Mailbag

From: michael wijnen
Subject: Re: Music News
I wonder why Spotify does not publish a new kind of chart where the songs are rated, not by the number of plays- like we have today-, but by the number of different listeners.
We all know that the 15-22 demographic can listen to the same track a hundred times, but that should not (only) qualify for being number one. It seems more interesting to know what track has been listened to at least one time by a hundred different users than a track listened to a hundred times by the same person…
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From: Peter Noone
Subject: Re: Today's Covers/Oh You Pretty Things
Actually Bowie played it to me in Mickie Most’s office
Just me mickie and Peter Grant
This was the great test of balls on pop stars
Ronnie Wood passed this test.
Peter said During the demo playback
“that should be Hermans’ s first solo single“
David came to the session and played piano on the track because we had agreed to play if in F
A better key for Herman ...but .....David could only play it in F sharp
We cut it in sections because in F Sharp he couldn’t play it all the way through
We giggled through the session and I dumped the drums magically for exactly the right amount of bars as we fixed Bowie’s piano
Just days later we appeared on TopOf The Pops and David wore a dress which sort of shocked they BBC.
P.S. Ps the follow up was also a Bowie song RIGHT ON MOTHER which ate the big BBC
We cut other stuff too which mysteriously shows up on YouTube
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Subject: Re: Today's Covers
In the early 70s I was playing with the band, The Association. When we arrived in Valdosta Georgia there were no limousines available so the promoter sent a Ford Van to pick us up at the airport. It was driven by a really cute young girl who was very sweet and had the heaviest Southern drawl ya ever heard. She was enthusiastic to have been given the job of picking us up and she was conspicuously excited about it. She was gushing about how happy she was that we had come to play a concert in Valdosta, and how she loved all of our hits, etc etc etc ………. and then she delivered one of the all time classic lines. ??She says “Ya’ll the biggest thang we’ve had around heah fo a long time” … she paused for a moment and then said “ya know, a whal back we had Herman’s Hermits but Herman aint in em no more”.
Larry Brown (the guitarist)
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From: Toby Mamis
Subject: Re: Today's Covers
The version of "Sorrow" the Bowie was covering was by The Merseys, a British group that had a major UK hit when they covered the McCoys original version.
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Subject: Re: Today's Covers
Hi Bob
Phil May was a legend here in the UK. SF Sorrow was the original concept album paving the way for Tommy and The Wall.
Bowie used to hang out at mid-sixties ground breaking English clubs like the Marquee, The Ricky Tik in Windsor and Eel Pie Island.
He worshipped Phil May, so much so that he listed Phil under ‘G’ in his address book.
‘God’.
David Stopps
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Subject: Re: Today's Covers - PAUL RODGERS
Bob,
Loved the comments about Paul Rodgers and "didn't you used to have to have a great voice to break through?"
Paul came and did a fishbowl (showcase) for Amazon Music a few years back when there were a bunch of Bad Company reissues.
Got to say hi and tell him Bad Co. in 1977 was the first concert I went to without an adult along, they were a big influence, the Presidents used to cover a verse and chorus of "Feel Like Makin' Love" as in intro to "Peaches" when we played it live, etc. He was appreciative and gracious.
Then he did a few songs. By himself. We were in an awkward converted conf. room in the middle of the day with a small PA and a bunch of us Amazon dorks eating our lunch and his acoustic guitar playing is rudimentary and, as he started, I thought, oh crap, trainwreck, and THEN HE OPENED HIS MOUTH and sang "Feel Like Makin' Love" and I had goosebumps on my goosebumps and you could see that every woman in the room was in love with him and every guy wanted to be him. It was unreal -- in the true sense of the world, meaning his voice was so resonant and penetrating and soul-stirring as to be otherworldly.
That's why we are fans. That's why we are players and writers and singers and performers. We want just a little bit, even a tiny bit, of THAT.
dave dederer
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From: George Drakoulias
Re: Re: Saturday Night Specials-This Week On SiriusXM
Foghat and Sweet Nassau Coliseum on June 2nd 1978 was my first concert!
The were a funky great Rn'R band. We used to talk to Petty about Foghat all the time. He wrote a song called "Lonesome Dave"
www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IS_DrDmcwM
Lyrics: genius.com/Tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-lonesome-dave-outtake-1993-lyrics
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From: Jan Ramsey
Subject: Re: Hidden Valley Road
Just finished this book and I agree. I have schizophrenia in my family, and I also have friends and friends with kids who have it. It's a heartbreaking story, all the way around. People talk about addiction being a "family" disease, and there's actually some treatments that are available (for simplicity's sake, Al Anon). But mental illness is just like that too. It affects family, friends, work relationships, etc. There's almost less of a stigma related to addiction these days, but being mentally ill is still a stigma.
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From: kim bullard
Subject: Re: Hidden Valley Road
My wife's parents went to the exact high school as the parents in this book, two years earlier. My wife's brother was molested by the local priest, who he was a chauffeur for, just like in this book. Also, just as in the book, the parents were happy to have someone take an interest in their son, especially a priest. They handed him over like a gift. He became a drug addict, schizophrenic. And the way it affected the younger sister (my wife) was the same as in this book.
