Backlist - Storage Stories by Jim Bob

Storage Stories by Jim Bob

As I go, I'm attempting to catch up on those that have gone before, unfortunately in no particular order, but those for which I would feel bad if they were left out. Some, including Ismail Kadare, David Mitchell and Michel Houellebecq are already consigned to the mists of time, but I am confident I can still reach back and grab at a few key titles.

One such is this unusual offering from former Carter USM front man Jim Bob. Truth be told, it probably wouldn't have had the effect it did were it not for two things: 1) My mate Rob was a bit loony about Sheriff Fatman and whenever we went to the City Arms in Cardiff for a few whiskys, it invariably made its way on to the rather excellent jukebox in there. I guess Jim Bob simply inveigled his way into my brain thanks to alcohol and good company. 2) I read it whilst my wife was in labour and so had been awake for 72 hours by the time I finished it. This rather profound experience, coupled with the surreality of life in Jim Bob's mind meant that long after I'd finished Storage Stories I was fishing passages out of my memory obsessively, like food trapped between teeth and irritating the gums.

What we have here is a series of connected stories based around a storage facility in London, staffed by a strikingly Mr Jim Bob-esque character, and where we meet such soul-tenderising -people like Carl, bearded battery-licker and a man dangerously obsessed with performing surgery on himself. Carl's story and eventual resolution made me weep (inside of course...) but the pathos and humour with which it's told is startlingly adept, considering, and after reading it feels a bit like someone gave you the illusion of free will when in fact your reaction was pre-determined to begin with. In fact, even flipping through it now, ten months later, I find myself remembering, fondly, large cuddly understated parts which caused my tired brain to over-heat a little.

I guess that if you love Carter and all things Jim Bob, you'll not need my advice to go out and buy a copy (you can get signed copies from his website), but if before now you'd not given a tinker's cuss for this struggling artist, then you might be surprised to learn that this song-smith can also write prose, and write it well.

(Paid link)