Today's dumb pic Can't post a lot today 'cos I'm off to the boat and before that I need to get on with the decorating this means the computer has to be packed away so I can get on with painting the walls with my special Iris & Putty blend. Which sounds like an oddly named couple but there you go. Currently listening to the new Autechre single (as threatened). The sound of war by other means. Rather good though.
posted by Neil at 9:08:00 AM

Treblekicker plays pop

Just reading the excellent weekly Popbitch e-mail. Included this week is a link to the questionaire, Which member of S-Club Seven do you most identify with?. Apparently I identify with...

Which is a little disturbing, but I did tick the boxes saying I'd like to meet her, date her and she's my favorite, mainly 'cos she's the only one who's vaguely atttactive. I think I'm going to go back to listening to Autechre.

posted by Neil at 8:35:00 AM

This is not a time for a deep post. I just want to say how much I'm looking forward to going to Amsterdam for the weekend. It's not just the weed although that's obviously a factor. Some of the best weed I've ever smoked has been Dutch. The orange bud and super skunk I brought back from the Hague three years ago (was it really that long ago?) was very nice - I remember sitting in my flat smoking lovely weed that just brought a big smile to my face. I had a job I liked, a girlfriend I loved and was smoking amazing gear with my favorite Becks beer. Everything seemed so good. I'm also looking forward to smoking Northern Lights which I've only had once as a home grown but was lovely. Like skunk but without the paranoia.

Northern Lights - lovely stuff
I'm also looking forward to drinking good Dutch Heineken, which is miles better than the piss week stuff they make in the UK which bears no relation to it. Blotting my senses out though will be for the day. I know very little about Dutch Food so I'm sure they'll be some goodies. Finally we're staying in the museum quarter and I have to see the Modern Art Museum which is one of the best in Europe. It'll be worth seeing for the five stories high Jeff Koons flower puppy if nothing else.

Aparently it takes a large team of gardeners and a custom watering system to maintain it

posted by Neil at 9:01:00 PM

The Idea of North - part one of the Solitude trilogy

Finally got round to listening to the Glenn Gould - Idea of North MP3 I found on Soulseek. The Idea of North is one of three radio documentaries that Canadian pianist and studio producer Glenn Gould made for the Canadian Broadcasting Company in the late 60's and early 70's.
In Idea of North, Gould interviewed a variety of people who had decided to live in the Artic wastes of Northern Canada, a place that because of its scale and climate leads to isolation, a condition in which Gould himself lived for part of his life.
What makes the documentaries special is the sound recording techniques used - voices often interrupt and play off each other like different instruments. The overall effect is like a collage where losing individual words in the piece doesn't matter in the overall impression created.
Having heard so much about it and possessing an infuriatingly teasing minute long snippet for eight months, to finally find some more of the documentary was a joy and it lived up to its reputation. By virtue of the fact it held my attention without distraction for half an hour, the Idea of North lived up to expectations and it definitely made me think about isolation, living in extreme conditions and the postivity this can bring out in people. Not sure I want to move there quite yet though!
I'm going to have to give the documentary another listen, and possibly even buy the whole damn thing, which isn't cheap.

posted by Neil at 4:25:00 PM

Travel is always good for the soul and after last weekend's Hull's exploration, this week's wedding jaunt took us down to Cornwall and the tiny coastal village of Fowey, which I'd never heard of although apparently Daphne Du Maurier was from there. The seagulls were big and evil, the houses were more expensive than London but this was a charming place and eating fresh scallops and then getting pleasantly pissed on Friday was great, particularly knowing the small guest house was but two minutes walk up the hill. Fry ups for breakfast and then the wedding itself where I got to know a few Cornish people and found out about a part of the country I know little. It was funny that we seemed to have something in common with them also coming from near the sea. Next weekend will take me to the slightly more familiar location of Braunston and my parents boat. I seem to be getting around a lot for a doleite!


Tony Blair brought his wife to the expensive seafood restaurant on the bay. Maybe another time I'll take Anna there.
posted by Neil at 6:24:00 PM