Observer1984

12 Angry Men - 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition DVD

2012-01-01T14:35:00.000-08:00

12 Angry Men - 50th Anniversary Collector's Edition DVD
Antonio G. Pereira © 2012 Antonio G. Pereira
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12 Angry Men http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7581281 A very powerful film, directed by Sidney Lumet (The Pawnbroker, The Wiz, Q&A), and starring Henry Fonda (who also co-produced). From a story by playwright Reginald Rose (who also wrote the screenplay). 12 Angry Men, set in 1950s post McCarthy America, is about a murder trial and the twelve jurors who must decide the ultimate life or death fate of the defendant. Well written and directed, with superb acting by the cast, it is explosive cinema at it's best.
Strangely, no mention is made in the two otherwise fine 'Making of Twelve Angry Men' documentaries in Special Features, about another reason that Henry Fonda might also have wanted so badly to make this film and co-produce; The Los Angeles Zoot Suit Riots, that took place during World War 2. The late History Professor, Ronald Takaki, wrote at length about this in his book, Double Victory. (There is a link to his book within an earlier posting http://friendfeed.com/rooms/lauradern/dbbe7905/observer1984-focus-film-adaption-of-novel-by.html )
From Double Victory: On October 4th, 1944, the District Court of Appeals found that the trial judge in the Sleepy Lagoon case was biased against the defendants and overturned the convictions. Leading the appeal struggle was a defense committee whose membership included Bert Corona, Rita Hayworth, Anthony Quinn, Orson Welles, Henry Fonda and Carey McWilliams. "It wasn't only seventeen boys who were on trial", the committee declared. "It was the whole of the Mexican people, and their children and grandchildren." In their conclusion, they issued a call to arms against the ideology of white superiority on the home front: "Nazi logic guided the judge and jury and dictated the verdict and sentence. We are at war not only with the armies of the Axis powers, but with the poison gas of their doctrine, with the 'biological basis' of Hitler and with his theories of race supremacy."
{For related and quite illuminating scholarship:
(1) Upside Your Head! Rhythm and Blues on Central Avenue by Johnny Otis - Published by Wesleyan University Press
(2) Why I Left America and Other Essays by Oliver W. Harrington - Published by University Press of Mississippi
(3) Dark Laughter: The Satiric Art of Oliver W. Harrington - Published by University Press of Mississippi
(4) Frank Zappa: The Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play by Ben Watson - Published by St. Martin's Griffin (An Imprint of St. Martin's Press)}
And: {A1} Miracle At St. Anna http://www.amazon.com/Miracle-at-St-Anna-Widescreen/dp/B001LLH8SO
{A2} Black History: A Retrospective http://www.amazon.com/Black-History-Retrospective-Barack-Obama/dp/B002WBYDLC
Additionally, another book by Ronald Takaki makes sobering reading, 'A Different Mirror: A History of Multicultural America' http://ghostdance.webs.com/A%20different%20Mirror.pdf

Happy Xmas (War Is Over)

2011-12-25T14:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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http://beatlesource.com/bs/mains/audio/xmas/xmas.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbKsgaXQy2k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiPaNzZRyWg

Lennon NYC - DVD

2011-10-09T14:23:00.000-07:00

Lennon NYC - DVD
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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Lennon NYC http://www.amazon.com/Lennon-NYC-John/dp/B003YGC7VM A chronological and detailed documentary of John Lennon's life in New York, with wonderful footage from the Ann Arbor John Sinclair Benefit, and what appears to be, footage from the Attica Families Benefit at the Apollo Theatre. Also included is the period he spent out in Los Angeles. Great interviews with musicians and producers who knew him, as well as Yoko Ono, May Pang, Bob Gruen, Dick Cavett and others. John and Yoko's deep love for each other is very evident, all throughout this entire documentary. The Dick Cavett Show footage of John reading Democratic Representative Ron Dellums' letter concerning his song, 'Woman Is The Nigger Of The World', from the album, Sometime In New York City, is as daring and brave now, as it was then; and really upset some folks' comfort level. (I also remember that during this same period, Peter Cook {who at the time, was appearing with Dudley Moore in the long running Broadway production, Good Evening http://www.lunaestas.com/petercook } made some daring statements about the subject of racism on The Dick Cavett Show.) It's very good to see some of the beautiful photographs from May Pang's book, Instamatic Karma, which has been reviewed in an earlier posting on this blog http://observer1984.blogspot.com/2010/10/us-vs-john-lennon-instamatic-karma.html Additionally, here is a very rare interview with her http://michaelaventrella.wordpress.com/2010/02/26/interview-with-author-may-pang . The photographs of John with a baby Sean (some of which I remember from The John Lennon Exhibition in London in 1988), are very moving. The music in the documentary consists of a lot of outtakes of songs that were on albums. And they are fascinating to hear. Several of them are acoustic versions with just John accompanying himself on guitar, where you get to hear his in-the-process structuring of a song he is composing. (Akin to what was captured in The Beatles Anthology recordings). The hard rock recordings of Yoko, from the period when she was appearing solo at Kenny's Castaways in the 1970s, are very good too. It puts a smile on your face, to hear everyone who was there during the recording of Double Fantasy, talk about what an enjoyable album it was for them to make. As this posting reaches you on John's birthday, this is a documentary that will remind you of not only how much John Lennon contributed, but how much he is a part of everything around us even now, and why. And as for all the women he loved and who loved him, so it will be. It's a good lesson in feeling human. And so...

Thank You to one John Lennon, who was consistently John Lennon.

And remains Forever In Our Hearts.

A Very Happy Birthday To You.

http://www.myspace.com/johnwinstononolennon9

http://www.myspace.com/johnlennon7

And the Candle Shall Pass to the Children of Heart and Conscience who will Seek Justice....

2011-09-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

And the Candle Shall Pass to the Children of Heart and Conscience who will Seek Justice....
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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https://occupywallst.org

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tracey-e-vitchers/occupyingnot-riotingwall-_b_980003.html

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/10/02/2011-10-02_like_it_is_is_history_and_end_of_an_era_in_tv.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHrK6L91BgA

http://rebuildthedream.com

Let It Bleed: The Rolling Stones, Altamont, and the End of the Sixties & Exile On Main Street.: A Season in Hell with The Rolling Stones

2011-09-13T14:30:00.000-07:00

Let It Bleed: The Rolling Stones, Altamont, and the End of the Sixties & Exile On Main St.: A Season in Hell with The Rolling Stones
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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Let It Bleed by Ethan A. Russell (Published by Springboard Press N.Y.) is a collection of photographs Ethan Russell took of The Rolling Stones, from 1968 (when Brian Jones was still in the band) through 1969 (with a few photos from the 1972 tour of America). Most of the book is taken up with the 1969 North American Tour. The photographs are quite good, and there are candid shots of Tommy Smothers meeting with the Stones about appearing on The Smothers Brothers Show, Bill Graham at the Oakland concert he promoted, Jimi Hendrix jammimg with Mick Taylor backstage at Madison Square Garden, (There are more photos of Hendrix backstage with the Stones that Thanksgiving night in 1969, in a rather chaotic 2nd Guitar World Jimi Hendrix Tribute Issue from March 1988. {The first was the Sept. 1985 Issue} Mick Taylor gave a very gracious and informative interview to Experience Hendrix Magazine, which was published in their Nov/Dec 1999 Issue. Here is a very lengthy related article http://www.micktaylor.net/MT_re-examinedp1.htm ) Bukka White meeting the Stones, Chuck Berry talking with Keith Richards and Mick Jagger etc... The stories Ethan Russell tells in this book about the circumstances under which he started photographing the Stones and what Brian Jones was like, are quite interesting (although I wonder if his 'vacation' in London had more to do with the draft and the Vietnam War). Additionally, his detailed descriptions of the Hyde Park Concert after Jones' passing, and Mick Taylor joining the band after leaving John Mayall's Bluesbreakers, and finally the 1969 tour, are very good. (It's interesting to note that The Rolling Stones two transitional group performances occurred on The David Frost Television Show. Brian Jones final performance with the Stones after Beggars Banquet was released, near the end of 1968 performing 'Sympathy For The Devil' and 'You Can't Always Get What You Want', which has never been screened in the U.S., and Mick Taylor's first performance with the Stones in 1969, when the 45 'Honky Tonk Women' was released, with Jagger so stoned he mumbled his way through the song; was screened in the U.S.) One thing that should be understood is that the photographs of the tour are not from every single date, but offer a wide variety of in concert and backstage photos (some very well known). The stories told by (and about) different people that were associated with the tour, are also quite interesting to hear. Some people apparently (for this book) are speaking for the first time. When we get to Altamont, it becomes quickly obvious that this is a disaster in the making; and nobody comes out looking very good when it's over. In the Epilouge to this book, I find it rather strange that Ethan Russell tells half a story about the aftermath of the murder at Altamont and subsequent trial; as you can find the rest of the facts in detail, in History Professor Jon Weiner's book, 'Come Together: John Lennon In His Time' (Published by Random House New York) in Chapter 11 'Altamont and Toronto' pages 124-130.
Exile On Main St.: A Season in Hell with The Rolling Stones by Robert Greenfield (Published by Da Capo Press) Frankly, I don't know why the guy decided to turn this into a book, as he could just as easily have written this as a series of articles for News Of The World; which would have suited it well. Robert Greenfield has done some good work before. e.g. His book about the Rolling Stones 1972 North American Tour (an excellent piece of work, although a little heavy on assumptions about some of the people who were involved in and around the tour), and his masterpiece, 'Bill Graham Presents: My Life Inside Rock and Out' (which he co-wrote with Bill Graham, and for which he won a well deserved Ralph J. Gleason Award {unlike another Ralph J. Gleason awardee named Electric Gypsy (a questionable Jimi Hendrix biography) which among other things, placed Jimi Hendrix stage-rear at the Altamont Festival, witnessing the murder}). The book, 'Exile On Main St.', which covers the period the Stones lived in Tax Exile in France in 1971, and recorded most of what became their patchy two LP set Exile On Main St. , is more of an expose' than anything else; and is not that much different from the book, 'Up and Down With The Rolling Stones' by Tony Sanchez, which it continually makes reference to (and which had a better selection of photographs). Written in an odd Shakespearean style, Exile On Main St. is interesting in places, like the formation of Rolling Stones Records on Atlantic with Ahmet Ertegun, the back and forth between the Stones and Allen Klein concerning their back catalog at London/Decca and ABKCO, the raw deal given to Mick Taylor (strangely, there is no mention of the subsequent raw deal that Billy Preston {with whom Mick Taylor appeared on a great live album that was only available as an Import} received) who replaced a once very versatile and talented, but by then worn out Brian Jones, {Jones, who after years of heavy drinking and drug use, had the additional problem of a broken wrist that never healed properly; which resulted from a fall during rock climbing on a Moroccan holiday in 1966. He had however, developed a deep interest in Moroccan Folk Music, which he continued to pursue for the remainder of his life.} and who added a completely new and different dimension to The Rolling Stones, as he was a genuinely talented and exceptional musician; and of course the constant drug use around Nellcote, where the recording of the album took place. There are a handful of photographs from the period, not all that well focused. The final chapter, 'Aftermath', was mostly unnecessary and really added nothing to the book, other than an update on some of the players involved.

Canyon Of Dreams

2011-08-31T14:29:00.000-07:00

Canyon Of Dreams
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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Interesting Book. http://www.amazon.com/Canyon-Dreams-Magic-Music-Laurel/dp/1402765894 Beautifully designed, and full of very rare and gorgeous photographs. But if you remember the time period, some of the manner in which the '60s are recreated in this book, are a little too sweet chalk sounding from time to time; and end up resembling Post Reagan/Bush/MTV phony. However, (for what it's worth - no pun intended), there are some fascinating stories told inside 'Canyon Of Dreams'; which make it a valuable historical document. There is quite an informative additional review of aforementioned at Today Is Forever http://poisgoneforever.blogspot.com posted Tuesday, May 17th 2011.

Worth checking out.

One Night Stand - A Mike Figgis Film - DVD

2011-07-24T14:27:00.000-07:00

One Night Stand - A Mike Figgis Film - DVD
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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Originally released on VHS and now on DVD, One Night Stand http://www.amazon.com/One-Night-Stand-Wesley-Snipes/dp/6304884370 is a fascinating and complex film about relationships, starring Wesley Snipes (Rising Sun, Money Train), Ming-Na Wen (E.R., The Joy Luck Club), Kyle McLaughlen (Twin Peaks, The Doors), Nastassja Kinski (Paris, Texas, Red Letters) and Robert Downey Jr. (U.S. Marshalls, Chaplin). (This film brings to mind 'Borderline' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Borderline_(1930_film) http://www.amazon.com/Paul-Robeson-Portraits-Collection-Borderline/dp/BOOOKRNGOA http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film2/dvdreviews31/borderline.htm a film which Paul Robeson made back in 1930. Made in Switzerland, Borderline is a silent film {with an interracial cast} by Filmmaker-Director-Writer Kenneth MacPherson, about marital affairs, in much the same vein {although not as clearly thought out and resolved} as One Night Stand; remarkable for the fact that Robeson starred in this Art Film back in the 1930s.)
One Night Stand revolves around Wesley Snipes, and his relationships with an old friend dying from Aids (Robert Downey Jr.), a woman he meets while on a business trip to New York (Nasstassja Kinski), his wife (Ming-Na Wen) and Robert Downey Jr's brother (Kyle McLaughlan), who he later learns, is also Nasstassja Kinski's husband. As the story unravels, it keeps you glued to your seat. The locales in New York and Los Angeles are marvelous, especially the music venues; and the main theme, 'Someone Just Like You' by Nina Simone, is just gorgeous. This is quite an extraordinary and artistic nouveau monde production by Producer-Director-Writer-Composer, Mike Figgis.
Well worth seeing.

