Here goes

Hello there. It has been made known to me that certain individuals who shall remain nameless think it might be a good idea to start writing a bit more. So here goes. My name is Dave. I am a man. I like the blues music and cups of tea. In this space I’ll be talking about both of those things, and possibly others too.

I live in Brighton at the moment. I am currently enrolled at the university of Sussex to do a PhD project on a West African Diaspora community in London. Such being ensconced in the cloisters and ivory towers of academia has been a source of not a little hand –wringing. However, it does give me the opportunity to explore some of my interests without too much interference from The Man.

‘What of these interests?’ I hear you cry. Well, young lion, they are many and varied. I have a fascination for the culture and history of Africa, particularly West Africa, as well as black music, the politics of landscape, the life of cities, and the idea of hybridity.

Music has long been a source of spiritual and emotional sustenance, ever since age 10 I stumbled across my mum’s secret cache of classic motown on cassette and nearly destroyed my bed from bouncing. Over the last few years I’ve veered decisively away from ‘the Current’ to wallow in blues, reggae, British folk, country, jazz, African pop and dance music. But I love it all. Living in a live musical hotspot has its advantages in this respect. Gigs aplenty.

I’ve also been a bit of a scribbler for as long as I can remember. However I haven’t been giving myself much space to indulge this aspect of myself, until now. So expect florid prose, angry writing, bon-mots and self-indulgent poesy. Like John Lee Hooker says, ‘its in him – its got to come out’.