imomus

That depends what you're into. If you're into retro-70s, art deco, or 3rd world-style hand-painted shop and van signs, or very puritanical Helvetica, it's a feast.

I travelled past Times Square yesterday on a bus, and the tickertape-style graphics flowing across the buildings there are just ridiculous. For a couple of seconds the image of a huge white electronic cat settled across the NASDAQ building, for no apparent reason, then the whole facade became stock quotes again.

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scottbateman.livejournal.com

Disco skating--it's the law!

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freesurfboards.livejournal.com

same - sane . . . is that a symbol of conformity (same = sane) or saying that being the same just produces little shitty patches of grass whereas being sane is way more productive?

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I have no idea, that's a very Ian Hamilton-Finlayesque series of murals at the Lorimer Street L train stop. Just outside, there's the rather wonderful Kellog's Diner sign:

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wrighter.livejournal.com

no clue you were spending so much time in the vicinity of my home.

have you walked up into greenpoint. the design gets even better. very contrary to other more tudor-like brooklyn/queens neighborhoods, where everything is severely antiquated.

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freesurfboards.livejournal.com

I love popular styles of the past that have become faded and antiquated. It reminds me of ozymandias.

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vaud.livejournal.com

i can not stand that sign. it shows such random stuff whenever i see it. [well, other than stock quotes.]

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bifteck.livejournal.com

Hey, I like antiquated.

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wrighter.livejournal.com

don't get me wrong. i do too.

but there's something to be said for the dissonant echo of industrial modernism. (not my taste, but i love a deviant.)

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cperko1.livejournal.com

a while back you had a entry that contained images of some really nice abandoned amusement parks and houses from around japan. i lost my link there and i was just wondering if you had it handy... i have no idea how to search for it! thanks if you can!

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cap-scaleman.livejournal.com

That "CAUTION Wide Right Turns" sign reminded me of this:

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cityramica.livejournal.com

i don't know why that just made me laugh uproariously.
possibly because i was just acting like a cat.
i like cats.

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cityramica.livejournal.com

there's a nice abandoned CHRISTIAN amusement park in Connecticut!
you wanna go, Nick? i'm in NYC May 17-22. eh? ne? no? well you still have owe me a drink.

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tassellrealm.livejournal.com

Oh... that's the AMM album.

Something of a hidden landmark in popular English experimental music.

I did an impro workshop with Eddy Prevost from the AMM.

He's a really interesting guy.

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tassellrealm.livejournal.com

It is rather wonderful. I'd probably be quite unlikely to eat there though.

There's a small town in the Yorkshire dales, I can't remember it's name but it has a resident old style swirly-neon sign-maker. Driving into that town is really bizarre. As soon as you hit it's suburb, it's immediately apparent that it's this guy's town, because every single shop, in every street and every ally of that town has one of his exactly the same swirly neon signs. He's like the proverbial radioactive cat that pissed on every lamp-post.

What's also notable is that he only does butcher-pork pink.

I've always liked Jamaican signs and signwriting, they're always very charming and gaudy, frequently have fabulous spelling-mistakes, and have that unmistakable way of stretching and struggling with the English language which is common to Jamaican culture in general.

Two of my favourites, both in Brixton are: The 'QUEENLY SHE' Hairdressing Salon. The sign is resplendant with super-vibrant, super-sexually-charged paintings of crowned and bejewelled Afro-Jamaican Queen of Sheba types, draped in furs, silks and leopard-skins. And with very strong vibes that while the guy was painting it, he had a hard-on throughout.

And... A rasta flower-shop in Brixton Market called N.I.C.E. Which apparently stands for...

Natural Indicator of Complete Enchantment.

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bifteck.livejournal.com

Good point. I agree. I get giddy when I see that type of design, for a totally different reason than my excitement over "antiquated" design.

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snoeksen (from livejournal.com)

Sounds a lot like this book: http://www.jbox.com/PRODUCT/SS104

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tropigalia.livejournal.com

Oh if you are in New York you should come to Philadelphia and have sex with me k thx

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cperko1.livejournal.com

yes that looks really similar to what i remember! there was definitely a website that was in Japanese that had the images that i am looking for... does anyone know?

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dzima.livejournal.com

That's a giant

sparkligbeatnic methinks.

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cityramica.livejournal.com

tact, darling...

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tropigalia.livejournal.com

Wow, when I made that comment I was listening to Yukari Fresh's "Cityrama"!! MAYBE IT IS FATE.

I will try to rephrase that tactfully.

"Momus, if you are in New York, you should come eat some gelato with me in Philadelphia!"

That's not a euphemism, but if it were, I bet it'd mean something really gross!

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I saw a sign today that said NYComputer Repair, but it wasn't "New York City", it was National Yes Computer (http://www.nycomputerservice.com/) Repair. Their talking website is a bit funny, too.

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Meow!

Sparklig's in New York.

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That would be here (http://imomus.livejournal.com/155417.html). If you ever need to find anything on CLick Opera, just google

imomus (insert subject here).

In this case,

imomus urban exploration

found it.

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loverboy82.livejournal.com

many of your recent posts are almost all image-based with very little text. has anyone else pointed this out? have you just become tired of explaining strange theories, letting the images speak and letting us draw our own conclusions? i like it.

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I'll answer that, I think, with a photograph:

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cperko1.livejournal.com

ah yes that is totally it - thanks so much!

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That's funny—I was in New York today, and a giant cat handed me a lovely little pair of 19c Japanese kabuki booklets.

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loverboy82.livejournal.com

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myani.livejournal.com

When I saw that cartoon smile I got excited, hoping I could smoosh her face around or click on the buildings to get a few witty comments out of her. Alas, she's just moving lips and breezy hair.

I get a kick out of a number of signs in Seattle. Next time I'm up in town and have the time I'll try to get some pictures to post.

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An interesting visit to a parallel, unknown, and slightly surreal universe (was that Soho, btw?).

I recall now that the booklet dates back to the very early Meiji era. The number which floats to the surface of my memory is Meiji 8 or 17. So it's more than 120 years old.

It amazes me what one can find at the Kyoto's antique book markets, for very modest prices!

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An eclectic day it was. After dinner, I ended up at Sub-Tonic in the lower east side, measuring and photographing the space (don't ask). I had a lovely long evening walk back to Chelsea where I'm staying with a friend.

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Wow, I looked into Tonic last night too, just for a few seconds!

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I was there around 10 p.m. I think. We were also in Tonic because my friend had to talk to the sound man.

Seemed to be a band that sounded a bit like a metally version of Joy Division. There were very few people in the audience. I guess it was early.

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Well, I've been transfixed by them ever since. And yes, I think your note said they were around 7 Meiji (late 1870's, by your estimation). It was incredibly generous of you. I apologise for bombarding your senses with all that lavender and plaid, but it was a rare pleasure to pet your fur, however briefly. As you said, there's next year! A safe journey home, sir.

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Must have been dead on your feet!

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Surprisingly not. A little frazzled perhaps. But I felt genki enough to walk from the lower east side up to mid-Chelsea at 11 p.m.. And stayed up for another hour or so chatting with friends when I reach the apartment.

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Admittedly, though I hesitate to say this to a committed dandy, a haberdasher for me is something like a full bathtub for a cat.

Still all strange and new experiences are welcome.

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I suppose we're even, since my world is virtually devoid of robots. Besides, I don't go for the suits—I just like having my hindquarters marveled at. ;)

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The fact of the matter is I'm no robot fan either. The work at Lemur is an exception.

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Ah—the plot thickens! Thinking further down the proverbial road, aren't we?

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