A bullet point list of things of interest in the last week (because I'm too lazy to write much):
* I played in front of 2,000 people at the Astoria, supporting Jack Penate. Joe, our cellist, was the clear star of the gig. Having not taken his huge outdoor coat off until after the first number, he quickly gained a lot of attention. Loud chants of 'Joe, Joe, Joe, Joe' from the crowd were followed up by more outrageous claims: 'Joe is the new Messiah', and so on. The gig was fast, fun and flippant - a half an hour set to charged-up indie teens who didn't know our stuff. Quite fun.
* I saw Joanna Newsome at the Royal Albert Hall. Incredible. I think she's maybe the best on the circuit at the moment, both in terms of performance and material. 'Emily' was my favourite thing she played - heart stoppingly good.
* I said a farewell to my friends Zimbler, who is off to South Africa for a year, and Donal, who is off to Clown School in Paris for a couple of months. The latter is going to film his pursuits. The results should be pretty odd but compelling viewing, as Donal is pretty odd and compelling himself.
* I met a girl yesterday, at my girlfriend's sister's birthday party, who lives with and documents the behaviour of 180 monkeys in Texas. She told me that one of them has a sort of wonky small leg. He is called Gimp. No joke. I asked if I could adopt Gimp. She said yes. I asked her to set up a facebook page for Gimp to facilitate contact between me and him. She said yes. I will keep you updated.
Sunday, 30 September 2007
Saturday, 22 September 2007
An awkward smattering of celebrities...
A couple of nights ago I attended a party to celebrate the opening of ComedyBox - Warner's new internet comedy project. Some of my comedy troop's sketches, if comedy troop is the right thing to call it (which it isn't), will be exhibited on the sight, hence our invite. The night was fun, free and filled with big name guests - Little Mo from Eastenders, Alan Davies and Sarah Cawood (her with red hair off top of the pops) to name but a few. You see, big big names.
Like all media parties this one had its hilarious wacky edge; the waiters practically naked and covered with green body paint... And, like all media parties this one left me feeling a little guilty as to excess of this fair isle. Still, Bill Bailey's band, with Kevin Eldon as front man, played a stormer and I got hideously drunk in front of my girlfriend. So all good there then.
However, that hasn't been the strangest night of my week. No, not really. The previous evening Flynn and The Wit played the inaugural HUSH night at the Royal Albert Hall. What's HUSH Matt I can hear you cry? Well, Sir, HUSH is a new project to encourage younger people into the Albert Hall, albeit not into the main space but into the Elgar Room - an old restaurant oft frequented by Laurence Olivier and his monologues.
The event had been bigged up hugely by everyone involved, and by the press too, and though I never get a huge sense of occasion at things like this, it was indeed a special night - great crowd, good set and excellent feedback. It was a little strange though, with band and audience alike not completely sure as to how to inhabit this quite unusual space. The audience itself was a pretty mixed bunch too, it must be said. Braces-clad teens rubbed shoulders with old Albert Hall dignitaries, making it a quite bizarre spectacle from the vantage of my drum stool.
My favourite part of the evening, however, has to be when an unaware Lillie Flynn told a bemused interviewer how thrilled she was to be playing in a room that had seen the likes of Sir Laurence of Olivier perform here in the past. Genius.
Like all media parties this one had its hilarious wacky edge; the waiters practically naked and covered with green body paint... And, like all media parties this one left me feeling a little guilty as to excess of this fair isle. Still, Bill Bailey's band, with Kevin Eldon as front man, played a stormer and I got hideously drunk in front of my girlfriend. So all good there then.
However, that hasn't been the strangest night of my week. No, not really. The previous evening Flynn and The Wit played the inaugural HUSH night at the Royal Albert Hall. What's HUSH Matt I can hear you cry? Well, Sir, HUSH is a new project to encourage younger people into the Albert Hall, albeit not into the main space but into the Elgar Room - an old restaurant oft frequented by Laurence Olivier and his monologues.
The event had been bigged up hugely by everyone involved, and by the press too, and though I never get a huge sense of occasion at things like this, it was indeed a special night - great crowd, good set and excellent feedback. It was a little strange though, with band and audience alike not completely sure as to how to inhabit this quite unusual space. The audience itself was a pretty mixed bunch too, it must be said. Braces-clad teens rubbed shoulders with old Albert Hall dignitaries, making it a quite bizarre spectacle from the vantage of my drum stool.
My favourite part of the evening, however, has to be when an unaware Lillie Flynn told a bemused interviewer how thrilled she was to be playing in a room that had seen the likes of Sir Laurence of Olivier perform here in the past. Genius.
Monday, 17 September 2007
Some Updates
Well Bestival was really tough - bad organising in the small tents (sound men on Ketamin and so on and so forth) made it stressful, but in the end we played an incredible gig, one of my favourites in fact. End of the Road, on the other hand, was just continually lovely. I got to see some bands - I'm from Barcelona, King Creosote, Seasick Steve, Yo La Tengo, Jeffrey Lewis, Joan as Policewoman, Pete and the Pirates - met up with loads of my friends who came down, and played great sets with both Fireworks Night and The Sussex Wit. Bonza.
