Category: Field Recordings of the Future

We were working on our 6×6 contributions last night while listening to Wednesday’s Margaret Explosion recording. The last song was moody, of course, but it ended like a daydream does. You’re left thinking, “Now, where was I?” I usually jot dow a short description before filing it away and I couldn’t even remember what I heard.

It was the perfect time to take a break so we headed downtown to catch the second set of Watkins and the Rapiers. They were in particularily fine form. Tom sang a rather dark song about the beast inside, Steve led a number that was more musically adventurous than anything I had seen them do before, Marty provided exactly the right propulsion for an NRBQ flavored romp about Kodak.

The Rapiers are full of surprises. I have never associated them with soul music but Scott sang lead on a beautiful version of “Midnight Train to Georgia.” Kerry tailored the lyrics of his “Mingle, Mingle, Mingle” song to Gary Pudup who was seated along the wall and has just announced his candidacy for the 134th Assembly District.

I don’t know how I came up with the idea to have a party celebrating the 45, it seems to have just popped into my head as the date closed in on us. We rounded up some friends and invited them to bring 45s if they liked on the evening of April 5 (4.5).

Peggi and I brought up a stack up from the basement, the ones we each had in our youth so there are many duplicates, the cover sleeves long gone and Peggi’s name written on the label. Some even have a small white sticker that reads, “This record belongs to Peggi Fournier.” I also brought up a box of seventies and eighties singles, most with picture sleeves.

Peggi hung a few with ribbons from our overhead light put some on the wall above the fireplace. I left the stack without sleeves on the kitchen counter like party favors and I played requests all night although I dodged calls for the Beatles. Martha brought a pink 45 case with at least a hundred records on a spindle. It looked like a Barbie accessory but the bottom fell out on the way out the door.

Spinning 45s is high maintainence but I loved it. Keeping track of whose 45 was whose was another matter. I wound up with Cheryl’s copy The Music Explosion’s “Little Bit O’ Soul,” Brian’s copy of the Part Nuggets’ “I Mow The Lawn,” Heather’s “Hitchin’ A Ride” by Vanity Fair and Jeff’s Dad’s copy of a tango 45.

Rock and roll is dying. The process is so slow it only looks like “never.” Decay has been part of the art form for ages. Monty’s Crown on Monroe Avenue is an ideal host for the long funeral, darts, long bar, a dozen beers on tap, a back room with a PA for the band and a pool table stage left. Green shamrocks with the word “Blue” on them were carefully arranged by a beer rep in the front window. All this with two bands on the bill for a three dollar cover. That price hasn’t budged in thirty years.

Dave Anderson was there, Chris from the Squires, Joe Tunis from Carbon, Chris Schepp and Ted Williams of course. Hook Face and Nod were brilliant. Long live rock ‘n roll.

My favorite scenes in “Blue Velvet” are the ones that take place in the “Slow Club,” the nightclub where Isabella Rossellini as Dorothy performs multiple versions of the Bobby Vinton song. Angelo Badalamenti makes a cameo appearance as the pianist. Margaret Explosion is always getting compared to Lynch music. “The music is slow, sinuous and spooky. It is David Lynch soundtrack material. I could dig being in the house band at the Slow Club.

I usually chop my hair with scissors by pulling it out and cutting it all at about the same length and then I ask Peggi to help with the rear. It takes all of five minutes. But today I decided to tag along with Peggi when she went to Chi Wah’s on Monroe Avenue.

Our friend Jeff and Mary Kaye’s daughter, Maddie, works there now and we signed up for her. We chatted with Chi Wah and of course the only thing you can think of when you talk to her is the role she played in “China Doll” and Rochester bust. I haven’t really looked in the mirror yet but I think Maddie did a good job. I’ll know when I get out of the shower tomorrow morning.

I forgot how many great songs there are on “Transformer.” “Classic Albums; Lou Reed – Transformer,” 2001 was shown at the auditorium in the MAG tonight. The coolest thing about this documentary is how cool Lou Reed is. That and Lou Reed playing accoustic guitar versions of the songs on Transformer. Then after that there’s Herbie Flowers playing his stand up bass line from “Walk On The Wild Side” and his tuba part in “Goodnight Ladies.”

Lake Shore Record Exchange, who presented the movie, topped it off with a screening of the BBC’s “Lou Reed Remembered.” My favorite section in this movie was the interview with Lou where he talks about the beauty and power in delivering songs with detachment.

I took this photo in Indianapolis sometime in the very early seventies, about the time Miles’ “On The Corner” was released. I was so into that lp. A couple of weeks ago we got into a groove that reminded me of that period. I saw a chance to use this photo on the cover of the single and I took it. Margaret Explosion has two more Wednesday night gigs and then the next Wednesday will be Christmas so we will be off for a while.

I’m glad I snapped this shot the other day because today because these tall brown weed-like flowers collapsed under the weight of the wet snow. They look like the invasive species variety that now grow in the wetlands around here but these were planted by a gardener.

Everything is changing. Ticks bearing Lyme Disease are now in our area and their season is longer on both ends. Not all these changes are unwelcome. We heard realtor, Mark Siwiec, on the radio today talking about how our recent warm winters have bumped the start of the high season up by almost a month. A hundred years ago upstate New Yorkers were not able to have fresh pineapple for breakfast. But I’m still pulling for a cold winter with piles of fresh snow.