Michael Shallcross
@michaelshallcross.bsky.social
Wrote a book about G.K. Chesterton and literary modernism. Now working in uni admin, but still doing research - see pinned thread for info on my current project, 'Inscribing Pandemonium'. Also posting about music, culture, politics, random nonsense.
Pinned
Parakeets Arise!
In which I recruit some talkative birds to introduce the main themes of my project, and the reader first encounters squawker-in-chief, Sir John Collings Squire.
inscribingpandemonium.wordpress.com
I started a blog to post excerpts from my research project on the Devil and parody, while I build a website to host the final version. Here's the first extract, in which a pandemonium of parrots heralds the appearance of J.C. Squire, a writer whose parodic devilry is threaded throughout the project.
Very exciting to hear a great new song from Lungleg on Radio 6 this morning - one of the finest Scottish bands of the '90s!
Lung Leg feat. Lora Logic - Girls
YouTube video by Errol's Hot Wax
www.youtube.com
October 29, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Very exciting to hear a great new song from Lungleg on Radio 6 this morning - one of the finest Scottish bands of the '90s!
#NowPlaying Been hoping for an affordable vinyl reissue of this wonderful record for years. Adam Green and Binki Shapiro casting themselves as a 21c Lee and Nancy, with an absolutely gorgeous set of chamber pop miniatures.
October 28, 2025 at 10:02 PM
#NowPlaying Been hoping for an affordable vinyl reissue of this wonderful record for years. Adam Green and Binki Shapiro casting themselves as a 21c Lee and Nancy, with an absolutely gorgeous set of chamber pop miniatures.
Another instalment in the occasional series, 'what is the TLS reviewer talking about?'
Obvs few things more aggravating than an author being readily in command of their chosen material.
Obvs few things more aggravating than an author being readily in command of their chosen material.
October 27, 2025 at 8:22 PM
Another instalment in the occasional series, 'what is the TLS reviewer talking about?'
Obvs few things more aggravating than an author being readily in command of their chosen material.
Obvs few things more aggravating than an author being readily in command of their chosen material.
Taking a short break in Liverpool, brought the latest issue of Mojo to read on the train, then ran into a familiar sight in the Beatles Museum.
October 26, 2025 at 8:55 PM
Taking a short break in Liverpool, brought the latest issue of Mojo to read on the train, then ran into a familiar sight in the Beatles Museum.
Not the most elegant dish, granted, but Indian spiced chicken livers = desert island dinner. Comfort food of the very highest order.
October 25, 2025 at 8:17 PM
Not the most elegant dish, granted, but Indian spiced chicken livers = desert island dinner. Comfort food of the very highest order.
All the episodes of this recent 'Ladies of Lynch' series are really interesting, but this is maybe the best, with Jennifer Lynch talking about the process of writing 'The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer'.
MUBI Podcast | Jennifer Lynch Writes “The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer”
Season 9 continues with insights into David Lynch’s collaboration with his daughter, who gave Laura Palmer an inner life.
mubi.com
October 25, 2025 at 4:50 PM
All the episodes of this recent 'Ladies of Lynch' series are really interesting, but this is maybe the best, with Jennifer Lynch talking about the process of writing 'The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer'.
#NowPlaying Finally picked up a vinyl copy of the most recent Parquet Courts album, 4 years after it came out. Wasn't initially sold on the 80s electronica angle, but now think it's ageing well. Probably my favourite US band of the last 15 years, hope their recent silence is just an extended hiatus.
October 25, 2025 at 2:26 PM
#NowPlaying Finally picked up a vinyl copy of the most recent Parquet Courts album, 4 years after it came out. Wasn't initially sold on the 80s electronica angle, but now think it's ageing well. Probably my favourite US band of the last 15 years, hope their recent silence is just an extended hiatus.
Think I might start watching one of these every morning, to get the day off to the right start. There are 950 of them, so that'll give me something to do for the rest of my forties 👍
David Lynch’s Weather Report 10/24/20
YouTube video by DAVID LYNCH THEATER
www.youtube.com
October 24, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Think I might start watching one of these every morning, to get the day off to the right start. There are 950 of them, so that'll give me something to do for the rest of my forties 👍
Jo is great, and this is bound to be very good fun - get down there, London folk
Hosting my first ever salon tonight, at Chats Palace in Hackney. Waaaaaah..!
October 22, 2025 at 3:44 PM
Jo is great, and this is bound to be very good fun - get down there, London folk
Reposted by Michael Shallcross
It’s Dory Previn’s centenary today, here’s a repost of a Quietus feature from 2024 if you‘re curious to find out more. Really enjoyed writing this (and the documentary is excellent too).
thequietus.com/opinion-and-...
thequietus.com/opinion-and-...
No Ordinary Thing: The Momentous Life & Times of Dory Previn
On the release of a new documentary on Dory Previn, Adelle Stripe explores an artist who learned to live with voices in her head
thequietus.com
October 22, 2025 at 1:04 PM
It’s Dory Previn’s centenary today, here’s a repost of a Quietus feature from 2024 if you‘re curious to find out more. Really enjoyed writing this (and the documentary is excellent too).
thequietus.com/opinion-and-...
thequietus.com/opinion-and-...
If I had unlimited funds and a much bigger house I would absolutely buy this
if you haven't been to Steve Albini's Closet for a while, or maybe ever, it's more than worth a look. Latest auction item: Steve's wonderful billiard table which is also incredibly heavy. Would make a reasonable bed hint hint
Auction — Steve Albini's Closet
www.stevealbiniscloset.com
October 20, 2025 at 8:17 AM
If I had unlimited funds and a much bigger house I would absolutely buy this
So spotify is just making up new releases by dead artists now
October 19, 2025 at 7:40 PM
So spotify is just making up new releases by dead artists now
Off to see One Battle After Another, as you've all been raving about it. Did not like Licorice Pizza one bit, so feeling a certain trepidation...
