1/25/2005 06:53:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|Jonathan Carroll has started a blog... "My brother - I put this into one of the books - my brother's a Sufi, he's very devout. He's spent most of his life trying to find the way. He's a very peaceful, quiet guy. And one day, we were in a car and I turned to him and I said, don't get pissed off. And he said, okay. And I said, what about Auschwitz? So we're in the car, I'm driving. And he turns to me and he says, look, fuckhead, there's a light, you know where it is, try and walk in it. That's it. All the rest of it is intellectual bullshit. But we don't try to walk in it, we get deflected - because there's an ice cream over here, or some nice breasts, or a lot of money." I am blogging to: Fugazi|W|P|110660369327850893|W|P|Walking right|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/26/2005 02:53:00 AM|W|P| dan|W|P|you're not wrong1/25/2005 04:08:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|Ah, I never started that Jonathan Strange book. I realised that I was never going to finish an 800 page novel before I went on holiday and I didn't want to lug an enormous hardback halfway around the world, so I picked up Jonathan Lethem's latest collection Men & Cartoons instead. It's covering the a lot of the same territory as his brilliant The Fortress Of Solitude novel, but without the depth and sprawl of that book. The stories are mostly about superheroes, academics and at least one sheep inspired by Sylvia Plath. It's funny, I remember Lethem writing stories for Asimov's about fifteen years ago, and now he's a literary bigshot. One of us made good. I am blogging to: Masters Of Reality (sampled on the new Lemon Jelly album. Don't bother with that - go straight to the source |W|P|110659443198308128|W|P|Then when the circle spoke|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/20/2005 05:23:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|Darth Vader in Mr Potato Head form; That Joolz book? Not sure about the ending....still worthwhile though. I am now going to start Jonathan Strange..., almost the last of my enormous pile of Xmas books, and one of the most eagerly awaited. I'll let you know. |W|P|110616640541518179|W|P||W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/17/2005 07:24:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|I started reading Billie Morgan, the new novel by Joolz Denby earlier. About a hundred pages in so far and enjoying it very much. One thing I get from her work that I don't from any other is this very strong sense of authorial voice coming through. I don't mean a fondness for a particular style or turn of phrase - when I'm reading her work I can actually hear her voice in my head. Maybe it's a combination of her liking of the first person viewpoint and my having heard her a great deal, in conversation and in performance. She's very good on location as well, not just her native Bradford, which is woven deep into all three of her novels, but further afield. I remember being in the far south of Spain not long after I'd read Corazon, standing in the red dust and baking heat below the mountains and thinking "yeah, this is what she was talking about". |W|P|110591424163544258|W|P||W|P|danpawley@gmail.com2/14/2005 05:52:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|The only problem I had with it was the bikes being called rigs. Now I'm fully aware that I associate with a different set of biker than Joolz was talking about, but I've never heard them called that.

Hurray iTunes recognises AOS3 Diversionary Tactics so I don't have to type in the titles.1/16/2005 10:16:00 PM|W|P|dan|W|P| Not sure how I feel about electronic books. Normally, anything that makes my life feel more like the version of the future we were sold back in the seventies and eighties has to count as a good thing. I can't wait for personal spaceships, instantaneous teleportation, friendly robots and meals that come as one little pill, but why did they have to start messing with books? They might be yellowing dust collectors responsible for the massacring of a thousand trees but I love 'em. Nah, bring on the hydrogen cars instead. We saw Team America last night. It was childish, offensive and foul mouthed. So obviously I loved it (wish they'd given Bush and Blair a tougher ride though). Some good songs too - I was humming "Everyone Has AIDS" and "America - Fuck Yeah!" all night... I am blogging to: still the Neph|W|P|110588214517046005|W|P|Be careful what you wish for|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com2/14/2005 05:45:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|I read Cory Doctorow's Eastern Standard Tribe on my palm based phone. Actually I think I finished it the day before my wedding.

The point being that's all about that sort of thing and is very good.

http://www.craphound.com/

Have fun

Marcus1/13/2005 10:19:00 PM|W|P|dan|W|P| Some ill advised reading about Sumerian mythology last night has led me to rekindle my interest in Fields Of The Nephilim. I've listened to Elizium twice this morning, and really enjoyed it. They were one of the first bands I ever saw live, back in the death throes of the 80s. To this day, I've not seen so much dry ice on one stage. The aforementioned Elizium album was (whisper it) a concept album rooted in Sumerian myth, about the transmigration of souls from their earthly forms to the Sumerland, a kind of Elysian field where they can slumber in some dreamy haze between incarnations. The best thing was that you always got the impression that the band, or at least Carl McCoy, the singer/lyricist, really believed in this stuff. It might sound daft, but in a climate where the best the music press can offer us is Razorlight or the Libertines, I know the side I'm picking. |W|P|110561941305211408|W|P|The ziarahs are shining|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/14/2005 01:36:00 AM|W|P| Sizemore|W|P|I love me some concept albums. They have to bring the rock though. I just found out that Queensryche will be in San Francisco when we are there so I'll have to drag Jess to see them play out Operation Mindcrime.

