Foxes! Are Off To California
I went to Brighton last Friday to see my good friends, the Indie rock band Foxes! doing their last gig before they go off, yes, here is the exciting bit, before they go off on their tour of California. I…
A poetry reading and a monster is born
My brain haemorrhage gave me two things that I imposed on an audience last night – a stammer and a new habit – writing poetry. They were very forgiving, the people who had gathered in the upstairs room above my…
Now open your mouth I want to put something down your throat
“I would like you to open your mouth and stick your tongue out as far as you can. There is nothing to worry about. I am going to hold on to your tongue and place a camera on it to…
Singing, cherry blossom and Caruso before a visit to the Voice Doctor
A self-styled pedant told me yesterday that I had written Marie Celeste instead of Mary Celeste in yesterday’s blog. Thanks for that, corrections are helpful, but I thought how disappointing that a name I had always thought beautiful was maybe…
Italian Opera on a rainy English day with Juan Diego Florez might be just what the doctor ordered
It is raining here in Sussex. That leaking gutter is making attractive patterns with the water which drips discretely outside my bedroom window and grey roof slates have come into their own, shining in the misty gloom. Over there beyond…
The Last Night Of The Proms – Thank God It’s Over
Saturday night in the Royal Albert Hall in London was the scene for the annual goodbye to middle class England’s summer season. Thank God for that! The Last Night of the Proms with its forced fun and embarrassing displays of…
After a summer break I am back on the round of hospital visits and brain scans
Today is one of those dates with a red circle scribbled around. 9/11 of course, a date which will always resonate with horror and sadness but it is also the day of my next appointment with the neurologist who has…
Facing up to realities in Afghanistan
He was “seconds from freedom” according to Stephen Farrell, the British journalist who was rescued from Taleban hostage-takers yesterday. He was talking about his Afghan translator, 34 year old Sultan Munadi who, apparently was leading Mr. Farrell to freedom with…
When I met George Harrison and Paul McCartney
Today is the day the digitalised Beatles’ albums are released amid a whole load of publicity, articles about the Fab Four, 60s retrospectives and Me and John/Paul/George or Ringo stories. We are just touching the tip of the iceberg in…
Martial Arts Have Guided Me Back After My Brain Haemorrhage
Right. I am feeling very focused about this, OK. How do I keep my martial arts stuff going without over-doing it and setting back my recovering from my brain injury? I wax and wan on this so often and, nearly…