The Managing Director

The character of The Managing Director SPOKE by Tam Dean Burn
Any other characters SPOKE by the former Bill Drummond

PAIN TING

SPOKE

WRIT

From the Desk of The Managing Director of Penkiln Burn Recordings
Saturday, 1st November 2025

Dear Interested Parties,

The former Bill Drummond has somewhat cajoled me to share the following information with you...

But before I do, please do not hold me to account regarding any of the following.

The former Bill Drummond is a part time painter.

He has painted ever since he learnt to use his hands to spread fresh cow dung mixed with ash, on the walls of a home in Nqamakwe. In his mother tongue of Xhosa, this act was known as ukusinda.

He was taught how to ukusinda by his favourite baby minder Matilda
Matilda also taught him how to dance and sing and talk and walk.
This all being done while his mother was at work teaching older children to read and write.

But on his families return to Scotland he found that ukusinda was no longer used, so he took up the local act of whitewashing walls.

The History of Art, regarding the work of Bill Drummond, has decreed it is because of this that...

His favourite painter has always been Tom Sawyer.

His favourite painting has always been The White Fence.

The White Fence was ‘thirty yards long and nine feet high’

The White Fence was Tom Sawyer’s greatest painting.

Tom Sawyer was also a part time painter, but it is not known if Tom Sawyer ever used his hands to rub cow dung into the walls of Aunt Poly’s home.

But back to the History of Art...

I have been told to tell you...

The word ‘painting’ is a conjunction of the two word ‘pain’ and ‘ting’.

The use of the word ‘pain’ in the word ‘painting’ is there to represent the hidden form of self-harm experienced while indulging in the activity of painting.

The use of the word ‘ting’ in the word ‘painting’ is there to represent the hidden rush of endorphins experienced while indulging in the activity of painting.

Some part time painters aspire to be full time painters and even to be recognised as artists or even Artists. They are driven to do this in the hope that they are able to carry on doing painting without the side effects that make painting an activity worth doing.

But back to Coventry on the evening of the 14th of November 2025...

The former Bill Drummond will have two fresh canvases, each measuring 1,910mm by 1,350mm that are to be specifically painted for that evening. On the first of these two paintings the words SOUP and LINE are to be painted in yellow, red, black and white. On the second of these two paintings the words TIED and TOES are to be painted in black and white.

In tribute to his favourite part time painter, as in Tom Sawyer, the former Bill Drummond will be inviting those attending the creation of the Coventry Soup Line to exchange small treasures and trinkets for the privilege of taking part in the painting of these two paintings.

The painting of these two paintings must be completed within the time frame given for the construction of the Coventry Soup Line, as in between the former Bill Drummond slicing the first onion for the cauldron of soup at 2pm and the last drop of soup being wiped from a bowl with a chunk of broken bread at 7pm.

What happens to the paintings after that is not known.

Yours Faithfully,

The Managing Director of Penkiln Burn Recordings