Poetry without comment beyond thanks to Hannah Lim for use of the image. Continue reading
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Down and out to sea
Rich Brown wanted to draw a line under what was intended as a lockdown project, and having had enquiries about them, decided a CD—his first physical release—would do exactly that.
Revisiting old songs with a tweak here and there, plus adding three completely new, Down and out to sea contains ten tracks, all of which were recorded, mixed and mastered in Rich’s own home studio; a place that started as a duvet fort and has become something producing sound that one would be hard pressed to realise hadn’t been recorded in a real studio with all the engineering and mastering that goes with it.
Backways Sam
A short story in poetic form about my good friend Backways Sam.
With thanks to Ricardo Esquivel for use of the image (original can be seen in link).
The Worm that Turned
There was once a very popular chain in the UK famous for its Pick and Mix sweet/candy selection. Whether if was famed around the world for it—it wasn’t in origin a UK company—I don’t know. What I do know: this is one of the pest control stories that people hate hearing most.
I’d been paged a message to get a particular branch with bells on. Continue reading
Dark Side of the Lawn
I love the smell of freshly cut grass in the summer. Do you cut yours in a straight line or with a twist like this?
With thanks to Marcel L. for use of the image. Continue reading
That was indeed I
Poetry without comment beyond thanks to Sincerely Media for use of the header image.
Continue reading
Face It
Poetry on a subject as divisive as Marmite: feet.
With thanks to Toa Heftiba for use of the image. Continue reading
Three Covers One Band
Clue One. The three bands covered: The Paragons/The Nerves/Randy and the Rainbows.
Clue Two. My experiences of seeing them live: in 1982, when I was still at school, my mum—who I get my thing for music from—got us tickets to see this band, only for them to spilt up on the tour before playing the gig. They were my top band at the time; I was totally gutted.
In 1991, I was going to spend a weekend at the Hells Angels’ Kent Custom Bike Show. It turned out that on the same Saturday night, the lead singer of the band was appearing as a solo artist at Wembley, London, on a bill that included the likes of INXS, Jesus Jones and the Hothouse Flowers. Continue reading
Southern Avenue
A short story about a real place. With thanks to Daniel Frank for use of the header image (not of the actual location). Continue reading
Walking the Dog
With thanks to Juuso Salminen for the header image. As is often the case with the image used, it’s chosen for its own merits as much as its relationship with the words. When first seeing, I thought it digital, a black on white image, not a photograph. Apparently much hanging around on a freezing cold lake was needed to get it.
Like the photo, the following is also true. Though it took place in the early 90s during a summer when I lived on a council estate in London. Numerous flats in different buildings of various sizes and ages looked onto a communal area with grass and also a high-walled brick area with benches built in. Meant as an outdoor meeting area, local kids used it to play football as the high wall at one end made a great goal where the ball bounced back instead of flying off into the distance anytime someone scored or missed (I often joined in while Ed—a Rottie named after Eddie Cochran—did his business). Continue reading
N. P. Ryan 