A thoughtful account of true friendship indeed and an interesting life lived. Goes to show the worth of grasping any opportunities that come our way. I often think back to the 70s and my time as a spotty-faced oik, I could never have foreseen what life had in store and I remain ever grateful for the chances given me - even more grateful for having the balls to act on them !
Another great read! I never intended to do anything like this with my substack, but you give me pause for thought. Funny thing about your Alarm piece for the NME. I left Melody Maker when Ian Pye took over at the NME, as I felt like a change. I did some big articles for him/them but had never really looked at the paper before. It was so boring I returned to the Maker after a month or so, which surprised everyone. Before I did I left the NME a nice farewell present, a hugely complimentary article about The Alarm. I gather that wasn't well received at the paper.
And yeah, maybe you can use Substack for some personal pieces. But your output with all its recommendations already serves a great purpose, so just keep doing what comes naturally, It's clearly working.
Thanks Mick. It sounds like you wrote briefly for the NME before I wrote briefly for the NME. Perhaps your hugely complementary piece about The Alarm helps explain why Danny Kelly was so keen I should write a more hostile one than I did. Either way, mine was killed. Yours?
As Hughie Green said “Opportunity Knocks” and it probably only knocks once. You could have gone straight back to the UK and missed out on New York and your future life…
I know Max, fascinating thought isn't it? But I DID ask for the flight to go back via the East Coast and i DID make that daytrip to NYC so something, somewhere in the ether was calling on me to do so all along. Cheers.
The LA junket at the age of 21 certainly felt so! Traipsing round the UK with a backpack on in a never-ending winter doesn't feel half as glamorous as doing it between different countries, but then that's the focus of this particular piece and the second part that will follow: the importance of friendships. I do read that you have secured that network in Saigon and that's what keeps bringing you back there. I get it! Cheers David.
A thoughtful account of true friendship indeed and an interesting life lived. Goes to show the worth of grasping any opportunities that come our way. I often think back to the 70s and my time as a spotty-faced oik, I could never have foreseen what life had in store and I remain ever grateful for the chances given me - even more grateful for having the balls to act on them !
Agreed on all fronts Ben. Part 2 to follow.
Another great read! I never intended to do anything like this with my substack, but you give me pause for thought. Funny thing about your Alarm piece for the NME. I left Melody Maker when Ian Pye took over at the NME, as I felt like a change. I did some big articles for him/them but had never really looked at the paper before. It was so boring I returned to the Maker after a month or so, which surprised everyone. Before I did I left the NME a nice farewell present, a hugely complimentary article about The Alarm. I gather that wasn't well received at the paper.
And yeah, maybe you can use Substack for some personal pieces. But your output with all its recommendations already serves a great purpose, so just keep doing what comes naturally, It's clearly working.
Thanks Mick. It sounds like you wrote briefly for the NME before I wrote briefly for the NME. Perhaps your hugely complementary piece about The Alarm helps explain why Danny Kelly was so keen I should write a more hostile one than I did. Either way, mine was killed. Yours?
Full page, colour, but snarky sub-Ed comments.
As Hughie Green said “Opportunity Knocks” and it probably only knocks once. You could have gone straight back to the UK and missed out on New York and your future life…
I know Max, fascinating thought isn't it? But I DID ask for the flight to go back via the East Coast and i DID make that daytrip to NYC so something, somewhere in the ether was calling on me to do so all along. Cheers.
As I said last week: Glamorous life!!
The LA junket at the age of 21 certainly felt so! Traipsing round the UK with a backpack on in a never-ending winter doesn't feel half as glamorous as doing it between different countries, but then that's the focus of this particular piece and the second part that will follow: the importance of friendships. I do read that you have secured that network in Saigon and that's what keeps bringing you back there. I get it! Cheers David.