Silly games

So where are we at then? The same old new normal or are those promises of sunbeams threatening to poke their golden illumination through the not-quite-there-yet cracks in the clouds? Here at skufflepunk HQ we're daring to dream of a lovely full calendar for the last three quarters of 2021. Trotters crossed eh?

Last night we spoiled ourselves by watching a short film by Steve McQueen (not the one from The Blob and Bullitt, the newer one) called Lovers Rock on iplayer and what a treat it was. If you don't watch it you're missing something bloody great. Really bloody great. In a slightly odd way, me not being a child of the Windrush generation, it took me back with a bang to a moment in time when music was everything and the power of it could take us anywhere. When I wasn't grinning I was gripping the sofa with tension. Anyway, the soundtrack is fabulous as it should be in a film set in 1980 at a house party for first and second generation West Indian immigrants with a bostin' sound system blasting out reggae, soul and lovers rock. I've had Janet Kaye in my head all day and was finally motivated to work out the melody line for the Althea and Donna cover we've been destroying for years. Watch it and tell me I'm wrong.

The way the kids in the film were completely immersed in the moment also gave me a little nudge to keep believing that it doesn't matter one tiny bit if it's a thousand people being moved by the noise or just a handful. If even only one soul is invigorated or merely helped to forget their troubles for a fleeting moment the job is done. The hours spent trying to achieve the unlikely, torturing my think lump with words and rhythms, metaphors and major chords, syllable counts and middle eights is worthwhile. As long as it makes my toes tap and is about being angry, drunk, horny, sentimental or all four together (in short - reflecting my personality) I'll be happy to lay it out in front of anyone who is polite enough to listen. My question is, when will it be worth booking a room for the release party for that album? Bring it on.

Now then, wihat are the chances of Delia hitting that ridiculously high note in Silly Games?