Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Monday, 23 April 2012
Ellroy Completion
Over the weekend I read the last James Ellroy book that I needed to read . Silent Terror AKA Killer on the Road was a short, mid career novel about a serial killer called Martin Plunkett who goes on a murderous rampage across America. The plot wasn't as complex as some of Ellroy's later works but it was certainly an improvement on some of his earlier Lloyd Hopkins novels.
This post is not a review of that book, but instead a reflection on now having read all of Ellroy's works.
This is significant for a number of reasons. First of all I have only ever read all the published works of one author prior to this, the Welsh spy/thriller writer Craig Thomas who was famous for writing Firefox amongst other things.
Secondly, Ellroy quickly became one of my favourite authors of all time. Roughly 7 years ago I decided to read the novel of one of my favourite films, L.A Confidential. However, before I started it, I realised that it was book three in a quartet by Ellroy known as the L.A Quartet and so set out to read the first one The Big Nowhere. The complexity of the novel, the characterisation and the distinctly noirish setting and language immediately appealed to me. I also read his famous novel The Black Dhalia, his fictionalised account of the murder and unsolved investigation of the brutal murder of wannabee actress Elizabeth Short.
I was then ready to complete the quartet by reading both L.A Confidential and it's sequal White Jazz. I already had a vision in my head of characters like Dudley Smith from having seen the film but the two books expanded the story and it became apparant that the film was based not only on L.A Confidential but had included elements of White Jazz in it..
White Jazz was as complex as any of the other books in the quartet but it was also a book where Ellroy used what is now his distinctive, staccato style of writing for the first time. This was a challenge in terms of reading; it demands your attention and you cannot afford to gently browse through it. Yet in doing so, it also adds to the coldness of the story and the way in which many of the characters seem detached from reality or distant in their relationships with others.
After the quartet, it was time to set out on the American Underworld series, the first book being American Tabloid, Ellroy's fictionalised account of the J.F.K assasination. Inspired by Don DeLillo's Libra which looks at the same issue (and a book which I would later enjoy), American Tabloid became my favourite novel of all time and remains so to this day. Knowing the facts of the J.F.K assasination helped and Ellroy's weaving of his fiction around these facts made for an intense, gripping and ultimately believable version of what may have happened. It continued the style of White Jazz, using staccato prose and newspaper headlines to break up and augment the story.
The Cold Six Thousand was the immediate sequel but was too ambitious, something Ellroy has himself admitted himself. However, the concluding work in the trilogy, Bloods a Rover was a masterpiece. My anticipation for the novel was immense and by now I was sharing my love of Ellroy with one of my best friends. I couldn't wait for it to be published and paid extra to not only have a copy of the American edition which was published a month before the U.K edition, but to also have it shipped as quickly as possible. I wrote about it in a prevous blog post here: http://doigys.blogspot.co.uk/2009/10/ellroy2.html
Not only that but my friend and I had the pleasure of meeting the man himself where I got both this book and American Tabloid signed, again detailed earlier in this blog: http://doigys.blogspot.co.uk/2009/11/demon-dog-comes-to-glasgow.html
So I had read the big ones but there was still more to read and even though these were earlier, shorter works, I needed an Ellroy fix. There was however one other great book that I read during this time and that was his autobiography My Dark Places. Centred around the unsolved murder of his mother, it became apparant how much this had impacted on Ellroy and his writing, including his obsession with the death of Elizabeth Short. This was also around the time that Google Streetview was first emerging and it was incredibly useful to plot Ellroy's travels around L.A , including the High School where his mothers body was dumped.
So I have now finished all his books and given that it might be a few years before his next novel, I have decided that later this year I will return to the L.A Quartet and read The Big Nowhere and eventually American Tabloid again. I never read books twice but I think that in this case, it is fully deserved because I can think of only one other author whose work I love as much as Ellroy's. That author is Stephen King, the only author I have been reading consistently since I was 16. I only have 4 of his books left to read so will write a similar post to this one next year when i anticipate havig completed them
Below is a list of all Ellroy's books that I have read.
