quite liked it.

Guess I should check out the main band stuff before going all Chris Bell. Have they reopened Fopp yet?

God, I feel so old. I saw Redd Kross in, like, 1988/89? I think it was New Years. At Maxwells in Hoboken. Handsome Dick Manitoba supported. We got drunk on underage booze and Gary who ended up founding the Ladybug Transistor had to drive us home.

Ah, the good old days...

I am practically abuzz with excitement. I woke up at 5.30 am and wrote two more songs. OK, that's enough now. I know I was complaining about writers block before, but now I've opened the door, I can't seem to close it again, even when I need to sleep.

I am drenched with sweat and it's only 11am. Damn, the first time in ages I've actually CARED what I look like at a gig because I've got a stupid crush on the stupid guitarist. Lisa is all "you're gonna slip up while you're shouting the instructions at him... "A! E! A! D! DISTORTION PEDALS NOW! MAKE SOME NOISE! KISS ME!!! WHOOPS, I MEAN, DISREGARD THAT LAST INSTRUCTION!!! GUITAR SOLO!!!"

My life will return to normal on Thursday. I hope.

The only Big Star track I know was on a magazine CD, Kangaroo I think. Had a sound like a bucket being hit. Quite liked it.

I think it's the sound of a basketball being bounced IIRC, but that might be another track on Sister Lovers (which I don't much like, although I haven't played it in years).

I don't know what to think about #1 Recd and Radio City - the best of their stuff is pretty damn fine, I just never seem to get around to playing them.

There is something up with my left ear. It keeps popping in and out. Annoying, as it is my one GOOD ear. I hope I don't get yet another ear infection. It's this stupid changeable weather. :-(

Morning.

I've got some Redd Kross on cassette and scratched vinyl copies of the big star lps, not listened to either in at least 10 years. I've got 'i am the cosmos' too but i have no recollection of ever listening to it.

I saw Jeff Buckley doing a 15 minute version of Kangaroo in a wee club in Edinburgh that burnt down a few years ago.

Oh, god, now even Ed has started with the whole "double DDB input" smutty comments.

OK, there's no way I'm getting any work done today, I'm too EXCIIIITED.

G'morning all. I am FOGGY and it is later than it should be.

You stole my missing sleep!

I don't feel I belong on the cookies as I have crap taste and miserable uploading skillz. :-(

Also, I feel a bit kookoo today. Y'know, those days when you feel like running around shouting lager lager the miffy tune in reverse?.

But Nath, I never told you that I'm really liking the popcorn tracks! And that you should upload more! More! MORE!

Kookoo ga jube? Are you the eggman? Are you the walrus?

Sorry, I'm in a weird mood today. :-)

I feel like I don't belong on cookies list because I never have anything interesting to upload.

Ok, Gooblar, I'll beg my dad for some more tunes.

::BOUNCE BOUNCE BOUNCE::

Shit, just got text - one of the DDBs may be a pussy and wimp out. DAMMIT. I am no longer content with just one DDB, I want DOUBLE DDB INPUT!!!

Must... stop... looking at pictures of DDBs...

Where can we get a dress at short notice? A small one. None of my dresses would fit the DDB. :-(

Try a dress shop.

Oxfam

Actually, there are quite a few chazzers/thrifts around Highbury Corner so we might be in luck. I might even be able to get him to go up to that rubber fetish gear place up on the Holloway Road ... he asked for "tight and black" so uuhhh... OK, let's derail that train of thought.

Now I have to find him... supplies. I am the last person in the world to ask this, clearly he does not know me. Where on EARTH am I gonna get some? If Ed were here, I would try under his flat but I'm ascared to ask by myself. And if Ed were here, he would be playing the show, and we would have no NEED of weeedy DDBs. Dammit. Halp! I need druqs. Where is Dave Q when you need him?

Tell him to get his own

I am just kind of shocked that he has already managed to get through the massive PILE that he had on Sunday. Even in my worst hippie days, it would have taken me a month to get through that!

(Then again, he did have the BJM round that evening.)

As for the shops in Holloway road if only you knew people into that kind of thing.

Hello! I thought I'd pop by the watercooler now ILX's back, and see how you're all doing.

What, just because we just mentioned latex fetish gear? REALLY, FP!!! And you want us to stop teasing you?

