Return of the bearded nomad, psychedelic pineapples and ferie zimowe

Signing autographs

Artistic impression

Monday 3rd January was the return to school after the Christmas and New Year's holiday. Slowly picking up the pace on that day and having to wake the children up too. Though this was the first week back, it was also a short one due to Epiphany falling on 6th Jan and giving an extra day off school. God bless Poland and it's love of bank holidays and long weekends. I've also been feeling a greater confidence in my teaching now. I've especially enjoyed the creative writing activities, exploring their imaginations and creativity has been so fun and rewarding! Tales of psychedelic pineapples, talking donkeys, Ponglish ('I knowem') and paper cut out pupils have all kept me and the pupils entertained.

The pieces are coming together with my noise and music making in Łódź now, and on Friday 7th I met up with two Łódź noise musicians and created friendships and also plans for collaborations during the coming months. See more details below.

Cat's approval

Me and Tim

Monday 10th was the penultimate week before the Winter break, 'ferie zimowe'. Now I understand people will be confused here, let me explain! The Polish winter holidays for schools change every year as not to create chaos and accidents on the roads and in the mountains. So this year, my school had our holiday in the middle of January, next year it will be at the start of February and the year after in the middle of February. Anyway, the children had a special treat on Thursday 13th in the form of Tim Holehouse. As previous readers will remember, Tim was in Poland a few months ago and returned in January to play more concerts and be among the friendly people he's so fond of. Tim played 5 or 6 songs for a group of 15 pupils and 4 teachers. While also explaining where he has travelled to, the experiences he's had, his philosophy and enganged with the pupils and their views on music. Though I have never known them so quiet before! One phrase stuck with me about Tim's philosophy and it was that he's 'not rich in pocket, but rich in heart'. Later that evening, myself, performing as Left Hand Cuts off the Right and Tim collaborated a new improvised piece under the title of 'The Storms Never Halt Here', as part of the Ice Crushing Noise night at Jazzga. Although we were one man down the show went on and my friends in Łódź got to experience the terrible noise that I like to make. Also on the bill was Ironlung, which is one half of Łódź noise machine, Trauma Unit.

CD-R cover. Artwork by Wil Judkins

Tim then played again at our flat on Friday 14th to a larger crowd of lovely folk and played two sets to those who were hungry for more. I prepared 3 curries, rice and pitta bread for those eager to eat and I gather went down rather well. Tim left the following day, Saturday 15th to complete the end of his 8 month European tour in Lille, France. A gig partly organised by a fellow Comenius Assistant in Łódź. That evening was time for more giggage, with some old school hardcore from Regress, Throwdown and Thug Life. Though I'm not really a huge fan of the chugga-chugga-tough-guy-basketball-shorts hardcore, it was pleasing to see such a high turnout for a DIY hardcore gig in Łódź, with 140 people you can't grumble.

End note

Noise Waster flyer

• To coincide with the performance at Jazzga I released a new CD-R entitled 'The Chatter of Beggar's Teeth'. The name comes from Antoin Artaud's quote, 'All true language is incomprehensible like the chatter of beggar's teeth'. The artwork was provided by my younger brother, Wil. See the photo attached. My new work can be heard here.
• I am slowly but surely making my way through Stanisław Lem's 'Solaris' and I'm loving it. I have the Tarkovsky film version ready to watch as soon as I've finished with the great book.
• On the 23rd February I will be playing a solo concert as Left Hand Cuts off the Right as part of the Noise Waste 10 show in Warsaw. This will be alongside Trauma Unit also.