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