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/40655000/jpg/_40655423_mrbenn203.jpg

Well, someone did point it out to me. Those shops on the Holloway Road are, I'm told, very good - but very expensive. I've never been in them myself.

Dammit, I need WEEEEEEEEED not rubber fetish gear.

Though I wonder if that would do instead. "Sorry, DDB, we have no weed, but I will buy you some very expensive latex fetish gear instead?"

Or "Sorry, no weed. Will you settle for a blow job?"

NO NO NO NO NOOOO, STOP THINKING LIKE THAT.

must ... not ... post ... jpgs

Of what?

Kate sounds worried.

No one has any weed. Dammit, I'm out of ideas.

tell me it would be a really REALLY bad idea to send him a text saying "no weed, settle for a blow job?" and then pretend it's a joke if he gets all offended?

Shit he just messaged again, that he's getting out of work early.

Kinky rubber fetish outfits!

(xxpost)

If it's DDBs in kinky outfits, go right ahead.

Kate who is in the band these days?

To be honest, there aren't many good fetish outfits for men - although those shops mentioned do the best you're going to get, rubber uniforms and so on.

Tell me it's a bad idea or the text is going now! I'm all LOL J/K but he could totally take that the wrong way.

I AM A BAD WOMANG.

I'm going to go and hide in the loo now.

Let us know what the reply is!

x-post what are you talking about... To be honest, there aren't many good fetish outfits for men ?

I mean the very best fetish outfit in the world, for me, is tight black trousers, stripey shirt, leather jacket, chelsea boots. Mind you, I'm not sure I'd want it in rubber. But it's still totally a fetish outfit.

OK, he hasn't messaged back. He always messages back right away. He HAAAAATES me, he's totally taken it the wrong way.

He totally ignored it, and was just "kool, see you in a bit".

OK, well, I need to do some work now. Got an hour left.

I decided to do a poll on ILM. Best Redd Kross Album/ep
Since I did the cookies yesterday.

Astonomy Domine on the headphones. Not exactly work condusive. But my boss came back from her meeting, so I had to ask if I could sneak out early - she was fine with it, though.

Who are the shimura curves tonight?

Tonight, it's me, Lisa, Sande, Dean and possibly but probably not Sam.

Ed's in Helsinki, Frances is on DEADLINE HELL so we won't see her for dust, even though I've put her on the guest list in the hopes that she'll stop by for a beer on the way home...

I thought Miss Amp was in the band?

Ampy hasn't been in the band since January! She was supposed to do a bonus night show with us, but ... well, Amp's never been the most reliable or punctual person, so it never happened. :-(

Ha ha, the end of Interstellar Overdrive and I nearly went totally crosseyed. I have GOT to get a stereo tremolo/pan thing again. It's too much fun.

When is Ed back? and has anyone seen tissp?

Don't know, and um, no, curiously enough.

But Piper at the Gates of Dawn has ended, so I'm off to the gig to avoid rush hour busses. See some of you laters.

bye

Second Layer Records London Shop Now Open!

Second Layer is proud to announce the opening of a retail space situated in the basement of the excellent Sound 323. So now that's 2 floors of fringe music under one roof.

To celebrate the occasion from now until the end of September there'll be 15% off all instore purchases in both shops.

A massive selection of CDs, CDRs, LPs, tapes, DVDs, books, zines, etc.
Over 3,000 titles in stock covering * noise * power-electronics * DIY underground * free-folk * avant-garde * post-punk * hardcore * garage-punk * avant-rock * free-jazz/improv * psychedelia * world/traditional * metal * outsider * krautrock * electronica * industrial * and generally music that defies categorisation.

Here's where you'll find us:-

Second Layer Records
323 Archway Road
Highgate
London
N6 5AA

Tel. 07855 140 992

Opposite Highgate tube station on the Northern line. Buses: 134 from Tottenham Court Road, Camden or 43 from London Bridge, Old Street, Highbury & Islington.

Come and visit Tuesday - Saturday, 12 midday to 5.30pm

Look forward to seeing you there!

I do mailorder from them sometimes and they are very good, has anyone been to the shop yet?

Well they would go and open up now I've moved away from there.

Maybe emsk will go there since she feels dirty going to HMV/Virgin.

heard ya missed me, well i'm back...

ok, not back, but finished the walk - will try to post photos from glasgow tomorrow (i'm in glasgow tomorrow)

btw, feel free to convince me not to buy a telecaster when i swing through london at the end of the trip. i always go on these massive spending sprees when i travel, and then eat dumplings for a month afterward.

