Tag Archives: reviews

What a great morning!

September 14, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

I’m trying to make the absolute best of it because not only is the weather perfect — and the rest of the week, we’re supposed to have a lot of rain.

But also, tomorrow morning is when I’m supposed to report for Jury Duty again. I will find out later tonight if I do indeed have to show up, so we’ll see.

But regardless of tomorrow, I am trying to just have a really nice morning here.

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Before I forget!!

Facebook is just so strange.

Yesterday, I got another really cool “friend request” from someone I’ve only known for 54 years!!

She was, basically, my best friend all through Jr. High, high school, and most of adulthood… It’s only been a few years since I last heard from her. But we’re supposed to catch up in the phone sometime today!!

We met in the 7th grade, in September of 1972.

Yes!! There is someone still alive on Earth who knew me when I looked like this and wore plaid palazzo pants to school!!

When she and I were teenagers, we had mostly the same tastes in music, movies, literature, theater. We were both really smart and we laughed so hard about so much insane stuff.

I don’t know, but if you’re familiar with the playwright Eugène Ionesco, and his Theatre of the Absurd plays, our lives were kind of like that. 24/7.

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Okay!

Let’s go straight to the “here’s this’s” today!

Apparently, I need to get back to Shanghai by Sunday! (Which is also the start of Yom Kippur, so that’s dicey, right there!)

But I’ve already bought all 150 of the available tickets, so it only seems polite that I make the effort to show up…

Johnny Depp will be appearing at the Modern Art Museum Shanghai, in connection with his exhibit there, “Figures of the Fringe”!

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And here are a couple of great photos of Richard Hell!

Again, from the fantastic Phyllis Stein!!

Here, Richard Hell is seen with the “tiny Richard Hell head” that was really popular back then!

And here he’s seen at CBGBs in 1978 with Elvis Costello, who was also really popular back then!!

And I can’t help it, gang — we gotta hear this one, one more time!! Elvis Costello, 1977, “Mystery Dance”!!

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And here’s this!

Warren Ellis and one of his dogs appear to be very excited by Sundays!!

And taking a cue from Warren’s t-shirt, how about this? An AI version of the other Elvis singing Kris Kristofferson’s song, “Sunday Morning Coming Down,” the way Waylon Jennings sang it… (that’s right, but it’s actually pretty good…)

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And here’s that other thing that Facebook is good for!!!

Old photos of Nick Cave!!

I don’t know if I posted this one here before, but I love this!

And here’s Nick Cave, either taking off his coat, or pretending to wear handcuffs — or perhaps both! A long time ago! In color!

And this wasn’t on Facebook, but here it is anyway!

Nick Cave on TV in NYC, in 1990!

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And here’s this — from my own life!

This movie came out in 1968, when I was 8, and my mom and I went to see it together in Cleveland and I just loved it.

Throughout my whole life, really, I wanted to have a huge family. I really did. I used to think about it all the time. (And by the time I was in my early teens, when things in my home life were getting really bad, I had a huge imaginary family in my head that I would retreat to all the time.)

In fact, the hardest part about leaving Wayne, in 2003, was knowing that I would never have even one child, let alone the 14 or so that I wanted…. I was 43 when I left Wayne and I was already in early menopause. Wayne had finally decided that he didn’t want to have kids. So that whole dream was all over.

Anyway.

I am currently re-watching “Yours, Mine, & Ours” on TUBI. From 1968. A glorious family with 18 wonderful children —

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And that’s it for today.

I will let you know early tomorrow morning if I have to report for Jury Duty again or not.

Meanwhile, enjoy your 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.

This was sort of magical, gang.

I’m still reading the Conversations with Tom Petty book (2006) at night.

And last night, Tom was telling the part where he was going through his divorce, and to pick up his spirits, Rick Rubin had Tom (and the other Heartbreakers) come onboard the Johnny Cash albums Rick was producing at the time, on his American Recordings label.

Tom had such an incredible time doing that — it was very detailed in the book. He loved Johnny Cash.

I knew I had all of those Johnny Cash American Recordings on my phone, but I wasn’t sure which ones I still had on actual CDs. So I got out of bed, went downstairs in the dark, went to one of the many CD racks I have and turned on the light — and the very first CD I saw was Johnny Cash’s American III: Solitary Man–– with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers!! (And others.)

It really felt like magic, gang. I still had it!

I hurried back up to bed, popped the CD in the retro boombox next to my bed, turned out the light and just listened. And, wow, was it good!!

And, oddly enough, it’s the CD that has Johnny Cash’s cover of Nick Cave’s classic, “The Mercy Seat”!

So, let’s listen! From 2000, Johnny Cash’s version of “The Mercy Seat.” So different from Nick’s version, but still so good. Okay. Enjoy, gang.

Quite a mixed bag today, people

September 3, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Wow.

Well, as usually happens when I miss a day of posting to the blog, I have a lot of stuff to post today.

It is mostly good stuff, gang, but I want to start off with something that is really disturbing to me today, personally.

Some stranger contacted me on Facebook yesterday and asked :

No, this was not me — I did not write it. I believe it is AI-generated.

First of all, I would never have called R. C. Hörsch merely “dysfunctional.”

We were colleagues — even friendly colleagues, I socialized with him when he would come to NYC in the late 1990s . He was a well known Erotic/Fetish photographer, and Maxim Jakubowski and I included Ray’s work in our internationally bestselling book, The Mammoth Book of Erotic Photography (UK, US, 2001).

