"From all accounts, the world has been getting worse and worse ever since it was created. All I can say is that it must have been a remarkably delightful place when it was first opened to the public, for it is very pleasant even now…"
Idle thoughts of an idle fellow, Jerome K. Jerome (1886). (Thanks George!)
There was a song I once loved for a fleeting moment, but I became distracted and forgot about it. Then I was sitting in the Union Chapel the other week, waiting to see an artist who goes by the name of Final Fantasy when this chap called Sam Amidon came on stage…
It was his album “All is well” I picked up in 2008, recommended by the musically obsessive Boomkat record store. I did like it but it ended up a little lost with a lot of other music I was listening to at the time. So it was a real pleasure to see and hear him again. Especially to hear the song Sugar baby. Man that hit the spot. He is an amazing performer. And it was also extra special to see Beth Orton play songs with him too.
The Mountain Goats released a nice album last year called ‘The Life of the World to Come’. Each track on the album is inspired by a different bible verse. I like themed albums - another one I just picked up is the Darwin Song Project, a collaboration of eight artists who were sent on a retreat to write an album of songs that have a resonance and relevance to the life of Charles Darwin - this was part of the Shrewsbury Folk Festival - the town where Darwin was born.
This is from another Mountain Goats album called Get Lonley…
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that somewhere in the world there is a road called Sam Smith Rd. In fact, there seem to be at least 10 roads in the USA called Sam Smith Rd. Which is tremendous! I should certainly like to visit them all one day (and write that book of course). But what I was delighted to discover was one of ‘my’ roads, in Mississippi, has a road leading off it called Tom Chance Rd. And the best bit is, Tom Chance (and here is his most splendid blog) is one of my best friends.
I watched the new year in from a hilltop somewhere near Kidderminster. There was a big bonfire, lots of food, folk song and good company. I love new year’s eve this way.
Then stumbling into the new year, I bought some running shoes. To go with the footwear I made a complicated exercise schedule for the next three months. It’s for a half marathon I signed up to. I don’t even like running, but it’s a challenge I hope my body will appreciate. People tell me I might learn to like it over time.
I nearly joined a gym too, but when I went to have a look, I peered through the door and saw lots of big muscular men walking around between machines. They looked sort of unhappy, and serious. Gyms are not places for laughter. I instantly changed my mind. The sun was out. I would much rather be outside than wrestle a machine. I’m not sure what I was thinking. I then went and ate a big roast dinner.
Moving record collections from one place to another is a strain on the back, sort of dangerous if you have somehow missed out on health and safety training. Each time I move place, I know people are wondering why I still bother with vinyl. My brother who sometimes does a spot of DJing thinks vinyl always reminds me that it’s silly when you can just chuck it all on one laptop or a big CD wallet. He is not alone… but for me, vinyl still has an important place and I love it.
Lugging all my records about yesterday reminded me of some of more obscure uses they have, Sleeveface being one of them, and so I leave you with this one… happy new year!
I’ve been moving house today, from my cosy Zone 4 eco-pad at BedZED, deep into London in the Kennington/Elephant & Castle area. I’m excited to have a new place to explore. I will miss the old, but embrace the new. It’s great to be closer to the city and to have housemates again.
Moving house means lugging a lot of records up and down stairs. It’s fun, but a back breaker and I’m very grateful to have had some help from friends. Moving closer to the city led me to look up my notes on urbanisation where I came across three interesting things:
For much of the last century, no more than 15 per cent of people across the world lived in the city…
…in 2008, more than half of the world’s people were living in cities
And over the last 100 years, while global population has quadrupled, the global urban population has increased ten fold
That’s quite a shift and it’s fascinating to think how cities have influenced and shaped cultures.
Above is a picture of Elephant and Castle back in 1912. I would love to have seen it then, before the influence of 60s architecture, before the war when it suffered bombing, and before the motor vehicle became so dominant. What history Elephant and Castle must have seen! And what a future it will have too.