Clootie Dumplings?

haha my local paper made the front page of the bbc website
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6947745.stm

Buy something more esoteric than a telecaster.

Hi there! When are you back and then away?

i've been eyeing mandolins for over a year, but somehow i feel i need something a bit more practical at the moment. (actually i've hated telecasters forEVER - don't know why the sudden attraction.)

If you must buy a guitar, buy it in the States, not in the UK, Think of the exchange rate!

OK, can't speak. Happy, dazed, totally crushed out, dizzy, happy, yay.

The gig was a DISASTER technically (OMIGOD, THE CURSE OF OPC, IT'S TRUE, LISA DIDN'T BELIEVE ME, BUT THAT SONG IS JUST CURSED!!!!) Dean's 12-string just DIED the moment we got onstage. Tried everything, no dice - tried to borrow the 12-string from the support band, but they had it in some weird tuning, and Dean can barely get his head around minor chords, let alone alternate tunings. He ended up borrowing a 6-string from the headliner and we played a rather abbreviated 20 minute set. But we got through it and had loads and loads and loads of fun.

Sande was AMAZING, it's such a treat to play with her. And we got most of the Monday Club up onstage playing tambourine and Sande was rocking out on maracas and cabeza (sp?) and it was just great. So much fun.

Oh dear, though. Dean's all "that was really fun! I'd love to do it again..." and was telling Dianne that he hopes that Ed doesn't come back so he can join the band. I wasn't quite drunk enough to say NO NO, YOU CANNOT JOIN THE BAND, I FANCY YOU FAR TOO MUCH TO HAVE YOU IN THIS BAND. But no. Maybe we should start a solo project. In fact, I think that's a very good idea.

Anyway, yeah. Ha ha, come back soon, Ed!

Oh! The Monday Club are great, too. They're doing Rock Camp for Girls, I'm gonna go see them again at the Windmill on Sunday. Everyone should go, they're really good.

Though it was one of those weird moments, when the drummer, Amy was looking at me, going "I know you from somewhere..." and I was trying to figure out if we'd played together or something... then I told her I used to be in the Lollies, and she was all, OMIGOD, I HAVE THAT LADYFEST SINGLE!!! and it turned out they all went to Ladyfest 2001 when it was on tour and such a great experience there. So it was really inspiring, and I felt really proud. It's weird, this happens again and again. That that tour was such an awful, harrowing experience - but it really had such an effect on other people's lives, inspiring other girls to go out and form bands and do stuff. It's so cool, it's nice to feel part of something that's bigger than yourself, like that.

OK, now he stops answering my text messages and the crush goes all WAAAAHHHHHHH... :-(

I need some tea, feel like I'm gonna die of hangover. Where is everyone today?

Tombot pwned by Wikipaedia?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6947532.stm

On the profile of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the tool indicates that a worker on the CIA network reportedly added the exclamation "Wahhhhhh!" before a section on the leader's plans for his presidency.

Rock Camp for Girls

Is this an actual um, Rock Camp for Girls? Our Alice found a similar one running in Newcastle (the Sage), but the minimum age was 12, which puts our Amber out, never mind Alice!

Yeah, it's an actual one - as in, run by the Portland people who founded it, or at least related to it.

Oh, he is going to become as rubbish as every other DDB in the world now and never answer his texts any more. Oh, stupid stupid girl for caring.

:-(

Don't let this ruin the bouncy mood.

Sounds great--wish I could have come! I was stuck down in knightsbridge shopping. I did end up finding a TIE and maybe shoes for thewedding, so some positives.

http://www.speedysigns.com/images/osha/large/WARNING049.gif

I want to make a psycheeeedelic version of that /\ and wear it as a badge to the Dream Machine.

Anyway, if DDB doesn't return text, that means I get to keep his tamborine and cabeza. So there.

Heh heh, good idea (xp)

Damn, he got back to me. Don't get to keep the stuff. :-(

Says I'm too far away to do "too much" stuff with, but up for it in theory. Good, I didn't mean a real band, I meant one of those "get together once a month and jam, and maybe do a show at the Windmill once a year and tell all our friends we're in band together as a gesture of solidarity and matehood" type things.

Oh, Cowboy Jim... what do you MEAN, you didn't know we had a gig last night? I told you last week - in fact, I think you spontaneously told me that you were coming.

