tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62590274860604369822024-03-16T20:24:56.740+01:00What Glenn ThinksA Life's Journey Through Music, Books and CultureGlennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.comBlogger656125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-76789269874537276612024-03-06T12:42:00.001+01:002024-03-06T12:42:17.985+01:00The Top 100 Cricketers of All Time - Christopher Martin-Jenkins<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">Another tome which had been on my bookshelves for years, receiving regrettably little of my attention, was 'The Top 100 Cricketers of All Time', written by the late Christopher Martin-Jenkins.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was long an admirer of "CMJ", from enjoying his commentaries on radio and television, to reading his writings in book and newspaper form. His writing has a richness and a jauntiness, and his love for the game shines through in the book "The Top 100 Cricketers of All Time."</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It should be stressed that this selection is purely of male players - a similar volume today would certainly incorporate female cricketers. In putting together this list of cricket's greatest, and as a genuine "concerner" for the game's welfare and integrity, I think that CMJ gave precedence to some players based on their overall influence on the game and its development, as well as the entertainment factor and the adherence to the spirit of the sport. Their statistical legacy in the record books was only a part of the considerations, it seems.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As we grow older, I think that sports fans tend to bother less about statistics and records, and concentrate more about the human aspects. This is the case with myself;so what if such and such a player's batting average was mediocre - that often tells only a fraction of the whole story. Artistry and memories also count for a lot. In my youth I often got into curious complexes, feeling bemused and even puzzled by the praise heaped on players whose career stats were decidedly modest. I am over that stage now!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a nice choice of photographs, usually conveying the individualism or personality of the subject(s). Old cricket photographs often have a genuine intimacy and charm.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Even though this work was composed in the twenty-first century, its general style and tenor, to an extent, bear some of the hallmarks of the time before cricket moved on to another plateau, commercially speaking. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Martin-Jenkins regularly draws attention to the technical nuances of the game, highlighting each cricketer's strengths (and weaknesses). He also illustrates their more "subjective" capacities such as stamina and levels of concentration.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Above all, what came across for me when reading this book is the game's richness, diversity and complexity during its greatest periods. These things are perhaps not as immediately noticeable nowadays, in addition to that general air of "mystery".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The author goes to some trouble to obtain information and anecdotes which help to explain how players turned out the way they did. This includes details of their origins, coaching and experiences. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was good to see the inclusion of several relatively "obscure" people in this list. The importance and weight of players from India and Pakistan is also evidence of the writer's breadth of understanding, as is the due recognition to the contribution made to the game by Sri Lankans in recent decades. The vibrancy bestowed on the gam by all of its practitioners around the globe is given is duly noted.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">CMJ's keen and discerning eye is apparent throughout in his facility for observing and capturing foibles and traits, those often intangible things which separated them from their peers or their predecessors, and which partly determined their spot in any "pecking order". An example of this is the article on Shaun Pollock, and his relative lack of explosiveness as an all-rounder. Of course, it is a matter of taste as to whether we should count this as a weakness, but admirable that the author could identify it as a factor, and analyse it in such acute terms. This sharpness of analysis, combined with a love of, and fluency in, the use of language, makes for a joyful recipe.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It might seem invidious to compare nineteenth century legends with modern limited-overs specialists, but Martin-Jenkins transcends this problem in part by linking together disparate generations in appreciation of the human and universal elements which explain and nurture success and greatness</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is also an engaging "looseness" about the format of the mini-biographies. They are not put together in chronological order, but done in such a manner which betrays a pleasing absence of rigidity.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In amongst the passages celebrating the brilliance of these people the author does not gloss over the less agreeable aspects of top-level cricket, such as intimidatory bowling, slow over-rates and so forth. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">All in all, a fine and admirable book.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-60713295301963572582024-01-24T21:30:00.002+01:002024-01-24T21:30:44.403+01:00The True Adventures of The Rolling Stones - Stanley Booth<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I recently finished reading Stanley Booth's book "The True Adventures Of The Rolling Stones". I had been aware of this tome for some time, and had the opportunity to experience it after being given a copy by a relative.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The book was first published in the mid-1980s, although the settings and the actual subject matter rarely go beyond the early Seventies. The chapters alternate between the author's recollections of the Stones' 1969 American tour and more general "biographical" material and interviews. We also gain some insight into Booth's own travails and struggles in getting his project off the ground.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a fly-on-the-wall flavour to the chronicle of the 1969 tour, and this helps to create a warts-and-all idea of the chaos which apparently prevailed within the Stones' organisation around that time. The numerous colourful tales and anecdotes are given a higher sharpness because of the author's poetic and idiosyncratic writing style.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The "counter-cultural" outpourings of all concerned seem hopelessly dated to 21st century sensibilities, but this does ensure that the work serves as a rich time-capsule. This was what 1969 was like for the in-crowd, if not necessarily for ordinary people. I would like to think that the participants in the drama of the tour have grown up and learned something from how the sojourn ended.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Not surprisingly, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman come across as the most grounded and likeable of the Stones, with the then new boy Mick Taylor barely visible for the most part. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The biographical-historical sections of "The True Adventures....." contain some interesting points and revelations, especially concerning the role and attitudes of Brian Jones. These observations are given added weight because they arise from quotes by members of the Stones circle (Wyman, Keith, Ian Stewart etc.). My interpretation is that Brian became estranged and "difficult", in a meaningful way, at quite an early stage. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For me it is difficult to escape the suspicion that Jagger and Richards, even in the late 1960s, were playing up to a role and an identity which was expected of them, although Mick in those days appears to have been rather difficult to pin down or appraise. Wyman and Watts often had more interesting and insightful (and honest) things to say about their lives and the band's status and progress. Bill and Charlie appear to have had a detached relationship to the rest of the group, and to have enjoyed a measure of autonomy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Booth's accounts of life in Los Angeles just prior to the '69 tour are entertaining and quite evocative. The comings-and-goings of the various participants, hangers-on, journalists, roadies and so forth are depicted in a highly absorbing manner. It is striking just how haphazard, even amateurish, concert tours still were at that point in history. The ultra-professional, buttoned-down methods which we know today were still quite a distant prospect.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Mick Taylor, as ever, emerges as an enigmatic figure, and as alluded to previously, gets comparatively little attention, even as the highly talented new addition to the line-up. Looking back, it should not really surprise us that he rarely looked as though he "belonged". I think he came out of it with honour and dignity. I don't blame him if he felt uncomfortable, and even embarrassed, by some of the things going on around him. His legacy remains in the elegant and tasteful contributions which helped to elevate the Stones' recordings, especially in the early 1970s.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Despite some early misgivings, I increasingly warmed to this book and its atmosphere and tone, coming to realize that the author was not as opinionated or as naive as I had first assumed. Booth seems as disorientated and confused as anyone else close to the Stones at that time. Ultimately I feel that his perspective is one of realism, resignation even.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Towards the close of the work there is a vivid and quite chilling account of the disastrous free concert at Altamont. The writer wisely refrained from indulging in any prolonged agonizing or philosophizing about the debacle; the description spoke for itself.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The over-riding achievement of this book is in capturing what the Rolling Stones were all about at the time when they were at their most visceral, "dangerous" and relevant. It is a very worthwhile read.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-4218459837357894152024-01-08T20:40:00.001+01:002024-01-08T20:40:55.994+01:00When The Levee Breaks - The Making of Led Zeppelin IV - Andy Fyfe<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I received this book as a Christmas present, and I made short work of reading it. Ostensibly it is a volume which examines Led Zeppelin's famous fourth album from the year 1971, but it also serves quite capably as a mini-biography of the group. It was first published in 2003.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0IomZHLKxLNtKTnnlDbLIxkXrxX7f8rpQoVWjueWTGKg-9t6Nf7SbzNSHrJU1s1buiDz6LnuzUBKdHRoMEADRqSlfqov8L-Z1gSfVR1h9N6XEpjrdIUYVkFTQTQoTzjJI_Z8kdXv1pOP31ThWq1Ed_pr_M-weffB9nauFEk0MkZGeceJQVMkPK5BTRc/s500/WhenTheLeveeBreaks.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="315" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0IomZHLKxLNtKTnnlDbLIxkXrxX7f8rpQoVWjueWTGKg-9t6Nf7SbzNSHrJU1s1buiDz6LnuzUBKdHRoMEADRqSlfqov8L-Z1gSfVR1h9N6XEpjrdIUYVkFTQTQoTzjJI_Z8kdXv1pOP31ThWq1Ed_pr_M-weffB9nauFEk0MkZGeceJQVMkPK5BTRc/s320/WhenTheLeveeBreaks.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;">I must confess that I was not totally convinced by the author's assertions about the album's place in the grand scheme of things (personally I prefer "Physical Graffiti" and the debut album), but he does make some effort to get to the heart of the record's mystique, and he argues quite persuasively and forcefully that its focus and its cohesive qualities set it apart from the Zeppelin works which came before and after it.</span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As I worked my way through "When The Levee Breaks,,," some of my misgivings disappeared and I began to warm to the writer's style and his approach. His musical knowledge is impressive and quite extensive, and he approaches this subject from a different angle to most other Zeppelin-orientated observers, which gives his analysis a refreshing tone.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There is some illuminating material concerning the album's famous artwork, and although this might appear as "tangential", it helps to shape a well-rounded portrayal of the band, its mentality and its character.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">We are given some insight into the group's methods and working habits, how they went about the creative process. In addition, I liked the entertaining and well-rendered biographical passages about the individual members and the early days of Led Zeppelin. Very occasionally the prose lapses into the reductive and the simplistic, but by and large the author's reasoning and arguments are nuanced and sharp.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">A track-by-track "commentary" also strengthens the authoritativeness of the tome. Again Fyfe illustrates and embellishes his points with imaginative allusions and sub-texts about the merits and the intricacies of the songs.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The idea which he eventually succeeded in getting across to me was that "IV" is more focused and fully-realized, and was the stage at which their sound and their grasp of their musical influences crystallized and was in harmony. He contrasts this with the more disparate nature of some of their earlier offerings. It is true that "Physical Graffiti" contains some "old" material, making it feel slightly less unified.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">For me, the discussion of the stories behind the songs, the inspiration for the compositions and the arrangements, and the themes explored, helped to flesh out and deepen my understanding of what made Zeppelin tick.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This book also chronicles and appraises the shifting relationships and balances of power within the band unit, as Jones, Plant and Bonham, in their different ways, exerted greater control and contributions in the song-writing, the arrangements and the overall sound and direction.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Ironically, given the book's titular remit, the sections of the book which I enjoyed the most were those which address the periods which followed the release of the fourth album, and the years subsequent to their disbandment in 1980. A word of praise too for how Fyfe links the group's influence and legacy to more "modern" artists and musical sub-cultures. This was a nice, fresh perspective as far as I was concerned, although the comparisons with those later groups only serve to underline Zeppelin's own greatness and quality.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Relatively small criticisms would be that the author sometimes repeats himself in labouring points or theories, and I didn't always concur with his attempts at social commentary, but overall I consider this to be a laudable and enjoyable book, which is recommended reading both for Zeppelin devotees and general rock fans.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-44962268505346202532023-11-15T21:06:00.000+01:002023-11-15T21:06:12.059+01:00A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles - album analysis<span style="font-size: medium;">In assessing the back catalogue of The Beatles, one curious thought has assailed my mind. It occurs to me that the album "A Hard Day's Night", though a highly accomplished and engaging work, is somewhat overlooked and underrated, if not exactly forgotten. So why the relative indifference? This is possibly because the record gets rather lost in the shadow of the film of the same name, which admittedly is a charming and sharp piece. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">For me, the album represents a very definite and solid staging point in the group's maturation and development, but such accolades are normally reserved for the albums which followed it, including "Rubber Soul" and parts of "Help". </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a peculiar solidity and compactness about "A Hard Day's Night", insomuch as it has little in the way of egregious filler material (what filler exists is skilfully concealed) or "outlier" tracks. The "holes" which characterize many albums of that era are not perceptible, and the "Merseybeat" elements are slowly evaporating.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The record also possessed a distinct stylistic or sonic unity, and ironically this particular quality may contribute to a perception that it is "samey" and lacking in variety. This impression is actually illusory, but by the same token close scrutiny is required to draw out the material and cut through any misconceptions.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is noteworthy that this record contains only "Lennon-McCartney" song-writing credits, and this tendency doubtless helps to bolster the feeling of uniformity when regarding the work. One thing which I think can be said for certain is that "A Hard Day's Night" is not a transitional album; it captures The Beatles in a stable, buoyant and self-confident place. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">A point to remember is that the group managed to maintain such excellence and focus amidst a hectic and demanding schedule of touring and other activity. Even the Beatles were human, however, and similar feats proved beyond them in late 1964 and into 1965. The seeds of "Rubber Soul" can be discerned here, I would contend, but the full realisation of that promise would have to wait, delayed by the workload imposed by their commitments.