Sinister: Tibet, London, Glasto, Nick Drake & Elliott Smith Tributes, love and B&S.

[jim taylor]

Ok so I've bitten my hands long enough. I've decided to respond to big stu's
Tibet/china thing.

Last night at Carsmiles 30th (props to the London massive who showed there
faces, simply too many for me to start to mention without missing some out)
someone mentioned it, and I couldn't help chuck in my twopenneth.

I said to others I greatly respected Stu's braveness to stand against the
tide/go against the grain. I wish more of us would do this. But strongly
disagreed with stuff the Chinese Government want us to believe. I perhaps
shouldn't have been surprised at how strongly others I spoke to also
disagreed with Big Stu. It's really odd to be reeling (well, hopefully
creatively responding rather than reacting) against - i my opinion -
indoctrination form a Government other than the US or UK.

But first off Happy 30th Birthday + Wedding Anniversary to Mr+Mrs
Carsmile/Steve.
welcome to your thirties Steve. It's not so bad see?

And only 6 weeks to Glastonbury! It sounds like I might be joined in the
Buddhafield tent by a sinister-bod other than the one I bump into at the
London Buddhist Centre. That B&S+Buddhism yahoo subgroup really isn't so far
away :)
I'm not sure there will be sinister-group shamanic journeying at glasto
though will there? Check out Dharmarucci if anybody fancies it in the
greenfields.
For those unhappily without tickets I can only offer my empathy, together
with gratitude to Ian Anscombe for the tip that enabled me to get mine. Next
year sounds like it'll literally be a lottery.
For those with no interest in Glastonbury, you *might* not know what your
are missing. And B&S are playing.

Talking of favoured artists, a little bird by the name of, well the man
himself, tells me that the parish's very own Stefano Santabarbara will be an
honoured performing guest at the Nick Drake Tribute event this summer. It's
free, and marks the 30th anniversary of Nick's death. 21/8/04 Tanworth-in-
Arden, Warwickshire. I know loads of us are big Nick Drake fans, so thought
you might like to know this. details so far are at
http://www.geocities.com/ndtg2004/index.htm

Might I suggest the likes of The Pines, the Foxgloves or our very own Chris
Leonard form North of the border might offer their services too, should they
be so inclined?
Indeed perhaps I might finally get to hear the Red-bull dozers for the first
time (if I remember the name right mr Chu?)
well anyway. If any of said performers need a nearby place to rest their
heads I might be able to help out chez the parents, though I'll be zipping
off back down South to see the Pixies at big corporate festival the
following day. (any Brixton tix spare anyone?)

Also the Elliot Smith London Tribute show is I understand coming along in
its planning stages. I'll post whenever there is some concrete news. Some
folks are working really hard to make this happen so support when it does
(for charidee of course, will be more than essential please!)
and if you happen to be in a band called Belle & Sebastian and want to play
at it, I'd imagine it'd be worth contacting the organisers through the yahoo
group. erm...whose details I can pass on.

Tibet. it's off topic?

well no actually, for me it's not. I've written and referenced  the
importance of politics to B&S themselves, their fans/lifestyle, etc etc, I
won't reference myself again, but search the archives, read, then e me off
list if you disagree. *please*. I'd much rather be challenged that anyone
harbour resentment.

I'm not going to go over Stu's points one buy one, as I'd spend longer than
you or I have doing that.

Instead I'll provide this link as a starting place, which it's unlikely
you'll choose to click on...

http://www.freetibet.org/info/facts/home.html

it really is hard to know where to start with stuff  Stu said. I'm not in
Tibet. He is/was. I suppose I'll have been present at testimonies of torture
in Tibet during my Amnesty International Days c1992-1996 at Uni, read a wee
bit, been a member of Free Tibet for a year or two and then having been
drawn to eastern philosophies, and been involved in Buddhist centres etc
for a few years [to the point that when someone asks me if I'm a Buddhist, I
finally am answering yes] it's natural I take a bit of an interest. I also
believe there are others on-list probably better informed than me. I'll
avoid the Tibet/Buddhism history rant as well. I'm not a Tibetan Buddhist
(I'm more pic'n'mix FWBO for anybody that cares) but I have friends who are.

