FOSIL News & Views 27Th May 2021
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FOSIL News & Views 27th May 2021 St Ives Library and Information Centre is open for browsing, computer use and information 9:30am - 4:00pm Monday - Saturday Date for your diary FOSIL is at The Farmer’s Market rd Thursday 3 June 2021 Borrow Box BorrowBox is not just novels. You can down-load the latest non fiction too. This includes cookbooks, travel guides, and biographies. BorrowBox e-books are free for all library members. To sign up go to: https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/.../borrowbox-ebooks-and.../ The Brainiac 5 continue their journey in “Another Time Another Dimension” Like a missing piece of Cornish musical archaeology combined with some great contemporary experimentation, this is a vital artefact in the history of Cornish rock music that has just been released. Old Penzance favourites the Brainiac 5 have produced an album of previously unreleased historic tracks, plus some new pieces that show a continuing commitment to their forward musical journey. Despite now being based in London, their music is still part of Cornwall (with most of this album recorded here, including elements of the new tracks) and lives in the local pyschogeographic landscape - certainly mine as my flat is on the site of the old Heatherbell Motel, Carbis Bay, a venue they played several times in 1977-1978 before getting sacked by the landlord for being too scruffy! I have sketched the history of the Brainiacs in a previous newsletter article (News-Views-XII-10.09.2020.pdf (stivestowncouncil-cornwall.gov.uk) so this is really to alert you to their new May 2021 release of “Another Time Another Dimension” (Reckless CD 110, or as a download from Bandcamp). One motivation for the recording was the sad death of Martin Griffin in January 2020, their long-time friend and associate best known for his drumming with Hawkwind, which sparked the writing of some new material and also a trawl through the previously unreleased recordings they had made with his help. Martin had been in the Half Human Band with Brainiacs main man to be Charlie Taylor and was incredibly supportive after the Five first formed in Cornwall during 1976, allowing them cheap/free use of his Roche Recording studio, plus his extensive engineering skills. There are ten tracks here from the Brainiacs initial Cornish period of 1976-80, six from previously unreleased Roche studio sessions (1976-78) featuring their first line-up with Bert Biscoe, while the next four have Richard Booth on, including two live tracks from the White Horse Launceston in 1980. Their usual wide range of styles is on display: punk, reggae, psych jamming (‘The Warning’) and the sheer strangeness of ‘Khazi Persona’ along with a couple of spirited covers ‘Tobacco Road’ and ‘Do Ya’ (the Jeff Lynne song originally by the Move, later by ELO). Then there is the real oddity of a Charlie Taylor track from the band’s “wilderness years” of 1981-2012 when they did not really exist! This is from 1995 and the period when Charlie lived in the USA with the track ‘Pain in a Bowl’, quite a bizarre offering with mainly him on guitar and percussion from ‘Bongo Albert’. Track 12 ‘Sludge’ is actually from the current live line-up of Charlie (guitar, vocals) / Duncan Kerr (guitar) / Wayne Worrell (bass) / Joe Malone (drums) recorded in 2019 at their favourite North London gig of The Gunners, and is a Taylor composition that propels Hendrix into the 21st Century! The next three tracks are from 2020, after Martin Griffin’s death and all seem to refer to him in some way. ‘Never Say Never’ features the return of Bert Biscoe (who has never entirely gone away) with Charlie and John ‘Woody’ Wood (bass), so this is really the original 1976 core trio of the Brainiacs in 2020, stripped down and playing a Beefheartian- type blues written and sung by Bert. The CD title track ‘Another Time Another Dimension’ follows and is the song most obviously about Martin, written by Charlie/Woody/Bert, that was the initial inspiration for the album. Finally, there is ‘Our Devils’ by Charlie, a lovely dubby reggae lament. This section of new songs, including the short hidden final coda, is a very strong part of the album. The last two tracks feature guest and old Cornish friend Chrissy Quayle (the Mermaid of Zennor) on sax, flute and vocals. Chrissy played an important role on their last 2019 recording called “Back To Shore” and now seems an honourable member of the extended Brainiac family who really adds a lot to their already huge palette of sound. There are some great photos used in the album’s artwork, often with amusing manipulations, and include a Daliesque Lanyon Quoit on the cover, with the Men-an-Tol on the reverse (see pics). This really is a