Almost every extremist Muslim I have ever talked to has said this.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalists/andrew-gilligan/7908262/Hizb-ut-Tahrir-is-not-a-gateway-to-terrorism-claims-Whitehall-report.html
also finally out are some realistic logs of the war in Afghanistan
and here is a Channel 4 blog from someone embedded with the Americans on the frontline
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July 25, 2010
IGNORANT SHIT ONLY TEN PENCE
I usually buy these for a laugh but this one really offends me. How can "Squat holes" be described as "Muslim only loos"? You see these in Thailand, Malaysia, everyone of every religion in India use them. How fucking ridiculous is it to build sewage systems to process paper? When did humans start cutting trees down to wipe their fucking arses with anyway?
How do they get away with this?
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July 18, 2010
ITS HOME!
cross posted from my Chops blog
I have been waking up at five each morning in a panic for the last few days wondering what this would be like. Everyone has been taking the piss out of my trailer hiring ideas so I bit the bullet and grabbed my leathers. We got to Gravesend about lunchtime and once we settled up the guy (Phil) delivered us back onto the A2 on his Harley. My pal Alexa followed in the car.
All my fears of bumps more or less came to nothing. With the springs under the seat I wouldn't notice it was a hard tail- yet. Don't want to speak too soon but yes, for something so low its ridable. It seems to be true that taking all the weight off the back end and the sixteen inch wheels actually make it chuckable, but I'm not going to the one to chuck it!
The style of handlebars and the sideways movement in the seat springs makes it feel a queasy bit snakey when I let go the throttle but it powers through corners great. The small front wheel gives it a bit of a helpful tip, which I hate in sports-bikes but is quite useful when sitting at wheel level.
I turned up at Blue Chalet MOTs opposite Brands Hatch and it sailed straight thru. Really nice people there with some really beautiful old Harleys. A guy there, and a few people since have guessed that the engine as a lot bigger than it is. I think its cos of the small wheels, and the overall scale of the bike making the engine look bigger. Its certainly a lot smaller than it looks in the photographs.
Tax is coming Monday. I got up to about sixty five on the way back to London which is plenty and plenty noisy. It felt fine around town though I'd like a better mirror and will look into some small indicators. I didn't grin when I rode it but once I got safely home, I haven't stopped grinning since. Its leaking a bit of oil and I need to sort the clutch a bit but I am a happy bunny.
Before I picked the bike up I grabbed a lock at a really nice shop in the Kings Road called Gorgeous Bikes. You would think being on the kings Road it would be expensive and snooty but it was neither, the guy who runs it is a real enthusiast about everything he sells. I picked up a cover there as well but its way too big. Hopefully I can change it. I have covered the bike temporarily with ripped ton bags to protect it from the South London haters, should be OK. I'll find out eh.
UPDATE: My first ride outs in London reminded me how much I hate riding in London. Everyone overtaking me on the inside, moody van drivers plus I think I tripped a couple of cameras in those sneaky 20 zones. Riding at dusk I found that the speedo doesn't light up and I ran out of petrol after only 40 miles, luckily I had reached my destination in Highgate where this picture was taken. Riding back this morning I think the bike was overheating. Hard to tell as I have never sat so close to a bike engine before. The riding position is actually really good for London though. I hope I still have my licence by the weekend.
..
I have been waking up at five each morning in a panic for the last few days wondering what this would be like. Everyone has been taking the piss out of my trailer hiring ideas so I bit the bullet and grabbed my leathers. We got to Gravesend about lunchtime and once we settled up the guy (Phil) delivered us back onto the A2 on his Harley. My pal Alexa followed in the car.
All my fears of bumps more or less came to nothing. With the springs under the seat I wouldn't notice it was a hard tail- yet. Don't want to speak too soon but yes, for something so low its ridable. It seems to be true that taking all the weight off the back end and the sixteen inch wheels actually make it chuckable, but I'm not going to the one to chuck it!
The style of handlebars and the sideways movement in the seat springs makes it feel a queasy bit snakey when I let go the throttle but it powers through corners great. The small front wheel gives it a bit of a helpful tip, which I hate in sports-bikes but is quite useful when sitting at wheel level.
I turned up at Blue Chalet MOTs opposite Brands Hatch and it sailed straight thru. Really nice people there with some really beautiful old Harleys. A guy there, and a few people since have guessed that the engine as a lot bigger than it is. I think its cos of the small wheels, and the overall scale of the bike making the engine look bigger. Its certainly a lot smaller than it looks in the photographs.
Tax is coming Monday. I got up to about sixty five on the way back to London which is plenty and plenty noisy. It felt fine around town though I'd like a better mirror and will look into some small indicators. I didn't grin when I rode it but once I got safely home, I haven't stopped grinning since. Its leaking a bit of oil and I need to sort the clutch a bit but I am a happy bunny.
Before I picked the bike up I grabbed a lock at a really nice shop in the Kings Road called Gorgeous Bikes. You would think being on the kings Road it would be expensive and snooty but it was neither, the guy who runs it is a real enthusiast about everything he sells. I picked up a cover there as well but its way too big. Hopefully I can change it. I have covered the bike temporarily with ripped ton bags to protect it from the South London haters, should be OK. I'll find out eh.
