Music NO!! Notes

Still trying to find my niche as ever down here. The other night I went to a monthly series over by GWU. (The Electric Possible) Same specs as my old beloved bunker, Sunday nights at 8, $5, 2 bands, all money goes to the musicians. Now I may seem old school, I want to be a computer geek but I tend to fetishize actual instruments you can hold in your hands, so I'd say that for a time I was into what you'd call FREE JAZZ. That was my main source of gigs from 1992-1999. Around '98 a series called +/- popped up at a place called Bar XVI. It was in the East Village, a hipper bar scene, more beautiful people, occasional strippers performing. I made a friend Fredie Mash aka Mike who had no hair on his body and an Iggy-Pop like penchant for energetic self-destruction. He played a variety of skronky electronics, as did most of the other performers at this series, although it did have it's share of free-jazzers. I could see the writing on the wall.
Within 1 minute of electro-noise exposure I knew i was in for a long evening. My actual lure for the night was a percussionist from NY to perform, but he had a bus accident in Jersey and decided from there to turn around. Uh, surprisingly it was a good crowd, but I had to abandon ship from this noise I declared "Music to go bald by".
So that was Sunday.
I resolve if I'm going to do music anytime soon, it will be of an acoustic variety, due factors, the rules of urban engagement, my favored rig, the headroom. Songs forthcoming!!!

Kudos to Richard Thompson. A friend who's taste I respect had suggested I check him out repeatedly. I go yeah, I know Fairport Convention, they're no King Crimson. But to be honest, I've burnt out on Crimson...and Tom Waits. I've been listening to his new album, Front Parlour Ballds for 2 days repeatedly. I knew he's a great great guitar player, but he puts my mind well in reach of what I want to accomplish as a s/s/g. And dig this, since I've resolved to reworking the news stories into song form, here's the test: Crystalize your story within the context of another and say something fucking profound. Thompson does this in Row, Boys, Row, saying everything that needs be said about the war in Iraq in the verbiage of a sailor's song. How about this chorus:

" Is it wise to be moaning when the captain comes?
Tip your hat and get grinning, though you're worn to the gums.
Is it wise to be needy in the home of the free
Is it wise to be bleeding in a shark filled sea?"