Hi everybody. (having just finished, I apologise in advance for this having rambled so much. but it is my first post, so can I be forgiven?) My excitement at finally gaining a voice was only dampened by the fact of my conscience's dictating that I read the five million messages in my inbox before making use of it. But fun and interesting reading as ever. Sadly three years in the nursery or whatever it was has scrambled my mental notebook of things to say and in any case I wimagine most of them are no longer relevant. Not to worry - fresh irrelevancy is just around the corner. The first time I heard B&S was when a friend played it to me and said "Guess what this is". I couldn't, except I thought it sounded a bit like Smog. Which it doesn't (IYFS). But I was certainly taken, particularly as my supplier of leftfield North American rock and sixties throwbacks had given them the highest recomendation. At which point I went out and bought 369 and have never looked back (having everything I need). I honestly cannot remember when the discovery of something new has brought so much immediate joy into my life. I would give a little introduction of myself for everyone but there's not a huge amount to say. I don't know any of you (except JD Salinger) and as such was sorry to miss the Greenwich picnic, but Steam on the Metropolitan line had my favours for the day. We went on a steam train to Amersham and lunched in a pub before visiting Milton's cottage (run by an admirably dedicated fellow, though a complete loon) and getting on a steam train to come home. Sounds uninspiring, yes, and perhaps so, but a fun day was had by all. Particularly as we got to sit in one of those old first-class carriages on the way back, each secretly hoping that a majestic blonde/brooding Adonis was going to burst in with passionate kisses whilst the plodding officers of the law continued their search elsewhere. Anyway, is there another meet-up anytime soon? I think the point of most interest is that my job sucks. Or at least, of most interest to me. You can probably see what it is from the address. I would just say that if you ever entertain the thought of disposing of your "collectables" via our good offices, don't. But I am a little bitter at the mo. I had a few things I wanted to comment on..... I really like Hesse and Salinger and it's been great to hear so many other people do to. For the record, my favorite story in the world ever is The Laughing Man from 9 Stories (From Esme with Love and Squalor). Not too many stories can make a fellow as teary-eyed.... Someone mentioned The Prodigy by Hesse not so long ago. I agree - super. So good in fact that I read it all in one go. Should anyone have been spurred to investigate further, having read a whole bunch myself, my most humble advice would be to leave The Glass Bead Game until having checked out four or five of the others. It is jolly good, but really a superb digest of the rest of his work which makes the other books seem a bit flat, unless you've got to the stage of wanting to read every word. The best two otherwise to my mind are Steppenwolf and (especially) Narziss & Goldmund. But that said, I recall someone on the list saying a while back that it was all twee pseuo-mystical drivel, which is nearly a fair point... Les Enfants Terribles - the film is by the wonderful Jean-Pierrre Melville if that's of any help to the person who was looking for it. French. 1940's. I know this list should not be abused for "Films/books I like..." but for some reason B&S are linked in my mind with Walden by Thoreau. This may perhaps be because I read it at the time when I was really heavily getting into the band, but it may also be because of the ornery loner/different drum similarities. I have given up expecting anyone to follow my advice and read it. My girlfriend gave up after 30 pages, the my North American rockchick friend was horrified when I sent to it her for Christmas ("I fucking hate that book.." - aren't you meant to lie when you get presents you don't want?) and no-one else seems inclined to touch it with a bargepole. But I think it is wonderful and it is also Rock Hudson's favorite book in All That Heaven Allows. The other thing that reminds me of B&S all the time is one of my favourite records, that is Heads & Tails by Derek Griffiths. I should be most interested if anyone else out there knows it (apart from JD Salinger, who I know appreciates the odd songs scattered through compilation tapes). He sings about a fox, though not in the snow. And a proboscis monkey. (incase of forgetfulness, and with apologies to non-Brit listees, he was one of the playschool presenters circa Brian Cant era. He wrote the all the songs and sings and plays everything on the album himself. Whilst, if the sleeve photos are anything to go by, monged out out of his head) (oh, and this is not a covert attempt to resurrect the kiddies' programmes thread by the way..) I have done moderately well at converting friends and neighbours to B&S, although the last person I made a tape for lost it for a month, found it, and told me the next day it made her want to slit her wrists. Oops. I am sad to see so many people dissing Lydia (if that is her real name) and Spain's entry to Eurovision. I was the only person at our party to give it more than 4 points, if only because of the excitement generated at the thought that she might pull that odd heart-shaped thing out of her decolletage and tear it up in an emotional climax to the song. My favourite bit was Portugal's guitar solo. My apologies for reverting to old threads but a) where oh where can I get the Dr Pepper gum that someone mentioned ages ago? and b) I know someone who got a vibrating love egg stuck up their bum. Not very pleasant apparently. (and no, that's not a roundabout way of saying it was me - the best I've done is a sugarpuff up my nose and bacon rind wrapped round my tonsils). Did anyone else visit Dungeness after Bowlie? If you're all going to All Tomorrow's Parties I cannot reccomend it enough. Weird shit. I know there was at least one other chalet there while we were (by their battered old Super8 cameras shall ye know them) who seemed to dig it as much as we did. It really is too extraordinary a place to pace up a visit of at such a short distance away. JD Salinger told me they used to film Dr Who episodes there all the time, which (from my vantage point behind the couch, and before mum banned me from watching it) I can well believe. Seems like time to wind this up - apologies for the length again, but the first flush of voicedom has left me overflowing with tasty morsels that somehow seem worth passing on (no doubt until I get this arriving in my inbox..) You all seem like genuinely nice and interesting people, and I cannot comment on comparisons to other lists, this being the one and only for me, but it has been a real pleasure rading the archive/posts since I joined up. Love to you all Spoon +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the reborn Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail "sinister@majordomo.net". To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to "majordomo@majordomo.net". WWW: http://www.majordomo.net/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "jelly-filled danishes" +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+