New Mexico, Pool Weather, Oscars and I Hate Reading Manuals

Hi Elizabeth,

Happy Sort-Of-Late Sunday Night : sort of late because you're in Albuquerque instead of Middleton, so you're an hour earlier than usual. That is great news, and I am happy that you have a new work project. Is it for a tour, or a video? Maybe both? I know you had posted some tour dates from a couple different bands lately, bands that were about to hit the road, so maybe it is one of those? All just guesses on my part of course, but it's probably along those lines somewhere.

I imagine New Mexico is pretty cool, and especially very scenic, if you are able to get out to the desert. I have no idea the layout, having never been there, but I know it's high elevation, with lots of mountains too. Your post and photo of the pool was funny, and appropos. I don't know about New Mexico, and I think in general they are a bit cooler than we are because of the elevation, but 70 degrees in the West is what you would call "barely warm", lol. Unless a pool was heated, you wouldn't find too many swimmers on a 70 degree day, or even an 80 degree day really. Pools here are generally used when it is 90 or over, and especially when it's closing in on 100.

50 degrees on the other hand, i.e pool weather for you guys, is barely above freezing for us, and to jump in an outdoor pool - even heated - on such a day would almost require a membership in the Polar Bear Club of ice water swimmers, haha.

It's weird, the weather. I mean, here in The Valley, in the last five years at least (since climate change really took hold), our Spring has begun in February, and this year it already feels like early Summer. We are already doing 80 to 85 degrees for a couple weeks straight now. The so-called El Nino, which was guaranteed by meteorologists, never materialised, other than about three or four rainy days. So it's almost like we waver between Springlike weather and mild Summer weather all year, with about 8 weeks of blistering 100 degree heat in August and September, and 4 to 6 weeks of freezing our butts off in 55 to 60 degree weather (but 36 at night) in December to mid-January.

In short, we don't "do" cold very well, as I've noted before.

I hope you are having a good time in NM, with whatever is happening, tour or video or whatever. I am still not totally clear on what is going on, although I did see a few posts by you today, and they all seemed to indicate "tours", meaning friends of yours in bands who are playing shows. So, I figured the general message was "on tour", kinda like last December. I just think it's great that you're getting work, and as I've said before, I know it's gonna continue.  :)

I watched the Oscars tonight, and I thought it was - overall - a pretty good show. I had only seen a couple of the nominated films, and I wasn't familiar with some of people in contention, but in the technical sense of putting on a good TV show, it was more or less the same as always. Chris Rock did a pretty good job, better than I expected actually, and though they almost overdid the "diversity" issue, it must be said that he leavened it by making fun of the protesters, too, multi-millionaires like Will Smith and some others, and just the whole issue in general.

I could have done without some of the off-color language. I mean, my own vocabulary is not beyond reproach, but this is the Academy Awards, and in the past, when it was always hosted by Johnny Carson or Bob Hope, is was known for classy humor, even if a bit racy, it was never crude. Still, all in all Chris Rock did a good job, and brought everybody down to earth.

I was happy to see that they honored my Dad's old boss at MGM, Roger Mayer, who was also my boss for a few years. He was the head of Metrocolor and was an early champion of film preservation way back in 1981, a generation before dvds or Criterion or anything like that. I was at the lab when they first started to pull old nitrate reels of film out of the old wooden sheds on the MGM lot, where they'd been stored (and were deteriorating) for many decades. A lot of that effort was at Mr. Mayer's impetus, and I remember as an adolescent hearing my Dad talk about "Roger wants to do this"......Then I would up working there myself, for a few years.

It's funny, because nowdays I am almost more into old movies then I am the new stuff. I mean, don't get me wrong, there are a lot of really good new movies out in recent years, but because of my Mom's influence, I came to favor movies from the Golden Era (Westerns, Noirs, melodramas, musicals, war movies etc. etc.) And that is all the stuff that, because of film preservation efforts, was saved and restored and ultimately made available for mass viewing on dvds.....

So yeah, the Oscars........

On my own home video front, I think I discovered one reason, at least, for the mediocre quality of my video picture the other day. You see, I had never heard of a "speed rating" for the memory cards, and had never noticed the little circled number on the cars, "4", "6", "10", and higher. The number is enclosed, almost completely, in a circle with a slight opening. But it's printed so small on the card that unless you knew what you were looking for, you'd never notice it. And the card I bought the other day was a "4". Too slow for good video, according to my camera's manual, which - surprise, surprise, haha - I've never bothered to read before.

I don't wanna read manuals, doggonitt! I just wanna take something out of the box, turn it on and start using it. For me, the act of picture taking is a contract between me, my eye, the subject matter before me (usually nature these days), and the camera in between.

I know that's a slightly ridiculous position, and the larger truth is that I do eventually learn what the various buttons do, or at least some of them.......

But I come from the era of film, when there were just three basic things you had to do to take your picture: set your f-stop, set your shutter speed (both based on the ASA of the film), and then focus the lens.

Well, in any case, now I know to go back to Best Buy and get a #10 memory card. Then my next video, even if it comes out crummy, will at least have a sharper picture.

That's all I know for tonight. I will see you in the morning. Post if you wanna.....  :)

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxoxxo  :):)

My First Video Is Crummy, Next One Will Be Slightly Less So :)

Hi, Elizabeth,

Happy Friday Night. So, um....er.....hehe.......ridiculous, eh?  :) I am of course referring to your post by Joel Wanasek, and I assume you posted it in response to my video because it appeared on FB shortly thereafter.

And as I noted myself, the vid was of less-than-stellar quality and camerawork, so perhaps you were agreeing with me, lol. In many respects, it is a ridiculous little video.  :)

But I had been wanting to upload something, just to get my hoped-for video outlet jump started, and I had read other folks remedies for crummy FB video resolution, and many said "upload to Youtube first, then transfer to FB", so I figured I'd try that. It took forever to upload on Youtube; over an hour for a 3 1/2 minute video. I suppose there is something I'm still not doing right, but I'll figure it out by trial and error as I always do. As for video quality (sharpness especially), well, it's just my little Panasonic, but I am thinking I should probably go back to Best Buy and get an "Ultra" SCHD card as I've used in the past, or maybe just get whatever the newest one is.

But yeah, it's a crummy video. The real problem is the separation of shots on a memory card. As I said yesterday, in the old tape formats, everything you shot ran together to make one continuous video, no matter how many stops and starts. Now though, with the memory card, every "stop" and "start" is recorded as a separate entity, and I am guessing that unless you have editing software, or perhaps a camera that does all that stuff, then you have no way to connect all your short snippets and make them into a storytelling video. So with my little cam, I have no way to capture the entire experience of a place like Aliso Canyon. All I can do is just pick one location, turn the camera on, and walk around while panning it for a few minutes. All I can get that way is whatever is in the vicinity of the one shot, and I figure that people's attention spans on FB won't last longer than a couple minutes for a video like mine. I mean, my stuff (even my still photos) don't get many hits or "likes", and I don't really care about that, but if I am gonna do videos of hikes and other stuff (locales like Reseda and Northridge, maybe Hollywood too), then I wanna be able to do a "travelogue" with connected takes that tell a story, rather than just one long panning take at a single location.

So, I will figure out how to do that. It will probably take me a while, due to my lack of patience with learning new tech stuff. But I want to have fun with it, and eventually get an SLR, and I figure - hey - if everybody in the known world can seemingly upload fairly hi-def stuff from their phones, then it can't be too hard.  :)

Well, it was fun anyway, even if ridiculous. Making a real video is all in the editing. I learned that back in 1994 when I shot 40 hours (!) of stuff back at the Northridge Meadows collapsed apartment and other earthquake environs in the area, and then had to edit it down to 120 minutes, which, looking back, was too long. I should've made it about 75 or 80 minutes, but it's hard to make the cuts when you yourself have shot all the footage. You always wanna include everything.

But yeah, I learned video editing from scratch, on old analog equipment, and it was quite a trip to form something watchable, and fairly smooth looking, out of all that footage.

But now - holy smokes! - just picking up my point-and-shoot and "quick panning" a one take three minute video, after 20 years of not shooting same.......well I've gotta do it better next time, haha.

Anyhow, I hope your day was good and that everything is okay. I say that only because you haven't posted much in the past week, and your latest cover song - while absolutely brilliant - did have lyrics of a certain nature.......

Well, anyway, I'm trying. :)

Maybe I will write about some more movies or make another list. I am always just trying to start a conversation because I find the world a fascinating place. :)

I will see you in the morn. Post if you want to. I Love You.

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Tarkovsky & Top Ten

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

I'm just checking in to say hi. I didn't see any posts on FB today, so maybe you weren't around. Either that or it's because my lousy FB feed has reduced things to a trickle. It shows me all the political claptrap generated by the non-stop posters, but anything by you I have to actively search for. Usually, when you do post, it will show up in "posts You like" shortly thereafter, but anyhow........I know I've said all this stuff a million times before.

