High Heel Magazine August 1937 Vol 1 No 5 (I think this is an early naughty Men’s magazine!) published by Ultem Publications Inc 404 Fourth Ave, New York

Updating my news has been slow but my musical journey has been also.  There are some reasons for this. My computer is very slow these days and it’s more and more difficult to find original images to post!

Woman Magazine Week Ending August 21 1948 printed in Great Britian by Odlhams (Watford) Ltd

I read back on my May entry and unfortunately Milan did not work out very well (which is putting it mildly). I spent a lot of time wandering the streets of Milan waiting…..waiting….thinking thinking thinking thinking thinking, walking, walking, walking too god damn much…..

Not even this jewellery display in a shop window in Milan could cheer Lettie up

I need to concentrate on finishing the album with Mark. The good thing here, though, is that we are on the final leg of the journey. I am doing one day next week on my own to nail the final song and do some important tweaks.

Bavarian Card bought in Yoxford Antique market

I also performed with little Richard Moore, violinist extraordinaire, at a private members Club in London, which went very well and did so much for my battered confidence. We did it through amps including a hired AC Vox 30. I performed two short sets one on guitar and one on keyboard and went back to my looping keyboard. Strangers came up to us and compared the performance to the DIY attitude of the punks and the Velvet Underground, which was hugely encouraging.  People were engaged and I never thought they would be. I will try and perform in the Autumn it’s just a question of where in London. So many venues I once knew are gone.  No phones or photographs allowed in the Club so here’s one from a few months back….

Lettie In Raj’s Flat April 2015

I have collaborated on a few things in the last year which may well turn out well in the end … who knows. You never really do know what will work and what won’t, so in the meantime I need the money to go to the studio but working for a man who spent 9 months in jail at least is not boring.

Daring Detective No 81 A Fawcett Production English Edition by L Miller & Co (Hackney) cover printed by Manton Press London SE1

Larry Adler who I saw at the Jazz cafe a long time ago who inspired me to pick up a mouth organ

I have to quickly say that whilst things have been quiet on my front I have had the great honour of watching Dave Barbarossa performing with the seriously gifted Roland Gift at the Jazz Cafe, the omnipresent and brilliant BJ Cole perform with Beck at Station to Station at the Barbican, Tony Visconti at Shepherds Bush, as well as hearing the unique voice and compositions of Kirsten Morrison at Stoke Newington St Marys where Lene Lovich surprised the audience by doing a duet.  I originally crossed paths with Kirsten with Peter Murphy at the O2 London when I supported him in 2009.  She did a wonderful performance with Peter.  She is unique.

Kirsten Morrison at St Marys Stoke Newington

Last week I managed to catch the inimitable Eve Ferret pictured here…who can make you laugh and cry all within a moment…touching…

Eve Ferret performing her Peignoir song at St James Theatre Victoria 29 July 2015

Cliff from under the Westway mentioned a magazine called ‘Dogue’ which I had never heard of. A little research I found it on Ebay.

Dogue Woof a parody of the world’s most famous fashion magazine by Ilene Hockberg Cover photo by Peter Serra published by Corgi Books (c) 1986 by Ilene Rosenthal Hockberg

Back of Dogue by Ilene Hochberg (c) Ilene Rosenthal Hochberg 1986

Running Penn …This stunning example of his work …appeared as a beauty shot in the recent issue of Dogue to illustrate the benefits of mud masque on canine complexions from Dogue by Ilene Hockberg (c) Ilene Rosenthal Hockberg 1986

From Dogue by Ilene Hockberg Copyright Ilene Rosenthal Hockberg 1986

Debruff Turberville is recognized for her hauntingly beautiful photographs of dogs lost in thought in surrealist surroudings from Dogue by Ilene Hochberg (c) Ilene Rosenthal Hockberg 1986

But then once I had got ‘Dogue’ I had to get ‘Catmopolitan’.

Catmopolitan by Ilene Hockberg copyright 1987 by Ilene Rosenthal Hockberg printed in Spain published by Corgi Books

From Catmopolitan by Ilene Hockberg (c) 1987 ‘Paws to Catch your Breath, Cathletics and Feline Fitness’ by Javanese Fonda

What Gives Me Pangs of Guilt from Catmopolitan by Ilene Hockberg (c) Ilene Roseenthal Hockberg 1987

From Catmopolitan by Ilene Hockberg (c) Ilene Rosethal Hochberg 1987

I have also been swimming nearly every day I commute backwards in my lunch break just to do this it takes exactly one hour..

Here’s a postcard from poor old Greece…I rarely sit down to read the backs of postcards but interesting he says there’s been a cholera outbreak in Italy…

Athens postcard 11 September

Back of Athens Postcard 11 September

So back in the studio on Friday this time without Mark.  I WILL finish this album….but now the sun is over the yardarm I think its time for a drink…(click on any postcard or image to make bigger)

xxx

Lettie Summer 2015

PS I rarely talk politics, world news or even personal things for various reasons.  There is too much tragedy and the spectrum is vast..but I wanted to touch on just one, happening all over the Middle East …..

Karnak Temple Luxor Egypt BC1550 writing on the back hard to read date unknown suicide bomber tries to blow himself up there June 2015