Today, I get to test out my ostensibly "all-better-now" lungs, brave the elements to go to the bank, do some business there, go to the store to do a bit of light duty shopping and return to El Ranchito del Pescados Muertos Anchovy. (I defer to simply call it: "The Ranch," usually.) Nothing special. Just: "Something(s) to do." I'm out of razors, milk and butter, bread and coffee.
Catching the last hour or so of "Elizabeth, The Golden Age" with Cate Blanchett as Queen Elizabeth. A great role for her. Fairly historically accurate, so far as I know. This time of year, there are both some really good movies on TV and the usual cavalcade of "Fluffie, The Two-Headed Cat's Christmas" and "Homey's Big Dicked (or Titted) Christmas" crap on. I avoid the latter genres like The Plague.
So, we now move on to: "A Mighty Wind" with a whole slew of great comedic character actors (ALLOT of the SNL/Second City Crowd) hilariously/satirically sending up the Folkie Scene of the early 60's. A fake Bio-Pic of the whole "Scene" that lead me to the title of today's post. I knew I was going to watch this movie when I woke up today. Drink coffee, smoke cigarettes and maybe even snap my fingers instead of clapping a few times. "If I Had A Hat Like Bob Denver, I'd Wear It I The Morning... All Over This Land..." Seriously, you should watch this movie, if you're old enough to know who Pete Seeger was.
Having worked in The Music Business for a spell, Too Damned Long For That Matter, I can appreciate the irony and bullshit hokum of this whole story. The Real Music Business is: Cutthroat, Dirty, Smelly, Ugly and Profane. Then there's all the drugs and girls that will do just about ANYTHING to meet the Star(s) du Jour. You get the picture. You did your level best to keep the laces on your Chuck Taylor's tight and your: "With your pants so tight, it's gonna' be alright..." act together and not get caught up in the horse shit that was spinning around you at about 500 mph. Thank Gawd I was: "just a Lighting Designer." All the way from the awful "Light Show" stuff to "Legitimate Lighting." Whatever the fuck THAT means.
Thank Gawd also for Las Vegas Casinos, Tall Gals With Cotton Candy Hair, South Florida and Alaskan Fishing, Cannery and Fish Buying Station Work or, I'd be "just another burned out has-been, drug-addled, Lighting Guy" these days. Thank Gawd for mountains and long trails, Ski Resorts, Fast Talking Women With Red Hair and Faster Cars as well. Thank Gawd for Hollywood and Gaffer's Tape, Quaaludes, Cocaine, various sedatives and Bourbon and Grauman's Chinese Theatre/Restaurant. (Yea, I took me some drugs back in them days. Hey, it was the 60's and 70's. Strictly a Bourbon, coffee and cigarettes Man these days.) Thank Gawd for good books, warm fires and four season tents. Thank Gawd for Wanderlust. And Kurt Vonnegut, Schopenhauer (I'm kidding. Schopenhauer was an idiot.), Frank Zappa and Tom Robbins. Alright, I'm done "Thanking Gawd."
ANYWAY... I "get to" go out today. It may take a rain suit, which I have a couple of. GoreTex, GoatTex, FloatTex, CoatTex, MoatTex, SchmoeTex... Everything a guy needs to stay dry and comfy, in all the right places. You get the idea.
I will leave you with this classic on "Working In The Music Business." No music library is complete without it.:
I actually like THIS version a Million Times Better.:
The Byrds look REALLY EXCITED, huh? I'm sure this was about as much fun as a Drano Enema for them. I've met Gene Parsons. One of his daughters is married to a guy that I used to make pasta and salads for near Mendocino. Gene's a pretty intense but "nice" kinda' guy. He invented The String Bender, a wonderful little guitar de-tuner thingamajig. You can look it up if you want to.
Nuthin' but Love, Babies. For all the Wannabe Frenchie-Pasta (as if) Guys In Pajamas In The World...
My neighbor just got carted off to The Evil Hospital. Again.
Note: We all come in naked, progress to diapers and graduate to Big Boy/Girl Pants/Dresses. Reverse the process for aging. Have as much fun as you possibly can somewhere in the middle.
It's a "Pretty, Good, World." It's a song title. Mine. No, you can't "steal" it. Copyright violation. Do not pass "Go" or have designs on owning so much as Baltic Avenue. No Get Out Of Jail Free cards either. Find your own way to Park Avenue.
Over and Out,
-Doc
No comments:
Post a Comment