You were in the gallery

You were in the gallery

I brought you a cup of tea

In the SETI Institute thermal mug

Not many customers had turned up.


We are here today, brushing the leaves.

Sweeping the silence, that I still believe

You came home with cakes

And hot chicken and bran flakes.


Heating up food and cooling it down

Saturday rain, Sunday comes round.


We do family duties,

We love so far and wide

We plan our time

We delete all the cookies

Sniggering at the angels in the snow

Turning round to see how far to go.


I’ll be standing in the gallery

Will you bring warm coffee to me?

In the friendly mug of your choosing

Through this space that we are using.

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outside

Outside there is the sea and ground
There are lots of things that can be found
There is the sun and moon that make day and night
And big fat spiders that give me a fright
There are birds that fly in the sky
And chocolate and sweets and blueberry pies
There are animals that live on the ground
Doing what they do as the world spins round
Houses and farms as you’ll see
Bushes and very tall trees
There are boats and cars
That takes you quite far
Cats and dogs we keep as pets
And when they’re ill we take them to the vets.

By Olivia

(Probably inspired by the view across Fife and the River Forth, as seen from Inchgarvie House)

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my space

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Impossible songs have opened up a small gold and butterfly mining operation on a tiny plot of cyber-land somewhere floating out on a miles away cloudy cyber-sea. We call it our little fluffy, toughy, cool and considerate, musical and mystical, heretical and political, fanatical and fantastic space.

As Jimi Hendrix once said “It’s very far away, takes about a half a day to get there, if we travel by my dragonfly, no it’s not in Spain, but just the same you know it’s a groovy name, and the wind’s just right…”

The space is www.myspace.com/impossiblesongs

Interesting places..

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Interesting places where you sometimes find yourself #1

In this particular case a church in the lovely village of South Queensferry. This is where much of the South Queensferry Arts Festival will take place. All sorts of events are on offer, music, exhibitions, films, family activities; dance etc. www.normanlamont.com has much more detail. It is likely most events will be free or pretty close. We’re on from 0730 on Saturday the 10th along with Norman L and Tommy M – the first ever SQ Songwriter’s Concert in the venue pictured above. The start of something…

Lots of (well a few) pubs, decent restaurants etc. A grand day out (if the weather’s fine).

So back to interesting places where you sometimes find yourself, churches, bus stops, in a queue at a supermarket, waiting on service in a bar, at the traffic lights, in the shower, standing beside a tree, tripping over a fallen bicycle, walking through leaves, Leith, the top of the Eiffel Tower, asleep in bed, asleep on a bench, Newton, the fast lane, in a shed, locked out, in fog, in a rowing boat, Disneyland, at a Todd Rundgren concert, staring into a CD player, at the waste bins, charity shop, OOTB, a drive-thru, under a conker tree, cat’s home, hospital, Pictish village, a stranger’s house, a tent, a duty free shop that isn’t one anymore, beside a pie van…zzzzzzz

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Impossible stuff - South Queensferry Arts

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From the top : Birthday Balloon, Yellow , Alba Iron II, Alba Hardware 1.

These and more will be on view at the South Queensferry Arts Festival from 9th Sept.

For a full catalogue of "impossible stuff " please use the email/comment facility.

South Queensferry Arts Festival

Impossibles in the Dark - Photo by Big Jim.

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Impossible Songs will be playing in the South Queensferry Arts Festival: Saturday 10th September at 7.30pm in St Mary’s Hall. It promises to be a good night of varied music and styles as also playing are Tommy Mackay and Norman Lamont & the Innocents. Three short films are included in the evening’s programme, art works will be on display and wine (hospitality?) is on tap. PA is by OOTB, hopefully manned by the ubiquitous David O’Hara.

The Arts Festival runs for a week and we are participating in this “songwriters concert” and in the Arts Exhibition at St Mary's. A number of our pieces will be exhibited and up for sale. More details to follow...

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My kids think I look like this dog.

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Some kind of an unkind pug of a dog of a beanie baby of a freak-show of a Chinese toy in a plastic bag with a plastic tag and a cold black nose and funny eyes and a tiny body and squashed in face that was in a Happy Meal of chicken strips, carrot pieces served with a vanilla shake and bought at the South Queensferry Drive-through on 3rd September at 1435 - and it looks like me they say...

Is this better than the Virgin Mary's image on toast? Jesus in a pizza crust? Winston Churchill in a maternity wing? John Lennon on the head of a pin? Gerry Garcia on a T-shirt? Or even the shadow of a street lamp on Mars?

The dog is called "Pug".

Live at Lamb's

Photo by Norman Lamont - Sunday 21st August.
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Impossible songs playing live at Leith as our part of the OOTB "out of bounds" Fringe week.

We are having a serious amount of fun and hearing a great deal of good music with well over 30 Scottish and international acts playing original music every night this week. If you can please join us at Venue 237. www.outofthebedroom.co.uk has all the details.

