Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881. By Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
The Boating Party is a series of interviews with writers, artists, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, sculptors, designers and the like.
In times of economic hardship the Arts are usually the first things to be axed. But, in my view, the Arts are the most important aspect of our civilisation. Without the arts, we wouldn’t have language or the written word. Without the arts, we have no culture. Without culture, we have no society. Without society, we have no civilisation. And without civilisation, we have anarchy. Which, in itself, is paradoxical, because so many people view artists as rebels to society.
To me, artists aren’t rebels, they are pioneers.
And perhaps, most importantly; without the Arts, where’s the creativity that will solve the world’s problems? Including economic and scientific ones?
This week, I’m delighted to welcome radio broadcaster, children’s author, lyricist and all-round communications expert, Denis Goodbody.
What’s your greatest personal or career achievement?
My greatest achievements have all been to do with communicating ideas. We take communication for granted in our society – we assume that all the verbal conversations, physical gestures and expressions we send out every day are understood. When they are not understood, as often as not, we blame the other party.
I help people communicate their messages for a living and I think that has helped me realize the fragility of a ‘message’. When we communicate we are transmitting ideas, the most precious of all commodities on earth. Once upon a time the ‘wheel’ was an idea. “Will you marry me” is an idea. In my day-to-day life I see beautiful, wonderful, precious ideas go up in flames or sink without trace because the people gifted with those ideas failed to communicate it successfully.
On a personal level my proudest achievement is, somehow, communicating to my wife that I’d be a suitable husband. On a professional level my proudest achievement is to have sustained myself and my family doing something I love – having ideas and communicating them.
What’s been your greatest sacrifice?
God I’m fortunate. I could be pompous and say it’s an aspect of my philosophy on life, to say that I don’t look back or I avoid regret but that would be tosh. I’m one very lucky guy. Like everyone, I have reached the sign post and had to choose between busy thoroughfares and roads less traveled and I have usually taken the latter. I have never known what lay through the traffic jams on the busy thoroughfares because I’ve been too busy with the twists and turns on the less traveled ones. Did I sacrifice going out to expensive restaurants and drinking too much in favor of having kids? No sacrifice. Did I sacrifice my dream of the Parisian garret and the great novel? No sacrifice, my attention deficit and wayward ways would have left me starving in the garret with no important unpublished masterpiece left beside by gaunt corpse. The only thing I can think of that I could classify as a sacrifice was selling my extraordinarily beautiful first house but that wasn’t really a sacrifice. It was a groovy bachelor pad and it worked – the honey-trap helped win me a honey. Anything else I miss or regret would be loss, rather than sacrifice, and among those I would count the loss of my father’s life and my mother’s memory but what they have given me far outweighs their loss.
To whom do you owe a debt of gratitude?
Well I’ve just mentioned my parents so let’s take that as read. I have also mentioned my good fortune. It was my parents who chose the strange and archaic private education I received and it was my good fortune to have had the most incredible teachers. Nowadays half of them probably wouldn’t be allowed to teach because of insufficient qualifications, inability to speak Irish or whatever. I find it hard to think of one it wasn’t a privilege to learn from and that’s not just a rose tinted rear-view mirror. Oh, they were strict and sometimes sarcastic. One could hit your ear lob with a piece of chalk from thirty feet but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t use the skills, techniques and disciplines he taught me. One was a baronet and a racing driver. Another had his face badly burned rescuing a comrade from a tank at El Alamein. Yet another had mysteriously distorted finger nails which, we were led to believe, were the result of being tortured. I owe a debt of gratitude to all of those teachers, among whom I include my parents. As I observe the development of education I worry increasingly that it is becoming merely an ‘information-downloading exercise’ instead of the eye-opening, horizon lifting experience it should and can be.
Who and what inspire you?