They thought their story was so unique, and here it is, in black and white.
There were so many parallels I had to write. You read a book like this and thing 'how in the world can this happen?' it does, it did.
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Subject: Re: ZeroZeroZero
Hi Bob,
Agree with you about the Prime interface. I only go to Prime if there is something specific I want to watch. Netflix and Prime are like the old “I’m a Mac, I’m a PC” campaign. They both perform the function but only one is a pleasant experience.
Thanks,
Dale Bobo
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From: Quantella Owens
Subject: Re: The Election
I was a WSJ subscriber for years. I scrimped, saved and did everything I could to maintain my subscription. I started subscribing in high school. Having a business
was all I ever wanted. Then a certain media company bought my beloved paper and everything went downhill from there. "Stories" about stupid fluff pieces by
former Playboy Bunnies and published by their book arm, the gutting of the Small Business and Personal Journal sections...etc.
I now only pay a $1 for a few weeks digital subscription when there is a story I absolutely must read....which is less and less often. Nothing has filled the void
and I miss the old WSJ everyday.
You nailed it.
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Subject: RE: Bob Rock-This Week's Podcast
Hi Bob,
Been following you since your printed Lefsetz Letter days. I really enjoyed listening to your podcast with my friend Bob Rock. I'm so glad he told you about me signing him and Paul Hyde and the Payola$ based solely on their independent 45 release of China Boys to A&M. As Bob mentioned, after the Ep and first full album In A Place Like This, recorded at the famous Le Studio Morin Heights, the group was way over budget with not a lot of sales. I was actually under pressure to drop them until Mick Ronson got involved to produce some new demos. I will never forget the day that I got the cassette with 4 songs on it from Bob. First song was Romance and then Eyes Of A Stranger. I think I played it louder than any Spinal Tap amp could reach! By the time it was over, I had A&Mers knocking on my door and saying who what THAT - you have to sign them. I said already done, that's the Payola$. In a word, I was vindicated and the album went on to win a Juno Award, Platinum Award and I if Recall Single of the Year for Eyes Of A Stranger. Prior to that and when the album was first released, Deane Cameron, my A&R counterpart at Capitol EMI, called to tell me he was stunned by the album and watch out it was going to be huge. I cheekily replied, yeah I know. I was so happy to have my friend Jay Boberg (former A&M college radio rep) signed the Payola$ to I.R.S. for outside Canada.
Great memories of the Payolas, Bryan Adams, and the many more artists I signed to A&M.
Cheers.
Michael Godin
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From: John Hartmann
Subject: Re: A Little More Little Richard
Bob: I met Little Richard in the summer of 1964. I was a baby agent at William Morris in charge of scale TV and game shows. ABC brought legendary producer Jack Goode over from England to create a half hour, black and white pilot. It was the first time an all Rock & Roll television show was headed for prime-time. Jack wanted Richard to guest star in the pilot episode and WMA was his last known agency. We had no idea where he was, he hard left the business. I did a little detective work and tracked him down in his church in Riverside, California. He was very excited to be on television. His performance was absolutely electrifying he had the cast, crew and audience freaking out. A very nice man, we had a great hang. This whole show was deemed to wild by ABC and it never went on the air. But they did go to series and Richard came back to the biz. The rest is history.
Hartmann
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Subject: Re: A Little More Little Richard
Hi Bob,
I met Little Richard in his room in the Hyatt. R&B legend Dewey Terry, of the 50's group Don and Dewey, took me there to meet him. Dewey was trying to get me a gig doing a US tour with Richard. I was 21 or 22.
It was amazing.
He had 2 things that made the room his. A huge picture of himself with the Beatles on one wall and the Hebrew alphabet on another. I got the gig! I was going to do a tour with so I went out and invested in flight cases for my gear. Then I got a phone call from Richard... sorry, I'm doing a movie so I've had to cancel the tour. That was Down and Out in Beverly Hills.
Tracy Lipp
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Subject: Re: A Little More Little Richard
Believe it or not, I met him.
It was in the early 90s and to feed my music habit I worked as a commercial banker in Beverly Hills.
The unexpected surprise was how many incredible talents walked thru the halls of that place conducting their business, including Little Richard, who came up to our private banking floor all the time.
I had a friend in new accounts who took care of him every time he came in and once she learned I was a fan she arranged an introduction.
He was the sweetest guy. Initially I got the "electric" show. You know, the Richard you see on stage. But then I told him I was an aspiring singer/songwriter and I asked him the one question I had wanted to ask him my whole life growing up.
"How do you do the howl? I've been trying to do your howl my whole life and every time I've tried I end up sounding like a chicken."
He laughed and said to me "just before you do it, you have to imagine someone is chasing after you."
He also said "you know lately Paul has been joking that I sound like a chicken."
