Dec
30
Back soon…
Recovering from lurgy and post novel/end of year ennui. In the meantime, have some music.
For dreaming nerds everywhere.
Dec
04
Hallelujah
The Cohen classic, covered to varying degrees of success over the years, suffers more often than not from people not interpreting the lyric correctly.
Tim Minchin and Geraldine Quinn do not have this problem in this great raw version from Edinburgh ’05.
They really nailed it. I wish they’d put it out as a single.
Mar
07
Gentlemen & Assassins
Things got a little out of control again. I guess that’s one of the things life does when you’re busy making plans.
Besides, out of control isn’t bad, indeed, some might say it’s an art form in its own right. On the subject of art riding a wave of barely controlled chaos – see what I did there – I saw the relatively new band Gentlemen & Assassins at Underworld last week and they brought the house down. Relatively new because the line up haven’t done any regular gigs together until now but are the experienced hands of Sxip Shirey, Elyas Khan and Brian Viglione.
I haven’t managed to find the full line up on youtube but I found this great video from a Berlin show featuring two of the line up. Seemed a good way to start Monday:
Jan
24
Mondays
Mine was pretty good: not withstanding my clumsiness. However, I like the SF undertones mingled with the melodrama that underscored the late seventies and early eighties of this particular song.
Here’s the Boomtown Rats from 1981 with the obvious but fun “I don’t Like Mondays.”
How was your Monday?
Jan
01
Happy New Year
It’s 2011! Have a good one. And remember, the year is what you make it:
Check out that hair. 
Dec
27
Rust Boy
Back when I still did these things (*coughs* which is now, given it was in university, an increasingly and distressingly long time ago), this was cutting edge and done on a shoe string by just one guy. Something that I aspired to – though never hit – and I am still fond of it:
Dec
24
Atheist Solstice
If all goes to plan I am on my way back to the hills of home with G and some good friends. I’ll get to see virtually my entire family in one place (I’m part of a sizable brood, there’s a reason Celts use the term clan), most of my oldest friends and walk along the beach.
It’s funny, I’m really very atheist but I do look forward to this time of year for a whole host of reasons. I always meant to write a story that explained that, probably will do some day, but I found this song by the wise and funny Tim Minchin which pretty much captures it perfectly. Just substitute Sun for Rain. And…well…never mind, just listen: it’s beautiful.
Dec
21
Out Now
Dark Fiction Magazine’s Twelve Days audio anthology is out now, you can listen to it here.
Constant readers will recall that my story “It’s Just a Game” is part of the line up (read by Mark Deniz) but there are other reasons to listen including work by fellow Flash Fictioneer Martin McGrath, Murky Depths Publisher Terry Martin and many more not to mention some familiar names reading. I’d be pleased as a Very Pleased Person if you’d check it out.
Turning round an anthology in such a short time is no mean feat. While you’re over there you should check out the earlier episodes of the magazine featuring writers like Jon Courtney Grimwood, Kim Lakin-Smith and Gareth L Powell amongst others. Dark Fiction Magazine is one to watch.
Dec
19
Nicholas was…
This adaption of Neil Gaiman’s flash/poem Nicholas Was is great. Done by 39 Degrees North (Beijing based studio).
This was the story/poem I politely tipped my hat to on my 2008 Friday Flash Fiction story Blood and Snow
Connect with Neil…