I went to the movie at CSUN, and we saw "The Mirror" by Tarkovsky. I have it on dvd and have seen it about four or five times previously on a tv screen. I don't know what to say about such a movie, in which actors (mainly one actress and some children) are presented in situations almost entirely without context, no plot line is developed, only vague bits of back story are revealed, and the whole thing is interspersed with actual footage of WW2 bombings and social uprisings in places like China and Spain. It's One Weird Movie, and despite some viewers and critics who claim to "get it" after many viewings, I myself do not get it, and I believe that the folks who say they do are being disingenuous. No real story is presented, only vague hints of story, and even those are so disjointed as to render them impenetrable as a whole entity.

Having said that, it's still a Tremendous Film, and that is because it's all about the flow of images onscreen. Thus, every image and scene - and the way they are edited - are essential to making the picture work. Most movies succeed or fail on the strength of their story. This one succeeds on flow, because that is literally what you are watching, a flow of disconnected scenes and imagery that is yet given perfect continuity by the piecing together of all it's parts. It's a remarkable achievement, and thus it's no wonder that "The Mirror" has wound up on many critics and film institutions' lists of the greatest films ever made. Many put it in the top ten.

Just for the heck of it, I will try to make a list of my own Top Ten. This is the kind of thing I will try to do on nights when I have nothing else to write about, when you aren't able to post on FB for any particular reason. I can't guarantee I'll always be successful, because the days of me writing just to myself, putting my thoughts out there off the top of my head, are long past. But anyway, here goes.......

My Top Ten, let's say of great foreign art films, would be, in no particular order:

1) "Diary Of A Country Priest" by Robert Bresson

2) "La Aventura" by Michaelangelo Antonioni

3) "Late Spring" by Yasujiro Ozu

4) "The Testament Of Dr. Mabuse" by Fritz Lang

5) "Pather Panchali" by Satyajit Ray

6) "Nights Of Cabiria" by Federico Fellini

7) "Three Colors : Red" by Krzysztof Kieslowski

8) "Children Of Paradise" by Marcel Carne

9) "Last Year At Marienbad" by Alan Resnais

10) "The Mirror" by Andrei Tarkovsky. I am putting him last just because I was already writing about him tonight. He could easily be much higher on this list, and actually if I were gonna pick my absolute favorite, the top would be "Country Priest". And with Tarkovsky, I might even pick "Andrei Rublev" or "Stalker" instead of "The Mirror", but the latter is just so weird, and so coherently weird, that I've gotta go with it.

Of course, there are hundreds of tremendous foreign films, and just as many if not more great American films, Hollywood style and otherwise. But since I was talking specifically about foreign movies tonight, and was thinking of ones from a classic time period, of say.... the late 40s to the 80s, these are the ones I chose for my Top Ten.

With movies, there are so many genres and so many eras that you've gotta do separate lists for separate types, "ten best Noirs", "Westerns", etc.

It's tougher with movies than with music, because so many films have been released over the last 87 years of Talkies. An average of 3 or 400 movies per year, just in America and the other main countries.

With music, it's different, because there aren't as many releases, and great albums bear hundreds of repeated plays (whereas even the greatest movies are only viewed perhaps tens of times). So music is interpreted perhaps more as a personal emotional intake. Film may be more cerebral or generally life oriented, interpreted from so-called "experience". Music is pure emotional intuition, with lyrics that just hint at experience in three minute bursts.....

Oh hell, I dunno.  :)

This is what happens when I write off the top of my head, haha.

See you in the morning, Sweet Baby. Post if you wanna.

I Love You. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Nice Day At Rice, Video Glitches, Butterflies

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I hope you had a nice day today. I went out to Rice Canyon, as you may have noticed by my FB photo, and it was a gorgeous day on the trail, about 80 degrees like early Summer. I went out there in large part to try out the video feature on my little Panasonic, and I shot about a dozen snippets ranging from about 5 or 6 seconds to about 30-35 seconds. My first problem was that I had no idea how the video would arrange itself, or perhaps compile is a better word, in the totality of what I shot. You see, I have not shot any video in about 20 years, except for a couple dozen mini-discs in the short-lived format of the mini-dvd. I had a Sony mini-dvd cam in 2006, and with that format you simply shot the disc, then took it out of the cam and put it straight into your dvd player. It was easy to use, but not meant for computer upload (and indeed it was in the days before FB and Youtube).

Before that, my heyday of videography was in the mid-90s, and back then the format was tape, Hi-8 to be exact. Again, uploading was not a factor. You just shot your tape and popped it into a playback machine, or even easier, you just connected your cam to a TV monitor via RCA cable, and voila - you watched your video.

With the cams in those days, and even up through my Sony Minidisc cam from ten years ago, everything you shot ran together, all as part of one tape, or one mini-dvd. So let's say you shot some scenery, a minute's worth, then hit the stop button. Then you moved to another location and shot another minute's worth of scenery, and so on. Finally, when you had filled up your whole tape, or mini-dvd, you'd have one 30 minute (or more, depending on your tape or disc length) video. Your video would be continuous, abeit with stops and starts, and it would contain everything you shot. It would run from beginning to end.

So that's what I was used to, and I had no idea how video would compile on an SDHC memory card. I guess I figured it would all "add up" in the same way it used to, i.e. that all snippets would run together to make One Long Video.

But it didn't work out that way, haha.  :)

So when I got home and put the memory card in my Chromebook, I saw that all the video snippets were separated, just like the photos. Also, as viewed on my Chromebook, no picture could be seen, although the sound was fine. So I figured, "well, lemme try to upload a snippet onto FB", and I did so. It took a long time to upload, maybe 10 minutes, which I guess is standard procedure. And when it was done, both picture and sound were intact.

But the problem was the quality. You have noted that FB ruins video quality, but this was a different problem altogether. My uploaded snippets (I tried several) did not look like they did in the camera playback. In camera, they looked okay, as far as the resolution of my little point and shoot goes. But when I uploaded them, they looked grainy, video artifacts jumped in and out, like a "melting" effect where images would melt slightly into one another when the camera was panned.

All in all, the video I shot just plain didn't look right when uploaded to FB. It looked like a glitch of some kind, so I deleted 'em all, and did some Googling. I dunno if I have the wrong file type or what. I don't think it's my new SDHC card. I bought a basic card, not "Ultra" or anything like that, but my photo that I posted today came out fine. So I'm thinking it's the file format. Some of the Google answers suggested things like uploading to Youtube first, then transferring to FB. I will look for an easier solution. There has gotta be a reason that, first of all, no picture (only sound) appears when I preview the snippets on my Chromebook, and then when I upload 'em to FB, both picture and sound appear, but the picture is crummy.

It's not something I have a lot of time (or patience) to fool with, so I am hoping I can find what the problem is because I had fun shooting some video today after all this time, and I'd like to do more, but with good results.

Maybe I will try again on Friday, if I have time, but anyhow, that's why I've got no video to show for today.

At some point, maybe later in the year, I may splurge and buy a really nice SLR, but I even read on Google that people have had problems with video glitches on FB, even with top notch cams, if the file isn't right, or something like that. So I will learn about how to do it correctly with my Panasonic before I invest in an expensive cam. Still photography will always be my Main Thing, and that is reason enough to eventually get a nice camera, but I just thought it would be a nice twist to shoot a little video on my favorite trails - with narration so I can Ham It Up, haha - and so I will keep trying via trial and error and see if I can get it right.

I see that you have another band on tour, not sure the name, but Cody is the drummer, so that is awesome and maybe they are a new client? The other post I saw said "music gives me butterflies".....

If you mean that performing music gives you butterflies, well.........that's understandable. Even many music legends have confessed to stage fright, or general nerves.

But you can't tell it in their performance, and neither can you tell it in yours. Every time you make a new music video, it is apparent that you are becoming more at home in your element.

I will see you in the morning, Sweet Baby. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Incredible Job, Very Beautiful Song! (the consensus is Awesome)

Hi Elizabeth,

I wanted to check in right away, while I have a moment, to say that your song is very beautiful, really exceptional. That is some of the best singing I've ever heard from you, you've really infused the vocals with so much feeling. So, so good, the whole thing.

The lyrics are a little scary, and I probably shouldn't be presumptuous because I know it's a cover song, and I know you are a fan of lots of bands and lots of songs, and I also know you have a lot of fans of your music, not just me in other words, but anyway, unless you say otherwise, I won't presume anything about the lyrics. I hope there is nothing to read into them, because it's such a beautiful song in every respect, especially as performed by you. Haunting and emotional, and just so full of feeling. You have done an incredible job.  :)

I have just dropped Pearl off at Golden Agers, so I am gonna try for a quick hike, and maybe to stop at Best Buy for a photo card. I will be back later to write more, of course.

For now : My Goodness! "Sometimes all you can say is 'wow' ".

Have a great afternoon. I Love You!  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):) 

12:25am : Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby. Well, judging by the comments on FB, a lot of people agree with me - you knocked the song out of the park. :) Again, I have to say that you really are singing and playing so well, and not only that, but you got the emotion just right. The lyrics did make me nervous, but again, I won't infer anything unless you tell me to.

