It's 2005, a band explodes on MySpace. They're dressed like you and their lyrics are a mirror to your life.
Bleeding heck, who the fuck are the Arctic Monkeys?
After 19 years on repeat it's now 2024. Myself and @conor_bloodfilms are travelling back from Paris.
We arrive at Gare Du Nord and Duffy stops in his tracks. He whispers to me "I think that's Alex Turner."
"F**k off!" | immediately reply. I gaze over at a guy wearing a leather jacket with long brown hair, his face adorned with aviators. We should probably stop staring as it's getting weird, sexually and aggressively weird.
Turns out it is bloody Alex Turner, the man who's provided the soundtrack to my life! He strolls past and disappears into the Parisian platform crowd. A missed opportunity.
We board our train back to London. We look to our left and there's Alex. Sitting in his seat accompanied by a notepad. He's probably writing the next Arctic Monkeys hit "Two gawping pricks on a train". We really need to stop staring.
I tell Duffers I'm going in, he stops me. Reminds me that I'm a fully functioning adult and not to create a scene. Christ, he's right! I feel like I'm 15 years old again, someone get me a Strongbow and whack Dancing Shoes on, kin hell lad!
Eventually myself and Con engage, it's a surreal experience. Alex is polite and returns conversation in a soft friendly manner. The whole situation is just bloody lovely.
I awkwardly ask if I can take his portrait, fully aware that it could result in an awkward exchange and destroy this wonderful moment. He smiles and obliges, he's effortlessly cool, asks for direction and I take a few snaps.
We disembark the train, I felt quite emotional and that's embarrassing to admit. Maybe it was the jet lag, the caffeine and croissant overload? Or maybe it was just the rekindling of my youth.
This all might sound trivial, however, for me these portraits are deeply personal serving a reminder that life is a series of fortunate events and when fully appreciated can conjure up some pretty awesome memories.
Datsun Bluebird 1200 Deluxe "Flower Car", 1960. The 310 was the original Bluebird series. As part of the launch in the Spring of 1960 this car was driven around Japan. The body is adorned with the emblems and autographs of the governors of prefectures it visited.
Ford Super Deluxe Convertible on the Flying Scotsman Rally 2024. The German crew finished 9th in class. Report on the rally in the latest issue of Classic and Competition Car magazine. Now available, free to read at www.classcompcar.com
I can’t see a possible reality where they are dating. Puting just one label on their relationship, no matter how accurate the label might be, feels like I’m erasing years of experiences between them. Saying they are one definitive thing is removing the contradicting nature of both of their beings, it’s removing the choice they both have. They aren’t a couple, they aren’t a pair, they aren’t a duo, they aren’t enemies or lovers. They may act in ways we perceive as platonic or romantic, and to them maybe they are those things, but those are just the surface layer of thread that covers a knotted twine ball. Soulmates? Attached at the hip? Stuck? trapped? Dependent? Married? Maybe their own definitions contradict each other, maybe they’re complements. They are something not even I know, and to be honest it’s not information that’s entitled to anyone but themselves, if they even choose to share it with one another.
Anyway yeah they probably kiss n stuff but like as roommates