Books Of Blood (Ode To Clive Barker)

This piece was written and recorded over the last two days. It came together very quickly and I am as pleased as I can be, when I don't hear it's little sonic imperfections jump out at me. So I try to listen to it as a nonchalant listener would and appreciate it for what it is. But you want hear the back story, right?

When I was a teenager, I found the graphic novel of "The Yattering & Jack" by Clive Barker in the local library. I fell in love with it immediately. The premise was simple but fun. Idiotic man, Jack Polo (a gherkin salesman, how colourful) is tormented by a demon. Said man is too stupid (or is he) to recognise there is a malevolent presence in his house and this leads to the demon being pushed to the edge of it's own sanity. No spoilers, I promise! But I noted the piece came from "Books Of Blood" and added it to my must read list. Long list that it is.

I've always admired Barker's work be it writing, films or art. There's a beauty to it. In a brutal way, but it's always there beneath the visceral, sexual imagery. It's rooted in the Gothic style but it's equal parts fantasy as well as horror. "Hellraiser" is probably his best known film. But there are many others based on his short stories. "The Forbidden" became "Candyman" for example. Back to the point though. Speed forward a couple of years, I secured a copy of "The Hellbound Heart" and "Books Of  Blood 1-3" from a guy in my local. True story. It's had several name changes over the years, I believe it's now called "The Funky Monkey". (One used to be able to smoke weed without bother in the smoking area. But that was a long time ago, not that I'd know...)

I fell in love with the books, I kept them for a long time. But eventually returned them, it broke my heart. A few years ahead and I met my beautiful soulmate. We would occasionally take random day trips, mostly to Dublin. We still do. But we love to take random shops, think old vinyl and books, the smell alone is perfect. Old paper. (Some people get it, some people don't). I approached a corner in one of these shops and there it was: "Books Of Blood 1-3". It was almost smiling at me. I snatched it up and ran. Well, after paying for it. 

I love this book. It helped me grow up. This piece is inspired by my 3 favourite stories: "The Yattering & Jack", "New Murders In The Rue Morgue" and "Skins Of The Fathers". I called on a few influences for this - Stravinsky, Jarre and Elfman are the most obvious ones. I worked my arse off to get this piece perfect. I'm rightly proud of it and I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed writing and producing it. Thanks for reading. For any music tech heads, I'll write how I did it in my next blog.

Songs that made me: No.1 "(It's hard) letting you go" - Bon Jovi

Growing up is ridiculous. The teenage years, in particular seem the hardest. Clearly that is not the case, as we all learn. But the angst that accompanies the hormones during this time tries to convince us otherwise. Mainly because we haven't learned to harness our emotions.

I was a very angry, sensitive kid.At least, this is what an impersonal person with an impersonal view would have made of me. I would have argued that I was, in fact - a passionate kid. I love music (obviously) and I tend to gravitate towards highly emotive music, particularly that of the lyrical variety.

I wasn't born into the most blessed family, financially, (like many people - this is no sob story). Not that we were ever left wanting, by the way, I'm confident my mother would have sold the clothes off her back for us if the need had ever arose! But I saw so many kids grossly spoilt in school that I used to get privately pissed off in my own self important teenage thoughts. So the library was my kingdom, my own personal paradise, a refuge even. Because they lent out.... cassettes. Cassettes, I could never afford to buy!

It was circa 1995/1996. I was on the verge of secondary school and a tape caught my eye. It was pretty new: These Days by Bon Jovi. They weren't cool to the Oasis / Blur heads of the day. But I was never one for following the crowd and I thought "those boys aren't too bad" and borrowed it. I recorded it to keep and fell in love with the album. I couldn't stop listening to it, but I always fast forwarded past number 8. I barely made it five seconds into it before I'd had enough. One night I was out walking with my walkman (no pun intended) and I listened to the song and I was hooked. Never had a song hooked me as it did. It was so visceral, so honest. A cry from the depths of the soul. And all this from a man who couldn't pass a mirror without appreciating his own reflection, as all music critics agreed. And let's face it, critics are always right....

Nowadays I still love this song. The opening verse sounds like a man in mourning for the death of someone, more than love lost - the subject of the song. So I tend to associate the song with any type of loss and it's good to listen to when I'm feeling sad. I've always enjoyed saying "any man can write a song about love, but it takes a real man to mean it." Who knows maybe it'll be my epitaph!

My favourite lines are "Now some tarot card shark said I'll draw you a heart, we'll find you somebody else new. Well I made my last trip to those carnival lips, when I bet all that I had on you." Even the great Tom Waits would struggle to write a line like that. So here it is. Just a great, honest to goodness lament about lost love. Part 1 in my "Songs that made me" list,