東京 カラチ経由 ロンドン・ブリクストン行き 1988 Pale faced Optimist

これを聴きながら読んでもらえると嬉しいです！I am happy to have you read while listening to this!

はじめての飛行機ではなかったが、はじめてのヨーロッパへの旅だった。春、初夏？覚えていないけど、覚えているのは、格安チケットだったので、カラチ経由パキスタン航空。とても長いフライトでカラチ空港のトランジットですごく待たされた。そして、暑かった。トランジットのロビーに移動する時に、小銃を持ったガードの兵士がいた。悪いことをしていないのに、とてもびびったのを覚えている。

「ミッドナイトエクスプレス　Midnight Express」という映画のことを思い出した。　ヒースロー空港で降りて、その前に評判の良くない出入国審査場（イミグレーション・ゲート？フィールド）で根掘り葉堀り聞かれて、嫌な思いをしたものだ。その後も色々な国を旅することになるが、ヒースロー空港はトラウマになったな！他の国でが全然大丈夫なのに。

ヒースローから電車に乗りついで、サウスロンドン・ランベス地区のブリクストンへ！ちょうど日曜日の午後で、Lambeth Town Hallの前は、教会のサービスが終わったばかりで正装したかっこいい黒人ばかりであった。 その時の僕は、知らないことばかりで「どこに来てしまったんだって、アフリカ？」ってレイシストばりのことを思ったものだ。

↑ハービーさんの写真

でも、この街はデヴィッド・ボウイが生まれたところだし、近くのStretham ストレサム に クラッシュのジョーストラマーが住んでた？と言われていたところもあって、（ハービー山口さんの写真が大好きだったな！）音楽の街だ！Brixton Academyはあったし、Fridgeというクラブあったっけね？ここから僕のロンドン生活が始まった！

How [ I loved Lambeth！by Monochrome Set]
追記： 1989年 元カノの家である Wesr Dulwich に居候させてもらった。本当に素晴らしい彼女と家族。すごくよくしてもらっったありがとうと言いたい。　その後、彼女とは別れてしまったが、私は ロンドンの生活を少し続けて、ヨーロッパに移住。　たくさんの友達ができた。みんな素晴らしい人たちばかり。　

Home page:
http://fureasteen.wixsite.com/fureasteen
 
facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/tomdanteblue439/
 
instagram :
https://www.instagram.com/tom_dante_fureasteen/

#tomdante
#indie
#dreampop

Pale Faced Optimist

Something is hard to remember,
those memories I put it on my shoulder.
Well I couldn’t surrender everything
But I could be a great pretender.
When you asked me for something special.
For a while, I kept it away.
I was a kind of guy, you know, who hate to answer the right way.
You know I am a pale-faced optimist.
I wanted to kiss you away, I wanted to kiss you away
I wanted to kiss you away

Me and my ex-girlfriend spent one night together there
I couldn’t sleep so tight, she said it is going to be alright,
Then she booked an early morning flight to go back home.
She had very long red hair. I told her I used to have Blonde hair.
There was the dream surrounded us with a chilly wind, and finally carry her away.
But you know I am a pale-faced optimist.
I wanted to smile her away, I wanted to smile her you away
I wanted to smile her away I wanted to smile her away
La la la la la la la

Someone came to my table, It seems he is in trouble.
Someone cut the light cable, then the darkness told me I should go away.
Somewhere, somehow I could find you.
You are only my love song
Well please tell me how could you get those blues, it might be laughable.
You know we are the pale-faced optimist.
I wanted to kiss you away. I wanted to kiss you away.
I wanted to kiss you away. I wanted to kiss you away.
I wanted to kiss you away.

Song written by Tom Dante ©︎

From Tokyo to London · Brixton via Karachi. 1988
It was not my first airplane,
but it was the first trip to Europe.
Spring, early summer?
I do not remember,
I remember that it was a cheap ticket
and I choose the Pakistan Airlines via Karachi.
It was a long flight and We kept waiting at Karachi airport transit.
And it was so hot.
As I moved to the transit lobby, there was a guard soldier with a rifle.
I remember being very scared though I was not doing any bad things.
I remembered the movie ‘Midnight Express’ .
I got off at Heathrow Airport
and before enter U.K I have to pass
the bad reputation-immigration site (Immigration Gate or field???).
I had a strict examination and I had unpleasant experience.
After that, I traveled various countries,
but Heathrow Airport has become a trauma!
Even though it is all right in other countries.
Take the train from Heathrow and
then take the South Lambeth, Brixton!
I landed on Sunday afternoon,
at front of the Lambeth Town Hall, the service of the church is just over.
It was so many cool black dressed in formal wear!!!
At that time I recall that I said to myself,
“Wow, Where am I, Africa?" like a racist say.
But I knew David Bowie was born here,
There was also a place near Stretham
that was said, Joe Strummer of The Clash lived.
It is the city of music!
There was the famous Brixton Academy,
The club called Fridge was there?
Yes My life in London started from here!