For a guy who prides himself on not living in the past, I’ve been thinking a lot about the back-in-the-day days. Yes, there were the lurid episodes (holding cells! LSD!) in those knocking around years, but by hook or by crook, I did manage to get myself a kind of education.
It probably sounds “ frightfully British” but it was an honour and a pleasure to meet you and be able to say thank you for the music. And wow! What a blast the show was. Compliments to the whole band. The atmosphere was a superb advert for Cluny-type venues. Thanks again 👍🎶😊!
* ( Ecstatic Enjoyment of Eloquence). Thoroughly enjoyed your set at the Red Rooster Festival and looking forward to seeing tonight at The Cluny in Newcastle ( my absolute favourite type of gig venue). Especially after Covid and then immunotherapy* cancelled previous shows. *( As I wrote in my only previous note to you- a short while after you began yours, I too had surgery then immunotherapy; now thankfully and currently “ all clear “ so the gig bookings which I made during that period of uncertainty are now being enjoyed). I love the positivism of creating one’s own “ self fulfilling prophesies” and these bookings were my own. I’ll try to say a brief hello at the Merch Table tonight but that atmosphere is not conducive to “ immunotherapy dialogues” 😳. So I’ll settle on you signing a T Shirt (!) - I bought the “Live a Paris” CD at Red Rooster. It is great - musically and also production wise. I just wanted to say that for many years but perhaps especially through my recent “ journey” your music has been a steady, inspiring and constant companion. For which, my very sincere thanks 👏
I love the way you write. You convey just as much in your imagery as you do literally. I am also a great fan of your music and have seen you live once in San Francisco. Living in Australia certainly curtails my live Americana experience. Was also impressed with Richard Thompson (who has performed in my neck of the woods) and I have quite a few CDs and vinyl of the both of you. I mostly stream these days and I hope it is true that Tidal pays more to the artist than the other services. I continue to hope that one day you will visit at least one of my local haunts and/or that maybe I will get another chance to catch you up elsewhere. I also have this desire to attend a Tom Waits gig but I can never find out where he is playing or indeed if he actually does gigs anymore. Keep well and keep the installments coming.
Well written...all excellent films you have cited here as well,...I have upgraded to paid thanks to this musing and your stellar musical achievements. Have seen Richard Thompson a few times and he is a wizard (O the words, pour down like silver)...never saw he and Linda live, heard it was combustible. Looking forward to the next installment and really thought the community college reminiscense was lovely, and accurate.
Clearly you’re “applying yourself” these days Chuck: A+ Nice work! I attended DVC AFTER graduating from UC Davis cuz I needed more time to do band stuff. Took an excellent studio recording class there, and a computer course that I didn’t enjoy but gave me some direction.
Wow, this was not only great writing it made me think about community college funding and gave me some films to check out. You’re a five-tool man, Chuck.
Saw Richard and Linda on their last tour together, at the Great American. My indelible memory is they never once looked at each other or spoke to each other.
For those of us on the other side of the Bay, my noir education was at the UC Theater and the Pacific Film Archive. And that led me to Jim Thompson's books. Every bit as enlightening as anything I learned in my couple of years at Cal.
Great read Chuck! DVC…sent me way way back to early 80’s and my humanities class seeing Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity in that campus theater. Going to weekday matinees seeing foreign films, old films, Hitchcock, Billy Wilder in small theaters in San Francisco….for me it was eye opening coming from a very tiny town in upstate NY, we had two theaters miles away from where I lived that only showed new releases, Jaws etc… anyway see what all you brought up!?! I never finished that education until my late 30’s at another community college SRJC, with a young daughter in tow. Community College should be available to all, it can change lives for the better. You never know where you might end up.
Like the time Mrs Sepulveda’s then husband asked me to take her to a movie and he suggested Body Heat? Keyboard players, they’re supposed to be the smart ones in the band right?
Then years later she’s in her 50s and her job offered to pay for her continuing education at good old Fresno City College. She took a few job related courses but really enjoyed a creative writing class. There was a reading list and she begged Professor Winters (I heard that name a lot) to not make her read “Pilgrim At Tinker Creek” again. They got into an honest adult (I’m thinking maybe a bit flirty) argument right there in front of the kids and she prevailed.
She loved that class. She bounced ideas off me, I’d make a suggestion here and there and she got straight A’s. At the end of the semester she mentioned Professor Winters was teaching a Critical Thinking course and she wanted to take it, said we should go together.
Any grownup that tells you they have no regrets is a fucking liar.
And speaking of the dark stuff, have I ever told you how much I love “ Naked Ray”? That is on my short list of perfect songs. I mean I’ve pulled over and turned off the ignition to listen to that song.
Hey thanks for letting me vent. Love to Stephanie and the lads.
Saw Richard & Linda at Leeds Town Hall back when I was flunking art college in the mid 70s. Calvary Cross still give me the chills. Great gig at the Brudenell btw.
Oh, man, what a banger of an essay. Film noir, Richard Thompson, and the vital importance of free higher education! I just love reading your autobiography in this format- the small slices. Two of my own favorite noirs from the 80s were British - Mona Lisa and the Long Good Friday, both with the incomparable Bob Hoskins. Thanks for the rec (Figueroa) will definitely catch it. You never steer us wrong!
It probably sounds “ frightfully British” but it was an honour and a pleasure to meet you and be able to say thank you for the music. And wow! What a blast the show was. Compliments to the whole band. The atmosphere was a superb advert for Cluny-type venues. Thanks again 👍🎶😊!