If you can't manage down ask us about the double CD "out of bounds" that is currently on sale and features many of the OOTB acts.

More Saturday stuff and Leith again

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Spent the afternoon in Leith preparing for OOTB “Out of Bounds” as our part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Lamb’s House looking a lot better than I’d expected. Everybody has done a fantastic job so far – let’s hope the shows are well attended. Lunch in a small café nearby with Ali, Joe, Liv and Tommy Mack before Ali & Tom went of to distribute fliers. We returned to SQ to chill out (on the East Coast) (www.theg.co.uk) and watch two Harry Potter DVDs. Ok so far..

www.outofthebedroom.co.uk has all the info about the Lamb's House gigs and open spots - every night from 9.00 pm.

A house is not an excuse

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A house is not a home nor is it an igloo or a sandwich: We have a new place! Next month farewell to our beloved Inchgarvie (after 3 years – see the cool painting) and hello to the run-down but spacious Upper Parkhead. Lots of work to do but we hope to have fun and make this exciting new piece of living space as warm, welcoming and inspiring as we can. Extra rooms (of all shapes and sizes) will certainly help, open fire, oddly smelling but large kitchen, utility room, big garden, two loos, two showers and a bath, a mysterious pond in the woods, a garage and large parking area. In the hot weather the house looked very impressive despite needing obvious TLC.

Late Leithstock Stuff

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Leithstock, later than planned, a few of the few pictures I took before my phone / camera froze, Tommy Mackay, Scott Renton, Norman Lamont all in some kind of action.

Leithstock - late incoming pics from CBQ

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In a cumming piece of blog piracy I've taken this rather artistic little montage from http://crispycat.co.uk (that'll lead you to the CBQ blog). This is only because my phone froze (and Ali and I are in few of the pics).

Sunshine on Leith...again

(These fish are nothing to do with anything)

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Yes I know it’s pretty obvious title but that was what we all experienced today after a little early morning rain. OOTB invaded Leith Market for 6 hours of live and generally pretty good music. We gave out flyers for the forthcoming Leith gigs, sold CDs, chatted, hung out, ate big burgers, drank coffee and beer and all had a pretty good afternoon. We were on at 1230 before the market (never really busy) fully woke up. Our set was nice and noisy and (spiney tingly crystaly guitary sweepy uppy swoopy vocals) I’m sure woke up a few folks in the surrounding flats and apartments in the still air. The music seemed to bounce back from the surrounding buildings in a rather satisfying way. Impossible Song’s set list was:

That’s my baby
How I hate
Quiet Genius
Dancing
Happy Like
I miss that boy
WIP

Also playing were (and listed in no particular order): Flowers for Algernon, Jill Hepburn, Tommy Mackay (mastermind behind the gig), Norman Lamont, Torpedo Buoy, Scott Renton, Fraser Drummond, Chris Brown, Steve Cox, Jeremy Kemp and Rosie Bell.

Lots of friends and fellow musos (CBQ, JJ, Big Jim, FS and more) all drifted along during the afternoon. I’d have pictures but my phone cam froze up for some reason after I took a pic of Steve (Spartacus) Cox. Some will no doubt follow from other sources.

Catch us next at the Left Bank, Guthrie Street, Tuesday 16th at 9 pm and then next Sunday (9pm also) at “Out of Bounds” Lamb’s House, Leith.

Syrus the cat

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I was out in one of the outhouses this afternoon looking for a piece of timber to fix a notice board. Syrus was in a shed, up on a shelf, at Cheshire Cat height, staring down at me, wondering no doubt why on earth I was hunting on his patch, interfering in his world, scaring away his prey.

These pictures show him however in a more restful state, which is mainly how we see him.

So far we've caught him with five rabbits, half a rabbit (?), a mouse and a small bird. On occasions the local magpies do however gang up against him.

Glen Esk

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Glen Esk

Quiet,
Very Quiet,
Still and tranquil
A tranquil footprint,
Still the same as it has always been.
Occasional visitors,
Birds and bees, ancient trees,
History twisted by Lairds and roadmen.
Ploughs and searchlights, ruin and dry stone.
Mysterious cairns and monuments.
The Picts came this way, the robbers and the cattlemen,
The priest and the poacher and those who could not stay,
But we only have a few days,
To share this drizzle and mist,
The elusive sun, the cruel cloud,
Those that deny us a perfect summer,
Some how doesn’t matter.
No phone signals for there is no need,
Track the RAF in a hurry,
Planes are still new to these skies,
Chop logs and bird watch,
Waste time and build bridges,
Dam up streams and daydream,
Think and write down thoughts,
Forget what you were taught,
About time and things to do,
On holiday with you.

Various live efforts etc.

Impossible Songs at the Roxy - Picture by Stu Cobley.

