Sinister: clown control to mao-tse tung

[poetryplace2]

Hello, hello, it’s grand to see your good-time face again.

1: MODEM LIFE IS RUBBISH
Various kindly folk have brought quite a blush to my cheeks by saying nice
things about papercuts, a little fanzine I put out with my pals Caleb and
Taylor. I wouldn’t normally mention it here, but as it kind of grew out of
the List like a benign tumour, what the hell... It’s got lots of smashing
stuff in it by venerable old-timers such as Bobby McTaggart, Keithy Watson,
Peter Meeller, Magnetic Megan, Steadymike, etc etc. I don’t want to besmirch
the sacred groves of sinister with vulgar commerce, so if anyone would like
to get an issue, email me privately (poetryplace2 at easynet.co.uk) and I’ll
give you the ordering details. The second issue will be coming out in
February, so if you would like to contribute something, drop me a line.

2: BREATHING NEW LIFE INTO THE SANDWICH
You could also pick up a copy of papercuts at the next Social at the Poetry
Cafe in London on Friday 22nd January. As Large Stu said the other day, it
is going to feature an exclusive acoustic performance from those Essex
Existentialists, Hefner. Well, in fact, it will just be Darren the singer,
accompanied by their new lap-steel guitarist, previewing material from the
forthcoming elpee. I will endeavour to put all the details on the jeepster
meet-up page.

3: LISPECTOR VS RECTOR
The mighty Cynthia Saylasaylasaylasaylasay brought up the subject of the
Russian-born, Brazilian writer, Clarice Lispector, confirming my suspicion
that sinisterons are the new literati. Two of my favourite books in the
world are Soulstorm and The Foreign Legion, both collections of odd snippets
of short fiction and well worth tracking down. Avoid at all cost Helene
Cixous’s demented book about Lispector, however.

4: <ARSENAL>
My favourite book at the moment, by-the-by, is Graham McCann’s new volume
about Morecambe and Wise. Did you know that the chucklesome couple once
played second on the bill to a ring-tailed lemur? Ahhh, the Golden Days of
Variety...

5: HOLY GREIL
Staying on a literary “tip”, someone brought up the vexed subject of  Mr
Marcus Greil. I once had a bit of a ding-dong row with Mr Greil in a
bookshop in Seattle. I accused him of being a sentimental old
singer-songwriter groupie (I was paraphrasing Ian Penman at the time), and
he accused me of being a snooty limey ponce because I liked My Bloody
Valentine. A crucial moment in pop scholarship, I’m sure you’ll agree. Next
week, I might tell you how I corrected Simon Reynolds’ misinterpretation of
Barthesian jouissance. If you’re very lucky.

6: WEREWOLVES OF THAILAND
Was I dreaming, or did Sinister’s favourite bearded footballer of
yesteryear, Peter Withe, become the coach of the Thai national team? Has
Oooooon been taking advice on footballing matters from Peter Miller or
something? This is never a good idea, as the Turks well know. Withe was
previously the European scout for Aston Villa, apparently, which is surely a
definition of modern futility.

7: POPPIES SAY "SKRREEEEWWHRRRRCCCCSSSZZPPBEEP"
I went to see the infernal new Roman Polanski film last week, Pi. Ooooh, it
made my head hurt. It’s got lots of hard sums in it, and the central
character looks like one of them brainy fellers from the old Tefal adverts.
The scariest thing about the film is that the very spooky and Aphexy
soundtrack was done by Clint Mansell out of Pop Will Eat Itself.

Stevie Trousers
xxxx

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