a man of calamity in other ways

‘st. john long’s death by consumption, in the midst of proofs that it was not a fatal disease...’ - thomas hardy, far from the madding crowd. (from whence we learn that bathsheba does not in fact sing ‘through bushes and through briars’ to the farm labourers (as she does in the john schlesinger version where she is played by julie christie).

so horsemouth has played his first gig as part of four acres and a mule (with sam and andrew minty and pete helping out on a few tracks) or whatever it is eventually called - it went ok, horsemouth is not utterly impressed with his performance (but it was decent enough). they played silver raven, painbirds, sometimes our dreams (float like anchors), power in the blood and when i fall as the main set (and perhaps a few others until ordered to stop by the bar staff). sam argues that the ones that are most worth doing are the ones with horsemouth and andrew minty singing in different registers (on that basis how great thou art would be worth adding).

horsemouth has finished reading the hugh brody (not brophy) and is on to the thomas hardy (which goes quickly).


this evening horsemouth goes to a meeting, tomorrow is the anniversary of robbie basho playing the stone city general record store in Iowa in 1982. thursday is the autumn equinox. friday is john coltrane’s birthday. (thence forward to samhain)