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The burst of creativity and ideas emanating from John Lennon at this time may have saved "A Hard Day's Night" from a fate similar to that which befell "Beatles for Sale" and "Help". Also, the adrenaline and excitement of the first portion of 1964 helped to forestall ennui and world-weariness. This album has a reputation as a "Lennon album", but Paul McCartney's contributions, as composer, vocalist and instrumentalist are impactful and of a high standard.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The earthy and organic textures of this LP are intriguing, and possibly stem in part from the breadth and pervasiveness of the influences which the members of The Beatles were absorbing in 1964, including folk music and the nascent folk-rock scene. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I feel that the absence of cover versions imbues the record with a forward-looking, streamlined and purposeful identity and momentum. This is almost akin to a crystallization of their development and growth to date. The ascent to the next level was perhaps less smooth and straightforward than they might have envisaged.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">"Thinking out loud" slightly now, but this collection inaugurated what I have tended to view as a distinct phase, spanning 1964-65, one of more acoustic-tinged fare, a maturing of the songwriting, and the eventual forsaking of the rock n roll covers. It could be argued that the relatively disjointed nature of the two albums which followed "A Hard Day's Night" was an inevitable consequence of the process of evolution.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As mentioned earlier, it is recognised that John Lennon's personality and song-writing predominate on these sides, but that Paul McCartney's all-round musical panache and exuberance contribute greatly to the overall effect. Additionally, McCartney's own songs make up in interest and quality what they lack in sheer volume. There is an argument for saying that this is the first Beatles album where the complementary strengths and traits of Lennon and McCartney really interact and make their presence felt in a noticeable and meaningful way. Lennon's restless energy and brooding spirit mesh with McCartney's dynamism and optimism, the facets reacting agreeably in elevating the group to new heights.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Examining the record track-by-track, I would say that the title song tends to be taken for granted, but it is very impactful, with its famous opening "chord" and the arpeggiated ending. The music in between those two points is very impressive, having a raw rhythm and blues feel, and in that sense it is a quintessential Lennon song. This number deserves to be re-appraised in isolation from the film of the same name.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">"I Should Have Known Better" is eminently likeable, and for me it typifies a slight incongruity with some Beatle songs of the period, that of maturing musical content and aspirations, but progress was not necessarily reflected in correspondingly "advanced" lyrics. However, the Dylanesque harmonica and a pleasing melodic base override any minor reservations.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The next song, "If I Fell", is an example of sumptuous Beatles vocal harmonies of a kind which they should really have tried more often on record. It is also emblematic of the fluent melodicism and musicality which are characteristic of the LP as a whole.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Although George Harrison did not get one of his own compositions on to the album, he was allotted a lead vocal spot on "I'm Happy Just to Dance with You". By no means a masterpiece, but it also emits some of that spark and charm which graced almost everything which they touched around this time.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">"And I Love Her" is a number which displays the burgeoning sophistication of The Beatles as song-writers and musicians. There is also a hint of a "confessional" style of lyrics, exploring relationships and personal experiences in a more advanced manner. The song is pleasantly tuneful in the customary McCartney way.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I always found "Tell Me Why" to be filler material of sorts. It sounds good and it helps to fill out the album running order, but the filler here is less jarring and conspicuous than in the releases made by their contemporaries. It has some brio and joie de vivre, and Lennon's vocal is quite forceful and memorable.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">"Can't Buy Me Love", one of the record's most famous songs, is another one which illustrates a growing polish and confidence in the group's work. I suspect that tunes such as this one brought more people of the older generations into the Beatles' camp, as it swings like some jazz and "easy listening" recordings. The production is also smooth and clean.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">From the same territory as "Tell Me Why" comes "Any Time At All", a song which is not from the top drawer, but which packs quite a punch. It has sufficient atmosphere and melody to maintain the interest and the attention. Lennon once again impresses on vocals, and the piece exudes some assurance.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">"I'll Cry Instead" is another of those tracks which is unexceptional, but which blends seamlessly into the fabric of the project. There is a country and western flavour, and this genre crept into the band's output in the period 1964-65, courtesy in part of Ringo Starr's musical leanings. Also, country music is not a great leap from the rockabilly so beloved by all four Beatles. I detect a Rolling Stones vibe in parts of this song, the verses especially.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Another highlight, in a quiet way, of the collection is "Things We Said Today". The lyrics are interesting and the song has an affectingly enigmatic, almost haunting, quality. It signals a shift away from formulaic song-craft.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Probably the weakest effort on the record is "When I Get Home". It is rather uninspired, but never genuinely becomes a "sore thumb", in the sense of tarnishing the overall effect of the album. It is not quite as bad as some reviewers have alleged, and it has a few interesting moments.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">"You Can't Do That" performs an important role in the running order. Its R & B flavour imbues the album with some rhythmic incisiveness and breaks up the diet of folk-rock and beat music which pervades the LP. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The closer, "I'll Be Back", is another slice of "wooden" folk-inflected music, epitomizing the forward-looking dimensions of this work, and anticipating the "Help" and "Rubber Soul" eras to come. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">On reflection, "A Hard Day's Night" is one of The Beatles' most impressive and solid achievements. The hallmarks of the early days are still there, but the future direction and influences are also visible. A crucial and coherent part of the canon.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-36175651125446198542023-11-05T19:32:00.004+01:002023-11-05T19:32:51.553+01:00Now And Then - "new" Beatles song<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I am sure that I was not alone in my eager and curious anticipation of the release of "Now And Then", billed as the last Beatles song. I have to confess that I was there, refreshing the page on my chosen streaming service as the time of release approached. So, what do I make of "Now And Then"?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Inevitably, when appraising the single, people are going to draw comparisons with "Free as A Bird" and "Real Love", the two Beatles tracks which emerged from similar foundations and source material, and which formed part of the Anthology projects in the 1990s.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For me "Now And Then" betrays more signs of its origins than its aforementioned predecessors, but at the same time the production and the arrangement which surround the lead vocal feel more organic and restrained.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The atmosphere of the track is somewhat mournful, enveloped in a kind of wistfulness. My initial reaction was that this is apposite for our times, a sense of melancholy, ennui and nagging anxiety. Was this general tenor intended to tap into the perceived public mood of 2023? I'm not really sure, but it was one of the first characteristics of "Now And Then" which jumped out to me. It may be another case of that perennial Beatles facility for effortlessly evoking the zeitgeist. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On the face of it the song lacks the "charm" and ebullience of, for instance, "Real Love", and even its musical subtlety, but that may be missing the point; on reflection, "Now And Then" should perhaps be viewed more as a "mood piece", rather than as a hook-laden potboiler. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In putting the track together, they resisted the temptation to try too hard to make it "exciting", relying instead on the qualities of the basic song, then judiciously embellishing the raw material, as it were.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I think they have done a commendable job in playing to the song's strengths and lyrical direction, as opposed to making it into something that it wasn't. Having suggested that the overall ambience is downbeat, I think that the instrumentation and arrangement are in keeping with the reflective nature of the words. The piano and electric guitars are tastefully done, and Ringo Starr's drumming exhibits his distinctive "feel" to some effect.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, overall a creditable effort, provided that the listener did not have excessive expectations beforehand. It sounds "modern", which to some degree is inescapable, but it has a personality and an effect. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-64348198985609558902023-07-19T15:51:00.002+02:002023-07-19T15:51:59.965+02:00Rosshalde, by Hermann Hesse. A second reading.<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Carrying on my renewed exploration of the novels of Hermann Hesse, I came to <i>Rosshalde, </i>which I remember made a great impression on me at the first time of asking a few years back.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The story examines the situation of an artist, Johann Veraguth, who lives on quite an opulent estate. His wife also lives on the estate, but they live in separate houses. The marriage has become deeply unhappy, The couple's youngest son, Pierre, is really all that now connects them. The boy lives mostly with his mother, whilst the eldest son is mostly away at school.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It seems that his desire to spend time with Pierre is the only thing which leads Johann to keep up the "pretence", and remain at Rosshalde. A visit from a friend, Otto, a man with an outgoing and inquisitive approach to life, sets in motion a series of fundamental contemplations and decisions on Johann's part, and then tragedy intervenes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As I hinted at in my opening paragraph, <i>Rosshalde</i> made quite an impact on me when I first read it. The novel exudes a charm, a poignancy and a poetic sensibility which set it apart, even from most of Hesse's work. These qualities may to some extent stem from the fact that the story is, it seems, partly auto-biographical in nature.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The opening chapter sets the scene and the tone effortlessly and beautifully, outlining the ambience of the setting and its natural environs, the dynamics and the intricacies of the human relationships which play out there and which are the centrepieces of the story. We are also introduced to the habits and the demeanour of Johann.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">These initial constructions go a long way to ensuring the effect and the atmosphere of the Rosshalde story, in its gently endearing but wistful evocations.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The visit paid to Rosshalde by Otto, and its influence on Johann's thinking, are central to the tale, and provoked much thought on my own part. Associating with vibrant, joyous people often brings us to realise what we are missing out on. It is also arguable that these encounters which wrench us away from an insular, secluded existence have a kind of randomness and transience to them. It is so easy to miss that particular train, in that it does not operate to a set timetable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Johann's experiences also remind us that many individuals who appear, at first glance, to be living an enviable and stimulating life in fact feel unfulfilled. We are not all content with material comfort and professional "success".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sometimes our pride makes it difficult for us to admit that something is absent. We pretend, or delude ourselves, that we are contented and happy. The point is made in this novel that contentment is perhaps an indicator of a lack of hope. We see some things merely as a means of blocking out distress, misery or sorrow, rather than as a path to positive self-realisation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The passages which detail Otto's visit to Rosshalde are highly affecting and exquisitely composed, It is advisable for the reader to devote some time to carefully digesting the vagaries of the exchanges between Johann and his friend.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I find this novel important because it addresses, in a quiet and unspectacular way, so many aspects of the human experience which weigh so heavily. Love, compromise, doing things for the wrong reasons, enduring because the alternative is worse. Not being bitter about the past, but embracing the present and the moment. One door closes, another one opens. Also, sometimes Nature intervenes and engineers the change for us.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A striking note for me was the tragedy of human antipathy, miscommunication and misunderstanding, and the acknowledgement, however frustrating, that this is cold reality. There is little point in feeling angry about these things, for that would mostly be a waste of energy. We must learn how to cope, and also to be kind and reasonable in how we navigate the storms. Some horrors, such as loneliness and disillusionment, can be borne provided that there is hope.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The idea of the artist (in this case Johann) "burying himself in his work" - is this comparable to people burying themselves in their work to block out or forget personal woes? - is another theme touched on. Does such an approach simply serve as a holding operation, rather than constituting an escape or a solution to the individual's predicament? What is perhaps needed is lasting relief, and not a constant urge to drown the anxieties. Not everyone is fortunate enough to receive the stimulus or the resolution.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The great irony of the story is that the event which finally "liberates" Johann is the demise of that which he had hitherto clung to as a beacon. I am sure many people can identify with this element of the story, and the temptation to attach "irrational" interpretations to such events.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>Rosshalde </i>I found hugely enjoyable and stimulating, but I was also left with some quite stark feelings. On the one hand a certain admiration and satisfaction for a person who has, quite late in the day, achieved clarity and sureness of course. On the other, a certain cold wonder concerning the tragedies and follies of people. Even someone who nowadays is much more resigned to the inevitability and inescapability of those latter phenomena cannot fail to be jolted by their shadows and icy pervasiveness. The certainty that these things are facts of life does little to diminish their impressiveness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-24283943442838512722023-07-14T21:34:00.000+02:002023-07-14T21:34:56.039+02:00Great Expectations - Charles Dickens<p><span style="font-size: medium;">I am not exactly sure where the spur emanated from, but I was recently seized with the intention to return to the works of Charles Dickens, after a break of many years. It may be because some of his books resemble in their format and their "method", the work of Hermann Hesse, perhaps my favourite novelist.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I remember having a copy of <i>Great Expectations </i>during childhood. It became mislaid, or was given away, or else became a casualty of my unaccountable teenaged and early adult drift away from literature, or more specifically the novel. I may have been too busy with "abstract" and theoretical academic studies to be bothered with the humanistic and interpretative demands of classic fiction, much to my detriment. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking back wistfully, I am tempted to speculate that Dickens may have constituted a better education, in a meaningful sense. Having said all this, I doubt that even as a teenager I would have been able to effectively absorb and assimilate all of the material and meaning which proliferate in Dicken's more substantial works.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To summarize, and without giving too much away, the novel tells the story of the development and growth of the 'Pip' character, and is 'narrated' by Pip in the first-person. The latter helps to endow the story with a distinct and curious flavour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the language and terminology employed may baffle present-day audiences, but to me this is but a small obstacle, and in fact it imbues the novel with a period feel and a strengthened feeling of realism. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It might appear at first, in a superficial sense, that the story's structure relies too much on a number of coincidences. However, when one subjects affairs to a greater scrutiny it all becomes plausible and more clear; it could be a small world, even in 19th century England. One common factor links much of it together.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is one of those novels which gathers momentum gradually but surely, as it draws the reader inexorably in. The motives, traits and eccentricities of the various characters help to drive and solidify these processes. Eventually I found myself rooting for the "good guys", once it became clearer who the good guys were.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I would contend that circumspection and leisure are handy things to observe when tackling <i>Great Expectations. </i>They are necessary in order to achieve and maintain a grasp of the plot, to "join the dots" as it were, and keep track of the various participants and their numerous connections.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The social commentary and satire is not quite as overt and as near to the surface as I had expected. but Dickens' concerns and his reformist ideas are still discernible, woven into the narrative and certain of the characterisations - some stand out more than others in the latter respect. Occasionally Pip does make a cutting comment in his account, invariably veiled in sarcasm or humour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the foremost themes which for me stood out was a notion of the goodness, the authenticity and the transparency of ordinary people. This could have emerged in a romantic or "idealized" manner, but it does not, instead being brought out in a subtle way, as something to be picked up and acknowledged by the reader. The first-person narration helps to further this impression, serving to "soften" the impact of any message which the author may or not have been seeking to project, even allowing for the temptation to put words into Pip's mouth.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Let us just say that if the social climate and the economic picture portrayed here were anything like accurate, we can scarcely wonder that Dickens and his contemporaries craved reform and change. The picture of brutalized sections of society is a stark one, and worth more than a moment's contemplation. The dangers of such a scenario, now as then, remain something which we should all bear in mind and seek to guard against.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To me, it seemed that some of the key individual events or incidents in the novel did not have the conventional sense of "drama" or "moment" which I had been conditioned to expect. Some things appeared to just "happen", explained in poetic, even cryptic terms, and the story then moved on, with full explanation sometimes only occurring via the insight of the reader. When I reflect upon this, it is less a criticism of this particular work, and more a sign of the types of literature which I have habitually frequented. The first-person narration is also a salient point in all this. What the occurrences lost in initial, literal clarity they gained in lyrical and artistic effect.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The mental imagery evoked by the words of Dickens, as spoken through Pip, is very strong, or at least it was strong and affecting in my case. The major locations and settings soon assume a real identity and consistency, and these may prove to be instrumental in attaining an enhanced enjoyment of the tale, and arriving at a deeper appraisal of the characters and the issues explored.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A reason for this novel's significance and enduring appeal is that some of the themes which it examines are universal and not governed by time. One which was highlighted for me was this concept of trying to "compensate" for the effects of our injudicious or errant deeds, even if those deeds might have been committed under duress or through naivete. If we cannot reverse or directly counter-act our mistakes, we can at least learn from our mistakes and experiences, and seek to be a force for good, for humane treatment of others, and for justice. These elements had a distinct resonance for this reader, partly with reference to today's social ills and pressures.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Charles Dickens has sometimes been associated, in my mind at least, with social commentary and the grim industrial and urban landscapes of 19th century London and England. Having returned to <i>Great Expectations, </i>I am happy to revise and retract those outdated and erroneous perspectives. In this novel Dickens shows himself to be a highly capable and resourceful story-teller, with the capability of weaving endearing and captivating narratives. Maybe I will read <i>David Copperfield </i>next - to the best recollection that one eluded me entirely in my younger days....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-67563431925485517172023-06-17T17:35:00.001+02:002023-06-17T17:35:59.171+02:00Peter Camenzind, by Hermann Hesse - a second reading<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">As I continue my second major odyssey through the writings of Hermann Hesse, I turn to his first novel, <i>Peter Camenzind, </i>published in 1904.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It follows the story of the titular character, a young man from the countryside, who goes away to college and subsequently embarks on various travels, friendships and cultural ventures. The novel concludes with Peter returning to his home village to support his ageing father.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What I really like about <i>Peter Camenzind </i>is its streamlined and simple format. Also, Hesse does not settle for stereotypical or "obvious" plot elements or characterizations. The tale is laid out in a pleasingly organic way, exuding a charm and fluency which are outstanding even by Hesse's standards.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The character of Peter Camenzind is quite idiosyncratic but eminently plausible, and he does not necessarily conform to what we expect from protagonists in this type of novel, by Hesse or others. The reader is challenged to accept and recognise that we all have our own quirks and that we all react in different ways to our influences, our upbringing and our environment. We are perhaps mistaken if we cherish the notion that all people develop within a narrow set of parameters. Young Mr Camenzind is by no means a caricature.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is telling, I think, that on revisiting the stories of Hermann Hesse, I am a good deal less receptive to the "supernatural" dimension than I was in the past. Instead, I distil things down to a "philosophical" and worldly interpretation, and I would contend that one does not need to be religious or spiritually inclined to be animated and invigorated by Hesse's observations.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As ever, Hesse demonstrates a great facility for evoking imagery through words, imagery which conjures up a vibrant but believable series of locations and situations. This to me suggests a fertile imagination and an observant mind, in addition to solid and wide-ranging personal experience.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The philosophical drive, if one was intended, does not seem as clear and as strong in this novel as is the case with some of Hesse's others. The reader is left with the task of interpreting much of what transpires within the pages. Apart from the standard Hesse themes of self-discovery and a search for personal identity, the "message" is comparatively diffuse here, and the novel is none the worse for that. Only in his later works would Hesse flesh out and engage with his regular fields of inquiry in more concentrated form.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Peter Camenzind's story is an indication that Hesse's work was more varied than some might imagine, and that it evolved and developed over time. It is also fair to say that keen antennae are required to discern the differences and nuances. Even if one accepts that the author's books cover similar ground, I would rather have writing of this quality, continuity and profundity than that of novelists whose subject matter is all over the map but anodyne. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Reading Hesse is a journey and an education, not just a form of "entertainment" or relaxation. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Due to the apparent absence of an all-pervading major theme, the story-line, which is told in the "first person", glides along smoothly, relatively uncluttered by weighty concerns. Hesse is highly adept at basic, enjoyable story-telling, quite apart from his other qualities.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So what did I learn from Peter Camenzind's story? Well, a conception which crops up here and there is the sense that our experiences, good and bad, even if we do not put them to concrete or tangible use, equip us and embolden us to tackle life's ongoing challenges and trials, although we do not always realise this. In addition, what sustains us is a belief, even a confidence, that something good or rewarding will eventually be ours. This faith may be misplaced and unlikely in reality to ever bear fruit, but a tentative form of progress, consciously and otherwise, towards this vague objective is in the main healthy, provided that we do not visualise the ultimate goal too pedantically or obsessively.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Throughout the novel, Nature, and mankind's relationship to it in the modern age, is a recurring topic. The notion of revering and studying Nature as a means of appreciating and loving our fellow humans more fully is put forward. I must confess that this aspect of Camenzind's wanderings and reflections hit home with me, as someone who has become aware from personal experience of the realities of alienation and detachment.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Recognising that we interact with Nature, as well as being part of it ourselves, may assist in renewing some severed connections, as well as enabling us to steer a more fulfilling and mindful course, by breathing in Nature's gifts. Beauty comes in many forms. These questions are arguably even more pressing and relevant today than when Hesse was composing this story.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The portions of this novel which I relished most were those which chronicled Camenzind's travels, especially those to Italy, and the manner in which he relates the healing and soothing effects of mixing with and befriending ordinary people, with their modesty, humility and earthy goodness. It is perhaps not a coincidence that those people lived more closely attuned to Nature and its munificence.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I sensed that in a way Hesse was setting the authenticity and genuineness of common folk against some others who he encountered in the worlds of academia and art, those who had been affected by ego, vanity and ambition. These points do not really feel to me like an attempt to "romanticize" the distinction, but the writer makes them eloquently enough.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another argument which caught my attention when studying <i>Peter Camenzind </i>was the idea that observing and associating with individuals is often more instructive and stimulating than an "abstract" examination of humanity as a whole. An example of this is the main character's relationship with the disabled man Boppi, a friendship which is documented most lovingly and touchingly. To be of genuine utility and value, do these relationships need to go beyond the superficial level?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In emphasizing such a "grass roots" method of studying people, Hesse may have been effecting another subtle dig at academia and scholarship, who knows? This introduces us to a field which he would return to, in various forms, later in his career.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Hesse appears to be arguing in his accounts of Camenzind's friendships that we need to value our relationships, learn from them, see them as a two-way process, and harness them to improve and enrich ourselves and the world around us. It is never too late to soak up life's beauty and warmth, and never too late to attain a semblance of realization, and we should not necessarily fear death.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I have always been somewhat sceptical of the oft-asserted suggestion that travel "broadens the mind". Perhaps what it does accomplish is to help us to get closer to a clue to our true selves, and put other areas of our existence into a clearer perspective. Introduced to different people and backdrops, we may see things which we previously shunned or decried in a new light. This was another of my take-aways from the Camenzind wanderings.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I find it refreshing and interesting that the story does not have a "natural" or definitive ending, as is regularly the case with similar novels, even those of Hermann Hesse. Many of Peter's plans and ambitions remain unclear and unfulfilled, but his experiences and the things which he has learned and achieved together form part of his identity and his personality, and are the resources on which he will draw as his life moves on.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I would say that <i>Peter Camenzind </i>is one of Hermann Hesse's most concise, rewarding and enchanting works. With its broad but important range of questions it might serve as a useful introduction to the thought-world and style of this remarkable writer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-19248887129148848912023-05-18T18:34:00.002+02:002023-05-18T18:34:38.455+02:00Narcissus and Goldmund, by Hermann Hesse - revisited....<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">It had been some little time since I had read one of the novels of Hermann Hesse. This would seem strange and even curious, as Hesse remains possibly my favourite writer, a writer whose works were a great source of inspiration and comfort during some troubled and uncertain times in my life. Anyway, other matters, and other books, took hold of my attention and curiosity, although I never forgot the stories of Hermann Hesse, and the way in which they had offered me direction and even new ways of looking at the world and the challenges of life.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In returning to the Hesse canon, I chose first to revisit 'Narcissus and Goldmund'. I recalled the strong and vivid effect which it had on me some years ago, even if the minutiae of the plot and the characters would take time to drift back into my consciousness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another thought occurred to me as I retrieved the book from the shelf - I expected it to be a stimulating and beneficial read, but I equally wondered whether my interpretation of, and reaction to, it would be the same as before. I have "moved on" in a philosophical sense, since the period when Hesse's works first came to my close attention (and to my assistance).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Basically, the story centres on the relationship between the two titular characters. Narcissus is a scholarly resident at a monastery, now a teacher and set to ascend the ranks and the hierarchy of the institution. The younger Goldmund arrives as a new student/pupil, and the two eventually establish a friendship. The perceptive Narcissus sees that it is not in his young friend's true nature to live a life of secluded scholarship and study; he is an artist. Without giving too much away, Goldmund subsequently takes his leave of the monastery and embarks on years of adventuring and experiences "on the road".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Apart from the author's perpetual concerns regarding self-discovery and spirituality, a more distinct strand of study emerged, namely that of people's awareness of their true nature and the means by which they uncover their true "calling". In this instance Goldmund had the shrewd and visionary Narcissus to perform this function, but it occurs to me that most of us are thwarted in this regard, our potential and true happiness suppressed or blocked by other people, by social structures and even by ourselves, consciously or otherwise. The question, of course, of whether we each have a "destiny" is a whole subject on its own...</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Must of us have no figure such as Narcissus, to help us to see what our potentially most rewarding and satisfying future course is. Our true talents and gifts remain undiscovered or at least under-utilized, the secret remaining unlocked.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Humanity has progressed in many respects over the centuries, but this may remain one of the areas where we continue to let ourselves down. One has to ask if modern economic pressures and imperatives are among the factors hampering an improvement.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Going back to the novel, I was once again left animated and enthused by Hesse's simple yet poetic and absorbing language. However, there was something else this time around. I was more attuned to the writer's implied, and even sometimes explicit, criticisms and judgements, especially concerning some aspects of scholasticism and monasticism, and the rigidity of the institutions which uphold and oversee them. Being Hermann Hesse he makes the points in a subtle, gentle and constructive manner. Before I was less sensitive to such charges being levelled by the great man, and this change I expect reflects changes in me over the intervening years.