Music, visual art, literature and children inspire me because they provide me with ideas and they stimulate the creation of more. Children inspire me because they embody possibility and hope. Seeing children observe things for the first time, trying to see those things as they see them, is a way for the rest of us to rediscover the world for ourselves. The notion that children should be seen and not heard is criminal. Music can speak truth without words, as can visual art. They speak truths in ways that leave everyone to witness their own version of that truth, free of argument or dissent. While I can’t say that of literature, as words are more self-evident, I will say this: fiction often contains more truth than fact. History has to be written from one standpoint from which it tries to recreate events. Fiction, on the other hand, makes no bones about its standpoint and is free to make its point subjectively and clearly without trying to be all things to all people.
What was the last thing that inspired you?
My wife’s singing inspires me, and has done for a good while now, so the last thing? I think The Illustrated Beatles exhibition in Dublin. 42 illustrators digging under the surface of 42 Beatles’ songs and presenting their findings in 42 incredible pictures. As a body of work it combines all of the things that inspire me: Music, visual art and literate lyrics, plus the fact that I heard the songs when I was a child and they helped form my worldview.
What makes you unhappy?
Hatred, war and cruelty and, for the most part, all of those things are borne out of bad communication. If the money that was spent by governments on the development of weapons was spent on finding away to avoid wars, we would have had a solution long ago. The problem is that there is profit in dissent which is why the really evil people in the world are those who foment discord, dividing and conquering for financial gain.
What makes you happy?
As well as music, art, literature and children? Family. When, as adolescents, we distance ourselves from our parents – an evolutionary necessity – we don’t realize how important it is to comeback. I married and bred late compared to many and no day passes without me going dewy eyed at the fact someone as incredible as my wife agreed to marry me, have a child with me and allow me to call the kids she already had ‘family’.
What’s your favourite smell?
Well it’s not napalm in the morning. In fact, the opposite. I love the smell of fresh air in the countryside. It can be a fragrant summer woodland or a winter storm on a beach. If it’s mingled with my wife’s perfume as we stroll together, that pretty much completes the olfactory picture.
What are you reading?
I’m just finishing a book about The Beatles’ visit to Dublin in 1963, a nice context to The Illustrated Beatles Exhibition. My literary weakness? Thomas Hardy. His books conjour the smells I’ve just describe and I think he could have been the world’s greatest cinematographer.
Who, or what, are you listening to?
As well as Carmen Browne? I’m listening to a lot more jazz than I used to but my listening-week is usually ruled by whatever topic I choose for my weekly radio show ‘Roots Musings’. You caught me on a bad week, it was a novelty show about Halloween.
What’s your favourite sound?
Silence. Silence is a canvas and when you have it, you can choose how to fill it. I’m funny that way.
What’s your favourite film?
God that’s hard. Chinatown, probably.
If you could go back in time, where would you go?
The beginning.
What frightens you?
Like any parent the thing that frightens me most is the prospect of any harm coming to one of the children and, by extension, to any children or animals. Intentional harm or cruelty to animals and children is the basest and most perverse human behavior.
What’s your favourite sense of touch?
I don’t want to be to graphic about it but having the skin of someone you love touch yours can’t be beaten in my book. And I don’t mean exclusively carnal contact either. I go to the nursing home to see my mother each week and I hold her hand. With her diminished memory there’s very little room for meaningful conversation but that touch says everything we need to say.
What do you do to relax?
Music, literature, visual art and breathing in that fresh country air, with birdsong spattering the silent canvas.
What do you do when you’re angry?
A lot of internalizing goes on which is unhealthy but it does mean I process stuff rather than let go on reflex. I do shout a bit which isn’t pretty as I have a very loud voice to begin with.
What can’t you live without?
We’ve already got music, literature, art, family and fresh air. To that you could add chilli and red wine, preferably consumed Langkawi restaurant on Baggot Street in Dublin. How are you fixed? [You're on. Next time I'm over!]
What’s your motto?
“Live and let love”.
What’s your Utopia?
I always have to remind people that in Thomas Moore’s original Utopia, they had slaves. This tarnishes the whole concept for me though it does teach me one important lesson. Living your life fairly and without exploiting others, means an element of hard work. To answer the question free of pontification, I would say my Utopia is somewhere in the west of Ireland with all of the things mentioned under the question “What can’t you live without?”
If you only had one year to live what would you do?
I would conquer my attention deficit and finish the novel I didn’t finish in question Two.
