2nd February 2009

2nd February 2009

Busy day at the computer yesterday - Ronnie Lane comp, proposal for a newspaper, and work on the Remarkable Orphans book. Re the latter, discovered what I hate the most about writing. Not being able to type properly. I type two fingered, have done since day one and I blame one man and one man alone - the Pope. Yes, Il Papa, you are to blame. Here is why. At some point, the Pope sanctioned the opening of Catholic schools. I went to one. SJB in Woking. Proud to have done so. When I was 14 I realised what I wanted to be in life, an NME reporter. Some months later my school announced that the timetable was about to change. On a specific afternoon - I think a Wednesday - boys could do girls lessons - home domestic (or whatever they called it then) typing - and girls could do boys lessons - woodwork, technical drawing. (Incidentally, I once got five per cent in a TD exam. I was told that three of those points were for spelling my name correctly) Great, I thought, I can learn typing. I went up to the classroom on the given time only to be told by the teacher that i was not there to learn typing but to gawp at all the girls there. I was thrown out. So thank you Il Papa for creating schools and a religion that allowed teachers like that to work. It means that every time I write now it sometimes coemns out oiek this and I have to go back and correct before I can move on.

So God bless you, God bless Il Papa and God bless all the staff and students and typewriters of SJB Catholic School Woking.
Paolo

1st February 2010

1st February 2010

Speak to long time friend Rhoda on Sat. night. She asks about diary. Or lack of. Explain that what was intended to be a daily discipline is now a weekly one. Time to rectify this situation especially as February has just opened for business. Last night I go to bed at midnight. I awake, think not a bad sleep, look over at clock - 4.41 a.m. Spend thirty mins trying to hit the nods and then give up. I write this now at 5.53. A week to detail. As ever best to work backwards. Yesterday morning, worked on Ronnie Lane comp and then over to Mal's to watch United demolish the Goonas. Was going to text my Goona friends, Tony M (Boney M?) and John L. in particular, but then reasoned, no, silence is much more effective. Christian who lives with Mal watches the game. He is in a band called Siren Siren. At half time he plays us the latest song he has been working on. The word massive chart hit springs to mind. Dirty Den is also present. During the course of conversation about Twitter, he hilariously hits upon the idea of starting a thing called Twatter. (Copywright D. Dervish 2010 in case your thinking of moving in.) With Twatter you post the names of people who have just acted - eh - twattishly towards you. Could be your mates, your family, a player in your football team, your whole football team, a new record, a new band, a new film etc. As we discuss the possibilities, Jamie Redknapp appears on Sky. I know say says Den, we can give it the slogan Don't Book It -Twat It! Talking of which, loads of jokes about John Terry flying about. The less offensive ones are to do with mending Bridges...Saturday, working again on Ronnie comp and come across a mystery which maybe some of you could solve. On the live BBC sessions that my man Mr Hellier so kindly sent me, Ronnie plays a song called Lost which then segues into his hit single, How Come. Lost is introduced as a track from the album Mahoney's Last Stand which Ronnie made with Ron Wood in 1972 for the film of the same name. Yet on the album itself no such song is listed. Anyone with any info? In the afternoon Nipper picks me up and we go to a great pub in Wood Green to watch Spurs. Naturally, they play very well, absolutely control the game, go one up and then............ fall to pieces. Birmingham equalise in the last minute. This is nothing new and I mean nothing new. Recently, I was reading a newspaper match report from 19 oh something. Spurs are playing Huddersfield. We are 5-0 up. Score at final whistle? Five all. Even back then we were throwing away games. In fact, there is something very comforting in this, to know that over a hundred years ago that Spurs were still fucking up and supporters were still sitting in pubs just as we were cursing the team's inability to keep a lead. Friday, spent the day at Anthony's working on a new film script based around my children's home books. It is the Mumper idea, e.g. real characters placed in a fictional story. We make good progress. The new book is still in the air, though, although I have an idea what to do with it. Have to write it first to see if it works. Thursday I attend the wedding of Claire and Luciano. I met Claire thru George and Jenny who I have known a million years. Claire now works for the UN. She is many things but above all she is impossibly clever with a huge heart. (I find the two do not often go together) She reads books in about ten minutes flat, writes beautifully and does the best to help people in impossible situations such as Iraq. Luciano whose family hail from near Napoli, works beside her. They have just had a daughter named Delilah. Everything seems to be going their way and that is always a great thing to see. The lovely day unfolds and I end up back at George's where I hear a Prince song called The Tears In My Eyes which blows me away. Years ago I interviewed Stevie Wonder for the NME. Wonder told me he would never produce albums of the quality as those of his 70s work but there would always be one or two songs to watch out for. That principle seems to apply to Prince. This song is a killa. My two other fave songs at the moment are the new singles from Turin Brakes and Fyfe from the Guilemots. Wednesday I went to see the film The Prophet with Eugene. Fantastic film. made by the same guy - Jacques Audiard - who remade Fingers. Again, his film is dominated by one brillaint actor and is not only gripping but very clever too. Also, through vigorous prompting by the good Councillor Iain Munn of Dundee, I looked further into the E Book phenomenon. Although there is a part of me that wants no part in this turn of events, the truth is I have to get involved and get involved now. E Books are the future. Ten years from now we will all be on them. Tuesday it was Spurs in the freezing cold beating Fulham two nil and Monday I have no idea what went on. Oh. I sent an e mail of apology to an old writing flame of mine who I discovered I had stupidly offended years ago. He was very gracious in his reply.

