In Search of Space, in Hook

Well, not as promised, but possibly as expected I have once again neglected my blog. I have recently started a new job and the first couple of weeks have been a little hectic, getting used to my new commute, and orientating myself around the work. I had hoped to travel by train, but after the first week it became clear that it would take twice as long as driving so reluctantly I have abandoned public transport and taken to my car.

I've managed a couple of lunchtime wanders from my new work location in Hook. The first couple of wanders were simply to stretch my leas and get some lunch, and were not particularly inspiring, but more recently I found a footpath that I'd spotted on google maps, and discovered a more rural setting, and as the title of my blog insists, some space. I only managed a short wander, but this route definitely calls for a bit more exploration, in both directions.

Anyone who has read my blog before will know that I'm a bit of a sucker for railway bridges, especially ones no longer in use, and whilst this one is most definitely in use, carrying the main line between Basingstoke and Waterloo, the bridge is an old brick arch, which is very much to my liking.

Railway bridge across Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire

Railway bridge across Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire 

Farm track off Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire 

Railway bridge across Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire

Tomorrow I'm off to London, so with a bit of luck I'll get an opportunity for some early morning urban wandering before my meeting, so maybe this week will see another blog post ... but then again maybe not. We'll just have to wait and see.

In other news, I am desperately trying to find time and energy to read a book I got for my birthday last year called Timekeepers, How The World Became Obsessed With Time, by Simon Garfield, partly because I want to finish reading the book, but also so I can start on a more recent purchase, Post Punk Then and Now.

  

A late afternoon wander along the River Thames from Battersea to Putney, London

Well, I am doing a pretty poor job of posting to my blog this year. Theoretically I have more time now as am working closer to home, and only rarely staying away from home, but my spare time seems to be getting eaten up with other interests.

Firstly I am still hunting down 1970's and 1980's punk, post punk and new wave vinyl that I used to own as a spotty teenager which now, as a 50 something, I am desperately trying to find again. Plus there are records that passed me by at the time which I'm discovering for the first time, wondering how I missed them first time around. Punishment of Luxury for example ... this was precisely the sort of music I was listening to in the late 1970's and early 1980's post punk movement but somehow never came across them until this year.

I've also discovered Netflix. Well, this isn't so much of a discovery as we've had it for over a year now, it's more of an addiction to several Netflix series, like House of Cards, Gotham, Hemlock Grove, Jessica Jones, Daredevil and Luke Cage. I used to tut at the kids as they binge-watched their way through series after series, but now I can see why.

Finally, I changed jobs back in April and am now working out of a pleasant, semi-rural, business park. The environment is tranquil but means my lunchtime wanders are restricted to the river. This isn't to say that the wanders along the river are not enjoyable, but they don't have the opportunity for the seemingly endless discovery that my urban wanders through London gave me.

So, where does all this rambling leading me? I guess it's just a reason for my posts being somewhat sporadic this year, but I do have some recent pictures to share. These were all taken late on a sunny, winter afternoon along the River Thames in London, as we walked from Battersea to Putney.

River Thames, looking towards Lots Road power station

River Thames, looking west into the setting sun

River Thames, looking west into the setting sun

This was the night of the super moon but unfortunately my phone pictures don't really do it justice.

River Thames, looking east towards the rising super moon

River Thames, looking east towards the rising super moon

River Thames, looking east towards the rising super moon

So, that's all folks. Hopefully my next post will not be too far away, but you never know what my next distraction may be.

    

If This is Not an Exercise, Could it be a Drill ... an evening with Wire

Today's post is a bit of a departure from my usual psychogeography inspired, urban wanderings, but I had to share my experience from last night. More years ago than I care to remember, a good friend of mine brought in a copy of his brother's Pink Flag album by Wire. To say I was blown away would be a massive understatement. So, it was with huge excitement and anticipation that I made my way across London to the Lexington venue in Islington, to see the legends play live.

