It has been a nice day off. Last night when I came home I was very tired and feeling a bit under the weather. Bill did his very best to make sure I was alright, to see if there was anything I needed. Basically he did all the things that I do for him when he is feeling unwell. I certainly appreciated it.
He stayed up for a little while making sure I was alright and I was, just a little out of it. I went to bed earlier than usual and was still a bit stuffy when my head hit the pillow. Bill of course was fast asleep and I soon joined him in the arms of Morpheus.
Last night before Bill went to bed he got all of his things together since he was driving to Atlantic City tonight and didn’t want to run around this morning. He leaned over and gave me a nice kiss as he headed off to work. I slept a little bit longer before I too got out of bed and started my day.
The only thing I had planned was a trip to the supermarket and some laundry. The supermarket was a brief visit which included seeing my girl, Isis. After that I was home and eating a nice breakfast in my slippers. I actually did go out a few times today, a trip to the bibliothèque where I ran into Mike Cecchini. He had a lot of books checked out and I was only there to pick up a CD.
And it wasn’t the CD I had hoped it would be. In the 1980’s Lou Reed took part in a salute to Kurt Weill, called Lost in the Stars. Lou sang a great version of September Song, arranged by Hal Willner I think, possibly one of the best things Lou Reed had ever done in my opinion. I had the original on vinyl after hearing it time and again on the jukebox at Maxwells back in the day.
But after moving several times and shedding a few pounds of vinyl as well as a turntable I no longer had the track available to me. After searching online I saw that Lou Reed singing September Song was available on a different compilation, a different salute to Kurt Weill. Alas, it was not the same version, this one was slower really dragging and not to my liking.
Apparently this was a new version and lacked the snappiness of the original cover version. Despite being disappointed I still listened to the whole thing and it’s not half bad, it’s just not what I wanted. I plan on dropping it off at the bibliothèque tomorrow morning when I walk to the bus stop again.
And after a day of feeling alright most of the day, the stuffiness returns to my head, though not nearly as bad as it was yesterday. I am definitely doing the right thing (and did the right thing) by doing most everything on a low flame today. I must save my resources for the upcoming weekend at the cigar shack. 16 It Doesn’t Matter Anymore
Once again, not much happened today and it was good. It’s been a day off today and I really don’t have much to write about and since today is the dreadful anniversary of John Lennon’s murder I thought I would republish an entry from 5 6 years ago. It’s a little all over the place but it is from the heart.
Old Dirt Road
Thursday, December 8th, 2005
I used to belong to a bowling league in 1980. Monday nights I’d bowl with the Harcourt Brace Jovanovich teams. I surprisingly was the captain of one. I had my own ball, shoes, and bag. The whole kit and kaboodle, wrist guard etc. I was all pretty much straight edge, didn’t drink, didn’t smoke weed. Smoked the butts though, but 25 years ago, a lot of other people did too.
I think I had a bowling average of about 142. That decreased when I started drinking and drugging. The fun increased, the sportsmanship didn’t. But that was a year or so later. I had some pretty good friends on the scene, Bill Wrice, Derry Pedovitch, John Carroll, Ida Sammartino. Ida was as old as my mother. This was her activity to get out of the house on her own. My mother did that at some point. I used to go with her and my brother, Brian on those Monday nights.
Mom and Brian eventually stopped bowling for HBJ. Mom stopped totally, and Brian bowled for the place where he was working then. I would play with various other kids while Mom and Brian bowled, that was around 1974. Elton was super big and John Lennon had a hit single with ‘Whatever Gets You Thru The Night’ featuring Elton on piano and vocals.
So 6 years later, I’m bowling at Parkway Lanes in Elmwood Park. My friend Derry and I had an extracurricular job with HBJ. We had to clear out a warehouse in Moonachie. When we were going back to Saddle Brook after a days clearing out, we had the radio on, and John Lennon’s first single in 5 years had just came out. Perry and I were big Beatle fans. He liked Paul, I leaned towards John. I liked the name. We were excited because we heard that Cheap Trick was backing him up on his new record and that would probably sound amazing.
What we heard was not Cheap Trick. Not much of an edge. I liked it, but most of the other music that I had been listening to was edgy, and I expected the edgy John Lennon of the Beatles. Or even of the 70’s. But it was a new decade, and he had a new voice and I loved him even more for it.
