What's Coming Up

 Recently I was interviewed for a 4-part documentary on Aleister Crowley to be broadcast on German radio next year. More details about how to listen to it when I get them. I took the interviewer up to the site of Netherwood for added 'atmosphere' - it was suitably grey and overcast. Gary Lachman is also one of the  interviewees. 

My latest book will, I hope go to the printers in August to be published in September when there will be a series of promotional events in London and Hastings - and elsewhere if anyone wants me. I don't get as many requests to do talks as I used to, although I don't mind as I have less energy these days.

The book has taken more than 3 years and now runs to over 600 pages, which makes it the longest I've written. It's got quite a few illustrations and I suppose fits in with the Fu Manchu book I did with Strange Attractor a few years ago rather than my historical works. Aleister Crowley gets a chapter to himself as a bit of a digression from the main theme which is about popular culture. I've watched a huge number of films for this project which was mostly fun.

Last shout out for Darren Coffield's Queens of Bohemia event at Westminster Arts Library on 12 July.

Reserve a FREE place here. I'll be hosting.

John Richardson

I've just learned of the death of John Richardson in May. Not to be confused with the biographer of Picasso, he was the founder of Historical Publications who published so many interesting books on parts of London and aspects of the capital's history. 

Four of these books: Subterranean City, London's Coffeehouses Folklore of London and Decadent London (first edition) were by me. I will be eternally grateful to John for getting in touch after reading an article (the first!) I wrote and having the confidence to ask me to write Subterranean City. I had never written a book before and this one took a lot of research. The book did extremely well (John printed a revised and expanded edition in 2010) and I was pretty much allowed to choose the subjects of my next couple of books. I was also impressed by the amount of freedom given regarding illustrations and cover etc. 

John was a lovely man who was fascinated by local history, particularly of Camden - he wrote a number of books himself and supported many local projects and enterprises. He wound up HP a few years ago and retired to Whitstable, where I visited him a couple of times. On one occasion he gave me the rights to all my work to publish myself and I duly republished Decadent London in a larger revised and updated paperback edition under my imprint Accumulator Books (which I may reprint this year).  My thoughts go out to his wife Helen and his children.

Queens of Bohemia with Darren Coffield FREE TALK

Roll up for a FREE talk on Friday 12 July at Westminster Arts Library by Darren Coffield who wrote a great book about London's legendary Colony Room. His latest book is Queens of Bohemia chronicling the women who took Soho and Fitzrovia by storm in the previous century including Isabel Rawsthorne, Betty May, Sonia Orwell and Nina Hamnett who has featured on this blog.

Book for this fascinating talk on Eventbrite here. 

New Book News

I'm excited at the moment because my next book has now entered the typesetting and design stage, which is usually my favourite part of the writing and publishing process.  I'm using a new Hastings-based typesetter and designer and ideas are being batted around as I type. It's not quite finished as there are a couple of people to interview and a research item that's proving surprisingly difficult to track down. I find that once typesetting commences it's a spur to completion. The finished book will be published by Accumulator Press and I hope will be available through the previously used online channels (eBay, Big Cartel etc) and a number of independent bookshops. It will be a signed limited edition paperback with French flaps, probably with postcards and extras - maybe a print - retailing at somewhere around £20 to £25. There will also be some promotional talks and events in the next six months. Watch this space . . .  

THERE ARE STILL PLACES FOR THE DAVID MCGILLIVRAY TALK ON 22 MARCH HERE

Fat Tuesday

 

Hastings Fat Tuesday has come around once more - an opportunity to roam around Hastings Old Town pubs watching bands and musicians playing 20 minute sets for free, including some rising local stars such as Borough Council and Office for Personal Development. I'm also hoping to check out The Veltmans, Black Limes, and Creature Creature. Apparently quite a few people are travelling some distance especially for this increasingly popular festival. See here.

David McGillivray Talk in London

 

Another event for the diary. If you are in London on the evening of Friday 22 March why not visit Westminster Music Library where David McGillivray will be talking about his varied life in the British film and entertainment industry as a performer, writer and critic. Probably not suitable for children. 

It's FREE and starts at 6.15

I shall be doing the introduction and Q&A.

Now I must finally get round to watching House of Whipcord.

BOOK THROUGH EVENTBRITE HERE 

Films and Filming on Radio 4

 

A reminder that the episode of the Radio 4 documentary series History on the Edge with Anita Anand about Films and Filming was repeated this week and is available on BBC Sounds for a while. I put in a brief appearance showing Anita and David McGillivray old copies of the magazine. 

Teddy Boys

If you're in Hastings on Thursday 15th February musician and writer Max Decharne will be talking about his latest book on Teddy Boys at Hastings Bookshop. I shall be 'in conversation' asking some pertinent  questions (especially as I know very little about Teddy Boy culture) at this FREE event. 

January 2024

 

Happy New Year!

This year I'm hoping to bring out the book I've been working on since the COVID lockdown and a period of illness. I am aiming at publishing it at some point in the late spring/early summer if possible.

In the meantime I really must post more often. To counteract the post-Christmas torpidity, some things that have caught my attention recently:

It's a pity I missed out on buying this 'cursed' painting that was on sale in a charity shop in St Leonards and has since been bringing 'bad luck' to its owners. Now on display at the London Bridge Experience. I wrote a blog entry about a couple of other 'cursed' works here. 

Some recent reading has included John Szwed's fascinating biography of collector, film maker, occultist and eccentric Harry Smith Cosmic Scholar. Responsible for compiling the hugely influential Anthology of American Folk Music, Smith's animated films are well worth viewing on You Tube - an obvious influence on Terry Gilliam. There's one here. 

Also Alex Ross The Rest is Noise, a book about 20th century Western music I've been meaning to read for years. It's a big book on a thorny topic, but I'm gradually making my way through, listening to the music described online while reading. I'm having to write about 20th century music in the new book, so, as a non-musicologist, I'm looking for ways of approaching the subject.

I seem to be increasingly divorced from contemporary culture, so I won't be giving a list of my favourite music or films of 2023 as I've barely seen or heard any. There's so much stuff from the past to catch up with! I'll just say that I've enjoyed finally getting the chance to view the early films of Jean Rollin which have been released on Blu-ray over the last few months. I like the oneiric Surrealistic qualities of his vampiric visions. 

November and December

 

I must post here more often. 

I am really hoping to finish the writing of my new book before Christmas to be out by the spring. 

Upcoming Events

Friday 17 November King's Road talk by Max Decharne see here. FREE

Thursday 9 November Stereolab Black Box Hastings

Saturday 2 December The Blue Orchids The Piper St Leonards on Sea here