Selling My Books on the Streets of Brooklyn 8/13 - Hits

Last night I watched another of the music videotapes I made, this one circa 1997. It began with a circus-like freak show, Porno for Pyros performing Hard Charger on Letterman. Guitarist Dave Navarro and bassist Flea guested, Perry Farrell of Jane’s Addiction fronted. The staging made it unique. It featured three costumed young women prancing about and singing backup. That was followed by a segment from a Robert Altman  PBS recreation of the Kansas City Jazz scene during the Great Depression, highlighted by a gritty blues vocal by Kevin Mahogany on a song I believe is titled Rhinehardt. The musicianship was first rate. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the clip at youtube. Altman also did a movie on the subject. Unlike the PBS production, it was terrible. The tape featured performances of the breakout songs of Jewel (You Were Meant for Me), Leann Rimes (Blue), Shawn Colvin (Sunny Came Home) and The Wallflowers (One Head Light), fronted by Jakob Dylan, Bob’s son. Rimes was 14 at the time. The yodel-like trill she did with the word blue, her ease, still amazes me. INXS did the funky Elegantly Wasted, with the late Michael Hutchence showing his great skill as a front man. Only 37, his death was ruled a suicide by asphyxiation, which was disputed by his wife. Grand Funk Railroad promoted its reunion tour on Leno, doing a medley: Closer to Home (great), American Band (so, so). Devo also reunited, performing a fun three-song set at an outdoor extravaganza, doing their silly robotic movements and shredding their yellow space suits. David Bowie was in top form on Letterman, doing Dead Man Walking, which features a riff donated by Led Zeppelin‘s Jimmy Page. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the clip on YT. Rusted Root did the rockin’ Ecstasy, notable for the outstanding acoustic lead work of its front man, Michael Glabicki. The Dave Matthews Band tore it up on Letterman, doing Too Much. And Depeche Mode was unbelievable on The Tonight Show, doing an unusually positive song for them, ironically titled It’s No Good. They received a loud and sustained ovation that was well-deserved. As for a highlight, I chose Porno for Pyros because of its wacky decadence and availablity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HoIJnT3m6XE Enjoy.

35 years ago today I was returning from work as a messenger in Manhattan, in the company of my friend Lou, when I heard the king had died. Lou, an All-City FB/LB on Lafayette’s undefeated 1970 team, went pale. He was one of the strongest guys I’ve ever known. I’m a few years older than him. I was in college, at the height of my strength, lifting weights daily, when he challenged me to an arm wrestle. It was over in a micro-second. I immediately asked for a rematch and suffered the same result. It was very humbling. Anyway, this blend of toughness and sweetness was a big fan of Elvis. When Phil, riding by on his bike, told us the bad news, Lou hung his head and said: “Now I’m gonna go upstairs and cry my eyes out.” He had recently married and was living in the apartment above his grandmother’s on what we referred to as “The Block,” Bay 37th.

It was all good today until I attempted to move my car for alternate side. There wasn’t even a peep when I turned the key. AAA got it started. I could have had the kid replace the battery on the spot. Fortunately, he was honest and said he wasn’t sure that was the problem, as something was blocking his test read-out. So it was with trepidation that I drove to Emil’s, worried it might be the computer. To my relief, it was only a minor part, besides the AC Delco. It cost me only $185. A month ago it would have been a big hit. Now that I’ve begun collecting Social Security, it was only an annoyance.

My thanks to the folks who bought books today.

Visit Vic’s sites:
Vic’s Third Novel (Print or Kindle): http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic’s Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic’s Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic’s 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic’s 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic’s Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3f