The fun's not over either. I have the Royal Albert Hall gig to look forward to on Wednesday. Its sold out already, which is a great thing. I think it should be a really great experience. I'll be sure to report back.
In slightly weirder news, I heard that Andrew Mellows (see two posts below) is now in prison for dealing drugs. Strange old world really....
The fun's not over either. I have the Royal Albert Hall gig to look forward to on Wednesday. Its sold out already, which is a great thing. I think it should be a really great experience. I'll be sure to report back.
In slightly weirder news, I heard that Andrew Mellows (see two posts below) is now in prison for dealing drugs. Strange old world really....
A Phenomenology of Moral Decision Making - #1 The Speed of Decision Making
I was taught religious ethical theory in consistently drafty classrooms and lecture halls from the age of 16-23. Nothing was warm. The commonality of a cool study environment was matched by a perpetual chilliness in the air - an atmosphere not of discontent but of relaxed introspection. This was anything but Klaus Klostermaier's theology at 120 degrees Fahrenheit. It was more like doing theology in a freezer bag.
Choices and questions were presented to us in those classes, and are still presented in similar classes today, as theoretical options to be mulled over and pondered. Choices and questions were presented to us as possibilities having received, and as demanding, a good deal of reflection and head space. Nothing was to be rushed in the great game of 'what are we to do'?
The reality of making an ethical decision is, of course, much different. Most important to recognise is that one does not approach an ethical decision, rather, an ethical decision approaches you. The luxury of a free consideration of what to do in any given situation, or even for that matter the ability to frame a given situation into an array of equal ethical possibilities, is non-existent in a world governed by the forces of practicality, communality and time. It is this last factor, time, which is the most unpredictable and unforeseeable variant in the process of having to make a moral decision, and the one that requires immediate attention.
When a situation arrives in which one has to make a decision with no clear and simple alternative satisfactory to both one’s conscience and the general course of things, a timeframe in which to make that decision almost always accompanies it. The pressure of making a decision, and how one assesses the resources that one has at one's disposal to make it, will always be affected by the urgency of the decision itself.
In some cases that urgency can be a useful resource in itself, clearing away theoretical detritus as the mind and heart become fixed on what is central. In other cases though it can be only confusing, causing panic and distress to muddy any clarity with which one previously had approached the events at hand. Most often, I feel, the latter is truly the case. The reality of having to make a decision and having to make one quick stultifies earlier reasoning. One has to start afresh and has to make quick ground to come to a conclusion that he is happy with.
Whatever the effect of time on ethical decision making is, that it has an effect is undeniable. If then, I may say finally, if then ethical theory is to have any value for those who study it, the restrictions that present themselves on the occasion of an ethical decision arising - restrictions that limit one’s possibility of choosing from the numerous ways of approaching a moral decision - must be noted with the same expertise as the numerous ways of approaching an ethical decision itself.
Perhaps the chilliness of those old classrooms and lecture halls shouldn’t have been the norm, perhaps now its about time for a justified climate change.
Choices and questions were presented to us in those classes, and are still presented in similar classes today, as theoretical options to be mulled over and pondered. Choices and questions were presented to us as possibilities having received, and as demanding, a good deal of reflection and head space. Nothing was to be rushed in the great game of 'what are we to do'?
The reality of making an ethical decision is, of course, much different. Most important to recognise is that one does not approach an ethical decision, rather, an ethical decision approaches you. The luxury of a free consideration of what to do in any given situation, or even for that matter the ability to frame a given situation into an array of equal ethical possibilities, is non-existent in a world governed by the forces of practicality, communality and time. It is this last factor, time, which is the most unpredictable and unforeseeable variant in the process of having to make a moral decision, and the one that requires immediate attention.
When a situation arrives in which one has to make a decision with no clear and simple alternative satisfactory to both one’s conscience and the general course of things, a timeframe in which to make that decision almost always accompanies it. The pressure of making a decision, and how one assesses the resources that one has at one's disposal to make it, will always be affected by the urgency of the decision itself.
In some cases that urgency can be a useful resource in itself, clearing away theoretical detritus as the mind and heart become fixed on what is central. In other cases though it can be only confusing, causing panic and distress to muddy any clarity with which one previously had approached the events at hand. Most often, I feel, the latter is truly the case. The reality of having to make a decision and having to make one quick stultifies earlier reasoning. One has to start afresh and has to make quick ground to come to a conclusion that he is happy with.
Whatever the effect of time on ethical decision making is, that it has an effect is undeniable. If then, I may say finally, if then ethical theory is to have any value for those who study it, the restrictions that present themselves on the occasion of an ethical decision arising - restrictions that limit one’s possibility of choosing from the numerous ways of approaching a moral decision - must be noted with the same expertise as the numerous ways of approaching an ethical decision itself.
Perhaps the chilliness of those old classrooms and lecture halls shouldn’t have been the norm, perhaps now its about time for a justified climate change.
Thursday, 6 September 2007
Besti-post
Yeah, still not getting anywhere with this blog-post name lark. I'm playing Bestival with Flynn and the Wit on the weekend, get it... Unfortunately, as well as lacking a decent blog-post name I am also lacking a fancy dress costume for the event itself. I imagine though that I will make a substantial effort and will look pretty bloody good as a result - this is my usual way of dealing with these events and the usual consequences of such dealings.
