20th
& 21st September, 2008
New concerts announced!
Click HERE for details.
|
|
Photo by Jay Hagan,
7/12/08 Burbank, CA
A Thought for Today
The lowest order is lack of order.
TO BEGIN WITH
Hope some of the answers in today’s edition of Ask Rod give all of you a
little info into what’s going on in my life these days. Much of it has
to do with mastering new recordings and remastering previous albums for
release on CD.
.ASK
ROD
ALIVE, ALIVE OH
Carnegie Hall
Rod, I want to thank you for all of the great
music that you have written and performed. I have had the pleasure to
see you live 3 times and I cherish each and every performance.
My first true girlfriend that I had, turned me on to your music and I
have cherished it ever since. She left me and broke my heart but you
have always been there for me.
I find myself again writing and asking about the re-mastering of your
Carnegie Hall Concert? I just purchased your Holland Double Live and it
is fantastic. My wife enjoys your music and we hope to see you again
sometime soon in NYC. Please don’t give up performing and I would love
to purchase an autographed copy of your Carnegie Hall Concert when it
becomes available. All my best and blessings in shades of green for you
always. A fan for life: J.D. Lewis
Dear JD, Thanks so much for all of the nice thoughts. I applaud the
taste of the women in your life including and especially that of your
wife, whom I hope to meet with you the next time I play New York City.
Am not sure just when I’ll master the complete Carnegie Hall album for
CD since my last two discs have both been live albums. Have been working
on a disc of new songs and completing a duets album so they will
probably be released ahead of Carnegie Hall. But CH is definitely in the
pipeline, as are some classical works.
Thanks again JD and I appreciate you’re being out there all these years.
Affectionately, Rod.
Live In London
Rod: I finally received my copy of Live In London
and am very pleased. Thanks for re-issuing this fine bit of work. I look
forward to all subsequent re-issues. Especially a new Bear Family box
set of later stuff. Hopefully that can become a reality.
I hope to see you at Buddy Greco's in November. It's always a treat when
you perform. Thanks for everything. Don Stout Fair Oaks, CA
Dear Don. Live in London has really done well; it’s currently tied for
#1 with the Bear Family Box as the best-selling package at Stanyan
House.
I’ve been remastering a lot of the Warner Bros. albums including
Odyssey, New Ballads, The Beautiful Strangers, all the material that
appeared in Pastorale double LP set and a bunch that was left
out, Alone, The Essential McKuen, Good Time Music, McKuen Country,
Sleep Warm. Also, songs from the unreleased Trains and
Stonehenge albums . . . and, well you can imagine it’s a pretty long
list. It would take a minimum of 3 Bear Boxes of umpteen discs to hold
it all and that doesn’t even include Back to Carnegie Hall, Grand Tour,
the four Greatest Hits albums or any of The San Sebastian Strings
material.
A second Bear Family boxed set is by no means a done deal so I hope that
all of you who would like another set or to see the series continue on
will write and let Bear know. I continue digitally mastering all the
Warner Bros. and Stanyan tracks because one way or another I intend to
make sure they are released; if not by Bear Family then somewhere else.
I have yet to address just how, when and if it would be practical to
issue any or all of the concerts that have been recorded through the
years but remain unreleased. Live recordings from Albert Hall and The
Rainbow Theatre in London . . .Carnegie Hall & Lincoln Center in New
York. There are several years of year-end shows at Santa Monica Civic.
Recorded but unreleased material from tours over the years in America
and concerts in Moscow and Rio. Haven’t counted the studio sides that
have never seen the light of day.
Still most important to me at the moment is picking up where The RCA
Years leaves off which is why I’m slogging through the WB tracks.
Well Don, guess you got more than you bargained for in commenting on
Live in London. My best to you and yours, if you do make it to one of
the shows in November, don’t forget to say hello. Warmly, Rod.
THE ONE IN THE GREEN DRESS
I just wanted to write and say "Hello". I was
thinking about you when I was watching a PBS special with Johnny Cash.
