Archive for the ‘Random’ Category

A few months after Angela Merkel said that multiculturalism has failed in Germany – Herr Cameron has decided to echo that horrible and predictable sentiment.

I think my wife and I are a fine example of multiculturalism working. I’d also say that multiculturalism works in London. In Birmingham. In Manchester. In the cities where cheap labour was needed in the 1930s. Y’know – when ethnic minorities were actively invited and imported from the colonies.

Oh, and the EDL are having a walk around Luton today – striking Nazi salutes and sporting steelcap boots. That’s another fine mess you’ve got us into, Davy.

Some years ago, I was Administrator at the Peter Bedford Housing Association up in Highbury. The Association exists to assist people who have faced long term exclusion from society through homelessness, mental health problems, learning difficulties, or multiple needs.

According to Peter Bedford’s  2007 Annual Report, David Ainley, a tenant, won the Model Employee award as a result of the high regard in which he is held by staff and participants alike in the post of permanent Administration Worker.

When I was Administrator, David would come into the office to work. A highly intelligent individual, I always looked forward to David’s presence – and our ensuing chats that, as I recall, were based around music, literature, films, and what food Djamel (the cook) was making in the canteen that day. We had a lot of laughs.

Today, I was informed that David passed away in his flat last week. I’m truly saddened by this, and can think of no other tribute to him than to post this as a reminder of what a kind person he was.

RIP David Ainley.

Well, it was a year – that doesn’t make it the year, but it was a big year, nonetheless. It started, as most years do, with January; which brought an appeal for the people of Haiti afflicted by a tragic situation – one that continues. By the time February came around, I disappeared to Newcastle to shoot ‘Self Made‘. That, as you already know, was an incredible, indelible experience. It altered my desired career path in the arts, and I’ll be spending 2011 pursuing work as an actor. March disappeared in a blue funk as the insipid return to work and normality choked the creative experience out of me; but April to July saw things pick up as I returned to acting class and began reviewing albums and gigs again. 2010 was – in my opinion – a good year for music. A fine vintage – full-bodied and very drinkable. Tellingly, a new Government came to power to make everything a little bit harder for everyone.

Come summer, and the UK Film Council was scrapped. Kate flew out to help with the Pakistan floods. I did some twittering from the High Voltage and Big Chill Festivals before declaring that I would never, ever be attending an outdoor, camping festival again.  August arrived, and I took some time off from reviewing to try and address more creative outlets, and just as I did, The Quietus asked me to write for them. I managed to fall out with some supposed ‘old friends’ in September, and then a very old friend called to re-establish contact. That was odd. October was very exciting; and ‘Self Made’ premièred over at the Abandon Normal Devices Festival before getting two screenings at the London Film Festival and another at the Bath Film Festival. Of all those, the Bath screening was the most enjoyable. With any luck, the film will be distributed throughout the UK in 2011, and perhaps appear at some festivals internationally.

Birmingham’s Supersonic Festival was easily the best music festival I’ve been to in years, but I got sick of social networking that month, and realised that having thousands of followers means little in the real world. I deleted my Twitter and Facebook accounts. Then, I was also nominated for ‘Live Music Reviewer Of The Year‘ – an award that went to Simon Price from The Independent. He’s a better writer, but I have better hair. I doubt that having my 1,063 followers on Twitter would have been much use when it came to voting. I’ve since returned to Twitter, but with no agenda other than to stay in touch with some of the lovely people I met when I was a Twitter addict (twaddict?)

November, and I was preparing for December‘s acting class. I started listing my albums of the year, as I knew I would have neither the time nor the inclination after class had begun. That class was difficult, educational, and inspiring. After four intense weeks, I fell ill; had a week off work. After that, I had two seizures and ended up in hospital: epilepsy is so very, deeply unpleasant. Since then, I have given up alcohol – nor have I smoked for about a month. I’ve been more alive since. I’ve read voraciously, and have a zest for life that I previously lacked.

Will 2011 bring anything new? Undoubtedly. Will the year be challenging, exciting, inspiring, daunting? Of course. Let’s go.

I have long loathed Frankie Boyle, not least for his crap jokes, but the spiteful ire he ‘cunningly’ disguises as humour. His recent DVD title is the warm ’ If I Could Reach Out Through Your TV and Strangle You I Would’, while his last tour was entitled, ‘ I Would Happily Punch Every One Of You In The Face.’ What masochist buys this stuff?

He’s an ex-alcoholic and drug user, so he titled his autobiography, ‘My Shit Life So Far’. Who cares about Frankie Boyle and his shit life? Clearly, a lot of people. Today, it’s transpired that he’s been using satirical, racist humour on his TV show. Great! I guess the audience will fully embrace the depth and magnitude of his actions.

When Gene Wilder was filming Stir Crazy, a food fight broke out, and a piece of watermelon landed at Richard Pryor’s feet. He walked off set. The next day, he came in with his grandmother, who then proceeded to explain what what the watermelon symbolised to her as a black person - no matter how innocent and innocuous it seemed to others (yes, Richard was on crack – I’m not justifying the action).

I understand Boyle’s satirical idea, but I don’t like it. Why couldn’t he have used a different term to achieve the same aim? Does he not understand the brevity of a white man saying the word ‘paki’ and ‘nigger’ on national television? ”Hey, look! It’s acceptable to be a satirical racist.” Is it? George Carlin and Bill Hicks tried it, while Paul Daniels and Bruce Forsyth still hold on to their aged, awkward value system.

I hate it - I abhore it – I deplore it. It’s yet another middle-class defence of  a disgusting act committed by a man less funny than Jethro. Maybe he should visit Scotland Against Racism and better understand the world he’s living in.

2% of the Scottish population are from a (non-White) minority ethnic group.

Over 70% of the visible minority ethnic population were Asian (Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Chinese or Other South Asian) .

Asian doctor and comedian, Paul Sinha, has risen to the defence of Boyle on his blog here. Funnily enough, there’s a Scottish Asian comedian called Ayesha Hazarika – where’s her fucking TV show?

Here’s my new DVD and the book’s out in paperback. Both easily shopliftable. Seriously, I have enough money now, help yourself. My new TV show starts on Channel 4 every Tuesday from November 30th. It’s called “Hide and Seek. And Rape” narrated by Sir David Attenborough in a surprisingly strong Pakistani accent.

Dig it!

Frankie

So, here’s this Captain Beefheart song I had a hand in making a decade ago. Thanks for all the music, Don.

All quite timely, I think you’ll agree. Filmed two years before his death, this is one of his best, most quoted – and most savage – performances.