The risks of art criticism...

... the main one of which is you might find yourself talking pure bollocks.

Just found another pic from the McCullin session, I think the fabs were just off their heads. In this one they're clearly just having a laugh.

Not that I take back everything I said. It so depends on your mood doesn't it.? Too serious, always been my problem...

The strangest picture of the Beatles ever taken?

Maybe it's also the best picture of the Beatles ever taken. Don McCullin. It is weird. It can't be a set up, McCullin isn't that sort of photographer. And the fabs were always up for pictures of them clowning around. But this isn't typical clowning is it?

Chief clown Lennon plays dead here. Or dying, or sick or something. An angelic McCartney looks at him attentively. Ringo looks like one of those suffering mothers in McCullin's war photographs. And Harrison, uninvolved, severe, just stares straight into the camera.

As I've never seen it before I guess they never released it at the time as not good for their image. Or maybe they saw it as some arty exercise. Though I'm not sure what to read into it. Four guys at the top of the world and the top of their game reveal their vulnerability, their mortality perhaps? (Lennon was the first to die, remember)

Of course it looks more like a McCullin photo than a Beatles photo. Though what he or what the Beatles thought they were playing at here is beyond me. Whatever it was, it's very strange, very haunting, very odd.

White bicycles

Somebody has been reading about the Amsterdam Provos, or listening to Pink Floyd.

They've even painted the tyres (won't last, I promise).

But the whole crazy idealistic point about white bicycles as a solution to urban transport problems was they were not chained up.

So nice idea, whoever you are, but it sort of misses the point...

POSTSCRIPT...

Four days later and I passed it again, still chained up in the same place. One of the tyres has gone flat. Maybe it's somebody's idea of street art. Nice slogan anyway.

Hello mellow

Sometimes the same old routine has its satisfactions. Sometimes, better scream, as Pete Wylie said. But a bit of lightness to my mood today. Wish it was intenser, but it can't always be intense. I often crave excitement. But today it's just cool. Read a bit, wandered around a bit. Took a few pictures. A bit of this. A bit of that. Mustn't grumble...

Valentine humbug

I hate the way this has become some sort of festival, or rather some sort of capitalist festival like Christmas has become, an opportunity to buy and sell things, market a 'valentine' experience. People have been taken in by it to the extent that they "celebrate" - which in a post Christian civilisation empty of true festival and ritual is understandable enough I suppose.

But it's still all so much bollocks really. If you love somebody you can celebrate every time you're together if you want to. Without the paid for paraphernalia of cards and disposable stuff.

As a healthy antidote I offer the beautiful young Chet Baker singing My Funny Valentine in that stoned strange strung out way of his - it's more erotic in a way than a million red cardboard hearts could ever be.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvXywhJpOKs

Dutiful not beautiful

On the day when London was hit by the biggest snowstorm in years, tough guy here proved how cool he was by going into work. 75% at least didn't make it. I should have stayed home and had some fun instead.