THE SIGNAL from David Katznelson
“If I'm sincere today, what does it matter if I regret it tomorrow?” ― José Saramago
It is so nice to have a winter storm hitting the Bay Area. To be cold. And wet. And to have all the trees glistening with joy, getting a well deserved drink.
Today is the birthday of Gene Clark, a founding member of the Byrds…the member who wrote most of their early hits (besides Dylan)…and the first member to jump out off the band into a solo career that while maybe not hugely successful, produced some records that are pretty mighty and truly stand the test of time. It is said that his record No Other ushered in the era of decadent studio records, the kind that took months of recording and substance abuse, with the end result being something that had a sound like….no other! Twas the era that produced Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors…many think they followed Clark’s lead.
Clark’s life is defined by both his music and his dependencies, missing out on opportunities, going into hiding, not being trustworthy…but creating amazing musical landscapes and writing great songs. And when Tom Petty covered his classic song "I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better" and the publishing royalties started coming in, the drinking came in as well, and Clark was dead shortly after. But what he left behind was an incredible legacy of music, great music to listen to on a rainy day.
I dedicate this newsletter to my wonderful wife (happy anniversary +2 days!). We took a deep Gene Clark dive when we began dating, and his music has become part of our soundtrack…
Secret stash of Bob Dylan letters, photos, and tapes lands with Boston auction house
George Hecksher was once the biggest Dylan collector of them all. I wonder if this came from his stash…regardless, worth a gander for the unique items being auctioned off.
The Devil Had Nothing to Do With It
Greil Marcus discusses several of the most recent books about the life of Robert Johnson. I have not read Brother Robert yet, but am still in shock that on the book’s cover was a never-before-seen pic of the blues legend . The drawing above is based on one of the original two known photos of him. It is taken from the incredible graphic novel Love In Vain, which while taking creative liberties when telling Johnson’s life story, is compelling in its ability to give you a sense of what his life MIGHT have been like.
The Top 30 Most Expensive Items Sold on Discogs in September 2020
Want some Mozart records….for $3500????
Poet Ariana Reines told me of Warsh’s passing. A New York poet from a past generation, his poetry cuts deep (as you can read below). RIP.
Dark Side of Time
By Lewis Warsh
Time is the solution in which the living
and the dead confer—there’s no other place for us
or them and there’s no other place to be
(except where we are), putting our feet up
on the balcony and staring out at the empty
plain—where everything is invisible and everyone
has a name (the only way back is the way
you came), and once I played Odysseus
to her Penelope, way back when, and we stepped
from the bath in someone else’s house,
and once all the lights went out in the middle
of the night and we built a fire until the storm
abated, and later—it’s getting late in the day—
we’ll have caviar and champagne—at the edge
of the crater on the Sea of Dreams,
and look down to earth as if it was all one
and the same, and leave our footprints
for those who follow.