More like wake and talk and work and talk and work lately. I’ve been working teaching on a residential course in an ex nunnery near St Albans this week. I’ve worked for the company for a few years on and off, teaching the odd course here and there. Most of their work is residential, so I just do it occasionally. They hire out beautiful historical buildings and teenagers from abroad come for 2 week holidays. You take them out on field trips, give them lessons about cultural topics, and to improve their practical use of English, and do a creative project with them. This time we have been doing film-making. Last week they did a detective story, this week horror stories. No, you can’t see them, because of child protection rules at the job.
The hours are long and you live in work and see no-one but your students and co-workers for 2 weeks, but the work is satisfying and well-paid, and meals and laundry and cleaning are taken care of, so all you have to do is concentrate on the work. The food at this place has been surprisingly good too. I couldn’t do it long term though, you’d feel like you’d been institutionalised. I return to London on Saturday and start a new Summer teaching job on Monday. It will be good to be earning proper money for a while.
1. Circumambient- Grimes
<3 Claire Boucher.
2. Anyone Can Have a Good Time- Owls
Owls! Owls! They’re playing in London in September! Also Kingston in a pub, I’m not sure why. I’ve always wondered why this song isn’t on the album though, it’s great.
3. Diane- Hüsker Dü
I <3 Hüsker Dü. I have probably mentioned this here before, but when I was 14 or so I had a home-made Hüsker Dü tshirt I made in textiles class with a printed transfer, because I couldn’t get my hands on a real one. I have a real one now, but it’s pretty faded and old looking, and I don’t wear it that often. The year before I made the Hüsker Dü shirt, my friend made a tote bag with the cover of Dookie meticulously hand painted on to it. The teacher liked it so much that she insisted on having it for the wall display. By the time Sarah eventually got it back we weren’t so bothered about Green Day. They are custom made for 13 year olds. I was 13 in the 90s, yet they haven’t aged. I think they get put away in giant tupperwares at night like that episode of Eerie Indiana (I will never regret buying the Eerie Indiana boxset)
4. Panda Eyes- Hot Silk Pockets
This is my friends from university. They only ever did this single, but what a single.
5. The Wagon- Dinosaur Jr.
Last time I saw Dinosaur Jr. J Mascis had a massive array of amps around him, sort of arranged in an amp cave, and also arranged to block out his view of Lou. I love what a prick J Mascis is. I also love all the songs by both Dinosaur Jr and Sebadoh that seem to be about the pair’s volatile friendship.
6. Now It’s On- Grandaddy
Last summer I worked at Hampton Court. I was often on maze duty. We were allowed to listen to music in the booth if it wasn’t obnoxious to visitors. I listened to a lot of Grandaddy and Tortoise that summer.
7. Beechwood Park- the Zombies
St Alban’s finest!
8. I Am Damo Suzuki- the Fall
No, you’re Mark E. Smith.
9. Moonshake- Can
Here’s some actual Can.
10. I Wanna Be Your Joey Ramone- Sleater-Kinney
Happy Birthday Tukru! Ramones + Sleater Kinney= Tukru Love
11. Midget Submarines- Swell Maps
The best thing to ever come out of Solihull. (Although Wikipedia tells me Felicity Kendall was born there- I do love the Good Life)
12. He’s Making a Tape- Billy Childish & the Musicians of the British Empire
Being from Medway, I am constitutionally bound to like Charles Dickens, Billy Childish and Tracey Emin. If they find out you don’t, you get thrown in the Medway, and it isn’t a clean river. There’s probably a fair bit of nuclear waste from the submarines down there too.
13. Recent Bedroom- Atlas Sound
No-one wants to die alone.
14. Hatchet- Low
Favourite Mormons.
Best playlist I’ve seen on the net in ages.