Bronze?

Is it bronze, how did they fix it to the wall? Is it by Erwin Wurm, whose exhibition "Desperate Philosophers" was on at that time? Then it could have been some synthetic material and not quite as heavy.

Multi-cultural?

Spent an afternoon off in a café next to the main train station.

First I had eye contact with an Arab family, meaning We / I know, you're different and that's okay. Then I got a light from three young ladies who I thought were Muslim. The young bar lady, of Bosnian origin, told me they were really Serbian Orthodox.

Then I got a light from 4 young people of Turkish origin.

Finally the friendly bar lady and I gave some Londoners directions to the major beer hall of town, Augustinerbräu. I had mistaken them for Scottish.

Well? Well, the Austrian chancellor suggests the Social Democrats should be taking a tougher stance towards foreigners (in der Ausländerpolitik "kantiger werden"). What foreigners? What stance? A gentler, kinder, a machine gun hand? – Yours truly is neither in favour of any kind of violence, nor is he suggesting that the Austrian chancellor could be in favour of any such action. Yet to see how Austrian social democrats with their great tradition are giving in to racist and xenophobic populists makes me wish to build up some amps and huge speakers in front of the Austrian chancellery and blast it away with some feedback from Neil Young's guitar.

I don't really appreciate noise in public space, so the soundtrack is private and danceful:

The World of Arthur Russell, Go Bang. Soul Jazz Records, CD83

There are times, when it's really hard to find the right words, e.g. when yours truly is just fed up to the brim with the political situation in this lovely and peaceful country (yes, it really is, no matter what some 'real' Austrians are thinking when they're afraid of all those dark-skinned people). Then, at times the blogwart interferes to remind me I shouldn't post any comments that I might by sued for or registered by Staatspolizei or even military intelligence (don't think I'm that important …). Or the backoffice-crew stops by to administer some beer as a sedative while they invent some absolutely nasty puns that will never be published here.

Thanks anyway, lads, next round's on me!

Graffiti-Bridge revisited

For a detail see below.

Soundtrack: Prince Graffiti Bridge

Boiling Salzach

It's a warm and quiet October now; Sept 5, after heavy rainfalls in the Alps Salzach river tried to be really impressive.

In the background right, always impressive when it's not hiding in the clouds: Untersberg, the mountain that came to be called Maria's Mountain during the filming of Sound of Music.

Background left: Hoher Göll. Its 'clear' view dominates the blog header.

Tornado watch?

When I was young, and christmases were white, did we have those clouds in later summer? Nope! Way back, when things were better, we did not have those clouds. Period.

Connected

At times, yours truly is simply a fan, an excited, joyful, little kid in a crowded, noisy venue.

Could've been with Ella Fitzgerald, Miles Davis, Harri Stojka Express, the early Vienna Art Orchestra, Prince, Talking Heads, The Fall, Hüsker Dü, Henry Rollins, or, more recently, Erika Stucky or Lambchop. This time it was the Stereo MCs, as DJs at republic café.

Got into the groove with the resident DJ, spotted Rob Birch early on in the crowd, prepared a little note for him and waited for a chance.

Caught him right ahead of his set, now or never, got an autograph with a PEACE next to his signature, dropped my note, and was simply happy to listen.

Even the backoffice-crew were there, all of them, not trying to cook up any nasty jokes. Respect.

"Don't let it bring you down,

it's only castles burning."

One of those all time favourite songs by Neil Young, with a compassionate eye for the old man sitting by the side of the road, and with a love for life with all its anger, hurt, and sometimes sorrow.

Have a look at Neil's Garage!