Mike Carlucci | johnozed

It’s a Sunday. It’s May 2nd. It was 90 degrees this afternoon. It was the day of the Hoboken Art & Music Festival or as some snarky types are fond of calling it, the Fart & Mucous Festival. I usually attend with Rand but this time Rand is in Lucerne doing things in the name of Jack Kirby.

Last night was quite warm. I sat around and sweated in my underwear. Too damn hot for me, too damn hot for May 1st. But what can I do?

Bill was driving to Atlantic City and when I tracked him on Google Latitude, it had him in East Orange, then headed to San Antonio, and then finally over the border into Mexico. Somehow he wound back on the Garden State Parkway, headed to Atlantic City again.

At least he wasn’t in Times Square where a park car, loaded with propane tanks, fireworks and gasoline started to go up in flames but thanks to the attentions of a T-Shirt vendor it did not blow up. I found out about in around 11:00PM, a few hours after the whole thing started.

I was watching the Philadelphia Story on PBS, Funny that I wrote about High Society a week or so ago and how much I prefer The Philadelphia Story to the Cole Porter musical. I still feel that way.

Opted not to watch a repeat of Saturday Night Live instead watched a repeat of Lost which in retrospect is quite interesting since there’s only 3 or 4 more weeks left in that series.

The Death of Charlie was one of the stories and the other episode filled me in somewhat on how it will end. Jack will assume Jacob’s role and Locke will remain the Smoke Monster. That’s what I think.

Thanks to melatonin I slept really well. Woke up later than expected, but still had enough time to go out and participate in something the New York Times was promoting, basically a snapshot at 11:00AM.

All over the world at 1500 hours Greenwich Time they asked people to take a picture of something and send it in. I walked over to 5th and Washington and took 20 photos, 5 each for North, East, West and South.

Then I came home and uploaded them, deciding to send one pic of a northern view to the website. Or maybe it was the southern view. Eastern? Western? I don’t remember. It was good that today was the street festival, enabling me to stand in the middle of the boulevard and take pictures in all directions.

Bill came home and immediately went to bed and I made myself a nice breakfast. An hour or so later Roger Johansen posted onto Facebook that Jack Skuller was playing and worth checking out. So I headed out with my camera again, walking on the sidewalks since walking on the street had gotten way too crowded and let’s face it, some people cannot walk.

Not the ones in wheelchairs and other mobile things, but simply walking one foot in front of another was a near impossible chore. And the temperature was going up (now it’s 83°) and I was getting sweaty.

Jack Skuller is a ~~16 year old rock and roller~~ 14 year old rock and roller and it’s good that he’s up there doing things like that, playing guitar and singing. My sister called which got me away from the stage area and found a not so quiet spot to converse with her.

When I was through talking to Annemarie, Jack Skuller was off the stage. I did run into Mike Carlucci who I actually wrote about yesterday. I even told him I wrote about him giving me guitar lessons. Roger sauntered up with his friend Tim.

Mike had just done some recording and I introduced Mike to Roger who now runs a mastering studio. Hopefully they will connect. Hopefully the DNA Cup will be out of the picture. It was good to see Mike again. He’s a nice guy and an excellent guitarist.

I headed over to the river which was even more crowded than usual, people like me trying to avoid the throngs on Washington Street. I enjoyed a cigar and read the New Yorker. Way too crowded to bring out the guitar even though I probably could have made some money. At least some pocket change.

Came home, Bill slowly stirring. I just sat around and listened to Carole King, Tapestry. Don’t know why, seemed most apt for a day like today. Bill was soon up and out the door headed to a rehearsal.

I tried to cool myself off and eventually headed out to see Fountains of Wayne who were headlining the festival. I stayed for a few songs, ultimately realizing that I don’t know any Fountains of Wayne songs and the ones I was hearing weren’t exactly enticing me to stay.

Walked back through the crowds which had thinned somewhat. Perhaps it was the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero I was smoking. I passed by the Hoboken Smoke Shop stand which is the worst cigar shop in Hudson County. Even pricier cigars than in Manhattan with less of a tax rate.

