DOG IN SPACE - PAUL AT PONTINS

My parents at a Pontin's holiday camp in the early 1960's.

A couple of different things this post. In contrast to the hot weather we have been having here’s a haiku I wrote in April-when it was not as warm:

Words freeze as spoken

The coldest night in the world

Winter will not end

Do you ever find it difficult to imagine the cold when you are in the summer? I do.

Which one am I?
My family at Babbacombe in 1967.

 Around the time I wrote the haiku I was at a festival. It was so windy as I drove up to the camping area I saw a marquee take off and collide with a parked car. I later wrote this:

In its haste to escape from the festival,

the absconding marquee trips over a car.

Later it will be pinned down

And a man assigned to watch the dissident.

Me and my brother early 1960s on holiday.

As well as posting these old photographs of my family, I thought I’d include a short piece I wrote at a creative writing class I used to attend ran by Genista Wheatly. If I am honest I cannot remember the brief. I think it was to write something as dialogue. So I write this monologue.

“You kids have got no respect, not like in the old days. Then we had respect, now you laugh when I tell you the truth. Years ago you’d have been quiet, but hell, years ago, in the good old days, I would not have said what I just said. Stands to reason, then you kept schtum, now you laugh.”

“I tell you I helped in the space race, yes me Moscow Dog Catcher, second grade. Things were different then, no, I did not have Comrade Korolev’s talent or his favour, but I played my part. Got this watch, yes it is only a Vostok, not a Poljot. Yes I know Yuri had a Poljot when he first orbited. Me I got a Vostok, like a military hero. Don’t work now though it is right twice a day.”

“How did I get it? I caught a dog, a lovely little bitch, barked a lot called her Liaka. It was during my two years conscription, I had worked as a dog catcher previous. October 1957 and this dog had been hanging about the base, barking and carrying on, kept the men awake at night. Well those that weren’t melting the boot polish and drinking it that is. The sergeant says to me “You soldier, never could remember my name that one, you were a dog catcher before weren’t you?”

“Yes Sir” says I. “Well, catch that mutt before I have it shot then we might get some sleep!” “I’d just caught the dog, lovely animal, real friendly. I’m stood there talking to the dog, trying to calm her, “I’ll call you Laika, as you bark so much.” Then this man in a grey trousers and a leather jacket comes up to me and tells me how the country needs such dog. To be a space pioneer, he says. To follow in the footsteps, alright paw prints, of Bars and Lamka, only they did sub-orbital’s and they were ok. They came back.”

“She over heated, or the stress killed her...They were never sure. Took seven hours though. Less than a days’ work plus several million roubles to kill a dog, seems like a lot of effort. But as I say things were different then.”

“Now what about that vodka you promised me?”

Both of us at Pontin's Morcombe holiday camp around 1965.

Laika was launched into space on 31^st October 1957. The other dogs mentioned flew suborbital flights and landed but poor old Laika died. 

My parents at Pontins Blackpool in 1970.

On a slightly less sombre note Alela Diane’s new cd was released here in England on Monday. I cannot stop listening to it. It is both sad and beautiful. I am working on a review that may appear next week. I have also been very taken with Lizzy Stewart’s Cardigan Heart. A small work of art. 

I shall leave you with Alela singing.

THE CADBURY SISTERS

Playing this year's Two Thousand Trees Festival

I’ve always been a sucker for a good harmony and the Cadbury Sisters have the most wonderful harmonies I’ve heard in a long time. I first saw them when we were both appearing at the Wychwood Festival last year. They sounded sublime, enthusiastic and alive. There was such energy and verve in their performance. I decided there and then that these women were going places.

Jess, Mary and Lucy really are sisters. You can tell that they have sung together for a long time when you hear the ease with which their voices combine into those glorious harmonies. And the quality of the song writing! That alone would make them worth listening to.

I have followed their career through their ep releases. Barefoot, the latest is excellent. I have watched their progress up the bills of festivals and was lucky enough to be on at Lechlade festival with them.

 In the intervening year their performance skills had grown even stronger. There was an assured feel to their set at Lechlade and they were superb, just the thing for a sunny afternoon. They stole the show.

