The Swipe Volume 1 Chapter 30
This is the weekend we welcome tens of thousands of new friends to our town by the Thames. Reading Festival has been a Bank Holiday highlight for over fifty years, starting as a haven for rock fans before becoming the post-exam celebration/commiseration we enjoy today. From our house on the hill we can hear the headliners, and Caversham teems with bright-eyed younglings on an adventure. Come Monday, you often see the casualties slumped over one last coffee or pint, waiting for their rides back to the real world and a new start as college or university beckons. It’s a nice way to close out the summer, and part of the reason I love this town so much.
Wherever you are, whenever you are, however you are, welcome to The Swipe.
Rob is reading…
Joe Murray created one of the more under-rated animations of the 90s, Rocko’s Modern Life. His textbook on the armoury of techniques he deployed is long out of print, subject to piracy and overpriced scam reprints. So Joe’s decided to release a free high-quality PDF. Lucky us. There’s gold in here. Enjoy.
https://joemurraystudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Creating-Animated-Cartoons-with-Character.pdf
Rob is watching…
This clip from Bon Appetit on the best street food in Hong Kong is exhilarating and terrifying. I mean, that wok burner could probably power a truck. The food, by the way, looks extraordinary.
Rob is listening…
To Rockpile. Power pop at its finest, from one of the masters of the form. This playlist closes with one of the themes of The Swipe, by the way. So it goes…
Rob is eating…
Broccoli. Courgettes, still. Lots and lots of tomatoes. Sweetcorn. Often in combination, always in quantity. This is the month of abundance in the garden, and dinner is as fresh as it gets. Think salad nicoise, tossed through with warm baby spuds and lightly stir-fried broccoli. Corn and tomatoes in a salsa or pico di gallo. I’m having a lot of fun. Today I’m taking a crack at smoking a big lump of beef which has been sitting in a punchy rub for a couple of days. Low, slow, little effort required. That’s how you roll on a bank holiday.
Rob’s Low-Key Obsession Of The Week…
Festival-goer watching. The youngs seem equal parts bewildered, puppyishly excited and strangely innocent. I just want them all to stay warm, safe and away from the brown acid.
I am no gamer. We owned a Nintendo Wii for a while, good for Mario Kart if nothing else. I play the occasional match-3 game on my phone if I have a spare 5 minutes (Small Town Murders has the interesting tweak of telling a story alongside the puzzles, with surprisingly good writing and engaging characters). Otherwise, nope, don’t have the patience or fast-twitch muscle fibres for it. I am fascinated by the culture, though, and how games tie into my typical obsessions. Bennett Foddy is the master of games I would walk past without even looking. His thoughts and theories on why and how he does it had my attention in a snap.
You may have heard this story about Roger Moore before. If not, prepare to be charmed.
Tim Misny is a lawyer in Ohio who has found a particular niche and a style of promotion which—well, take a look. It wouldn’t surprise me if we start seeing those eyebrows everywhere this autumn.
In further introductions, Thomas Cochrane is one of those swashbuckling characters you’d instantly laugh at in a historical novel for being too Flash-heart. This guy, though, is for real. He did it all and pissed off almost everyone along the way. I’m swooning, frankly.
Garth Ennis is a comics writer who polarises the field. Best known for Preacher and The Boys, long-form projects which have both been adapted for the screen, his style switches from brutal gore and schoolboy-level shock tactics to tender and powerful explorations of love, loss and grief. For Shelfdust, Sean Dillon explores one of Ennis’ finer moments.
I love to cook. You know that. It’s a happy place for me. Food, feeding people, playing around with flavour and texture. Putting something good to eat on a plate. It takes me out of myself at the end of a difficult day. Not everyone is like me. Many see the effort involved in getting dinner done as one step too far. If you’re like that, try this. Ignore the title. You’re not a sad bastard. We’ve got you.
I’m sure there’s plenty I don’t know about the finer points of pregnancy and childbirth, but even I can see this looks like a patently (soz) ridiculous idea. Catcher up!
As time goes on, a person’s tastes change. I, for example, was never a fan of trifle. Now, made with decent sponge fingers and good custard, it’s a joy to me. Nic Miller offers an overview of a dessert which has finally found a place on my table and in my heart. Sharp-eyed members of The Readership may spot a recipe to which I am particularly drawn.
A few weeks ago, I featured the Thai Burger King version of a cheeseburger. Dennis Lee at Food Is Stupid had one made. He tried it so we don’t have to. Thank you, Dennis.
Last orders. If you’re at all unsure as to why actors and writers have been on strike for the last few months (a dispute which still sees little sign of resolution) take some time to read D.B.’s examination. It offers clarity on where we are and what’s at stake. You’ll probably walk away from this feeling a little sad and angry. I know I did. Sorry about that.
OK, let’s end with a bang to knock ourselves out of this funk. Osees are back! The new album, Intercepted Message, is a blast. I’d describe it as Beefheart and Zappa meet The Cars. It’s zippy, fun and goes like a train. Also, two-drummer bands are the best. I will brook no argument here. Play loud, obvs.
Check out the dice on Dwyer’s Melody Maker!See you in seven, true believers.
