Over Sea, Under Stone

(Day 14 off the Marlboro and still going...)

The more I've been writing, the less I've been blogging. Whilst this is a good thing in the real world, it doesn't make for a great reading for you guys so first of a few updates today.

First port of call, kudos in the Circle of Fear:

Roger, my Evil Stateside Twin out in New York, launched his book this week. I must have been asleep for an hour or so as somehow the fact that he was even writing it at all passed me by and suddenly, the damn thing is available. I've not seen it but Roger was my counterpart in the States when I was publishing Burn and Zero. I guarantee that Full Metal Jackie Certified: The 50 Most Influential Heavy Metal Songs of the ’80s and the True Stories Behind Their Lyrics will be a blasterama of a good read. You can buy it here. Now. Right now. Not later. Now.

I guess an explanation of the Circle of Fear is needed. Simply put, this is my list of friends who are actively doing things for themselves, much as I am, and could use some support. I guess the very least I can ask is that if you're a reader here, at least check out their links which are in the Circle of Fear blogroll on the right (somewhere).

This weekend, I also considered getting my hair cut for the third time in twenty years and was curtailed at the pass by Eleanor, Rhiannon and Ellie all saying at the same time "No - you looked stupid the last time you did it" - so that was the end of that idea. So in its place I think I shall get another very large tattoo. Having seen Mr Downes' work on himself, I'm thoroughly confident enough to let him loose on my back with an 11 inch version of this picture right here. The question was: "when you want to be a tattoo artist, how do you get to practice on other people?" So here I am. Check in on Thursday morning for pictures of the "bloody mess". I shall be very cross if he substitutes it with a picture of Arthur Mullard.

The planned trip to see my Ma this weekend was canned in a most dramatic fashion when, having driven 150 miles of the trip already, the tyre on the car was found to be egg shaped as opposed to the more normal round affair that works best with tyres. It was a bloody long way to go for a coffee (Milton Keynes) to find this out and then come back again but it did result in Saturday being a day of chilling out. In a second hand bookstore, I found a copy of a book I've never heard of but damn well ought to: Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper. thoroughly pagan in its output, I'm surprised I never read this as a kid but very pleased to have found it now. Those interested in such ephemera should check it out - there's a whole website about it here but please, avoid the wikipedia entry for it - it makes it sound like a piece of trash, which it absolutely isn't. Some of the reissue covers are also a bit rough but you can't change history...

A new project has reared its pretty head this weekend (road trips can do that to a man). I thought I might pitch out to SPIN or Rolling Stone and do a sprawling piece on the forthcoming Coheed & Cambria album. This seems to be the best idea of the weekend and shall be pursued relentlessly given the nature of said release (it comes with a full length novel) - if nobody is interested out there, I shall do it anyway and syndicate it across the web for free in as many places as I can find.

Coming later today will be my editorial for Ida over at ISLPR nattilly titled "The Greatest Album in the World - Not a Tribute", which is obviously the sister piece to "The Greatest Song in the World - Not a Tribute". I'm 100% sure you'll all disagree with me, but then... I think that's the whole point.


Currently about to launch into: Rob Zombie's Hellbilly Deluxe 2