I was forced by circumstances beyond my control to repair the loathsome district of Shepherd's Bush last night. This is never a happy eventuality, as it is a part of the Great Wen for which Springheel has a particular distaste, but needs must when the devil drives.
In this case, the devil driving me was the uncontrollable urge which comes upon me, from time to time, to see a band. Not just any band, you understand, but a particular musical ensemble which I consider to be one of the United States of America's greatest cultural gifts to the world... I refer, of course, to the Handsome Family: Mr and Mrs Sparks and their various collaborators, conspirators and confederates.
A prophet is ever without honour in his own country and it seems to me possible that the United States of America does not fully appreciate what it has wrought in spawning the Handsome Family. They have about them some of that high, mournful but melodic craziness of Appalachian folk music and of the great Murder Ballads. But they also cover many other musical genres. And they sing so beguilingly of madness, hauntings and murder that I cannot resist them.
Springheel is calmed (as wild beast were calmed by the lyre of Orpheus), by their tales of stabbing, bludgeoning and otherwise dispatching various young ladies; by their lyrical description of the passing of the Great Nikolai Tesla, by their jovially chileastic compositions; and by the ghosts, psychotic episodes, and (of course) snow covered car parks that they celebrate.
The audience were shockingly badly dressed but the performance was, as ever, sublimely pleasing, and one cannot have everything, I suppose. I was a happy man when I left, to the degree that even travelling for an hour across London afterwards did not disturb my benign good humour. Which may, I admit, have been enhanced by five pints of the Coal-black Hibernian nectar.
What, you may be wondering, is the point of all this? No doubt you await the punchline, muttering to yourself "Do we care what the old fool did last night? Has he nothing significant to say? No amusing anecdote to recount? Is he not going to entertain or amuse us?"
Well the short answer is no. This blog is intended to amuse and entertain me. As for you - I have informed you of the Handsome Family and you should be grateful.
Now be off with you! Go about your business!
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3 comments:
I've never heard of this band, but it sounds like they are wilder than I am. I do feel the same way about Tears for Fears. I've never seen a pint. When I get to England, I will have to order one just to see what they look like. I just made some pecan pies, if we were neighbors, I'd offer you a slice, but being English, you might not know what they are.
Five pints. Splendid. I now have a goal to shoot for this evening. Thank you, as always.
Hibernian Nectar eliminates the need for one's dinner. But you know that.
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