So I walked back through the crowds and came home yet again.
5.2.10 Fartin Music Fest 009
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Jack Skuller live

Possibly the photo I sent to the New York Times

Well today has been a little bit different. My faithful companion has been awfully silent. Just sits there without anything to say, nothing to add as the day progresses. Big and boxy and a bit cold. Feeling under utilized.

Since about 9:30 this morning we haven’t really interacted. Nothing went wrong. I just decided on listening to music and not him. Things keep piling up. Made room a few months ago and it’s back to the same thing. Crap just piling up.

I’m usually better about it but lately distractions have been grabbing my attention. Perhaps tomorrow, that will be the day to do something about it. Today certainly wasn’t.

Like I said, the faithful companion has been intentionally neglected. I opted for music instead on TV. Pulled out Tom Waits, Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards. A nice collection. Hadn’t heard it in a while. Decided to burn the 3 disc set for my brother in law for his birthday next weekend.

That means I should put it in the mail on Monday. It’s really an eclectic collection, the Brawlers disc is Tom doing blues and rock & roll things, the Bawlers are just that- songs that get the eyes moist. And Bastards are songs of Tom being Tom.

He does a Bukowski number, a Kerouac number and the last song is a story that I remember my brother Brian telling me ages ago. As soon as I heard it start I knew what the story was. Love that Tom.

One song from Bawlers is called Never Let Go which I recently heard on a commercial for the Red Cross or Doctors Without Borders or an organization that does good things like that. Nice of Tom to license the tune for a good cause like that.

I played it for Bill and he said we have to see Tom when he’s around next time. I neglected to tell him that tickets to see Tom lately aren’t cheap. I saw him in the 1980’s when he was doing a week long stint at a Broadway theater and that was affordable.

Last time I think the cheapest ticket was $75.00 at the Beacon theater. The thing about the Beacon theater is unless you’re seated in the orchestra, or on the first floor forget it. So those tickets were a bit out of my reach last time, but if Bill wants to go, then fine.

Tom Waits has been special for Bill and myself. When we first started going out, or rather staying in long ago, I specifically played for Bill, Picture in A Frame which for me summed up how I felt about him. Bill even learned how to play it on the piano and has played it at parties and for friends who were getting married.

Of course Bill’s style is more polished than Tom’s but the message is the same. I think Tom would enjoy the soul and passion that Bill puts into it. I found some of Tom Waits chords online and played some of Tom’s songs on guitar this afternoon which was fun.

Also on the playlist was Jimmy Page & Robert Plant: No Quarter-Unledded. Some Led Zeppelin songs done with an Egyptian string section. Quite nice and tasty. The version of Kashmir is outstanding.

Came back to the states, playing Lucinda Williams Little Honey, that an online friend turned me onto a few months ago. So it’s been a day like that.

Last night I downloaded a Madonna song. Ray of Light. My former roommate William was enamored of that record and the title song Ray of Light really stands out. I remember coming home one night after work and walking through the door as the song was playing and joined in on the chorus, ‘And I feel, like I just got home’. It was a laugh.

I downloaded it during the telethon, Hope for Haiti. I gave earlier in the week via text message and that’s all I could afford this time. It’s better than nothing. The telethon was nice, understated. I was most surprised by Mary J Blige. She’s come a long way from Mount Vernon. I was also surprised by Justin Timberlake singing Leonard Cohen’s Halleujah.

I played Ray of Light while walking around Hoboken where it was bright & sunny and about 44 degrees. I needed to get birthday cards for Rex and Billie. Also went to see if the latest Uncut magazine was in at Barnes & Noble.

I’d rather not buy it there since they charge tax on magazines, but the local record store, Tunes doesn’t sell magazines like that anymore. They only sell Weird NJ. And still no Uncut magazine to be found.

I did see good old Martin Kelly at CVS and that was worth a chuckle or two.

Now I’m home. Cooked some chicken with pesto and pasta which was yummy. Cruising the olive oil aisle was fruitless, but I bought extra virgin olive oil.

1.23.10 Hoboken 001