Stop me, oh, stop me stop me if you think that you've heard this one before

I was asked by a language expert to rewrite a subject again, just like what we did in primary school (i.e.滕文), or some creative writing workshops that you have to write the same story again and again in different styles. I tried to write it in details, but it turned out to be copious, tried to be objective, but became paragraphs of subjective nonsense (so you have been warned). I paste it below, cos' i don't have anything to update my blog, this is a fake entry.


i've never seen such cute uniform


It's almost a month now since Glastonbury 2008. Oh yes, I finally have gone to Glastonbury!

According to the official source, Glastonbury Festival is the world's largest outdoor music festival. Since 1970, numerous performing units with different genres and styles, no matter internationally acclaimed or unknown and unsigned, there would always be a cutting-edge vibe for the units selected. However, this year was quite different. Although it claimed to promote the ethos of socio-environmental awareness, the line-up was absolutely commercial awareness. Jay-Z, James Blunt, Mark Ronson and Duffy, you would mistake the line-up as this week's Top 10 best selling albums of HMV. Having said that, it was such line-up (and the lukewarm ticket selling) that I could get hold of a ticket this year.

It took me about 4 hours to reach Glastonbury from London Victoria by National Express (and it hit Wiltshire in-between, oh my!) In London, there was still a happy sunny sky but once the coach arrived Glastonbury, the sky was grey and drizzled. Oh, was it a curse that each year glasto has to be end in muddy and dirty?

Tried not to be depressed by the weather and kept my spirit up, once my tent was set up, I rushed (of course i couldn't rush actually because of the slippery mud) to the first act that I would want to see, Lightspeed Champion at John Peel Stage. Refreshing and cute, you couldn't believe he's the alter ego of the dance group Test-Icicles. Drizzles sometimes turned to downpours, I ate my late lunch in wet and pissed while watching the hype Hoosiers, so was it this, Glastonbury? My whine was immediately pacified by The Gossip. Beth Ditto proved to be a charismatic diva, energetic no matter what her size was. Their set was ended by "Standing In The Way Of Control", totally uplifting. When evening came, I had to make my way to the Park Stage. As Pyramid Stage and Park Stage was situated diagonally (and with the help of the long and winding muddy road), it took me at least 45 minutes to go there. When I arrived, that was already the last part of John Cale. Hurried myself to the front row to pretend to be a fan of whoever that followed, it was announced that there would be a very special guest, and it turned out to be Franz Ferdinand. Cheered with the crowd, it was not a bad treat. Time ran fast in jolly pop and then it came to Dizzy Rascal. I don't know why but it's just too coincident that in order to see the act that followed, I had to tolerate Dizzy and pretended to be his fan, danced to the beat which i found loath, just like what I did last year. 45 minutes passed slowly and finally I could meet Mr Peter Doherty. Highlight of the day and highlight of the festival? For me it surely was. Taking off his cloak, picking up his guitar and lighting up a cigarette, his move was classy, if not aristocratic. No more shambolic, the solo set was delivered in a professional but still sincere manner, though most of the songs performed were taken from that shambolic period of the Libertines. Those insatiable and evil fans like me sometimes miss the whimpering urchin who was fragile and uncontrollable ... humm, but on a second thought, i want Peter to be happy and healthy so his present state is perfect. This was like the choice between Blake's Songs of Innocence and Songs of Experience, ha, I digress miles away. Back to the Park Stage, Peter dedicated "Albion" to Adam Ficek and Carlos Barat; it caused a wave of cheers. Lastly, "punky" Drew McConnell (oh that's his hairdo) on stage as second guitar and the night was ended in the massive choir of "Beg Steal and Borrow". My first day in Glastonbury, began in soggy and sludgy, wrapped up in blessed and elated.