Remembering Gil Scott Heron

2011-06-01T14:26:00.000-07:00

Remembering Gil Scott Heron
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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To Everything
Turn Turn Turn
There is a Season
Turn Turn Turn
And a time to every purpose
Under Heaven...

http://www.amazon.com/Gil-Scott-Heron-Black-Plus-That/dp/B00000G3FC

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=82039

http://panafricannews.blogspot.com/2011/05/gil-scott-heron-my-brave-and-brilliant.html

http://gilscottheron.wordpress.com

When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole - DVD

2011-05-03T14:20:00.000-07:00

When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole - DVD
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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The Nat King Cole Show was a Musical Variety Program that aired on primetime television from 1956 to 1957. Hosted by Nat King Cole, and featuring a wealth of talented artists from the era, the best of the shows that could be restored, are preserved on the DVD, When I Fall In Love: The One And Only Nat King Cole (Eagle Rock Entertainment Home Video). The story of why this marvelous quality program did not survive in 1950s America, is told in detail by members of Nat's family, his brother Freddy, wife Maria, daughters Natalie, Casey and Timolin, and his producer, director and collaborator on the show, Bob Henry. The performances of the artists who were guests on this show are in their entirety, and they are just wonderful to see and hear. Among the standouts are Nat himself, singing a gorgeous rendition of the title song, 'When I Fall In Love, It Will Be Forever', with equally exquisite versions of, 'I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face', and 'Mona Lisa'. (Who can ever forget The Miles Davis Quintet's version of 'When I Fall In Love': www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcups9lo-dg or Wes Montgomery live at Tsubo coffee.house in San Francisco, with a deeply moving version of, 'I've Grown Accustomed To Her Face': www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyyuuczALoI )
Nat Cole's effortless and extraordinary talents as a pianist are also clearly showcased in, 'Just You Just Me', 'Caravan' and 'Crazy Rhythm'. Then there are more incredible performances of Nat singing and backed by The Oscar Peterson Trio (Oscar, Herb Ellis and Ray Brown), introduced by Norman Granz, (creator of Jazz At The Philharmonic), as they swing on 'Sweet Lorraine'; with Coleman Hawkins sitting in on saxophone, playing so cool and smooth. And during 'Tenderly', Nat Cole delivers a delicate and sweet reading, with the trio matching him on every nuance and shading. There's also a powerhouse 'Opus One', of Nat with The Mills Brothers, that leaves you rooting for more, a hysterical, 'Somewhere Along The Way' with Sammy Davis Jr.; Sammy and Nat imitating each others voices, and a lovely rocking duet of, 'Too Close For Comfort' with Ella Fitzgerald. At the time of his appearance on the Nat King Cole Show, Billy Preston (then a young child prodigy on keyboards) was making the film, 'St. Louis Blues' with Nat. 'St Louis Blues', was a movie about the life of American Composer W.C. Handy; with Billy portraying him as a child, and Nat as a grown man. (In the following decade of the 1960s, Billy would go on to record W.C. Handy's song, 'Morning Star', on his first album for Apple Records, 'That's The Way God Planned It'; produced by George Harrison. This version, with Billy singing and playing piano, accompanied by a full orchestra with strings, is magnificent). On the show, Billy does quite a performance of Fats Domino's then current hit, 'Blueberry Hill' with Nat King Cole; both of them sharing vocals and keyboard duty. And there is the very funny duet of Nat at the piano with singer/songwriter Johnny Mercer, doing Mercer's song,'Save The Bones For Henry Jones'. And finally, Nat Cole singing Mel Torme's 'Christmas Song'; a song which he made his own, for all time. Narration throughout is by the wonderful actor Dennis Haysbert. Talk about value for money! This is worth every cent. You'll treasure this for many years to come.

Forever Changes: Arthur Lee and the Book of Love

2011-04-28T14:22:00.000-07:00

Forever Changes: Arthur Lee and the Book of Love
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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Finally, a book about Arthur Lee and Love worth reading. Forever Changes: Arthur Lee and the Book of Love by Canadian writer John Einarson. (Published by Jawbone Press http://www.jawbonepress.com ) Although, if not careful, and walking that fine line when writing about a subject not of one's own culture or country, can place one in the 'guessers hall of fame (or infamy, depending on your motives)', John Einarson has done most of his homework; and come up with a biography that is mostly quite good. A little more care could have been exercised in following up on sources of additional and (might I say) very valuable information and perspectives on Arthur Lee. I would suggest these two websites: (1). Today Is Forever http://www.poisgoneforever.blogspot.com and (2). Doug Thomas http://www.lekiwi.com Both of these sites (especially Today Is Forever, which has an incredible and elaborate archive), are essential. That said, John Einarson's book is very well researched, and he appears to have taken the time to do an honest assessment of his subject's life, rather than relying on the Albert Goldman (or worse still, the poor man's Albert Goldman, Harry Shapiro) school of journalism; that unfortunately thrives in much music writing these days. e.g. (1). Bryan MacLean's very detailed and angry letter to Mojo magazine (published in their 'Theories, Rants, etc. - Letters To The Editor section') on page 7 of their August 1997 issue, referring to an article written about Love by a Mojo writer, published in their June 1997 issue, and including an interview with MacLean, that he said was taken out of context. Mojo Magazine being one among a few, with very colourful graphics and first rate picture selection of many rare photographs, but more often than not, with very poor sensationalist writing, and loads of misinformation. (Sounds like a faux counterculture version of a Rupert Murdoch publication for novices. e.g. (2). Mojo - A not very clever name borrowed from the late Greg Shaw's 1960s newsletter, Mojo Navigator). Once in a while in 'Mojo', if you're lucky, you might get a first rate class article by someone like Music Journalist and Photographer Valerie Wilmer.
Anyway, returning to John Einarson's book, from the author's chosen excerpts from Arthur Lee's unfinished autobiography which are added to the narrative, the resultant picture materializes as Arthur Lee's life. From his childhood in Memphis Tennessee, where he was born, to his growing up in Los Angeles, after his family moved there. There are great informative interviews with people who had known him and his family during his lifetime. Most interesting is the information about the original Love, which takes up a good half of the book. (Oddly, there is no mention of a very lengthy interview with Bobby Beausoleil http://www.beausoleil.net/mminterview.html who was a part-time member of the original Grass Roots, before Arthur Lee changed their name {due to a conflict with Lou Adler - see John Echol's three part posting, 'How The Grass Roots Became Love', at The Freedomman: http://www.thefreedomman.com/love/Johnny10.htm http://www.thefreedomman.com/love/Johnny9.htm http://www.thefreedomman.com/love/Johnny7.htm }) to Love. The creation of Forever Changes is fascinating to read, and David Angel, who sat down with Arthur Lee and created the orchestrations and arrangements with him, is quite a unique and rare individual. After awhile however, it gets a little tiring reading about how some people felt that Arthur never topped Forever Changes; as upon listening to his subsequent recordings (starting with his final album for Elektra, 'Four Sail'), it's pretty obvious that Arthur continued to create great music. (And wasen't Forever Changes a completely different album from the previous two albums, Da Capo and Love?) But that I guess is a matter of opinion. It might have helped a little more, to point out his expansive embracing of other styles of music, like Jazz, Funk, Country, Progressive Rock, and his authentic reproduction of Reggae. Where did this come from, and who was influencing him? (For more on this, check the following posting http://observer1984.blogspot.com/2007/09/have-you-ever-heard-of-arthur-lee.html ) When it comes to his RSO period, there is no mention of Arthur's detailed two part interview, which you can find at Today Is Forever http://www.poisgoneforever.blogspot.com (Part 1 - Posted Thursday April 24th, 2008, Part 2 - Posted Saturday May 10th, 2008). And Arthur Lee was not the only artist (there were some right there in merrie old England), who thought Robert Stigwood was a fool. (Check out the chapters, 'The Nemperor' and 'The End of the Road', in Beatles Press Officer Tony Barrow's book, John, Paul, George, Ringo and Me: The Real Beatles Story - Published by Thunder's Mouth Press (US) and Andre Deutsch Limited (UK), and British Promoter Don Arden's less-than-flattering interview, given to Mojo magazine in the May 1999 issue). It's interesting to read a little more about Arthur Lee's relationship with Jimi Hendrix. And one is left with the feeling that there is still more to that story. The portions where Arthur Lee is quoted, get a little confusing as to whether he is referring to their meetings in London in 1970 or their meetings in Los Angeles in 1969. The last section of the book, that covers the Forever Changes touring from 2002 to 2004, makes very good reading, (and I might add, compliments the Tour Documentary in the Special Features section of the stupendous Forever Changes Concert DVD); telling the story of how all the pieces were put together, from rehearsing the band with Arthur, to adding the orchestra and strings, and negotiating and booking the tours themselves etc... The collection of photographs are quite good, and would have been even nicer with more pictures. As I remember very clearly, the Benefit For Arthur Lee at The Beacon Theatre here in New York, before he passed away, it's obvious that this was a calibre of artist whose body of work meant something meaningful and special to a lot of people. This book reflects that thankfully, and Arthur Lee has earned himself a place as one of the greatest artists of the millennium.

Inside Job

2011-03-15T14:18:00.000-07:00

Inside Job
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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Whatever happened to a country named, The United States of America? The place where there were pastures of plenty. Where a growing Middle Class were thriving. Factories employed tens of thousands, who produced wonderful products. How is it that a miniscule corporate 1% of the population is currently hoarding all of the money, taking jobs overseas (on the cheap), not paying any taxes while doing it, and millions of Americans are out of work, losing their homes (and in many cases) living in tent cities, homeless shelters, and going hungry at night. And the term, 'Middle Class', has become a misnomer, or at best, a pipe dream. And you could be next. Meanwhile, the perpetrators of this monstrosity are riding around scot-free in limousines, instead of doing life in prison. Filmmaker Charles Ferguson's very detailed documentary, 'Inside Job', answers all of these questions, as he traces this real life crime drama, from it's beginnings in the 1980s, to the Global Economic Crisis that broke out near the end of 2008; and of which we are now still experiencing the after.effects. In Special Features, under Deleted Scenes, is an interview with Financial Derivatives Expert, Satyajit Das, that is quite an eye opener; in which he goes on to describe the unsettling and creepy thinking that is prevalent among the cognoscenti in the Insider Trading, Banking and Derivatives fields, who are each a part of the whole disturbing picture of corruption. It's not only the bandits, thieves and pirates you can see, it's the ones you 'can't see', that leave you in total disgust. 'Inside Job', is well worth seeing, more than once. You could be next.

http://www.insidejobfilm.com/

The Big Project International Newspaper Site

2011-03-12T14:15:00.000-08:00

The Big Project International Newspaper Site
Antonio G. Pereira © 2011 Antonio G. Pereira
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A highly useful educative tool, which I added while creating, 'All-Internet-Exercises', during the teaching of classes on Basic Computer and the Internet, at the Seattle Public Library's Computer Lab; The Big Project International Newspaper Site, covers every country, in every continent, in every language, on the planet. Perfect for research purposes, or to keep abreast of current events.

www.thebigproject.co.uk/news

Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll. The Ultimate Collector's Edition - 4 DVD Set

2010-12-03T14:11:00.000-08:00

Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll. The Ultimate Collector's Edition - 4 DVD Set
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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This is nothing short of a masterpiece! http://www.amazon.com/Chuck-Berry-Hail-Rock-Roll/dp/B000F0UTTW Expertly put together, well thought out, and obviously done with a real love and deep respect for the subject; Chuck Berry. How can you think of the United States, American Culture, and not think of Chuck Berry? Impossible!! Director, Writer and Producer Taylor Hackford (Ray, La Bamba, An Officer and A Gentleman), has done one hell of a job. The 4 DVD Set begins with the original theatrically released film, Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll, digitally and beautifully remastered on Disc 1, with superb sound. Disc 2 contains some wonderful rehearsal footage of Chuck Berry jamming with the musicians that would comprise the backing band at the concert; everybody playing their asses off and enjoying themselves while doing it. (One thing which is very clear throughout this set is an obvious genuine friendship between Chuck and Keith Richards.) There is also an hour long documentary, 'The Reluctant Movie Star', in which Taylor Hackford relates the circumstances under which he had to work with Chuck. That is a story in itself, and much of it raises the hair on the back of one's neck, as well as makes you chuckle. Co-producer (along with Taylor Hackford and Chuck Berry) Stephanie Bennett (Producer and Founder of Delilah Films, who made this film, as well as "Endless Harmony" The Beach Boys Story, The Doors: Live In Europe 1968, The Compleat Beatles), discusses her stormy relationship with Chuck Berry during the making of the film. Taylor does some very good, very useful, and very informative introductions before each section on each DVD, to set everything up. Disc 3 begins with, Witnesses To History #1, a frank and fascinating discussion between Chuck Berry, Little Richard and Bo Diddley, about the conditions under which Black Rock Musicians had to work in 1950s America. This is followed by, The Burnt Scrapbook; Chuck reminiscing with Robbie Robertson (formally with The Band), while going through a giant scrapbook of photographs that cover his life and career. And finally on Disc 3 is, Chuckisms; which starts with Taylor Hackford giving examples of Chuck Berry's masterful use of lyrics, especially when singing about that great American favourite, cars. This is immediately followed by Chuck (still talking to Robbie Robertson, who now has an acoustic Folk guitar) discussing his love of poetry; as he begins to recite a gorgeous and deeply moving poem (with Robbie accompanying beautifully on guitar), 'This too shall pass away' by American Newspaper Editor, Poet and Abolitionist Theodre Tilton (This poem is among a collection of beautiful poetry in the final chapter of Chuck Berry's autobiography). Chuck Berry, being the wise sage he is, foresaw that in writing his own story himself, subsequent 'biographies' about him, would automatically be compared to his autobiography; and any shortcomings, ulterior motives, juvenile immaturity, or outright predjudices being masked as 'scholarship', would immediately become apparent. http://www.amazon.com/Chuck-Berry-Autobiography/dp/0517566664 {Here is a link to the poem, which is located in a marvelous Poetry blog: http://intelligenttree.blogspot.com/2007/10/poem-by-theodre-tilton-this-too-shall.html } And finally, we have Disc 4, which begins with, Witnesses To History #2; a massive 3 and a half hour segment of individual interviews with, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley, The Everly Brothers, Willie Dixon, Roy Orbison, Sam Phillips and Ahmet Ertegun. This is the crowning jewel of the Box Set. Interviews by Taylor Hackford with a large number of the major Artists, Songwriters and Producers of Rock and Roll, from it's inception in the 1950s. This will bring back memories for those who are old enough to remember, and will be very informative and valuable for those who are just learning about the Roots of American Rock Music, and how it all began. To end the 4 Disc Set, Taylor Hackford does a final Commentary, Taylor Hackford's Final Words; where he talks about his reasons for doing this set, and the aftermath of the movie, Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll. He also talks of his love for Chuck Berry, which is obvious. This is a wonderfully packaged set with a very colourful, almost three dimensional picture of Chuck Berry with his guitar on the cover. I find it rather ironic that Writer Michael Lydon, ended up doing the liner notes to this DVD Set, as he is an example of the type of 'Journalists' that Chuck Berry talks about in detail, in Chapter Twenty, 'Heros and No-Nos', in his book, Chuck Berry: The Autobiography. Published by Harmony Books/New York. And after all these decades, Michael Lydon still doesen't get it. (Read about his 1968 'encounter' with Chuck Berry, out at Berry Park; in Lydon's collection of writings, Rock Folk: portraits from the Rock 'n' Roll pantheon. Published by Delta Books/New York.) Chuck Berry is an American Treasure, and a true reflection of American Culture and everything it represents. In the end, it will be his historical influence that will inform, and Taylor Hackford's 4 Disc Masterpiece will be a major part of that.

http://www.chuckberry.com/

Antonio G. Pereira

Focus - A film adaptation of a novel by Arthur Miller.

2010-11-08T14:13:00.000-08:00

Focus - A film adaptation of a novel by Arthur Miller.
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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Focus http://www.amazon.com/Focus-William-H-Macy/dp/B00005V1XK is a film adaptation of a very powerful and disturbing novel, that was written by the late Playwright Arthur Miller. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/11/theater/newsandfeatures/11cnd-miller.html It tells the story of a small American community, that on the surface appears 'normal', until the underlying 'reality' is slowly revealed. As urgent and relevant now, as it was then. http://www.nydailynews.com/opinions/2010/11/07/2010-11-07_how_segregation_plagues_bloombergs_new_york_black_white_and_wrong_all_over.html The film stars William H. Macy, Laura Dern, David Paymer and 'Meatloaf' Aday. It appears that Arthur Miller thought long and hard while writing this story. And it's ultimate conclusion shows true American Patriotism at it's best.

Very Highly Recommended Viewing.

