Hello there!
Welcome to the new folks who have joined in the past month!
As you are reading this, I am currently somewhere in Italy, most likely Rome. It’s the first time I’ve ever left North America (Canada is the only country I’ve visited), and we’ve literally been planning this trip since 2019. We were supposed to go in May 2020, but you know what happened. Mostly likely my feet hurt from all the walking, but the never-ending selection of amazing food is keeping my motor running.
In the meantime, I’m happy to let you know that Honey, our very skittish foster dog since last November, is coming out of her shell a bit more. As the weather has warmed, we’ve been leaving the back door open and sitting outside with our other dogs. Honey will appear at the open threshold and examine the backyard before very cautiously stepping onto the porch. Slowly but surely, she’s been creeping out onto the backyard lawn.
As you can see in the last one, our other small dog Dusty joined Honey on the deck. They sit together quite often, and it’s clear Honey feels comfortable around her.
And last week, while my wife Katie fell asleep, Honey jumped up on the couch and just watched her. Katie texted me these pictures along with “I am hungry but don’t want to move.”
RECENT READS
Hey, I read a book!
The Holy Bible by David Evans (33 1/3 Book Series from Bloomsbury)
My reading block has hopefully ended as I read a book this month, albeit a short one. The Holy Bible is the third album by the Manic Street Preachers, one of my favorite bands of all time, and this is my favorite album by them. I’ve read several books on the band, but this is the first one focusing in on one of their albums.
Evans does a fine job exploring the nitty gritty of the Manics from high school friends to punk antagonists to chart topping UK superstars that, unfortunately, never made much of a dent in US radio or fandom. That’s okay, I like having my little secret band that almost nobody around here has ever heard.
If you are not familiar with the Manics, allow me to share this clip with you. To promote The Holy Bible, the band did what every British band in the 90s did - they appeared on Top Of The Pops, a weekly “live” performance (only the vocals are live, the instruments are recorded) on the BBC. The Manics, being the provocateurs they were and are, dressed in military uniforms and played their single “Faster.” This is the performance:
You’ll notice a few things in the clip. First, this doesn’t sound like Oasis or Blur circa 1994. The Manics were anti-Britpop, the dominant musical movement at the time in the UK. The tackled a wide array of subjects in their lyrics thanks to guitarist and main lyricist Richey Edwards. For example, here are the lyrics to the chorus of “Faster:”
I am stronger than Mensa, Miller and Mailer
I spat out Plath and Pinter
I am all the things that you regret
A truth that washes that learnt how to spell
You got all that? Name dropping Norman Mailer, Arthur Miller, Harold Pinter and Sylvia Plath in the chorus of your radio song wasn’t exactly on-target for the Britpop crowd in 1994, and yet the Manics did it. The album is filled with songs about the holocaust, prostitution, serial killers, dictators, and anorexia, just to name a few. It is a dark, DARK album. It is filled with literary and historical references. You could fill a library with just the books (fiction and nonfiction) referenced in the songs.
Not surprisingly, with lead singer James Dean Bradfield donning a balaclava and shouting at the camera, the performance led to over 25,000 complaints from viewers.
But back to the album. At times it is offensive, it is horrifying, it is accusatory, and never pulls a punch. In my opinion, it is one the greatest albums ever recorded, but it is not something I can listen to everyday. But it never leaves my top five albums of all time.
RECENT TV/MOVIES
TOP GUN: MAVERICK - Excellent popcorn flick.
AIR - What could have been a boring dramatized documentary is bolstered by great performances.
FORD VS. FERRARI - Thrilling and heartbreaking true story.
RECENT MUSIC
The Orb - Prism (2023)
Son Volt - Day Of The Doug (2023)
Belinda Carlisle - Kismet EP (2023)
Oleander - February Son (1999)
A few reminders before you go:
Help spread the word - leave a book review at Amazon or GoodReads!
All previous newsletters are archived. Lots of stuff to check out including a link to the original 2011 screenplay of THE BLACK SKY, hints and helps to get started on the real work easter egg hunt teased at the back of the book, and more
Spotify Playlists! I made them for when I was writing THE BLACK SKY, THE RED SKY, and there is also a special one for “The Dank” bar that is in THE BLACK SKY.
If you like instrumental electronic music, I have soundtracks for THE BLACK SKY and THE RED SKY available at most streaming services, along with several other releases.
Stay Safe!
Tim
Listen to my 90s music podcast: Dig Me Out