Do you ever feel like everything you say is prosaic and trite? No. Well, maybe it's just me. Every day, I wonder about just what it means to be human. All Britons speak the same language - more or less, and with differing levels of accuracy and understanding. Language systems are here to secure the means to communicate; without a common tongue it would be like Babel. That's obvious. But, what about the things we say; the relationships we lead. Aren't those, more or less, just the same? Do you ever wonder about that?
I do, and I've come to the conclusion that our lives are in no way the same. We say similar phrases, sure, but we say them with different nuances - with different levels of conviction, understanding, love, hate, approval and disapproval, amongst many other things. We may know people who like similar sorts of things and so, naturally, we classify them by those things in order so in some way categorize them. That sounds like a hateful sentiment, but we all do it. It's just in our natures to make connections which don't necessarily exist.
Every person you know has a different story to tell. Where were they born? Where did they first go to school? Where did they first kiss; smoke; fuck; get beaten up; beat someone else up; first realise they loved; first realise they were on the road to maturity? Did their parents ever beat them? Do their parents still encourage them? Are they mislead in any way? If they are, are they reticent to take a deep look at themselves? We're all different. Those tiny nuances and variations make us who we are. But the real test is this: how will our convictions fair given time and experience? We all change, but will we ever become the things we always wanted to avoid? One day, we'll find out.
And that, in short, is why we should carry on. Identity is made of the seemingly innocuous and unimportant; the feeble consequences of the incidences of our births and lives from thereon. Life is a brief stint of madness before eternal death. So fucking make the most of it. Burn the candle at both ends. Think, drink, party, fuck, love, laugh, cry, bleed, heal, change others and be changed. Be ready for the road ahead. Be ready for anything. Be ready to drop all your plans. Be ready to accept that in life one can't plan. Just be. Everything you say may feel of little import but it all will have a bearing on our collective destiny. We can't change it, it would seem, but we sure as hell can try to build the best future possible.
Friday, 26 June 2009
Thursday, 25 June 2009
The Changing of the Guard.
I was perousing the streets of London when I stepped into an odd scene - thousands of tourists were crowded 'round Buckingham Palace.
Unbeknowst to me, the Changing of the Guard was about to take place - a ceremony in which hundreds of the Queen's Guard parade around the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.
The scene started with a trumpeting of bagpipes. Somewhere in the distance, a column of costumed men were charging the streets, but the view was obscured by the Queen Victoria Memorial - a colossal statue aloft which rests a huge, golden angel.
The men, replete in suede-coloured skirts, ceremonial jackets and green berets, were led by two policemen atop strident horses.
Behind them, wearing bear-skin hats (which now may be synthetic) and red uniforms, several guards led, keeping time with their drums. Also, there were red-bereted men - two of which held swords outstretched and the rest of which held guns of some sort. (Perhaps semi-automatic machineguns.)
A few minutes later, a few dozen bear skin hat-wearing guards arrived, playing brass instruments - mostly trumpets, trombones and the odd tuba or saxophone.
Once inside the gates and regimented, their commander - sounding rather pained (as if constipated) - ordered the men to start marching, which they did - but only briefly.
Next, black-suited men on horseback arrived, wearing golden helmets - a white gold - with red tassels coming out the top of them. Their leader sounded a trumpet.
The guards assembled their stands and planted their sheet music, ready to perform, whilst a few started to sound their bagpipes. The captivated audience was continually told by a fiersome-looking, horse-mounted policeman to keep from the centre of the pavement.
A gentle song started to be played. With a gentle flute sounding, crashing cymbals, soft horns and rapping, wooden sounds, the song started in a playful manner.
After a while, though, the dullness wrapped in colour started to gall me, so I vamoosed; it's a 24-degree-hot day and there are plenty of other amply packed attractions to see. I hope Queenie enjoyed it, though.
Unbeknowst to me, the Changing of the Guard was about to take place - a ceremony in which hundreds of the Queen's Guard parade around the forecourt of Buckingham Palace.
The scene started with a trumpeting of bagpipes. Somewhere in the distance, a column of costumed men were charging the streets, but the view was obscured by the Queen Victoria Memorial - a colossal statue aloft which rests a huge, golden angel.
The men, replete in suede-coloured skirts, ceremonial jackets and green berets, were led by two policemen atop strident horses.
Behind them, wearing bear-skin hats (which now may be synthetic) and red uniforms, several guards led, keeping time with their drums. Also, there were red-bereted men - two of which held swords outstretched and the rest of which held guns of some sort. (Perhaps semi-automatic machineguns.)
A few minutes later, a few dozen bear skin hat-wearing guards arrived, playing brass instruments - mostly trumpets, trombones and the odd tuba or saxophone.
Once inside the gates and regimented, their commander - sounding rather pained (as if constipated) - ordered the men to start marching, which they did - but only briefly.
Next, black-suited men on horseback arrived, wearing golden helmets - a white gold - with red tassels coming out the top of them. Their leader sounded a trumpet.
The guards assembled their stands and planted their sheet music, ready to perform, whilst a few started to sound their bagpipes. The captivated audience was continually told by a fiersome-looking, horse-mounted policeman to keep from the centre of the pavement.
A gentle song started to be played. With a gentle flute sounding, crashing cymbals, soft horns and rapping, wooden sounds, the song started in a playful manner.
After a while, though, the dullness wrapped in colour started to gall me, so I vamoosed; it's a 24-degree-hot day and there are plenty of other amply packed attractions to see. I hope Queenie enjoyed it, though.
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
Draft five of my bloody feature.
I've now changed the layout/format but I've breached my word count by 256 words. Shit!
Feature idea:
A Bluffer’s Guide to London’s Art
You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a Masters in gazing pretentiously at canvases to enjoy what London has to offer.
London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern and the White Cube to the Royal Academy and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
The range of art available can seem somewhat overwhelming so here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.
Modern and contemporary art:
Most young art-types, naturally, may tend to flock to places such as the Tate Modern or the White Cube as these galleries offer art that pushes the boundaries. From Tracey Emin’s Turner Prize-winning My Bed (which was later sold) to Damien Hirst’s Formaldehyde Shark, many big, temporary projects are housed at the Tate.
The Tate Modern is a goliath building located just opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be a coal-fired power station in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. Floors three and five house modern art from 1900 onwards, whilst the fourth floor is reserved by big, temporary projects. A new exhibition, which is part of a BP art display, is being launched in September and will feature Tracey Emin’s new collection of sketches called 1000 Drawings. Currently showing is a Futurism exhibition – a technique stemming from 1909 that expresses the dynamism of modern life.
Two other well-suited galleries are the White Cube and the Royal Academy. The White Cube is tipped to also showcase Emin’s work in September and The Royal Academy of Arts will display Anish Kapoor’s new work on September 26th.
Addresses:
Tate Modern: Bankside, London, SE1 9TG.
Tate Britain: Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG.
The White Cube: 48 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6PB.
The Royal Academy: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD.
Classical art:
If you’re more a prudential and conservative art-lover – or If you just want to see some more time-tested, well-known art – the Tate Britain, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria & Albert may be more your cup of tea.
The Tate Britain is, pretty much, the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling. It houses some modern art but most of its collections go back as far as the year 1500. There are currently two decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).
The National Gallery holds some of the most well-known work from some of the most world-renowned artists. You’ll find Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman With a Rosary, amongst others. There are guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
If public and historical figures are more your thing the National Portrait Gallery should cater to your tastes. From Churchill to Lord Nelson, to the supposed Portrait of Shakespeare and beyond, this gallery has it all. Also, the BP Portrait Award is currently being held here in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 entrants. Admission is free (see www.npg.org.uk).
The Victoria and Albert is a final must-see. Currently, a free Baroque Art exhibition is being held ‘til July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Also on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo.
