Booktunes in Dutch Newspaper Het Parool

Just after Booktunes set up shop in Brighton UK, Dutch Newspaper Het Parool decided to give Booktunes some proper NL attention. Good, as we welcome all Dutch visitors to enjoy the music in the works of Thomése, Jensen, Van Galen, Otten & Seleky.

Booktunes in Het Parool - October 12, 2011

Houellebecq’s Platform Photographised Pt.2

This is an update on the previous post about the Photographisation of Houellebecq’s daring and controversial Platform. Beautiful pictures by Dutch photographer Joep Neefjes tell the sad story written by Michel, enfant terrible de la littérature française. 

I am really glad to present these pictures here. After all recent media coverage of the Frenchman (he went ‘missing’), we should realise this particular art form really is all we need when it comes to authors & photos.

Platform page 20

Platform page 66

Platform page 187

Platform page 197

Platform Page 265

The book is still a bit hard to find, try Ludion Publishers to find out where this book is available.

Houellebecq’s Platform Photographised

For the Booktunes website are always looking for pictures to illustrate the combination of books ‘n music we push. For the soundtrack to Keith Richards bio we used a photo taken in a bar, for the music to Murakami’s 1q84 we were lucky to find a paper moon pic. Yes, by a Japanese photographer.

I really like to find my way on Flickr browsing through all these beautiful photographs. Some pictures I find are really inspired by novels, others just fit in with themes, characters, places, events. All pictures taken with an analog machine, all by friendly photographers willing to contribute to our website.

Now Platform, the novel of my favourite enfant terrible Michel Houellebecq, has been photographised by Dutch artist Joep Neefjes! Although there is not much music in Houellebecq’s stories, I am a big fan looking forward to seeing the photos. Has Joep managed to keep le narratif? Is he an artiste able to tell this controversial story through pictures?

It is 13 October and I just went for a swim in my loose and lovely new hometown Brighton. Cold, but I see an old man ‘sunbathing’ on the nude beach. There is a beauty in this, but when it comes to pictures I prefer the Lanzarotian loneliness I hope to find in Neefjes’ book.

Will post a picture soon!

– update –

5 photos available through this link.

Fresh Writers Night 2011 – Jonge Schrijvers Avond 2011

Friday October 7th: Fresh Writers Night 2011. DJ Dirk Diggler will carry the Booktunes flag and get the people dancing after an evening with promising Dutch talents such as Daan Heerema Voss, James Worthy & Anna Drijver. A perfect Amsterdam get together in the beautiful Stadschouwburg, hosted by Booktunes’ favourite Maurice Seleky.

A few years back I was at Daan’s place and had a look at his amazing Dylan collection. We all know James Worthy is backed by the Top Notch family. Anna Drijver put a lot of Doors & Jackson in her debut novel Je Blijft. And Diggler is Amsterdam’s No.1 eclectic alternative hiphop dance rocker avant la lettre.

Have fun tonight guys, cheers from Brighton!
Veel plezier vanavond jongens, groeten uit Brighton!

In my bag: an illustrated Sleep by Murakami

Amsterdam based publisher Atlas has been so kind to put a goodbye present in my bag! Now what’s better then visiting the beach in your new hometown Brighton with an illustrated copy of Murakami’s Sleep wrapped into your towel with your trunks and favourite British crisps?

Swimming was nice, crisps were delicious and the Dutch translation to the short Murakami story is great. This disturbing story about a woman thinking over her life is beautifully illustrated by Kat Menschik. This particular edition is only available to the Dutch, German and French market… helaas! I hope Vintage & Knopf will do an English version soon so all of you can enjoy this combination of Murakami’s words & Menschik’s drawings.

Brighton HQ – Rutter Radio Pt.2

Back at Stretton House in Brighton UK, I finally found some time to edit Rutter Radio Pt.2, David’s show for Brighton Festival Radio. Topic of that day (dated early into that next millenium) was Wrong Songs or, Right Songs by the Wrong Guy. Being a fan of odd covers myself I think this show is great!

