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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 18:06 8 Sep 2024
Jack Kerouac. It must have been during the summer of 2005 that l discovered that Kerouac, Peter Doherty and myself shared the same birthday - March 12.
I mentioned this to a Beat Generation lecturer based in Cambodia a few weeks ago and we discussed the letter that Kerouac had received from Neal Cassady in 1950 that only resurfaced in 2012 having been considered lost by Kerouac who had loaned it to Allen Ginsberg.
Jack Kerouac died 19 years after first receiving the letter but had always acknowledged that the writing style of Cassady contained in the 16,000 word epic was the style blueprint for On the Road.
As it happens, Ginsberg had acted in good faith - as he did throughout his entire life and had passed the letter on to a publisher in the hope of getting a deal for Cassady.
As l am now finding out, the Kerouac estate has some interesting dynamics and it has been quite some journey seeing how things unravelled.
Jack Kerouac had a daughter - Jan, and her far too short life was likely affected by her father's Will that she was not included in. In her final years she believed that Jack's signature on the Will had been forged.
Cassady's letter to Kerouac eventually sold for under £200,000 at auction with a three way split after a series of legal challenges to ownership.
Just to confirm - On the Road was typed on a one hundred and twenty foot roll of tracing paper that was exhibited in the UK a few years ago.
Cassady's letter to Kerouac was on nine pages which were double sided and include some colourful cameos of life.
As for Allen Ginsberg, l am hoping the signed copy of Howl that l used to read at The Sloman Library at Essex University is still in safe keeping. |
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 11:21 8 Sep 2024
A quick hello from the Essex port of Harwich and a thank you to those of you still following this thread that l have not had time to add to recently.
Hopefully a little more to come that may include some interesting information relating to Jack Kerouac who died in 1969.
🦮🦮😊😊 |
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Reply | Colchester 1970
at 08:32 20 Aug 2024
Thalidomide was certainly within that timezone but the people we saw were in their later years so it wasn't the cause.
Neither my father or l would have viewed these individuals from the stance you suggest, but l understand it may appear that way.
Colchester 1970 - it was a very different place back then, thousands of people employed by the hospitals l mention along with an enormous industrial base with the likes of Woods, Mason's, The Lathe, Paxman's and multiple printing companies. The streets were alive with an energy and purpose as people had focus.
The streets are very different now and only yesterday l was in quite a challenging situation in a narrow walkway hidden from public view and walked into a group of individuals who had a few minutes earlier hurled abuse at me because my dog was barking at them.
Even in my final years l will not back off from anyone and the outcome was totally unexpected as they actually apologised - one in particular being terrified of my dog.
I am talking of an area where people are carrying weapons on a frightening scale. This is a walkway from Colchester North Station that leads to the Skateboard Park and surrounding area that is occupied by county lines drug dealers.
Just a few weeks ago machete's were discarded by a similar ( or possibly the same group? ) in a police chase and thrown into hedgerows.
We didn't have to deal with that kind of activity until around the last decade.
It is commonly known that some of these kids are carrying guns and l was shot by one last October in Colchester High Street. It was only a replica pellet gun but it left a mark below my eye for several days.
I suppose the point l am making is that Colchester is a very challenging place live in post modern Britain. |
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Reply | Colchester 1970
at 22:48 19 Aug 2024
During my Art School years l was able to do 'work experience' in London.
I was working for a publisher in Covent Garden and l got friendly with a girl in the design studio.
She lived in Hackney and had only been to London and Margate in her 19 year existence. We used to go for walks at lunchtime and feed the pigeons.
I remember her asking me where l came from and l said Colchester, she had no idea where it was and l invited her down for the weekend.
To my surprise she agreed to visit and l promised a tour of the sights.
We came back on a warm summer evening and as we left the station on the south side the first thing she saw was a naked female patient running out of Essex Hall with several members of staff in pursuit.
This was her induction to Colchester.
There were also quite a few patients scanning the pavements in pyjamas looking for dogends - some of which they would eat.
She wasn't overly impressed with what she was seeing but once l got a couple of drinks into her system in The Albert she warmed to Colchester and was to make many trips thereafter.
Should have married her! |
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Reply | Colchester 1970
at 22:17 19 Aug 2024
By 1971 l was an Art Student at Colchester School of Art and for that year and the following year's of study l worked throughout the summer holidays as a porter at Severalls - now regarded as a mental institute of some repute throughout Europe and beyond.
Armed with a mop l became most adept at cleaning corridors, lounges, dining rooms and sleeping areas.
I witnessed extraordinary scenes and discussed some of my experiences there last night.
One of the wards at Severalls was called 'Graham Ward' and was like a scene from a horror movie at times - there were padded walls with most of the patients that l came into close contact with in straight jackets.
As an eighteen year old, and there were about twenty of us the same age ( students ) we were exposed to scenes that made 'Silence of The Lambs' look quite tame.
Somehow though l think all of us agreed that this was a life experience that might broaden our outlooks in the future.