L.A Quartet
The Black Dhalia
The Big Nowhere
L.A Confidential
White Jazz
American Underworld Trilogy
American Tabloid
The Cold Six Thousand
Blood's a Rover
non-fiction
My Dark Places
The Hilliker Curse
Destination Morgue
Crime Wave
Short Stories
Dick Contino's Blues
Early Novels
Clandestine
Brown's Requiem
Silent Terror
L.A noir
Monday, 16 April 2012
Meshuggah 15/4/12
Meshuggah blew me away last night with a stunning display of musicianship and sheer power.
I arrived at doors opening and got an excellent spot, just to the right of the stage. There was a firm ledge for drinks but lots of people were boosting themselves up onto it in order to get a better view. This was always my intention for this gig as I wanted to see them play and not mosh, which is something I feel could do with any second rate metal band.
The intro was suitably haunting as the band walked on in a shroud of dry ice. Gutarist Mårten Hagström and bass player Dick Lövgren looked massive, something that was probably accentuated by their mass of hair.
They launched into Demiurge, my favourite track from their latest album Koloss, swiftly followed by Pravus. The sound was incredible; a massive wall of power but one which stemmed from clinical playing and technique. Now that I saw all the band playing I was able to see how each song was divided, between bass, and the two guitars.
I could feel myself shaking at the immensity of it and was not surprised that vocalist Jens Kidman pulls those faces of his when he is on stage as the music creates this sense of demonic possession.
I think the guitar player sin this band get a lot of appraisal but for me it was all about Dick Lövgren and his bass playing. During one song, I could see the top string shuddering as he hit it with his pelctrum. In another song he and Hagström were playing in unison, with Hagström a couple of paces behind Lövgren. It was a stunning sight to behold.
I arrived at doors opening and got an excellent spot, just to the right of the stage. There was a firm ledge for drinks but lots of people were boosting themselves up onto it in order to get a better view. This was always my intention for this gig as I wanted to see them play and not mosh, which is something I feel could do with any second rate metal band.
The intro was suitably haunting as the band walked on in a shroud of dry ice. Gutarist Mårten Hagström and bass player Dick Lövgren looked massive, something that was probably accentuated by their mass of hair.
They launched into Demiurge, my favourite track from their latest album Koloss, swiftly followed by Pravus. The sound was incredible; a massive wall of power but one which stemmed from clinical playing and technique. Now that I saw all the band playing I was able to see how each song was divided, between bass, and the two guitars.
I could feel myself shaking at the immensity of it and was not surprised that vocalist Jens Kidman pulls those faces of his when he is on stage as the music creates this sense of demonic possession.
I think the guitar player sin this band get a lot of appraisal but for me it was all about Dick Lövgren and his bass playing. During one song, I could see the top string shuddering as he hit it with his pelctrum. In another song he and Hagström were playing in unison, with Hagström a couple of paces behind Lövgren. It was a stunning sight to behold.
Tuesday, 21 February 2012
Road to the Isles
Today I set out on the trip of a lifetime; to cycle along the famous Road to the Isles in the Scottish Highlands.
Despite living and cycling in Scotland most of my life, I have never been on this road. As well as being a magnificent cycle, it also serves to give me some time alone with my thoughts, gain some perspective and hopefully come back and put my everyday life into order.
I awaken at 6am and start out immediately. The first 10 miles are from my home to the nearest town where I will get the earliest train into the city of Glasgow. This is the hardest part of the journey; just trying to get into the rhythm of the bike and the weight I am carrying on it. I will be gone for two nights and have to carry clothes, bike equipment, my camera and various other essentials.
Once I arrive in the city, it’s a short trip to the other railway station that serves the Highlands. From here the train makes its way along the north bank of the River Clyde and at one point I look across the water to my old home town of Greenock. I have always enjoyed seeing it from this side of the river after having spent so long looking in the other direction.
