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).
Dumb Terminal
Simon Bookish Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's more than a change of address, this town is sinking slowly
I've moved, and you've moved, too
It's neither tectonic plates nor the pull of the moon
It's cruel
You must swim in the sea
Because you can't use the plane to come here to see me
Who built this dumb terminal?
We've moved
Like a slide down smooth into a mess of our own making
Is it true?
We shouldn't second-guess
I've moved
And you've moved through
From being tiny, careless consumer to something serious
Men and women sinking slowly
These lyrics from Simon Bookish's song Dumb Terminal describe a situation where both the singer and the person he's addressing have moved to different places. The singer is reflecting on how their movement is not just a change of address - it's a change in their lives as they know it. He describes the town as "sinking slowly", implying that it is going through some kind of decline or change. The movement is not caused by any external forces like tectonic plates, but something internal to both the singer and the person he's addressing.
The situation is described as cruel as the person he's addressing must swim to see him instead of taking a plane. The imagery of goose fat and goggles adds a surreal touch to the lyrics, almost as if it's a dreamlike experience rather than a physical one. The lyrics then ask who built this dumb terminal, which could refer to the physical location the singer is in, or the metaphysical concept of being stuck in one place, unable to move on or escape.
The song is reflective of the changes one goes through in life, and the importance of not second-guessing oneself. It's a reminder that growth and change are necessary to become a more serious, mature person.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm moved
I'm emotionally affected
It's more than a change of address, this town is sinking slowly
This town is gradually deteriorating, beyond just a relocation
I've moved, and you've moved, too
We've both relocated
It's neither tectonic plates nor the pull of the moon
The reason for the sinking is not natural phenomena
It's cruel
The situation is unfair and harsh
You must swim in the sea
The only way to reach me is through great effort
Because you can't use the plane to come here to see me
Air travel is not an option
You'll need goose fat and goggles
You'll need specialized gear to endure the journey
Who built this dumb terminal?
Who is responsible for this frustrating situation?
We've moved
We've both relocated
Like a slide down smooth into a mess of our own making
We've smoothly transitioned into a difficult situation we've created
Is it true?
Can it be trusted or confirmed?
We shouldn't second-guess
We shouldn't doubt ourselves
I've moved
I've relocated
And you've moved through
You've gone through the process of moving
From being tiny, careless consumer to something serious
We've grown from being insignificant consumers to important individuals
Men and women sinking slowly
People gradually deteriorating
Contributed by Ruby P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
gb7gbgb02
Excellent stuff! I'd never heard of Simon until Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy) covered 'Interview' at a concert last month.
gunmetaljaguar
This is a song by the recording artist Simon Bookish. I listened to it on my laptop computer.
UniQueLyEviL
I'm fucking LOVING THIS!!
Thraeryn
This was a song that my computer played through its speakers just now.
mazolia
oboe solo, wicked
GioshoPosho
WOW. NICE.
dandi wind
loveeeee
rahala16
LOOL LIBRARIAN XD