landmark recording that covers a lot of ground, retaining a strong sense of their Cornish roots but still finds the Brainiacs on their journey from “Another Time Another Dimension”. So, join them on the ride - after some 45 years it is still a most enjoyable one that progresses even further here. Check out their website for videos and more information: www.brainiac5.co.uk Phil Saward We are extremely excited to announce that Writers Block will be using St Ives Library as their base, with lead writer and artistic director Anna Maria Murphy in residence – and they are on the lookout for G7 Story Scouts aged 12 – 18. Be quick as the closing date for applications is 30th May 2021 (lots of information has gone out already via Facebook) They are keen to talk to people in the town who are involved in a range of activities, projects and businesses to ask them about the summit and their views about what can be done for young people – would you be interested in being interviewed by them? Want to find out more about The Writers’ Block? Why not take a look at their website? https://www.keap.org.uk/the-writers-block. They are brilliant! The G7 Summit will bring unavoidable disruptions to the St Ives area. Find out more from the Devon & Cornwall Police Facebook Page and by following the link: https://g7.devon-cornwall.police.uk/news Interested in the Environment or a Young Activist? – The following five books give an excellent introduction to young readers The Sea takes readers on an astonishing underwater journey. Using an evocative palette of greens, blues and purples, this large hardback book provides a captivating look at the world’s seas. The journey begins on the coastline with a lighthouse and children rock- pooling in the background. Double-page spreads on estuaries, salt marshes, mangrove swamps and kelp forests follow. The second half takes a more in-depth look at the animals, with stylised depictions of creatures, such as whales, penguins, and jellyfish, and features of the deep ocean, like hydrothermal vents. The final double page spread serves as a warning. The authors outline some of the ways governments are trying to tackle plastic waste and, as a final message, urge us all to take steps to reduce our plastic consumption. Natural Wonders of the World promises “30 marvels of Planet Earth”, and it doesn’t disappoint. A world map guides the reader to the location of various natural phenomena, presented in double page-spread photographs, with detailed information and illustrations. After an introduction describing the challenges our planet faces, each double- page spread is a large photograph with a few paragraphs describing the wonders. These include caves, waterfalls, birds of paradise, penguins, the northern lights, the Salar de Uyuni salt flat in Bolivia, Yellowstone Park and the Grand Canyon. There are also pages on numerous animals and massive migration and breeding events, which are enhanced by digital illustrations. All in all this is an excellent gift for a curious young geologist, geographer or biologist, and will keep even adults entertained through its vibrant images and scientific detail. The latest book in the Great Women series shines a spotlight on many inspirational women from around the world who have dedicated their lives to studying, conserving, and protecting nature. Learn about how Antarctic researcher Edith Farkas helped identify the hole in the ozone layer and made the whole world realise the effect of pollution. Isatou Ceesay from the Gambia is also featured, spreading the message about the damaging consequences of plastic waste and educating women in local communities about recycling. Other women profiled in this colourful and informative book include Wangari Maathai, founder of the Green Belt Movement in Kenya and Anita Roddick, founder of environmentally friendly beauty brand The Body Shop. There’s a Rang-tan in My Bedroom is based on Greenpeace’s Rang-tan video. Beautifully illustrated and written in a rhyming poetic cadence, this is an excellent book for younger children. A young girl must reckon with an uninvited baby orangutan in her bedroom, who eventually explains (after causing some havoc) that humans are destroying trees and burning the forest for palm oil, which is used in chocolate and shampoo. The final pages contain information about orangutans, palm oil, and what young people can do to help. Best of all, it concludes with top tips for writing a campaign letter. Greta and the Giants transforms the story of Greta Thunberg into a fable. Greta lives in a beautiful forest with many plants and animals. “The Giants” – adults who are busy working, building houses and cutting down trees – are destroying their home. The animals come to ask her for help, as she is the only one not afraid of the Giants.