Short Week, Pockets Deep

Weekend Links and Updates

Hey there, this weekend set of links and updates arrives a day late - but not a dollar short. As you know from Friday’s newsletter I was a first-time record-seller yesterday. It was a good day, some top tunes from the DJs and regularly busy. I sold quite a few records - and got to keep a few too, which is good. I restricted myself to buying just a couple of must-haves (Spinners, Sly & The Family Stone, Mink DeVille, Roxy Music) and I’m definitely considering selling some more another time.

So no weekend update yesterday. And not much happening last night, as a direct result of carrying seven crates of records up and down two flights of stairs and in and out of the car and all the other planning that went into the day.

I collapsed in front of a WWE DVD (I still get sent review-copies) and it was the perfect thing for zoning out.

Short week - after Easter. And of course I’d been in Hawke’s Bay back-to-back the last two weekends so it’s been nice to be a home with not a whole heap happening.

And last week I mentioned going to see Margot Pierard and Wil Sargisson in Hawke’s Bay - it was wonderful so I wrote a review of the show here.

REVIEWS:

Not many reviews written in a short week, but Donato Dozzy has released a new EP and I’m very much a fan of his brand of techno.

Actually, it was almost all about the EPs this week, a special release (Bandcamp only) features the singing and playing of Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy teamed with the stunning guitar work of Nathan Salsburg and they’re singing lyrics by the writer Max Porter. As I said in the review - if you’re a fan of any of them you’ll not only want this you’ll likely become a fan of the other two.

And Tenderlonious is another recent favourite of mine - a multi-instrumentalist/producer making techno/house amalagams one minute and virtuossic jazz the next. Sometimes combining the two. His latest is a tribute to the 808 drum machine.

Maybe you remember Merry Clayton from her star-turn singing the backing/duet-part of The Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter. Or at least you found out about that via the documentary film, 20 Feet From Stardom. Well, Clayton has just released her first album since 1994. It follows the sad story of a car-crash stopping the momentum of that 2013 documentary. She’s back though and in full gospel mode. It’ s a nice album. It’s sometimes a great album even. It’s certainly worth a listen.

READING:

I found a copy of Owen Marshall’s second story collection, The Master of Big Jingles & Other Stories; actually thrilled to find this because it has the story The Homily of Mr Poose which is the first Owen Marshall story I ever read (followed closely by The Day Hemingway Died). I’ve been a fan ever since.

I’m revisiting this brilliant “autobiography of Bigfoot” graphic novel. We bought this a few years ago in America and I’ve read it a bunch of times. So weird - and so funny.

Also, I found this great Barry Gifford Reader - more on it in a future post no doubt. Love Gifford and this seemed the most realistic way to get across a lot more of his work without going in for each and every volume.

WATCHING:

Tuesday was a school holiday after the long weekend, so me and Oscar went to the Penthouse Cinema in Wellington (a legendary movie-house) and caught a screening of Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway. We both laughed and laughed. Lots of funny lines, heaps of great action. If you were on board with the first one (a big hit in our house) then the sequel should warm the cockles of your heart also. A bit of dumb fun eh.

Every month Madman sends me a bunch of DVDs to review. I still like DVDs. And I love getting movies, docos, the aforementioned wrestling (and sometimes mixed martial arts and other sports) and particularly old TV shows. The latest batch just arrived. And the big treat, which I’ve started in on, is George and Mildred: The Complete Series. I have memories of watching this as a kid, usually when staying with my grandparents. It’s a classic show - I’m loving watching it again and have committed to getting through all five seasons and the feature film. It first aired between 1976 and 1979 with the movie arriving in 1980. “Mildred” (Yooth Joyce) died in 1980. Ending the show of course. It was in re-runs throughout the 1980s.

LISTENING:

I’m on a Bob Dylan jag - I’m almost always on a Bob Dylan kick I guess. Though I don’t listen to his albums all that much these days, so when I do I go all-in. Something about Dylan’s big birthday coming (he’s 80 next month) has me keen to go back through all the favourites. I’m also enjoying his Christian albums (late 70s/early 80s) more than I ever have. And I’ll probably ramp up the reading about Dylan (again!) A Bob Dylan Tragic. There are worse things to be I’m sure.

Anyway, the excellent Definitely Dylan radio-show podcast has made it to Spotify. It’s a great show made with love and expert fan-knowledge. If you’re new to the show, the full archive is here.

Podcasts were the go this week and though I’m always listening to Marc Maron, his WTF show was pretty special this week. Two big recovery stories that offered hope and salvation - first up was Hunter Biden, a rather harrowing journey. The President of America’s son has well publicised addiction issues and was caught up in the right wing sledging machine too. He has a new memoir out and the chat with Marc was very deep. Maron’s a recovering alchoholic and ex drug user so he is very good at going deep on recovery talk. Even if you’re not a fan of his show normally the Biden chat is a must.

Same goes I reckon for his talk with Katey Sagal. She’s great talent. You know her from Married with Children, a voice on Futurama, Eight Simple Rules, Sons of Anarchy. For 40 years now she’s never not working. But did you also know she is a singer, and comes from a Hollywood family. Her godfather is the legendary TV scribe, Norman Lear. She dated Gene Simmons. She has been a backing vocalist for famous singers and she’s continued to record albums herself. I knew all of that chat and some of her recovery/addiction stories because I’ve read her memoir (and I recommend it). But it was very cool to hear some of this again through the filter of Maron’s interviewing style.

LINKS:

This week on the Substack platform I recommend Run It Back

Prince Philip died. He was 99. And not everyone has been happy with the coverage. As cruel memes tumbled - and many found them amusing, there were also arguments about whether this was world news, and why was the coverage being placed in the lifestyle or life and style section/s. And then, there was this piece, which stopped short of calling him a feminist icon. Which is a lol. And also was no doubt drafted a good 2-5 years ago and just sat down at the Google Docs waiting to ship.

My podcast is back up and running after a week off for Easter - and this week I chatted with Mike ‘Dr. Blue’. He’s a now Wellington-based, English musician and poet. A great chat.

And R.I.P. DMX. Dead at 50.

Well, that’s it for this week. Let’s ‘talk’ some more next week…