Colchester was a town back then - it's supposed to be a city now but it lacks so much of what it once had. [Post edited 19 Aug 22:22]
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Thread | Colchester 1970
at 21:33 19 Aug 2024
I witnessed something in Colchester - possibly in 1970 that l needed confirmation of from someone who had worked at Essex Hall around that time.
My father was doing some work at Essex Hall and wanted me ( around 17 at the time ) to see with my own eyes.
In a ground floor lounge not far from the main entrance that was on the hill that led up to the south side of North Station were a group of men who were the most physically deformed examples of human life that were in care.
Some had heads that were several feet high with large protruding veins and were held in traction with supporting and custom designed wheelchair configurations. They were reading books, watching television and being fed - some could self feed.
This is an image that had always remained and occasionally resurfaces.
I was told last night that what l saw were the 'final generation' of people kept in care with these conditions.
After having an extensive search online l can see nothing anywhere in the world that illustrates by photography, x-rays or drawings the degree of deformity that was evident in 1970.
The site of the former hospital is flats now but there are still some haunting walks in the vicinity including what l have branded 'The Secret Meadow'.
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 22:13 16 Aug 2024
'TAXI RIDE IN BLACK TIGHTS'
Taken from 'Assessing Street Value'
Kelly travels light
Takes a back seat taxi ride
Got a tooth brush
Got a hair brush
She don't need much
And she don't say much
Kelly travels light
Takes in all the sights
A Mosque
The vape shops
But the road ahead is taped off
And they have to take a right
Kelly travels light
Carrier bag
Pair of tights
She's just away for the night
She's off to the other side of town
Head full of music
Sun going down
Kelly travels light
Takes a back seat taxi ride
Got a tooth brush
Got a hair brush
She don't need much
And she don't say much
But she's taking it all in
Most goes over
Visual white noise
She's the observer
And she travels light
No requirement
For faith or religion
By the time she was eight
She'd made that decision
Kelly doesn't say much
She doesn't mix much
She's not looking for love
Kelly doesn't want to get close
She travels light
Carrier bag
Pair of tights
Note to above - had to give the latest writing project a new title as 'Lesbian Espionage' was causing a bit of friction with an artist's agent over the pond. I am contemplating changing a word too on 'The Ballad of Lily Allen' as l want to protect that young lady from any negative comment on her past life that may be connected to substances ( although there was a degree of poetic licence ). The actual piece about Lily is complimentary although it is unlikely she will have any recall of our communication in '05.
[Post edited 16 Aug 23:02]
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 17:34 9 Aug 2024
Quite a few late nights here, in fact some all nighters working on the new book.
The entire production has been made by hand using collages as media for the word / image process.
Some of the new pieces in the book are included on this thread and were written virtually live onto 'The U'sual' during the past few months.
I did an 18 hour shift on Monday with musical backdrop from Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Diamond Head, White Lies, Wolf Alice, The Amazon's etc to get me through - and toast and coffee to keep me going.
Sending best wishes to all from Colchester Central.
😊😊🦮🦮 |
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Reply | Lewis Richardson
at 21:31 31 Jul 2024
Looks like Lewis Richardson is the only British boxer still standing. Good to see his family celebrating a narrow victory today. 😊😊 And he wanted to be a footballer originally. |
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Reply | Cambridge Friendly
at 17:41 30 Jul 2024
Better news on the playing front with a win at Millwall in sweltering heat.
Lyle Taylor with the only goal and he also missed a penalty. |
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 21:40 28 Jul 2024
Back to the indie music scene circa 2003. I was playing some Primal Scream early this morning and l can usually identify who is singing what on particular tracks....but when l checked to see who the female vocalist was on 'Some Velvet Morning' it wasn't who l expected ...but possibly influenced by Dot Allison - it was in fact none other than Kate Moss and she does a pretty good job....there were the familiar names on the production that l would expect to find, and it was always interesting to catch up with these guys and discuss recording techniques.
The single only charted at No.44 and l wonder if Kate even registered this for royalties.....not that it would have significantly increased her already very high income stream.
Just to confirm that the lyrics are by Lee Hazlewood, so this was an interesting reworking of the original that Bobby Gillespie covered.....and I wonder if Kate Moss was available to perform this live at any time on tour.
I have just listened to the original recording from the Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood album released in 1967 and it is sublime. [Post edited 28 Jul 22:05]
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 22:11 26 Jul 2024
It's now time to put the last two years of written work into book production.
After experimenting with several different print and design techniques l have decided that every new written work will be produced as a collage.
The first one 'Liquid Honey' is currently on view at Firstsite in Colchester and there will be around 47 others that will form part of a book of approximately 72 pages.
I have no idea if this project will take off or be commercially viable. The collages include coloured strips of acetate and kid's stickers with the poetics printed onto a yellow paper with torn edges and multiple images in the background.
Each page has the potential to be reproduced as a poster or submitted to on line poetry magazines around the world in PDF form.
