Humdrumming - The Starting Point for a work of Nearlyography

THE NEARLY SHOW Declaration

In the olden days everything was ok
In the now howl out against the new
Re-do the hokeypokeycokey
Stick your left hand in and out of the cliche stew
Let’s take what glows and fizzes in this instant   
And diss it disparage it piss on it
Take your comfort zone and plant a flag in it
Saying this is the real thing, this is the greatest hit

GreatestHit

Feature made in 1983 for Radio Sheffield's Dave Sheasby, featuring my dad and many others. Made weeks before Joe was born.

Dads - Radio Sheffield

Chris Ifso on the future, future of the book, a nude man and radical pensioner Betty Spital. There's also a shanty for modern workers and a jingle about now.

THE NEARLY SHOW NowFutureThen

Chris tells the story of his working life in half hour-ish chunks.
Part one: from childhood in Hampstead to creative days in Sheffield.

Interview with Chris Meade/Ifso by Cindy Oswin - Part 1

From Sheffield to Birmingham Imagination Services - Meet the Decade Day, Silence Project etc in Brum llbraries -  becoming Director of the Poetry Society, the Twerlies sitcom, Booktrust and fundraising for Bookstart, Friendly Literature Organisations...

Interview with Chris Meade/Ifso by Cindy Oswin - Part 2

Setting up if;book uk, exploring digital possibilities for literature, These Associations at Tate Modern, becoming a Nearlyologist...

Interview with Chris Meade/Ifso by Cindy Oswin - Part 3

Asemic art, diagnosed with bowel cancer, trying to come to terms with mortality, humdrumming and the repercussionists

Interview with Chris Meade/Ifso by Cindy Oswin - Part 4

All shall be well

Humdrumming - a song

THE NEARLY SHOW - Talk to the Hand

A new song, thanks to Julian of Norwich for the chorus. Image available to buy from https://nationalcentreforwriting.org.uk/National 

ALL SHALL BE WELL SHALL BE WELL

All shall be well shall be well 
And all manner of things shall be well

Clear us clear us clear us clear us
Clear the air the ice the flame
Burn all traces from our bodies
Till not a speck remains 
 
I'm not one for necromancy
We need a vaccine for the soul
Body brain and planet reeling
as we head towards the big black hole
 
All shall be well shall be well shall be well
 
It's true time turns in spirals
Same old cycles, massive change
And history courses through our bodies
Then it swims out of our veins

These are our real lives - nobody’s joking
we have to learn new ways of touching and coping.

All shall be well shall be well shall be well

Bathe in light in sound in rhythm
Skinny dip in information streams
Hope hope hope the healing happens
See you in your dreams. 

All things pass but life continues
Seasons change and lifetimes fly bye bye 
Re-Generation re-creation
Re us and them and you and I
 
Clear us clear us clear us clear us
Clear the air with ice with flame
Flush all traces from our bodies 
Till not a speck remains 

And all shall be well shall be well...

All Shall Be Well Shall Be Well

I sing the shanty of fish gutters
Nappy changers, silent shoppers
Sing the shanty of shelf stackers
Office cleaners, packet trackers
Fact checkers &  Home schooolers
Shop assistants, bankers, jewellers,
Traindrivers and trainees
Makers of pornography
Deliveroos and postvan drivers
The dedicated and the scivers,
Those who work in every weather
Those who don’t quite get it together

I sing the shanty of all workers
In suits in skirts in burkas
Musicians, dancers,2 actors
Farmers, fixers up of tractors
Sing the rhythm of their labours
Pumping power generators  
Clicks of keyboard pings & apps
Beats that make em swing and tap,
Drums of tin and cardboard box
The motor hums, the factory rocks
With thuds of big machinery
The swoosh of washing up the tea 

I sing the shanty of baristas
Nursery teachers, babysitters
Those afloat on fortunes fluid
Vicars, Imams, rabbis, druids
Therapists, future proofers, 
Beauticians, barbers, roofers
Builders, bakers, cooks, and drainers
Pensioners and personal trainers 

Ones who work at night alone 
The ones who work online, on phone, 
The unemployed & the enslaved,
The rather bored, the very brave,
Those who jab drugs in our arms
Let none of these folk come to harm

Shanty

Songs and sounds by Chris Ifso, transmedia writer and Doctor of Nearlyology, with Chris (vocals and ukulele), Abbie Coppard (vocals), Alistair McEachern (bass guitar), Iain Stewart (guitar) plus collaborations with Alastair Gavin (keyboards), Peter Forbes (lead guitar).

Chris & The Ifso

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