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I suspect that most people who read "Narcissus and Goldmund" find themselves, at some juncture, engaging in a touch of soul-searching, and wondering whether they themselves are closer in character and inclination to Narcissus, or to Goldmund. I was not immune to this process, but my assessments were clouded with caveats, doubts and qualifications.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">On reflection, I am probably more a "thinker" than an "artist", but I arrived at this thought via a circuitous route. As I turned the age of thirty, I entered a period which could be best described as ebullient, although unlike Goldmund I did not become a wayfarer. The preceding years had been ones of restraint and reticence, although without the erudition and commitment to study of Narcissus. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The "outgoing" years, when I look back, were more a case of circumstance and a reaction to the "quiet" years, which were really characterised by passivity on my part, rather than any conscious programme of scholarship or learning. When the spell of relative excess was brought to an end, I realized that my true calling was to be a person of study, contemplation and words. So my true finding of myself occurred later in life than happened with Goldmund, and I was not fortunate enough to have a sounding-board or mentor such as the learned Narcissus. This kind of thing can happen to people, but not as dramatically as in literature, and at different stages and under different guises. In my case I wouldn't describe it as trial and error, but it needed several sea-changes in my life before the clearer picture started to fully emerge.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is easy to see why, with his examples, his vision and the clarity and appeal of his ideas, Hermann Hesse has been cited as an inspiration for those undertaking the journey of life and of self-discovery. He opens people's eyes to their potential, and their humanity, partly through his evoking of the scope for authenticity and beauty in life and the world. He helps to peel away layers of inertia, apathy and lethargy.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The novels and other writings of Hesse are a deep well of philosophical nourishment from which I draw from time to time, and the works seldom fail to energize and galvanize me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Running alongside the story of Goldmund's wanderings is the philosophical, and ultimately practical, challenge posed by this tension between the artist and the thinker, the senses and the spirit, the flesh and the mind. Can they be reconciled, made not to complement each other but to act in true union to lead us to fulfilment and realization? It is a tantalizing prospect, and even if there is substance in the notion it is likely that only a very small fraction of us will attain such a union in a meaningful way.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The chronicling of Goldmund's wanderings, his experiences in forests and with assorted inhabitants of the lands which he passed through, is essayed in a charming yet plausible way, with an eye for detail, shade and colour. More than with most authors, I find my brain and my imagination composing imagery to accompany Hesse's words as they are processed. The cares of the world tend to evaporate, at least temporarily, and I am transported to another world, but a world made very believable, very human.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I would be inclined to assert that "Narcissus and Goldmund" is not one of Hesse's most heavily "philosophical" novels, despite the subject matter which is covered within it. It might be more accurate to declare that the philosophy is less immediately "heavy", onerous and portentous than with some of his other output. To a degree, of course, all novels are "philosophical", but this one is bathed in a very beautiful salve.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">An intriguing dimension of the Hermann Hesse universe is the naturalness of the settings. In this instance we are presented with a largely pre-industrial world. Of course the pastoral "idyll" is blemished by difficulties, vices and evils, although they appear at first unlike those which abound in our twenty-first century society. The backdrop is a pleasant enough vehicle, but at times we are reminded of the pernicious realities of those bygone times. It is quite easy to miss these sub-texts when caught up in Hesse's enchanting and fluid prose. It may be that he was wanting to draw some attention to the less enlightened patterns of life in the medieval ages without distracting us unduly from the central direction of the narrative.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are some passages in this novel which examine the nature of art and artists, and I can see why such discussions may serve as a turn-off to some. However, these sections greatly impressed and intrigued me, especially those which addressed questions of impermanence and the fear of death. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A message which I drew from the story is that of our goals. Our goals may be vague, but the progress and the journey are more important and valuable than the precise objective itself. The objective, if even partly realised, cannot be "the end", but a new beginning, a prompting to embark on a quest for fresh horizons. So it appears to have been with Goldmund.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The artist/thinker dynamic is enticing but, particularly later in the book, Hesse brings the bourgeois/"bohemian" paradigm to the party. This has exercised my thoughts for some years now, more specifically the constraints and "responsibilities" imposed on individuality by modern economic and cultural pressures. Perhaps it was easier to practically escape bourgeois existence (in its various guises and forms) during the times when the novel is set, even the times when Hesse himself was composing his works. Modern societal norms seemingly make it more difficult to pursue a life parallel to the mainstream. For most of those feeling emasculated or ill-at-ease, maybe the most realistic option is to engage as little as possible with "the system", and strive where possible to achieve some kind of realization and insight. Idealism sometimes has to give way to a measure of pragmatism.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In keeping with his favoured themes, Hesse postulates the notion of cycles and the idea that everything passes, with life characterised by renewal and rebirth. Another central theme is that of the "maternal", the mother figure, and the feminine and masculine conscious and unconscious minds. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">However, the one topic from "Narcissus and Goldmund" which stuck most indelibly in my psyche was this idea of unburdening oneself of experiences, emotions, triumphs and traumas by creating something tangible rather than ephemeral, before venturing on to a new challenge. This process almost sounds like a form of catharsis, and it should ideally be conducted in a non-vicarious way, but I was left asking myself whether it matters what form the "document" should take. Can those who are not blessed with artistic gifts or training benefit from such a "project", provided that it reconciles the two "opposites"?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I viewed the tale, and the subjects tackled, through more of a humanist framework on this occasion, because of my burgeoning interest in humanism and ideas of human flourishing. As with many novels of this kind, however, excessive latching on to one philosophical strand or message can mar or obscure one's overall enjoyment of the art.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">"Narcissus and Goldmund" is to my mind one of Hesse's most affecting and finely rounded works, one with the depth and scope to spur the reader into greater contemplation and reflection.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-54881191491623552842023-03-19T14:40:00.000+01:002023-03-19T14:40:07.489+01:00Virgin Golf Record File - Alun Evans<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I always find it interesting and thought-provoking to read those books, residing on my shelves but somewhat forgotten and neglected, which were published some years ago.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Recently I dusted off a book called the "Virgin Golf Record File", by Alun Evans. It, or at the least the edition in my possession, was published in the year 2000.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The book contains some nice and informative histories of the various Major championships, tracing and highlighting the waxing and waning of the fortunes and prestige of those championships, and the swings in dominance between American, European and Southern hemisphere players. I really enjoyed the author's examination of some of the cultural and socio-economic factors which influenced the development and growth of these great events. The articles also serve as a history of "competitive" golf in general going back to the middle of the nineteenth century.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As a bit of a sports and statistics nerd myself, I love books such as this one, records and stats being mixed with some textual chronicling and context.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is interesting that this edition was composed just as the Tiger Woods era was beginning, ushering in changes to the men's game which are still being felt today. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another observation is that there is a good deal less about women's golf than there certainly would be in a similar publication today.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is also instructive to flick through the pages at a time when the men's professional game is garnering more mainstream publicity than for some time, largely because of the "organisational" divisions which have arisen. Parts of the book remind us that down the decades, pro golf was sometimes tranquil and stable, at other stages not so much.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking at the statistics sections, one striking trend which stands out is the phenomenal consistency of Jack Nicklaus, notably in the major championships. This was quite a feat, as he was competing at a time when the game was growing more and more global, and increasingly competitive. Nicklaus could easily have won, say, 50% more majors, and put some of his records out of sight. He endured as a force at the top level whilst the careers of others briefly soared and then faded away. After his rivalries with Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, he then vied with the likes of Trevino, Jacklin, Watson and Ballesteros, and was still a player to be reckoned with even as the likes of Norman, Faldo et al began to take over the reins.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A good little book, all in all.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-63905319076452720522023-02-08T15:59:00.000+01:002023-02-08T15:59:12.276+01:00John Wesley Harding - Bob Dylan<p><span style="font-size: medium;">An album which has recently reintroduced itself to my orbit is <i>John Wesley Harding, </i>by Bob Dylan.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTe9jVSinVdXtqWppgUaTqOdpA_KNMKGGvCpO9-I2Tx9lMBuTKRdkrNAcsHuRQr2g6CnEM6lMibJaQQLwo1M__f0-vxHEo3aoBaFb1LwhnKl0NLukBEium5rRko1gHrKjrTt3qqp-bu1Ijf1ZUy7r-nLonbM6oazvRaZLqmDABdMI-5JFqN5lSZtuV/s599/JohnWesleyHarding.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="599" data-original-width="593" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTe9jVSinVdXtqWppgUaTqOdpA_KNMKGGvCpO9-I2Tx9lMBuTKRdkrNAcsHuRQr2g6CnEM6lMibJaQQLwo1M__f0-vxHEo3aoBaFb1LwhnKl0NLukBEium5rRko1gHrKjrTt3qqp-bu1Ijf1ZUy7r-nLonbM6oazvRaZLqmDABdMI-5JFqN5lSZtuV/s320/JohnWesleyHarding.jpg" width="317" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My perspective on this record has tended to oscillate between two points. The first, which held sway for many years and was admittedly based on insufficient and superficial listening, was that it was a slight and bland work whose reputation and myth were out of proportion to its real artistic weight. The alternative view was that the first appraisal was harsh and my earlier assessment of the album as "lightweight" had militated against any more nuanced or thorough examination of its merits. I can report that after a more rigorous inquiry the strengths and charms of <i>John Wesley Harding </i>are no longer obscured from my view.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The songs, by and large, have a stripped down and austere flavour, with pared-down instrumentation. Story-telling is to the fore. If the stories themselves are sometimes enigmatic and mysterious, the language employed is generally more straightforward and less oblique than that which characterized Dylan's classic mid-60s releases.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In some ways the material is similar in tone and character to that from the "Basement Tapes" sessions, if less ebullient in its execution and production. Despite the more direct and literal mode of song-writing, there is still sufficient poetic acuity and wit to leave many of the songs open to interpretation, enveloped in an almost sepia-tinted haze.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The title track sets the pattern. In a sense, <i>John Wesley Harding </i>is one of the precursors to the emergent trends of "country rock" and the "retreat" to a more rootsy and authentic fashion of composition and performance. As always, although nominally part of a wider musical movement or scene, Dylan puts his own signature and stamp on things.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Looking at the lyrics and the delivery here, I get a strong sense that Bob was deriving great satisfaction and fascination from the process of putting together these tunes and stories, with their themes, spiritual and rustic. No longer under pressure to be the hipster or the troubadour for a generation, he could immerse himself in the simple joys of song-writing and poetry. 'As I Went Out One Morning' and 'I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine' are examples of these factors playing out in practice.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As for 'All Along the Watchtower', well Bob's version of the song has understandably been overshadowed by Jimi Hendrix's monumental and apocalyptic rendering, but the original presented here has its own quieter drama and charm, with the lyrics unencumbered by production excesses.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the material on the record even arguably harks back to Dylan's very early albums, with their simplicity and more basic brand of expression and narrative - 'The Ballad of Frankie Lee and Judas Priest', for instance.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There are references to 'Dustbowl' injustices and concerns, although presented in a restrained and even ambiguous way. The characters in the songs are often outsiders or outcasts, oppressed by societal pressures and prejudices. The tenor and structure of these compositions could well be illustrative of Dylan's literary inclinations and tastes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It has become customary to refer to albums possessing "hidden gems". It could almost be said that the majority of the tracks on <i>John Wesley Harding </i>are hidden gems, but 'Drifter's Escape' and 'Dear Landlord' certainly stand out in this respect. This all rather serves to dispel any notion that the album lacks substance or depth. In its own way it is fuller and more thought-provoking than LPs which have garnered lavish praise. It packs a lot of content and expressiveness into a comparatively short running-time, with numerous murky corners, tangents and detours to explore and savour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Perhaps as a listening experience the record packs less of an outright punch, and elicits less exhilaration, than other Dylan efforts, and one's enjoyment or appreciation of it might well depend on individual preference. attention span, patience and mood at any given moment.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">An aspect of the album which intrigues me is the subject matter of the lyrics, and their approach to social and cultural issues. Dylan to me seems to be consciously delving into such territory, finding its possibilities and its themes stimulating and interesting, perhaps hoping that they would provoke corresponding levels of contemplation and reflection among listeners.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The religious imagery, often subsumed within other topics, is a feature, and despite its restraint it helps to equip this record with its distinctive hue and flavour. As with other singer-songwriters over the years, the religious themes may occasionally be intended as metaphors or symbolism for other matters.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I would contend that <i>John Wesley Harding </i>is a worthy contender to be held up with some of Bob Dylan's most important work. The songs are intelligent and interesting, and should encourage thought and imagination. Another thing to its credit is that this collection of songs is unpretentious, and it will be a rewarding process for those who persevere with it. The record incorporates subjects and musical elements which both hark back to his early output and also anticipate some of his later concerns and excursions. So disregard any notion of "blandness", and lose yourself in this album's crevasses and recesses.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-63688716544239064632022-10-12T11:38:00.000+02:002022-10-12T11:38:13.283+02:00David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I have in the past couple of years, belatedly and rewardingly, become a wholehearted and fully-fledged adherent to the notion that David Bowie was perhaps the most important and influential solo artist ever to emerge from Britain. Even now, I think that many people under-estimate just how good he was.