LOCKDOWN JOURNAL: COVID-19.25 (BasementArtsProject)
Friday 17th January 2020. 21:37pm Peckham, London. Sluice Magazine launch
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time given us”
We are still only four months into 2020 yet January seems like an absolute lifetime away.
Friday 31st January was an interesting day for many reasons; it being the second time in a fortnight that I had managed to extricate myself from Yorkshire in the name of art pursuits.The first trip was to London on the 17th January to attend the launch of a new edition of Sluice magazine, for which I had written an article. The reason for my second trip on the 31st was twofold; firstly I attended the Exhibition Research Laboratory symposium ‘What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About The Artist-Led’ at Liverpool John Moores University, a report on which I wrote up for the Sluice website and can be found online HERE. The second reason, was that I would be staying overnight across the River Mersey on the Wirral with family to attend a birthday party the next day.
Friday 31st January 2020. 7:43am. Arriving in Liverpool just ahead of Dawn
The reason why I am talking about this is due to the portentous events taking place around me that weekend on the Wirral. Without realising how significant this moment would be, I watched reports of a number of people being returned to the UK from China and being placed in quarantine at a local hospital (Arrowe Park) on the Wirral, a ten minute drive from where I was staying. Also, it was the day of Brexit.
Saturday 1st February 11:20am. Floral Pavilion, New Brighton
Over the last couple of years my opportunities for travel in relation to my work as an artist, curator and writer have been few and far between, with my last trip out of Yorkshire having been as a participant in the Sluice Biennial in Hackney, back in October 2017. Over the years we have done many other exhibitions in many other parts of the UK as well as Sweden and the USA, but ultimately I have focussed on having a solid and continual programme here in South Leeds drawn from local, national and international sources. To have two events lined up in other parts of the country before January was even out seemed quite a positive step for a bit of work beyond the borders of ‘God’s own county’. Oh how wrong would I be.
Another significant aspect of 2020 is that it also marked the beginning of BasementArtsProject’s ninth year as an organisation. Over the years we have, as I mentioned earlier, managed to develop a strong presence in Leeds and elsewhere, as well as a regular programme averaging seven projects a year. It has been quite a challenge over the years to manage this programme alongside a full time job with the Henry Moore Institute. 2020 represented the first year in our, almost, decade long existence that I have been able to programme everything in advance as far ahead as June 2021. So another grand slice of irony to emerge at the very outset of this year has been the need to postpone shows that for the first time ever are all planned well into the future. And, as you dear reader will be aware, we have no idea how long this is expected to go on for. What is it they say about ‘the best laid plans of mice and men’!
Sluice Magazine. Jan 2020
As the year began I started by looking back on old projects from the last decade as we looked forward to our tenth year of projects. Very quickly, as projects piled up for the next year and half we moved to a completely forward looking promotion of future projects. Now, as we prepare to exit the fourth month, all of this has ground to halt as we await news of how all of this will pan out. As we have adjusted our relationship to future real world events so too have we adjusted our focus on what happens in the here and now as we all move indoors. The last twenty four posts have reflected the activities of artists that have engaged with the Lockdown Journal as a means of letting people know that whilst we cannot see each other, work and life must continue in whatever manner possible.
Another moment of irony, only this time a very painful one, occurred in the last few weeks too. After spending the winter months running around the park in the pre-dawn hours before work, the opportunity to run at my leisure in the sunshine has been accompanied by the most painful case of Plantar Fasciitis that I have experienced since the nineties. I have managed to run a total of eighteen crippling miles over the last few weeks, not great, but hopefully enough to not get too out of shape as I try to get rid of this pain. If anyone knows the whereabouts of Alanis Morrisette can they tell her that these are real cases of irony.
Bruce Davies | April 2020
SLUICE MAGAZINE
To order copies CLICK HERE
Corridor 8
To read another review of the What We Don’t Talk About When We Talk About The Artist Led by Jack Welsh CLICK HERE
#BasementFM ‘NYC Dawn ’til Dawn’ 24hr playlist
NYC Underground Feb 2003 with Leeds Beckett University (photo taken from a share on Facebook - I am the one on the far right)
In the face of being unable to actually travel, go travelling through music instead. Here is a playlist for you to go travelling through New York City via music from or inspired by it. CAUTION this playlist will last for 24hrs so sit back, log into wherever you stream music from and enjoy this list on yr imaginary journey from dawn ‘til dawn. #BasementFM is a hashtag that has been running for nearly a decade over on the @BasementArtsPro Twitter Channel, where you can watch we present artistically and listen too in the office on a regular basis. For now, enjoy!
