Tag Archives: music

Back Online!!

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He was quick, efficient, and you’ll never guess what the problem was!!!

YES!! That’s correct!!

One of the cats had chewed through a cable…

But the tech guy installed an enclosed box on the wall, so now the cats can’t get at any of the cables…

Unbelievable.

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Okay. Well, since I’ve been collecting “here’s this’s'” for several days now, this post will be a big sort of random collection.

First!

Let me say THANK YOU!! Again!!

The eBook edition of Twilight of the Immortal is now ranked at #176 in Gay Fiction, and #418 in Historical Fiction, on Amazon!! Thank you so much!!

It is FREE to download until Thursday, Nov. 12th!

And just for your reading pleasure, yet again — here’s a mere portion of another review my novel got on Amazon when it first came out in 2011:

“Believe me, this is much more than a historical novel about Rudolph Valentino. Rosemary McKisco is both a well-developed and fascinating character AND a fantastic device to give us access to everyday life in the WWI and Roaring 20s era and a “fly on the wall” kind of passport to the inner workings of Broadway and Hollywood in those years. The book has been researched thoroughly and paints these pictures in infinite detail. One of my favorite scenes involves Rosemary visiting the home of a wealthy bachelor in 1916. Rosemary tells us with awe of the things she saw there, including the up-to-date kitchen with appliances painted with white enamel, so different from the old black stove in her own home. I love this kind of detail! So now I know when kitchen appliances were making the transition from the old cast iron items of the Victorian era to the whiter, brighter stoves and ice boxes we saw on The Waltons. Maybe you don’t care for this kind of historical detail, but I love it. There are countless examples of this kind of accurate detail in Twilight of the Immortal. Another favorite documentation of mine is the description of the railroad cars the characters take cross-country. If you are interested in fashion, you’ll be in heaven as Rosemary describes the many dresses her first fiancée buys for her.”

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And here’s this!

A first look at the cover art for the upcoming William Burroughs tribute anthology!! Burroughs: The Funeral Director’s Cut. Edited by Alex S. Johnson,

And I have to say, gang, since my Internet was down, I managed to WhatsApp Wayne a copy of my flash fiction piece for the Burroughs anthology.

His comment after reading it: “JESUS!! Wow. You may have a future, kid.”

That really made me feel great!!

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Okay.

Sadly, this happened on Saturday:

RIP, Richard Lloyd.

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And yesterday was the 50th Anniversary of the release of the first album by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers–

And in honor of that, a TON of merch has been released from Tom Petty Official. Among them is the CD below, which will be arriving here at my humble abode sometime today!! “No Sleep til L.A.” Contains never-released tracks from 50 years ago!!

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And I believe this anniversary happened yesterday!

And let’s listen to this again!! This song blew my fucking mind when I first heard it on the AM radio in my bedroom — I was 12 years old. “Walk on the Wild Side,” Lou Reed. 1972.

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And speaking of glam rock–

From Phyllis Stein!

I actually had never known that the New York Dolls had a different drummer when they started out — Billy Murcia. He passed away on November 6, 1972. (I didn’t start listening to the New York Dolls until late 1973 — when I was first able to find one of their records in a local department store!! I was thrilled!!)

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And here’s this!

Another Jack Kerouac quote!

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And this is rapidly coming up!!

In honor of Gram Parsons’ recent 80th birthday, he’s being inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame!! (November 11th).

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And speaking of Gram Parsons’ best friend–

Here’s a couple of Keith!!

Smoking!! In France!! Around 1973!!

And here, he’s offering us a cigarette! On a Lear jet!! In 1979!!

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And, well, a few from Facebook…

First — my expression every day now, since Nick Cave announced his next “In Conversation” US Tour and I realized that I won’t be able to attend:

Meanwhile–

It really still is a great day to be alive…

Nick Cave, smoking!!

And Nick Cave!! Smoking!!

And Nick Cave sent out another Red Hand File this morning. Very interesting, indeed. Especially since I had just been to that fantastic art exhibit yesterday, wherein there was no AI or computer-generated art whatsoever, and it really just took my breath away.

The RHF discusses a couple different aspects about art and artists, including songwriting — and AI. He says, in part:

“…But song generator platforms are, in my view, indicators of this nascent technology’s demonic potential to hollow out human endeavour and sever our connection to the divine. They mock creation itself by rendering humanity unnecessary, taking the fruits of human striving and reducing them to mere products. It is, perhaps, our final, most soul-destroying humiliation….”

You can read it in full HERE.

DAVID WITH THE HEAD OF GOLIATH BY CARAVAGGIO, CIRCA 1607

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And that is it for today, and yesterday, and Saturday evening…!!

I hope you’re having a magnificent Monday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting!!

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

It popped up on someone’s Instagram post yesterday. I haven’t heard this song in forever — “I love it when you call me Big Poppa” — and I always just LOVED this song!!

The Notorious B.I.G. – “Big Poppa“, 1994, from the album Ready to Die. Enjoy, gang!!

“Big Poppa”

Uh, uh, check it out (yeah), uh
Junior M.A.F.I.A., uh (he-he)
Uh (I like this) yeah, yeah
Nine-fo’ (keep bangin’)

To all the ladies in the place with style and grace
Allow me to lace these lyrical douches in your bushes (uh)
Who rock grooves and make moves with all the mamis?
The back of the club, sippin’ Moët is where you’ll find me (what?)
The back of the club, mackin’ hoes, my crew’s behind me (uh)
Mad question askin’, blunt passin’
Music blastin’, but I just can’t quit
Because one of these honeys Biggie got to creep with (that’s right)

Sleep with, keep the ep a secret, why not? (Uh)
Why blow up my spot ’cause we both got hot?
Now check it, I got more mack than Craig, and in the bed
Believe me, sweetie, I got enough to feed the needy (come on)
No need to be greedy, I got mad friends with Benzes
C-notes by the layers, true fuckin’ players (uh)
Jump in the Rover and come over, tell your friends jump in the GS3
I got the chronic by the tree, cuz (let’s go)

