1986 Singles # 15 James Brown

 

I'd like to write a book about important people in my life and how I happened to meet them. The moment of meeting  can be a revealing one I'd say in many respects. . I'd quite like to write to write a lot of books really but it seems I'm embarked on this blog instead and I'll make do with that. This anyway is how I met James.

I met James in 1985. He lived in the room opposite me at the halls of residence where we both housed in our first year.at university halls of residence. Neither of us were incredibly hard working . We both came from protective middle class stock. Both knew it.  And relished the fact that we probably didn't have to struggle. So why develop a chip on your shoulder if claas angst. Why not endeavour to live instead.

My abiding memory of the mpment we met was that we were both un the communal kitchen and James was grinning relentleely from ear to ear I;ve felt looking back at the Trotrskyite line that his companion Ben who roomed in the room next door to James and who I was meeting for the first tume too was feeding me. As if he'd felt he'd cast his hook into the briny deep and I would swallow his line hook line and sinker. Close my gills sloppily and ardently round his bait and find myself  being reeled in swung promptly on deck and having my fishy brain promptly bashed about the planking while I thrashed my last.

Ben's hardline barricade spiel was complete guff I've since realised. OK we were all people with political ideals which I'd stand by and stull hold as I know James stull does, But not much  excuses the Trotskyite line , Prticularly when . That's perment revolution whether you like it or not whuch means little time for Smokey Robinson & The Miracles. ouzo. tramasala and all that. Doctor Martens and living on Hampstead Hill which it transpired Ben had a great appetite for too.

I knew what I liked. Incense sticks. R.E.M , Penguine Pperback and Marxist iconography. A bust of Lenin which I'd broufght vack from Moscow with me from a college trip to Moscow and asked me to give to him as he was clearly a better socialist from me. I demurred and have the bust of Laughing Len in a sharopsuit, sharp tie and shirt in a hollo silver cast in frony of me as I write,U'm  not really a Bolshevuk either. Just a poseur , let's be frank,

James meanwhile it transpired liked sleeping James Brown and sloanes probably in that order.He was quite right to do so . Well ditch the Sloanes/ All you really need is Jimmy B.. So here he is....