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Rants By: Scott Kempner
WHAT’S UP WITH ME? I'LL TELL YA WHAT’S UP WITH ME!
So, remind me, it’s been awhile. New York City. Middle of February. Temperatures should be about what? Low-to-mid 70’s? 50’s at night? Is that about right? Ballpark? No? Warmer? No, you don’t mean colder?!!?
Yeah, like I don’t know. Lived through damn near fifty of them New York winters before heading out west, but it actually has been a few years since I’ve spent any time in a real Northeast winter. A frosty but much needed return to the Motherland awaits. I have no choice anyway because NYC is where Del-Lords’ rehearsals and recording sessions are taking place. The new record is now fully underway with Eric producing and about 15 or so songs to work from. So far. The band actually sounds better than ever, as it should. And it does. As a musician, one should theoretically ONLY get better anyway, right? Should. And, I did say theoretically.
So that, plus the Del-Lords little return to the boards is what looms for me in the near future. It’s always great to go home for a bit. And, I’m looking forward to getting together with the band. Truth be known I am more than looking forward to it. I feel like it will refill what has become a half-empty tank. It will physically reconnect me into life’s electric socket, back in touch in a hands-on way with what the fuck it is I actually do here on this planet. I have been living the doughnut life for too long. Stuff going on around the outside, but a big empty hole in the middle. It’s time to strap on the Strat, step the fuck up to the mike, and just tell the people the damn truth. And, the truth is, I need a little saving myself right about now. And, all this here is what I’m counting on to save my mortal rockin’ soul. Damn, enough is enough! A little testifyin’, rockifyin’, fate-defyin’ redemption for, not just me, but for all of us, my friends. Ok by you? I know I could use it.
These last few months my life has been tumultuous, nomadic, fraught with unintentional adventure, spills, chills and danger, and a very dear, close friend is engaged in a bigger battle in a bigger fight than mine, in a nearby hospital as I write. On the other hand, there has been some good luck for which I have cause for gratitude and some things to be thankful for. Happy twists of fate and good fortune have not entirely forsaken me. I do know this though: this entire experience has changed me. How much and in which way(s) I don’t know for certain yet. I’ll let ya know.
Plus, my life is in storage. This is a hard one. This means I don’t have instant access to my Springsteen bootlegs, my mono Who Singles collection, my Dylan bootlegs, my Bo & Chuck collections, my Beach Boys’ Smile bootleg 4cd box, my complete Twilight Zones on DVD, my original Crawdaddys, my own personal memorabilia, my autographed LP’s (Pet Sounds, Highway 61 Revisited, 1st Ronettes, 1st Velvets, Forever Changes, 1st Johnny Cash, Born To Run, and more), etc, etc. I mean, are you feelin’ me, brothers and sisters? You see, these are my talismans, my charms, the source of my power, like Green Lantern’s lantern. The footprints and landmarks of my life. The dreams of my life, too. I feed off of them. All this and more in a storage facility in Ventura, CA. Alas, I grow weaker by the minute. Oh, a happy reunion that indeed shall be. Soon come.
I did get to see Merle Haggard a coupla weeks ago. I even got to shake his hand. He looks great and still has a damn good, old school handshake (remember those?). The show was fantastic. Although he might have lost a bit of vocal firepower, his voice is more expressive than ever, and his interpretive skills are as good as anybody’s. Pretty much, as good a singer as there is. This more conversational style of songwriting he’s been into for awhile now is sheer genius. The entire set was like he was having a conversation with his audience, his guitar, his band, and with himself, body and soul. It was measured, never rushed, hypnotic, emotional, and dreamlike. One great song after another, with many I didn’t know. They just kept comin’. A cover or two, lots of guitar playin’ – man, he’s good – big western swing vibe throughout, excellent sympathetic band, as natural as breathing.
It’s easy to overlook how great Haggard is. We all KNOW he’s great, but the empirical in-the-moment reality of his art, his presence, the greatness of his songs, well, you only THINK you know how great he is, until it’s right there in the flesh. What a thrill, what a treat, what a beautifully humbling and inspirational thing it was.
And, he graciously signed my copy of MAMA TRIED, where he’s got his railroad conductor’s (engineer’s?) cap on. He laughed at the picture and joked about how young he was when it was taken. At the same time, I did sense a certain disconnect for him and that old picture. Or maybe a sense of mortality, his, and a self-consciousness about having lived long enough to become old. But, either the picture, or his own presence made him uncomfortable. It wasn’t a good joke. It was a nervous joke. It was a real disappearing act of some kind, too. I’ll think I’ll hang this one in between Johnny Cash, Dion, and Lou Reed. Sounds about right.
Let’s see, what else is going on? What else is in the news? There was that item about the Supreme Court creating USA, Inc., and selling out our democracy and the Constitution, all at the same time. A lot of folks missed that one because John fucking Edwards was revealed to have fathered a love child. No, not a hippie, the other kind. Right around the same exact day as the Supreme Court decision, but the media went full-on with the Edwards (when will he just go away, already?) blockbuster instead of The Death of Democracy one. Evidently, the Court heard the taunts that they would never be able to outdo their judicial coup of 2000, when they stole the presidential election, ever again. Well, those little devils just went ahead and did it. Stay on top of this one, friends, as there will be fallout a-plenty. We’re gonna need each other before long. Or it could be: Goodnight, America, it’s been great knowin’ ya.
So, I’m gonna say goodbye for now. The next time you hear from me it will probably be upon my return to these shores. I will no doubt be buzzed and burdened with tales in need of unloading, or downloading. Or is it actually uploading. Adios y hasta luego.
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