Will I get the timing right?

Worked on a new song tonight, on my banjer.

Such a woeful Texas heart have I.

Anyways, far as I can figure, this'un's gonna make folks cry; it does me anyway.

Somethin' about those sympathetic vibrations in them thar strings. Keeps me coming back every time.

Sometimes I wanna walk, and I do, and it's still not far enough to think about everything. I reach my destination too soon.

I feel soft and lonely; peaceful, though. Not a loneliness for some temporary distraction or frustration, but for something deeper. Myself feeling things consoling myself.

Had tea with dinner and I want more now, but I don't have the kind they have at the Chinese food store. I have loads of green teas, and chamomiles, and what not, but still not their kind.

Pare it all down; whittle to the nub. Some of the best times I've had have been traveling alone with my guitar. And little, bellied mandolin.

I've become accustomed to traveling alone. Grown to like it, and not fight it any longer.

Naming the Mysterious

Klonk bonk klonk. An acorn hit me on the head today while walking to work. It's ok, it didn't hurt too much. The streets are strewn with acorn crumbs so dry and crunchy underfoot. A field day for the ever-fatter squirrels.

Yesterday I went to a poetry reading by Franz Wright. It was sponsored by AGNI, some literary society at Boston University or something...Details escape me.

My poet friend Sarah told me about it.

It was enjoyable. So nice to hear something usually experienced in the cold, harsh, un-intimate setting between one's mind and a piece of paper spoken - and from the author's mouth. Though, as he acknowledged, it never comes out the same way you thought of it, and likened reciting the lines to acting.

Wright, who has published several books and whose work has appeared in The New Yorker, etc, was very open about how inspired he had been during some of the hardest times in his life, due to drug addiction & abuse.

Speaking with him afterwards, he reminded me of myself. Getting older, yet still basking in the mysterious wonderousness that is this life. Forever like a child.

The speaker who introduced Mr. Wright referred repeatedly to the poet's work being about God. This set me off a touch, but when he launched into one of his first pieces and it dealt with being in a bar, a teenage girl, and a transsexual whore, I feared nor expected rhetoric any longer.

So much news

OK, just heard that Don Walser is dead. Tragedy. He was an amazing yodeling cowboy. Also known as the Pavarotti of the Plains. I saw him once in Houston, opening for Foetus I think...so long ago. I must check my concert archive log.

I voted in the Mass primary on Tuesday and my candidate won. Rare!!!!

Before voting, I perused the Globe and discovered some interesting things. John Zorn was recently awarded a MacArthur Fellowship, which = $500K, paid in quarterly installments over 5 years. Also, Patricia Kennedy died. What does this signify? Well, in Narco-news it's significant because she worked with the National Center on Addiction in NYC. Plus she was a Kennedy, and considered the prettiest of the sisters. She also supported the arts scene in NYC.

More Narco-news: Narcoterror has cool shirts with a pretty poppy on them. I still need a band name...anyone have a sugestion? Some recent ones have been: Cruella de Piils, Unstrung Heroine, Unsung Heroine...

I read in ASCAP's magazine about a documentary called Methadonia. Sounded interesting.