October 18, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Off to see One Battle After Another, as you've all been raving about it. Did not like Licorice Pizza one bit, so feeling a certain trepidation...
Taking Thomas to his first York City match this afternoon. Hoping for some good-natured rough and tumble, and less-than well-mannered antics.
October 18, 2025 at 8:33 AM
Taking Thomas to his first York City match this afternoon. Hoping for some good-natured rough and tumble, and less-than well-mannered antics.
Thomas and I made a cake for his school Halloween party - simple but effective!
October 17, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Thomas and I made a cake for his school Halloween party - simple but effective!
This new phone update just makes me feel incredibly demoralised. Before long it'll be considered eccentric not to fake our own photographic histories as a matter of course. I simply don't want to live in the world these people are creating. 'Easily erase unwanted people'. Jesus Christ.
October 15, 2025 at 8:14 PM
This new phone update just makes me feel incredibly demoralised. Before long it'll be considered eccentric not to fake our own photographic histories as a matter of course. I simply don't want to live in the world these people are creating. 'Easily erase unwanted people'. Jesus Christ.
An unhinged literary opinion needs to be like Muriel Spark believing T.S. Eliot was sending her coded messages through his plays, not 'hear me out, I don't like Dickens'. That is simply a literary opinion. The hinges are very much intact.
October 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
An unhinged literary opinion needs to be like Muriel Spark believing T.S. Eliot was sending her coded messages through his plays, not 'hear me out, I don't like Dickens'. That is simply a literary opinion. The hinges are very much intact.
Interesting piece, this. Unlike his friend, Kingsley Amis, Burgess is sharply critical of Thatcher, for inducting a social philosophy that suggests '[t]here is something criminal about being poor'. He also warns, unheeded, that education should never 'be considered in terms of a market economy'...
On this week’s newsletter: 100 years of the Iron Lady. Anthony Burgess (author of A Clockwork Orange) assesses Margaret Thatcher’s premiership. But what does he make of the her?
Subscribe for FREE for weekly posts: anthonyburgessfoundation.substack.com/p/a-woman-wh...
Subscribe for FREE for weekly posts: anthonyburgessfoundation.substack.com/p/a-woman-wh...
October 10, 2025 at 10:18 AM
Interesting piece, this. Unlike his friend, Kingsley Amis, Burgess is sharply critical of Thatcher, for inducting a social philosophy that suggests '[t]here is something criminal about being poor'. He also warns, unheeded, that education should never 'be considered in terms of a market economy'...
🎵 From the back third-eye psyche,
In the reflected mirror of delirium,
Eastender and victorious lager,
The induced call, mysterious, comes forth:
Hit the North 🎵
#FallFriday
In the reflected mirror of delirium,
Eastender and victorious lager,
The induced call, mysterious, comes forth:
Hit the North 🎵
#FallFriday
The Fall - Hit The North
YouTube video by Beggars Banquet Records
www.youtube.com
October 10, 2025 at 9:09 AM
🎵 From the back third-eye psyche,
In the reflected mirror of delirium,
Eastender and victorious lager,
The induced call, mysterious, comes forth:
Hit the North 🎵
#FallFriday
In the reflected mirror of delirium,
Eastender and victorious lager,
The induced call, mysterious, comes forth:
Hit the North 🎵
#FallFriday
billy woods, shown here being *extremely good* in Leeds
October 6, 2025 at 9:26 PM
billy woods, shown here being *extremely good* in Leeds
Tfw your street is a few hundred yards from one of the country's biggest racecourses
October 4, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Tfw your street is a few hundred yards from one of the country's biggest racecourses
Just cooked up a small batch of this and it is gooood stuff
October 4, 2025 at 4:54 PM
Just cooked up a small batch of this and it is gooood stuff
Happened upon this earlier, which - despite the silly clickbait image - is a really interesting interview with Harry Borden, who photographed Blur around 1993-94.
I Photographed Damon Albarn and It Wasn't The Easiest Shoot
YouTube video by Fred and Harry Borden
youtu.be
October 4, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Happened upon this earlier, which - despite the silly clickbait image - is a really interesting interview with Harry Borden, who photographed Blur around 1993-94.
Reposted by Michael Shallcross
The Morrell Library is 59 years old today!
Join us on a brief pictorial trip back in time with his much loved* brutalist building, starting with this cracking picture of the mid-60s campus, with the Morrell behind Central Hall.
Look at those crisp architectural lines. Woof.
Next up: plans >> 🧵
Join us on a brief pictorial trip back in time with his much loved* brutalist building, starting with this cracking picture of the mid-60s campus, with the Morrell behind Central Hall.
Look at those crisp architectural lines. Woof.
Next up: plans >> 🧵
October 3, 2025 at 2:34 PM
The Morrell Library is 59 years old today!
Join us on a brief pictorial trip back in time with his much loved* brutalist building, starting with this cracking picture of the mid-60s campus, with the Morrell behind Central Hall.
Look at those crisp architectural lines. Woof.
Next up: plans >> 🧵
Join us on a brief pictorial trip back in time with his much loved* brutalist building, starting with this cracking picture of the mid-60s campus, with the Morrell behind Central Hall.
Look at those crisp architectural lines. Woof.
Next up: plans >> 🧵