Monday, April 06, 2009

A Long Story; a Short Story


Once upon a time, I went to Golders Green bus garage to interview bus conductors about the retiring of Routemaster buses. I got sent away; I'd wanted to set up a songwriting project based on what the drivers and conductors told me.
So I got a bus to Willeseden; I'm not sure why. I saw this African toaster fabric in a shop window while I was there and always intended to go back and get some.
Later, I got permission to talk to the bus drivers and conductors from their HQ. I went and interviewed them and almost got invited to do a therapeutic songwriting project by the woman who was organising their 'debriefing'. I applied for a grant to make a whole music piece out of it but didn't get the money in the end, which was a shame. I have some great recordings of them talking to me about what it's like driving the buses!

3 comments:

Sarah said...

I love the African toaster fabric. Sheme you didn't get the grant. I would love to hear the interviews.
Sarah x

Brother Tobias said...

Like the fabric. It reminds me of a blue Morphy Richards toaster we had, that had an uncanny knack of firing the toast into the narrow gap between the cooker and the worktop.

Helen McCookerybook said...

I'm sure I could dig them out Sarah, one nerd's night in! I have lots of other stuff like that too.
I am wildly jealous of BT's mad toast-firing appliance. I want one now, to line people up in front of to see who could catch the toast in their gaping mouth!