Mink Pigeons

I went to see a really good local band last night. They're called The Mink and are yet another example of the young talent we have here in Nottingham. Oh yes, there are bands everywhere in this country – everywhere in the world, of course – but it's the networking that works so well in Nottingham. There's a creative village here in which everyone with talent hooks up with each other – writers, poets, musicians, artists, film makers (don't forget that Shane Meadows works from an office inside the Broadway building). We're all here, and we all support each other. Well, The Mink was an excellent mix of funk, jazz, pop, rock and soul – the set had it all; I was electrified. The lead singer (see picture) belted out his numbers with the confidence of Elvis or Sinatra (I'm sure there are more contemporary examples but I'm old, don't forget) and yet he displayed the empathy and pain of someone like Billie Holliday. Quite remarkable.

This led me to think about pigeons. I've no idea what the connection is except perhaps this: I am surrounded by creative people just as I am surrounded by pigeons. Pigeons are everywhere in the city – there's one sitting on the table on my balcony right now, staring in at me. The other morning I was sitting with my balcony doors open and one actually hopped inside my flat and stood looking round the room as if to say 'Oh, so this is what it's like on the other side of the glass, is it?' The trouble with pigeons is that they're an absolute pest: disease-ridden, destructive, shit-producing pests who often ruin the paintwork of my car whilst it's parked in the (supposedly) secure underground car park we have in this building. And yet - they're also beautiful to look at and are one of the urban world's great survivors. I have a real dichotomy of emotions about them. I both hate them and love them and of course, when you look at their stupid faces that always display an expression of curiosity and total bewilderment, it's hard to consider doing them any harm. I think there ought to be an order (a public order, that is) that says pigeons should show the same respect to their victims as we do to them.

Just as young talented groups like The Mink should adore their fans in the very same measure as their fans adore them. That's only fair, don't you think?