I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
To the honeys gettin’ money, playin’ niggas like dummies
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
You got a gun up in your waist, please don’t shoot up the place (why?)
‘Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be havin’ my baby (uh), baby (uh)

Straight up, honey, really I’m askin’
Most of these niggas think they be mackin’, but they be actin’
Who they attractin’ with that line (what?), “What’s your name? What’s your sign?”
Soon as he buy that wine, I just creep up from behind (that’s right)
And ask you what your interests are, who you be with?
Things that make you smile, what numbers to dial
You gon’ be here for a while? I’m gon’ go call my crew, you go call your crew
We can rendezvous at the bar around two (come on)

Plans to leave, throw the keys to Little Cease (uh-huh)
Pull the truck up front, and roll up the next blunt
So we can steam on the way to the telly, go fill my belly (G)
A T-bone steak, cheese eggs and Welch’s grape
Conversate for a few, ’cause in a few we gon’ do
What we came to do, ain’t that right, boo? (True)
Forget the telly-, we just go to the crib
And watch a movie in the jacuzzi, smoke Ls while you do me

I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player (come on, yeah)
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
To the honeys gettin’ money, playin’ niggas like dummies (uh)
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
You got a gun up in your waist, please don’t shoot up the place (why?)
‘Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be havin’ my baby, baby (uh)

In mansion and Benzes
Givin’ ends to my friends, and it feels stupendous
Tremendous cream, fuck a dollar and a dream (heh)
Still tote gats, strapped with infrared beams (that’s right) (what?)
Choppin’ Os (uh-huh), smokin’ la in Optimos
Money, hoes and clothes: all a nigga knows (all a nigga knows)
A foolish pleasure? Whatever
I had to find the buried treasure (for what?), so grams I had to measure
However, livin’ better now, Coogi sweater now
Drop top BMs, I’m the man, girlfriend

Yeah, honey, check it
Tell your friends to get with my friends
And we can be friends
Shit, we can do this every weekend (that’s right), alright?
Is that a’ight wit’ you?
Yeah, keep bangin’

I love it when you call me Big Poppa
Throw your hands in the air if you’s a true player
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
To the honeys gettin’ money, playin’ niggas like dummies (uh)
I love it when you call me Big Poppa
You got a gun up in your waist, please don’t shoot up the place (why?)
‘Cause I see some ladies tonight that should be havin’ my baby, baby (uh)

Check it out
Nine-fo’ shit for that ass, uh
Puff Daddy, Biggie Smalls, Junior M.A.F.I.A.
Represent, baby, baby, uh

c -1994 Christopher Wallace / Christopher Jasper (and the Isely Brothers — Rudolph Isley / Ernie Isley / Marvin Isley / O’kelly Isley / Ronald Isley)

Ready or not, it’s Saturday!

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My Internet was down for many hours, but now it’s back and that right there makes everything splendid.

If you saw my quick post from yesterday — wow, gang. What great timing that was!

I discovered that I had $150 in rewards from my Medicare Supplemental Insurance. (And it was great timing because I had just paid the car payment, the car insurance, and the mortgage — so this was like “found money”.)

I had no clue how to use it, but soon discovered that one of the Dollar Stores about 7 minutes away, would honor those rewards. So I stopped in there before work, loaded up on about 3 weeks’ worth of cat food and cat litter, and it was totally FREE!!! (Yes, enough for 14 cats!!)

Yay!

(And I still have $100 left over!! Enough to go back and buy some new Christmas coffee mugs!! We shall see! God knows I need plenty more, I only have about 15 Christmas coffee mugs already!!)

And luckily for the cats, that particular Dollar Store sells all the types of cat food my cats love. (Yay!) (The Dollar Store here in the village only carries 2 brands….)

And then after work, I stopped in at Aldi’s and got about a month’s worth of non-perishables for me, along with my usual groceries — that was not free. But at least I’m prepared in case anything gets seriously wonky down there in DC… I guess we will find out.

DC right now, if there were, like, trees and grass everywhere…

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Before I forget!!!!

The eBook edition of my 2011 novel, Twilight of the Immortal, will be FREE to download, starting tomorrow and running through Thursday, Nov. 12th!!

This book has generally gotten 5-star reviews (a couple of readers did not like the fact that I portray Rudolph Valentino as bisexual, but I’m telling you, gang, I researched that novel for 10 years before writing it, and I include a complete bibliography. I did not make that stuff up.)

Anyway– here’s one of the reviews from way back when my novel first came out:

“Unlike her previous books, this is NOT erotica! This is a serious novel that should be enjoyed by the general public. The story is captivating. The characters are very strong and the book is hard to put down.”

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Okay, gang.

I gotta plug another great all-natural product!!

This is another product from Keys — a really great company for all-natural health & beauty products. I use a lot of their products, but I only started using this Wednesday night and I am stunned by how great it is!

I was having some non-stop itching around my ankles, from back when the cats had gotten fleas. The cats were no longer scratching at all, the fleas were gone, but I couldn’t get the flea bites to stop itching.

This stuff took care of it instantly, and by last night, the bites and the scars were already gone. It healed everything that quickly.

You cannot buy this on Amazon. You can buy it at health & wellness stores, or directly from Keys.

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Okay.

By mid-afternoon yesterday, Nick Cave finally made his announcement and I was totally heartbroken, gang.

He’s doing another “In Conversation” Tour, here in the US, in Spring 2027, but he’s not coming anywhere near Ohio.

I cannot believe that I will miss the tour, gang. It was so incredible the last time he did one like this. (That time I saw him, twice, in NYC. But without some sort of weird windfall, I can’t afford to travel like that anymore — planes, hotels, meals, tickets to the show, etc.)

Visit HERE to see which cities he’ll be in that are nowhere near Ohio, and to register for pre-sale tickets.

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But here’s this!

I used to have this photo taped to my wall in my bedroom on E.12th Street in NYC. I loved it! (And still do.)