I have been trying to link to a lovely video but cannot due to some technical reason beyond my limited abilities-here's a link. It's worth a look/listen.

Jess

I am delighted that they agreed to an interview.

Lucy

Your harmonies are beautiful. Have you always sang together?

Thank you. Yes we have always sang together since we could talk! We were those children who had to be told to stop singing round the dinner table!

Mary

Last year when I saw you at Wychwood you mentioned  your Laura Marling moment-that relisation that you could write songs. Can you tell us about that?

I don't know if you've heard Marling's song New Romantic, but that song was the one that just made her so relatable to us as young women. She was fresh and her songs were so simple in a way but also very deep and intelligent. We started covering her songs for fun basically, and then that inspired us to start writing our own lyrics and songs.

Who influenced you when you were starting out?

Artist wise - obviously Laura Marling and some other artists such as Ryan Adams, Bright Eyes, Simon and Garfunkel are amazing too. But we were also really encouraged and supported by the Cheltenham music scene at the start. We played open mic nights and got to know the people who ran them and they were so lovely and really cared about us.

Barefoot: the latest ep

Tell us about your writing process? Where do the songs come from? How autobiographical are the songs?

Our writing process has evolved a lot over the last few years. Nowadays we tend to form ideas and lyrics on our own and then bring those ideas to the other two where we then finish the song with all it's harmonies and instrumentation. Sometimes we will just be having a jam and a song will come out of it, we love it when that happens!

It feels like there is a steadily building momentum around the group, I have noted that you have climbed higher up the listings over the year-have you got a grand strategy? Do you know where you want to be and by when?

At the moment we are just trying to write the best songs we can, and then we will record them for a release… possibly a full length album. We have had a great summer of festivals which has really made us fall more in love with performing than before - so really we just want to continue writing better songs, playing great shows and meeting more people along the way! 

If you were me what question would you ask you?

What’s a band you listen to that we wouldn’t expect?

Jess – Eels

Mary – Of Montreal

Lucy – Bo Ningen

What's in the pipeline?

A new release and playing more gigs all over the UK.

If you were a song what would it be and why?

We would be Young Hearts Run Free by Candi Staton. It’s such a great song with a really bold message. To listen to it you would think it was a happy-clappy love song but it’s actually an anti-love song. It’s great. We use it as a wake up song on long journeys to and from gigs!

Interesting choice-it’s a great song. Thank you.

You can catch the Cadbury Sisters at:

Nozstock: 26.7.13

Feildview: 1.8.13

Lakefest: 8.8.13

Mosley Folk Festival: 30.8.13

You can also follow them on Twitter.

IN SLOW BUT FIRM BATTALION

Yesterday I went to Tolpuddle for the annual march and festival. You may know the story of the Tolpuddle Martyrs who were arrested under a corrupt government and transported to Australia for simply joining a union. In the years following the Napoleonic Wars the government of this country was brutal, exploitative and only interested in those with money. Sound familiar?

Every year the TUC holds a festival to celebrate the people's victory  over the tyrannical government. On the Sunday afternoon there is always a march. I decided to share with you some of the beautiful banners of the different trade unions. The title comes from Milton and is in its entirety:

Under the spreading ensigns moving nigh, in slow but firm battalion.

It seems to sum up for me the solidarity, dignity and power of working people. Especially when you compare it to those in elected office at the moment.

 I should warn you there are a lot of photographs!

Lastly Tolpuddle would not be Tolpuddle without a closing set from Billy Bragg.

REMEMBERING PETER

My brother Peter died on this day in 2006. Most of the time it doesn’t seem that long, though some days it feels longer. He had been there for all of my life and it was so shocking when he died. I had thought he was a constant, like the sun, the seasons, the day itself. He left a huge space in people’s lives. He was so full of energy and fun. One of my earliest memories is Peter making a kite out of brown paper and bamboo. I remember being amazed that anyone could do anything so clever. That said he was a very modest man, down to earth but with much compassion.

It’s difficult for me to find the words I want to express what I want to say. 

Here are the words my sister has composed:

PETER SANTLEY 22.07.2006 A million times I’ve needed you, a million tears I’ve cried. If love could have saved you, Peter, you never would have died. Things I feels most deeply, are the hardest things to say, My darling Peter I loved you in a very special way. If I could have one final wish, a dream that could come true, It would be with all my heart for yesterday and you. Miss and love you always Your Loving Wife, Dorothy.

