Keswicklemon is a blog by artist Michael Holland from Lancashire england. Its an archive of projects artwork music photographs collections and writings. not many people follow me and there are way too many blogs in the world but this one is simply just for me to keep my ideas from disappearing into nothingness.

Thursday 10 December 2009

List : Top Ten All For Lisa in Portland

i have a new penpal and we started this exchange by chance, some things just feel right and this is one of those things that feels just right. these kind of conversations are impossible to plan as each turn of the corner you learn something new. i should really make her a cassette tape mixtape today but its really sunny again and i want to take advantage of it while its good weather so i'll just do a little typing then shoot off out again. so here we go. . .

1. Bicycles, Generally.... all kinds . ones with one wheel ones with two girls on bikes, couriers bikes, i like them all ! it is fitting that i have a portland bicycle photograph to illustrate number one !













2. Alela Diane (from portland i think? fantastic music) actually i'd like to extend this one too ALL GIRLS WHO LIVE IN PORTLAND although that is quite a lot of people if you look at portland as part of the world then its not very many people at all and there is something special about portland i cant quite put my finger on it right now but there is definitely something in the air in that town, something in the air that i really love!

















3. Kurt Schwitters Kurt Schwitters


















4. Words In Lists . Poems made from thoughts and things.

i could probably simplify that one to just words or even just letters as i like letters and words equally and i like patterns in words on a page like Guillaume Apollinaire's Calligrammes






5. Tiny little things like little cds that still play, tiny memory cards: these things impress me a great deal!












6. my camera that i take everywhere .







7. PVA Glue (preferably high quality PH neutral)













8. Collections . . Generally . A3 posters, coins, ART , Paper , VHS videos , records , Stereo Photographs , i could go on !








9. Pies (english delicacy) So so wrong but so good these always make my mum feel sick because she used to work in the factory when she was younger.

10. Projects . this is the one thing that keeps me rolling towards something . i'm not sure what it is at the moment but my "projects" give me something to aim for and often help me



here is Lisa's list of ten things in general that she loves...(in no particular order), perfect .

1. stuff from the 1930s.
2. maria bamford (she's a comedian.)
3. sonic youth.
4. the walkmen. the band and the listening device.
5. mix tapes.
6. my underwood typewriter that was made in 1920.
7. ray's ragtime (a vintage store here where I have gone so much the employees joyfully embrace me when I enter the store)
8. movies involving Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
9. right now...soup.
10. going to shows. seeing bands. I saw broadcast when they were here recently. I got out of a store meeting to see them.

Wednesday 9 December 2009

25 Ono Super Christmas

Another idea comes up and my friend Danny replies to me within 12 hours with a wonderful reply and Ono Super Christmas is born with Danny Norbury's Noël Nouvelet ! a one track CDr business card with artwork made from a fake bolivian bank note a picture of jesus i found on a street in Xela: Guatemala a halo made from yellow paper from San Cristobal Mexico.

here is the discogs link Noël Nouvelet Discogs





Just one track clocking in at 4:33 perfect for stockings all over the world but only available over the christmas period. danny should have some copies with him at this gig in london on december 20th : Sweet tweet tweet.

the boats/the sea

20/12/2009 19:30atCafe OTO
Cafe OTO 8-22 ASHWIN STREET, DALSTON LONDON, London and South East E8 3DL
Cost: £7.50

To celebrate their first Christmas, Home Normal and Arctic Circle are proud to present: The Boats, Danny Norbury, Ian Hawgood. And a one off improvised performance Konntinent, Isnaj Dui, Simon Scott. Home Normal is a fledging Tokyo/London label whose roster boasts Library Tapes, Celer, The Boats, Christopher Hipgrave, Mountain Ocean Sun, Isnaj Dui, Le Lendemain and Greg Davis. Upcoming releases include L/M/R/W (Machinefabriek, Soccer Committee and friends), Konntinent, Offthesky, Chihei Hatakeyama and Ian Hawgood. full details: http://www.jointhecircle.net

Tuesday 17 November 2009

List : Recommendations 1

As we go through life i find more and more that the things we love most are often things that you have thrust upon you by a friend. Without really knowing you find yourself opened up to all kinds of new kinds of music because of a list of recommendations given to you by someone you respect . Music , Books , Films the best way of coming across things often needs a personal touch. My next set of lists is a personal investigation into music that has been recommended to me by my best friends. Starting with a list from Danny Norbury... well its my list of Danny's best recommendations for me over a period of a few years danny has bought me a fair few records and burned me a right good bunch of CD's to check out. Before i go on i have to say that these kind of acts of thoughtful listening have shaped my record collection and sent me in directions that i would have never looked towards. invaluable is a good word to describe it.

so here are my favorite of Danny's recommendations to me over the last few years.




