My thoughts about books, writing, life and so many other things….Judy Leigh/ Elena Collins.
I often cast films in my imagination. If I read about a character in a book, an actor will come to mind and I think ‘he or she would be perfect for that role.’ Many times, I’ve considered actors who might be in films of my own novels: Brendan Gleeson and Julie Walters feature a …
Continue reading So, who is the best actor to play Lemmy in a biopic?
I know some people like to work in silence: writing a novel, a dissertation or doing homework means that concentration must continue uninterrupted and they prefer no noise at all. Others like the buzz of a radio playing music in the background, or the friendly hum of a voice on Radio Four. I like the …
Continue reading Whatever music you need, Escapades hits the right note.
I recently went to see The Hu perform in Brighton and I can’t praise them enough. It is a wonderful experience to go and see a live band play and come away not only having enjoyed the music but also having being filled with respect for the performers. The Hu are a Mongolian rock band …
Continue reading The Hu and cry for hu-manity through Mongolian music
I work at my computer most days and listen to rock music on the radio on my smart speaker. I love a lot of the songs and I enjoy the DJs’ banter, the cheery voices and the sense of company as a happy voice rattles away in the background while I type. Most of the …
Continue reading Now about some of these old rock song lyrics…
I thought I'd share a Youtube song with an animated film, which made me feel really happy when I saw it. Happy weekend time. It is Gogol Bordello's Pala Tute. Directed by Aliaksei Tserakhau, the video is a mixed media collage which blends stop-motion animation and live action, with a lot of green screen work. The story …
Today as the sun was shining in the South of merry England, a postman dropped a brown envelope through my letterbox and walked away, whistling a catchy tune. I was busy writing so I left the post for later, which made the contents of the envelope a real treat when I finally ripped the paper …
So, here I am in the middle of rural Brittany, up a very vibey hill which has legends of elves and korrigans and spirits and all sorts. The wind is moaning and dark clouds hang. Someone has just taken a photo of someone else and they have come out twice on the picture, no gadgets …
Continue reading Up a hill in the middle of nowhere. What would you miss most?
Dancing is such a great way to celebrate and to enjoy how our bodies react when we're enveloped in the rhythm and the emotion of music. I have decided this summer is all about spontaneous dancing. When no one expects it. Unplanned. Grab someone by the hand or just leap onto the table by yourself, …
Continue reading We should dance more! Join me – become a crazy dancer..
Love is a strange thing. We love things which lift our spirits. Spring time makes everything feel better. Or a glass of wine on a Friday night, an unexpected gift or a compliment, a work of art we can see at close range in a gallery, Beckett performed live, a quiet beach at sunset. How …
Continue reading The Tiger Lillies: so beautiful, Brechtian and bad to the bone
U Roy is playing dates in London and Falmouth this year and I have tickets. Live gigs are a thing of beauty: I love mosh pits and dancing until dawn, but a reggae gig is a thing apart. I have been to so many, so often: Misty in Roots, Steel Pulse, John Brown's Body, UB40, Easy …
That quintessence of dust 