# Secret City Salon ## Posts - [Leonard Variations](https://secretcitysalon.com/2026/01/25/leonard-variations/): What you see below is what AI came up with when I instructed it to create an illustration for a scene in Station 23, which I believe to be one of the best novels of the 21st century. The variations on the illustrations that follow it move into other areas of the novel, mixing ideas and images some of which appear in the book and some which do not. - [Who are the Sbitsbitrasstroitsa ?](https://secretcitysalon.com/2025/04/26/who-are-the-sbitsbitrasstroitsa/): Who are the Sbitsbitrasstroitsa ?   - [Louis V on Station 23](https://secretcitysalon.com/2025/04/16/louis-v-on-station-23/): Some words from Louis V on Station 23   - [Who is Leonard?](https://secretcitysalon.com/2025/03/10/who-is-leonard/):   Who is Leonard?       - [Station 23 - a first glimpse](https://secretcitysalon.com/2025/01/24/station-23-a-first-glimpse/): What and where is Station 23? That is a question that will be fully answered in time to come. For the moment a taster of some words about an unusual encounter:                       - [Sunderland Saturday & Sheffield Sunday](https://secretcitysalon.com/2024/03/21/sunderland-saturday-sheffield-sunday/): During the weekend of October 21st and 22nd 2023 Secret City Salon brought the opportunity of hearing two of the best voices in music to two cities of great significance to me. Sunderland Saturday and Sheffield Sunday was the name I gave  to the two gigs that Hungrytown played with Ciska Ruitenberg in the two great Northern Cities of Sunderland and Sheffield You can read more about the gigs here       - [Hungrytown in Headingley](https://secretcitysalon.com/2024/03/19/hungrytown-in-headingley/): On October 25th 2023 the great American acoustic duo Hungrytown played Leeds for the first time. On the return North leg of their 2023 UK tour, Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson played songs from their three albums and previewed their fourth album, scheduled for release in Spring 2024. If you haven’t heard the Music of Hungrytown before, you have been missing some truly stunning songs, delivered by one of the great voices in music.     - [The Tascam Project](https://secretcitysalon.com/2023/09/21/the-tascam-project/): Today is 21st September 2023. It is the 20th anniversary of an evening that changed my artistic life. in Rotterdam, at Off Corso I re-discovered my voice on two stages reading poetry on one stage invited to join a jam on the main stage at the end of the evening with musicians from bands that had played throughout the day and from there a route was mapped to my audio art later in life than I had supposed I might when a younger man, I made a start and found that unlike in those days when I was younger, years […] - [Art in search of a genre](https://secretcitysalon.com/2023/09/21/art-in-search-of-a-genre/):   What should I call the video art I am currently creating? As, yet I have no name for what it is. Filmed over the last five years in Yorkshire, Teesside, County Durham, Tyneside and beyond. Snatched moments of improvisation in very public places often with many people around. Drawn from a folder of over 1000 pieces of video edited from what I have filmed. The first piece dates from 20th February 2019. The partially randomised improvisation video? There has to be a better title than that. But what is the name or genre of what you see and hear? […] - [A Musical History of Louis V.](https://secretcitysalon.com/2023/08/09/a-musical-history-of-louis-v/): As more revelations regarding ‘Station 23’ draw closer, we look back at some of Louis V.’s past artistic history. Louis V. has been deeply involved in the underground music and art scene in the Hague and beyond since the mid 1980s. In chronological order the bands/projects in which Louis has been a creative force are: Mental Health ServiceThe FlatbodiesTemporary TempleLast House On The Left/CrashlandThe Permanent NowKälteste Kälte/Predella AvantHiroshima Versus NagasakiNebelwerferMotion DemonThe (The Hague) Feedback OrchestraFyffesHou En TrouVirageIstoriya Back to the early 2000s we go, to hear the Permanent Now Holy Fire The Permanent Now - [Who Is Louis V. ?](https://secretcitysalon.com/2023/03/01/who-is-louis-v/): Louis V. is the author of the novel ‘Station 23‘, of which you will hear much more soon. Below is a brief bio, In Louis’ own words: Louis V. was born in the infamous Dutch winter of 1963 in The Hague, The Netherlands. At the time the North Sea was partly frozen. His mother was born and bred in The Hague, while his father was of Indo-European descent and arrived in The Netherlands in the late forties, having spent his youth in the Dutch East Indies, now Indonesia. His mother was a housewife, although she had many jobs before her […] - [The Burden Of Historical Accuracy](https://secretcitysalon.com/2021/11/17/the-burden-of-historical-accuracy/): As