Rain stopped on Saturday, seemed to be a good sign for the day. I tried to find the official merchandise but instead I found the daily Glasto News. Searched back to the Day 1 issue, there was a photo of Carlos in the site, so he must have been arrived on the first day and camped somewhere, tried hard to find that petit handsome but sometimes absurd guy. After having the rip-off lunch, rushed to John Peel Stage to see the first act of my day - The Teenagers, even though they were not groundbreaking, they were at least very entertaining. Having a bit more body exercise in Dance Tent by seeing XXTeens. The crowd (not a crowd actually, just about 30 people there) was quite lukewarm to their music and I felt bad for them as they were quite alright in my two pennies' worth. The sun was not hiding anymore so I could enjoy a sunny and exciting set of Neon Neon at the Other Stage. When evening came, I intended to go to Pyramid Stage to see Amy Winehouse, but literally, I couldn't find any space to go near the Pyramid Stage, not even a small gap to watch the big screen. Poor me could only stand nearby to hear the music, as I was quite fond of Winehouse's music. Her set was ended abruptly because she attacked an audience (again) and was forced to end her set ... humm. Hurried to get away from Jay-Z, I went to the Other Stage to see Massive Attack. They were still very good and atmospheric, though 3D clearly had Tourette's syndrome. Aroma of marijuana was everywhere, I really liked to stay but I had to go to the Park Stage for CSS, so goodbye to the trance, say hello to the cute. The stage was set in white balloons and feather, me together with groups of middle-aged men (??!) danced in the bliss of cuteness. So, sweet dream, Saturday night in Glastonbury.

Sunday indeed was full of sunshine. All muddy roads disappeared, they even began to crack by the dryness. As there was no particular act which I wanted to see, I spent half of the Sunday in wandering. There was a big market near the Bandstand and some interesting area in the Green Field. So glad was the discovery of such hippy vibe, so sad was that I didn't know Helsinki was actually in the Guardian Lounge at 4:30pm, while I was so idle and even stopped for a while to see John Mayer (unforgivable). My idleness ended when there was Goldfrapp on the Pyramid Stage. Although their music was that angelic hymn which I usually enjoyed, their set was a bit too long. Finally then there was someone who I really longed for - Leonard Cohen. The sun turned tender when "Dance Me To The End Of Love" was played, the old poet stole my soul. But I could not drown to this magical moment for long. I had another mission. Parted with the charming gentleman, I rushed to the Leftfield to meet another charming creature. The schedule said it would be Dirty Pretty Things but actually it was Carlos Barat's solo. He was nervous and insecure, as usual. He who tried to maintain the balance of life, was actually born with a storming heart. He who lived in the storming life, was actually so carefree and confident. Maybe that's why they were so attracted to each other. Carl's set was quite short but he did not use it to promote the new album of his current band, rather, most of the songs performed were also from The Libertines period. The set was begun by "Come Closer" (which urged that one and only to come closer as his resistance is low), he then dedicated "Music When The Lights Go Out" to Peter, was the declaration of xxxx too obvious? Reluctantly I had to say goodbye to Carlos and then it came to the "supposed to be" highlight of the whole event – the reunion of The Verve. It opened by "This Is Music" which sounded promising! Followed by series of hits in The Urban Hymns (and the massive karaoke). For sure that was a powerful performance and we all enjoyed it, but I felt something missing, I don't know what it was, maybe that was The Verve so I had a higher expectation, or maybe they did not perform "Blue" and "On Your Own" which I found it was a loss.

So that's it! I survived the mud, the dirt, the not-exaggerating-glasto-toilet experience and Glastonbury 2008! For its originality and relatively backwardness, for its hippy vibe and laid-back air, Glastonbury was unique as compared to other festivals in UK and Japan, go there, at least once.

when you wake you are still in dream or in awe

21 June 2008, still suffered from dizziness and jet lag, i rushed to roundhouse, a venue which made me think of emir kusturica's underground, oh, what a night, what a thrilling night.

dreamy and brutal, gentle and violent, its music was as contradictory as its own name, my bloody valentine. melodic whispering beneath layers of noise. 16 years of procrastination do not wear off its magic (and shields/butcher's youthful coyness). free earplugs were distributed at doors, a friendly reminder / factual warning of what kind of band mbv really was, albeit romanticised by its own myth. we were fed not only with kisses but also with those fierce and beautiful songs like "only shallow", "when you sleep", "i only said", "when you wake", "soft as snow", "come in alone" and "thorn", volume kept turning up. at last we were all pushed to the limit, with the last song "you made me realise" -

white light white heat, 20 minutes of sheer white noise, dazzling, i saw many put their fingers to their earplugged ears, in agony, struggling to remain, or being pushed to the wall by the noise like those being attacked by mysterious chinese kung fu, some were hypnotised, danced with their eyes closed, hands up, worshipped in awe. thanks for my already impaired hearing and my jet-lagged mind, i was among those hypnotised crowd, "don't fight it, feel it", or i didn't have to feel it, it's so overwhelming, just let yourself to be swallowed, visions and illusions, or just brain disorder.

the noise stopped. it finished. mbv left the stage and the shell-shocked crowd without any words. great. i wonder if i will ever have such sensational experience again.


you want to fall to the abyss of noise?

