Tartan Tuesday in Brutus Trimfit

Lord Bassington-Bassington has had an interest in Brutus shirts ever since reading the book The Spirit of '69: A Skinhead Bible more than 20 years ago. And now, this 1966 Tartan Trimfit model has been relaunched, at a very affordable price.

This is not only some good tidings for dark times, but also a natural choice for a Tartan Tuesday.



Perhaps it could even be worn with a knitted tie? Well, it can't hurt to try. For such a shirt as the Brutus Trimfit, customarily worn unbuttoned at the neck and perhaps even untucked(!) violates several of the rules of shirt-wearing, as helpfully explained by Mr. B the Gentleman Rhymer.

A melancholy welcome back

It’s been hard to know what to put in this first post after the summer hiatus. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you will know that Norway was hit by an instance of terrorism, the worst act of violence in this country since World War II.

The terrorist from Utøya is a megalomaniac, interested in bizarre ideas and obsessed with European style and European culture. In other words: superficially so similar to us here at the Chronicles that to make us very uncomfortable. This nearly made us kill off the Lord Bassington-Bassington Chronicles altogether. Things that were fun on July 21st feel less fun now.

But then again: If terrorists manage to make us queasy about what we love, then the monsters have won. And we refuse to let terrorists win.

Norway feels different now. There’s a new respect among citizens, a new community among people who have different ways of being Norwegian. Some of this will pass, like the roses that still adorn Oslo but are in advanced stages of decay. But some of this community will be indelible. Nations are forged in tragedy. This is one of the experiences that will forever be a part of what it means to be a Norwegian.

Once the shock that the acts were not perpetrated by Islamists had passed, it made a lot of sense. As anyone with any insight into the Norwegian far right will know, they are pretty much useless at organizing, writing, recruiting, debating or doing things that normally go with political activity. What they are quite good at, though, is murdering defenceless kids. Whether these kids themselves help far right groups, as the victims of the 1981 Hadeland killings, or happen to have a skin tone not to the liking of the far right, like Benjamin Hermansen, seems to make little difference. And let’s not even begin to discuss the sexual proclivities of some of these far right leaders. Any young person the far right has access to seem to be at risk.

This murder of Norway’s youth by the far right was the third instance in the last decades. It is the responsibility of every Norwegian to make sure there won’t be a fourth time. This we know, even if we are still unsure about what this will mean in practice.

But to begin with, we'll just welcome you back to the Lord Bassington-Bassington Chronicles.

A summery Rupert

Horrible as it is, it's getting too hot to even think about tweed. Frankly, Lord Bassington-Bassington just wants to lie in the shade somewhere. This can only mean one thing, namely that it's time to take a break from The Chronicles. We feel quite confident that Lord Bassington-Bassington will return, true to form, come the fall.

In the meantime, here's a picture of a of a young chap called Rupert (no, not that Rupert) that Lord Bassington-Bassington met last summer, while making his way up to the Glastonbury Tor on the trail of the Holy Grail.



Thanks to the Merry Thelemites of Somerset (aka The Somersetians) for the picture.

Have a good summer!

A contagiously canine chorus

While waddling around the streets of Brighton, Lord Bassington-Bassington came across a charming fellow with an impressive beard (though of course not as impressive as that of His Lordship's dear Mullah).



It was explained to His Lordship (by none other than Mr. B) that the gentleman was a member of The Bobby McGee's, the world's first "tweecore" band - no, not "tweedcore", though that is bound to be invented sooner or later.

All songs by the Bobby McGee's are absolutely brilliant, of course, but it is only when you see the video below that you can really appreaciate why Lord Bassington-Bassington is now a raving fan of the band.



Finally there's a chorus Lord Bassington-Bassington can really get into! Sing along, everybody!

Tartan Tuesdays

Inspired by the Laguna Beach Fogey and by many an exciting trip to Scotland, we will start celebrating Tartan Tuesdays here at Bassington Manor. There might be something we haven’t caught on to, but the rules seem simple: just wear something tartan on Tuesdays.

Being beginners at this game, the only tartan thing we can muster is a bow tie and a shirt, but we are planning to keep this up and some day become seasoned tartan veterans. Things to pick up in the future include socks, scarved and pocket squares. Perhaps the full ki(l)t!



Now, the rules about wearing tartan are many, but ultimately they can probably be ignored. It's just clothes, for Dog's sake.

And anyway, Lord Bassington-Bassington is still looking for a tartan in black, brown and white – a true tricolor Basset tartan! Perhaps something like this?

Deadly coverings

As Lord Bassington–Bassington has long had a soft spot for the music of Death in June, His Lordship has tried to stay abreast not only of the band's own releases, but also the various other musicians who have tried their hands at interpreting the band's music.



There’s been quite a few such covers through the years, but few bands have taken it to the extremes of Down in June (pictured below) have. Springing from the queer theatre circuit of Malmö, Sweden, Down in June have produced a whole album of Death in June covers that occasionally are better than the originals. They are also superb live, as Lord Bassington-Bassington has seen with his own two eyes.





But Lord Bassington-Bassington feels confident that the ultimate Death in June cover band will be the upcoming project of His Lordship's dear friend Mr. Huseby.

Ladies and gentlemen: Meet – Death in Uke!



Despite Lord Bassington-Bassington’s mixed feelings about the ukulele, His Lordship is confident that this will represent nothing less than a musical revolution. If you don't get it, then the uke's on you.

Harris tweed rides again!

The idea of Tweed runs seems to have spread to Glasgow with the launch of the first Harris Tweed Ride later this summer.

Not only does there seem to be all sorts of festivities planned, all in a spirit of charity. Scottish designer Judith R. Clark also seems to plan to create a special tweed jacket for the event. The jacket is still a secret, but some samples of Clarke's work can be seen underneath.





Lord Bassington-Bassington thinks this is a splendid idea. The only question is what can be done to make this phenomenal phenomenon spread to His Lordship's own neighbourhood here in Little Storping In-The-Swuff.

Perhaps one has to take the matter into one's own paws?