Space Ducks.

Friday morning: It has rained overnight which is welcome because it has been too hot the last few days. I have not been able to do anything. We British cannot operate in hot weather. The air feels a lot fresher this morning, let us hope it lasts. I am listening to a CD which arrived a couple of days ago. It is called Space Ducks by Daniel Johnston. I bought it on a whim. I am not sure if I like it yet. This is my second listen. I think it might grow on me with a few more plays although I suspect that it might not be his best album. I bought it because I liked the title. I do not know all that much about Daniel Johnston except Wiki told me that he was an American singer-songwriter and visual artist regarded as a significant figure in outsider, lo-fi, and alternative music scenes. He died in 2019 aged 58 from a suspected heart attack. He also spent long periods in hospital due to mental illness. He has a cult following that continues to grow and his work has been praised for its ‘pure and childlike qualities’. He was also a visual artist whose work has been exhibited around the world. In 2012 he released a comic book called Space Ducks – An Infinite Comic Book of Musical Greatness and the album tied in with this release. The CD also contains a 24-page comic book.

Bradford On Avon.

Anyway, I have not done a lot the last few days because of the heat. Bike riding was out of the question. I went over to Bradford On Avon on the train last Sunday for a bit of a family gathering which was nice. We sat under the shade of a tree in the country park. Bradford On Avon is a beautiful little town to visit if you ever get the chance. I sold my signed Alex Higgins book yesterday. I got £19.00 plus postage for it. Not as much as I hoped, but still a nice little profit. I will try and reinvest the proceeds on something interesting.

Yesterday I went on an online virtual tour of Belfast which was interesting. It visited all the areas which influenced Van Morrison. It brought back some great memories of five years ago on Cyprus Avenue. Also, Hot Press magazine has been sponsoring daily cover versions of 75 Van songs on YouTube to celebrate Van Morrison’s upcoming 75^th birthday. I especially enjoyed watching Bronagh Gallagher singing And The Healing Has Begun. There is a lot more to come including the President of Ireland Michael D Higgins reciting Rave On John Donne. That should be quite something. Also, last night I enjoyed a live concert online by Cara Dillon from Coopers Hall in Frome which is just down the road from here. Cara is from Northern Ireland, but she lives in Frome now. In the absence of any gigs these days it was great to watch some live music. Anyway, that is all for now. If anything exciting happens I’ll tell you all about it tomorrow.

Cara Dillon.