UPDATE: My first ride outs in London reminded me how much I hate riding in London. Everyone overtaking me on the inside, moody van drivers plus I think I tripped a couple of cameras in those sneaky 20 zones. Riding at dusk I found that the speedo doesn't light up and I ran out of petrol after only 40 miles, luckily I had reached my destination in Highgate where this picture was taken. Riding back this morning I think the bike was overheating. Hard to tell as I have never sat so close to a bike engine before. The riding position is actually really good for London though. I hope I still have my licence by the weekend.
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July 13, 2010
WHAT IS YOUR PURPOSE IN LIFE?
Woke up feeling crap. Really forboding feling most of the morning. I think maybe I should just be awake at night. I felt better when I left the house on a wander through London checking out helmets and locks in motorcycle shops. I just remembered I put a two hundred quid deposit on a Norton in Delhi ten years ago. Shit. Anyway no matter where was I? Right. On my way to Southall to film with Abu Waleed.
We met at Southall station and went to the same restaurant where he greeted the owner.
"Its OK to film out the back?"
"Yes, but no plotting!"
We parked up on a long table next to a huge golden wedding sofa and ordered some food.
I spoke briefly about what I wanted to ask Mr Waleed, which mainly involved films like Four Lions and the Infidel, neither of which he had seen. Thankfully he had a lot he wanted to talk about so we went with that. Waleed shoots from the hip with lots to say. He is easy to talk to but I think he's going to be difficult to edit. No matter. We had done about half an hour when food arrived along with a few more from his study circle.
Over dinner one of the guys was telling me the thousand reasons why I should become a Muslim. I have sort of developed the same answers over time but having been a christian myself I do understand how important it is to take the opportunity to talk when you believe really strongly that hell awaits the unbeliever. None of them could believe that I could listen to Abu Hamza for such a long time without wanting to become a Muslim. I remember he was telling me about things Mohammed said in the Koran which had later been proved by science. He was also pleased that he had a purpose in life and questioned mine. I have a sort of stock answer for that now too.
" I don't know my purpose but my purpose has led me here, I you had told me I would have spent so much time filming Hamza and Atilla even six months before I started I wouldn't have believed it. Post 9/11 news and the invasion of Iraq led me to want to talk to Muslims and communicate with grass root Republicans for myself."
although I don't do either very much these days any more.
Anyway, nice bunch of guys.
"Are you worried about authority at all?" I asked.
"We are totally open about everything we do."
They apparently have a study circle of fourteen or fifteen guys. Hopefully I can film with them in situ some time.
"Were any of you lot with Hamza or Bakri back in the day?" I asked the guy I was talking to the most. (sorry forgot the name)
"No I am seventeen." he answered.
"Wow. Just goes to show what a beard can do for you eh. You wouldn't think I am I am ten years older than him would you?" I said pointing at Mr Waleed.
"I thought you were in your twenties." he answered.
"Just shows you what riotous living does for you. I should be trying to convert you lot eh."
So we have maybe half an hour of film coming. I know I have promised this before, I'll have to look at it first but I think this time it is pretty good. I got a good feeling when we were talking anyway.
On the way home I realised I had forgotten everything which was disturbing me. I got a bit stoned with the gang and listened to Kurdish music on Last FM which was really cosmic.
..
We met at Southall station and went to the same restaurant where he greeted the owner.
"Its OK to film out the back?"
"Yes, but no plotting!"
We parked up on a long table next to a huge golden wedding sofa and ordered some food.
I spoke briefly about what I wanted to ask Mr Waleed, which mainly involved films like Four Lions and the Infidel, neither of which he had seen. Thankfully he had a lot he wanted to talk about so we went with that. Waleed shoots from the hip with lots to say. He is easy to talk to but I think he's going to be difficult to edit. No matter. We had done about half an hour when food arrived along with a few more from his study circle.
Over dinner one of the guys was telling me the thousand reasons why I should become a Muslim. I have sort of developed the same answers over time but having been a christian myself I do understand how important it is to take the opportunity to talk when you believe really strongly that hell awaits the unbeliever. None of them could believe that I could listen to Abu Hamza for such a long time without wanting to become a Muslim. I remember he was telling me about things Mohammed said in the Koran which had later been proved by science. He was also pleased that he had a purpose in life and questioned mine. I have a sort of stock answer for that now too.
" I don't know my purpose but my purpose has led me here, I you had told me I would have spent so much time filming Hamza and Atilla even six months before I started I wouldn't have believed it. Post 9/11 news and the invasion of Iraq led me to want to talk to Muslims and communicate with grass root Republicans for myself."
although I don't do either very much these days any more.
Anyway, nice bunch of guys.
"Are you worried about authority at all?" I asked.
"We are totally open about everything we do."
They apparently have a study circle of fourteen or fifteen guys. Hopefully I can film with them in situ some time.
"Were any of you lot with Hamza or Bakri back in the day?" I asked the guy I was talking to the most. (sorry forgot the name)
"No I am seventeen." he answered.
"Wow. Just goes to show what a beard can do for you eh. You wouldn't think I am I am ten years older than him would you?" I said pointing at Mr Waleed.
"I thought you were in your twenties." he answered.
"Just shows you what riotous living does for you. I should be trying to convert you lot eh."
So we have maybe half an hour of film coming. I know I have promised this before, I'll have to look at it first but I think this time it is pretty good. I got a good feeling when we were talking anyway.