Keith! 1988, NYC. (Photo by Albert Watson)

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I thought this was just beautiful.

From former Bad Seed/Boys Next Door/The Birthday Party, Mick Harvey, yesterday.

Mick Harvey, Nick Cave, Tracy Pew, Rowland S. Howard, 1983

And here’s this, while we’re at it. “Wildworld” by The Birthday Party.

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And as time marches inexorably onward–

Here’s Bad Seed Warren Ellis with his other band, The Dirty Three, in Berlin the other night!

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And a new book is coming from Esther (and Jerry) Hicks! It’s been a long time since they had a new book out.

The Art of Allowing: You Get What You Think About Whether You Want it Or Not (Book Trailer– 8 mins):

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And this was interesting. Good history lesson, if this is new to you.

I listened to it while doing yoga the other day.

From Bart Ehrman’s “Misquoting Jesus” podcast — Early Christians Were Jews. Then 70 CE Changed Everything (46 mins):

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And that is it for today.

Today starts my new 3-days off-in-a-row schedule at work. (I will have Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays off, three times a month.)

I’m hoping to get the flash fiction piece edited and turned in to Alex S. Johnson today, hopefully for inclusion in the Bill Burroughs tribute anthology.

And then I will begin a new short piece for another anthology that Alex S. Johnson sent out a Call for Submissions for this morning: RIOT PINK: An Alphabet Rights Anthology. (That one will be a more personal, nonfiction piece.)

Meanwhile–

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang. Stay safe.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

For some reason, this broke my heart a little bit.

I had gone back to bed with my cup o’ joe this morning, waiting for the Internet to be restored. And then I switched on the Oldies FM radio station on the retro boombox next to my bed–

And this song from yesteryear came on! Wow, did it take me back to my wee bonny girlhood. (If God came to me on my deathbed and asked if I’d like to live my life all over again, I would definitely, without hesitating, say, “No, not even for a minute, but the music was really good.”)

Elton John, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” 1973. Enjoy, gang.

Hmmm… It’s November 6th

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No announcement from Nick Cave yet — and we all keep checking!!

Could this maybe explain the delay??? (From Facebook!)

But it gives me something happy to anticipate today, and not just “am I going to be able to afford to buy enough food for me and the cats to last 2 weeks?” etc., etc.

We shall see, gang. I’ll be heading to the Rural King and to Aldi’s after work today, to see what I can manage to do about stocking up. (See last night’s post.)

Meanwhile!

Yes! I did finish the flash fiction piece yesterday afternoon. But I know I will want to take another look at it over the weekend before turning it in.

It is a really strange story, but I guess that stands to reason since it’s inspired by William S. Burroughs: “…Much of Burroughs’s work is experimental and features unreliable narrators….”

So we shall see! But it was a very interesting process, writing it, I mean.

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Okay!

I cannot believe I forgot about this yesterday!

Now it is belated, but happy heavenly birthday, Gram Parsons! Yesterday marked his 80th birthday.

There were tributes to him all over Instagram yesterday, but I really liked this one! (It’s connected to Gram Parsons’ legendary death, wherein his friends stole his casket from the airport, took it to the Joshua Tree desert and set it on fire to free his spirit.)

Keith posted a video yesterday, wherein he was singing Gram’s song, “Hickory Wind” in concert somewhere, as a tribute to Gram’s 80th. It was really great, but I can’t post Instagram videos on the blog.

But meanwhile, here’s this! Gram with The Byrds, singing “Hickory Wind”, 1968:

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And speaking of Keith!!

Here’s this!!

And in case you don’t recognize the guys behind the shades!!

Here’s Keith with Mick (and an old pal, Jack D.!!):

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And Ronnie Wood announced yesterday that you can now order his Stones Folio art editions in time for Christmas!!

Each folio comes with a matching free Portrait T-shirt! — $985, each folio. Or you can order just the Portrait T-shirt by itself — $95 each.

They are really great. You can view them and pre-order them HERE.

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And here’s this!

I’m guessing this is around April 21st — but I don’t know which year!

But David Bowie and Iggy Pop appear to be celebrating Iggy’s birthday (April 21st)!!

Meanwhile!! Here’s this classic!! “Lust For Life” by Iggy Pop — song written by Iggy and David Bowie (1977):

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Well, that’s all I have for today.

I thought I was going to spend a portion of the blog posting about Nick Cave’s announcement, but it still hasn’t come out.

So, we’ll dip into the desktop stash while we’re waiting, and re-post this instead!!

Meanwhile, please stay safe out there, wherever you are in the world.

And here in the US, please stock up on food and water for you, your families, and your pets!! DC is intense right now — and they’re talking about “The Insurrection Act” going down because of massive voting irregularities, but we will see, gang.

Still, it’s better to be on the side of safe rather than sorry!!

Okay!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this gem!!

Maybe this is where Nick Cave is right now?? Down in the lime tree arbor and time got away from him??

We do not know!!

But here’s “Lime Tree Arbor” by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, 1997. So beautiful. Enjoy, gang.

Maybe A Quiet One Today?

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Well, yesterday was not exactly what I was expecting.

First off — after going through the entire Spring and Summer around here without ANY cats — indoors or outside — getting fleas…

Yesterday, it became apparent that, on the final days of October, for chrissakes — all the INDOOR cats had become infested.

So … $200 later.

But I caught it in time. It hadn’t taken over the house, or anything. But I did have to drop everything and drive an hour to town and back, and visit 3 different stores to get enough flea meds for all the cats. Since it’s the end of flea season, the stores weren’t exactly stocked anymore. But I eventually found what I needed and now it is done.

Too bad a house full of rescued cats isn’t actually like this…

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Before that, though —

I did make some good progress on the flash fiction piece for the Bill Burroughs anthology. And I at least have an idea of how it will end. Still don’t know how the story will get to the ending but I have about 450 words left to achieve it.

But I was happily working away on it, when suddenly–

I got a text from the investigative journalist again — more questions regarding the photographer RC Horsch, a colleague of mine from over 25 years ago that I had ceased all communications with back in 2001 because I found him very disturbing.