I grew up in a house of music. My parents and my brothers and sister all loved music. I credit Frank, Annemarie and Brian for turning me onto some really cool things that bring memories in a cascading wave. Frank and Annemarie were more aware of things when the Beatles conquered the States. Brian was seven, and I was two. I was preoccupied with shoving objects up my nose.
One of my earliest musical memories is of being freaked out by the ending of ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. I remember Frank playing the single to me in his room and then when the psychedelic ending came up, he turned out the lights. Freaked me the fuck out.
Eventually the 1970’s happened. I was growing up and finding my own kind of music. Elton, Gilbert O’Sullivan, Dickie Goodman, Curtis Mayfield, Carly Simon. The Beatles were working into my DNA. I liked the solo stuff. Paul’s ‘Band on the Run’ was the first album I ever bought with my own money. Couldn’t wrap my head around John’s records, but I dug his singles. 1973 is summed up for me by George’s ‘Give Me Love’ and Ringo’s ‘You’re Sixteen’, being driven to Lodi Summer Recreation by Sharon Iwanicki in her orange Volkswagen beetle.
In 1976 my brother Frank told me he was going to take me to see the fireworks for the Fourth of July on the Hudson River. The original plan was for my father to take all of us to the World Trade Center and see them from his office, but he heard the city would be overrun with gangs from out of ‘The Warriors’ or ‘Escape from New York’, or worse yet, ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’.
So we celebrated the Bicentennial in Lodi. Frank and Elaine were going to Fort Lee. Turns out it was an adult party and I wasn’t allowed to go. So I went with Brian and his friend Eddie Austeri and tried watching the fireworks through the back window of Brian’s car on River Road in Cliffside Park. Not much to see there, move on.
The next day, Frank, (fried and hung over Frank), felt guilty and gave me a copy of ‘Abbey Road’. The doors were open again and I was enchanted. From ‘Come Together’ to ‘Her Majesty’ I was reborn as a Beatles fan. Both Frank and Annemarie had some records that they hadn’t played in a long time and I eventually incorporated into my record collection.
I started buying anything Beatles I could get my hands on that Frank and Annemarie didn’t have. I also found some old prints of the Beatles from 1964. My room was starting to become a shrine to the Fabs. I collected magazines, books, the solo records, posters. When I started working the collection of records, not just Beatles mind you, Punk and New Wave was coinciding.
Though I subscribed to the Punk ethos of everything old sucked, the Beatles were untouchable in that respect. John had retired by then though and after 1975 he took a well deserved break. I tried keeping in touch with him though.
For his Birthday, I’d send a card. Addressed as
John Lennon
New York City, N.Y.
And I’d always put a return address in the proper place so I would get it back if it wasn’t delivered. I never got any back. I would write and wish him a Happy Birthday or a Merry Christmas and let him know that if he was ever in Lodi, he could always stop by and hang out if he wanted to.
But I guess he was busy with the washing and the kid and all. He might have preferred Rochelle Park.
Derry and I eventually found out that it wasn’t Cheap Trick backing John on the single. We found out when we bought ‘Double Fantasy’. No mention of Rick Nielsen or Bun E. Carlos. I remember when I was shanghaied to the Mudd Club in November 1980 I heard the B-side to ‘Starting Over’, Yoko’s ‘Kiss Kiss Kiss’. So that’s where the edge was. In Yoko’s stuff. I never had a problem with Yoko. I saw her sing ‘Who Has Seen the Wind’ on the Mike Douglas Show and thought she was great.
I had gone to midnight showings of ‘Let It Be’ and whenever Yoko was on screen, people would hiss. I didn’t. I loved John and if he was happy with Yoko, then so was I. I was probably one of the dozens of people that played ‘Double Fantasy’ from start to finish. It was a good album, but nowhere near Talking Heads ‘Remain In Light’ or the B-52’s ‘Wild Planet’.
After bowling that Monday night in December, on my way home, I stopped off at the 711 and bought a copy of Playboy Magazine. Major interview with John and Yoko inside. I heard there were pictures of naked women in the magazine, but I don’t recall seeing any.
I got home and settled into my room while my parents were downstairs watching Monday Night Football.
I was laying on my bed, actually reading Playboy when my mother yelled upstairs, that Howard Cosell said that John Lennon was shot in New York. I figured, he had a gun and was cleaning it and shot himself in the foot. The Beatles still grabbed headlines, even caused Howard Cosell to say that John Lennon was shot cleaning his gun.
I didn’t really worry about it. I figured he lost his little piggy. I continued reading Playboy, reading John’s words.