On the way home I realised I had forgotten everything which was disturbing me. I got a bit stoned with the gang and listened to Kurdish music on Last FM which was really cosmic.
..
July 08, 2010
NOT REALLY A SURPRISE
...The European Court of Human Rights blocked Thursday the extradition from Britain to the United States of radical Muslim cleric Abu Hamza al-Masri and three other men facing terror charges...
I suppose his lawyers will eventually seek his release like Mr Katatda's did.
Abu Hamza is still here, yet we extradite hundreds unfairly (Telegraph)
There is loads more about this online, I can't be arsed to read through it all.
Also- Christ knows why this took three trials with those videos but there you are.
..
I suppose his lawyers will eventually seek his release like Mr Katatda's did.
Abu Hamza is still here, yet we extradite hundreds unfairly (Telegraph)
There is loads more about this online, I can't be arsed to read through it all.
Also- Christ knows why this took three trials with those videos but there you are.
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July 01, 2010
YOU ARE BARKING MATE
Cross posted from my Chopper drooling blog
Beauty maybe somewhere in the eye of the beholder but there are so many fuck ugly attempts at "chopper" on ebay at the moment I am tempted to post a "rogues gallery" blog. Instead here is a Z650 hardtail I am not going to bid on. Really nice lines but its a bit.. how should I put it?
Err.. .. RED!
Still I have a feeling that if I saw this up close in real life it could tempt me as there is a lot to like here. Footrests and handlebars in a normal rideable position for UK roads, forks at a sensible angle and nice low horizontal frame rails (is there a word for them in chopperspeak? fuck knows)... Good job it is in Kent and not quite just round the corner.
***UPDATE***
Well it turns out it is actually me who is barking after all cos I bought it. Bizzare. It wasn't really a decision so much as a realization. I was just staring at it for a coupla days and it dawned on me that I was going to try and buy it. Turned out the auction was half way through the Engerland game which was a relief. My neighbour in whose house I was watching it (an ex motorcycle instructor with a CBR1000 decomposing in the carpark) said
"Watching England is like having six inch nails hammered into your head in slow motion."
We lost and I won! Scoring in the first ten minutes of the second half I was running round with my shirt over my head, doing Roger Miller dances, the lot. Fuck Engerland. No, I will qualify that- commiserations to the guys who made it to the pitch and their support staff, fuck everyone else.
No indicators, no back suspension, no front mudguard- What the hell have I done?
I haven't picked it up yet and it needs Tax and MOT. I am shitting myself. I don't think I am going to ride it very much. I just wanted to own one. I have wanted to own one since I was a spotty eleven year old Motörhead fan. I have been sporadically blogging about them for a year, clicking through ebay in an OCD haze. I suppose I must have thought it was a bit dirty wanking over other peoples motorbikes, so now I can wank over one of my own.
The guy who is selling it has had it for ten years. He loves it, but as in the case of a lot of Jap choppers on ebay I am sure- he has traded up for a Harley. Is that what will happen to me in ten years? I fucking hate Harleys!
One good thing about buying something like this on ebay is that when I see it I can say Wow! as the price has already been agreed by auction. Not every chop has the gift of looking shit hot from every angle- check this out.
Have I missed any out? I am looking forward to Saturday. This song is for me!
Beauty maybe somewhere in the eye of the beholder but there are so many fuck ugly attempts at "chopper" on ebay at the moment I am tempted to post a "rogues gallery" blog. Instead here is a Z650 hardtail I am not going to bid on. Really nice lines but its a bit.. how should I put it?
Err.. .. RED!
Still I have a feeling that if I saw this up close in real life it could tempt me as there is a lot to like here. Footrests and handlebars in a normal rideable position for UK roads, forks at a sensible angle and nice low horizontal frame rails (is there a word for them in chopperspeak? fuck knows)... Good job it is in Kent and not quite just round the corner.
***UPDATE***
Well it turns out it is actually me who is barking after all cos I bought it. Bizzare. It wasn't really a decision so much as a realization. I was just staring at it for a coupla days and it dawned on me that I was going to try and buy it. Turned out the auction was half way through the Engerland game which was a relief. My neighbour in whose house I was watching it (an ex motorcycle instructor with a CBR1000 decomposing in the carpark) said
"Watching England is like having six inch nails hammered into your head in slow motion."
We lost and I won! Scoring in the first ten minutes of the second half I was running round with my shirt over my head, doing Roger Miller dances, the lot. Fuck Engerland. No, I will qualify that- commiserations to the guys who made it to the pitch and their support staff, fuck everyone else.
No indicators, no back suspension, no front mudguard- What the hell have I done?
I haven't picked it up yet and it needs Tax and MOT. I am shitting myself. I don't think I am going to ride it very much. I just wanted to own one. I have wanted to own one since I was a spotty eleven year old Motörhead fan. I have been sporadically blogging about them for a year, clicking through ebay in an OCD haze. I suppose I must have thought it was a bit dirty wanking over other peoples motorbikes, so now I can wank over one of my own.
The guy who is selling it has had it for ten years. He loves it, but as in the case of a lot of Jap choppers on ebay I am sure- he has traded up for a Harley. Is that what will happen to me in ten years? I fucking hate Harleys!