I am sure he was just riffing, but it also felt like he was just trying to be kind and supportive to another musician. Since that initial meeting, anytime he saw me at our offices he made a point to smile and say hello.
It's a great memory I will carry around with me all the remaining days of my life.
Ramin David Streets
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From: John Brodey
Subject: Re: A Little More Little Richard
Just a p.s./aside
Looks like someone else was at the Howard Theater at the same Little Richard show. But Arne Bey is a little off, it was '63 and the Jim Crow laws existed almost entirely in the south. D.C. was the north and I went to the shows almost every weekend. As I mentioned before, most of the time there were never more than 2 or 3 white guys which was fine with me. I grew up in the 'Chocolate City' and was well aware that you had to be mindful of crossing the line. My presence in their house might draw some unwanted attention and so being 'invisible' was perfectly fine with me. Maybe a few girls would look at me and laugh but that was okay.
I never had a problem until the James Brown show. Tickets were always first come, first serve, and this was going to be a total sell out so I had waited in line for hours to make sure I'd get in. About 20 minutes before the box office opened, two big guys came up to me and said; Hey man, you in our spot, get lost. I said: 'C'mon guys, I been waiting for hours to see James Brown and I don't want any trouble.' I thought they were going to kick the shit out of me, but a bigger guy in line right behind me leans in to them and says; 'Leave the little white dude alone, he been standing in line like everybody else and he's gonna see him some James Brown, so get the fuck outta here.' Whew!
pps: Moms Mabley was even filthier than Redd Foxx.
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From: Barry Lyons
Subject: Re: A Little More Little Richard
Bob -
I'm here to authenticate Marty Bender's authentication of Marty Simon's story about the sadly late, and oh-so-great, Little Richard Penniman. At the same time, it will allow me to fill in a few holes in a great rock 'n' roll story; one that has been haunting me for nearly 50 years now.
I was at that same show in 1971 that Marty (Simon) & Marty (Bender) attended. I was a freshman a Case Western in Cleveland; did not know Marty Simon (still don't) and would not get to make Marty Bender's acquaintance until the late 80's when I landed at IRS Records. And yes, when that show in Cleveland happened, Richard was long past his peak - and most in that Bldg, as you noted, had long since moved beyond Richard or Chuck and on to Stones and Byrds and CSN & the like.
And the act that was supposed to headline, to close the show? That was... MOUNTAIN. As in, Felix Pappalardi & Leslie West. Arguably the heaviest band in the land at the time. They had already missed a show in Cleveburg the preceding year, so you can just imagine everyone Instagramming everyone else (1971 version) going, "Fuck, they better show up this time!" I've never forgotten the look on the promoter's face, he had to come out & tell those 6,000 guys in the hall that Mountain wasn't gonna be there, again, but we've lined up some other entertainment, so how about a warm welcome for... Llittle Richard?? And, as you might have expected, at least for a moment, it was like telling an audience that was expecting Black Sabbath not to worry, we've got Chad & Jeremy!
So, as Marty & Marty noted, Richard slides out to his piano, a couple of the guys from Mylon in tow, a few others who were there that night - Johnny Winter And had been on the bill, I remember seeing Rick Derringer up there. Before he got to the line about "I got a gal, named Daisy, she almost drives me crazy" the crowd - not a few, as many people as you could squeeze onto an arena-sized stage, and then some - had bee lifted, as one, and spent the rest of the evening rockin' with the king. I guarantee you, NO ONE who was there has ever forgotten it.
For the longest time, though, at least for me, it had become something of a mystery, a Rock 'N' Roll cold case. How did it all come together? Was I the only witness??
Thanks for the lovely eulogies, and thanks for helping me fill in the blanks!
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Subject: Re: Re-Little Richard
I can confirm John Browers story-and I have never told it.
Bill Siddons
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Subject: Re: Moon Martin
Greetings. Mark Christian here. I am sad to hear the passing of Moon Martin. And I had no idea until you mentioned it so I would like to send a very special thanks for the e mail. I played guitar on his Mystery Ticket record in 81 or 82 I think. Robert Palmer producer. And it was great to work with Robert too. I also played on various other recordings for Moon years after. We were good friends for a while however I have not seen or heard from him since 2003. I was a new kid in the music biz when I met Moon. During the overdub sessions he used to tell me when I played a solo "Don't play any solos that will go over the heads of secretaries." lol Well that's it. RIP Moon Martin. Best ...mc
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Subject: Re: Re-Moon Martin
Ask Barry Finkenberg, if he went to Lafayette High School and the song he was referring to is “Round and Round” lyrics by English teacher, Joe Shapiro.
Great song and one of Perry’s last smash hits.
Thanks,
Seymour Stein
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From: Barry Finkenberg
Subject: Re: Re-Moon Martin
Aloha Seymour
Indeed, I am Lafayette Born and Lafayette Bred and when.........
And It was the Mr. Shapiro song I referenced.
Hung at the JCH. You too?
