Chalkin on the Pavement (Song)

The best songs for me are told as a story and not just a collection of feelings and ideas. I'm one of those 'Old fashioned' kinda kids who still buys CDs and reads what's inside. At Gigs I often try to listen to what is important to the singer on stage. Love, friendship and breakups - these are all things an audience can relate to but not always easy to explore these subjects within the confines of a verse. I see alot of new bands fall down as they don't take enough risks in their writing or forget that a person should walk away feeling they have truely learnt something new.

I have discovered some really great lyricists this year, far better then me. But I am happy that the songs I have written recently are just fun and nothing to be taken seriously! Here is my attempt at a mushy love song...

-

Chalkin on the Pavement

On my doorstep, I sit and I watch you

Chalkin pictures on the floor

We get talking

About all the places we never been before

You don’t notice, all the people smiling

But they stare at every one

I love to see that angry look in your eyes

When they walk across the things you’ve done

(CHORUS)

You’ll see a change in me

I got your drawings on my wall                  

All the places you wanna go

Yeah I think they’re Pretty Cool!!!!

I found your Dreams

In a Sketch Book in a draw

Gonna save my money

I want to help you see them all

I see the chalk dust, on the side of your hand

As you move your finger ‘cross the glass

The bus is steaming up, your drawing faces

At the people going past

You draw a stick girl standing with a stick boy

On an Island out at Sea

You even write on the window what they’re rowing about

So I know that it’s you and me

(CHORUS)

So the rain came down, with that crippling sound

I hear the parks gonna close today

So we grab some clothes and our mobile phones

It’s time for us to go away

The rain may have faded the chalk on the street

But not the promises we laid down

I watched as the colours fell into themselves

Like a Sunset on the ground

Like a Sunset on the ground (Repeat x4)

A Tiger's Tale

‘What of the Hunting, Hunter Bold?

      Brother, the watch was long and cold.

Where is the power that made your pride?

      Brother, it ebbs from my flank and side’…

                                                                from The Jungle Book

What I find the most incredible about Tigers is their adaptability and their nomadic existence. They will wander for huge distances in search of new hunting grounds. When I think of them nowadays I no longer imagine ‘Shere Khan’ walking silently through the jungle, stalking his prey. We often see photographs of Tigers in the snow (which always seems strange to me) and watch television programmes of them cautiously pacing through swamps and mountainous regions.

It is worth remembering that Tigers have been around for over two million years and in that time the Earth’s climate has pulsed from the frozen glacial ages to warmer wetter climates, bringing the forests and jungles we see today. The biggest cat of all is the Siberian Tiger, able to survive in temperatures as low as -35’C. There are three important factors which are key to a Tiger’s success. Water, a plentiful food source and just as important is the need for adequate natural cover. Without this a Tiger lacks the element of surprise in hunting. It also requires shelter to regulate its body temperature whether this is from blizzards or the suns searing heat.

There has always been a demand to see more of these creatures with their striking design. They have a hidden ferocity and strength, a lethal grace that makes them the perfect hunter. Their eyes are keen yet they have a wise look in them. There is a deep respect for Tigers within the cultures they have touched directly. In Siberia there are tribes that call them ‘Old Grandfather’ or ‘Brother’, protectors of the ginseng root.  In Warli marriages in India both bride and groom will wear red and yellow head-dress in their honour. If their tribe's Hindu Goddess of love sanctifies the wedding all will be well, if not the cloth will turn into Tigers and eat them both up!

Tigers will eat just about anyone: most commonly Bison, species of deer known as Chittal and Sambar, they will even chase a Leopard into a tree. But due to their size Tigers are very poor climbers so will often give up at this point. They can stalk a solitary animal for hours and will sometimes return to a herd for 2-3 days looking for the right time to strike. They are the largest of all the cats and require a huge amount of energy to keep them going. Therefore they will only sprint for around a hundred yards and aim to put their prey down quickly which is defiantly the smart approach. Tigers can also see in the dark and will become nocturnal if their prey is more active at night or if they live close to man and feel roaming in the dark is safer.