One good thing about buying something like this on ebay is that when I see it I can say Wow! as the price has already been agreed by auction. Not every chop has the gift of looking shit hot from every angle- check this out.
Have I missed any out? I am looking forward to Saturday. This song is for me!
REMOTE CATCH UP
I may return to the subject, but as yet no new news from me, just a coupla links-
One of Hamza's son has gone down for violent disorder commited at the Israeli Embassy protest
also Rangzieb Ahmed is being granted leave to appeal and is being represented by the same barrister as Mohammed Hamid.
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One of Hamza's son has gone down for violent disorder commited at the Israeli Embassy protest
also Rangzieb Ahmed is being granted leave to appeal and is being represented by the same barrister as Mohammed Hamid.
..
May 26, 2010
LONDON BUS
I was on a packed bus going thru kings cross. Everyone was looking miserable ignoring each other as usual and it was raining, then a guy who was with his whole family turned round and started talking to people saying how he was Turkish and how friendly everyone was in London compared to where he had been in Germany where people spat at him and his family.
He just didn't realise people dont talk to each other on the bus here, when he finnished everyone on the bus was smiling at each other, really proud of London. I'm sure we all went beack to ignoring each other and looking miserable on the next bus.
..
He just didn't realise people dont talk to each other on the bus here, when he finnished everyone on the bus was smiling at each other, really proud of London. I'm sure we all went beack to ignoring each other and looking miserable on the next bus.
..
May 17, 2010
THE JOUNEY IS THE GOAL
Well that was a funny weekend. I got picked up for Bearded Theory about 9ish, we loaded all the equipment in Hackney Wick and set off up the A11. Stopping for petrol our driver/guru checked the tyre pressure and a valve blew out. Luckily the spare was under the vehicle rather than under all the equipment. Unluckily it was the wrong size.
We drove very slowly down the road at a very weird angle to a tyre shop a taxi driver had pointed us toward and bought a new valve for three quid. We were on the road again in half an hour. Almost all of the way up the A1(M) we lost power on a big flyover and a couple of us had to run down the road and direct traffic past our halted van whilst it was fixed.
We had a bit of a debate about the attitude we were expecting from Bearded Theory to our lateness. Our sound guy was saying we would probably be cancelled. I reckoned things would be more mellow up north but none of us knew what time we would actually arrive.
The van still wasn't running right and we stopped again just outside Derby. I was wishing we had set off the night before. We rocked up at the site at 4.30 chucked everything out on the grass, loaded it all onto the stage and started playing. As we are a totally improvising totally live act straying into mostly DJ territory we usually have to sort our own sound out into two phonos for a DJ Mixer, pre- sound checking in the studio but the guys at the Magical Sounds tent were totally ready for us, relaxed and totally pro.
Everything went just great and I think the Bearded Theory guys were pleased. We had a few older heads who had taken too much acid come up and congratulate us after which I think is a good sign. We pitched our tents and had a good look round the site.
I was really surprised at how established the festival was. Psytrance is only a small part of what goes on. The whole thing was an inexpensive, really family friendly event with the profits going to charity and I am not surprised it is doing so well. I woke up Sunday and saw The Cheeky Girls in one of the tents before they joined everyone on the mainstage for the Guiness record attempt at the number of fake beards in one place. Derbyshire was a beautiful place to drive back through and it only started raining when we were coming close to the M25. A really sucessful weekend.
..
We drove very slowly down the road at a very weird angle to a tyre shop a taxi driver had pointed us toward and bought a new valve for three quid. We were on the road again in half an hour. Almost all of the way up the A1(M) we lost power on a big flyover and a couple of us had to run down the road and direct traffic past our halted van whilst it was fixed.
We had a bit of a debate about the attitude we were expecting from Bearded Theory to our lateness. Our sound guy was saying we would probably be cancelled. I reckoned things would be more mellow up north but none of us knew what time we would actually arrive.
The van still wasn't running right and we stopped again just outside Derby. I was wishing we had set off the night before. We rocked up at the site at 4.30 chucked everything out on the grass, loaded it all onto the stage and started playing. As we are a totally improvising totally live act straying into mostly DJ territory we usually have to sort our own sound out into two phonos for a DJ Mixer, pre- sound checking in the studio but the guys at the Magical Sounds tent were totally ready for us, relaxed and totally pro.
Everything went just great and I think the Bearded Theory guys were pleased. We had a few older heads who had taken too much acid come up and congratulate us after which I think is a good sign. We pitched our tents and had a good look round the site.
I was really surprised at how established the festival was. Psytrance is only a small part of what goes on. The whole thing was an inexpensive, really family friendly event with the profits going to charity and I am not surprised it is doing so well. I woke up Sunday and saw The Cheeky Girls in one of the tents before they joined everyone on the mainstage for the Guiness record attempt at the number of fake beards in one place. Derbyshire was a beautiful place to drive back through and it only started raining when we were coming close to the M25. A really sucessful weekend.
..
May 13, 2010
CONDEMNING
Not me. I am really enjoying all this at the moment. Saw Four Lions. Was funny but more than funny? Except for the cops armed raid on the wrong Muslims it didn't reall say anything much. I will try and see what Musa thinks.
Guardian: ...The makers claim that "what This Is Spinal Tap did for heavy metal and Dr Strangelove for the cold war, Four Lions does for the modern face of terrorism". This is palpably absurd...
