Listycuffs in Aspic
Sep. 9th, 2009 08:45 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
wytchcroftRighto, it be that time again and so listyness ensues:
Books;
Bill Nelson, Diary of a Hyperdreamer. What Gaiman might call a 'burglar stunner', it's certainly big - and, as a lurker on his blog site, somewhat familiar. However this pretty candid diary is honest, unafraid of its own contradictions and with a kindly spirit. It also shows how an artist functions in the industry and beyond it - as well as proving, yet again, that artists are inarticulate about the motive and expression of their art but nonetheless observant and rewarding in their descriptions of process.
Not a book for the casual reader but far from being unapproachable either. Like most fans there are elements that i have (or have had) in common: Sleazy 80's circles - check. Japanese partner, check. Love of guitars, check. And we share the same half of an island!
But obviously there is also the somewhat voyeuristic pleasure of reading and vicariously experiencing a successful artist’s daily life. I once shared a house with a madman (and very talented artist) who became completely obsessed with Nelson to the detriment of their own art, personality and living, basically. I still find that very weird, despite my own wild enthusiasms for sundry 'icons' as this journal demonstrates.
Nelson’s book follows on my having just re-read the Phil Spector bio Tearing Down The Wall of Sound by Mick Brown. Spector produced some of my very favourite albums by Lennon, The Beatles, The Ramones, Leonard Cohen and a whole roster of LPs and singles in the 60s soul/pop arena. But the bio is a sad opposite to Bill Nelson’s memoirs as talent goes not simply to waste but straight to hell.
The Winter Queen by Boris Akunin - absolutely superb Historical/Detective adventure translated from the Russian original - and highly recommended. The period flavour and sense of fun are immediate - and the many intellectual points are mixed in very unobtrusively. Having laboured through comparable works by other writers such as The Alienist and The Ressurectionist, (which were excellent but heavy going), this came as a sheer pleasure - and not an ist in sight!!
Kosinski - Pinball. A thriller of sorts by an enigmatic writer whose very existence is often questioned and whom, it is claimed, stole books from Eastern Europe and had them translated as his own work as well as employing ghostwriters and other underhand tactics!
And did he write this in fact? Who cares. Enjoyed it, nice quick-fire details and narrative style.
Worlds that Weren’t. A collection of Alternate History stories which i found far more rewarding than the reviews on Amazon would suggest.
The Railway Detective by Edward Marston. A class book, very nice double-header with The Winter Queen.
Agatha Christie; 3 novels including And Then There Were None (Aka 10 Little...). Enjoyed the period setting and general sense of hokum (I'm reading these for research lest we forget) but gawd, the woman couldn't write a sentence. Terrible, terrible, TERRIBLE writing.
Talking of which = Scribblings;
Still working on the long detective story, hard work just now. Also an unrelated horror story which i think has a good plot but still needs work on the words, words are often the hard part with writing! LOL!
Music:
The usual suspects pretty much.
Bill Nelson (natch) in various guises - but Sound on Sound most of all.
The Church, Untitled #23 - not a return to form… for the simple reason that they are almost always fantastic. They are here too. I prefer Hologram of Baal though, which i finally got a hold of.
Yoko Ono - her first four albums are playing in my abode fairly continuously just now – I’ve always been a big fan of her stuff, especially the double album Fly which is just frakkin amazing and sounds like at least 3 other bands I love, Can, Ghost and The Boredoms. The Plastic Ono Band LP she recorded made me write a horribly over-the-top ‘arty’ review for a magazine once. Well, you live and learn. See Nelson maniac above! HA!
The Rain Parade - first two albums. Great pop-psych music. In fact, lush.
Danielle Dax and Emilie Simon (as mentioned no doubt many times now).
The Stones, sundry bootlegs as ever, from 1968 – 1974. Sing-along now, “I’ve got red blood and I’ve got blood red wine.” Oh, and as someone asked me, I will state my favourite Stones songs are Can you Hear The Music and Sway. Irony since I love Keith Richards and he aint on these tracks! So I should maybe add Gimme Shelter and We Love You as well. We Love You is one of the most scarifying songs I’ve heard.
And - see below.
DVD (and what not): The First Men on the Moon. Give me Union-Flags on the moon, astronauts in diving gear and some giant alien ants, I couldn’t be happier.
Let the Right One In (book's great too) again!
Dollhouse season one (arrived today - w'hoo!).
Tango – great movie, great sensual atmosphere and of course music and dance to die for. I’ve always loved this movie and just got the chance to see it again c/o of a friend. Cheers V, you star!
Clothes - yes, i have even more jackets now! Just like Dr Who in the picture above!
The House – I have a bathroom ceiling! Yee ha! The floor is coming…
Internet; LJ is still hating on me and fiercely too. Grr Arrgh.
Bonus Bean; Bean is the best!
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no subject
Date: 2009-09-09 07:58 pm (UTC)And poor Agatha- really, you think so? I shall have to take a second look...
Well done.
:)
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Date: 2009-09-09 08:21 pm (UTC)Yoko Ono, well she gets a lot of abuse. Youtube is full of it. But in the 21st century her stuff is not that bizarre at all. But each to their own - music is the most subjective of arts in some ways. We both like Dylan, but Bob's another person whose voice alone sends some people running!
As for poor old Agatha, well the books got read at least! That counts for something when i am very fond of sending most books (and records) that i don't like soaring out into the dark, dark night!! :))
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Date: 2009-09-09 08:32 pm (UTC)Looking forward to his Christmas album, though- interesting, I should think!
:)
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Date: 2009-09-09 09:01 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 12:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 01:45 am (UTC):))
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Date: 2009-09-09 08:33 pm (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0VRHmuFVdUQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWz5acOISqs
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Date: 2009-09-10 12:39 am (UTC):)
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Date: 2009-09-10 01:42 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 10:09 am (UTC)it's really a great movie :))
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Date: 2009-09-09 08:36 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-09 08:56 pm (UTC)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VKFbmDUvZWg
The Shadow Garden (beautiful through and through)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c6XZMJ9w2I
enjoy!:))
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Date: 2009-09-10 03:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 08:29 am (UTC)actually i dunno, i'm trying to train myself to get into lists - but it's not all that natural to me... and this is, let's face it, a fairly vacuous entry! LOL!:))
no subject
Date: 2009-09-10 02:17 pm (UTC)Re: vacuity blues
Date: 2009-09-10 05:59 pm (UTC)OZ
LOL!:))
Date: 2009-09-10 06:07 pm (UTC)vacuity blues
Date: 2009-09-10 05:57 pm (UTC)it has been said - yeah... very nineties though!
or that the centre is hollow?... no sugar in the bottom of the glass, no gold at the end of the rainbow just...
(cue moody cello music)
silence...
silence
ingenting
ingenting
ingenting
löfte
svar
tystnad
tystnad
förlåta
tystnaden
ingenting
tystnad
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Date: 2009-09-11 04:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-11 07:17 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-19 12:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-19 08:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-12-06 08:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-14 07:57 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-09-14 11:49 am (UTC)of course, my comment never loaded in the end. Grr.