Wire, Lexington, Thursday 16th April 2005

On entering the venue I was slightly confused as it just appeared to be a crowded pub, and it wasn't until I had bought my pint and turned around that I spotted the stairs leading up to the actual venue. I had arrived in plenty of time so was in no rush to head upstairs, and spent some time people watching whilst supping my pint of Pale Ale. Downstairs the crowd were quite mixed and it wasn't immediately obvious to guess which ones would later head upstairs to see Wire. Would it be the earnest looking, bearded chap reading a book? Would it be the leather jacketed chap with the one inch punk badges on his lapel? Would it be the guy in what I'm sure was a 154 sweatshirt? Would it be any of the 50 something, folically challenged crowd like myself?

As people started to move upstairs, I joined the small queue, traded in my bar-coded ticket for a rubber stamp on the hand (it's been years since I had one of those) and ascended to the performance area. I ended up standing within spitting distance of the stage, but of course I did not spit. This was a very civilized affair, with people who bumped into me turning to apologise, rather than elbowing me out of the way to get to the front. Nor was I actually that near the front as the venue is pretty small, so I guess I was just over half way in, with probably 4 or 5 rows between me and the stage.

As I watched the support act, various members of Wire brushed past me as they made their way backstage. After the support act had finished, they came to the stage and proceeded to pretty much set up their own equipment, with only a little reaction from the audience. This was a far cry from one of my recent gigs where Captain Sensible was greeted with his usual "Sensible's a w***er" chant. After a short time setting up, they came on stage and acknowledged this was Lexington number 3. Any fears that Wire would not live up to how I imagined them to be were immediately dismissed as they burst into their opening number, 23 Years Too Late from Read and Burn 03. The remainder of the first part of the set focused on their newer material, with some tracks from their new album, Wire, but dipping occasionally into the past to churn out staples like Drill. whilst at the same time avoiding the classics like Outdoor Miner, Dot Dash, etc.

Wire, Lexington, Thursday 16th April 2005

After a short break they returned and I think they may have played some of their more caustic, earlier tracks but I have to admit I found it hard to name them - shame on me. No doubt someone better informed will correct me.

    

I notice they are also playing slightly nearer to me, in Southampton on Monday - very, very tempted.

I Think I've Hit My Mid-life Crisis - a Vinyl Obsession

So, as I alluded to in my previous blog post, I seem to have hit my mid-life crisis. Whilst I haven't ruled out getting a ridiculously fast car, or running off with someone half my age, my crisis seems to have centred itself around an obsession for vinyl. Having bought a replacement turntable a few months ago, I am now searching out punk, post-punk and new wave records from the late 70's and early 80's in London's second hand record shops, as I used to do as a spotty teenager. Some are records I never had at the time, whereas others are ones that I foolishly sold for next to nothing and am desperate to get hold of again.

One of the most exciting finds was Where's Captain Kirk by Spizzenergi, which was a party favourite back in the day, but that I seem to have either lost or sold over the years.

Spizzenergi - Where's Captain Kirk?

Other finds include a couple of early Human League singles, from 1979, way before they asked us Don't you Want Me Baby. I had downloaded a version of Empire State Human a while back, but had completely forgotten about Being Boiled, so was very pleased to come across this one too.


The Human League - Being Boiled

I don't know why I had never heard much of Eddie and the Hot Rods apart from Do Anything You Wanna Do. I certainly never had any of their records when I was growing up, so was delighted to find a couple of their early singles, Media Messiahs and Quit This Town during my searches.


Eddie and the Hot Rods - Quit This Town

It's hard to pick which of my recent finds gave me the most pleasure as they are all special in their own way, but if I had to choose one from my recent haul then it would have to be Gates of the West by The Clash. The version I came across was actually a two track Canadian demo copy of the Cost of Living EP, so just in a plain sleeve as opposed to the magnificently colouful sleeve below, and only two of the four tracks.


The Clash - The Cost of Living EP

So, in between my Urban Wanders, or indeed as part of my urban wanders, I shall be spending time searching through racks of vinyl over the coming weeks and months until my thirst is quenched and my crisis is a more manageable state. Stay tuned folks.