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Bowie's period of greatest creativity and consistency arguably spanned the years between, let us say, 1969 and 1984. He maintained a remarkably high standard allied to what, looking back, seems a prodigious work-rate. It seems barely credible that he managed to cram so much into the time available. Writing and recording, not to mention touring and engaging in various side-projects as producer and collaborator. That's before we even get on to his acting career! This productivity and prolific output remain one some of the most notable aspects of the Bowie story.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">For what it's worth, my personal view is that his work in the period 1970-73 remains his most vital and his most enduring. The other clearly identifiable series of works which attracts most praise, comment and scrutiny is the so-called 'Berlin Trilogy', released between 1977 and 1979, in the form of the albums 'Low', 'Heroes' and 'Lodger'. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I approached this blog article with a vague sense that the trilogy had received slightly excessive praise, that the critics had grasped hold of these records out of relief, following Bowie's musical excursions and meanderings of the mid-1970s. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, in order to confirm or refute my tentative analysis, I resolved to review the three LPs and commit my conclusions and observations to blog form.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course it is debatable whether the sounds unveiled on 'Low' were genuinely new or revelatory to the music-listening public at large. Groups such as Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream and, to a lesser extent, Can and NEU!, had acquired some attention on both sides of the Atlantic, so this brand of experimental work came as less as a shock than some might might have us believe. This, however, was an established, mainstream rock "superstar".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It is worth mentioning how much of the material on 'Low' is instrumental - 'Speed Of Life' and 'Sound and Vision' (sort of !) for example. Bowie was clearly sufficiently enamoured with this type of music to take this step. It was also a sign of his confidence and comfort with the new technology which he was utilizing.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Low' has its hard edges too, and an uncompromising side to it . Songs such as 'Breaking Glass' display no little aggression. It may be that some of the rhythmic vigour was a legacy of the 'Station to Station' album. The directness could also have been prompted by the shadow of punk, which was making a genuine impact in Britain in 1976/77.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">By and large the synthesizers and the experimental features do not come across as gimmicky. Bowie and his colleagues managed to make it sound as though this was a perfectly logical new direction, but also a matter of wrapping some familiar Bowie hallmarks in dynamic new clothes.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Like its two successors, 'Low' is not quite as 'experimental', not quite as much of a departure as might be deduced from some of the comments one hears and reads. Traditional song structures and musical basics still just about predominate, although songs such as 'Always Crashing In The Same Car' and 'Be My Wife' would have been regarded as unusual by more vanilla circles in 1977.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a uniformity of sorts to the musical palette of 'Low'. Meaty, big drums and sinuous bass lines, overlaid by keyboards and guitars. A few years ago this recipe might have assailed my ears as 'synthetic' or 'soulless', but I know better now.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The second half of the record is where much of the interest resides. 'A New Career in A New Town' is quite radical-sounding, with the influence of Can detectable in its quieter moments. As with most of other other numbers, there is plenty going on to hold the attention.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Warszawa' is on on another level, both emotionally and sonically, to what surrounds it. A brooding 'semi-instrumental', bearing the stamp of Brian Eno. Making clever use of 'wordless vocals', it is perhaps the centrepiece of the album. Like other parts of the album, it is distinctly 'central European' in its influences.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Art Decade' is almost a continuation of 'Warszawa'. As for 'Weeping Wall', there once again is that irresistible, intangible pull, atmospheric in a way that even the other quasi-instrumentals cannot quite manage.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The closer, 'Subterraneans', which was apparently inspired by East Berlin, is appropriately unsettling and stark, and features a great and evocative saxophone solo. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To be fully appreciated and understood, 'Low' has to be listened to in its entirety and 'in sequence'. Only this way can one grasp and comprehend where Bowie was in 1977, and where his thoughts were leading him. The result is a measure of his imagination, his curiosity and his restless energy. My esteem for this work has been elevated a notch.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Heroes' commences with 'Beauty and The Beast', which in part appears to take up where Side One of 'Low' left off. Robert Fripp's guitar contributions add something to the mix, literally.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The title track of 'Heroes' is, of course, justly celebrated and revered, and it does embody those traits which made David Bowie so important and rewarding. The song is even sometimes cited as a "hinge" uniting two eras of rock music, or at least signifying a change.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I would say that this record feels considerably less "Berlin" in character and substance than 'Low', There could be more than one reason for this perception. The overall mood is more cheerful and less foreboding, perhaps reflecting what was going on in Bowie's mind and life. Also, what instrumental fare there is on 'Heroes' is different to that which formed the backdrop to 'Low' - although 'Sense Of Doubt' tries its best!</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Other instrumental passages on 'Heroes' are more purely ambient in nature; 'Moss Garden' is the main example of this. 'Neukoln' on the other hand is more avant-garde than menacing; great saxophone part, too.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Whether all this makes it a more pleasant and congenial LP to listen to is still I guess a matter of personal taste or inclination. To me, it lacks a little of the gravitas and measured mastery which were so palpable with 'Low'.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, it is a more buoyant and 'ebullient' record than the one which came before it, but this does not equate to 'better' or 'superior'. It lacks the philosophical depth and emotional power of 'Low', notwithstanding the presence of the 'Heroes' song itself.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It would not be surprising if the initial energy which was summoned up on 'Low' could not be sustained, leading to a slightly different type of record. Who knows, Bowie may have wanted it that way....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To be frank, I have never really associated 'Lodger' with the other two, and it often seemed that the reason for its existence was that it was an album which followed those other two, and journalists and others could therefore speak in terms of a 'trilogy'. If anything, my mind links 'Station to Station' with the series more than 'Lodger',</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Also in my recollections, 'Lodger' has been linked to the musical trends of 1979 and beyond, rather than connection with some thematic or stylistic continuity from before. This may be because 1979 was the year when I first became truly interested in music on anything more than a superficial level. I was too young to remember the hype and chatter about 'Heroes' or 'Low', and the profound outpourings of critics and observers would have gone completely over my head, anyway. It was interesting to see how 'Lodger', more freed from the aforementioned preconceptions, would stand up.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The 'world music' content and orientation have been cited (Middle Eastern, African), but they hardly jump out at me. If Bowie was indeed exploring such genres, it would be typical of his ceaseless search for inspiration and knowledge. It would also be characteristic if those styles were absorbed into his musical framework in a subtle manner. 'Yassassin' does have quite an impact, the first truly impressive track on the album.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">After a sluggish beginning the pace and the intensity pick up; 'Red Sails' maintains some momentum, with echoes of the German group NEU!. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'D.J' reminds me of Talking Heads, and it presages some of the material which would be found on the 'Scary Monsters....' record. The song has some conviction to it, and this goes a long way.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the songs ('Look Back In Anger') are illustrative of the artist's uncanny knack of anticipating trends (or alternatively of harnessing forces already present underground). Quite a lot of 1980s music can be heard in 'Lodger', as with the two previous albums, but presented here in more digestible and compact form.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Sound-wise 'Boys Keep Swinging' starts almost like 'son-of Heroes'. I remember this song being played heavily on British radio in that year of 1979. It bears some Bowie trademarks, the relatively simple 'rock n roll' melodic and rhythmic foundation, the enigmatic lyrics and the backing vocal arrangements and 'horns'. It was the obvious choice as a single. Traces of 'Diamond Dogs' and 'Blue Jean' can also be heard within it, methinks.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The album does rather tail off after 'Boys Keep Swinging'. The track sequencing perhaps left a little to be desired?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So, how do I sum up the Berlin Trilogy? The three works each possess their own identity. 'Low' remains the most substantial and impactful, the most radical and the one which adheres most recognisably to the Berlin 'concept' (if indeed there was a concept), in artistic terms at least. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Heroes' is also excellent, but appraisal may have been skewed ever so slightly by the hold which the signature tune has on our collective consciousness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Lodger' is good in parts, but it lacks the edge and the breadth of ideas which propel the other two records towards some kind of greatness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Above all, these three albums show Bowie's fearlessness, his openness to new ideas, the vigour of his quest and his refusal to settle for easy options or to tread water artistically. Overrated, underrated, it is almost irrelevant. These are important collections, and they should be experienced by every serious student of rock music. Their legacy continues to be heard and felt in our music and culture in 2022. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-86806981710693562872022-07-18T18:28:00.001+02:002022-07-18T18:28:22.059+02:00Visions Of The Future, from 1960s Television<p><span style="font-size: large;"> <span>I recently watched some episodes of the television series created by Gerry Anderson and his colleagues. These programmes were <i>Thunderbirds, Captain Scarlet and The Mysterons, </i>and <i>Joe 90.</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Back in the day Anderson and his team were lauded for their vision of a future which seemed optimistic and quite progressive, envisaging a prosperous, technologically advanced and comparatively harmonious world. Just how accurate and perceptive were these "predictions" and imaginings, and how desirable would those outcomes really be?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The above mentioned programmes were all set in "the future", in the case of <i>Joe 90 </i>roughly our own epoch (the 2010s), and the other two were apparently meant to have taken place in the 2050s or 2060s.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It is clear to me that the shows in question were produced against the backdrop of 1960s optimism and idealism and, some might say, naivete. It could be that the visions contained in the episodes represented a mixture of what the makers anticipated would transpire, and what they hoped for.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">In broad terms, the programmes seem to envisage some form of "federal" global structure, with world government agencies and functions, and much emphasis on international co-operation. The main threats are perceived to emanate from rogue (smaller?) nations, potent criminal elements and corrupt business interests. It is curious to think in those terms, as I type this in the Summer of 2022....</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The expectation appears to be that large corporations will still exist, and that they will wield considerable power and influence. My interpretation, for what it is worth, is that Anderson and Co. were predicting that, on balance, corporations would be a benevolent force, fulfilling a "progressive" role in society. The current evidence would suggest that the reality will be more mixed and ambiguous, to say the least.</span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">To me it is noteworthy that environmental and ecological issues are touched on relatively infrequently by these 1960s creations. Nuclear power and fossil fuels are shown as still being quite pervasive, although there is some mention of innovations in the fields of renewable and alternative energy sources. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">As we now know, the importance of green considerations will likely precipitate changes in social and economic conditions far beyond what these creative people from the Sixties expected. This might be explained in part by the fact that the ecology movement was comparatively under-developed and basic in the 1960s, and did not really gather momentum until the decade which followed. In one <i>Thunderbirds </i>episode, scientists are seen trying to discover new ways of boosting livestock and the world's supply of meat! Clearly knowledge of such topics, and their impact on the planet, was quite unsophisticated, even limited, back then.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">When the series in question are discussed, it is often stated that they imagined a "utopian" future. However, looking critically at the economic and social structures which were portrayed, genuinely profound change is not evident. Rather than being "utopian", I see their outlook as progressive-liberal, and certainly not radical in terms of the way that life was expected to develop or evolve.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The attitudes exuded by the characters and people in the stories do not signal any major shift in attitudes, values or beliefs, no big "Enlightenment 2.0". Selfishness, greed and ignorance are still shown as existing, but the Anderson view of human nature seems to be optimistic. The link between socio-economic changes and shifting attitudes may be instructive, in that the extent of the former could be dependent on the magnitude of the latter. Little suggestion, of course, that man-made laws might corrupt people or instil harmful habits or ideas.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">I must say that I rather like the future architectural and design trends postulated in these productions. They are in accord with my own "modernist" tastes and inclinations. Maybe these patterns were conceived in the light of things which were around in the 1960s, but which were seen then as futuristic and cutting-edge?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The issue of social stratification, and the class system, is one area of these Anderson programmes which seemed to conflict mildly with other anticipated societal developments. The programmes appear to depict, certainly in Britain and even elsewhere, a society where class distinctions are still very much entrenched and palpable.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">One area of the thought-world of those productions, especially <i>Thunderbirds, </i>which intrigues me is the "military" involvement and influence in "civilian" affairs and sectors. People of a military bearing, and sporting military-type uniforms, are seen fulfilling functions which these days we would hope and expect to be carried out by more technically-orientated people. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">It seems that the producers saw the future as being an arena of technological progress, but not necessarily as a prodigious driver of social transformation or deep-rooted human emancipation; just making life "easier", but just as hectic and bewildering. In other words, alienation and social exclusion would remain as ills, insidious trends inhibiting change in some areas.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">The balance of economic relations and power, and the centralization of power, would likely remain unchanged. Progress? That depends upon how you define and quantify "progress". There has to be at least a gesture towards something more meaningful and far-reaching.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Gerry Anderson's world of the future may indeed be the one which comes to pass, given the current balance of forces, prevailing "wisdom" and policies. We should bear in mind, though, that we as citizens of the world have it within our power to change this state of affairs, at least in theory. Personally, I hope that at least pointers to something more radical are evident by the forthcoming decades in question. