Mother London

I must thank Lost Jimmy for putting me onto Mother London by Michael Moorcock. It's on the pile to be read next and, coincidentally, will be my third novel on the bounce set in the capital. I'm currently (re) reading Arthur Conan Doyle's 'The Sign Of Four' and before that it was Patrick Hamilton's Midnight Bell; set forty years apart (Doyle late 1890s, Hamilton early 1930s) both portray London warts and all and pull no punches when getting to grips with the city's underclass. Of course Holmes always gets his man, while the outcome for Bob, Hamilton's anti-hero, was far from satisfactory.

I've used this clip before, but cut me some slack, it's Ray Davies.

Brighton Rock

Just a quick one today. My friend, Chris Higgins, musician and Brighton dweller, recently sent me his latest batch of recordings. He goes under the moniker The Ruminators and he/they have just bashed out thirteen shiny new pop gems. You'll find my favourite track at the bottom of the page.

When I get a minute I'll get 'round to penning a few words on not only Chris' songs but also two classic Brighton novels (without mentioning that one): West Pier by Patrick Hamilton and Keith Waterhouse's Palace Pier both depict the town in true warts and all style and I revisit them often. Anyway, as Kirsty Wark might say, more on those stories later.