i thought i'd put a few photos up from my sunday wander (see previous entry). not particularly exciting but what the hell:P
if you have my album you might recognise this place. i really hope they can restore it. it would be so amazing to have gigs here during summer weekends...
keen-eyed viewers will be able to spot ian the squirrel in this photo. ian starred in a video that was made in kelvingrove park for 'the sore feet song'. he also agrees that this bandstand should be used for live music.
a poignant message - given the timing of the withdrawal of troops from basra in southern iraq - alongside a big bag of monster munch (pickled onion).
indian restaurant owners near the park give the pigeons a weekend treat of saffron rice. the pigeons don't touch it though preferring to use the area as a landing strip at night.
hi, how are you? i was out of the country for about ten days then i was out of my mind for another few. i'm okay now though. i've been waking up very early recently coz i've been jetlagged and going to bed very early by my standards. but i'm enjoying it. i'm seeing the sun rise as i sip my morning tea. that's pretty nice. it was especially nice this morning with the clear sky, frost and the silent sunday streets.
i decided i'd venture out of my flat for the first time in a few days and i headed out to the park with my camera and minidisc player shortly after getting up. my mp3 player is needing some serious surgery. i really would love an ipod nano but alas it's not to be just now. so, i was walking listening to some wilco, then francois hardy (lovely sunday morning strolling music) then i put on a minidisc of some of my own latest musical creations to remember what i'd been doing before i went away. walking and listening to a new song often is a good way of seeing if it's any good and seeing what lyric ideas emerge if there's none already. i was expecting to only be listening to the development of the most recent track i've written (working title 'lay me down') but i discovered a song i'd written last month that i'd totally forgotten about. as i was walking around i began to form an idea of what the song should be about (i might have said before but i seem to just be writing music recently, rather than lyrics too) and i felt happy. i went to a coffee shop and scribbled down some more observations before coming back and playing it on the guitar. i feel prety pleased coz usually on a sunday morning i'd be sleeping off some full-on night out and i'd not surface until noon. so i feel quite contented.
i've been watching a lot of movies lately; i think my favourite was breakfast at tiffany's but i also really enjoyed little voice, jazz on a summer's day, the led zep movie, happiness, borat, the queen, manhattan (i hadn't seen it in a good few years and i got a lot out of this repeat viewing, likewise with sideways, probably my favourite ever film), harvey milk, and smoke. i just need to always keep my mind occupied for my own health and wellbeing. i'm slowly beginning to realise this. i need to take more care and try not to put myself through a lot of emotional stress. i've just not got the constitution for it. but then who does i guess.
the gig in london is on saturday. i'll be playing with my friend paul for this one so that should be fun. we're both looking forward to going down, though the drive there and back should be tough going coz it's about 7 hours i believe. the longest i've ever gone in a car in one journey was about 4 hours i'm sure and that would have been to northern scotland. certainly not 7 hours. so i hope it'll be a busy and successful night.
i've been working on an animation for the forthcoming new single with my friend jamie. it's really good to be able to do these kind of projects. although the sore feet song video was basically just an unscripted walk in the park (i removed it from my site coz i thought it wasn't very interesting but someone put it on youtube and people seem to like it so maybe i should put it back on my own page) it was fun to do, likewise the introductory video about me (which is on my site). i love the freedom to be able to do these. such liberation, such control. so, i hope this animation will come together and someone might want to have a look at it. i'll keep you posted:)
has anyone got tony bennett's email address? or his "people's", that would do i *suppose*. i have a song i'd give anything for him or sinatra to sing:P obviously sinatra's out the question but tony's still chugging along. in 'frasier' martin submitted a song ("groovy lady") to frank's people so do you think i can get this to mr b? a boy can dream.....