What sends your taste buds into overdrive?
Chilli – especially prawns. And I meant that about Langkawi! Mine’s a ‘Sambal Udang’.
Up who’s arse would you like to stick a rocket, and why?
If I were the rocket-suppository-inserting type – and I don’t believe I am – it would have to be Mitt Romney or some other American Tea Party Type. They have no concept or care of the world around them. They are phenomenally selfish. They are racist and intolerant. They embody just about everything the American Constitution – as I understand it – set out to avoid. I know it’s not my country but it is my world they are setting out to destroy. They are no better than the fundamentalists and terrorists they claim to oppose.
Who would you like to be stuck in an elevator with?
Would it be too obvious to say my wife? I have no desire to meet any of my heroes as I wouldn’t want that status diminished by reality. I guess I’d settle for Barrack Obama or Ang San Suu Kyi, both of whom I believe are incredible people.
What are you working on at the moment?
I should be working on a book I’m writing and a couple of advertising projects already overdue.
What is your ambition?
Right now, my ambition is to complete the answers to question 25. Beyond that, my ambition is threefold: finish the novel I started (not the one mentioned above), promote and expand my radio shows listenership, to write more songs with Carmen Browne. Before all of that, however, I’d have to say my ambition is to be the best Dad in the known universe beside which the other ambitions are a piece of cake.
Which six people would you invite to your boating party?
Thomas Hardy, Guy Clarke, Joni Mitchell, Carmen Browne, Barack and Michelle Obama.
What would be on the menu?
Sambal Udang, Sushi and lamb tagine and metzes. We’ll have a couple of bottles of the Chateau Kefraya – failing that, anything else from the Beka Valley.
What question would you liked me to have asked?
Other than what date we’re having that meal in Langkawi? I think I’d like to have been asked to define my concept of God. I am inundated with scientists, atheists, agnostics, fundamentalists and dogmatists telling me that God either does or doesn’t exist. None of them, as far as I can see, have taken the time to describe the God believe does or doesn’t exist. There’s almost 7 billion different concepts of God on this planet alone and I’m not arrogant enough to say that all of them are wrong. In the Judeo-Christian bible there is, I believe, a misprint. Where it says “God Created man in his own image”. The reality is the other way round – we create God in our image.
Thank you, Denis.
My two rascals seal of approval of Denis’ “How the Elk got to the Games”.
Denis Goodbody – Biography:
Denis is a writer and broadcaster living in Dublin. The bulk of his career has been spent conceiving, writing and producing advertising. In recent years he has expanded his love of having ideas producing and presenting 2 weekly radio shows, co-writing jazz songs and writing books.
True, it may not be as ambitious and world-changing as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s. But it’s a dream nonetheless.
To be honest, I wasn’t going to post about it until I felt I was in more of a position to realise this dream. But short of winning the Euro Millions Lottery, it aint going to happen without some serious philanthropic backer.
So, what is my dream?
Well, it’s to build a School of Arts for under-privileged kids.
Kids from low socioeconomic backgrounds in large inner-city estates. Kids who might not ordinarily get the opportunity to explore the more creative aspects of their nature.
What good would that do society? We’re in a depression, don’t you know!
Problems in every field of human endeavour are virtually always solved by creative thinking. Even the great Albert Einstein said so himself. Creativity allows us to look at problems from different angles and apply new thinking to solve problems.
Moreover, I don’t see it as a school that produces an unprecedented amount of artists. But an unprecedented amount of creative thinkers – whichever vocation they choose to pursue later in life. Whether it be mathematics, science, business, computers, product design, or economics.
And yes, a few more more artists too. And what’s wrong with that? Art is seen as a dirty word in this country. If I tell people I write poetry, they shift uneasily in their seats. If I said I write poetry in Ireland the response would be a polite smile and a nod toward the back of the queue.
Do you think the first rocket flight to the moon was dreamed up by a scientist?
Sure, scientists and engineers made it a reality. But it is creative people who come up with the ideas and the original solutions of how they can be achieved.
What will the kids do?
The school will develop and encourage creative thinking and self-expression.