It is fair to say Tibet compared to Nepal locally, or many many many other
states worldwide, might be over-represented in the amount of activism done
in its name overseas, BUT it is reasonably unique in it's frequently
non-violent (and thus primarily unsuccessful) defence of itself in so many
ways.

That for me is why others get involved. If only the US & UK answered calls
from pressure groups to reward peaceful activism/opposition instead of or in
unison with wielding the big stick, they might have got a lot more
respect/support for the anti-terror campaign. I won't use the word 'war'
in that context. it's too silly.

Safe to say I strongly disagree with a significant amount of what Stu says,
to the point that I'm genuinely surprised to read some of it. 'Nuff said. As
Bucks Fizz didn't say, make your own minds up.

For once I have more 'real' content.

I've said to a few people how I've come to the conclusion that I've maybe
never really forgiven B&S for stopping being B&S circa 1996/1997.
I've said to people that the friends I've made through Sinister are even
more important to me than the band.
Certainly Sinister has probably kept alive an interest in a band that might
have otherwise waned at times. Many people have understood this, yet said
DCW has swung them back to our heroes, and I think whilst my swingometer
took a while to warm up, I'm glad to say I'm more excited to see them than
I have been in many many years.

The Saturday seems to be the Somerset House gig people I know are going
to. (usual apologies for London-centricity). Will be m'ladys first B&S
experience which will be exciting for us, as Glasgow is looking increasingly
unlikely which grates rather. Rather than being Grate. Free gig. mmmm.

It's an odd one, not being able to let go of an era of a band that you loved
so much, to the extent you probably don't objectively enjoy newer material
as much as you might, as if you'd discovered them around that later time. I
guess it is a sign of just *how* much I liked/loved/adored b&s then. this
isn't meant to be the indie snobbery I'm sure it reads as. maybe it's me
owning that a little bit? I know I've spoken to many current/ex-sinister
types who can relate to at least part of what I'm trying to say. I've never
felt like wading in to discussion of new material and moaning its not what I
want from them, harping on about the moment I heard the state I'm in on
Peel's Festive 50, etc etc. I do know what I'm like(!)

Maybe part of the resurgence of interest is because I can relate to the
opening lines of  'If you find yourself caught in love'. That always makes
things interesting doesn't it? I'm actually a bit excited about a release
too. An indie funk Bohemian Rhapsody? Next  I'll start begging to fill the
myriad of gaps in my not owning lots of unreleased stuff. (not very
subliminal warning to people that know me).

It certainly is a delight to be able to lend the complete works of Belle &
Sebastian to a virgin (not virgin radio [I think] ) listener and
share in their enthusiasm after early listens to TM & IYFS. I look forward
to re/discovering some of the later stuff that I didn't allow myself to get
into, quite as much as I might have.

Yours unapologetically (for the politics)

jim x

PS  http://www.boycottmadeinchina.org/
I never got let into a premier oils shareholders meeting to kick off about
their stuff in Burma (they conveniently didn't process stuff in time) but it
is a bit satisfying when activism actually works, and companies like Premier
Oils have to listen to shamed major shareholders. I don't do as much as I
should these days, stuff like Oxfam + Friends of the Earth's email campaigns
are pretty easy ways to email/fax your MP/MEP etc) , but I'm not going to
apologise for a considered view that happens to coincide with a 'liberal
majority'.

PPS I do appreciate the irony of the fact that as 'she' (m'lady) is flying
to China as I speak, it's pretty likely I'll be owning a small gift that was
indeed made in China soon (!)
A bit like my boycott of the Israeli Tivali vegetarian foods, then buying a
US made veggie-bacon thing instead!

It's not easy is it!
http://www.ethicalconsumer.org/boycotts/boycotts_list.htm

oh and while your at it http://www.boycottbush.net/consumers.htm

I think it's ok to go to the park and kick a ball though. well, maybe that
depends where you buy your ball ;)

is there anybody else I can upset? probably, I better not go on.

I see Michael Moore is battling shareholders of US film companies etc to get
a release for his new film. Good-oh!

did I just hear a Pinefox rustle in the distance, or was that my
imagination?

thank you for indulging me.
back to the wilderness.
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