(I noticed that RC Horsch’s Wikipedia page has been very recently updated: “…an American erotic photographer, pornographic filmmaker, convicted criminal and suspected serial killer….”)

Anyway. The journalist asked me if I would be willing to be interviewed on camera. Back in September, I had only agreed to be interviewed through texting, although I agreed that he could use my name.

Well, Part 1 of his investigation is on YouTube now, so I stopped what I was doing and watched it (29 minutes). I felt that, while it is disturbing, obviously, it was not distastefully presented or sensationalized.

So I agreed to do the interview on camera for Part 2. It will happen Sunday afternoon.

Here is Part 1 if you want to watch it. It does not show anything explicit or gorey.

The Fall of the House of Horsch Film | RC Horsch & His Son The Early Years (29 mins):

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I was quietly relieved, though, to find that I was no longer feeling that horrible paranoia that I’d been feeling toward the end of the summer. I was able to handle watching the video just fine.

My life, overall, has definitely moved into a more emotionally secure place — mostly because I’m back in the world among people and working. Not just living alone in my head.

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Okay!

Yesterday, Brown Hound Press posted a new short story– very well written, in my opinion.

“Sound Privacy” by Nicholas Bacci Siegel

You can read it HERE, free.

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Oh, and my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn never did call yesterday…

So yesterday was just nothing like what I was expecting.

And since I was sort of “occupied” all day and into the evening, I don’t have hardly any “here’s this’s'”.

But here’s this–

I don’t really know the details, but Warren Ellis posted this from Oslo this morning:

And it was posted along with this song — Johnny Thunders, “You Can’t Put Your Arms Around A Memory” (1978):

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And here’s this!!

The B52s got their star unveiled on the Hollywood Walk of Fame yesterday!!

From Fred Schneider:

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And from Facebook!!

And speaking of Nick Cave–

He sent out a new Red Hand File about 3 seconds ago…

A reader wrote in and asked Nick how he had spent his time off from the Red Hand Files. And Nick revealed, in part:

“…I spent the time happily sculpting, firing, and glazing – no distractions, no internet, no phones, no music, no podcasts. Just clay. I fashioned little worlds by hand, devilish things, swept along on that preternatural current where form waits to be found. I felt the world’s anxieties drain away – how quickly they retreated – until I came upon something essential, the spirit freed from the dross, the imagination stripped clean to something pure and wide, and lovely….”

This is a sample from his brand new ceramics collection — the second in his series about The Devil — The Devil in the Afterlife:

THE DEVIL IN HELL (FOR THE FIRST TIME) from THE DEVIL IN THE AFTERLIFE by NICK CAVE, 2026

You can read the new Red Hand File in full, HERE.

PHOTO BY LYNETTE GARLAND

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And that is it for now.

I gotta get ready to head to work.

Enjoy your Friday-before-Halloween (if you celebrate it), wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

From my drive to and from town yesterday for the cats’ flea meds…

I played this on repeat, loud. And thought a good deal about RC Horsch, and my early career and where it’s led me, and I let the song transport me away from all of it for awhile.

Barry Manilow, “I Write the Songs”. 1975. Enjoy, gang.

Getting Social Around Here!

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Okay!!

So, not only do we have a group lunch coming up in early November — with my co-workers at the health & wellness store (including the woman who runs the store).

But on Monday, I’m having lunch with my dear pals Wendy and Kara, to celebrate Wendy’s birthday!!

The 3 of us have not had time to get together for lunch since Christmas. I’m really looking forward to it.

We’re going here !!

So, the main reason I returned to the working world was to be around people again. And it is already a complete success.

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I’m getting a late start here on the blog today because it was “Pay the Bills” day today!!

So the bills are paid — and I have to say, I am managing the expense of the recent trip to Charlotte , NC, and that fantastic hotel, just fine.

Yay!!

Oh, and Sandra texted at 7:15AM and asked if I was up and having coffee yet (I of course was!!), so we had our chat on the phone first thing this morning.

I am still aiming to be in NYC for her Birthday Cabaret the 3rd week of January…

And at some point today, I’m supposed to catch up with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn!! Yay!!

For some reason, I’m a lot older when I chat with Valerie…

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And then somewhere here today, I’ll be working some more on the flash fiction piece for the Bill Burroughs tribute anthology…

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Okay!

It’s that time again!!

Erica Verrillo’s fantastic monthly free newsletter for writers is out:

73 Calls for Submissions in November 2026 – Paying markets!

“This November there are more than six dozen calls for submissions. All of these are paying markets, and none charge submission fees. As always, every genre, style, and form is wanted, from short stories to poetry to essays.”

Visit HERE. And sign up for her FREE newsletter, while you’re at it!!

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Meanwhile….

Due to the time difference between here and Europe, and my overall schedule–

I’m falling behind in The Dirty Three’s European Tour!!

Posted by Warren Ellis after their tour-opening show in Vicenza, Italy!!

And here’s Warren Elvis, oops, ELLIS, during their show in Geneva last night!!

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Speaking of Elvis….

Here’s Johnny Cash!!

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And speaking of Johnny Cash….

Dwight Yoakam is still on tour!! You can buy tickets HERE!

And in the event you need some Guitars, Cadillacs, and Hillbilly Music RIGHT NOW—

And I have to say, yet again, that experiencing Dwight Yoakam singing this very song live at The Ritz in NYC in the 1980s — it was absolutely unbelievable, gang. Truly one of the highlights of my already indescribably insane life.

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Okay!

Here’s this!!

I might have posted it here before, but you can’t beat a photo of Keith smoking while he’s on fire, can you, gang??!


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And here’s this great song, just for the hell of it!!

Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire” from his huge hit album, Born in the USA (1984):

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From Phyllis Stein.

The New York Dolls in London, 1973.

Photographer Ian Dickson passed away recently–

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And here’s this!!

From Facebook!!

Nick Cave looking very, very Nick Cave-y!! In color!! Yay!!