I was no longer associating with Ray by the time the book came out in 2001, because he’d gotten fucking scary and was fucking nuts. I didn’t want to be anywhere near him anymore. (At different times, he had basically kidnapped, restrained in his home, sexually abused and photographed 2 young women I knew back then — over 25 years ago.)

So, no. Not only did I never write a review of Ray’s work, I wouldn’t have used the word “dysfunctional.” Plus, the photographs of his that we had published were nothing at all like what is described above, so apparently, his work got very extreme.

And now I am seriously disturbed to find out that, even while he’s been dead for over a year, the home he shared with his adult son in Pennsylvania is now linked to the deaths of 4 missing women — 2 of the women were allegedly killed on camera — the films found in the house. (Article is behind a paywall, but it is from only 6 days ago.)

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Okay.

Let’s move on.

On Tuesday, THIS wonderful thing happened to THIS wonderful human being!

The last surviving Bee Gee, Barry Gibb, turned 80! Happy belated birthday, Barry Gibb!!!

And here’s this! My absolute favorite Bee Gees song from back when I was 12!! “Run To Me”, 1972:

And yesterday, September 2nd, Keith wished Billy Preston a happy heavenly birthday!!

And Keith chose THIS beautiful song for Billy, from Exile on Main St, “Shine A Light” (1972):

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And here’s some hopeful news!

Remember I told you about how that beautiful convent here, Children of Mary, the one hidden away in the hills, was shut down recently by the Vatican?

Clergy in the Catholic Church are kind of outraged. Raymond Arroyo is looking into it.

Traditional Nuns SHUT DOWN After 24 Years — What Happened? | Prayerful Posse Clips (7 mins):

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Short story submissions to Brown Hound Press in Kentucky are now officially OPEN until September 30th!

“The time has come. We are officially open to submissions during the month of September!

“Quick reminder: Stories should be about 1,000-3,000 words. Mystery, Literary, Southern Gothic, Dark Humor. No AI allowed. Full details on our website. We pay our writers, and we respond to every submission within two weeks.

Brown Hound Press Season Two will premiere on September 17th with our season opener.”

SUBMIT STORY HERE

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Okay.

Speaking of Kentucky!!

Here’s this!

From Phyllis Stein!

Native Kentuckian, Richard Hell, in a bathtub in NYC in 1977! (Photo by Kate Simon)

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And here’s some wonderful news!

The late John Lennon has become a grandfather!! (And Yoko has become a grandma at age 93!!)

Sean Ono Lennon and his girlfriend had a baby boy, Aurelius Lennon, yesterday!

From Uncle Julian Lennon’s Instagram page yesterday morning

Let’s take a moment to listen to this masterpiece! John Lennon’s song for 5-year-old Sean, recorded shortly before John was murdered. “Beautiful Boy (Darling Boy)”, 1980:

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Here’s this!!

Incredibly tiny shoes!!

Warren Ellis, allegedly gardening??

And Warren’s tribute to bandmate Conway Savage, who passed away on September 2nd, 2018:

And a great photo of Warren and George Vjestica, taken by Colin Greenwood, when the Bad Seeds played Munich recently!

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Oh! Check this out!!

Another great one from Phyllis Stein!!

A postcard that Bob Dylan mailed to his girlfriend, Suze, from Italy, back in 1963!!!

And another other great one from Phyllis Stein!!

A couple of New York Dolls in Los Angeles in 1973!! (Photo by Bob Gruen)

And another other other great one from Phyllis Stein!!

Here’s William Burroughs and Joe Strummer in Bill’s famous bunker!

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And here’s one that’s NOT from Phyllis Stein… (wtf? how’d that happen?)

Joe Strummer and Ranking Roger!

And here’s this!! The Clash’s awesome remix of “Rock the Casbah” ft. Ranking Roger!! 1982!

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And a lovely shot of Blixa Bargeld!! Don’t know where, when, or by whom!! But it’s in black & white, and he’s not smoking!! (Those are 2 things I do know…)

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And let’s just quickly revisit this!!

Still in black & white, but here Blixa IS smoking!! While the other Bad Seeds abstain…

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Okay!

So, I did do all my many errands in town yesterday, and also had a great time having a late breakfast with one of my girlfriends! Yay!

And the book signing event (for my upcoming novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder) will be sometime in October, at Holland’s Book Nook, inside the Historic Arcade in Newark, OH. There will be a total of 3 writers at the signing.

It will look just like this — except that the writer in the photo won’t be there!!

And in case you’re curious….yes, I have finally begun writing my memoir about life in the 1970s, Joy: The Shortest Season.

(And here’s a disturbing thing I discovered — from Fall 1971, until Fall 1980, I moved SIXTEEN times!!!! Jesus fucking Christ. From the time I was 11, until I was 20…)

That sort of explains a lot right there, doesn’t it, gang??

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All righty! That’s it for now!!

Have a great 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.

Even though Tom Petty had recently died by the time I moved here in March 2018, I took this old song of his to heart and I played it all the time back then, and it kind of saved me.

I had been planning to move back to NYC, but on the advice of Gus Van Sant, Sr., who I worked for at the time, I bought a house in the middle of nowhere, instead — in the middle of the foothills of southeast Appalachia, to be exact. And it finally felt like home…

“Wildflowers”, by Tom Petty. 1994. Enjoy, gang.

“Wildflowers”

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
Sail away, kill off the hours
You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, find you a lover
Go away somewhere all bright and new
I have seen no other
Who compares with you

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong in a boat out at sea
You belong with your love on your arm
You belong somewhere you feel free

Run away, go find a lover
Run away, let your heart be your guide
You deserve the deepest of cover
You belong in that home by and by

You belong among the wildflowers
You belong somewhere close to me
Far away from your trouble and worry
You belong somewhere you feel free
You belong somewhere you feel free

c – 1994 Tom Petty

Okay! Just Waiting!