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">One area where the 1960s creators underestimated the likely scale of development was in the areas of "information technology" and communications. There is little suggestion (to my eyes and ears) of anything resembling what became the internet, although they did admittedly foresee some other leaps and advances.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Despite nurturing a hopeful verdict on human nature, some of the "villains" and antagonists in Anderson programmes appear to presage that egomania and megalomania would continue to pose problems and present obstacles for genuine progress and tranquility, and lead to some grief and suffering for "mere mortals". This is in addition to pride, intransigence, arrogance and narrow-mindedness. Sadly, they were probably right in expecting this to be the case. Changes in attitudes would be needed to militate against this, and such changes could be accelerated by reforms to socio-economic systems.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;">Above all, I think that the only partial accuracy of the predictions amply demonstrates just how quickly and profoundly our world can change in short stretches of time, thus confounding the experts and the futurologists. No doubt if I am around to write a similar article to this in 2050, I will have to revise several of my judgments on the forecasts of the makers of those television shows.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-84009308414631021392022-06-11T19:31:00.000+02:002022-06-11T19:31:01.803+02:00Formula 1 Fanatic - Koen Vergeer<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Maintaining the momentum of my recent reading adventures, that is seeking some perspective and meaning from my library of motor sport-related books, I turned to a title which had hitherto escaped my serious attention; <i>Formula 1 Fanatic, </i>by Koen Vergeer.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Originally published in Dutch, and first seeing the light of day around 2003/2004, this is essentially one person's account and appraisal of his interest in, or obsession with, the sport of Formula 1 racing, going back as far as the early 1970s.</span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8O-9LNIWoVmUtPhhuvnhpHzVW41ncOHqWuM_66SRGiVNvB5WgoqUqIzYz6g1T3pQ5MN09cWrMoQ4vT43lZpa4qFFGEbac1hIlvWIdDBcWB5q6RHzrXPOYiOV5t0eTLHo4KihCNp1fMcKMRtVQz4A8xAFEdWUDcNoMxgEK0nMh_oaa453yNIUW1h1/s400/Formula1FanaticKoenVergeer.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="259" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI8O-9LNIWoVmUtPhhuvnhpHzVW41ncOHqWuM_66SRGiVNvB5WgoqUqIzYz6g1T3pQ5MN09cWrMoQ4vT43lZpa4qFFGEbac1hIlvWIdDBcWB5q6RHzrXPOYiOV5t0eTLHo4KihCNp1fMcKMRtVQz4A8xAFEdWUDcNoMxgEK0nMh_oaa453yNIUW1h1/s320/Formula1FanaticKoenVergeer.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the early chapters genuinely struck a chord with me, bringing strongly to mind my own burgeoning immersion in the same world, although my journey commenced approximately a decade after Vergeer's. There is a temptation for me to feel embarrassed or defensive about the nature of my early "fandom", and the naivete which was at the heart of it, but this is tempered when we appreciate that we all go through such phases at that stage of our lives. Let's face it, such diversions are probably more healthy and harmless than much of what we will engage in later in life.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I found the author's opinions and interpretations on some matters refreshingly different and well argued, especially his thoughts on some of the historical personalities and events of the F1 world. His opinions on people such as Nelson Piquet are very interesting. It is nice to get a fresh view, detached from the stereotypical portrayals which become so prevalent and self-perpetuating.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The version which I have read is the English one, and it may be that the translation from the Dutch accounts for some quirks in the language and words used, but this does not detract from the central mission; nor do the occasional factual inaccuracies.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Working my way through <i>Formula 1 Fanatic, </i>it was difficult to ascertain a particular ethos or mode of thinking as regards racing. Beyond the usual mild idealism, for me a certain ambiguity emerges, and it could be convincingly argued that this is a good trait to have for a Formula 1 devotee.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The anecdotes concerning the writer's experiences in following racing are strong and quite evocative, and they come over as sincere. Importantly, they do not become excessively sentimental, and they are instrumental in building the picture. These passages help to lift the book above the mundane, and to make it a genuinely stimulating and valuable "memoir".</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In my estimation, the book really comes into its own with the series of chapters which examines the careers, strengths, weaknesses and vagaries of the leading drivers of Vergeer's era. The author demonstrates a keen sense of nuance in looking beyond mass-media platitudes, whether it be analysing Ayrton Senna's beliefs or the psyche of Damon Hill. Vergeer comes close to laying bare the very essence of Formula 1. These are frank and in-depth appraisals, and they are a pleasure to read.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In amongst all this material, I was made keenly aware that Formula 1 has somehow, since the early 2000s, become too "ordinary", too anodyne. It has lost sight of its mission, and its <i>raison d'etre </i>has become distorted and diluted. When certain things happened, for example some of the Prost/Senna confrontations, I was repelled, but after having relived the salient points in this book, I was reminded at what a stratospheric level - sporting, psychological and human - that drama was played out. Despite what today's hyperbole and PR spin might attempt to convince us, there will never be anything to compare with Prost versus Senna. It was not really manufactured or contrived, more a case of inevitability.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a sharpness and an acuity in the author's outlook and observations, and his weighing of factors, which truly impressed me. The "philosophical" sections are relatively brief, but thought-provoking, and perhaps even more relevant in 2022, almost two decades after the original publication of <i>Formula 1 Fanatic. </i>Questions about the sport's relevance and "soul" are more pressing and pertinent than ever before.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was gratified to see that the Schumacher-Hakkinen epoch of the late 90s and early 2000s is given due prominence and attention. As the author hints at, this was the sport distilled down to its core - pure unalloyed F1, in which all of the elements which make (made?) the sport unique were tested. Perhaps the last era of its type which we will ever see, save for flickerings such as Suzuka 2005. Vergeer covers the 1998-2001 years in some detail, and with some style and shrewdness.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Increasingly I sensed that the author and myself were on something approximating to the same wavelength. I could identify with many of his sentiments about accidents, about having to defend and explain this passion with outsiders and "non-believers", as it were. There is also the ambivalence which regularly rises to the surface, almost a form of shame, and that "addictive" quality. Many readers will I am sure find themselves in accord with the writer's feelings and emotions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Rightly or wrongly, I detected another characteristic; a tacit acceptance that some unpalatable things cannot interfere with "the show" and that, despite occasional protestations and periods of disaffection, the compulsion to watch or follow still remained. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As mentioned above, the manner in which the author relates pivotal Formula 1 moments to his own personal experiences and memories gives his writing an additional dimension. His life has grown and changed with the sport, along with some striving to retain some of the innocence and simplicity of those earlier days.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This is an astute and well thought-out book, quite absorbing . Putting aside (very) minor reservations, this is a rewarding read. Much more authoritative and credible than supposedly more "cerebral" motorsport "literature". </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Taking a broader view, this book furnished me with an enhanced feeling of how confident, vibrant and assured the world seemed in the late 1990s and early 2000s. If only they, and we, had known that stormy waters (and storm clouds) loomed ahead, in the form of economic crises and other traumas, and what appeared to be a general loss of nerve. At the same time, when I reflect on my own navigation of those "good" times, it may have been too good to be true. Short-termism, a blindness to certain fundamentals, and a failure to address pressing issues. The last decade or so may well have served as a form of reckoning.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-60782963975617410482022-05-30T18:17:00.000+02:002022-05-30T18:17:28.512+02:00Inside The Mind of The Grand Prix Driver - Christopher Hilton<span style="font-size: medium;">Following my reading of the book <i><a href="https://whatglennthinks.blogspot.com/2022/05/deadly-obsessions-life-and-death-in.html" target="_blank">Deadly Obsessions</a>, </i>I threw myself into another motor-racing-related work, <i>Inside The Mind of The Grand Prix Driver, </i>written by the late Christopher Hilton (the edition I read dates from 2003). The latter book covered similar ground to <i>Deadly Obsessions, </i>but felt more substantial and absorbing in some respects.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I am not really sure to what extent the book truly gets "inside the mind" of the driver, but I found this to be quite an engaging and illuminating look at the world inhabited by racing pilots, tending to belie some of the assessments which I have seen elsewhere. The interviews with drivers are very revealing, and often entertaining.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">There are some valuable nuggets of information about the career paths of certain drivers, and we see how precarious and stressful the driver's existence is, with constant anxiety about job security and one's status within team and sport. It is true to say that the pressures and the intensity rise with each passing year, but it sounds as though the situation was pretty fraught and demanding even in the early 1980s!</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The recollections of various Grand Prix competitors really do bring home the notion of the "survival of the fittest" being one of the main guiding principles of the F1 firmament. To many this might seem like an indictment of the sport, a recognition that one must be ruthless and grasping in order to not just succeed, but merely survive. On the other hand, I was quite inspired by being immersed in this rarefied atmosphere, where the mental and psychological faculties and capabilities are stretched to the limits.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the drivers do come across as deluded in their assessments of their abilities, achievements and relative worth, but these traits have to be placed in the context of the necessity to survive, the nature of the beast. Outsiders, real outsiders, would have difficulty comprehending and appreciating all these things. Anything that helps them cope....</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In one or two cases I was left wondering whether the drivers' pronouncements constituted posturing and bravado, a front which enabled them to navigate choppy and hostile waters. I suspect that many "lesser lights" have to put on an act, whereas the true greats can more or less take certain attributes for granted, without having to constantly broadcast their prevalence or importance.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is pointed out in the book that after they retire from racing some drivers mellow, realise that they no longer require "extreme" attitudes or motivations. Others may have been "contaminated" more profoundly by their experiences and remain in "F1 mode" long after they hang up their helmets.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the tests of a book for me is the degree to which it instilled in me an enhanced knowledge and understanding of a subject at hand. This work, on balance, does pass that test. The contributions of Jonathan Palmer, Julian Bailey, Perry McCarthy, Martin Donnelly and Allan McNish I found especially instructive, for differing reasons.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">To return to the theme which I sought to develop in my article about <i>Deadly Obsessions, </i>did I learn anything from the Hilton book about how the world has changed in the past two decades? Not really, as this is a drier and less emotive exploration of the F1 community.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-91194925859513917362022-05-11T15:12:00.001+02:002022-05-11T15:12:19.007+02:00Deadly Obsessions - Life and Death in Formula One - Phil Shirley<span style="font-size: medium;">Upon reviewing my bookshelves in the Spring of 2022, it has come to my attention that many of the books which reside on said shelves are of a similar vintage. Most of them were purchased or received over ten years ago, and I am left wondering how "dated" some of them have become, and to what degree their philosophical orientation, apparently to my approval back then, remains so today.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I decided to treat one book as a "test bed" for my theories. Picked almost at random, my gaze alighted on <i>Deadly Obsessions - Life and Death in Formula One, </i>by Phil Shirley. This work, which was originally published around the year 2000, is essentially an exploration of racing drivers' attitudes towards their chosen profession. Whilst the book was not exactly a masterwork, it did serve my purposes. I think the world started to change when I was not looking, or at least when I was not paying sufficient attention.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The odd factual error, and the occasional inconsistency, did ever so slightly mar my enjoyment of <i>Deadly Obsessions. </i>That said, there is some valuable and intriguing material in the book, although I gained the impression that the author embellished certain episodes in order to replenish his supplies of case studies. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">How convenient also that some of these drivers apparently encountered "premonitions", and contemplated withdrawing from the events in which they would perish or be injured. The talk of premonitions and such-like should be treated with a drum of salt.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The thought occurred to me that this type of analysis of motor racing and its participants is out of kilter with todays sanitized, digital, video-game-like incarnation of the sport. In 1999, some semblance of the visceral and gladiatorial pursuit of yore remained, or at least was detectable in recent memory.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">To return to my original premise, what piqued my antennae when shuffling through the pages of <i>Deadly Obsessions </i>was just how noticeably the world has altered in some respects, by way of tone, outlook and "narrative", in the space of two-and-a-bit decades. The roots of some of these shifts were admittedly already present in 1999/2000, if one was smart or perceptive enough to know where to look.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Talk of "masculinity" and "male identity" would clearly, ahem, raise eyebrows if employed nowadays. I do think, however, that examining and discussing such topics is still valid, if one embraces a more inclusive mindset overall.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In more general, "moral" terms, I sense that the mentalities and attitudes, or at least some of them, on display in the book, would be eschewed even by todays Formula 1 competitors, against the backdrop of a more sentimental, hyper-sensitive age. The views on "life and death", safety and risk have changed, if perhaps not as radically as some might imagine, The opinions of Jacques Villeneuve, for example, on such matters would be even more vigorously debated and scrutinized now than they were around the turn of the millennium.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One thing which I liked about the book was its use of short, snappy and digestible chapters. The book was also instructive, in that it illustrated a certain demarcation in philosophies and approaches between drivers. These separations might well have been mirrored in "real life". There were (and are) the rationalists, the romantics, the pragmatists and so forth.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This was not too bad a read, although I think my appraisal of its literary merits have to be viewed in the the context of how my horizons in this area have broadened since 2010. Reading classical and modernist literature, and studying the work of the great philosophers, can render other types of reading matter rather mediocre and shallow by comparison.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I may well continue this new "project" of mine; reading books which were published before the social media era. It will, I think, sharpen my appreciation, and understanding of, recent social and cultural history. One observation which did make its claims on me was how confident and assured the world seemed in 1999/2000. Today's uncertainties and regressions only throw this assessment into sharper focus.