MILK SNATCHER SPUNK CATCHER

A week since her being burnt to a cinder I am publishing my second track by Dr L Iller AKA Jimmy McJimmy. On my return to The UK Jimmy McJimmy will be looking for band mates to join him on a quest for freedommmmmmmm! Please post to me if you think you could contribute.

                  

DREAMING, NIGHTMARES, BEER DOGS AND ART.

Not a dicky bird from yours truly in the last few weeks here in Seyðisfjörður Iceland. In that time I have had dreams, nightmares, drunk beer - when I remembered to get down to the off license in the hour between 5pm and 6pm Monday to Friday, made more drawings and taken custody of a dog called Kahli.

Ambulance

Exiting the bow bells pub in East London I was feeling rather merry. I waved off my friends who I think I spent the evening with. I started making my way home when a gang of youths stopped me in my tracks. One extended his right arm in a flash like motion and connected with my neck. His hand was gripping a broken beer bottle with the exposed shards now deep in my jugular vein, he quickly snapped out and the gang moved on promptly - leaving me clutching my neck trying to stop an incredible flow. My heart was pumping hot water through my fingertips, I looked down and saw that it was blood.

Vanessa and John would be unaware that I am perhaps going to die. Oh my god I was in a panic.

I stumbled onwards desperate. In the direction of home I collapsed into a telephone box, I managed to grapple the receiver with my left hand while my right hand clutched pathetically at my severed neck. I secured the receiver and dialled 999. Two rings felt like 20.

“Hello what service do you require?”

“Ambulance”

“If you would like to hold the line please I will put you through.”

“Hello Ambulance”

“I have been stabbed in the neck and I am dying!”

“Where are you?”

“Bow, a telephone box in Stroudly Walk please hurry.”

“hold the line please.”

Like I had a choice I was put on hold.

It felt like someone left the hot tap running and there was no sign of pain. It was a moment and a click later when I had to endure “my Heart Skips a Beat” by Olly Murs, this played on a loop for what seemed an eternity. The blood was seriously pumping now and I was feeling very faint. The hot water ran downwards but I was freezing from my toes upwards. My hands were shivering and tears began to stream down my face. I could only think of Vanessa and her sweet poor face. My tears marbling with the blood that now saturated my entire body. I could just about make out an Indian sounding voice.

“Hello sir Hello?”

Maybe I said something.

“Vot can I do for you today sir?” He sounded so feint.

“I am dying” I bubbled.

“vere are you sir?”

“Telephone box” I stopped “Stroudly walk, again.”

“vould you like to tell me Ver Bow is sir?”

“East … London.” a whisper.

“I am afraid ve don’t service this area sir, ve won’t be able to help you tonight you must veight for the morning and dial …”

My energy was spent. I collapsed. As I slid towards the pavement the telephone dropped on top of my head, the blood flowed across the gravel and down into the gutter. I sent my love and blew a kiss to the polluted night sky. I just wanted to see a star.

     

COOLIN

Richard Canaday and I spent today walking around Seyðisfjörður and I checked out the hostel where he stays. Great place with stunning views overlooking the Fjord. After this we made our way towards the sound domes, these are dome shaped concrete sculptures up on one of the mountain sides. The creator is German artist Lukas Kühne more info can be found here. On the way up the to the domes I found a beer in my pocket, one I acquired the night before. A strange old man who had been in Cafe Lára most of the night come up to me and gave me a beer out of his bag, he also invited me back to his place for a few beers. I declined this time but I would like to know his story. I must draw this man and add it here a later. Back to my beer a day later, it was luke warm in my pocket. When on the snowy mountainside I decided to make this a good beer for when we descend back to town.
The domes are quite amazing, Richard showed me if you stand in a certain spot the person talking to you sounds like they are talking in your head, fucking hell! This was too weird and really freaked me out. After a while I learned to enjoy the experience.

REMIX REMIX REMIX

So I have been in the studio making art today, my new friend Richard Canaday dropped over his memory stick so I could listen to Dillon's new record 'Tempest'. The album is OK, possibly a bit repetitive, however I think it could end up an addiction as I meander around the studio doing this and that. Anyway whilst listening to the 14 minute long Tempest, (for those not in the know it is an epic song about the sinking of the Titanic) I made some drawings in response to the work. Then for not much reason I decided to make a remix. Here I am trying to emphasise the horror for those on-board the ship - not to mention those who were in Dillon's studio during rehearsals.
Unfortunately no one can hear this remix because it contains copyrighted material. What a sinker! Oh actually I found a way, listen with player below!

Search for the Northern Lights

I went out last night to get some Northern Lights action. My stomach is rumbling because I refuse to eat, blog instead blog instead!
I went out last night to get some Northern Lights action. My stomach is rumbling because I refuse to eat, blog instead blog instead!
I went out last night to get some Northern Lights action. My stomach is rumbling because I refuse to eat, blog instead blog instead!
I ventured out of town to where the street lamps don't exist, as it was a clear night with a 98% moon, oh no my stomach is crying.
I got out there and it was beautiful to see the town glowing from a distance. I spent about an hour with no luck but it was beautiful as I said before.
I knew as soon as I got home they would start, that was exactly what happened so I gazed up through the street lights and saw a small display, I am grateful but it might be better next time around. I didn't get a photograph but I did get two nice pictures from out in the sticks before my batteries froze out. Poor quality blogging! But it's Pink! Must eat.

 thought no northern lights but I must get that mountain instead!

road back home

QUAKE

    








This is the first in a series of videos which I am undertaking in the coming weeks. Hopefully the end result will be an epic collection of Quake actions using the local community in Seyðisfjörður. This work is a dramatised account of the everyday, shopping at the local supermarket, having a beer or going for a walk. The mundane is suddenly amplified through a faux earthquake. I was surprised to learn that earthquakes are an everyday occurrence in Iceland. I guess this takes place mostly outside of civilisation, fascinating none the less. You can keep an eye on the locations of the Earthquakes on this website (best weather channel I have seen on the net).  