You have asked for cover song suggestions, and unfortunately I am not up on most of the newer bands, but one thing I know I could do, if I had a list, would be to go "this one", and "that one", and to pick out the ones that are right in your wheelhouse, to use another baseball "home run" metaphor. But you already know the right songs yourself, too. You are on a roll now.

I did go out to Santa Su this afternoon, just for a short hike on the main trail. I didn't have time to go to the top of The Slide, and I didn't take pix, but I did stop at Best Buy and get a photo card for some video snippets on upcoming hikes.

That's all for today, Awesome & Talented Lady!

See you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Ice Shacks & Refrigerator Zombies

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

I am back at Pearl's, settling in for another work cycle. All is quiet on the western front at the moment - Pearl and The Kobester are both asleep, and I have been reading my George Harrison book with KUSC on in the background. Earlier this eve we watched the X-Files finale. Awesome on all counts is my review, and especially with the cliffhanger ending, which almost guarantees that they've gotta come back for another season. Hooray, I say. I love that show.  :)

I hope your day was good. I really liked your photo of the ice fishing shacks. The placement is great, as they fade into the distance and into the fog, in a line. Also, I like the miniature effect of the small boxes on the vast white space. They look like little sketches. That is my kind of photo, one that shows something different, so great job. With those shacks, what do they do - take them down just before the ice is gonna melt? That's what I would imagine.

Tomorrow I will try and get out there for some pix of my own. It ain't as easy these days to get out there (as previously noted), but I should be able to get at least a mini-hike in, while Pearl is at Golden Agers. I need to stop at Best Buy to get another photo card for my cam, so that I can use it separately for the little video snippets I wanna do of various picturesque trail spots.

As for the condiments thing, your post of the ketchup swilling gal, hehe.......well I can give you a run for your money in certain respects. I am an inveterate Refrigerator Zombie, indicating late night, mindless consumption, where hunger "trumps" (sorry about the word) any considerations of grossness. I mean, I have found myself eating hot mustard out of the jar, by the spoonful. Mayo, too, though that has only happened on a couple of occasions and was too gross and thus is not purchased anymore.

But the Refrigerator Zombie can overtake the disciplined eater of the daytime to the point where anything with stimulating taste can be consumed during the beta wave state of the middle of the night.

Think "jars of stuff".

Just don't buy jars of stuff (jelly, peanut butter, butter) and you'll be all right.  :)

It's hard to eat right, because of the dreaded taste buds. They have a mind of their own, and they crave stuff.

For me, it probably started with hot sauce and salsa. I used to eat at Taco Bell on a regular basis. Yeah, I know it's fast food, and I haven't eaten there in quite a while, because when you get into your 50s you've gotta watch it.

But none of that negates the fact that Taco Bell is totally delicious. And so is their hot sauce, which comes in little packets.

Well, when you're a kid, you don't think twice about what you are eating, and you don't have to. You can burn anything up, you're a kid! So back then, I used to "pop" Taco Bell hot sauce packets, one after the other. In the old days, when you ordered they had bins full of hot sauce packets on the counter, and you could grab as many as you wanted. Nowdays they dole them out to you. But back then.....

So yeah, that probably started it all. Popping Taco Bell hot sauce packets.

It's a war, I tell ya. Between the taste buds, and........not the stomach, per se, because the stomach can stomach a lot, in my experience. I've always had a cast iron stomach, though less so nowdays, but still pretty much...

So it's not a case of the taste buds versus the stomach, because those two seem to be in alliance for the most past.

No, I think it's the taste buds against the reports (in the "news" mostly) of What Is Good For You, proffered by scientists who have studied the subject and come to the conclusion that pounding Jars Of Salty and Sugary Stuff is not good for you.

Man I hate those guys. I hate 'em because I listen to 'em, haha. And I listen to 'em because my Daytime Side, my normal eater, is very disciplined, always eating my veggies, and fruits and whole grains, and all of the stuff that makes up the bulk of the No Fun Diet that keeps me in shape.

But I won't pretend for a minute that I don't love all the stuff I used to eat - that I used to live on, haha - because in your 20s, 30s, and even 40s, you can get away with a lot, and it's fun to do.

Eventually, however, you've gotta contend with The Refrigerator Zombie within you, your "younger eater" who doesn't wanna go away, and who takes over in the middle of the night, during Beta Wave time.

The only way to defeat him is to clear the fridge, and the cupboards, lest you find yourself squeezing Sriracha onto Ezeikiel low sodium bread at 4am......

That's all I know for tonight, Sweet Baby. I will see you in the morning.

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Sunday Stuff (Church, Merch, Art, Mars in Pisces, etc)

Hi, my Darling,

Happy Late Sunday Night. It's my last night off, so I am once again at home. We had a nice morning in church. Our song for the day was "Shall We Gather At The River", which I have sung previously with the choir, so it was easy to sing my part with just a quick rehearsal. We also practiced a lot of material for the upcoming Easter service, and I really enjoy that material because just like last year, it is all part of a cantata that has a lot of really great harmony lines to sing, and I am finding that it gets easier each week to hit the notes, and to follow up and down the "ladder" of the printed music.

I was just hanging around the pad afterward : reading, watching the final movie in my Randolph Scott collection ("A Lawless Street"), and drawing with my pastels. I have, as previously noted, no actual talent for drawing (cannot draw representative figures other than at kindergarten level), so when I draw it's all about shapes and line patterns drawn spur of the moment, like you would do automatic writing. I do try to make it coherant, so that the end result sits nicely on the page, composed and balanced. But it's really just for me, as a creative release. It's like subconscious art, I suppose, and it's fun every now and then.

I also went on my walks, 'twas a nice quiet day in The 'Hood, not many people on campus, a general good vibe in the air and warm Sun on the skin. I have my Mars in Pisces ( an unusual aspect to deal with for an Aries Sun) and so that really influences a lot of my day-to-day action and my sensitivity to the inherant tension or calmness of my surroundings. I have Aries Sun and Leo Rising, double fire, and so God gave me the most mellow Mars aspect possible (Pisces) to prevent me from being a totally over-the-top SOB, haha....

It's good to know your basic chart, and all your planetary positions and aspects, too. It really helps you to understand why you act and feel certain ways in various situations.

Well, Sweet Baby, I hope your day was good. I saw a couple of posts, both music related, and one was for Versus Me guitar picks. I will guess that maybe you took that pic, and once again it is a good merch/business decision by those guys, to have (and push) a logo, and a brand name, and just to act already like rock stars. I'm reading the Van Halen book, and that's the way they did it. Of course, it took for them to meet David Lee Roth and have him become their lead singer, because as talented as the Van Halen brothers were, they had no sense of stage presense or concert presentation on their own. As teenagers, they wore Levis and Pendletons on stage and just stood there and played. But Dave Roth came along and made them into Rock Stars.

So it's good to look at all aspects of what is happening, including branding (creating a brand name via logos and merch, cause kids with disposable income love merch), stage presence, band personality, all that stuff.

You already know all of that, of course. I just reiterate it for you. In the case of Van Halen, they just kept playing and playing and playing and playing. They had to deal with a lot of jerks who promised them this-and-that, but they believed in themselves and just kept delivering the goods to the fans.

Gigging and promoting, via image, merch, and continually perfecting the live show. Getting the fans excited and talking. That's how you do it, and you as the photographer are an integral part of that process, as you already know.

On a more personal note, I saw your post about the harp, and I remember when that was loaned to you. Seems like yesterday. Wow....

I am glad that you enjoyed playing it, and I hope you will get another chance to play, or eventually get a harp of your own. Imagine the combination of harp, piano and voice on compositions.  :)

That is all I know for tonight, Sweet Baby. I have one last sleep-in tomorrow morn, so I will take it, and I should be up around 10am or so, and then around until the afternoon when I head back to Pearl's.

See you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxo  :):)

Down With Trump, Go Hillary, plus Kirk Douglas and Church Tomorrow

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I'm writing from home again. I had a nice time today shopping with my sister, and we were both glad to see Hillary win in Nevada. No offense if you are a Bernie supporter, but he's been doing better than expected and it's been making us Hillary supporters nervous, so now she's got a little momentum going. On the other side, it is depressing to witness Trump's continuing success. I never thought I'd feel sorry for a member of the Bush family, but I did today for Jeb. He actually seems like a decent guy, and before the primaries everybody thought he'd be the front runner. It was gonna be Jeb vs. Hillary, so everybody thought. And then came Trump and Bernie Sanders, and Trump seems to have staying power. He is a loudmouth, obviously (goes without saying) and a boor, and God Forbid he ever becomes President, because that would make America a laughing stock in some respects, but also seen as dangerous by much of the rest of the world, in a way that would be even worse than when George W. Bush was President. At least with the Bush administration - dangerous and criminal though they were - you had some kind of established structure in place, as they were Republican Party stalwarts and beholden to big money and all of that. You knew that, as bad as they were, they had to "play the game" so to speak.

With Trump, you just get the feeling that he's a loose cannon. He's totally not Presidential, not dignified or erudite. He's just rude and crude.