Don’s Dawn Don Cherry & Albert Ayler
Good Morning (Instrumental) Cage
Please Stay (Yesterday) El-P / Blue Series Continuum
Sunrise Over Bklyn El-P / Blue Series Continuum
Anagrama Sonic Youth
Free City Rhymes Sonic Youth
Breakfast impLOG
New York City Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
Ibid, désmarches, ibid DJ Spooky
NYC Man Lou Reed
I Think I’ll Call It Morning Gil Scott-Heron
Walk From Regios Issac Hayes
Morning Mist Ahmad Jamal
25th Street Kieran Hebden & Steve Reid
On The Subway The Last Poets
Inslut Mat Maneri
NYC Subway Jeph Jerman
New York, New York The Last Poets
Midtown Blues Eri Yamamoto
Manhattan Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble
Son of Sam Chain Gang
Streamxsonic Subway Sonic Youth
Hideyaface (Prefuse 73 Original (Clean)) Prefuse 73 feat. Ghostface & El-p
The Grave And The Constant Fun Lovin’ Criminals
Be (Intro) Common
The Corner Common & The Last Poets
Related To What (Chant) The Last Poets
Intro Lauryn Hill
Lost Ones Lauryn Hill
Intro Kanye West
We Don’t Care Kanye West
Ditto Cassie
Empire State of Mind, Pt 2 (Broken Down) Alicia Keys
Always Shine Robert Glasper feat. Lupe Fiasco & Bilal
Back Like That (Remix) Ghostface Killah feat. Ne-Yo and Kanye West
Hilary Swank Lee Bannon / Joey Bada$$
The Day of Light Black Market Militia presents William Cooper
Shoot Frank Cage
Related To What The Last Poets
Biochemical Equation Wu-tang Clan
The Art of War Dave Lomardo & DJ Spooky
Fast Cars Aesop Rock
Empire State of Mind Kanye West feat. Alicia Keys
Across 110th Street Bobby Womack
Ballicki Bone Hypnotic Brass Ensemble
The Bottle Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
You Can’t Even Walk In The Park Johnny Pate
I work The Whole City Bernard Hermann
Hercules Aaron Neville
Soul Makossa Johnny Zamot
Sonny’s Crib John Zorn, George E Lewis & Bill Frisell
Latin Quarter John Zorn
Something Wrong In Paradise (Larry Levan Mix) Kid Creole & The Coconuts
High Speed Chase Miles Davis
Across 110th Street pt II Bobby Womack
On The Corner/New York Girl/Thinkin’ Of One Thing And Doin’ Another/ Vote For Miles Miles Davis
Street Rap Busy Bee
The Adventures Of Grandmaster Flash On The Wheels Of Steel Grandmaster Flash
South Bronx Subway Rap Grandmaster Caz
Rapture Blondie
Black Box Disco Beth & Scott B
Cavern Liquid Liquid
Genius of Love Tom Tom Club
Tramp Lowell Fulson
Cold Sweat James Brown
The Grunt (pts 1&2) The JB’s
Venise Martin Rev
Get Out Of My Life Woman Lee Dorsey
The Escapades Rap Futura 2000
Ungawa Pt 2 Pulsallama
Back Downtown Certain General
Lesson No 1 Glenn Branca
Drastic Classicism Rhys Chatham
Contrary Motion Theoretical Girls
Contort Yourself James White & The Blacks
You Make No Sense ESG
Get Modal El-P & The Blue Series Continuum
Wawa Lizzy Mercier Descloux
Baby Dee Konk
You Got Me Theoretical Girls
N.Y.-Summer II Alec Empire
Heavenmetal Chelsea Light Moving
HookyWooky Lou Reed
Off The Wall Lee Ranaldo
53rd & 3rd The Ramones
Rockaway Beach The Ramones
Sheena Is A Punk Rocker The Ramones
Run Run Run The Velvet Underground & Nico
Roving Eye James Chance & the Contortions
Frozen GTR Thurston Moore
