Oliver Wood Photography

Just a quick one tonight. Spent part of the weekend tidying my ‘Garden’ (back yard) and decided to have a little burn up, filmed of course, in imitable style. This very low grade sequence also constitutes my first submission to Vimeo, the apparently more sophisticated alternative to YouTube.

I’m still dreaming of greater freedom, more time to be properly creative and to indulge that perennial desire for total self-mastery. I’m still trying to work out exactly where my personal philosophy sits with the established doctrines but somehow feel that I am somewhere between the sadly defunct ideals of Situationism and the ever elusive complexity of Existentialism — maybe?

All eyes on Urbis again this coming weekend as the venue (including a specially erected marquee) play host to a 24 hour celebration of all that was Factory. Or more specifically, The Tony Wilson Experience. The event also known as Riification (making the abstract concrete) in honour of the situationist manifesto that underpinned the Factory ethos is billed as a kind of creative gathering of the cities most creative minds. Many of whom, of course, were associated with Factory or that extraordinary era of Mancunian creativity.

Much of this event is invitation only but the main purpose is inspiration. The idea being to inspire a new generation of talent to take on the mantle of the now ageing Factory era elite in an attempt to bring about the birth of a new era of creativity and originality amongst Manchesters cultural movers and shakers. Maybe even the birth of a new cult identity for same, though I feel that this could be a little optimistic. Well, at least someone is trying. My colleague Craig Johnson is joining Elliot Rashman and Steve Connor in the marquee at 4am to give a talk on situationism!

Little to write about tonight just relaxing with GP on the download trying to think of something to do. The weather has changed yet again and reverted to the predominant theme of heavy leaden skies with frequent showers, it seems that we are locked into this depressing climate for the foreseeable future, not so much ‘global warming’ as global drerying. The conditions do however, make for rather interesting photographic effects and it has dawned on me just how many of my pictures now appear to be shot under such heavy and almost apocalyptic conditions instead of clear blue skies. One of the great things about life at these latitudes is the drama of cloud and the ever-changing lighting conditions that it creates, skies that look like a messed up artists pallet under a slow drip. I think this is something that I would really miss if I had to decamp to latitudes in negative figures.

GP has just mentioned the erstwhile Tribe label once again following a ‘special’ on this 70s vehicle for avant garde, deep and spiritual jazz, which of course leads to this:-

2 New for June:-

Hastings St Jazz Experience and Marcus Belgrave Gemini

Two classics and must have items from the 70s so called ‘post bop’ ‘post Coltrain’ Detroit jazz scene are heading this way:-

Marcus Belgrave was one of the Tribe label’s prime movers and Gemini defines the whole Tribe feel quite nicely. To me it sounds wonderfully nostalgic and reminds me of tripped-out brassware heavy work for the Afro and converse generation, big powerful and full of 70s soulfulness. In short, both of these albums seem to dovetail with the Dwight Trible ‘Horace’ period quite satisfactorily.

Note to self: Total mileage: 9,150.6

I have decided to join the massing ranks of bearded men, well actually it is probably a third outing for full-blown facial hirsuteness for yours truly but this time we are in for the long haul.

People tell me that beards are very ‘fashionable’ and ‘cool’ at the moment. Of course, I’m not into having a beard simply because it happens to be a necessary requisite for musicians at the helm of the contemporary zeitgeist, or aficionados of the prevailing trend for retro folk chic and the general return to masculine style virtues. No, it’s deeper than that, it seems to me that a growing number of men of all ages (but usually those under 40) are opting for the hirsute look both because of its association with non conformity and revolutionary tendencies. Beards not only seem to identify individuals who are attuned to contemporary thinking on environmental ‘issues’ or artists, but they are also becoming something of a trend amongst those who wish to distance themselves from the shallow contemporary consumer culture, ladism, chavism and the idiotic obsessions with perma boyishness. The assumption is that bearded guys don’t watch Big Brother or obsess about over accessorising their cars, instead bearded guys have BMX scars, swim in moreland rivers and eat organic.

Of course as one of my colleagues pointed out the beard is also an essential requisite for all revolutionary thinkers in the arts, culture, politics and science. But as implied the so called burgeoning ‘revolution’ is now one against all that is decadent, shallow and effete in favour of a return to thoughtfulness and the exoneration of wisdom and maturity over youth. It is an inevitable reaction in many ways I suppose.

As my intellectual and familial kith and kin all seem to be sporting beards of one type or another I felt that I had no choice in order to assert my ‘tribal sympathy’. Fortunately, all concerned think that I suit it, so it is staying put, though I don’t think I could ever be confused with a besandaled librarian in this, I tend to cut more of a Sandinista rebel or battle fatigued commando look — I do, I tell ya!

Again I’m listening to the Giles Peterson show and it is satisfyingly Jazzy and soulful tonight instead of unremittingly Hip Hop’ish. The opener was a track off the new Paul Weller album (Black River) which sounds amazing moving into some vintage and unfamiliar Herbie Hancock then on to Marcus Belgrave and a tribute to the legendary and always inspiring Tribe label that seemed to be the mainstay of Jazz and Soul artists with a more ‘spiritual’ vibe in the 70s and that’s just how I like it, only Giles can mix it up like this! — A genius!

However, I’m now trying to listen to this on a rate of 64Kbs instead of the CD quality 250 plus Kbs, Why does the BBC keep messing about with streaming rates, or is it something further down the line so to speak?

Hyperbolic as ever, Good night—