Other The East Village Vampire
London Bombing Blues

Here is my last upload for 2013 (well, maybe). To see out the year I thought I’d post one that has a bit more meaning for me, ‘London Bombing Blues’.

It’s no secret that I love London. The history, the people, the architecture, the nightlife, the pubs, the cold climate etc. As a city it just resonates with me.

Having lived there I have so many great memories, but strangely it was the 7/7 Bombings back in 2005 that in retrospect really bound it to me. My friends and I, not to mention countless others, were caught up in the events of that morning.

Without boring you with too much detail we were all on the Tube that morning and evacuated - some had closer shaves than others. We experienced the mobile network going down and not knowing if each other were safe. And most of us walked out of an eerily quiet central London that afternoon amongst a sea of almost million people.

But putting all that to a side, what really left a mark was a few weeks before a good friend invited us and a lovely Vietnamese couple from Melbourne Australia to dinner. Being a small world I had actually meet the Vietnamese guy years before whilst at University and there was instant recognition. We hit it off, exchanged numbers and made a mental point to catch up with each other. As expats you’re always happy to make new friends.

So I was completely floored when I was sitting at work a few weeks after the bombings and read on the BBC that he had succumbed to injuries sustained in the bombing in Tavistock Square. Without a hint of exaggeration my partner and I had just discussed a night or two before that we should catch up with them.

What a tragedy. I mean why did this nice, innocent guy from Melbourne Australia have to die on the other side of the globe just because of a few insanely misguided fucking nitwits? Why did anyone have to die for that matter? It makes my blood boil.

Anyway, I guess the only good thing that came out the bombings was the way Londoners just got on with it. I really got to see that famous British “stiff upper lip”. There was shock, there was anger, but the pubs were full and people got back on the trains and buses almost immediately. It was like a great big “fuck you” to those scumbags.

Almost a decade later I wrote ‘London Bombing Blues’ about my experience that day. The song had been kicking around in my head for years, but it only came out a few weeks back. In truth I think I was a bit hesitant about it because I didn’t want to offend anyone or appear opportunistic.

Regarding the music, I wanted it to sound raggedy and live. I wanted the whole thing to sound like a busker playing in The Underground. I don’t know…. Maybe a bit pretentious. To add an extra bit of realism the background sounds you can hear are actually taken from my old video camera whilst in London in 2005 on The Tube. You are basically listening to one of my journeys through central London around the same time of the bombings.

I think the song is really lyric driven and they paint an interesting picture. In particular, the idea that terrorist don’t care who they maim whether it be rich or poor, black or white or whatever is just very a disturbing thought (i.e. they came for the wolf and the sheep). Also, the opening few lines are kind of a homage to Martin Niemöller’s famous short poem “They came for…” - if you don’t know it you should.

As is often the case I offset fairly grim/pessimistic lyrics with relatively playful music. In retrospect it probably reflects my own inability to deal with the seriousness of the subject matter. Again, I hope I don’t offend anyone with this track because I can assure you that I recorded it with utmost respect and honesty.

Alright, rant over. I hope you guys enjoy the song.

The Vamp

LYRICS…

You know they came for the strong and the weak
You know they came for the wolf and the sheep
Make no mistake they came for you and me

Did you hear it on the BBC?
Did you hear it on the BBC?
Like me…

I heard some drumming down in Tavistock Square
I heard some plumbing in the deep Underground
Then there was silence through the London air

And I’m just sitting waiting on my stairs…
And I’m just sitting waiting on my stairs…
And I’m just sitting waiting on my stairs…
And I’m just sitting waiting on my stairs…

“I’m late for work”
“I’m off to school”
“I’m 5 minutes behind” (right on time!)
I said goodbye when I closed the door
But I didn’t mean “GOODBYE…”

I meet a guy who came from Vietnam
He came to London to enjoy “the calm”
In the end it could have been you and me

Man, I heard it on the BBC
Man, I heard it on the BBC
Man, I heard it on the BBC
Man, I heard it on the BBC
Man, I heard it on the BBC
Man, I heard it on the BBC