Maybe I will take a drink, for the sake of sociability, and because I'm a fvcking drunk.

[alexsarll]

Bloody Hell but Deadwood is a brilliant programme. As with The Sopranos at its peak, it steadily maintains a standard of absolute brilliance - and then every now and then attains something even beyond that. For The Sopranos, think the pine barrens episode; for Deadwood, I'd consider 'EB Was Left Out' its equal. Deadwood seems to be appreciated primarily as a brilliantly brutal story of doublecrossing, swearing frontier badasses, and secondarily as marvellous human drama, but I don't think I've ever seen anyone mention that it's also a much better anti-corporate story than the tedious polemics that agenda seems mostly to breed. For me it's largely the story of how America's cherished myth of the frontier, of pioneers, was bought out by monsters far subtler but far more terrifying than those larger-than-life heroes and villains of the West. Then again, a similar theme informed the second Pirates of the Caribbean and nobody seemed to like that much, so maybe it's best left deep in the subtext.

Good Tubewalking yesterday, out in the stormy depths of Zones 5 and 6; here be dragons (quite literally, as others' photos will prove), locals (or rather Locals) most alarmed by large groups of outsiders, and some truly impressive detours. In my pocket, A Field Guide To Getting Lost; I'd never heard of Rebecca Solnit before picking this up, but she's amazing. The combination of personal memoir, essay and (cultural) history can be irritating, but she carries it off; imagine Simon Schama at his Landscape & Memory peak, if he'd had a bit more of a rock'n'roll youth*. "Beauty is often spoken of as though it only stirs lust or admiration, but the most beautiful people are so in a way that makes them look like destiny or fate or meaning, the heroes of a remarkable story. Desire for them is in part a desire for a noble destiny, and beauty can seem like a door to meaning as well as pleasure."

Then home to the third Harry Potter film. Far more than with the books, I can see where the slashers are coming from; the Lupin/Sirius/Snape scenes are all massively homosexual. Also, very impressed at how well they realised the Dementors.

Out again to Red Rita's, which even on Saturday evening has plenty of space and two quid pints; I think the party was quorate to declare it the new default Finny P pub.

*Not that he's wholly lacking in such matters, being quite the Tom Waits fan.

Comments

[jimyojimbo.livejournal.com]

Aye, Deadwood is brilliant. As Charlie Brooker said (I think) - possibly best TV show ever. And predictably has been done in by low ratings. Only the three seasons made plus two feature length episodes to come. And the features are apparently going to be about "big events" - which is exactly not what makes Deadwood so magnificent. Bah.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've still got a season and a quarter to go, and Brooker's endorsement was one of the key factors in my buying a DVD box set on spec. Though iirc, he didn't say it was the best TV show ever, just 'one of' - he reserved the ultimate endorsement for The Wire. The first series of which I also have, and shall be starting once I've watched the final disc of Deadwood season 2.

[jimyojimbo.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah. The Wire - I need to get hold of that. As for Deadwood, in my opinion it's a lot more consistently brilliant than the Sopranos. Sporanos s05 got a bit sh1te really. The episodes of S06 so far have been fantastic though - looking forward the the conclusion...

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

You reckon? I really enjoyed S5, but thought that S6 got off to a really bad start (the episode about the red jersey, the interminable and inexplicably dull coma dream sequence) before making a slow recovery.

[(Anonymous)]

Good Tubewalking yesterday, out in the stormy depths of Zones 5 and 6; here be dragons (quite literally, as others' photos will prove), locals (or rather Locals) most alarmed by large groups of outsiders

You may not be surprised to learn (or may already know) that the BNP are quite popular in Loughton.

[srk1.livejournal.com]

Sorry, that was me forgetting to sign in.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

I knew they had seats around Epping Forest, aye. Presumably down to a combination of Essex Men and the atavistic British tendency to get more patriotic around woods.

[srk1.livejournal.com]

They have six councillors on Epping Forest, all in Loughton, including their notorious Jewish councillor Pat Richardson (though the Jewish Chronicle disputes her Jewishness, IIRC)

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Always the way these things go - ally with the last (or last but one) wave against the new incomers. CF American, where once the Irish were despised as a subhuman minority, but where the Far Right now loves Celtic crosses and other such imagery.