As far a family life goes Tiger males are always respectful to females and will not approach her for mating till she is ready. He knows this by the way she roars and sprays across the ground. Although males are often 1/3 times larger then a Tigress, she can certainly pack a healthy wallop if she is unhappy and so this respect is also another smart move. Tigers may fight Bears or Pythons, they may take on Bison three times their size and weight, but a female Tigress will always be his toughest threat. However if he is lucky he may have several females within his territory to choose from.

  

Tiger cubs are very inquisitive and playful creatures, always exploring their environment. Litter sizes range from 1 to 5 but on average 3 younglings are born at a  time. You may often see documentaries where cubs are wading in the water with their brothers and sisters, messing around with sticks or teasing smaller creatures. But work starts early and at the 3-6 month stage their mother will start teaching them the skills of hunting. It is common for a Tigress to catch a wild pig or young faun beneath its paw, releasing it for their cubs to make the kill. It is important that a Tiger develops the agility and judgement to take down an animal quickly, using gravity, momentum and the animal’s weight against them. If done incorrectly a Tiger could be crushed to death by a larger animal or more commonly they may suffer an injury. An injured tiger can not hunt and will inevitably starve.

The Tigress must always be aware of the dangers that her younglings face, there are natural predators such as Wolves or Sloth Bears that will take a cub if they are not protected. Fathers are often close by too and will defend their families against rival males. At around the 2 year mark a mother will force her cubs away, it is vital to disown them at this time. Tigers need a huge amount of meat to sustain them and so must branch out to their own hunting areas and this is why they are solitary for large parts of their lives. Also the Tigress will naturally want to start a new family at this time. As Tigers push out closer to human villages there is the danger of being killed by poison, traps or by poachers and its startling to think that on average only 1 cub from every litter will survive to full maturity.

Humans and Tigers have always been in conflict for a variety of reasons. Tigers are opportunists, they will kill and eat a human if one encroaches on their territory. They eat fish and livestock: they were considered pests when settlers came from Russia and the West, who killed them for sport and the desire to introduce wider farmlands. Their numbers have diminished to frightening levels with some species only having a few hundred left. In China Tiger bones have always been used in medicine and in Nepal their fur is used for religious ceremonies. Killing Tigers is completely wrong but it is something ingrained in the workings of these cultures, laws must be tightened and people re-educated to ensure any real progress.

Projects in India and other parts of Asia have seen the creation of huge National Parks designed to protect tigers, but the answer to the problem is not quite that simple. Many villages have been relocated to make room for the parks. This not only leads to resentment but also the increase of illegal poaching and fishing as former villagers believe they should still be allowed access to their ancestral lands. It becomes impractical to condemn the actions of others without at least trying to understand the reasons. Many people in these areas have families and want to create a better life for themselves. Uprooting communities in such a way means they have to rebuild their own economy: they need support to do this and help to build up new external trade links. 

As we know Tigers are hugely territorial, a single adult may prevail over an area of 4 square miles in the south to 70 sq miles in the north, roaming further when there is less food. With emerging cultures like China and India constantly pushing out due to industry and population growth, some species find themselves at the tipping point. The land that Tigers now inhabit has become fragmented and for them to stand a chance these must be connected by ‘land corridors’, allowing them to reproduce effectively. Their success will inevitably come down to those who are willing to take up the moral slack. A lot of hard work, compromise and resources will be needed, but I know I would rather read about animals in a magazine then in a museum. Humans are natural builders and we create amazing things. We are problem solvers and the world is a big place. We should be enlightened enough to find a place for everything we share the planet with.

I think it is possible to look into a Tigers eyes and see great curiosity and ambition. We understand that they have such awesome strength controlled by the truest of patience. They are intelligent and adaptable creatures. They have a Traveller's Soul. When I think about what motivates us in our lives and the type of people we want to be, than perhaps these are the qualities we both aspire to

MUHAMMAD ALI - Growing Up!

