You know the way the first rule of sinister is you don't talk about
Sinister? I am nevertheless going to engage in some meta comment, because it
seems like there's been a sudden outbreak of Old Sinister action on the
list. Top marks, that's what I say, seeing all these old jokes, tropes, and
characters from before my time dredged up. Soon I will have assimilated
everything and be able to pass myself off as an old timer too, muttering
about the Earl of Fotheringay* the while.
I must reply to a post that mentioned me.
Carsmile Steve wrote:
> DV was banging on abt the chalets (for a change),
now I feel very self conscious. I saw the Chalets play again last friday,
and I completely wuv them.
Sirrah Carsmile went on to say:
> i'm assuming the afternoon gig will be at Notting Hill Art Club
yes indeed. They will play RoTa at the Notting Hill Art Club at 4.00pm. My
sources in the world of The Chalets also tell me they will play Strange
Fruit at 8.00pm sharp. They would also like to remind Sinister that The
Chalets include former Sinister subber Paula Cullen Booze Explosion. The old
timers among you could go along and marvel at what happens to people when
they unsubscribe.
I feel like some kind of grubby list abusing publicist now. I will not
mention The Chalets again for a while.
I will mention Serge Gainsbourg. "L'Histoire Du Melody Nelson" has finally
fallen into place with me, and I wuv it. I reckon I would wuv it even more
if my French was up to following the lyrics (which apparently are about
getting it on with some young one who then dies in an unlikely sequence of
events). I have also been enjoying the France Gall album I bought in Beirut,
which features many Serge composed songs. My favourite Gainsbourg track
remains 'Nazi Rock' off "Rock Around The Bunker". People may scoff at Isobel
Campbell, but it is thanks to her that 'Nazi Rock' looms so high in my
pantheon of Serge, as she was the first person I ever heard bigging it up.
"Rock Around The Bunker" is a G*R*A*T*E record. It presents a load of pop
tunes with second world war and third reich related themes, many of them set
in the bunker where Mr & Mrs Hitler wile away the time before the end. Never
one to shun controversy, Serge also sings about how great it is to be Jewish
and wear the yellow star. It's funny how slow I am, it never really occured
to me until recently that Gainsbourg was lucky to avoid extermination in the
second world war. He is a strange man to be able to make light of it in that
kind of way.
A strange man, and a pop genius.
I also had the good fortune to see the band Luna last week, who did a
stonking version of Gainsbourg's 'Bonnie & Clyde', complete with those odd
cockatoo noises. Top marks, top marks.
Apart from "Rock Around The Bunker" and "L'Histoire Du Melody Nelson", does
anyone have any other Gainsbourg album recommendations.
et maintenant, il faut que je parti.
DV
*I have no doubt misdescribed the gentle peer, thus clearly marking myself
out as not part of the in-crowd.
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