Been a long time. Miss me? Astute readers may recall me whining about all the time I spent tarting up my website in preparation for a job interview the lst time I posted. Anyway, I got the job. it is my dream job. I'll be in the Flash animation team for Wendy Pye limited, which make subscriber educational websites for children. It is my dream job and I have been buzzing all week. I've been seriously underemployed for the last 10 months so I was getting to the end of my tether. Anyway ... onward! ***THE CHALET LINES*** I'm assuming that chalet line is a line of chalets. You know how they're normally laid out in long rows. ***NOW, MY TURN TO ASK A SILLY QUESTION*** Was listening to Jeff Buckley's "Grace" - a real evergreen of an album if you ask me. Anyone know what a "Mojo Pin" is though? I have *no* idea. ***SILLY QUESTION #2*** (Always mean to submit this to the FAQ page on the Jeepster site) Do B&S have a publishing deal? Virtually every band has one. For example, songs on REM albums are credited Buck/Berry/Mills/Stipe, and are published by Night Garden music. B&S are the only band I'm aware of who lack both writing credits or publishing information on their sleeves. Anyone know why? ***NME*** Felt a bit sad that Wayne from The Flaming Lips was slagging off B&S. I could kinda see his point. But then, B&S are a pretty straightforward pop band. They write poppy songs which, alas, the general populous generally doesn't care less about. As opposed to The Flaming Lips, who release multidisc albums which are meant to be played *simultaneously*, cover "Somewhere over the rainbow" and come on stage with fake blood pouring out of their foreheads. So ... umm ... which of those two are more entrenched in their indie ghetto? which brings me to ..... ***STUART DAVID*** Seems to be trying as hard as possible to sever all ties with the B&S camp. I wonder if he and Struan are still mates? I wonder if his tour with the above mentioned Flaming Lips has made him wary of being associated with B&S. Shame about him leaving Jeepster though. I wonder if Jeepster plan on signing any new bands soon? ***AMERICA*** A lot has been said about this country lately. So why not have my two cents or so. America is great. I've travelled around there a lot. The scenery is breathtaking (mmm ... Mojave Desert ... most amazing place in the world) and the people are almost unanimously friendly. I guess what irks me though, is that the majority of the people I have met whilst travelling there (GROSS GENERALISATION TO FOLLOW ...) have little knowledge, care or regard for anything outside of the US. example ..... "Where are you from?" "New Zealand" " ........ is that in America?" Or the American girl I met who was unaware of the fact that there was a "First World War" She'd heard of the Second World War, but didn't know there was one before it. I guess that combination in insularity and mild arrogance (if it doesn't directly involve the US it's not worth mentioning) really bugs me. Or how American publishing houses change British novels to make them more palatable to the "American market". Or how they bollix up UK albums (like Mansun's "Six") by rearranging the track order or removing tracks to make them more "commercial" or less difficult or something. It's insulting. Now I'm sure that these are isolated examples but they've really bugged me, and have coloured my views on the subject. Like I said, I REALLY enjoy travelling in The States. Goodness ... it really sounds like I'm slagging the US, doesn't it. Umm .. like I said, I really like. I've been there six times. By choice. I've visited about seven states. American politics bugs me too. Like you only seem to have two choices. A or B. Black or White. I don't know whether you can really have *true* democracy when there are two choices, even if you don't like either choice. That being said, New Zealand has elected a Socialist government under our rather complex proportional representation system, and they're doing a really good job of ballsing up our economy and turning us into a Third World Country. ***PEOPLE WHO HIDE B&S RECORDS*** See Wayne Coyne's comments about B&S. Indie ghettos are crap. Beautiful music is beautiful music. I attempt to inflict Belle & Sebastian on everyone I meet, because I love their music, and the way it makes me feel, and I'd like everyone to experience that. I'm certain they won't but the couple of people who have ended up liking them are now hooked for all the right reasons. And I can't see what's wrong with that. Exclusive little clubs really bug me ... it's so fourth form. If you're ever in a record store in Auckland and you see B&S records on all the shelves, that was me who put them there. Anyway, I'm expecting to get crucified for this one ...... Take care, all. And sleep well, where ever you are. Lawrence Mikkelsen http://www.akn.quik.co.nz/mikelsen/aboutme +----------------------------------------------------------------------+ +---+ Brought to you by the undead Sinister mailing list +---+ To send to the list mail sinister@missprint.org. To unsubscribe send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to majordomo@missprint.org. WWW: http://www.missprint.org/sinister +-+ "legion of bedroom saddo devotees" "tech-heads and students" +-+ +-+ "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list" +-+ +-+ "sinsietr is a bit freaky" - stuart david, looper +-+ +-+ "pasty-faced vegan geeks... and we LOST!" - NME April 2000 +-+ +-+ "peculiarly deranged fanbase" "frighteningly named +-+ +-+ Sinister List organisation" - NME May 2000 +-+ +----------------------------------------------------------------------+