So : Go Hillary!

I didn't do a whole lot else today, though I did walk down to Northridge Libe and came back with a movie, "Ace In The Hole" starring Kirk Douglas. I had never heard of it, but it was on Criterion, so I checked it out and it was really good, the story of a newspaper reporter who manipulates the rescue of a man trapped in a cave to build a "story". It was made in 1951 but could have been made today, what with the media circus that surrounds everything now. Really good stuff indeed. And Kirk Douglas got to act Really Pissed Off And Demonstrative, which must have been in his contract in those days, because he did it in every movie. :)

I hope you had a nice day. I saw your post via James, about going to Milwaukee for a show. I don't know if you went too, but if you did I hope you had a blast.

I have sent yet another request to FB to please fix my news ticker, so we'll see if I get any response. At any rate, tomorrow I will be up early for church, and then back home after choir practice cause I'm still off til Monday. We missed last week's service because I was sick, so I don't know what we are singing tomorrow, but I know it will be something we've practiced, so I'll just have to jump in there and blend in. Then I'll be back on track.

More hikes on the horizon, too. Just gotta squeeze 'em in there, with the way my job is now, but I can do it. Also, maybe I'll add little video snippets for FB, of some of my favorite places on the various trails. I've never used the video feature on my cam before, and it's not hi def or anything, but I thought it might be fun to try this year, just for something different.

I will see you in the morning, Sweet Baby.

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Concert Season Is Coming (and Deep Purple, and The Beatles are back together)

Happy Late Friday Night, my Darling,

I am writing from home, off until Monday afternoon. Just been readjusting and relaxing all evening and doing all the Usual Things. I am glad to see that Versus Me has some concerts coming up, and I also see your friend Sarah's band on one of the bills. I knew things were gonna get rolling, once the Spring rolls around and then even moreso into the Summer. Winter is never a great time for concerts, but now things are happening again. Hooray!

I hope your day was good. I was housecleaning most of the day at Pearl's, but had time to read about the Deep Purple fiasco over the Hall Of Fame ceremony. We were talking about Bands That Suck? Well you can add the Blackmore-less DP to that list, haha. I mean, what a ridiculous situation, when you want to get up and play with your current guitarist (Steve Morse), who - while he has been in the band for over 20 years - has not written a memorable tune with them in all that time.

Now, to be fair, I haven't actually heard any of the material he's been involved with in all this time. I've never heard a single song by the Morse version of so-called "Deep Purple", but you know what?

I don't have to hear it to know it's not memorable.

"Why"?, you ask. (I mean, I know you didn't actually ask, but anyway....)

Here's why : because if it was really good - the music of Morse "DP" - it would have found it's way to me. Period. I have been in the Music Listening Game long enough to know that is a truism.

And even then, even if Morse DP was good it still wouldn't be Deep Purple, because for all intents and purposes, Ritchie Blackmore was Deep Purple. He wrote all the music. So it's a joke to ban him from the show.

I am not a fan of bands carrying on with, like, one original member, or replacing a key member. Seldom has that ever worked. I mean, why not just reform The Beatles? Get Paul and Ringo and have Dave Grohl take over John Lennon's spot? He'd do it; he's an attention hound. I dunno who they could get on guitar to replace George Harrison. Maybe Prince or John Mayer or somebody. Hell, I dunno, and it doesn't matter because you've got Paul, and Ringo, and.......Dave Grohl, and.......John Mayer.......and......

"Hey everybody: it's The Beatles"!  (newfound fans : "hey, didja get tickets to The Beatles? They're back together y'know")....

So yeah. That kind of thing bugs me slightly.

Well, tomorrow I will sleep in a little bit, and then I will go shopping with Vickie. She is coming over for the first time since New Years, and in the interim she has had an operation on her hand. She had a Dupytrens contracture in her pinkie finger (it runs in our family cause both my folks had it) and she got it operated on and is now undergoing physical therapy to try and restore function in that finger, so I will be interested in her progress, as my own hands are fairly messed up (two bad fingers on left hand, one on right). Some day, if the surgery has a good success rate, I'd like to get my hands fixed too. In the meantime though, all is well.

I will see you in the morning, Sweet Baby. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Solaris, KX, Bands That Suck, etc.

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

Before I left for the movie tonight, I saw your post about the King's X concert at High Noon Saloon in June (hey, I'm a rhymin' machine...). That is super cool! Extra super cool is that your guys from 7 Seasons Deep are gonna open. That is just great, and it makes me happy. I don't know if you've ever heard any KX music, and if you have heard them, I don't know if they're you're style. They have a unique sound, especially with their vocal harmonies, but one thing is for sure : they are Heavy with a capital H. King's X really started the whole drop-D downtuning thing in the late 80s which so many bands later copied. Live, they are brutal, though in a hard rock way rather than heavy metal. Of course, I am biased because they are one of my favorite bands of all time, but I am stoked they are playing in Madison, and double stoked that 7SD will open, and because of that I will assume you may be going and taking pictures. Great news, I say, and I will be seeing KX myself at The Whiskey just twelve days from now.  :)

I saw your Sweet Baby post this morning, too, and I was glad to see you back. Also, I remember your pictures with Kathryn Pearcy from 2013. The one you posted this morn is very beautiful, and I think is perhaps a slight variation on another one you posted at the time, in which you had your eyes closed. I also remember your modelling shots from 2012 (was it 2012? I think so..) also (I think) for Kathryn Pearcy, in which you were in a field, and wore a hat in many of the shots, and you also had an old box-style camera in hand in one or two of them. That was a great series. :) You will no doubt get offers to model again now that you have put your request out there.

I had a good time at the movie this evening. We saw "Solaris" by Tarkovsky, which is a heavy, philosophical Sci-Fi film about a planet - Solaris - that can read the minds of those who come near it, in this case some Soviet scientists orbiting on a space station. It's long, almost 3 hours, and it's slow cause it's Tarkovsky, and it has amazing cinematography, and it has only a few actors but some great sets and "space" effects.

What he does is to space you out. That's Tarkovsky's whole deal. He requires patience from the viewer, and many will not have the required patience. But for those who are willing, he takes you on a trip and slows your mind down, and shows you his vision of things. I had only ever seen "Solaris" on a tv screen, so it was epic tonight to see it at the Armer at CSUN.

The one other post I saw was the destroying of Coldplay's table at the NME awards, by someone or other. I am not familiar with most of the newer press-worthy artists, but I approve of the Coldplay destruction. In my day, ironically, I would have wanted someone to jump on the table of, say, The Clash or Elvis Costello, who were supposed to be rebels in their own right.

But I just thought they sucked.

Back in those days, when I was 18 to 21 or even a few years older, if you sucked you really bothered me, lol. I only reserved this ire for a few, because I wanted to focus on bands I liked rather than disliked, but boy oh boy.......Foreigner? Hated 'em. Billy Squier? Ditto.

Those were FM radio acts, and there were many others I detested, but that feeling was mild compared to what I felt for the whole punk and New Wave thing. And also a whole lot of heavy metal bands that I thought sucked! Boy did we ever hate all the Sunset Strip bands that clogged the clubs in the late 70s through the hair metal era of the late 80s.

Van Halen : most hated band of 1976. 

And then, when the first album came out in early '78?

Good Lordy Moses.

So, I guess the moral of the story is that Good Will Out, no matter how much you hate it at first.

And stuff that sucks will always suck. Like The Clash or Phil Collins. I could go on but I won't....   :)

Now that I'm older, I love all the old bands, even the ones that sucked. That's what happens when you mellow out, haha.

Of course, I still can't stand their music, but everything else is good.  :)

I hope your day was good too, my Darling. I will see you in the morn.

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Good Pics

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

I hope you had a nice day. Those were good pictures of James this morning, with the different lighting and moods, and I saw another one that he posted, with a green background, that was very good as well. I see that the photos of James always generate a lot of hits, and it will be great if Versus Me can build on the momentum they have from last year, perhaps as we enter concert season, because you are their defacto photographer by now, so that will be good for you, too. I hope any and all other projects, whether current or pending, or even just possibilities, are going well. New clients will be coming your way also. Count on it.

It was a regular workday for me, so I don't have a lot to report. I know you are busy these days making things happen for yourself, so I know you can't post that much. I don't wanna just skip my blogs, as I have done sometimes recently, because too many skips and there goes the whole conversation, so maybe I will try to get creative myself and write about things that are interesting to me, on days when you are unable to post.

At any rate, everything will work itself out.

I will see you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Grammys, Books, Leaks (feeling better today)

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I hope you had a good day. I am feeling much better, about 80% of normal, and you may have noticed (if you are awake and on FB) that I posted a "like" just a few minutes ago of a post by a guy named David Wilcock, a fairly well-known alternative research author, who says that he, too, got very sick from the methane leak "just before it was plugged", i.e. right around the same time I did. Really weird. I know that the leak certainly messed with my health, and now that it's been plugged it will be interesting to see how the whole mess shakes out.

I'm just happy to be feeling better, and I went for three miles total today. Shortly I will be back up to five.