For very informative and enlightening additional reading, 'Double Victory: A Multicultural History of America in World War II' by the late History Professor Ronald Takaki. http://www.hachettebookgroup.com/books_9780316831567.htm
Antonio G. Pereira

The U.S. vs. John Lennon & Instamatic Karma

2010-10-09T16:48:00.000-07:00

The U.S. vs. John Lennon & Instamatic Karma
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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The U.S. vs. John Lennon. This is quite a remarkable and stirring documentary, with historical footage and interviews of people who were there when it happened; in that turbulent time period in American history when in the nation's capitol, thuggery had replaced leadership, and deceit had replaced the truth. Ultimately justice prevailed, and as history will show at a casual glance, most of the crimminals went to jail. The botched Watergate Break-In, and subsequent investigation by two crack Washington Post Reporters, Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, combined with the sudden demise of J. Edgar Hoover (who along with his partner Clyde Tolson, had a closetful of secrets) and all hell broke loose. (See the film, 'All The President's Men' www.amazon.com/All-Presidents-Men-Dustin-Hoffman/dp/6304696493 and read the book, 'Official and Confidential: The Secret Life of J. Edgar Hoover', by British Investigative Journalist Anthony Summers www.amazon.com/Official-Confidential-Secret-Edgar-Hoover/dp/0399138005 , to put all of this into perspective.) Lennon's part in this, was that he (along with a long list of other musicians, artists and activists), was a target. {Additionally, you can cross-reference an earlier essay http://observer1984.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html }. This is quite a compelling story, wonderfully, expertly and movingly told. It is a prime example of why we should always remember that "when people do nothing about it, evil thrives". If you're old enough to remember this, or if you're just curious and want to find out what took place and why, this is the film. You'll never forget it.
http://www.theusversusjohnlennon.com/

Instamatic Karma: Photographs of John Lennon by May Pang (Published by St. Martins Press, New York). This book is a collection of photographs by May Pang (a few taken by John Lennon himself), who was an assistant to John and Yoko. The photographs date from the period when John and Yoko took a breather from each other, and concurrently, Richard Nixon's Fifedom began to slowly disintegrate underneath him. Most of these photographs have never been published before, and are beautiful to see. Especially the deeply moving photos of John spending time with his son Julian. Other photos of John with his cats Major and Minor, May Pang, Paul McCartney, Ringo, Mal Evans, Harry Nilsson and others, are really touching; and the pictures of John clowning around are very funny. You also see how busy John was during this time, recording his own material, and working with other artists (the guy loved being in the Recording Studio, and during this time period made recordings with Ringo, Mick Jagger, Harry Nilsson, Elton John and David Bowie). May Pang has done a warm, joyful, and lovely job on this book.
Recommended.
And a Very Happy Birthday To You John Lennon.

Antonio G. Pereira

Abbey Lincoln/Aminata Moseka

2010-09-02T14:06:00.000-07:00

Abbey Lincoln/Aminata Moseka
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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Abbey Lincoln/Aminata Moseka led a remarkable life. www.allaboutjazz.com/php/musician.php?id=8767 Besides being a wonderful Singer, Composer/Lyricist, and Pianist, she was also a gifted Clothes Designer and Painter. As an Actress, she made three striking films. The Girl Can't Help It (which was a groundbreaking 1950s film about the emerging Pop Culture - a favourite of The Beatles, who once took a break from recording The White Album in 1968, to watch it together on the BBC), Nothing But A Man (a gripping and gritty 1960s film about Black survival in the South - with an early Motown Film Soundtrack), and For Love Of Ivy (a marvelously touching and funny love story with title song sung by Shirley Horn {who is mentioned in an earlier posting: www.observer1984.blogspot.com/2008/06/miles-autobiography-miles-and-me.html -Check out Ms. Horn's exquisitely beautiful album, 'Here's To Life' www.amazon.com/Heres-Life-Shirley-Horn/dp/B0000046KM }). Besides this, she also acted in several television dramas. Among them, Mission Impossible. Abbey Lincoln was also a dedicated Civil Rights Activist during the changing landscape of 1960s America. Her powerful recordings with husband, Drummer Max Roach, were a deep reflection of the times. In the 1970s, she traveled to Africa as a guest of the very popular and much loved and admired South African Singer and Anti-Apartheid Activist Miriam Makeba www.panafricannews.blogspot.com/2008/11/africa-world-tributes-paid-to-miriam.html ; and received the name Aminata Moseka. The culmination of this was Ms. Lincoln's album, 'People In Me' (Nippon Phonogram/Inner City Records); a beautiful collection she recorded while on a concert tour of Japan, where she met up with Miles Davis, who was also in Japan, performing with his current ensemble. Some of his band members backed her on the album, and one of the photos on the inside record sleeve, was of Miles and Abbey together in the Recording Studio. Her composition, 'Natas (Playmate)', was just gorgeous; and has remained in the memory as a magical bright spot that is never far away. I think we were blessed to have someone with such magic, talent, intelligence and dedication, sharing the world with us. www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=63053

www.youtube.com/watch?v=uiHS8Hf7Tb4

www.youtube.com/watch?v=V29PYK_ztPU&feature=related

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw4B0FKMBwQ&feature=related

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyojoGHtmGs

Bill Dixon - An American Original

2010-07-23T16:46:00.000-07:00

Bill Dixon - An American Original
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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Bill Dixon. Painter, Composer, Arranger, Educator, Author, Pianist, Trumpeter, and one of the key Instigators and Revoloutionaries of what we now know as (Post-Bebop) New Music, passed away on June 16th. He left an incredible body of work. www.allaboutjazz.com/php/news.php?id=58430 , www.nytimes.com/2010/06/20/arts/music/20dixon.html

Many years ago, Soul Patrol Digest, a wonderful Arts and Culture Online Magazine, was gracious enough to publish an article I had written about him. Soul Patrol http://www.soul-patrol.com/ I always thought that if Bill Dixon and Frank Zappa http://home.online.no/~corneliu/mother1.htm (both exceptional musicians with brilliant minds), had had the opportunity to meet each other and talk (they were both admirers of the music of Anton Webern), they would have ended up conversing for hours.

Bill Dixon - An American Original

http://www.bill-dixon.com/

Antonio G. Pereira

The Coltrane Legacy DVD/John Coltrane Live In '60& '61 & 65 DVD

2010-06-07T16:44:00.000-07:00

The Coltrane Legacy DVD/John Coltrane Live In '60 & '61 & '65 DVD
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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There are two marvelous DVDs that have been made about John Coltrane. The Coltrane Legacy (Video Artists International) http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006LPGR?tag=dvdmaailm and John Coltrane Live In '60 & '61 & '65 (Reelin'In The Years Productions) http://www.reelinintheyears.com/
The Coltrane Legacy was produced by Burrill Crohn, the business partner of well known Filmmaker David Chertok http://www.nytimes.com/1988/07/23/obituaries/david-chertok-66-amassed-an-archive-of-rare-jazz-films.html . The Coltrane Legacy DVD (originally released on VHS) contains very rare footage of John Coltrane in performance, and interviews with associates who knew him. The interviews (interspersed with the music at intervals) with Jimmy Cobb (who performed with Coltrane in Miles Davis' band), Reggie Workman and Elvin Jones (who worked with Coltrane when he formed his own ensemble), are fascinating and very informative (and in Elvin Jones' case, very moving); concerning what kind of person John Coltrane was. It's obvious when you hear his colleagues talk about him, that John Coltrane was someone special, and gifted with something beyond the ordinary; as if guided by the hand of a Higher Power, which is why, one suspects, his music touches so deeply. The songs on The Coltrane Legacy are, 'So What', footage from a Television Special of Miles Davis recording his album, Kind Of Blue. 'Everytime We Say Goodbye', The John Coltrane Quartet recorded Live on German Television. This is John Coltrane, Reggie Workman, McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones. 'Impressions' and 'My Favorite Things', footage from the same German Television Program, with the Quartet augmented by Eric Dolphy. 'Afro Blue', 'Impressions' and 'Alabama'. The John Coltrane Quartet a few years later, now consisting of John Coltrane, Jimmy Garrison, McCoy Tyner and Elvin Jones. These recordings are from Music Journalist Ralph J. Gleason's PBS series, Jazz Casual; which was produced for PBS in San Francisco. (The entire show, by the way, can be purchased on DVD http://jazzcasual.com/onvideo.html ). The Miles Davis footage is quite stunning, and Gil Evans can be seen conducting the Orchestra, with Miles, Cannonball Adderley, Bill Evans, and other band members, along with Coltrane, taking their turns soloing. The footage from German Television of The John Coltrane Quartet is wonderful, and you can see the band flowering with Eric Dolphy. Then the footage from Jazz Casual is very exciting, as you see the Quartet in it's prime. (From the glimpses of Ralph J. Gleason, you can tell of his obvious love for the music.) This particular footage is of note, because you see the Quartet performing Coltrane's (at that time) brand new composition, 'Alabama'. (In an interview segment, Elvin Jones explains how the song came about.) Just before thundering into a crescendo on drums, there is a profile of Elvin Jones' face, as he listens to Coltrane's heartbreaking notes of anguish; on the deaths of four little Black Children, killed when their church was bombed by Racists. (Many years later, you can hear Jimi Hendrix play the same kind of anguished notes {this time incorporating rage} in his interpretation of The Star Spangled Banner, at the Woodstock Festival; expressing in music, what America had become. A Battlefield. {See the book, Woodstock Dream by Elliot Landy. Published by teNeues Publishing Group teNeues Verlag GmbH + Co. Kampen, Germany http://www.teneues.com/ .Woodstock Vision by Elliot Landy. Elliot Landy http://www.landyvision.com/ }) The Coltrane Legacy is quite a powerful DVD, and the version of 'Afro Blue', performed on Jazz Casual, is nothing short of Majestic.
John Coltrane Live In '60 & '61 & '65, is the other DVD collection. From the first gorgeous piano introduction by Wynton Kelly of, 'On Green Dolphin Street', where he is joined by Paul Chambers, Jimmy Cobb, and then John Coltrane, the DVD sails off to a great start. These recordings are from German Television, and Coltrane is backed by Miles Davis' band, whom he was touring with for the last time. Delightfully bluesy and swinging, it's a wonderful performance of the song. Next is a take on 'Walkin' (A recording originally done on the album, Walkin'/The Miles Davis All Stars - Prestige Records. Check the Summer 1985 Japan Swing Journal Miles Davis Special Issue titled: Oh Miles; for the most detailed Record and CD Discography on earth, and with very rare photographs of Miles Davis and members of his bands from the'40s through the'80s, and full colour photographs of Miles relaxing at his home in Malibu and sketching colour artwork.), and the band really starts to cook, and follows it up with a Miles Davis composition, The 52nd Street Theme; named for the string of Jazz Clubs that used to occupy that New York Block, during the 1940s and '50s. And you begin to see the musician's delight in trading solos. A beautiful version of 'Autumn Leaves' is next, and the band is then joined by Stan Getz, for 'Moonlight In Vermont'. (These performances are gorgeous to look at, as well as hear. The cameramen on German Television took great care in filming these performances.) Stan Getz does a delicate and beautiful solo during 'Moonlight'. It's quite fascinating to watch the quick facial exchange between John Coltrane and Stan Getz, as the band completes 'Moonlight In Vermont', and Oscar Peterson replaces Wynton Kelly on the piano stool, and John and Stan both hear Oscar begin to play the first notes of Thelonious Monk's quirky and delightful tune, 'Hackensack'; (written with reference to Rudy Van Gelder's Recording Studio). Here are John Coltrane and Stan Getz, loving every moment of this. Both contemporaries at a crossroads. Shortly after this tour of Europe, Stan Getz went off in a direction of collaborating on Bossa Nova with Brazilian Innovators of the music; including Antonio Carlos Jobim, Luis Bonfa, and especially Joao and Astrud Gilberto. John Coltrane would take his music into a highly Spiritual direction, incorporating Black American Spirituals, African and East Indian music. It was an incredibly productive time for what was termed as 'Jazz' music; which moved to a completely different level, as the stage was set for a new and gloriously fruitful and fateful direction, of what eventually would become known as 'New Music', that would last for many years to come, and interestingly, from which Miles Davis would emerge in the 1970s as a major innovator, once again. (There were those who would disparage Coltrane for moving music in an "ethnic" direction, and would look on as the events of the 1960s would prove differently, as America changed forever; and those who didn't want anything to change musically, socially, culturally, and politically, found themselves smoked out into the open. Coltrane's new composition, 'Alabama', performed on Ralph J. Gleason's, Jazz Casual PBS program, being a prime example of the artist expressing what was wrong and desperately needed to be corrected, and in turn, a harbinger of drastic changes that would come.) 'Everytime We Say Goodbye', 'Impressions', and 'My Favorite Things', which follow, are the same performances of the John Coltrane Quartet with Eric Dolphy, from The Coltrane Legacy DVD; but done with Digital Mastering, so the picture and sound are much clearer. The interviews with Coltrane's band members however, make The Coltrane Legacy DVD as much a treasure as the Coltrane Live in '60 & '61 & '65 DVD. Finally, the performances which end the Coltrane Live DVD are from a 1965 concert in Belgium. We catch John Coltrane playing 'Vigil' (from his album Kulu Se Mama) and soloing in full flight with a frenzy. (Elvin Jones in the moment, delighting in rapturous drumming.) Followed by an exquisitely gorgeous version of 'Naima'. (Coltrane bending notes with a vengence.) And a beautiful version of 'My Favorite Things'. (McCoy Tyner conjuring Middle Eastern chording from his piano during his solo.) Though some of this footage has deteriorated with time and even with Digital Mastering, could only be restored but so much, it is nevertheless exciting to see. The performances leave you breathless, and are the kind Coltrane was noted for, by those who loved his music. It's wonderful that these performances survived. The booklet included with the DVD is full of beautiful photographs. The Forward by Michael Cuscuna (who you might remember from the original Albert Ayler Quartet recordings on Arista-Freedom, The Albert Ayler Septet Village Theatre and Village Vanguard Live Recordings on Impulse Records, and the Limited Edition Releases on Mosaic Records), is informative. The text by Ashley Kahn is passable from a business point of viewing the music therein, but lacking in understanding what took place in this music, and most importantly, 'why'. The final notes by the team at Reelin' In The Years, are quite good, and their dedication to what they are doing, shows.
There are several books about John Coltrane, which make wonderfully informative reading. Chief among them is, Chasin' The Trane by J.C. Thomas. Published by Da Capo Press N.Y. Here you find Coltrane's life in detail, told with the author's masterful and exciting prose; with interviews with just about every major artist, close friend, and relative who knew him. This is a book you can't afford to be without when learning about John Coltrane. Other books of interest are, Coltrane: A biography by Cuthbert Ormond Simpkins, M.D. Published by Herndon House Publishers (Distributed by Lawrence Hill & Company, Westport Conneticut) Dr. Simpkins has written an incredible biography, full of marvelous information, and a treasure of photographs; tracing the life of John Coltrane. John Coltrane by Bill Cole. Published by Schirmer Books (A Division of Macmillan Publishing Co.) The most detailed book with it's emphasis on Coltrane's music and it's creation. As Serious As Your Life: The Story of the New Jazz by Valerie Wilmer. Published by Lawrence Hill & Company, Westport Conneticut. British Music Journalist and Photographer Valerie Wilmer's book covers the developments in Jazz with emphasis on John Coltrane, Albert Ayler, Sun Ra, Earl Cross, Bill Dixon and many others. A wonderful book with a wealth of information, and excellent photographs. The chapter on John Coltrane, alone is worth the price of the book. And finally, Black Nationalism and the Revolution in Music by Frank Kofsky. Published by Pathfinder Press N.Y. There is an extensive section of the book, devoted to John Coltrane, the members of the Quartet, and finishing with a fascinating interview by the author, with John Coltrane himself. Frank Kofsky speaks of Coltrane in a deeply moving retrospective light.