Like I always say, racism on Earth will only end when we make first contact - at which point all but the looniest fringes of the lunatic fringe will agree to overlook the minor issues and unite against those tentacled Andromedan bastards who come over here, steal our jobs and so forth.

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Where is this Red Rita's then? ~Not the place that Ellen and Robin used to live above?

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Also, you up for Devanting in Sarf London? Looks like a bloody trial to get to and from, but I might.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Eh? Tell me more!

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

From our friend Mikey, yesterday. Probably on your work e-mail?

"David Devant are please to announce a special one off singularly unique and rare opportunity to witness their live perfomance in the Crypt of Camberwell on Sat Jan 20th. Mr Solo will also seize he opportunity to shamelessly flaunt material from the album All will be revealed (in all god record shops!his masters voice) . The first 60 entrants will receive a free cd with a brand new devant track and a new mr solo song played on his pink ukulele (pink really). So we look forward to seeing you there... x
"

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

ARSE!
That sounds great but Pippa's having her mulled wine thing on the 20th.

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Ah. Well it's Andrew's 19th birthday (here's me wha? etc,) so I need to be out doing something. I don't care what.

Typos are Mikey's there btw.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I guessed, bless 'im.

[alexdecampi.livejournal.com]

I misread that as the "crypts of clerkenwell" and got tremendously excited. Ooh, a gig in the Clerkenwell House of Detention! I'm fascinated by the tunnels and crypts below Clerkenwell.

Hmmm. Maybe I should see if I can organise something in the HoD.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

The very same, except instead of being an incredibly rough local it's now a light and airy place run by some very nice Turks.\
Also: am currently listening to Mama Shamone. You're right, pretty good stuff.
Also: have you seen this week ITV have a programme about Anne Widdecombe taking on the Andover Estate?

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Oh I saw some news reports about it! Funny because I lived there for years with no problems ever. Maybe I'm just fearless. I remember a born and bred Holloway girl I work with being absolutely shocked that I lived on Andover. We had Rolf Harris though.

Good on the Mama - they're one of those bands who happen to be both ace, and comprised of extraordinarily lovely people. Their "relatives" Oki Dog are playing tonight but I think I need sleep (Phil plays for both, Ruth used to be guitarist and singer. Grace, the singer now, is mad as a hatter but lovely.)

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Also, I'll have to try the pub then! It used to be dire (rather like the Swimmer which only became great once I moved too, hmm.)
And you must come and see Mama next time they play. None of Simone's photos do justice to how absolutely stunning she is. She's one of those people who commands an entire room just by walking into it.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Oh yeah, it used to be dreadful, you could hear the rucks and unpleasantness from up in the flat sometimes. Totally changed now, and unlike with the World's End's makeover, the old crowd seem to have gone for good.

Gene Serene: not so impressed with this, even given your caveats.

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Yes Ellen had told me of the unpleasantness. The only time I tried to go in was a NY Day when me, David and Jodie were up for further drinking but they were shut.

Aww, bless Louise - she's adorable but she's firmly on the "maybe you have to see it to get it" list. It is all about the chit chat between songs there, and the enthusiasm.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Xavier J: Wow, when you went gay, you really went GAY.

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

He's ace! That's up on my list of "getting ready for a night out" music!

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yes, and half the time you're going to G-A-Y, which kinda proves my point.

[missfrost.livejournal.com]

Imagine how militant I'd get if I gave up smoking (again) too!

[peacockpunk.livejournal.com]

I have 2 seasons of deadwood burnt to dvd and ready to watch. No idea why I haven't tucked into them yet. Will rectify this week.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

As with so many things, I think it's just a question of so much media to consume, so little time.

[peacockpunk.livejournal.com]

"As with so many things"

"so much to consume"

The mind boggles.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

What I meant, you mucky pup, was that I have many books, DVDs and CDs I've yet to get round to, not through any lack of enthusiasm but simply through lack of time.

[peacockpunk.livejournal.com]

Ah well, that's something I know all too well. I actually do have plenty of time but it's usually spent... downloading/burning even more albums/films I'll never get round to enjoying. It's an incessant Roman orgy where I'm only ever throwing up.

[barrysarll.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I sometimes find myself browsing in HMV and thinking, why are you using thus time which you could be spending watching what you've already got?