Boys are just rubbish. I swear, there's just something wrong with all of them.

...and I bet he's now trying to get you to come tonight, amirite?

ace night
the cursed opc cracked me up
every time i see you guys play now i am wowed by how far lisa, esp, has come wrt how in control she is onstage
sounds even more lush with sande
i wanted to steal k8 and lisa's dresses but they looked way better on each of them than they would on me

also i fell totally in love with monday club. they are my new favourite band. i was texting the nf about them at 3.30 this morning and telling everyone at work about them at 9.30 and leaving gushy messages on their myspace at 10.30 :/

also k8 i think venue for b'day lunch is changing today, we might need somewhere that serves booze and that place doesn't, i will let you know.

myspace.com/mondayclubband, kids

Emsk, I might not make it as far as lunch today, I'm soooo bloody hungover, and can barely face food, let alone bouze.

Can I make it up for you by taking you to lunch next week? I know that will be past yr actual birthday, but hey, you are away on yr actual bday.

Lisa's become a total FRONTPERSON now, yeah? It's amazing, I love it! She used to be quite shy and unsure of herself onstage, but now it's like she's a born performer!

Monday Club are so lovely, I'm pleased you like them, too. Though Dean was totally trying to chat them up (in a muso way, I think, tho, not a sexxxy way) and it was so funny, they so weren't interested in him, but thought I was a rock star coz I'd been on tour with the Gossip. How cuet.

Everyone knows more bouze is only surefire hangover cure Kate!

No, that doesn't work for me. I feel too ill. I need crisps and soda pop is what I need.

lunch - haha yeah that's fine! eat something salty and oily.

lisa - absolutely. she looks like she's having a great time up there now, all the time, and also like she's in charge, which is how she needs to be. awesomes.

i think i might try and chat monday club. (is the . part of the name? it looks like it is) up too, in a sharky way.

The Monday Club? Isn't that a right wing Tory old buffers type thing?

You chat everyone up but us. You no love us any more. :-( The magic has gone out of our relationship. You seeing too many other bands.

Hmmm, man, that means we were the only band last night with no punctuation. We can never fit "infinity symbol" on the bill, mind you.

What should Dean and I call our new band? "Kate and Dean" sounds too much like Jan and Dean and "Dean and Kate" sounds too much like Dean and Britta, so we need a proper name. "Shall I Give You A Blow Job While I'm Down Here Fiddling With Yr Pedals" probably not appropriate. ha ha.

Though I'm actually quite relieved, Dianne was teasing him about me, and he was all no, she's joking, and I know it.

i am not allowed to chat you up, you don't want a committed long-term exclusive relationship. you have too many proper job. i am trying to whore you out, but it is hard as first i have to whore out the girls and boys in my bordello.

"Kate and Dean" sounds too much like Jan and Dean

and this is bad how?

Because we am not an surf band! I suppose we could be, we could do, like, covers of Kill Surf City and stuff.

Oh, we should just be honest and call it "Kate Want To Sleep With Dean But Dean Not Want So She Let Him Play Guitar For Her Band Instead".

(I did not know that it was actually his idea that he play with us, not Dianne's idea, she was just mentioning in passing that I had asked her, and he said "Oh, I'll do it!" That's quite nice, that he's keen. Or just a musical slut.)

It also sounds very Dean and Naomi.

Jan and Dean did more than just surf stuff!

Damon and Naomi - Dean Wareham was in Luna by that point. x-post

What else did Jan and Dean do, then? I only know the surf stuff.

Torville and Dean then?

Pearl & Dean?

Ba ba ba ba, ba ba ba ba baaaa!

http://www.jananddean-janberry.com/images/jd-folkroll.jpg

Folk City, here we come!

And they did that (sorta) psychedelic album too

OK, Dada, that's kind of cool. Maybe we will go with Kate & Dean. I'll have to ask him, though, he might want his name first. But I won't let him, I'll threaten to beat him up. He does everything I tell him to when I do that. I love it.

Date and Keen?

You could be the new The Captain & Tenille

OK, fuck off now, Dada. :-P

He has a van! He cooked me lunch! He fetches me tea! He is the perfect bandmate! Apart from that "being absolutely absurdly ridiculously hott" problem, that is.

And number one... he stays really calm in a crisis, even when he's *not* stoned.

