Writing From Photographs

The closet archivist in me was sucked in by the title of Casey Cep's article in the New Yorker, A Thousand Words:  Writing From Photographs.  She is a writer who has abandoned physically writing, meaning putting pen to paper.  She uses her photo stream to dictate her prose.  Being someone who retains the trivial facts (Paul Reiser once commented that he read that Vanna White starred in a production of Brigadoon and it never left his head-thanks Paul, it hasn't left mine either) , but seems to let the others drift, I love having documentation of everything. I love research and details.  I love have something to look at and interpret. 

My husband whether he knows it or not, is a great visual archivist. I think he has the largest collections of the gates of the Hamptons.  He has amassed a drove of favorite gates we've seen in our dog walks through the Hamptons.  We're finally going to tackle building the gate using one of those photos as our inspiration.  Taking photos is easy now.  Using photos to create is a gift. 

THE MORNING AFTER and a DISASTER

After seeing this article about friend Alex Stais in the WSJ, I was inspired to search for "The Morning After".  Alec is the producer of Disaster, an off broadway play that is an homage to the Poseidon Adventure. It's ladened with cheesy 70's songs. Expect to hear "Torn Between Two Lovers" and "I'd Really Love To See You Tonight".  Since "The Morning After" will not be heard, I felt the need to post this.

Things To Do In NYC and Some are on the Upper East Side

• Tonight Keith Urban is at the Garden with Little Big Town.  He's a consistently good show.  I'd put him up there with a Springsteen, Cheap Trick or Tom Petty any day. 

• This one came to my attention because Vincent D'Onofrio's name was attached to it.  He reads from his journals at Joe's Pub on January 31st.  while serenaded by Dana Lyn.  Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day of show.  I can imagine it will be an intense evening. 

• Feburary 6th at the 92Y It was Fifty Years Ago Today...Celebrating 50 years of The Beatles in the USA.  Paul and Ringo won't be there but Peter Asher, Donovan and Freda Kelly (one of the few Beatles employees that stayed with them throughout their 10 year career) will be joining Martin Lewis for conversations. The Beatles arrived at JFK on February 7, 1964 and music was changed forever. 

• Armistead Maupin will be in a discussion (also on) February 6 at 7pm at Barnes & Noble on East 86th St.  His latest Tales from the City is titled The Days of Anna Madrigal: A Novel. 

• If you want to venture to Times Square, Super Bowl Blvd is in full swing until Saturday night when Blondie closes it out with a show at 8pm on Broadway between 39th & 40th streets.   The Bacon Brothers are there tonight.  Can't imaging it's easy to perform in the weather we've been having. Parka Up. 

Taking Photos For The Village Voice: Documenting NY

Before today I was unaware of Fred McDarrah.  After reading an article in the NY Times, I found out he was the first photo editor for the Village Voice and for many years, it's only staff photographer.  He must have had a sixth sense of where it was happening in NY. He has captured everyone from Dylan and Warhol to Robert Kennedy and Robert Moses. These people mostly appear against the gritty backdrop of the city in the 1960's and 70's.  The city is also depicted in all it's gritty glory. 

His work will be on exhibit at the Steven Kasher Gallery from Jan 30th through March 8th.  Looking forward to seeing this. 

Ray Davies Pursues America

Ray Davies pursuit of breaking his band/career in the US is chronicled in his book Americana The Kinks, The Riff, The Road.  After reading his journeys through America, it seems he’s still questioning at what price does success come and what is success.  When did he take the time to make a home? Was his eye on the prize at the expense of a personal life?

 

Early in the Kinks career circa 1965 they are banned from performing in the US.

The American Federation of Musicians refused permits for the group to appear in concert and it’s widely believed due to their sometime violent behavior and band disputes.  Dave Davies and Mick Avory had it out on stage in Wales and Dave wound up with 16 stitches in his head.  This time period was a prime creative period for the band. In 1964 they released You Really Got Me followed by All Day And All Of The Night, Tired of Waiting For You, Well Respected Man and Sunny Afternoon.  They are all classics. 

After the ban was lifted, Ray was determined to prove the band was worthy of US audiences.  They toured relentlessly sometimes at the expense of other territories. 