Addresses:
National Gallery: Trafalgur Square, London, WC2N 5DN.
National Portrait Gallery: St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H OHE.
Victoria and Albert: Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL.
The best bet:
The highlight of the entire London art scene has to be Picasso’s Guernica – a huge blue-shaded mural lamenting the cruelness of war - which was first painted in 1937 after the bombing of a Basque village of the same name. It’s being shown at the White Chapel Gallery.
- 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX.
Artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the White Chapel Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon (the ‘-isms’):
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.
Futurism: A technique originated by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in 1909 which expresses the dynamism and chaos of modern life.
End
Word count: 949
Feature idea:
A Bluffer’s Guide to London’s Art
You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a Masters in gazing pretentiously at canvases to enjoy what London has to offer.
London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern and the White Cube to the Royal Academy and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
The range of art available can seem somewhat overwhelming so here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.
Modern and contemporary art:
Most young art-types, naturally, may tend to flock to places such as the Tate Modern or the White Cube as these galleries offer art that pushes the boundaries. From Tracey Emin’s Turner Prize-winning My Bed (which was later sold) to Damien Hirst’s Formaldehyde Shark, many big, temporary projects are housed at the Tate.
The Tate Modern is a goliath building located just opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be a coal-fired power station in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. Floors three and five house modern art from 1900 onwards, whilst the fourth floor is reserved by big, temporary projects. A new exhibition, which is part of a BP art display, is being launched in September and will feature Tracey Emin’s new collection of sketches called 1000 Drawings. Currently showing is a Futurism exhibition – a technique stemming from 1909 that expresses the dynamism of modern life.
Two other well-suited galleries are the White Cube and the Royal Academy. The White Cube is tipped to also showcase Emin’s work in September and The Royal Academy of Arts will display Anish Kapoor’s new work on September 26th.
Addresses:
Tate Modern: Bankside, London, SE1 9TG.
Tate Britain: Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG.
The White Cube: 48 Hoxton Square, London, N1 6PB.
The Royal Academy: Burlington House, Piccadilly, London, W1J 0BD.
Classical art:
If you’re more a prudential and conservative art-lover – or If you just want to see some more time-tested, well-known art – the Tate Britain, National Gallery, National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria & Albert may be more your cup of tea.
The Tate Britain is, pretty much, the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling. It houses some modern art but most of its collections go back as far as the year 1500. There are currently two decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).
The National Gallery holds some of the most well-known work from some of the most world-renowned artists. You’ll find Van Gogh’s Sunflowers, Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman With a Rosary, amongst others. There are guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
If public and historical figures are more your thing the National Portrait Gallery should cater to your tastes. From Churchill to Lord Nelson, to the supposed Portrait of Shakespeare and beyond, this gallery has it all. Also, the BP Portrait Award is currently being held here in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 entrants. Admission is free (see www.npg.org.uk).
The Victoria and Albert is a final must-see. Currently, a free Baroque Art exhibition is being held ‘til July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Also on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo.
Addresses:
National Gallery: Trafalgur Square, London, WC2N 5DN.
National Portrait Gallery: St Martin’s Place, London, WC2H OHE.
Victoria and Albert: Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL.
The best bet:
The highlight of the entire London art scene has to be Picasso’s Guernica – a huge blue-shaded mural lamenting the cruelness of war - which was first painted in 1937 after the bombing of a Basque village of the same name. It’s being shown at the White Chapel Gallery.
- 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX.
Artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the White Chapel Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon (the ‘-isms’):
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.
Futurism: A technique originated by Filippo Tommaso Marinetti in 1909 which expresses the dynamism and chaos of modern life.
End
Word count: 949
An article on the Royal Mews from TNT magazine (29/6/2009)
The Royal Mews, home to the Queen’s carriages and horses, is an annexed building attached to Buckingham Palace. Upon entering you’ll be greeted with the fusty smell of rotten apples and manure.
That visage is broken quickly, though, as Ralph Pottinger, 65, leads a tour of the Mews. He boasts an immense knowledge of historical details and laces history with amusing anecdote.
The Mews dates back to the 1500s when its use was limited to falconry. Only in the 1820s was it used to hold carriages when George IV commissioned architect John Nash to re-design the building.
The steal of the show is the gold coach – a 28-carat gold-gilded, 4-tonne, 28-year-old carriage that needs to be drawn by eight horses. This carriage was used in the Queen’s coronation.
An audio-tour is available for more intricate detailing. Entry is £7.50 for adults and £6.75 for pensioners. Children enter free-of-charge.
That visage is broken quickly, though, as Ralph Pottinger, 65, leads a tour of the Mews. He boasts an immense knowledge of historical details and laces history with amusing anecdote.
The Mews dates back to the 1500s when its use was limited to falconry. Only in the 1820s was it used to hold carriages when George IV commissioned architect John Nash to re-design the building.
The steal of the show is the gold coach – a 28-carat gold-gilded, 4-tonne, 28-year-old carriage that needs to be drawn by eight horses. This carriage was used in the Queen’s coronation.
An audio-tour is available for more intricate detailing. Entry is £7.50 for adults and £6.75 for pensioners. Children enter free-of-charge.
My fourth draft.
Just when I thought my feature was coming together - with a few tweaks here and there - the editor, Krysten, says the layour needs to be changed to a more eye-friendly format and a bit of colour on the types of crowds which are attracted to the galleries needs to be included. Oh, it's a tough, tough job for the uninitiated.
Feature idea:
A Bluffer’s Guide to London’s Art
You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a Masters in gazing pretentiously at canvases to enjoy what London has to offer.
London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern and the White Cube to the Royal Academy and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
The range of art available can seem somewhat overwhelming so here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.
The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. It houses work by such renowned artists as Tracey Emin (unfortunately not the Tuner Prize-winning My Bed, though) and Damien Hirst. A new exhibition which is part of a BP art display is being launched on September 20th in which Emin’s newest collection of sketches is to be included. Also showing is a Futurism exhibition.
- Bankside, London, SE1 9TG.
The Tate Britain – the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling - houses modern art, but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).
- Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG.
If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to other major works such Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman with a Rosary, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
- Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN.
If historical and public figures are more your cup of tea - rather than artists and the intricacies of art - head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.
- St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE.
Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk).
The Victoria and Albert Gallery is another must-see. Currently, a free Baroque Art exhibition is being held ‘til July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Also on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo.
- Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL.
The steal of the whole London art scene, though, may be Guernica – a Picasso painted in 1937 which reflects the tragic comedy of war. This is currently being shown in the White Chapel Gallery.
- 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX.
More information:
Key artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the National Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon/the –isms:
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.
End
Word count: 790
Feature idea:
A Bluffer’s Guide to London’s Art
You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a Masters in gazing pretentiously at canvases to enjoy what London has to offer.
London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern and the White Cube to the Royal Academy and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
The range of art available can seem somewhat overwhelming so here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.
The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. It houses work by such renowned artists as Tracey Emin (unfortunately not the Tuner Prize-winning My Bed, though) and Damien Hirst. A new exhibition which is part of a BP art display is being launched on September 20th in which Emin’s newest collection of sketches is to be included. Also showing is a Futurism exhibition.
- Bankside, London, SE1 9TG.
The Tate Britain – the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling - houses modern art, but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).
- Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG.
If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to other major works such Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman with a Rosary, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
- Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN.
If historical and public figures are more your cup of tea - rather than artists and the intricacies of art - head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.
- St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE.
Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk).
The Victoria and Albert Gallery is another must-see. Currently, a free Baroque Art exhibition is being held ‘til July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Also on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo.
- Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL.
The steal of the whole London art scene, though, may be Guernica – a Picasso painted in 1937 which reflects the tragic comedy of war. This is currently being shown in the White Chapel Gallery.