Class of 1963
Barry
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From: Joseph Weinstein
Subject: Re: Blackout Tuesday
No soul. Nobody wants to be Dixie Chicked. They all live to sell product/tix/merch to every potential customer under the sun, including the racists and the murdering police officers. If that’s your goal, how can you ever take a position on anything? If you’re worried about offending half of your audience, how can you ever write or say anything of substance? You can’t, so they don’t. Music died a long time ago when the creators started thinking of themselves as brands instead of as artists commenting on the human experience.
P.S. Btw, the irony is that brands were never cool to begin with, which is why they needed to borrow/leverage/steal credibility from the artists/athletes/sports teams to begin with via talent deals, sponsorships, and endorsement contracts. Now, the “artists” of today are so hooked on corporate money and optimizing sales that they can’t afford to offend one single potential customer, so they create fluff. Paradoxically, they now have the same amount of credibility as the brands that needed to buy it from musicians in the first place. None.
This would be hilarious if it were not so heartbreaking.
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From: Tony Von Pervieux
Subject: Re: Trump On Twitter
I’m banned from Twitter for letting Mitch McConnell know he’s a lyin’, fucking traitor on several occasions. They flagged that. And that’s freedom of speech, and also the truth if you see it the way i do. But Trump never gets “dinged” for threatening civilians and spewing constant lies on that platform, until now. Although, I loathe Twitter (except for getting my daily news), I’m all in favor of Jack stickin’ it to the president to hopefully shut down the presidents digital soapbox. Without Twitter, Trump is stale, white toast.
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From: Art Fein
Subject: Re: Skyhill Studios
Bob
I just read your epistle.
Some very lot of writing.
And many two-word sentences.
Many.
I first heard the Beatles in summer '63.
They were on a Chicago label.
Where I lived.
The song sounded OK. But I didn't buy it.
1965.
I went to CU
Started listening to FM rock in Boulder..
Bill Gardner. K-something.
(Did you know that stations are K in the west, and W in the east?
I didn't.)
I'd go to the station, as nobody listened, at first.
Got a lot of DJ copies.
Boy.
1970 Just before leaving Boulder saw Doug Kershaw.
Some festival.
I knew "Louisiana Man" having taped it off the air in Chicago.
Some great song.
Kershaw's the best performer in the world.
(So's you know.)
Got to LA. Lost Bonnie, college girlfriend..
(But still have "I've Got Bonnie." Bobby Rydell. GREAT record.)
Got a peripheral job at Capitol, via college friend Ken Sasano.
College promotion.
Lower than marginal.
Yet when John & Yoko came in the bldg I was called to the president's office.
My boss said "This is Art Fein. He's gonna set up college interviews for you Yoko, for your new album."
Yup. (That's what I said.)
We went to the Brown Derby.
Capitol corner.
I pointed to the rendering of Gene Vincent next to my head.
"Yeah!" said John.
(We had already established rapport in a 10-second look at my office.
Festooned with Elvis, JLL, Gene, etc.)
Next day I commandeered a record player, for their suite at the Bev Hills Hotel.
Brought in obscure singles I'd collected at thrift stores in Boulder.
(College pays off!)
John went mental.
They left.
I left.
I'd see them at clubs.
Always a nice reunion.
Art
I got a little wordy there.
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Subject: Re: Re-Skyhill Studios (better late than never)
Bob:
I’m late to the party about Skyhill Drive. But I was there for the real party. I spent my teenage years hanging out at Leon’s place in Hollywood. He taught me to play the piano, and much, much more…...
I had a high school band with Marc Benno and we made a record on Dot for Snuff Garett. Straight out of “That That Thing You Do”…...Leon was Snuff’s arranger and we recorded in Dallas, with Leon playing organ and guitar….I’d never met anyone like Leon. Still haven’t, come to think of it.
The band broke up, but Benno and I went out to California together, along with our new band. We stayed. This would’ve been 67/68…..Leon wasn’t yet famous, but man, Skyhill Drive (that’s what we all called it, not. “Skyhill Studios”, was rocking! No one there was yet very famous…maybe little Carl Radle, who was playing in Gary Lewis and the Playboys, but that was about it......I was just a kid and was really the fly on the wall.
Rita Coolidge would cook great soul food and sing and was so sweet to me….as I said I was just a teenager and this whole Hollywood world was wild to me, and scarier than I wanted to admit.
I remember the first time I ever saw Bonnie Bramlett. She came in wearing madras shorts with her hair in a sort of conservative southern style, looking like a little meek housewife, Leon was at the grand piano in the den and said “sing one for us Bonnie” and that was that. The room shook. I was thunderstruck.
The musicians who were hanging out were mostly Oklahoma guys: there was Jesse Ed Davis, the native American guitar playing fucking genius, there was Don Nix, who’d regularly drop by with some Okie weed and also write a blues song every Wednesday for the weekly blues jam session (I think one of them was “I’m Goin” Down”), there was Carl Radle, Chuck Blackwell, Leon, Marc, and I’m sure I’m leaving some amazing folks out…..On blues night I even got to play organ while Leon played piano….I sucked at it but it was fun.