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Had fun (?) last night playing at the Left Bank in Edinburgh. A 35 minute set was received well by a young and eager audience (eager for the next act that is!) but Ali and I enjoyed the gig. We were pleased that the very busy Norman Lamont joined us on bass for "that's my baby" before doing his own set later in the evening.

Gigs coming up for us are:

Sunday 14th August - "Leithstock "- open air OOTB day at Leith Market cunningly put together by Tommy Mackay. Lots of OOTB favourites will be playing from 11.30 till 5.00pm ouside and live in the fresh air. A taster for "Out of Bounds" which begins Saturday 20th.

Tuesday 16th August - back at the "Left Bank" Guthrie Street from 9.00pm.

Sunday 21st August - "Out of Bounds" at Lamb's House, Leith from 9.00pm.

Saturday 10th September - "South Queensferry Arts Festival" - ourselves, Norman Lamont and Tommy Mackay - details TBC.

Of course Out of the Bedroom is on each Thursday (except 25th August) at the Waverley Bar in St Mary's Street. www.outofthebedroom.co.uk

Out of Bounds at Lamb's House

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Out of the Bedroom's fun packed festival nights begin at Lamb's House, Burgess Street, Leith, Edinburgh (Pic above) 8.30 till late, 20th August till 26th. A wild mix of open mike and set performances, you'd be mad to miss it and it's only £3.00. The venue is just behind the Waterline Pub (Venue 237). More details at www.outofthebedroom.co.uk

A special 30 ish track CD is being released by OOTB featuring us (impossible songs), Tommy Mackay, Scott Renton, Norman Lamont, Big Jim, William Douglas, Flowers for Algernon, Andy Paterson, The G.co.uk, CBQ and many other OOTB favourites - £3.00.

And while on the subject of gigs we're back from holiday and playing at the "Left Bank" Guthrie Street, Edinburgh. Tuesday 9th & Tuesday 16th August - 9.00 pm onwards.

Final Guitar Twaddle for now...

The other guitars in my life are an Ibanez “Martin 1930” copy and a cheap jumbo Jim Deacon (with cutaway). I bought the Ibanez in 1982 and though the octaves are a little out I like it, the wider classical neck and the small hourglass body are all very tactile and comfortable so it’s snug and easily playable. I’ve written a lot of songs on this guitar. It did have a pick up on it at one time and I gigged it for a short while in the early eighties. It also spent time in Aberdeen as a student guitar in the late 90s, but I felt sorry for it and rescued it from potential destruction. The JD is a bit of a heap; ok for strumming and fiddling with and the electrics are reliable if nothing else. Played it a lot in the mid 90s when, to be honest I wasn’t all that bothered about guitars (or what I was playing on them!).

My Yamaha (top right) has only been around six weeks, I guess I’m still breaking it in but it does everything I want already. It’s up a Glen Esk in a cottage right now, I left it there at the weekend and I’m missing it already. I’ve used it three times for our shows at the Roxy and really enjoyed playing it. I think it does well in most departments. I’ve used it with a Morley Wah Wah pedal also which has been fun. It’ll be the main guitar I’ll use for our regular live stuff over the next few months. I’ll probably do some home recording with it in the autumn, for demos, fun and the like.

Lastly and without any current picture or contact, I have a 1964 Vox Teardrop (Bill Wyman) sunburst semi-acoustic bass. I acquired this from a friend around 1976 and played it regularly till about 1984. Eventually one of my sons fell heir to it and played it in various Fife and Aberdeen bands in the late 90s. Currently it’s in bits and needing some TLC, it’s probably in Banff. One pick up is badly cracked and the wiring is shot but the neck and body are ok. A project for some one.

Other guitars I’ve loved and lost: 1975 sunburst Telecaster (classic model), 1971 Shaftsbury Bass, 19?? Semi Acoustic (335 body) Epiphone (Rivolli type) bass, various crappy acoustics, one Yamaha FG?, a Harmony Sovereign twelve string, the Gold Top Antoria (1973?) and a black semi-acoustic whose details I cannot remember at all.

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Guitar Twaddle 3

The Ozark resonator cut-away is two years old. Features on the “WIP” CD on all the live recordings and also the remix and studio tracks. Most of these do contain a great deal of effects and distortions added and overlaid so much of the tingly, jangley sound it naturally produces is lost. Used it at one “acoustica” and a few OOTB nights as well as “50 for the Festival” the CBQ nights in August 2004. Recent songs written on it are “not pretty” and “I miss that boy”.



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Guitar Twaddle 2

This picture is of my Japanese Strat. Probably about six years old now and quite nicely playable thanks to a mature maple neck and the usual creature comforts. I have painted it in a series of odd designs using surplus nail varnish that Ali kindly donated to the project. Only gigged once (at a Full Moon night at the Complex in Leith) but used on both the “scapes” and “heartburst” recordings and CDs for all the main guitar parts. The tremolo arm fell off a few years ago (in Germany), I’ve never bothered to replace it.


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