August 31, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Made the phone calls I had to make — you know, to alert Honda that I paid nearly $1200 in car lease payments over the weekend…

They took care of it. (Oops! Forgot to close out your Honda Civic account!) So now I’m just waiting to get a good chunk of that money back.

And I vacuumed the whole house.

Watered all the flowers.

Took care of the many cats…

And now I’m just waiting for the Medicare Insurance Nurse to arrive. And once she gets here, the checkup takes maybe 15 minutes, since I’m not on any prescription drugs and don’t have any health problems.

SHE: “Do you have any questions?”

ME: “No.” (Well, I have a lot of questions but none of them have anything whatsoever to do with my health, so I don’t even bother to ask.)

And then off she goes until next year…

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Speaking of taking care of the many cats, though–

Some really great news!

My birth mom called me yesterday afternoon and said that she’s going to be able to come here to take care of my cats when I go to North Carolina at the end of September!

Apparently, when my younger sister found out that I would be away and that cat sitters were going to be here, she told our mom: “No. I’ll take you to Marilyn’s and you can take care of her cats. And while you’re gone, I’ll look after your garden.”

So, wow, gang. That made both of us so happy. (My mom had been worried that she’d lose her tomato harvest if she came here to look after my cats.)

I much prefer it when my birth mom is here. The cats love her and she’s really good with cats. Plus she takes such good care of my house, too.

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Actually, my birth mom is still a brunette, even though she’s 79 now. I am the only one in my birth family whose hair went totally white by age 40.

What’s with that?

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Okay.

Here’s this! I thought it was pretty cool.

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan has a personal YouTube channel!

This is the short introductory video from the other day (2 mins):

And this was his first actual video from over the weekend (16 mins):

You can view or join his channel HERE.

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Johnny Depp has MORE art in ANOTHER country (Germany) at another gallery! (Or, um, palace…)

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And here’s this!

Keith and Dr. John. One smoking, both laughing:

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Bad Seed George Vjestica posted some great end-of-tour photos.

Here’s one of them! (Photo by fellow Bad Seed, Colin Greenwood!)

And here’s the soundtrack to George’s photos!! The beautiful Rolling Stones song, “Moonlight Mile”! From their legendary album Sticky Fingers, 1971:

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And, yes, it’s sad but true — now that the tour is over, here is my one & only photo of Nick Cave for today.

But it’s a good one!!

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And I guess that is it for today.

The rest of my week looks pretty nice, gang.

The book editing project is complete. So I can now focus on my own (new) writing for a little bit, and then on Thursday, I will probably head to town to have lunch with my Q-following girlfriend that I haven’t been able to hook up with for lunch for a couple of months!!

And then I’m also going to stop in at both of those bookstores in town that will be carrying my book (in 12 days!!).

Maybe I can find out the date for when the book signing will be, too.

Other than that–

Enjoy your 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!!

And dedicate it to Nick Cave and his fantastic tour of Europe and the UK, 2026!!

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

“I Write the Songs”

I’ve been alive forever
And I wrote the very first song
I put the words and the melodies together
I am music, and I write the songs

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

My home lies deep within you
And I’ve got my own place in your soul
Now when I look out through your eyes
I’m young again, even though I’m very old

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

Oh, my music makes you dance
And gives your spirit to take a chance
And I wrote some rock ‘n’ roll, so you can move
Music fills your heart, well, that’s a real fine place to start
It’s from me, it’s for you
It’s from you, it’s from me
It’s a worldwide symphony

I write the songs that make the whole world sing
I write the songs of love and special things
I write the songs that make the young girls cry
I write the songs, I write the songs

I am music (music), and I write the songs…

c -1975 Bruce Johnston

Let’s Get This Monday Started!

August 24, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Before I forget, the GoFundMe drive for guitarist Richard Lloyd met it’s goal yesterday!! And now they have increased it to an additional amount.

If you can donate any amount, here is the link! (They have currently raised $47,792!)

From bassist Sean Seymour:

“Richard is currently unable to tour. For a working musician, that’s devastating—not only because performing is what he loves, but because touring is his primary source of income. Richard and his wife, Sheila, are now facing serious financial pressure. Sheila is Richard’s full-time caregiver and is unable to work because Richard needs constant support. …Richard is being overwhelmed by crushing medical expenses and the ongoing costs of simply getting through each month while he is unable to work….”

Please donate if you can!

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Well, yesterday was sort of interesting, gang.

I got a lot done — laundry, a little vacuuming, took a magical walk! Did yoga, washed my hair. Got a lot of editing done of the local writer’s new book. AND–

I listened to that live Zoom meeting I was so excited about — with Ross K. Nichols and James Tabor, discussing important Bible translations.

And after one hour of listening, just as they were getting ready to reveal the best English translation of the Bible out there right now–

YES!!

Sandra called.

How does she always manage to DO that??!! I’d been waiting on her call for 3 weeks… (she was taking a break after having had a really busy summer).

Obviously, I wanted to take her call, but the timing was just too funny.

Anyway. We had a GREAT chat!! And as soon as I can give you additional details about the upcoming Staged Reading of our play “The Guide to Being Fabulous”, I will post it here.

Meanwhile, just know that I am really, really happy with the developments , gang.

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Don’t forget, the Kindle edition of my novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, is on sale this week for 99 cents in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon!

This is the link!!