My mother yelled upstairs a little while later. “Howard Cosell just said that John Lennon’s dead”. No way. Impossible. It’s not in my script. No, he’s going to live to be an old man. I will see him in concert. I will perhaps meet him. Perhaps he’ll show up in Lodi. Hey it could happen. Anything could happen. Anything but this.
This was wrong. I turned on the radio. Vin Scelsa was on, talking, and sounded like he was crying. What the fuck? People were calling in, crying. Beatles songs were playing. Lennon songs were playing. I sat next to the radio for a few hours waiting to hear that it was all a hoax. I was shaken, but still harbored the belief that it was for publicity.
Oh that crazy John and Yoko. What will they do next?
I woke up a few hours later and got ready for work. My mother listened to WNEW 1130AM. They played the songs she liked mainly, Sinatra, Mel Torme, Peggy Lee, Andy Williams. Today they were playing the Beatles. The newspapers were on the table, nasty headlines. John Lennon Shot. Pass the sugar.
I was gutted. Shock. I somehow got to work, but could barely function. I was driving a forklift then, picking orders. I preferred that to College. But I kept breaking down, having crying jags.
Little did I know that this would be the first of several truly horrible moments that would occur in my life.
I couldn’t stop crying. The dream of a Beatles reunion was dashed forever, but I just felt so bad for Yoko and Sean. A brutal murder on your own doorstep. I shut myself off from the world and just kept playing the Fabs and Lennon over and over.
A day or so later, my brother Frank was coming over for dinner. I heard him come in and started walking downstairs to see him. He looked up at me and asked how I was doing. Bam! Instant crying, all over again. My brother Brian had gotten quite tired of it and let into Frank for bringing up John Lennon’s death again. Like it was never going to be mentioned again.
The following Sunday, six days after John’s murder there was a vigil in Central Park by the band shell. Me and a few friends (Derry Pedovitch, Annie Carroll, Bill Wrice) caught the bus to the city and trekked up to the park. There were thousands of people. We walked by the Dakota and then into the park. There was a long moment of silence ended by the playing of ‘All You Need is Love’. Or maybe it was ‘Imagine’. I’m putting my money on the former.
The crowd dispersed, we straggled back to the Port Authority, to the bus and to our cars. I continued listening to Beatles/Lennon stuff for quite a few weeks.
In February 1981, Derry and I went to the Meadowlands Hilton for the Beatle-Fest. That was scary. Hundreds of people whose lives revolved around the Beatles. People that listen to the Beatles more than the Beatles did. “Let’s give a big cheer for John Lennon” Hurrah. Too corny for me. I, at least listened to other music. I loved the Beatles but I loved other things too. I think my grieving period ended that weekend.
I did become more active about Gun Control, and John’s message of love and peace is still needed today. I do miss John. I miss George too, and I miss a lot of people and I am grateful for the ones that are still here and aren’t hiding.
Well it’s been a better day than yesterday. I am over the setback. A Xanax helped and now that it’s worn off and faded away, not going on interviews loaded on drugs (like the malignant tumor Greg mentioned that he found not to be so beneficial). So the 11/11/11 at 111 Fifth Avenue at 11:00AM thing did not pan out. Oh well, la di dah, la di dah. You live, you learn.
Another night of good sleep was had last night and woke up with Bill kissing me goodbye again this morning. Such a lucky guy I am. I am part of the service economy and I guess that is how it is going to be for the time being. At least I don’t have to ask if that is ‘for here or to go’, or if they want ‘fries with that’.
Right now I am working with Bradley who just ran out to CVS to refill his prescription. He’s been a good egg today once again. Perhaps it’s the prescription. I’m doing especially well in sales today, in fact I have a healthy lead over everyone else. I achieved my goal early enough and still continue to rake up the dollars.
Since Bradley is out, I took off the Shins and put on the Fabs, Magical Mystery Tour. It’s been a decent day, I talked with my brother Brian on the phone this morning. he was working nearby but there wasn’t enough time to meet up for a coffee since he had his work to do and I had to head out and catch the bus.
Bill has been exceptional throughout the past couple of weeks. Steadfast and true, and last night despite my telling him to go to bed he stayed up just to give me a great big hug. If that is not love, then I don’t know what it is.
This morning on the bus I played Aladdin Sane by David Bowie and it’s been ages since I played it from start to finish. It still is an amazing record. It’s funny how I never really cared for that perdiod of Bowie, initially I was into his Berlin phase but lately the stuff that put him on top has been grabbing my attention, though last night as I walked home after getting off the bus I did play Move On from Lodger and found solace in that.