We miss you Peter.

Max Ryan: A View from the Air.

Gorilla Island.

©Max Ryan. Not to be used without permission.

I am really pleased to be able to share with you the amazing work of Max Ryan. I don't really have to say much more do I? What incredibly beautiful photographs. Trust me the book is even better. I fell in love with it when some friends gave me a copy the other week. I was entranced by the painterly construction and knew I had to share this jewel of a book with a larger audience. 

Castle Hurst Spit

©Max Ryan. Not to be used without permission.

Where did you get the idea for the book from?

Almost two years ago I was taking some photos of Westbury White Horse, it was about 5 in the morning, I was trying to climb up on the fence to gain some height for the shot! I was trying not to fall off the fence when in the distance I could see something moving towards me.....it was pretty scary, until I realised it was just a flock of sheep heading my way. I decided to give up on trying to sit on the fence, so sat and watched the sheep for a while, it was then that I decided to investigate getting some height, as the fence was just not doing it!

My mother paid for my first flight! I have a pretty serious fear of heights and generally hate flying! So it was either going to be a success or a complete waste of time. Strangely, after the initial weirdness of flying in a helicopter, I just loved it.

Although its fairly noisy up there, with the door off! it's so very peaceful, it is just an amazing experience to see life from up high. It's clean and stress free!

I always have a route mapped out before flying, generally these include obvious landmarks but while on route, if I spot something I get it!

Harvesters

©Max Ryan. Not to be used without permission.

How many flying hours were needed to get the photographs?

I have clocked up roughly eight and a half hours flying time. (For 'Bird's Eye View' flying in a Robinson 22 & 44)The book has taken me the best part of a year and a half to design and print.

Where can people buy the book?

The book is available so far for £13.00 in; Seed by Design & Hunting Raven Books, both in Frome. Good Buy Books & Oldfield Park Books, both in Bath. White HorseBookshop, Marlborough & Bailey Hill Bookshop, Castle Cary & EdingtonFarm Shop.

I imagine that there are many technical difficulties to overcome when photographing from the air?

Technical difficulties.......not really, it's tiring and sometimes cold!

What's in the pipeline?
My next plan, apart from spending more time getting 'Bird's Eye View' out there, is to perhaps go for Dorset, Devon & Cornwall. (Not yet tho!)

If you were a book what book would you be and why?

Not sure what book I would be....The Giant Wasp Sandwich, think because I am not keen on Wasps.....I am sure you were looking for a deeper response!

I had no expectations. Thanks Max.

THE SLOW TURN OF CONSTELLATIONS

I have had a busy couple of weeks. I have phoned in my last two posts from far away, such has been my circumstances. I do want to briefly mention the Chagall exhibition at Tate Liverpool-fantastic! It’s always fun to take a trip down the pool and the Chagall exhibition makes it even more so. There is something universal in the art of Chagall, it really sings to me.

I also heard an amazing young musician- more hopefully of HIM in the near future. Here’s a taster to be going on with.

Last week I was in the south of France visiting friends and I spent a day in Bordeaux where I was much taken with an exhibition by the great Catalan artist Jaume Plensa. I only managed to see a couple of his pieces as they were scattered about the city.

Prior to this the only example of his work I had seen was in St. Helens, where a head rises out of the wood to commemorate the triumphs of the miners at Bold Colliery. I have passed that many times in wonder.

Bordeaux is a very sympathetic setting for Jaume’s work. There is a dream-like aspect to the juxtaposition of living city and the scale of Jaume’s vision. What do you think?

Here’s a poem I wrote while I was further south visiting friends. I am not sure it’s complete yet.

We tumble into the warm night,

across the grass and wait

for the timed sheets of light

to count down and be gone.

Then I taste the blackness,

there are no shooting stars,

just this magnificent slow turn

of constellations I cannot name.

I am small but delighted to be alive.

That’s about it for this week. I think I may be posting an interview about a book of amazing aerial photographs on Tuesday. Finger’s crossed that the cd with the photographs reaches me in time.

Have a good week.