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
To Hastings Art Gallery and Museum on 12 October to attend a stimulating and uplifting event by Stephen Ellcock in conversation with Zoe Gilbert about his latest book Underworlds I noticed in the room next door a display about Hastings resident Aleister Crowley, including a copy of Netherwood (first edition). I asked one of the gallery assistants about it as I'd never seen it on previous visits and they told me they bring it out for Halloween!
Photographs above taken by me that night.
The talk by Max Decharne on the cultural history of Chelsea's King's Road has been rescheduled for Friday 17th November. I shall be the host at Westminster Music Library, off Leicester Square.
It's FREE but best to reserve a ticket through Eventbrite here
An event and a radio show in the next month or so.
I shall be hosting a FREE talk by the wonderful Max Decharne on the evening of 8 September at Westminster Reference Library. He has recently revised and added to his book on the history and culture of the King's Road, which will be the subject of the event.
See here. SORRY BUT THIS EVENT HAS HAD TO BE POSTPONED DUE TO INDUSTRIAL ACTION. MORE DETAILS SOON.
Probably best to book in advance through Eventbrite.
Also a recent interview I did for a radio documentary, together with the always-entertaining David McGillivray hosted by Radio 4's reporter, writer and Any Answers presenter Anita Anand about the 'queering' of the magazine Films and Filming. Fascinating stuff.
It's for a radio series called History on the Edge produced by Sara Parker on Radio 4. The first programme was on this morning (Monday 24 July) at 11.00am. I think the Films and Filming episode will probably be the third on 7 August, although it hasn't yet been listed on the website. See here.
I just wanted to mention the passing this year of a couple of people I met when I spent more time in London hanging out with writers and publishers in pubs (those days are long gone now it seems). I was very sad to read of their deaths.
Christopher Fowler was a successful novelist (detectives Bryant & May were his most famous creation) and short story writer who kindly wrote the preface to the second edition of my Subterranean City and reviewed Decadent London favourably in the Independent on Sunday. He was always supportive and a really lovely man who will be much missed. He was especially brave writing about his terminal cancer on his blog, where he was always interacting with his readers. See here and here.
Alastair Brotchie I met on a few occasions and spoke to on the phone when he had a query about a location in 1890s London. The founder of Atlas Press, he was an indefatigable writer and publisher, expert on pataphysics and Surrealism and biographer of Alfred Jarry. One of those rare people who make things happen. Obituary here by Peter Blegvad.
The talk at the Horse Hospital went well I thought and I hope to organise one or two more events before the end of the year.
I have been devoting so much of my free time to writing my next book that blogging and other activities have had to take a back seat.
The Yes gig in a previous post never happened, so I probably won't bother again in future. Some interesting concerts in the space of one week recently:
Hatfield and the Health Wednesday 5 July The Piper St Leonards. A group of great musicians playing a selection of the Canterbury Scene repertoire by Hatfield and the North, Caravan, National Health and Matching Mole. While reading the transcriptions there was room for improvisation and it was lovely to hear Tenemos Roads, Oh Caroline, Nine Feet Underground, Binoculars, Share It and others. More here.
On Saturday 8 July I caught the second half of the Seaview Festival outside the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill. Fortunately the rain held off and I really enjoyed this well-organised event. Local supergroup Aircooled's mix of krautrock and disco is a surefire hit and I hope they do well. I knew nothing about BC Camplight but was very impressed by the unusual structure of the songs and the fact that he was playing for the first time with a very young band who performed brilliantly. Topping off the evening Warmduscher were very entertaining, echoes of The Fall and The Birthday Party at times, relentless for over an hour. You can find other reviews here and here.
Sunday 9 July Off to London to the Hammersmith Apollo to see Daryl Hall, only because his special guest was Todd Rundgren. I arrived at 7.30 and Todd had already started, so I missed 'Real Man.' It was very much a crowd-pleasing set - not something he always does - heavy on the blue-eyed Philly soul side of his oeuvre - understandable in the circumstances. Three out of thirteen songs were covers, set list here. I hung around for Daryl Hall although I've never really been a fan of Hall & Oates. I'm old enough to respect his music these days - I didn't realise he had written Every Time You Go Away. I thought his voice was reedier and not as strong as Rundgren's which still sounds remarkable for a man in his seventies.
Tonight I hope to get to Anthony Moore (from Slapp Happy and Henry Cow amongst others) playing at The Beacon in Hastings. See here.
In the meantime I should advertise two events:
Mr Stoker and the Vampires of the Lyceum A talk by Gothic scholar Matthew Gibson about his new novel. At Westminster Reference Library 9 June 6pm. See here.
My first in-person talk for a very long time in which I'll be talking about London folklore.
Salon for the City Pagan London at the Horse Hospital 29 June 7pm. See here
Happy New Year.
My year got off to a good start yesterday when I noticed on Facebook a blog review of favourite books of the year that included my own Decadent London. My sincere thanks to the blogger - these things make you feel that you're not wasting your time. You can find it here.
Work on my next book continues slowly but surely. I would like to be more productive as a publisher this year but we'll have to wait and see. I have to admire the workload of this publisher.
Reading some academic articles online I became interested in the work of the religious studies scholar Carole Cusack, who has written about invented religions. I listened to a couple of podcasts she's been involved with:
The Religious Studies Project here. Also an interesting discussion on Gurdjieff.
Invented Religions here.
Also an article on occultural bricolage and popular culture here.
Jeremy Harte is an excellent speaker and has written about many aspects of folklore. His latest book on devilish folklore will be on my reading list this year. Guardian review here. Magonia review here.
Three gigs for this year:
April 2 Steve Hillage Band Brighton Concorde 2
April 4 Matt Ridley Hastings Jazz Club
June 20 Yes Hammersmith Apollo Definitely my last time seeing the much-depleted Yes, but have to go as they are playing my favourite of their albums: Relayer.
