* (restored)
DAD: Who did this to you?
LUKE: A pig.
DAD: Do I know him?
LUKE: Yes.
LUKE: Dad?
DAD: …
LUKE: …
DAD: Which pig?
*
p.s. Hey. ** Chris Kelso, Hi Chris, great to see you! I very highly recommend that novel. And it’s short, to boot. Awesome that you and Golnoosh met for real. It’s exciting to know two such lovely people and big talents are reality-connected. Have not read ‘A Humument’, no. I don’t know that I even know of it. I will hunt it down. Thanks a lot for the tip. You good, I sure hope? Take care, sir. ** Misanthrope, Oh, really? Interesting. I’ll go reread it in a sec. Thanks. I’m a vanilla fan. When it comes to cakes at least, hardy-har-har. Gotcha. You guys have a dearly deserving blast of a time. You’re heading down there today? ** Dominik, Hey!!! As soon as the fundraising for our film is complete, I’ll start raising funds to build ‘I’m going to kill you.’ It would probably be a lot easier to fund than the film, ha ha. I can speak from personal experience that a surprising number of Emos retain their je n’ai c’est quoi when their outer layers are scrubbed away and/or in the washing machine. But maybe one needs to be interested in architecture to feel that way. Aw, your love beat mine on the sweetness level hands down. Speaking of, coincidentally, yesterday this tiny baby pigeon fell out of its nest and plunged five floors to the ground of our courtyard. It miraculously survived and was squeaking its little head off. Its mother pigeon seemed to decide the baby was a lost cause and didn’t go down to feed or comfort it. So my pal/roommate Yury went down, scooped up the baby bird and Uber-ed it all the way across Paris to an animal rescue center. Aw. Love handing you a magic Viktor Orbán Voodoo Doll (that really works) and a million sharp pins, G. ** Steve Erickson, I hope you get your results this morning if you haven’t, and that they’re expectedly negative for Covid. Yes, I was over here envying those able to go to Anthology’s reopening. And to see that great Paul Sharits film even! I’m a pretty big Trevor Horn fan, and, yeah, if you isolate what he did from the band-inputted rudiments of those 80s Yes tracks, they become quite impressive. ** Right. Today I’ve restored an odd ditty I made for the blog about ten years ago for some inexplicable reason. Do whatever re: it, and I’ll see you tomorrow.
Now available in North America 
*
I can’t imagine prog DC bit you are the only person I know that has seen Soft Machine live in their prime.
I’m definitely a Yes fan up until ‘Topographic’
‘Close to the Edge’ is a great album.
There’s Trevor Horn / Yes album before the big one with the hits where he sings.
Drama from 1980 – basically a Yes / Buggles fusion – ridiculous – https://youtu.be/qXhYsMEjsZ8
This is an evocative post and I’m happy to see it restored. Think I recall it from last time, so it burrowed its way into my subconsciousness effectively.
Play Therapy 19 is online here via Mixcloud! Ben ‘Jack Your Body’ Robinson is back from the summer holidays to bring you Australian Disco, vintage Belgian Hi NRG and some wonky German Techno too.
Thanks, Dennis. Tim with you on that- the shorter the better at this stage. The teaching term is starting back up again and life is all go! Still managing to read and write, but I imagine that’ll all change once Kelso Jr arrives.
You were the talk of Glasgow and I know Golnoosh is desperate to visit you in Paris (the lucky lady that she is). We actually wrote a wee call-and-response poem together for an anthology called The Celestial Bandit. I’ll send one your way (if you have room on your reading pile).
All is going well here. Finally got my fiancé to read one of your books. She’s going with My Loose Thread. I’m feeling optimistic! Hardly pregnancy-reading but she’s getting stuck into the book with some ferocity, so…
Do let me know if you plan on returning to Scotland. Happy to play tour guide.
Stay well,
Chris
Hi!!
What a charming post today!
How is the fundraising going? It feels like it’s been 600 years since I’ve asked you about it!
I trust your expertise 100% on that, haha.
Ah, your baby pigeon story warmed my heart. It’s so comforting to know that there are people out there who notice things like this and actually help. A few years ago, I found an injured baby bat while walking my dog. I took it to a zoo’s wild animal sanctuary, and I really hope they nurtured it back to health.
Your love is MUCH appreciated; in fact, I think it’ll go around in the family, as everyone has a pin or two to stick right in, haha. Thank you! Love forming an acoustic Crystal Castles cover band, Od.
Hey Dennis, just wanted to update you on my dental situation: I went for the first root canal session yesterday and surprisingly it went pretty well. I had read it could take up to an hour but in my case was only a little over 30 minutes: I guess this was because the tooth was towards the front (my left top incisor). They got the 2 nerves out with no trouble. I have to go again next week where they’ll check to make sure it’s not infected, then they’ll seal it up (there’s a temporary covering over it now). My jaw’s a little sore but other than that the pain’s not so bad right now, knock on wood.
I got my COVID test results this morning, and I am negative! It’s such a huge relief. I still feel somewhat sick, but I guess it’s just a bad cold. I plan to head out to the Sharits program in an hour.
I’ve never sat down and listened to a Yes album in its entirety. Revisionism has caught up with their FRAGILE/CLOSE TO THE EDGE era, and I should probably give them a shot.
Yesterday, I made a Letterboxd list of worthy films you can stream for free (which aren’t legally available on Blu-Ray or VOD in the US, as far as I know): https://letterboxd.com/steevee/list/youtube-recommendations/
Very enigmatic and intriguing piece today, Dennis. Simplicity is often not… simple.
In case you haven’t heard, that enigmatic bandcamp has revived Bandcamp Fridays, with like a couple days’ notice. (At least for outsiders like me.) Keeping me busy today…
Started Maggie Siebert’s Bonding. That first story, wow! I’m reading it with a goodreads book group, and she just stopped by the forum.
Bill
Is that Bruce Campbell ?!
Not exactly spimplicity, but here’ a clip I forgot to include in my “Cleopatra” Day. The White Virgin of the Nile. It”s Marilyn Maxwell’s bi musical number from “Rock-A-Bye Baby” — Frank Tashlin’s remake of Preston Sturges’ “The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek” starring Jerry Lewis.
Dear Dennis,
I hope this is a proper way to reach you.
Thursday 12th of August through the morning of 15th of August,
I will be staying in Paris with my friend André Rijkers.
Long time ago, was it 2015, when you were with Ishmael
in Utrecht (‘t Hoogt) you invited me to contact you, if
I ever came to Paris (I am not a real city tripper you see)
If you would like to have a cup of coffee or a bite to eat
with us somewhere between 17.00 on thursday 12th and 15.00
on Sunday 15th I would be very happy to treat you.
Look forward to seeing you again, I hope you are doing well,
love and best regards, Richard Haasen
please e-mail me