And if you do buy it and you do read it and you do like it, please leave a review! Thanks, gang. (Suitable for mature readers, not erotica.)

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Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood’s FEARLESS tour is underway, and the set list lithograph of his London show from the other night, is now available!

You can purchase it HERE!

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Meanwhile…

On a sort of related note — here’s another Rolling Stone — someone I really miss. Gone 5 years today:

Life-long drummer for the Rolling Stones

Should we do it again, gang?? Why not! Best rock & roll drummer, ever.

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And here’s Mick, Keith, and BB King backstage in 1969!!

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And here are some photos from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ show in Munich last night!

Here’s the set list — posted by Bad Seed Carly Paradis! (The encore sort of looks as long as the entire show…)

And here’s George Vjestica!

And here’s George and Nick Cave!

And here’s Nick Cave! (Although I’m not 100% positive this is Munich…)

And here’s Warren Ellis!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Bonn, Germany, tomorrow (8/25) and then the final show of the tour is on Friday in Paris! Buy tickets here!

(And yes, gang, on Wednesday, August 26th, the kids here in Muskingum County head back to school! Can you believe the summer is over???)

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This morning, Nick Cave sent out another Red Hand File that was sort of heartbreaking. He was replying to a devastated young woman whose husband is in the hospital, dying from cancer. At the end of his letter, Nick says, in part:

“…[you are] a woman of courage measuring her love against the vastness of its tragedy. I wish I had words to comfort you. Perhaps there are no words, except to say that all of us who read your letter can feel the love you have for your husband, and for a while we sit with you, in recognition and love.”

You can read his reply in full HERE.

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Okay.

Before I get down to the editing work today, I need to head back to town for more groceries. (Not sure how this is possible, because it feels like I was just there doing that!)

But it is another gorgeous morning so it will be a really lovely drive.

I hope you have a magnificent Monday, 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!

Apparently, it is cued up to be first on my playlist for my drive to town!!

The Monkees!! “The Kind of Girl I Could Love”!! 1967, from their album, More of the Monkees. I’m thinking I’ll be playing it really loud. Okay. Enjoy, gang!!

How can it possibly be Friday again?!?!

August 21, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Wow, that was a fast week.

And I got a TON of stuff done.

Yesterday was interesting. I did the book editing, and then stopped to attend that Indie Authors livestream — updates on promotion, platforms, eBooks, audiobooks.

I found it so joyless and felt so overloaded, that I was off of there in 20 minutes.

Things have just changed so much in the last few years, gang. Self-publishing used to be easy, quick, even fun. It’s none of those things anymore, so I have decided to just keep going my own way regarding publishing and not make myself completely INSANE over all this stuff!

And speaking of all that stuff–

Beginning this Sunday (8/23) and running until the following Sunday (8/30), the eBook edition of my experimental adult novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, will be on sale for 99 cents in Kindle Unlimited on Amazon.

“An American rock & roll legend, in the final year of his life, finally comes clean about sex, drugs, and rock & roll. Experimental Adult Fiction by Marilyn Jaye Lewis ‘As arousing as it is heartfelt, I can give no greater praise for Marilyn Jaye Lewis’s The Guitar Hero Goes Home than to say this is a book written by a wonderful writer at the height of her powers. Highly Recommended!’ — M. Christian, author of The Bachelor Machine“

This book is not erotica, but it has adult themes and is recommended for mature readers only. Thank you!!

And you can always read a free excerpt here on my blog.

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I did make good progress with editing the local writer’s book yesterday, but I think that trying to edit 30 pages a day is too much. I still need to getup from the desk and get outside and take walks! So now I’m aiming for 25 pages a day.

I don’t want to betray the writer’s privacy by saying anything here on the blog — I’ll certainly let you know where you can buy the book once it’s published — but for now I can only say that it is an INTENSE book. A memoir. It kind of takes a lot out of me, just editing it.

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If you are in the film industry in any way, you need to sign up for this great newsletter — if you haven’t already. It cuts to the chase, isn’t loaded with stuff you don’t care about, gives you updates on stuff you do care about, and it’s a quick read.

The Dailies (you can sign up at that link)

“5-minute newsletter that keeps film/tv professionals in the loop, every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.“

And most importantly — it doesn’t have a fucking phone APP that pings at you every 2 seconds…

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Okay!!

Here’s this!!

Something I could literally just look at all day and call it a complete life!!

Keith! Drinking coffee and smoking somewhere!!

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And here’s Jack Kerouac on the floor in NYC in 1959!!

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And here’s a lovely photo of George Harrison not smoking as he gets into a car somewhere — maybe 1969, early 1970s?

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And here’s some nice news about the late and absolutely great Shane MacGowan!!

(The Ogden Museum of Southern Art is in New Orleans.)

And while we’re at it, here’s this!! Shane and The Pogue’s version of “Dirty Old Town”!! From the phenomenal album Rum, Sodomy, and the Lash, 1985. I still play this song all the time, usually when I’m out driving alone in the middle of beautiful nowhere, and I always sing along!

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Okay!!

Bad Seed Jim Sclavunos was kind enough to help me study my French last night!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds will be at Cabaret Vert in France tonight! Buy tickets here!!

And Warren Ellis once again proves that he is a master at wearing the architecture of foreign cities!!

And in the event you suddenly feel like getting loaded and having a good time — Primal Scream, “Loaded” and having a good time!!

And even though there were TONS of photos and videos from the show in Lithuania the other night, here’s this instead!!

Just ‘cuz I fucking LOVE it!