The train beings to climb with the landscape already changing from that of the populated lowlands, to the sparseness of the highlands. The track hugs the side of a hill and goes round in a loop as we pass Bridge of Orchy, a small settlement consisting of a few houses and a hotel that once served the best toffee fudge pudding ever. I have been on the road that down below but soon the train track and the road split as the train climbs ever higher onto the plateau of Rannoch Moor, one of the most desolate landscapes in Britain. No humans live here and no road passes through. The railway itself if supported on logs that have been driven into the bog.
From here on I don’t know what to expect as I have never been on this route before despite beingonly a few hours from my either my childhood home or where I live now. I do know that the train will descend to my first destination, the town of Fort William, which lies at the base of Britain’s tallest mountain Ben Nevis. The hostel I am staying in lies in Glen Nevis so it is only a short climb on the bike to my place of rest where I will gather myself and prepare for the road to the Isles on saturday.
The train arrives in Fort William at midday with the sun beating down, something that doesn't happen often enough in Scotland. I decide to cycle 5 miles up the road to the ski centre at Aonach Mor to take the gondola up the mountain.
It's a bit disconcerting to hear rap music blaring out when I arrive there but it turns out there is a mountain biking event taking place here and I guess this is all part of the show.
I do have an initial moments hesitation as the gondola leaves as the carriages are small and the ascent is steep. As I look down I see a mountain biker thundering along the trail. He hits a ramp and is projected at least 10 ft into the air, twisting his wheel and landing down in one swift, fluid movement. It's exciting stuff and given that one move, I can now see the need for all the body armour they wear.
The view from the top is breathtaking so I stay for half an hour to take in the natural wonder that lies below me.
Saturday
I wake early ahead of the big cycle on Saturday, but more from anticipation than anything else. As with yesterdays departure, my chain comes off the bike almost immediately but I see this as good fortune as I wouldn't want it coming off later today. I am taking the train to the fishing port of Mallaig on the North-West coast and from there, cycling back over the course of the day.
This train journey is widely regarded as one of the most famous train rides in the world and has been a massive feature in the Harry Potter films. Everytime you see the Hogwarts Express it is travelling on the line that I am going to be on today. That particualr steam train does run in the summer but it is an expensive tourist ride, whereas I will be travelling on the standard train with my bike and seeing the same scenary for a fraction of the cost.
This train line closely follows the road that I will be returning on so I will be getting a good idea of what I face. Travelling to the end of the line and cycling back gives me all day to enjoy the views but there is also a practical reason for if the weather is windy, then it is likely to be behind me, thus adding and not hindering my journey.
As the train leaves Fort William I play Eddie Vedder's soundtrack to Into the Wild, a book and film about Chris McCandless and his desire to escape the modern world which is very much what I am doing today.
"I got my wish to up and disappear"
What has hit me on this trip is that although I had set out to disappear, I am actually discovering a new found lust for life.
Hard Sun is a euphoric song as the train crosses the Glenfinnan viaduct at the head of Loch Shiel. The windows on the train are splattered with mud but it does not take away from that feeling.
9:50am The train arrives at the fishing port Mallaig and I am hit immediately by the smell of the sea and the fish. As with Friday, the most difficult part of this trip is at the beginning as I climb out of Mallaig. Of course, this climb has a payback and there is a pleasant descent after the first 10 miles. From here on the journey should be quite straightforward, along a relatively straight road back to Fort William. The distance is about 50 miles and I could easily complete this in 4 hours but I am going to take my time and savour the experience. The route passes through small villages with wonderful Scottish names that even a native like me is enamoured with: Morar, Arisaig, Druimindarroch, Lochailort, Glenfinnan, Kinlocheil, and Corpach.
It's not too hot but I know it will be so I plan on getting the climbing out of the way. It's steady and I am kept going by the fact that there will be payback. It comes after Beasdale station with a glorious descent to Loch Nan Uamh where I stop for a break on these huge rocks. I have completed the first third of todays ride in 1.5 hours.