..
Guardian: ...The makers claim that "what This Is Spinal Tap did for heavy metal and Dr Strangelove for the cold war, Four Lions does for the modern face of terrorism". This is palpably absurd...
..
May 07, 2010
Normal Service will be Resumed...
Well I got that totally wrong eh. Good job I didn't put my money where my mouth was. Well done to the Greens in Brighton. Hopefully Brighton can become a bit of a showcase for some good ideas. Nice to see the BNP go down in Barking, I am currently frantically making calls to see if I can provide a strong and stable government..
will get back to u
..
UPDATE: I am more interested than worried. If Cameron get in I look forward to seeing his vision for power in the hands of the people. I am sure all the other parties could help him with that maybe. Obviously I am a bit disappointed. I think the majority freak out about immigration and I'm in the minority which is why I don't really feel like I am involved in this country. I am glad everyone who needed one got a "kick in the ballots", including Galloway.
..
will get back to u
..
UPDATE: I am more interested than worried. If Cameron get in I look forward to seeing his vision for power in the hands of the people. I am sure all the other parties could help him with that maybe. Obviously I am a bit disappointed. I think the majority freak out about immigration and I'm in the minority which is why I don't really feel like I am involved in this country. I am glad everyone who needed one got a "kick in the ballots", including Galloway.
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May 06, 2010
ELECTION SPECIAL
I had to buy these this morning- Hope from The Sun (who owe me money) who think their man is Obama for some reason
Fear from the Daily Mail (Tory Womens paper)
And the surprise winner is The Star- the only sensible paper today. 20p! being the largest letters on the page some blonde totty WAGs divorce as the headline and "Time to give em a Kick in the Ballots!" as a sort of side issue, reminding everyone how much they hate politicians. Nice one.
I was happily telling my nutty Scottish pal how I didn't vote lest my blood become halal for the global jihadis this morning whilst we were unloading five tons of wood pellets for our burners. The truck driver looked a bit concerned but I don't think he called the cops. They've not been round yet anyway.
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May 03, 2010
BUT IS IT ART?
ARE FRENZ ELECTRIC Launch Party
Gob$au$age + Reptilian Space Wigs + Longinglightning + Braindead Collective + DJ Dan Donovan + Deptford Noise Team + Little Eris + DJ Tab
My neighbour played a hilarious gig on a boat moored to the north side of the Thames last night. We arrived quite early and got to listen to a great dubstep set from someone who turned out to be ex- B.A.D. All so good though at bloody Scandinavian beer prices I realised I wasn't going to have a riot.Then on came a couple of half naked tall gentlemen with silver capes and sort of alien/frog masks. One played horrible heavy metal guitar whilst the other squeezed strangled loops out of a kaossilator with a largish guy struggling to keep a very dodgy PA working. Things were falling over, the sound continualy fucked up and the set finnished almost as soon as it started leaving me with the feeling thast they weren't taking the whole thing very seriously.
After a little bit more DJing my neighbour who calls her project LongingLightning came on and did her Harp/Theromin/Voice loops thing which went great until the PA cut out mid song. None of the power visibly went, no lights switched off. Later I got the feeling thast she had maybe been too professional for the vibe of the night, the equipment forcing its own meltdown on her as she wasn't going to melt herself.
Anyway she was followed by a friendly Welsh chick and her stilletoed friend who had been calm and sociable only an hour earlier but as they took the stage area they were tottering, one more alarmingly than the other. Equipment was set up, the sound guy struggled to attatch it to the dodgy PA whilst the cute Welsh chick swore into a microphone about everything not working. Her friend behind her was quickly oblivious to everything around her and started the gig on her own, singing quietly into a microphone. She fell over three times and eventually slid to the floor and had to be carried out.
As wine was spilt and swearing continued the set was eventually and acrimoniously aborted, with fluctuating rumours over the number of valium the unconcious blonde had taken. I had watched the whole thing from the front with a good pal who does sound for the band sometimes and we were beginning to really enjoy ourselves.
Next a whole bunch of guys started setting up tons of synths, beatboxes and analogue shit. I tentatively asked one of them if it was all going to stop working after a few minutes and they were going to call everyone cunts and fall over. I can't remember the answer but I got the impression this lot were going to at least take it a bit seriously, and maybe make some music.
As they eventually got started half the band aborted mission having been unsucessful connecting themselves to the dodgy PA whilst two or three synth players made a bit of electro noise for about ten minutes before their sound fucked up too. By now we were getting the impression that this was the whole point of the night, and that punk really wasn't dead after all.
More DJing, and some dancing was followed by an even stranger act. A rather largish camp looking male go go dancer bounced off the back wall of the boat, whilst in front of him what I took to be a fellow with a gold plastic manaquin torso strapped to his front and a balaclava turned out to be a real pair of tits and torso painted gold. Another balaclavad person with a fur tail on his/her head was shouting into a non working microphone. Some noise came from somewhere though I am not sure what or where from.
The mic started working as the person screamed "CUNT! FARKING CUNT!" over and over. This inevitably didn't last. A bit more DJing, the power cut out again and everyone drifted out except the stilletoed girl who was being attended to by ambulance people who were wondering how to get their stretcher up the narrow stairs.
I think it went well. The sort of launch party they should really invite tabloid journalist to write shock stories about.
