So,
I had an interesting weekend. After a fairly adventurous Friday night out in the West End and Leicester Square, I checked out the Chris Ofili exhibit at the Tate. Amazing stuff. Some commentators are still banging on about his status as a "Brit Artist", and condemning his work a sensationalist purely because it uses unconventional materials such as Elephant dung. I really can't see where they're coming from. His works are intricate pieces of great sophistication and aesthethic richness. There is a wonderful balance (and so I figure also a reflection of culture around us) in this current exhibition...in that they are moving and beautiful pieces of art but they are also commerically HOT stuff. I can see people buying these and proudly displaying them in their homes or office blocks (only the very rich though), you couldn't say that about some of the more confrontational examples of Alison Lapper's work. I also saw the Eurofighter, Spitfire and Hurricane fly-past over the Thames. Those Merlin engines still make a glorious and unmistakeable sound.
Then on Sunday, finding myself short on funds I caught the tube down to the Thames where a rather colourful parade was kicking off. Unknown to most, was that Status Quo (oh, yes...The Quo) were about to play on a boat there to celebrate ITV's 50th anniversary (which has been boring me to tears with the self-congratulatory programming of recent weeks) and their own 40th anniversary. One of my friends was cheerleading for them too.
So, there was myself and a few friends and a handful of others watching the Quo MIME along to Rocking all over the world, My Sweet Caroline...and there latest single "The Part Ain't Over...Yet". Ha ! They didn't even play live, so maybe it was over a long time ago. I was pretty disappointed about it. They have a certain cult kudos these days. What was funny, was the mouthy young lad watching with his Mum who was shouting heckling the Quo.
"Turn it up! You're Rubbish! Boo!" Etc, etc.
His Mum turned and scolded him,
"You can't talk to them like that! Shut up!"
So, I lent over and said,
"Look. You can't criticise the Quo...they're the Queen Mother rock n roll!"
And Mother Brown, and her son all got their knees up...and had a good laugh.
I started writing what will become a truly great song on Friday. Every now and then, I find some chords falling beneth my fingers and I move. I had a moment like that on Friday...chorus, bridge, verse...they just dropped out in this wonderful melody. And straightaway I could hear the parts for the rest of the band.
Its a very contemporary sounding track. In fact, it's just the kind of stuff that I try to avoid listening too...but there is no denying strength of what has just poured out of me. I don't like contemporary...I like timeless. I want every song that I write to become a classic, or at least to have the chance. I think that rock music can do that particularly well because it is music which is about issues that transcend generations and eras. I love the Stones, The Who, The Beatles, Pink Floyd, etc, etc, but I love Radiohead and Mansun too. I even like Daft Punk and Air. But when people tell me that some of my tastes are old, I remind them that I also like Purcell, Bach, Mozart, Robert Johnson, even Gregorian chants. Its all just music...its all just notes that dial their way into our brains, hearts and souls. Wouldn't it be wonderful to think that all the music ever made was just some-kind of software that integrated within us to make us more human?
I think so. I suppose that this touches upon a story that I once wrote about a world of music, where even the buildings are constructed and sustained by the relationship and interactions and generation of vibration and energy (I am becoming convoluted here and so will stop). I will instead put it very simply in a personal perspective:
I remember being on stage. I remember the flesh being cut from my fingers as the guitar strings caught them. I can recall flying through the air. I remember her face as I battered the final note. I touched the face of God.
I wonder what I will do with my new song. I'm itching to play live at the moment, but I'm going job hunting mad. Once I have that sorted then I will be able to make music again, the way that I want to. I feel so frustrated at the moment that I can't even watch a band on television let alone in a bar.
Speak soon.
Peace and Love.
Tom