on rehearsal (yes. but what does horsemouth actually want?)

'... you ask me the secret. it has just one name: again.' - miroslav holub, ode to joy. 

if horsemouth has another character defect (we are sure he has many) it is a tendency to try to plan ahead. he tries to render the uncertain and dangerous future safe and predictable by having practiced extensively for it beforehand. of course this insane behaviour is not always a complete and utter waste of time (it just seems like it). 

circumstances conspired...

of course the question we need answered (ladies and gentlemen) is what does horsemouth actually want?

horsemouth is feeling more chipper than usual having done a spot of babysitting (it went well thanks for asking). it is nice to feel useful (and yet this is precisely the feeling horsemouth has decided to give up). 

horsemouth has been reading meirion bowen's biography (in the contemporary composers series) of michael tippett, it's a bit dull. duller (by far) than michael tippett's own account of himself (as collected in moving into aquarius). horsemouth walked up into walthamstow (up via the valley of the agapemonians, returning through the industrial estate) to raid the oxfam. the original owner has placed a newspaper clipping (a 70th birthday tribute by david cairns) in horsemouth's copy (oxfam £1). 

so who (or what) connects robert marsh (author of victorian egypto-shocker the beetle) with the inland waterways association? why it is robert marsh's relative robert aickman (himself a horror author and editor) and later influential figure in the revival of england's waterways. horsemouth watched his the hospice a few nights ago - he thinks it as that english take on the kafka-eque. 

it's a grey morning. in a bit horsemouth will resume his temporising behaviours - the radio news, the guardian, the world at one, an afternoon walk, the opening of the curtains in the living room. he has finished the coffee (he retains a vain hope there will be just a little left in the pot should he look - yes. result). tonight the rivals of sherlock holmes (then probably more michael tippett and robert aickman). 

he has reconstructed a list of songs horsemouth(folk) has already recorded that could be just copied to a CD (further copies burnt off and a cover made for it). perhaps 2022 will be the year for the release of historic horsemouth material. howard will probably release a solo album in summer (horsemouth thinks). horsemouth should woodshed up some new material so he is in a position to record (even if he is not sure where he would record). 

similarly he is constructing a list of tunes for his next golden glow mix (should that ever happen). 

something will come together when horsemouth puts his mind to it.