Also some texting between me and Rand this morning, he is still searching for steady work and I really hope he finds something soon. He is one of, or perhaps my oldest friend.
And it was 10 years today that George Harrison passed away. I remember hearing the news when I woke up and I really cried a lot about it. Ten years later, I remember buying All Things Must Pass for Annemarie before I headed back from California and a few days after returning to Weehawken George was dead.
I also remember Bill giving me the copy of Time magazine with a beautiful photograph of George with a sunflower on the cover. We were at a pseudo upscale bar and once again I cried a bit. Here’s to you George, somewhere out in the universe, perhaps with John & Brian Epstein. Hare Krishna George.
And thanks for inspiring me to be an artist and encouraging me to continue to create. 09 Run of the Mill
And today is/was a day off. I woke up at a decent hour and almost immediately set about starting my day. Laundry was in the works as well as the trips to the supermarket and the dry cleaners. It was a good start to the day.
Not much else was going on, a stop at the Guitar Bar to say hello to Mr. Wonderful Jim Mastro. Jim’s former band, The Health & Happiness Show is reuniting for a fundraiser at Maxwells tomorrow night to help a former band mate’s wife who has fallen ill and has enormous medical bills. I can’t go to show my support, but if you’re in the area maybe you can go. It starts at 7:30 and it’s for a good cause.
I saw the Health & Happiness Show a few times, even worked the door for them when they played the Shannon Bar in the 1990’s. They weren’t my cup of tea then but I could appreciate their talent and they had a good amount of fans.
Then I saw them opening up for the Bongos a few years ago. I used to love the Bongos and they had reunited for the Art & Music festival in Hoboken, and they got some kind of proclamation. The funny thing is this time around I loved the Health & Happiness Show and found the Bongos to be quite lackluster.
If they reunited ten years earlier it probably would have been exciting, but they were ten years too late this time Jim (who also played with the Bongos) & the Health & Happiness Show blew them away. It must have been a comedown, shifting gears from hi-octane to merely regular.
The news of the day has been about the death of Khadafy in Libya. It even featured gruesome pictures of what appeared to be Khadafy’s head all shot up. John McCain and Joe Lieberman traveled to Libya a few years ago, promising Khadafy aid and equipment. Lindsay Graham and Susan Collins also made the trip and I could easily picture the four of them sitting in grief and reminiscing.
I finally got the latest Mojo and Uncut Magazines. I could have picked up Uncut by itself since it was available, but I always buy the two together. I started Mojo after I finished last week’s New Yorker and it’s a good issue. Better than the one edited by Noel Gallagher which was a yawn.
I did a lot of walking around and when I got home I was bushed. So I decided to take a nap. I was watching the Harry Belafonte documentary on cable but was too tired to watch the whole thing. I could always watch it on demand later, or as a repeat which this afternoon’s broadcast was.
I certainly slept later than I expected. It felt good though but instead of a body clock reset like it usually happens I woke up a bit discombobulated. Now a few hours later I am back in the swing of things.
Just got back from seeing the Guitar Bar All Stars playing at Sinatra Park on the Hudson River in Hoboken. It’s always a good time and a chance to see one of my favorite people on the earth , Meghan Taylor Mastro, wife of Mr. Wonderful Jim Mastro and mother of two lovely young women, Lily and Ruby.
Lily is headed off to Bard College in 8 days and the bladder is slowly moving up to a place behind Meghan’s eyes. Ruby is moving onto sophomore year in high school and I am pretty certain that both girls will do fine in their educational endeavors.
It was a good set the All Stars did tonight, starting off with Gates of Steel by Devo and stopping by Bungle in the Jungle by Jethro Tull as well as both Kashmir and Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. I took a few videos and shot some pictures throughout which I will post here and there on Facebook in a little while.
For me it was a good day overall, got somethings done, saw friends around town, quite inadvertently, like sweet Lisa DeFalco, a friend and co-worker of Julio’s who looked quite stunning. I was able to get some grocery shopping and kept trying to unclog the bath tub drain. I think Bill had the right idea and calling a plumber to come over and do what we cannot do.
I’d ask my plumbing brother Brian to do it but he usually has a full plate and is nearly impossible to pin down. I even had time to run into the city to run an errand and had planned on going to the Newport Mall in Jersey City afterward and buy some new Airwalks at Payless. But since there is a Payless right by the Path train I opted to go there instead and actually saved some money on a decent pair which I intend to wear to this event in Millbrook on Sunday which I am participating in on behalf of the Cigar Shack.