You can find additional coverage and Live footage of John Coltrane, at his website: http://www.johncoltrane.com/

John Coltrane discovered something within music that makes him stand out in much the same way that Jimi Hendrix would later distinguish himself. He was able to tap into not only the spiritual, but combine it with the emotional; and translate it into a universal language that others could understand and feel, which is not an easy thing to do. One has to be a remarkably special human being, to be able to do this. (See the parts of Alice Coltrane's interview with Jazz and Pop magazine from Sept. 1968, cited in Chapter 14 of Dr. C.O. Simpkins' biography, Coltrane, where she discussed John Coltrane's composing techniques.)

We are truly blessed to have this music in our lives.

I shall remember the beauty of John Coltrane's recording of 'Central Park West', and it's effect on me the first time I heard it, for the rest of my life.

Antonio G. Pereira

Jim Marshall

2010-05-07T16:43:00.000-07:00

JIM MARSHALL
Antonio G. Pereira © 2010 Antonio G. Pereira
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Recently, Jim Marshall passed away suddenly. He was an extraordinarily gifted Photographer. And there was something about him, as a person, that signaled to his photographic subjects, that 'this photographer', was going to put down for posterity, 'correctly', what needed to be documented.
Whether they were Musicians, Civil Rights Workers, struggling Farmers, or people who were neglected and desperately poor, Jim Marshall photographed it for history, and apparently realized very clearly, how much all of this meant.
Just look at the selection on his website: http://www.marshallphoto.com/collection or go to the Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/ and type http://www.marshallphoto.com/ into the Wayback Machine, and click Take Me Back; to see earlier collections {eg: Jimi Hendrix graciously accepting a flower from a young admirer in Golden Gate Park in 1967, with Mitch Mitchell in the background, understanding what a special moment it was, Hendrix filming a delighted Janis Joplin, and members of Big Brother and The Fugs backstage in Winterland in the Spring of 1968, and Hendrix backstage at Winterland in Oct. of '68 in San Francisco, talking with Black Students, jamming with Taj Mahal, and interacting with Mitch Mitchell, Buddy Miles and Noel Redding.} 'This Photographer', was an unusual human being, touched by something deeply moving and human. He will be greatly missed.

http://www.marshallphoto.com/

Antonio G. Pereira

Stax Volt Revue Live In Norway April 7th, 1967

2009-11-30T00:44:00.000-08:00

Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway April 7th, 1967
Antonio G. Pereira © 2009 Antonio G. Pereira
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What do you say about something that is such pure magic, that when you see it, you are left just totally enraptured by all of it?

Such is the Stax/Volt Revue Live In Norway April 7th, 1967. This concert was filmed during Stax' legendary and groundbreaking tour of Europe in the Spring of 1967. The best of what everything the Real America represented at that time, was projected on that stage. During a period when Dr. Martin Luther King, Fannie Lou Hamer, Rev. Ralph Abernathy and countless Civil Rights Workers, and just plain Americans who all believed in an America whose culture was all inclusive and embracing, had already been instrumental in the passing of the Voting and Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1965; that broke the back of the old racist policies of the old south, and began to build a New South. Stax Records, and in particular THIS TOUR, was what emerged from that. And the world was watching. Many more battles for Civil Rights were still being fought during the time of this Stax concert tour of Europe in 1967 (this time in the Northern U.S. cities, and again, The World Was Watching). So this concert in a foriegn land represented more than just mere musicians on a stage doing a nameless one nighter. This was History taking place, right before your eyes. It is obvious from the sheer joy expressed by the audience, and the love for what they are hearing and seeing; from the learning of the rhythms and call and responses, to the infectious music of Booker T. and The M.G.s, the precise rhythm steps of The MarKeys, the vocalists singing their hearts out, who one right after the other, Arthur Conley (a protege of Otis Redding), Eddie Floyd, Sam and Dave, and finally Otis Redding himself, leave the Norweigian audience with a memory that they will never forget for the rest of their lives. And now with the release of this carefully and lovingly put together film document, everyone who wants to, can experience the same magic that the audience did at that concert in Norway, long ago in 1967. Reelin' In The Years Productions ( http://www.reelinintheyears.com/ ), who are also responsible for a continuing string of releases of wonderful Jazz Concerts from the same era, Wes Montgomery {reviewed in an earlier posting on this blog}, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, John Coltrane}, have done a fabulous and masterful job on this one. In the Extra Features on the DVD are reminicences of the tour by Jim Stewart (Co-founder of Stax Records), Sam Moore (Sam and Dave), Steve Cropper (Booker T. and The M.G.s) and Wayne Jackson ( The MarKeys). The 24 page Booklet included with the DVD, has a wonderful collection of photographs and additional reminicences by the performers, and comments by the Producers of the DVD. The writer Rob Bowman, whose essay, 'The Stax/Volt Revue: Oslo 1967', though adequate at retelling the historical facts of Stax Records, on a business level, tends toward the current trend of self important long winded Journalists who analize and pick apart something without acknowledging the fact that if it wasn't shown to them in the first place, they wouldn't have a clue. (For a prime example of some first class journalism on Stax Records, see British Journalist Valerie Wilmer's profile of drummer Al Jackson, in the October 1977 issue of Black Music, page 32; 'He didn't do anything, you see. He just played.') But the overall significance and presentation of the Norway Concert, is what matters. And people the world over, will be enjoying this for many years to come.

Thank You Reelin' In The Years Productions!

Antonio Pereira

John Lennon: The Life

2009-10-09T00:44:00.000-07:00

John Lennon: The Life
Antonio G. Pereira © 2009 Antonio G. Pereira
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John Lennon: The Life, by Philip Norman, is quite a remarkable biography. Published by Ecco Books (an Imprint of HarperCollins Publishing), it is a massive work; 851 pages in length in it's entirety. There are two things that deserve mentioning: (1). I am not convinced by the picture, (of questionable sincerity) painted of Lennon's father Freddie Lennon, and (2). The author's (which I can only term as) happily ignorant additional portrayal, of John's paternal grandfather (also named John Lennon), who after arriving in America in the late 19th Century as an immigrant, and becoming a Blackfaced Minstrel, as something worthy of mention in the story of someone whose life was as meaningful as John Lennon's (and to whom, for some strange reason, the author continually makes comparisons); I find a little questionable also, in this, the 21st Century. This exercise ends up being a pointless distraction in the biography. That said, this is the type of book that is so well written, you just can't put it down. Philip Norman has really outdone himself, and surpassed his previous book on the Beatles, 'Shout! The Beatles In Their Generation'. (Although, if you want to read the best first hand account of what the Beatles were like as a group and individually, that would be Press Officer Tony Barrow's book, 'John, Paul, George, Ringo & Me: The Real Beatles Story'. Published by Thunder's Mouth Press {U.S. - an Imprint of Avalon Publishing Group, Inc.}, Andre Deutsch Limited {U.K. - an Imprint of Carlton Publishing Group.}) Here, you find John Lennon's life in greater detail than ever before. The only other book I can think of, which covered John's life in such detail, was the late British Journalist Ray Coleman's epic two volume work, 'Lennon: The Definitive Biography' (mentioned in my previous posting: http://observer1984.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

What you do get with John Lennon: The Life, is an expanded view of his relationships with his Mother Julia, and Father Alf (Freddie), Aunt Mimi and Uncle George (who became his Surrogate Parents), his Half-Sisters Julia and Jacqueline, Cousins (among them his favourite, Leila), assorted Aunts and Uncles, Liverpool College of Art Teacher, Arthur Ballard (who recognized and nurtured his talent as an Artist), friendships with Stuart Sutcliffe (and later, Actors Peter Cook, Victor Spinetti, Actress Eleanor Bron, and Journalist Maureen Cleave), his Wives, Cynthia Powell and Yoko Ono (and their Children, Julian and Sean), his Mother-In-Law Lilian Powell (for the first time you see the whole picture very clearly), Stuart Sutcliffe's Wife, Astrid Kirchherr, Brian Epstein (very clear picture here too), Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (fascinating to read, within it's layers of simple yet complex enlightenment, and ultimate disappointment), Dr. Arthur Janov (under whom John took Primal Therapy, which resulted with one of his best solo albums 'Plastic Ono Band, full of powerfully raw rock songs, and gorgeous love songs; as well as the 'Lennon Remembers' Rolling Stone Interviews, one of the longest and most detailed interviews he ever gave.), the other Beatles, various Musicians and Artists, Girlfriends (some known and some previously clandestine), and Business Associates.

I don't think it will get much better than Philip Norman's biography. You see Lennon as a complete three-dimensional human being. Covered from every angle, from birth to death. Good and bad. And done with great knowledge and respect.

It is well worth reading (especially on this, his birthday), and being reminded, why John Lennon, remains so important and unforgetable in people's lives, the world over.

Highly recommended reading.

Peace,

Antonio

THE PIPES OF PAN

2009-07-29T00:42:00.000-07:00

The Pipes Of Pan
Antonio G. Pereira © 2009 Antonio G. Pereira
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Some of you may remember an album that quietly came out on Rolling Stones Records in 1971 named, Brian Jones Presents The Pipes Of Pan at Joujouka. Rolling Stones Records - COC 49100. One can consider that had he lived longer, Brian Jones might have done for North African Folk Music, what George Harrison did for East Indian Folk Music; and what Taj Mahal has been doing for many decades for the diverse forms of Folk Music in North America, the Caribbean and West Africa.

In 1972, a second album was released on Adelphi Records named, The Master Musicians Of Jajouka. Adelphi Records - AD 3000. Included with the album, was an insert with liner notes by Music Journalist Robert Palmer, and Artist/Painter Brion Gysin.

This posting is for the Musicians of Joujouka.

Last year, on July 29th of 2008, The Musicians of Joujouka performed a concert in commemoration and remembrance of a young Welshman named Brian Jones, who loved music, and walked into their small village 40 years before; and because of whom, 40 years later, was instrumental in pasting The Master Musicians of Joujouka into the memories and hearts of music lovers and admirers around the world.

May their talent continue to bring us all wonderful inspiration and pleasure for many more years to come.

Antonio

The Musicians have several wonderful, fascinating and informative sites on the Internet, which are listed below; and a real enjoyment to explore.

http://www.myspace.com/mastermusiciansofjoujouka

http://brianjonesjoujoukafestival.blogspot.com/

http://www.joujouka.net/

Finally, I would be remiss if I forgot to mention these other fantastic albums on Lyrichord Records, which also feature Moroccan Folk Music.

Music of Morocco: The Pan-Islamic Tradition - Lyrichord Stereo LLST 7240

The Rwais: Moroccan Berber Musicians From The High Atlas - Lyrichord Stereo - LLST 7316

Moroccan Sufi Music: Islamic Mystical Brotherhood - Lyrichord Stereo - LLST 7238

Moroccan Folk Music - Lyrichord Stereo LLST 7729

Enjoy Them All.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARTHUR LEE

2009-03-07T00:41:00.000-08:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ARTHUR LEE
Antonio G. Pereira © 2009 Antonio G. Pereira
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Today is Arthur Lee's birthday. The frontman of the influential 1960s Los Angeles band Love. Quite a colourful and talented musician, he was constantly changing (much like Miles Davis), and never ceased to amaze with the ideas he came up with. If you don't know anything about him, you may really enjoy the article below, by clicking on the link, which was my very first posting after creating this blog.

http://observer1984.blogspot.com/2007/09/have-you-ever-heard-of-arthur-lee.html

Additionally, you can also explore what is, in my estimation, the best site on the Internet, devoted to Arthur Lee:

TODAY IS FOREVER

http://poisgoneforever.blogspot.com/

And finally, a wonderful page on MySpace for John Echols, who was the lead guitarist, vocalist and composer in the original Love.

http://www.myspace.com/johnnyechols

Victor Spinetti: A Very Private Diary

2009-01-10T00:40:00.000-08:00

Victor Spinetti: A Very Private Diary
The New York Public Library For The Performing Arts
At The Bruno Walter Auditorium
Saturday, Jan. 10th, 2009
Antonio G. Pereira © 2009 Antonio G. Pereira
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He remembers
What it was like
To be at the center
Of an exploding creative
Revolution
At a time
When Compassion
And Humanity
Were expressions of Reality
And not Slogans
For the next Publicity Campaign

This son of Wales
With the ever flickering
Glint of fire
In his eyes
Whose soul burns brightly
With memories
As he tells his tales
Each precious story
To the audience
And we are grateful
For his gift
As time stands still
For a moment
In wonderous smiles of admiration and adoration

Eight Days A Week: Inside The Beatles' Final World Tour

2009-01-02T00:38:00.000-08:00

Eight Days A Week: Inside The Beatles' Final World Tour
Antonio G. Pereira © 2009 Antonio G. Pereira
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Eight Days A Week: Inside The Beatles' Final World Tour, by photographer Bob Whitaker with Marcus Hearn (Published by Metro Books) , is a photographic record of the Beatles 1966 World Tour; that took them through concerts in Germany, Japan and the Philippines.

Bob Whitaker, an Austrailian photographer, was hired by Beatles' manager Brian Epstein, to be their official photographer, during their 1964 concert tour of Austrailia.

The collection of photographs here, are quite stunning to look at, as they capture the Beatles traveling en route, in hotel, backstage and during performance. (Note that Bob Whitaker's previous book, The Unseen Beatles {Published in 1991 by Collins Publications - A division of Harper-Collins}, contained another collection of Beatles photographs, including a few from this one. And in 1986, JAM Publishing in Japan, released a beautiful collection titled, The Beatles In Tokyo, of all of the photographs of the Beatles' stay in Japan in 1966, taken by Bob Whitaker; that included photos of their arrival, hotel stay {including a gorgeous fold-out reproduction of the painting that all four Beatles collaborated on together} and in concert.)

The book, which begins with their concert tour in Germany of Munich, Essen and Hamburg, goes on to their stopover in Anchorage, Alaska (due to a Typhoon warning), before going to Japan and the concerts there, another stopover in Hong Kong ( where the Beatles had previously played in 1964, with Jimmy Nichol on drums substituting for an ailing Ringo) to change planes, and finally the Philippines; which ended the tour with the two largest concerts they ever performed, and a very disturbing turn of events with the Marcos Government.

Eight Days A Week is quite a collection. Colour and black and white photographs, in a sizeable book, beautifully bound in Singapore. The photographs, very easy to look at, and the accompanying text, very easy to read. Well done and highly recommended!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN

2008-10-09T12:40:00.000-07:00

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOHN
Antonio G. Pereira © 2008 Antonio G. Pereira
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I'm just remembering John Lennon on his Birthday (which is my reason for posting this). And I hope you are too. Y'know, it's funny how somebody who didn't think he was all that special, ended up being so special and meaning so much to so many people; all over this planet.

You may wish to check out this essay:

A Meditation On Hendrix, Lennon and The Counterculture

http://observer1984.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.html

Peace,

Antonio

Wes Montgomery: Live In '65 DVD. Complete Live In Paris 1965 CD Set.

2008-10-03T12:55:00.000-07:00

Wes Montgomery: Live In '65 DVD. Complete Live In Paris 1965 CD Set.
Antonio G. Pereira © 2008 Antonio G. Pereira
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The DVD, Wes Montgomery: Live In '65, released by Jazz Icons (Reelin' in the Years Productions), is a marvelous collection of archival footage of Wes Montgomery's television appearances in Europe; during his 1965 tour. You see him speaking and directing the other musicians, and playing wonderfully. The liner notes, by guitarist Pat Metheny, are pretty above average, informed, delightful to read, and not full of the know' it' all (which is actually I ' know ' nothing at all) school of thought, that usually inundates liner notes these days. You can actually feel Pat Metheny's awe and admiration for Wes Montgomery, and what he accomplished in his lifetime; all through the liner notes in the booklet accompanying the DVD. There are also additional notes by Wes Montgomery's wife Serene (for whom he composed that gorgeously touching instrumental, Serene, on his last album for A&M, Road Song), his grandson, actor Anthony Montgomery, and the wonderful guitarist and composer Carlos Santana. The DVD consists of Wes Montgomery's television appearances in Holland, Belgium and England. You see and hear Wes playing masterfully on extended Jazz compostions, that are covers, and his own originals, from his albums. And the delight of the musicians is very evident. This whole set is beautifully presented, and worth every cent.

