As Simon Bookish, he has made two albums for the London-based label Use Your Teeth and one for the German label TomLab:
- Unfair / Funfair (2006) - an abrasive and energetic sequence of songs whose subjects range from Euripides and Richard the Third to the invention of the Guillotine
- Trainwreck/Raincheck(2006) - a 'surreal electronic radio play' combining sound design and spoken word, concerning vibrant images of transportation.
- Everything/Everything - an album which blends experimental, classical and pop music through many scientific words, orchestral instrumentation and catchy melodies.
He has released singles on Tomlab and through Playlouder recordings, and has been asked to provide remixes for Franz Ferdinand, The Organ and Grizzly Bear. Leo is also credited with guest appearances on albums by Max de Wardener, Leafcutter John, Patrick Wolf and Saint Etienne.
Simon Bookish has presented over 50 solo performances since 2003. Venues have included the Whitechapel Art Gallery, Dover Street Market (comme des garcons store), Transition Film Lounge (Berlin), Nastyfest 2004 (Leeds), Capri Art Festival 2004, the Redgate Gallery, the Africa Centre, and the Vortex Jazz Club. His music has been broadcast on BBC Radio One and XFM, and he has presented shows on London's Resonance FM.
Leo was a member of the folk/experimental musician Leafcutter John's live band (as a vocalist). Performances in 2005/6 have included shows in Aarhus (Denmark), Berlin, Poland and Geneva.
John and Leo, together with Seb Rochford (drummer with jazz ensemble Polar Bear) and Mandy Drummond have also performed a live improvised set for BBC Radio Three's innovative show "Mixing it". (July 2006).
In 2001, he was a member of the 'Sound City' ensemble, which presented new work by director Heiner Goebbels as part of LIFT'01 at the Almeida Theatre.
He has also presented one-off performances and exhibitions, such as "MOISTURE and FUNERAL" (a spoken word and computer projection piece commissioned by the TwoSee Boutique, 2006), "Simon Bookish and C Loopseend present Fear of Music" (a deconstruction of the work of Talking Heads at Limehouse Town Hall, 2004) and contributed a piece to the sound art show "Off The Record" (Musique d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, 2004).
A Crack in Larsen C
Simon Bookish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What are you going to do when you're older?
Will you feel more special than anybody else?
Who are you going to love when the Earth spins colder?
Will I regret the books I never read?
Formalized Music, awake
When will I have plastic surgery?
What drugs will we be on, and for how long?
How many hours will we have wasted together?
Will the future crash in in the next five minutes?
And if it does, will we be burning or frozen?
Step into the sky, let me show you an orphan
All the oil drained away, and there's a crack in Larsen C
Ada Lovelace, unveil the computer
Luna fell out of her orbit at her apogee
And the Gulf Stream fades away, no apology
Step into the sky, let me show you an orphan
The lyrics of Simon Bookish's song "A Crack in Larsen C" address big questions about life, love, regrets, and the uncertainty of the future. In the opening lines, the singer asks how we will perceive ourselves as we age and who we will love when the world changes around us. These questions are tied to deeper themes of identity and existential angst. The song then shifts to more specific concerns, such as the fear of missing out on important experiences like reading books or undergoing plastic surgery. Additionally, the lyrics explore the idea that we may be living through a turning point in history, where the future is uncertain and we face potentially catastrophic events such as environmental disaster or global conflict. The singer closes with a poignant image of an orphan in the sky, representing the isolation and vulnerability we may feel in the face of such uncertainty.
Overall, "A Crack in Larsen C" is a deeply contemplative song that tackles themes that are both personal and universal. Through its enigmatic lyrics and haunting melodies, it invites listeners to reflect on the mysteries of existence and our place in the world.
Line by Line Meaning
How are you going to look?
How do you perceive your appearance will change over time?
What are you going to do when you're older?
How do you plan to spend your life in old age?
Will you feel more special than anybody else?
Do you believe you will have an extraordinary life?
Who are you going to love when the Earth spins colder?
Who will be the one you love the most in the face of difficult times?
Will I regret the books I never read?
Will you lament not reading certain books?
Formalized Music, awake
Embrace the concepts behind and the appreciation of formal music.
When will I have plastic surgery?
Will it become necessary for me to have plastic surgery?
Can you recall your greatest mistake to date?
What is the biggest mistake you have made in your life so far?
What drugs will we be on, and for how long?
What will be the drugs we take and how frequently will we use them?
How many hours will we have wasted together?
How many hours have we spent together in vain?
Will the future crash in in the next five minutes?
Will an entire destruction of the future occur soon?
And if it does, will we be burning or frozen?
If the future perishes, will we burn or freeze due to it?
Step into the sky, let me show you an orphan
Let me show you someone insignificant and left alone.
All the oil drained away, and there's a crack in Larsen C
The oil supply now depleted, and the crack in the Larsen C ice shelf signify a great global challenge.
Ada Lovelace, unveil the computer
Acknowledge Ada Lovelace's significance in the modern age of computing.
Luna fell out of her orbit at her apogee
The Moon's orbit around Earth has become unstable, as it travels furthest away.
And the Gulf Stream fades away, no apology
The once strong Gulf Stream that affected the climate in many regions is disappearing, and no apology is given about it.
Step into the sky, let me show you an orphan
Let me show you someone insignificant and left alone.
Contributed by Liam A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.