In a switch from my reading assumptions, this book got better the second half.  This is Davies second book (the first was X-Ray:  The Unauthorized Autobiography) and his theme is focused.  I didn’t read X-Ray.  Usually musician autobios tend to lose focus the second part when all spirals into a drug induced haze.  Not the case here. It was refreshing not to hear about drug addiction.  He barely touches on the famously documented band member feuds.  It’s about the music, the marketing and conquering the US. 

Characters play a big part in the songwriting and life of Ray Davies.  He comes across as a bit of character himself.  Ray is a great storyteller.  In this excerpt from the book, he sums up his inspirations: 

Some of my songs are sometimes better company than real people.  Many musical characters inhabit my world:  they are good, bad, kind, mean, and sometimes mischievous.  I usually write a theme song in my head for nearly every person I encounter in the real world.  They exist as part of my musical memory so that afterward I cast them in my own musical version of life, which is often more truthful than reality.  Long-term friends are usually accompanied by a good tune.  On the other hand, people that don’t bring a good theme song with them rarely stay in my life.  It’s a form of “musical schizophrenia” that evolved in my childhood; these imaginary musical allies are sometimes more credible than the real people I encounter.  AS a child I was very quiet, very secluded and it was music that helped me relate to and confront the real world- without music I would probably never have interacted with people.

Whenever I see someone from my own musical universe, their unique musical theme slips into my head, a theme that represents my perception of their true character.   After a while the real person I know blends into the imaginary person I have invented.  As sometimes happens in life, often the real person you know disappears-you lose touch, they move on, you move on.  But if I need someone, all I have to do is remember their theme song-and some strange musical voodoo brings them to life. 

Points that resonated:

His relationship with Clive Davis led to great success while on Arista Records. 

When Ray questions whether it’s worth being a musician, he develops his storyteller solo show.  His friends and acquaintances point out to him how important songwriting is to him.  

His relentless quest to find a “home”:  He lived on W 72nd St in NYC, moves back and forth to Europe, eventually lands in New Orleans where he is shot trying to catch a thief and now he lives not too far from where he started his life in North London. 

He ends the book with this passage:

But, as my song “The Getaway” say at the end, it can be a “lonesome train” if you don’t get it right.  Still I live in hope that one day I’ll get it right.  That someday…I’ll find my way home. 

The Influence of the Everly Brothers

Ray Davies and Graham Nash both cited the Everly Brothers as a big musical influence. Graham and a friend stalked them when he was younger and did get to meet them. A thrill of his life was singing with the Brothers later on in his career. 

I find it interesting that the last three autobiographies I’ve read all reference the Everlys which I thought about while reading them . A day after finishing Ray’s book Americana as well as Linda Rondstadt’s Simple Dreams (Linda recorded the Everly’s When Will I Be Loved), I heard that Phil Everly had died.  A death will allow for a string of tributes and I had no idea of the impact this duo had on music.  Looking back, they were pioneers of blending pop and country.  They got so much out of their voices.  They were great songwriters.  They had stories to tell and everyone was listening. 

3 Annual Must Dos For Christmas

1.  How The Grinch Stole Christmas.  It's the ultimate animated show.  Standout:  Max.  Cartoon Network Saturday Dec 21 at 6pm. 

2.  Darlene Love sings Christmas Baby Please Come Home on David Letterman Friday December 20th.  No Jay Thomas to tell his Lone Ranger story and throw footballs?  Letterman's website lists the other guests as John McEnroe and Kristen Wiig.

3.  A Christmas Story.  I watched it last weekend and it never gets old.  It's a classic and TBS is running a marathon starting Christmas Eve at 8pm and running through Christmas Day. 

Luscious Jackson Throws A Party

 When I'm about to go crazy
cause I'm still living here
I just get my friends together
and we dance, dance, dance
cause this is the state of the world
this is the state of the world
this city tells me what it's like to live
- City Song Lyrics

Luscious Jackson surrounded by dancing fans. 

If you're Luscious Jackson and you haven't played your hometown of New York in 13 years, why not throw a welcome back party?  It happened at Webster Hall on Saturday.  The band was in fine form and the audience loved it.

The show opened with Here from Natural Ingredients and also used in the movie Clueless.  (I will always think Roller Derby when I hear this song.)  When Gabby sang Get on the Floor/Let's Dance some more, the stage was set.  Early on they played the hit Naked Eye, still cool as cool.  Other highlights were Nervous Breakthrough and Why Do I Lie?  The new songs like Are You Ready blended in seamlessly with the old. The band has a new album, Magic Hour.