I bet the same was true of The Captain

He is NOT a Captain. (Actually, that is pretty much the only way he could possibly get any hottttter is if he dressed up like Captain Anderson... rowr!)

OK, STOP THAT RIGHT NOW, THIS IS GETTING SILLY.

Oh, when will this hangover ever go. It seems to get worse as the day goes on.

This new interweb system sucks, because I'm so busy caning my two hours of MySpace that I get NOOO work done whatsoever for those two hours. Otherwise, it's just five minute hit and runs during the day.

Good lord, I just read back through the thread.

Astonishingly enough, the 12-string playing DDB actually got back to me last night! Sending him a CD today. If this one turns out to be reliable, I'll eat my... Velvet Underground box set?

-- Masonic Boom, Thursday, 9 August 2007 11:20 (1 week ago) Bookmark Link

Sigh. I hope I have an appetite when I get home, got a lot of cardboard and CDs to get through. :-/

anyone can appear reliable for 6 days, Kate. Give it a bit longer :)

OK, OK, I take yr point, but... my point being, HE GOT TO SOUNDCHECK BEFORE ME. And talked to the venue people to sort stuff out and everything before I even got downstairs.

I know, he will turn out to suck like all boys do, once the shiny glitter of crush rubs off. Just let me enjoy it for now. Please.

(I mean, honestly, I just meant reliable enough to play the gig. Which he totally was.)

I must hurry back and imprison this swain in my beard ;-p

Yes, you must. Though he might grow his droppy bandito mustache again, and climb out to freedom on it.

Dianne and I were arguing last night about whether he looks like Little Jay Ferguson or like Andy Gibb. I don't think he looks anything like Andy Gibb, and she only doesn't think he looks anything like Little Jay Ferguson because she's never heard of Sloan, not being Canadian and all.

Dean:
http://cwas.hinah.com/image/picture/6_sloan.jpg

Little Jay Ferguson:
http://www.underexposed.org.uk/koolaid/koolaid2.jpg

Ha ha, that is the wrong way around. I am dumb but I'm going to pretend it was on purpose like I am making a funny.

Hey hold on, Jay Ferguson was in Spirit!

Different Jay Ferguson, I think. I'm talking about the one that is in Sloan:

http://soundbites.typepad.com/photos/uncategorized/sloan_new_1.jpg

Nose is slightly different, but the eyes and the mouth and the jaw and cheekbones and hair are all the same.

(OK, I am now going to be freaked out by Chris Smurphy's giant face every time I look at this thread.)

Yeah, get that out of here!

(Awww, little jay ferguson)

I wonder if it was Sloan who supported Redd Kross when I saw then in 1997.
I read somewhere that sloan supported them that year.

See? See? Little Jay Ferguson!

http://www.underexposed.org.uk/koolaid/koolaid5.jpg

(I have both that cabeza and that tambourine in my living room right now. I said, right in front of them "ohmigod, I'm gonna steal your cabeza!" and put it in my bag, like, totally joking - but he walked off later and totally forgot them. He wasn't even high! Unless that's where he disappeared to with the Tamborines. The band, the Tamborines, as obviously I had all the tamborines in my bag at that point.)

x-post I can't remember if Sloan supported Redd Kross but it sounds like the sort of thing they would have done.

I should really stop looking at pictures of Sloan and do some work. But awwwww, Little Jay Ferguson. I can feel it.

http://www.fonart.com/masinfo/img/reddkross.jpg
Robert's really old looking now!

http://www.transbuddha.com/images/uploads/RK3rdEye.jpg
Compare him there!

Gosh, they were such girls back then!

http://www.fufkin.com/images/redd_kross.jpg

Young Jeff & Steve!
http://www.wegotpowerfilms.com/info/images/jeffsteve2.jpg

Born Innocent line up!
http://agonyshorthand.blogspot.com/innocent.jpg

So I found this link on the Southern Lord board to a Nico & Tangerine Dream download.

Do you have this Dadaismus?

What, I take it you mean together? Is it genuine?

Yes, check your gmail for a cookie club posting.

http://www.bigozine2.com/MP307/NICOreims/NICOreimsFr.jpg

http://www.bigozine2.com/MP307/NICOreims/NICOreimsBk.jpg

Nico is totally photoshopped in, in that first picture. But I'm d/l anyway. Sluggish, so I guess everyone else is, too. :-(

yeah taking ages for me too

Right, so they're not actually playing together?

