Busking for Govanhill Baths
Posted on September 30, 2009
It’s been a busy few weeks since last I blogged. Weddings, buskings, migraines, film showings, doors openings, season changing… these have all conspired to keep me from this little screen.
First up, I was lucky enough to be at the preview of Govanhill Baths “Deep Breaths” art installation/exhibition, on the eve of Doors Open Day a couple of weekends ago. I was blown away by the unexpectedly voluminous space, the varied and fascinating work by local artists and by the amazing work that Govanhill Baths Community Trust have done so far to pursue their goal of creating a Wellbeing Centre for a community that desperately needs facilities, investment and help. I lived in Govanhill for years so I know all about that!
After the preview, I came home and wrote a campaign song based around the Baths slogan “United We Will Swim”. Then I headed back the next day to do some adhoc busking at the Doors Open event to help draw folk in and raise some money. It was a great feeling to sing out on the steps of the Baths, round the corner from my old flat, in streets that can feel intimidating but that I know are populated by good people who care about their community.
I’ll tape the song and put it up on the Myspace soon but in the meantime, just for the record, the words go…
United we will swim – cause front crawlers don’t give in.
Back stroke, breast stroke, those who do the butterfly, drop by.
United we will swim – one day soon to dive in.
The workers in the charity shop will throw on their costumes and belly-flop, from on high!
// Well we know that times are tight and money is hard to be found -
But we’re payin our council tax pounds and we want out pool.
Well we know that times are tight and money is hard to be found -
So tear that motorway down and give us our pool. //
United we will meet at the corner of Viccy Road and Calder Street
Danny and the weans dive bombin, Grannies in their goggles bobbin gently by.
United we will organise – cause Govanhill cries out for better lives
With planning and meetings and determination from Eglinton Toll to Crosshil Station – say aye!
// Well we know that times are tight… //
Gosh. That was first up and I have lots of other things to talk about…but its 8.36 on a Wednesday night and that’s enough laptop for one evening.
I haven’t forgotten that I meant this blog to about thinking and thoughts rather than just a record of what I’ve been up to. And it will. I’ve been up to lots of thinking. Lots of practicing and thinking and gathering kindling.
Harvest
Posted on September 19, 2009
Behold my camp wee potatos, freshly scooped from the soil this morning. Got some big beasts too but seemingly you eat the smallest first and store the biggest. Having a bit of a garden is new to the adult me. It’s really really ace. My tatties kind of fell apart when boiled, but were delicious mashed up with lots of salt and pepper.
Gull drama at Glasgow office
Posted on September 10, 2009
Meanwhile in the world of dayjobs…we’ve had two SSPCA officers round and the whole building clustered round windows as they attempted to catch a juvenile gull that has apparently been stuck at the bottom of the building light well for two days. Seems they can’t fly well without wind and can’t fly directly up.
Eventually they managed to scare it into having another go at escaping, with the assistance of office workers at each level of the windows banging and knocking at the appropriate times. The young gull made it almost to the top - but landed on a sloping skylight - nearly slid back down to sharp intakes of breath and groans. It steadied itself. Then its mother appeared at the top of the well and started calling steady encouragement. A final effort and at last, it made it up, over and out! The air rings jubilant with the braying laughter of many gulls.
Wigging out
Posted on September 6, 2009
I’m stuffed full of a hangover this afternoon after spending yesterday evening speaking an octave lower than usual while informing all within earshot that “I see crystal visions…”, swaying rhythmically in a manner intended to be both mesmeric and musical and trying to persuade Tom Baker to take me with him.
Yes, I struck it lucky at the evening section of filming for Camera Obscura’s musical video for forthcoming single “The Sweetest Thing”. Glamourous streams of fake hair and trowels of professionally applied eye make-up adorned my be-shawled and be-stockinged form.
Other guests included Kate Bush (in full furry Lionheart), Nana Mouskouri and Cher. I shan’t give away which icons were startlingly vivified by the band themselves - let me say merely that they all looked hilarious, bonny and braw.
Wonderfully, the “video” was shot on film. Actual film! The cameras clicked and everything. I don’t think many folk get out the scissors and glue these days so apparently the film gets sent down south to be digimatised and will then be cut together in the computer.
I don’t know how long it takes to turn it into a music video but I’ll post up the link once its on the Yootube.
Coming up next - another strong cup of tea-bourne fortification and then I’m off to see my Gran. I think the Stevie of today would approve.
Busking at Bladnoch
Posted on September 2, 2009
Just back from a very enjoyable, though very wet, long weekend down in Dumfries and Galloway at the Bladnoch Folk and Blues Festival. The one brief hour of sunshine came happily during the Busking Competition, in which I gave it laldy and scraped third place! I entered last year too and came third, but this time the organisers split the purse and I got £50, huzzah. Plus what I made busking which wisnae bad either. Big thanks to the local kid bicycle gang for giving me their lucky stone. Thank you also to the band Blabbermouth for doing the judging.
More importantly than this, I came first in Cluedo in a highly competitive field of three. My cunning and mendacity were to the fore as I swept to victory - Mrs White with the poison in the living room.
We drank lots of Bladnoch whisky throughout the weekend, as you might expect, given the fest is held in its distillery. It’s kind of sweet and very light and kind of creamy. Yum.
There was a lot of great music but my favourite performance was by Adrian Byron Burns an amazing guitar-player, singer and raconteur.
Before his set, we spent an excessively wet Sunday afternoon in the Bladnoch Inn. There I jammed with a couple of very nice local fellows. It was really fun even though I was a bit sick of the sound of myself after all the busking, a terrifying performance under the blinding lights of the evening stage on Saturday night, and doing a rather limp few numbers in the main hall at Sunday lunchtime, into which I was well-meaningly press-ganged to sing to the hungover and slightly damp.
At least with all the rain, there is no risk of the River Bladnoch running dry no matter how much of its distilled essence was guzzled over the weekend.