The Terminal Man

George Segal stars as Harry Benson in Mike Hodges' 'The Terminal Man' (1974). Benson is a brilliant computer scientist who suffers from Acute Disinhibitory Lesion syndrome, which causes him to undergo violent seizures. A group of scientists attempt to control Benson's behaviour by implanting electrodes in his brain - with disastrous consequences.

'The Terminal Man' is a disquieting film, defined as much by its sombre mood and subtle characterisation as by its (somewhat dated) messages about mind control and scientific ambition. Recommended for its sustained tone and interesting visual style.

Clockwork Memories

Anthony Burgess' 'A Clockwork Orange' at The People's Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne, May 2011: from the rehearsal room to the stage.

Photographs by Dianne Edwards, Colin Cuthbert, Michael Blair, Leah Page, Tom Saunders and Jimmy Hutchinson.

Music: Beethoven - Symphony No. 5 (Allegro Con Brio).
Brahms - Tragic Overture.
Beethoven - Symphony No. 9 (Ode to Joy/Allegro Assai).

The play was directed by Tom Saunders and starred David Robson as Alex. Video editing by Jimmy Hutchinson.
www.ptag.org.uk/

All Night Holiday Fundraising Party

Totem Recall are one of the bands playing at the Star and Shadow Cinema in Byker tomorrow. I'm planning to be there. Totem are due to play at about 4.30 p.m.

'Resignation' (Live)

Performed live in my bedroom. The track is available on the 7thSun compilation 'Fragments of Hope'.

A Clockwork Orange at The People's Theatre

THIS WEEK!

7thSun Live at Barkollo, 08/05/2011

01. Freedom3
02. Mandragora
03. pavement. rain. 4.29 am.
04. Pulse
05. Rust
06. Lunar Twin
07. Beyond the Headache Zone.

The performance featured projected video clips from the following sources:

-Planet Earth (David Attenborough, 2006)
-Images du Monde Visionnaire (Henry Micahux, 1964)
-Solyaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972)
-Fire in the Sky (Robert Lieberman, 1993)
-The Man Who Fell to Earth (Nicholas Roeg, 1973)
-Birdy (Alan Parker, 1984)
-The Trial (Orson Welles, 1962)
-Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (John S. Robertson, 1920)
-Communion (Philippe Mora, 1989)
-Escape from New York (John Carpenter, 1981)
-Christiane F. - Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo (Uli Edel, 1981)
-The Conversation (Francis Ford Coppola, 1974)
-Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht (Werner Herzog, 1979)
-For All Mankind (Al Reinert, 1989).

Thanks again to the Barkollo staff and to the people who came to see us play.

A Clockwork Orange @ The People's Theatre

Showing from Tuesday 17th May to Saturday 21st May 2011 at the People's Theatre, Heaton, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

Tickets are £10.50 (£8.50 concessions).

I am playing Pete the Droog and Big Jew.

Gohsten | 7thSun | Totem Recall Live

TONIGHT!!!

7thSun Live

I am performing live after Gohsten in support of Totem Recall this Sunday.

The gig is at Barkollo on Leazes Park Road, opposite Barker & Stonehouse.

Entry is free, so please come along and support all of us.

Review: Cave of Forgotten Dreams

'Human history in essence is a history of ideas'.
- H. G. Wells, 'The Outline of History'.

Chauvet Cave in southern France: the location of the earliest known prehistoric cave paintings, and the setting for Werner Herzog's 2010 documentary, currently showing at the Tyneside Cinema.

The documentary, which is presented in 3D, seeks to 'capture the intention of the painters', who incorporated the cave's dramatic bulges and recesses into their artwork.

Why did prehistoric people paint on the walls of caves? Was it for their own amusement, for religious reasons, or for the edification of future generations? Can cave-dwelling people of the Aurignacian era have had any conception of the fact that we would be observing and studying these paintings 30,000 years later?

These were some of the questions in my own head while observing the stunning images of Chauvet Cave. However, Herzog seemed in search of prehistoric man himself, who is somewhat conspicuous by his absence: one alone of the hundreds of paintings appears to represent the lower half of a human female. There are footprints and marks from torches, but no human remains. Indeed, forensic evidence suggests that the cave was used to store animals such as cave bears; experts believe that the paintings themselves may have had ritualistic significance.

Due to the cave's unstable nature and toxic atmosphere, the general public are not allowed inside, and Herzog had to receive special permission to film there with a skeleton crew. The film's soundtrack was not particularly to my taste; I also found it quite difficult for my eyes to adjust to the 3D imagery. However, given that this is the closest most will come to witnessing these ancient images, I feel privileged to have seen the forgotten paintings of Chauvet Cave.