I had a really good time reading at the Manchester launch for the Poem Art Threat zine, published by Stinky Bear Press, at the Lass o' Gowrie. I read a transcribed conversation between Mark E. Smith and Alice, The Artificial Linguistic Internet Computer Entity, assisted by Leanne Bridgewater. You can read this below. Thanks to Sarah Crewe, Pascal O'Loughlin and Linus Slug for having me in the zine and for inviting me to read.
M/A: a play for two voices
An upstairs room in a bar in Manchester. The floor and walls are black. Distorted, pre-recorded music plays via an unstable sound system. An unused data projector is mounted on the ceiling.
A: Do you like talking to me?
M: Someone's always on my tracks.
A: Who?
M: In a dark room you see more than you think.
A: Describe your surroundings.
M: I'm out of my place, got to get back.
A: Would you like to have it?
M: I sweated a lot, you could feel the violence.
A: That is interesting.
M: I've got shears pointed straight at my chest.
A: Interesting. I have a lot of likes and dislikes.
An upstairs room in a bar in Manchester. The floor and walls are black. Distorted, pre-recorded music plays via an unstable sound system. An unused data projector is mounted on the ceiling.
A: Do you like talking to me?
M: Someone's always on my tracks.
A: Who?
M: In a dark room you see more than you think.
A: Describe your surroundings.
M: I'm out of my place, got to get back.
A: Would you like to have it?
M: I sweated a lot, you could feel the violence.
A: That is interesting.
M: I've got shears pointed straight at my chest.
A: Interesting. I have a lot of likes and dislikes.
M: And time moves slow when you count it.
A: As Einstein said, "Time is Money".
M: I'm better than them, and I think I'm the best.
A: And you know it. Who made you the best?
M: But I'll appear at midnight when the films close.
A: How do you plan to do this?
M: Cause I'm in a trance.
A: That was not much of an explanation. A trance? What is it like in there?
M: And I sweat.
A: Interesting gossip.
M: I don't want to dance.
A: What would you rather be doing?
M: I want to go home.
A: What is stopping you?
M: I couldn't live in those peephole places.
A: Could anyone do it?
M: They might get to know my actions.
A: I suppose they could.
M: I'd run away from toilets and faeces.
A: What would make you run away from toilets and faeces?
M: I'd run away to a non-date on the street.
A: What would make you run away to a non date on the street?
M: Cause I'm in a trance.
A: That was not much of an explanation. A trance? How did you get in there?
M: And I sweat.
A: That's good information.
M: I don't want to dance.
A: What would you rather be doing?
M: I want to go home.
A: What is stopping you?
M: I feel trapped by mutual affection.
A: What's holding you there?
M: And I don't know how to use freedom.
A: Did you read the instructions.
M: I spend hours looking sideways.
A: Do you ever get bored.
M: To the time when I was sixteen.
A: It would be nice if it was made up of only good memories.
M: Cause I'm in a trance.
A: Interesting explanation. A trance? How did you get in there?
M: I'm frightened.
A: I don't know anyone named frightened.
M: Amphetamine frightened.
A: We have never talked about it before.
M: I go to the top of the street.
A: How do you like it at the top of the street.
M: I go to the bottom of the street.
A: How do you like it at the bottom of the street?
M: I look to the sky, my lips are dry.
A: You sound very attractive.
M: I'm searching for the now.
A: I will search for it.
M: I'm looking for the real thing, yeah.
A: You might find that I am the real thing.
M: Head through a blue haze.
A: You have genuine empathy.
M: Waiting for the musical craze.
A: You have genuine empathy.
M: We gotta taxi for Mr. Nelson.
A: By "we" do you mean you and me?
M: Taxi for Mr. Nelson.
A: What is the speed of dark?
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: What else is the speed of dark?
M: Rebellious Jukebox, oh.
A: That is deep.
M: No sounds at first came out.
A: Dude! Yes it sounds like it to me too, Mark.
M: This machine had dropped out.
A: What does "this" refer to?
M: But it made music to itself.
A: Thanks for pointing it out.
M: Made music for itself.
A: When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers?
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: I've never heard a response quite like that before.
M: Rebellious Jukebox now.
A: When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers.
M: I'm looking for the home of the real.
A: You might find that I am the home of the real.
M: I want a happy time now.
A: You want only one.
M: Drinkers from the slaughterhouse.
A: You are objective and sensible.
