.. I’ve barely begun Gautam Malkani’s debut novel about desi rudeboys … part Richard Allen (yeah, I used to read BootBoy/Skinhead pulp fiction & not because I was self-hating, duh. I was just really into Mod & Oi!) & part Graham Greene (I never finished Brighton Rock) … but I’m hooked. GM read at Powell’s last week and we were fortunate enough to spend the evening with him & his lovely wife. After hearing his Hounslow accent read out loud I’ve got Jas (the narrartor) sorted. If you haven’t read any UK Asian lit this might be the perfect place to start … that’s only if you’re into street culture shit. My favorite contemporary author?? Meera Syal, hands down. She’s brilliant & hilarious. Calling her talented would be an understatement …
All this talk of witty BrAsians is reminding me of D’Archetypes … my fav band of the moment. They’re kinda hiphop & prob*ly, most defintely, influenced by Cornershop & The Monochrome Set. (have you never heard of them?) Even Morrissey was a fan of TMS back in the day … and how’s this for random? The night I spent buying books with Lon don stani author GM was the same night I met Johnny Marr, I kid you not. THE RUMORS ARE TRUE … he’s been stayng in a flat in N. Portland people!! Before I discovered Elvis or Mick Ronson I swooned over Marr’s guitars. And “I sat in my room and I drew up a plan…”
And all this writing means I’m not reading … goodnight