“List seven songs you are into right now. No matter what the genre, whether they have words, or even if they’re not any good, but they must be songs you’re really enjoying now, shaping your spring. Post these instructions in your blog along with your 7 songs. Then tag 7 other people to see what they’re listening to.”
I found this meme somewhere on the net, but I can’t remember where. I have included links to the songs on Youtube, so get your dancing shoes and start grooving.
On my first day out on the Isle of Man I drove to the Langness Peninsula, for a first light house watch. I had to ask my way several times. I could see the lighthouse, but could not seem to find the road that would lead me to it. So after crossing a golf course several times (there was a small road, I did not actually race over their green!) with the risk of having the car hit by a golf ball, I finally found the tiny road that lead to the lighthouse. After taking the obligatory pictures, I sat down on a rock beside it and found the book that was given to me by a good friend as a part of an Isle of Man “chill pack”.
Well it didn’t get any more chilling than this. There were no people whatsoever to spot anywhere near me, the sun was shining, I had a lighthouse just beside me on my left, and in front of me was a very calm sea. It was quiet and peaceful, all I could hear were some birds. I started reading.
I was completely lost in my book when my ears picked up a peculiar sound. It sounded like someone snorting, and no, unfortunately, it wasn’t him. I couldn’t quite see where it came from at first, until I looked right in front of me, and there he was – a seal! He kept me company for a couple of hours, diving down once in a while for a bite to eat, and popping up again for some air. If you look carefully at the photo you can see him waving his paw. I asked him to do that, because it would make such a cute photo. He was happy to do so. His name? No this wasn’t Bill, but Sam, his brother.
Sam was not the last seal I saw on the isle. I think I have seen seals every day. I saw quite a lot of them near Sound (also in the south) and the handsome fellow in the middle (number 3 and that is Sam’s brother Bill indeed) came greeting me in the harbour of Peel. Seals are a very common sight all around the island, but they kept Wow’ing me every single time. It is so cool to see them in their natural environment.
This is London
Here is one of the lovely songs from the soundtrack of the great Dan in real life. The whole soundtrack has been created especially for this film by Norwegian singer-songwriter Sondre Leche. And I think he has done a marvelous job, the songs integrate perfectly with the film.
Too late …
OK. In the mean time I try to drag myself back to my script. I am on page 68 and moving towards the last 20 minutes of the film where the 2 main characters are going to have some final obstacles before they, at last (!), are prepared to be surprised. I think I have the title too. In order to write I need to be in some kind of mood and to get there I often listen to music. At this moment it’s a soundtrack, and more particular this song, of the film I have mentioned too many times now.
Have a good weekend. More Un-New-Yorky New York pictures coming up.
And be prepared to be surprised.
Baby
Be prepared to be surprised
When I wrap my arms around you
Every mistake we made crumbles
This is one of the most awesome pieces of movie soundtrack I have heard in a long time. And the scene belonging to this piece of music is one of the greatest shots in At World’s End. The music reminds me of Once upon a Time in the West. When I hear this song I want to see the film again, there is no way around it. It is after all a long wait until 2008.
Audio no longer available…
I don’t know what it is, but if my horoscope today (Friday that is – wait a minute – since when did I start believing those things – well since they started writing thing like these) writes a fine mist has settled over your brain and your thoughts are not clear than that is exactly what is wrong with me, and I am wondering who the hack told them.
After nearly 2 weeks, digesting both the trip and the play (I still haven’t really landed in London yet, it’s a weird feeling), it’s time for a personal review of The Vertical Hour. I warn you up front, it has become a long post, that’s what happens when my heart takes over from my head. If you haven’t seen the play you might not be interested in reading it at all. If you still have to see they play (lucky you) you might want to wait reading it until you have seen it, although I promise not to tell you how it’s ending. I felt the need to write it down, so here you go. And there is a beautiful song to hear in this post, I promise you that.
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“What did he write in your book?”
“Not going to tell you.”
“Something nice, it makes you smile I can see it.”
“Not too many people who can do that, I can assure you.”
“Can I?”
“You might, possibly.”
“Are you in a bad mood?”
“Well, my voice sounds like I have been hanging out in a smokey bar all night, which I haven’t and I have a headache, so…”
“Your voice sounds sexy.”
“Thank you.”
“The headache, I …”
“Just …don’t go there.”
“OK, put on your headphones then and press play.”
Too late …
“Good eh? You’re gonna find yourself, somewhere, somehow.”
“That – would be the day.”
The subtle difference between knowing what you want, and knowing what you need is probably one of the hardest things to learn. Yes I am a Tragic Romantic.
Cos you’ve got my heart in a headlock
You stopped the blood and made my head soft
And god knows
You’ve got me sewn
(Too late …)
OK.
