"Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink" by Elvis Costello

Unfaithful Music & Disappearing Ink by Elvis Costello
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Elvis Costello is one of my few personal heroes, in terms of creativity at least. I'm not sure I'd want to meet him in person; this masterful autobiography is the perfect alternative.

"I've absorbed almost everything I know from listening to records; the rest came from trial and error." This quote comes near the end of a lengthy, detailed account of a life dominated by an obsession with music. Flitting with apparent randomness back and forth through time, the man christened Declan MacManus writes with clarity and directness, although idiosyncratic turns of phrase abound ("I tried to find the corridor between the bedchamber and the war room").

His late father, singer/musician Ross MacManus is a dominant presence; he left the family to go adventuring with music and women, an example which Elvis seems to have followed. The heart of the book is Costello's account of his relatively brief period of pop stardom in the late '70s and early '80s; his many infidelities, and other indiscretions, are discreetly confessed.

We learn much about his upbringing, and his first and third marriages; the nature of his long relationship with Cait O'Riordan is only hinted at. The love for his musical collaborators and those of his heroes (e.g. Paul McCartney, Bob Dylan, Burt Bacharach, Allen Toussaint) with whom he has managed to connect is plain; the musicality of Attractions bass-player Bruce Thomas is extravagantly praised, but there are no titbits about their broken friendship.

For the true fan, the most fascinating element is his description of his songwriting process; the collage-style construction of lyrics, and the "borrowing" of the music which surrounds them. I possess the vast majority of the albums he's made, but there were many references which will elude all but the most obsessive completist.

There is little here for the casual reader; but for devotees, this is pure gold.


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"Gurls With Guitars" - a novella

Available in the Amazon Kindle Store

Library Cuts - Letter from WGGB to Cardiff Council

F.A.O. 

Cllr. Phil Bale,

Leader, Cardiff Council

County Hall
Atlantic Wharf
Cardiff
CF10 4UW

Dear Councillor Bale,

The Welsh Committee of the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain would like to add our voices to those expressing profound concern at Cardiff Council’s plans to make cuts to library services in the city.

While we understand the financial pressures under which the Authority is forced to operate, it seems clear that such measures as removing funding from smaller libraries, which are vitally important to local communities, can only be harmful in the long term. Replacing trained staff with volunteers (however committed and well-intentioned) does not seem conducive to the continued provision of what has, for many years, been an excellent service. There is also the possibility that the security of historically significant archive material might be compromised, not to mention the danger that valuable buildings might fall into disrepair.

Furthermore, proposed cuts at Cardiff’s Central Library seems inconsistent with its status as a high-profile feature of a major European capital.

As writers and readers, we urge you to re-think these plans.

Yours faithfully,

Sion Eirian, Gillian Brightmore, Othniel Smith

pp Manon Eames

Chair, Welsh Committee,

Writers’ Guild of Great Britain

The Wales Arts Review Critics’ Roundtable

I was lucky enough to be invited to sit on a panel at the Wales Arts Review’s Critics’ Roundtable at the Wales Millennium Centre, and took advantage of the opportunity to check out the event as a whole.

The first session I attended was on the theme “Why has pop given up on politics?” with former 60 Foot Doll Richard Parfitt, author Rhian E. Jones, and Gray Taylor of Newport hip-hop crew Goldie Lookin’ Chain on the panel. There was much bashing of Ed Sheeran, for his apparent endorsement of David Cameron, and his general blandness; and nostalgia for pop music which was avowedly political (Lennon, Marley), or indulged in subtler social commentary (“Common People”, “A Design For Life). The general opinion seemed to be that politics in popular culture is now the domain of artists in other fields (e.g. Russell Brand), and that blatantly political pop musicians (whether on the left or right), would struggle to get industry support these days.

The “Celtic Connections” panel consisted of Rachel Trezise (from the Rhondda, but part-educated in Limerick), Tom Morris (Welsh, but now resident in Ireland) and Colin Barrett (Irish author of the acclaimed collection “Young Skins”), all of whom read from their work. A major strand of the discussion was commonalities between contemporary Celtic writers – a similar sense of humour, a feeling of being in the margins, the prevalence of recognisably regional voices (at least more so than in English literature). The accessibility of the short story form was also a major theme, and all three writers denied having been overly influenced by great writers of the past (“a healthy antagonism” was a phrase which came up), and claiming to be more inspired by real life, film, music etc.

