The Map is My Enemy
Four of Sean’s books are now available in print:
The Map is My Enemy
A breathless, mad ride through the demi monde of New York City. Described as a ‘Caledonian Hunter S Thompson’, Urquhart takes the reader into perilous situations, with a drink and an obscure verse for each journey.
I never did like the sound of the bagpipes
A navigation through austerity London, through the lens of Christy, a ex-soldier with PTSD on the margins of an atomised society. His life of unremitting greyness on the fringes of Walthamstow alters forever over the course of a drunken odyssey of a weekend with his old Forces compadre Alec.
Lone Bodies
A fevered journey through the minds of various ‘lone bodies’ in the borough of Walthamstow, East London. Linked by tangents, the characters herein vary from barroom psychotics, lone wolf agitators to neighbourhood fixer, the mysterious Graham The Lion. Drawn together by more than mere fate, the tensions surrounding these players reach a crescendo faster than a kitten in an amphetamine frenzy.
The Punishment of Luxury
A companion piece to ‘Lone Bodies’. A return to the febrile madness of the first book. From Glasgow to London. From inner to outer limits of sanity. The onion layers of the protagonists peel back to reveal some intriguing back stories. A breathless ride.
Also available at Amazon and Barnes & Noble.
The Northern Invasion
- THE LUNACY BOARD PRESENTS:
‘THE NORTHERN INVASION’ PART ONE…
A LUNACY BOARD SHOWCASE
- TREVOR SEWELL BAND (www.trevorsewell.com)
- THE TWISTED MELONS ( www.thetwistedmelons.com )
- WEIRD SHAPES ( www.weirdshapes.co.uk )
FLOWERS OF EVIL
Compere: Wee Dave of XRP Radio
Merchandise stall.
Live @ The Hope and Anchor, Upper Street, Islington : 19th of December. Doors 7.30pm.
THE HAWKLORDS (interview and live show)
ABC Glasgow 21st of October.
Jerry Richards, Harvey Bainbridge, Dave Pearce, Tom Ashurst, Ron Tree.
A wide ranging interview with the real gents of genuine underground music. A legendary 2 hours spent with the men on the frontline. Jerry, a debonair and handsome giant, all empathethic body language and artuculate commentary. Harvey, the wise man of the outfit, a one man encyclopedia of all things Hawkwind and much, much more.
Dave Pearce, a calm, centred south east Londoner, who plays with the latest incarnation of The Bevis Frond, was full of quick humour and was as indulgent of my constant questioning as the very acccomodating others. The friendly and easy going road manager allowed me into the inner sanctum of the tour bus, a compact and warm Mercedes Splitter van which soon filled with grey plumes of our collective smoke.
From anecdotes on everyone from Jack Bruce and Alexis Korner, to the reason for their comeback, it was a wondrous time spent with the friendliest and socially minded men in music. Taciturn newcomer Tom Ashcroft sat in wise before his tender 18 years as the history unfolded apace.
Ron Tree made an appearance towards the close of play. A genial figure in a red waiscoat and white golfing shoes, Ron offered his counsel on a range of topics from his and Jerry’s departure from Hawkwind, to the ravages of American capitalism on the UK and Europe.
We touched on personal histories, from Harvey Bainbridge’s peripatetic Forces upbriging to Jerry Richards’ agricultural background. Dave Pearce admitted he was born and bred in Eltham and hsd famously never left! Ron Tree mentioned his Leeds family as the hours flew like the hawk itself, swooping off at glorious tangents and encompassing 2000 years of human history.
The new album R:Evolution
SEAN URQUHART ©2015
The Lunacy Bard
Two dates for your diary, this time for Sean reading from his novel ‘I never did like the sound of the bagpipes’:
More Storm Festival on Thursday the 1st of October at 8pm. The venue is at Middlesex University, The Burroughs, London NW4. Hendon Tube is the nearest public transport.
Then on Wednesday the 7th of October at 8pm he’s starting a ‘salon’, hosting an evening with poet Emma Hammond and Author Bren Gosling as well as reading from his novel. The venue is 13 Thorpe Crescent, Walthamstow E17 5BY. Blackhorse Road or Walthamstow Central are the nearest tube stations.
Lust and Longing in Glasgow
7pm on the 31st of March @ Hyndland Cafe, Clarence Drive, Hyndland, Glasgow.
Meet the author, Sean Urquhart and illustrator, Ross Laing. Enjoy a selection of readings, tea, coffee and cakes; afterwards we will have a Q and A session and a few drinks elsewhere.
Come along, it’s free and the cafe is a lovely space run by a lovely couple, Kim and Stuart.
There’s even a Facebook Group supporting the event!
Oddities
Mick has followed up his instrumental album, ‘Obscurities’, with another selection of quirky instrumentals, this time featuring pieces played on everything from flute and zither through to knives and fire engine nozzles.
More information at Mick’s blog, or just listen to it below:
Lit Pop – Spoken Word with Music
Earlier this year, Sean performed some of his spoken word pieces to musical accompaniment by Joe Eldridge during the Lit Pop event at The Star and Shadow, Newcastle. 25th of April 2013. This video features his performance, which includes a piece written for the event, an excerpt from his latest book, ‘Lust and Longing in New York, as well as a selection of poems. More information about the gig here.
Obscurities
Mick has released new album of instrumental music, accompanied by a novella, called ‘Obscurities‘.
The eBook is also available at Smashwords in formats for all the usual eReaders.
As if that wasn’t enough, the story will also be appearing in audio podcast form over the next few weeks at Every Photo Tells…
The audio version of the story includes snippets of music from the album, so is also a good way to hear some of the music and immerse yourself in the story at the same time.
Lust and Longing in New York
Here’s the blurb:
Lust & Longing in New York is a Gonzo-style journey into the concrete heart of America. A next-gen incarnation of Hunter S. Thompson, Scottish poet and writer Sean Urquhart exposes his mind, body, and soul to NYC, and the city’s darkest vestiges seep out from beneath their modern-day sheen to greet him. With a head full of madness and drugs, Urquhart traverses Manhattan’s maze of streets, bars, hotels, subways, and subversive characters, offering unfiltered descriptions of his sights, sounds, and experiences. In a stream-of-consciousness (and often unconscious) style, Urquhart deals with his own internal despair as well as a motley crew of misguided fellow Scots, drunken sympathizers, drug dealers (and sharers), mysterious women, and run-of-the-mill American drones. His gripping prose monologue is offset with inspired, one-of-a-kind poetry that brings his alcohol-addled vision of The Big Apple to unsettling life. You’ll alternately pity and pull for Urquhart as he grapples with substance abuse, shady characters, and internal conflict, all the while unwilling or unable to escape the fate he’s arranged for himself. Lust & Longing in New York is a reckless, riveting experience that is as unforgettable as the great city itself.
Coo!
Mick has just released a new solo track, which is available at his website or from the link below. Like all the Lunacy Board albums, you can pay what you like to download it.
