The Pirate’s Gospel

True. I have missed a lot back home: my cousin’s funeral, my mother’s operation, my friend’s bout with cancer, another friend’s baby boy. I have missed my family, my friends and the comforts of being at home. I missed riding my bicycle, odd but true. I missed having an income and got into debt. 

Yet a few tears, thousands of laughs and a million lessons later I know I made the right the decision and damn, I’m not done yet:-)

 Besides having had several friends visiting, an operation, my friend C’s amazing 3 month stay here, I learned that I have amazing friends, I swam, danced, ran, cried, banged my head, made a video, was interviewed, went to a lot of gallery openings, saw movies, listened to music but most of all I 

Photographed: Winter for The Learning Cape, Verity Price twice, Rocking the Daisies, Donovan Copley, Neil John Smith in his studio at the Woodstock Industrial Centre, Tristan Waterkeyn at home and in town, Margaret McNamara Memorial Fund at UCT, Captain Stu and Johnny Clegg at WBHS, Miss Texas 1977 in Woodstock, Hendrik Vermeulen in Tokai, Guy Buttery at Klein Plaasdam, Akio Kawahito in Woodstock, S.A. Partridge in Noordhoek, Toby Attwell in Maitland, Jeanne, Loredana, Monishia Schoeman in Parkwood, Tshepo Moche in the Bo-Kaap, Lauren Fowler in Kalk Bay and Maloti Mothobi in Guguletu.

Flowers in West Coast National Park, a wanna be, broke into the Mint Building in Muizies for an impromptu photo shoot, Do It Day on Kommetjie beach, kite surfers, Lieve on her beetle, Ayesha’s PhD graduation and henna tattoos, a trip in Namibia, a road trip with Maarten through the Swartberg into Die Hel and back through Outeniqua, a visit with Joy to Site 5, sundowners on Lion’s Head and a day sailing in Hout Bay. 

 Published: an interview with Donovan Copley, a review of a Tonik gig, a piece on volunteering in Capricorn, an interview with Verity Price and one with Tristan Waterkeyn on the Portfolio Travel Blog. Picture of Freshlyground in 021 magazine, Hendrik Vermeulen in the Cape Times. 

 Stayed: at the Bluebottle, Amberley, Capri, St.James, Amberley, Namibia, Woodstock, the Netherlands, Woodstock, Noordhoek, Woodstock, Fresnaye, Woodstock, Welcome Glenn, Capri. 

Lost: cell phone, clothes through the window, mugged at knife point, car. 

Made: friends and connections. A project. 

Had: an awesome time. Meetings. Coffee. A solo exhibition at the Grand Daddy Hotel and a group exhibition at Museum. 

Laughed: till I cried, at monkeys coming through the cat flap, “I like your head do you wear it everyday”, the moon the moon!

Felt: sad, lonely, nervous, loved, humbled, excited, drunk, in love, amazed, confused, ready to go, lost, happy.  

Touched: the glass ceiling, wood. 

Tasted: freedom, whiskey’s and wines. 

Liked: you. 

Loved: doing it all. 

Wants: More.

In case you’re wondering, the title comes from Alela Diane’s record The Pirate’s Gospel and that song has been stuck in my head all day. Together with “I’m a boy I’m a boy but my mom won’t admit it. If i say i am I’m going to get it” by, nuh nuh, The Who! 🙂 

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c’est simple

contacted magazines; check. contacted agencies; check. contacted stores: check. contacted production companies: check. now someone, hire me. #reallyreallywanttocomeback

Dancers at the end of time

Yesterday was fun, today I am bored. Massively bored. Yesterday I woke up at 6 am cause some silly ass monkeys came charging through the cat flap and causing mayhem. It was a definitive first for me:-) Had tons of coffee and laughs about it, moved to a different friend’s place, went for a swim, did some work and drove to Woodstock in order to meet up with Lieve. Headed to Museum for the Niklas Zimmer/Ray du Toit exhibition, was interviewed by Creative Cape Town, drank wine outside and slowly made our way home for food, drink and laughs on the back porch. A good day.

 

 

 

Today I am uninspired and am having trouble deciding what to do. It’s too hot to go for a run, i don’t feel like editing any photographs, am waiting to hear back from 2 magazines and a store that is interested in buying two of my photos and there is no fun on the horizon which I find hugely depressing.

