Hello you. This week marked a rare foray into the world of competitive sport, more specifically football (or soccer, depending on your geographical location and levels of pedantry). As a chap hailing from the land of Carlisle United, such engagement does not happen often. Generally the closest I come to ever bothering with football is avoiding South Bermondsey like the plague whenever Millwall are chucking out. But regardless of this, the fact remains that last Tuesday I was called upon to produce something special for BBC Radio 4’s coverage of the 2018 World Cup – and though I say it myself, I didn’t disappoint. Stick around for the whole thing and you’ll notice it changing and evolving over the two minute duration as the shorter pieces drop away, allowing for some of the longer anthems to be gradually distinguished. Incidentally, the sharp-eared amongst you may notice that the English National Anthem crashes out almost immediately…
Charles Ives would have been proud of you!
— Jonathan Best (@JonnnyBest) June 6, 2018
Thanks to everyone who came down to Howlround’s recent shows in North London, on the two hottest, stickiest nights of the year and to Sam Enthoven and Johny Brown for the invitations, not forgetting my sparring partner Time Attendant. I can now reveal that our next live show will be on Wednesday 20th at Rye Wax in Peckham Rye, courtesy of Lia Mice and the lates in her series of Electrolights AV events.
Cannot WAIT for this one, it’s another killer line up! Plus I’m having to dash there on the evening from both a recording session AND teaching an evening class in Lambeth, so by the time I arrive I should be totally ready to jump on the machines and let off some steam. But hopefully not literally this time – I still haven’t forgiven Daphne for exploding live on stage at St. Johns last year…..
Speaking of evening classes, pop down to the Gallery at Morley College in Lambeth this week to admire some of the Sound Art works on display, including a handful of works from my own students. There’s some impressive work to discover, including this interpretation of Alvin Lucier’s classic ‘I Am Sitting In A Room’ produced with students from my Sound Sculpture class. Good work, team. At the Gallery until 14th June.
Also surfacing this week, a most interesting idea courtesy of Fons Moers, that appeared to gain a gratifying amount of traction of Twitter:
The BBC is closing down its Maida Vale studios. Now send in @RobinTheFog to record the life of the building. He did the same with the Bush House building you know… https://t.co/lnPcNMfD1L
— Fons Moers (@zetduivel) June 5, 2018
At the time of writing, the powers that be are remaining quiet on the subject, but for the record I’m totally up for it. Apart from the whole Radiophonic Workshop legacy, I’ve got an awful lot of my own happy memories of time spent in Maida Vale with the BBC Drama Department. If memory serves, some of my notable roles in studio MV6 included a chimpanzee attacking a Range Rover, a cow being milked and even a Baked Alaska. Besides, who wouldn’t relish the chance to get a few more loops down that endless corridor one last time? Thanks to Fons and everyone else who got behind the idea!
And finally, this happened. But Mum’s the word for now:
Robin The Fog 