It looked a bit like this as we entered Norwich.
After finishing work at Revolution (I am a chef among other things when I am not filming) I spend the rest of the day running around Reading buying up essentials for our first stint in Norwich. I say essentials, I still don’t have a copy of “Build a Rocket Boys” by “Elbow” this is a sin I have to rectify… Baphomet be Praised!!! To add to my problems all my Atkinson’s have been read. So my essentials are not toothpaste. I mean Norwich must have discovered Antiperspirants by now .. Surely .. (I love a pun – but I almost feel the need to apologies for that one)
I decide that I should buy Hamer a gift. He is a great friend and film partner who I constantly forget to tell him how honoured I am to have him as a friend. Before I even get to HMV I figure I will get him “Jane’s Addiction” LP “Nothings Shocking” it is amazing how many holes he has in his record collection. Only to discover that HMV also have hole in theirs. I am truly shocked; they have no Jane’s Addiction in the store other than a piece of black plastic with the name written upon it.
“Bring me the Head of Simon Cowell ..!” shouts my inner voice. I am angry on behalf of Perry Farrell how can there be no Jane’s Addiction records here. Then I think back to my inner voice “Bring me the head of Simon Cowell..!” and I realise that this would make a great t-shirt. Imagine a sinister butler with red or green eyes holding a silver platter with the – bring me the head slogan. So if anyone out there is a graphic designer please make on and send it to me as a gift. I am an XL in size but please don’t expect anything in return I am skint.
Anyhow back to the dilemma.. Now I am in gift buying mode I have to, have to achieve my goal. I look around I am lost. What to do. I think about Luke Rhineheart and wish for a list and some dice when a kind of cool grungy kid walks in to the store with a “Death to the Pixies” shirt on. Problem solved. T-shirts and or dice are the astrology of the dedicated Post Modern punker. In addition to Elbow and the Pixies I pick up a couple of books and a best of REM CD for the car. Happy.
I walk over to the Pitcher and Piano to say good bye to some of my buddies. As I arrive everyone is talking about our friend Cosmic’s blog. Cosmic (Alan) is away walking across Sweden, he is wrong in the head hence the nick name cosmic. It makes me laugh a bit, a lot of folk are dead impressed when they hear that you are a film maker to some it is like being a grown up pop star. My mates don’t give a Monk3ys (plug) walking in Sweden is much cooler to the inhabitants of the Pitcher and Piano in Reading.
Hamer picks me up at 3 second past six (have I mentioned he is a little robotic) I excitedly give him his unwrapped gift with the price label still attached 2 for £10 (I want him to know how much I like him – he he). He says “Thanks…. Can we have the REM on” Have I ever mentioned my talentless, shit bag ex-friend Paul bloody Hamer. Feck me he is HARD WORK SOMETIME’S ARRRGGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
That aside REM kick ass. It is sing along time. A road movie. More “Bill and Ted” then “Drugstore Cowboy”
As we hit the M11 ? A11 ? (I don’t do Geography) Baphomet fires up a thunderstorm to welcome us. Lightening forks across the sky, It is as beautiful as it is eerie, I feel connected the power in the sky Power the movie. It makes me tingle. The storm stays with us for just over an hour. For dramatic tension am prepared to tell a lie. The storm was with us for 66 minutes and 6 seconds exactly. Who knows that might even be true. Baphomet be praised.
We arrive in Norwich and find our house no one is in and we don’t have a key. Time for the Pub and some phone calls.
Ian Manson Film Maker