Stand up.
Check your room.
Is there space enough?
Make sure of that, particularly on the floor.
Put the volume up.
Take off shoes unless they are comfortable.
Ready?
Press play.
(Too late …)
Go nuts for a minute or three.
Realize that the lyrics aren’t great, but let’s state here that they are not far from the truth. For some people.
So.
Was it good for you too?
I need professional help.
Drawing with lights in Dingwalls : Love Actually in Lights
It was about half a year ago I last saw her, in Dingwalls in Camden. At that time I had just arrived in London. Now 6 months later, Camden is a place I know relatively well, and I am no longer that intimidated by the “Do you want skunk” question. I rushed there right after work, needed something to eat and decided to give the happy hour ?2 Chinese shop a go. I hoped my stomach would be happy for more than an hour with this, and I didn’t want to know how long this food had been simmering, probably all day. A large coke in Dingwalls takes care of most of the possible stomach disturbers. Tina Dickow is magical, her songs still seem to hit something as I found myself crying more than once during the concert.
It was a good night.
Here is a bit for you to hear
(limited availability – you’re too late …)
She is touring the UK at the moment, highly recommended.
One
One touch can fill a life of longing
Not much is so much more than nothing
Yeah – All you need is
One
An open smile to win you over
One single step will bring you closer
Yeah – All it takes is one
And when you?re running for cover
And you feel the sky falling down upon you
And when it feels like forever
Since you?ve seen the face of someone who loves you
Then one is all that you need
All that you need to keep you warm
Is all that you need
All that you need to move you on
It?s all that you need
All you need is
One
Kaiser Chiefs
Not only did I get a subscription for the BFI/NFT for my birthday from my colleagues, they also gave me half a year of Love. Lovely, Actually, I need Love. And despite the fact that I do think you need to see a film in the darkness of a cinema, this turned out to be an excellent gift because LoveFilm has every single DVD ever published in stock, also BBC DVD’s and DVD’s from stuff that has been on the telly.
And so I rented peculiar things like a particular episode of Reilly Ace of Spies (so young!), episode 2 of Kavanagh Q.C. – Series 3 (so funky with the wig!), Auf Wiedersehen Pet (at last, and so posh!), AKA, True Blue (in a rowing boat) and Longitude (more wig). What pleasure to finally catch up on all this stuff, and what joy that LoveFilm has all those DVD’s. I do think that I messed up their automatic recommendation system though, because they can’t really figure out how my taste of DVD’s is put together. Only I know that : the weird way.
This weekend I received Kaiser Chiefs Enjoyment DVD. This award winning British band didn’t interest me one single bit a year ago. I knew their Every Day I Love You Less and Less hit, and that was about it. But they changed that, they made a DVD about their band and their story and had it narrated by the most funky rockin’ person in London. Now, that suddenly sounded very interesting, and not only is the DVD very interesting from a film makers point of view, because it is great, well done, very original, and some ideas from this DVD are written down in my Inspiration notebook – but the old style film clips from London, Leeds and Birmingham are narrated in such a goofy, funny way like only Bill Nighy can do it. And there is lots of it on the DVD.
While watching all this, I realized that I knew quite a lot of their songs, and that I actually quite like them. So, here, have some :
(Limited availability – you’re too late)
Love + Rock, Baby.
Oh, yesterday while eating a pizza – a story popped up, I grabbed my notebook and wrote it down, and had a cold pizza to eat. My only concern is if it maybe is too long for a short. But now I know they do popup occasionally, at moments where you least expect them. Which is wonderful and a huge Enjoyment too. More Enjoyment : France is number 12.
So on Trafalgar Square I looked up at Nelson, to call down Davy first of all, as they seem to hang around all the time. Understandable, as Nelson is a sea man too, and he even has sailed the Caribbean Sea too, so lots of men talk going on up there. But I also needed Nelsons opinion. I got that, he blinked and nodded.
And when coming home I told Davy about my plans, and he said “Of course you are going to do that, I’ll help you.”
“You think it is going to work ?”
I don’t know, but you have to give it a shot, and see where it ends. What was that saying
“100 percent of the shots you don’t take don’t go in.” ”
And he was right, again. the worst that can happen is that I miss a shot, and that won’t be a disaster.
[audio:0046.mp3]You don’t regret what you do
You regret what you don’t do
Garbo – Regrets
So I am going to do it, with a major dose of passion. I’ll let you know if I miss or not.
I woke up dreaming
I was asleep
The black birds call
Calling me
I woke up dreaming
I had escaped
To where the leaves never fall
And nothing breaks
(The Dallas Guild – Men in White Coats)
(And no it is not him this time).
Close your eyes and press play.
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