10th & 11th November, 2005
Rod in Concert
Holland, December 2005!
San Sebastian Strings
albums now available on CD! Order
now!
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Photo by Edward McKuen 9/24/2005
A Thought for Today
Don’t rest on a lower ladder rung
continue climbing up.
ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS
Even though he has written the occasional introduction to one or two of
my books and notes for an album or so, for as long as I can remember
Edward has steadfastly refused to give out interviews or information
concerning my private life or career. After months of badgering and
cajoling Jim Pierson, who is conducting interviews for a documentary
about my work, managed to get my little brother and partner to agree to
sit down for a couple of hours in front of a camera and open up.
Nobody was more surprised than me that Edward finally relented but there
was one condition. He insisted that I be there during the conversation
–out of his eyesight, but there. I dreaded the day and hour it would
happen. Edward isn’t inclined to be forthcoming or emotional unless he’s
pissed off and did I really want to eavesdrop while he droned on about
moi? I did not. The interview took place in Jim’s living room this past
Monday.
The experience turned out to be every bit as excruciating as I had
anticipated and Jim had to work hard to elicit the responses he felt he
needed. Edward could make your ordinary clam seem like a blabbermouth.
Late in the Taluka Lake afternoon JP concluded his questioning by
asking, “Is there anything we should know about Rod that we probably
aren’t aware of?” As I held my breath he gave his quickest answer of the
day.
“He hates money (long pause) but he sure as hell loves to spend it.“
Well, after years of thinking I was sneaking amplifiers, VCRs computers,
high ticket gadgets, tasty toys and glorious gismos of every kind (that
I absolutely had to have) past him without much notice, that comment
turned out to be worth waiting for. So much for my ability to be sly and
stealth-like. Boy has he got my number.
Edward’s trouble is this: He just isn’t practical. If you can believe it
he thinks it’s more important to pay the gas and grocery bill than spend
a few hundred bucks on a coffee table boxed set of CD’s that contain
everything Johnny Cash ever breathed on or another hundred plus tax for
an eight DVD set containing every page of every issue of The New Yorker
since it first started publication back in the twenties.
OK, so I didn’t buy The Cash Set, even though they only made 20,000
copies for the WHOLE WORLD and some guy in China will probably end up
with the one that’s rightly mine. But after being forced to sit through
Edward’s interview I trekked over to Costco and for a mere $50 I now own
all those New Yorkers and who knows one day I may even pop a page or two
of some random issue up on the screen for a look see. The point is, I’ve
got it.
Bet you’re wondering if I still lust in my heart after The J.C. Package,
each set numbered, with a serigraph by John’s favorite artist, a hard
cover book with scads of rare and unpublished photos of Johnny, June and
the clan and much verbiage by the guy who helped write his
autobiography. Then there’s the CD’s too, though I forget how many.
It all comes in a nifty embossed man in black box that any collector
would be proud to own, let alone display. Ok, I admit I wouldn’t ‘t mind
having one of these treasures – if there are any left in North America
or anywhere else. Thinking back I have been a very good boy this past
year and surly Father Christmas wouldn’t begrudge me this thoughtful,
awesome, ideal gift. Alas I don’t know too many well-healed Santa’s and
I guess I can pretty much count Edward out.
–11/10/2005 9:55PM PST Studio D, Private Island Trax
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