Ionesco-Esco UNESCO

[imomus]

Lunch at Ionesco-esque UNESCO
The cleaners are on strike because four got fired;
Their colleagues stand outside the building
With hand-written banners saying
'Where are the rights of Man? No more cleaner sackings
At UNESCO'. Inside the building (Man From Uncle-esque
Picasso frescos, meditation centre by Tadao Ando
Great views from the terrible food in the canteen,
Paris manages to look like Sao Paolo plus Tour Eiffel)
Akane-Chan (tori hada, birdskin gooseflesh in her Pucci-esco
Ionesco-UNESCO employee dress as I sip crappy UNESCO cappucino)
Leads me on a goose chase through the building.
The toilets stink, they haven't been cleaned in days.
Ou, indeed, sont les droits de l'homme?



Dinner with Hypo, jamming with Digiki, Roddy Schrock, Remi and Toog
Tea and pastisse with Elizabeth Helix, a cup of water
With Jean-Charles at Active Suspension, interviewing him for Index
Came away with the new o.lamm, title Hello Spiral, new Konki Duet and other CDs
Bamboo in the doorway, Pigalle sleaze.

Tonight a party at the Purple Institute. Not really a party;
A film by Anders Edstrom (Experimental Jet Set)
About old man and guitarist, Derek Bailey.
The extraordinary inserted into time sideways;
Massive attention to rubbish renders it important.
Swaying twigs, Derek's wife; shabby London windows.
The old man's trainers, the old man's computer, the old man's
Improvisation. The metaphysics of ugliness. In the audience
Familiar Paris Japanese faces; Hiroshi, Masako, Mayumi...
Everybody slightly older, slightly more themselves.

Comments

[automatique.livejournal.com]

Lovely Derek Bailey.

I am pretty sure he is more of a guitarist and less of an old man.

x

[giggomachine.livejournal.com]

nice rodchenko homage.

xoxo

[(Anonymous)]

You sound more like an old man yourself in this entry.

now this is the paris i lived/loved

[bonniemac.livejournal.com]

what a terrific piece!

splendid job, momus!

you brought me right back to my parisian adventures of 1997-98.

[wrighter.livejournal.com]

i remember my first reading of ionesco fondly.

i remember the door that opened. i was 13 and starved for awakening.

[musicconcrete.livejournal.com]

There aren't enough random references to Ionesco these days. Who is the better playwright: Albee or Ionesco? Feel free to add your own (or yourself). I probably won't be back to czech it.

[wrighter.livejournal.com]

i worked with albee on a revival of one of his plays two years ago. during one particular car ride, i had the fortune of correcting his grammar. that was good for my ego. but honestly, i think ionesco a much better playwright, but also they work in very different veins. albee's genius seems somewhat accidental, even in bravery.

Ionesco

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Drop by the Cemeterie du Montparnasse. I'm sure he'd love a visit.

Re: Ionesco

[imomus.livejournal.com]

Too late, he's dead I'm in London.

Re: Ionesco

[lord-whimsy.livejournal.com]

Now that you mention it, our conversation was a bit one-sided.

[brosch.livejournal.com]

unrelated question: are any of the happy family recordings still available? on what formats?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bimble_/]

I have seen the Man On Your Street CD still available. I didn't know until recently that it was even issued on CD! You may still be able to acquire the Puritans 7" as well, although I believe the tracks were added to the CD as a bonus. Try gemm.com

Momus, I'm currently enjoying your interviews/essays. I am relieved that I'm not the only one who found it baffling that so much attention is given to so much crap mainstream pop music on ILM by so many obviously intelligent people. I had also noticed the strange but welcome lack of flame wars there. I'm pleased to hear you're having fun travelling. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us.