Chapel Hill Sonic Youth
Blitzkrieg Bop The Ramones
Glass, Concrete & Stone David Byrne
Subterranean Homesick Blues Bob Dylan
Pastures of Plenty Odetta
This Train Is Bound For Glory Thurston Moore
This Land Is Your Land Woody Guthrie
Right On Be Free The Voices of East Harlem
New York Telephone Conversation Lou Reed
Nevermind (What Was It Anyway) Sonic Youth
Adena William Parker
Two Cool Rock Chicks Listening To Neu Ciccone Youth
Positively Fourth Street Bob Dylan
Take The A Train Matthew Shipp
Subway Song Eri Yamamoto
Twilight Circus - Variation Cybernétique rmx Dj Spooky
Sophie Eagle Martin Rev
Misery Train Suicide
Bumpy’s Lament Issac Hayes
Hat and Beard Eric Dolphy
Bemsha Swing Thelonius Monk
Ananda Rotation David S Ware
This Nearly Was Mine Cecil Taylor
Violet Sky Eri Yamamoto
All Of Me Lee Konitz
900 Shares of the Blues Joe Farrell, Mike Longo & Ron Carter
Milestones Bill Evans Trio
It’s Magic Eric Dolphy with Boooker Little
So What Miles Davis
Who Wants Love Billie Holiday with Lester Young
Autumn in New York Billie Holiday
Memory of Footsteps Yoko Ono and the Plastic Ono Band
Ghost Peter Evans Quintet
Shadow Splice Scanner with the Post Modern Jazz Quartet
Set The Twilight Reeling Lou Reed
Twilight The Paragons
What Can I Do Antony & The Johnsons
Halloween Parade Lou Reed
Candy Says The Velvet Underground
In Your Own Sweet Way Miles Davis
Funk In Deep Freeze John Zorn feat. George E Lewis & Bill Frisell
Stormy Weather Charles Mingus
Two Bass Hit Miles Davis
My Funny Valentine Miles Davis
Goodbye Pork Pie Hat Charles Mingus
The Maids of Cadiz Miles Davis
Autumn Rain Ahmad Jamal
Miss Your Touch Cassie
You Are Welcome Eri Yamamoto
More News at 11 Public Enemy
List of Demands (Reparations) Saul Williams
Contract on the World Love Jam Public Enemy
Incident at 66.6 FM Public Enemy
Shaft’s Cab Ride Issac Hayes
Subway Theme D J Grand Wizard Theodore
Super Subway Comedian Suicide
Ghosts: First Variation Albert Ayler
The Pledge of Resistance Saul Williams, Coldcut, DJ Spooky & DJ Goo
Small Talk at 125th & Lennox (Live Performance) - full album Gil Scott Heron
17th Street Gil Scott-Heron & Brian Jackson
Thirsty Thrills DJ Wally
I’ll Take Care Of You Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX
Afterimage Ben Neill
Resonance Daniel Bernard Roumain
Night Ride By Subway Car Pete M Wyer
Televised Executions Suicide
AbiDJan Ray Barretto
Red Alert Teenage Jesus & The Jerks
Burning Rubber (No New York) Teenage Jesus & The Jerks
Swearin’ To The Flag Suicide
Psychopatha Alan Vega
Diamonds, Fur Coat, Champagne Suicide
Tow Away Boris Policeband
Holland Tunnel Dive impLOG
Creature Feature Suicide
Why Be Blue Suicide
City That Never Sleeps Dominatrix
Nobody Pete M Wyer
Video Babe Alan Vega
Night 1 Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio
Pier 45 Pete M Wyer
Dlp 6 William Basinski
Rain at Night Pete M Wyer
One Up One Down Live at the Half Note - Full album John Coltrane
Ghosts: Second Variation Albert Ayler
Shakey Jake Joe McPhee
Jazzoetry The Last Poets
Black Rage The Last Poets
White Man’s Got A God Complex The Last Poets
The Corner (Last Poets Reprise) Common & The Last Poets