David tells a lot of stories, and you’d better believe they are true. In a loop or at random, fascinating stories they are. Teacher, Sushi Chef, World Traveler, Micro Politician, Romantic, Big Hearted Fellow. And a pretty good Radio Jock as well!

Feel free to download and share this great selection of wrong songs.
Find David’s BBC Radio Show about Hawaiian Music here.

Free App – McSweeney’s Small Chair

Booktunes’ favorite McSweeney’s Small Chair App is now available for free! To celebrate the second anniversary of this great app, McSweeney’s offers a free download that comes with a free one month subscription. The price for a six month enrollment has dropped.. so yeah 7 months of Sweeney’s content for just a few $’s or €’s.

Just when I planned to give it a a present to Mr. Number Nine, McSweeney’s decided to give it away for free. Nice gesture… and of course the ultimate opportunity for everyone to finally enjoy the Small Chair content wherever you go. So Mina, please make shure to get a new phone throuhg Job or Olivier soon.

I haven’t checked the iPad version yet, but the new iPhone version is more or less the same as the 2 (!) years old application. Only thing that really changed is the upper-left corner psychedelic art installation. Driving me nuts.

Get it here, and if you haven’t read Eggers’ debut yet, go in app and read the 1776 pages in digi!

33 1/3 – Swordfishtrombones

Awaiting the new Tom Waits album I put his Swordfishtrombones on the recordplayer and took David Smay’s booklet by the same name from the ever growing Booktunes pile. The book is part of the 33 1/3 series, a collection of books each focusing on one more or less legendary album. 

The book is divided by chapters titled the same as the songs on the Sworfishtrombones album. David Smay uses the titles of these songs as a starting point to discuss this pivotal album in Tom’s career, drop facts about Waits and his other works, and explore his own ambitions as a writer and music lover.

Personally, I would have preferred reading a list of facts over the writings by Smay. It might be a good idea for me to try one of the many biographies displayed on the extensive Tom Waits Library (yep, by a Dutch guy). I do like the concept of the 33 1/3 series very much though, and plan to list them al on dedicated Booktunes page soonish. Of course I did enjoy reading Smay’s book, and would like to thank him for the facts & insights!

What is your favourite 33 1/3?

What are your thoughts on the Waits’ latest?

Tropical Sunshine at Stretton House

Coming back at from London’s Notting Hill Carnival I find a crate full of Booktunes material, selected by my Stretton House Family. Apart from the pile of books, there are some great Coltrane records David was planning to bring to the charity shop, plus a Thomas Hardy poem that inspired Christy Moore. Good to be back!

Notting Hill Carnival 2011 was fabulous: Good food & massive sounds to share with 1 million people and some of my bestest friends:  a twin, a skater, a hipster, a reggae jock, a jungle jock, their girls and an american girl. Loads of fun, no riots.

One thing we all missed during the Carnival – in fact hole EU summer 2011 – is Sunshine. That must be the reason I found David reminiscing about his 90′s visits to Hawaii. Listening to a tape of a BBC radio show where he was invited as a Hawaiian music expert did really bring some sunshine into the Stretton Sitting Room.

Enjoy the digitalized cleaned up classic BBC material here:

Booktunes UK – Brighton HQ

Currently Booktunes is setting up shop in Brighton UK. After living in Amsterdam for a few years, we decided to move to Brighton and enjoy this beachy village on the other side of La Manche. After an invitation to staying at Stretton House, we decided to get on the boat and revel Eelizabeth & David’s warm welcome.

Apart from sharing a love for good food and home made gin, this great couple likes books & music too! Every day David digs up new music related books from his collection. Liz shares her favourite music, literature & poetry over a cup of tea. And then they list and laminate.

Jara, Cave (who lives around the corner), Barque , Terkel, Copper, Zappa, Crowley, Dunmore , Dylan, Earle, Drury – all future Booktunes material from the Stretton House library. We are looking forward to publishing a complete list soon.

While getting ready for Notting Hill Carnival  I glance at David’s pictures of El Salvador and realise  that Booktunes will have a good one here in Brighton!