It will foster, nurture and encourage exploration of the arts in all its many and varied forms including: painting, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, poetry, literature, screenplays, theatre, drama, dance, music, design, digital arts, film, photography, humanities, languages, and the classics.
Where is this school?
I quite fancy the idea of transforming a derelict Victorian mill. There’s something quite ironic about that. Though it certainly wouldn’t be a prerequisite. (Salts Mill in Bradford is a good example.)
Initially, an inner-city campus close to urban populations that have a high level of low socioeconomic families. Basically, anywhere across the Manchester – Huddersfield – Halifax – Leeds belt. It’s also sufficiently ‘central’ enough to accommodate children from further afield.
It would also be good to have a rural retreat – somewhere like the Lake District, Peak District or the Yorkshire Dales, where children can attend week-long courses/classes which double up as a holiday.
I would also like to open an international sister school in India or Sri Lanka where people from distinctly different cultures can share ideas. These schools could also participate in exchange programmes. (Then subsequently, even further afield: China, South America, South Asia.)
What about science subjects?
This school wouldn’t be a replacement for existing schools and their curricula – more of an extension to them.
Would it exclude people from non low socioeconomic backgrounds?
Not at all. But opportunities for middle-class families in other schools are much more accessible, regardless of ability.
Intake for low income kids would be based as much on desire and enthusiasm to participate rather than ability. There would be a limited number of places for more affluent children. Sort of like Eton – in reverse.
What kind of courses will it run?
Day-long workshops for visiting schools.
After-school classes.
Week-long courses. (Which would include accommodation for traveling students.)
Weekend classes.
Full-time sixth form courses. (A-levels.)
Masters and PhD courses.
What ages are we talking about?
Key Stage 3, up to, and including, sixth form.
Undergraduate, Masters and PhD courses.
What else does the school have?
Apart from studios and classrooms?
There’d be accommodation for students who are visiting from further afield.
Cafe / restaurant.
Gallery to promote and sell students’ work.
Gallery featuring independent contemporary and traditional art.
Masterclasses from guest lecturers.
State of the art library. (Both on and off-line.)
Book shop.
Art-house cinema.
Who will pay for it?
Well, that’s the biggest question of all.
A like-minded philanthropist would be nice.
Arts Council grant.
Lottery funding.
A percentage of Masters and PhD students’ tuition fees could go towards funding.
Sales from restaurant and galleries.
Fundraising / donations.
An Ideal World School of Arts.
Salts Mill, Bradford.
David Hockney at Salts Mill.
Salts Mill interior.
Studio space?
Any constructive criticism and advice about how to get something like this funded and off the ground would be greatly appreciated.
Filed under Advertising, Animation, Architecture, Art, Books, Brand, Cartoons, Ceramics, Children, Children's books, Children's stories, Classical music, Comedy, community, Contemporary Arts, Creativity, Dance, Design, Digital, Disability, Economy, Education, Film, Haiku, Ideas, Illustration, Innovation, Inspiration, Inventions, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Photography, Poetry, Radio, Screenplays, Sculpture, Short stories, Writing
Luncheon of the Boating Party, 1881. By Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
The Boating Party is a new feature on my blog. It’s a series of interviews with writers, artists, photographers, filmmakers, musicians, sculptors, designers and the like.
In times of economic hardship the Arts are usually the first things to be axed. But, in my view, the Arts are the most important aspect of our civilisation. Without the arts, we have no culture. Without culture, we have no society. Without society, we have no civilisation. And without civilisation, we have anarchy. Which, in itself, is paradoxical, because so many artists view themselves as rebels to society.
Artists aren’t rebels, they are pioneers.
And perhaps, most importantly; without the Arts, where’s the creativity that will solve the world’s problems? Including economic and scientific ones?
I hope a brief glimpse into their lives is as inspiring to you as it is to me.
Next up, Damian Morgan, a music agent with a difference – he loves his ‘clients’!
Damian Morgan
What’s your greatest personal achievement?
