Okay, that’s two Madonna-esque headings in a row. Not intended at all. See, I was gonna title it “Southern Man,” but that doesn’t really suit me now, as I’m in Europe. I’ll save it for later, perhaps for the moment when I get my NZ residency or something.
Been away for a while. It’s not that I don’t love you, but other things have distracted me. Good things, so don’t you fret.
Now in Berlin, where I’m doing bits and pieces of work, having a tiny amount of fun, but generally trying to get over the cold and grey-ness of it all. I’ve got the coal oven going, which has yet to put me into the big sleep, and I’m writing this from the kitchen where I’ve got the stove on to keep me warm. It’s only -10, so my Canadian readers should console themselves with thoughts that I still have some tolerance for a good chill, but I know that with more time in New Zealand, this is going to be frickin’ cold soon.
A run-down, then, of what’s been up as of late (in no particular order):
1) Xmas in NZ - I’ve done the Southern Hemisphere at Xmas thing twice before, once in Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island, and then in Hobart, in Tasmania. Both of those consisted of some wild adventures (near death experience, lost in the swells kayaking off of the Abel Tasman track in NZ, and lost on the beaches near Bicheno during the heaviest rainstorm in fifty years in Tassie). This year, a much more laid-back and land-based affair, positively mild in comparison. Out to Otaki, which is where the image above comes from, at a sedate dinner arranged by an Australian colleague. A drive up the coast to a friend’s bach (short for “bachelor”) where, if the weather was clear, we might well have seen whales and penguins.
2) New Year’s in NZ - Those other southern moments are marred only by memories of a night of Simply Red played over and over (NZ) and a cheese fondue that failed, congealing into a rubbery mass of goo impenetrable to even the crustiest of breads (Hobart). My mother and sister know what the latter is like, but that’s not to say I can’t do a proper fondue. I have in the past and since and vow to do so again. I’ve been told that fondues are making a bit of a comeback in Aus, but I just can’t see them really sticking. Now NZ could probably be the perfect setting, what with the cold and all.
New Year’s in Wellington was modest by those standards. We ended up at house in Petone, on the outskirts of the city, minutes before midnight. We then headed down to the beach, where we could get a good view of Wellington in the distance. The fireworks went off in staggered fashion (no Guy Fawkes-like incendiary accidents this time), with me standing in the bay, dead jellyfish lapping up on my feet. Squishy good fun.
3) Antti’s visit - My Finnish friend Antti made an appearance in Wellington just before I left for Berlin. We rented a car and we headed up the coast, driving on the opposite side of the road for the first time. It was no big deal really, but I was using the curb alot to keep me in the right, rather, left lane. The car itself was a bit of a crappy number, a Toyota Joinus, with a cassette deck (!) and no uumph, so doing the Rimutakas was a bit of a nightmare. I felt like the car was just going to coast backward at some point. This stretch of highway near Wellington is just some of the most treacherous road I’ve ever experienced. 13 kms took us more than half-an-hour to complete. Great vistas, though.
4) The non-willed diet - In early December, we hosted a popular music conference at Vic. Shortly after it ended, I came down with a serious stomach bug, Campylobacter, a bacteria you can only get from your food coming in contact with un- or undercooked chicken. Now being a veggie, that’s a scary thought, because I’m sure the actual chicken eater was just fine. I had nothing to eat for four days and looked a little bit gaunt and pale by the end of it. I had to alert the Public Health Authority as well, as this is a public health issue. I have no doubt that after six weeks of German bread and beer all the weightloss will be lost.
5) The long flight - A 24 hour flight, which saw me sitting beside someone on each leg of my journey who knew nothing about health protocols when expectorating. Mouth covered, please, when hacking. The movie selection was just terrible as well. I sat through Elizabethtown, which ranks as one of the worst films I’ve seen in years. The acting, the story, the editing, the music was all wrong. Trying to be an even more mediocre indie-esque movie than Garden State, it misses the mark on every point. Shortly after that I read a story about how Orlando Bloom, once being groomed to be Hollywood’s newest heartthrob, has instead provided an abject lesson in how not to shape your career. At least he’s not dating Tara Reid. Yet.
6) Earthquake! - My first real earthquake in New Zealand, felt a few weeks ago. Most of them happen while I’m at work or sleeping, so I’ve missed out on the shaky fun. This was one was pretty forceful and for the first time I could actually distinguish it from the wind which usually wracks my apartment (up over 130 km a few weeks ago). Made me a bit unsure as to whether or not I should be living on the 5th floor of a concrete highrise. Most Wellingtonians recommend a wooden house as that is better at taking the stress of an earthquake.
7) January in Berlin - I’m gearing up for a couple of talks while in Europe, one in Lancaster and the other here at Club Transmediale, the electronic arts festival which I’ve been doing research on. That latter one has yet to be written, but as it’s a few weeks away, I should be able to devise something interesting. I’m also doing a bit of DJing, and will sit in on a set that my flatmate Remco is doing after Jean-Jacques Perrey’s set. I’ve got a couple of his LPs ready to autograph, and brought some of my weirdo moog LPs, which are hardly a match for Remco’s. His record collection of novelty cuts just puts mine to shame.
8) Music in 2005 - I’ve been pretty restrained in my music buying this year, so I can only mention a few albums that made the move across the globe easier to bear.
Luna - Rendezvous. Dean Wareham remains one my favourite artists ever, guitar-wise and lyric-wise, so it was a bittersweet last album from them. Britta and Dean was a good indicator that he’ll continue being a pop-minded eccentric.
Husky Rescue - Country Falls. Finnish alt-country music. Great stuff, especially for the single “Summertime Cowboy,” but it’s simultaneously moody and upbeat all the way through.
Vitalic - OK Cowboy. It’s been a few years since the “Pony” EP, both cuts which show up here, but the sound is still varied across the album.
Sigur Ros - Takk. At first listen, I was put-off by the poppier bent of this, but after a few listens, it’s really grown on me.
Patrick Wolf - Wind in the Wires. I caught him in Berlin last year, where he’d done a stripped-down show due to his being robbed a few days earlier. I loved “Lycanthropy” from a few years back, with all the Angela Carter references, but his much more straight-ahead acoustic sound on this one is still pretty great. Bit of a prodigy this one.
Broadcast - Tender Buttons. I was suitably impressed with this lot from day one, especially “The Book Lovers,” but their stripped down sound on this one is still worth repeat listens. It’s a grower, like the Sigur Ros, but then I like those.
So that’s where I’ve been, obviously leaving out some crucial detail, which I’ll no doubt get back to at some point down the road, but will dangle here just to keep your interest piqued.
As I always feel the need to catch up, and keep you caught up, here are a few more songs to keep your toes tapping:
Buddy Rich Big Band - The Beat Goes On
Carmen Miranda - Chattanooga Choo Choo
Frl. Menke - Komm Computer
Gil Gilberto - Expresso
Lavern Baker and Jimmy Ricks - You’re the Boss
Louis Prima - I Wan’na Be Like You
Serge Gainsbourg - Untitled
Iso G.
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Geoff Stahl