The story goes that at 12 years old boy growing up in Louisville, Kentucky only took up boxing when he found his bicycle had been stolen. At the time Muhammad Ali and his friend were attending a Black Community event in town.  Upset and angry, the young boy was desperate to report the theft to the police. He was taken to the basement gym where Joe Martin, a local police officer was training young boxers as part of the convention. Muhammad was distraught, saying if he ever caught up with the thief he would ‘whup’ him for taking his bike. Joe asked if he had ever learned to fight and when the boy said No, it seemed like an opportunity to give a young man some direction in life.

Muhammad was born into a loving, working class family with parents that gave him space to let his personality grow. In interviews his mother and father talk about him and his brother Rudolph with true pride. At school Muhammad leaned towards Art. From an academic side his teachers described him as ‘mostly average’ – as if a child can be labelled such a thing. His father was a sign-painter and later in life he was able to pursue art in his own creative and unrestricted way. He enjoyed painting murals for every church in the county. If things had been different perhaps Muhammad would have joined his father in the family business.

As a young boxer Ali did not really stand out. He showed great commitment and worked hard, but it was a few years before his potential could actually be seen. At first it was simply the pursuit of athleticism and all he really wanted was the chance to compete in local competitions and television shows. As a young teen he was in the gym six days a week. His goal was to make a little money, enough to buy his parents a good home and for himself – a Cool car.

The young Ali was in some ways very different to the one we see spouting out ‘put downs’ and poems before a big fight. He was very shy around girls and so maybe he thought the Cool car would help. By 18 years old he had won six Kentucky Golden Glove tournaments, two National Golden Gloves and two National AAU competitions. The local university was able to sponsor him to compete at the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome; however a fear of flying nearly stopped him from going. Frantically he kept talking about going on a boat but with his brother Rudolph and coach Joe, he braved the trip and came away with a Gold medal.

It would take money and notoriety for him to progress to the next level. I recently read a great story about Ali’s quick thinking. He was working with Flip Schulke a photographer for Sports Illustrated at the time. Ali found out the freelancer also did work for Life Magazine – the biggest publication in the U.S at the time. So he asked the photographer how he could get into Life but even with the Gold medal and a lot of great exposure Schulke did not feel the magazine would go for it. Changing tack Muhammad asked what kind of pictures he took for Life and was told that he speacialised in underwater photography. Thinking on his feet, Ali said ‘did you know I am the only boxer who trains underwater’. This was a complete lie, he never went in the pool because he could not swim. But he spun the yarn saying where as other fighters wore weighted shoes (or ’big old shoes’ as he put it) to increase speed and strength, he did something different. He told the photographer every morning he got into the pool up to his neck and threw his punches under water. The directors at Life magazine bought into this completely made up story. He got four pages of photos and the world read exclusively about this innovative new form of training

There was still a lot of work needed if Ali was to turn Pro and have a shot at a title. He put his time to good use, watching professionals, training with them and tapping them up for advice whenever or wherever he could. Here was an enigmatic young man growing in confidence by the day. He made time to talk to everyone he met and there was always a buzz around him. Muhammad was deeply respectful and appreciative of anyone who believed in him. No doubt he rubbed a lot of fans up the wrong way by mouthing off about every fighter he came across. But I suppose he realised he could throw a few punches before he got in the ring. Psychology was everything, he knew he would be going toe to toe with big sluggers with years of experience. Boxers who not only believed they would knock the petulant Muhammad Ali down, but had people on their pay role constantly telling them it was inevitable.  Ali won his first fifteen professional fights which amazingly featured a string of nine wins by knock downs. He was always moving around the ring, showing immense energy and hardly ever having a glove laid on his face. He signed a contract worth $4k per year salary with 50% of all purses. He even bought himself a Cadillac.

