Jack of Clubs

“There’s a guy in the place who’s got a bittersweet face. And he goes by the name of Ebeneezer Goode” sang The Shamen in their 1992 No.1 hit ‘Ebeneezeer Goode’. There was much controversy at the time about whether or not the song was endorsing recreational drug use. Which it obviously was. It hardly takes a genius to work that one out. Anyway, you may wonder what that has to do with today’s piece. Not much directly but it does allow me to segue nicely into the world of MDMA, Ecstasy, madman, X or Mandy. Call it what you will. Back in the late 90’s London’s club scene was buzzing with places like Turnmills, The Cross, The End and Fabric (to name but a few) having wildly successful evenings week after week. You’d only have to venture into one of those booming dens of iniquity to witness a large percentage of the crowd looking decidedly happy, chatty and sweaty. Now I’m not endorsing anything but I had some good times in those places myself.

So today’s piece is a tribute to those good times, wherever you were at the time. I’ve got a few favourite touches on this piece – the googly eyes, the Mitsubishi sign overlaid on the club and the thread which overlays the stencil of the chemical composition of MDMA. Winner. Now, if anyone wants to save this from an uncertain life on the streets it’s time to speak up now…

Cheers

id-iom

BONUS FACT – When the Shamen appeared on Top of the Pops, it was expected that Mr.C would tone down the song due to its being broadcast. The group replaced the final lyric “Got any Salmon?” with “Has anyone got any underlay?” He was later asked about this in a radio interview, to which he replied that it was not a drug reference but a rug reference

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Choices

 

After realising the wall we had done the ‘Team id-iom bananeira‘ on was due to be demolished we thought we’d best take full advantage of the British summer and get indoors to do a little work to escape the ‘humidity’ outside. I wanted to do a piece i’ve been thinking about for a while which I think must have come about after reading Seven for a secret by Clive Woodall – which features the trials and tribulations of a little bird as it goes about trying to save the animal kingdom from man’s pernicious influence.

This one seems to work on a couple of levels. There is the literal view that the choices we offer wildlife often come down to destruction via poisons, shooting or pollution – which is, of course, no choice at all. There is also the view that the vulnerable little bird is a metaphor for people and the choices we often make for ourselves/our societies – be it drugs (hence ‘X’ which i hear is a popular term for ecstasy in the US), drink (hence ‘gasoline’ which always makes me think of this scene from the film ‘Top Secret!’) or violence.

That probably doesn’t make much sense but at least it keeps me happy. That’s enough thinking for today. Pass the Special Brew!

Cheers

id-iom

 

Work in progress shots