Always have an EEE* moment with your writing
* ( Ecstatic Enjoyment of Eloquence). Thoroughly enjoyed your set at the Red Rooster Festival and looking forward to seeing tonight at The Cluny in Newcastle ( my absolute favourite type of gig venue). Especially after Covid and then immunotherapy* cancelled previous shows. *( As I wrote in my only previous note to you- a short while after you began yours, I too had surgery then immunotherapy; now thankfully and currently “ all clear “ so the gig bookings which I made during that period of uncertainty are now being enjoyed). I love the positivism of creating one’s own “ self fulfilling prophesies” and these bookings were my own. I’ll try to say a brief hello at the Merch Table tonight but that atmosphere is not conducive to “ immunotherapy dialogues” 😳. So I’ll settle on you signing a T Shirt (!) - I bought the “Live a Paris” CD at Red Rooster. It is great - musically and also production wise. I just wanted to say that for many years but perhaps especially through my recent “ journey” your music has been a steady, inspiring and constant companion. For which, my very sincere thanks 👏
Thanks Chuck. Always a treat when I see you have a new post. There should be a little CC experience in all of us.
I love the way you write. You convey just as much in your imagery as you do literally. I am also a great fan of your music and have seen you live once in San Francisco. Living in Australia certainly curtails my live Americana experience. Was also impressed with Richard Thompson (who has performed in my neck of the woods) and I have quite a few CDs and vinyl of the both of you. I mostly stream these days and I hope it is true that Tidal pays more to the artist than the other services. I continue to hope that one day you will visit at least one of my local haunts and/or that maybe I will get another chance to catch you up elsewhere. I also have this desire to attend a Tom Waits gig but I can never find out where he is playing or indeed if he actually does gigs anymore. Keep well and keep the installments coming.
Well written...all excellent films you have cited here as well,...I have upgraded to paid thanks to this musing and your stellar musical achievements. Have seen Richard Thompson a few times and he is a wizard (O the words, pour down like silver)...never saw he and Linda live, heard it was combustible. Looking forward to the next installment and really thought the community college reminiscense was lovely, and accurate.
Clearly you’re “applying yourself” these days Chuck: A+ Nice work! I attended DVC AFTER graduating from UC Davis cuz I needed more time to do band stuff. Took an excellent studio recording class there, and a computer course that I didn’t enjoy but gave me some direction.
Wow, this was not only great writing it made me think about community college funding and gave me some films to check out. You’re a five-tool man, Chuck.
You're a fine writer my friend.
Saw Richard and Linda on their last tour together, at the Great American. My indelible memory is they never once looked at each other or spoke to each other.
For those of us on the other side of the Bay, my noir education was at the UC Theater and the Pacific Film Archive. And that led me to Jim Thompson's books. Every bit as enlightening as anything I learned in my couple of years at Cal.
Great read Chuck! DVC…sent me way way back to early 80’s and my humanities class seeing Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck in Double Indemnity in that campus theater. Going to weekday matinees seeing foreign films, old films, Hitchcock, Billy Wilder in small theaters in San Francisco….for me it was eye opening coming from a very tiny town in upstate NY, we had two theaters miles away from where I lived that only showed new releases, Jaws etc… anyway see what all you brought up!?! I never finished that education until my late 30’s at another community college SRJC, with a young daughter in tow. Community College should be available to all, it can change lives for the better. You never know where you might end up.
I really love this recent Hannah Aldridge video for "Portrait Of The Artist As A Middle Aged Man".
Very noir
https://youtu.be/cTIooYMmzC4
I enjoyed this very much Chuck, thank you.
California’s promise has become a lot more pricey. That wasn’t the plan. Higher Ed should be cheap and accessible.
And, hey, when is this dude gonna get off the stage and in a jail cell?!
Man this is stirring up some ghosts for me.
Like the time Mrs Sepulveda’s then husband asked me to take her to a movie and he suggested Body Heat? Keyboard players, they’re supposed to be the smart ones in the band right?
Then years later she’s in her 50s and her job offered to pay for her continuing education at good old Fresno City College. She took a few job related courses but really enjoyed a creative writing class. There was a reading list and she begged Professor Winters (I heard that name a lot) to not make her read “Pilgrim At Tinker Creek” again. They got into an honest adult (I’m thinking maybe a bit flirty) argument right there in front of the kids and she prevailed.
She loved that class. She bounced ideas off me, I’d make a suggestion here and there and she got straight A’s. At the end of the semester she mentioned Professor Winters was teaching a Critical Thinking course and she wanted to take it, said we should go together.
Any grownup that tells you they have no regrets is a fucking liar.
And speaking of the dark stuff, have I ever told you how much I love “ Naked Ray”? That is on my short list of perfect songs. I mean I’ve pulled over and turned off the ignition to listen to that song.
Hey thanks for letting me vent. Love to Stephanie and the lads.
Saw Richard & Linda at Leeds Town Hall back when I was flunking art college in the mid 70s. Calvary Cross still give me the chills. Great gig at the Brudenell btw.
Oh, man, what a banger of an essay. Film noir, Richard Thompson, and the vital importance of free higher education! I just love reading your autobiography in this format- the small slices. Two of my own favorite noirs from the 80s were British - Mona Lisa and the Long Good Friday, both with the incomparable Bob Hoskins. Thanks for the rec (Figueroa) will definitely catch it. You never steer us wrong!
DVC, or as it was also known, UCLA - Upper Concord, Lower Antioch. A quality tale you tell, thank you.