Nick Cave seriously SMOKING onstage somewhere a long time ago…

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And that is it for today. I gotta get down to some editing here. It is a gorgeous day, once again, so I will probably head out for another one of those magical walks later, too.

And I leave you with some truly wonderful news, gang!!

A stray cat has had some adorable kittens — but NOT at my house!!

Here they are, outside my dining room window, but at the house next door! Yay!

Cute stray kittens but NOT at my house!!

Okay. Have a fantastic Friday 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!!!

From that fabulous year of 1965!!

The Four Tops, “I Can’t Help Myself”!! Such a great song! Enjoy, gang.

Life resumes!

August 12, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

First off, if you heard anything on the news about the really bad weather in Ohio yesterday — terrible thunderstorms, high winds, flooding — that was mostly in and around Columbus.

And it was really bad there.

But here in Crazeysburg, about an hour southeast of Columbus, we had our usual thunderstorms and some high winds. But no real damage. (Thank God.)

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Okay.

Today I am heading to town to run the errands.

First, I have to drop something off at Honda — a weird little meter thingie that one of the service guys accidentally left in my car last week.

(Yes! He left it in my brand new really fast Honda Accord that loudly alerts me when Sheriffs are lurking!!)

And since I will be in that neighborhood, I am halfway tempted to stop in at the home of one of my former caregiving clients. She and her husband got some really bad news a few days ago and I want to see how the wife is holding up.

I am going to wait until the last moment to see if I actually do that or not. I have such difficulties drawing boundaries around my own heart these days, but this would be visiting her as a friend, not as a professional caregiver. So we’ll see what my heart tells me when I leave the Honda dealership. (She lives 2 seconds from there.)

Then I will get the groceries, and then stop in at my favorite health & wellness store to buy my week’s supply of deliciously taste-tempting organic SNACKS(!!) and to say HI to my girlfriends there!

BTW, this was interesting. From yesterday. The Terry Naturally company makes top-of-the-line health supplements. This is from a podcast that the owner, Terry Lemerond, does for free.

What Causes Alzheimer’s disease? (51 mins):

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Okay.

On the Sealey Challenge front–

I’ve had to stop reading the “one poetry book a day” for now, because James Tabor announced to us (Tabor Research Group), that he wants us all to re-read The Jesus Discovery before we meet for our conference on September 25th.

It’s an incredible book. And it’s co-written by Simcha Jacobovici, whom I also adore.

It was actually through Simcha that I first found out about James Tabor and his archeological work in and around Jerusalem. I used to love Simcha’s TV show on the History Channel, “The Naked Archeologist” (trailer- 1 minute):

Anyway.

Since I am still reading John Cooper Clarke’s autobiography, I Wanna be Yours, (and I am almost done!! only 40 more pages to go!!), my eyes can only handle so much reading each evening.

So instead of poetry, I am back to focusing yet again on Early Christianity. (And this specific book is about the discovery & research of the Talpiot Tombs, just south of Jerusalem (around 2010). And the current research on the Talpiot Tombs is a lot of what our upcoming conference will be about.)

And speaking of Early Christianity!!

I was listening to yesterday’s episode of Bart Ehrman’s “Misquoting Jesus” podcast — which was very good, but then my eye caught sight of a podcast from last month that I hadn’t heard yet:

8 Bible Myths Many Christians Believe (43 minutes):

I have studied Biblical History (online) with Bart Ehrman for about 15 years. I find his work in Biblical research really fascinating. I have learned so much from him and the Biblical scholars I have been exposed to through him.

However, early in this particular podcast, he mentioned the Country singer-songwriter, Iris Dement — specifically her song from 1992, “Let the Mystery Be”.

WOW!!

I love that song — I love that whole album (Infamous Angel). It was one of the CDs that Wayne & I took with us on our honeymoon road trip out west in 1993.

I paused Bart’s podcast to re-listen to Iris Dement’s song, and so many wonderful memories flooded back.

On our road trip, Wayne & I made an overnight stop in Paragould, Arkansas, in order to visit some of his relatives who couldn’t make it to our wedding. And Paragould is where Iris Dement is from.

Anyway, here’s her wonderful song! (If you’ve never heard it, get ready to smile and clap your hands and snap your fingers!!)

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All righty!!

Well, here’s this!

Keith smoking!! In duplicate!! About 20 years ago!

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And here’s this!!

The Rolling Stones not smoking in a Hollywood tailor’s shop in 1964!!

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And here’s another bit of promotion from Johnny Depp’s new “Sauvage” campaign for Dior:

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And here’s this!!

From everybody’s day off in Oslo!!

I’m not actually sure why Warren Ellis feels the need to also play in a band, when he truly excels at just taking selfies!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! The Sex Pistols, 1977, “Holidays in the Sun”!!

And here’s Nick Cave, not smoking in a suit, while roaming around Oslo with his glasses, phone, watch, and a happy girl!!

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds play Oslo tomorrow night. Followed by shows in Sweden, and then Finland. You can buy tickets here!!

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And I think that’s it for now, because I want to head to town.

I have to say that I am in such a strange head space, now that I have the spectre of “jury duty” behind me. (I’m hoping I don’t get called up again before September is over, but I guess we shall see. But at least I know for sure it is over for right now.)

While I still have a few time-consuming things left on my To Do List here at my desk, I have made a lot of progress and I am starting to feel my mental space clearing, which means I can get down to work on the new memoir. (Joy: The Shortest Season, about my life in the 1970s.)

If you live in Europe, enjoy that Total Solar Eclipse today!!

Otherwise, have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

You know, when I take my magical walks here in the Hinterlands, I always sing this song to myself! Mostly because there are a lot of Rose of Sharon trees and shrubs in full bloom here in the village.