The place was well known amongst the music community in L.A. All of the then famous rock guys would come by, and Leon would have to go out all the time and work sessions with the Wrecking Crew. He pretty much hated that….would come home from a Sinatra session or Beach Boys grumbling, and of course I’m thinking this was the coolest but he hated it….
Marc and I, who were sort of living in a big hall closet or two upstairs in the house, came to me one day and said “man, Leon wants to be Elvis. We are gonna try to do a band called the Asylum Choir". About then, for other reasons, I went back to Texas. I’d visit though, and saw much more cool stuff there at that magical house.
This is of course a quick snapshot of a very open and wild and wonderful era. Many crazy things and many amazing musical moments happened while I was hanging out there. The closest I’ve seen anyone reproduce what the L.A. scene felt like back then is “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”.
Best,
Wally Wilson
Nashville,TN
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From: Rob Fraboni
Subject: Re: Skyhill Studios
Hi Bob,
I have a couple of issues here. I knew all the players involved really well and we were friends. Let's be accurate about Joe for starters. I Can Stand A Little Rain was released in 1974, not '72. To omit You Are So Beautiful in this conversation seems an oversight (I hope). His biggest record (above The Letter, by one point) and The Letter helped define Joe which you somehow didn't mention. I know this is really about Leon, who was AMAZING, but still the picture should be painted accurately. I loved Leon and all those Tulsa guys were good friends. Carl Radle was one of the closest friends I've ever had and miss to this day. Denny Cordell (and Tarka) we're among my closest friends.
Skyhill was great & in a house but to say that home studios didn't catch on til the '80's isn't really true. How about Exile On Main Street and Music From Big Pink? They were both made in houses and in the early '70's. And my studio Shangri-La (a home studio) which Rick Rubin now owns was built in 1975...
So I have a little issue with that statement about home studios. Arguably, Hi Studios was Willie Mitchell's 'home studio' as he lived there for a bit.
One other thing about Joe's tour with Leon that's interesting is that just like when Benny Goodman crossed the U.S. in the opposite direction, Mad Dogs started at the Santa Monica Civic & moved East. By the time they reached the East Coast they were at MSG. Big jump. Benny went the other direction and it grew in that same way. I don't recall the venues but same story and first. Interesting...
Leon was a very talented lovely human being to the end of his days. There was no suspect intent in how it all played out. No manipulation. Denny Cordell loved them both. He was a good man. Leon had so much more drive and energy than Joe. Joe was an incredible singer & interpreter. He got off the path with drinking much because of his sensitivity and he told me about the toll that Mad Dogs your took on him. Leon was a showman & entertainer along with all that talent. He was a stronger person than Joe. But Joe was truly a big hearted lovely man.
Great points made about credits & marketing. So true.
But again, yes, Up Where We Belong was great, albeit middle of the road, not what Joe was known for. I produced both Joe & Jennifer and have some perspective. If it wasn't for that scene in Officer And A Gentleman with that song, which was perfect, who knows?
The other interesting thing about home studios being, I wonder how many of the readers here know that The Band's 'Brown Album' "The Band" was recorded in Sammy Davis Jr.'s guest house above Sunset Blvd. on Sunset Plaza Drive. I would've sworn it was recorded in a cabin in the hills of Arkansas.
Funny stuff. Then again all of Cosimo Matassa's classic records were recorded in a shotgun house in the French Quarter. Fats Domino, Little Richard, Lee Dorsey...big popular records at the time. This was the 60's into the '70's.
I don't mean to minimise Skyhill. That was a special place. Amazing energy. A real scene. But so was the basement of that house in Detroit where all in the Motown records were made. A lillte basement. Talk about creative use of a space! This stuff is fascinating. Personally I think recording studios suck, by & large. Acousticans dreams with no connection to reality, to the people listening. I have have always loved recording in houses and still do.
And yes, those brilliant men have passed but their work lives on (a perk of being a great artist) and those were a special three: Leon, JJ & Denny. Thank you for bringing this to the forefront.
I had to put in my 2 cents.
Bless you,
Rob Fraboni
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From: Dan Navarro
Subject: Re: Quarantunes
I didn’t read this until today. I’m not sending you this so you will print
it, though you might, and you can. I’m sending this because you’ve shown
me personal respect for my POV, as I respect yours, and we’ve become
friendly. Your sister is a hoot, I love her and her husband. And you know
(that is, I presume you know) that I never pitch to you.
The world is upside down, you know that, gone psycho, and we’re not
equipped for this. We’re spoiled, unprepared, unwilling, deluded. I don’t
need a government to tell me I need to stay the fuck home. I’m nearly 68,
with heart condition, and lucky to have my energy. I’m not playing Russian Roulette.
The impact of this on the touring business is devastating, and my
community (and the venues that book us) may not survive. When is it coming back? I dunno, two years? Three? And what is the New Normal gonna be? I’m not gonna lie, I’ve lost thousands of dollars in bookings, mos - postponed˛ but I know that’s wishful thinking.