some of you may know, I’m in the process of writing a book about my weird right place at the right time life. As I slowly relive and prod my memory, I come across inaccuracies that I’m forced to correct. Here’s one.Because I was tasked with “babysitting” Miles Davis when he reluctantly performed at the Fillmore East, I was told that it was because I’m black and he hated white people. Recently I was stuck in an airport lounge between flights with one of the musicians who toured with him for years and broached the subject with him.As it […] - [THE Gunslinger.........](https://secretcitysalon.com/2021/11/04/the-gunslinger/): HARMONICA ASSASSINI was doing a lame gig with lame musicians in a lame club in the hip city of New York. As I was contemplating my sins, and wading my way through boring solo number 491 on an especially lame version of a standard blues song, Sugar Blue walked in.He’d just become a star, (Listen to HIS harmonica lick on the Stones’ “Miss You“), and was the flavor of the year.We went way back. We’d played some amazing shit in the past, but I hadn’t seen him in a while. He strutted into the club like a western gunslinger, and […] - [Old Dog, New Tricks......](https://secretcitysalon.com/2021/10/31/old-dog-new-tricks/): It says somewhere that this is my first blog, but getting it down it almost became my last. After a long lifetime of musical and social fun, to be done in by a typing exercise would be a shame.I could speak of music and the world of miracles that I’ve experienced, but at the moment my mind is focusing on my non touch typing non skills.The world changes too rapidly for us old grumpy souls to deal with gracefully.I know this blog should be about music and how wonderful I am, but for this moment, on this rainy day, I’ll […] - [Join Me On A Journey](https://secretcitysalon.com/2021/09/22/hello-world/): What is the Music You will hear?, Where are the words that you will hear?, Will you hear what I do? Will you discover with me? I have spent a lifetime searching for great music. Most of what I listen to now was recorded in the early 70s and late 60s but my ears are also on the future and I have heard some exciting new things in the last few years. That is why I created Secret City Salon Ltd. To bring great artists that I have heard, but who have not yet been heard as widely as their […] ## Pages - [Video Test](https://secretcitysalon.com/video-test/): Blizzard Wizard Demons Don’t Come from Below - [Select Station 23 – Excerpt 4 - Chris Verhulst/Vortex](https://secretcitysalon.com/station23-chris-verhulst-vortex/): Sleepily, he passed the living room door which was ajar. He immediately noticed that there was a light in the room, even though he was sure he had extinguished all lamps before going to sleep. Ignoring his bladder, he stepped towards the living room door and opened it. The first thing he saw was a scene that was theoretically not possible, but which by now had become reality.   The caught in the act, the still life in front of him was illuminated by a table lamp, whose switch was on the floor. Vortex could have accidentally switched it on, but […] - [Station 23 - Excerpt 2 - Leonard](https://secretcitysalon.com/station23-leonard/): ‘Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock goes my clock,’ he heard buzzing in his head.  The opening lines of a children’s song, heard somewhere during his travels, had accompanied him since the moment he sat here in sweet anticipation.  And for sure his clock had been ticking!  Ever since his conception the timepiece had played a major role in Leonard’s life, but back then, the pocket watch only reminded him that he was a slave, who had no control over his destiny and who walked a set path to infinity. But Leonard had left this path a long time ago. The decisive moment […] - [Station 23 - Excerpt 3 - The Empire (My Words - 2)](https://secretcitysalon.com/station23-the-empire/): The Sbitsbitrasstroitsa (the ‘Monks’) The conflict did not grow into an all-out, all-destroying war. It was the ringleader of the others, an ancient, wise and nameless unicorn, who managed to bring about a temporary truce. This leader (now called ‘Unicorn’ by everyone) was able to convince the humans, during long conversations, that their ‘superior’ qualities were being wasted by the war, because they were being used for low-level, demeaning things. Those qualities were even in danger of being lost forever if the bloody conflict dragged on endlessly.  