- 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX.
More information:
Key artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the National Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon/the –isms:
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.
End
Word count: 790
An article on Modest Mouse.
I, like many fans, fell in love with Modest Mouse in 2004 when Good News for People Who Love Bad News was released. Actually, though, I first purchased We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2008), which, contrary to many fans' beliefs, impressed me so much that I spent the next 12 months dipping into their back catalogue.
Over that time, I became so engrossed with the band that I bought all their studio albums (with the exception of Sad Sappy Sucker), one compilation album (Building Nothing Out of Something) and an LP - Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks.
Their first 'official' album was This Is a Long Drive for Someone with Nothing to Think About. Their first big hit, Dramamine, is the first track of the album. The whole album is quite experimental but it contains many fantastic songs. Some of my favourites are Breakthrough, Custom Concern, Beach-Side Property, Talking Shit About a Pretty Sunset and Mechanical Birds.
They followed this album with the Lonesome, Crowded West (1997) - an indictment of such things as 20th century living and religion, amongst other things. The whole album is absolutely mesmerising, but I'd have to say that The Moon and Antarctica tops it. Some of the best songs from the album are Heart Cooks Brain, Jesus Christ was an Only Child, Doin' the Cockroach, Trailer Trash, Out of Gas, Truckers' Atlas (listen out for Jeremiah Green's drum solos), Polar Opposites, Bankrupt on Selling and Styrofoam Boots. That's quite some line-up for a 15-track album, huh?
Around this time, Modest Mouse released the LP Everywhere and His Nasty Parlour Tricks. The album is eight tracks long but, my God, it's something else. It opens with Willful Suspension of Disbelief (a nod to Descartes, but of course inverted), which is a four-minute-long, spaced-out, ethereal song with a mesmerising main riff, sliding guitars and a driving, drifting bassline. Following this is Night on the Sun - an eight-minute-long dream which opens ominously but then settles into placid ecstasy. Next is Three-Inch Horses, Two-Faced Monsters - this went on to be sampled for the Moon and Antarctica. Finally, we have Here it Comes, So Much Beauty in Dirt, You're the Good Things and Long Walk off a Short Dock (which was kept in its entirety and renamed 'I Came as a Rat' for The Moon and Antarctica).
Their piece de resistance, The Moon and Antarctica (2001), was released next. The whole album is quite trippy, but it produced such favourites as Paper-Thin Walls (which was included in the OC when Modest Mouse made a live appearance). The album is epic. It opens with Third Planet. Just to give you an idea of the song, here's the following lyric: "The third planet is sure they're being watched by an eye in the sky that can't be stopped. When you get to the promised land, you're gonna shake that ice hand." Other songs of note include Gravity Rides Everything, Dark Centre of the Universe, Perfect Disguise, Tiny Cities Made of Ashes, A Different City, The Cold Part, The Stars are Projectors, I Came as a Rat and What People are Made of. This album was also the last time the original trio worked together - Jeremiah Green went off to work on a solo project, leaving just Isaac Brock (guitars and vocals) and Eric Judy (bass).
Next, Modest Mouse hit critical success with Good News for People Who Love Bad News - their only platinum-selling album. The album is listenable and poppy whilst retaining flares of brilliance that only Modest Mouse are able to attest to. The album opens with a brief horn intro. courtesy of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band before settling into The World at Large - a loving, quaint, beautiful song about a disenfranchised young man moving from the east coast to the west coast of America (California or Washington, or the like). Following this is Float On - Modest Mouse's most recognisable song to fans who've not yet dipped into the treasures of Modest Mouse past. The song, though, is absolute gold and one can understand why it's so well-loved. It's thanks to that song, after all, that Modest Mouse have been boosted to their current world stage.
Other notable songs on Good News for People Who Love Bad News are Ocean Breathes Salty, Bury Me With It, Dance Hall, Bukowski, The Devil's Workday, The View, Satin in a Coffin (something which might be suited to a Tarantino movie), Blame it on the Tetons, Black Cadillacs, One Chance and The Good Times are Killing Me. Modest Mouse were aided by additional bands such as the Flaming Lips - they provided additional percussion on the Good Times are Killing Me (listen out for the notable top-hat strikes which nod to Yoshimi or At War With the Mystics).
Their last studio album, We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank (2008), featured Johnny Marr - of The Smiths fame - who's now a resident member of the band. The band were also aided by The Shins (listen out for James Mercer's background vocals on We've Got Everything). The album's opening track - March into the Sea - isn't one of my favourites, but it's an exception to the Modest Mouse rule. Whilst the album firmly launches MM into the stratosphere of the mainstream, there are still a couple of songs which stand out in their brilliance. Track two is Dashboard - a catchy, poppy tune with driving guitars. Other brilliant songs include Florida, Fire it Up, Missed the Boat, We've Got Everything, Parting of the Sensory, Fly Trapped in a Jar, Little Motel, Steam Engenius, Spitting Venom and Invisible. Invisible is perhaps my favourite song from the album - along with Fly Trapped in a Jar.
Modest Mouse have just released their March single Satellite Skin (which sounds like something the Stones might've produced on a good day) and are about to release their new LP in late June/early July. Three much-anticipated songs are to be included - King Rat, Autumn Beds and Whale Song. Listen out for them. I'll be held on tenterhooks 'til the release of their next studio album.
I should also give mention to Building Nothing out of Something - a compilation album released in 2000. This contains some very experimental material but it's all absolute dynamite. One of Modest Mouse's loveliest songs - Sleepwalking - is included on the album, along with such greats as Never-Ending Math Equation, Workin' on Leavin' the Livin', All Night Diner, Grey Ice Water, Positive/Negative and Other People's Lives. The latter two songs are definitely in my list of MM's best 20 songs.
My 20 most favourite Modest Mouse songs:
20: Positive/Negative
19: Other People's Lives
18: Sleepwalking
17: Breakthrough
16: Dramamine
15: Bukowski
14: Satin in a Coffin
13: Talkin' Shit About a Pretty Sunset
12: Willful Suspension of Disbelief
11: I Came as a Rat
10: Custom Concern
9: A Different City
8: Trailer Trash
7: Truckers' Atlas
6: Heart Cooks Brain
5: Blame it on the Tetons
4: World at Large
3: Float On
2: Third Planet
1: Dark Centre of the Universe
Here's a link to Whale Song: http://www.thetripwire.com/listen/2009/06/18/modest-mouse-whale-song/
Enjoy it.
More info. on Brighton tourism.
Opening hours, admittance prices and website links for attractions:
Royal Pavilion:
http://www.royalpavilion.org.uk/
Open Daily
October to March 10.00am-5.15pm (last tickets at 4.30pm)
April to September 9.30am-5.45pm (last tickets at 5.00pm)
Closed from 2.30pm on 24 December and all day on 25 & 26 December
Adult £8.80
Child (5-15) £5.10
Family tickets:
2 adults & up to 2 children £22.70
1 adult & up to 2 children £13.90
Concessions:
Senior citizens (60 or over) £6.90
Students (identification required) £6.90
Unemployed (identification required) £6.90
Groups of 15 or more:
Adult £7.90
Child £4.60
Concessions £6.20
Brighton Art Gallery and Museum:
http://www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info/
Tuesday: 10am-7pm
Wednesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: 2-5pm
Closed Mondays, except public holidays 10am-5pm, 24 Dec (from 2.30pm),
25 & 26 Dec, 1 Jan
Admittance: free
Booth Museum:
http://www.booth.virtualmuseum.info/
Mon- Sat 10am-5pm
Sun 2-5pm
Closed Thursdays, Good Friday, 22 - 26 Dec, 1 Jan
Admittance: free
Brighton Pier:
http://www.brightonpier.co.uk
Monday to Friday
Palace of Fun 10.00am – 11.00pm
Glitterball Bar 7.00pm – 11.00pm (Friday only)
Victoria’s Bar 10.30am – 10.00pm
Palm Court 11.30am – 6.00pm
Dome 11.00pm – 7.00pm
Rides 11.00pm – 6.00pm
Saturday and Sunday
Palace of Fun 10.00am – 11.00pm
Victoria’s Bar 10.00am – 11.00pm
Horatio’s Bar
12.00pm – 11.00pm
Glitterball 2.00pm – 6.00pm & 7pm - Close
Dome 10.30am – 10.00pm
Palm Court 11.30am – 6.00pm
Rides 11.00am – 9.00pm
Saltdean Lido:
http://www.saltdean.info/lido.htm
Phone (01273) 888308 for more information.
Hove Lagoon:
http://www.hovelagoon.co.uk/
Phone (01273) 424842 for more information.
Getting to Brighton:
The nearest two airports to Brighton are London Gatwick and Heathrow. From Gatwick, you can get a train direct to Brighton. Alternatively, you could arrive via National Express or taxi.
Via the train, the journey is a little over half an hour. Via taxi, coach or car it’s about an hour.
To get to Brighton by car, come out of the airport and take the A23. This will eventually lead to Brighton via London Road. Follow London road and you’ll arrive dead in the centre of Brighton (Old Steine). If the road is busy, you can take a left at the roundabout. You’ll come upon another roundabout here. Turn right, and follow the dual-carriageway all the way to the Hollingbury Bypass. This provides an alternative route to get into Brighton – but the A23 is your best bet.
Getting around Brighton and Hove:
The bus service in Brighton is renowned for its reliability. There are several main areas of Brighton:
Bevendean and Moulsecoomb
Hove
Rottingdean, Saltdean and Peacehaven
Whitehawk and the Marina
Hove
Brighton city centre
Patcham
Portslade and Shoreham.
The Old Steine is located right by the seafront near the pier – you can’t miss it; there’s a war monument and a huge fountain there. From here, the bus service is pretty straightforward. To get to the Marina, hop on a number 7. If you’d like to go as far as Eastbourne get the number 12 bus. This bus also stops at Rottingdean, Saltdean and Peacehaven. To get to Hove or Shoreham hop on a number 5 (the 5 also goes the other way all the way to Patcham). If you need to get to Moulsecoomb or Bevendean, get a 49 or 10 respectively.
Royal Pavilion:
http://www.royalpavilion.org.uk/
Open Daily
October to March 10.00am-5.15pm (last tickets at 4.30pm)
April to September 9.30am-5.45pm (last tickets at 5.00pm)
Closed from 2.30pm on 24 December and all day on 25 & 26 December
Adult £8.80
Child (5-15) £5.10
Family tickets:
2 adults & up to 2 children £22.70
1 adult & up to 2 children £13.90
Concessions:
Senior citizens (60 or over) £6.90
Students (identification required) £6.90
Unemployed (identification required) £6.90
Groups of 15 or more:
Adult £7.90
Child £4.60
Concessions £6.20
Brighton Art Gallery and Museum:
http://www.brighton.virtualmuseum.info/
Tuesday: 10am-7pm
Wednesday-Saturday: 10am-5pm
Sunday: 2-5pm
Closed Mondays, except public holidays 10am-5pm, 24 Dec (from 2.30pm),
25 & 26 Dec, 1 Jan
Admittance: free
Booth Museum:
http://www.booth.virtualmuseum.info/
Mon- Sat 10am-5pm
Sun 2-5pm
Closed Thursdays, Good Friday, 22 - 26 Dec, 1 Jan
Admittance: free
Brighton Pier:
http://www.brightonpier.co.uk
Monday to Friday
Palace of Fun 10.00am – 11.00pm
Glitterball Bar 7.00pm – 11.00pm (Friday only)
Victoria’s Bar 10.30am – 10.00pm
Palm Court 11.30am – 6.00pm
Dome 11.00pm – 7.00pm
Rides 11.00pm – 6.00pm
Saturday and Sunday
Palace of Fun 10.00am – 11.00pm
Victoria’s Bar 10.00am – 11.00pm
Horatio’s Bar
12.00pm – 11.00pm
Glitterball 2.00pm – 6.00pm & 7pm - Close
Dome 10.30am – 10.00pm
Palm Court 11.30am – 6.00pm
Rides 11.00am – 9.00pm
Saltdean Lido:
http://www.saltdean.info/lido.htm
Phone (01273) 888308 for more information.
Hove Lagoon:
http://www.hovelagoon.co.uk/
Phone (01273) 424842 for more information.
Getting to Brighton:
The nearest two airports to Brighton are London Gatwick and Heathrow. From Gatwick, you can get a train direct to Brighton. Alternatively, you could arrive via National Express or taxi.
Via the train, the journey is a little over half an hour. Via taxi, coach or car it’s about an hour.
To get to Brighton by car, come out of the airport and take the A23. This will eventually lead to Brighton via London Road. Follow London road and you’ll arrive dead in the centre of Brighton (Old Steine). If the road is busy, you can take a left at the roundabout. You’ll come upon another roundabout here. Turn right, and follow the dual-carriageway all the way to the Hollingbury Bypass. This provides an alternative route to get into Brighton – but the A23 is your best bet.
Getting around Brighton and Hove:
The bus service in Brighton is renowned for its reliability. There are several main areas of Brighton:
Bevendean and Moulsecoomb
Hove
Rottingdean, Saltdean and Peacehaven
Whitehawk and the Marina
Hove
Brighton city centre
Patcham
Portslade and Shoreham.
The Old Steine is located right by the seafront near the pier – you can’t miss it; there’s a war monument and a huge fountain there. From here, the bus service is pretty straightforward. To get to the Marina, hop on a number 7. If you’d like to go as far as Eastbourne get the number 12 bus. This bus also stops at Rottingdean, Saltdean and Peacehaven. To get to Hove or Shoreham hop on a number 5 (the 5 also goes the other way all the way to Patcham). If you need to get to Moulsecoomb or Bevendean, get a 49 or 10 respectively.
Tourism in Brighton (info. for TNT's website which will be published shortly).
Tourism in Brighton:
Sights:
Pavilion Gardens:
If you have a keen eye, or a liking, for flowers, head to the Pavilion Gardens. It’s a nice place in which to sit and genuflect on a sunny afternoon. You can bet money that there’ll always be buskers plying their trade for your cash – from sitar players to full-blown bands playing double bass, guitars, banjos and horns. The Pavilion café is a good place to get a bite to eat and seating is more than sufficient. Beware of kids, though: it does tend to get a bit noisy and over-run. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to go – especially if you have children.
Brighton Art Gallery:
From retro art, to furniture and pictures dating from Brighton’s earlier days – the Brighton Art Gallery has it all. Entry is free. Also, if you’re keen on researching a bit of Brighton’s history (or sneaking the odd cheeky e-mail) there’s free internet access in the building’s library. The gallery is right near the Pavilion so you can’t miss it.
Brighton Marina:
The Brighton Marina has it all. Shoot some pins at Bowlplex or catch the odd film at Cineworld – an eight-screen cinema complex. There are ample restaurants serving all kinds of food – from Italian, to Cantonese, to Brasseries – and the boardwalk offers scope for relaxed amblings beside the boats. There are several independent shops and cafes, too. There’s a Wetherspoon with upstairs seating that offers magnificent views. Also, if you care for fishing there are two arms on which you can get your tackles out – easy! The west arm is your best bet. If you don’t fancy that, there are always boat tours.
Brighton Pier:
The Brighton Pier is undoubtedly Brighton’s most recognisable feature. There are dozens of brilliant rides on it, along with cafés and restaurants if you’re feeling peckish. I’ll warn you, though, don’t go for the crepes. There are also shops and arcades - so don’t be packing bills!
The North Laine:
The North Laine is littered with quaint independent shops – some of which may appear a bit barmy. There are dozens of cafes, along with clothes and music shops. If you’re in Brighton for the weekend you may want to check out the Komedia – Brighton’s much loved, much-lauded comedy club on Gardner Street. The club has an upstairs café (along with a gourmet burger bar) and offers food during performances. The North Laine is the perfect spot for a midday amble. Whilst you’re there, check out Shakeaway.
The Royal Pavilion:
The Royal Pavilion was the brainchild of Prince Regent – a wayward prince who loved Brighton and decided to commission Architect Henry Holland to build a pavilion - which incorporated Indian flourishes – in 1787. The building served to cater for his ostentatious parties. There are several, huge, beautifully decorated rooms replete with exotic furnishings – mostly Chinese in inspiration – in which only a prince could indulge. Entry is £5.35 for adults and £3.30 for children. It’s open from 10am-6pm.
The Booth Museum – Dyke Road:
The Booth museum houses over half a million specimens – which is hard to believe given the size of the building – and literature and data going back over three centuries. Displays include hundreds of British birds and butterflies, and also skeletons, a stuffed bear, a whale and dinosaur bones. This is an absolute must if you’ve got kids – especially kids who love to get up and go rather than squat in front of the TV.
Food and Drink:
Fiddler’s Elbow Pub – Boyce’s Street, Brighton:
This is one of Brighton’s best traditional Irish pubs. The atmosphere is hot and sweaty – just like a pub should be – and the clientele are jovial. The pub has a great range of ales, lagers and ciders and is one of the few pubs that offers Harvey’s Best Bitter – a great, locally brewed bitter direct from Harvey’s brewery in Lewes. Make sure you visit if the rugby’s showing.
The King and Queen – London Road, Brighton:
The King and Queen is a pub of royal proportions – excuse the pun. No, really: it’s huge. They offer a large range of drinks and snacks and show various sports regularly.
The Font – South Laine, Brighton:
The Font is probably one of the cooler – if not the coolest – pub in Brighton. It used to be a church so the layout is something else (with amazing seating). The food is great – at very low prices – and they have a HUGE screen. When I say huge, I mean huge to such a degree that every day dimensions don’t offer valid description. It’s a good place to go before you hit the clubs. If you’re not one for clubs, though, it’s a good place to spend an evening with friends.
Indiana – Church Road, Brighton:
Indiana is tipped as one of the best Indian restaurants in Brighton. That accolade is not applied lightly. The food is delicious and the service is astounding. They offer a comprehensive menu. Some of the best dishes to go for are Peshwari naan, sagaloo, Bombay potatoes, Indian mixed grill and chicken madras. Each meal comes with complimentary poppadoms complete with mango chutney, mixed salad and some really hot chilli paste that you don’t want to get on the wrong side of. They offer little in the way of drinks but they make up for it with the two beers they offer: Cobra and Kingfisher. The latter is an amazingly soft (and amazingly under-recognised), delicious, palatable beer.
Topolino Duo – Church Road, Brighton:
Just over from Indian is Topolino Duo. It’s an amazing Italian restaurant with a comprehensive menu, offering a huge range of pasta and pizza dishes. If I were you, I’d go for the Gnocci. Also, their desserts are to-die-for.
Pablo’s – Ship Street, Brighton:
There are two of these restaurants located quite near each other. The one you want is just off North Street. For an Italian restaurant, they offer some surprising dishes – from bangers ‘n’ mash to chasseur chicken with asparagus. You can relax, though, as this restaurant matches quality with price in a way that will keep your pockets quite content. The set menu is £5.95 and includes a choice of starter, main and dessert. The dessert is either coffee or ice-cream – it costs a little extra to have steamed puddings. If you’re feeling wild, though, have a slice of one of their delicious cheesecakes.
Bankers Fish and Chips Restaurant – Western Road, Brighton:
Along with Bardsley's of Baker Street, Bankers is by far the best fish and chips restaurant in Brighton. They offer a wide range of fish and other dishes – including deep-fried brie with cranberry sauce, and more traditional meals such as scampi and sausage and chips. Food is available for both eating in and takeaway – if you’d rather have a nibble whilst sitting on the beach.
Other bets include:
- The Spanish Tapas Restaurant (South Laine, Brighton – opposite the Font)
- Walkabout – bottom of West Street
Itineraries:
One-day: Ignore the prosaic and indulge in the extraordinary. Start with the Pavilion in the morning then head to the pier for the afternoon. Have lunch – ideally fish and chips – and then head off to the marina, walking along the seafront. Knock down some pins and maybe do a spot of fishing for an hour (fishing tours) before heading back into town. Get dressed up and go out for meal. Your best bet – for food and family value – is either the Spanish Tapas Restaurant or Pablo’s – they’re also both located in easy-to-get-to places. If you fancy something different, hop onto a number five bus and head out to Indiana or Topolino Duo.
Two-day: Treat day 1 the same as before. On day 2, go to the Brighton Art Gallery for an hour or two. Go out to the Booth museum for a look around before coming back into town. Another idea is to get the number 77 from the seafront and go to Devil's Dyke. It's the highest point in sussex and offers undisturbed views of the whole of the Sussex Downs. There's also a great pub there - although it's a little expensive. You can also do zorbing and gliding if you wish as the steep hills make for a range of extreme sports activities. You might want to see a film at either the Odeon cinema or Cineworld in the evening. If you fancy dinner, treat the restaurant choices the same as before. There’s always Nandos, though, which is just off West Street.
Three-Day: Treat the first two days the same. If you really want to try something different, you have a range of choices. There’s the Saltdean lido – an outdoor swimming pool just past Rottingdean (which is also a great place to go) or Hove lagoon – if you’re interested in doing some kayaking or windsurfing. You could even just take a stroll down the North Laine before heading back to your hotel. If you want a good night out, head to one of Brighton’s many clubs. Your best bet is one of the following: Oceana, Walkabout or the Honey Club (on the Brighton seafront promenade).
Sights:
Pavilion Gardens:
If you have a keen eye, or a liking, for flowers, head to the Pavilion Gardens. It’s a nice place in which to sit and genuflect on a sunny afternoon. You can bet money that there’ll always be buskers plying their trade for your cash – from sitar players to full-blown bands playing double bass, guitars, banjos and horns. The Pavilion café is a good place to get a bite to eat and seating is more than sufficient. Beware of kids, though: it does tend to get a bit noisy and over-run. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to go – especially if you have children.
Brighton Art Gallery:
From retro art, to furniture and pictures dating from Brighton’s earlier days – the Brighton Art Gallery has it all. Entry is free. Also, if you’re keen on researching a bit of Brighton’s history (or sneaking the odd cheeky e-mail) there’s free internet access in the building’s library. The gallery is right near the Pavilion so you can’t miss it.
Brighton Marina:
The Brighton Marina has it all. Shoot some pins at Bowlplex or catch the odd film at Cineworld – an eight-screen cinema complex. There are ample restaurants serving all kinds of food – from Italian, to Cantonese, to Brasseries – and the boardwalk offers scope for relaxed amblings beside the boats. There are several independent shops and cafes, too. There’s a Wetherspoon with upstairs seating that offers magnificent views. Also, if you care for fishing there are two arms on which you can get your tackles out – easy! The west arm is your best bet. If you don’t fancy that, there are always boat tours.
Brighton Pier:
The Brighton Pier is undoubtedly Brighton’s most recognisable feature. There are dozens of brilliant rides on it, along with cafés and restaurants if you’re feeling peckish. I’ll warn you, though, don’t go for the crepes. There are also shops and arcades - so don’t be packing bills!
The North Laine:
The North Laine is littered with quaint independent shops – some of which may appear a bit barmy. There are dozens of cafes, along with clothes and music shops. If you’re in Brighton for the weekend you may want to check out the Komedia – Brighton’s much loved, much-lauded comedy club on Gardner Street. The club has an upstairs café (along with a gourmet burger bar) and offers food during performances. The North Laine is the perfect spot for a midday amble. Whilst you’re there, check out Shakeaway.
The Royal Pavilion:
The Royal Pavilion was the brainchild of Prince Regent – a wayward prince who loved Brighton and decided to commission Architect Henry Holland to build a pavilion - which incorporated Indian flourishes – in 1787. The building served to cater for his ostentatious parties. There are several, huge, beautifully decorated rooms replete with exotic furnishings – mostly Chinese in inspiration – in which only a prince could indulge. Entry is £5.35 for adults and £3.30 for children. It’s open from 10am-6pm.
The Booth Museum – Dyke Road:
The Booth museum houses over half a million specimens – which is hard to believe given the size of the building – and literature and data going back over three centuries. Displays include hundreds of British birds and butterflies, and also skeletons, a stuffed bear, a whale and dinosaur bones. This is an absolute must if you’ve got kids – especially kids who love to get up and go rather than squat in front of the TV.
Food and Drink:
Fiddler’s Elbow Pub – Boyce’s Street, Brighton:
This is one of Brighton’s best traditional Irish pubs. The atmosphere is hot and sweaty – just like a pub should be – and the clientele are jovial. The pub has a great range of ales, lagers and ciders and is one of the few pubs that offers Harvey’s Best Bitter – a great, locally brewed bitter direct from Harvey’s brewery in Lewes. Make sure you visit if the rugby’s showing.
The King and Queen – London Road, Brighton:
The King and Queen is a pub of royal proportions – excuse the pun. No, really: it’s huge. They offer a large range of drinks and snacks and show various sports regularly.
The Font – South Laine, Brighton:
The Font is probably one of the cooler – if not the coolest – pub in Brighton. It used to be a church so the layout is something else (with amazing seating). The food is great – at very low prices – and they have a HUGE screen. When I say huge, I mean huge to such a degree that every day dimensions don’t offer valid description. It’s a good place to go before you hit the clubs. If you’re not one for clubs, though, it’s a good place to spend an evening with friends.
Indiana – Church Road, Brighton:
Indiana is tipped as one of the best Indian restaurants in Brighton. That accolade is not applied lightly. The food is delicious and the service is astounding. They offer a comprehensive menu. Some of the best dishes to go for are Peshwari naan, sagaloo, Bombay potatoes, Indian mixed grill and chicken madras. Each meal comes with complimentary poppadoms complete with mango chutney, mixed salad and some really hot chilli paste that you don’t want to get on the wrong side of. They offer little in the way of drinks but they make up for it with the two beers they offer: Cobra and Kingfisher. The latter is an amazingly soft (and amazingly under-recognised), delicious, palatable beer.
Topolino Duo – Church Road, Brighton:
Just over from Indian is Topolino Duo. It’s an amazing Italian restaurant with a comprehensive menu, offering a huge range of pasta and pizza dishes. If I were you, I’d go for the Gnocci. Also, their desserts are to-die-for.
Pablo’s – Ship Street, Brighton:
There are two of these restaurants located quite near each other. The one you want is just off North Street. For an Italian restaurant, they offer some surprising dishes – from bangers ‘n’ mash to chasseur chicken with asparagus. You can relax, though, as this restaurant matches quality with price in a way that will keep your pockets quite content. The set menu is £5.95 and includes a choice of starter, main and dessert. The dessert is either coffee or ice-cream – it costs a little extra to have steamed puddings. If you’re feeling wild, though, have a slice of one of their delicious cheesecakes.
Bankers Fish and Chips Restaurant – Western Road, Brighton:
Along with Bardsley's of Baker Street, Bankers is by far the best fish and chips restaurant in Brighton. They offer a wide range of fish and other dishes – including deep-fried brie with cranberry sauce, and more traditional meals such as scampi and sausage and chips. Food is available for both eating in and takeaway – if you’d rather have a nibble whilst sitting on the beach.
Other bets include:
- The Spanish Tapas Restaurant (South Laine, Brighton – opposite the Font)
- Walkabout – bottom of West Street
Itineraries:
One-day: Ignore the prosaic and indulge in the extraordinary. Start with the Pavilion in the morning then head to the pier for the afternoon. Have lunch – ideally fish and chips – and then head off to the marina, walking along the seafront. Knock down some pins and maybe do a spot of fishing for an hour (fishing tours) before heading back into town. Get dressed up and go out for meal. Your best bet – for food and family value – is either the Spanish Tapas Restaurant or Pablo’s – they’re also both located in easy-to-get-to places. If you fancy something different, hop onto a number five bus and head out to Indiana or Topolino Duo.
Two-day: Treat day 1 the same as before. On day 2, go to the Brighton Art Gallery for an hour or two. Go out to the Booth museum for a look around before coming back into town. Another idea is to get the number 77 from the seafront and go to Devil's Dyke. It's the highest point in sussex and offers undisturbed views of the whole of the Sussex Downs. There's also a great pub there - although it's a little expensive. You can also do zorbing and gliding if you wish as the steep hills make for a range of extreme sports activities. You might want to see a film at either the Odeon cinema or Cineworld in the evening. If you fancy dinner, treat the restaurant choices the same as before. There’s always Nandos, though, which is just off West Street.
Three-Day: Treat the first two days the same. If you really want to try something different, you have a range of choices. There’s the Saltdean lido – an outdoor swimming pool just past Rottingdean (which is also a great place to go) or Hove lagoon – if you’re interested in doing some kayaking or windsurfing. You could even just take a stroll down the North Laine before heading back to your hotel. If you want a good night out, head to one of Brighton’s many clubs. Your best bet is one of the following: Oceana, Walkabout or the Honey Club (on the Brighton seafront promenade).
Draft three of feature.
This may now be the finished article. You can see how I've tightend up the intro..
Feature idea:
A bluffer’s guide to London’s Art
You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a major in how to gaze coquettishly to enjoy what London has to offer.
London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern to the Tate Britain and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
Most Londoners, it seems, have had a dip in a few galleries, but I’m sure you’ll agree that the range of art available is somewhat overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.
The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. It houses work by such renowned artists as Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. A new exhibition which is part of a BP art display is being launched on September 20th in which Emin’s newest collection is to be included. Also showing is a Futurism exhibition.
The Tate Britain – the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling - houses modern art, but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).
If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to other major works such Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman with a Rosary, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
If historical and public figures - rather than artists and the intricacies of painting - are more your thing, head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.
Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk).
The Victoria and Albert Gallery is a final must-see. There’s currently a free Baroque Art exhibition being held until July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Currently on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo. You can get there via South Kensington. Entrance is free.
The steal of the whole London art scene, though, may be Guernica – a Picasso painted in 1937 which reflects the tragic comedy of war. This is currently being shown in the White Chapel Gallery.
More information:
Key artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the White Chapel Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon/the –isms:
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.
Where to find the galleries:
Tate Modern: Bankside, London, SE1 9TG
Tate Britain: Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG
National Gallery: Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
National Portrait Gallery: St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE
Victoria and Albert: Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL
White Chapel Gallery: 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX
Feature idea:
A bluffer’s guide to London’s Art
You don’t have to be an art connoisseur with a major in how to gaze coquettishly to enjoy what London has to offer.
London is a fantastic city for art - from the Tate Modern to the Tate Britain and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
Most Londoners, it seems, have had a dip in a few galleries, but I’m sure you’ll agree that the range of art available is somewhat overwhelming. Here’s what you need to know about essential art to see in London.
The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. It houses work by such renowned artists as Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst. A new exhibition which is part of a BP art display is being launched on September 20th in which Emin’s newest collection is to be included. Also showing is a Futurism exhibition.
The Tate Britain – the Tate Modern’s more bookish elder sibling - houses modern art, but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions).
If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to other major works such Rembrandt’s Lamentation Over the Dead Christ, Monet’s The Thames Under Westminster and Cezanne’s An Old Woman with a Rosary, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
If historical and public figures - rather than artists and the intricacies of painting - are more your thing, head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.
Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk).
The Victoria and Albert Gallery is a final must-see. There’s currently a free Baroque Art exhibition being held until July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. Currently on display are religious paintings by Rubens and Tiepolo. You can get there via South Kensington. Entrance is free.
The steal of the whole London art scene, though, may be Guernica – a Picasso painted in 1937 which reflects the tragic comedy of war. This is currently being shown in the White Chapel Gallery.
More information:
Key artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the White Chapel Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon/the –isms:
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Baroque Art: Art of the 17th and 18th centuries which reflects the opulence of Rome as laid down by such figures as Bernini.
Where to find the galleries:
Tate Modern: Bankside, London, SE1 9TG
Tate Britain: Millbank, London, SW1P 4RG
National Gallery: Trafalgar Square, London, WC2N 5DN
National Portrait Gallery: St Martin's Place, London, WC2H 0HE
Victoria and Albert: Cromwell Road, London, SW7 2RL
White Chapel Gallery: 77-82 White Chapel High Street, London, E1 7QX
The development of a feature.
I've been tasked with writing a feature on art in London. After much ado focusing on completely the wrong angle, I re-wrote it a bit more strongly. However, the angle is far too obvious so I have to re-write the re-write, focusing instead on certain artists and where to find their work. I also need a stronger intro.. The second par. is based on anecdotal evidence and so should be re-written or removed. This is my second draft. I hope you enjoy it.
Feature idea:
A bluffer’s guide to London’s Art
As most Londoners know, London is an important city for art. There are several prestigious galleries here, most of which showcase some of the world’s best art by some of the world’s most famous artists.
But can you say you’ve ever been to one? No? Well, you’d be surprised how few Londoners can say they have.
If you’re a budding art enthusiast, there’s no one to stop you seeing what the city has to offer but yourself. From the Tate Modern to the Tate Britain and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. The gallery is open 10-6pm Sunday-Thursday and 10-10pm Friday and Saturday.
The Tate Britain houses modern art but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions). The gallery is open from 9-5.30pm Monday-Friday.
If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to major works by Rembrandt, Monet and Cezanne, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
If historical and public figures - rather than artists and the intricacies of painting - are more your thing, head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.
Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk). The gallery is open from 10-6pm Monday-Wednesday, and 10-9pm on Thursday and Friday.
The Victoria and Albert Gallery is a final must-see. There’s currently a free Baroque Art exhibition being held until July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. You can get there via South Kensington. Entrance is free.
More information:
Key artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the National Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon (the –isms):
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Feature idea:
A bluffer’s guide to London’s Art
As most Londoners know, London is an important city for art. There are several prestigious galleries here, most of which showcase some of the world’s best art by some of the world’s most famous artists.
But can you say you’ve ever been to one? No? Well, you’d be surprised how few Londoners can say they have.
If you’re a budding art enthusiast, there’s no one to stop you seeing what the city has to offer but yourself. From the Tate Modern to the Tate Britain and the National Gallery, there’s a multitude of classic and modern art to feast your eyes on.
The first gallery that springs to mind for most young art-types is the Tate Modern - a goliath building located opposite St Paul’s by the Millennium Bridge. It used to be an industrial factory in the 1940s and 50s but it was converted to suit its current use in 2000.
The building is comprised of five floors. On floors four and five, contemporary art from 1900 onwards is housed, whereas floor four is the home of temporary exhibitions. The gallery is open 10-6pm Sunday-Thursday and 10-10pm Friday and Saturday.
The Tate Britain houses modern art but a large sum of its art dates back as far as the year 1500. There are currently a couple of decent exhibitions on by Stefan and Franciszka Themerson and Tony Swain (see www.tate.org.uk/britain/exhibitions). The gallery is open from 9-5.30pm Monday-Friday.
If classic, renowned art is more your thing the National Gallery is certain to cater to your tastes. From Van Gogh’s Sunflowers to major works by Rembrandt, Monet and Cezanne, the National Gallery has it all. There are also guided tours every day from 2.30-3pm.
If historical and public figures - rather than artists and the intricacies of painting - are more your thing, head to the National Portrait Gallery. It houses portraits of such greats as Winston Churchill, Lord Nelson and the supposed portrait of Shakespeare.
Also, the BP Portrait Award 2009 is currently being held in which 56 portraits will be selected from a record 1900 candidates. Admission to the exhibition is free (www.npg.org.uk). The gallery is open from 10-6pm Monday-Wednesday, and 10-9pm on Thursday and Friday.
The Victoria and Albert Gallery is a final must-see. There’s currently a free Baroque Art exhibition being held until July 19th in which art from 1620-1800 is being displayed. You can get there via South Kensington. Entrance is free.
More information:
Key artists to look out for:
Van Gogh: Van Gogh had a short, eventful life. He was an advocate of expressionism - a method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive. He cut off part of Gauguin’s earlobe in an epileptic fit. He’s rumoured to have cut off one of his ears but a new theory suggests Gauguin exacted revenge in a final altercation between the two. He shot himself in July 1890. Look out for Sunflowers and The Potato Eaters.
Picasso: Picasso developed the style of Cubism. He went through two short periods in the early 1900s – his blue and rose periods. His most famous work is Guernica (1937) about an air-raid on the Spanish town of the same during the Spanish Civil War. You can find Guernica at the National Gallery.
Monet: He founded the French movement of impressionism, focusing on ‘plein air’ (plain air) subjects such as woodland scenes and other scenic settings.
The jargon (the –isms):
Cubism: A painting method in which subjects are reduced to geometrical shapes. Picasso was one of the major advocates of this technique.
Expressionism: A method originating in Germany in which artists sought to express the meaning of being alive
Impressionism: The name of the technique originates from a painting by Monet entitled: ‘Impression, Sunrise’. The technique involved visible brush strokes and an emphasis on light.
Surrealism: A technique in which subjects were distorted and time was fractured. Ominous landscapes were often used. Salvador Dali pioneered the method in the late 1930s.
Springsteen.
The Boss is playing at this year's Glastonbury Festival. I've been a fan of him now for a couple of years but I've only really got into him in the last three months. My love of him started with Born to Run (1975). After that, I fell in love with Nebraska (especially with the songs Nebraska and Atlantic City).
In 1984, Born in the USA was released. The title song instilled in many fans the idea that Bruce bore some vague sense of conservatism when in fact the song was dedicated to all the freedoms America enjoys which a large portion of Americans have forgotten - or whose values have become somewhat sidetracked over the past eight years (ahem, Bush).
In 1995, he demolished the idea of his conservatism with The Ghost of Tom Joad - an indictment of US foreign policy. The album is played out as a story involving the struggles of Mexican immigrants seeking solace in the USA via the crossing of the Mexico-Texas border. The name of the title track is derived from a character in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.
After searching on the internet for a live version of the song, I came upon a version in which Bruce is aided by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine fame. Check out the video. You'll crap your pants.
This song is about the history of Youngstown, Ohio - a mining town founded in 1803 which used to have one of the biggest coal industries in the world. (It's also, of course, about migrant workers who'd travel there to find work.)
