Make love

Este vinho, bebido há dias, à lareira, entranhou-se-me. And you know why?
Começou por me provocar. Com o seu cheiro. O nariz transmitiu-me sensações de volúpia e tive de proibir a boca de o beber. Aquela sensação tinha de durar. Mais e mais. Queria bebê-lo, mas não já. Na ânsia de o cheirar com maior intensidade, mergulhei o nariz no copo. Foi então que este se inclinou, e o vinho se roçou nos meus lábios. Veludo. O vinho tinha a forma de uns lábios suaves, sábios na arte de amar. Gradualmente, o cheiro e o sabor tomaram a forma do desejo. Estranho, como um vinho se entranha e provoca a urgência de se consumir o desejo. Levantei os olhos para a chama que dançava na lareira, movimentos de um erotismo profano. Algures, fechei os olhos, e estive contigo, chama.

Luxo é

"Possuo a majestosa idade de 72 anos e permito-me dizer: se algum trabalho aparecer, aparece, se não aparecer não aparece, está tudo bem na mesma...

"...Tenho uma vida boa: componho música, pinto, actuo, tenho família e amigos. Por isso, se um filme resulta, tudo bem, se não resulta, tudo bem na mesma... Se se estrear nos cinemas, tudo bem, se não se estrear, tudo bem na mesma. Não fico muito tempo a pensar nisso...

"... Adoro representar... Há muitos filmes em que estou interessado e em relação aos quais digo - se forem para a frente telefonem-me - Mas já não fico com um nó no estômago. Se acontecer, acontece...

"... Não deixes que nada te aborreça, é a minha atitude...

"... É assim que preservamos a nossa sanidade, penso eu..."

Anthony Hopkins, 2010, ao The New York Times

Também penso assim. Mas é um luxo poder pensar assim, e, acima de tudo, actuar em conformidade. Vindo de um Grande actor, poder-se-ia desconfiar. Mas, por ele ser mesmo Grande, penso que acredita no que diz.

Paintings entitled "Abas," left, and "Midas" by actor Sir Anthony Hopkins are displayed in a new collection of his artwork at the Gallery 27, in London.

On top, Farm under a red sky

Tindersticks nas Caldas

Let me start to say that a band that does 5 gigs in a row in Portugal either is rehearsing or must like this piece of land. After last night´s debut the conclusion is so obvious: you guys from other countries MUST demand a minimum of 5 gigs in each of your countries!

The band - all seven musicians - was extremely happy on stage (as well as out of stage. I happen to be dining with my wife at the same restaurant as them and what I saw was Harmony Around their Table. Hope you have enjoyed the wine, one of my favourites!).

Now, the first gig. Fantastic. From there I bet it will grow to a more perfect gig, but who cares about perfection? I don´t. For those who keep mumbling about how good tindersticks were with Dickon I have to say this: this is phase 2. Phase 1 is gone. Keep your records and your memories just like I do. Phase 1 is already part of the Classics. Keep it in the shrine you only visit when you need. Self-pity is out of the stage. Of course the band will keep visiting - like they did yesterday - those songs from their first works. And you know what? Songs that could make me cry now make me smile. I guess I´m getting older along with them, and I look back with a different wisdom, a different state of mind. I believe that´s what they do. Those songs from the past are now played stripped from saddness and anguish. Just showing their soul. When they played Dying slowly or Runnin´wild, that´s what I felt. The soul is there to be absorbed but the body is no longer there to suffer. Stuart´s voice and interpretation underlines this. He´s happy. Cheers! I hope someone understands this...The three new members of the band are enjoying their time and they offer some background vocals that work very, very well. Cheers! Neil walks their happiness in stage and makes his guitar smile and laugh. Cheers! Dave holds all the pieces with is concentrated personality. He likes perfection and smiles when perfection fades. That´s the spirit. Cheers! Andy is an intelectual musician. His smiling face enjoys enormously the effects of the band´s performance on the audience. He looks at us as if asking us to smile and cheer together with them. Cheers!

While driving the 100 miles back home, I felt I missed some good wine during the gig. Tindersticks performances require a good wine these days.

Thank you for a fantastic evening. See you soon.