Monday, March 21

my family and other dying animals

Surrounded by family and other animals all on their last legs. Obviously it's great that it's not me, but still it gets me down a bit.

But everything balances up, and the unsettling seems to be opening up the musical emotions.

For forty years I've loved the Hendrix studio albums, except for one track on Axis. If Six Was Nine. Now suddenly it's my favorite track.

Likewise, Miles Davis is a genius (Dances toured Europe with him as sound engineer), but I could never stand Bitches Brew. Tonight I've heard it with new ears. Colossal half-hour grooves! You wish they'd never end.




Recently I did something a bit like those Japanese calligraphers who stand still in front of a blank sheet, just contemplating and concentrating their energy. Then there's a flash of brush and ink, and a finished painting in front of them.






In the same way, after a year or two without brewing any more beer, I suddenly made and bottled two brews in the same week. Just like that!

The actual bottling was a good excuse to drink a glass or two straight from the tap. The taste was reminiscent of the rough Buccleuch brews of old. In those days, when a brew was ready for drinking there'd be a knock at the door, and in walks Hotters, the DB, Tony and the brothers McGinty or whatever. Frank the Post would play the guitar worse than any blissheid. People talked shite or at least I did. Mary Hopkin was the only sensible one there.

Nowadays the home brew's much better, but the friends are not there to help enjoy it. It all balances up.

- iPod post

9 comments:

  1. Albert? I remember drinking your home brew then. It was because of that I started brewing my own. So it's all your fault!! My last two brews have been alright since I now use the recommended amount of sugar and not double the amount. You don't have to cut the taste with lemonade that way!! Also the reason why everyone is dying is because you've reached the start of the death zone yourself and a lot of folk you know are bound to be falling to bits. Hope this helps because it's going to get worse!! Hotboy

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  2. Hotters, thanks for explaining that, a big help. Why didn't I think of that? PS - I don't want to alarm you but the Buccleuch beer was brewed in a yellow plastic rubbish bin. The leached dyes would have helped a lot to trigger the black spot. I hope that helps. But you needn't worry, the doc says you'd have to combine that with a history of blood purifier abuse to be absolutely sure of contracting it.

    PPS legal disclaimer - all characters are fictitious etc.

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  3. I say!

    You could twin yours with mine and save £60.

    MM III

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  4. I say!

    I'm in two minds as to whether to read this.

    MM III

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  5. Mingers. Reading between the lines, I think you're hinting you and Mrs M have twin toilets, like in Ancient Rome.

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  6. Hotboy, фашистской цензуры, добавил десять новых уровней безопасности в своем блоге. Уже не весело.

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  7. Ivan. Он не знает, что он это сделал.

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  8. Hotboy это размазня?

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  9. Vodka Joe! I cannot read Ruski! Hotboy

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