An additional note: Wes made an appearance on The Joe Franklin Show (or was it Irv Kupcinet?) on WOR Channel 9, in New York, sometime during the mid-sixties. I wonder where THAT footage is? And why none of the 'Jazz Historians' or 'Jazz Experts', have mentioned it?

The Complete Live In Paris 1965 CD Set, Definitive Records (Spain) http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=5865033 , was originally released as 2 volumes on LP, back in 1981; but only in Europe. That is also the case here. So until some enterprising American Record Conglomerate (we rarely use the term 'Record Company' anymore), decides to release it here, this 2 CD Set can only be obtained (with some difficulty), as an import. The liner notes are passable, but not particularly informed. The recordings however, are pristine, and stunning in clarity. This is Wes Montgomery Live In Concert, recorded during his 1965 European Tour (the only time he ventured outside of the United States to perform). He is backed by Harold Mabern on Piano, Arthur Harper on Bass, and Jimmy Lovelace on Drums; who were his (at the time), usual backing band, and also backed him on the Belgium recordings on the DVD. This is a tight ensemble, and the improvisation is effortless, with endless virtuosity. They are joined on the last three numbers by the exceptional Saxophonist, Johnny Griffin (who also played with Wes on the Live At Tsubo Coffee House in San Francisco recording, for Riverside Records), who happened to be in Paris at the same time. (Griffin, by the way, gave a very enlightening interview many years ago. You can read it here: http://www.melmartin.com/html_pages/Interviews/griffin.html) He and Wes revisit some of the songs from the Live At Tsubo San Francisco recordings, plus Thelonious Monk's, 'Round About Midnight, and really do them justice. This is a wonderful Live In Concert recording. Highly Recommended!

Now a word about the subject of Liner Notes. As of late, I continually see the same 'generalities' repeated over and over again. (i.e. Wes' critics and fans didn't like his Verve period, and thought he 'sold out'.) Well, aside from the obvious drones copying each other (God knows where this trail would lead to, as to where this misinformation originated from), who repeatedly single out only Smokin' At The Half Note, and occasionally his work with Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery made some extraordinary studio recordings at Verve. For example, his recording of 'Chim Chim Cheree', from the movie Mary Poppins, where he really stretched out on some of the best Jazz Guitar soloing of his career; playing chorus after chorus. (Arranged by the exceptionally talented Oliver Nelson, who worked with Wes quite often, and whose arrangement of Goin' Out Of My Head, {the title song of the album} earned Wes a Grammy. Oliver Nelson, by the way, also composed some of the music score for the television show, Ironside; along with Quincy Jones. {To get a real taste of Mr. Nelson's boundless talent, check out the CD, Oliver Nelson's Big Band. Live From Los Angeles. On Impulse Records.}) Another example is Montgomery's beautifully melancholy, almost 6 minute reading of Joe Zawinul's, Midnight Mood, on the album Tequila. There are just so many other examples that could be cited, and they are as plain to see as the nose on one's face. There is simply no excuse for such poor, lazy researching and cursory acknowledgement of someone so important in the history of American Music, in this country.

For Maria

2008-08-05T12:53:00.000-07:00

For Maria
Antonio G. Pereira © 2008 Antonio G. Pereira
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Felt I wanted to come say hello to you

Tonight with magic's swirling moonlight smile

Touching you in soft embrace

Words like Rainfall,

music at it's heart

Hoping you are somewhere

Surrounded

By beautiful fragrant flowers

Camera snapping every wonder of God's Creation

Loving the sound of birds

Singing softly in the background

On a Glorious, Glorious Day

Miles: The Autobiography & Miles and Me

2008-06-30T15:00:00.000-07:00

Miles: The Autobiography & Miles and Me
The Remarkable Dual Journey of Miles Davis and Quincy Troupe
Antonio G. Pereira © 2008 Antonio G. Pereira
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Miles: The Autobiography by Miles Davis with Quincy Troupe (Published by Simon and Schuster), and Quincy Troupe's follow-up, Miles and Me (Published by University of California Press), are two great pieces of American Literature. In his autobiography, Miles Davis put down his life for posterity. And his choosing of Author, Editor, Journalist and Poet, Quincy Troupe to assist him in this, assured that the story was told correctly. His accurate (and often times brutal) honesty, spared no one; including himself. The Music Critics, portrayed by him (with a few notable exceptions, Leonard Feather, Nat Hentoff and Ralph J. Gleason), as a bunch of know-nothing freeloaders, reluctantly learning as they were led along with each innovation Post-Dixieland (and able to rewrite history later on, in their all-access to publishing {Albert Goldman comes to mind}), are given their just desserts and more. Miles says just about everything many were thinking, but didn't say; and Quincy Troupe took it all down, in detail. Miles deep friendship and admiration for Arranger and Musician Gil Evans, and among others, everyone from Billy Eckstine and Sarah Vaughan to Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Count Basie, Bill Evans, John Coltrane to Jimi Hendrix, James Brown, Sly Stone and Prince, make great reading (I wish he had said more about his mentoring and helping the marvelously talented Singer and Pianist, Shirley Horn.); and Davis has many stories to tell. Strangely, Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis, though a very talented musician, begins to come off as someone out of his depth, and a bit of a bumpkin. Mr. Troupe's own book (which is the follow up to the autobiography), Miles and Me, is one hell of a magnum opus. A clear window into the heart of what it was like to work with Miles Davis. He did not publish it until many, many years after Davis' passing. It's obvious that Mr. Troupe went through quite a catharsis to write this book, and one has the feeling that he felt much better when it was done. Miles is pictured as a very complex, difficult-to-know, human being. And Mr. Troupe's relationship with him was not always an easy one. (Their association began when Troupe did a remarkable two-part interview with Miles Davis for Spin Magazine, in the Nov. and Dec. 1985 issues.) But this book is a wonderful work. Easily a piece of American History that will be read and studied (and probably argued over), long after we have all met our maker (and probably Miles too!). I think to best enjoy this book, put on one of Miles records, and play it softly in the background while you are reading.

Additionally, you can find a wonderful, full colour photograph, of John Lennon and Yoko Ono with Miles Davis at: http://www.johnlennon.it/ (Just click on John Lennon Pictures, on the left hand side, after entering the site and choosing your language.)

A final note. Quincy Troupe gave quite an interesting and enlightening interview to The American Poetry Review. You can read it here: http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-130276925.html

And lastly. In his final group, Miles Davis had an exceptional Bassist/Guitarist named Foley McCreary, who was right out of the tradition of Jimi Hendrix and Pete Cosey. Foley McCreary's very fascinating website is: http://www.smartalecmusic.com/

Antonio Pereira

Dictionary Be Bop Blues or Sunday In The Quicksand With George

2008-06-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

Dictionary Be Bop Blues
or
Sunday In The Quicksand With George
Antonio G. Pereira © 1988, 2001, 2008 Antonio G. Pereira
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Famous?

The Fickle Public's Farblungent Photographic Imagination's

Idea of me is a Fool's Fantasy

Fictitiously Figuring that I am far out while

Funky Times are upon us is similar to setting

A Phaser on stun and pointing it at hoping you

Don't look two faced but you are my fellow americans

Fellow Americans?

Fleecing Me of every phenomenon I fantasized

And philandering me with a phlebitic philistine

Philosophy that even Tom, Dick and Harry couldn't

Be fooled with by the next fast talking, phony

Phi Betta Kappa philadelphia lawyer politician

Proselytizing phantasmagorical delusions of

Grandeur Act II.

Modus Operandi being a no count no good fictitious

Face-Saving, flagwaving, filthy apple pie overdone to

Perfection convincingly silver tounged 2 dollar throughbred

Corporately creaming over a nation of nitwits

Spread evenly, and thinking they're awake in ecstasy

When in reality they're really fast asleep, Oh Say

Can you see aren't we the beautiful people bossa nova.

