Well, it must have started early in the year. Jim posted a John Grant song on St Patrick’s Day. It was called Pale Green Ghosts, and it was awesome! I left a comment saying as much, and that I needed me some more John Grant, he then posted a link to another John Grant song (Marz) in response.
I had heard his name, and seen his face, but had not really heard any of his music until that point…but somehow…just from a general feeling, I just knew I was going to like his stuff. And now that Jim was talking about him, singing his praises…it was the extra impetus I needed to check him out.
I was in Adelaide at the time and I had just gotten my tattoos. That night as I settled down to bed…a little tender in certain places, I decided to listen to Queen Of Denmark, Grant’s first album. At the end of it…I lay there stunned. Just…WHAT a musical journey! I needed to speak to someone about what I’d just listened to. It was 2am in the morning, Adelaide time, so I sent a message to Jim.
“Just finished listening to Queen Of Denmark – and hellfire! The diversity executed from one artist! Just…
The last five songs on the album ALONE – from the title track to That’s The Good News and Supernatural Defibrillator to What Time? (which reminded me a tiny bit of “Leon Takes Us Outside” – just a tad) – are just astonishing. Such a bloody rollercoaster! I love it!
Thanks for the kick up the bum, Jim :-)) I needed it to get listening to this man. He’s amazing!”
He replied quite quickly (which was lovely!) saying, “Great. Glad you liked. He is amazing!”
That was rather amazing too!
John Grant is…different. He’s quite avant garde, quite tongue-in-cheek and a REAL wordsmith! A very different kind of poetry. Makes the “mundane” dramatic and romantic, silly, funny. Well, maybe not the mundane, as such. He just…has a way with words. He really can make you laugh and cry almost simultaneously. How he uses words in his lyrics is quite unique. And the musicality of his songs I just find mind-blowing. He makes you think. Well, he makes ME think. You can never tell quite what IS genuine and what is fun and piss-taking. He’s got a great quirk! I feel anyway. It’s awesome! I can see why Jim is drawn to him as an artist and I’m glad I gave him a listen. He is fast becoming a new favourite.
I have had this song stuck in my head all day. Something Jim posted this morning. He seemed both nostalgic yet forlorn, and almost “down” on himself. It was just a vibe I was getting and I could have wildly misinterpreted it…but in the vain hope of perhaps making him feel a little better, I linked to this John Grant song. It’s fast becoming a favorite from the Pale Green Ghosts album.
Chorus is as follows:
But I am the greatest motherfucker
That you’re ever gonna meet
From the top of my head
Down to the tips of the toes on my feet
So go ahead and love me while it’s still a crime
And don’t forget you could be laughing
Sixty five per cent more of the time
What a chorus! And I thought, when Sir is in good spirits, and his bravado is riding high…it’s him! Lol. Oh, I do love you, Jim! 🙂