Would it be terribly dull to say ‘my children’? Seems ridiculous when people say their children are their ‘greatest personal achievement’ doesn’t it? But I do feel that. I guess the ‘achievement’ part is that they seem to be fairly well-balanced little chaps, considering they’ve got my genes! They give us a window on a world we’ve long forgotten: That is, the world as they see it. So, my two boys… full of life and wonder, they are the reason I live and breathe.
What’s your greatest career achievement?
My agency, for sure. Brave Music Ltd and the roster I’ve built. It’s had its ups and downs but it’s still there 12 years on and still going strong. The roster I’ve built is a list of some of my musical heroes and people I admire greatly. Artists such as The Smiths and The Specials. Bands I have always loved; bands that spoke to me as a teenager, and still do.
I had an odd moment last year when I took Terry Hall, (The Specials), to see Dave Haslam, (Hacienda), interview Bernard Sumner, (New Order), and as I was sat there, I suddenly thought “If you’d have told the 15 year old me that I’d be here doing this he’d have never believed it”.
What’s been your greatest sacrifice?
Apart from sacrificing my sanity to work in this business? I’d say giving up the momentum of a career to look after my children. Do the stay-at-home dad thing and put their needs first. It was great fun though. And being the only dad at toddler groups led to lots of funny situations and, ultimately, many friends I still have to this day. No regrets and I’d happily do it all again.
To whom do you owe a debt of gratitude?
Family. My mum for all the obvious reasons: love, support, nurturing, and teaching me how to iron a shirt. My dad, for his humour, gentleness and full head of hair. Both dead now, and much missed.
I owe a lot to my brother and sister, who had brilliant taste in music which I absorbed, via some sort of osmosis. Cool people and I love them both.
Who inspires you?
In my personal life, a young lady called Joanne Williams, a cousin of mine who was the same age as me but died 5 years ago aged 37. She battled M.E. and cancer. She was full of life and spirit until the end, and we loved each other like a brother and sister. She was funny, clever and wise, and I strive to live the life she should have had.
My inspiration in business, is the famous rock promoter, Harvey Goldsmith – a great man. Hard nosed but fair and with a great ethos. He recently said “British music is bland and tame and pop stars now don’t understand you have to put the work in” – so true!
What inspires you?
Nature, the planet, clouds, trees. An awareness of being a miniscule part of something billions of times more important than me. We are mere blips in history so do your best in life, make the most of it
What was the last thing that inspired you?
I’m lucky enough to hear great new music all the time but, I heard some 15th century madrigals, by Monteverdi, and they are beautiful. Inspired me to seek out early music. Textural, complex, really wonderful.
What makes you unhappy?
Unfairness, hate, poverty, racism, closed minds, being stifled – and the human race’s reliance on an animal-based diet.
What are you reading?
I’m addicted, (as are many), to Scandinavian crime novels. Just reading ‘Mercy’ by Jussi Adler-Olsen. Also, Nile Rodger’s autobiography, which reads better and, is more incredible, than many novels – an amazing life that guy has had.
Who, or what, are you listening to?
A great band from Sheffield, called Screaming Maldini, who make wondrous pop music and have a star-in-the-making in the shape of Gina Walters. I’ve just downloaded all of XTC’s albums, discovering their rich back-catalogue full of clever wordplay and amazing music. Also, the usual diet of Bowie, Smiths, Roxy.
What’s your favourite film?
That’s far too difficult to answer with certainty. Let’s say ‘The Man Who Came To Dinner’ for today. It’s about Sheridan Whiteside, an acerbic New York critic and lecturer who breaks a leg while in a small town and is forced to live temporarily with an uptight local couple who aren’t at all pleased about their new guest. Whiteside proceeds to take over the house, move in his secretary, (Bette Davis), endlessly berate his nurse and re-direct the lives of the couple’s children and generally wreak havoc. Very funny.
What frightens you?
Anything bad happening to my children. The Conservative party. Mitt Romney.
What can’t you live without?
Red wine, cheese, and my mobile phone.
What’s your motto?
Do unto others as you would have them do to you.
If you only had one year to live what would you do?
I’d take out a huge loan that I’d never repay and travel the world. Say sorry to all those I’ve hurt. Praise those I love. And get fat on curry, red wine and chocolate. Then I’d relax for the other 11 months.
