How Soon is Now?
Aidan’s Story, The Smiths and working with Sean Barrett
I am the son and the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular
For 50 years, Aidan had been living on the streets near King’s Cross, making a meagre living by busking. He was in his eighties and almost blind when we met.
Westminster Council found him a room in a dementia care unit, though I saw no evidence of memory problems during our conversations. I suspect his placement had more to do with a room needing to be found for him quickly, given that he’d been robbed and assaulted and was at risk on the streets. Aidan told me he’d much rather have been allowed to stay in a homeless shelter because the food was better. During the day, he sat in a corridor near the front door and played his harmonica – essentially busking for visitors.
Aidan admitted he wanted to 'test me out' by sharing shocking details about himself and his family. Despite the grim nature of his story, he enjoyed our conversations and had fun.
Charlie Higson and Paul Whitehouse included the story in their shortlist of pieces they planned to record for a Radio 4 adaptation of my books. Eventually, it was replaced by other stories where dementia was more apparent.
Over the next few years, it became clear that the BBC wasn’t interested in a second series, despite the excellent reviews. So, I decided to record some longer, more experimental pieces that we would never be able to do on Radio 4. I had been listening to Sean Barrett reading Molloy by Samuel Beckett and couldn't imagine Aidan in the voice of anyone else. A few years later, I successfully persuaded him to record the piece in full.
Barrett called me several times before our studio session to ask about Aidan and discuss how we might adapt the piece into a drama. He listened to a recording of Aidan's voice and his breathy harmonica playing, suggesting things like, "How about doing this line differently?" or "Is he playing with you?" He was eager to experiment and was creative and enjoyable to work with. Although the story was still shocking, Barrett found a sense of playfulness in it - something many other actors might have missed.
Listen to the recording here: Free download link
During our phone conversations, we talked a lot about Samuel Beckett and recording Molloy and Waiting for Godot, and oddly enough, The Smiths. Barrett’s picture appears on the cover of the UK version of their single ‘How Soon Is Now’. I’m not a fan of The Smiths; I lived in Manchester when most of the students were imitating Morrissey’s style with old man shoes, rolled-up jeans, and an affected nasal twang and it got on my nerves.
Barrett didn’t care much for The Smiths either, but he found it amusing when I told him that the single cover was banned in the US because it looked like he was masturbating (which it really doesn’t).
When we ran out of time in the recording studio, he asked me to book another session so he could try one of the more fragmented, abstract pieces. Read more about that and listen to the recording here: Budd
Today, I’m struck by how well the lyrics of ‘How Soon Is Now’ resonate with Aidan’s story.
I am the son and the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
I am the son and heir
Of nothing in particular
When you say it's gonna happen now
Well, when exactly do you mean?
See, I've already waited too long
And all my hope is gone
You, shut your mouth, how can you say
I go about things the wrong way?
I am human and I need to be loved
Just like everybody else does