I saw your post about the Grammys. I didn't see the show myself, but I hope the JJO artists won something, if they were nominated. The poster didn't specify if they were nominated or just performing, but just to be there is pretty cool.

Of course, as I've probably mentioned, I don't follow the Grammys very closely, simply for the obvious reasons. However, it's a bit like the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame; I don't follow that either, unless a band I like is getting in. Like this year with Deep Purple, or Rush and Alice Cooper in recent years.

And I know that with the Grammys, there can often be something worth watching. I know they had a Lemmy tribute this year, and I know Gaga did a Bowie tribute. So, I hope you got to see the JJO guys. I know also that they have whole segments of artist awards that don't make it to tv......

I am enjoying the heck out of my Van Halen book, and also my George Harrison book, only a little less so in the case of George because he seems to have had a difficult time in The Beatles, according to the author, whose work is well researched and footnoted. And he only lived to 58. But it, too, is a fascinating story of a great artist. The VH book takes you back to the era of big backyard rock and roll parties, and it's just a blast to read about.

We are having the weirdest weather -  hot and windy all day, even into the night. I've got a t-shirt on, no heater on at Pearl's, I'm not even cold. The thermostat says 77. Super dry out, too. The author Wilcock mentioned that, too, in his post about the methane leak. I think it's had a major effect on our area.

Well, I am looking forward to cleaner air and a renewal of activity as I get back to 100%.

I liked your backlit picture of Betty Rise from the concert, and I agree : I also like backlighting/sillhouetting in all kinds of situations (for me, mostly nature) because you only get hints of your subject and yet the outline is drawn and highlighted, in this case her hat. Another good concert pic for your portfolio.

That's all for today, Sweet Baby. I Love you and will see you in the morning.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Happy Valentine's Day (opinionated)

Hi, my Darling,

I just wanted to wish you a Happy Valentine's Day, so I am writing a little early to send you lots of love and extra xxxxxxs and oooooooos too. We did not make it to church this morning because I have a cold. It began yesterday and by last night I was feeling pretty lousy, so I knew I'd better sleep in and not try to go sing. There goes my streak! I had not missed a single week since joining the choir in November 2014, so that's about 63 weeks in a row. Now I'll have to begin a new streak. I hardly ever get sick, especially since I stopped using the public computers at the Oviatt and Northridge libe, and I think this is my first cold in over two years. But I also think my resistance was lowered by breathing all that gas for all those months. Thank goodness they finally turned it off.

Anyhow, last night and today I've just been reading my Van Halen book and enjoying all the stories and info about the early years of the band, long before they were famous. And, I'm feeling a little better already, but it'll probably be tomorrow before I start to feel like my usual self.

I saw your Valentine post, via Clint. That's a nice song he wrote; jazzy, with a little bit of an Eric Johnson feel on the chords. And the message was nice, too.  :):)

I am at home right now. Gonna relax for about 30 to 45 minutes, then get ready to head back to Pearl's. Probably no walk today, or maybe just a short one. I'll be around most of the afternoon and evening, and I'll write more later at the usual time.

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

12:26am : Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby. I hope your day was good. I am feeling better tonight, though still taking it easy. No walk or anything. I am hoping to be back to normal or close to it by tomorrow. I saw your post via Joel Wanasek, and of course I agree wholeheartedly. I have people on my FB feed who post relentlessly about one political gripe or another, or they post a bunch of partisan stuff just one after the other. Usually though, it's negative stuff about what's wrong with the other side.

And I mean, it's relentless. Some of these folks must post this stuff all day long. I basically can't stand politics for this very reason, because it's become just a shrill shouting and finger-pointing match. It reminds me of myself when I was 19 or 20, but even there I feel that my friends and I went about our opinionating with at least some humor or creativity. We basically hated Reagan with a black passion, and I've described before how I thought the Soviet Union was cool and a whole bunch of dumb stuff like that.......

But it was never that black and white with me, even when I said that it was. I guess I was using polemics to try and show that I had a Stance On Things.

"Reagan Sucks! All you adults are wrong"!

And Reagan did suck, as President, in a lot of ways. I would never have voted for him, then or now. But as I grew up (or maybe just got older, haha), I slowly became aware that I did not enjoy arguing with people, or trying to prove myself right and somebody else wrong. I discovered that I did not enjoy putting other people down with name calling or labels. It was a long, slow process and it involved a great many shifts in my life. One of the most important was the dawning realisation that I did not Know Everything There Was To Know, as I was so certain I did in my 20s.

But mostly is was also a growing sense of compassion that arose out of tough times in my own life, that I didn't want to be derisive of people any more. It was never my nature in the first place, I was not that way as a child, and if I was opinionated or boastful as a young man, it was more out of a sense of having just discovered The Outrages Of The World. That, and coming into my own personality in my 20s, and wanting to add a touch of personality and humor to my opinions, which were many in those days.

Nowdays, I don't have as many opinions as I once did. I mean, I have certain opinions about politics and culture and pretty much any subject you care to name.

But I'm not so Absolutely Certain That I'm Right anymore. Because compassion has taken over. That does not, in any way, make me a saint or anything even close. But it's as if The Holy Spirit placed the compassion in me, because I want to see the decency in people even when I don't like what they do or don't agree with them about anything.

I don't like the idea of Donald Trump running for President, for instance. He seems a boorish man, even though he may just be playing that role to clear the Republican field for Hillary Clinton. But regardless, I don't like his persona, nor those of many of the men in the Republican field.

But you know who I don't like just as much? All the shrill, finger-pointing, foul-mouthed people on the left, who use all kinds of epithets and brute force accusations in their diatribes against the Right.

I am not a Right Winger, and I find the idea of a Ted Cruz for President just as frightening as these people do, but I was raised in an era when the idea of brotherhood was promoted in America, in the public school systems of the 1960s. And I don't mean forced brotherhood, either. Without getting racial, because I am not that way, even this baloney about racial diversity at the Oscars is a load of crap. If you want to get nominated for an Oscar, make a great movie or play a great role, period. Stop performing in race-oriented roles that dumb down and demean black people.

Sorry, but I grew up during the 1960s, when black culture was at it's peak in every art form, and even black radicals aspired to be intellectual and inspiring. Beyonce thinks she knows about Black Panthers? She doesn't know anything.

Remember my Dad's famous maxim : "Everyone is NOT entitled to their opinion".

Dad was blunt, and he would tell you, in words more direct than mine, that the reason Everyone Is NOT Entitled To Their Opinon is because......(ahem).....their opinons are not well thought out.

Dad would say it differently, and so would have I at 20 or 25 years old.

And I would still agree with Dad, though I wouldn't be so blunt anymore. And that's because I just don't wanna be a devicive person. Politics is petty stuff when all you have to do is look up in the sky at night to see how enormous the Universe is, and to feel God, and to know how important life is.

And the most important thing in life is love. Love and caring. It doesn't mean we are all Dr. Leo Buscaglia, but it means that if we can feel these things in our souls, then we should think twice before slamming our opinions and hurt feelings down the throats of others, with the easy wall of the Internet to hide behind.

That's why I stay out of it. I mean, I would anyway, because all this political stuff just doesn't interest me, other than whom I'm gonna vote for. But mostly, I just don't wanna deal in negative energy. Period.

Life is too enormous, too filled with wonder and magic, to waste one's time, I believe.

So what I do is ignore it and keep to my own thoughts, and to the thoughts and observations of those who are important to me.

And that's all I know for tonight.

Sleep well, Sweet Baby. I Love You and will see you in the morn.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Readin' & Strummin' (workin' too)

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I hope you had a good day and a good start to the weekend. Not a lot to report on my end, but I did see one post by you, and it was a great one, a Sweet Baby picture that reminded me of parts of that clip I posted yesterday from "Andrei Rublev".

I am just working a lot lately, and things require a little more attention than in the past, but I do wanna get out on some hikes, and now that the Gas Co. has apparently plugged the leak (hooray!), I will feel more at ease doing so. Many of my favorite trails were within close distance of that plume, and I expect to breathe easier, literally, now that it's gone.

Let's see, what else? I am reading a biography about George Harrison, called "Behind The Locked Door" and I have another one ready to pick up from the libe called "Van Halen Rising", which is supposed to be an in-depth look at the early years of EVH and the boys. I'm taking a break with the rock books, after the ultra-heavy reality check of "KL", which pretty much blew me off the map.

I do love to study my subjects, however, and WW2 remains a lifelong study, probably because my Dad indoctrinated me in the subject since I was first out of my crib.

I was also looking up chord charts to early Beatles songs today, inspired by reading about George, and I discovered that many are easy to play, at least rudimentarily, and so I was strumming "Hard Day's Night" all afternoon, and I also learned "She Loves You" and "I Wanna Hold Your Hand", which was my first ever favorite song.

Well, that's it for today. I will see you in the morn and it will be a good Saturday.

