Desperado Housewives at the Palatine

The party at the Palatine went down really super well. Razz performed his initiation ceremony without fault and brought a cake. We then sung Happy Birthday to someone because no one there was having a birthday.

Kath and Helen were on top musical form. The contrast and charm of our musical soirees is just so wonderful. The different voices really set each other off and provide a lot of variety beyond that of the normal singer-songwriter evening, which can be quite dull to perform at, let alone go to.

Frog Morris was our first ever token male. He read a poem and we set him a challenge to go off and translate it into another language. He translated it into html. I, sadly, understood it. It was an epic piece, and Razz asked him if he wanted to perform it at Tottenham Chances.

I have an idea that we should create a Desperado Housewives merchandising site, along the lines of the 'micro-independent' record label that I have been impressed with. We can sell limited edition CD-Rs with handmade covers and also strange bits on handicraft, such as knitted things by Kath, or Helen's sketches (signed and personalised?) and my paintings and embroideries (which I haven't done yet but certainly plan to start doing). If nobody buys them, doing the site will be wonderful in itself just to see it there ... lurking on the web in its artistic glory. Maybe we can become a 'Cult'. I think we should at least have a Woman-i-festo ...

Desperado Housewives - Stoke Newington

Helen McCookerybook has done a tremendous illustration for the Desperado Housewives party in Stoke Newington. It's so beautiful. I love the mop, I love the horse I love the whole thing ... beautiful crayoning, lines ... the mixture of domestic housewife and Western imagery ...

We're playing Sat 16 Oct at the Palatine on Stoke Newington Road

Power to the Palatine

While walking along the tow path to Mile End, who should cycle past me but my old friend from London Metropolitan University, when I used to work in the Students' Union, Rhys Rose. He was going very fast, with all the gear ... black lycra all over and looking very fit, and late for work. Just had time for a hug and for him to tell me he was having a launch for his new pub, The Palatine, in Stoke Newington on Saturday. It's the old 'Satchmo's', 97 Stoke Newington High Street.

I tottered over after work, and had a very pleasant half a wheat beer in that fine new establishment. Rhys has lots of ideas for showcasing artist work and for using the very fine space for acoustic performance. Licence problems means that we can't have proper band nights there - yet - but who knows what the future might allow, once he's built up a good reputation for a trouble-free night spot. If you're passing by, drop in for a coke or a whisky or whatever you fancy - and if you're a London based artist and would like to display your work, you can get touch with Rhys.

Matty and I were particularly taken with the dance floor, and couldn't resist wanting to try out a few steps. I can't wait till we have a proper dance together but he hasn't quite fixed my portable 78 player. Of which more later.

On an aside, it was nice to be out in Stoke Newington. Matt is just reading Edgar Allen Poe's short stories, and he lived in Stoke Newington as a youngster in London.