The panel I sat on, with playwright Matt Hartley, director Kate Wasserberg and producer Mike Salmon was focussed on “What can be done to support new playwrights in Wales?” Not very well attended, and I’m not sure I made a great deal of sense or said anything original (more open doors needed) but it was good to see some friendly faces, and to hear from Kate about her plans for The Other Room theatre space, opening up in 2015; and from Mike about his hopes of developing a Playwrights Studio for Wales – a central agency for new plays. The most depression suggestion was that “new writing” seems to be a toxic label when it comes to theatre-goers and venues outside Cardiff.

The final session was the hook on which the whole event was hung – “What Is The Greatest Welsh Novel?” – discussed by Wales Arts Review editor Gary Raymond, and writers Dai Smith, Francesca Rhydderch and Joao Morais. Based around the poll which the Review has been running, the relative absence of women from the 25-strong shortlist was discussed, as was the fact that some of the best-known Welsh novels (“How Green Was My Valley”; “Rape Of The Fair Country”) were not on it. The slipperiness of the very idea of a “canon” was also addressed. The role of the Wales Arts Review in fostering serious discussion of the arts in Wales was hailed, especially given the lack of interest shown by the media elsewhere in the U.K.

The highlight came in the evening – the award of the accolade of Greatest Welsh Novel to Caradoc Prichard’s “Un Nos Ola Leuad” (“One Moonlit Night”) – presented by Welsh acting legend Sian Phillips, who also provided a highly evocative reading, and graciously accepted by the author’s daughter Mari. And no, I haven’t yet read it, and was embarrassingly unacquainted with much of the long-list.

A rather inspiring day on the whole. Apparently, on one of the other panels, pessimism was expressed over the future of professional arts criticism, but if the event proved anything, it’s that creativity, and debate about it, is in excellent health in Wales, whether or not financial reward is involved.

"Two Faint Lines In The Violet" - by Lissa Kiernan

I was delighted to discover recently that American poet Lissa Kiernan had used the short mashup film I'd made of her poem "Census" - as discovered in The Poetry Storehouse - as part of the on-line publicity campaign for her book "Two Faint Lines In The Violet" (the full story is outlined on the Moving Poems website).


"Census" - by Lissa Kiernan from OTHNIEL SMITH on Vimeo.

One hopes that others will follow her lead.

"The Goldfinch" by Donna Tartt

The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Donna Tartt's "The Secret History" is a great favourite of mine; I was captivated by the private universe she created, even though it wasn't an especially pleasant one. "The Little Friend" I found less memorable, though obviously highly accomplished.

As in her previous novels, "The Goldfinch" gives pulp-fiction plotting a high-culture sheen. The title refers to a painting, the first viewing of which, by young narrator Theo, coincides with a catastrophic incident. It then goes on to dominate his life, as the plot takes him from old money New York to trailer-trash Las Vegas and back, via various misadventures involving severe family crisis, substance abuse, furniture restoration and Ukrainian gangsters.

In Hitchcockian terms, the painting is a MacGuffin - an object which drives the plot, and motivates the protagonists. In the face of grief, upheaval and romantic disappointment, Theo's Goldfinch remains a symbol of hope and continuity.

Impeccably researched as the book is, the pace sometimes falters as the author gets bogged down in obscure detail. This is entirely justifiable given the obsessional nature of the central character, but slightly alienating. For the most part, though, the writing is beautiful - meticulous and profound.

Vastly imperfect though he is, our hero is a sympathetic one, Tartt making it easy to identify with his somewhat messy life and troubled relationships. "The Goldfinch" is a heartfelt tale of love, loss, and the search for meaning in a world where disaster is always just round the corner.



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Bare Fiction Issue 2 launch

I’m delighted/fortunate to have had a short play (“The Naked Major” – spot the subtle Goya reference) published in issue 2 of Bare Fiction Magazine, and went along to the celebratory Cardiff launch at Gwdihw café-bar.