</span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-18831841672265432562022-03-17T17:27:00.000+01:002022-03-17T17:27:00.591+01:00Berkmann's Pop Miscellany - Marcus Berkmann<span style="font-size: medium;">As part of some festival which occurred in late December 2021, I received a gift in the form of this book, <i>Berkmann's Pop Miscellany, </i>by Marcus Berkmann. It struck me at the time as the type of book which was a quintessential gift given at the time of the aforementioned festival. Consequently, I did not get around to reading it until recently.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The bulk of this tome is made up of "pen portraits", of varying lengths, of assorted luminaries from the world of music. These are broken up with other content, most of which relates to songs and albums which the author considers to be noteworthy in some way.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I found the author's quirky and impish humour to be endearing at first. In his views on music and musicians he does not seek to conform with trends and what is perceived to be cool. He makes it clear what kinds of music he is drawn to, and whilst I consider myself to have possibly the most eclectic musical tastes in the known universe, his arguments are bright and persuasive.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Although I did not agree with all of Berkmann's opinions, and did not concur with all of his reasoning, the anecdotes and stories were invariably entertaining and often very funny. He is not trying to appear as a contrarian, but rather comes across as honest, unpretentious and sincere in his inclinations. This is actually quite refreshing when I think of much of the music-related literature which I have been exposed to down the years. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The paragraphs contain lots of amusing tales of music-industry chaos, and in places these elaborated or expanded usefully on already well-known stories. All of this is delivered in a breezy and digestible style. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">If I was to venture one criticism it would be that, as the book progresses, it becomes a touch "formulaic", and relies too much on the same styles of jokes and humour. It even threatens to become slightly smug. Then again, I don't think this was intended to be a major work of scholarship, or to be taken too seriously.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In spite of the minor criticism outlined above, I found this to be quite an enjoyable book.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-48395245882101116332022-01-16T19:03:00.000+01:002022-01-16T19:03:48.487+01:00The Second World War - A Complete History - Martin Gilbert<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">I recently finished reading Martin Gilbert's <i>The Second World War - A Complete History. </i>One volume chronicles of such a monumental subject cannot realistically hope to be comprehensive, or cover all the bases, but</span><span style="font-size: large;"> this particular work offers an absorbing and deeply impressive perspective on the conflict.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The 'format' I found surprisingly effective and workable. The war is documented in a chronological pattern, sometimes meaning that chapters alternately cover developments across the different theatres (Europe, Pacific etc.). This could have rendered the story confusing and messy, but it turns out to be affecting and relatively efficient. Coverage of grand strategy and the pronouncements of leaders is mixed with quotations and anecdotes from 'on the ground' and from those whose were directly involved and personally impacted; eyewitnesses to horror and heroism.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">There is a particular focus on the terror inflicted on Europe's Jews, as well as the activities of partisans and spies, and the effects of strategic bombing. These emphases serve to convey the cruelty and futility of war, and the way in which it devastates the weak and the defenceless.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I found the text to be quite matter-of-fact, rather letting the facts and the quotations speak for themselves. The author does not dwell unduly on major military episodes or technological developments. I was also glad of the relatively short duration of the chapters, making the enterprise digestible and easy to follow.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Another feature which I found sensible was the tendency to continuously cite quotations from the same people and sources. This ensures consistency, enabling the reader to gauge and assess the changing moods and perspectives of those participants.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">I was profoundly intrigued by the passages which dealt with the evolving relationship between the Western Allies and the Soviet Union. It seemed that in the earlier days there was a mixture of solidarity and mutual suspicion, with the Western powers sensitive to how their delays in opening a meaningful 'second front' would be received in Moscow. Of course towards the book's conclusion the thorny subject of the prospective post-war landscape looms larger and larger, especially the question of Poland.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As I moved deeper into this book, I gained the impression that it was not really an attempt to deliver an exhaustive, all-encompassing account of the war, but more a striving to give people a strong flavour of the true nature of that cataclysmic period in global history. In this sense Gilbert succeeded admirably. It does not just highlight the injustice and senselessness of war, but in addition it illustrates the political and social factors which promote armed conflict and what measures may be taken to reduce the likelihood of such catastrophes occurring.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some people might complain that the book offers an 'establishment' Anglo-centric viewpoint, and even in places underestimates the role of the USSR in the war, but ultimately it is a powerful and gripping read, which will give any reasonable person ample food for thought and reflection.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-78652896921514134132021-12-19T13:37:00.002+01:002021-12-19T13:37:39.597+01:00Transformer - Lou Reed<span style="font-size: medium;">For reasons which are difficult to fathom accurately, I had until relatively recently steered clear from examining in detail the solo career of Lou Reed. Maybe I thought that the subject matter of the songs would not be to my taste. </span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Anyway, having opened my eyes (and ears) to other so-called alternative quarters of the musical universe, <i>Transformer </i>and other Reed solo LPs entered my consciousness. I am resoundingly glad that I felt ready to make that leap.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzoUhyLxs7TwHBCITYVp09zkLzghjdQgWjfilnfDlV5yrtObwEMCnQkxt7o0iGs9bHLAdxrU80TZOq0oShehJj7AMxkbW_1PL26PwFSzbv1RlimlMiFDfiLoox6sVYmWn-G68TvaQNEKLwdxxmarif3gIpamGHsZ9_TTl1g6cNQV0K44FrU8BzYRjx=s300" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="300" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhzoUhyLxs7TwHBCITYVp09zkLzghjdQgWjfilnfDlV5yrtObwEMCnQkxt7o0iGs9bHLAdxrU80TZOq0oShehJj7AMxkbW_1PL26PwFSzbv1RlimlMiFDfiLoox6sVYmWn-G68TvaQNEKLwdxxmarif3gIpamGHsZ9_TTl1g6cNQV0K44FrU8BzYRjx" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">On first impressions, <i>Transformer </i>felt more meaty and guitar-heavy than The Velvet Underground. However, as has become customary for music people to emphasize, Lou Reed is primarily a tunesmith. These songs have an infectious and invigorating quality about them. Some of the energy and accessibility of the album may be attributed to the involvement in the project of David Bowie and Mick Ronson, as producers and musicians, The tunes are compact and tastefully captured. It may well be true that the material lacks the provocative and "subversive" flavour of the Velvets' greatest output. However, the tracks here are generally likeable and catchy - 'Vicious', 'Andy's Chest' and 'Hangin' Round', for instance. They have also hidden depths and fascinations.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">'Perfect Day' was hitherto a song which I rather loathed, considering it vacuous and overblown, but it now inspires my admiration and affection. I "get" the sentiments now, probably because I am older (or wiser?). 'Walk On The Wild Side' has undergone a similar transformation (pardon the pun) in my estimations, but for different reasons. I had tended to regard it as a novelty song, almost. The other famous number on the record, 'Satellite Of Love', has an elusively absorbing quality, in keeping with much of what surrounds it.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">If <i>Transformer </i>ever appears in danger of growing too cosy or bland, then Mick Ronson's incisive and adroit guitar contributions serve to lift it. I also detected, vaguely, the influence of Bowie's <i>Hunky Dory</i> period here and there. All these elements assist in ensuring that the record retains its validity as an artistic endeavour worthy of exploration and respect.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">A word too for 'Goodnight Ladies', a whimsical offering which has a strong 1920s Berlin ambience, and which adds welcome variety and humour. A great and vibrant way to close. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">As for Reed's reputation as one of the godfathers of punk, it may be more visible and discernible on other records, but certainly the short and simple arrangements and riffs must have struck a chord with some aspiring musicians. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">So, not as challenging as other works involving Lou Reed, but a tight and coherent set of entertaining and sometimes intriguing pieces, competently produced and performed. It has been widely influential, and it still sounds urgent and energetic. The type of album which demands attention, and which draws the listener back repeatedly, despite its minor shortcomings.</span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-17557414889194128262021-10-17T22:14:00.000+02:002021-10-17T22:14:25.203+02:00Time - Electric Light Orchestra<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">It is always an intriguing and revealing process to re-evaluate the output of a particular group or artist, and come to recognise that one's opinion of said discography has shifted. I myself have gone through such a series of instructive revelations and discoveries with regard to the work of the Electric Light Orchestra.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In years past I generally 'ran with the crowd', the crowd being the masses, and deemed their work in the period 1976-1979 to be the strongest and the most appealing which they had managed. However, my assessment nowadays would be that they started off with some excellent, rich but unfocused and slightly flawed albums, then polished and refined the sound in the years 1973-1975, before the music gradually grew too 'slick' and over-produced; although it was difficult to find fault with the pop craftsmanship and the tunefulness of Jeff Lynne's compositions.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">My new appraisal of ELO's oeuvre was in all likelihood of my broadened cultural horizons and philosophical outlook, and a new emphasis on modernistic and progressive currents. Harder edges and diminished sentimentality assumed a greater importance.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Which brings us to <i>Time, </i>the excellent and cohesive record which Electric Light Orchestra released in the year 1981. Though it was probably not acknowledged or recognised at the time, the group was reborn and revitalized with this LP (if only temporarily, as it turned out).</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Gone were the 'syrupy' string arrangements, more reliance being placed on keyboards and new technology. I gather there is some orchestration, but it is much less conspicuous, much less ostentatious, and to my ears almost indistinguishable from the keyboards, in the main.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"> There is something of the concept album here, with common themes of science-fiction, space exploration, futurology and other aspects of 'modernity'. To add to the potent mixture, Jeff Lynne seems fully engaged and motivated here, imbuing <i>Time </i>with a certain vigour and air of commitment.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The changes in the 'format' of the band evidently freshened things up, and the album exudes a more contemporary feel, ELO becoming a combo more in keeping with the brave new decade.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gAMXAFe7__ChaYFKD0OdzoM1p-5KapGjgEbjQ-KfQFVaCvub9dYQ7zKsHbnF9hdjpQaarE5-NK8tQfmjycUbubrbzBVUa2VEvPdTUBPpnLUAszb7rIm1FUI9Lh7C6dTn53l_M9zahT0/s300/TimeELO.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1gAMXAFe7__ChaYFKD0OdzoM1p-5KapGjgEbjQ-KfQFVaCvub9dYQ7zKsHbnF9hdjpQaarE5-NK8tQfmjycUbubrbzBVUa2VEvPdTUBPpnLUAszb7rIm1FUI9Lh7C6dTn53l_M9zahT0/s16000/TimeELO.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Of the tracks, 'Twilight' is an invigorating first salvo (if we disregard the 'Prologue'), exuding real intent, and illustrating many of this record's sonic hallmarks, showcasing an electronic 'dryness'. The listener can really gauge the renewed urgency and zeal within the musicians. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">'Ticket To The Moon' has grown in stature down the years, and to my mind it builds on some of the foundations established by a couple of the sophisticated but less heralded tracks on <i>A New World Record. </i>The atmosphere is engineered quite adeptly, to draw you in.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Of all the tracks, 'Here Is The News' is one of those which exemplifies both the musical and thematic patterns which <i>Time </i>weaves. It does not look out of place when set against some of the music being purveyed by younger, more 'hip' bands in the early 1980s. </span><span style="font-size: medium;">'21st Century Man' and 'Rain Is Falling' are other highlights, exhibiting many Beatlesque leanings.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">The main single from the album, 'Hold On Tight', is an infectious and compact effort which sees Jeff Lynne returning unmistakably to his rock n roll roots. Despite the quality of the melody and the studio implementation of the song, it does in truth sound rather out of place in the folds of this collection.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">So <i>Time </i>was something of a new dawn for ELO, but it proved to be a false dawn. Subsequent projects prior to the group's mid-80s disbandment were relatively tired and uninspired. Basically <i>Time </i>appeals and endures because of its freshness and its brightness, and the prevalence of ideas and enthusiasm.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-23969848571799153512021-09-25T13:04:00.001+02:002021-09-25T13:04:35.244+02:00Aladdin Sane - David Bowie<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">When considering the David Bowie discography, I would say that his 1973 album <i>Aladdin Sane</i> occupies a curious place, and fulfils a rather nebulous role. It sometimes might seem that the record is a token gesture, an afterthought in the wake of the spectacular '...<i>Ziggy Stardust....' </i>project which came before it. Indeed, such evaluations had until comparatively recently instilled in me a tendency to ignore the work. The better-known numbers were familiar to me, of course, as were snippets of the less prominent tracks.</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiPg3wSH-dQHzAJN0ozv4ksIY6BTRvpdDdopw5UJh3j7URhQbN7lXNPQTtWqiLL3bdgFwDxZmyRxe-ukO9J3GpYe3ecMkz7RuWmXQzyH-Ivwro87C6qHt3p7D2ZW2B-_Vh7qvJpS5HzU/s300/AladdinSane.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="300" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuiPg3wSH-dQHzAJN0ozv4ksIY6BTRvpdDdopw5UJh3j7URhQbN7lXNPQTtWqiLL3bdgFwDxZmyRxe-ukO9J3GpYe3ecMkz7RuWmXQzyH-Ivwro87C6qHt3p7D2ZW2B-_Vh7qvJpS5HzU/s0/AladdinSane.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">It was whilst on a lengthy car journey (as a passenger) a few years ago that the sheer effervescence and excellence of <i>Aladdin Sane</i> was truly brought home to me. The CD was playing on the car stereo, and although the road noise and other extraneous distractions conspired to make the listening experience less than ideal, I was left enthused, and eager to explore the work more at my leisure.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The 'Ziggy Stardust' album is regularly held up, along with a couple of other releases from around the same time, as one of the primary monuments of British glam rock. This assessment is difficult to contradict, but I would also contend that <i>Aladdin Sane </i>exudes a consummately 'glam rock' sensibility in large measures. This stems in part from what I would term the 'sleazy decadence' of much of the sound, and the extravagant, almost exaggerated production values of some of the tracks are in line with other landmark 'glam' records of the early 70s. Add the 'avant-garde' trappings, which many have drawn attention to, and you have an invigorating spectacle, which does not feel contrived or self-conscious. The music has many dark and mysterious corners and departures to examine, imbuing it with a peculiar personality and force.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">To me, the influence of contemporary American rock music can be keenly felt on the album; I am thinking of songs like 'Watch That Man' and 'Panic In Detroit'. which exhibit harder edges and are less buttoned-down and contained. On closer inspection, these tendencies predominate on a goodly portion of the record, and the presence of 'The Jean Genie' only underlines and reinforces this point, but somehow they linger less in my memory and my psyche than do other elements or affectations, and therein lies my perception of the record.