The Boxer^^

Look How They Shine For You.., originally uploaded by http://andrewskelton.net.

I received three CDs for Christmas, a return to my interesting in the musical arts, however the three albums have one thing in common, which I’ll come to in a minute. The albums (sorry, I’m old school*, and still refer to audio offerings in such archaic terms.. I remember when the gap with the zeitgeist first happened.. I was on a grassy knoll in Dallas.. 1963.. no, that wasn’t it.. it was in the Left Legged Pineapple**, Loughborough.. 1988 – I was discussing an album by Jim Thirwell**** and mentioned track two on side two of the album, to wit the guy who worked at the shop (who I had become good friends with having similar eclectic tastes in music) – “dunno, I only have it on CD”.. and so the gap widened) are by three very different artistes… Half Man Half Biscuit, Art Brut, Goldie Lookin Chain (someone old.. something new… something borrowed… and most of them blue!) but they all have one thing in common, they’re all very erudite and incredibly witty. It doesn’t happen very often but I actually did LOL^ (smiley face)

I went out with my camera today (despite still being in the clutches of the winter lurgee).. I should have warned you at the beginning of the last paragraph that you should be sitting down, Dear Reader, as some shocking news would occur in the second section (another alliteration.. hoo-harr) of today’s missive. It wasn’t even a local trip, I actually had to get in a car to get to my destination.. Kew Gardens. It’s been a couple of months since we were last there, but it did feel good to be back (I almost had a “Helloooo Wembley” moment), and despite the low light levels I managed to take a few quite nice photos (“well, there’s a first”, Ed).

I know I’ve been eulogizing about technology of late but it does have it’s creepier side. I’m currently ensconced in my home office, surrounded by computers, camera, phones and other electronic gadgets and something has beeped at me. It’s quite unnerved me as I have no idea what has beeped – I’ve checked my mobile, my wireless headset, my server, my workstation, my laptop, my tablet, my camera, my mp3 player… none of them are showing any errors, that’s the unnerving thing. Perhaps it’s my cut glass wine goblet – it’s empty – there may be some natural resonance that occurs when it it devoid of alcohol (esp at christmas) – though I would hope that would sound more like a klaxon that the beep I’ve just heard.

* Proper “Old School”, the type of old school where we were taught to spell.. rather than this modern rubbish “Old Skool”. Illiterate individuals (and an alliteration as if to prove the fact)!
** Many a university grant was squandered in this awesome Independent record store.. not mine mind you, I only bought text books, water to imbibe etc such was the sobriety of my University education***
*** Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha , YEAH RIGHT!
**** Jim Thirwell, Clint Ruin, Frank Want – he’s better know for the various musical projects all under the moniker “Foetus”, most of which were distasteful – however the music itself was sublime, nihilistic, dark, evocative – I still love the Nail album – and I’m not even going to mention the iconic album covers. (to this day I have all the albums he put out on vinyl and will cherish them as I would any work of art).
^ LOL – laughed out loud, as opposed to LMAO – laughing my ass off, or roflmao – rolling on floor laughing my ass off. Doctor Johnson will be rolling in his grave (or RIHG).
^^ Simon and Garfunkel – “the boxer” …. boxing day.. well, that’s all you’re getting at this festive time of year.. anyway, all these brackets and cross references have left me spent!

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