The evening kicked off with a couple of open-mic poetry slots: from Sion Owen (pensive, Welsh-themed), and Simon King (slyly humorous). Rhian Elizabeth then read a startling extract from her Valleys-set book “Six Pounds Eight Ounces”, before issue 2 contributors Bethany Rivers and Carly Holmes provided vivid examples from their oeuvres. This was followed by Rachel Tresize giving us a story from her excellent “Cosmic Latte” collection, after which Bethany W. Pope regaled us with a selection of colourful pieces.

The second half began with another open-mic segment, John Davies giving a lively reading from his hospital-themed novella, and experienced performance poet Mark Blayney effortlessly maintaining the comic mood. Susie Wilde then offered up a selection of prose and poetry, followed by London-based May-Lan Tan reading from her acclaimed debut collection “Things To Make And Break”. Adam Horowitz then treated us to an actorly reading of his largely rural-themed verse; Tania Hershman read her issue 2 piece “Missing My Liar”, and an amusing story about biochemists at a party; and host/editor Robert Harper wrapped things up with great geniality.

An enjoyable night, with the venue’s questionable acoustics made up for by the quality of the bottled cider on offer. 

"The Silver Linings Playbook" by Matthew Quick

The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A charming, old-fashioned romantic comedy about mentally ill people.

Pat, the sympathetic, unreliable narrator tells the tale of his release from a mental institution following events the nature of which are only gradually revealed. What is immediately clear is that his obsession with his ex-wife is irrational, and that this aspect of his life is a train-wreck.

Suddenly, however, he is presented with another love interest, Tiffany, who has problems with her own. Needless to say, despite this apparent convenience, events do not progress with Hollywood smoothness.

The male characters' obsession with American football will be a problem for those readers who do not share it; as will Pat's habit of giving away the unhappy endings to classic novels.

The story-telling is fluent, the characterisations are compelling, and one finds oneself rooting for the central protagonists. The narrator's soft-pedalling of his own plight, however, means that we only get hints of the suffering he's brought to other people's lives; we are denied the complete picture.

Thus, it's perhaps a little too likeable to be entirely credible.






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Bare Fiction - Cardiff launch

I attended the Cardiff launch of an impressive new literary magazine at the city-centre Gwdihw café bar on 29^th January – Bare Fiction, whose inaugural edition came out in December, and whose remit takes in poetry, prose, drama and journalism.

Editor and compere Robert Harper kicked off the evening with some moving poems about his late father; this was followed by readings of poetry and prose from Georgia Carys Willams, Richard Owain Roberts and Kirsten Jones. The first half was topped off with a typically rumbustious turn from local hero Boyd Clack.

Post-interval, we were treated to an open-mic session featuring Charlie Hammond, Iwan ap Huw Morgan, Jack Ayres, and a cameo from Mark Blayney (performing an homage to John Cooper Clarke). This was followed by a suite of evocative childbirth-themed poems from Lisa Parry, some prose from young novelist Dan Tyte, and an exclusive from Rachel Trezise, who read from a darkly toned story which will appear in issue 2 of the magazine. An intrusion by a homeless man turned out to be the dramatic climax of the evening – a performance by Gareth Pierce of Neil Bebber’s short play “Breathe”, which appears in issue 1.

An entertaining, inspiring couple of hours, with something to please most palates, in a lively venue (perhaps, occasionally, a little too lively). And I managed to pick up a copy of Boyd Clack’s CD “Last Bus To Porthcawl” at a bargain price.

Morrissey: "Autobiography"

Autobiography by Morrissey
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As a Smiths devotee of long standing, I was always going to read this book. As the reviews point out, it's a self-serving, self-aggrandising exercise in points-scoring, but what autobiography isn't?

The young Morrissey is outed as good at sports, well-travelled and popular with girls; the transition to awkward, solitary "Morrisseyness" seems horrifyingly seamless. The tale is told via relationships with friends, enemies, and family members, memorable moments described with relish and/or horror, song titles littering the text as befits an artist who sings his life. The style is florid to the point of purpleness, constantly flipping between the present and past tense.

The court case which disfigured relations between himself and his former bandmates is obsessively, excessively detailed - drummer Mike Joyce will presumably not be party to any Smiths reunion. The portrait of guitar hero Johnny Marr is one of many touching love stories contained herein.

"Autobiography" is a vivid, witty tale of despair and triumph, full of profound insights. It surely ranks alongside Dylan's "Chronicles" and Stephen Fry's "Moab Is My Washpot" as one of the great modern autobiographies.



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