Muhammad Ali went on to be World Heavyweight Champion and described as the most charismatic person in the world by everyone that ever met him! In interviews we saw such self belief; an incredibly funny guy who always showed respect to fighters who made him think and gave him a tough time in the ring. He made it ok to be cocky and showed huge enthusiasm for the sport. Ali remains a big influence in my life because of the simple yet powerful things he said. As a kid I saw an interview where he said he was always going to be ‘The Greatest’ whatever profession he had found. He said if he was a Trash man he would have dunked more trash cans in an hour then anyone else. I have always believed that whatever our function is in society, we all have the opportunity to achieve great things with the hand we are dealt. That everyone can lead a meaningful life, it’s down to how we treat each other and the respect we have for ourselves.

At 16 years old I started at college and also flipping burgers at McDonalds, a job we heard about through a friend of my Dads. I did not want to disappoint anyone so I worked dead hard. Cooking, cleaning and lugging round stacks of boxes far heavier then I thought I could ever lift. Every pay check bought me a new music CD. In the kitchen we all spent busy lunchtimes singing songs together, from Buddy Holly, to early Beatles and classic Rock. Our manager went mad at us when we ran out of food but a ‘no singing ban’ never lasted very long! The job paid for my bus fares to college, my books and my beer money. After that I went to work in a bank and later in large offices; always having the chance to meet and work with some fantastic people!! The job could be stressful, boring, infuriating… but every time I know I have tried to hit it with all the energy and enthusiasm I can muster.

When I first went to work in a large office my team leader Tamzin, took me to one side and said. ’You’re a great guy, but you are working in an office with 40 people, what are you going to do to stand out?’ There was so many characters around me…all I had was a daft sense of humour and I liked to be helpful and ask people what they were up to. Sometimes little things can change you in a big way and even when work gets stressful I try to enjoy the fact I am around people I truly care about and we spend most days laughing all we can. I think I stand out - I have a habit of saying the first and often most stupid thing that comes into my head. Sometimes I get hacked off and erupt into a constant flow of drivel and opinion without thinking any of it through. But no one seems to mind and well, I never said I was ‘The Greatest’.

  

COMMING SOON!

The Red Indian Above The Curtains

Muhammad Ali

Stars: Why your place in the Universe isn't so little

A Tigers Tale

and maybe something about me.... 

#GRAFFITI Brighton '13

Just some of the Artwork, Ideas and Adverts you might see round Brighton's back streets.
Blink and you'll miss it !

if Eminem was drinking in West Street Brighton

8 Mile music starts…..

He’s Drunk and Sweaty, chatting up some Ugly-Betty,

There’s vomit on his sweater already, ‘Uncle Ben’s’ (microwave) spaghetti

Mates come over, drag him to Weatherspoons for a cheapy round.

Doubles up his Jack for an extra £1

Wants Onion rings, barmaid says they aint servin now

Goes quiet, he drops a C bomb so proud.

Laughing, all his mates are choking now

why’s he call the barmaid a B word so loud?

she’s gonna get them all thrown out

Time up - she calls the Bouncers over, now all their fun's over BLAUW!

Thrown out in the street again…

Whoops there goes Gravity !!!

He wont stop rabbiting

Tries to kick off, but the bouncers put him down easy.

He aint broke, he can stand

but he can’t walk that easy....
Hen Do in 'Revs', the men gettin sleazy 

Goes to 'WooWoos' and loves that its cheesy !

Gets a Chilli-flavour-Shot as a free-bee

‘They forgot to ID me’  : )

And the drinks go on and on and on

He’s mates only drink harder, they make him drink harder

He’s rubbin up against a drunk girl in ‘Oceana’

Tries to pick her up but they both fall over.

She tries to hobble off, he still wants her mobile number

She says No and then she calls her own father

But the beat goes on da da dum da dum da da

Kebab and Chips, get the squits

Start a fight - take some hits! Puking on his ‘K Swiss’

Try to miss your trainers if you bout to blow !