The Angelic Conversation

they hardly met . nor talked . but sang in different time and space . the same old songs . about the highs and the lows and the tos and the fros . how they twist and tore their love apart . if they would cherish each other again . he made dedication to him . he did the same and then worried if he would mind him singing a song . almost a dialogue . it's like if they both bear each other in their own vault of heart . communication in a subtle way . or a conversation in arcady ?

Now is the time

Always thought that i should have gone to glastonbury at least once in the lifetime, call it an event, an experience, a ritual, a pilgrimage. The ticket selling said something about the line-up this year, or that's the reason why I could finally get a ticket to the muddy road.

Low:
It's astounding to have jay-z, but I didn't hold much dislike to him, just not my cup of tea. What I found even more astounding was to have James Blunt, Mark Ronson, Duffy, Neil Diamond ... (the list goes on) such MOR acts, glasto was turning from xfm/bbc 1 to capital fm. Worse, my cousin liked Duffy so I had to tolerate this woman 45 mins (why butler why?) Worse x 2, i didn't know Helsinki was there too!!! i could only blame myself for not visiting and updating enough fdb.

High:
Having said that, of course I could still dig out a few acts out of hundreds to really enjoy myself. Lightspeed Champion, as cute as in its album. Entertaining and tight, massive Beth Ditto with The Gossip was so refreshing for those who trapped in the muddy ground and rainy sky. Franz Ferdinand, got me to the dance floor as usual. XXTeen, I always missed their show in london, great to see them in glasto (though they received cold reception). Pretended meself as teenager among the gang of The Teenagers. Surprised to see groups of middle-aged men in CSS set, but they were really fun and festive. Charming Leonard Cohen, do i just fall for anyone with suit and trilby and poems? Neon Neon was absolutely brilliant, high - with or without substance, i didn't care, i need that state of mind, if you've ever been high, I really love that SFA man. Bilo and Biggles, should i need any explanation?







maga-mud, sunburnt, insects, lack of hot shower, time-honoured glasto toilet experience - against all odds, a fool still found it enjoyable

in that dizzy night, all things surreal

it's so unreal for meeting the real banksy's work

i need some placebo for my uptight life

never thought the delivery was so prompt, nice art work, but i don't have a vinyl player, so it's just another collector item.

Have always known, know that i can't escape, yet can't accept

The sky is white as clay, with no sun.
Work has to be done.


shit, i am frightened.

蒼海桑田現實版

when harbour turns to gutter

four letters word(s)

Love, hate or fuxk?

No, I just mean those four letters code under the Jung Typology Test. Recently my office has organised a so-called self-improvement training and the first task was to find out what kind of person you really were (then you may know your own weaknesses and find ways to improve yourself these rubbish talk). I never believe you can really change your character or personality. It's a murder of your own soul, if you have to change. Saint or villain is almost inborn. So, villain or saint, which one are you?

Jung Test

I am the villain INFP (no, actually they are meek and kind, these useless traits). I think the analysis is quite accurate, especially it says most of the INFPs have imaginery friends in their childhood. Haha, yes indeed i'm one of those psychos (so don't feel strange if i talk and laugh to myself uncontrolledly). According to my career chart (there are numerous interesting analysis of Jung test on interent), lawyer is one of the most unsuitable jobs for INFP, no wonder i end up like what i am now. decaying.

it's crazy for me to make connection but i just can't help myself

so if the album's title "Romance at short notice" was based on that funny short story of Saki, what caught my eyes most was this little paragraph:

"Out through that window, three years ago to a day, her husband and her two young brothers went off for their day's shooting. They never came back. In crossing the moor to their favorite snipe-shooting ground they were all three engulfed in a treacherous piece of bog. It had been that dreadful wet summer, you know, and places that were safe in other years gave way suddenly without warning. Their bodies were never recovered. That was the dreadful part of it... Poor aunt always thinks that they will come back someday, they and the little brown spaniel that was lost with them, and walk in at that window just as they used to do. That is why the window is kept open every evening till it is quite dusk."

that is just the response to:
And I know where to find you, my love
In the same old flat by the river
The only way in was through the window

this is a hopeless fangirl.

