19 Comments
User's avatar
Fred Hill's avatar

History of the rollers was right on, useful my folding carrier with bungee cords doing double duty to haul in vinyl records to KUSF for my weekly show love the new recording and the Cumbia thing, fan of Criterion as well especially European Noir - I’m too sad about Van ….

Expand full comment
Naufragous Kat's avatar

Hope to see you in Florida. I’ll be at 30A, but haven’t yet so much as begun to try and pick apart the Gordian knot that is that festival’s schedule, other than knowing that the volunteer conscription that allows me to attend the event will have me at AJ’s for 8 straight on Saturday.

Dan Bern did a lil livestream benefit for fire relief last night. I threw in a few bucks. The idea of any “relief” in that landscape of devastation is hard to fathom.

I work in news (as a copy editor, which is perhaps the least glamorous role one can have in journalism save perhaps researcher. But even researchers get their name in a footnote), so I have been reading a lot about and seeing many photos of the hellscapes in LA.

I live in Southwest Florida. I’ll take the hurricanes any day over fires.

Not that I have even dealt with my own hurricane damage. But it’s minor. Life goes on largely unchanged.

I see the pictures from Eaton, Sunset, Palisades without comprehending. It’s too much to wrap my head around. So I dutifully update the total numbers of structures destroyed and lives lost without letting myself get mired in contemplation of the exponentially greater number of lives forever changed.

And then I read some baffling piece about a fashion trend and call it a night.

Expand full comment
Eric Diaz's avatar

Hey now Chuck and Dan!

Greetings from Dead Ahead Cancun with Sturgill Simpson, Brandi Carlile, Grace Bowers⚡️, Otiel Burbridge, Don Was, Bob Weir and an assortment of incredible Musicians. Being a FloriDUH resident these day I found it mentally necessary to go on a January News Blackout. I am spitting distance from one of his golf courses (thee assassination attempt one) and PBI. I hope it doesn't make me a Bad Human but I have to gather all my strength for the coming, already here 💩storm. Sending Good Energy to SoCal. After Mexico Ed and I will be embarking on a much anticipated CP Mini Tour 2025 folded into a Family visit!!! Boston, Ma., Portsmouth, NH and Northampton Ma. Lord knows we All need a little "MAGIC" right now. Coping skills and roller miles baby.

Van is Still the Man.

The Marlon Brando of RnR.

Stay safe and we'll see you soon.

Much 💜 to Steph and the Cumbia Shoes.

Expand full comment
Jim H.'s avatar

Thanks for the “Elon as First Lady” pics, I missed all that somehow… was probably better off before because I can’t “un-see” it, but it’s the sort of thing that keeps us going these days too…. The Van Morrison. video is stellar, AI or not, “Don’t say it mean”… words to live by!

Expand full comment
DaveA's avatar

The reversing over the suitcase anecdote reminds me of the day we reversed the Transit van over the kettle we took on tour with us. That was also the day we folded late after a gig in the north east of the UK (Bedlington maybe, it was a long time ago), packed the van and looked for somewhere to park for the night - we’d put bunk-beds in the van to save on accommodation costs (god knows how we didn’t all catch TB. I was in the top bunk and used to wake with my face wet with condensation). Anyway, we found a big car park and parked slap in the middle, put the curtains up, and turned in. Woke up in the morning to find that a bustling market had been erected around us: and no-one was selling kettles.

Expand full comment
Chuck Prophet's avatar

Nuts!

Expand full comment
DaveA's avatar

I was 20, and pretty dumb. Seemed like fun at the time.

Expand full comment
Hugh T.'s avatar

Im watching the Van Morrison video to take a break from the carnage. Was this thing produced by AI?

Expand full comment
Bill Rothacher's avatar

It was: say what you mean, mean what you say, BUT don’t say it mean

Expand full comment
Jessica Friedman's avatar

I appreciate all your writing.

Expand full comment
Bill Rothacher's avatar

Don’t quote me, But I seem to remember that it was Jamie Lee Curtis. And I think it was actually : say what you mean, mean what you say BUT don’t say it mean.

You might find the interview on MSNBC or their 1/2 hour pod cast with her (it was only a day or two ago)

Expand full comment
Uberharry's avatar

Be careful with the political talk about T. Take it from someone who's paid the price for foolishly mixing politics and commerce, there is NO upside. Prayers of strength and admiration for those suffering in this mess and for those who charge TOWARD such horrifying mayhem.

Expand full comment
Daniel Strickland's avatar

Commerce is political and politics is commercial. Too many have kept quite for too long and now we find ourselves living inside the downside. The upside of speaking up and speaking out, one hopes, is that we'll get through these bizarre times. And be better off for it.

Expand full comment
Bill Rothacher's avatar

I heard a great quote from an actress whose home was spared and decided to donate a million dollars to disaster relief.

She said: say what you mean, mean what you say and don’t say it mean.

Expand full comment
Chuck Prophet's avatar

Who was the actress?

Expand full comment
Chuck Prophet's avatar

Don't say it mean. Words to live by. Thank you.

Expand full comment
Fletch Newland's avatar

Jail to the Chief! Keep preaching Chuck.

Expand full comment
Bill Rothacher's avatar

Chuck, Now even boom boxes have rollers and extending handles!(wife has two for her water exercise classes she teaches at the Albany Aquatic Center)

And your disbelief or realization about the politicization of a natural disaster is felt by all of us who care.

Hope you and yours stay happy and healthy

Love You Brother

Expand full comment
Michael Pate's avatar

Van has the yarragh.

Keep the casters spinning.

Expand full comment