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This was originally written as a comment on a Facebook post by guitarist and Beefheart alumni Gary Lucas, in response to his posting of a pretty Godawful piece on TMR by Rylan Fischer, for Parade.

Oh dear!

Despite the disappointing frequency of such responses to TMR, it still always galls me to read such lazy drivel.

To describe the music Beefheart and his musicians made around this time (which ought to include Lick My Decals Off, as well) as like a child banging on a piano is such an insult to the skill and musicianship it took to make this unusual music.

And it’s far more revealing of the ignorance of the writer than illuminating of the music itself; so the journalist here is actually the inept one.

This sad and hoary old line of ‘thinking’ (?) is the same as when people declare that five year olds are as good at art as Picasso.

Beefheart and Picasso both harness aspects that appear (esp’ to those with a less nuanced understanding) simple, or ugly, or abrasive, or nonsensical, etc.

But there’s a massive difference, as well. These elements are filtered through a much more mature aesthetic sensibility, in a way that – to the surprise of many – may actually be a harder art than simply playing by the usual rules. E.g. transcribing reality more photographically, in art, or abiding by the normal rhythmic and harmonic conventions in music.

There’s far more music out there, ranging from the sonic Hell that is some Free Jazz, to a lot of shiny surfaced pap Pop, that is – IMHO – really and truly awful.

TMR and Decals are, in places, challenging and unconventional. But they’re also, in places, very much part of evolving traditions. The amount of Blues in there is terrific.

Beefheart really was an artist. Not just because he literally went on to swap painting for music, but in his poetic vision.

And, having interviewed John ‘Drumbo’ French, years ago, I know – and people need to realise -Beefheart’s musicians were/are skilled and dedicated artists in their own right, on their instruments.

Pic

Whilst making the wedding rings for Slly and Darren, I used up some left-over bits to make myself a wee ring. This is it:

Pic

This one uses just two types of wood/veneer, and a concentric ring design, with one added twist, almost literally.

As a result of having incomplete segments left over, there were gaps in parts of the design …

Pic…

Sally, at Shedders & Fixers, asked me make wedding rings for her and Darren. I was, of course, flattered to be asked. And said yes, if loved to do it.

Pic (design brief!)

Pics

The rings are made up of three different layers: a bottom layer of very thin concentric veneers; a middle layer of flat/horizontal veneers (aka plywood*!); and a ‘top’ layer, of radial segments.

The resulting rings are both very chunky and very strong, due to the use of hardwoods, and the fact that the various grains are oriented in multiple directions.

*Bespoke, of course. Not off the shelf.

I just watched a short and very interesting video of a discussion between Foucault and Chomsky, apparently from 1971, presumably somewhere in France.

As a former student of Art & Art History at Goldsmiths College, during the early 1990s, I was subjected to a veritable barrage of what might simplistically be called Postmodern propaganda: Foucault, Barthes, Derrida, etc.

My exposure to Chomsky ever so slightly predated all this, via a documentary called Manufacturing Consent. I loved that film so much that when at university I blagged an interview with Chomsky, for a putative ‘zine, or magazine.

Watching this now, many years later, I’m struck – as I was at the time, albeit perhaps with a little more clarity (if less energy) now – by a polarity. Chomsky is simpler, clearer, and more positive, than Foucault.

Chomsky’s essential MO is active and engaged. He mentions civil disobedience and its risks. Foucault, by contrast, is slightly more florid, verbose, and entirely negative. His is a position of critique and destruction.

At the time I was exposed to what I’m going to call, rather monolithically, postmodern discourse (eugh… involuntary shudder just using the verbiage!), I found it disturbing and destructive. Yes, there were/are important insights – Barthes essays were amongst the pithiest – but it seemed to lead into an academic navel-gazing echo-chamber.

Chomsky’s entire approach, in striking contrast – whilst undoubtedly having a foot firmly planted in academia – is far more future-building oriented, and active out there in the real (non university) world.

Walter Westcott, who commissioned my first bespoke box, very kindly gave me some timber. One of the larger pieces was, says, the solid mahogany door sill from his former patio doors.

I’ve used this timber to make this, my third snare drum. Currently a work in progress. I used the uniontownlabs stave calculator, as I always do. This time there are 24. The most of any drum I’ve made, thus far.

This drum also differs from the first two in being just one type of wood. And size wise, it’s a more typical and conventionally proportioned instrument.

I ordered some rigger brushes from Amazon. They arrived, and I had a crack at the rigging on this Van Der Velde copy. It’s harder to do than I’d hoped. And they’re a bit too messy and sharp/dark. So they’ll need ‘knocking back’ a bit.

I had a few practice goes. And then jumped in. I suppose I’ll get better the more I do? Meanwhile, there’s more to be done, before I try and beaten it up and soften it all a bit.

Where it all started. My very first herringbone box. The beginning of a recent creative, um… spurt?

Made to house playing cards. And subsequently found to be perfect for business cards as well.

This first effort had quite thin strips making up the pattern, quite thick walls, butt-joints, and very thin veneer inserts, forming the ‘lip’.

I took a bunch of my boxes out n’ about with me, recently. And took all the photos on this post (except for the single one below, showing prices), at St Edmund’s, in Downham Market.

So far I’ve sold – I think? – seven, and given away one as a gift.

The very lovely Tita, at Outrageous Vintage, (at 23-24 Market Place, in the courtyard of the Rose and Crown Hotel, Wisbech), has taken seven boxes. I do hope she sells them!

*Slightly underpriced, in relation to what I usually ask for them. On the advice of Tita, in the interest of making sales.Oh, and the prices are on the bottom of the boxes.

This leaves me with about another seven ‘market ready’ boxes at present (so a total of around twenty one made, so far), and a number more in the pipeline.

For this post, here’s a few little galleries of recent work:

The above, and immediately below, are my three all, or near-all bog-oak boxes. These cute little trinket boxes are on the wee side. I adore bog oak! So rich, dark, and ancient!

The one below is a personal favourite. Annoyingly, it’s not come out as well in the pics as it does ‘in the flesh’. I love the dark stark simplicity, and the two tiny orientation ‘pips’.

The two boxes below are very much like the first such box I made (a card-holder). And could carry old fashioned cigarettes, or all manner of things. But I guess they’re kind of most obviously playing-card or cigarette-box looking creations.

This one is another personal favourite. Made with jagged leftovers that I was loathe to bin! This one is a bit dearer than any of the others. They all represent a lot of time and effort, this one particularly so.

I’m also very keen on this different chequerboard style. I’ve done one in bog oak and pine (already sold), and another in a lighter/browner combo. I want to do a lot more in this vein. This is among the more time-consuming designs to execute. And can vary dramatically in terms of precision (which I love; it’s part of the handmade aesthetic/charm!).

And these last examples are kind of my bog-standard – but not bog-oak – medium-sized box style.

Thought I’d let the natural beauty of this wood shine. So, in a change from the herringbone obsession, Yew Burl. WIP.

I’ve long loved bog-oak. And finally I’ve made a few things using it. These latest little ones are really quite tiny.

The effort involved in producing these, if it lead to me pricing the results by hours spent? Well, these tiny wee boxes would be pretty damn expensive!