I feel quite chuffed today cos' I finally received the frenchdog's gift. the envelope even has its "signature", cute!


Thank you Adam

i fought the law and i won

maybe only banksy who's so lucky to be able to say these words (or no one could really accuse his work as vandalism.)

my little hometown was a bit political recently, or it used to be that way but I never aware. Politics is tiresome and annoying so we tend to not think and talk about it (but to be a conformist is even more evil and depressing). Political talk is the number 1 taboo in any social circle.

So let make political talk at different angle. We have an exhibition of a few Banksy's paint works in the hong kong arts centre last month. Humourous or poignant, I may just react in a wry smile, just like what I do, in face of my society, or err... my life.


Reminder of what Einstein said "I know not with what weapons World War III will be fought, but World War IV will be fought with sticks and stones".


I really love this one, feeling of loss


read what gangster rat said, celebrate the freedom.
I dedicate the words of this gangster rat to meself, and also to my beloved doherty who is free again. (the title of this article is also dedicated to doherty, though i must sound like the sycophant who's blind to all his behaviour)

My world goes crazy sometimes

Colour of loudness, tawdriness, frenzy, violence, extremity and bloodshed.

But there are people just loving it

loudly, frenetically, violently and blindly




Give me a cup of tea and
four thick walls with no TV

feel better now than the last time but still no better than before

This place has been deserted for a while, not that I didn't want to update it, but April is the cruellest month so I suffered from minor ailments, after the flu, there was migraine, bellyache, insomnia, no appetite ... shit I am such a lover of food and drinks, hope I will return to be a glutton and drunkard soon.

If I was not absent, I should have written something about Channel's Mobile Art, the interesting architecture by Zaha Hadid, how it promoted and degraded art, how the poetic sound guide inspired as well as limited participants' interpretation, but the whole event was too long ago so I don't feel like to write about it.

I should also have written something about this year Hong Kong International Film Festival which surprisingly, my most favourite film is not a film at all, it's the Stones' gig Shine A Light. I can't say i know all their songs by heart but hey, they are so energetic, there is so much passion, life and brotherhood, their fire is still burning bright at this age, having a labour of love and hedonistic life for over 40 years, I think they must be God's most favourite human being. To me this year hkiff is not too bad as compare to the past few years'.

... and yeah, how can i not mention duran duran live in HK (wow my childhood's idol!) I don't have their new album so I did not know most of the songs but it didn't matter, their new songs actually sound quite alright, my friend said it's the effort of justin timberlake, haha what a surprise, i never thought this person has talent (so i might be wrong). Not only rolling stones remains energetic, so does duran duran! Simon Le Bon must be near (or already?) 50 but he didn't look much different from his younger days, though my childhood crush John Taylor changed a lot bit. I am turning nostalgic these days as a sign of turning old, so i will even go to see elton john in may!



i like all mic-sharing moments, even for those of middle age men, ha! (oh sorry simon & john, i'm just joking, u know i love u both)

無聊才讀書

『快樂，不快樂。好像愛我，不愛我。他拿起一枝花，一面拔掉花瓣，一面在說「快樂，不快樂」。他是一個快樂的人，他也是一個不快樂的人 ... 他對他說，他不快樂。因為他的慾望太多，不能滿足，甚麼都是有點不足夠 ... 他的快樂是很快的，喝一杯紅酒很快樂，那一個Moment很快樂，但三分鐘之後，快樂就消失了 ... 雙子座和雙魚座的人通常的快樂，都是很快快樂，很快便不快樂。他們兩個雙子和雙魚，一問一答，一答一問，在討論快樂。』

- 《好風如水》胡恩威

I just love these passages, for obvious reason (someone is so idle for sure).

no more bacchanalia

pretty chairlady of bacchic club went settling down once and for all, of course i wish her happy ever after, oh, but it also marked the day of the disbandment of our bacchic meeting, no more hangover in the saturday morning.


double happiness my dear

another side of the coin...

of course i was one of those "sisters" of my good friend's wedding, nevermind to darken my panda eyes (as woke up at 5:45am), nevermind to wear that "too" feminine dress all day long, cos' they were nothing as compared to rendezvous of ex-schoolmates. exchange of name cards, exchange of hollow talks, i think i would rather be a recluse.


my golden shoes, yo!