I Love You!  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Andrei Rublev

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

Tonight was of course movie night, as you already know and as you may have seen by my post earlier. We saw Tarkovsky's "Andrei Rublev", which I have on dvd and have seen about 4 times previously. But this was my first time seeing it on a movie screen, and like last week's film ("Ivan's Childhood") the difference is like night and day. I have become used to Tarkovsky's films on a tv set, but they are sooooo cinematic and so when you see them blown up - and widescreen in the case of "Rublev" - it's simply amazing.

"Andrei Rublev" is set in 15th century Rus (as Russia was originally named), so it's a primitive Medieval environment, and the story follows Rublev, a religious painter who works in churches, as he and his assistants travel on foot across the landscape. There is no real narrative to the story, just a series of themed episodes playing out over 3 hours. The episodes add up to a whole, however, and anyone with the patience to watch is rewarded with what I think is perhaps one of the ten greatest films ever made.

Tarkovsky is unlike any filmmaker you've ever seen, but his films will put off anyone expecting even the remotest conventions of plot or pacing. In some respects, he does have a Western aesthetic, as in his staging of Epic Scenes, which would do any early Hollywood director proud. Also, he is technically as excellent in pictures and sound as any filmmaker who ever lived. But that's where the similarities end. What he asks of the viewer, more than anything, is patience. Tarkovsky draws things out slowly, even though he features a lot of action while doing so.

In watching "Rublev", shot in mystical b&w, you are transported into Medieval Russia, with all it's hardships, cruelties and religious faith. You could call it a Christian themed movie, but not in the definition of that term in the modern American age.

I'll just call it a Tremendous Film and leave it at that for now.  :)

I hope you had a nice day. I saw this morn your posts about the James/Beiber song, and I got the message in the text of one of them, and I loved it and just think the whole thing is great. I also saw another post for Romantic Rebel, so I am hoping they are a new client. Fingers are crossed on that score. One thing I wanted to mention, as an addendum to my blog of last night, is that in the 1970s especially, which was the Golden Era of rock magazines, there were photographers who were so well known that they were almost on a par with the Stars. Look up Neil Zlozower and Bob Gruen, two guys who were huge in rock photography.

I can't emphasize enough that you, because you are working with up and coming bands, are more than just a picture-snapper. You can set a style, and that can be anything from subtle pictorial statements for more musician-oriented bands, to full-on larger than life characterisation of guys like James, who are up for it. Another name to Google is Hipgnosis, a very famous company who did tons of album covers in the 70s, usually combining photography and art set-ups. You already have such a sense of style and composition in your shots and videos, that you can now combine with your clients to see what the possibilities might be for wide open artistic concepts.

Well, just some thoughts, cause I was inspired by Tarkovsky tonight. I am in a Medieval Mode at the moment, because I am also working on a book mentioned earlier, "A Distant Mirror" by Barbara Tuchman, detailing the turbulent 14th century in France and England during the Black Plague and of the endless wars that followed. I will write more about it at a later date, but My Goodness!, the history of battles in Europe is enough to make anyone's head spin. A continent of great strife and great culture. Though things aren't perfect today, thank goodness we've tried to escape from barbarity (for the most part)......

That's all I know for tonight, my Darling.

See you in the morning. I Love You. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Show Biz, Image & Rock Stars

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

I'm feeling back to normal. It was another hot one in the Valley today, about 85, and with no wind, so that is right in my comfort zone. The cherry trees are blossoming all over the place, full of white flowers, and it is quite a lovely thing to see. February has become the beginning of Spring for us, ever since the advent of global warming. In the past it was always a gloomy month, full of grey skies and inclement weather. I like this better, even though the promised El Nino hasn't happened and we still need water....

Today I saw several of your posts. One was your photo of James holding the multiple bags of Cheez-Its. Okay - that is exactly the kind of thing I've been talking about. With musicians, it helps to create an image that will - to paraphrase Neil Peart - elevate them from the norm. That is how Rock Stars are created. Now, James seems to understand this, and he has a natural charisma and comedic instinct that shows up in photos. The pic with the Cheez-Its is brilliant, because it's not just a bag of Cheez-Its, it's a ton of bags, and they're all arrayed. Great stuff, Elizabeth.

If you were able to access old copies of the classic Rock Star mags of the 1970s, like Cream and Circus and Hit Parader, you'd see all kinds of pics of bands goofing and posing and making Rock Stars out of themselves. To young readers like myself, who were just discovering the music, the image went hand in hand.

"Man, these guys are funny and cool, too"! Besides making great music, they were interesting because they knew how to put out a great image, in words and through pictures of themselves that took them out of the everyday populace.

These days, too many musicians don't make that effort. So many wear street clothes on stage, and while I know economics are a factor, it doesn't take much money to do something to give yourself a look. If you wear street clothes on stage, you look just like the audience, who are there because they want to see something special.

It's the same reason that movie stars look like Stars, and while films are also filled with plenty of more human-looking character actors, it is the Stars that fans come to see.

Now of course, I am not talking about Empty Stars, Hollow Stars. You've gotta deliver the goods, to paraphrase Rob Halford. In the late 80s, Hair Metal came into being, and that was all about image, with little to no substance. So you've gotta have both, the music and the image, because that is what places you above the audience (in an entertainment sense) and makes you a Star.

In another post, your friend Sarah decried the emphasis placed on appearance for female musicians, and in most respects I agree with her. The first thing you have to remember, especially in the Internet era when people can hide in anonimity behind a computer, is that many people are idiots.

Never forget that, and don't give them too much credit or emphasis. By "idiot" I mean that in the literal sense (look up the classifications of sub-normal intelligence) and often this goes hand in hand with emotional and philosophical retardation, and what you wind up with is folks making comments about how a female musician looks rather than talking about her music.

What you have to do in that situation (as you already know) is to either ignore it, or don't read it in the first place. I am sorry to have to report this, but I will because I am a guy, and that is this : females are, to some guys, the biggest threat in the world, and that is for all kinds of Freudian reasons too lengthy to go into now.

Still, having said that, if females are to grow into the rock world, and become Stars, they too need to present an image, and that can be any image in which they see themselves that sets them above the audience.

Here is an interesting question that Grimsley once posed to me about 40 years ago. I always loved the Spectacle Of Rock, like what I saw at the California Jam with ELP and Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, all of whom put on great shows to go with their great music. Punk Rock was coming out at the time Grim posed his question, and the punks were among the first to wear street clothes on stage.

We talked about the importance of image, and Grim asked, "would you go to see ELP if Keith Emerson weighed 300 pounds and came onstage wearing a greasy t-shirt"?

I thought about it and said, "probably not. I might still but their records, but I would probably not go see them".

And that's why it's Show Biz. James understands this instinctively, and Sarah does too, no doubt. Image is important (though not gender). The Runaways were the best and earliest example (1976!) of a female group who had rock star images but projected ass-kicking female power, which, while tinged with sexuality, was actually working against it. Their message onstage was very plain : "We Rock"!

And they did. I saw them blow an early-days Van Halen off the stage. They were never cheap or slutty, but still created an image. And boy, the abuse that was heaped on them, just because they were girls who dared to take on male dominated rock.

In Sarah's case, she is going more for the musical angle, but I would still tell her the same basic thing. Create an image for yourself, even just by Being Yourself, and try to create a Look onstage.

The photographer works hand-in-hand with the musician to create an image, and you are taking some great photos of James. He is a natural born character who knows what to do, and so do you as the photog.

Elevate the artist, make him or her stand out, make him or her stand above the audience, through image.

And image comes first through charisma. Then clothes and props, humor, etc.

At any rate, I am rambling on and it is late, so I will leave it at that for the moment, but keep doing what you are doing, as my rockabilly song said tonight.  :)

I will see you in the morning, Sweet Baby. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Photogs Who Are Jerks (plus Sweet Babyism)

Hi, my Darling,

Happy Late Night. I am feeling better today, and I hope I will have no more of those symptoms. The gas leak is supposed to be fixed by late February, so they say, and we are all hoping they'll be right. I think, for me anyway - down here in Northridge and Reseda - it has something to do with the wind. It was very windy on Sunday when I started to have trouble breathing. In those videos that show the gas plume, it seems to go upwards mostly (although of course it still spreads), but when the wind blows, and it always blows south here, in the direction of Northridge, I think it blows all that stuff in our direction. I think that's what happened Sunday. I was fine, watching the Super Bowl, and then I went home and went on my walk in the wind.

And then, whammo. I got sick.

But I am better now, and hope to stay that way. I hope you had a good day. I saw your post from Emily Tebbetts, and though it was about her Mom, I took it as a Sweet Baby post. I hope I got it right.  :)

I also saw your post about the concert photographer. That was right on the money. I have only once ever been in a photo pit (in front of the stage with the crowd barrier behind you). My single experience was at an AC/DC concert with Fastway opening. Fastway was Fast Eddie's band after he left Motorhead. Anyway, I was gonna shoot them, not AC/DC. It was arranged by my friend Jon, as always in those days. The concert was at The Forum, where the Lakers played and which in those days was the main concert arena for the big bands. So there I was in the photo pit, with my pass clipped to my shirt, and the coast was clear........