 

There a few maybe fun things looming in the distance though but nothing’s definite and therefore don’t count, yet. Besides, they merely lead me to a different problem, not enough time left in SA and not enough funds to do it properly. I really want both though and refuse to not do things in the last two weeks. One of the fun things is shooting a video for a band and the other is to go on a trip with some friends. Doing both would be awesome as both would be new and fun cause ja, I need a little adventure. Something fun, something odd and most of all something new and unexpected. I even know who with but they can’t, or won’t or simply don’t care to do it… with me. Or they do but can’t make it within the time frame that is left.. hell, I don’t know… I should go outside.

 

 

If you are in town btw there is a cool thing happening at the Book Lounge later today: Andy Mason’s new book will be released, drinks and snacks provided plus a talk by Zapiro. The weloverealbeer festival is also on later today. Maybe we can go on our adventure tomorrow:-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The title comes from Howlin’Rain… look here:-)

Hello operator, can you give me back my dime?

On some random day years and years ago (must have been 2001 or 2002) The Soledad Brothers* performed at our house. Yes, you heard that right. The Soledad Brothers. They played at our house. Yup.

 

You see, I lived in this place called The Moira which was a creative hub of sorts. Formerly owned by an insurance company, the building was left abandoned and unattended. Squatters moved in in no time. This was during the “no future” 80’s  after all (and no, i was not around at the time:-)) and squatting was what one did apparently. And drink. And take coke. Or heroine.

 

They took over and turned it into a place for artists and soon enough it became a legalized place where rent was cheap. Pretty much adhering to the theory that artists a) don’t make a lot of money and b) often pay rent twice being for their house and their studio so why not set up a place where people can live cheaply, have a studio available, including a (rather well-known) gallery space, plus rehearsal space for bands and a hall in which they could perform. There used to be a darkroom as well but by the time I moved in they had turned in into a store room. The Moira consisted of several buildings and housed about 30 people in total. Each floor consisting of its own little community. Artsy, often “dance/dj” types everywhere except for where we lived:-) We were the rock floor. 

 

All this is completely besides the point. The point is that this one guy organized cool shows in the hall below. Many a local band performed there but also the Dead Brothers and indeed, the Soledad Brothers (pictured above). While we were having our beers in one of the little booths, I looked up and saw this chick that looked a hell of a lot like Meg White. So my friend went over there and hell yeah, it was Meg White, supporting her boyfriend’s band and selling records. My friend who btw, at the time, worked in a record store called Da Capo.

 

Fast forward to December 2010. The White Stripes are re-releasing their first 3 albums in limited editions and each record will be sold in one store only world wide. The first album will be available in a fire department in Detroit, White Blood Cells is available only in a record store in Memphis and yes, you guessed it, De Stijl is only available at Da Capo in Utrecht. Woop Woop!!!

 

Apparently, Da Capo was approached by Third Man Records, pretty much via The Dirtbombs who, whenever they are in the NL, always pop by Da Capo. The link with Utrecht is easily made of course, De Stijl, Rietveld, Utrecht, Da Capo. But what about your Moira anecdote, I hear you ask? Well, that had nothing to do with it:-)

 

*Soledad Brothers: “Idiosyncratic, imperfect, soulful, and fierce, the Soledads’ music is punk-rock attitude melded with Southern country fish fry, all-day sidewalk jamming, and White Panther power. It sounds like John Lee Hooker on an amphetamine jag.”  Or  just Google them:-) And Google the Dead Brothers too while you’re at it. Still love “Closer to you”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 The photo of The White Stripes was taken of course by Annie Leibovitz

Who Cares What The Question Is?

Gup Magazine, Mahala, Itch, A Look Away, One Small Seed… what other magazines? I need suggestions.. and publications:-)

With 3 more weeks to go I am starting to feel stressed out about doing more with the Swimming Upstream project. Have had a very cool and inspiring meeting with Instant Grass and one with Museum as well. Thing is, I have an awesome idea and it could totally work but I need more time. Instant Grass suggested doing it in January and that makes way more sense but that means coming back. Coming back is exactly what I want but I am so flippin’ broke that I am moving out today to stay with a friend. And then another friend. And another and another. You get the idea… Fuck. Where to find enough money for a plane ticket, food, housing, transport etc for 2 months…  Bleh

Meeting Overtone and Akio this afternoon.