As I write this I am listening to the double CD given away with an issue of ‘The Wire’ magazine last year, Wire Tapper 9. There is a new compilation CD due out next week with the latest issue of the magazine, so I thought I would revisit the most recent one. There is such … Read more
I’m one of those people who looks optimistically forward to the arrival of the post each morning – enthusiastic about what it might bring. This morning I was rewarded with a late draft of a poetry booklet which Pete Presford is producing. It is called “The Fountain / La Fontana” and has an Italian theme … Read more
I’m still waiting for delivery of the book by Michael Ayres. In the meantime, I have received three books which I am easing my way into: 1. Barry MacSweeney – The Book of Demons (and Pearl) 2. Tom Raworth – The Vein 3. Wendy Mulford – The abc of writing The book by MacSweeney is … Read more
I read at least ten weblogs regularly, by a wide range of people who are musicians, poets and psychologists. Something is happening in the world at the moment. It seems I am not the only person to lose the plot over the last week or so – virtually all of the weblogs I visit have … Read more
Art therapy – a technical formalisation in language for something that I dabbled with at the start of my career. Back in the 1980s I worked within a team of artists of a wide range of disciplines. I was the poet who mucked about with photography and did the latter very badly (noble ideas without … Read more
The Bank Holiday Weekend has passed. It was an excellent one, crowded with activities. Amongst many other things, we spent yesterday exploring the Lleyn Peninsula in North West Wales. We even went swimming in the sea at Aberdaron. The weather was mixed, but lack of rain on a bank holiday was a miracle for the … Read more
Wobbling around in an ungainly manner on the “Trans-Pennine Express” from Leeds to Liverpool on the day before a Bank Holiday weekend. As a result of the timing of this, the train is heaving with people and I feel a little over-dressed in a suit, shirt and tie (I’m working today). I have to say … Read more
It’s an eternal problem – work is a state of mind. And sometimes you just can’t find that state of mind. Sometimes you can blame those around you, and be convinced that there is a conspiracy going on to stop you getting to the things that need to be done. But, sometimes the great distraction … Read more
I’ve been back from holiday for a week now, and things have been really hectic. I’m just finding time to rise out of the chaos and resume the weblog. The holiday – a week in Languedoc, South France followed by a week on the coast near Begur in Catalonia, Northern Spain. Then, to finish, a … Read more
This will be the last post for a couple of weeks, as I take a break and travel with the family for a couple of weeks. In the last week I have bought the new (well, fairly new!) album by Tom Waits called ‘Alice’. It’s one of two releases he brought out in May of … Read more