one reason i took up photography and started writing short stories up here on wordpress was that it might feed directly back into my main concern which is songwriting. every decade or so i find myself a bit lost.. it’s not a writers block, but the inclination does vanish. it’s not a fun feeling, although the years have taught me not to panic. a good idea is to just go outside and have an ice cream among people and take some pictures… i have found photography to be a great tonic for the making of music.. it opens my eyes to the world around me, offering new images and ideas for lyrics.
when i’m out and about in london with my camera i often look just above street level.. it’s a gas what’s on view if you lift the eyes up toward the first or second floor of the buildings.
here’s hoping you enjoy my new song
for a long time i’ve been dreaming about a return to freeform radio.. something loose and less shrill with proper music people spinning records rather than professional personalities, and as i walked past the tiny soho radio station one day last summer, my jaw nearly hit the pavement when i clocked dennis bovell the record producer inside hosting a show. i walked in waving my camera, gesturing that i’d love to take a quick photograph. he was kind and welcoming… looked right into the lens and shook my hand firmly n’all… lovely strong forthright demeanour. it was one of my first outings with an SLR camera so i guess technically it’s not a perfect shot, but dennis surely is.
my favourite time for london is early week in the early morning during softer weather. emboldened by a knickerbocker glory ice cream sundae, i like to dander up savile row around lunch time to catch the actual cutters standing outside all the famous tailors with their tape measures draped around their shoulders enjoying a crafty fag on the pavement. then at the lower end of the street i head into hauser & wirth or round the corner to the royal academy to enjoy all the mischief of top banana modern art.. beats drugs by a mile.
remember… if you see somebody riding around with L plates, give them plenty of room….. it could mean they’re learning to love all over again. 
as i continue to dip my woefully amateur toe into photography, a thing i’m noticing is oftentimes when i feel i’ve snapped dull pictures, i flick through them on the train ride home, and discover how the camera lens was more peeled than my eye ever was … i love these young women doing what was traditionally men’s work… one black one white. both on equal footing.. hair tied back out of the way, in full control of a situation… pure london.
