Autism Acceptance Week 2024: All A Blur.

 

 

 

An Autism Acceptance Week post that might - or might not, it's your choice, I'm not your mum - be of interest to those wanting a wee peek into the fabled 'Autistic Mindset'.

Or more likely just interested in my work.

Don't forget I'm available to hire.

Either way, knock yersel' oot as they cry up here.

 

 

A few years back top music-type fella - and all round nice bloke - Paul Laird wrote a new book - The Birth and Impact of Britpop.

And why the blatant plugging I hear you ask.

Well type but you get the picture.

It's because I did the illustrations for it and it's kinda interesting as to why I got so excited when Paul approached me.

You see when I get approached to do a project the one thing I need to find (in order to actually do it) is a personal 'hook' - no matter what the subject matter or style it has to be something that gets me excited.

Simply put if I don't feel I 'get' the subject (even in a small way) then I can't do it because I know it'll turn out shite.

Which is possibly why I'm not rich seeing as the thought of drawing something just for the money scares the crap out of me, I have images of the ghost of Jack Kirby angrily waggling a pencil reminding me that "With great power comes great responsibility...' or something.

Things like Frightfest or Cine-Excess are a no-brainer - I dig horror flicks! -,with Get Your Genki I was basically given free reign - robots! cuteness! cool fashions! obscure fonts! - (until I wasn't obviously but that's a totally different story that may or may not relate to Autistics not being allowed an opinion) but when it comes to projects like my installations for Glasgow museums it gets a wee bit interesting.

Take the Glasgow refugee and asylum seekers project for example.

The daunting prospect of trying to encapsulate (however briefly) some of the experiences/feelings of the refugee/asylum seekers group I worked with was made easier when I found out one of the members had briefly worked in West Bromwich - as I had as a teen....that 'click' moment and his realisation that I wasn't from Glasgow either opened up a great avenue for chat that - for me - made the project much more personal.

When it came to the Castlemilk Parish Men's Group project (on the regeneration and development of Castlemilk from 1950s to the present day) the thing that first struck me was the huge fireplace upon entering Castlemilk Stables.

The ornate wooden carved knights engaged in a bloody battle seemed at odds with a project about urban renewal so I just had to ask about before diving in to research it myself.

 

Turns out it depicts the siege of Orleans in 1429 where Sir William Stewart (Stuart) of Castlemilk and his brother, Sir John, both died in the service of the Dauphin who later became King Charles VII of France. 

As we all know, Joan of Arc’s victory at Orleans was her first battle within three months of her initial meeting with the Dauphin and is regarded as one of the decisive battles of world history. 

You can read more about it - and the Cassiltoun Trust - here by the way.

Putting being a huge Joan of Arc fanboy (no really) aside for a second, the history of the fireplace - and the fact that it was rescued from a flooded lock-up (!) - just made me want to draw everything about it.

I think you get the idea.

I wrote a bit about it before in regards to the Can You See Me? project if anyone cares or has made it this far.

You're welcome.

Anyway, with that in mind let's go back to Britpop and what spark fired in my brain to make me jump into the project when Paul asked.

And it may not be why you think.

And possibly way more convoluted. 

You see one of the things I've always done, from when I was first bought a chunky Walkman-style cassette player is, whenever going on trips/out shopping etc is to put together enough music to cover the entire length of the journey.

Shopping trips to Birmingham, day trips to Blackpool - you name it, I'd figured out the journey time and popped enough cassettes together to last.

Originally I used to do it with Doctor Who stories recorded off the TV (yes, I know) but that meant I was either stuck to 90 minutes and would have to replay bits or I'd be left hanging when the journey went over/under the episode time.

Music, therefore was much easier to manage.

So, let's head back to late 95/early 96 and I'm running an arts/play session 3 times a week in 'sunny' Pollok which means a subway and bus journey there and back, sometimes at rush hour but always around the same length.

Mix tapes ahoy.

The same ones.

Every. Single. Day.

The fact that I still didn't have a diagnosis at this point kinda makes me worry for the medical profession if I'm honest.

As you can imagine, at the same point (give or take a minute or so) I'd hear the same song as I passed certain landmarks or buildings and as the bus went by a certain street near Kinning Park This Is A Low by Blur would be playing.

3 times a week for 3 months.

Luckily it's my favourite Blur song.*

If you've never heard it here it is:

 

Pop genius I'm sure you'll agree.

I mean come on it takes a certain type of songwriter to write something so amazing using the shipping forecast as inspiration.

Now this is where it gets really interesting...or bizarre, take your pick.

You see, on Valentine's Day 1996 (3 minutes past midnight to be precise/really Autistic) I met Rho for the first time and much excited chat and coffee drinking ensued.

During one of those late night chats (that we still have) Rho admitted that she found it really hard to sleep if the room was silent so she'd listen to the world service at night to remind herself that the world still turned even during the night, adding that her favourite bit and the thing that was most likely to ease her into sleep was Sailing By, the music that proceeded the shipping forecast, the actual forecast itself - full of mysterious phrases like High Forth 1030 expected Dogger 1032 midday tomorrow and In east, moderate. in west, smooth at first in shelter otherwise slight to moderate only added to it's dream-like effect.

Cool 20-somethings bonding over the shipping forecast post-clubbing in a world where Born Slippy is the track of choice?**

Who'd have thought it?

That's not all tho' as - and here's the really spooky bit - the street I would travel by as This Is A Low played?

That, it turned out was the street she lived in when we met.

Told you.

So when Paul asked me if I'd be interested I leaped at the chance as Britpop to me holds such a strong emotional memory.

Yes, to others it means a defining moment in pop culture but to me it will always be how that one song and that one monotonous bus journey actually fitted in to something bigger and utterly life changing.

Maybe that's the power of music that people often talk about.

Or maybe it's me being totally Autistic!

Who knows?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*This is my second favourite by the way.

**To be fair we did bond over John Carpenter and Pee-wee Herman too.