While attending the funeral of Colchester musician Grahame Andrew today l saw the best photo books that l have ever seen produced by Snapfish that he and his wife have compiled over recent years.
For anyone familiar with print the inner pages were on a super gloss 200 GSM stock and the colours were vibrant and deeply saturated - an incredible effect.
Grahame was always kind and generous to us all and looking through his photo books today was akin to some kind of telepathic message.
Attending three funerals in less than two weeks has been exhausting but in a strange way exhilarating because each individual produced so much through either innovative business ideas or music that lives on and can be shared and experienced by future generations.
R.I.P.
Peter Sakal
Grahame Andrew
Louise Stratton |
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Reply | Another Open day.
at 16:59 24 Jul 2024
Thanks Wessex....even worse then.
In that case l wonder if Florence Park or Maldon & Tiptree were considered? |
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Reply | Another Open day.
at 15:07 24 Jul 2024
The Peterborough match on Saturday has had to be switched from The Jobserve Stadium to London Road.
I didn't want to be too dramatic with my assessment of the pitch after seeing it on Sunday but it was in a very poor state and requires immediate attention - otherwise we might end up ground sharing for a while! 😳😳 |
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Reply | Another Open day.
at 22:52 21 Jul 2024
Robbie Cowling said something about a ground worker leaving and another one who had been ill l think but either way, the pitch looked like someone had run over it with a Flymo or something....and not in completely straight lines either. Several other people commented on this too.
There appeared to be discolouration in some areas.
I could be mistaken but my impression today was that the close season could have gone a little more smoothly.
Everyone seemed fairly optimistic though and enjoyed the Open Day which was very well attended. |
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Reply | Another Open day.
at 17:30 21 Jul 2024
My oldest daughter was banging on the window around 2pm and insisted l got in the car with family members and attended the Open Day.....really glad l did, met up with Danny Cowley and related the wonder score that once appeared on my television screen - Luton Town 0 Braintree Town 3, and that after around the 30 minute mark.
It was interesting to hear Robbie Cowling explain how Workhorse made no financial contribution to their shirt sponsorship arrangement in the second season and that has led to Hot Lizard appearing on the shirts.
I had some insightful conversations with club members and l hope we both learned something from the exchanges.
Matt Hudson was there with his wife and daughter and it was really nice to catch up with David Gregory.
I'm sorry to report that the pitch looks in very poor condition. The playing area will be on the reduced scale that was used towards the end of last season - something of a tactical ploy.
I was able to relate some information about Paul Lambert while he was Manager at Aston Villa to interested parties. The club clearly remember the redesign that Lambert oversaw of the away dressing room.
Our new goalkeeper is almost as tall as the floodlight towers!
We had fun with the green screen too in the Colu TV room....some decent kit in there and made sure the seat levels were compatible.
[Post edited 21 Jul 17:49]
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Reply | Steve Harley
at 20:45 17 Jul 2024
Visited Paul Francis today who was the drummer for Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel between 1992 and 2000.
We exchanged some of our work and l am loving his career story -.he is possibly the youngest ever drummer to go professional, leaving school at 14.
He has played with Jack Bruce, Bill Wyman, Maggie Bell and Tony Jackson of The Searchers not to mention being a member of Fuzzy Duck, and associated with a vast array of bands over the years.
I showed him an Akarma pressing of the Fuzzy Duck album which he didn't appear to be aware of.
The original pressing has a value of £1,500 and above and is a wonderful example of free flowing music from a short lived time when the labels were experimenting with progressive music. |
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Reply | Tigers at Layer Road
at 22:11 16 Jul 2024
'BUSINESS PLAN - 1994' - Cont.
In this town centre setting
First floor office accommodation
Of some 1,200 square feet
Consisting of
A front office
Open planned area
( With kitchenette )
WC's - recently refurbished
By the current tenants
Including an extensive overhaul
Of electrics with multiple
Power points
Office furniture supplied by
The British Army
Together with computer system
Surplus to the requirements
Of British Telecom
Two sofa's
( Rescued from a skip )
A safe
( Believed to have been stolen )
Though, empty on arrival
We are invited into the office
There are the remains of takeaways
Cigarette butts
Overflowing ashtrays
And an array of maps
Adorn the walls
This is the nerve centre
Of operations
And we are mighty impressed
We are offered illegal substances,
Coffee, wine, lager, spirits
The kind of rider
You get backstage
On your first tour
And your last
If you are lucky
It's the maps that take our interest
Every city, town, village and hamlet
East of Leytonstone
West of Cambridge
And South of Norwich
But the maps get upstaged
This was the biggest stick
Of dynamite
Anyone could possibly imagine
A database of 7,304 clients
Courtesy of pirate software
Stolen from British Telecom
Or if not stolen as such
Taken after a considered shortfall
In a redundancy package
We scanned the area
Of most interest
Namely CO1
This is 1994
And the world
Is at our fingertips
The ambition of
Two million pounds
Had been fully realised
With another million on top
For good measure
( TBC ). |
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