Throwback - The Parsonage and Michael 'Anguish' - The Valentine Massacre of 10/12/2007, Mono

Well, trying to recall info about these two awesome acts. The heart rending openers by Michael 'Anguish' paved the way for the many legged musical beastie of The Parsonage starting with a great little Ivor Cutler ditty sung A Capella - Rubber Toy. I've never heard a more dark and lovely version of Great Balls of Fire - Mr Lee Lewis would himself have been touched. Their other renditions of songs including Ring of Fire, Please Help me I'm Falling, Our Lips are Sealed were morbidly uplifting with their piece de resistance White Rabbit. Top night, gothic cowboy, eerily beautiful and darkly humouristic. That's Glasgow for you.

StAnza Poetry Festival 2007

Well, it's Wednesday and I better write lest I forget. Let's see if my literary skills have improved somewhat since my deeply inspiring weekend.
You know what, it's actually the Wednesday after the last Wednesday I wrote. Infact, it's actually Thursday, being 00.44 in the morning. But I've had a great evening filled with Tapas, good red wine, god awful red wine, and good company.
It's time to start attending to the blog.
Yep. STANZA. St Andrews. Scotland's Poetry Festival. Fucking brilliant. (sorry mum!)
But it really was. From John Hegley's audience offending to Dean Parkin's bloody lovely humouristic poems in Aitkins Bar - Poetry, Pie and a Pint which I missed out on cos too busy drawing - oops did I forget to admit I was 'Artist in Residence' for the weekend? Well I was. And though they put me up in lush appartments in the David Russell Student Accomodation with all the Eco Friendly Mod Cons, I failed to have anyone to accompany me into the paid for double bedroom with facilities. Hah, perhaps because I didn't ask anyone back!
Enough of that nonsense anyway - no time, no time!
Anyway, even though poetry goes back to basic sex and death, I've decided I'm just going to tell it how it was. And it was about living, and experiencing, challenging, loving, missing, and it was more, and it was that, just that. I got to sip Mark Strand's whisky, chat with Alastair Reid, eat John Hegley's taco shells and sit while he drew me in retaliation for the night before; offend a choreographer who I found offensive; get a pirie moulie skaar of raan aboard the Reaper, sing a seil calling song with a girl who both inspired and terrified me, speak music and draw sound, and hmm, I guess I had a really top weekend. Beautiful weather. I do think I need my own 'caddy' though to carry all my canvases as it were. But secretly, there's nothing quite like being invited to draw at an event you would normally pay to go see. Although, I would love for Aidan Moffat to read his stuff there. If they think John Hegley's offensive, wait till they taste the sounds of Mr Arab STrap!

Ballads of the Book

Met the Chemical Underground lot again at CCA Ballads of the Book on Friday and chatted to Alun - it was his first performance as 'Lord Cut Glass' which I missed but I heard it was really good. Alun seems very nice. De Rosa played a set too. I really like De Rosa. Their song on the BotB is one of the most beautiful songs I've heard recently. Got a free album, and will meet with Stewart to check out the Tramway - hopefully next week. Sunday 11th March 07. Looks like it's really going to go ahead. Check out http://www.chemikal.co.uk/ballads to find out more about this most excellent project which has been artily graced by the the certain genius of Alasdair Grey, and the album booklet graphically designed by Mr Aidan Moffat - is there no end to this man's talent?
Met the ex-Arab Strap chaps - I think it's official. Inspiring bunch, but it's official, I do actually create verbal havoc when inserting myself into a social scene. I'm just not used to it. I live in a field beside a river for crying out loud. Am I supposed to know how to expertly schmooze in a party setting?? I hate expressing one liners/chat up lines. I fluff them. I can't tell a joke without getting damn stressed and insane. So my career as a terribly interesting and insightful interviewer has ended before it bit the dawn.
Writing and drawing - I shouldn't unleash myself on the public.