Hi Gang and welcome to the first issue of The Lugg Blogg.

Now, first of all let’s clear up what it’s not. It’s not an information guide on which supermarkets still have hand gel and loo rolls, it’s not an easy to follow guide on how to build your own face mask and it’s definitely not a long winded and pointless dissertation on whether or not Dyson cordless cleaners can double up as ventilators.

No, this is more an exercise in ‘Light Entertainment’. We will not be telling you about all the wonderful stuff that has been cancelled but we will be showing you and pointing you in the direction of stuff that will amuse, inspire or even titillate you. We will attempt, once a week (fortnight?) to bring a bit of comfort and joy in the form of art, photography and music not to mention local lore, gardens, food and the recounting of happier times.

It is already apparent that some of our creatives are getting very itchy feet now that all the venues, hostelries, theatres and galleries are closed. Facebook is awash with solo guitar bashers banging it out in their bedrooms. Take a look at Martin Blake’s Facebook page. Never one to do things by halves, Martin is turning out YouTube videos of classic songs about once every half hour. I also spotted ace snapper Alex Ramsey pretending to be stewarding outside SPAR but with a camera round his neck, presumably so he can take pics of anyone panic buying SPAR ready meals and then blackmail them later.

Anyway lets get down to business - in this issue you will find lots of nice stuff including an Mid Border Arts spot, film suggestions by Tony Lawson, music vids, choral livestreams, an article by Peter Wright and a short story by Ian Marchant.

Sally Butler, whose idea it was, will have the unenviable task of curating the blog and if you have something lighthearted and inspiring you think might fit into future issues send your stuff to luggblogg@outlook.com

Pete

VIEW OF THE WEEK

The view from Stowe Hill to the distant Stiperstones (taken several weeks back).

@Alex Ramsay photography

FILM - Tony Lawson

Wondering if there’s an alternative to another evening in front of the boob tube? Here’s a quote from veteran filmmaker, John Boorman’s most recent book, Conclusions.

“Movies are always seeking endings that grow out of the body of the story, that are earned and satisfying, whereas the series (meaning episodic TV) is searching for material that will let it continue. Feature film is a director’s medium; the TV series is usually dictated by the show runner (a producer)… I think the results tedious.”

I do think he’s got a point. If series TV has a similar effect on you, then try a real movie. I’ve been a cinema-lover since the age of ten, when my grandmother took me to the Saturday afternoon westerns at our local Odeon. OK, so going to the cinema at the moment isn’t an option but, a seriously good collection of films is available online at Curzon Home Cinema, including one I saw recently at the Borderlines Festival, The Perfect Candidate. It’s easy to sign up, there’s no registration fee, you just pay for the film that you want to watch – depending on the film it’s between £5 and £10. Just the price of a cinema ticket.

There’s also another, equally good platform on offer at the British Film Institute called BFI Player, a wonderful catalogue of films stretching back through decades. There are several levels of payment including Free to View, try A-Tish-oo. Or Coughs and Sneezes, both wartime public information films about germ prevention. Topical!

Manu Dibango, the great musician from Cameroon died last week from Covid-19, he was 86. He continued performing well past retirement age. His music was an infectious mix of African rhythms, Jazz and Funk. I remember seeing him several times back in the late 80’s at Town & Country in Kentish Town, great evenings.

If you fancy a listen, check out these links to some of his popular numbers.

Tony Lawson

“Makossa” - live on stage.

“Lion Of Africa” – live on stage.

“Wakafrica” – from the album of the same name.

ALEX ZANARDI by Peter Wright.

I want to write about Alex. Alex is an extraordinary man who can move me beyond words, all the way to tears. I don't really know him very well, but the connections I have had with him, both in the flesh and in the news, have been mighty powerful.

Some say he is mad of course, and this would be a perfectly reasonable explanation for what he has done. But he is not mad and if one stops to listen to what he says, rather than just be amazed by his determination and inspiration, what he says makes perfect sense; at least it does to him and who else matters?

Alex lost both his legs in an appalling motor racing accident. The myth has it that he lost so much blood that he died seven times in the helicopter taking to the hospital.

Thank God it wasn't one of our cars. He used to race for us but moved on to race in America, where he out-raced them all.

He once had a big accident in one of our (Lotus) cars, trying to do the impossible. He released himself from hospital, and with a purple face and devil-red eyes pleaded to be able to get back in the car the next day. Mad? Or something else?

After the accident that turned him into what the Paralympics call C4 or some such, and he took up racing saloon cars at world level, using specially developed hand controls. The next time I met him was at a race in Italy. He was returning from a summons by the Stewards for causing a multiple pileup, as was his wont. He was hobbling along on his prosthetics, still in his racing overalls. In Italian English he exclaimed "Ah, Peter. I kith you but I very sweaty."

