FIRST SONG: THE CONDITION

LAST SONG: PERSPECTIVE

Or listen HERE

Recorded at the Union Chapel, 06 Jan 12.

Brixton yesterday. Seven Sisters, the final corner of London, tomorrow! Hope this is open for appointments.

(not mine, but i feel like sharing)

from http://www.institute-of-failure.com/

-verbosity and wit, flashy show-off referential comedy
-dryness, sardonism, sarcastic humour unparalleled elsewhere
-self-criticism, analysis, post-colonialism
-non-academic, not superpretentious intellect/theory
-mindful anarchism, and discussion
-Ratstar, my dream home finally finally
-Offmarket, so carefully thought-out
-a beautiful, local, supportive community
-squatting, building, fixing things
-people from the Chapel
-free schooling, workshops, sharing
-counselling and trying my best to help people the way I know how
-people understanding subtlety, awkwardness, shyness, being an outcast and “not being cool”
-people not staring or overtly noticing difference or reacting to my race, etc, most of the time
-free museums and exhibitions
-chips, baked potatoes, vegan goodies
-Elle, Jess, Lili, Iga, Mikey and Alex CF

Stuff I won’t miss:

-upper-class brattiness, entitlement; unappreciative, privileged people
-indirectness/passive-aggression/non-verbalisation
-politeness, platitudes, and plans which turn out to be empty
-complaining, but not doing/changing
-men rambling on about all the stuff that they have done, and the stuff they think should improve
-resistance to “other” ways of life, of speaking, of behaving
-institutional (in anarchist circles) racism
-institutional (in anarchist circles) violence, sexism and dismissal
-social climbing, aspiration, constant enquiries regarding status/associations
-people ignoring personality, and prioritising aesthetics
-daily soul-destroying bus rides between north and south of the river, the longest single journey which took 3.5 hours
-lack of public hangout space or public toilets
-lack of connection to nature/the sublime
-lack of affordable anything
-relentlessness, hostility on the streets
-harrassment (sometimes jovial) from strangers
-starting bands that don’t eventuate for whatever reason
-formality, stiffness
-consumer culture, conformity
-obsession regarding trends/fashion
-box-ticking and rule-following
-lack of initiative, from fear of whatever
-people in my direct environment not asking if i’m okay, or enquiring about my life or experience as a person
-very very very very little social interaction, no-one to ask out for a cup of tea (!)
-missing a local, friendly Vietnamese community
-the only contact being from people who needed me to help them in some way (information, tattooing, english assistance, design layout stuff, other services, accommodation or something related to either social centre)
-loneliness (boohoo!)
-no-one to call or talk to when things were at their very worst
-the Tube and its suffocating air
-everything caked in carbon monoxide
-apples that taste like phosphorous
-absent partner

Pages for LOST IN THE CITY zine

out in Feb 2012. Berlin.

(left click to View, then right click to Save)

and my stories and songs are me talking back.

or as Bukowski puts it (ahhh gawd, quoting Chuck – really?!?!?):

“as the spirit wanes, the form appears”

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Below was written for GOOD GRIEF zine

out soon, from Brisbane

(Left click to View, right click to Save.)