Posts by David Haywood
-
Well, okay, maybe a fairer (very rough) upper bound would be a 50,000 word vocabulary and a 20-word sentence. But that's still more permutations than atoms in the observable universe.
-
David Haywood asked, in the discussion thread for my last post: "Is Ihimaera's new novel -- plagiarism questions aside -- a good book?"
Yeah, sometimes I like to assume the persona of, say, a semi-literate former energy engineer (to randomly pull an occupation from the hat) who goes around asking simple-minded questions such as: "Is this a good book?" and "Did you crack a smile?"*
In reality, I'm all Jacques Derrida and The International Journal of Cultural Studies and, y'know, like everyone just creates their own reality. I mean, like, the way scientists have imposed their cultural values on the rest of us with gravity and temperature and all that other stuff.
Plus -- to roughly estimate an upper bound -- there are only about 500000^100000 (500,000 to the power of 100,000) ways that a writer can combine+ the English language into a 100,000 word novel.++ That's like so small.
It's obvious that everything possible must already have been written -- and, like, you've just got to copy from other people.
* quoting Ronald Hugh Morrieson+ permute? Is that a word?
++ to put that number into perspective there are estimated to be a 'mere' 10^80 (10 to the power of 80) atoms in the observable universe.
-
Hey, and thanks for spreading the word, Kyle. Much appreciated!
And I'll look forward to your doco, Kris V...
Also: I've already has cause Tony Parker's joke about banjo and onion a couple of times now. Y'know, in self-defence. Cheers for that, matey.
-
Hey thanks for putting that clip up, Don -- I hadn't seen it before.
As a much crapper banjo player than Nat, I'd just like to point out that Nat achieves that most difficult thing for a picker (i.e. a bluegrass-style player) in that he doesn't overplay.
The man has taste as well as clever fingers (not to mention all that other stuff).
And hasn't Jenine (the singer) got a great voice? Is she available as a guest vocalist, I wonder?
True story about Jenine. I once had a brief conversation with her about how the habits of one generation get passed down to the next.
Jenine: "I've made a conscious effort to be completely different from my father."
Me: "What did your Dad do?"
Jenine: "He was a bassist and singer."
-
Hi Jolisa, one question I've forgotten to ask (and I don't see asked anywhere else here):
Is Ihimaera's new novel -- plagiarism questions aside -- a good book?
-
Thanking you people involved.
You're welcome!
needs more xylophone!
Oh, Bob-the-Toddler was certainly very keen to contribute some glockenspiel.
-
Lots of students will have got back big red zeros on essays for doing something similar.
As I said to Jolisa in an email, the Department of Engineering at UoC would kick people out of the course for plagiarism (depending on severity).
The logic being that engineers can so very easily kill people, and you can't let the dishonest and unreliable types loose on society. So it could easily turn into a victim-filled crime in my (former) profession.
But happily for Prof I., Auckland University appears to be more relaxed about this kind of thing. (Unless Bart's depressing theory has something in it...)
-
How Then Should I See It is clearly the "great song" of the piece (musically, shades of Voom's Beth), but I Found Out is stacking up as my favourite.
and:
That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking.
Interestingly, I'd been trying to persuade Blair (unsuccessfully) to drop 'I Found Out' from the E.P. So... ahem... I guess I was wrong.
If I recall correctly David, you still owe me a beer for my recommendation of the Anthology of American Folk Music to soothe Bob's country music yearnings.
You do indeed recall correctly, Jake. And Jen and I are still bloody grateful.
I will be in Auckland until December 6. Is there sufficient overlap for beer payment? If so, just me drop me a line here
Also, the frailing in the intro to the second track...
It's an F chord with a G note on the drone string -- which makes an F7 chord that sounds somehow less 7th-ish than usual. I thought it was an interesting place to start a song. So, apparently (and not via any Ihimaera-ish convolutions), have a few other people...
-
I remember Ice-T's 'High Roller' 12" hitting the shelves in mid '89.
Yep, that cover was certainly attention-grabbing. I remember exactly where I was the first time I saw it.
And, in defence of Ms Urlich, she had a great voice (although perhaps not matched by song choice, at times).
Turns out that Bob-the-Toddler loves Neneh Cherry. He's just made me play it three times. There goes another 21'30" of my life (not that I don't think Neneh's great; just that my typing annoys Bob when he's watching important stuff, so no work possible...)
-
The banjo gets a bad name from its association with 'rural trash' and inbreeding stereotypes, but it can be a lovely instrument. The Eastern, a Lyttleton based pair play a good banjo, but they're a bit 'more rock' than David's EP.
Someone else has mentioned The Eastern' to me -- shall have to check them out. I think that almost everyone is more rock then Bridle Path.
I vote Russell sends you more beer and we get a whole album out of you. At those song lengths, only about 20 more tracks required!
There'll probably be at least another couple of EPs.
Apparently the L.E.D.s are in the middle of putting together their third album, so Blair's obviously on a role creatively.
I've had a sneak preview of some of the songs -- it's GOOD!
David, if you've never come across this album, you must.
No, I hadn't heard of that. The previews sound awesome -- just bought it! Thanks, 3140!