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And I guess that is it, gang.

I gotta get focused here and get some writing done before the day flies away from me and I’m yakking merrily on the phone with Valerie.

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this today!!

This came up in my YouTube stream!

I used to LOVE this song, as a wee bonny teenaged lass. I played this record a lot (on her Greatest Hits album) when I was very very very briefly away at college in 1978… Luckily my 3 other roommates liked Joan Baez, too.

(And if you were ever a stranger that I’ve been in love with, well, then this one’s for you and you know who you are!!)

Joan Baez, 1972. “Love Song To A Stranger”. Enjoy, gang.

“Love Song To A Stranger”

How long since I’ve spent a whole night in a twin bed with a stranger
His warm arms all around me?
How long since I’ve gazed into dark eyes that melted my soul down
To a place where it longs to be?
All of your history has little to do with your face
You’re mainly a mystery with violins filling in space

You stood in the nude by the mirror and picked out a rose
From the bouquet in our hotel
And lay down beside me again and I watched the rose
On the pillow as it fell
I sank and I slept in a twilight with only one care
To know that when day broke and I woke that you’d still be there
You’d still be there

The hours for once they passed slowly, unendingly by
Like a sweet breeze on a field
Your gentleness came down upon me and I guess I thanked you
When you caused me to yield
We spoke not a sentence and took not a footstep beyond
Our two days together which seemingly soon would be gone
Soon would be gone

Don’t tell me of love everlasting and other sad dreams
I don’t want to hear
Just tell me of passionate strangers who rescue each other
From a lifetime of cares
‘Cause if love means forever, expecting nothing returned
Then I hope I’ll be given another whole lifetime to learn

‘Cause you gave to me, oh, so many things, it makes me wonder
How they could belong to me
And I gave you only my dark eyes which melted your soul down
To a place where it longs to be

c – 1972 Joan Baez

How things are feeling around here!!

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Well, sort of.

I am glad I finished the editing of the M. Christian tribute anthology, but I am still feeling those little stragglers of depression and loss.

For instance, Bill Brent, who had been a very close colleague and friend of both M. Christian and myself (and countless others), came to live with me here in Ohio for awhile, after he’d broken up with a long-time significant other in Hawaii.

Bill was not easy to live with at that point in his life — his topics of conversation included his detailed thoughts about how to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco without getting rescued…

After he left Ohio, leaving all his possessions “temporarily” stored in my basement, he moved back to San Francisco…

And jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge.

Without getting rescued.

That was back in 2012.

Of course, for me, Bill’s spirit is all over M. Christian’s tribute anthology…along with the loss of so many others from my world.

But I am trying to shift my focus. And shift my focus. And shift my focus.

I’m hoping that once I send the manuscript over to my publisher and have her focus on it for awhile, it will sort of get my mind off of all the loss, and I can truly move forward toward focusing on new stuff.

We’re gonna find out, because I’m gonna hit “SEND” as soon as I’m done posting to the blog today.

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Well, here’s some stuff!

Keith’s birthday wishes to Bill Wyman yesterday:

And here’s some birthday wishes from the gallery in London where Bill’s photos are currently on display:

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And I thought this was quite interesting!!

It was taken only THREE DAYS AGO, and Keith is clearly smoking… (so much for quitting!) (But my guess is that he’s still gonna live longer than any of us!!)

And here’s Keith again!!

Smoking!! And playing a guitar!! In mostly black, a little white…

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Speaking of guitar heroes…

Here’s something that has me sort of spellbound, gang.

The producer/narrator who is working on the audiobook edition of my novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, sent me over an update, an audio file, yesterday and he is doing such a fantastic job.

If you are unfamiliar with that novel — it is told from the POV of a famous (fictional) guitar hero at the very end of his life. (In fact, in my opinion, he is already dead while he’s telling the story of his life, but I leave it up to the reader to decide.)

He has no name in the book, and the entire book is being told by him to the new love in his life — and she is never named. Never speaks. Nothing. It’s only him, throughout.

When this novel “came to me” in 2019, it was literally as if it were being dictated to me by a guy in my head. A voice. I typed out what he “told me”. His whole life story. (You can read a sample here on the blog.)

I loved this novel. And every publisher I sent it to declined it. I finally published it myself, and I still love this book, gang.

Well, yesterday, listening to the new audio file — wow. It was like I was finally really hearing the guy who had spoken to me in my head all those years ago. It felt incredible, listening to it. I even got chills a couple times. “This is the guy!”, you know?

I won’t be publishing the audiobook until early 2027, but I can’t wait.

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From James Tabor — he sent out this video to us this morning. It’s from a couple years ago, but it is really good.

Paul within His Hellenistic World: Understanding Cosmic Salvation (1hr 30 mins):

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And later this afternoon, Ross K. Nichols is having a private Zoom discussion with the Yachad. I can’t post details about it yet, but it should be really interesting!!

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And in other very interesting developments — I’ve been invited to contribute a flash fiction piece honoring William S. Burroughs, for an anthology edited by Alex S. Johnson. (Tight deadline.)

Ideas are already flowing into my brain, so here’s hoping it will hit the page quickly and in a good way. We shall soon see!!

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Meanwhile….

From Facebook.

I do not think this day sucks in ANY way, however, I loved this photo!!

So here it is!!

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And that is it for now.

I’m gonna get the manuscript off to my publisher, and then maybe take a little walk and clear my brain.

It is another stunning fall day out there today.

Enjoy your Sunday, 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!!

That TV show from Japan that I really loved is back on Netlfix!! With episodes I haven’t seen yet!!

I watched it last night. I’m so glad it’s back. (Between that, and new episodes of “Ludwig” on Britbox, and reruns of “Mrs. Brown’s Boys”– again!!!! I’m doing all right, TV-wise.)

“Midnight Diner”. Recap. Enjoy, gang.

Much better this morning, thank you!

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For some reason, I slept really great last night, gang, and woke at 5:15AM, absolutely not tired at all!! (See yesterday’s post, wherein I woke up unbelievably tired.)