So God bless Tony Parsons, God bless Rhoida and her children, and God bless you. Paolo

Sunday, 24 January 2010

Sunday, 24 January 2010 at 07:50
S. went to see Michelle and Mike, welcome their new baby Cassie into the world. Mike asked about my diary - or lack of it - so has I have awoken early Sunday morning ( at an hour I once used to get home at) thought I would use the time to catch up. I'll have to work backwards. Yesterday Spurs were robbed again by a ref who wrongly gave Leeds a last min pen. Why in the 21st century the biggest sport in the world refuses to embrace technology is absolutely beyond me. Hugely annoying. On Friday had lunch with my old features editor from the NME, Tony Stewart. Great to see him. He always did have a very likeable dry sense of humour that boy. Came away feeling nice. Went to George and Jenny's Friday night. After 21 years together they are finally tying the knot in March. Well, George is Greek and you know how they like to put on their togas get in the steam baths and really philosophise about a subject. To marry or not to marry? Well, as Plato once said.............Thursday went to NFT with the Sohemian Society to see a great Lewis Gilbert film from 1953 called Cosh Boy starring amongst others a very young and beautiful Joan Collins. The film was about a gang of kids in Battersea who spend their time robbing and stealing. The film's message was simple - if these kids had got a good belting from their parents when they were younger they would not have turned into juvenile delinquents. And damm right too. What got me were their clothes, the boys wearing two button jackets, large lapels, ties, shirts, hair greased back. They looked fabulous, not even british but very European. One of them even wore turn ups on his trousers even though they were not jeans. More and more the Fifties draw me in. Afterwards, we went to the Festival bar, sat around swapping stories about large hopes in small towns, upbringings and films and books and ideas etc. Again, came away feeling nice. On train home came up with an idea for a talk which I will pitch to them. Lunchtime that day I had met up with Rebecca and David from my agency. The book company who I gave my Remarkable Orphans project to have asked for certain things. Not sure I can give it to them. Or more to the point want to give to them. We agree to think about it further. Might mean having to find another company to publish it. Both agents are very supportive. Lucky to have them. And to be honest I am not at all worried by this turn of events. I have every faith in this project. Know it will be great when it happens. On Wednesday worked with Ant on a new screenplay based around my book. Our first script together Notting Dale now has two producers on board. Everyone who reads it is very complimentary. Done correctly this film could be huge. Also got news that the first draft of the script for the film of our book the Mumper should be ready soon. Looking forward to that. Monday and Tuesday finished off Madness sleeve notes. Their 1988 album the Madness contains some fascinating material I have to say. Wednesday night watched Howard Webb the referee again mess up and not allow a perfectly good Spurs goal. He fucked us up at Old Trafford last year, the Bridge earlier this season and now at Anfield. A hat trick! Well done sir! You truly are below par. Talking of Spurs is where I came in so I would just like to finish by saying it is now 7.30 Sunday morning and today I will mainly be reading, swimming, talking to God and watching football. God bless all refs, God bless you.

