Or, Maybe It Was Schindler's Fist...

This rounds off Davus' questions then -

3. What do you think of humanity's curious habit of taking drugs in all their wonderful colours? Penny for your thoughts on the issue.

I'm trying hard not answer this with the arrogant 'why not?' that first popped up in my head. When I think of it, I've probably concerned myself more with the thought of why people don't want to do drugs, in which case the answer gets tangled up in the matter of legality - I've never got round to wondering about why people would do them in the first place.
As far as I can tell, reasons for that initial choice to take drugs can be lumped into two general categories. First off, there are those that turn to drugs as a means of self-medication, by which I include those that see drugs as an escape from a bad situation, whatever that may be. Then there's those that do it for altogether more recreational purposes, by which I include those that are just curious, and those that do it because someone else is doing it.

Now, the reasons for the first group's choices are pretty much self-explanatory, but the second group isn't so clear. Well, apart from the ones just trying to be cool; they're just fudds. And those that are just curious, good on them - that's almost reason enough for me anyway.

However, for those that have got their drugs of choice and avoided any serious addiction to them - I'm including all sorts, alcohol, caffeine - and have decided 'yeah, this'll do me good to do again...', that's the curious bit.

Well, surely its simply the fact that they benefit on whatever scale from the effects of the drug, be it the merely the enjoyment of the effect it has on mind or body.

Does morality have to come into it at all? Nah, don't think so. If anything, being used in a responsible manner (it's doing no one else any harm, and its not an addiction), it can only be a good thing, seeing as its providing personal happiness, which has got to count for something. Sure, an addiction would provide personal happiness; only in the short-term though.

Somewhat on the topic, I just want to share a word I learned recently. The Balinese word Nadi, (pronounced NOD-ee) which means 'to temporarily inhabit another dimension', is a word that would do well to be used more prolifically. In this book, it is suggested that words such as 'trance' have developed a bad reputation, having associated the word with "a state of stupor or hypnotic enslavement, of total dissolution of will". Yet it is noted that great minds of art and science have admitted that some of their greatest works have been borne from a trance. Nadi, connotes a beneficial variety of trance, a daydream where you return bearing gifts. I feel this is an important sentiment when trying to understand the ever-fascinating experience (so I've heard anyway) of doing weed, for example.

5. When was the last time you cried and why? If you're not comfortable answering this, then when was the last time you felt truly sad and why?

Genuinely, the last time I cried was most likely in front of a film. Some people scoff at that, but hey, a film is engineered to evoke certain emotional responses, and I watch good films. Unfortunately, I can't remember for certain which film it was, as it was a while ago. Diving Bell And The Butterfly perhaps. That or Full Metal Jackoff.

That's likely not the answer you were looking for though. So in answer to when was I last truly sad. Again, I'm not all that sure. But you can bet on it being something to do with my Dad. Man, do we not get along...

It's all sort of insignificant, isn't it?

Did I mention I won't be answering any of these questions in any apparent order? Well, there you go. Still, both are from Dave:

2. Have you ever had a religious experience? This doesn't have to relate to God or any known religion, it could be a feeling of transcendence, something 'other' to the material world that we inhabit, or it could be a feeling of being overwhelmed by the mystery and wonder of existence.

With every waking moment... what, are you saying that's not normal?

Yes, I suppose I have. What I find very difficult in explaining something like this though is an irritating awareness that what feels extremely profound to myself is at the same time, quite laughable to another. I've been made to feel pretty stupid in the past for being intoxicated by, y'know, when really I have nothing to be ashamed of - but nevertheless, I'm still occasionally hesitant in vocalising my own impression of the experience without toning it down. Nevertheless, when I do try to explain the truly bizarre, I struggle articulate properly, and though trying my hardest, I sometimes can't represent it properly, so I feel silly explaining. It's not half as bad as that sounds - like explaining an awesome dream, something's always lost in translation, but ah well, I'm the one who experienced it, and that's what matters.

Firstly, while under the influence of laughing gas (...I was at the dentist...), I had a truly wonderful time. My brain seems to insist that most of my experiences with N2O involve some interstellar travel - this is what I mean where things get lost in translation. It's very hard for me to take something like this seriously (and why would I? Getting blasted out the universe and thinking with a 56k dial-up modem brain is a funny concept), but at the time, it's the most awe-inspiring experience. However, that's not being blown away by the wonder of existence though, just blown away.

Secondly, while under the influence of chocolate cake (not entirely irrelevant), during our first group holiday to the west coast, Conor, Dave and I went wandering late at night. Now, this was perhaps the most perfect, and wonderfully Mediterranean weather I could hope to find in Scotland, and so the sky never really got dark, but the stars came out as full as they possibly could. It was beautiful. Truly remarkable. With absolutely no light pollution from the land, the stars shone easily, and most importantly, exhibited a proper sense of three dimensions in space - and resultantly, our relation to them and our own position in space.

And there it was: my cosmic angst. How entirely inconsequential we are in the grandest scale of things. This is a wonderful feeling, incredibly freeing. I don't remember what we particularly talked about that night, but I was certainly engulfed by thought. How selfish religions are in their persistence of believing humanity is so special. The sheer scale. The wonder of life elsewhere, or indeed, the wonder of no life elsewhere. Wow. WOW.

4. It's the year 2029. What's your life like?

Considering that even now, I am utterly spellbound by the idea that we're coming toward the end of the naughties, and my brain is still in the process of dealing in multiples of decades (1999 was ten years ago... Holy shit, doesn't that blow you away?!), I have a sneaking suspicion I'll be thinking 'Holy shit! I'm 41, and I'm still wondering what I'll be when I grow up!'

By 41, assuming I've not been firing blanks, I'm fairly certain I will be a father, or trying to be one. It's a prospect that really interests me. Genetic experimentation - awesome. On many levels, it's such a shame that it's not acceptable for me to establish control and comparative studies without annoying the girlfriend/wife. I think I will be an awesome dad. I've always wondered whether my dad thought that about himself. There's one of the oddest relationships I'll ever have in my life. Hmm. Yeah, I'm going to be awesome at that particular role.

I mentioned 'wife' earlier. Just to be clear - I'd prefer not to marry. Marriage is a silly prospect with all its financial ties and such. The language and symbolism of implied ownership of another person doesn't bother me in the slightest as long as it goes both ways, and I'd make sure it did. My reluctance to marry is fairly recent, yet I assure you, entirely independent of my own parents split (I utterly abhor the suggestion that it is related on any emotional level - very patronising). This all being said however, I'm rather aware that I may very well meet someone that quite likes the idea of getting married (these kind of people are quite prolific I hear), and I'm fine with that. I'll try to dissuade them from it, and their decision following this may very well decide where the relationship is going, but if it's make or break (and if I decide I'd rather make) then I'm not really all that opposed to the idea.

It's wonderful to think how much my friends right now seem like such a sturdy constant. I'm still a very close friend with Conor, a close friend from Primary school. My core group of friends, four years later, are still pretty much the exact core group I had in secondary school. That's pretty uncommon, right? Especially when I think how good I am at making new friends (I do appreciate this particular ability). I have a funny image in my head that my social life will be remarkably similar to the one I have right now. To assimilate the image of family life and social life.... I don't think I'd have too much of a problem. Certainly, I won't (and quite adamantly so) follow my Dad's example of only ever meeting friends once a week at the local pub (that was when I was young, his present lack of social life terrifies me). Nah, I've nothing to worry about here. I'm going to be a very social 41 year old, and people will surely be naming babies after me around about this time - 'Gordon' will surge in popularity.

Careerwise, who knows? I honestly have no idea, neither do I have any real intentions - I have absolutely no serious aspirations to any particular job title. It does however look like I'm headed for a career in the operational side of the entertainment or cultural sector. Working at the Byre has been a fascinating experience. As an usher, I've seen more plays in one year than a lot of people have seen in their entire lifetime. That's a basic pay job (ha, 'job') and I've got an opinion on an art-form that a lot of people can only bullshit about. As a manager, I've become (apparently noticeably) a far more confident person, and my people skills have come on leaps and bounds. Common sense goes miles farther than any academically-gradeable skill, so I've got to thank my lucky stars for that. As part of the box office team, I've learnt that a desk job (with really rather boring tasks to perform) can be one of the best jobs possible as long as you've got the right people around you. Fuck me, when I leave the Byre, I'm going to miss a lot of people.
I've not given a straight answer on the career front. Honestly, I'd be pretty damned happy if I was running a little cafe that played old movies every evening. Or CEO of the Byre. Or producer for my brother's next film. Or children's animation workshop tutor. Something like that.

Searching For The New Sound

I'm going to post one or two questions at a time. Yeah, fair enough, this game is somewhat consuming my blog, but I'm enjoying your questions just as much as any other topic, and this way, I can dedicate just the right length not to fatigue you all. So, with wonderful pictures from the great Abdul Nusrat, an answer for Dave:

1. You're the key creative force behind a great band. Describe your sound.

I've gotta thank you for this opportunity, I really think the world is ready for the tuneful stylings of Cracker Honky's Shindig Collective. 

Described as 'an utterly bewildering revision of folk-punk with a nod to jazz and a wink to soul' (The Guardian), the band are instantly recogniseable thanks to a concoction of several ingredients. Firstly, there is the deep, warm sound of double bass and the labyrinthine piano stylings (provided by Just Five Fingers Lawson and Davus 'FUCK POP' Heitler respectively). Together, the listener is swept up in a strange vision of New Orleans where steampunk has taken over. The steampunk aesthetic is wonderfully illustrated by Sound-smith, occasional vocalist and bongo-master Cracker Honky Strachan by a clear embrace of pioneering sound technology (to the extent that one wonders whether Strachan harbours a fetish for such equipment). If you've ever wondered how the music of The Wild West might have sounded if they only had a decent synthesizer, Cracker Honkey is your best bet of finding your answer. On guitar (acoustic or electric, depending on how he feels on the night) is Corndog 'Mo' Guacamole' McStay, his sound being the pillar of the punk aspect of the outfit. Though Corndog's roots lie mainly in the prog genre, having already cemented his place in history alongside 'Yes' and 'Mike Oldfield', his desires to race into 'Prog Archives' history are negotiated by a contractual deal that the band only perform gigs on evenings of no wind. This gives Cracker Honky's Shindig Collective's concerts an entirely unusual tone (and to an extent, an unusual following) as fans famously bring kites with them to gigs in the event that the wind picks up, so that they can join Corndog in flight each time he dashes from the stage.

 

Also with the band is lead vocalist Mu-c, who's stunning range and engaging tone lends to the band's sound a versatility that could see an album, such as 2009's upcoming release Party With Patsy, ranging from Marvin Gaye-esque smoothness to the theatrical boldness of Nick Cave. Cracker Honkey tends to step in with Jeff Mangum, of Neutral Milk Hotel, style vocals. Incidentally, Neutral Milk Hotel will be reforming especially to support the band on their next tour. 

Regular collaborative artists are Chloe 'Citrus Killer' Belcher (massive recorder) and Papa Collins (trumpet), who appear on each album, particularly on the epic tracks, where the band feel the sound is just too epic for them to carry alone.