Beasdale to Glenfinnan is the hardest part of the journey as I am starting to get tired but I know in my heart that I am fit enough to cope. After a steady 2 miles climb I see what I take to be a summit but when I reach it I swear out loud. This is not the summit; the true summit was obscured by the rock walls either side of the road. Time to dig deep because my legs are really sore now. However, the effort is worth it as the descent to Glenfinnan is one of the finest I have ever experienced as a cyclist. By now I am 2/3 of the way there, covering another 15 miles in 1.5 hours.
I rest at Glenfinnan for an hour, basking in the sun as the tourists gather round the visitors centre. The subsequent ride from Glenfinnan to Fort William is steady but dull, as the road plateaus out. By now I am praising the fact that I have done the cycle in this direction as it would have been more tiring in the other direction.
As I enter Glen Nevis I find the last of my strength and sprint for the last mile, pounding away on the tarmac until I see the hostel and .......pull up a couple of metres short for an ice cream! That ice cream was sweet. I get in, shower and crash for an hour.
Despite living and cycling in Scotland most of my life, I have never been on this road. As well as being a magnificent cycle, it also serves to give me some time alone with my thoughts, gain some perspective and hopefully come back and put my everyday life into order.
I awaken at 6am and start out immediately. The first 10 miles are from my home to the nearest town where I will get the earliest train into the city of Glasgow. This is the hardest part of the journey; just trying to get into the rhythm of the bike and the weight I am carrying on it. I will be gone for two nights and have to carry clothes, bike equipment, my camera and various other essentials.
Once I arrive in the city, it’s a short trip to the other railway station that serves the Highlands. From here the train makes its way along the north bank of the River Clyde and at one point I look across the water to my old home town of Greenock. I have always enjoyed seeing it from this side of the river after having spent so long looking in the other direction.
The train beings to climb with the landscape already changing from that of the populated lowlands, to the sparseness of the highlands. The track hugs the side of a hill and goes round in a loop as we pass Bridge of Orchy, a small settlement consisting of a few houses and a hotel that once served the best toffee fudge pudding ever. I have been on the road that down below but soon the train track and the road split as the train climbs ever higher onto the plateau of Rannoch Moor, one of the most desolate landscapes in Britain. No humans live here and no road passes through. The railway itself if supported on logs that have been driven into the bog.
 |
| From Road to the Isles |
From here on I don’t know what to expect as I have never been on this route before despite beingonly a few hours from my either my childhood home or where I live now. I do know that the train will descend to my first destination, the town of Fort William, which lies at the base of Britain’s tallest mountain Ben Nevis. The hostel I am staying in lies in Glen Nevis so it is only a short climb on the bike to my place of rest where I will gather myself and prepare for the road to the Isles on saturday.
The train arrives in Fort William at midday with the sun beating down, something that doesn't happen often enough in Scotland. I decide to cycle 5 miles up the road to the ski centre at Aonach Mor to take the gondola up the mountain.
It's a bit disconcerting to hear rap music blaring out when I arrive there but it turns out there is a mountain biking event taking place here and I guess this is all part of the show.
I do have an initial moments hesitation as the gondola leaves as the carriages are small and the ascent is steep. As I look down I see a mountain biker thundering along the trail. He hits a ramp and is projected at least 10 ft into the air, twisting his wheel and landing down in one swift, fluid movement. It's exciting stuff and given that one move, I can now see the need for all the body armour they wear.
The view from the top is breathtaking so I stay for half an hour to take in the natural wonder that lies below me.
 |
| From Road to the Isles |
Saturday
I wake early ahead of the big cycle on Saturday, but more from anticipation than anything else. As with yesterdays departure, my chain comes off the bike almost immediately but I see this as good fortune as I wouldn't want it coming off later today. I am taking the train to the fishing port of Mallaig on the North-West coast and from there, cycling back over the course of the day.
This train journey is widely regarded as one of the most famous train rides in the world and has been a massive feature in the Harry Potter films. Everytime you see the Hogwarts Express it is travelling on the line that I am going to be on today. That particualr steam train does run in the summer but it is an expensive tourist ride, whereas I will be travelling on the standard train with my bike and seeing the same scenary for a fraction of the cost.