Iris Dement’s “Mama’s Opry”, 1992. From her album Infamous Angel — but this one has the lovely Emmylou Harris on supporting vocals!! Such a great song. Enjoy gang!!

“Mama’s Opry”

She grew up plain and simple in a farming town
Her daddy played the fiddle and used to do the calling when they had hoe-downs
She says the neighbors would come and they’d move all my grandma’s furniture ’round
And there’d be twenty or more there on the old wooden floor dancin’ to a country sound

The Carters and Jimmy Rodgers played her favorite songs
And on Saturday nights there was a radio show and she would sing along
And I’ll never forget her face when she revealed to me
That she’d dreamed about singing at The Grand Ol’ Opry

Her eyes, oh, how they sparkled when she sang those songs
While she was hanging the clothes on the line, I was a kid just a-hummin’ along
Well, I’d be playing in the grass, to her, what might’ve seemed, obliviously
But there ain’t no doubt about it, she sure made her mark on me

And she played old gospel records on the phonograph
She turned them up loud and we’d sing along, but those days have passed
Just now, that I am older, it occurs to me
That I was singing in the grandest opry

And we sang sweet Rose of Sharon, abide with me
‘Til I ride the gospel ship to heaven’s jubilee
And in that great triumphant morning my soul will be free
And my burdens will be lifted when my savior’s face I see

So I don’t want to get adjusted to this world below
But I know he’ll pilot me ’til it comes time to go
Oh, nothing on this earth is half as dear to me
As the sound of my mama’s opry

c – 1992, Iris Dement

Don’t let this idyllic scene fool you!!

July 29, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

While it is indeed another LOVELY day here in the Hinterlands.

And while I do intend to do things like take yet another soul-enhancing walk, do yoga, chat with Valerie in Brooklyn, and go bowling with the cats…

I have a To Do list that now has 6 items on it, but each of those items will take a TON of time.

But you know what? I don’t mind at all!! Because now I literally have all the time in the world.

Oh, and guess what?

When I went to town yesterday, I stopped in at my favorite health & wellness store–

And while I was chatting there with my friend Debbie, we decided to meet up at the Historic Arcade tomorrow and go listen to the live acoustic music at the Archive Bottle Shop & Lounge!! Yay!!

I had such a nice time there last Thursday, but it’ll be so much nicer to have someone to go with!!

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Before I forget–

If you were among the many who were reading the Blue Moon edition of my 1999 book Neptune & Surf over at the Internet Archive and found it suddenly gone…

I’m not sure what happened there, but, wow, that specific edition is GONE from all over the Internet.

Overnight.

It could be that Hachette UK had it removed. However, they only own the digital rights to that edition. But anyway. You can either go to the Open Library — they still have it listed HERE.

Or you can read the Masquerade edition instead. It’s officially out of print and still available everywhere — including available to read for free at the Internet Archive.

Or, you know, you can BUY the eBook from Hachette UK and then I would ostensibly get royalties…

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Okay, here’s this!

From Dwight Yoakam! The next shows are —

Buy tickets HERE!!

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I loved this!

Not just the photo itself, but it also kind of supports what I said a while back, about how the “renovations” to my old tenement on E.12th Street actually ruined the fucking apartment….

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Apparently it was Alexandra Richards’ birthday yesterday!!

From Keith!

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And from Warren Ellis yesterday!! He’s holding out for a hero, for some reason!!

And speaking of seeing you Friday in Brighton….

Well, gone are the Woodstock days, for sure, gang (wherein everything imaginable happened and you were completely on your own) —

Here, instead, is the multi-page website that gives you all the info about the upcoming festivities at the Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds’ sold out homecoming in Brighton, but also all the things you can and cannot do or bring or have while you’re there!! And what you should expect to WEAR (weather-wise)!!

And, also, here’s this!

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And here’s this!!

It says it’s from July 18th, but not sure! Nick Cave!! Held aloft!!

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And I guess that is it.

I need to get that lovely walk happening, and then settle down and make a serious dent in that To Do list!! Oh, and this is what I’m currently watching on Britbox in the evenings: “Death Valley”. It’s a Welsh police procedural from 2025, and it is SO fun!!

Okay!

I hope you 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!

From the driving-to-town playlist yesterday!!

It popped up as one of my “most listened to songs of 2025”??!! (I’m never gonna let go of my wee bonny girlhood in Cleveland, am I, gang?)

Paul Wilbur. “Hinei Ma Tov (Behold How Good)”. Enjoy, gang.

Are we tired of cake yet?? No way!!!!

July 22, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 6 Comments

Okay, so far, I am having, like, the most perfect birthday.

The weather today could not be prettier. Right now, it’s only 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The AC is off! The sun is shining. The skies are blue. It’s only supposed to go up to 72 degrees today.

And btw, the cats are loving having all these windows open again. And according to the weather app on my phone, the windows might stay open for a couple of days!

And speaking of cats and my birthday–

This came special delivery from Valerie in Brooklyn yesterday afternoon — it’s about 2 inches tall and it’s adorable. Now all I have to do is keep the cats from discovering it and totally destroying it:

And this came from the Cainer Horoscope website (more cats!):

And I thought this was really interesting because I had never heard about this before (and I love eagles):

Oh, and I can’t forget to add this– I share my birthday with my beloved Cleveland, and it is 230 years old today!!

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Well, wow, gang. Yesterday was wonderful.

I spent about an hour on that phone call yesterday morning and I think it’s okay to post here that I’ve been invited to contribute a proposal to speak at a writer’s conference in Pennsylvania this coming Spring.