Usually waking up when it's too late on time, I smell your

Breath, I smell your armpits, your family smells around

the dinner table, patriot preaching ferret to ferret of

Far off lands across the city, across the world

Away from you, far, far away

As far away from you as they can get

Far, far away

As far as the eye can see

Far, far away, away

Far, far away, away

Far, far away, away

Far Far Away

A Meditation On Hendrix, Lennon and The Counterculture

2007-10-09T03:40:00.000-07:00

A Meditation On Hendrix, Lennon, and The Counterculture by Antonio G. Pereira
Antonio G. Pereira © 1997, 2007 Antonio G. Pereira
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Recently, upon reflection and thinking about the 1980’s and 1990’s, having already come through the 1960’s and 1970’s; I have found myself putting two and two together and discovered that they have not added up to four. What’s more, I found that something in the mathematical process itself just wasn’t functioning properly. To put it bluntly, something just didn’t smell right. In fact something smelled rotten; and its name was ‘Journalism’, or what passes for Journalism these days. And two and two now seems to add up to zero. In an age where ‘marketing idea equals, “What’s the best spin I can put on this story to get me to the bank the fastest”.’ there are some things, in my opinion, that now need to be said.
The era of the 1960’s Counterculture, which was a major period of not only upheaval, but ‘correction’ on this planet (including the continuation of the battle for Civil Rights {and Human Rights for that matter}, the rise of a new pride in being Black, and the flood that became a tidal wave of protest against the war in Vietnam); left much unfinished work that still needs to be done. Some important work was done however. And that, (among the other related and more obvious things I have just mentioned) was throwing a spotlight on ‘hypocrisy’; in all its forms.
Hypocrisy unfortunately, is still with us; and thriving in a new form. A blatant case in point, is that which under the heading of ‘Rock Magazine Functioning As Psychology Today’, numerous unctuous publications, many of them based in England (besides a few in America) are regurgitating information in a different form; from old magazines and newspapers like ‘ Mojo Navigator, Rock, Circus, Blues Unlimited’, and ‘Black Music’.
The late Music Journalist, Ray Coleman (former editor-in-chief of both ‘Melody Maker’ and ‘Black Music’) made the best description of the new type of writers that populate current media, in his introduction to the 1995 revised and updated edition of his epic and groundbreaking biography of John Lennon: Lennon The Definitive Biography, on pages 1 to 10; where he described the reception given to the Beatles BBC Recordings, and the songs ‘Free As A Bird’ and ‘Real Love’, by Journalists short on research but long on criticism.
From my observations, one can’t help but begin to question why more and more the Counterculture of the 1960’s is viewed the same way, through one prism, by a plethora of eye catching print publications, that all resemble each other, are basically formatted the same glossy way, and are populated by practically the same interchangeable type of networking writers; that deal in Journalism which is productive of empty sensationalist negativity. What is also interesting, is that this Yuppie New Age Matrix hack, is only capable of viewing their subject matter, through a veritable inquisition; based from the standpoint of an ultraconservative establishment oriented mindset, with an, in all likelihood, previously upset comfort level or perhaps is just a frightened rabbit with a drone’s mantra: “I don’t want to make any waves or upset anything”.
Which is to say, that a story on the 1969 Woodstock Festival, for example, ends up being about location, the town council not wanting these antiestablishment hippies with their free thinking anti-normal order of things, anti-Vietnam war ideas, to come into town; and if the same thing were to be done today, what would the logistics and statistics be, concerning how much money could be made off of them. And how could Wall Street figure into this, as there could be corporations set up and future investments accrued from film, video, c.d.’s, clothing etc…
As most of what this type of mentality represents, is opposed to just about everything the music of the period covered was about, (not forgetting what was taking place at the time, which of course the music was a reflection of?) it is no small wonder that the stated so-called ‘analysis’ of the period is open to question.
How do you represent what you are not capable of understanding? (In much the same way that a hack writer for a newly incorporated Cable T.V. magazine tells you that a movie is “alright for taping” with your VCR. ‘Alright for taping’ from a cable station where you have to pay to see an old movie that many years before there was the concept of a ‘cable station’, was regularly screened on your local television station for nothing.) After the discographies are all written up, and the glossy photographs have all been used; what do you do then? After you have already depicted the artists who created this great body of music that you benefit from, (a ‘treasure’ if there ever was one) as psychological cripples, attempted to define the process of exposing hypocrisy as misguided, and “something current music fans have no interest in” (perhaps someone’s hypocrisy is being exposed?) and set yourself up (under the guise of not being ‘patronizing’, but being ‘objective’) as a wise pontiff above criticism; with the appearance of being so all knowing and knowledgeable (thanks to your many slick networking colleagues, who like yourself, are not capable of putting together a simple article by themselves) and above all (unlike the subjects whom you write about with such smug contempt) present yourself as ‘normal’. What do you do then? Maybe the future holds entire concerts performed by artists playing technically brilliant and precise regurgitated Rock/Blues music, with all lyrics to the songs pertaining to the products the sponsors of these concerts (and other corporate subsidiary or separate corporate manufacturers who pay a fee) are selling. And the musicians all do what they are told, by men in well tailored suits (no longer making any attempts to be ‘hip’ like the musicians on stage, or for that matter even trying to conceal their presence) who are standing offstage, nodding their heads and smiling. Can’t you feel the ‘normality’ of it already? And you have a new type of Journalist to pave the way.
This manner of thing has been done before, albeit on a less sophisticated level. Witness Memphis Tennessee, August of 1966. A certain Right Reverend Jimmy Stroad (a local Televangelist) wants to deter his flock (read: the young folk) from going to the Beatles concert at Memphis Coliseum. So he puts together a band that plays loud Rock music, but sings with Fundamentalist Christian lyrics. The added bonus of the promised appearance of Jay North (Yes from Dennis The Menace!) who never shows up, leaving the flock to surmise, “We might as well have gone to see the Beatle concert.” (For those of you who might think I’m making this up, check out History Professor Jon Weiner’s book, ‘Come Together: John Lennon In His Time’, Chapter 1 The 1966 Tour. One begins to really wonder about the motivation behind the backlash against Lennon’s ‘the Beatles are more popular than Jesus Christ’ comment in the Evening Standard in 1966, as in the Fall 1964 group interview for Playboy magazine (later published in 1965) conducted during their 1964 tour of the U.K., John commented about the hypocrisy of the Christian Church, and nobody said anything about it. (Maybe the same people, who were burning the Beatles in effigy and the folks at the radio stations that refused to play their records in 1966, hadn’t learned how to read yet in 1965. Or maybe they just bought Playboy to look at the pictures.) At any rate, you can read the Beatles 1965 Playboy Interview in it’s entirety (among other interviews by the group and separately) by logging onto: http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/ . A wonderfully put together website. And by the way, you can also read the entire un-edited 1966 Maureen Cleave interview with John Lennon from the London Evening Standard by logging onto: http://www.beatlesagain.com/ The Dark Side Of Beatlemania.
There is a new type of criminality, (or is it a weird type of green envious sickness?) with its basis in an old time tested and well worn ready pen manoeuvre. Sullying and dirtying someone’s name and memory (when they are conveniently dead) in the name of Journalism; or as it is better known, ‘the people’s right to know’. This is done by using half-truths. (A specialty of Albert Goldman (who at various times has been described as a ‘knowledgeable Journalist’ and an old ‘hipster’-now from under what rock was that word recycled?) It is most useful, if you want to have a complete picture of what someone like Albert Goldman was, and what he became, to check out the anthology of his writings, ‘Freakshow: Misadventures in the Counterculture, 1959-1971’. Although he did contribute to or write some very thought provoking pieces (variously, an article in Crawdaddy magazine concerning the Door’s 1968 Promotional Film for ‘The Unknown Soldier’, and his 1970 New York Times review of the Maysle’s Brothers film documentary of the Rolling Stones 1969 North American Concert Tour, ‘Gimmie Shelter’), the picture you begin to get, if you are paying attention, is of someone who time and the rapidly changing accelerating culture around him (the 1960’s), was leaving behind. What also comes through is a weird obsession with freakish sexual proclivities, as evidenced in his mid-sixties review of French novelist Pauline Reage’s controversial and brutally disturbing book about the underground S&M raw sex trade, ‘The Story of O’. (I have a hunch that if the real book ever gets written about Albert Goldman, some folks financial futures may be on some pretty shaky ground). What he became, starting with the book, ‘Ladies And Gentlemen Lenny Bruce’ in 1974, was a progressively destructive, sickeningly poisonous, and obsessed old man, bent on uncovering (what he saw as) the darker sordid nocturnal hidden excesses and contradictory existence of well known deceased entertainers, for money and profit; (Viewing him in retrospective hindsight, it is rather interesting to note, that Goldman’s obsessive behavior is vaguely reminiscent of Conspiracy Theorist Mae Brussell {who by the way, has a very informative web site devoted to her at http://www.maebrussell.com/ While there, you might want to check out her July 1981 interview concerning John Lennon; by clicking on ‘Articles’}; but unlike her obsession with research and fact finding, Goldman’s execution of his craft rested in high speculation, questionable credibility, and a rotten vindictiveness.) getting his books written through interviewing those eager to dish dirt, while they were either in financial straits or on the fringes of it, with more often than not, the addition of a secret grudge (all key important inducements and not too hard to figure out once you understand who the players are, if you want to write the kind of books he was writing). And who ended up dying of a heart ailment on an airplane at Miami International Airport, preparing his next book, on Jim Morrison (Check out the late Music Journalist Alfred G. Aronowitz’ {whose own website: http://www.theblacklistedjournalist.com/ is an archive of his articles written for the New York Post and the Saturday Evening Post, during the 1960s and 70s; with links to other Contributors like Amiri Baraka and John Sinclair} interview with ‘American Legends’, with regard to Goldman’s reputation – as well as Music Journalist Patricia Kennealy’s interview about Jim Morrison – at: http://www.americanlegends.com/ - click Jim Morrison); having become a Pariah with a lot of money, and so paranoid he could no longer live in the United States. This was the reality of the dark side of the ‘economic rebirth of the 1980’s’, which no one who was riding on its coattails wanted to talk about. And it spawned a whole industry. As in much the same way that some cynical, smug, and (in a hurry to pay off their mortgage) opportunist Journalists have said that, “After reading Albert Goldman’s book on John Lennon, you’ll never look at Lennon the same way again.”; after reading Editor/Reporter James Fallow’s book, ‘Breaking The News: How The Media Undermine American Democracy’ (Published by Pantheon Books), you’ll never look at Journalists (or their profession) the same way again. Many of these Journalists seem to take great pleasure in focusing on someone’s freakish proclivities (whether they are true or not seems irrelevant to them). You begin to wonder about the Journalists themselves). A half-truth is much more dangerous than a lie, because it’s true enough. A lie you can automatically point to and say, “Hey, that’s a lie!” But a half-truth is something much more sinister. Because of its obscurity, you can’t really be sure; because you don’t have all the facts. And to wit, direct or not always immediately discernable indirect, dead subject matter is quite helpful.
Let’s take Jimi Hendrix as an example. Jimi, having been a member of Little Richard’s backing band, off and on, for roughly two years, before playing with him at the Apollo Theatre and the old Paramount Theatre on Broadway in New York in late 1965. Was he? True or False? Unfortunately Bumps Blackwell, who was Richard Penneman’s manager, died in 1985 (not too long after Little Richard’s autobiography was published), and was no longer alive to corroborate Little Richard’s version of events; when a spate of publications slowly came out, making Richard out to be a blatant liar.
There is however, an interesting footnote to this. During 1988, there occurred a reunion of artists from the old Stax label in Memphis, Tennessee. Stax, you might remember, was the label that gave us Otis Redding, Booker T. and The MG’s and Carla Thomas, among others. The event was covered by The Black Entertainment Television Network, better known as BET. A broadcast that was shown on a weekly basis on the BET Network named, ‘This Week In Black Entertainment’, included interviews with many of Stax’ original artists. Among them, Rufus Thomas (remember ‘The Funky Chicken’ and ‘Walkin’ The Dog’?), Isaac Hayes, Johnny Taylor, Sam and Dave, and interestingly, one ‘Gorgeous George Odell’. George Odell (or ‘Gorgeous George’ as he was known on the Southern R&B Circuit, because he wore a blonde wig like the famous wrestler of the same name), gave a very interesting interview. (Remarkably, in subsequent years, when viewing the VHS tape copy of this show, it always amazes me that George Odell was wearing a blonde wig while giving the interview.) He talked about having been Stax’ first recording artist of note, and having made a record named, ‘The Biggest Fool In Town’; that sold 13,000 copies in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Kentucky, and being paid 310 dollars, thinking he was rich. It is around this time, 1962, that Little Richard (freshly returned from a string of successful concerts in Europe {accompanied by teenage piano prodigy Billy Preston}, that had included a few with a band named The Beatles (who in turn had a hit single at the time named, ‘Love Me Do’) as his opening act) enters the picture. George Odell, though a small time recording artist on the Stax label, has a backing band. And who do you think is playing guitar in that band? None other than Jimi Hendrix (who at the time was calling himself Maurice James). Since Hendrix was a member of George Odell’s backing band in 1962, perhaps from there he began playing in Little Richard’s band? Little Richard has stated many times that Hendrix played in his band, on and off, for a couple of years. That would be 1962 through 1966, wouldn’t it? But I guess Bumps Blackwell, Little Richard’s late manager, could have really elaborated on a lot of this, and cleared up some things, as he not only was well versed in and knew the inner workings of the entertainment and record business, but knew Hendrix as well. And what of George Odell’s record ‘The Biggest Fool In Town’? Unfortunately, George Odell died some time after his appearance on ‘This Week In Black Entertainment’. So we end up with more half-truths.
John Lennon was a wife beater, closet homosexual, unconvicted murderer, heroin addict, drunk and cokehead. True or False? John Lennon is not here to say anything, but a number of books found publication. I myself, wonder where he found the time to compose songs, write books and articles, paint, design, do other artwork and films (with and without the other Beatles or Yoko, besides his regular attendance of art exhibitions and associating with friends like Peter Cook and Victor Spinetti - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/showbiz-and-lifestyle/news/2008/10/31/why-i-turned-hollywood-down-by-victor-spinetti-91466-22156166/ ), if he was doing all the things he is accused of. The point being that John Lennon consistently created during his whole lifetime. Whether it was with his musician’s hat on, or as an artist, {John Lennon's Bag One http://www.artbrokerage.com/_main/slideshow2.php?a=187 } or a writer. (It’s debatable if his critics understand the difference or significance of the three.) So John argued with his wife, knew Brian Epstein, would just as soon have a punch up if he had a couple of drinks, sniffed heroin besides using cocaine, at some point during the tail end of the sixties and early seventies (along with the pot smoking, pills and LSD trips that a lot of other people were also doing at the time). It would be as foolish to deny John’s drug use, as it would be to deny that drug use during this period (late 60’s-early70’s) was rampant in the entertainment industry itself. (A point well made by John himself, who had finally come out of it, (after he wisely decided that what he really wanted was a stable home life with Yoko and a child to go with it – check out the book of photographs, ‘The John Lennon Family Album’ by Nishi F. Saimaru – Published by Chronicle Books San Francisco, and make up your own mind - {And while you're doing that, you might want to check out The John Lennon Dreamsite: http://www.johnlennon.it/} ) during his interview with Tom Snyder on the Tomorrow Show in 1975; where he went on to say (referring to his lost weekend in Los Angeles) that there were people using drugs who you wouldn’t believe would be drug takers. ‘Old people, men with briefcases etc…’ Bob Woodward later confirmed this situation in his book about John Belushi. (It is interesting to note that in Albert Goldman’s case, he in effect continued rewriting the same book he co-wrote about Lenny Bruce over and over again, when writing about Elvis Presley and John Lennon. A similar job having been done by a former drug counselor turned music biographer in England; when rewriting the same assembly line psychological drug profile situation scenario of British Jazz musician Graham Bond, for Eric Clapton, Peter Green and Jimi Hendrix.) The Beatles second manager Brian Epstein stated publicly to the British Press in June of 1967, (shortly after Paul McCartney, who was questioned by an ITN newsman and admitted to taking LSD) that he also had taken the hallucinogenic drug. The interview is mentioned in Beatle Press Officer Derek Taylor’s book, ‘It Was Twenty Years Ago Today’- Published by Simon and Schuster. (This was during the period when the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper, and Brian Epstein was staging Rock and Soul shows at the Saville Theatre in London; and where John, Paul, George and Ringo, had their own regular box seats for the performances. Among the acts appearing were, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, The Four Tops, The Who, and a new group named The Jimi Hendrix Experience.) Lennon incidentally, spoke at length about his complex relationship with Brian Epstein, during his ‘Lennon Remembers’ interviews with Rolling Stone in 1970. Pieced together from the hard cover Straight Arrow edition of ‘Lennon Remembers’ and various subsequent editions of same, and excerpts from ‘John Lennon In His Own Words’ and ‘The Beatles Anthology Book’, is the following:
(Q). Let me ask you something about Brian.
(A). Ah, fuck knows what was said. I was pretty close to Brian because if somebody’s going to manage me, I want to know them inside out. And there was a period when he told me he was a fag and all that. I introduced him to pills, - which gives me a guilt association with his death, - to make him talk; to find out what he was like. I mean they go that way anyway. And I remember him saying, “Don’t ever throw it back in me face, that I’m a fag.” Which I didn’t. But his mother’s still hiding that.
I liked Brian and I had a very close relationship with him for years, because I’m not gonna have some stranger runnin’ things, that’s all. I like to work with friends. I was the closest with Brian, as close as you can get to somebody who lives a sort of “fag” life, and you don’t really know what they’re doin’ on the side. But in the group, I was closest to him and I did like him. He had great qualities and he was good fun. He had a flair. He was a theatrical man, rather than a businessman, and he was a bit like that with us. When he got Cilla Black, his great delight was to dress her and present her. He would have made a great dress designer, ‘cause that’s what he was made for. With us he was a bit like that. I mean, he literally fuckin’ cleaned us up and there were great fights between him and me over not wanting to dress up. In fact he and Paul had some kind of collusion to keep me straight because I was spoilin’ the image. It never got too bad like that, though. Brian was never overbearing, and if Brian and Paul and everybody said, ‘Well, look, why don’t we just trim our hair a bit and look like this, ‘You’re going to say ‘all right’ in the end, or ‘Fuck it: I’ll just loosen my collar.’
We had complete faith in him when he was runnin’ us. To us he was the expert. I mean originally he had a shop. Anybody who’s got a shop must be all right. He went around smarmin’ and charmin’ everybody. He had hellish tempers and fits and lock-outs and y’know he’d vanish for days. He’d come to a crisis every now and then and the whole business would fuckin’ stop ‘cause he’d been on sleepin’ pills for days on end and wouldn’t wake up. Or he’d be missin’ y’know, beaten up by some old docker down the old Kent Road. But we weren’t too aware of it. It was later on we started findin’ out about those things.
I didn’t watch him deteriorate. There was a period of about two years before he died when we didn’t hardly see anything of him. After we stopped touring, he had nothing to do, really. The money just came in from records. Billy J. (Kramer) and all of them were sinking fast, and all his other protégés – his bullfighters and all those people – were vanishing. So really, we grew apart.
We’d never have made it without him and vice versa. Brian contributed as much as us in the early days, although we were the talent and he was the hustler. He wasn’t strong enough to overbear us. Brian could never make us do what we really, really didn’t want to do. He wasn’t strong enough.
Brian came to us in Paris once and said he’d had enough, and he wanted to sell us to Delfont or Grade, I’ve forgotten which one. And we told him – I told him personally – that we would stop. We all said it: ‘Whatever you do, if you do that, we stop now. We don’t play anymore, and we disband. We’re not going to let anybody else have us, especially them.’
And Brian was a nice guy, but he knew what he was doing, he robbed us. He fucking took all the money and looked after himself and his family, and all that. And it’s just a myth. I hate the way that Allen (Klein) is attacked and Brian is made like an angel, just cause he’s dead. He wasn’t, he was just a guy.’
The accusation of ‘unconvicted psychotic murderer John Lennon running around loose’, which concerned John’s close friend Stewart Sutcliffe dying of a Brain Hemorrhage? If you read the book, ‘The Man Who Gave The Beatles Away’, by the Beatles first manager Allan Williams (written with William Marshall and Published by Ballantine Books), he explains that during an early tour, in a very rough area of Liverpool, John actually saved Sutcliffe’s life one night, after a vicious beating by a gang of thugs; who after beating Stewart up, kicked him in the head. And thereafter, Stewart Sutcliffe had terrible headaches, that got worse as time passed by; until he resultantly died. Half-truths. The best description of John Lennon I ever read, was by his beloved Aunt Mimi, in Hunter Davies’ 1968 biography, ‘The Beatles’; in Chapter 28: Friends and Parents Today. If anyone knew the real John Lennon, it was his Aunt Mimi; she raised him with her husband, (John’s also beloved Uncle George). These are the people who washed and bathed him when he was a little boy. In the section of Chapter 28 concerning herself, Mimi went on to describe with crystal clarity, the person behind the John Lennon we all knew. His humor, warmth, generosity, faults and foibles; everything that made him a human being, rather than a Rock Star or some hack nonentity’s pay packet. What she had to say about John in that two and a half pages, pretty much summed him up; and is well worth reading. Half-truths.
It is amazing in the case of John and Yoko for example, how many of these hack writers consider themselves instant Art Critics and Junior (And I use the term ‘Junior’ with enormous charity, due to the fact that you constantly hear the same excuse, “I could have put more in my book (or article) but there are things I can’t say anything about”.-Or maybe don’t know?)Psychologists; with endless dead end judgments (Read: “I need to find a different angle, or make one up, so I can sell my book.”) for their bargained and blusterous fifteen minutes, rather than deal with their own shortcomings, as in replacing honest research with opportunistic greed. Perhaps Lennon’s ‘after the fact critics’, knowing that they themselves are not capable of understanding a truly creative mind (in Lennon’s case, as a writer and artist, as well as a musician; brought out into full flowering by “That Japanese Woman”) and the workings of the creative mind in motion; (sometimes capable of doing two or more things well at the same time, sometimes only individually) find themselves not only at a loss, reflecting their lack of understanding of their subject, but also have a lack of integrity, in having to resort to suggestive subliminal half-truths as well. What is also worth studying, is that the behavior of this new batch of ‘after the fact critics’ (surely the luckiest people on the planet that Lennon is not here to answer them back), pretty clearly presents them as a poor second rate version of the ones depicted in The Press Book of clippings; that accompanied John and Yoko’s 1969 record, ‘The Wedding Album’. It must have been quite a shock (and maybe a little hard to take) for the whole lot of them, as events finally unfolded a while back on an ITN News Report on Public Television, concerning ‘The James Hanratty Case’; that proved that those two so-called ‘crackpots’ John and Yoko, were right all along. John and Yoko’s support of James Hanratty’s parents, is very well documented in the book, ‘John Lennon: Unseen Archives’, Published by Parragon Publishing. In this book you really get to see how supportive they were back then. It is also very enlightening to read the transcript of Lennon’s ‘Man Of The Decade’ interview. His segment of the ATV series, from an interview conducted with him on Dec. 2nd 1969, is most interesting for it’s clarity and lucidity; as Lennon discusses subjects ranging from the effects of the current drug scene, to The Peace Movement (and the reaction to it), to he and Yoko’s relationship, mentions of friends like Donovan, Mick Jagger and Eric Burdon, the 1969 Woodstock and Isle Of Wight Festival gatherings, and the coming decade. His optimism is very apparent. (This interview in its entirety can be read off The Beatles Ultimate Experience database at
