Month: July 2010

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To Binge/Good Song

It’s Especially For You for the twenty-first century. I’ve posted this song before, but this live version is sweet. Little Dragon’s voice is like vulnerable honey (it totally is!), and I also love Damon Albarn’s direct way with a lyric:

I just have to tell you that I love you so much these days

Gorgeous! I’m a simple soul, and I find a line like that, or like:

You seem very beautiful to me

(from Blur’s Good Song), sung to a simple melody, far more affecting, romantic and swoonsome than, like, a bucket full of poetry. Maybe I just don’t like poetry*. I dunno.

I didn’t know David Shrigley did a video for Good Song. Not sure the leaf blower and the humping dogs do much for the tune, but here it is anyway.

God, why don’t I just marry Damon Albarn?

*I really, really don’t. I despise and fear it. Poetry freaks me out, particularly when the poet is poeming right in your face. How are you supposed to respond? Because apparently shouting FUCK OFF AWAY WITH YOUR SHITEHOUSE WHINGING BABBLE is not acceptable.

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Collaboramabilia

Hooray for making things with brilliant people! I’m making things with these brilliant people:

Gus Hughes. Illustrator. Raconteur. Insanist. Beautiful man.

Gus and I are hard at work avoiding doing anything about The Story of Grass #4, while also ignoring the possibility of further Chad Banger animations.

Gus has a blog, which he should update.

Ben Klimmek is an illustrator and animator, and his stuff is bloody amazing.

Ben and I are collaborating on a BAFTA award-winning animation. I mean, it hasn’t won an award, yet, because we haven’t made it yet, but when we have made it it WILL win a BAFTA, so that’s something to look forward to.

Ben has a blog. Look at his amazing stuff!

Jo Fairfield is Chickamoo! Creator of cute, weird and wonderful creatures. Chickamoo images are like a window into another world, full of fairy wings and spidery things. And pictures of fish.

Jo and I will be working on… oh, something. Maybe a nice book, we’re thinking. It will be good.

Chickamoo has an Etsy page. You can buy cards and prints, in dollars!

Working with people who make brilliant art takes a little of the edge off my disappointment at not being able to draw at all. Collaboramabilia is magickal, it brings forth work that would never exist otherwise. I also get to sit round with artists drinking coffee and talking nonsense and it’s called having a meeting, which is what grown-ups do. Collaboramabilia rules.

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Bring The Noise

Can’t say why, but this morning I’ve had this stuck in my head. It’s not what you’d call tuneful, and it’s tricky to whistle, but “Yeeeeaaaaah boooooooooy!” and “Whatcha gonna do? Rap is not afraid of you” have been richocheting round my brain like it’s East Coast representing or something.

Yeeeeeah booooooooooooy!

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Bob Mortimer Likes Grass

Bob Mortimer holds a large, invisible copy of Grass #2

‘I liked The Story of Grass. I laughed until I stopped then started up again more firmly.’ – Bob Mortimer

That’s good, isn’t it? So now that Bob Mortimer has said this about The Story of Grass, there has never been a better time to buy The Story of Grass. And watch the new series of Shooting Stars, of course.

Buy The Story of Grass

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Sing Songs Along

This song has been in my head all day, but that’s ok.

we’ll wake up your mothers, we’ll start a commotion
we’ll take you apart, yeah we’ll swallow your ocean

It means nothing. Isn’t it great?

I adore Tilly and the Wall’s first album, The Bottoms of Barrels. It’s got a naively sleazy vibe to it, and it’s shouty and celebratory and fun, and anyway any song which uses tap dancing instead of drums is pretty well guaranteed to win my heart. Unless it’s shit.

This video is cheap and dopey but, you know, it’s got people dancing and being happy so I like it.

Here they are on Sesame Street. A good attempt at an A to Z but they stop at D, the slackers.