I even had myself a nice dinner today, some penne, pesto and chicken of course. Easy to make, easy to keep and easy to cook and eat. It was certainly better than the sandwiches that I eat lately that qualify as lunch and or diner. And I had time to take a nice nap which was so deep that I almost slept past the Guitar Bar All Stars show.
No worries, I was up and out of the apartment on a nice summer evening, smoking a La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Valiente and had a nice stroll to the river where dear Lilly Mastro found me first. I have to admit I was disappointed that she wasn’t performing but she had other things to do like seeing friends that she will not seeing for another year once she goes off to college.
It was all really nice, hanging out with good friends on a nice evening. And though I used to loathe Stairway to Heaven (due to overexposure more than likely) hearing it 3 times in the past month, I realize that it is a very good song. Still overplayed somewhat but a good song nonetheless. Good times and good friends make it all worthwhile.
A beautiful summer day, a Thursday at that. Last night didn’t work out as planned but it was still an enjoyable night. Bill and I did not have the birthday dinner like we anticipated. He wound up staying in the city since there was a car fire and every bus that was leaving the terminal sat idling for quite a while. He decided to get off the bus and go back to the office.
He had taken off of work today and decided to set things up for his replacement. I came home and had a sandwich before heading up to Maxwells. It was certainly a mellow evening. No rushing through dinner to make the show. I walked up to Maxwells where my brother Frank was already inside.
I bought the tickets at the beginning of June, opting for the ‘Will Call’ service and Frank was able to get in as my plus one. I walked in and saw Pat Irwin from the Raybeats as I stood at the bar and ordered a pint of Guinness. I met up with a former Maxwells habitué, Alirio. We never really talked back in the day but thanks to Facebook a line of communication had opened.
As we stood there talking, this attractive woman comes up to me yelling that I hadn’t changed at all. It was Patti Quinn, another mainstay from back in the day. She had already talked to Alirio and focused all her attention on me which was flattering. She was there with her nephew Liam who just got back from Taipei, as well as her 2 children.
I don’t think she expected to see so many old faces and I don’t think she knew what was going on in the back. We talked for a few minutes before I headed into the back room. I found my brother Frank thanks to Stan Demeski from the Feelies. Stan was there with his lovely wife Janice and Frank was standing next to them, next to the soundboard which is where we always used to stand years ago.
The Schramms were playing and they were enjoyable. After that came the Raybeats, who I really wanted to see the most. The Raybeats were the band that Danny Amis was in a long time ago. Danny had bone cancer, which is in remission thanks to stem cell therapy. Still he has enormous medical bills which is what these benefits around the country as well as Mexico are all about.
After Danny left the Raybeats, he formed a band called Los Straightjackets in which all the band members wear wrestling masks. They’re big in Mexico too. The Raybeats were phenomenal. I love the Raybeats. Last night they had Steve Almaas on bass guitar. Alirio pointed that out and I didn’t hear what Alirio has said at first, but I did notice the Dan Electro bass he was playing. I had seen Steve Almaas several times years ago when he was in Beat Rodeo.
When the Bongos were a 3 piece, and thinking about adding another guitar, it was down to Steve Almaas and Jim Mastro. Jim got the gig and Steve did his own thing. And Jim Mastro was enjoying the show last night as well. So many people from the past & present, including Chaz Charas, whom it is always good to see.
Adele Bertei came on stage and sang Shakin’ All Over with the Raybeats and once again it was over way too soon. Then came the Individuals who put on a good set, all the original members made the show. Then came Yo La Tengo who did a very good set and finished with Jody Harris from the Raybeats on a fantastic feedback drenched finale.
It was all over around midnight I think, and I’m not sure since by the end I wound up having about half dozen pints of the black beer. Oh yes, I am paying for it today, but happily doing so. As tired as I was beforehand, seeing the Raybeats made me believe in the rejuvenating power of rock & roll.
So now I am home after running some errands. Heading into the city to see The Motherfucker with the Hat on Broadway. It stars Bobby Cannavale, Annabella Sciorra and Chris Rock. Bill and I are both quite excited to see it. I am meeting him around 6:15 at John’s Pizza in midtown for dinner before the show.
It’s been a very good and exciting 24 hours.
The Raybeats (with Gail Ann Dorsey) backing Adele Bertei at Joe’s Pub 2010
Pat Irwin, Steve Almaas, Don Christensen and Jody Harris
