Images Of London - New Blog

On October 17th I set off for the UK for three weeks. The main reason I'm going is to see my favourite band Carter USM performing live in Glasgow and Brixton, but in addition I'll be checking out Edinburgh and London so I thought it would be a good idea to set up a blog so I can document the trip and share it with anyone who is interested.

My interest in England really kicked in sometime in 1991 as I sat in the waiting room at the doctor's, watching Video Hits. Rocketing into the charts at number #83 (or something equally pitiful) was Jesus Jones' "International Bright Young Thing". I remember being instantly impressed and it was at that moment that suddenly everything clicked and I realised that all the music I liked was in fact English - Pet Shop Boys, New Order, EMF, Electronic, Erasure, Morrissey ... and now Jesus Jones. From that point on, I specifically looked for new English music... a well-timed obsession that led to the discovery of some briliant music and is now taking me to the other side of the world.

Keeping with the musical theme, I've named this blog "Images Of London", in reference to a song of the same name written by Kev Carmody. I've never heard Kev's original, but I really like Insurge's cover of this song and thought it was appropriate for a few reasons. Firstly, it's very politically motivated and has heartfelt empathy for the poor and disenfranchised - much like a lot of Carter USM's lyrics. Secondly, it's written by an Aussie and finally it's got mention of Brixton in it, which is a place in London that I'll be staying for about a week or so on my travels.

As you may have guessed by now I don't think this blog will be your standard "smiles and monuments" kind of travelogue... but we'll see how it goes. Expect a few song lyrics, adventures, misadventures and ramblings about music shops. As the Pet Shop Boys suggest in their song called London... "we were in London, tell it like it is."

In the meantime - here is Images of London....


IMAGES OF LONDON - Kev Carmody

http://www.kevcarmody.com.au/tracks/imagesandillusions.html

Snap back Jack, attack 'tack Jack
Snap back Jack, attack these images of London
These illusions, images of London

In Montague St. Bloomsbury's parked a white Rolls Royce
Those that own it, are inside, choosin' a choice
Which portion of our cake they wish to partake
What our money's worth on their exchange rate
What home we own, when we have to vacate
They dictate where we relocate

Drivin' up the Thames through the deserted docks
The boarded up doors with chains are padlocked
Homeless on the streets live in a cardboard box
Fifty 'P's" your fee, your destiny, you're free to live
In poverty in a democracy, under a monarchy
Black stretched limo chauffeured by a man in a cap
Drivin' through the beggars with a pack of rats in the back
Nursin' corgi's that keep crappin' in ya lap

Cuttin' lose from this unreal fiction
Headin' for the reality on the streets of Brixton
Away from that parliamentary power 'neath that Big Ben clock
See it from cardboard city, if you own a cardboard box
Questions of proprietary, questions of blame
Guilt and shame's, the same, preached in Jesus' name
No one should be made to feel they're born to lose
Our detonator's primed we just light the fuse......