Enthusiasm, obsession and veneration combine to provide a warmly human picture of both the object of worship and the author himself. Ellis's fascinating relationship with the artifact took an intriguing turn--which he details with whimsy and admiration--as the gum's "unique transmission of creative energy" connected him to a number of artists entranced by its power. Sahneye çıkarken ağzında bir sakız vardır, piyanosunun başına oturunca bu sakızı da çıkarıp piyanonun alt tarafına yapıştırır.

On Thursday 1 July, 1999, Dr Nina Simone gave a rare performance as part of Nick Cave’s Meltdown Festival. There's something satisfying in a piece of writing that uses a very small, very specific thing as a way to talk about, well, larger, more general things. Touching briefly on some of the expected tropes of the rock star genre, including the rigors of touring and the ravages of substance abuse, Ellis refreshingly refuses to dwell on any glorification of bad-boy anti-social behavior, instead favoring wholesome sincerity and unrestrained love, exploring the huge questions of “finding the right people to work with,” asking, “How does that happen? For a few decades now, I’ve been a fan, catching Dirty Three shows whenever I’m able – they’re much less common now, but just as essential – and part of the joy of those gigs is the fact that a bunch of their runtime is spent listening to Ellis introduce tunes in a rambling manner that involves drugs, God, soap, Elliott Gould and being real fuckin’ bummed about death. Simone sahneden indikten sonra da Warren Ellis gidip sakızı yine Simone'un terini sildiği ve piyanonun üstünde bıraktığı havlunun arasına alarak çantasına atar.It’s an incredible privilege to work with Warren,” Cave tells me when I get in touch to ask him about their relationship. Kitabın devamında ise Nina Simone'un teriyle muhafaza edilen bu sakızın nasıl karşılaştığı herkesi bir şekilde etkisi altına alan bir kutsal nesneye dönüştüğünü okuyoruz ki kitabın büyüsü de burada yatıyor; bunları Ellis'in ağzından, onun geçmişiyle ve deneyimleriyle iç içe okuduğunuzda her şey anlam kazanıyor.

a sequence involving otherworldly clowns; a journey through Europe that never really ends – but they’re there to provide a human context to the work’s titular gum. it's a hands down unique book, taking an object we would - at best - ignore and telling a story about it, a story filled with care and admiration, because things aren't only what they seem to be, people aren't only what they seem to be. I hope that someday, if I’m ever lucky enough to spot Ellis again out on the street somewhere, I’ll have the courage this time to say hi, hi and thanks.Musician, composer, band member and obsessive collector of things, Warren Ellis, creates a loving community through a piece of gum chewed by Nina Simone at one of her last live concerts.