I DO NOT KNOW, I HAVE NOT LISTENED YET!!!

Ha ha. It's solo Nico so far.

Is it good?

Well, you know, it's Nico and her harmonium, it's pretty much what you'd expect

Are TD on it?

Not on her tracks they're not

Must be a double cd then with 1 cd of nico and 1 of TD?

Or it might be a big, fat, mislabeled mixup or fraud, like so many other choons one gets off the interweb. (Still haven't listened to it yet.)

I have now officially come down, and am feeling pretty crappy. I want to crawl home to bed and sigh, and wonder how I ever forgot that I'm a fat, ugly, horrible middle aged woman with a boring job and no sex life. :-(

Kate, do you still want Drugstore? I brought it with me today can cookie it now if you like.

I watched about 20 minutes of Blade Trinity yesterday. I want those 20 minutes BACK I tell ya.

Yes please, yes please, as I just said on the cookies list, Mark!

I have a headache this morning. And no excuse, as I haven't got a hangover. Damn, and I meant to take a pill and forgot. Oh well.

My bounciness seems to have returned a little bit, as I had a nice long sleep, and a really obvious dream that put everything all in perspective for me.

Yay, Friday! What shall I do tomorrow? I'm thinking of going to the Horniman if I can figure out how to get there easily.

heheheheh, you said horniman.

Uploading now :)

x-post, YAY!!! thanks.

Yes, yes I did. Though I'm not really horny today.

I had this dream last night, that I was watching this video that someone shot (it might have been you, actually, Emsk!) at a festival that we (not sure if this was the Lollies or Shimuras, but a band of mine was in) played at.

And I kept watching this video, and it was all video of Peter from the Dandy Warhols, and Hilton Betelgeuse and TSM (ha ha, Benjamin playing chess with his brother while sitting in a bath of chocolate) and teh Early Yares, and all these bands of boys I'd had crushes on... and I was all "OK, this is our video of our band, where are WE?!?!?"

And I just woke up and laughed. Thinking about the experiences which *should* have been some of the best experiences of my life (that Ladyfest tour, the Bangles tour, that kind of thing) and how they had been tainted for me, because instead of enjoying what I was doing, I let some boy that I was going out with and/or obsessing over ruin it all for me.

And that's fucking STUPID. I need to learn to enjoy the moment more.

instead of enjoying what I was doing, I let some boygirl that I was going out with and/or obsessing over ruin it all for me.

This was me all over when I was single! It's so hard not to though.

I'm enjoying the mental image of Los Bros. Curtis playing chess in a bath of hot chocolate, though. Sometimes I love my subconscious.

OH FUCK

i had an AWESOME dream last night, one that i actually woke up from giggling, but i have forgotten it :/ i had fell asleep in all my clothes on my bed after eating some anatolian breakfast (actually i have done that like 4 nights in a row except once it was noodles)

i am TWENTY NINE today guys!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY EMSK!!! Sorry, I was just thinking that and got distracted by the Horniman.

I thought you were in Green Man today, eh?

Happy birthday Emsk!

Also, mmmm, Anatolian breakfast.

Also, I first misread that as "I had TWENTY NINE guys today!!!" but I clearly am boy crazy at the moment.

Just did a tarot, and it's freaking weird. It was all good, and very relevant, right up to the card I have to concentrate on, and bring more energy of into my life, and it's the NINE OF FUCKING SWORDS. WTF? Why would I want to meditate on that to resolve anything in my life?

The final outcome was DEATH, which I know is actually a GOOD card. I suppose the conflict between "Three of Wands (Virtue): Personal fortitude and strength of character" and "The Hierophant: Faith in tradition and the old school" makes sense if I view that tradition and the old school as being my bad old habits of getting myself in such a twist over boys, in order to drive some kind of creative flame.

Thinking about, and meditating on "Nine of Swords (Cruelty): Debilitating mental anguish or ill health" means that I should bear that in mind, and remember that this is the outcome of that obsessive kind of thinking. To meditate on something can be to take it as a warning, as well. And if I do that, then Death is the good rebirth meaning, not the horrible catastrophic loss meaning.

Kate, check yr email :)

Yay, thank you so much!!!

OK, one more thing about the tarot, for realz...

The fourth card, placed below the significator, represents Water. It describes your emotions, meditations, and the influence of love. Temperance: Calm and restraint. Self-control, patience and tact in handling situations.

