20 February - Heat & Skank

I was going to get away from thought of more successful people, but what can you do? They are all around, friend in LA working with Donna Summer as we speak. I mean, DONNA Summer! Pure gold really. But before I do, in telling the previous post to another friend, who I was sure knew one of the producers of TLKOS, he tells me that his friend T. was meant to direct the film but lost out in one of those common movie things where the person who drove the project through up to a point is not necessarily the one who gets to make it. Of course had he directed it, it would have been a different film, perhaps even different cast so who knows if it'd have been nominated for an oscar, but I still think that must feel rotten. I'd rather bask in my not having anything to do with anything successful status, less to feel deprived about.

So I go on Myspace again, building up my little personal jukebox by adding what I like, people I know (love the myriad directions the whole thing spins you off to). And have chanced upon a strange way of hearing music. You know how when you open someone’s page you hear one of their tracks and if you open another page almost simultaneously, their first track starts playing too, superimposing itself? Well I was on the This Heat page, still getting mega excited, like an archaeologist, thinking 'Wow, they’re here, someone/they’ve loaded it up, if it weren’t here I’d never hear it again as have that incredible yellow and blue first album, but it’s not like the vinyl gets and outing and I never got round to buying cds of old stuff, and wow, can I say it again how brilliant it is to hear what you thougtht were lost sounds and so on'.
So well done for making the archive available. As I was listening to them I went looking for Scritti Politti, memory jogged instantly in that direction (no doubt I’ll do The Pop Group next) and Skank Bloc Bologna started playing on top of the This Heat tune and it kind of fitted perfectly. You could argue that they are from the same period so share some basic sounds of whatever was the latest studio gadget then. This way I can dj, I can do mixes. You never cease learning heh? But of course this is what all the kids do with those mish-mashes of Britney vs Eminem and so on. So am not exactly discovering something new, but so long as I get excited...
I know it’s meant to be new music and new kids and all that but it’s irresistible to trip down memory lanes. They'll be another coming up soon. The delicious ms sam obernik will be supporting Bryan Ferry on his next tour. I'm not dying to see him but it will be nice. Wonder if Antony Price still makes his suits. I once went to some fashion show of his back in the 80's at the C. Palace and it was like being in a Helmut Newton photograph, all teutonic shoulder pads, black and gold, air hostesses mini hats and beautiful people of course. Am sure he's due a little restrospective somewhere.

Only the other day I had happy times at work (rare) when I recognised a Kenzo suit on the bod of a colleague. A deligthful ten minutes ensued of reminiscing how much we paid for stuff in the 80’s, what is still wearable and what not. My suit in mothballs at home is very similar to the one this woman is wearing, only I find the colour unacceptable, hers is a pale grey that's almost cream so it's less dated. Still, not often enough you can wear these clothes. Ah for the chance to have some power meetings. On second thought, no, so glad I'll never go to a meeting ever again. Going is not the problem, it's the ensuing action points or whatever they call those things now.

Sorry for the rambling post.