Wednesday, August 17

I still can’t make up my mind about Jackie Leven. I read an article about him in Uncut yesterday which pointed out that he told lies the whole time about every aspect of his life, but they added up to a wonderful story. He became a number of characters in his lifetime, after he decided to drop his birth name and identity (Alan Moffat, fact fans) and become John St. Field.

He may or may not have written a song with Bob Dylan, when they both found themselves on a train to Leningrad; struggled with heroin addiction until curing himself with holistic methods; lost his voice after an unprovoked street attack; and so on. It enabled him to write a range of autobiographical songs though, depending on how much you value truth in an autobiography.

I think all this as I walk past the regularly renewed graffiti in the tunnel in Raitamäenpolku that goes under Itäväylä.

I think a lot of things. Or so it seems.