Anyway. Yay!!

So here’s hoping I will FINALLY get that Foreword written for the M. Christian tribute anthology so that I can finally turn the manuscript in to the publisher.

(It’s actually not overdue. At all. It isn’t due for another week. But I just want it completed and turned in. I need to feel that feeling that it is done. It’s been an emotionally rocky journey for me — editing that anthology.)

But I intend to have at least the first draft of the Foreword done by this afternoon. Then tomorrow, I can do a final draft if needed, then one last edit on the whole manuscript. And then this will be me, sometime tomorrow!!

Me! Sometime tomorrow!! In case you couldn’t read what I just said…

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Okay!!

Guess what fucking day it is, gang??

That’s fucking CORRECT!!

Legendary Rolling Stones’ (former) bass player, Bill Wyman, turns 90 today!!

Happy 90th birthday, Bill Wyman!!

And here’s this! From his album, Drive My Car, 2024 — the song, “Drive My Car”!! I love this song and have played it absolutely countless times over the past couple years while driving my own car!! (And going, well, extremely fast…)

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And it is also THIS today–

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Rowland S. Howard. Born on this day in Melbourne, Australia, in 1959. He would have been 67 today.

And let’s listen to this fantastic song, for the 7 trillionth time!! Written by Rowland S. Howard when he was a wee bonny teenaged lad in Melbourne!! One of my very favorite songs. “Shivers.” Here’s Nick Cave, Rowland, & the Boys Next Door. 1979.

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My dear and long-time friend in NYC, writer/poet Iris N. Schwartz has a new book of flash fiction out from Poets Wear Prada Press!!

“Here are thirteen stories, often simultaneously painfully poignant and devilishly humorous, whether grounded in the familiar, or dreamlike and other-worldly, that tell of the human condition, our all-too-frequent bouts of loneliness and dislocation, and our attempts at survival and resilience… Taking up where she left off with Shame, Iris has lined up her third installment of mostly flash and micro fiction treats, sweet-and-sour morsels, for us to read and re-read, and relish.”

Buy it HERE on Amazon!! ($12.00)

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And here’s this — only because I’d never seen this photo before and thought it was beautiful!

Lou Reed!!

Just beautiful

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Okay!

Here’s the info if you want to watch the livestream of the B-52s getting their star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!!

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I loved this photo!

From Phyllis Stein!

Iggy and David Johansen , NYC, in 2004!! Photo by the legendary photographer Bob Gruen who also just celebrated a birthday!!

(And as an aside, I also got to meet Bob Gruen once, in NYC. I was coming out of a music conference with my dear friend, the late great music executive, Holly Lane, who was good friends with Bob Gruen. What a thrill to meet him! He was so nice.)

FYI , in case you didn’t know — “…By the mid 1970s, Bob Gruen was already regarded as one of the foremost photographers in music working with major artists such as John Lennon, Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Elton John, and Kiss. He also covered emerging new wave and punk rock bands, including the New York Dolls, the Clash, Sex Pistols, Ramones, and Blondie….”

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Okay!!

Speaking of legendary rock music photographers!!

I loved this!! From photographer Allen Tannenbaum‘s Instagram page (soho blues). A look behind the scenes, as it were, of one of my all-time favorite photos of Tom Petty!!

And here is my above-mentioned favorite photo of Tom, by Allen (1977), after Tom’s cigarette was so kindly lit!!

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And this is also from Allen Tannenbaum’s page. And it sent a real chill through me when I saw it, gang.

He took this photo of John & Yoko, just a couple of weeks before John was murdered (on Dec. 8, 1980).

I remember this photo really well. But, yesterday, when I saw the date this photo was taken on — Nov. 21, 1980 — I realized that I had only lived in NYC for 6 days by then. It had felt like a fucking eternity. NYC was just so much endless culture shock for me back then. And then to have my hero murdered only a few weeks after moving there…

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Okay!

Big news!!!

Warren Ellis finally has his outfit all sorted out for the upcoming Dirty Three European Tour, as well as his solo performance at that Armani museum place-thingie in Milan on Monday!! (You can find tickets to the Dirty Three shows HERE, but a lot of the shows are nearly sold out, so you have to hurry.)

Personally, I think it’s wise to go with the jacket and the hat because it’s almost, like, winter, right? And it can sometimes be really fucking COLD in Europe in fucking winter… And they say that all your body heat escapes through the top of your head…

And here’s this while we’re at it!! Dirty Three’s, “Indian Love Song”, from 1995!! That song that you can basically sing while sitting around a camp fire and strumming your violin guitar! (10 mins):

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And from Facebook!!

Legends!!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds!!

Also legends!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds!!

And legends-in-the-making!!!

Nick Cave & the Boys Next Door!! 1978!!

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And speaking of Nick Cave–

He sent out a really wonderful Red Hand File yesterday, about his experiences with (and without) Transcendental Meditation. He says, in part:

“…the effect was evident almost instantly. Within a couple of attempts, much of my general pissed-offness, low-level depression, waves of dread, and run-of-the-mill rage at the world, retreated. I felt more alive, more creative, and way happier. So for the next seven or eight years I practised TM, happily meditating twice a day….”

You can read it in full HERE.

SAINT FRANCIS OF ASSISI AND BROTHER LEO MEDITATING BY EL GRECO, 1600 – 1614

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And that is it for this happy Saturday in the Hinterlands.

The laundry is almost done. The sun is shining! The autumn leaves look positively splendid outside all my many windows! And the many, many cats are all taking splendid NAPS!!

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Here’s hoping that the next time you hear from me, I can tell you that the Foreword for the M. Christian tribute anthology is completed!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

To continue with a theme here this morning…

From my breakfast-listening music today!!

I’ve posted this song here before, but here it is again!!

One of my absolute favorite Nick Cave songs!

“Brompton Oratory” from the incredible album The Boatman’s Call. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, 1997. Enjoy, gang.