Thanks to greg for the pictures via flikr
Republished on The Land of Little Eris
..
Gob$au$age + Reptilian Space Wigs + Longinglightning + Braindead Collective + DJ Dan Donovan + Deptford Noise Team + Little Eris + DJ Tab
My neighbour played a hilarious gig on a boat moored to the north side of the Thames last night. We arrived quite early and got to listen to a great dubstep set from someone who turned out to be ex- B.A.D. All so good though at bloody Scandinavian beer prices I realised I wasn't going to have a riot.Then on came a couple of half naked tall gentlemen with silver capes and sort of alien/frog masks. One played horrible heavy metal guitar whilst the other squeezed strangled loops out of a kaossilator with a largish guy struggling to keep a very dodgy PA working. Things were falling over, the sound continualy fucked up and the set finnished almost as soon as it started leaving me with the feeling thast they weren't taking the whole thing very seriously.
After a little bit more DJing my neighbour who calls her project LongingLightning came on and did her Harp/Theromin/Voice loops thing which went great until the PA cut out mid song. None of the power visibly went, no lights switched off. Later I got the feeling thast she had maybe been too professional for the vibe of the night, the equipment forcing its own meltdown on her as she wasn't going to melt herself.
Anyway she was followed by a friendly Welsh chick and her stilletoed friend who had been calm and sociable only an hour earlier but as they took the stage area they were tottering, one more alarmingly than the other. Equipment was set up, the sound guy struggled to attatch it to the dodgy PA whilst the cute Welsh chick swore into a microphone about everything not working. Her friend behind her was quickly oblivious to everything around her and started the gig on her own, singing quietly into a microphone. She fell over three times and eventually slid to the floor and had to be carried out.
As wine was spilt and swearing continued the set was eventually and acrimoniously aborted, with fluctuating rumours over the number of valium the unconcious blonde had taken. I had watched the whole thing from the front with a good pal who does sound for the band sometimes and we were beginning to really enjoy ourselves.
Next a whole bunch of guys started setting up tons of synths, beatboxes and analogue shit. I tentatively asked one of them if it was all going to stop working after a few minutes and they were going to call everyone cunts and fall over. I can't remember the answer but I got the impression this lot were going to at least take it a bit seriously, and maybe make some music.
As they eventually got started half the band aborted mission having been unsucessful connecting themselves to the dodgy PA whilst two or three synth players made a bit of electro noise for about ten minutes before their sound fucked up too. By now we were getting the impression that this was the whole point of the night, and that punk really wasn't dead after all.More DJing, and some dancing was followed by an even stranger act. A rather largish camp looking male go go dancer bounced off the back wall of the boat, whilst in front of him what I took to be a fellow with a gold plastic manaquin torso strapped to his front and a balaclava turned out to be a real pair of tits and torso painted gold. Another balaclavad person with a fur tail on his/her head was shouting into a non working microphone. Some noise came from somewhere though I am not sure what or where from.
The mic started working as the person screamed "CUNT! FARKING CUNT!" over and over. This inevitably didn't last. A bit more DJing, the power cut out again and everyone drifted out except the stilletoed girl who was being attended to by ambulance people who were wondering how to get their stretcher up the narrow stairs.I think it went well. The sort of launch party they should really invite tabloid journalist to write shock stories about.
Thanks to greg for the pictures via flikr
Republished on The Land of Little Eris
..
Oubliette show, Southwark
My Clegmania has subdued somewhat after two more debates which were basically reruns of the first, but I still hope for a Clegg victory, or a liberal-strong hung parliament, if only to shut those thieving mother fuckers at the Sun up. Who knows? Maybe politicians who talk sense will come to the fore and these fakes who expel hot air pretending there is some diference between themselves might be consigned to the past.
Anyway, really funny weekend.
Saturday we (the band) had to pull out of the trail blazing itinerant art show which is The Oubliette. We were booked to play the final night of their new exhibition but the noise Police had visited the night before with a stern warning. I cycled up to see if anything could be done about soundproofing, but as the floors were huge wooden beams which would turn into a soundbox with the least amplified encouragement and with so many windows onto the street it was a no go.
I hung around as it was obviously about to start raining, intending to let the sky get it out of its sytem and head back for more rehearsal. The threatening skies eventually delivered, and didn't stop delivering until two in the morning. I had a really great time stuck in a beautiful building with poets, performers and artists doing their stuff.
The whole night really inspired me and reminded me of a lot of stuff I had let drift. That art in empty buildings is invariably the best and most interesting in London, and that even conceptual artists who are driven to transform these places are always the least pretentious of the breed.
These photos are by Flavia Fraser-Cannon from the Oubliette website
Oubliette in the news
a much more comprehensive blog review here
Anyway, really funny weekend.
Saturday we (the band) had to pull out of the trail blazing itinerant art show which is The Oubliette. We were booked to play the final night of their new exhibition but the noise Police had visited the night before with a stern warning. I cycled up to see if anything could be done about soundproofing, but as the floors were huge wooden beams which would turn into a soundbox with the least amplified encouragement and with so many windows onto the street it was a no go.
I hung around as it was obviously about to start raining, intending to let the sky get it out of its sytem and head back for more rehearsal. The threatening skies eventually delivered, and didn't stop delivering until two in the morning. I had a really great time stuck in a beautiful building with poets, performers and artists doing their stuff.
