"Also", he says, opening the window, the stale stench a sixty-seven nightmares dissipating in the Dublin breeze, "It turns out I was right. It was Thin Lizzy."
Yesterday, Friday, in the middle a some drunken moshing tribe seemed to sprout from tween the cracks on Grafton Street, roaring, chanting, all in awe of some performers obscured by the boppin and the boundin, guitars and saxophones slicing the afternoon sunlight, The Duke and Sir Fleming terrified out our last nuts.
The further we went into the jiving mass, the more deluded we became.
"What the hell's going on here?"
"I dunno, but I just saw my death on that girl's shoulder!"
Breaking free of the throng, a fairly tight concentration, truth be told, gasping the other side. "What is this voodoo?" I'm saying. "Is there a band? Who is that?"
"Sounds like Thin Lizzy", Sir Fleming yells. "Some sort of street concert of some sort."
"Thin Lizzy my arse, it's Jandek if it's anyone. Jandek, playin a show right here on Grafton Street, Nostradamus was right after all!"
Here, in the room, standing up with last night's trousers still stickin to the legs, I'm apologizing. "You were right, the proof is here, clear as the shame on a priests thighs."
Turned out that yesterday afternoon, just as myself and Sir Fleming were headed towards the record emporium at the far end of the street, Philomena Lynott and the mayor of Dublin, Catherine Byrne, were unveiling the statue of Phil Lynott a man can now find day or night casting shadows cross the coked up teens on Harry Street.
Stood there, chin juttin out halfway to Wexford, those blank brass eyes seein and not seein, the bass guitar at his side.
Later on, in Eamon Doran's, makin my way to the toilets, tryin not to disturb the folks eating each others arseholes out to the throb of Love Will Tear Us Apart, I overhear a couple fellas banterin with regards Phil's statue.
"Shoulda been the pose from the cover of Live And Dangerous", one of them's saying, "For gods sakes, he was the frontman a Thin Lizzy! He looks like a fuckin war veteran."
I got to thinking bout my favorite Phil Lynott quote, time a journalist asked him what it felt like being black and Irish?
"Kinda like a pint a Guinness."
Most times when I think of Phil, what I think of is the drummer in my old punk rock ensemble, telling us all bout how if we want the shadea filth we been itchin for, what we need to do is forget about The Misfits and get learning how to play Jailbreak.
Article comments
1 - Mat Brewster
I was going to quote my favorite line and say you're brilliant, Duke. But then there were so many I couldn't pick one. So I'll just say, that was beautiful man. Really.
2 - Bennett
..............
That's what speechless looks like.
Thanks Duke.
3 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Mat and Bennett, thank you. it means a bunch to know folks dig this ongoin thing, i say that every time, but its the damn truth of the situation. with this instalment i was convinced no-one would know what the hell was goin on. it appears i was wrong, since you fine fellas worked it out, an thats enough to send a fella to bed with a smile on the yap.
thank you.
4 - Bennett
Yaw. Twas a masterful intro, beyond belief. I'm really in awe at all of it. Signed copies of your first book is what I'm getting at. I'll ebay 'em when I need to retire.
More please.
5 - Mat Brewster
Twas danged fine writing at that. It also brings a twing at the remembrance at the pain you go through, being the single lad you are. I remember too many nights fretting over some pretty lass who might've smiled at me three mornings before.
6 - Aaron Fleming (The infamous Sir)
Blue velvet jacket! The legendary smock of righteousness. I wanna witness that being worn more often now, cafe sits, all major events. I'm sure it'd bring a certain kind of magic to all proceedings.
7 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
Sir Fleming! here in the giddy climes of Blogcritics!
no, i can't get behind the wearin of the jacket at anythin other than maybe public executions. or jandek performances.
8 - DJRadiohead
A universal fucking sentiment that might not have ever been expressed better.
9 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
DJ, thank you! ah, we all know the horrors a that kinda situation. sadly. pathetically.
10 - DJRadiohead
And so now I am feeling greedy... will there be more installments?
11 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
DJ, sorry, i been away for a few days. yeah, there is an end to the tale, but i ain't got a chance to pen it yet. but it's comin, hell yeah.
12 - Sinéad
heh - you're my own personal diary, except its what was seen through your eyes, i need to hear the next account coz thats where i slowly but surely began to get wasted!!
13 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
sweet moses! Sinéad! i feel all blush-filled. well, least yeah, proves at least i didn't make you up for the purposes of an excessive ramblin narrative.
an i'm half way through part 6. and you weren't THAT wasted. nothin that wouldn't a been outta place in, say, some Tsarist opium-den back in the day.
14 - Sinéad
actually i am made up - i'm like that stupid fookin' dinosaur - the more you believe, the more power i get - i can now type, weeeeeeeeeeeee!!
hurry up with part six ya lazy cunt - i need to know what happens - or be reminded at least........and myself and annas moment better be told in the most tasteful way
15 - Aaron, Duke De Mondo
heh, it'll be all the tasteful in the world. i wasn't gonna mention it, at least not with names, but you've gone an ensured that no, it's GOTTA have names.
an to the editors, "ya lazy cunt" is not a personal attack in this instance.
16 - Sinéad
is too a personal attack!!but you're well used to my foul mouth at this stage - you bring out the choicest of words from my vocab Dukey
COME ON NUMBER 6 ALREADY!
17 - DJRadiohead
COME ON NUMBER 6 ALREADY!
Ditto that. I only wish I were an Irishman so that I, too, could call you a lazy cunt. But I am an American which means I can't use that word. I am jealous.
18 - Sinéad
there are plenty of other things you can call him like a lazy fucker or a big fruit which is one of my personal favourites
or if you dont wanna type the whole word cunt there are ways around it like calling him a CUN fuckin' T
capital C capital U capital N capital fuckin' T
take your pick