'this book is the last of its kind' (dangerous visions and new worlds)

a while ago comrade S was recommending japanese jazz (of which there have been many stellar re-releases lately). here we get an almost perfect coltrane quartet reading of scarborough fair (down to the mccoy tynerisms on the piano). mind you horsemouth quotes from the comments  'beautiful modal remaking of a great simon and garfunkel tune'. 

he also recommended french band (horsemouth thinks) slift who play a great suzzy hawkwind/ pink fairies thing (horsemouth hears steve hillage as well - he went and looked them up last night). as a comix (horsemouth does hope he's got that right) fan comrade S was mainly enticed by the cover. 

athbhliain faio mhaise dhuit (he says - that's happy new year to you and me).

'2022 is looking good, brexit is going well. hey, you know what they say about britain's difficulty being an opportunity for the irish. not only is a 32 county republic on the horizon - it happens in 2024 according to star trek - but we're (the irish) the only people with free movement in europe AND the UK.

for the British... well, this year will be harder than last year, but it will be easier than next year.

good to hear the hawkbinge lads are into PXR5. 25 years is definitely the weakest of the calvert-era albums (and I'm including captain lockheed in that)...' 

the political situation continues to look hopeful to comrade S (but then his main interest remains irish unity). 

he hailed brexit for placing northern ireland in a separate customs condition to the rest of the united kingdom (as it should be). as to the rest of the united kingdom he frankly disparaged the scottish nationalist's  political will to achieve independence given their tactic of delaying demands for independence until after the pandemic (the welsh and cornish likewise presumably). 

the last time they met comrade S was pressing horsemouth about new material - there is a plan for comrade S to do a cartoon cover for the next musical outing. 

there then, (if horsemouth's memory is correct, for this conversation did take place a while ago) followed a great discussion of barney bubbles' 'lifts' (comrade S memorably describing the doremi sleeve as 'barney bubbles does jack kirby'). which horsemouth would love to reproduce for you but at this late remove would require further communication from comrade S to do so.

now that the rock bands of horsemouth's youth are getting their just recognition (hawkwind even  got the cover of record collector magazine recently) the campaign begins to critically re-evaluate the literary science fiction of the era - the scene round brian aldiss and harlan ellison's dangerous visions, michael moorcock's new worlds and the science fiction releases of the women's press. horsemouth recently enjoyed some clips he found online of brian aldiss recounting his life story (and so did comrade S).

it is a week to go until horsemouth (and howard's) first gig of 2022. yikes! horsemouth better get on with it then. he seems to have recovered his ability to sing the high d required for hear us o lord. it's a greyish day out. horsemouth will drink some more coffee and contemplate some musical work. howard is working. ian is off out the door. the dustmen have been.