Friday, July 21, 2006
Another moment of awakening
"Skeletons in America's Musical Closet"
"I’ve just stumbled across a weird little corner of the Internet that’s twisted my honky head off, causing me to re-examine some of my long-cherished attitudes about music.
"I’ve always argued that music has been a positive force in our culture. I believe that rock ’n’ roll played a role in ending segregation, cutting short the carnage in Vietnam, and tearing down the Berlin Wall; that Woody Guthrie’s guitar killed fascists; that somewhere in heaven Louie Armstrong still blows his trumpet, standing on a corner beside a celestial Jimmie Rodgers singing “Blue Yodel No. 9” for all the assembled saints."
(Remember how Ray Stark kind of glossed over the fact that his dad was in the sheet music business in New York? I think he was honestly ashamed of that and wanted no connection with it. Although these items lived for a long time in the piano seat with a close down lid and sifted down to the bottom of the stack everywhere across America. Well, you really can't choose what family you're born into or the time and society they happen to be living in, you know. So actually Ray and my mom Annabelle (who I believe met only once or twice) had their own historic luggage to tote, and while one bag might have come to carry a Vuichon label, they had something in common because they both had something to do with show business, i.e., vaudeville) Whereas me, as a curious kid, I'd opened that piano seat lid and had to ask for some explanations.) ¶ 7/21/2006 08:13:00 AM
"Skeletons in America's Musical Closet"
"I’ve just stumbled across a weird little corner of the Internet that’s twisted my honky head off, causing me to re-examine some of my long-cherished attitudes about music.
"I’ve always argued that music has been a positive force in our culture. I believe that rock ’n’ roll played a role in ending segregation, cutting short the carnage in Vietnam, and tearing down the Berlin Wall; that Woody Guthrie’s guitar killed fascists; that somewhere in heaven Louie Armstrong still blows his trumpet, standing on a corner beside a celestial Jimmie Rodgers singing “Blue Yodel No. 9” for all the assembled saints."
(Remember how Ray Stark kind of glossed over the fact that his dad was in the sheet music business in New York? I think he was honestly ashamed of that and wanted no connection with it. Although these items lived for a long time in the piano seat with a close down lid and sifted down to the bottom of the stack everywhere across America. Well, you really can't choose what family you're born into or the time and society they happen to be living in, you know. So actually Ray and my mom Annabelle (who I believe met only once or twice) had their own historic luggage to tote, and while one bag might have come to carry a Vuichon label, they had something in common because they both had something to do with show business, i.e., vaudeville) Whereas me, as a curious kid, I'd opened that piano seat lid and had to ask for some explanations.) ¶ 7/21/2006 08:13:00 AM