I will keep you posted with details. But I had been concerned that I didn’t have anything to speak about that would be of interest to today’s writers, you know? (Even though I’ve been a professional writer for over 40 years, the peak of my career was already a few years ago.)

But it became clear, from the conversation, that I actually do have things I can speak about that would be of interest to writers in all stages of their careers. So I’m going to put together a proposal and submit it. And I will let you know if it gets accepted!

So this means a trip to Charlotte, NC in late September. A trip to NY in (I think) November, and maybe a trip to Eastern Pennsylvania in March!

And my new novel coming out in September. Another new book (the M. Christian anthology) already in the works. And the Staged Reading of our play probably in November. And getting down to work on my memoir of the 1970s…

My mind feels just so different from how it felt even just last week. I am so glad I retired. Every shred of all that depression is simply gone.

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Okay!

Here’s this! (Speaking of depression being gone!)

Keith in shades — with curious onlookers!! — apparently imbibing in Jack Daniels at a bar but he does not seem to be smoking! (Although ashtray IS present!!)

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And this was last night! An explosive Iggy meltdown!!

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And this was posted to YouTube a few hours ago. (And the Hollywood Vampires go on tour in UK/Europe beginning August 12th. You can also buy tickets through this same YouTube Page.)

Hollywood Vampires: “Ace of Spades”. Live at Montreux Jazz Festival:

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And George Vjestica is living La Dolce Vita until the SOLD OUT Brighton homecoming bash gets underway on Friday July 31st!!

And this melted my heart yesterday!!

And while we’re at it — here’s this!! From the day after my birthday, 6 years ago… “Sad Waters” by Nick Cave alone at Alexandra Palace:

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Oh, btw– this was extremely interesting. You might want to check it out.

Charlie Reports From Dubai: Was the Airport Really Attacked? | Daily News 22nd July 2026 (8 minutes):

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And I guess that is it for now, gang.

I’m not going to do too much work at my desk today. I’m planning to head to town early. I need to renew my driver’s license today. And I want to stop in at the bookshop over in Granville and see if the owner is in today.

I’m not planning to stop in at that bookstore in the Historic Arcade until next week, but if I have time, maybe I’ll drive over there today, too. We’ll see.

Then it will be OUT TO DINNER with Kara!! Yay! (We’re having pizza at my favorite pizza place!!)

And meanwhile have a wonder-filled Wednesday, gang, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

No explanations needed… Enjoy, gang.

We have all the earmarks of a perfect day here! Sort of!

July 12, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Except for all that stuff at the beach and everybody looking like they’re on vacation.

We don’t have any of that.

However.

It is sunny and sort of mild-ish. And the fantastic AC is still working splednidly — this is sometimes spelled “splendidly” but it means the very same thing — so I will take what I can get. Yay!

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Wow, so first let me say that I am really, really happy with the enthusiastic responses we’re getting from other writers about contributing to the M. Christian tribute anthology.

And these are writers I have not worked with in such a long time. I know M. Christian would be so happy about all of this. So I am going to do my absolute best to make this a true homage to him.

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I need to share this with you.

Loyal readers of this lofty blog no doubt recall that my dearest friend on Earth. Paul Martin, passed away from AIDS back in 1999. We had been best friends since high school. We met in the Theater Dept., where he designed and built all the sets for our school plays.

As an adult, Paul designed and built sets for professional theaters and then got into doing the same in the movie industry.

One studio he worked for was called Carolco. He specifically moved to North Carolina to work for them.

Well, yesterday, Metrograph sent out their weekend newsletter and there was a wonderful essay about Carolco!!

When Carolco Was King

“DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN MULTIPLEX movies—we’re talking glossy, obscenely budgeted, star-studded mainstream entertainments primed for blockbuster status—were not only fun, but quite possibly kind of renegade and daring at the same time? For at least a solid decade, a heavy-hitting salvo of the period’s most pop-culture defining smashes, like Ted Kotcheff’s First Blood (1982), James Cameron’s Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and Paul Verhoeven’s Total Recall (1990) and Basic Instinct (1992), were all coming from one studio: Carolco Pictures. They were an indie Icarus who out-stratosphered the Tinseltown majors…”

Wow, such memories, gang. Not just because the movies were so much fun back then, but Paul always had the best stories about working on all the various movie sets. For me, movies just aren’t the same anymore.

” [Carolco] made hugely successful films with respectable casts, defied the system, and managed to have a good time during that period. They raised their profile in an era when the majors were perceived to be the voice of American films, and really broke the studio stranglehold on things.”

Me, long ago, at Paul’s beach house on Wrightsville Beach, NC. Photo by Paul..

And while we’re at it– Paul’s favorite movie! He absolutely LOVED working on this film. (It was filmed on the Carolco lot in North Carolina, but it was produced by New Line.)

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All right.

Well, here’s this!

More great ones from Phyllis Stein!!

Johnny Thunders!! By that well known Punk photographer, No Info!!

And, wow, gang, did I used to LOVE this magazine!! Rock Scene. It usually featured photos that you couldn’t really find in the other rock magazines back then. There was a local drugstore within walking distance from me when I was 13 that sold Rock Scene. It was the only place I could find it.

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And moving on to the Bad Seeds in Madrid…

Once again, there were TONS of videos posted from the show and it looked like another great one. But I couldn’t find many photos that really jumped out at me.

But here’s this!

Before the show, George Vjestica takes in the Art!!

