Any of you who live in the north of England might take a look in the local Big Issue* magazine this week and see someone you know. Sean of Expletive Undeleted (one of my favourite blog names by the way) has a piece in the Big Issue in the North this week about pirate radio and one of the interviewees is former pirate radio DJ Havoc (i.e. me). You can't read the article online as far as I can tell - that's just a link to the magazine's site. I can't remember if I've said this before on here but my friend and I took our DJ names from dolls I had as a child so we were Daisy & Havoc (and those links will take you to info on the retro dolls – not us...although we are both fairly retro dolls now ourselves anyway).
Also this week...that poetry TV programme (3 posts ago) and the Wordsworth London poem it featured seem to have set me off on a 'songs about London' tangent. First I was singing Ewan MacColl's 'Sweet Thames flow softly' for a day or so (more about that soonish) but then I remembered this song by the brilliant Australian band The Waifs:
Green Ink Philippa...you're an Aussie in London...you must know this one, right? I have it on the Waifs album from 2002 'Up all night' (which is fantastic – really varied, lovely songs, singing and playing). I've never seen them live but hope to one day – I just heard them on the radio a few years ago (when they were over doing Cambridge Folk Festival, I think) and had to get hold of an album. Here's their myspace and here's another song from that album...a livelier number called 'Lighthouse':
And don't forget I showed you our local lighthouse somewhere back in here. Dolls, songs, lighthouses...nothing can get me into trouble there, can it..?
*Different 'Big Issue' magazines are sold by homeless street vendors all over Britain. For history of the magazine see the London issue site here.
And don't forget Hope's poem aloud at the post below.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Posts
12 comments:
Retro doll you may be Rachel (you said it) but my goodness me you do seem to have led a colourful and interesting life!
Thanks, Weaver. I'm sure we all have..in some way or other!
Just lately I do seem to have been saying 'I haven't read that' or 'I haven't heard of that' a lot though...and it's very frustrating. I never set out to be ignorant...and I wonder what the hell I have been doing all these years. Then a friendly soul like you makes me feel better...I've been living a colourful and interesting life that's what I've been doing. Phew!
x
I would echo The Weaver's comments, and do not forget your gift for connecting with people.
Now, London songs. Terribly old-fashioned but I must champion Noel Coward's "London Pride", written during the Blitz. My eyes fill whenever I hear it. And if I can work out how to do it, I'll send you the version I downloaded once upon a homesick time.
The Waifs sound good, Rach. I've just ordered them off Amazon. Keep educating me.
'bastrovi'- it's the word verification. I think it's an Armenian swear word.
Titus...thank-you. Sometimes I could do with thinking a little more before communicating but there you go...no-one's perfect...
I've never heard of that London song. Look forward to it.
Shug - see, you know everything. You even know Armenian.
I had an Armenian boyfriend once (well part-Armenian)...but that's another story.
x
which part was Armenian?
Was it his 'baliti'? (more Armenian word verification)
In fact he was more Londoner than anything...as it goes.
See, I should have stuck with radio...can do the links at least.
x
Thanks for this... love the Waifs! x
Enjoyed the music. I did sort of know who the Waifs were, but it's always better when you get an introduction, like this post. And I always want to find more new music to like!
It's real feel-good music I think ...even the quieter, sadder ones...and whilst we may not want to listen to feel-good music all the time I think a healthy proportion of well-made, carefully-chosen f-g music is handy to have around the house!
I listened to this album last week (whilst doing housework as is often the case for me and music these days) and I was just filled with happiness. Even my Mum (who is 85, lives here and does not like 'pop music') came in and said she liked one of the livelier songs. Fun for all the family...
x
I must track that issue down. Pesky nuisance, it not being on line!
I suppose it's because they need people to buy the magazine - it is a fundraising project after all. If you really are interested in the article (and I doubt it will be in your local BI - you live in the south of England, don't you?) they sent me pdfs of it which I can send on. It's about pirate radio in general.
x
Post a Comment