Saturday 1 April 2017

A Trick of the Tail - Genesis

As there was one yesterday, there will be another again on Monday,
but while this is not a regular Blogging Day, it is significant as the 
First Day of the Month and, more importantly, yet another chance to make a
Fool of Myself!
Inspiration and Memory Jerks come from a multitude of directions
but when they are as 'beautiful' as this then we feel duty bound to share them!
This image dropped through my letter box (or, more accurately, on that Intersurf thing)
during the week with the caption
" am I wrong to believe in a City of Gold"
(a reference that only a staunch Genesis aficionado might relate too) 
Bored of the life in the city of gold he'd left and let nobody know
Gone were the towers he had known from a child
Along with a dream of a life
He travelled the wide open road the blinkered arcade
In search of another to share in his life, nowhere
Everyone looked so strange to him

They got no horns and they got no tail, they don't even know of our existence
“Am I wrong to believe in the city of gold”
That lies in the deep distance?


With just about every Genesis lyric ever written committed to the now rapidly diminishing
Memory Bank my reply was instantaneous
"No, just look beyond the bounds of your weak imagination"!
My dear friends Paul and Annie Harris were, at that time, spending some 'quality time' in London with their 2 sons and as Paul reports "suddenly through the late afternoon's leaden-sky came a shaft of sunlight which turned the North Bank of the River Thames into the End of the Rainbow"! My mind turned a-jingle with a heady mix of memories of both unarguably the finest Capital City in the World and my limited experiences with one of the greatest 'quintets' ever tacked together in modern times. Add to that a more than ample dose of Self Satisfaction and you have todays Post, alternitive title
Memories Are Made of This - Dean Martin
"There, beyond the bounds of your weak imagination"
Lie the noble towers of my city, bright and gold
Let me take you there, show you a living story
Let me show you others such as me, why did I ever leave?

The exchanged words come from the title track of
A Trick of the Tail (Link) 
which is the 7th studio album from this most imaginative English Progressive Rock Band.
In essence, this Trick of a Tail involves a
Horned and Tailed Mythical Beast
who sets out to find another place and way of life!
My regular visits to our own City of Gold were on occassion enhanced
by the company of my Estonian friend Ille Kallaste - those were the days!
 ROYAL ACADEMY of ARTS
Piccadilly
with Sir Joshua Reynolds keeping an eye on things from above.
MEMBERS LOUNGE at the RA
THE OLD LADY of THREADNEEDLE STREET 
 (The Bank of England)
 THE COURTAULD INSTITUTE of ART
Somerset House, The Strand
 My personal favourite Work of Art in the whole World

A Bar at the Folies-Bergère, by Édouard Manet
(look at the eyes, check the perspective)
SAINT KATHERINE'S DOCK
 "As I was walking past
SAINT PAUL'S
 a lady grabbed me by the............arm"!
A Night at the Opera
 (my only visit ever to)
 ENGLISH NATIONAL OPERA
at the 
London Coliseum, Covent Garden
for a production of

 My seat was at the
 Aisle, Front, Middle Balcony          
binoculars in one hand a tissue in the other.
On a Beach in Ceylon, and behind the temple, protagonists
Nadir (tenor) and Zurga (baritone) duet to win the love of Leila.
 AU FOND DU TEMPLE SAINT
Sleeping on Waterloo Railway Station, awaiting the early morning
Milk Train was well worth it, although a little chilly!
THE GOOD MIXER
 Camden Town
 THE SAATCHI GALLERY
 Duke of York's HQ, King's Road, Chelsea
 Alternative Title
Despots in Wheelchairs
either way a fascinating work of art.
 There were no names mentioned, but you didn't have to consult
Who's Who to realise Who Was Who!
 The Critic
 EROS
PICCADILLY CIRCUS 
(fire it this way Chiefy)
 SOHO
 NATIONAL GALLERY
Trafalgar Square
Hold a halo round the world golden is the day.
Princess of the Universe your burden is the way.
So there is no better time who will be born today.
A gypsy child at day break, a king for a day

Iron Maiden
 coincidentally wearing the
PORCUPINE TREE
tee-shirt!
Memories of yet another fabulous night at the Mean Fiddler, Charing Cross Road
Lazarus - Porcupine Tree (Link)

My David don't you worry this cold world is not for you
So rest your head upon me I have strength to carry you

Follow me down to the valley below
(You know)
Moonlight is bleeding from out of your soul

(Ghosts of the twenties rising, Golden Summers just holding you)

Come to us, Lazarus
It's time for you to go
THE LONDON EYE
 and after a hard day at the office where else better than
THE SHERLOCK HOLMES
St James - WC2N 5DB
On one occasion Ille ordered Traditional Fish and Chips with
Real Ale 3 nights running. When in England do as the.........
“Am I wrong to believe in the city of gold”
Not if you live life to the full, every day is a
City of Gold!
Having Good Friends is one thing,
having Good Friends who Inspire you is quite another.
LUCKY ME!
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