Jill entertained the crowd with her tale of the days when they would sneak into Webster Hall (which was probably called The Ritz at that time). It involved scaling a wall, a dumpster, a fire escape and a knock at the door.  This entry is no longer an option. 

There was probably some anxiety about coming back after over a decade hiatus.  Will people respond? Will they show up?  The floor was packed with people having a great time.   Jill, Gabby and Kate made us feel like they were enjoying the ride and we were passengers in their bus.  

Kudos to Sparkle Beauty Studio's Gabriel Trujillo and Jeffrey Fernandez who worked the hair and makeup. Loved Jill's sparkling eyes.  They could be seen from the balcony.  As she said, "Gabriel really gets the glitter on!"

Nelson Mandela

It was this song that really made me pay attention to Nelson Mandela. Who says music can't change the world?

Luscious Jackson Return To New York

Reminder:   The ladies who brought us Naked Eye are playing Webster Hall on Saturday.  I'm guessing there will be lots of dancing.  I'm going, you should too!

Guster! A Symphony! Free!

It isn't cool enough that Guster recorded 10 songs with a symphony (actually, probably many), but they are giving it away free.  Link here.   They are not exactly forthcoming with what symphony, hence the title:  Live With The Redacted Symphony.  I'm guessing they've culled their favorite performances from several shows. 

Album includes the following:
Satellite
What You Call Love
Ramona
Two Points For Honesty
Fa Fa
This Is How It Feels To Have A Broken Heart
Lightning Rod
Demons
On The Ocean
Come Downstairs and Say Hello

The Baddest Stamp

The US Post Office seems to get few things right these days.  There is an exception:  The Johnny Cash forever stamp which was issued in June, but I just bought today. 

This has got to be the coolest stamp.  16 stamps on a sheet which is designed to look like a 45 picture sleeve.  I was so impressed with the art direction, that I had to research.  According to the USPS site, the photograph was taken by Frank Bez during the photo session for Ring of Fire: The Best of Johnny Cash, which was released in 1963.  Greg Breeding served as art director and designer for the stamp.


Frank Bez shot many celebrities and did a lot of work for Esquire Magazine.  Here is a slide show of a few of his shots and stories behind them. The Jim Morrison photo has to make you laugh.  Duke Ellington was his favorite session.  He has photographed everyone from Angie Dickinson (her Esquire cover has been reproduced a few times) to the Byrds to Mahalia Jackson to Raquel Welch.   How does this guy not have a Wikipedia page? 

Greg Breeding is on assignment by the USPS and was given this project.  (There are three other designers on assignment with the USPS.)  He was born the same year the photo of Johnny was taken.  In an interview on Soundcheck  Greg said when he was a young boy and used to watch Johnny's TV show he thought,  "He was a scary figure to me."   He acknowledged the enormity of finding a photo that summed up Johnny's career.  Greg got the stamp right. Not only does he pay homage to the man in black, but he does so in a simple classic design with great use of brown, black and fonts. 

I thought it was hard to go from designing albums to CD's, but a stamp has got to be a whole other challenge. 

Stevie Nicks Horror Story

Stevie Nicks, everyone's favorite rock witch is going to appear on American Horror Story: Coven. 

In an interview with E!, Ryan Murphy, the series creator said,  "The season really is an allegory and a metaphor for any minority group in the country where you feel alone so she's a girl that has never known any other witches and all she's ever known is Stevie Nicks." 

Is Ryan implying that Stevie is a witch?  Maybe they'll try building a bridge out of her during her
appearance on the show.   Obscure reference below:

Dan Wilson In Words and Music

When a musician tells a good story, it's a golden evening.  Dan Wilson took center stage last night at Joe's Pub (with the accompaniment of keyboardist and smart phone programmer Brad Gordon).  Dan told lots of great stories and played lots of great music. 

Dan Wilson at Joe's Pub

I met Dan when I managed his earlier band Trip Shakespeare.  They were a powerhouse. Their live shows were unmatched for excitement and sweat.   Dan had the hits with his next band Semisonic.  Last night he told us of the genesis of Closing Time.  Although Dan was happy to be in his routine of playing the same song each night to close the band's set, band members were bored and wanted something new.  At the same time, he and his wife were expected their first child.  He wrote Closing Time.  Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.  When I first heard that song, it brought back so many memories of hanging out in clubs and talking to bands after the show.  There was always someone to say gather your coats and head out, we're closing.