And Alice Cooper's 'From The Inside'.

Dare I mention King Diamond?

I am ruining your street cred aren't I? \m/2/14/2005 07:35:00 AM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|I'm currently re-reading Storm Constantine's Burying the Shadow, mentioned here as Carl McCoy did the cover for it. ;)

The reason I'm reading it, is because I don't have Hermetech (my favorite Constantine book)anymore and I really can't get into Jonathan Strange.... (but I will try again soon)1/10/2005 12:28:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|I know it's probably going to be rubbish. I know I've been let down before. I know that Alan Moore has suffered horribly at the hands of Hollywood before. But I still got excited when I saw this... |W|P|110528463592322259|W|P|Ignore that bit about the guys from The Matrix...|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/06/2005 04:00:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|Will Eisner has died following surgery. An overused phrase, but he truly was one of the greats. www.willeisner.com |W|P|110495175794324374|W|P|Rest In Peace|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/04/2005 03:10:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|I was just listening to Lullaby For The Working Class' "Blanket Warm" album for the first time in a few years when I realised what a truly terrible name that was for a band. The music is great, all chiming mandolins, sad fiddles and mournful alt country lyrics about whiskey and stabbing people, but what a dog of a name. They are lucky I even picked it up in the first place. Normally, I would see something like that and recoil. The converse is true as well. I can forgive any number of crappy bands their terrible music if their name sounds good. The prime example of this is Rain Like The Sound Of Trains. Fantastic name, music that thought "Hey, this hardcore stuff is good, but you know what it really needs? Some slap bass!". Trust me, it didn't. I am blogging to: did you not actually read the above? |W|P|110477651399107266|W|P|On The Importance Of Names For Rock Bands|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/03/2005 04:17:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|Another year, another attempt to avoid making any resolution I can be held to. I don't know what 2005 is going to hold for us. In a few weeks I should be an uncle, as my brother's attempts of the last few years to improve cross channel relations bear their inevitable fruit in a part French baby. He's marrying his partner in France in August, which means that not only do I have the horror of having to make a best man's speech, I might have to do it in French as well. Maybe this'll be the year we finally get our schtick together and move abroad as well. I can't see us staying in Cardiff for a long time, and I can't really think of anywhere else in the UK that interests me enough to go and live there. Hong Kong on the other hand...as long as we get our avian flu shots. Mind you, having put off one holiday at short notice, we are finding it difficult enough to find somewhere to go for a break in a couple of weeks, let alone full on emigration. Answers on a postcard... I remember I used this blog last year to compile a depressingly short list of my favourite records of the last twelve months. Well, thank Christ 2004 was better than 2003 for music. The best records came from Richmond Fontaine and The Once Over Twice, while we saw some cracking gigs, including Patti Smith, Calexico, Marah and especially The Pixies. And 2005 kicks off with a new Mercury Rev album in a fortnight. Ambassador, you are spoiling us. I am blogging to: Golden Smog|W|P|110469420064777137|W|P|Ignoring the elephant|W|P|danpawley@gmail.com1/05/2005 07:11:00 AM|W|P| Sizemore|W|P|ohhhhh it's all new looking AND with a flickr thingamajig too. Sweet.

I'd say go to anywhere in Scandinavia. How long a holiday are you planning?1/02/2005 04:30:00 AM|W|P|dan|W|P|Sometimes, I really really want satellite TV....I know, I know, it's all crap really, but today's TV listings feature a new cartoon whose six word title appears to have been scientifically designed to push all my buttons. What could be better than "SUPER ROBOT MONKEY TEAM HYPERFORCE GO!". Plot synopsis ="This adventure centers on a self-conscious young teen named Chiro who -- with the help of five high-tech robot monkeys -- transforms into the brave fighter, bold leader and great hero he always wanted to be. Set in the Utopia of Shuggazoom as a cosmic changeover looms, the villainous Skeleton King is plotting to turn this futuristic planet into his evil empire. When Chiro inadvertently awakens the long dormant Super Robot Monkey Team, he absorbs the Power Primate energy that transforms him into superhero-in-training and leader of the Team. Now, the five Super Robot Monkeys help Chiro hone his new powers as he evolves into the Chosen Protector of the Universe!" I might burst. |W|P|110460831095168545|W|P|Buzzing like a six year old overdosing on tartrazine |W|P|danpawley@gmail.com5/06/2005 12:53:00 PM|W|P| Anonymous|W|P|I am loving this show to pieces!!! Its a massive dose of sugar in my day mixed with crazy adventures!!! my bro thinks im crazy and i have no arguments there ^-^ Super Robot Monkey Team HyperForce Go is one of the best kid shows ive seen in a while!!!