THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson
“I live through risk. Without risk there is no art. You should always be on the edge of a cliff about to fall down and break your neck.” ― Carlos Fuentes
Today in 1933 a dust storm hit the Dakotas painting the sky black, covering the land with dirt, destroying the lives of almost everyone it touched. The Great Depression, which had already been felt for four years, got the boost it needed to crush even more people for a greater period of time. It was a period, as described by John Steinbeck in his book GRAPES OF WRATH, of mass migration to the West…to California where these was a promise of new jobs. But there was not enough work opportunities for the masses of people who needed it…and huge packs of poor wandered the wasteland, found FSA camps…some got lucky, some faded into the dust.
The Library of Congress is filled with songs about these times…they sent out dozens of musicologists to record the music coming from the voices who were affected by the Dust Bowl era. And while these musicologists found such dire poverty and sadness, they also recorded songs of hope, even humor, for the songs were many times sung around camp fires at night to audiences who needed to smile, to believe in a better time to come. Barb and I have co-taught a class at our kids’ school about the great depression using these recordings as the history books. The stories they tell are incredible, and showcase the importance of music to get people through dire circumstances…to give them a voice.
The storm that hit the Dakotas 83 years ago today resulted in years of devastation and affected generations of Americans. But there is an aspect of survival that this story tells, an aspect we can apply to our lives now as we shelter and wait, as we tend to our sick and as we try to survive. As our skies turn orange and our world burns. There is a resilience we can find inspiration from.
Keith Moon’s Final Performance with The Who
As my friend Jon Blaufarb always says, the correct answer to: Who is better, the Stones or the Beatles? is: THE WHO. Their live shows were that of legend…and the loudest ever to hit stadiums at that time. The chaos and glory of their set was anchored with their insane drummer Keith Moon, who lived just as he played: hard. Want to see him in action…at his peak? Just watch the Who’s performance of A QUICK ONE at the Rolling Stone’s Electric Circus. He died so early…and he was a mess when he died. His last concert was documented and recently posted (maybe it was around before…I had never seen it). He is not in the best shape, but definitely has his moments. It’s worth a gander.
Cork International Film Festival 2020 available to watch nationwide online
Silver Covid Linings—on-line film festivals. And one based in Cork? Killer. This year they are featuring a newly restored silent film: IRISH DESTINY from 1920, the “first fiction film to deal with the War of Independence in Ireland.” It will be on-line for 4 more days…I am going to watch it tonight.
Tracey Emin on her secret cancer battle: ‘To get past Christmas would be good’
Tracey Emin’s image has hung on my wall for years, as painted by ex-boyfriend Billy Childish. Billy is actually featured on one of Emin’s landmark pieces, Everyone I Have Ever Slept With. More known in the UK, Enim’s artistic vision—using her art as a mode of confessing to her innermost issues—is quite powerful and moving, as well as controversial for both its subject and form. Sending out healing thoughts her way. Fuck cancer.
A Conversation With Author Carlos Fuentes
Here is great conversation with today’s birthday boy and giant in both the Spanish-speaking world and the “Latin-American Boom” of literature in the sixties and seventies.
Today is also Mose Allison’s birthday, one of the great jazz (and beyond) pianists. It so happens I have been on a major Mose kick recently…especially this record, Transfiguration of Hiram Brown, which I discovered in Jim Dickinson’s legendary black box. It really is a groove and it is a good day to get groovy with Mose.