Mr Pink, Jesse Rae, cricket

but only a little bit on cricket

Hello!

This week I’m thinking about colour and vibrancy. I have never had confidence with my knowledge or application of colour. I am a terrible painter, and have never really gotten to grips with the colour wheel. When I have made things out of clay I am always very pleased with the form, but then when it comes to decoration, things emerge from the kiln looking dull and unpleasant. But I have always liked green. A hot spring and a good downpour last week has made the allotment alive with colour, and the major fruit harvest is coming. Blueberries are here in full force, the loganberries and tayberries too; I ate the first fig off the tree, and have spotted the black tomatoes fruiting; soon the sweetcorn will be here, and hopefully a squash or two soon - it looks beautiful.

Being in all this colour is inspiring and exciting, and I can feel it lifting my spirits, even on the dullest of days. I was at the Garden Museum this week, having a look around, and I saw the Jean Cooke exhibition they have on there. It’s well worth a visit if you’re in London, or reading up on her if you’re not. She most definitely understood colour, but also took so much inspiration from the natural world: so maybe if I stick to green, my pots will come out better. Anyway, sticking with this colourful theme:

Something to watch

This short film on the world of Mr Pink. I remember coincidentally driving past his house during the pandemic just after I watched this for the first time, and he came up again during conversation at the Garden Museum - they did something about him and his garden there - what a wonderful person. It reminds me a little bit of Ron’s Place. Apparently it’s not clear what will happen to his house, which as far as I know is owned by his child at the moment. I hope it gets listed! But we’ll have to see.

Breakfast show listeners will know I’m also watching the Ashes this summer for the first time. I spoke about it on the show much to the groaning of many but please forgive me this brief paragraph. I got into it literally two weeks ago and now I am hooked!! A listener sent over this good documentary about the 2010 England team, which I watched and really liked: the bit where they’re celebrating in the dressing room playing tinny kwaito off their phone? Or the footage of them in this Bavarian military camp weightlifting with bricks? Monty Panesar unexpectedly and heroically holding the fort? So good! And I had no idea the mental toll the game takes on the players, how total and engrossing it is on their lives - even if you’re not interested in cricket I would say this is still a solid watch. OK that’s it.

Other things I watched and enjoyed recently: Rick Astley doing the Smiths / nice fan made Dean Blunt documentary / Rocky.

Something to listen to

My friend Niall sent me this song by an artist I didn’t know called Jesse Rae. The song is a belter, and when I read up on Jesse Rae, I was hooked. What an amazing guy! He’s in his early 70s now, living in Scotland and dresses in highland garb, but in the 80s was living in the US and totally immersed in the funk scene - he worked with Parliament, wrote songs for Odyssey, etc. He’s well worth a deep dive musically - here’s another banger that a lovely listener sent in, who also let me know that she’s involved in a JR reissue coming imminently - and here’s his biggest commercial success. And here’s a link to read more about him. Such a legend!

I’m also listening to a lot of Electrelane, who like Jesse Rae have wonderful press shots, though a very different energy / this newly released but old, extremely beautiful John Fahey / a nice new release by Gyeongsu / perfect John Martyn song / very good Chick Safari / nice summer street soul house ish tune - cheap on Discogs too if that’s your bag / and my podcast lol. Sorry but I need to plug it. Three episodes are out at the time of writing, and I was absolutely THRILLED to get this write up in the Observer on it. Couldn’t believe it!!! My mum is so happy. Cosey Fanni Tutti’s ep is out next week, and Novelist, Mark Leckey and Brix Smith are all out now. Apple podcasts link here and Spotify here.

Something to read

I’m still reading Two Girls, Fat and Thin (I think it’s brilliant so far if you’re looking for something), and have added The Door by Magda Szabo, EM Forster’s Maurice and Claire Dederer’s Monsters to my unending to-read-next list. Also you might remember me loving Penance by Eliza Clark - that’s out now if you wanted to read it. Such a good summer read, I thought. There’s a big list in the last newsletter of listener recommended books if none of those take your fancy.

A short thing I read and really enjoyed was this on beige influencers. I hope that this dull, grey, monotonous fixation has a short lifecycle. When I think of Mr Pink, or Jean Cooke, or Jesse Rae, I feel inspiration and relief that people like that exist in the world. And they remind me to forgo the neutrals and embrace colour!!! Even if you don’t know quite what goes with what. That is going to be my guiding force for a while, I hope.

Till next time!!

xxxx