If the Bad or Good Times are comin'...let 'em come!

I sit and type this fully intending to listen to Horror Punk and Psychobilly for Halloween (like Lord Byron used to do), and I might get to that later, but for now I’m listening to Chris T-T’s album of his show Disobedience, a collection of acoustic/folk songs based on the poems of A.A. Milne.  It’s a lovely set of poems, perfect for anyone of all ages, heart-warming, guaranteed to put a smile on your face, and only slightly left-wing J

Listen and/or buy here: http://christt.bandcamp.com/

I supported the living legend that is John Cooper Clarke on Saturday night at the Duchess.  I always prefer it when JCC does more poems that his anecdotes, they sort of trail off into nowhere, and I’ve heard his jokes many times before whereas I can listen to his poems over and over again.  I think it’s an example of a tight show, even though it’s £15 a ticket, I reckon I’d rather seen 60 mins of quick-fire Clarke than the blurry 90 mins.  I think I did a decent enough set, people were engaged, new faces watched me intently, and although I had to break out the shoutier stuff to grab the babbling audience’s attention for my last 2 poems, I think it went quite well.  Nice to have a dressing room, eee that’s the big time.

Last night I went to see Scroobius Pip supported by B.Dolan last night.  It makes me think about my relationship with rap and hip-hop, a genre I came to because other bands I liked were influenced by this sort of music, it never clicked with me when Eminem etc. was all cool When We Were Teenagers.  So I really like their style of rap, intelligent, hints of the political and very theatrical, definitely showmen (B.Dolan wore a noose round his neck, Pip chatting in-between songs).  Same with The Ruby Kid, Sage Francis and MC Lars.  However I’m glad Pip commented how people in this country look like cat trying to reach something when doing the sort of hands up hand movement thing when the beat drops.  I’m no rapper, but as Pip and B.Dolan show there’s a blurred line between spoken word/poetry and rap music, but we all share energy, passion and great live shows whether acapella or with beats backing us up.  And Pip’s collection of poems with illustrations is brilliant, what I imagine Sbapping Turtle Press (the DIY poetryzine me and Lizzie do) will evolve into (http://www.facebook.com/SnappingTurtlePress)

In other news:  2012 is looking busy busy busy already!  Here’s a list of upcoming gigs/events:

5^th November PIE RACE FESTIVAL 3 comparing the Bar Room Hero acoustic stage:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=225997504089847

16 November GILLGATE OPEN MIC another outing with Can’t Sing, Can’t Dance, Don’t Care comedy collective.  Dunno what I’ll do for it yet…but I’ll do it!

27^th November LITTLE FESTIVAL OF EVERYTHING I’ll be performing Letter To The Man (from the boy), my one-man show at this fantastic festival up in Coxwold at the Fauconberg Arms:  http://www.fauconbergarms.com/blog/a-little-overview-of-the-little-festival-of-everything

1^st December FRANZ NICOLAY + CHRIS T-T I’m putting on a gig (so you can be sure I’ll be doing the odd poem) at City Screen Basement.  More info here, both amazing musicians:  http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=294161147279011

1+2^nd February 2011:  LETTER TO THE MAN (FROM THE BOY) comes to Leeds.  My spoken word show, I do some poems, the audience do some scribbling, we all reminisce about growing up, becoming adults but never forgetting what we once loved.  Plus it’ll be free!  Two shows, one on the 1^st, one on the 2^nd, but limited capacity, so watch out for more info

8^th February 2011:  LETTER TO THE MAN (FROM THE BOY) comes to York, this time in City Screen Basement Bar.  Haven’t decided price yet, but will get some support acts to make it people’s threepenny.

So thanks for checking out the blog. Have a good Halloween (a pagan ritual where we dress up as Frankenstein).

Henry