URGENT AND KEY. TEMPERANCE. YES.

Happy Birthday, EMSK!!!

SOLITARY PARTY GROOVER, YESSSSSSS!!!! I'm gonna put my head phones and listen to that one right now.

I listened to that album LOADS when it came out. But I really didn't like the 2nd album and didn't bother with them after that :(

I wanna go YEAH!!! YEAH!!! We are so gonna do a cover of this.

Aw, it took me a while to get into the second album, but when I moved, I lost my copy of the first album, and had nothing to listen to but White Magic For Lovers. It really grew on me.

They did a third album, didn't they, Emsk? I don't think I have that one. I can remember a drunken party at Chuck's house in Bethnal Green where Emsk and I totally bonded over loving Drugstore, then fell asleep on a chair in the hall and I lost her when everyone chucked their coats over her. Ha ha, oh, the old days.

Happy Birthday Emsk!

Thom Yorke ruined that band. I bought the El President single when it came out and was like WTF is this shit? I still have a copy of WMFL for some reason.

Oh, give him a break. He wanted to shag Isobel; who didn't?

I remember telling Isobel "I love you!!!" and she just rolled her beautiful eyes and told me "the last person who told me that ended up in a mental hospital!" (Oh, how my friends laughed at that, becuase I'd just got out of one.)

There's a lot more songs on that album than just that one.

I remember seeing them do that Say Hello song live and thinking it was a joke the lyrics were so trite. Then didn't it end up being a single?

Sorry, that was one of the biggest drop offs on a 2nd album ever for me!

I once saw them play in the Virgin Megastore. There was a crowd of about 10 people. I think they were pushing album #2. I remember liking the first album, but don't have it anymore.

It's every bit as good as I remember it, the first album.

OK, I lied on that quizzy quiz quiz that went round yesterday. I want SOLITARY PARTY GROOVER played at my funeral. And then have Isobel dance on my grave. And nick all teh wine.

I saw Drugstore play 4 or 5 times. They were one of the few bands that played Edinburgh a lot, and they were good live.
They played an amazing cover of Radiohead's Black Star at T In The Park in 1996?

woah m@lc0lm cec1l has just posted to the AH list.

OK, I'm impressed...

http://eer-music.com/Malcolm_Cecil.jpg

OK, while searching for that picture, I found the most useful site ever:

http://www.prepal.com/manufacturers.htm

It tells you the average price of various synths sold, as well as the "list" price.

Rog said he would sell me his MS-20 for whatever the "going price" was. That seems to be $771 - which is what? £5? No, seriously. £350? £375? If he would ever answer his email that is... WANT.

What's the AH list?

Analogue Heaven mailing list, I think?

yeah.

God DAMN it, finally got access to MySpace, and it's down and I can't log in. Doesn't look like anyone left me any comments, tho. :-(

Good news, though, School of Seven Bells are touring... the States. :-( Why won't they come to England? Dammit.

I saw Drugstore supporting the Jesus and Mary Chain at the Arches in Glasgow in 1995. I was lying down about to fall asleep (having just spent two days hitching back from Glastonbury with no sleep), and Isabel stepped over me and just missed stabbing me with her heel.

Goddamnit, my headache has moved to my ear. I've been coming down with an earache for weeks and don't want to have to go to the doctor and get a syringing... I know it would do me good. But I don't want to have to put the stupid drops in my ears. Bah.

Ah well, I suppose no MySpace means I have to hold off on the DDBs stalking anyway. Temperance. Yes.

I want some tea.

Happy birthday Emsk!

Seeing Spoon tonight!

I saw Drugstore at a different Jeff Buckley gig to the one mentioned above, they were really good but i only have 'el president' due to the T.yorke connection. My earache turned out to be a zit in my ear canal.

How was the gig last night, Goobs?

OK, I am still far too bouncey today. I have been infected with Emsk disease. Or maybe it's coz I exercised this morning. I hate doing it, but it makes me feel so good for the rest of the day. That's so mental. Why does it work like that?

Endorphins... or sumthin'... innit?

Endorphins must have worn off by now. It must be the serotonin or summit.

Aye, something biochemical. But, as I haven't done anything I would consider as exercise since I left school it's a bit of a stab in the dark for me.

