Charles Shaar Murray on Clarence Clemons
Here is Charles Shaar Murray’s contribution to my Clarence Clemons obit in today’s Daily Telegraph; his quotes fell victim to space considerations.
Author: Paul Gorman
RIP Gustaf Kjellvander
While I was writing an obituary for Clarence Clemons today, my friend Yuki Yoshioka texted me with the information that our mutual acquaintance the Swedish musician Gustaf Kjellvander died suddenly in his sleep on Saturday. He was 31. Yuki says Gustaf popped into his thoughts this morning. On a whim, Google led him to Gustaf’s […]
My brother’s new book: Broken Pieces
My brother Michael’s new book, Broken Pieces: A Library Life 1941-1978, is a personal and professional memoir. Read about it here and buy a copy here.
Blessed & Blasted: J’aime, Je n’aime pas. 1975
Interesting to note that Roland Barthes’ “anarchic foam of tastes and distastes” is contemporaneous with You’re Gonna Wake Up. No surprise then that J’aime, je n’aime pas became the starting point for updates and personal interpretations among list-loving binary-fixated bloggers from the mid-Noughties onwards. Here is a translation of the Great Signifier’s original, complete with […]
Blokes Of Britain: Chris Salewicz
NAME: Chris Salewicz RESIDES: London OCCUPATION: Writer Chris Salewicz is a neighbour and friend. My admiration for his work harks back more than three decades, when his words shone from the pages of the NME. As detailed by In Their Own Write, this was no mean feat since Salewicz was part of the formidable team […]
I like a bit of a cavort: Duck For the Oyster
Malcolm McLaren’s musical brilliance was first showcased on the seamless + timeless Duck Rock; it’s a really jumping record and this is one of the many highlights. Sure Malcolm would have appreciated this Youtube collagist’s approach; the footage is from David Hoffman’s 1965 film “Bluegrass Roots”, shot in Madison County, North Carolina. There’ll be contributors […]
Going to Glastonbury
I’m going to Glastonbury. The festival, that is. These aren’t words I anticipated ever typing. It’s good to confound expectations, particularly your own, and now I’m looking forward to it; there will be lots of pals there, and I have a purpose. I’m going as a “performer”, booked as result of the Barney Bubbles connection […]
I like a bit of a cavort: Ssion – Clown
Friday nights round our way always take a turn for the cavort with Clown. Love Ssion. Love Cody Critcheloe’s style. Love Peggy Noland‘s work. Together, they’re…you guessed it: unstoppable.
On The Shelf with Värttinä
Värttinä ON THE SHELF from ON THE SHELF on Vimeo. My friend Yuki mentioned this to me; as Rogerio introduces Finnish vocal trio Värttinä on his online TV show On The Shelf, spot the copy of The Look on conspicuous display behind him. But Värttinä are the reason I’m posting this bewitching acapella performance. On […]
Andy Dunkley: Wizard chap
My obituary for the DJ Andy Dunkley is in the Telegraph today – see here. This photograph was taken on Hawkwind’s 1972 Space Ritual tour, on which he was the DJ and MC. Here he is kicking off proceedings (with help from Stacia Blake) for the band which Lemmy described as “like Star Trek with long […]