15th & 16th January 2010

Got some bad news on Friday, have not been near computer. Friday was a wash out, Saturday came across a real treat on Sky Arts One. First, the Robert Mugge doc on Al Green, a performer I have adored ever since I heard How Can You Mend (A Broken Heart) written by those great songwriters, the Gibb Brothers. The doc works on two levels. It not only tells his story but also spends a lot of time in Al's church. After Al delivers his Sermon, he goes into a song called The Lord Will Find A Way Somehow which ends with his jacket absolutely drenched in sweat. Apparently he once played a gig in San Fransisco and then flew to Disneyland to do a midnight show. With him was his girlfriend. After the show they went back to his hotel. Al says he was too tired for any activity and went to a separate bed to sleep. He said he woke up at four thirty in the morning praising the Lord, talking as they say in voices. He said he has never felt so great in all his life. And that was it. He gave his life to the Lord and set up his own church. What struck me was the humour Al deployed when recounting his conversion. He wasn't trying to convince the world, he was telling of his experience. 'I had a million dollar career on one hand and the Lord on the other. I am going on stage and I'm playing to people at two in the morning in a club and they are sipping whiskey and they are looking for women and they are drawing joints and I am going to tell them about The Lord?' Talking of religion went to Spurs in the afternoon to see us draw nil nil with Hull. Even for people who do not like football, that sounds bad. Anyway after the great Al doc,came a French doc called The Soul Of Stax. There was some amazing footage in there, Sam and Dave performing You Don't Know (Which Issac Hayes revealed from a gospel song) with Booker T backing them, Rufus Thomas performing the Funky Chicken at a massive Stax gig and the young audience breaking through the barriers to dance in front of the stage (one guy pulling off striking northern Soul moves) William bell performing You Don't Miss Your water with just piano, and then stories about the great Otis, a man with such a huge heart, no wonder the Lord wanted him in Heaven quickly, as he did Teddy Pendergrass and Mick Green this week. Al made me want to pray, the Stax doc made me want to put on mohair. God and Mod, a great morning. That night was going go into the End for a drink with Dirty Den and Mal but by the time they called was plotted up ploughing through the Capello biog. So God bless Al and Otis and Stax, and God bless you. Paolo

Thursday, 14 January 2010

Not a lot to report. George got back to me having read my new children's home book But We All Shine On. His comment was typical of his shall we say succinct manner - 'your book is very good, very very good.' That was it. Glad to hear it though. Whenever I finish a project such as this I always find I can't really get a perspective. With But We All Shone On, I kept thinking I like this but am I fooling myself? Apparently not. Two other close links are reading it as well. See what they have to say. if you want to read an extract there is one on my website - paolohewitt.co.uk - It details the story of a guy called David who i was in the Home with nicking a car in Woking to go to court in Liverpool....Few people wrote in after my mentioning of the great Norman Jay yesterday. Got me thinking about 'celeb' fans and whether you can tell a club by the people it attracts. I think there is a lot in that. for example, Arsenal have got Piers Morgan and we have got Paul Whitehouse. Says it all really. Up British Library today researching. Would love to tell you what on but I have had too many ideas stolen in the past to go public so have to keep everything under wraps. Got a meeting tomorrow I'd love to tell you about but again my lips are sealed, loose talk costs commissions. Read an interview with John Hellier my co author on the Marriott book conducted by someone who I would say doesn't particularly like me, probably because of my Changing Man book. Which is absolutely fine. I take no offence at all. I understand completely why people love that book and why they hate it. I truly think God bless all and God bless you. Paolo