“Brompton Oratory”

Up those stone steps I climb
Hail this joyful day’s return
Into its great shadowed vault I go
Hail the Pentecostal morn

The reading is from Luke 24
Where Christ returns to his loved ones
I look at the stone apostles
Think that it’s alright for some

And I wish that I was made of stone
So that I would not have to see
A beauty impossible to define
A beauty impossible to believe

A beauty impossible to endure
The blood imparted in little sips
The smell of you still on my hands
As I bring the cup up to my lips

No God up in the sky
No devil beneath the sea
Could do the job that you did
Of bringing me to my knees

Outside I sit on the stone steps
With nothing much to do
Forlorn and exhausted, baby
By the absence of you

c -1997 Nick Cave

Very quick post

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Okay, I did get a little nap just now (see earlier post), but I still don’t have time for a regular post today before I have to leave for town.

However, I did want to post this today.

10 years ago today, the sweetest cat on Earth left us!

Bunny! She lived to be 14. I adopted Bunny and her brother Buster as kittens, from an animal shelter in Times Square in NYC. They moved with me 5 times — to 3 different States…

And here’s the portrait Valerie in Brooklyn made of Bunny about 12 years ago:

And I’m posting this just because I saw it while looking for photos of Bunny —

The house I had from October 2006 to October 2016. Huckleberry, on the old piano in the living room!

Also, this happened on this day in 1999–

I lost my best friend on Earth, Paul Martin. He died at a few minutes after 8 in the evening, October 23, 1999. And oddly, it had been an incredibly beautiful fall evening. I was over in Riverside Park, looking out at the Hudson River, overwhelmed by how beautiful everything looked; it was spellbinding. (This was only a few blocks from where Wayne & I lived on the Upper West Side in NYC.)

Then I went home and a little later, got word from Paul’s mom that Paul had passed away. He had suffered from AIDS for about 6 years by then and had been confined to a nursing home for the final year of it.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: my life was never the same after Paul died. He was truly my best friend. So funny, so talented. So compassionate. We stood by each other through everything. We met in the Theater Department in high school, in 1977, and remained best friends for 22 years.

Soar in peace, baby! I miss you so much.

And that’s it.

I’ll have a regular post tomorrow. Thanks for visiting. I love you guys!!

And here’s this, just because Paul loved this song so much. I wrote it in 1981.

“Breaking Glass”

I was doomed to live in New York City
On a block where accidental babies
Went out with the trash;
We shared a two-room apartment,
Tiny and cold
To the tune of a love, by winter,
Growing old
And the sound of an angry young woman
Breaking glass.

I recall our lives were never empty
There were tears enough for the third who entered
And beckoned your past;
The hours you kept were deceitful
And it had to show
The passion of time she burned
I couldn’t control;
I was trapped in my raging fury
And breaking glass.

CHORUS
There’s no telling how the coming of love
Will find us
There’s no guessing in what way
It’s gonna set us free
There’s no doubting that the anger of love
Can break us
When our actions don’t even come close
To the people we wanna be most
And our dreams don’t work out as the glories
They’d promised to be.

Without excuses I left the table
Well, I ran like hell while I was still able
I started anew;
I’ve lost some weight and I’m strong
And happy now
I got over the fiery anger, though
I don’t know how;
The songs we knew, they don’t drive me crazy
Well, I stopped the drinking and being lazy
It’s over at last;
The painful sheer rejection has
All gone past;
The tunes of deceit and loneliness
Fading fast;
Gone are the days of anger
And breaking glass.

CHORUS
There’s no telling how the coming of love
Will find us
There’s no guessing in what way
It’s gonna set us free
There’s no doubting that the anger of love
Can break us
When our actions don’t even come close
To the people we wanna be most
And our dreams don’t work out as the glories
They’d promised to be.

c- 1981 Marilyn Jaye Lewis
First of May Songs, BMI

A delightful Thursday in the Hinterlands!

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All righty, gang!

Today, I am hoping to finally decide the order to put the stories in for the M. Christian anthology. For some reason, I’m having trouble with that. But I am hoping to simply tackle it today.

Then write the Foreword.

Then turn in the anthology to my publisher.

That’s the plan anyway….

If for some reason it goes awry, I still have the weekend to finish it and turn it in.

Oh!

My work schedule has changed. I will now be working Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. And one Saturday morning per month. (Which means that for 3 weeks each month, I will have 3 days off in a row…)

I am still absolutely loving being back at that job, gang. Honestly, it’s like being part of a family again.

And there is so much passion there, and laughter — mixed with a genuine desire to help people (the customers) take control of their own health.

And at the end of the shift, we generally all walk out together and hug each other while saying goodbye and heading out for the night.

That little health & wellness store has been family-owned and on that spot for over 30 years.

Work… Or how it feels, anyway

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Okay!

I thought this was very interesting. I read it in “The Dailies” this morning:

“WGA East found a way to make scripts AI-proof. The [screenwriter’s] guild is partnering with Cloak, a startup whose tool makes files unreadable to AI but readable by humans, and giving members free access to keep their work out of training data. Cloak claims it holds up against ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, plus the auto-summaries in Gmail.”

You can read about it in full on IndieWire HERE.

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From Singapore Unbound today:

“You are warmly invited to Singapore Unbound’s 10th Anniversary Celebration, wherever you are in the world! Established in 2016, Singapore Unbound envisions and works for a creative and fulfilling life for everyone through the arts and activism. We organize events such as the monthly Second Saturdays Reading Series and the biennial Singapore Literature Festival in NYC. We also publish a literary journal called SUSPECT and books through our close associate Gaudy Boy.”

Singapore Unbound’s 10th Anniversary Celebration (online)
Saturday, November 14, 8.00-9.30 pm ET / Sunday, November 15, 9.00-10.30 am SGT
Featuring Vijay Seshadri, Gina Apostol, and Tania De Rozario
RSVP: HERE

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All righty.

From Phyllis Stein!

