Okay, gang.

Yesterday, I finally watched that (recorded) Zoom class that I missed recently, about how to use the new Substack recording studio and, wow — is it easy!!

I basically wanted to learn how to use it in order to promote the upcoming novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder (available now to pre-order in print on Amazon US).

And I will definitely do that, but I also decided it would probably be fun to take one blog post per week and do it as a video (short — 10 minutes). But I also decided it would be fun to promote my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn’s paintings, as well. Have her co-host a short podcast with me a couple times a month. I love her art!! And when I chatted with her about it yesterday, she was actually willing to do it! Yay!

So that will be coming soon. (Honestly, I can’t believe how easy Substack has made it, gang. I have, of course, taken webinars in the past about how to produce podcasts and it just seemed way too much of an expensive headache to deal with , but now. Wow.)

The weekly videos will be posted here, and probably on my YouTube channel, and also to my Substack page!

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And here’s something I only found out about yesterday on Instagram.

It is a charitable organization, dedicated to Mickey Ruskin, the founder of the legendary NYC rock club, Max’s Kansas City — the Max’s Kansas City Project:

“We are dedicated to providing emergency funding and resources to financially distressed individuals in the creative and performing arts for housing, medical and legal aid. One time grants are awarded ranging from $500-$1000…

“We are also committed to empowering teens through the arts with a focus on substance abuse and suicide prevention by mentoring and motivating them to make healthy choices, offering an ongoing process to aid them in building the personal skills needed to inspire them to lead healthy, productive lives. MAX’S FEARLESS YOUth Program is characterized by a positive skills building approach, introducing teens to the creative arts as an outlet to meet the challenges of life in constructive ways, mentoring them and raising awareness on the dangers and consequences of substance abuse and addiction.”

You can find out about them and donate HERE.

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All righty.

Perhaps not the best segue, but here’s this!

Keith helping Marlon learn how to smoke while leaving the Heathrow airport with Anita and Mick, in September 1970!

And for some reason, I really liked how Keith’s feet looked in this photo. (I’m thinking this was around the time that Brian Jones died? Brian’s photo is in the magazine in front of Keith.)

And contrary to what Keith has maintained for well over 50 years now — about how he “needs a love” to “keep him happy”…

Apparently, in a pinch, an airplane will do!!

Keith! Happy!!

And here’s a really great official lyric video!! In case you never knew the words to “Happy”:

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And here’s a lovely photo from a few years ago–

Nick Cave in a chair not smoking at home!

And, of course, Nick in his Blue Period, while his piano was in its green-yellowish period…

Nick Cave also sent out a Red Hand File today, wherein he gives hope to songwriters and musicians, young & old — but also gives a chilling take on AI and music. He says, in part:

“…at the same time I believe we musicians and songwriters are sleepwalking into a situation where we allow this technology to strip the world of one of the last genuine transcendent experiences left to us – man-made music – by surrendering our souls to a machine. What does this say about us, that we so passively acquiesce?”

You can read it in full here.

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So yesterday was actually a nice day, even though I didn’t get a whole lot done besides watch that Zoom class and chat with Valerie. (Oh, and I chatted briefly with Wayne, too!)

However, my neighbors had a big dumpster dropped off in their backyard (they had so much wind damage done to their backyard recently, it is frightening to look at it).

Anyway. I went out to talk to the guy who was dropping off the dumpster, and long story short — I might finally be getting rid of all that stuff the young married couple left in my barn almost 2 years ago…

They just never came back for it. (And in case you’re new to this blog — they never came back for their cats, either. They simply abandoned them here, all 5 of them. 2 years ago.)

It will be a relief to have my barn back. Not that I use it for much, but all that stuff has been a fun place for raccoons to go crazy in. It’s sort of a disaster now.

The guy said that as long as I pay for the dumpster rental, he and his partner will load it up for me (and haul it to the dump) for free. I thought that was really nice.

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Okay, and that is it for now.

I have to head out soon for my shift. It’s really cold out today but very SUNNY. It should be a nice drive.

Have a terrific Tuesday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!

I was telling Valerie about that great film I saw on Metrograph the other night, “Downtown 81”, with Jean-Michel Basquiat and all that great music and art from NYC in 1981.

SHE (looking it up online as we spoke): “Wow. Definitely gotta see that!!”

Here’s Kid Creole & the Coconuts, “Mister Softee”. From the film, “Downtown 81.” An incredible long ago world… Enjoy, gang.