http://www.beatlesinterviews.org/ . Within a matter of weeks, he was to perform again with The Plastic Ono Band in concert, at a charity benefit for Unicef at the Lyceum Ballroom in London. The Plastic Ono Band put on a riveting performance, which is documented on the two LP set ‘Sometime In New York City’. It is interesting as well to note that when John Lennon gave back his MBE Award, besides making clear his anti-war stance, he also mentioned his current 45 ‘Cold Turkey’ slipping down the charts; a not to subtle thumbing of the nose at the ‘war heroes’ who gave back their MBEs in disgust, when ‘entertainers’ like the Beatles were awarded theirs. One should also take note of the movies John and Yoko were producing at this time. The movie ‘Rape’, which was seen by many in the media as a ‘confrontational movie’, turned harassment by the press around the other way; putting a spotlight on the tactics of the press and media themselves. ‘Apotheosis (Balloon)’, possesses an ethereal beauty and a certain otherworldly charm. You can read about John and Yoko’s films and television appearances (along with a wealth of other articles and interviews), by logging onto http://www.ntlworld.com/ ; and then typing in, ‘John Lennon You Are The Plastic Ono Band’, and clicking ‘Search’. And last but definitely not least, we can’t leave out The Peace Bed Ins, which the press originally made fun of and dismissed as a joke put on by two clowns (some referred to them as monkeys), which turned into a situation where the same press was swept along in a sea change of sentiment, by the public; as the AntiWar Movement grew and grew to humongous proportion, and finally became the majority (they thought better of messing with what became the Peace Movement’s call-to-arms anthem ‘Give Peace A Chance’) helped along the way by John and Yoko.
But all of that is getting away from the point. The point is this: John and Yoko were two people who were artists (in every sense of the word), who were lucky enough to find each other, at the right time in history. Frankly, two heads that thought and moved forward like one determined brain. (Other examples being Oscar Brown Jr. and Jean Pace, Harry and Julie Belafonte, and Frank and Gail Zappa.) Such a marvelous match up does not happen often. The fact that for them, this went beyond a difference in race is remarkable.
What was so interesting in Lennon’s case, was that he went through his ‘mid-life crisis’ relatively early, as compared with most men; as I’m sure a lot of spouses out there can attest. So, in a sense, it’s not too hard to understand where some of that ‘weird type of green envious sickness’ I mentioned earlier, may stem from and be rooted.
An admirably well researched and well written book, with a balanced view of John Lennon, in my opinion, is ‘Come Together: John Lennon In His Time’ by History Professor Jon Weiner; as well as his follow-up, ‘Gimmie Some Truth: The John Lennon FBI Files’, which gives an accurate picture of what not only John Lennon, but anyone who was in opposition to Vietnam or gave any faint indications of having radical ideas that the Nixon Fiefdom/Corporate War Machine looked upon with displeasure, was up against.
And another quite interesting read, that ended up being about a lot more than it’s title implies, is ‘The Mourning of John Lennon’ by Anthony Elliot. Published by University of California Press. It is a remarkable book on Pop Culture, with a deeply thoughtful and reflective look at the life of John Lennon, and an unprecedented study of people who orbit in the cult of celebrity and profit; that also contains a fascinating analysis of Albert Goldman. (The books I have just mentioned are marvelously enlightening and noticeably different from numerous books by the potentates and inhabitants of the land of unprofessional Journalistic innuendo and reformed drug addict interviewees, speaking from their newly enlightened understanding of what was wrong in the past, with everybody and everything else (except themselves), and their newly conservative, and much quieter, born again afterlife; for money and profit).
Let’s take Jimi Hendrix and the dodgy subject of the explosive political situation in the United States, during the late 60’s; right up until his (in my opinion still suspicious) death in 1970.
Beginning in the latter part of 1968 on, Hendrix’ interviews in magazines like ‘Circus’ and ‘Teenset’, began to show a heightened awareness of the explosive political transformation taking place in American Society. The views he expressed during his interview with the British radical newspaper, ‘International Times’ in spring of 1969 are really an eye opener; in light of what was taking place in the United States at the time. (It would be interesting to hear what his sentiments were, from some of the American Servicemen he came in contact with during that 1969 European tour.) Originally reprinted in it’s entirety in the first hard cover edition of the book, ‘Jimi Hendrix: Voodoo Child of The Aquarian Age’ by David Henderson, it was edited for the condensed subsequent paperback editions; but finally reprinted again in it’s entirety, for the soft back fourth edition. (There has been a tendency to portray Hendrix as “drug addled” and “talking out of his head” and “not aware of what he was saying”, each time he spoke out about the political situation in the United States, (which of course among other things, automatically meant ‘race’ as well) by people in some quarters. Notably, these same ‘experts’, for some strange reason, also portray him as “lucid” and “clear minded”, whenever he was talking about anything else. This begs the question, ‘What motive would these characters have for not wanting Jimi Hendrix to appear as having made the same informed historical political statements that everyone else was making at the time?’ Could it have to do with the climate created by the temporary and selective rise of Reaganomics and Thatcherism, accompanied by that old ancient adage, “I could make a buck offa this.”?)
Most of what Hendrix spoke about in ‘International Times’, were areas previously covered in his interviews in ‘Circus’ and ‘Teenset’, like the increasing influence of a group like the Black Panthers, and the blatant hypocrisy that was being exposed by young students across the country. (Of considerable related interest to some readers, may be that in 1996, the Doctoral Dissertation that the late Huey P. Newton submitted for his Degree of Doctor of Philosophy, at the University of California, Santa Cruz, was published in book form; as ‘War Against The Panthers: A Study of Repression in America ‘ by Writers and Readers Publishing (USA) and Airlift Book Company (UK) http://www.archive.org/stream/WarAgainstThePanthersAStudyOfRepressionInAmerica/WATP_djvu.txt . {The history of how this book came to publication, is a story in itself; and told through the life of a very dedicated gentleman named Glenn Thompson: http://aalbc.com/reviews/remembering_glenn_thompson.htm He is also part of the following presentation: http://reviews.aalbc.com/harlem_literary_scene.htm by Literary Agent Marie Brown: http://aalbc.com/reviews/marie_brown.htm } It is quite a harrowing, detailed blueprint study, for how the media, through government manipulation, can be used to crush and destroy any movement or group it considers ‘nonconformist’. Also of considerable interest, is Newton’s ‘Selected Bibliography’ at the end of the book, which contains many books published in the wake of the Post-Watergate ‘Freedom Of Information Act’; and before the Presidential Reign of former Governor of California, Ronald Reagan. It should also be added that some very useful additional reading on the subject, is San Francisco Digger, the late Emmett Grogan’s book, ‘Ringolevio’. You can read his entire book online, by logging onto The Digger Archives web site: http://www.diggers.org/ (The Introduction by friend and associate, Peter Coyote is: http://www.petercoyote.com/playkeep.html and Ringolevio is: http://www.diggers.org/ringolevio.htm ). Newton’s and Grogan’s books of course, were written by people who were ‘there’ as opposed to people who are ‘guessing’. And it’s interesting to note, that the ‘guessers’ (or ‘experts’) I am referring to, are very reminiscent of the ‘Haight Independent Proprietors Merchants Association’, that Grogan describes in his book. (You might also want to check out what former Digger and present Actor and Writer, Peter Coyote, has to say in an interview concerning his book about the Diggers, ‘Sleeping Where I Fall’; by logging onto http://www.petercoyote.com/shambhala.html You might remember Peter Coyote as having played a Faculty member in the PBS television series ‘Up And Coming’, that starred Robert Duqui and Gammy Singer. And finally, there is quite an informative and detailed interview conducted with Tony Funches (who was Jim Morrison's bodyguard), discussing what went on during the 60s era; which you can access on http://www.doors.com/magazine/Tony_Funches.html . ) The growing AntiWar Movement had now linked up with what was left of the Civil Rights Movement; in the wake of Dr. King’s murder (not long after declaring his opposition to the Vietnam War and speaking openly about ‘economic justice and parity’ {see the documentary, 'Free At Last', by the late filmmaker, Gregory B. Shuker http://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/03/nyregion/gregory-b-shuker-67-documentary-filmmaker-using-cinema-verite-style.html?pagewanted=1 }), followed by the murder of Bobby Kennedy (who wanted to do something about it). The final link that was taking place at the time, (interestingly, in a fascinating historical sense - http://panafricannews.blogspot.com/2008/02/pages-from-history-movement-interview.html ) was the Black Power Movement, of which The Black Panthers (who started a breakfast program for children, for which many local churches, black and white alike, opened their doors, and to which many people contributed money) were only a part; inheritors and heirs to a tradition of Self Defense, going back to The Deacons For Defense, in Louisiana (occasionally aiding the Civil Rights Workers in that state), to fiery thought provoking speakers and activists like Kathleen Cleaver, Malcolm X, Paul Robeson, History Professor John Henrik Clarke, Harriet Tubman, all the way back to Frederick Douglass. The emotions and pictures Hendrix painted with his guitar, as in ‘Star Spangled Banner’, (besides defining the best and the worst of what the national anthem represented in 1969, also keeping in mind that there were a growing number of returning Vietnam Veterans opposed to the war) reflected all this and more. All you had to do was turn on the nightly news. (It should be noted here that the unedited performance of Hendrix playing ‘The Star Spangled Banner, Purple Haze’ and most importantly, the entire solo passages between ‘Purple Haze’ and ‘Instrumental Solo’, where Hendrix ideas were flowing like water, and you get to really hear what an incredible musician he was, developing at an astounding rate, is documented in the home video, ‘Woodstock: The Director’s Cut’.) Yes it was also the America of John Brown, Vernon Johns, James Farmer, Fannie Lou Hamer, Caesar Chavez, Russell Means, Martin Luther King, Bobby Kennedy, Viola Liuzzo, Schwerner, Goodman and Chaney; all those who were giving their lives to build a better America. And all those who were losing their lives in a foreign war, without realizing who was profiting from it, and why. And even after his physical death, that emotion, that sound, remained alive, burning bright and deeply emotional, deeply moving, in artists of the following decade; like Eddie Hazel, Ernie Isley, Randy California, Pete Cosey, Robin Trower and many others.
As Billy Cox, Hendrix’ good friend (who played bass), and musical collaborator, said in his beautiful interview with Guitar Player (which made mention of his remarkably crafted and deeply spiritual solo album ‘The First Ray Of The New Rising Sun’ Lil’ Wing Records P.O. Box 158559 Nashville, Tennessee 37215), in the May 1989 issue: “There are those who come before the public eye and are commercialized into the consciousness of the masses. We are told they are popular, and we echo, they are popular. Then there are a few who are so intuitively tuned into the universe that they are still influential, even though they are beyond sight. This is immortality, and Jimi Hendrix is immortal.”
Eric Burdon made some very interesting comments concerning Jimi Hendrix in Goldmine’s Sept. 21st 1990 Jimi Hendrix issue, and in Guitar World’s Sept. 1985 issue; both Hendrix tribute issues. Goldmine interview: “When I first met him, he still had a very military/politicized mind. You know, it was anti-military and anti-Vietnam (the time period) and all that shit, and he was still like, soldier boy. I’d say to him, as we looked out his apartment window over Grosvenor Square in London, ‘Lookit Jimi, what do you think of those riots against the US Embassy?’ And he’d say, ‘Well when the Chinese hordes come screamin’ down from China through North Vietnam and South Vietnam, you’ll understand why we’re trying to stem the tide of communism.’
“And to watch him drop acid and pick up a guitar, instead of a machine gun, and go through these changes was phenomenal. He was like a caterpillar changin’ into a butterfly.”
Guitar World Interview: “Within his own life he had to set the precedents and set the rules. He was a real life street guerilla missionary. I mean he slept with his fucking guitar! The real danger came when he stopped doing that, no matter what the cause of it, when he stopped carrying his ax with him and started riding around in Cadillacs.
But he knew his end was coming, he knew it a long time before.”
The complete Goldmine interview in particular is fascinating to read (as well as the Guitar World interview) because you get a detailed picture of what was happening to Hendrix, as told by another good friend. And you can read it by logging onto: www.ericburdon.com/jimi, or log onto The Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/ , and type http://www.ericburdon.com/ into the Wayback Machine, and click Take Me Back. (Additionally, you can check out Burdon’s two autobiographies: ‘I Used to Be an Animal, but I’m All Right Now’ by Eric Burdon – Published by Faber and Faber, and ‘Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood’ by Eric Burdon with J. Marshall Craig – Published by Thunder’s Mouth Press.)
Hendrix’ appearance on the Dick Cavett Show in New York, not long after the Woodstock Festival in 1969, (where he played the definitive version of ‘Star Spangled Banner’) was notable for the fact that he performed ‘If Six Was Nine’ from his album, Axis Bold As Love, with a ‘Magic Bag’ (Hendrix’ possession of this device is mentioned in Guitar Player’s Sept. 1975 Special Hendrix Issue, ‘Guitars, Amps and Devices. The Equipment of Jimi Hendrix.’ Page 52) attached to his guitar. ‘The Bag’, as it was better known, was played like a Bagpipe, with a tube put into the mouth; with which someone could ‘talk’ while playing the guitar. {It should be noted that Public Television Channel 13 in New York used to broadcast a program during this time period named, ‘The Show’, that used to feature artists like Taj Mahal, Mountain, Grand Funk Railroad, and Folk Singer Donal Leace; as well as once featuring an angry Al Capp (the cartoonist who drew Lil’ Abner in the Sunday News) not too long after his confrontation with John and Yoko, during their AntiWar Peace Campaign in Canada. Al continued his venomous Pro-Vietnam War ‘anti everything else that didn’t fit into his narrow definition of patriotism’ rhetoric; arguing with members of the audience that night in the Channel 13 studio at ‘The Show’. You can access quite a bit of history from this period, by logging onto The Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/ and typing http://www.eye.net/torontorockhistory/johnlennon/header.htm , for John and Yoko, and http://www.eye.net/torontorockhistory/jimihendrix/header.htm , for Jimi Hendrix, into the Wayback Machine, and clicking Take Me Back; after which you can click Sept. 8th, 2003 from the Search Results.} A few weeks after Hendrix appeared on Dick Cavett playing ‘If Six Was Nine’ using The Bag, Iron Butterfly appeared on The Show with their guitarist using one during their performance. But it was Hendrix’ startlingly skillful use of The Bag that made his performance unforgettable. {Approximately three years later, after emerging with a totally fresh and new musical direction (and ‘creating’ a new musical direction in the process! – Check out the book ‘Stevie Wonder’ by Constanze Elsner Published by Popular Library Books), Stevie Wonder used something similar to a Magic Bag with his Moog Synthesizer}. This was the only known time that Hendrix ever performed the song in public, or used the Magic Bag in performance. It is common knowledge that when the Dick Cavett Show was first broadcast in New York, that there was more than one taping each day. Where’s the rest of the footage? Whether he played, ‘If Six Was Nine’ to put even more emphasis on his earlier in the program playing an advance version of ‘Machine Gun’, besides his political disagreement with Actor Robert Young (another guest that night), or to bring attention to the release of the film, ‘Easy Rider’ (in which ‘If Six Was Nine’ was part of the soundtrack) maybe both; it was quite a performance. It would be nice if people get a chance to see that show again one day, unedited, and in it’s entirety. It would be a very enlightening experience. This show, viewed back to back with Hendrix’ next appearance, (on Public Television Channel 13 in New York) as guest on Producer and Host Ellis Haizlip’s program ‘Soul’, (You can check out archival footage of the late Mr. Haizlip’s wonderful program, by logging onto the WPA Film Library web site at: http://www.wpafilmlibrary.com/ ) and finally the Band of Gypsys concerts at Fillmore East, should be carefully and thoroughly studied by anyone who wants to form a complete picture of Jimi Hendrix, rather than what some folks would like you to see; or maybe more importantly, how you might begin to see them.
A most enlightening and welcome experience, has been the recent release (finally!) on home video, of the uncut 125-minute movie ‘Rainbow Bridge’; that was filmed in1970. Even though it is not a Hendrix film proper, but a fascinating look at the Counterculture as it was in the 60’s era, there is participation in the film by him. Shot near the end of Hendrix’ final 1970 American Tour, it contains recent songs that were being recorded by him in Electric Lady at the time, in the soundtrack, along with additional music by a Gospel Duo and some Folk musicians named Jimmy and Vella Cameron. The film stars Actress Pat Hartley, (for a complete profile on Actress-Director Pat Hartley, log onto The Internet Movie Database: http://www.imdb.com/. ) and Hendrix first appears in a spacey scene during a discussion about Reincarnation. (The film, which revolves around Pat Hartley’s trip from California to Hawaii, covers many diverse counter cultural subjects such as, Reincarnation, Meditation, Sex, Religion, Astrology, Politics, Drugs, UFO’s, Natural Food, etc…) Jimi’s next appearance, is in a scene where one of the people from the Rainbow Bridge Commune is making a speech concerning government manipulation of the population, that is cut short when Hendrix leans out of a window with a rifle and shoots him; then makes (depending on your interpretation)quite a political statement. The movie then cuts into a scene of a conversation between Pat Hartley and two members of the Rainbow Commune, discussing the government’s attempt to eliminate the Black Panthers and leaders of other radical groups. This of course, was later exposed around Watergate, as what came to be known as, ‘Cointelpro’. What makes these sequences so interesting, is that this was a few years before the extent of what J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI were doing, became public knowledge. And this is on film! (It might be interesting at this juncture, to check out Chapter 7 of Conspiracy Theorist Alex Constantine’s book ‘The Covert War Against Rock’. You can read it by logging onto: http://www.maebrussell.com/, clicking Articles, excerpts & notes, scrolling down and clicking The Covert War Against Rock by Alex Constantine {chapter 7 of the book}; as well as reading the additional chapter on Jim Morrison: http://www.subcin.com/chaos.html ). Hendrix’ next to last appearance, near the end of the movie (apart from a continuation of his discussion with Pat Hartley and a member of the Commune about Reincarnation), is during a concert where first Jimmy and Vella Cameron perform a pleasant Folk song, and then Hendrix mounts the stage with Billy Cox and Mitch Mitchell; and puts on a blistering hell-to-pay performance.
At the end of this tour, Hendrix returned to New York and continued recording at Electric Ladyland. During this time, Hit Parader Magazine put out a special issue: ‘The 1970 Rock and Soul Yearbook’. It included articles about Hendrix, James Brown, Sly Stone, The Ike and Tina Turner Revue, Joe Simon, Dee Dee Warwick, Isaac Hayes, and Esther Marrow. (I wonder if any photographs exist of Jimi reading this magazine?) At the end of his still-in-progress recordings there, and then following the official opening of Electric Ladyland Studios for business, Hendrix immediately embarked on his last set of performances, in Europe.
The book, ‘Hendrix The Final Days’ by Tony Brown, has quite a number of different interviews, conducted with Hendrix by different Journalists during his final concert tour of Europe; in the early Fall of 1970. The interviews, which are mostly in their entirety (in a similar fashion to David Henderson’s book), find Hendrix commenting on a wide range of subjects. Among the most notable is an interview with a reporter from a Danish periodical named ‘Arhus Stiftstidende’, where it appears the reporter came to the interview with his mind already made up about Jimi Hendrix; and got more than he bargained for. The discussion (if you can call it that) touches on Hendrix’ opinions covering Politics, Religion, and Groupies. (For a complete English translation of this entire interview, and others conducted with Hendrix in Scandinavia, along with concert reviews and accounts by fans during the years 1967-1970; which also offer a window into the Scandinavian way of thinking, log onto: http://alrunen.melipona.org/jimihendrix.html What you also begin to get is a very peculiar picture of that 1970 European tour. In particular, the ‘Arhus’ concert.) In another interview for a Danish newspaper named ‘Morgenposten’, he discusses starting a record company with The Rolling Stones, and his fondness for Arthur Lee of the Los Angeles band Love; along with mentioning their having recorded an album together. The album, aside from the song ‘The Everlasting First’ (which is on Love’s 1970 album, False Start) remains unreleased to this day. (Arthur Lee, a notorious interviewee, for not suffering fools gladly, has over the years, in bits and pieces (where you have to read between the lines and figure out the rest of it for yourself) mentioned the studio recordings he did with Hendrix. One of the more interesting interviews was with a fanzine named Univibes. You can read that one by logging onto: www.univibes.com/Arthur-and-Jimi , or log onto The Internet Archive: http://www.archive.org/ , and type http://www.univibes.com/ into the Wayback Machine, and click Take Me Back. As Arthur Lee is now in the process of writing his autobiography, things should get pretty interesting.
The time period (during which Monika Dannemann said she went out for cigarettes) when Hendrix was supposedly alone, has always been open to question; and the nagging feeling that there is a loose end (or a louse) somewhere in this story, persists. Perhaps we may never know the whole truth. (However, it may be food for thought to consider the questions raised, in Chapter 12 of Conspiracy Theorist Salvador Astucia’s book, ‘The FBI’s War On Rock Stars’. You can read it by logging onto: www.jfkmontreal.com/john_lennon/Chapter12 . But the artistry he has left behind has continued to enrich and nurture people’s lives. There was truly something special about him.
Jimi Hendrix was not a one-dimensional man, and gave money to radical causes as well as donating money to The Martin Luther King Foundation. (Come to think of it, those Civil Rights Workers and those Freedom Riders that got the living daylights beaten out of them, were a pretty radical bunch too. Weren’t they?) The late Abbie Hoffman, who himself among many young Americans of conscience, had gone to the South in the mid-sixties to aid King, Abernathy, Hamer, Jackson and others in the Civil Rights Movement, in registering other American citizens, who had been previously too frightened and brutalized, to vote and break the mind numbing Segregation Laws that proliferated there in the name of Democracy, and later in the decade, became a radical in the AntiWar Movement, said in an article concerning his at the time forthcoming book, ‘Woodstock Nation’, in Circus Magazine’s October 1971 issue: “Jimi was the only Rock performer I know of who gave bread to anything most of us would call ‘radical’. It’s possible that some others gave to projects out in California, especially in the heyday of Haight-Ashbury, but as far as the things I came in contact with, only Jimi gave. Like he laid some bread on us for the trial in Chicago.” Hoffman of course is talking about the Chicago 8 Trial, presided over by Judge Julius Hoffman.
So where does all this leave us? Maybe with the air cleared a little bit? Maybe with a whole new set of questions? ‘That’ my friends, is as it should be. READ!