Gig was good, music-wise, but a pretty awful place--a renovated old boozer in camden, mostly empty by the time we played, save for our friends and a few old drunks that have been there for ten years (one kept bounding up on stage during our set, trying to shake Richie's hand--he succeed once, even as R kept playing the drums). But, yeah, teh band's really good now, and I think I've finally mastered playing bass and singing harmonies now.

OK, I was in Sainsbury's last night getting the shopping in, I had a trawl through "heat" or "closer" or w/e while I was waiting in the q. They had a page feature on some actress "I'm so proud of my curves" w/a picture of a ridiculously skinny woman (I forget who it was) - I thought it was the "before" pic. The before pic was at the bottom though, and showed someone who looked like a glammed-up concentration camp victim. What the fuck is wrong with the people who write this shit? Do they actually hate the people they cover? It's actually quite evil, in its way. They'd probably look at twiggy circa '68 and go damn, girl, you got to LOSE WEIGHT. This is probably why actresses from the past are usually 1,000,000 x hotter, they look like people. I wonder what yer modern celeb stylist would think if they saw someone like Greta Garbo or Marylin Monroe or Sophia Loren or whoever. Gah.

OTM.

I'm listening to, and really enjoying, TIN MACHINE right now!!

Do they actually hate the people they cover?

Bingo! But not as much as they hate you and themselves.

I wonder what yer modern celeb stylist would think if they saw someone like Greta Garbo or Marylin Monroe or Sophia Loren or whoever

... or Gina Lollollollollobrigida... phew!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh1nY3YRK0g

^ this girl will never make it, she is too fat and unattractive. Get her on a crash diet asap! Get a personal trainer on her case!! My god, she has a double chin, even!! Also, her nose is the wrong shape, send her to the cosmetic surgeon!

Trust me, Dada, I'm the last person in teh WORLD that ever thought I would get into exercising. But it does have a proven and demonstrable effect on the old Black Dog. I'd rather be bouncey and hyper than so depressed I can barely get out of bed anyday.

I know what you mean, Pash - I can't even read those mags. They don't even bother to conceal their contempt for the people they cover. I've been reading a really interesting history of tabloid journalism and gossip columns that spells the love/hate relationship out quite clearly.

And these women's "curves"... good lord. I shudder to think.

x-post YouTube blocked for me - who is it?

Clara Bow. Haha.

Clara Bow = TOTAL ROWR!!!

http://www.moderntimes.com/palace/20_image/wings.jpg

OHMIGOD, LOOK AT THOSE CURVES, OBSCENE!!!

http://www.brightlightsfilm.com/27/27_images/precode4.jpg

I feel weird perving over dead people.

Oh, I don't. My former flatmate had posters of her and Theda Bara and Louise Brooks all over her walls.

I'm more of 40s man meself - Hedy Lamarr, Gene Tierney, Jane Greer

OOh, this is gorgeous! I wish I'd drawn this! (click the link, I don't think it will post)

http://www.uniqueart.com.au/image.php?id=76

My colleagues are going to start thinking I'm gay if I keep looking at these photos... ha ha ha

http://www.raypfob.com/Images/Sophia%20Loren.jpg

Good lord, look at that log arm, get her to a personal trainer, STAT.

http://upload.moldova.org/movie/actors/s/sophia_loren/thumbnails/tn2_sophia_loren_3.jpg

I was never much of a Sophia Loren fan, I prefer Lollo, but YOWZAH!

Gene Tierney could probably be scientifically proven to be the hottest actress ever, it's true. Generally I prefer the '20's look, though.

I was always more of a Brigitte Bardot girl, myself...

http://www.bikermatchmaking.com/harley_info/Brigitte-Bardot-harley.jpg

Look at that thigh! That would so be airbrushed these days. This picture gives ME the horn, and I'm as straight as a girl who likes boys in long hair and makeup can be.

Favourite at the moment. try as I might, I cant ge a single one of her films on DVD:

http://www.doctormacro.info/Images/Costello,%20Dolores/Annex/Annex%20-%20Costello,%20Dolores_02.jpg

^ drew barrymore's grandmother!

As far as "looks" go, my fave is still the late 50s/early 60s Roger Vadim sex kitten look. Twiggy and her ilk ruined it all for me.

I mean... GGEEEEEZZZZZ... this would make me go gay! Seriously!

http://www.born-today.com/Today/pix/bardot_b2.jpg

There's not enough Elsa Martinelli around. Oh and I love Romy Schneider!!

http://www.doctormacro.info/