In 1984, Born in the USA was released. The title song instilled in many fans the idea that Bruce bore some vague sense of conservatism when in fact the song was dedicated to all the freedoms America enjoys which a large portion of Americans have forgotten - or whose values have become somewhat sidetracked over the past eight years (ahem, Bush).
In 1995, he demolished the idea of his conservatism with The Ghost of Tom Joad - an indictment of US foreign policy. The album is played out as a story involving the struggles of Mexican immigrants seeking solace in the USA via the crossing of the Mexico-Texas border. The name of the title track is derived from a character in Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath.
After searching on the internet for a live version of the song, I came upon a version in which Bruce is aided by Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine fame. Check out the video. You'll crap your pants.
This song is about the history of Youngstown, Ohio - a mining town founded in 1803 which used to have one of the biggest coal industries in the world. (It's also, of course, about migrant workers who'd travel there to find work.)
Tuesday, 23 June 2009
TNT magazine experiences.
Since Monday, I've been at TNT - a travel magazine whose readership consists mainly of antipodeans and South Africans. They're based in London - in the hustle and bustle of Earl's court - and they run a disciplined ship (along with a skeleton crew). They're a weekly mag, and, after being there a few days, the mag's credibility has grown in my eyes a hundred-fold.
On Monday, I had to do a capital piece (i.e. a bit on a London attraction) so I hauled my ass over to the Royal Mews. The Royal Mews is an annexed building beside Buckingham Palace and it's where all Her Majesty's horses and carriages are kept. The article I've written will go to press on Monday so I'll upload it then. In the meantime, though, here's an 8-minute-long video you can take a gander at if you're keen.
(I'll upload the video in 10 minutes.)
On Monday, I had to do a capital piece (i.e. a bit on a London attraction) so I hauled my ass over to the Royal Mews. The Royal Mews is an annexed building beside Buckingham Palace and it's where all Her Majesty's horses and carriages are kept. The article I've written will go to press on Monday so I'll upload it then. In the meantime, though, here's an 8-minute-long video you can take a gander at if you're keen.
(I'll upload the video in 10 minutes.)
Saturday, 20 June 2009
On Cormac McCarthy.
Cormac McCarthy is considered one of America's most prestigious writers. His accolades include 10 best-selling books and a screenplay. Two of his novels - All the Pretty Horses and No Country for Old Men - have been made into films, with his latest, Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, The Road, having just been made into a film for a 2009 release.
I own six of his books but I've read only two. I found No Country for Old Men gripping and I thought The Road to be pure poetry. Cormac's turn-of-phrase is succint, poignant and colourful.
There's one thing that I don't like about him, though, and that's his use (or misuse) of punctuation. He doesn't use speech marks, nor does he use semi-colons or apostrophes. He also rarely uses commas - except when absolutely necessary. One of the authors he models himself on is James Joyce, who was renowned for his peculiar writing style which saw little use of punctuation and oft convoluted passages. Cormac is similar to him, with the exception that he writes in short sentences. He usually employs the use of subjectless sentence fragments.
He explains that there is little need for speech marks as it's quite straightfoward which character is speaking. Often, when writing as illiterate characters, he uses phrases such as 'could of' and he often uses double negatives. That's a bit of an unfair comment, though, as most of his novels are Westerns of sorts - with the exception of The Road. I find that said technique of characterising characters with the use of non-standard English is brilliantly effective.
He is often labelled a 'working man's writer' as his characters are often working men facing substantial challanges with regard to the changing circumstances of the times in which his novels are depicted. He says that he finds women very mysterious - even after three marriages - which is why he tends to focus mainly on male characters. I do worry about how his style may affect potential readers who aren't clued-up about punctuation and grammar. He has no obligation to explain his style - because the onus is on the individual - but I worry that some writers may adopt his style for the worse, and may not be able to pull it off in the way Cormac does (through ignorance rather than choice).
I personally could never imagine writing like him as my style is one which is peppered with punctuation - maybe to an excessive degree which is unnecessary. Nevertheless, he's a brilliant author and there are many things to say about both his character and writing style - as well as historical matter about which he writes (such as the trade of Navaho scalps in Mexico in the 1830s - this takes place in the novel 'Blood Meridian'). I find his style riveting and, if he is the exception to the rule, I'm more than happy to entertain his prose with interest and gusto.
I own six of his books but I've read only two. I found No Country for Old Men gripping and I thought The Road to be pure poetry. Cormac's turn-of-phrase is succint, poignant and colourful.
There's one thing that I don't like about him, though, and that's his use (or misuse) of punctuation. He doesn't use speech marks, nor does he use semi-colons or apostrophes. He also rarely uses commas - except when absolutely necessary. One of the authors he models himself on is James Joyce, who was renowned for his peculiar writing style which saw little use of punctuation and oft convoluted passages. Cormac is similar to him, with the exception that he writes in short sentences. He usually employs the use of subjectless sentence fragments.
He explains that there is little need for speech marks as it's quite straightfoward which character is speaking. Often, when writing as illiterate characters, he uses phrases such as 'could of' and he often uses double negatives. That's a bit of an unfair comment, though, as most of his novels are Westerns of sorts - with the exception of The Road. I find that said technique of characterising characters with the use of non-standard English is brilliantly effective.
He is often labelled a 'working man's writer' as his characters are often working men facing substantial challanges with regard to the changing circumstances of the times in which his novels are depicted. He says that he finds women very mysterious - even after three marriages - which is why he tends to focus mainly on male characters. I do worry about how his style may affect potential readers who aren't clued-up about punctuation and grammar. He has no obligation to explain his style - because the onus is on the individual - but I worry that some writers may adopt his style for the worse, and may not be able to pull it off in the way Cormac does (through ignorance rather than choice).
I personally could never imagine writing like him as my style is one which is peppered with punctuation - maybe to an excessive degree which is unnecessary. Nevertheless, he's a brilliant author and there are many things to say about both his character and writing style - as well as historical matter about which he writes (such as the trade of Navaho scalps in Mexico in the 1830s - this takes place in the novel 'Blood Meridian'). I find his style riveting and, if he is the exception to the rule, I'm more than happy to entertain his prose with interest and gusto.
Friday, 19 June 2009
A summer night.
The moon hides its face
But streetlights are unabashed;
They shine like careless stars
In a night of deepest ash.
The souls are tramping the streets -
It's Friday and the week's been hard.
Conversations will be played out.
Wounds will heal and fresh ones may yet scar.
The windows are yellow and dulled
With the light of 50-watt bulbs.
Students talk through the night,
With remorse, laughter and cajole.
The morning will come early;
The solstice is due two days hence.
The evening will stretch to 10
And the morning will come like a wench.
And slowly the days will grow shorter,
As agreement is paid unto the night.
We'll slip ever closer to darkness
But be saved by earnest light.
But streetlights are unabashed;
They shine like careless stars
In a night of deepest ash.
The souls are tramping the streets -
It's Friday and the week's been hard.
Conversations will be played out.
Wounds will heal and fresh ones may yet scar.
The windows are yellow and dulled
With the light of 50-watt bulbs.
Students talk through the night,
With remorse, laughter and cajole.
The morning will come early;
The solstice is due two days hence.
The evening will stretch to 10
And the morning will come like a wench.
And slowly the days will grow shorter,
As agreement is paid unto the night.
We'll slip ever closer to darkness
But be saved by earnest light.
Tuesday, 2 June 2009
An apology for my blog post dated May 31st.
I apologise for painting certain characters I encountered in the scheme pejoratively. I didn't intend any malice through my comments. The post is still available but I've removed it in the short-term so as not to offend anyone. I had doubts about characterising certain people and I should've focused only - or mostly - on the work being done. I felt my comments were fair comment but, in retrospect, they painted me in a light which makes me look sneery. I hope all those offended will forgive me.
Yours apologetically,
Robert Head.
Yours apologetically,
Robert Head.
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