Many of us In my world did live streams long before this all happened. I
have been doing one song every three or four shows for three years. It’s
been great for awareness, for communication, shameless self-promotion.
Now the biggies are doing it. James Taylor, Elton John, Michael McDonald, and I’m not saying its a bad thing. But everyone is now competing for limited airspace, bandwidth, attention span. No problem.
I went online March 15. Facebook Live daily, Songs From the CoronaZone,
two hours a pop. Yup, daily, #58 coming today. Violates every rule of
marketing, Don’t overload.˛ But the responses haven’t been, Great song,
cool music, great to see you.˛ The responses have been, You’re keeping me sane, we look forward to this every day, please don’t stop.˛ It’s been a
serious eye-opener.
I have a small cadre of dedicated fans who show up every single day.
Attendance hovers between 100 and 200. Views are 1000-2000. And the shows are themed. Covers, cuts by others, requests, the albums one-a-day, hell, I even drew song titles from a hat for eight days, no repeats. It got fun as the hat got emptier. Now I’m doing fan set lists, you get to program the whole show. And I tell stories. Lots and lots of stories, the longer and shaggier the better. That’s what they are telling me, out loud, Bring them on."
I occasionally get people asking, Can we donate, what’s your PayPal, your
Venmo.˛ I don't plug it, no donate˛ button, but I do tell them my PayPal
address. But I also say, Look, kids, I’m OK. I have a royalty stream, I’m
still doing voice-over from home, I don’t really need it. Give it to
someone else. Or, if you insist, fine. I’ll probably give it to someone
else."
And they do insist. Small thousands in the past ten weeks. I have been
giving it away, to a couple of friends in need, memberships I can’t really
use to venues that are non-profits, to charities that serve my community.
I did a fundraiser stream for ALS (the disease that took Lowen) and raised
$6500 on a $5000 goal. I’m really grateful, because most of my fans are
hard hit financially by all of this.
I’m not a hero, I’m not a saint, I’m not a sage. Most days I don’t even
know what the fuck I’m doing. I’m a guy who, I have said, "used to be in
the music business who now makes music for a living, and luckier than
most. And right now, I’m doing what I can to give away what I really have
been selling all these years. Connection, engagement, shared affection.
That’s what I’m getting out of it, and IT keeps ME sane.
I didn’t know about the streams you talked about. I didn’t get mad or
disgusted, maybe a little eye roll. Not surprised, and not even a little
interested in attending, or performing should they ask me (they won’t, LOL)
The old world was about exclusivity, privilege, heat, velvet ropes (as you
said), VIP rooms, backstage passes (never mind that, if you don’t belong
there, backstage is one of the grossest places to be). And disregard for
the optics, maybe even disdain for the audience.
The new world is about connection, engagement, accessibility, openness.
Fuck the cool kids table. We're brown bagging it with our peeps, some of
whom are certifiable, most of whom incredibly sweet, and we're gonna live or die by that.
Thanks for letting˛ me rant. I hope your health is good, it’s been too
long since I checked in. As you already know, I appreciate you. Long may
you run.
xx
___________________________________
Subject: PA Cancelled My Absentee Vote
Hey Bob -
I’m trying to get my story out there to anyone with a platform. I’m tired of people screaming “voter fraud” and not paying attention to situations like mine. Do with it what you think appropriate, or nothing at all. I’m desperate to resolve situations like this before November.
I am a registered voter in York, PA. I have been quarantined in New York City since March and applied to vote absentee for this week’s primary election.
My application was approved, but I did not receive my ballot until Monday, June 1st. The York County deadline for absentee ballots was June 2nd at 8pm. I filled out and returned my ballot immediately, but today I received an email that my ballot status was updated to “cancelled” because the ballot wasn’t received before the deadline.
I am a true absentee voter. I am not in Pennsylvania. I could not return to my home because of concerns about my parents and grandparent’s health coming from a high risk area in Queens. I did not have the option to drop off my ballot at my polling place.
So far today I’ve contacted the York County Board of Elections, Governor Wolf’s office and the York County District Attorney as well as filing a complaint with the Department of State. The Board of Elections basically told me there was nothing to be done and I’m extremely concerned with the passivity of people in such an important role.
I’m reaching out because I know I cannot possibly be alone in this with the high volume of absentee voters this Election Day. I hope you will help me in identifying other people who’s votes have been “cancelled” and accelerate a resolution to this very unconstitutional practice.
I’m still in New York but happy to speak via email, phone or video chat - please don’t hesitate to contact me. I hope you can help me and any others in this situation.
Izze Gibson
___________________________________
From: Darryl Estrine
Subject: Re: Blackout Backlash
Hey Bob -
I can relate so closely to one part of this rant.
I’ve been a photographer, advertising/magazines/a few album covers for over 30 years. During that period the great fear was that the tax authorities would come down hard on us for hiring photo assistants and other crew as independent contractors and giving them 1099’s at the end of the year. In most cases these were people who worked with dozens of photographers throughout the year and certainly were not staff. But the fear of the state and feds was real and more than one photographer was killed by fines.
