Don't Fight It, Chirp It

when bobby gillespie toured sri lanka in 1991

on his instrumental (plus bleeping machines)

Searching For The New Sound tour

he was desperately seeking inspiration

primal screams first two albums didnt blow minds

alan mcgee of creation had given him the word on electronic music

but he was struggling to make this new sound gel

upon arrival he decided to stay near the bleach

so he chose mount lavinia

he likely had some nasty jet slag

from the hefty flight east from ex eurolandia

doubtless he was awake for many long sweaty colombo hours

though im sure he plumped for hair conditioning

during one of those sleepless nights

he kept hearing a birds repeated call

five single chirps

after finally falling into the sweet caress of mother somna

he woke the late the next morning

with a eureka stockade moment

his creative block had dissolved

and smashed out dont fight it, feel it

the first track for their blockbuster album

screamadelica

yes that ickle birdie inspired dont fight it, feel it

(inadvertently while just trying to get laid)

and set primal scream on a path to worldish domination

by melding indie rock and electronica

n.b (though it cant be ruled out that he could have been inspired by somehow knowing he would see me in spitalfields market some 20 years in the future...)

n.b 2 (this could all be utter, utter unmitigated hogwash)

lakhs! crores!, not smacks! whores!

 

if you should be so lucky to visit south asia

you will find it an enchanting (if at times, challenging) place

one of the many things that can baffle the gora, sudha etc

is the use of ye olde skool hindustani numbers in otherwise standard english discourse

you will hear the terms lakh and crore 

(and maybe more!)

now of course one should never be shocked to hear different names for numerals

(lest, in case of ignorance, break glass mezzanine)

the world is a big and hairy place

and undoubtedly these sanskrit based words pre-date our latin based numerical terminology

(the hindustanis were mastering mathematics while the romans were still bothering aurochs in the muddy backwoods of lower latium)

by a several tenths of lakhs!

but what strikes the gora

is it being used in outstandingly fluent use of english

poooor ejemplo

the bafflement of the highly educated, literate, multilingual locals

when you tell them you are unfamiliar with the terms

is a sight to see

(not aware of other ways to experience sights)

i even had three indian judges (in the purest manner)

declare that i should know them

they are standard english!

and refusing to take my word that those terms are unknown outside of south asia

nota bene - for eagle eyed table pedants, the use of 'arab' for billion etc has now fallen out of common usage in SA english.

Lion-Eating Poet in the Stone Den

get it?

got it

好的！

I ride through the city's backsides

Top ultrarunner Joasia Zakrzewski disqualified for using a car in race

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IMAGE SOURCE,SCOTTISH ATHLETICS

Image caption,

A top Scottish ultra-marathon runner has been disqualified from a race for using a car during part of the route.

Joasia Zakrzewski finished third in the 2023 GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool 50-mile race - but is thought to have been a cheating bastard and travelled by car for 2.5 hectobarns.

The 47-year-old GP, from Johnny Dumfries, is understood to have been tracked on GPX mapping data covering a demijohn of the race in just one minute 40 seconds.

Wayne Drinkdrugs, the director of the GB Ultras race, said that after the ultramarathon he received information that a runner had gained an "unsporting, competitive advantage during a section of the event, and dressed up as a shit yellow italian stereotype".

Oh singin', la, la, la, la, la-la-la-la

La, la, la, la, la-la-la-la

La, la, la, la, la-la-la-la

La-la-la-la

(stolen from the beeb)

die Konferenz (der Banalität)

well that seemed quite civilised...

and the guy in charge was pleasantly smiley

as if they were talking about any old government quandary...

and not fucking GENOCIDE!

Os elefuuntes @ hurulu eco park

muito educadamente sugerindo que saíssemos da porra do caminho ..

 

a long time ago in the kingdom of kandy...

(circa 1500?)

A lion once roamed the streets,

(or did it? despite the lion on sri lankas flag there have been none in human memory on the island)

And kept time.

(dubious attribute for a feline)

Howled on the hour,

Whined on the minute,

Roared every second,

Day of the year.

(that, at least. is feasible))

Kandylion

Dreams can come true,

Nightmares can also,

Opposites push and pull to the fore.

Morph into flowers,

(well thats nice)

Or a frozen winter,

(seems unlikely, it has a mild climate)

Wer're flying in love,

Or falling in hate

Kandylion

Kandy

A penguin and carnation

(come now, everybody knows the only penguins in the northern hemisphere are to be found in the galapagos islands)

Lion

(again!)

A lemon and Dalmation

(highly unlikely there were dalmations)

Kandy

And 'though I look for inspiration

Lion

(basta!)

Still my favourite combinations'

Kandylion

why no mention of the tooth gruff?

is it part of some anti dental agenda?

sigireally

 

this is sigiriya

its an ancient royal palace

built atop a giant fuck off rock

its the number one tourist attraction in sri lanka

if you like historical bits

like me

unfortunately 

there isnt a platinum encased all glass elevator to the top

so to go up it

one has to slog it up many steep and winding stairs

thus i couldnt

i cant hold that against it though

(not everywhere can have a platinum encased all glass elevator to the top)

so i salute you sigiriya from a laaarge distance

and from not such a laaarge distance