The whole night really inspired me and reminded me of a lot of stuff I had let drift. That art in empty buildings is invariably the best and most interesting in London, and that even conceptual artists who are driven to transform these places are always the least pretentious of the breed.
These photos are by Flavia Fraser-Cannon from the Oubliette website
Oubliette in the news
a much more comprehensive blog review here
April 20, 2010
CLEGGMANIA
Odds currently 60 to 1
Read this before commiting
Can Nick Clegg win the election? (WSJ)
and an American with an Obama reference you might not have heard-
..The charismatic social democrat — who bears many remarkable similarities to candidate Barack Obama, including a connection to indicted Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko...
This may also help-
We haven't got a fucking clue admit pollsters
..."We made have given the impression, through years of attempting to give exactly that impression, that we knew what were saying in terms of knowing how people are going to vote."
"It now transpires that you might just as well divide a field up into squares and see which one's got the most daisies in it. Actually, that's not such a bad idea."...
UPDATE: I don't know where I got those odds, looking around today the best odds I could get were 10-1 on a Liberal majority.
...
Read this before commiting
Can Nick Clegg win the election? (WSJ)
and an American with an Obama reference you might not have heard-
..The charismatic social democrat — who bears many remarkable similarities to candidate Barack Obama, including a connection to indicted Chicago real estate developer Tony Rezko...
This may also help-
We haven't got a fucking clue admit pollsters
..."We made have given the impression, through years of attempting to give exactly that impression, that we knew what were saying in terms of knowing how people are going to vote."
"It now transpires that you might just as well divide a field up into squares and see which one's got the most daisies in it. Actually, that's not such a bad idea."...
UPDATE: I don't know where I got those odds, looking around today the best odds I could get were 10-1 on a Liberal majority.
...
April 19, 2010
The Southwark Mysteries
Went to see a live rehearsal of John Constables Southwark mysteries play at the Scoop on the Southbank on Saturday. I remember seeing a mysteries play on TV with Brian Glover playing God, it seems it is very important for mysteries plays to be made contemporary in some way and this one is a true post rave mysteries play.
I thought this was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. Being ex-christian the existential and spiritual drama really spoke to me as a thing of healing. Everyone was really well cast, especially Jesus and the Devil. Its a real shame the run at Southwark cathedral is sold out because heading down there afterwards with some of the cast it is obvious that it is going to be an epic, well done to all involved.
Southwark Mysteries blog here
Southwark Mysteries on Songs of Praise
..
I thought this was one of the most amazing plays I have ever seen. Being ex-christian the existential and spiritual drama really spoke to me as a thing of healing. Everyone was really well cast, especially Jesus and the Devil. Its a real shame the run at Southwark cathedral is sold out because heading down there afterwards with some of the cast it is obvious that it is going to be an epic, well done to all involved.
Southwark Mysteries blog here
Southwark Mysteries on Songs of Praise
..
April 16, 2010
First Election Debate 2010
On ITV.com for another 29 days
I didn't watch it live, as I had things I was still doing at 8.30. I had watched the Chancellors debate earlier, where it became obvious to me that Vince Cable was the only one who knew what he was talking about. He could speak and challenge off the cuff, whereas the other two were blatantly coming out with falteringly rehearsed statements praying they would make sense when they came to the end.
Everyone seems to be agreed, with Tory complaints about Cables central position only serving to add to his percieved economically sound stature. With Nick Clegg's manifesto launch the previous day it was becoming glaringly obvious that theirs was the only manifesto with clear and costed policy of any kind and he had a real chance of doing well.
I watched the debate at about 11.30 with two girls in their late twenties who were registered to vote but weren't that interested in politics, an Italian guy who hasn't been here long and is improving his English before embarking on an MA in film, and a rather drunk harpist who fell asleep at the beginning. The rest of us really enjoyed the programme.
Straight away Clegg came out on fire. Cameron from the word go looked like he was shitting himself, Brown was looking like Alistair Campbell had sent him out with "Whatever you do don't try and smile" ringing in his ears.
Where Brown and Cameron were pitching themselves with tabloid arguments against each other, Clegg continually came back with clear, straight and costed policy. He was the only one who looked at the others while they spoke, and looked at them like his was listening, rather than trying to think what to say next.
Where Brown and Cameron both tried to refer to lame statistics they had learnt, and would veer away from the questions altogether to try and score cheap political points against each other Clegg was coming out with simple policy- tax relief for low earners, higher tax on the rich and on the banks who should pay us back for their bailouts. Cameron and Brown seeing each other as the main rival made it easier and easier for Clegg, positioned to the left, outside their petty looking squabbles.
"The more they attack each other, the more they sound the same".
Brown appeared desperate to ally himself with Clegg, to make him "his boy", which Clegg was having none of. With his uncomfortable politicians mannerisms Brown made himself comparable to Nixon. This should have been Camerons moment to play JFK, but he totally fluffed it with his Posh boy "Doing things proply" speeches.
"Who is this guy? He looks like he is made of plastic!" said our Italian. The girls also hated him.
Both Brown and Cameron fell into the self made trap of falling over themselves to try and butter the questioners up. When it came to questions about the armed forces this became insulting. The audience had obviously been instructed not to react but you could see the anger as it grew in the questioners eyes and almost hear the angry shouts in a million living rooms.
