Category Archives: I Love Music

Touch 2 Feel

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Well today’s the day I’ve been waiting for. Tonight’s the night. The Specials at Terminal 5. Never had a chance to see the original lineup 30 years ago.

Like with the Clash I always said, ‘I’ll see them next time.’ Then they broke up and then it was with regards to Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros ‘I’ll see them next time’ then Joe up and died.

Now technically it’s not the Specials since founding member Jerry Dammers has not been asked to join the group. Jerry who directed and wrote most of their songs did not want a Specials reunion to be a nostalgia trip.

Jerry’s songs 30 years ago were topical, dealing with nuclear war, Margaret Thatcher and Racism and Jerry had hoped to continue moving in that direction with the band. The band decided not to go that way and decided to go the nostalgia route.

I’m of two minds on this.

I definitely agree with Jerry Dammers, but I have never seen most of the Specials live and this is my opportunity. They’re also scheduled for a free show at Summerstage on August 22 this summer but I found that out after I bought my ticket. Ideally, I would love it if Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra would make it to the states, but it seems unlikely.

I’m excited and I’m anxious for tonight. So much so that I almost didn’t leave the apartment at all today. I did eventually head out and it was beautiful. Sat by the river and read the paper and enjoyed a cigar.
Tonight at Terminal 5 I’m meeting two friends , Miriam and Susan.

I saw a version of the Specials in the 1990’s with Miriam and Susan at Roseland I think. No Terry Hall in the band, just a roomful of guys singing as close to the adenoidal tones as possible to recreate Terry Hall’s style. I doubt if Susan or Miriam remember each other. They’re arriving separately and hopefully I can get a ride home or to the Path train from one of them.

I even remember the day I bought the Specials first album. More specifically I remember being at the Bergen mall in 1979, waiting for the #44 bus headed home with three albums in the bag from Korvettes. The Pretenders first album, Whole Wide World by Wreckless Eric and the Specials fist album.

A little old lady asked me about the music and I don’t remember what I told her. I was more familiar with Wreckless Eric and the Pretenders than I was with the Specials but all three were usually in heavy rotation on WPIX-FM.

And the Specials with their political views, fighting racism, demanding equality and fairness definitely struck a chord with me.

Oddly enough, I didn’t even see the Specials when they were on Saturday Night Live for some reason.

Tonight I am wearing a close approximation of a 2 Tone Rude Boy suit. I’m wearing my Phat Farm suit which has moved from business wear to rock and roll wear due to wear and tear. I also have a thin Ben Sherman tie with tiny Vespa scooters on it and more than likely will be wearing white socks.

Goofy?

Perhaps.

But dudes- I’ve been wanting to do this for 30 bloody years.

Dark clouds are moving in so I’m hoping it won’t be too bad going in. Or let it rain now and get it over with.

Chaz’ pal Andy went last night and he said the band went on around 9:30. No opening act just a DJ which is fine. Andy said the people were super excited. Actually Andy wrote the crowd was absolutely apeshit.

Which will probably sum up how I will be feeling in a few hours.
Hoboken 4.21.10

and from SNL

and beyond…

Specials 2009

Touching Me, Touching You

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Just woke up from a nap. Set the cellphone alarm for an hour, only a half hour was needed. I did try to sleep some more but my mind wasn’t having it.

Woke up thinking of Maggie Alexandre. She was the inhuman resources director at Wanker Banker. She claimed to be at the Human Be-In in San Francisco during the summer of love back in 1967 but I have my doubts about that.

The thing that stuck in my mind was the fact that she was responsible for the hiring of some rotten lying conniving office manager and when it was revealed that the person she hired was such a beast the only thing old Maggie could do is try to get me fired.

I know it’s old news but for some reason the hunchbacked crone known as Maggie Alexandre seeped into my consciousness like so much ergot fungi. Maybe it’s because she reminds me of the natural gas spokeswoman for the energy today website.

Today has been an alright day. Went and played guitar for a few hours by the river. Tariq was there, after a few cocktails. It was a bit chilly and he claimed to have been strumming since around 11:30. I didn’t show up until 2:00 and by that time he wasn’t strumming much.

He did try to follow me on a few songs but gave up after a couple of strums and spaced out a bit. He did offer to show me how to play some grunge, and I knew what he meant when he said grunge.

Pearl Jam. A soulless band full of testosterone. I put my foot down and instead played Twist & Shout. He’s getting into the habit of repeating stories that he told me a few days previously and when I tell him he told me that already he merely says, ‘Oh yeah, I forgot that I saw you.’

Still he’s a nice guy. He likes to drink and always has an eye out for the ladles.

It was a bit cooler than it’s been the past week and a lot breezier. I stretched my arms and fingers and neck before and during playing but it was a might bit too chilly. Tariq also talked about building up a set list for playing on the street.

He’s been busking longer than I have and always brings up his friend Steve as a human jukebox. He plays with Steve at Central Park South and Fifth Avenue across from the Plaza Hotel where they supposedly make good money playing for the tourists.

Steve is also the guy I saw playing with Tariq singing Melissa by the Allman Brothers a few weeks ago. That is when I realized that I didn’t want to play the songs that everyone else plays. I’d rather play Instant Karma and Love Shack.

In the back of my mind I see myself playing at Central Park South and Sixth Avenue. Perhaps if the weather gets warmer and I am still looking for work, that is what I’ll do. I actually envisioned that a year or so ago, before I ever started playing my guitar outside.

This week promises to be a better week weather wise and will provide some opportunities to go out and play by the river once again.

Last night I watched all of the first season of Tales of the City. Still as charming as I remembered. I put in the first disc of More Tales of the City. It was a bit of a let down.

Some cast members did not return and the ones that replaced the originals in my eyes didn’t make the cut. I only watched the first episode of the second set so maybe it gets better. I think

Bill wants to check it out so I’ll hang onto it for as long as I can.
JOTTTTTTTTTT