Up who’s arse would you like to stick a rocket, and why?
Too many arses and not enough rockets.
Who would you like to be stuck in an elevator with?
A lift engineer!
Alive or dead? Peter Ustinov or Clive James would be good. Both have great stories to tell. They might suck the oxygen out of the space though…
What are you working on at the moment?
A new agency called Spoilt Kid. I want to be able to help new artists establish themselves in this increasing difficult industry. There are countless horror stories of how emerging acts are mistreated and given bad advice simply because they are not adequately equipped to deal with the business aspects of the music industry. It will give the cream of UK talent access to a wealth of professional services such as a record label, photography, public relations, tour management and booking agent services. It aims to provide a platform for musicians to not only establish themselves, but ensure they continue to flourish. It’s bringing together all the contacts I’ve made in the past 25 years under one umbrella. Fingers crossed!
Which six people would you invite to your boating party?
Bowie, Scott Walker, Morrissey, my dad, Mike Joyce, Terry Hall, they’d be great company. If it was a leaky boat I’d invite Osborne, Clegg, Blair, Cameron, Thatcher, Gove – and only one life jacket.
What question would you liked me to have asked?
If you could go back in time to one event what would it be?
I’d like to have seen the Berlin wall come down. What a party!
Thank you, Damian.
The Smiths, by Stephen Wright.
Manchester based Brave Music Agency represents some of the most iconic names in Indie music and up-and-coming live talent.
Drew McConnell, (Babyshambles); Jez Kerr, (ACR); Matt Berry, (IT Crowd); The Chameleons Vox; Mark Burgess; Nigel Clark, (Dodgy); The Rainband; The Narrows; Bethia Beadman; The Pipettes; Ian McNabb, (Icicle Works); Martin Carr, (Boo Radleys); Slow Readers Club; Danny Mahon; Northern Uproar; JayStansfield to name a few.
Mike Joyce, (The Smiths); Andy Rourke, (The Smiths); Kid British; MC Tunes; Danny McNamara; Ciaran Griffiths, (Shameless); Drew McConnell, (Babyshambles); Ann Shenton; Tony McCarroll, (Oasis); Pipettes; Alan McGee; Bez, (Happy Mondays); Charlotte Hatherley, (Bat For Lashes/Ash); Dave Haslam, (XFM/Hacienda); Dirty Pretty Things, (Didz Hammond); Doves, (Jez & Andy); Emmerdale, (Jeff Hordley); Goldie Lookin Chain, Rhys and Eggsy; Inspiral Carpets, (Clint Boon); Moshi Moshi; Phil Smith, (Official Oasis Tour DJ); Shed 7, (Rick Witter); Terry Christian, (TV Presenter); The Farm; The Specials, (Terry Hall); Dan Ralph Martin, (Kasabian Tour DJ); Nick Power, (The Coral); John Robb.
Filed under Contemporary Arts, Creativity, Ideas, Inspiration, Music, The Boating Party
If you don’t live in London, but you do live somewhere else in England, you might be a bit fed up of hearing the media banging on about what legacies London 2012 will leave for the rest of Britain.
Well, the clue’s in the name, people!
I live in sunny Stockport, in the northwest of England, and I couldn’t give a rat’s ass what kind of legacy London 2012 will leave for Manchester.
We had the Empire Games back in 2002. And we still have loads of lovely legacies such as the Etihad Stadium, where Man City play. Then there’s the velodrome, where people can ride their bikes… I get a bit stuck after that.
You don’t hear Londoners whingeing about the Commonwealth games not leaving a legacy in t’ Big Smoke.
They’re not our games.
It’s a non-question. It’s non-news.
To be honest, the Olympics don’t do a lot for me in terms of sporting excitement.
I’m more of a turn on a sixpence put it in the back of the onion sack kind of bloke.
What does excite me though, is this ad for the Paralympics by those lovely people at Channel 4.
It really makes me want to watch the Paralympics much, much more than the Olympics because of their Superhuman attitudes and abilities.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not suggesting for one second that Olympians are any less motivated or hard working than Paralympians.