This train line closely follows the road that I will be returning on so I will be getting a good idea of what I face. Travelling to the end of the line and cycling back gives me all day to enjoy the views but there is also a practical reason for if the weather is windy, then it is likely to be behind me, thus adding and not hindering my journey.
As the train leaves Fort William I play Eddie Vedder's soundtrack to Into the Wild, a book and film about Chris McCandless and his desire to escape the modern world which is very much what I am doing today.
"I got my wish to up and disappear"
What has hit me on this trip is that although I had set out to disappear, I am actually discovering a new found lust for life.
Hard Sun is a euphoric song as the train crosses the Glenfinnan viaduct at the head of Loch Shiel. The windows on the train are splattered with mud but it does not take away from that feeling.
 |
| From Road to the Isles |
9:50am The train arrives at the fishing port Mallaig and I am hit immediately by the smell of the sea and the fish. As with Friday, the most difficult part of this trip is at the beginning as I climb out of Mallaig. Of course, this climb has a payback and there is a pleasant descent after the first 10 miles. From here on the journey should be quite straightforward, along a relatively straight road back to Fort William. The distance is about 50 miles and I could easily complete this in 4 hours but I am going to take my time and savour the experience. The route passes through small villages with wonderful Scottish names that even a native like me is enamoured with: Morar, Arisaig, Druimindarroch, Lochailort, Glenfinnan, Kinlocheil, and Corpach.
It's not too hot but I know it will be so I plan on getting the climbing out of the way. It's steady and I am kept going by the fact that there will be payback. It comes after Beasdale station with a glorious descent to Loch Nan Uamh where I stop for a break on these huge rocks. I have completed the first third of todays ride in 1.5 hours.
Beasdale to Glenfinnan is the hardest part of the journey as I am starting to get tired but I know in my heart that I am fit enough to cope. After a steady 2 miles climb I see what I take to be a summit but when I reach it I swear out loud. This is not the summit; the true summit was obscured by the rock walls either side of the road. Time to dig deep because my legs are really sore now. However, the effort is worth it as the descent to Glenfinnan is one of the finest I have ever experienced as a cyclist. By now I am 2/3 of the way there, covering another 15 miles in 1.5 hours.
I rest at Glenfinnan for an hour, basking in the sun as the tourists gather round the visitors centre. The subsequent ride from Glenfinnan to Fort William is steady but dull, as the road plateaus out. By now I am praising the fact that I have done the cycle in this direction as it would have been more tiring in the other direction.
As I enter Glen Nevis I find the last of my strength and sprint for the last mile, pounding away on the tarmac until I see the hostel and .......pull up a couple of metres short for an ice cream! That ice cream was sweet. I get in, shower and crash for an hour.
Thursday, 9 February 2012
Dream Theater live in Glasgow 8th Feb 2012
Prog rock legends Dream Theater were in Glasgow last night and it was a magnificent concert.
Things started well for me when I arrived because I was given an upgrade on my ticket. I had initially bought a cheap seat in the gallery but sadly they hadn't sold out so they moved all the gallery people down to the unsold seats in the rear circle which turned out to be a much better view for me. I was a bit disappointed in my fellow countrymen that the gig hadn't sold out - I mean this was Dream Theater, what's wrong with you guys?
I was just about to text a friend I knew from the internet when he came up to me and introduced himself. Ingvaras is a Lithuanian student studying in Edinburgh and he had come over to Glasgow for the gig. We were talking away when the stewards came over to discuss further seat changes but thankfully I was allowed to stay where I was.
The house lights went down at 8:50 and the Hans Zimmer orchestral introduction (taken from the film Inception) started up with a new cartoon of Dream Theater projected onto the three cuboid screens. I always thought these were actual cuboids based on the pictures I had seen but they were simply optical illusions.
I had brought along a setlist so knew they were going to start with Bridges in the Sky and it was an explosive start. 
Myung's bass was the dominant instrument, filling the hall with a massive bass sound. I could see his fingers from my seat dancing all over his instrument, with occasional leans back. Don't tell me the man's not emotional - he's just immersed in the music.
