devi: (Default)
devi ([personal profile] devi) wrote2004-10-24 12:31 pm

disco creeps

Karaoke makes me feel good. As I stumble out on to the rainy streets of Soho I have this breathless blissed-out feeling throughout my whole body from singing and laughing for hours. Everyone who hasn't tried it should do it, and don't give me that 'I can't sing' rubbish either.

I've had several really excellent weekends lately, and this so far has definitely been one of them. I'd like to write more about it, but for now a snippet from last night, as we tried to turn Creep into a 70s disco number:

(several people being human beatboxes in the background)
Me (hamming it up like mad): You're so fucking special, I wish I was special
[livejournal.com profile] martylog (in pantomime style): But what are you?
Me: I'm a creep
[livejournal.com profile] martylog: What else are you?
Me: I'm a weirdo
[livejournal.com profile] martylog: And you really have to ask yourself
Me: What the hell am I doing here?
[livejournal.com profile] martylog: What don't you do?
Me: I don't belong here
[livejournal.com profile] martylog: Speak up! I can't hear you!
Me: I don't belong here
(cheers, hoots, catcalls and custard pies)

The thing is, I've sung that song many times (usually on my own in the house), but I've never meant the lyrics less. Here's to belonging.

[identity profile] absinthecity.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 02:44 am (UTC)(link)
Where do you do your caterwalling?

[identity profile] bluedevi.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 04:47 am (UTC)(link)
The Karaoke Box, Frith Street, Soho. Funny little place, and tricky to find because there's not actually any English on its sign, but great to caterwaul in :)

You should come along some time!

[identity profile] absinthecity.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 04:58 am (UTC)(link)
I'd love to. Could you drop me an email next time you're going along? I knew there was a good one in Soho but never managed to find it, so I guess it must be this one. I used to go to Belushi's in London Bridge but the selection isn't that good there...

[identity profile] bluedevi.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 05:01 am (UTC)(link)
Will do. By the way, I've been looking for other writers on the Nocturnal Economy besides Dick Hobbs and his partner in crime Lister (who I think you said you tried) and they are as scarce as hens' teeth, as my gran used to say. There's LE Cohen and M Felson, who started the whole thing off with a book called 'Social Change and Crime Rate Trends: A Routine Activities Approach' (woo, thrilling), but they seem to have only mentioned it tangentially. Sorry. :/

[identity profile] absinthecity.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 05:32 am (UTC)(link)
Ah, well that's more names to look into...thank you!

We are, however, hoping to get Prof. Hobbs on board now. A colleague who is better at this job than me (i.e. isn't phobic about telephones) had a word with him and he seems a lot keener now.

[identity profile] bluedevi.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 05:35 am (UTC)(link)
Ooh! I'd go to see him. Dick Hobbs is a bit of a hard-man action-hero of sociology. I'd like to see if he really did become an alcoholic in the course of his research :)

[identity profile] absinthecity.livejournal.com 2004-10-25 05:42 am (UTC)(link)
He's great apprently - really lively. If you are actually interested in coming I'll see if I can get you an invite...