Theme From “Taxi Driver” Bernard Hermann
Drones Over Bklyn El-P
Stinkfist Lydia Lunch & Clint Ruin
Shards of Pol Pottery (No Wave Mix) Alec Empire & El-P
Live at CBGB’s NYC 1998 - Full album Alec Empire & Merzbow
Shards of Pol Pottery (Hard Mix) Alec Empire & El-P
Opiate The Masses Dälek
4 Beans
Run The Jewels Run The Jewels
T.O.J El-P
Abandoned Language Dälek
118 Beans
Hard As Fuck ’97 Part 1 (Hypnotist Remix) Thurston Moore
Your Love (Mellowtrons Remix) Thurston Moore
Kultur Krieg DJ Spooky vs Dave Lomardo
Over And Under Free Form Funky Freqs
Up All Night El-P
Diary Of A Taxi Driver (Album Version) Bernard Hermann
Main Title Bernard Hermann
Street Diction Dälek
Pay The Rent The Ramellzee
Bring That Beat Back Public Enemy
Beat Bop Part 2 The Ramellzee
Parachutes (dub version) DJ Spooky
Dina’s AllNight Diner Pete M Wyer
Stardust Peter Evans Quintet
Interlude Ghostface Killah
Moment of My Life Inner Life
Sure Shot (Larry Levan Mix) Tracy Weber
Ooh I Love It (Love break) The Salsoul Orchestra
Ten Percent Double Exposure
Love Thang First Choice
Itching For Love (Sergio Munzabai M+M Mix) Mikki
I Feel Love Donna Summer
Ballad of Immoral Manufacture Cristina
Stand On The Word (Larry Levan Mix) Joubert Singers
Bra Cymande
Hard Boiled Babe (Mutant Disco Remix) Lizzy Mercier Descloux
Herpes (Simplex Remix) Rosa Yemen vs Stiff Figure
Never Be The Same Again Ghostface Killah feat. Carl Thomas & Raekwon
Rootsman U Roy & Francois Kevorkian
Walking Through The Darkness Tekitha
Spooky Lydia Lunch
East of Manhattan Pete M Wyer
This Is For You DJ Hell
Master Alchemist II (Jori Hulkkonen Version) Lydia Lunch
When The Moon Was Blue (Yesterday, Please Leave) El-P / Blue Series Continuum
Please Leave (Yesterday) El-P / Blue Series Continuum
Providence Sonic Youth
Undercurrents (Live on WKCR, NYC 08.23.09) Ghost Moth
Like A Thief In The Night Joe Farrell, Mike Longo & Ron Carter
Mademoiselle Mabry Miles Davis
Hudsonic Ben Neill
Sonata for Violins and Turntable Daniel Bernard Roumain
Night 2 Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Trio
Want Ads One Meat Beat Manifesto
Somebody Pete M Wyer
The Days Do Not End Bernard Hermann
Til The Dawn Paten Locke
Theme From “Taxi Driver” (Reprise) Bernard Hermann
Pray For Me Pete M Wyer
Imprint Pete M Wyer
Good Morning Cage
The Stakeout The Blue Series Continuum Good & Evil Sessions
Here I Am Pete M Wyer
Bumpy’s Blues Issac Hayes
Hope There’s Someone Antony & The Johnsons
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise John Coltrane
James Baldwin To The Rescue William Parker
Hang On To Your Emotions Lou Reed
Come Sunday William Parker
East New York Stamp Jeru & Afu-Ra
WAKE UPLiveinWilliamsburgBrooklynNYC Daniel Carter
Strange Eyes Sunz of Man 12 ) Clock & Blue Raspberry
Sunday Morning The Velvet Underground & Nico
Gloomy Sunday Lydia Lunch
Yegelle Tezeta Mulato Astatke
The Consequences of Jealousy Robert Glasper
For Today I Am A Boy Antony & The Johnsons
A Thanksgiving Prayer William S Burroughs
Coney Island Baby Lou Reed
All Blues Miles Davis
The Light Common
Autumn in New York Modern Jazz Quartet
Baby I Love You The Ramones