I think it is important to mention that I have recently discovered the work of Icelandic artist Thorvaldur Thorsteinsson who sadly passed away on 23rd February 2013 aged just 52. I believe this work 'Quake' nods towards his brilliant work 'Most Real Death' Seen below.



MOST REAL DEATH 2011 from Thorvaldur Thorsteinsson on Vimeo.

Night of the Viking Fist!

Night of the Viking Fist

a dramatised account of A real life drama

It has been several days since I have blogged about my time in Seyðisfjörður. I guess I have been wondering what to write about and I have not been sure where to put Night of the Viking Fist.

On that fateful Thursday night, which happened to be my first out in Seyðisfjörður I ventured around midnight to café Lára, this place is only about 100 yards from my front door. Icelandic people come out late, generally after midnight. Fairy lights adorn the old wooden building and a large egg like lightbox glows promoting the local beer El-Grillo. This beer which comes in a 330 ml can is quite good and at a decent 5% ABV. This beer is also brewed by the owner of the Café and is exported to the rest of Iceland and possibly other parts of Scandinavia; I have never seen it in the UK.

El-Grillo 5% ABV

This night I had not met any of the drinkers before so I had a tickle of apprehension. The snow was very heavy. I walked around the pub to the back where a small wooden staircase leads to the bar entrance. A guy was standing outside the door smoking a rolled cigarette. I said “Hi” and he greeted me with a warm smile and an introduction, his name is Philippe. I pushed open the door and stepped into the warm where no more than 7 people occupied the small space. These people were clearly quite merry and were making loud chanting noises. I smiled and walked deeper eventually stopping at the bar. I knew about the local beer El-Grillo so I motioned towards one of those. I smiled and introduced myself to some people who at first felt intimidating but turned out to be very charming. An artist Caroline was celebrating her last evening after 6 months in Seyðisfjörður and this is why the few people there were in a very celebratory mood. Caroline from Switzerland introduced herself and her boyfriend who was from Seyðisfjörður.  She then quietly pointed out some of the characters in the bar, I nodded and smiled and listened. I think there was a carpenter, a fisherman, a photographer a metal worker and a truck driver. As it was my first night out I can’t recall or pronounce all of their names. She also pointed to a large man who’s back was turned and said “that man is a very big deal in the town, he is Oddur Roth the grandson of Dieter, he is very nice but don’t mess with him” 

I was definitely not in the mood to be messing with anyone and especially with the grandson of Dieter Roth. Oddur and his family do not live in the town but own the harbour house where Dieter once lived, according to a source they also own quite a lot of the town and are big supporters of the artist residency program. They visit about four times a year and when they are here everyone knows it. I was quite intrigued by his presence and thought; oh I might even get to say hi to him later, for now I will leave him alone as he looks quite intense. Some more people come up to me and introduced themselves and I responded likewise. The mood was quite lively even with so few people - great!

They could not get away with this behaviour back in London they would certainly be turfed out – how liberating I thought! I have been banned from the latest wave of hipster owned pubs in East London for being polite. My last ban from the Camel in Bethnal Green was because I disputed whether kicking out time was 23:15 or 23:30, for a brief moment I begged to differ but was happy to be corrected, I was told to get out and not come back, I just wanted to finish my pint without the hipster clapping his hands and waiving Nazi salutes in my face.

So here we are in Café Lára enjoying ourselves, Philippe said we might head to someone’s house for drinks after and then someone said we are going to go to Oddur’s house. I thought how interesting, I went to the toilet to have a pee. When I was in the toilet I was thinking what strange and lovely people they are. I washed my hands, pulled a serviette from the dispenser and dried them, stepped on the pedal to raise the dust bin lid and tossed the damp serviette inside, then I unlocked the door and moseyed back to the bar. Before I reached my station I felt a firm tug and I was pulled into the bar by what happened to be Oddur, before I got a chance to say hi mate good to meet you, Oddur had twisted my scarf to double its tightness, hello I said but before I could say my name is Liam he had again doubled the already tightened scarf, I let out a gasp of “ahhhmm ohn thehh aahhtis rehhhsideehhncceh!” Alarmed - the surrounding people now realised Oddur was not joking and gathered around to tell him to stop, Oddur just doubled the tightness again. I looked into his crazy eyes and it was like looking at a frenzied version of the late Dieter. Now I knew this guy is fucking nuts and he is not going to stop, maybe Dieter Roth has possessed young Oddur and is trying to kill me. I had both hands in tact my right one was trying to loosen the scarf but I still refused to fight back. I had faith in the locals around me and if this guy is really this nuts and owns half the village it could mean an early end to my stay if I retaliate. In the end I had no option but to punch him once in the ribs. About that time the locals managed to pull him off. This was a frightening moment which was followed by massive confusion. I was taken outside and someone got my beer from the bar. Wow it was time to go, Philippe was preparing his house for us as guests and everyone said lets move on. Caroline and her boyfriend went with Oddur; he had a nice leaving present for Caroline which happened to be a beautiful seal skin cloak. I thought I would have preferred one of them.

Night of the Viking Fist, Collage, water colour, Porridge, Skyr and Marker Pen on Paper, 2013

Later that evening a friendly fist comparison with a local Viking