Stories & Strategies
About 3 years ago I wrote a satirical short story called Donald Trump Has Taken a Little Girl Hostage. Admittedly, it was a very dark story, and yet also – I thought – quite hopeful. I sent it to a couple adventurous literary websites but it was rejected. And I could almost feel the shivering... Continue Reading →
Mother!, the film by Darren Aronofsky starring Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence, is a visceral, bloody and utterly gutting condemnation of art as partriarchy and patriarchy as art. Unspooling as a haunting and complex allegory, the film depicts with rare insight and subtlety how female generosity is exploited, desecrated and destroyed again and again by... Continue Reading →
It was, strangely enough, Greta Gerwig's delightful Little Women, that cinematic ne plus ultra of wholesome domesticity, that tempted me to watch Midsommar, a 'horror' film whose breathless reviewers were united in calling 'disturbing' and 'bizarre'. More accurately it was Florence Pugh that drew me to Midsommar. Her performance as Amy in Little Women was... Continue Reading →
I first heard the name Miranda July about 20 years ago, dropped casually yet reverentially from the lips of Sarah Sharkey-Pearce, one of the smartest, coolest young artists I knew. And so, although it would be a few years before I came across any actual artworks by her, Miranda July's name stayed with me. Brimming... Continue Reading →
For a few years now I have occasionally posted my photos to Instagram but it wasn't until I happened to trip across and follow the kickass account of Erin Hawkins, who endlessly marries cool photos with cool short fictional mini-stories that I realized much more fun could be had. So with thanks to her for... Continue Reading →
Although COVID-19 has delayed the release of the print edition of my new children's book, Born, I am happy to report that my publisher, Groundwood Books, has gone ahead with the release of the ebook edition. Thanks to everyone at Groundwood for your support and hard work in bringing this book to life! It has... Continue Reading →
Life as a husband and dad, creative professional, entrepreneur, author and member of other people's bands has meant that getting my own band back together has taken me longer than I ever thought it would. But at long last the train has left the station I am one happy conductor. Our first gig is Saturday... Continue Reading →
Battle at Kruger is an 8 minute 24 second long YouTube video with 80,156,648 views. Perhaps one of those views is yours. About 6 or 7 of them are mine, having watched it repeatedly with various friends and family members over the years. Battle at Kruger is one of the most extraordinary nature videos you... Continue Reading →
On April 5th, the great American musician and poet Cecil Taylor passed away at the age of 89. An appropriate lifespan, perhaps, for the legendary free jazz pianist, so willing to push the boundaries of his instrument's 88 keys. During his long and rich life spent trespassing on the outermost frontiers of coherence and... Continue Reading →