Dan has co-written with "very strong women":  Carole King (his second co-write), the Dixie Chicks, Adele, Pink, etc.   In a story arc that played out over the evening, he began by talking about how initially it was slow going to hook up with other writers. Finally John Titta his music publisher asked his manager Jim Grant, if he would be interested in writing with Carole King.  Dan's mother said to him, remember she spells her name with an "e".  Being nervous at their meeting, the first thing Dan could think of to say to Carole was "My Mom loves you."  She said, "That makes me feel old." 

Several songs later, Dan gets to his writing with Adele.  They meet in this small studio in LA and Adele says I'm not really that familiar with your stuff, but my Mum loves you.  The ironic circle closed.  They wrote Someone Like You.  She played the unfinished song for her manager (who loved it) and her Mum (she cried).  Dan said we must be on to something and they were.

It's the little touches that make a wonderful evening even greater.  Dan who I admire as an artist as well as musician, had printed up a take home memento of the evening. His illustration work can also be seen in the video for his latest single Disappearing. 

Dan has three more shows on deck tomorrow in Minneapolis, then to Hollywood and San Diego.  Go see him!

Way To Give: The Buffet Family at NY Public Library

You have 40 years in a lifetime to make an impact. 

Howard G Buffet has a 40 year plan to feed and employ the world through agriculture.  He was joined by his dad Warren, son Howard and Tom Brokaw at the NY Public Library last night.  He runs a self titled philanthropic organization that is globally trying to change agriculture.  He has written the book 40 Chances.  

Howard G, Warren, Howard W Buffet

Their conversation last night had great spirit and humility.   Yes Warren is one of the wealthiest people on the planet, but he didn't payroll his kids.  Howard G told the audience that his dad made them do chores around the house for a 50 cent allowance which was paid in dimes.  Warren kept a slot machine in the attic which only took dimes.  Howard said he spent most of his allowance trying to get the big payday of three cherries.  Essentially the allowance went back into Warren's pocket.  

Tom Brokaw suggested that this is the century of women.  Warren agreed and said he was very optimistic about the future of this country.  "Look how far we've come with only half our talent."  With women now in prominent places, the future looks brighter.    Howard G added that his experience in Africa was that if you wanted something done quickly, put the women in charge. 

The greatest lesson:  fail sometimes. 

The "Impossible" Morrissey

Sasha Frere-Jones has written a very entertaining review of Morrissey's "Autobiography" in the New Yorker.  Morrissey's writings sounds self indulgent, self serving and all over the dial.  I don't know if I can stomach reading this one.  Apparently his ex-band members in the Smiths all hate each other which is broadcast loud and clear.  I read Mike Doughty's book and quickly got sick of his hatred of ex-band members.  I also have no tolerance for ramblings either.   This book sounds like a thorn in the side. 

Tips from Graham Nash

Music is the presiding factor in Graham Nash’s life.  He opens his book, Wild Tales with this line:  It always comes down to the music.  It is his driving force. It’s the reason he kept agreeing to Crosby, Still, Nash and Young regroupings.  From the moment he met David Crosby, he knew they had a connection and it was through their music.  He became good friends with him, which is probably why Crosby’s descent into drug addiction is the hardest part of the book to read. 

I was never a CSN fan, but appreciated their talent.  Me being a sucker for musician memoirs, I had to read Wild Tales.  I can’t say it’s one of my favorites, but it was a nice read. 

Tips from Graham Nash:

On Managing Money:

“When it was over, the entire tour made close to $12 million, but David, Stephen, Neil and I only got $300,000 each.  That Left $10.8 million unaccounted for, by my arithmetic.”

(Summer 1974 Tour CSNY.  There was crazy excessive spending on that tour and of course, lots and lots of drugs.)

On Dating:

The first date with his not-yet-wife Susan:  “I spent most of that night trying to figure out how to make myself more attractive to this woman. Aha! Now I knew what to do.  I’ll get up in a tree, I thought.  (Don’t even try to attempt to follow this reasoning.) So fifteen minutes before she was supposed to show up, I climbed into a tree outside our bungalow at the Chateau.    And, believe it or not, this stunt actually worked. 

(She told him she had been to a self-exploration conference, which prompted him to think of hiding in a tree.)