Almost. It had looked like I was gonna be the only shooter in the pit - it was the opening band, after all - and they had told me "you've got three songs" which is usually the limit. So I was all ready to shoot my three songs worth, when all of a sudden appeared a guy with a big bag over his shoulder and a ton of camera gear. Just one guy, but he was loaded to the gills with equipment, and here's me with just my Canon AE-1 in hand.

The guy never said a word to me, but was just as rude if not more so than the jerk in your FB photographer's story. The Forum stage is big, arena sized, and there were only two of us there, plenty of room for both, but this guy made a point to stand next to me, or in front of me, crowding me, arms outstretched with Humongous Camera Lens in my view......

He purposely crowded my space, crowded my view and crowded me out. Even though we were the only two people there, and even though there was room for both of us at center stage.

He was a typical LA photographer type, and we are talking Paparratzi and News photogs and some concert photogs. Type A aggressive jerks all.

I wound up not getting a single good shot of Fastway in concert.

But after the show, Jon got us backstage. We got to meet Angus for a quick hello, and then I got to take some shots of a whole bunch of people all posing at once, in a line : Fast Eddie, his singer, local radio DJ Samantha Fox, and Brian May of Queen.

Jerk photographer was nowhere to be seen.

I will post one of those photos one of these days, but the FB photographer's story reminded me of the concert, and if you ever run into a guy like that, just keep working. You have already had more experience shooting from the stage and around it than I ever had, and as you know there is a ton of room for everybody.

I think that guys like that are threatened by anyone who might get a better shot than they can, which means that they don't have any confidence in their shots, or that they see it as a competition.

It isn't. Always remember that. It's never about you vs. other photographers. Other photographers at concerts do not exist as far as you are concerned.

It's all about you and the band onstage, period. Your shots are not commerce (though they will hopefully make you some money).......

Your shots instead are intent on capturing what you are seeing and feeling as you watch the band and hear the music.

At a rock concert, this is all happening at once. The band is playing, and moving, and lights are flashing and changing in shape, pattern and colors, and you are both an audience member and photographer at the same time.

A lot of these so-called Pro Photogs couldn't care less about a band they are shooting. And don't get me wrong, a pro is a pro and can get some good shots too.

But a meaningful shot is even better than a good one, and that happens like in your behind-the-band shots of Versus Me at that outdoor show last year, where you captured great angles and poses of James with the big crowd sprawled out before him.

Those are meaningful shots, because they capture a feeling and tell a story all at once.

The moral of the story is "haha, jerk photogs. You are still uncool no matter how pushy you are".

Plus, if you're nice, you wind up meeting a whole lot more bands and musicians that way.  :)

Sorry to get off on such a tangent, but the FB story reminded me of that Fastway incident.

I sure had fun in the 80s going to those shows and interviews with Jon.

I see you have the Trivium show coming up, and I hope you have other things in the works. I am sure you do. Post when you can, cause it enables me to respond and therefore have something to write about. Other than that, things are just going along as usual. The Kobester is doing well. I have seen three movies from Redbox in the last week : "Truth" (which I mentioned), "Bridge Of Spies" (very good) and "Sicario" (well done if a bit Hollywoodised and unrealistic in places).

So there you have it! Everything is up to date.

I will see you in the morning, Sweet Baby. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Super Bowl + Gas Leak

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I'm just checking in to say hi. Not a lot to report today except Super Bowl. It was a pretty good game, but with a lot of mistakes by both teams, and it turned out how I expected, with Denver winning over Cocky Cam and his Carolinians. The halftime show with Coldplay was your basic Super Bowl Spectacle. I thought Lady Gaga was better with her fairly straightforward version of the National Anthem. She can certainly belt it out and has an excellent voice.

We had good singing in church this morn, and an abbreviated practice afterwards due to it being Super Sunday.

I am experiencing another episode of shallow breathing tonight, this one a bit more unpleasant than the last. I don't know what happened - I was talking a lot during the game, and so when my throat tightened up afterward, I thought that was the reason : too much yakking, and also I was running on little sleep. It wasn't a sore throat and I wasn't sick, but it was more like the muscles in my throat were sore or strained. But then I went on my walk and when I got back, I had that same "1960s smog alert" shallow breathing, and this time accompanied by a runny nose for a few minutes (sorry about the grossness). By the time I got back to Pearl's it was pretty bad, definitely worse than the last episode I had like this. It's gotta be the methane leak, but it's been fairly windy the last few days and you'd think that would blow it all away.

All I know is that my breathing has always been fine until recently, when this gas leak started. I've heard other people coughing, too, and law firms are sending out big mailing cards with all the info for a class action suit. I am not normally a person to join things like that, unless I was in Porter Ranch and lost my home, but this is getting ridiculous. I feel like I am getting poisoned. I mean - don't worry cause it's not that bad - but it still sucks, and how bad is bad, anyway? Poison can be ingested in small doses, too, and that's what this feels like.

I am not a lawsuit person, but this methane situation - which I live just three to four miles from - is really bad, and it was caused by negligence on the part of SoCal Gas. It's been going on for over 100 days now. I think I speak for everyone in Porter Ranch and perhaps some Northridgers too, when I say I hope they get a humongous judgement against them, and I hope they are forced to shut down that entire mountain.

I hate to be a complainer because it's not my nature, but this sucks, not being able to breathe properly.

Well, rant over. Sorry about that. Other than the irritated throat and lungs, everything is good. I hope your day was good, too. I know you went to a show last night, so I am sure you got good pix.

I will rest up tonight and hope to feel better in the morning, and I will see you then.

I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Good Job On New Video (plus Super Bowl & Kid Rock)

Happy Late Saturday Night, Sweet Baby,

Hey, I just saw your video for your new version of "Across The Sea". It's really good! It looks like you are playing your new keyboard - wow, the bottom end sounds fantastic; nice deep low notes with a rich timbre. I bet you are super happy with it! Also, your playing is really fluid, with a solid tempo and good dynamics. It's a beautiful piece of music, and I hope you are continuing to write. Given all the other projects and activities you have going, I can imagine it would be difficult to slot time in for writing music, but on the other hand, you wouldn't have purchased the new keyboard if you weren't gonna put it to use.  :)

You know, I just now saw that you had a new video, and I saw it because there was a little number "1" posted next to your name on my Youtube subscriptions. I see you posted it three days ago.

I also like the way you arranged the frame, with a short section of vine and leaves hanging from the top.....

A nice touch.

Yes, keep writing I say. And remember, with time management you can fit everything in. Plus, you can compose in your head at anytime, and then come back to work it out later.

Today was a busy one, which is to say normal. I drove out to Burbank to take my sister Sophie shopping, then was back to Pearl's, with a little time this evening for my walk. Tomorrow will be church and singing in the morning, Super Bowl in the afternoon. I don't have a stake in the game, although I'd prefer if Denver wins just because it's probably Peyton Manning's last game. Also, I don't really like Cam Newton and the Panthers. The Super Duper Bowl has become a bit ridiculous in recent years, what with the halftime spectacles and all, and last year it was even a phony baloney game, with Pete Carroll throwing it to the hated Brady and his Pats in the final seconds. So, I don't take it seriously anymore (unless the Rams are in it), but I'll have fun watching.

I saw your post with all of the guitar acrobats flailing about, and that is indeed some funny stuff. Listen fellas, you may wanna invest in some locking guitar straps before you make like Yngwie Malmsteen and toss your axe behind your back........and also, watch where you are sitting......or standing.....or just what you are doing in general.

I forgot to mention that Kid Rock called me the other day. He was upset that I didn't include him in my short list of Worst Musicians. I immediately smacked myself for forgetting and apologised, but he wasn't very forgiving. I have always admired his ability to hang in there with the cream of the crummy, and I hope he'll ultimately understand that......

I hope you had a good time at your concert tonight. I will be around early, before church, and then back at the usual time (1pm) after choir practice.

See you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Make A Scene (plus Tarkovsky and ICP, Bieber and all the rest)

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

Tonight was movie night at CSUN, and we saw Tarkovsky's first feature : "Ivan's Childhood", made in 1962 when he was 30 years old. I have this film on dvd (Criterion), and I had watched it about two years ago. Just seeing it on a TV set, I thought it was a great work, but tonight after seeing it on a movie screen, I think it's one of the greatest films ever made. Certainly, it has got to be the greatest black and white film ever shot, or maybe tied with "Eraserhead" by Lynch. The setting is a nightmare-scape war zone in WW2, next to a lake. Most of the film is set at night, and the tones he gets in the b&w grey scale are off the charts. The camera movement is phenomenal as well, and his use of camera tells the story as much or even more so than the minimal dialogue.

I was blown away, and would now put it in my all-time Top 20 movies, maybe even higher. The subject matter is grim - a young boy whose family has been killed by the Germans works now as a scout for the Russian army - but it is not a "war film" per se. It's actually an art film about the effect of war on children, and it incorporates all kinds of dream imagery and use of nature, including some amazing shots of white trees inside a birch forest. Just an incredible film all the way around.

