Author: Seb Palmer

My wife was delighted that Ecuador beat hosts Qatar today. Not because the host country has a dodgy record on moral issues. But because she has South-American roots. Her parents came to the UK from British Guyana.

I was delighted as well. But not just because I prefer the cultures of South America – many very troubled (which I believe goes for Ecuador?) – to anywhere backward enough to endorse Sharia Law. But also, frankly, because I hope that, if this World Cup does anything – besides entertaining sports fans and generating lots of money (the first I’m fine with; the second troubles me) – it might cause Qatar to loosen up somewhat. But somehow I doubt it will.

I’m not a footy nut. So all I really know thus far is that beer was eventually vetoed. And given that the beer in question was Budweiser, I would understand if it were about the quality of the beverage. But as it’s not, as it’s a supposedly religious/moral thing… that I find pretty odious.

What’s obviously worse and of far greater significance are things like the deaths of many migrant workers, whilst building the stadia, criminalising people on grounds of sexuality, and making 50% of their own populace second class.

So, even though I skipped the whole preamble/build-up (my usual MO) – I was actually really pleased to note that Gary Lineker and the BBC weren’t dodging these issues. Quite the reverse. Oh, and the match was ok.

We’re round at my sister’s again. Looking after Ali and Sofi. And on this occasion I thought they might enjoy some plasticene fun. So I bought a bit, whilst on a shopping trip with Sofi to the local giant Tesco. I expected them to stock plasticene (they used to). But they don’t anymore. Shocking! Wound up getting some from a pound shop close by.

I opted to make a claymation style Curtis Mayfield, circa 1970. Wearing his distinctive yellow outfit, as sported on the cover of his 1970 album, Curtis.

For some reason I’ve always wanted to make a plasticene Curtis! I’d also like to animate him. I wonder if animator sister Amy might be able to help/collaborate?

I have to confess I’m rather pleased with his spectacles. Making them was tricky but fun. And I think the results are ok. I also need to make him a guitar, and poss a beaded necklace.

The lapels are, as they often were back then, hoooge!!! The white shirt was actually paisley patterned. But I don’t think I’ll bother with that! I may detail his yellow suit a bit more, poss’ with some stitching type marks.

It’s not the best likeness of Curtis. And I’m not crazy about his eyes. But hopefully I can improve on them a bit? I’m pretty pleased with his mouth and nose. And even his beard and hair.

I tried mixing red and black to get an oxblood type shoe colour. But the black, despite only being 33% of the mix, totally dominates!

I’ll be making him a guitar and strap when we get home. And poss’ also the aforementioned necklace(s)? I need to research what guitar he was using round this time. I think he used an unusual ‘black keys’ tuning as well.

Anyway, that was great fun! I don’t ever get round to this sort of thing much any more. I very much hope I can somehow get an animation out of it.

Probably my favourite Beatles album. And a pretty groovy cover to boot. Love that period ‘rubber’ font!

Whilst this is the sixth Beatles album, it’s only the second to not feature any covers. And the strength of the all original set is superb. Arguably not just their best yet, but one of their best ever.

I’ve read that the title itself is a playful variant on the ‘plastic soul’, i.e. fake/inauthentic soul, a term McCartney used about their own Little Richard inspired B-side, I’m Down. and when you consider that their previous waxing was Help! (both out in ‘65), the quantum leaps in both breadth and depth are striking.

One of the things The Beatles went on to become so well known for, with the help of producer George Martin, was their deep dive into the use of the studio itself, and the production, as a further aspect of creativity. And in tandem, the development of the album as an artistic package and statement, as opposed to merely what the term album denotes, a collection of songs.*

Rubber Soul was written and recorded after the US summer tour in which their performance at Shea Stadium both set new attendance records, and helped push them across several thresholds. Meeting such folk as Dylan and Presley, getting deeper into pot and LSD, and further exposure to contemporary Afro-American popular music, all conspired to enhance, expand and enrich their creative aspirations.

Rather bizarrely, to my mind, it was EMI policy at the time to alter the US albums, which in this case meant removing four tracks! The UK/European release comprised:

Side One
Drive My Car
Norwegian Wood
You Won’t See Me
Nowhere Man
Think For Yourself
The Word

Side Two
What Goes On
Girl
I’m Looking Through You
In My Life
Wait
If I Needed Someone 
Run For Your Life

The entirety of what was originally side one is terrific. The first four tracks in particular being properly stellar. Think For Yourself is a bit of a dip, but The Word, a pre-emotive ‘Summer-of-Love-bomb’ picks things up again.

Side two kicks of with one of Ringo’s best turns on lead vocals, and two very strong Lennon numbers, in Girl and the humbly sublime In My Life (you gotta dig GM’s fake harpsichord solo!). If I Needed Someone is yet more proof that George Harrison’s best writing occurred whilst he was a Beatle.

The album ends with Run Four Life, which is very like Think For Yourself, in both tempo and feel. speaking of feel, not only has the overall sound become more complex, nuanced and personal, it’s also several shades darker, with anger and alienation entering the frame, where before it was mostly happy go lucky boy meets girl romance.

And on a sartorial footnote… I’m very tempted by this!

Not sure what the source for the above alternate cover type image is. But it’s interesting to see a variant. considering how goofily dressed they sometime got later on, they’re looking pretty cool and fab, in a slightly beatnik hipster type way, here.

* Back in the days before record covers with artwork and info became a thing, shorter playing 78s were stored in what resembled what are now the inner sleeves, albeit in heavier card stock. And collections of multiple discs would actually literally make up an album, akin to a photo album.

Sweet Potato & Spinach Curry

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 onion, chopped

• 2 garlic cloves, grated

• thumb-sized piece ginger, grated

• 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste (check the label to make sure it’s vegetarian/ vegan)

• 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter

• 500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks

• 400ml can coconut milk

• 200g bag spinach

• 1 lime, juiced

• cooked rice, to serve (optional)

• dry roasted peanuts, to serve (optional)

METHOD

• Melt 1 tbsp coconut oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and soften 1 chopped onion for 5 mins. Add 2 grated garlic cloves and a grated thumb-sized piece of ginger, and cook for 1 min until fragrant.

• Stir in 3 tbsp Thai red curry paste, 1 tbsp smooth peanut butter and 500g sweet potato, peeled and cut into chunks, then add 400ml coconut milk and 200ml water.

• Bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 25-30 mins or until the sweet potato is soft.

• Stir through 200g spinach and the juice of 1 lime, and season well. Serve with cooked rice, and if you want some crunch, sprinkle over a few dry roasted peanuts