Sinister: rock and roll is here to stay, it will never go away

[Martin Horsfield]

Hiya kids,

I was so busy last week that I've had to bin a week's worth of digests,
but I'm back now, bringing some semblance of organisation to my
'interupt mode' existence. Good to see that Evan's still banging on
about Giant Sand and OP8. I played their version of 'Round And Round'
last night after a typically frazzled, semi-mythical night in the life
of our band, Matinee.

It started with Nick turning up with a pizza and a great new song
'Safari', dedicated to his girlfriend, Sara. Next to show was Michael,
with a suitcase of recording gear and the fantastic new Grand Drive
single ('Wrong Notes'). We set up and took all day to demo up three
songs, before our old mate John came round and we decided to pop up to
the Garage to meet up with his brother Mick....

Now I've never liked the Pastels, but as we sat setting the world to
rights with Mick's pal, Damo out of Randy (!), whose brother Kieron I
subsequently knew from way back, it became clear that something was
afoot in the Minibar. 

Tjinder out of Cornershop was there, as were assorted ex-BMX Bandits and
lo-fi luminaries (last week down at ULU, it was the same - Michael
actually talked to that young Elliott Smith!). 

Mike and Damo hit the Garage, John went home (domestic scenes) while me
and Michael finished our pints. As we made for the door, who should we
see grinning characteristically but Gerry Love. Only then did it sink in
that the Pastels had been playing...

After five minutes catching up with Gerry and passing on Matinee's
details for him or Johnnie Smillie to come down and stay for the
weekend, we finally repaired to the indie disco at the Garage. Mick was
utterly wankered and got involved in a moshpit calamity (which he
attributes to Steve Lamacq!), while Michael was showing signs oof
fatigue (no wonder after lugging those suitcases up to my place). 

Me and Damo talked relentlessly about Brian Wilson and Neil Young
(interputed only by Mick coming over and bellowing to everyone "I
FUCKIN' HATE T-REX I DO"). By the time we were ready to crash at mine,
Mick and Michael were sleeping like babies in the Garage, which would
have made a very ironic photograph.

Of course, tea, toast and acoustic guitars came into play back at
Matinee mansions (though Damo only got his wish - to hear Wild Honey and
Sail On Sailor - around 5am. It was Grand Drive and minidiscs of Pink
Floyd up to then). We then got up early next morning and demoed up
another song, 'Thoroughly Modern' (one of mine!), to which the ebullient
but still addled Welshman added off-kilter harmonies.

Finally, after more Stephen Duffy and Grand Drive, we called it a day
and slipped out to the White Bear for a drink and a ponder. 

I dpn't know if there any conclusion to be drawn from all this except
that I fucking love rock and roll and that hopefully Matinee and Randy
will continue the great work laid before them by Belle and Sebastian and
Gorky's Zygotic Mynci repectively.

Yours, Martin Horsfield, overcome by hapiness


PS/Stevie Trousers, did you like the tape I sent you?
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+
      +---+  Brought to you by the Sinister mailing list  +---+
 To send to the list please mail "sinister at majordomo.net". To unsubscribe
   send "unsubscribe sinister" or "unsubscribe sinister-digest" to
 "majordomo at majordomo.net".  For list archives and searching, list rules,
   FAQ, poor jokes etc, see http://www.majordomo.net/sinister
          +---+   "legion of bedroom saddo devotees"  +---+
 +-+  "the cardie wearing biscuit nibbling belle & sebastian list"  +-+
+----------------------------------------------------------------------+