The next song 6:00 was an inspired choice, going from a new song to a classic. The momentum seemed to go in the next few songs and I was getting annoyed with a lot of the audience as they seemed a bit muted.
However one song seemed to take things up a level and I was pleased for another reason as it was one of the setlist variations that I was hoping for. It was instantly recognisable due to its introduction and that was Root of All Evil from Octavarium. Petrucci was super human - firing off solos and power chords into the audience like Thor would deliver a lightning bolt. The audience were lapping it up every time he swung his arm out after a chord.
By this stage in the gig I was seriously impressed with the acoustics and in particular with James La Brie's vocals. I've always liked him but my admiration for him increased massively last night. Before starting the acoustic part of the show he said that he hadn't been feeling too good in the vocal department due to a cold he had suffered whilst on tour. If this was a below par performance for him then I can only imagine what he would be like at full fitness as he was incredible, especially at the end of Beneath the Surface.
The bit of the set that I had been most looking forward to were the two songs from Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence. They were good but they also revealed something that had become apparant as the gig went on, namely that Mangini was no Mike Portnoy. Perhaps I am being a bit unfair and judgmental, given that I have never seen Portnoy with Dream Theater but the drumming on these two songs sounded like nothing more than a competent drummer playing back Portnoy's originals. Mangini also seemed to lack the charisma of Portnoy. Furthermore, whilst Rudess is obviously a maestro on the keyboard, he seemed overshadowed by the the two John's who just dominated the sound throughout the gig.
The Spirit Carries On was the penultimate song but we were treated to an extended Petrucci guitar solo prior to it. It was very David Gilmour in its sound with Rudess backing him up with some deep chords on the keyboard. Throughout the gig, fans were just in awe of Petrucci - he truely is the greatest guitar player in rock today (bar Gilmour of course!).
The final song of the main set was Breaking All Illusions and it was an excellent song to finish off on, showcasing all the band and their prodigious talents. I feel like I have been in the presence of superhumans. Their musicianship is undeniable and I hope to see them again some time.
Setlist
Dream Is Collapsing (Hans Zimmer song intro)
Bridges in the Sky
6:00
Build Me Up, Break Me Down
Surrounded
The Root of All Evil
Drum Solo
A Fortune in Lies
Outcry
Acoustic
The Silent Man
Beneath the Surface
On the Backs of Angels
War Inside My Head
The Test that Stumped Them All
The Spirit Carries On
Breaking All Illusions
Encore:
Pull Me Under
Note: John Petrucci played an extended guitar solo before The Spirit Carries On
Friday, 21 October 2011
Four and Counting
I am currently reading 'Dreamcatcher' by Stephen King, the fourth last book that I have to read by him. So far it is not bad and has the usual King hallmarks: friendship, Maine woods, scary shit.
I'm using it to prepare myself for his new book 11.23.63 which is set in Dallas at the time of J.F.K's assasination.
After having loved James Ellroy's 'American Tabloid', I am however a bit hesitant about King doing a J.F.K story.
Whereas Ellroy's book was a believable conspiracy theory, King's involves time travel and so could be bordering on the absurd.
After 'Dreamcatcher', I need to get back to 'Feast for Crows', book 4 in George R.R. Martin's fantasy saga A Song of Ice and Fire.
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Corey Taylor & James Ellroy
I am very excited about both of these books and although they aren't very big, I am sure that they will be filled with fascinating tales.
Ellroy is my favourite author and like his previous memoir My Dark Places, The Hilliker Curse begin with the murder of his mother Geneva Hilliker. Whereas My Dark Places described Ellroy's search for justice and the murder's impact on his future life and career, The Hilliker Curse focuses specifically on Ellroy's relationships with women during the course of his lifetime. I have heard from a friend that he rehashes some of the same tales from the first memoir but I am still looking forward to reading this book.
Corey Taylor is the frontman in both Stone Sour and Slipknot, the latter being one of the most controversial and best selling metal bands of the last ten years. But the book is not just about his time in these bands; it is about Taylor growing up and turning his life around and then forging his career as a musician. I am sure it will be an inspirational read.
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