10 : Six Organs of Admittance : For Octavio Paz . Perfect gentle music for an afternoon alone. i would almost feel a little wrong sharing this kind of music with another person. It would have to be a special person if i was to sit down and listen to this with someone i suppose that says something about danny sharing his music . which i think he sometimes finds hard letting it into the world as it is very true, honest, personal music that he is sharing after all . sometimes i find myself being recommended records and i have so so many of my own that i want to listen to that i don't even get around to listening to CDr's that people burn for me. sometimes i dont even listen to a proper cd... for months after i have received it . it sometimes takes an event a quiet day alone or a empty afternoon to get down and actually spend some time taking it all in . The next "group of albums" i was given by danny was a different kind of story. They sounded too good to ignore so i went home and listened to them straight away and was blown away !



9. This one is for Ross and Jase... its totally essential listening; British, Futuristic, like steel and glass in a cold cold space i have since got the vinyl copies of this but originally danny burned me the whole box-set when it was re released a few years ago i had no idea what it was until i put on This Heat : This Heat . . . then Health and Efficiency, Stunning . Flying lizards and also the touch tape General Strike ... all this amazing british music was opened up to me through these 6 cds This Heat - Out Of Cold Storage box ! Mind loosening music !



8. Danny used this on his Mix cd that we did together both the movie and the soundtrack totally blow me away. The Gentle Friendliness of the film is awesome and silent at the same time. This film has become one of my all time favorite films and Wim Wenders best film by a mile in my opinion i still watch his new films but the overall quality of Wings Of Desire is just astounding. Angels in the Architecture : Penguin Cafe Orchestra : The sound of someone you love who's going away and it doesn't matter. Thats my response to that one.



7. A Cheap tip that is worth infinitely more than the pound (or less) that it will cost you to find this beautiful record. i think danny played me the Serenade To Music track first as we were doing a classical music Dj set together a few years ago at common... it didnt go down too well in a busy bar but this music is another personal quiet moment favorite of mine. The Lark Ascending is also a perfect piece of music that requires your attention. Thankyou again to danny for playing me these i cant help but buy up every nice copy i see now especially because it only costs me £1!



6. No idea how danny ended up with this CD but its beautiful and i hold this responsible for triggering this set of lists in the first place. i was listening to it while doing my grandparents decorating the other day and my grannie thinks that the musicians all sound as tho they are playing different songs. Its not as polished as some of the other items coming up on this list but its a great album all the same joy filled music that inspires the same kinds of feelings brought on by albums such as come on feel the illinois by Sufjan Stevens another of Danny's faves but slightly too obvious for this sort of investigation !



5. A solid number five something that i was aware of but a little bit bemused by this is probably some of John Cage's more Accessible music especially in comparison to the Winter Music Lp that i gave to danny. Twinkly and unpredictable prepared piano this is another world that danny opened up to me by lending me Silence, this record is the starting point for the heavy heavy hitters that are in the top five !



4. i'm not sure that i fully get Janáček but it definitely is something special. This is something that danny rates with the highest respect i still find it very difficult and often really quite scary in places. it has to go up high on the list because it really is deep dense music and listening back to it again i feel that i probably have not given this record enough of my time. i tried listening to the opera Z mrtvého domu which means 'From the House of the Dead'. Hard hard listening this kind of music is for people who want an undiluted look at fear . Scarier than most Horror soundtracks for me... possibly because i'm not fully getting it yet . time will tell with this one.



3. More fear here with some interpretations of Hiroshima this is also not music for the faint hearted my personal favorite is Alle Vittime Di Hiroshima. its not the sort of music i would recommend to anyone . At this moment i'm not sure i should be listening to it myself as its making me feel really tense.



2. Rothko Chapel by Morton Feldman ; Danny gave me this as i was getting better from quite a serious illness and the calming sounds on this record i definitely do get! in retrospect all these last 4 classical masterpieces in Danny's top ten are all very deep meaningful records that have a very delicate sound. This one is an album to aspire to an album of quiet space and soothing sounds to impress good colours onto your soul. This is not easy music to get into either and it is a little bit eerie . Another record i will keep forever . Timeless.



1. Christian Marclay : Record Player . WOW was my first reaction. this DVD is pure inspiration for me i am lucky enough to own a copy thanks to danny. Its a DVD that i always go back to to feel inspired again and again . i strongly recommend that you watch this DVD if you get the chance its incredible what Christian Marclay has done in his life . Some of the most groundbreaking and memorable artworks that i have ever seen just happen to be made by him this Youtube clip doesn't really work as well as the original version but its good all the same . I would really like to see this piece again ! thanks danny thats your top ten recommendations



Christian Marclay's Video Quartet - Excerpt #1

Saturday 11 July 2009

Michael Head and the Strands 'The Magical World of The Strands'





its summer . you need some of this to help you relax . lie in bed and listen comfortable in the knowledge that you are safe and warm as its summer after all . jobless music for a jobless country DL.