It brought back memories of old days and my love for your music. Got on
the Internet to "see if you are still around".
I am 68 years old now and spent a lot of time with you in my 30's. I
have always loved you and your music. Hope you come to Washington, D. C.
I saw you once at Constitution Hall many years ago. I was the one in the
green dress. LOL Anyway. HELLO, I love you. Joan
Dear Joan, I love you too. It’s been a long time since I appeared in DC
and I’m overdue. Here’s hoping I come back to your city sooner rather
than later. Speaking of Johnny I have a duet with him on an upcoming CD
and I once appeared with June and Johnny on a beautiful summer night at
Wolf Trapp {one of the nicer venues in your area.)
All my best Joan and if you come to see me the next time I’m out your
way don’t forget to wear the green dress. Warmly, Rod.
THE WILD, WILD MIDWEST
Dear Rod, Any possibility of you appearing in
Branson, Mo. Or anyplace in the Midwest? I believe your friend Jimmie
Rogers is living and working there now. Roberta, Springfield Mo.
Dear Roberta, Thanks for asking about an appearance in the Midwest,
anything is possible. By that I mean that should a promoter come forward
with a concert proposal my concert manager Jerry Lonn will follow up on
it.
Jimmie gave up his theatre in Branson several years ago and has moved
back to California. His family and all of his friends are breathing a
sigh of relief these days because Jimmie recently went through a life
threatening experience related to an old injury. He's in good shape now
and only occasionally performs these days.
By the way, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree because
Jimmie's son Michael also plays guitar and sings. He hasn't chosen
performing as a full time profession but is proficient enough as a
singer/musician that we talked a few years back about his joining a
folk-pop group I was interested in forming at the time.
I've added your name to the concert mailing list so that you will know
of upcoming appearances. My website still remains the best place to find
out news about my various activities. All My Best, Rod
McKUEN COUNTRY
Greetings! We have McKuen Country on LP. Any leads
to it being on CD? Efforts appreciated. Best regards, Lammel, Albert,
Italy
Dear Lammel, McKuen Country will see daylight before too long. If it is
not part of a boxed set it will be coupled with Goodtime Music to form a
single CD. Thanks and Cheers, Rod
LIKE A CHILD
Dear Mr. McKuen, I love the song "Like A Child"
and thought that I had seen it in a songbook somewhere. I cannot find it
and I would love to get a copy of this. It is a beautiful song. Can you
help me? I hope this email finds you well and full of wonder. All good
wishes, Lisa Davis
Dear Lisa, Like A Child hasn’t appeared in any of my songbooks but the
lyrics were first printed in “Listen to the Warm." A vocal version is
available in the Bear Family boxed set Rod McKuen: If You Go Away The
RCA Years. Here are the lyrics & thanks for the interest. Cheers, Rod.
LIKE A CHILD
Like A Child I just sat in the sunlight
and played with the minutes
as they went running by.
Like A Child who had never known sorrow
I didn’t hurry tomorrow I just looked at the sky.
While the clouds went on endlessly passing.
All the clouds on their long voyage home
seemed to say that youth is everlasting
but a rose cannot grow alone.
Like A Child I would listen in silence
to the soft sound of evening
as it caught up the day,
till you were there in the gathering darkness
and we found that our green years
had all gone away.
Now the clouds are going forever
here awhile then gone evermore
and a child on the far side of never
has to run when time closes the door.
Then take my hand and as children we’ll go now
all alone through the thundering crowds.
Take my hand and together we’ll look now
Like A Child for the little lost clouds.
Words & Music by Jacques Brel & Rod McKuen ©Copyright 1965 by Jacques
Brel & Rod McKuen ©Renewed
Click
on the Stanyan House logo to buy Rod McKuen books, CD's and lots more
Click on the heart logo to
subscribe to the Rod McKuen mailing list
Catch Rod McKuen live!
Click on the links below for details of
concerts and appearances.
ROD McKUEN
CONCERTS
ROD
McKUEN APPEARANCES
|
