The Prodigal Songs – George Michael – I Want Your Sex (CD Single)

The Prodigal Songs

‘The Prodigal Songs’ is a work-in-progress. I have a big record collection. It used to be bigger, but I sold and traded a lot of it because I used to be a bit stupid like that. Slowly, i’m getting the collection back. The Prodigal Songs story is a life through music, with my usual house style of tangents and going-on.

A boy of 7 in the 1987 knew who George Michael was. 1984’s number one hit ‘Freedom’ was one of the main tracks on the Hits 1 compilation that I had on double vinyl (see earlier) – which also had ‘Careless Whisper’ on side 3 or 4. They followed that with ‘Last Christmas’- one of the Christmas songs. If you disagree with that, sorry, but you’re totally wrong. And who could sneer at James Dean Bradfield’s transcendental cover of the song on TFI Friday in 1996? Wham! The Final was the first CD album to be owned in Beaks Hill Road. The shiny gloss of the new system, the smell of fresh plastic. The new technology. It suited me at the time.

Walking and Art – Part 1

This is an examination of my notes from Hannah Hull’s ‘Walking and Art’ that featured as part of the excellent ‘Still Walking’ festival which happened in Birmingham last March. ‘Walking and Art’ took place at The Anchor in Digbeth, and I must say, it was damn good. However because my memory of that evening is rather sketchy, I will let the hyperlinks do the talking, divert at some tangents, and make art out of the words. And first, of course, the necessary rambling pre-amble.

Over the next few weeks / Extract from ‘The Wind’…

It’s been a busy last few weeks at home and is set to get much busier. But i’m back in the swing of things. Over the next few weeks i’ll be writing up my thoughts on Hannah Hull’s Walking and Art talk at the Anchor, a story based around Matt and Pete’s Photo Walk  which were both left-over work from the end of March, but which I had to put on the back burner. My back-log has expanded! My MA Final Project is nearly complete, just a few days need to be spent on the commentary and areas for further research. The Malthouse Engineering project is going excellently and that’s going to take off in May. And further – imminent work with Friction Arts and a very exciting publishing project that’s going to raise the game of enhanced texts in the West Midlands.And also, the beautiful Edible Eastside, the allotments on Fazeley Street, where i’ve rented a patch and will be growing a ratatouille. The flat in Town is now home to seeds ready for planting in May. Ideas sown etc…And then there is also the matter of my brand new niece, Lara Jasmine. For the while, have a look at this…an extract from The Wind that is being edited to be included in my Final Project. Here, the snow has come, and a slight thaw is spreading. This indicates that the city is becoming alive, and now, it is literally, not metaphorically alive…

Out-of-bounds

This is a modified extract from chapter 4 of ‘The Wind’ called ‘New Light Through Old Windows.’ In this chapter, the narrator goes on a walk into Digbeth via Wrentham Street and Highgate. He passes several establishments on his way that to him are ‘out-of-bounds’ – be it pubs that he hasn’t gone into yet for reasons stated below, or businesses that used to thrive, but are now closed to the public.

In this chapter, I attempt to give derelict buildings character and life, without descending into the world of pathetic fallacy. Even though Silver Wok and the old Blotto’s are shut to the public, the memories attached to them give them a vibrant glowing life without having to resort to an early overdose of pathetic fallacy.

I Can See For Miles – A Serendipitous Moment

Getting back from BCU at Perry Barr on the train. A productive meeting. I was in a good mood, however I had a gig at my brother-in-laws that evening, so I couldn’t duck into a pub for a celebratory drink as I’d have to go out as soon as I was back at the flat. I had my iPod, and I felt like listening to something to make me pound the streets. Only one thing for it. The ‘Who’s Better Who’s Best’ compilation.

Lizzy Piffany Film Screening This Thursday at Cafe Ort

After the hectic weekend at the excellent Flatpack festival, i’ll be hermiting away working on an extended version of ‘New Light For Old Windows’ - which will eventually turn up as Chapter 4 of my ‘The Wind’ project. However, I shall emerge on and get to Cafe Ort on Thursday evening in Balsall Heath for this night hosted by me old mucker Lizzy Piffany, a screening of the first three films in her Moseley Folk Films series, which will also be revealing some excellent trailers for her forthcoming projects. The evening starts at 8 and is free to get in. Click the link for some more info!

http://lizzypiffany.wordpress.com/2012/02/13/moseley-folkfilms-at-ort-cafe/

And then it all starts again for me, as I am lucky enough to be going to Birmingham Opera Company’s ‘Life Is A Dream’ – please see this excellent preview from the Created in Birmingham site, and then up to Liverpool for my birthday present – a second re-imagining of that city – keep checking back for more updates!

 

Outer Sight: The Village on the Mountain – Part 2

The reception area was manned by a group of people dressed in peasant clothing. The floor space was split into three parts, in front of me, a bar area, where the people had ordered foodstuffs obviously from the local wholesalers, and also cakes made by local bakers. In the middle of the room was a makeshift campfire was flickering away in the middle of the floor space, with sofas, beanbags and easy chairs all around, enough to seat around 20 people.