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Some of the material, including the title track, has an unsettling atmosphere, perhaps reflective of the tense and uncertain social and economic climate of the times. What unites the compositions though is their air of confidence and self-assurance on the part of the artist, as if he rather revels in, and thrives on, instability and foreboding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Although this record sees Bowie engaging in some experimentation, and hinting at the direction his music would take in the mid-Seventies, one or two of the songs would not sound out of place on previous LPs, notably 'Drive-In Saturday'. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'Cracked Actor' is, I would estimate, a case of the two 'schools', the rock and the art-rock, coalescing, but the pugnacious narrowly wins out in the end. 'Time' on the other hand sees the Bowie of 1971/72 assuming new goggles, taking the 'template' into fresh territory, growing, expanding.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">'The Prettiest Star' is another track which embraces the flavour of all of Bowie's classic 71-73 studio albums, highlighting traits which we might associate with them all. When joined together, they help to assign <i>Aladdin Sane</i> its identity and its aura. The essential sound of '73, perhaps?</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">A word must also be reserved here to draw attention to Mick Ronson's crunchy and pleasing guitar work throughout, a motif and a recurring delight. It has been said before, but those guitar parts add a new dimension, standing out even amongst the genius of Bowie.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Arriving last on the original album, but for me constituting the centrepiece of the album, is 'Lady Grinning Soul'. Its slinky 'out of time' spirit and its menacing inventiveness are a reminder of what, in qualitative terms, the collection is really all about. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">So there you have it. One of Bowie's greatest achievements, but also one of his most 'deceptive' and awkward to pin down. Essential listening for a full, if complicated, understanding of what Bowie meant in '73, where the world and culture were in '73, and for some tantalising hints of where Bowie might have been heading in the years ahead.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-60474205222578881362021-08-22T19:42:00.000+02:002021-08-22T19:42:21.837+02:00Muhammad Ali - His Life and Times - Thomas Hauser<p> <span style="font-size: medium;">This was one of several enticing books which had been languishing on my bookshelves, waiting for that opportune moment when it would receive my rapt and undivided attention and interest.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The edition of this book which I had access to was published in 1997, so it obviously does not cover the closing period of Ali's life, but I found it to be an illuminating and interesting read, which equipped me with a greater understanding of Ali the man, as opposed to Ali the legend or the myth.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Much of the text takes the form of quotations, and extracts from interviews with, various figures who knew Ali or came into contact with him. At times it occurred to me that the work relied too much on this material, and would have welcomed additional direct interpretation and subjective analysis from the writer himself, but at the same time the reminiscences of a diverse group of observers serves to deliver a balanced and rounded view of Ali the person and the boxer. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">If I was to venture another criticism it would be that the coverage of Ali's early boxing career (his amateur days) is a touch thin. My perception was that the story moved somewhat hastily to him winning an Olympic gold and then initiating his professional career.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The turbulent and pivotal period of 1964-1970 is well covered, and here the recollections of people is invaluable, as it assists in understanding what an intricate position Ali found himself in. This was the section of the biography which I personally learned the most from, about Ali himself and also the social and cultural backdrop against which he operated.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As the book wore on, any minor reservations on my part gradually diminished, and the chapters chronicling the major boxing contests of the 1970s were nothing less than gripping and entertaining. There is a genuine sense of "time" and "occasion" in these passages, and it mattered little to me that some events are seemingly dismissed with little commentary. What mattered to me was the overall effect and what I discovered about that stage of his life and his boxing journey.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The information imparted about the business and promotional sides of boxing were also intriguing, eye-opening even. Life was indeed simpler, more informal and more "off the cuff" in those days.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">As well as serving as an engrossing account of Muhammad Ali's life up to that point, the anecdotes, reflections and prose act as evocative portraits of the changing times, shifting attitudes, changing values and new forces.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The author and the contributors do manages to bring across the nobility and allure of boxing, as well as its occasional cruelty and destructiveness. I was fascinated by the chapters which examined the decline in Ali's career (the years 1976-1981), and this does not always make for comfortable reading. It is disconcerting to read about the fears for the boxer's physical wellbeing, and how long the situation was allowed to persist.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This biography quite bubbles and soars towards its conclusion. It pulls few punches, if you will pardon the pun. Aided by candid and honest opinions from some, it offers a clear insight and depiction of who the real Ali was, his journey in life, how he changed, and in what senses he remained the same, his flaws and his greatest genuine qualities. Also, what made him unique as a boxer and as a sportsperson.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-10001644059052990222021-07-21T12:59:00.000+02:002021-07-21T12:59:05.215+02:00The Orion Loop - Soviet science fiction film (1981)<span style="font-size: medium;">As part of my exploration of Soviet (and Eastern Bloc) cinema, and more specifically science fiction from those territories, I recently watched <i>The Orion Loop, </i>a 1981 Soviet science fiction movie.</span><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Like many science fiction films from the USSR, <i>The Orion Loop</i> deals with the question of extra-terrestrial life and the potential for its contact with Earth and humans. The plot centres on Earth's efforts to investigation a strong radiation source which has been affecting other spaceships on the edge of the Solar System. The ship which is dispatched on this mission is crewed by a mixture of people and their android 'doubles'. Crew members receive 'visitations' from holograms, which seem to be emissaries from an ancient alien civilization. Some of this activity turns out to be connected to a 'galactic virus' which might affect Earth.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In common with many science fiction works generally (and not just the ones produced in the Communist world), this picture examines some Big Subjects, such as man's attitudes to science, reason, and progress. International solidarity and co-operation are also shown in a positive light. However, the story (the screenplay was co-written by the famous cosmonaut Alexei Leonov) is quite multi-layered.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the central themes of <i>The Orion Loop </i>is how humanity should engage with aliens, and how we should give them a chance and regard their intentions as benign, benevolent and constructive. If we give harmony and conciliation a chance to develop, positive consequences may well ensue. Of course, we may infer that these topics were being employed, at least in part, as a metaphor for how the different peoples of Earth should relate to each other.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Part of the sub-text is that we often mis-read or misunderstand what genuinely threatens our well-being or security, suggesting that we devote excessive resources to tackling 'imagined' threats, when something less obvious or less immediately emotive represents a much more insidious danger. We should stop and ask ourselves what is the real reason behind phenomena which we think are inherently hostile, and we should trust people and Nature more. I interpreted the holograms as being a reference to the desirability of learning from history.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">That the crew members of the Soviet spaceship have android doubles allows some exploration of 'humans versus machines' issues, with the insinuation that in certain circumstances human creativity and problem-solving and decision-making capabilities would win out. On the whole, however, I don't think that the film makes as much use of the androids as it could have done. The holograms are very well done, though.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">It is interesting that the cybernetician is to some extent cast as the villain, and the irrational one. Perhaps the message is that Mankind's fate is in its own hands?</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">This one is similar in format and style to other sci-fi movies from the USSR, but this is the early 1980s, so it is more polished technically and contemporary looking, although the special effects and production values are nothing exceptional for the period. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">Maybe I am being my usual over-analytical self, but the 'internationalism' angle of these films intrigues me. Here, as elsewhere, it seems to me that the Soviet Union is portrayed as taking the lead and the initiative for the benefit and welfare of mankind.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">In a broader sense the film is observing that there are things about the human mind, and the universe, which we still do not fully understand. We must keep working, methodically and rationally, to unlock and harness the universe's secrets.</span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;">I would say that <i>The Orion Loop </i>is a movie which is both enjoyable and cerebral. </span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-36883423472956361492021-07-14T18:59:00.002+02:002021-07-14T18:59:46.952+02:00Animals - Pink Floyd<p><span style="font-size: medium;">Following on from my review of Pink Floyd's <i>Wish You Were Here </i>album, it seemed logical to more closely examine the record which succeeded it, titled <i>Animals.</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Traditionally <i>Animals </i>had largely escaped my close attention. I invariably skipped over it whilst navigating their catalogue, moving directly from <i>Wish You Were Here</i> to <i>The Wall.</i> It seemed a bit of an anomaly, a fly in the ointment, and even the record's title and artwork may have acted as deterring factors for me.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">More recently, however, I have grown significantly more receptive to the album's tone and its philosophical angles. My own world-view has moved on, becoming more radical and left-leaning, more conscious of the societal forces and dynamics portrayed and critiqued here. Anyway, I quickly discovered that <i>Animals </i>was in fact less antagonistic and 'threatening' than I had previously imagined. It is still though a powerful and impactful work, both musically and lyrically.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtFFdWGs9u8KeVYA0u7sLfbCJEskyA_uWD-6Q4BpTvSdSiTsn754MLQmc0GPu-728ZCFCg3lYCgxY2htkPNrCjqYMS1D6jWaJmXWCth0zJs_vXXlgzno6CTVPDpcwhZoxyaL4hCnYm3Q/s300/AnimalsPinkFloyd.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZtFFdWGs9u8KeVYA0u7sLfbCJEskyA_uWD-6Q4BpTvSdSiTsn754MLQmc0GPu-728ZCFCg3lYCgxY2htkPNrCjqYMS1D6jWaJmXWCth0zJs_vXXlgzno6CTVPDpcwhZoxyaL4hCnYm3Q/s0/AnimalsPinkFloyd.jpg" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">One of the striking features of <i>Animals </i>is the direct, almost rhythmic, hypnotic character of the sound. The music comes across, to me at least, as less contrived and ponderous than some of their other work, and it complements the less cryptic nature of the words, whilst also holding the interest. These characteristics are heard in the album's first major piece, 'Dogs'. This song sets the tone for what follows. David Gilmour is on stellar form on lead guitar, and the backing formed by the rhythm section and the keyboards is vibrant and engrossing. 'Pigs (Three Different Ones)<i>' </i>operates in a similar vein.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In some quarters I have heard it stated that the Floyd's lyrical approach here and elsewhere smacks of 'overkill', and that in some sense the 'grandiosity' and stridency might actually dull or obscure the effect of the message, turning people off. One's attitude to this I think depends on the listener's personal preferences. It does make a change for a band, especially a prog-rock band, to adopt direct, 'harsh' methods, and the album would not be half as memorable or enduring if it had been compromised by a dilution of the passion and vigour.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">What I would say is that some of the lyrics might feel corny or trite to modern ears and eyes; some might compare them to the sort of over-earnest things that could have been written by an excitable and idealistic teenager. That doesn't mean that they lack relevance or strength, and arguably it helps if the listener concentrates on ascertaining the broader meaning behind the words rather than according great credence to the literary merits or sincerity of the lyrics themselves.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i>'</i>Sheep'<i> </i>is the musical and poetic centrepiece of the LP. It has a deeply impressive fluency and self-assurance which imbue it with genuine authority. The propulsive bass and the evocative electric piano part are two of the potent ingredients which form a formidable whole. This song is a major reason why I view <i>Animals </i>as signalling the way into the future, both musically and philosophically, rather than harking back to past statements. The production and overall effect feel more 1980s than 1970s. Even by the standards of Pink Floyd, these recordings seemed to represent a departure from a comfort zone, a reaching for liberation.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">This album does not exude the sonic diversity of other Floyd works, but the very narrowness and concentrated focus of its anger and its gaze are what contribute to its authenticity and its ability to unsettle and foster contemplation. It must also be mentioned that the concerns and grievances expressed here remain as pertinent and crucial as ever, if not more so. The allusions and metaphors employed on <i>Animals </i>are pointed and unapologetic, and for these reasons it is probably the Floyd album which I would most like to reach the ears of younger people today. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6259027486060436982.post-15663234564549659392021-07-09T00:23:00.001+02:002021-07-09T00:23:27.066+02:00Looking Backward - 2000-1887 - Edward Bellamy<p><span style="font-size: medium;">In recent times, my interest has been increasingly focused on how society can be made more just and equitable, whilst still retaining its dynamism and promoting human flourishing and progress. 'Utopian' literature has formed part of my studies in this area. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">The novel 'Looking Backward - 2000-1887', by Edward Bellamy, was first published in 1888. A man in Boston, Massachusetts is placed into a hypnosis-induced trance or sleep, and wakes up in the year 2000, to find that the world has become a socialist utopia, with the means of production nationalised and money effectively abolished. He is given tours of this new utopia by the family which is playing host to him. There is an interesting 'twist' to the plot near the end which adds a touch of romance alongside philosophical heart of the novel. </span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In some respects the work bears similarities to 'News From Nowhere' by William Morris, although their respective utopias differ quite markedly. I found 'Looking Backward' to be more substantial, and less of a 'fairytale', than Morris' effort. That said, I would question how a society can be so profoundly transformed in such a relatively short period of time, apparently without much in the way of resistance, and how the 'virtue' of its citizens can be so uniformly purified. In addition, there is the standard lingering question of how things would function with less emphasis placed on 'incentives' and 'competition'.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Of course, some areas of the story can seem dated, because of the time when the book was created, and the attitudes and theories which were fashionable then do not necessarily translate that smoothly or plausibly for twenty-first century consumption. The solutions which are detailed in 'Looking Backward....' do not always correspond to currently 'fashionable' proposals, and might even seem authoritarian or 'dystopian', and what is envisaged might appear excessively regimented.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;">In the novel, the apologists for the new system are a bit too certain of their own righteousness for my tastes. Having said that, for a utopian novel this is quite a decent read from a literary viewpoint, even if some might contend that the work served to a large degree as little more than a 'platform' or a vehicle for Edward Bellamy's political and philosophical ideas.</span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></p>Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05476514273197078341noreply@blogger.com0