Admit it, this year is just flying already. As I sit here, typing this amongst Caspar trying to attack the cursor on the screen, I realise that a blog update is somewhat overdue. I guess it will always be quality over quantity, especially compared to a few months back at Alphalink. But anyway, the keyboard is playing up and so I better get on with it before the technical difficulties drive me to distraction and I destroy my computer...
Ok, jumping back... New Years... began with a party at a friends place, which was rather fantastic as his balcony looked out over several parts of Melbourne, and as the fireworks went off, it became an ideal viewing point. It felt good to see the back of 2003, and to feel that 2004 was going to be very different.
From there, Ant and I, along with Andrew and Mark, and Michael and Jimmy, went across to The Market, which proved to be an affordable yet effective way to see the NY in. With 'Magnitude' seemingly out of vogue, and tickets to XTC being as rare as hen's teeth, The Market benefitted from those who were unsure of where to see the New Year in.
From there, a group of us went to the XTC Recovery, which reminded me somewhat of the old Sunday afternoon Virgin Mary rooftop days. Very bright. Very warm. Lots of topless toned guys but hey, I can deal with that... Home relatively early, and felt it was another successful and highly enjoyable seeing in of the new year.
Jump forward to my birthday one week later. This years birthday... well, it didn't feel like 'a birthday'. I guess after how well last year's 30th went, it would be hard to match. Still, it was surrounded with family and friends, and Ant even threw a makeshift suprise dinner for me at Ice on the night of my birthday with a handful of friends, which I truly appreciated. I had a joint birthday dinner that weekend with Leon, but I did feel in some ways like it was 'just another night out', not that this is a bad thing, just that I think perhaps my priorities are shifting and I already had the most important things the Thursday before on the day of my birthday; great friends and a caring boyfriend.
Matt Coleman did a numerology reading for me for my birthday. Last year was a 5 year for me, a year of great change, testing, and romantic connections... which summed up my year perfectly. This year, being a 6 year, is a year of great opportunity, of creative pursuits, of development with relationships, and 'settling' into my new world. I've often used the anology of two worlds that were so violently defined last year on July 22nd, and while I miss the old world incredibly, I can't help but feel that this new world is going to be far more benefitial for me.
I can't talk about all the opportunities that have already shown themselves so far. Let's just say that I hope 2004 brings about a few other changes before it settles in, and that many of these opportunities are being explored. I guess i'm saying that i'm trying to make the best of each opportunity as they present themselves, especially since, financially, I need to start looking at other alternatives.
Now to round off with a recent email I received that reminded me of another 'quirky circumstance' my name brings about. I guess if I just reprint the original email from Chris, and then let you read the responce, you'll understand...
>Lawrence,
>
>I bought the Client album today and looking in the liner notes there was a
>thank you to a Laurence Akers. Now was that a spelling mistake as their
>could be a link as they have a licencing arrangement with Mute or is their
>another Lawrence Akers in the world???
>
>The mind boggles.
>
>Cheers
>Chris
My responce:
There are, actually, two 'Lawrence Akers' in the music industry.
The other is a fairly well known figure in the UK.
The first time I heard of him was when I was interviewing Steps. Their manager raced into the room and asked who was Lawrence Akers (since I was there with Cyclone, a girl, it should've been obvious!). He then went on to tell me that there was an English Lawrence Akers who was fairly high up in the industry in the UK.
Then when I joined Mushroom, Peter Barrett, an English man who did many of the early PWL covers and had moved to Australia to work in the Mushroom art department, emailed me to say that one of his close friends in the UK was also a 'Lawrence Akers'.
Then when I went to London for Depeche Mode, I received an urgent message from Denise in Australia telling me to call their PA as there had been a stuff up. The other Lawrence Akers, who is good friends with the band, had asked for tickets on the same night, and for the same quantity. I had to phone up and explain that there were two Lawrence Akers' both wanting the same number of tickets for the same show. Fun! I actually took Friendly to that gig with me as my 'pseudo date', along with Andrew Murabito who you would know from his work on Kylie artwork.
I've heard that the other Lawrence Akers has since started his own production company, and been working a bit with Andy Fletcher from Depeche, who are - of course - the key act of Mute... so you can see why there might be some Mute connection going on there. I think he may have previously worked in light design too, as I have some Take That on Top Of The Pops footage that features a Lawrence Akers on lights... the mind boggles!
And no... i've never met him, but i've always said that if I ever get back to the UK, I would want to.