Warren Ellis took in (wore) local sculptures, and warned that Madrid last night was going to be hot, but he does not say whether he meant the city itself would be hot, or the Bad Seeds’ show would be hot, or maybe stuff going on in his hotel bed later? Perhaps all 3?? We just simply do not have enough info to know for sure:

And here’s Nick Cave! (He seems a little hot, so maybe that was it…)

Okay!! Next, the Bad Seeds play 3 different venues in France between July 14th thru the 17th, you can BUY TICKETS HERE!!

Don’t forget, the huge homecoming show in Brighton is SOLD OUT. However, you can still go there and do this!!

“Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds will take over Resident, Brighton’s legendary independent record shop, as part of a series of activities in the city around their huge homecoming show in Preston Park on 31st July.

The shop will host a merchandise pop up with an array of existing and new items on offer, including a limited edition vinyl release (details to follow next week), discounts across album catalogue, giveaways, and a special post box where fans can send physical letters to Nick Cave’s The Red Hand Files.

The merchandise pop up will include a range specially designed for the Brighton show – only available at Resident and the Preston Park event, plus an exclusive tote bag made in collaboration with Resident, as well as classic Bad Seed and Cave Things items.”

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And I guess that is it for today.

Have a swingin’ 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!!

Wayne texted this to me yesterday. It was very interesting, indeed.

I am really kinda stunned that not only did I not see this show, I did not even hear about it. Granted, I was (briefly) away at college at the time, but I majored in TV-watching and I of course LOVED the Stones…

Anyway! Go, Keith!! (And thanks, Wayne!) (BTW, this is AI)

Keith Richards heard Carson’s joke from backstage — grabbed a guitar — Carson apologized on live TV (15 mins). Enjoy!

Horrible heatwave gone for now!

July 5, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

The high heat broke last evening, finally.

Starting this evening, we’ll have rain for the rest of the week, but right at this very moment— it is a really nice morning here.

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In case you missed it (or didn’t feel like watching massive fireworks on your tiny phone because you no longer have regular TV):

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It turns out that yesterday we also celebrated this!!

And while we’re at it! (And, yes, this song eerily captures my whole fucking life. I had no clue it was going to do that, though, 50 years ago…):

“American Girl”

Well, she was an American girl
Raised on promises
She couldn’t help thinkin’ that there
Was a little more to life somewhere else
After all, it was a great big world
With lots of places to run to
And if she had to die tryin’
She had one little promise she was gonna keep

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl

Well, it was kind of cold that night
She stood alone on her balcony (Ooh)
Yeah, she could hear the cars roll by
Out on 441 like waves crashin’ on the beach
And for one desperate moment there
He crept back in her memory
God, it’s so painful when something that is so close
Is still so far out of reach

Oh yeah, all right
Take it easy, baby
Make it last all night (Make it last all night)
She was an American girl (Ooh)

c – 1976 Tom Petty

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Before we travel to Poland for those Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds photos I didn’t have yesterday–

I hit this weird “Keith Richards paydirt” on Instagram this morning. I stumbled upon a site that has been inactive for 6 years. And they had GREAT photos of Keith!! (Meaning, I had never seen any of the photos before.) Yay!!

Keith draining the Kahlúa?! (Not smoking.)

Keith and Mick, pool, LA, guitar, reading, not smoking:

Keith, Bill, Brian, boarding a TWA or de-boarding, not sure, but not smoking!

Keith looking weirdly clean-cut but SMOIKING!! (Also called “smoking”):

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And I think that these are all from Poland. And I also think it rained during the show (?).

It was one of those shows where there were tons of videos, and then most of the photos that people posted were really small. But here we go!!

Of course, I loved this!

Nick Cave looking really tiny next to a huge window, while reading and drinking something (and not smoking):

Then later… (or maybe on a whole different day, I actually have no idea):

And then also this (much, much larger than the window now):

And this happened:

I love this tie!!

And that’s it for Poland!!

Tonight the Bad Seeds play Montreux. Followed by another show back in Germany tomorrow, but that one is sold out. You can still buy tickets here for Montreux , though!

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I think I forgot to post this the other day.

It’s an edited version of one of our recent zoom calls for Tabor Research Group.

John the Baptist and Jesus: Separating History from Myth (1 hr 18 mins):

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And I just wanted to mention how happy I am that these 2 novels that I recently re-published as Kindle eBooks continue to be my most popular titles now. This makes me so happy, gang. Thank you so much!!

Twilight of the Immortal (my novel about gays, lesbians and bisexuals in Hollywood during the Silent Film Era, told against the backdrop of the short life of the legendary movie star, Rudolph Valentino):

The Guitar Hero Goes Home (“Experimental adult literary fiction. An American rock & roll legend, in the final year of his life, finally comes clean about sex, drugs, and rock & roll.”):

Thank you so, so much, gang!!

And over at the Internet Archive, where you can read a large selection of my out-of-print books for free:

Lust: Bisexual Erotica

And the Blue Moon edition of Neptune & Surf are my top out-of-print titles being checked out for free!!

So, thank you for all that, gang!

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Tomorrow is my day off and I will be getting back to work on the call for submissions for the M. Christian tribute anthology.

So far, it has been great hearing from people I haven’t worked with in years, and getting such a positive response about it. I will keep everyone updated later in the week, in the event you want to contribute something, too.

Meanwhile, that’s it for now.

Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world.

Thanks for visiting!

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

My first encounter with this song was reading the lyrics to it, which were printed on the back of the album I had just bought (The First Born is Dead) while on the subway in NYC, and I could not wait to get home and play that record!! Enjoy, gang.

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Train Long Suffering”, live at Metronome Prague, June 20th, 2026: