Monthly Archives: February 2016

On show

Posted on February 29, 2016 by clivedav184z

Posing for their owner as I passed by on my bike.

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Cambridge politicians

Posted on February 29, 2016 by clivedav184z

The reviews I remember reading seemed quite sniffy or full of faint praise, but in the end I enjoyed John Cleese’s autobiography much more than I’d expected. If he doesn’t come across as the most warm-hearted of individuals — would anyone … Continue reading →

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Non-judgemental

Posted on February 28, 2016 by clivedav184z

So now Donald Trump refuses to condemn white supremacists. I can’t help thinking of one of the items in Bill Crow’s genial anthology, “Jazz Anecdotes”: Bobby Hackett was known for never saying anything bad about anyone. When a friend insisted … Continue reading →

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Toe to toe

Posted on February 28, 2016 by clivedav184z

“Now listen, you queer — stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I’ll sock you in your goddamn face and you’ll stay plastered!” At last, I got round to watching “Best of Enemies”. Gore Vidal and William F. Buckley swap barbs on … Continue reading →

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Donald Trump’s way with golf

Posted on February 26, 2016 by clivedav184z

From a highly entertaining  list of anecdotes assembled by Matt Labash: Despite Trump’s allegedly having a 4 handicap and owning scores of golf courses (“the best in the world”), he plays about as straight as a corkscrew. When Alice Cooper was … Continue reading →

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The new normal

Posted on February 24, 2016 by clivedav184z

In the foyer of the Barbican Centre last night.

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Notebook

Posted on February 23, 2016 by clivedav184z

The fragmentation of Italian politics in reaction to the long stagnant acquiescence under Fascism continues. There are now some sixty officially recognised political parties having memberships from a hundred or so to nearly two million. Many of these offer bizarre … Continue reading →

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Not the permissive society

Posted on February 22, 2016 by clivedav184z

“You could say it was connected with sex,” said the spokeswoman in a deadpan voice. When Frank Zappa’s “200 Motels” concert  was banned from the Albert Hall, February 1971. HT:  @BBCArchive.

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In search of Nina Simone

Posted on February 21, 2016 by clivedav184z

[Apologies: a draft of this post was published by mistake.] Soaring music, depressing life. My Times review [£] of “What Happened, Miss Simone?”, a book that paints an unsettling portrait of a unique artist: Her willingness to speak her mind shines … Continue reading →

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Storm front, Bondi Beach

Posted on February 21, 2016 by clivedav184z

Insert your global economic metaphor here. Rohan Kelly’s picture is one of the winners in this year’s World Press Photo awards.

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