When recently writing a post about three of the songs Blondie covered, I included my experience of seeing Debbie Harry live; in the process discovering the somewhat unique circumstances in which I did are barely, if at all, mentioned anywhere on the internet. Continue reading
London
Plans, Trains and Lovers in Turmoil: the story of two
Two lovers part on bad terms with an agreement to meet in a year to see if they have a future. Both travel to the meeting on the London Underground, but one is delayed without any way of letting the other know.
Failing to arrive in time could be plenty enough to seal their fate. Do they make it and what caused the rift to begin is told in a sequence of poems from the two perspectives.
The poems originally formed the main body of a review for Ian Arkley’s album ‘two’, the music inspiring a poetic narration rooted in my experience of using the Underground before leaving London at the end of the last century; the tracks remain available in this post, also providing the name for each verse. Continue reading
I Wish
Poems for greedies to relate to: one in North American parlance; the other UK vernacular.
Return to Southern Avenue
I used the net to test fond memories and found they came up wanting. With thanks to Daniel Frank for use of the header image. Continue reading
Lights Out! The New Orleans Irish Quarter Fire that was Jerry Byrne
This delve into songs first heard in the 80s at one of the record hops still taking place as part of London’s remaining 50s/60s Teddy Boy/Rocker scene looks at:
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Song: ‘Lights Out’
Artist: Jerry Byrne
From: New Orleans
Recorded: 1958
Following on from Ian Arkley’s two, a deeper delve into London’s Underground
Being pulled back in time and down into the London Underground when reviewing Ian Arkley’s two led not only to a couple of memories being stirred, but more so the discovery of a little known unsavoury World War II fact involving Winston Churchill.
A review of Ian Arkley’s second solo album via poetic journeys on the London Underground
Ian Arkley’s second solo album two is compellingly converse. Frequently touching on fiercely hunting, it equally remains subtle throughout. two picks up where one left of with bells on thanks to the addition of a dulcimer, lyre and pitched down acoustic guitar for bass. Mastering and layout are by Michael Shaffer of label Opa Loka Records, on which two is released; beyond that, Ian is responsible for all aspects including photographs and artwork. 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
The Shop next to the Tower on the Top of the Hill
A poem written in November 2020, prompted by what exactly I can’t remember; there is truth to a degree in the words, and while this matters not to the reader, a need to expand on the actual facts took hold, from which followed a jaunt across the tobacco industry, teachers always being a-holes, a picture of my favourite gate, cheap snacks, Big Foot, how I used to live in the Lord of the Rings, laughing at my mum (sorry, mum), a real size but pretend Canadian Parliament, the world’s first dinosaur statues, and London’s most popular gorilla.
N. P. Ryan 