A prophet is without honour in his own land

[alexsarll]

As a concert by one of London's best live bands, last night's Vichy Government show was shamefully underattended. As a video shoot for their own forthcoming single ("in 2009") 'Rubbish', it would have been perfect, and not just because we got an especially good version of that song's end of history ennui/ire. Over the intro, the video cuts back and forth between Vichy getting into the swing of the track, and the hordes of milling peons outside who have cluttered the West End in their desire to see the vroom-vrooms*. For the first chorus, pan around the room showing the people who came for the other bands and are too drunk to leave, the small thicket of people actually there for Vichy and (a brilliant touch, this) the unsolicited accompaniment from a man with a cymbal. Then pretty much fix on the band for the remainder as cappuccino_kid gives his all in clear defiance/denial of the circumstances, until the outro. Here we cut between the band still onstage, and the band as they depart afterwards towards a Piccadilly Circus now somewhat depopulated, but still awash with pop culture horror - exchange students agglutinated around a 'tribal' drummer, the Carling-endorsed busker scum in the station. Perfect. Unintentionally so, but perfect nonetheless.

*Not that I'm saying anyone who likes Formula One is a peon, btw, though I've never seen the appeal myself - I like a good car chase in a film, and can appreciate sports cars, but as with World's Strongest Man, Formula One is specialised beyond the point of usefulness, like the giant fangs that eventually rendered sabre-toothed tigers non-viable. But even marnameow, who had hoped to see the cars, agreed that the crowds were full of irksome imbeciles.

Comments

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

agreed that the crowds were full of irksome imbeciles

Maybe that is why GPs are so expensive, to keep the riff raff out... but then again it keep skint fans like me out as well... oh well...

[thermaland.livejournal.com]

I attended the Monaco GP once. Well I was in a flat directly above the circuit. I simply cannot describe what it does to your ears, head, sanity after a few hours. I always thought that races were more exciting on the TV rather than from a static point of view anyway. But then I'm not really into it so perhaps I am wrong.

[london-imp.livejournal.com]

Aren't the GPs on the continent a lot cheaper than those at Silverstone? When i used to be quite interested in motorsport i read a letter by a Brit saying that he had gone to Monza to watch the race, and that it only cost him £20 to get in, whilst in Britain it would be at least three times that. Who would wanna see a race nowadays anyway? There's no spectacle and only one exceptional driver.

[guntrip.livejournal.com]

I was going to go last night, but the thought of dealing with 250,000 people in Piccadilly as well as Very Fast Cars [cars in general make me nervous] put me off somewhat.

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

To get a good place it was expensive in Portugal as well, but probably £20 for the cheap ones yes. When I saw the race my sister got me a ticket through work... I was in a stand right at the end of the straight line near turn 1.

And about the races, I know they are dullish nowadays, but still, the noise, the smell of rubber on the track... it's something that makes my heart beat faster...

I've been into formula 1 since 1984, goodness, 20 years, a bit late now to lose the passion... (even though now i don't watch every single race and not always get up at 3am to watch the australian GP...

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

the noise is just brilliant, the smells, the whole thing...

but then that might be just me... and Sara...

take 2

[thermaland.livejournal.com]

My brother-in-law was a voluntary fireman on the Monaco GP a few times. What's the name of the British driver who might now have retired of slipped down, he was in Pizza adverts? Anyway that one right, he was rude to him during the trials and then crashed his car during the actual race so Pietro nicked a bit of his car as a souvenir and in retaliation... :D

Re: take 2

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

No idea of pizza adverts? Mansell? Damon Hill?

I don't have bits of cars, just photos memories and autographs

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I used to work on the door at Castle Donington, which wasn't Formula One I don't think, but anyway, car racing. There were plenty of irksome imbeciles who did attend events too. Plenty of riff raff have money; plenty of people I wouldn't want to bludgeon, such as yourself, are less flush.

Re: take 2

[thermaland.livejournal.com]

Hill yes.

Re: take 2

[london-imp.livejournal.com]

I can confirm it was Damon Hill. I did get some autographs at Motor Shows and the like, but only people like Jos Verstappen and J J Lehto. I think Schumacher may have been too 'big' by that time to turn up.

Re: take 2

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

The first time I talked to Hakkinnen I called him Letho... and my mate said she had seen Letho's brother
;-)

I have met most of the big ones, Scummy, Scummy junior, Hakkinen, Coulthard, Raikkonen, Prost, Mansell, Hill, and so on... and naturally... the great and magnificent Senna...

[(Anonymous)]

I love your idea for the video. Feeling part of the Vichy gang is part of what I like about, sometimes we are just a very small gang. I've had 'rubbish' in my head this morning. And very satisfying it is too.

Robin

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

I think there was one GP in Donnington *googles* 1993

[darkmarcpi.livejournal.com]

Much as I like viewing some sports, I find Formula 1 (or any kind of motorised vehicular transport racing) utterly boring. There's some cars. They go round the same dull grey track very fast. Over and over again. Er, that's it. (People go on about how exciting it is when there's a crash, but surely this is the ultimate comment on a 'sport' which only proves interesting when things go wrong.)

And the other thing that annoys me is this: in Formula 1, some people get to start loads in front of the others, rendering the whole thing totally unfair and pointless. I mean, it's a race, and they give some people a head start! Jebus!

The whole thing's a big unsightly stain on the trouser of sport, or something.

Re: take 2

[london-imp.livejournal.com]

Wow! *is jealous*. Mansell of course is the biggest one but only in terms of gut size.

I think my grandfather used to know Murray Walker as a child! Did you get to talk to Senna?

Ayrton > Everyone

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

true fans don't like crashes... peons like crashes...

[london-imp.livejournal.com]

European Grand Prix, with one of the best opening laps anywhere. Senna qualified 4th or 5th and by the end was clear in first. Unfortunately, due to the GP being sponsored by SEGA, he won a trophy in the shape of Sonic the Hedgehog.

Re: take 2

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

yes i did, but he was quite big to talk much to poor little us... I think the ones I talked to more were Coulthard, Villeneuve, Hill and Irvine.

One of the things i regret is that the last thing I said to Senna was in September 93 "with each year you get more up yourself" or something to that effect...

But he was the best driver ever... in the gorgeous black and gold John Player Special Lotus...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Could be worse. There's a very important factor in the development of the human body called Sonic Hedgehog, because most biologists are fvcking geeks.

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

That is quite a cool trophy... I bet it stood out among all the others
:-)

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I like car chases in films. They have more crashes than Formula One, also guns if you're lucky. Maybe even swords too if it's The Single Best Car-Chase Ever (Matrix Reloaded). Thus, you're wrong.

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

I meant peons like crashes in Formula 1...

As a Senna fan I really hate to see crashes...

[darkmarcpi.livejournal.com]

If only the cars would crash into the peons. Then it might be more worth watching. And justifiably taxable too.

Gah. Give me darts or snooker over racing any day of the week.

[tiny-tear.livejournal.com]

it has happened that tyres went into the crowd... not funny not good TV