I've been feeling like I wanted to get back to writing for awhile now, but I've been so pissed off at what's going on in the world, for almost a year now, that I just didn't want to lay it out there for people to read, but that itch. . . So, I'm going to scratch it, but there is going to be no politics tonight, my friends!
The last 2 nights, I've been "falling in love" with an artist that I'd never heard of, and he has just tickled my heartstrings, and I decided this would be a happy, wonderful way to get back to the blog, and perhaps bring some joy and laughter into some other peoples' lives. Somehow, I stumbled across a documentary (yeah, I know. . . "Ho hum. . .") called, "Beauty Is Embarrassing; The Wayne White Story", and this guy is simply unbelievable; his life is an art study, and Life is his medium. He paints, he jokes, he's a puppeteer, and a sculpter; he was part of the design team for the TV show, PeeWee's Playhouse, which I never saw, but will now make a point of checking out! He plays banjo, and is a whimsical free spirit, who, if you're not offended by the "F" word, will entrance you within 5 minutes of the start of the movie. If you are offended, then just shy away, because it's a natural part of his vocabulary, and he obviously doesn't use it just for shock value.
The movie, if you are a Netflix subscriber, can be rented or streamed for free on your computer, if you subscribe to their "Watch Instantly" offerings. It's also available on Youtube, and this is the first time that I've seen anything you have to pay for ($2.99), although I was aware that they were going to start moving toward this business model for some of their videos; what a drag! I guess all good things come to an end sometime, but it's always sad to see. They do have some short segments of the show, and some interviews with Wayne, that I haven't watched, but intend to, in the near future. Just punch his name into their "search" engine.
He also has done some music videos, one of which is the Smashing Pumpkins, "Tonight, tonight":
http://tinyurl.com/6pd9s5q , in which he designed all the sets. He also won a Billboard award for best Art Direction for Peter Gabriel's "Big Time" video, in 1986. http://tinyurl.com/d45ykpp In 2009, he published a 400 page book of some of his art, which I've now added to my "Wish List", and I'm hoping that Santa will stuff it in my sock this Christmas, because I don't think that I'm going to spring for the cost of it, no matter how much I admire the guy! If you watch this show, I believe that you'll look at Life a bit differently than you did yesterday, and I can guarantee, should you choose to follow his example, that not only will you enjoy your life a little more, but the world will be a better place because of it!
A couple of months ago, I was treated to a David Russel concert at beautiful Benaroya Hall, in Seattle, and he played a song called, "Spatter the Dew" that just knocked me out! I've probably listened to this video 30 times or more, and it still just blows me away: http://tinyurl.com/b86dhc4
Hard left here! I can't even begin to guess how many musicians have recorded the song, "Hey Joe", which I think I heard first on an album by The Leaves in '65: http://tinyurl.com/7y38tez which is a pretty fast version of the song. A lot of people think that this is still the best rendition, ever, but for contrast, and more in the vein of Jimi Hendrix's version check out this cut by a New York singer/guitarist/songwriter, Popa Chubby, who I've been following for almost 20 years now: http://tinyurl.com/pvc7muy Notice how much the quality of sound has changed over the years?
Since it's getting late, and I want to bring this to a close, I can't think of a better way to end it than to take yet another musical turn: http://tinyurl.com/pseyrdk
Good night! :)