This opportunity comes once in a life time - YO!

Loose yourself, stumble home

Loose your mates, ‘ Where’s my Phone?’

Where has all your money gone?

Should have kept some Bus fare in your Socks

This opportunity comes once in a life time…..

If you have just one chance, one opportunity to go drinking in West Street…… Don’t !

Beach Afternoon

When the good weather finally arrives everyone is suddenly in a better mood. I have always thought it has a lot to do with pretty girls wearing bright summer dresses. Now I know the ‘official reason’ is a lot more scientific. The Sun of coarse emits a form of energy and in nature a calling for animals to come out of hibernation and start reproducing. Food sources replenish: the land grows lush. Psychologically speaking people are excited about ‘Get-aways’, Holidays and late nights out in town. But definitely a key factor is skimpy dresses! Put simply: Hotter weather ÷ less clothes = Hotter looking people. (Maths was never my best subject). Summer time comes and everyone’s thinking about Sex all the time….. I know I am!

Brighton beach in the summer is jam packed with people wandering around and interesting things going on. There are often Human Robots and Michael Jackson impersonators. Sometimes you will see Dancers, Sword-swallowers and stalls along the promenade with affordable wares. Bars to drink with Singers singing; Jugglers juggling and Basketball players…basketing? Plenty of little games to play on the Pier and fast rides placed precariously close to the edge. The Sun reigns high in the sky and brings with it all the things we have missed. I feel the heat as it presses down on me. I can smell the salt from the sea and the vinegar on my chips. Kopperburg, Ice-cream and lazy afternoons sitting with work pals on the beach.

On Saturdays the office closes for business at 1pm. In the good weather its tradition for us to grab some booze and meet up by the shore. We hope to see faces from the past – Allie, Sam, Grant or Jo or maybe even Emily. Everyone’s smiling, talking and joking around. Vague and idle clouds are smudged against a brilliant blue sky. Everything feels lazy, even the waves have little strength to claw away the pebbles. Slumped together in a circle we take the mickey out of each other and the girls make me drink shots to see how silly I get! 

Last weekend Stuart and Hannah.B  a.k.a ‘Biscuit’ organised a picnic on the lawns. Just behind the beach huts there is an area of grass where we can sit together and play ball games. Everybody chipped in a little money or bought drinks and food along. The spread was immense with a smorgasbord of global delights. Tikka Pasties, French sticks, XXX.HOT Mexican Cheddar, BBQ Chicken and Sweet and Sour Pork Bites. A meal infused with all the cultures of the world, brought to us by TESCO and served on mother natures table. In all its glory Celine’s homemade salad looked gorgeous, though sadly contained cucumber.

There were nearly 30 of us this year, though many faces were missed. But we did have some little children join us, so bad swears were a no-no! They played together and my friends ran after them, ate crisps and snacks till our belly’s were sore and our legs’ grew tired. Later their parents packed them into their buggies and took them home for snuggles on the sofa and rubbish TV. To a child the sea is a magical place, we  look out together and wonder what amazing things are left to discover. Tiny glimmers sparkle across the water and converge into a trail of white light that leads beyond the horizon. This must be the way Peter Pan leads all the lost souls to help them find their rest. There are certain kindnesses we forget as we get older. Days like these remind us of the importance of sharing and ‘please and thank you’. Without the laughter and mischievousness we learn as children we all risk drowning in the mundane.

One thing I hope will be true as long as it can be: that myself and my work pals will meet up every summer, sit by the sea and drink ourselves into oblivion. Maybe Leroy and Henry will make a little fire and I'm sure the girls will endlessly take photos. Its funny watching them agonize over which pictures they look the best in - the one’s they’ll put on Facebook. There will be days that we watch the sun melt across the sky and sink into the sea. The wind may gather about us and the crowds that flocked here just scurry away. But we will sit here chatting and laughing long into the evening. Or at least till one of us realises how cold it has become.