For some weird reason this tune (which, to be very clear, is not that other much more famous one by the late, great Curtis Mayfield) popped into my head while I was writing a post about why wealth taxes this morning.
And while you can be sure that the Irish Busker-In-Chief, and leader of The Frames, Glen Hansard, was not thinking about wealth inequality when he wrote the song in question he has said that it is about being 'pissed off'.
Me, I see it as being more of an elegy for what once was and what could be again.
Or some such thing...
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Interesting (alleged) fact about the band's name...While he was never really a vacuum repairman, Hansard used to fix bikes in his youth...As a result his backyard was apparently littered with bicycle skeletons, so much so that the neighbourhood kids called his house the place with all 'The Frames'.
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3 comments:
Thanks for the tunes.
After my lengthy opinion on your wealth tax post I needed to lighten up a bit.
As a long time cyclist, as long as I can remember, and I can see you are an avid one yourself I wanted to mention a couple things that the photo and the Hansard info made me think of.
As you travel back and forth, west and east, on your bicycle commute have you ever stopped in at what is now Velostar Cafe? It’s at 16th and Heather, right on a couple bike routes. They are half bike service shop and half cafe. Clint is the owner and chief wrench wrangler. He has a few other folks helping on the service side and they do a great job I think. I believe his wife runs the cafe side and they offer good coffee, snacks and sandwiches at a decent price.
Pre Covid, when one could sit inside for a coffee and sandwich, I would leaf through a book called Cylepedia: A century of iconic bicycle design. By Michael Embacher.
A fantastic book with great photos of bikes from the last 100 years. A page or two for each with some information about each bike.
Over time, and several visits, I made it through the book and then promptly began again at the next time.
I see that Embacher has a newer version out now. The older one can be had for $6. plus shipping and I think is something anyone who is interested in the design and function of a bicycle would enjoy.
It seems the $6. book I saw may not be available anymore. It looks like the rocket ship company has it for $26. or so.
Embacher’s newer book is available at the UBC bookstore. Maybe you get a discount there?
Thanks Graham--
My kids have been bugging to stop in at that shop - I'll have to do it.
No excuse not to actually except that I usually ride high up in the twenties or along tenth when I have to pick-up or drop off reagents down in the hospital institute industrial complex.
Thanks for the book tip!...Might just put it on my list for Mr. Claus.
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