On the drama of being in a band:

I know what you’re thinking; didn’t we learn a thing or two about four superegos trying to coexist in one studio?  Why in heaven’s name were we gonna do that again?  But it’s the music.  It’s always the music.  It’s like a drug, irresistible.  And we’re both smart enough-and-dumb enough-to recognize that. 

What I didn’t know about Graham is that in 1990 he started Nash Editions, which is  a fine arts digital print making company.  

Graham will be touring on the West Coast in November.   

Howard Stern's interview with Nash.  

But For Now Dexter......

Dexter ended it's run tonight SPOILER...

and so did Debra.  Why was she given the same fate as all of his criminal conquests? 
I think she deserved better. 

The Charming Linda Ronstadt

--> “I’m not competitive musically.”  This seems obvious.  Linda Ronstadt is the ultimate collaborator.  She has sung with everyone from Dolly Parton to Nelson Riddle to Mariachi los Camperos de nati Cano.

She was on the road with Neil Young in Houston.   She heard about Emmylou Harris from Chris Hillman. He thought they had the same music sensibilities.  After her show, she heads over to this biker club.  It was rowdy.  Gram Parsons comes on stage and sings with Emmylou.  She said you could hear a pin drop in the place. At that moment she felt jealousy.  She loved Emmylou’s voice.  She said I could carry that jealousy or I could embrace her as a fan and maybe one day get to sing with her.  The latter was the chosen path and it resulted in Trio. 

Gracious, funny and very astute, my impression of Linda Ronstadt.  John Rockwell interviewed her last night at the 92Y last night.  I haven’t read her book Simple Dreams, but I’ve heard Rockwell and others say it is beautifully written.  The only thing she said she wrote before this book was thank you notes. She was inspired by Renee Fleming’s and Rosanne Cash’s memoirs.  Her publisher said you don’t have to write about your old boyfriends, just about the music.  She was in.  She wrote on a laptop, mostly late at night after her kids went to bed. 

She has a varied cast of friends, She was asked about Phoebe Snow who she said she misses dearly.  They might not speak for a year, but when they did it was like no time had passed and they made each other laugh.  Rosemary Clooney invited her to sing at a benefit.  Linda said I’d love to talk to you about Nelson Riddle. (This was after her three records with him and he had passed.) He told Linda that Clooney was the love of his life. Clooney invited her for dinner. Linda told the funny story of how Jerry Brown just shows up at her house as she’s leaving to go to Clooney’s house. He invites himself to dinner and then high jacks roses that were sent to Linda to bring to Clooney.  She said he doesn’t spend a red cent. 

Not much of the rock era of her career was touched upon.   After playing arenas, which she said sounded horrible; she wanted to play “on a stage with a curtain”. They used to joke that it reverberated so much in those venues, that you could hear a guitar solo that was played the week before.  John Rockwell was instrumental in connecting her to Joseph Papp and then came Pirates of Penzance, which was eventually performed on a stage with a curtain.   

She is active in the bay area not for profit organization Los Cenzontles. Their goal is to create a family-like environment where young people could learn and explore traditional Mexican music and dance.

Linda was charming and sassy.  She’s well read and well versed in music.

She shared her joys with us last night.  I always thought she was the coolest and she still is.  Her book, Simple Dreams:  A Musical Memoir is out now.  

For more reading:  SF Gate. 

Boys and Boy Bands

A friend was telling me about driving in the car with her teenage daughter and singing a One Direction song.  This made me think about the past 15-20 years where there has been a steady stream of boy bands.  It actually goes back further with groups like New Edition.  Now it's all about One Direction.  These names are pretty close.  This got me to thinking about when I was growing up.  We didn't have boy groups. We had girl groups: the Marvelettes, The Supremes, The Crystals, The Shangri-las.  The list could go on. 

Boys were solo.  Some of them started on TV or ended up there, but most of them were one hit wonders. It started around the time of Paul Peterson from the Donna Reed Show and progressed to David Cassidy on the Partridge Family to Bobby Sherman who had two TV shows: Here Come The Brides and Getting Together. 

I wonder if teen magazine are still popular with girls?  We had Teen Beat and Tiger Beat.  It seemed like Peter Noone, Davy Jones and Desi Arnez Jr were on the cover of every issue.  Tiger Beat still publishes. There are a few lots of back issues available on ebay. Is it time for a 60's party?