012911 and Elsewhere

The only reason why men write poetry is to see the Look on a girl's face.

I'm sitting in a Dunkin' Donuts in Hookset, NH. The girl at the counter was a sweet girl who's name tag read "Brit." It was such a riot and the two men from Maine laughed. They wanted cookies, all I wanted was another cup of cold coffee.

I wanna write a movie where a man knows exactly when he will die. The day will come and pass without even a scratch on his head.

Last night was a riot. Kevin and I sitting in my room listening to Sinatra and Indian music. We talked about. We talked about helping others. If we are the future teachers of America, well I feel pretty all right. I realized that night that if I belong to any chruch, it's the church of America. I believe in it the way others believe in Jesus. Jesus turned water into wine but America gave us rock 'n' roll.

* * *

I've been in a weird mood lately and I have been all last week, all things considered. It's gonna be another long week, I just know it. This Dylan song is the only way I can explain how I feel. He's good at doing that. Please be patient for the length, it's worth it.

nothing is really built to last anymore.

i guess you just have to decide what's going to last forever.

Ask for Record at Counter

What with the snow day tomorrow, I've decided to kick back and transfer some LPs thanks to Joseph's nifty Ion MixMeister. First up is Frank Zappa's Hot Rats. This album was originally released in 1969 and  was remixed in 1987 for a CD release. Once I finally bought a copy of the original LP at Nugget's in beautiful Kenmore Square, I promptly sold my CD copy. It's that good.

It's very pretentious and cliché to claim an LP sounds warmer than a CD (all be it true). If anything, the '69 mix sounds stripped down. Zappa sounds like he's actually playing with a band instead of just multi-tracking the hell out of it. (For a frame of reference, at the same time Zappa was recording this in LA with a 16 track mixer, the Beatles were living in the stone age with an 8 track mixer.) The drums are much richer on this recording and "Peaches en Regalia" is too wonderful for words. The horns have space to breath as opposed to the constricting '87 mix. Same goes for "Little Umbrellas" on side two.

In '87 mix, he mainly turned up and re-EQed the guitar parts, but that doesn't make it completely worthless (or vain). I like the groovy lead-in he added on "The Gumbo Variations." The old mix starts quite suddenly following the calm "Little Umbrellas." Also the '87 mixes of "Willie the Pimp" and "Son of Mr. Green Genes" seem like Zappa's original intention was restricted by the technology at the time. "Willie" sounds way tighter and "Green Genes" has more excitement in it. I remember when I first heard it in high school and I was FLOORED by the time Zappa's guitar solo came in. The '69 mix sounds more relaxed; keeping with the jazz fusion theme and less balls-to-the-wall.

Both are great versions. It's the music that really matters in the end. It's widely considered Zappa's best and I'm inclined to agree even though I know my answer will change dozens of times after I post this. Also remember to register to vote, would you please?

You, The Artist

I had to fill this out for one of my major classes. I think it's really good for all artists to take some time mulling over. Here it is with my answers:

1. What satisfies you in life?

Exposing myself to new things, writing, listening to damn good records

2. What are your affinities?

I have an affinity for outdated things. Rediscovering the old.

3. What other arists/musicians/etc. are important to you?

Frank Zappa, J.D. Salinger, The Firesign Theatre, George Carlin, Hunter S. Thompson, Wes Anderson, Jeff Mangum, Brian Wilson, Joel Hodgson, Woody Allen, William Shaff

4. Who are your heroes?

Jefferson Thomas, Matthew R. Sullivan, Pete Seeger, Barack Obama

5. Do you think art has a social mission?

Art’s social mission is to unite everyone. Not to bring peace. Peace is hard to come by, it’s like enlightenment. However, art needs to make us all realize that we are all in life together and need to band together.

6. What do you think IS important in a work of art?

Something refreshing. Not like a cold beverage. More like a smile that starts at your toes and works its way up.

7. Where do you look or go for inspiration?

Supermarkets, Cape Cod, bad movies from the 1950s

8. What are your best traits/skills?

Knack for dialogue, writing, technical audio junk, eye for editing even though I’m not that good at doing it

9. What do you abhor in art?

Pretentiousness and bullshit

10. Who do you want to see in your work?

The people I love.

11. Where do you want your work to be place or seen?

In the ideal world, my own cable network.

12. What styles/genres do you find the most interesting?

Lately I’ve been finding the film Slacker more and more interesting. Any of those early 90s independent films. They are so gritty, have loose narratives, and yet say so much. It kills me.

13. What is at the heart of your work?

I just make things I feel should exist.

14. How do you research your ideas?

On Google, late at night, with music blaring.

Joseph

With all the things that happened to me today, it is even more important that I try to write in the last few minutes of the day. Too bad I have little to say. It's hard to form thoughts right now, a cohesive and fitting remembrance. My own accomplishment today takes a back seat- all things do.

I do have a plan, however. Tomorrow I will wake up, ready for breakfast. I will go to class. I will go to the post office. I will come home and write. I will watch television and talk with my dear friends.

Tomorrow will be better than today and I'll look forward towards the day after- for that day will be better still.

In the Summer of '52

I don't think much of Shutter Island but me watching Shutter Island feels like a Bob Dylan song.

Last night I watched film
And in it was Leo DeCaprio
I don't remember what it was about
But he was a US Marshal down on his luck
I didn't know him then but I knew two others
One was a man who wrote for the papers
The other a runaway boy
An SS officer and a prison guard
asked me what I thought
I said "It was a good film but not a great film,
I walked out on it even in my living room."
The prison guard smiled
As the SS man twiddled his thumbs
I blew my nose and finished my beer
And thanked them for the meal
As I walk home I think about Leo DiCaprio and his kids
I knew they wern't his real kids
But they'd be lucky if they were

Fresh Fish

How many people can write blogs about quilts? Honestly? I just stumbled on six quilt related blogs in a row. For a while I thought a lot of people didn't know how to spell "dying" properly.

Then again how many people have rambling blogs that are centered around pop culture in some manner?

Speaking of, I'm watching Shutter Island (2010) for the first time. I really need the tie Leo DiCaprio has in this film. In fact, I need to dress like a broke Los Angeles private eye from the 1940s more often. I need to stop smoking like one, that's for sure. This film is already reminding me of a B mystery movie from that era. Lots of fast talking exposition. I should devote all my attention to this but my mind won't shut up. I need to purge thoughts somehow. Really deep stuff...Hey look, Ben Kingsly. All right, I'll stop commentating the movie.

I feel really anxious being outside of Boston. I had a grueling dream that involved being in my theatre back on the Cape where I heard dozens of children voices but saw no one, and another one where a loved one berated me on an old color TV set. Obviously I'm nervous. I mean hell, the crude language in this film is offending me slightly. Maybe that's because I just watched about two hours of Laurel and Hardy shorts. As mean as they could be towards each other, they were very childlike and innocent. In a way, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia is the new Laurel and Hardy. Both gangs get into wild situations to better themselves in society...and fail miserably. Hell, they both bought boats that were completely destroyed by their own hands. The Sunny gang get into these bizarre situations that are only held for burlesque skits. I can already see the opening title for the season opener next fall- "The Gang Become Piano Movers." 

Edify is a great word. I should use it more often. I should also stop writing until the film is over.