Fast forward to March this year, the photo industry is dead (have seen most magazines? they suck cuz they have no money, it’s in digital) and I’ve moved onto video production. I get a call about a job as a video producer at EY (Ernst & Young, 7th largest private company in America) from a recruiter. I send a résumé, and a portfolio of my films..I get an interview. Before the interview I get a bunch of legal BS sent and part of it is they are hiring for 6 months temp-to-permanent position (They want to see if the new position pays off, and pay no benefits or payroll taxes during the “test” period) . I know all about perm-temps, and the bullshit ways corporate America has evaded benefits for years, but to face it head on is really another thing. HOW DO THEY GET AWAY WITH IT? You work 40+ hours only for them, in their building, with their equipment, with their people. YOU’RE AN EMPLOYEE!!! So treat me like an employee.
Right now, in the time of COVID-19, BLM and George Floyd’s torturous death this feels very minor, but it’s death by a thousand cuts. Legal, financial, unequal.
As to the riots, why go after stores, go after The Koch’s, Steve Schwartzman, and Trump’s properties. That’s where the money is, and those are the people that bought the politicians that destroyed everything.
- Darryl Estrine
___________________________________
From: Dan Millen
Subject: Re: Collaboration
Where is Pelosi? Hell where is Bernie?
Where is AOC? Where is Joe Biden?
All these mighty blowhards are cowering. Tweets of concern do nothing.
Why are they not calling for the 25th amendment?
To talk openly about it is to prepare to back the president into a corner. Force his hand already.
Hell where is Wayne fucking Lapiere?
We ex military are freaking out and speaking out. My commanding General in desert storm Barry McCaffrey, Mad Dog Mattis, Mike Mullen and more.
Soldiers need to understand what is and isn't a Lawful Order and what they signed up for. To support and defend the constitution.
Thursday I went to America's largest Gun Store in Smyrna GA. Picked dry.
You are gonna see some very strange bedfellows moving ahead as this authorizationisation progresses forward.
All those "constitutionalist" Trumpers will have a rude awakening when THEIR rights TRULY get stepped on by their Dear Leader.
This is just crazy.
Pray for peace.
PS - I actually thought about NOT sending this because the possible POGRUMS that might follow. I could see some asshole Nazi central scrutinizer pulling this up 5 years from now and sending me to the gulag in Barstow CA to sweat my ass off. Or knocking on my door in the middle of the night. Suddenly I disappear. Sounds silly right? Not so silly anymore.
You may want apply for your carry permit.
All the Jews and all the progressives should do the same. This could get ugly.
We will be fighting Alongside the doomsday preppers, former military, duck dynasty guys, and all those rednecks with their AR15s!
P.S. I wanted to elaborate further when I got to a computer. I decided to spend half my time in Atlanta because my college sweetheart and I rekindled our long lost love and had been carrying on a long distance relationship. I have great staff so easy for me to do my job and fly up as needed. Got stuck here after COVID. Could be worse, I'm with loved ones. And I was stationed outside of Savannah prior to Gulf War I and enjoyed my time here then.
Many are not as lucky as I am.
Anyway, I made a mistake in my last email, the store is actually purported to be the WORLD'S largest gun store!
adventureoutdoors.us/
It is probably the size of two football fields, has a bar and restaurant (closed because of social distancing) and a separate indoor range behind the main shop. I'd say 50% of the floor is dedicated to guns and ammo, the rest is sporting and gun accessories. There is an entire section dedicated to Sig Sauer handgun brand, which is empty. Not empty as in they didn't order any, empty as in they can't get enough in to satiate the demand. They have a waiting list for the most popular handguns and shotguns. They are completely sold out of shotguns and most shotgun ammo, no 22 lr or 38 caliber or .380 caliber handgun ammo. The pic I sent you is the long rifle and assault rifle clone rack which is half empty. Only the "weird looking cheap knockoff" brands and high end collector's item expensive / antiques remain and people are even buying those.
There are no more nato rounds (for AR15 and AK47) in stock and there's a waiting list for those.
The place was packed with people, I'd never been to a gun store in Georgia, so I was expecting rednecks and doomsday preppers, surprising the people there were a nice healthy mix of races and classes. Lots of African Americans, lots of working class, middle class and lots of golf and polo shirt types. Many of them were veterans too.
I wanted to go because I wanted to see it, and I've been looking for extra magazines for a very rare handgun, and now that GA has relaxed stay at home rules it was nice to take a little road trip. I grew up with guns, my father owned a small chain of gun shops and was an avid sportsman, and I really enjoy target shooting myself.
For the record I am not a member of the NRA and I don't consider myself a "gun nut." I believe in sensible gun laws especially in areas with very high crime rates.
This is obviously not scientific, just anecdotal.
I had several conversations with people in the various lines I had to wait in, including staff. I purposefully talked to as many people as I could. Took me about sixty minutes on site to get what I came for and check out, so I got a chance to talk to probably 40 people.
