Room One. Oh, one?

So amidst a flurry of celebration of a good week, I was surrounded by a few groups, one of which consisted of late-sixty-odd year olds (in their twenties in the sixties). The types of people that after a drink they start acting like an ugly Carry On film. I listened to them talk about a lot of things, here’s a few quotes: 

 

Key
Me.

Them.

“Everybody was always on about music when I was your age, but pop music has never been my thing, I’m more into my classical, always ‘ave been.”-“Oh right, interesting. What composers or era?”-“Well... All of them! Least they don’t sound so similar.”

“Who is this? This new stuff is just terrible!”-“It’s Neil Young?”

“I would have a dog, but, why would I spend my pension on that? I’ve already got six-million pets on the dole tapping my pocket! That’s all pets are; expenditure.”

Nothing quite like the swinging-ladies of the nineteen-sixties.

When I did ask about their generation, they shied away from the questions and just began talking about their parents’ war generation, which is fine, but it’s not relevant to them. Like me complaining about the aids and haircuts of the eighties. I understand it’s a sense of respect and grandeur, but they had no interest in my rhetorical questions or the future, and just seemed so pissed off at everything (teen-angst).

To top off the first meeting with this bunch, they invited me to a private St. Patrick’s doo they’re having, I was honoured but taken-a-back by the false Irish accent the woman had just put on. “You have Irish in you?”-“Green-blooded and proud.”

Proud.

Ok, I’ve got some Irish in me, but fucking hell! They shy away from their generation who had it all, and choose not to be proud of a skill or something they’ve earned but instead reserve some pride for something they haven’t achieved, a genetic coincidence. I’ve never understood national pride.

Room 101ers: St. Patrick’s Day, “Charmless fat men” I.e. Chris Moyles (John coined the figure of speech), blokes who are snobby about ales, Douglas Murray (goes on ‘Question Time’ a lot as the hard Conservative but makes obvious and middle-of-the-road arguments), Spurs fans, Jon Champion and Chris Waddle (as a football commentary double), double-barrelled names, people who trash-talk with dead eyes and a fake smile and Lee Evans.

Man, 49, Coined the phrase "Charmless fat man".

"Dear Duncan, the protagonist is me, cunt."

Who hasn’t seen our new video? Great. It’s of our Saltway track 'Johnny Edson' and you can find it here: http://vimeo.com/groups/75362/videos/20485242

Joe just... chillin'... in the video 

I received this email from a magazine editor.


Sent:28 February 2011 23:02:37
Dear Oobah,
Thank you for submitting your story "A Quiet No.". While we won't be publishing this one of your pieces, we appreciated the opportunity to read your work again! I took a shine to many of the characters involved in the plot, but struggled to empathize with your protagonist, who at times has convoluted motivations which may have made him a little too unlikeable for what is trying to be achieved. I would like to request that you give our March brief a shot, as I’ve been a fan of past material and it looks like your stuff is back on the up!
Regards,
Duncan,
Editor

Press Reference#: 312358

My retort...

Sent:01 March 2011 14:26:11
Dear Duncan,
Funnily enough, that's me in the story, cunt.

Oobah x.

I didn't really reply with the last bit...

So I'm going to recommend something that's been out for a while; Sufjan Stevens' Age of Adz album.  Age Of Adz requires a joint amount of effort from you and itself. You've got to be in the right state of mind for it to 'get' you. I personally gave it about fourteen listens in the first couple of days, which is a lot of time; yet I knew that it was something I'd really appreciate, and it's very rewarding. Review.

If you're a fan of his other material, whistle, but this is completely different. Musically, it has links with Year of the Rabbit. His songwriting is usually so impersonal, with subject matters of historical stories, figures or Jesus. But this is really honest, secluded writing about himself and it's really heartbreaking. He spends time here admitting his faults as a human being, talking about his apparent love lost, death and illnesses. It's all very dark, vulnerable, rotten and intimate. Yet this album is emotionally very three-dimensional (he's really pissed off in places too). Anyway, he talks a lot about his creative doubts and despicable traits on this record but I don't think Sufjan has to worry, it's a great album with a fantastic rhythm to it. My only criticism of his second best effort 'Illinois' is probably the feel of it's track listing, the form on Age Of Adz is all unbelievable (despite that most of it [other than 'Too much', 'Vesuvius' & 'Get Real Get Right'] passed me by on the first listen).

Anyway, give it a/(14) listen(s).

I just bought a ticket to Sufjan's Manchester Apollo show too.