what's more offensive? (this morning 8:47am)

Music-making still performs the normal functions Background noise for people eating and talking and drinking and smoking That's alright by us. Don't think that we're complaining After all it's only leisure time, isn't it?

That's a verse from the BBC version of Soft Machine's 'Moon in June' and it's probably my favourite version of that song. The 'us' of course is Soft Machine, making the background music. I am not sure that the band were all of a mind on that one but I can't know. It would have seemed arrogant or weird for Robert Wyatt to just say 'that's alright by me...'

Anyway this morning I was in Mr Tulk awaiting the annual staff day, held this year in the State Library, and I was reminded once again that most people don't even notice, much less like or dislike, the background music played in places like this, and also, that the only thing they would notice is if there wasn't background music. I suppose this is where spotify sees a market for lame non-music* to be pumped into public spaces to its own profit. 

Anyway, this morning, AC/DC's 'TNT', a version (not the actual Beatles version, slightly faster, though it did sound like George Harrison singing) of 'Here Comes the Sun', and Supertramp's fucking fucking fucked 'Give a Little Bit' were paraded before me saying 'we won, we won, bland old shit music is here forever and you can't do anything about it', all that was required was a visual of Trump jigging and swaying to it.** 

Now, the music has been drowned out by 12 yarra trams ticket inspectors around the central table. I actually think that's preferable. I can hear something pumping underneath but luckily I can't identify it. 

* ie the music it pays people a pittance to create and sign over to Spotify forever. 

** Later song was Stevie Wonder's 'Isn't She Lovely' which I can handle but the point still stands. Although I read on wikipedia that 'Wonder performed the song live for Queen Elizabeth II at her Diamond Jubilee Concert on June 4, 2012, with lyrics modified to refer to the Queen' which is gross. 

wefwections

'Cos only a sissy would reflect, right? Right. I was having a mentalblank-writersblock moment earlier this evening and was compelled to search on what brought people to this blog in random searches, and found that two things in particular put me in touch with the wider world: my rumination a while ago on what one called one's cousin's child, and another was the term 'sorry for any inconvenience caused', which actually made me wonder if people in non-English speaking countries were trying to figure out what this phrase actually means (FYI - it means NOTHINK).

There is a coffee place about 2 mins from where I work which I go to 2 or so times a day (I met a coworker there a few weeks ago who said 'After what you told us at the christmas party about the amount of coffee you drink I'm not surprised to see you here!' And I said, I drink two cups of coffee a day - three max. And she said 'No, you told us SIX!' God that was a weird conversation to briefly have to have.) I have enjoyed myself a lot there this year, because I like to think I have friendly interactions with the staff, though there is a bit of tension with that too because you always feel like you have to be 'on' when you go there and then 4 out of 5 times you don't really get a chance to be on at all because there are other people to be served, but boy, when you are required to be on, you have to be. I have had some awkward times there, true. Like when the girls were reminiscing about groups they liked when they were children and it was music that I wasn't aware anyone could think of sentimentally, like Destiny's Child. As I have said previously, half the time they play Joan Armatrading there and the other half it's Tracey Chapman, then the third half it's I dunno, I think I once heard Supertramp. Then they asked me what music I liked. Whew that was tough. I think I said the Red Krayola, I mean you might as well be honest. Anyway they are closed for christmas, so I suppose I miss them, I don't know why I brought them up now.

I am listening to The Groop's album Woman you're breaking me, which I suppose is their second and last album, although there is a greatest hits record I see around a lot. I hadn't seen this one and I bought it for a dollar in Cootamundra (or was it Narrandera, christ, you plague me with questions). I went looking for a clip of them on YouTube but there don't seem to have been any made except in their first incarnation before they were very good. But I did happen upon one of my favourite songs of all time, which also happens to have one of the most unintentionally funny videos of all time.


2.05-2.11 is the best bit visually. Note Rage credited this to Ted Mulry Gang, but it is a long time before anyone thought Mulry was Ted's middle name.

I am interested that for 'Julia', another wonderful song which was the single before 'Falling in love again', Ted was considered suitable as the love interest, but they probably figured they'd learnt a lesson by the time of 'FILA'



Anyway I think I was going to wefwect but obviously that isn't going to happen, I meandered instead - which is a bit like wefwecting I suppose. Sowwy.