50% dark red, 20% turquoise, 30% black.
Ozzy Osbourne is reading a poem which he wrote in the pre-Sabbath days. He wears clothing from the sixteenth century. A multitrack tape plays in the background, harmonising with his voice.
60% green, 10% white, 30% black.
I am watching Tackhead play a show, performing some kind of future speed funk-reggae. Doug Wimbish's bass guitar has illuminated calculator-style numerical readouts mounted into the fretboard, between the frets. The numbers shown indicate information about what they will play next.
40% dark orange, 20% light green, 40% black.
Stringfellow Hawke retrieves his drumsticks from a cupboard, after a long period of disuse. He then proceeds to play drums. The drums are saucepans with skins made from multiple layers of packing tape. One saucepan contains a large amount of drawing pins, to simulate the sound of a snare drum.
40% dark red, 30% purple, 5% very light blue, 25% black.
I am a bystander at a large public event, standing next to Iain Sinclair. He is making sarcastic comments as we watch the Queen pass by.
40% light grey, 10% dark yellow, 50% light turquoise.
Frank Zappa is scrutinising a turquoise teapot. There are lumps of demerara sugar stuck on the inside of the teapot.
40% dark pink, 40% light blue, 20% black.
Ed from Plaid is singing in a beautiful alto. He sings into a Shure SM58 microphone, using a slice of cucumber as a baffle.
50% red, 30% light blue, 20% dark purple.
I am watching Depeche Mode play a show sometime in the early 1980s. They play an entire song which has never been heard before. The bassist, who has long curly hair, is so moved that he is in tears whilst playing.
50% light orange, 10% dark green, 40% white.
It is autumn and I am walking in a large forest, which is owned by saxophonist Mick Beck. A local band is playing, which features Cliff Burton on bass.
40% dark red, 20% light pink, 40% black.
I am discussing a short film with somebody I don't know, who has acted in it. Mark King walks in humming to himself, and I whisper, ‘Check him out, this guy is brilliant.’ Mark King, wearing a baseball cap, then delivers an improvised virtuoso funk-humming solo. He finishes. Everybody applauds, and I say, ‘I told you he was good.’ Mark King and I then have a chat and he tells me he likes my stuff. We are sitting at a table with Gary Husband.
40% light orange, 30% dark green, 30% dark blue.
The room is dimly lit. Pharoah Sanders is performing with a large ensemble, with the players assembled in a semicircle. The bassist plays extremely fast walking bass on a rectangular Steinberger L2. Pharoah Sanders plays an instrument which is invisible.
50% turquoise, 20% light green, 30% dark blue.
Whilst socialising with a small group of people, I hear about a one-off show in an Underground station. ‘We'll be there,’ I say. We run into the graveyard of Chelmsford Cathedral. Kit Downes is doing some sort of breakdancing on a tombstone. ‘That's funny,’ I remark.
50% dark pink, 10% green, 40% light blue.
I am watching the Rolling Stones play a show sometime in the early 1970s. They play an entire song which has never been heard before.
40% dark yellow, 20% mid-grey, 40% black.
On the table in front of me is a novel type of mallet instrument, which is being played by Lionel Hampton. The chime bars are black and white photographic negatives, set into a box-like construction.
50% dark pink, 10% orange, 40% blue-grey.
James McVinnie is playing ‘Johnny B. Goode’ on a Steinway piano.