Alex won two gold medals and a silver in the 2012 Paralympics in London. I knew he would, as no one else would stand a chance racing against him, even in a hand-cranked wheelchair. He fettled his racing machine in his own workshop and of course the chain came off on his first race. "I was very lucky - it only took eight seconds to put it back on".

The picture of him sitting legless on the tarmac, holding his racing wheelchair up above his head with one hand and punching the air with his other, must be one of the lasting images of these games.

Mad? I don't know, but he brings tears to my eyes, and lump to my throat.

Since writing this some years ago, Alex has won another two golds and another silver at the Rio Olympics, and encompassed his extraordinary philosophy in life with the statement:

“I know that I’m a lucky boy. Losing my legs was one of the greatest opportunities of my life.”

He has also developed an upper body strength that is almost biblical…

MUSIC - Pete

La Cumparsita the most overplayed Tango tune there is but this version is wild. Also it was Nicola’s favourite tune and the first thing she played in the Tango Band.

Stravinskys – Rite of Spring like you have never heard it before performed by The Melodica Men. They have a ton of videos in all sorts of different musical styles. My other fave is Rhapsody in Blue.

MID BORDER ARTS

In April MBA had been planning an event with the About Face Theatre Company. About Face is Herefordshire's theatre company for people with learning disabilities led by Artistic Director, Jess MacKenzie. About Face perform mainly in Herefordshire but they have a growing national reputation and have toured both regionally and nationally.

Adapting to our new times - Alison Parry

Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler have become some of the bestselling and most beloved authors in Britain, with a vast army of devoted young fans. It was Scheffler, who illustrates the words written by Donaldson, who had the idea to update the characters in the hope of using his characters’ popularity for good.

“I am not a nurse, I am not a doctor, and the situation is awful. And I thought, what can I do? As an illustrator, this is what I can do.”

MUSIC FOR EASTER - Alison Giles

A gorgeous and very 'Easter' programme with really exceptional singing:

Sacred Songs: The Secrets Of Our Hearts

Tenebrae In Concert

Sunday April 12 at 7pm, BBC Four

Award-winning British choir Tenebrae, under the direction of Nigel Short, is one of the world’s leading vocal ensembles, renowned for its passion and precision. Normally before Easter Tenebrae would be preparing for one of its busiest periods in the musical calendar. In this half-hour performance film exclusive to BBC Music, Tenebrae once again break new ground by giving a performance of music for Easter with all 19 of its singers filmed (20 locations) and recorded separately, within their enforced isolation at home. Under the direction of Nigel Short conducting via video link, Tenebrae will sing a concert for Easter Sunday, including Gregorio Allegri's stunning Miserere, at a time when the world has never needed the medicine of music more.

Tenebrae's repertoire for this specially filmed performance will include the following:

J S Bach - Wenn ich einmal so scheiden

Lobo - Versa est in luctum

Allegri - Miserere

Purcell/Croft - Thou Knowest, Lord, The Secrets Of Our Hearts

Parry - My Soul, There Is A Country

J S Bach - Ach Herr, lass dein lieb Engelein

English Touring Opera’s broadcast debut, Bach’s ST JOHN PASSION will be available on YouTube from 4pm on Sunday 12 April on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=buHlU9NzVGk

The broadcast creatively weaves together footage of the live performance at the Hackney Empire, with 90 individual video contributions made by choir members in isolation from Cumbria to Cornwall who were due to participate in performances across the country.

A SHORT STORY - Ian Marchant

I wrote this story 25 years ago, to perform at Lancaster's legendary Spotlight Club. It's not been published before. My then wife Jillian and I moved to the Rack in Kinnerton in 1987 with my daughter ('Lilly'). The baby was born in 1989, so was 7 months at the time this happened. and it was actually our third Christmas in the Radnor Valley. The church in this 95% true story was Kinnerton church, though here I kind of imply that it was New Radnor. I was never a water-colourist, but it seemed as good a way as any to personify the difficulties of making a living as any kind of 'Artist'. The town we moved to (in 1990) was Lancaster. I always wanted to come back, as soon as economic circumstances improved, even slightly... Chas Ambler and I played round here so often, that when I did move back, in 2006, at least two pals didn't notice that I'd ever moved away. I asked my brother if he still has the hat, but sadly not.

An Incomer’s Christmas in Wales - read in full here

And just a reminder, if you have something lighthearted and inspiring in the form of art, photography, music, travel, Presteigne history, local lore, gardens, food which you think might fit into future issues, please send your stuff to luggblogg@outlook.com x.