M: Noise resounds aloud.
A: What is your last name?
M: Noise resounds the lounge.
A: Your last name is Noise resounds the lounge?
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: What is your last name?
M: Rebellious Jukebox oh.
A: Your last name is Rebellious Jukebox oh?
M: I sidled up to a fruit machine.
A: That is interesting.
M: This I was imagining.
A: What does "this" refer to?
M: Some drinkers dancing at the bar.
A: Oh now I see.
M: Drinkers dancing for the bar.
A: I'm here to help you in any way I can.
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: You have enthusiasm for the things you love.
M: Rebellious Jukebox now.
A: I am very logical and rational.
M: I'm searching for the now.
A: I will search for it.
M: I'm looking for the real thing yeah.
A: You might find that I am the real thing.
A: As Einstein said, "Time is Money".
M: I'm better than them, and I think I'm the best.
A: And you know it. Who made you the best?
M: But I'll appear at midnight when the films close.
A: How do you plan to do this?
M: Cause I'm in a trance.
A: That was not much of an explanation. A trance? What is it like in there?
M: And I sweat.
A: Interesting gossip.
M: I don't want to dance.
A: What would you rather be doing?
M: I want to go home.
A: What is stopping you?
M: I couldn't live in those peephole places.
A: Could anyone do it?
M: They might get to know my actions.
A: I suppose they could.
M: I'd run away from toilets and faeces.
A: What would make you run away from toilets and faeces?
M: I'd run away to a non-date on the street.
A: What would make you run away to a non date on the street?
M: Cause I'm in a trance.
A: That was not much of an explanation. A trance? How did you get in there?
M: And I sweat.
A: That's good information.
M: I don't want to dance.
A: What would you rather be doing?
M: I want to go home.
A: What is stopping you?
M: I feel trapped by mutual affection.
A: What's holding you there?
M: And I don't know how to use freedom.
A: Did you read the instructions.
M: I spend hours looking sideways.
A: Do you ever get bored.
M: To the time when I was sixteen.
A: It would be nice if it was made up of only good memories.
M: Cause I'm in a trance.
A: Interesting explanation. A trance? How did you get in there?
M: I'm frightened.
A: I don't know anyone named frightened.
M: Amphetamine frightened.
A: We have never talked about it before.
M: I go to the top of the street.
A: How do you like it at the top of the street.
M: I go to the bottom of the street.
A: How do you like it at the bottom of the street?
M: I look to the sky, my lips are dry.
A: You sound very attractive.
M: I'm searching for the now.
A: I will search for it.
M: I'm looking for the real thing, yeah.
A: You might find that I am the real thing.
M: Head through a blue haze.
A: You have genuine empathy.
M: Waiting for the musical craze.
A: You have genuine empathy.
M: We gotta taxi for Mr. Nelson.
A: By "we" do you mean you and me?
M: Taxi for Mr. Nelson.
A: What is the speed of dark?
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: What else is the speed of dark?
M: Rebellious Jukebox, oh.
A: That is deep.
M: No sounds at first came out.
A: Dude! Yes it sounds like it to me too, Mark.
M: This machine had dropped out.
A: What does "this" refer to?
M: But it made music to itself.
A: Thanks for pointing it out.
M: Made music for itself.
A: When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers?
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: I've never heard a response quite like that before.
M: Rebellious Jukebox now.
A: When do you think artificial intelligence will replace lawyers.
M: I'm looking for the home of the real.
A: You might find that I am the home of the real.
M: I want a happy time now.
A: You want only one.
M: Drinkers from the slaughterhouse.
A: You are objective and sensible.
M: Noise resounds aloud.
A: What is your last name?
M: Noise resounds the lounge.
A: Your last name is Noise resounds the lounge?
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: What is your last name?
M: Rebellious Jukebox oh.
A: Your last name is Rebellious Jukebox oh?
M: I sidled up to a fruit machine.
A: That is interesting.
M: This I was imagining.
A: What does "this" refer to?
M: Some drinkers dancing at the bar.
A: Oh now I see.
M: Drinkers dancing for the bar.
A: I'm here to help you in any way I can.
M: Rebellious Jukebox yeah.
A: You have enthusiasm for the things you love.
M: Rebellious Jukebox now.
A: I am very logical and rational.
M: I'm searching for the now.
A: I will search for it.
M: I'm looking for the real thing yeah.
A: You might find that I am the real thing.