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I'm excited to be participating in an arts show next month in Boston, called PURE. I will be working with two old friends, with whom I've never before collaborated. I volunteered to be naked if necessary. All in the name of art! Even if I am partly clothed, it will still be cool and sexxxy. Mainly 'cause of the other performers...but some tools I'll be using include a fez and my wheezy, coughy, sputtery accordion.

~~~

I'm currently high on decaf soy pumpkin latte. Livin' on the edge, I know...

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So, I'm excited about the independent movie soundtrack I'm working on. Had a lovely chat with the director about it last night. I've already submitted several pieces and she is using some in the rough cut. Pianer, banjer, and geetar. Vox Humana to come. A familiar melody some of you may know...

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I watched half of Ric Burns's Andy Warhol documentary on PBS last night. Only half 'cause of the call aforementioned. I got emotional watching it. Regardless of what kind of person Andy was, his life story is so interesting and inspiring. Remember when I blogged about the crying dream I had after reading about Thom Yorke's solo album, and how affected i was by how one person can change the world so much...well, that's how I felt again. Plus, after reading 'Factory Made', it was cool to see and hear {the narrator} more of the Andy story. It seemed like they quoted that book a lot. Thanks to Dan for loaning it to me.

Plus, day before yesterday a friend sent me a COOL article on Nico written by Steve Severin {Siouxsie & the Banshees/The Glove). Speaking of which, I highly recommend the Nocturne DVD. I think I already mentioned that here, though...I am prone to repeating myself upon being enthused about something.

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Got a postcard from Erik day before yesterday. He's traveling around Croatia, etc. He ALWAYS send a card from each and every journey, and they brighten my days. He always sounds upbeat. He inspires me to travel more.

When fall comes 'round, I particularly miss the West Coast.

~~~

Black Fortress of Opium rehearsals are coming along so well, I couldn't be more pleased. This era finds me more motivated than ever. These chaps are so good and fast I can hardly write 'em fast enough. Terms like "Opus of Death" and "Masterwork" have been tossed around for good reason. It makes my heart sing and dance.

The other night I walked in the pouring rain without an umbrella to deliver discs to my bandmates and got soaked. Normally, I may seem prissy, and can't stand being caught without an umbrella, but this night I didn't care one bit. I walked wet with pride.

First to arrive and last to leave. This is how a queen must rule her realm.

BTW, Model Cafe has come alive. If only I could post MP3s here!!!

Odds & Ends/Belle de Jour

A bit more about NY. It rained during the first part of my stay. I borrowed an umbrella, but struggled with it. It was a mean, hungry umbrella that chewed my fingers and gave me two blood blisters. Ay yay yay! Apparently, it had rained a lot in NYC as of late, and there were so many mosquitoes. I got eaten alive twice. One of those times was inside Zebulon, the club where I played. They had huge windows they kept opening and closing. I played seated, and when I left the stage I discovered I had been bitten on the knees. Last night I caught much of the movie Belle de Jour on cable. I really liked it. No one does kinky and psychologically perverse like the French! I really felt like it was a rare example of a movie through a woman's eyes. {Christ, sometimes I get so used to media filtered through men's perception that I think I'm slowly becoming a man!} The main character was *so* believable. The lengths they went to to film such a thing! Her dreams and fantasies... And the clothes. Her coat. Why oh why are Americans (especially) so boringly casual? So one of my fave local publishers is seeking poetry submissions for a new literary journal and I am so excited to submit. Black Ocean. http://blackocean.org Factors influencing me recently: 1. Anita Berber 2. David Tibet on the cover of The Wire

Holding My Peace

I'm so behind in blogging. I meant to do an NYC 2 installment, but I got back to Boston, and I felt like it would be sending a postcard from my hometown because I lamely didn't make it to the foreign post office...

So, onto NYC II:
Tuesday night, last week I play Zebulon. It's a nice bar/restaurant in the wb - Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Zebulon. They had my name misspelled on the chalkboard outside when I arrived. I asked for the chalk, but they apologized profusely and changed it for me. They comped all my drinks and food - a help when traveling, not to mention respectful to the performer.

Martin Bisi (producer of Sonic Youth, Swans, Dresden Dolls, many more) came. Very nice and funny chap, he was. Bought me disc. Regaled me with stories of Jim Thirlwell and Diamanda Galas. He knew my friend Bliss, and I think they caught up a bit...

I wasn't planning to stay past Wednesday, really. However, things developed nicely and I started to fall more in love with the city, the longer I stayed. I sat in Tompkins Square Park, smoked a cigar, went record-shopping, walked around SoHo.

I saw Bliss play two shows - one solo and one with her band The Moonlighters. Both were awesome. Her presence onstage is fierce. She's subtle, and that's what's so powerful.

Subtlety and nuance.