Tuesday 2 June 2009

List : Breasts


So it occurred to me today that after the breast-feeding Ono Release by Black Toothed Grin. Some recent inspiration made me become inspired to get creative in the last 24 hours and now to do some research into another list this time breast slang is the name of the game.

so number 20 : Puppies ... these little puppies can show you a good time !
19 : Pia Zadoras ... See Pia Zadora
18 : Milkmakers/ God’s Milk Bottles/ Milk Bombs.
17 : Congo Bongos
16 : Aboo
15 : Norks
14 : Squachies
13 : Thelma and Louise or... Mickey and Minnie or... Bonnie and Clyde
12 : Chi Chi's
11 : Jahoobies
10 : Scooby Snacks
09 : Bouncing Buddhas
08 : Picasso Cubes
07 : Fun Bags
06 : Boobs : Where Does The Word Boob Come From ?
05 : Wahwahs
04 : Bosoms
03 : Love Jugs
02 : Mammary Glands Latin : Glandula Mammaria
01 : Melons

Sunday 26 April 2009

List : Top Five Youtube Clips For Andrew Lapointe


1 . Beached As Bro



2 . Trent From Punchy



3 . Midget Bollywood Dancer



4 . Dimensions of Dialogue By Jan Svankmajer



5 . Devvo in Ten Minutes

Wednesday 22 April 2009

List : Top Ten List From Alice Clarke (Lacies Records)


In reply to Alice's Top Eleven . Alice is top of my list of people to visit as soon as i get back to england ! i will reply to her list with a top ten of things i think she will appreciate from banff.

'It's the time of your life that may last a lifetime'

When I received the email from MH asking me to write a top ten of anything, I knew straight away what it should be. A daily fantasy of the dreamboat Lloyd Dobler to 'Say Anything' to me is an accurate suggestion of my obsession with the Brat Pack era. Here is my list of 80s teen movies:

1- Pretty In Pink

2- Sixteen Candles

3- Valley Girl

4- Better Off Dead

5- Say Anything

6- The Sure Thing

7- St Elmos Fire

8- Some Kind Of Wonderful

9- About Last Night

10- One Crazy Summer

11- Mannequin (which I watched this weekend and loved!)



Number eleven is not part of alices list but she did include it on a previous list so i had to include it . my list is books videos and other things that i have read thanks to the wonderful Banff Public Library . i cant praise enough the wonderful staff and superb selection of films videos books and everything they have in there . The Library has truly enriched my time here in banff so this is for alice, here goes :

10 . Where's Michael Book

9 . Vladimir Nabokov : Pnin

8 . The Family Of Man Photography Book

7 . My Fridge

6 . Wax Poetics : The Philly Issue

5 . The Twentieth Century Performance Reader

4 . Mon Oncle Antoine

3 . My New Childs Chair (Bedside Table)

2 . And The Hippos Were Boiled in Their Tanks By William S. Burroughs And Jack Kerouac

1 . I Heart Huckabees


Hope you like that list its totally for alice clarke welovelaciesrecords link

Thursday 16 April 2009

CD For The Roadtrip To Big White


1. M.I.A. : Paper Planes (Diplo Remix)
2. Crystal Castles : 1991
3. Broadcast : Michael A Grammar
4. Usha Uthup & Chorus : One Two Cha Cha Cha
5. Risto : Rakkauden Rock
6. Microfilm : Centrefold
7. The Flying Lizards : Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Sex Machine
8. The Slits : Shoplifting
9. Jorge Ben : Take It Easy My Brother Charlie
10. Kako : Cool Jerk
11. Units : High Pressure Days
12. DNA : Blonde Red Head
13. Black Toothed Grin : She Dolls With Dollies
14. The Congos : Fisherman Style
15. J Dilla : Two Can Win
16. Minnie Riperton : Les Fleur
17. Love : She Comes In Colours
18. M83 : We Own The Sky
19. Serge Gainsbourg & Brigitte Bardot : Bonnie And Clyde
20. Freddy Y Sus Afro Latinos : Maltrato
21. Nina Simone : Wild Is The Wind
22. Talking Heads : Mind

A selection of nice songs for the girls next door on their trip to big white pretty upbeat and some key songs like, Michael Michael Michael, Shoplifting and a bit of Australian music in the form of Microfilm : Centrefold. Every Mixtape should have a good dose of variety to while away the hours on the road. I tried to put on songs that i love. Enjoy.