[Chris O'Carroll]

No 4252
Set by Adair R Fyn
The musician Nick Cave has written a couple of worthwhile novels, “And the Ass Saw the Angel” and “The Death of Bunny Munro”. We’d like extracts from the fiction of other notable figures from the music world.
Max 150 words by 15 November comp@newstatesman.co.uk

[Brian Allgar]

John Cage: “433 pages”
















Author’s note: This is a work of fiction. The pages can be read in any order.

[Ann Drysdale]

I shrieked with laughter - then felt a bit let down when you








gave the game away.

Dare you do it without the "Author's Note"? Or at least stop after "fiction"?

[Brian Allgar]

You're right, Ann - but damn, I've already sent it. I think the author's note should remain, just as in the composer's instructions for the original "composition", but I've deleted the phrase "since they are blank". Sorry to have been over-explicit the first time. I suppose I wanted to be sure that the people at the NS "got it".

[John Whitworth]

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night by J.S. Bach

It was a dark and stormy night a dark and stormy night it was a dark and stormy stormy night it was it was it was it was a night a stormy dark was it a night a stormy dark was it was it was it was it was it a stormy dark and stormy night a night a night a night a night was dark was dark and stormy was night stormy and a dark it was a dark and stormy stormy dark a night a dark a stormy stormy storm night night stormy and dark a was it it was a dark and stormy night (bis)

[Roger Slater]

THE ANSWER, MY MOTHER, by Bob Dylan

When I was a boy and played with toy guns in the schoolyard, my mother disapproved and asked me how much longer I would be playing. "Mom," I said, "come with me," and I led her by the hand up a trail that sloped through the endless forest at the edge of town. We walked and walked for hours until we reached the top of a peak overlooking our tiny, peaceful hamlet. My mother was confused, but before she could say a word I put a finger to her lips and told her to hush and listen. The rustling leaves grew louder as a mounting breeze passed through them, and a loud wind made a whooshing sound as it whipped by our helpless ears. "There is your answer, mother," I said.

[John Whitworth]

Jesus, Roger, a whole book of that. Beautiful in its ghastliness.

[Brian Allgar]

John, forgive my obtuseness, but what on earth has that got to do with Bach?

[John Whitworth]

Quite right, Brian. Handel's the man. So a capo.

The Weather in the Streets by G.F Handel

It was a dark and stormy a dark a dark and stormy it was a dark and stormy a dark and stormy night a dark and stormy night it was a dark and stormy night a dark a dark and stormy a dark a dark and stormy it was it was it was it was a dark and stormy night the rain it fell in torrents it fell it fell in torrents in torrents fell in torrents it fell it fell it fell it fell in torrents fell the rain it was a dark and stormy a dark a dark and stormy it was a dark and stormy a dark and stormy night in torrents torrents torrents the rain it fell in torrents in torrents torrents torrents it was a dark and stormy night in torrents fell the rain

[Brian Allgar]

Ah, now I begin to see what you're driving at. Reminds me of that chorus in the Messiah - "All we like sheep". Is it an amorous declaration by a bunch of sheep-shaggers, or is it a general instruction to urinate in an ovine manner?