So after her solo show we went to a little cafe in Park Slope called Cafe Steinhof. There were a lot of cowboy hats in the room, which is funny, as a Texan...to see in NYC, but whatever. There was a little group called The Useless Bastards playing countryish songs. Bliss and I split a German beer and observed and enjoyed. She sat in with them on a Johnny Cash song...

On Thursday, my last day, I ambled around NY a bit. One place I popped by was Kiki de Montparnasse ~ a beautiful sex shop. I read about it in Paper - that they had a signed Man Ray. And they do. La Priere.

When I got back to Brooklyn, I hung out with Bliss and her bro Steve, watching Democracy Now. It was interesting to see Amy Goodman's face, because I had previously only heard her on WZBC. Of course, with the 5-yr anniversary of 9/11 coming up, there was much talk of Ground Zero. There's something different about watching a program like that in NYC. I felt more protective. Of the city. Staying with Bliss and Steve really felt like family - the good kind. Such a warm vibe. We went out for Turkish food that night and came back and watched Shaun of the Dead over shots of whiskey:)

Bliss has a great politically-aware blog:
http://www.jacksonisfurtherawaythancrazy.blogspot.com/

Don't forget the Mass State Primary is coming up. Tuesday September 19th. Don't forget to revolt!!

I've got more shows coming up.

October 2nd
Red Door
107 State Street
Portsmouth, NH
8PM Doors, 21+
$5 suggested donation
performing with: Matt Keating
(Pleeze tell NH friends!!)

October 4th
Lily Pad
1353 Cambridge St
Inman Sq
8PM
opening for Monique Ortiz (Bourbon Princess) It's her solo CD-release!

October 24th
Lizard Lounge
1667 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA
$8
performing with: Dame Darcy's Death By Doll, Guillermo Sexo, Fluttr Effect
Note: This will be the first official show with my new band BLACK FORTRESS OF OPIUM.

NYC Blog

Howdy,

Well I've been in NYC almost a day now. Nice to get out of Boston. No disrespect, but especially with Moving Day and my 5 new housemates...it can be a bit much.

Let the dust settle before I return.

Went to a nice backyard BBQ with my dear old friend Bliss. The marinade on the steak was so delicious.

Garlic, lemon juice, yoghurt, dill, and salt. MMmm. The dill reminded me of Turkish food.

So tonight's my big night. First Ajda show in NYC, or anywhere but Boston on the east coast.

Some friends here are gonna come and that will be nice.

Life on the road is rough. I told myself NY wouldn't be a big deal, but wouldn't you know some older black man totally got in my face and screamed at me and threatened to slap me on the subway yesterday.

Bliss was there and she shouted at him. I was so shocked I almost forgot to get off the train at that stop. But we did, and then I was fine.

There is no rationalizing why someone does something like that, so after a few minutes I quit trying to.

Anyway, today I hope to find the purrfect cup of coffee. I should always have decaf because caffeine can cause hardening of fibrous breast tissue, which hurts and feels weird. But Bliss says taking vitamin E, which I already do, can make that problem go away.

I wish I had booked a show in NJ or something, now that I'm all the way down here...

There are 4 cats where I'm staying and they are very well-behaved. Bentley, Misha, Lovecraft, and Leo. Bentley has a bent tail, which I've never seen before, and the *cutest* little face and a voice to match.

For the past two days or so, maybe even the past five, every day feels like Sunday.

Last night Bliss's band The Moonlighters played a joint called the Rodeo Bar in Manhattan. The place is done totally over the top Texas-style. Flags on everything - even the speaker covers. BBQ. A buffalo busting into one wall... Imagine that. I come all the way to NYC, and they wanna catapult me back home to the heartland of my dear sweet old Tejas.

Well, it felt like home yeah. That's one thing I like about NYC. These little enclaves of culture/ethnicity. Though, according to locals, it's disappearing amidst rampant gentrification. They build lofts and luxury condos that no one wants to rent...

I'll end it there.