Something must have gone right

Half the world blame him for his living up to his own prediction 20 years ago - to be so sleazy and money-grabing, "re-issue re-package re-package re-evaluate the songs double-pack with a photograph extra track" (Paint a Vulgar Picture in Strangeway, Here We Come). "Greatest Hits" is the album most of the Morrissey devotees despise. Not only that it's creepily coincident with his own version of vulgar picture, it evilly excludes most of his early classics. The omission of "November Spawned a Monster" and "Now My Heart Is Full" is particularly unforgivable (But for my work experience in a copyright organisation, I guess I know the reason). The two new songs "That's How People Grow Up" and "All You Need Is Me" are, well ... good, for a b-side track (oh how can i say this verdict to my demi-god). Having said that, I am not part of that half world who despise it. So, am I the other half who just blindly follow Moz? of course Not. Usually I always hate the idea of those rip-off greatest hits/compilations. That's why I insist not to buy The Best of The Libertines even though that also means I can't claim to have their complete collection, but it's really pointless (...err or maybe I'll buy later if I really have an extra HK$150 to waste). To a very large extent the reason why I love Moz's Greatest Hits is the extra live tracks. Grand and epic. It's all worthwhile just for Life is a Pigsty. And to include The National Front Disco? Ha, was it a provocation or reply (or confirmation?) to the accusation from nme? Sarcasm, humour or pettiness, the dividing line is so hard to draw for an englishman, especially for moz. Looking at the sleeve picture, your arse, haha, do you believe he really intended to make a greatest hits? I still believe his sense of humour.


Your arse Greatest Hits - Morrissey

You're so great

Sad drunk and poorly
Sleep in really late
Sad drunk and poorly
Not feeling so great
Wandering lost in a town full of frowns
Sad drunk and poorly
Dogs digging up the ground

And I feel the light in the night and in the day
And I feel the light
When the sky's just mud and grey
And I feel the night when you tell me it's OK
Coz you're so great and I love you

cultural town

suddenly. As if you wake up one day and find yourself in some metamorphosis' scenario, everything was changed, my hometown has an artistic and cultural atmosphere. Not only arts festival and international film festival are coincidently held in the same month, I saw so many modern sculptures in everywhere i go.


i regard it as one of the "Angel" (使徒) in Neon Genesis Evangelion


i suspect that's suggested by havey nichols, someone head over heels in front of it


keith haring, of course


even if there is hardware, do you think there's software? People here were all indifferent to the exhibition, it was either because, they were really indifferent or, they're too familiar with those sculptures and thought it would be a bit "shallow" to pay special attention to them.


as arts are so-called everywhere, of course they're not just in the landmark, modern sculptures can also be found in exchange square. see, they are the chubby adam and eve by botero.

But what i feel excited most was this "mobile art", the exhibition centre is a work of art in itself, by zaha hadid. so what is it about? I don't know at this moment, as you may only enter by appointment and my appointment shall be two weeks later, very popular, so be proud of this city, we are real cultural, right?


strange object in the midst of central


it's either a cocoon or spaceship

Good surprise

Cable have closed down most of its mtv channels with the exception of my most least favourite one - mtv china (you can tell the kind of mv just by the name of it). Last night there was serendipity, there was one whole hour of those "thom yorke home recording" of the songs of in rainbows. Though we probably have already watched it online, it's great to watch the clips again on big TV screen. So there will be dvd soon?

Radiohead - Nude

it's random, no, it's destined

see, my sandbox in facebook thinks they should be together.





[edit on 27 Feb 2008]
today, my sandbox even thinks peter should be on the top, hahaha... (yeah, i'm really bored in the office)