Gene Vincent, smoking in 1956!! (Photo from Michael Ochs Archives)

And also from 1956 — Gene Vincent’s HUGE hit, “Be-Bop-A-Lula”!! (I loved this song as a wee bonny lass! It was, by then, already a classic.)

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And here’s a great photo of Keith Richards and the late, great, and very missed, Charlie Watts!

And here’s Mick and Keith goin’ places on a train!! (1964 or 65?) (Mick doesn’t own a cellphone yet so he’s just staring at a bottle…)

Keith thinks staring at bottles is, well, stupid.

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Here’s Ronnie Wood, painting!!

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And here’s a photo by the legendary rock photographer, Lynn Goldsmith!!

3 of my idols when I was in my late teens:

Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, and Tom Petty!!

And why not listen to this, for a change?! Jackson Browne’s huge hit from 1978! “Running On Empty”!

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And here’s this!!

Yesterday, Bad Seed George Vjestica wished Jim Sclavunos a Happy Birthday!!

Happy belated birthday, Jim Sclavunos (aka “Super Hot Dog”)!! (I love this photo: Bad Seeds Jim, Colin, George, and Carly.)

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From Nick Cave Official this morning–

Apparently, it’s been 5 years since Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds released Vol. 2 of B-Sides & Rarities!!

(I can’t believe it’s been 5 years already…)

But this happened, 5 years ago, too! This was such a great conversation. This happened online during the era of lockdowns. I remember listening to it on my (now obsolete) iPad, in bed , in the dark…

Nick Cave & Mick Harvey Talk B-Sides & Rarities (36 mins):

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And from Facebook!!

You know, in case we wanted to have some FUN today!!

Nick Cave!! Smoking!! And, well, having fun…(?)!

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And that is it.

I better get that editor’s cap back on and get to work around here.

Enjoy your Thursday, 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!

One of my absolute favorite songs from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ B-Sides & Rarities, Vol. 2!

I do not know how many times I have listened to this song in the last 5 years…

“Fleeting Love”. 2008. Enjoy, gang.

“Fleeting Love”

I wake up and it’s half past four
My baby, she turns her face to the wall
I ain’t gonna cry
But it ain’t that funny no more

I pulled on a blanket made of stars
I wrap up my darling, all nice and warm
I ain’t gonna lie
But I don’t want the truth no more

Everybody knows
Ain’t found this good since the Stone Age
When my undying love
Was just a phase

On her way to the club
I hear her say
She’d dance the night away
Everybody needs some fleeting love

I follow my baby up the hotel stairs
And I’m lying into the back of her legs
I ain’t gonna buy
Whatever it is they’re selling, no more

I wake up later and it’s half past five
My baby, she stretches, opens her eyes
She says, “I ain’t gonna lie
But I could get to like you, babe”

Everybody knows
Ain’t found this good since the Stone Age
When my undying love
Was just a phase

On her way back to the club
I heard her say
As we dance the night away
Everybody needs some fleeting love

Ain’t found this good since the Stone Age
When my undying love
Was just a phase

When she opened her eyes
I heard her cry
Saying, “Darling, don’t you sigh
‘Cause everybody needs some fleeting love”

c – 2008 Nick Cave, Warren Ellis

Still dark out there!

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It’s at that point now where it is really feeling like fall.

It’s stays dark out in the mornings until 7:30 AM, and by 7:30 PM, I’m lighting the little tea candles in my room and watching TV (or listening to music) by candlelight.

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year, gang — followed extremely closely by Christmas!!

Yay!

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Okay– the sun is coming up now and it is such a gorgeous morning out there!! Something about autumn leaves against a clear blue sky just makes my heart soar, gang.

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All righty.

Today marks 57 years since Jack Kerouac’s passing. RIP, Jack.

And on a related note — I am currently reading 3 books now. I recently added this one to the stack next to my bed and I am really loving it:

The Beat Hotel: Ginsberg, Burroughs and Corso in Paris, 1957-1963 by Barry Miles (2001)

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This was from yesterday.

Adria’s heavenly birthday post for her dad, Tom Petty:

And here’s this, while we’re at it! “You and I Will Meet Again” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1991.

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I want to thank Martha for the kind review on Amazon for A Man in her Arms & Other Stories.

If you guys downloaded it last week — when you have a chance to read it, please review it if possible! It helps those algorithms. Thank you!!

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Here’s some great news!!

The B-52s have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!!

From Fred Schneider yesterday–

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! “Love Shack,” by the B-52s, 1989!!

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From Phyllis Stein!

Iggy & the Stooges at Max’s in NYC, 1973!! (Photo by Danny Fields)

And on the subject of Danny Fields, the photographer (above) — I actually met him once, he was good friends with one of my girlfriends, a playwright.

He and I were riding around the East Village one afternoon, in the back of a rented limousine. We were talking about my songwriting career. I was frustrated because everyone was telling me to move to Nashville — that my songs were too Country for NYC. But I just didn’t want to go to Nashville. I loved NYC… Anyway. He was very nice.

And on another related note — I eventually got a song publishing deal in Nashville. But I got it through my uncle, who was a popular Country singer back then and he was very well-connected in Nashville.

He basically got me the deal –I still have the actual contract– but nothing ever happened with it. I was that determined to never go to Nashville…

Me, in my room back then, never going to Nashville!!

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Here’s Rowland S. Howard not smoking in Cologne in 1992!!

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And from Facebook!

Nick Cave, smoking but, IMHO, not laughing… ?? (Such a great photo.)

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Okay, that is it for today.

Well, darn it — now there’s a heavy fog all over the village.

That’s one thing about living in a valley in the foothills: “Sometimes there’s fog, so quickly!!” (To sort of paraphrase Tennessee Williams and “A Streetcar Named Desire”…)

Anyway.

Hopefully it will lift as quickly as it came, and I won’t have to drive to town in the fog. We shall soon see.

Meanwhile, have a wonder-filled Wednesday, 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!!

In honor of Jack Kerouac’s passing… His legendary TV appearance on the Steve Allen Show.

Kerouac – (1959) Steve Allen show (5 mins):