Planet Viva Viva
I hadn't wanted to go, but every time I play there there are loads of stories to tell so I went anyway.
The restaurant was entirely bank-holiday empty: just me, a guitarist from Brazil and a guitarist from Israel. The cook was looking mournful and the waiter was doubling as a soundman. But Montague Montgomery turned up and we decided to play just for him, and for each other. I volunteered to go first and sang my heart out, to the sky, to the street, to Australia,to Mars. As I was singing, who should walk in the door but Sean Mitchell, whom I haven't seen for years. He's a gospel singer who used to be a student at the University of the West; when I'd finished we listened to the Israeli singer, whose songs were dark and unusual. He told us he used to be in a punk band and his songs had that punk feel, but they were also melodically very interesting. And then the Brazilian guy got up, and treated us to some Beatles (nothing works for me since the Youtube Korean Baby singing 'Hey Jude'), but brilliantly, 'Stayin' Alive' by the Bee Gees, which he did a very funny rendition of, and then some Elvis and a couple of his own songs. He took off when a couple of Portugese men walked in, singing them a lovely song in Portugese, absolutely beautiful.
So there we were, in the deserted restuarant, a little group of people entertaining each other. It was odd, but lovely too. The chef came out to listen; the sound guy, Monty and the Israeli guy liked my songs; Sean and me liked the Israeli guy's songs; the chef, me and the Israeli guy liked the Brazilian guy's songs, and then I lent Sean my guitar and we all liked his songs. He hadn't been expecting to play but he sang and played really well.
Afterwards we all swopped Myspace addresses. the Israeli guy's one is Goy-something and he explained that Goy is a way of insulting non-Jews. So I sang 'Sing if you're glad to be Goy'.
We had all bonded on a muggy bank-holiday night in Hornsey. It was worth going after all.
Today, I've been walking in Lauderdale Park with Diana and her dogs. We haven't seen each other since January, because she's been away in India. She was filming the spring blossoms to send to India, and we lay on the grass and talked about life for a while in the sunshine.
The restaurant was entirely bank-holiday empty: just me, a guitarist from Brazil and a guitarist from Israel. The cook was looking mournful and the waiter was doubling as a soundman. But Montague Montgomery turned up and we decided to play just for him, and for each other. I volunteered to go first and sang my heart out, to the sky, to the street, to Australia,to Mars. As I was singing, who should walk in the door but Sean Mitchell, whom I haven't seen for years. He's a gospel singer who used to be a student at the University of the West; when I'd finished we listened to the Israeli singer, whose songs were dark and unusual. He told us he used to be in a punk band and his songs had that punk feel, but they were also melodically very interesting. And then the Brazilian guy got up, and treated us to some Beatles (nothing works for me since the Youtube Korean Baby singing 'Hey Jude'), but brilliantly, 'Stayin' Alive' by the Bee Gees, which he did a very funny rendition of, and then some Elvis and a couple of his own songs. He took off when a couple of Portugese men walked in, singing them a lovely song in Portugese, absolutely beautiful.
So there we were, in the deserted restuarant, a little group of people entertaining each other. It was odd, but lovely too. The chef came out to listen; the sound guy, Monty and the Israeli guy liked my songs; Sean and me liked the Israeli guy's songs; the chef, me and the Israeli guy liked the Brazilian guy's songs, and then I lent Sean my guitar and we all liked his songs. He hadn't been expecting to play but he sang and played really well.
Afterwards we all swopped Myspace addresses. the Israeli guy's one is Goy-something and he explained that Goy is a way of insulting non-Jews. So I sang 'Sing if you're glad to be Goy'.
We had all bonded on a muggy bank-holiday night in Hornsey. It was worth going after all.
Today, I've been walking in Lauderdale Park with Diana and her dogs. We haven't seen each other since January, because she's been away in India. She was filming the spring blossoms to send to India, and we lay on the grass and talked about life for a while in the sunshine.
posted by Helen McCookerybook at Monday, May 05, 2008
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