After all, wasn’t it true that man could excel his superiority precisely by […] - [Station 23 - Excerpt 1 - Matthew Lewis letter](https://secretcitysalon.com/station23-matthew-lewis-letter/): The Hague, Saturday, August 30th, 1794 Dear Mother, It is with a heavy heart and a trembling hand that I write these words to you. Do not, however, fear for my physical well-being; I feel reasonably well under the circumstances, and, believe me, I am afraid it is by no means an exotic fever that makes me write the following words. I will try, dear mama, to commit my story to paper with as much objectivity as possible; this seems to me the best possible approach to matters for you, and certainly for myself. Last Wednesday evening, after working at […] - [Hollow Drifter](https://secretcitysalon.com/hollow-drifter/): For the last 5 years something electrifying has been developing on the Dutch underground music scene.  Hollow Drifter are an Amsterdam based French/Russian/American/Dutch/ heavy psychedelic band, who build long immersive songs, both epic and groovy. Their music is accompanied by the lightshow of their good friend Feddo Renier, who presents the long running Psychedelicatessen radio show. .Hollow Drifter are an immensely exciting, sometimes trio, sometimes quartet who released their second album on November 1st. Secret City Salon will be bringing Hollow Drifter to the UK for their first gigs in 2025 Below you’ll find a video of some clips from […] - [Hungrytown & Ciska Ruitenberg](https://secretcitysalon.com/hungrytown-ciska-ruitenberg/): The Musical and married duo Rebecca Hall and Ken Anderson, who play together as Hungrytown have been intensively touring the UK, USA and elsewhere for more than a decade. I saw them perform in Saltburn in 2022, where I heard an evening of entrancing harmonies and great songwriting from world class musicians. A couple of days later I met them near Skipton and we visited Howarth together. Rebecca and Ken told me about their fourth unreleased album, that was just finishing mastering, made during their pandemic enforced break from touring at their home in rural Vermont. Subsequently I heard the […] - [Privacy Policy](https://secretcitysalon.com/privacy-policy/): One of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This privacy policy document contains information about the types of data collected and recorded by Secret City Salon and how we use it. If you have additional questions or require more information about our privacy policy, do not hesitate to contact us. This Privacy Policy applies only to our online activities and is valid for visitors to our website with regards to the information that they shared and/or collect in Secret City Salon. This policy is not applicable to any information collected offline or via channels other than this […] - [Cookie Policy](https://secretcitysalon.com/cookie-policy/): What Are Cookies As is common practice with almost all professional websites this site uses cookies, which are tiny text files that are downloaded to your computer, to improve your experience. This page describes what information they gather, how we use it and why we sometimes need to store these cookies. We will also share how you can prevent these cookies from being stored however this may downgrade or ‘break’ certain elements of the site’s functionality. How We Use Cookies We use cookies for a variety of reasons detailed below. Unfortunately in most cases there are no industry standard options […] - [Contact](https://secretcitysalon.com/contact/): Secret City Salon Ltd. 71-75 Shelton Street Covent Garden, London WC2H 9JQ United Kingdom james@secretcitysalon.com - [Sound](https://secretcitysalon.com/sound/): Terry Mann Hungrytown Ciska Ruitenberg - [Videos](https://secretcitysalon.com/videos/): Terry Mann - [Videos - Terry Mann](https://secretcitysalon.com/videos-terry-mann/) - [a new page with no name](https://secretcitysalon.com/a-new-page-with-no-name/): no name to this one yet - [Who is Terry Mann?](https://secretcitysalon.com/terry-mann/):   Since I was a teenager, I have been obsessed with the rock music of the 1960s and 70s. I have heard thousands of records on my endless quest for great music, which continues to this day. On a trip to Amsterdam , I happened to visit a bar where the trio playing moved and excited me so much, I went up afterwards to speak to the trio’s leader. That was Terry Mann, and the story he told me is one that compelled me to bring his music and story to the world. Terry Mann has possibly the most interesting […] - [test2](https://secretcitysalon.com/test2/) - [Blog](https://secretcitysalon.com/blog/) - [Welcome to Secret City Salon](https://secretcitysalon.com/): Discover exciting artists, not yet known to the World at large.   hear what you have not heard, see what you have not seen, read what you have not read What is  Secret City Salon and why does it exist? For exactly the reasons you can see above Secret City Salon is not limited by genre or discipline. Music and Literature are the first fields. Secret City Salon is representing  Louis V. , a novelist, filmmaker and musician, who has written one of the great (and as yet undiscovered by the World) novels of the 21st Century. ‘Station 23’ is ready […] [comment]: # (Generated by Hostinger Tools Plugin)