In related news, we the band are currently in our familiar rehearsal space in Hackney demo'ing stuff for the new album, which we're recording in Seattle with Ryan H (see a few posts back) in October and November. Its going great guns so far, if a little tiring. We've had a lot of amazing press recently too, mainly the broadsheets. The Daily Mirror is yet to cover us. Fuck, I must also say that I have eaten some extroadinary sandwhiches recently, including A) Chicken Tikka and B) Ham and Tomato. I am pleased with all these events.
Another Animal Poem:
The Jungle Poem by Andrew Mellows.
Nb I say Andrew Mellows, the reason this poem is funny is because there is no way in hell that he didn't copy it.
The Jungle Poem by someone who is not Andrew Mellows.
Whenever I see a lion crying
I often want to say
Get the giraffe to give him a laugh
and chase his cares away.
When the elephant is down in the trunk
and looking rather glum
Get the chimp to monkey around
and let him be his chum.
And if the cheetah does not play fair
at the jungle sports
Get the baboon to swing down the trees
and pull down his spotted shorts.
In related news, we the band are currently in our familiar rehearsal space in Hackney demo'ing stuff for the new album, which we're recording in Seattle with Ryan H (see a few posts back) in October and November. Its going great guns so far, if a little tiring. We've had a lot of amazing press recently too, mainly the broadsheets. The Daily Mirror is yet to cover us. Fuck, I must also say that I have eaten some extroadinary sandwhiches recently, including A) Chicken Tikka and B) Ham and Tomato. I am pleased with all these events.
Another Animal Poem:
The Jungle Poem by Andrew Mellows.
Nb I say Andrew Mellows, the reason this poem is funny is because there is no way in hell that he didn't copy it.
The Jungle Poem by someone who is not Andrew Mellows.
Whenever I see a lion crying
I often want to say
Get the giraffe to give him a laugh
and chase his cares away.
When the elephant is down in the trunk
and looking rather glum
Get the chimp to monkey around
and let him be his chum.
And if the cheetah does not play fair
at the jungle sports
Get the baboon to swing down the trees
and pull down his spotted shorts.
Saturday, 1 September 2007
Dropping in
A lot has happened in the last few weeks meaning little space to blog in - I am very very sorry. Finally, you'll be pleased to know, I managed to put a deposit down on a place in Kentish Town, which after months of looking is a real relief. Its a cool place in an alright area (no sight of used needles on the floors just yet) and im hoping that all the references go through without a hitch. Before all that came about though I was up in Edinburgh for the Festival. It was my first time there and it were rete good. I think that's how you spell 'rete', though perhaps its 'rite' or 'reat'. Anyway I saw some amazing stuff, most notably Tim Key's 'Slut in the Hut' and the Film 'We Are Together', the latter of which is truly an incredible piece of work about the song tradition of an orphanage in South Africa called Agape. It was a necessary few days basically - I chilled out, caught up with friends I hadn't seen in too long and met Jimmy Saville.
I say 'necessary' because I have had a fairly stressful few weeks, which have made relaxation incredibly important. I have had decisions to make recently too personal to share here. Going through this experience has made me come to the conclusion that the speed and surprise of having to make a moral decision renders forethought on their content or possibilities almost irrelevent. It is hard to marry the personal and the theoretical at the best of times, but while spiritually I feel content in providing structures from what I have read to the way I live my life, morally I often feel that there is no adequate preparation whatsoever. To use this blog adequately I hope to develop this thought by offering some sort of phenomenology of decision making in future posts. Don't worry, I promise another few Animal Poems in the near future too. I will not let the shallow nature of Slightly Indulgent slip, I promise...
Right, I must be off to celebrate the 30th birthday of L'Arche Lambeth - the community I worked in for a year, wrote about in my thesis on theology and disability, and feel very committed too. The party is going to be held at Lambeth Palace and Rowan Williams - he who resides in that palace - will preach at a service of thanksgiving. Im looking forward to it a whole lot.
Peace
I say 'necessary' because I have had a fairly stressful few weeks, which have made relaxation incredibly important. I have had decisions to make recently too personal to share here. Going through this experience has made me come to the conclusion that the speed and surprise of having to make a moral decision renders forethought on their content or possibilities almost irrelevent. It is hard to marry the personal and the theoretical at the best of times, but while spiritually I feel content in providing structures from what I have read to the way I live my life, morally I often feel that there is no adequate preparation whatsoever. To use this blog adequately I hope to develop this thought by offering some sort of phenomenology of decision making in future posts. Don't worry, I promise another few Animal Poems in the near future too. I will not let the shallow nature of Slightly Indulgent slip, I promise...
Right, I must be off to celebrate the 30th birthday of L'Arche Lambeth - the community I worked in for a year, wrote about in my thesis on theology and disability, and feel very committed too. The party is going to be held at Lambeth Palace and Rowan Williams - he who resides in that palace - will preach at a service of thanksgiving. Im looking forward to it a whole lot.
Peace
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