Again Clegg only spoke about policy, and a policy which for him is quite an exciting gamble. Scrap Trident, spend the money on the armed forces. Cameron alone tried to counter, trying to interest a 21st century electorate in nuclear terror, with Brown staying shtum. Will this work or is Clegg right? Has the world moved on?
The summing up was curious. I expected Clegg to say "My manifesto has clear and costed polices, these guys hasn't, vote for me."
Instead he, and both of the other candidates had obviously been coached that this was their moment to appeal to those who had been watching the whole way through but hadn't understood a word. All three delivered stupefiyingly dummed down speeches.
Both of the girls were totally raving about Clegg. They thought he was brilliant and said they would vote for him. We all thought Alistair Stewart was crap. One of the girls kept angrily pointing out how he was favouring Cameron. We had a quick look at the polls on the net which not surprisingly reflected pretty much everything we thought.
What next? I was vaguely aware of who Nick Clegg was yesterday. Today he is blatantly shinning boy in the way Blair was in 97. I reckon if the other two start trying to attack him they could even propel him into office.
Liberal Democrats surge after Nick Clegg's TV debate performance
David Cameron weakest, says body language expert
Eddie Izzard: David Cameron is 'slagging off Britain'
British election a 'three-horse race' after debate
..
I didn't watch it live, as I had things I was still doing at 8.30. I had watched the Chancellors debate earlier, where it became obvious to me that Vince Cable was the only one who knew what he was talking about. He could speak and challenge off the cuff, whereas the other two were blatantly coming out with falteringly rehearsed statements praying they would make sense when they came to the end.
Everyone seems to be agreed, with Tory complaints about Cables central position only serving to add to his percieved economically sound stature. With Nick Clegg's manifesto launch the previous day it was becoming glaringly obvious that theirs was the only manifesto with clear and costed policy of any kind and he had a real chance of doing well.
I watched the debate at about 11.30 with two girls in their late twenties who were registered to vote but weren't that interested in politics, an Italian guy who hasn't been here long and is improving his English before embarking on an MA in film, and a rather drunk harpist who fell asleep at the beginning. The rest of us really enjoyed the programme.
Straight away Clegg came out on fire. Cameron from the word go looked like he was shitting himself, Brown was looking like Alistair Campbell had sent him out with "Whatever you do don't try and smile" ringing in his ears.
Where Brown and Cameron were pitching themselves with tabloid arguments against each other, Clegg continually came back with clear, straight and costed policy. He was the only one who looked at the others while they spoke, and looked at them like his was listening, rather than trying to think what to say next.
Where Brown and Cameron both tried to refer to lame statistics they had learnt, and would veer away from the questions altogether to try and score cheap political points against each other Clegg was coming out with simple policy- tax relief for low earners, higher tax on the rich and on the banks who should pay us back for their bailouts. Cameron and Brown seeing each other as the main rival made it easier and easier for Clegg, positioned to the left, outside their petty looking squabbles.
"The more they attack each other, the more they sound the same".
Brown appeared desperate to ally himself with Clegg, to make him "his boy", which Clegg was having none of. With his uncomfortable politicians mannerisms Brown made himself comparable to Nixon. This should have been Camerons moment to play JFK, but he totally fluffed it with his Posh boy "Doing things proply" speeches.
"Who is this guy? He looks like he is made of plastic!" said our Italian. The girls also hated him.
Both Brown and Cameron fell into the self made trap of falling over themselves to try and butter the questioners up. When it came to questions about the armed forces this became insulting. The audience had obviously been instructed not to react but you could see the anger as it grew in the questioners eyes and almost hear the angry shouts in a million living rooms.
Again Clegg only spoke about policy, and a policy which for him is quite an exciting gamble. Scrap Trident, spend the money on the armed forces. Cameron alone tried to counter, trying to interest a 21st century electorate in nuclear terror, with Brown staying shtum. Will this work or is Clegg right? Has the world moved on?
The summing up was curious. I expected Clegg to say "My manifesto has clear and costed polices, these guys hasn't, vote for me."
Instead he, and both of the other candidates had obviously been coached that this was their moment to appeal to those who had been watching the whole way through but hadn't understood a word. All three delivered stupefiyingly dummed down speeches.
Both of the girls were totally raving about Clegg. They thought he was brilliant and said they would vote for him. We all thought Alistair Stewart was crap. One of the girls kept angrily pointing out how he was favouring Cameron. We had a quick look at the polls on the net which not surprisingly reflected pretty much everything we thought.
What next? I was vaguely aware of who Nick Clegg was yesterday. Today he is blatantly shinning boy in the way Blair was in 97. I reckon if the other two start trying to attack him they could even propel him into office.
Liberal Democrats surge after Nick Clegg's TV debate performance
David Cameron weakest, says body language expert
Eddie Izzard: David Cameron is 'slagging off Britain'
British election a 'three-horse race' after debate
..
April 13, 2010
LEGAL HIGHS
...Scientists are taking a new look at hallucinogens, which became taboo among regulators after enthusiasts like Timothy Leary promoted them in the 1960s with the slogan “Turn on, tune in, drop out.” Now, using rigorous protocols and safeguards, scientists have won permission to study once again the drugs’ potential for treating mental problems and illuminating the nature of consciousness...
..
..
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