The staffers told me they have more handguns on deposit (7 day federal waiting period) than they've ever had. One staffer mentioned a common theme "what the heck is going on with Donald Trump, I voted for him but now I'm scared of him and scared for the country." As he was saying this several of the other staffers behind the counter chimed in and said that's all they hear now. People in line chimed in with the same, we all seemed to have a kumbaya moment.
The general consensus is not "looters and hooligans and antifa are coming to get us" or "Nnacy Pelosi and Bernie Sanders are gonna take my guns away", the general consensus was concern about government and police overreach, use of the Military against civilians, and the potential need to defend their homes if society breaks down against either a hostile government or people fleeing from cities. Also of note, lots of people stocking up their "bugout bags" and getting ready to run. I asked one guy where he'd run to. He said "I don't know but probably Mexico or Canada!" We had a laugh about well good thing they didn't get the wall built huh?
This is solid everyday America. Chevys, Beemers, Hondas, Toyotas, a Tesla, some tricked out sports cars, some grocery gettings, some trucks...
People who are not protesting, aren't that angry, don't pay much attention to politics in general but are seemingly too concerned about their families and the judgement of those around them now to speak up too loudly, but are quietly getting ready to hole up. Nobody is hoping to have to shoot anyone or God forbid engage with military or law enforcement, they just feel like they would rather run for it or figure out how to fight back rather than live in a fascist state.
Let's hope they all vote.
___________________________________
From: Troy Carter
I can’t express how emotionally challenging the last few weeks have been for me. Watching the events unfold around our country opened up unhealed wounds for many of us. I’ve been racially profiled, harassed by police officers, and called a nigger too many times to count. But through it all, I wanted to believe that America was still a great country. I listened to my family’s stories of visiting the South and not being able to stop at restrooms. I heard the stories about my grandfather fleeing Ninety-Six, South Carolina for Philadelphia fearing for his life. These were supposed to be stories of the past. We sang WE SHALL OVERCOME, but we never really did. Twenty-eight years ago, I watched Rodney King get beaten senselessly by police officers on the side of a dark road. The modern invention of the Camcorder would finally bring us justice. The video recording of his torture would shine light on the dark street and cold asphalt where many black men have bled, but it didn’t. I watched the LA riots on our Toshiba TV set in our living room on Parrish Street. Our family glued to the tv as we witnessed LA violently express the pain we were all feeling. As the fires burned down buildings, it also incinerated our hope of ever being treated fair as Americans. The acts of destruction were no different than an abused child that pulls the head from her Barbie. She knows she can’t inflict her pain on her abuser, but her anguish manifests itself in other destructive ways.
Fast forward to 2020. We witnessed “Karen” accuse an innocent man of threatening her life in Central Park. I was fascinated as I watched the weaponization of privilege play out before my eyes. The high octave she hit as she screamed into her phone telling the police dispatcher that an African-American man was threatening her had the octave of a dog whistle. Not everyone could hear the note, but those who could heard it loud and clear. We witnessed armed vigilantes in Georgia chase down a jogger and murder him in the streets. The local prosecutor refused to bring charges. Then video appeared. We also witnessed a man call out for his mother as he struggled for air, lying on the same black asphalt as Rodney King. Tortured in broad daylight as his compassionless captors stripped him of his dignity, and eventually his life. The modern invention of the iPhone and social media would sure bring us justice. It took the fires of a burning police station to get the nations attention. The station George never made it to. Three of his murderers are still free. The iPhone is no better than the camcorder. America’s justice system is what’s most in need of innovation.
People have taken to the streets and expressed their hurt in many ways. These marches and riots across the country look much different than protests from the recent past. Black people are joined by young whites, Hispanics, Asians, and other ethnicities. George Floyd’s murder was just the spark that set the fire. The people aren’t just angry over his killing. They’re also angry over the the injustices and inequality the black light has exposed. Student debt is an injustice. Public education is an injustice. Our healthcare system is an injustice. The economic divide in our country has left two generations of the majority of Americans on the side of a country backroad, and doesn’t give a damn about the color of their skin. What we’re now witnessing is the MERGER OF THE FORGOTTEN. Those are the people marching the streets this week. Tearing the heads off of Barbie.
When the glass gets repaired and the buildings are repainted, there’s no way we can go back to who we were. We as the citizens of this country need to do better. Let’s erase any bias and judgement and look directly at the pain. Let’s give opportunities to those who weren’t born on third base. We can only begin to fix the criminal justice system by having empathetic first responders. Ensuring there are opportunities for people of color in executive suites throughout the entire business is paramount. Black culture and black music fills the pockets of many record labels, publishing companies, technology platforms, and live concert businesses. I can count on one hand the number of CEO or key decision makers throughout these organizations. Our industry makes the NFL look diverse. Most of these companies are responsible for the distribution of the images of black people, so there should be executives that come from that culture in seats of power in our industry.
Apologies for the long-winded letter and thank you for allowing me to get this off my chest.
With gratitude,
Troy
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