But, because I’m not that interested in the Olympics, it would have to take something superdooper special to get me interested. And this does.
Yes, it’s a little bit predictably shot, but it does get the hairs on the back of my neck standing, so job done. Not all ads are aimed at the head.
Not only is it a great ad. But I’m really looking forward to seeing some of these gladiators in action.
Filed under Advertising, Brand, community, Creativity, Digital, Film, Football, Games, Ideas, Innovation, Inspiration, Music, Politics
Our TV screens are bombarded by a myriad of talent shows but, paradoxically, very few of the contestants actually have much to speak of.
Billie Tweddle has it in bucket loads – and she’s only 12! She has a voice like an angel lamenting.
I don’t know her personally, she’s a friend of a friend’s daughter. And, by all accounts, is a very modest, unassuming girl.
If you love her performance of Lucy Rose’s ‘Middle of the bed’ as much as I do, maybe you’d like to help her out and share it with your friends.
After all, it’d be nice to see people with actual talent having a bit of success for a change.
I showed it to my 6 year old daughter and she was so impressed that she now wants to be a singer. Which is nice. Because yesterday she wanted to be a cowgirl. Do you know how many ranches there are in Stockport?
Filed under community, Inspiration, Music
Without the arts,
We have no culture.
Without culture,
We have no society.
Without society,
We have no civilisation.
And without civilisation,
We have anarchy.
Filed under Art, community, Contemporary Arts, Ideas, Inspiration, Literature, Music, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics
Funny old thing this t’internet.
I was chipping-in to a thread on Linked In about poetry when I got chatting to a young lady from India, by the name of Asha.
She has a blog called While There Is Still Time which is quite inspirational. There, you’ll find a veritable treasure trove of literary prowess to satiate your creative soul.
The name of the blog is from a line in one of Philip Larkin’s poems, called The Mower.
It’s a poignant poem about cherishing what we have before it’s too late.
After you’ve read it, you might want to pop over to Asha’s blog and immerse yourself into a sea of semiotics.
THE MOWER
By Philip Larkin
The mower stalled, twice; kneeling, I found
A hedgehog jammed up against the blades,
Killed. It had been in the long grass.
I had seen it before, and even fed it, once.
Now I had mauled its unobtrusive world
Unmendably. Burial was no help:
Next morning I got up and it did not.
The first day after a death, the new absence
Is always the same; we should be careful
Of each other, we should be kind
While there is still time.
Filed under Art, Books, community, Contemporary Arts, Digital, Ideas, Inspiration, Literature, Music, Photography, Poetry, Writing
On March 11th it will be exactly one year since almost 20,000 people lost their lives in the Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
To mark this anniversary, composer Albors Askari, is releasing a single to commemorate the disaster. With all the proceeds going to an Austrian charity called Helft Japan who are raising money for a children’s dance group in a town in the Miyagi prefecture near Onagawa.
You may or may not recall that the piece he composed, entitled “Onagawa”, (after the nuclear power plant), was inspired by my poem: Tsunami – A poem for Japan.
It’s an absolutely stunningly haunting piece of music which I urge you to buy a copy of on Amazon. (It will also be available on iTunes and Spotify.)
It’s officially being released on the 11th, but I’m sure you can pre-order. It’s all for a good cause! What’s more, you get to read my poem which is on the cover artwork!
http://www.alborspascalaskari.com/
Onagawa by Albors Askari, poem by David Milligan-Croft
Filed under Art, Children, Classical music, community, Contemporary Arts, Dance, Inspiration, Music, Poetry, Writing
I put this short film up on my FB page a few days ago. So apologies to anyone who has already seen this. But I wanted to share it with blog friends too.
It warrants getting as much exposure as possible.
This is quite simply beautiful animation.
A love story in the style of Dali.
Made by the daddy of animation.
My only criticism… and I’m sorry I have one, is the soundtrack.
I love the Mexican/Spanish theme. But then it morphs into English and it sounds a bit naff. Like it should be in Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella.
Filed under Animation, Art, Cartoons, Contemporary Arts, Film, Ideas, Inspiration, Music, Screenplays, Writing
David Milligan-Croft
