The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #70 – Dead End – 27th December 2020

Shut Down! Dead! Run out of town!  Sheltering over the border, we bring this one last episode before fleeing the despots.  One day we’ll be back!  Look out for DJ Donut Trump – he’ll bring you the future of rock ‘n’ roll.

This week there’s all sorts of music – weird, noisy, experimental, fucked up strangeness, straight-up punk and pop all delivered with no compromise.  Join our other 3 listeners to check out the end!

Incidentals taken from the Church of the Sub Genius Hour of Slack.

Listen right here or Mixcloud, Stitcher, Apple, Amazon…..all those cool places I guess.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Chiang-Rai-Alternative-Hour-107307097314670/

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful for all the students I have met since I started teaching. I have learned something from all of them.

Your house is falling down (The Chiang Rai Alternative Hour #67 – Frightened and Scared) – 4th December 2020

This one is not a morning scribble but at night and I want to get some thoughts out before I try to meditate which I didn’t do for a few weeks and I can feel my head whirling, whirling.

Step out, step out! Nothing lasts forever. Step out, step out – demolition – look at it fall down.

Distraction. Music is a distraction and I love it. I love my room – my room from youth and now I return – here in my room. No window, ceiling or floor!

Music, music, music. People in and out. Relationships, people – why do I find it so difficult?

Never mind, I think I’m okay. I’m fine I don’t need to find excuses. Inside my head is okay – when I’m feeling okay – I don’t need anything or anyone – except my one true friend. I love Amy very deeply I’m a little scared if anything happens between us but I know I’ll be okay. Everything is always okay. The world spins. And all those cliches. But anyway – it’s not something I think about really – not something likely to happen as far as I know. Out, out, out, you fleeting thoughts – settle down and breathe deep.

Gratitude Journal

I am so happy and grateful to each of my students for the different ways they make me think. It’s a nice challenge to everything.

Imagine a world where children are not sexually harassed by their teachers…

Now listen…..

This week there’s music from The Nubs, The Sawtooth Grin, Jesus Lizard, Theatre of Hate, Spermicide, Gelbart, Abali, Esmectatons, Radio Myanmar, Big Black, Secret Chiefs 3, Miss Madeline, George Danquah, Karate and OMFO.

Incidentals taken from the Church of the Sub Genius Hour of Slack.
Listen right here or Podbean, Stitcher, Apple, Amazon…..all those cool places I guess.

https://www.facebook.com/The-Chiang-Rai-Alternative-Hour-107307097314670/ (the Facebook page got hijacked!)

No windows, no ceiling or floor – 30th September 2019

Woke up just before my alarm. In my dream, I was trying to enter a password for something but kept getting it wrong. Things are fairly normal at home. Normal is good. Why I write this is because all our cats are happy at the moment.

All the humans are happy too.

My last week at school. Very relaxed. Not sure about what is coming up next – well, actually, I am. It’s holiday time. LIve in the moment. Your job doesn’t define you.

Gratitude Journal

Playing sport with some of the school kids made me smile, even when I fell over and hurt myself! I smiled and laughed with Amy a lot this week, feeling better about things in general. I smiled coming to school knowing that a holiday is coming and I will be leaving this environment. I smiled at Kim Chi and Cap chasing each other around the house. I smiled when the big dead lizard made Amy jump a mile into the air!

9th Mar 2021 – When I think about working at schools in Thailand I can’t help but believe that I am there for the student’s education and I care more about them than the ‘adults’ working there, who I can generally take or leave. The Thai staff at the schools I have worked at have a different agenda entirely as far as I can tell.

Reading Festival – 26th August 1994

8th January 2024 – I don’t think I made it to the main stage on this day though probably glimpsed it in passing. I do wish I’d been into Cypress Hill back then though as that would have been great fun. I do remember seeing Sebadoh though and Lou getting emotional and cranky, smashing his guitar. Courtney Love was looking on from the side and I think comforted him and I thought to myself, ‘Fucking hell, please stay away from Lou!’

What I mainly remember from this event was sleeping in the Mini van, with my legs sticking out the open doors as it was so small. I think I had stuffed a mattress in there. I also brought an extra car battery which I hooked up to the car stereo and extended the speakers onto the car roof so that everyone could enjoy Die Kreuzen at full blast whilst I drunkenly gyrated on the bonnet.

After the musical acts finished at the festival and people returned to their tents I blasted Church of the SubGenius tapes for the benefit of those passing by tripping out of their minds. This felt a little like my last hooray, hanging out and drinking and dancing with the Southampton crew.

*The Week That Was – 8th April 1985

Record of the week: VA – Unsafe At Any Speed, Husker Du – Zen Arcade

8th April 1985
Day off. Decided we’d have a piss-up. It was quite a laugh. Went to Houldey’s til midnight. Dean broke my nose!!

9th April 1985
Got up ok. Didn’t feel too bad. Chopped some trees. Put fungicide on this posh bungalow. Did Mr Ashby’s bedroom. Mr Ashby told me about 2CR competition.

10th April 1985
Didn’t go to see Josh and John last night. 3 girls up the road invited people to go round so we did.

11th April 1985
Saw those girls again I expect.

12th April 1985
Bought two bottles of Scotsmac. Drank one but didn’t get pissed. Went to YC.

13th April 1985
Mum goes to London. Husker Du and Die Kreuzen LPs came. Got fuckin’ ratted tonight. Emma, Kirsty and Sam came round. Graeme got off with Emma and I sort of got off with Kirsty.

14th April 1985
Graeme said Emma’s got a big mouth. Haha.