Wednesday, 13 January 2010

Was out all day yesterday. Swim, steam, then up to the Mecca, back to the End, over to the British Library, back home, into town to appear on Spurs podcast with Norman Jay MBE (Member of the Bill Nicholson Empire). had not seen Norman in ages. He is truly one of the best DJ's around (check out the Good Times comp he compiles with his bruv Joey) and I have spent enough hours in clubs such as High On Hope grooving to his tunes. He is off to Australia in a couple of days time to carry the word - soul and Spurs! Then onto Antony's to watch Small Island. Antony is Pearl's brother. I was married to Pearl in the 80s. Shockingly, she died about four years ago and that sad event brought Anthony and I together. From there, we got together to write a script entitled Notting Dale which is currently doing the rounds.The script is a love story set in and around the 1958 Notting Hill riots and we have had some - if I say so myself - great feedback. Now we need some money. Small Island is based on Andrea Levy's best selling book and focuses on the Windrush generation. Much to like about it, some great acting and sharp lines, but much also to annoy such as the portentious voiceover and the cloying music. It also looked too nice for a London suffering the Second World War. Got home and put on Comedy channel. Am a big fan of King Of Queens, American show based in a working class family. Ben Stiller's dad Jerry plays a wonderful cranky lunatic who lives in their basement and drives them mad. In between the show, the channel often runs ads for stand up comic shows they are to air. All they do is make me pine for the great Sam Kinison who I discovered in the mid 80s. He made two albums and was that rare thing in a comic - very funny. His obssessions were religion and women. Example - Sam talking about the Last Supper, 'So Jesus goes out on a Friday night with twelve of his best mates, gets back Monday morning.....' Sam was derided in his time for being non PC which tended to happen a lot in the 80s. Today he would have been massive. Without Sam no Bill Hicks nd that line of humour, that is for sure. He was unique at the time, a true one off. Sam got into a lot of stuff but got himself together settled down and was then - big joke this - killed in a car crash. You can see him on You Tube. Watch him and then consider that today the biggest comic in the UK is Michael McIntyre. God Bless Sam Kinison, God bless Pearl, God bless you. Paolo

Diary - 11th Jan 2010

Very bitty day. Wanted to go to British Library but need my lap top which S is bringing over tonight. Start tomorrow. Am exploring a book idea, nothing more, but want to get on with it. have had my break, time to start fighting the forces of darkness once more. Also, I feel that in a month's time I will hopefully be overwhelmed with projects. There are several book and TV and film ideas bubbling away at the moment and some will come to the boil quicker than others. Need to be ready. Meanwhile, here is a weird one. Mr Baxter e mails and says a mutual of ours - the esteemed Signor Anthony Polledri of bar Italia fame - has just rung him to say he saw our short film The Mumper on BBC television last night at about eleven fifteen. This can not be so as no one from that fine organisation has been in touch with us. Yet Anthony who has never seen the film describes it perfectly. Guy walks into a pub with a horse and tries to sell it to six guys. Very strange If anyone out there can throw light on this, please do. Mike rings to ask me to do spurs podcast tomorrow night which of course I agree to. One pint I will make is that the current weather conditions have in fact given us a taste of what a winter break would be like. I like it myself. Plus we were due to play Liverpool away this Sunday but without one of our key players, Aaron Lennon. the enforced break now means he can now hopefully recover from his groin strain. Meanwhile, the team will be refreshed and ready. Cold still so i can't help throwing envious glances over towards Martin Chivers. he has just been asked to join a cruise ship on Barbados which will make its way lazily up to South America in the next two weeks. His job? To deliver a forty minute speech about his life going there, and a forty minute speech coming back. The rest of the time all his and all expenses paid. What can you say? Except God bless Chivers and God bless you. Paolo