tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post5509820614883932261..comments2024-02-06T16:17:25.826+00:00Comments on THE GRØNMARK BLOG: Frank Miles, and the English genius for turning irritation into comedyScott Gronmarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15118026157459333174noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-12380494979035303142013-10-06T10:34:46.995+01:002013-10-06T10:34:46.995+01:00Is Miles the one who described the phenomenon of [...Is Miles the one who described the phenomenon of [orderly] queing with the phrase "Get thee behind me" ? That still pops up in my head whenever I come across a queu of any length.Janine Bolléehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09857073674960699155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215553202978284468.post-20910871525930580282013-10-03T00:17:55.611+01:002013-10-03T00:17:55.611+01:00At some point when we were in the 6th form, I noti...At some point when we were in the 6th form, I noticed that a music rag called Disc and Music Echo was running a competition for the best analysis of a typically rubbish drawing that John Lennon had done for them, essentially a self portrait with the word ART at the top of it. It must have taken him all of 30 seconds. I decided to enter with an FR Leavis style critical analysis beginning with the words "Ars est celare artem" and featuring various bits of FrM's favoured terminology. It was published under the pseudonym Smokey Bean with my address and a few days later I received a fan letter from a girl in Brighton asking to be my pen pal and offering the observation that she was "not to tall and not to small" sic. I then made the mistake of sharing my success with my friends and within a day Frank approached me asking me what I knew about an art critic called Smokey Bean. There followed what is best described as a 5 minute masterclass in taking the piss. Among the parts I remember was the suggestion that perhaps I ought in future to submit my essays under the same pseudonym as it was a possible explanation for the leap in quality compared with the material I produced under my own name; and the hope that I would pursue the acquaintance with girl from Brighton because we seemed well suited to each other. It was excruciatingly embarrassing, although occasionally I noticed that he seemed to be struggling to keep a straight face. New Ticknoreply@blogger.com