Unexpected Alphabets No 13

I love signs that are what they say they are. If you get my mangled meaning. This was spotted on the Grays Inn Road in that London last Thursday. And I love neon, which I may have gone on about before. It appears to have a long shelf (or wall) life. There's still a big 'Take Courage' in blue neon up on a London gable end, lighting up every night on what used to be a pub. I'd like to bet the owner of the building has no idea it's still connected to his electric supply.

Yorkie

So, farewell then Susannah York. On the day she passed away I was by remarkable coincidence showing Second Eldest Boy Tom Jones, Tony Richardson's seminal 1963 film in which she played Sophie Western: "Mr. Blifil! You can't be in earnest! If you are, I am the most miserable woman alive." I first saw it sitting nervously in Leicester's Picture House cinema (it was an old-fashioned 'X' certificate and I was under age) and remember thinking, as Miss York made her first delectable appearance on the bridge at Stepleton Iwerne in Dorset, "Blimey, who's that?". And today, as I heaved logs into the shed I noticed again one of the big wooden red 'E's from the main sign for the Picture House hanging up on the wall.

Sixties Players

Funny how the wheel of life turns. Or the CD on the record player of life. Putting the finishing touchs to my cigarette book (blogs passim) I was reminded that Procol Harum made an album in 1969 called A Salty Dog. And that the album sleeve was a primitive pastiche of the original Player's Navy Cut cigarette packet. I'd never heard the album, even though A Whiter Shade of Pale transcends genres and time to still be one of the best pop songs to make the Hit Parade; and I do have an obscure album of theirs called Exotic Birds & Fruit which I bought just for the still life on the cover. So needing a pristine example of A Salty Dog to scan in for the book, I sent off for what I think is a 40th anniversary edition. It arrived yesterday, so I can now tell you that the cover was painted by Dickinson, who, surprisingly, is a lady and married (at least at the time) to the lyricist in the band Keith Reid. I popped it into the player in the car this morning, and have to tell you I had to stop the car in a field gateway and stare out over the wet fields of Leicestershire as the eponymous first track swept over me. I thought it simply brilliant. Which is a good job, after forty two years.

Blog Early This Christmas!

Well and truly thwarted in my plans to give you a Christmas Special, and having failed to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, I can at last kick off 2011 with something appropriate. Considering my lack of getting anything done this last December, I can do no better than give you this excellent Barnett Freedman poster from 1938. It will act as a reminder for me to get my finger out next December. Freedman (1901-1958), is one of my favourite designers, amongst the last of a breed once called 'commercial artists' as opposed to 'graphic designers'. He will perhaps be best remembered for King George V 1935 Jubilee stamps and Faber bookjackets, but little recognised for designing an early Penguin chocolate biscuit wrapper. Happy New Year!

No 48 Picture

Here it is. A bit like last week's I know, what with that dome and all.

Where's That Then? No 48

My domestic computer has decided not to allow me to download pictures on to my blog. Which is not helpful, considering having a photograph is fairly essential to the whole idea. So I will download it from my other piano in the morning. Sorry for delay. I mean why?

Where's That Then? No 47

I do hope regular readers aren't getting too tired of Unmitigated England being an Unmitigated Quiz at present. But just think about it as leaving the central heating on low so that the house doesn't freeze up. The New Year (I've just decided) will be the start of all the usual things you've come to expect and been deprived of: corrugated iron, fag packets, Vimto bottles etc. With a Christmas Special of course. In the meantime, how about this?