Mark’s Comments (group member since Jul 07, 2013)

Mark’s comments from the The Patrick Hamilton Appreciation Society group.

I really enjoyed Max’s Teds book, and was very pleased that he’d finally interjected something of his personality into his non-fiction writing.

For various reasons, the book had a long and incredibly difficult birth, but I think the finished result was well worth the wait. What a staggering amount of research went into it!

My pleasure... I’m glad you were able to watch it, and doubly glad to hear that you enjoyed it. The opportunity for me to watch it will eventually present itself, I'm sure. In the meantime, I have two books of her photography, and never grow bored of looking through them. What an incredible window she provided.

The trailer is here, for the uninitiated...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a--g_...

On a connected note -- if only connected in my own mind -- have any of you seen 'Tish,' the new documentary on the [short] life and [brilliant] works of Tish Murtha?

I’m a huge fan, but not sure of any way to see the film stateside.

Curious to hear the opinions of those who’ve seen it.

Thanks for posting that -- I’d no idea. I love her L-Shaped trilogy, so this seems a good time to pull them from the shelf and line them up for a re-read.

Nigeyb wrote: "Needless to say it's every bit as good second time round"

The third time round’s equally good, I can tell you!

Here’s wishing you a happy and healthy new year - hope to see you in it.

Nigeyb wrote: "Yes, I really enjoyed Miki's memoir too


Wonderful she took the trouble to send you a signed copy Mark"

If she never touches upon the music, that's perfectly fine by me (although I fully know that she will do, of course). She's such a wonderful writer, and she's got quite a story to tell. Really looking forward to every page.

I swore-off music bios and autobios about a decade back, making few exceptions along the way, and almost always regret having made those exceptions. I even hated the two that most people hold up as being brilliant -- those by Viv Albertine and Steve Jones.

Earlier this year, I read that absolutely massive doorstop of a book that chronicled the history of the 4AD label. I approached it strictly in the hope of gaining some insights into their in-house Art Director, the great Vaughan Oliver. The book, though, was an absolute slog. Out of a cast of literally hundreds, only one person came across well, and that person came across very well indeed. That person was Miki Berenyi, out of Lush (whom I'd heard of, without ever having knowingly heard).

I'd mentioned this to an old friend in London. I'd absolutely no idea that one of his old bands had done a tour with Lush, or that he and Miki had kept in touch. As it happened, our call had to be cut short, as he was about to leave for a book reading, where he'd be sharing the stage with Miki herself.

In short, he passed along my comments about her in the context of the 4AD book, and she inscribed a copy of her autobiography for him to pass along to me.

I'm about a third of my way through the book -- Fingers Crossed -- and couldn't possibly be more engrossed or engaged. One of the absolute best music books I've ever had the pleasure to read. Utterly stellar. Recommended with supreme confidence.

I’ve heard nothing but similar opinions when it comes to Deb’s book -- even from fans of hers. Needless to point out, I’ve not bothered giving a try, and very much doubt that I ever will.

To be regarded in a similar way as Hamilton’s “Monday Morning” -- far from essential on its own, but an essential part of the author’s body of work.

Still, I thought it was a fun novel. Not surprised to hear that you’re enjoying it!

I’ll cop to having damaged my hearing over the decades to the point where I’d be lying if I claimed to be able to discern format from format. But listening to the album on my iMac, using the internal speakers, it just sounds thin and weedy, and not at all robust or full. Will have to hook up the external Bluetooth speaker and see whether or not that makes a diff.

The first four songs -- strictly as songs -- are fine, but the production just seems really flat and clinical and lacking, to me. Maybe it’s a whole different story when listening to the vinyl issue.

We’ll be going to our first post-pandemic gig in a few weeks’ time -- the inimitable Dr. John Cooper Clarke. Ticket prices were a mere fraction of those for Dexys.

And for the record -- no pun intended -- this ain’t the first time I’ve heartily disagreed with Hepworth!

Thanks for all the clarification, David. I must humbly cop to not knowing what passes for ‘normal’ gig tickets these days, but I wouldn’t be at all surprised if venues were doing their bit to inflate prices in attempt to recoup their own pandemic-era financial shortfalls.

Some things are affordable, yet not justifiable.

As for the album itself, I listened to it two or three times upon release, but haven’t returned to it. Not sure whether that speaks to my busy schedule, or to a lack of hearing anything previously that would make me eager to re-visit.

On the other hand, I spun Searching For The Young Soul Rebels a few times this week!

This past week, Dexys announced their first stateside tour in forty years. Unfortunately, the ticket prices for the NYC gig are ridiculously high -- especially for a band who, like it or not, were never anything but a One Hit Wonder in America. Additionally, from the few bits of recent live footage that I’ve turned up online, it looks like the live presentation is just Kevin, plus the Baldy-In-A-Skirt doing something (or other) on a laptop. Is this duo the sum total of the Dexys touring party? If so, they’re truly taking the piss with ticket prices.

David wrote: "James Clarke who has his own feature hereabouts somewhere. His The Litten Path, and Hollow In The Land come highly recommended..."

Agreed. I loved The Litten Path. I had to sort of work myself into Hollow In The Land, but once everything clicked, I really enjoyed it.

As for A Stinging Delight, I picked up a copy last month while in London, but haven’t got round to it yet.

Patrick wrote: "I need to dig more into David Storey"

If you’ve not yet got round to his 1976 novel, Saville, I can recommend it with enthusiasm. Don’t let the late date fool you.

Stateside publisher Valancourt Books currently has four Wain titles in print...

https://www.valancourtbooks.com/john-...

Well put, Nigel. I’ll live with the album for a period of time before issuing my final verdict, but I can’t really see evolving into a fan of the second side.

There are a few good moments on the first half of the new album -- good, though not great -- but, man, the second side strikes me as pure un-listenable filler.

That said, I have a lot of respect for Kevin’s restless sense of reinvention, but can't imagine any discerning listener being completely on board for every step of his entire career-long ride.