I hope you had a nice day. I saw your post of James singing the Bieber song, and - despite the source material, haha - I must say that he has a very good voice, which seems suited for pop stylings. He has all the phrasings down for that kind of style, even though I am guessing he normally sings in a heavier way.

Still and all, you knew you'd get me with the Bieber angle. And you did.

ICP are still the Champions Of Obnoxiousness, however, with Bieber and Fred Durst running neck and neck for second place. You'd have to get up early every day and practice to be worse than Limp Bizkit, and I'm not sure any band is that dedicated. With the Beeb it seems to come naturally; he doesn't have to work at it, and Insane Clown Posse are The Beatles of Bad. No one else is on their level, nor will anyone ever be.

Your friends, though, certainly have good senses of humor, from James to Sarah and her boyfriend, to Justin and many more.

Way back when, I always thought nothing could be worse than Elvis Costello or The Clash, but then records are made to be broken, so they say.......  :)

Keep documenting all the bands and "characters" in bands in your area. That is what happened in New York with the punk movement and clubs like CBGBs, and also in LA with the whole punk/New Wave/avant garde scene in the 70s and into the Hair Metal scene in the 80s.

A music scene needs Stars, and Stars are made just by somebody taking the reins and declaring themselves to Be A Star.

Alice Cooper, whose birthday is today, was just some dude from Phoenix who ran track at his high school in the early 60s. In school, he met Dennis Dunaway, another track athlete, and in their teens they plotted to form a rock band......but not just any band. They wanted to be Stars.

Stars need Local Characters to become them. And they need photographers and filmmakers and writers to document them. That is how a Scene is created, simply just by Declaring Itself.

And a Music Scene can happen anywhere. It isn't limited to LA or New York. Those are just gathering places, where the music business used to operate, and of course our structures (clubs, fan bases, etc) are still in place, but a Scene can happen anywhere.

It takes assertion, and characters (who also are talented, like James) who are willing to become tomorrows Rock Stars and Artists. And it takes someone to document the whole thing, to say, This Scene Is Happening.

Just keep documenting all the local stuff, along with your regular work. Look for personalities and characters to make a Scene.

That's all I know for tonight. I will see you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Another Good Connection :)

Happy Late Night, my Darling,

I saw your post this morning about M83. That would be awesome if you got a tryout! I had not heard of them before, but it looks like they have quite a following. By your comment ("why not"?) I am guessing you sent or are gonna send some samples of your music, singing and playing? You could certainly handle the gig, and it would be great to get a callback. I will be keeping my fingers crossed, of course, and I think it's also great that your name is getting out there, and your work, as with Lou Brutus.

Because you are an all around Artist, that gets you noticed when your name is repeatedly heard or seen. It sets you apart from someone who just plays an instrument, per se (not that there's anything wrong with just playing an instrument, haha). But if your name and face begin to register with people in influential positions, after a while they can take notice and say, "who is this girl, I thought she was a videographer. Oh, she's a musician, too, and a singer".....

So it's all about just getting a foot in the door, and you have already wedged it open with your videos.

I am glad you have other shows coming up, and maybe potential clients, too, and I see that your friend Sarah's band is playing a show as well. So the year is starting to roll.

Everything is good here, the Kobedog is more or less back to normal (albeit still 16 years old), and we took him to Reseda Park this evening as the Sun was setting. Earlier this afternoon I watched a movie called "Truth" with Robert Redford and Cate Blanchett about the George Bush/National Guard scandal, which I had sort of forgotten about because with him and his administration, there were so many negative things happening or being uncovered that it was hard to keep track of 'em all. Dan Rather, one of the most respected news anchors in TV history, lost his job over the reporting of the story.

It's a tremendous movie and highly recommended.

Well, I am tired again, working a lot these days, but trying to squeeze in all the usual stuff I always do.

I will see you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)

Great Connection! (plus domino effect + Andes)

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

I was just Googling Lou Brutus, and I see that he's a well-known radio personality, who - it says on Wiki - has helped break several famous bands. So that is awesome news that he posted your Fall ll Rise video! All you (and the band) need is just for a domino to fall, for his push to get someone else of influence to take notice. As I've said, you've already got the goods, production-wise. You know how to make professional music videos top-to-bottom, all aspects of the craft, so all you need is the push.

Great news, I say! The band should follow up on it (i.e. contact him again, and others too) and I am sure they know that.

I also saw the pic of your friend hiking in the Andes. Man, that would be awesome, except in my case I would skip the balancing-on-one-foot-on-top-of-a-rock-right-next-to-a-several thousand foot drop off, lol. I need at least ten feet between me and the cliff, but it would indeed be incredible to hike in a place like that. I am still wanting to do Mount Lukens, which is on the other side of the Valley in Sunland. It's over 5000 feet and would be almost double my highest climb yet. But that is gonna hafta wait a while with my job the way it is. Also, that kind of hike - major league strenuous - is something I would not undertake alone. And unfortunately I don't know anyone to come with me.......

But yeah, the Andes. It reminds me of all those sites I read about in my book "Axis Of The World" by Igor Witkowski, which I mentioned in a blog a couple years ago - Macchu Picchu and others, which I'd have to look up because I can't recall the names. But you know the ones I mean, with all of the very advanced stone work that indicated precision machining, all those centuries ago........

Well, my Darling, that's all I know for tonight. I am tired this eve, having trouble keeping my eyes open haha. Not much sleep last night, but today I took Kobi to Northridge Park for a 45 minute walk. Watched an episode of "Combat" this eve, directed by Robert Altman, with great b&w photography.

See you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxooxoxox  :):)

Pop Art + Hillary & Bernie

Happy Late Night, Sweet Baby,

I hope you had a nice day. I see that you have a show of some type coming up, the post only came up once so I don't recall the name of the band (or if it was a multi-band thing or radio station showcase), but it was listed in a "planning to attend" post on FB for February 6, I believe. A new client, maybe? I will keep my fingers crossed.

I also saw your photo of Tristan. You remarked about your use of bold, colorful backgrounds recently, and I like it. It reminds me of the concept of Pop Art in the 1960s, which also made use of bold colors and things like Day-Glo, spiral patterns and geometric frameworks in artwork, distinctive makeup, and just all kinds of eye catching motifs.

I think it's a good idea that once you start exploring a style, to keep doing it for a while and see where it leads you. It doesn't mean you have to exclude all the other photographic modes you are working with, but if you have discovered something you like, it is good to see what you can do with it.

Yeah, Pop Art in the '60s just exploded, and suddenly - about late 1967 or so - the patterns, colorings, fonts and other stylings were everywhere - in print ads, in photos (advertising, fashion), on album covers. I loved that look as a kid, and it was part of what made the '60s so exciting.

Things need a look, y'know?  :)

So keep exploring. You could add all kinds of backgrounds and set dressings, including hand drawn, hand painted or created.

Plot things out in your head, even if the ideas are not feasible at the moment (and some that are feasible, too), and just see where you can go with them. Think like a graphic artist. What if you were creating an album cover for a band and wanted to really make it stand out; what would you see in your head?

This is a good "thought experiment" kind of thing, and it's kind of like storyboarding in the movies. It helps you to visualise stuff.

At any rate, I hope things are going well. The current FB setup has made it very difficult to see posts, and thus to communicate, but I am trying and will continue to, if you want me to.

The last couple days have been cold and windy in The 'Ridge. Good singing in church yesterday. Tonight we watched "X-Files" and followed the Iowa caucuses. I kinda figured Bernie Sanders was gonna do well there because Iowa is usually pretty liberal on the Democratic side and it's also iconoclastic because it votes first and so the people there have a chance to make a statement. I know a lot of young people are for Bernie (you may be yourself), and it is good that his ideas are being heard (see Jerry Brown in 1992), but in the long run I am hoping that Hillary will win the nomination (if you are a Bernie fan, then sorry about that).

I just think that we need the Clinton Experience Factor, and we are gonna need a strong candidate to defeat Trump (who, despite Cruz this evening, will be the nominee), and besides all of that I am just plain not a socialist. Socialism as a whole can only work in smaller, ethnically homogenous countries where everybody is on the same page. Now, we already have had many socially oriented policies in America for decades (see Franklin D Rooseveldt). But to try and run the whole country that way, all in one fell swoop, ain't gonna happen. The corporations would fight back so hard it would make Bernie's head spin, and I'm sure he is aware of that. So, as Hillary says, in America change has got to come in increments. That's because we have truly immense power in this country, and that means also - besides money - police and military power. And if there ever was a push-comes-to-shove situation here, as we have seen in China in 1989 and also in Russia under Putin, then the powers that be (Democratic or Republican makes no difference) would use extraordinary measures to shut things down.

But if you change things incrementally, with diplomacy, without alienating your opponents (in this case the powers that be), than you can indeed make things better in America. You can do it by working within the system, but a revolution is never gonna happen here, not in the near future anyway. So thanks to Bernie for the good ideas and moral support, but.....Go Hillary.

And it's long past time we had a woman President anyway.

Well, that's all I know for tonight. Post if you can, if you feel like it and when you get the chance.

See you in the morning. I Love You.  xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo  :):)