Peace (and Stay Free!)
Happy Xmas (war is over),
Antonio Pereira

PS As events on that new frontier ‘The Internet’, are still unfolding as of this writing, with growing numbers of talented musicians (who were either ignored, bypassed or screwed by the Record Corporate Mega conglomerates) now having an alternative open to them, it will be interesting to see what happens in future; when more people begin to have access to The Internet.

'DARFUR' - GOD IS WATCHING US

Year Of The Cat

2007-09-25T03:01:00.001-07:00

YEAR OF THE CAT By Antonio G. Pereira
Antonio G. Pereira © 1998, 2007 Antonio G. Pereira
_______________________________________________

PREFACE
It was the late 1970’s, and everything was not exactly as it seemed.
The older man reflects back on the exploits of the younger man, and understands how he got to be an older man.
It is better to be humble and rich
than loud and poor.
Q. – Is that a monetary situation, or a state of consciousness?
A. – Possibly….

CHAPTER ONE
A group of Japanese high school students were walking up the street, passing Scholar’s International Institution of Learning’s, Japan Center. One of them was carrying a big radio, and Chuck Berry’s song, ‘School Days’, was blaring out of it. The Director of the College’s Japan Center, Bob Woverback, was sitting in the front office, feeling very paranoid, and had all the makings of a nervous breakdown.
“That creep!”, he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Bob was almost in tears. He was getting ready to have a ‘commeeting’ (which was an ingenious concoction of his putting together the two words, community and meeting) with the student community. Greta, an overweight female student, tried to console him with soothing words: “Bob, for God sakes, please control yourself. You’re supposed to be the Director of this center. Don’t let Richard get to you.” Bob began to wonder to himself, “How did I get in this mess?” Along with the occasional sharp pains in his stomach that told him he had the makings of an ulcer, mixed with his current feelings of heartbreak; came recollections of things he had dismissed for too long. His mind began an instant replay for him, of his academic history.
Bob Woverback came from a working class family in New Jersey. Being a particularly lazy individual who didn’t like to work too hard, but who exerted a lot of effort in studying people’s weaknesses; most of his time in school was spent shooting the breeze, with friends like himself. And he consequently barely squeezed through in earning a high school diploma; already having a degree in being a con artist. He seemed headed for the same dead-end existence as everyone else in his family, when through sheer luck; he was able to obtain an athletic scholarship to go to college. He vaguely remembered what the old man who was then the Gym Class Instructor told him the day he got the scholarship.
“Bobby, it’s what you ‘do’ with the chances you ‘get’, in life; that build your character and your future.”
He had looked at the old man contemptuously and laughed, as he patted him on the back and nodded his head in agreement. Bob had a deep, inbred, class induced, inferiority complex. He resented anybody who was smarter, had more money, or could do better than he did. The college he enrolled in, had an Exchange Student Program; and he was able to take advantage of it, and travel to a few foreign countries in Europe and Latin America. Being a lot like other members of his family, it didn’t take long before he began having problems with other students, because he didn’t like the way they looked or thought, or didn’t like the religion they practiced. He did not stay long in any one country, as the school staff there, inevitably began to see that he was using the college wherever he went, to freeload off the natives. But he always left the particular country he was in, just in time to escape being called on the carpet for his actions. He ended up in Japan, where he was able to pick up a little Japanese language, and still using the fact that he was a student; made a meager living teaching English to Japanese people. Bob was able to do reasonably well in Japan, as this particular society, made room for foreign misfits and incompetents; as long as they made no trouble and had something to offer, or were clever enough to make it ‘appear’ as if they had something to offer. Being that the Japanese were more concerned with appearances rather than substance, where foreigners were concerned (which made it easier to study them), he fit in very well. Unfortunately, Bob didn’t finish college; and was forced to drop out in his Junior year. Bob’s reputation from his previous two years in college as a Freshman and Sophomore, resulting with him becoming known to be a slumming American bum, constantly on the move when questions were raised about his educational activities in the school; had finally caught up with him. His college told him to get out. As the school was no longer responsible for him, and he did not want to go back to America, by any means, he had to find a way to stay in Japan without being a student. He pulled this off, in desperation, initially, by conning his way into a job as an ‘Independent Journalist’ for an American Military newspaper, and part time employment as a ‘Social Councilor’; while continuing to earn a small amount of money by teaching English. However, he was mostly living off of the income from the Japanese woman he was living with. He had encountered her by chance one day, during the pivotal point when his college had dropped him.
She worked as a temporary secretary, and asked few questions. He knew automatically that this was the type of woman for him. After getting her pregnant, he also began writing articles about American-Japanese relations in Japan. Not earning much money doing this, but associating himself with the American Military as a civilian employee; he told his employers that he planned to finish college eventually. As they never followed up on checking his past credentials, he was able to breathe a sigh of relief; and added ‘Psychologist’ to his resume.
Bob had laughed to himself for a long time, thinking about how he had put one over on the American and Japanese governments simultaneously. What the American and Japanese governments did not know at that time was that he had recently involved himself in subversive, anti-governmental activity in Japan. Bob realized that there was a part of him that was ‘Japanese’, and that it had always been there. He needed to remain in Japan. He also realized through his involvement with the subversive anti-governmental group he was associated with, that he had a latent bisexuality; which he began to explore. Sometimes he felt a deep affinity with Hugo Slocum, the character he had seen actor Vic Morrow portray in the television movie version of Truman Capote’s short story about life inside the penal system, ‘The Glass House.’
When Bob Woverback had to go to South Korea every year to extend his visa in Japan, he always claimed that he was a ‘Social Psychologist’, working for the American Military; so he could get his visa extension. (This was not unusual, as foreigners invented ‘professions’ for themselves in Japan all the time; ‘Hostess’ being another popular one.) And of course he had two Japanese dependents he could claim now. And he did speak enough basic Japanese to make it seem as if he was fluent in the language. Plus he made no trouble with the Japanese he came into contact with when he spoke it. In other words, he made sure he didn’t come off as a threat to anyone. Underneath all of that good-natured ness that he projected on the outside however, was a deep resentment. From time to time he would hear from back home, and from the letters he knew that his relatives were doomed to live out their lives, with limited opportunities, and scant chances to access anything better. He knew he had to do everything in his power to see to it that he didn’t end up like them.
Through sheer luck again (although ‘now’ he wondered if it was the fickle finger of fate) he heard about an opening for a job as Director of the Japan Center, based in Kyoto, of Scholar’s International Institution of Learning. An International College in Japan. Not expecting to get the job, as he really wasn’t qualified for it, and was not the only applicant; he applied anyway. The people who headed the center at the time, named Elizabeth and David Fellers, were leaving; and he indirectly knew of them, as they were also part of the subversive network he was involved in. He came to the center to meet the students, and immediately didn’t like what he saw. Here were students, just a few years younger than him, who were mostly privileged, and came from well-to-do families. He could just barely contain himself, and his deep-seated inferiority complex and resentment; began to surface from time to time. But the job itself looked like a good one, and if he could pull this off, he’d have it made; or so he thought. There was one student, named Richard, who he knew he was going to have problems with. Richard apparently, saw him for what he was. An opportunist. And let him know it.
As it turned out, there was just one other applicant for the job, other than himself, named Ron Moss. Ron Moss was a Ph.D. and Bob met him face to face. Bob immediately didn’t like him. Ron Moss was too intelligent, and more than qualified for the job of Director of the Japan Center. But as it turned out, Ron Moss decided to go study Philosophy and Art History in China instead. As Bob was the only other applicant, he got the job as Director, and took over from David Fellers as Richard’s advisor; after going back to get the Japanese woman (he wasn’t married to) and their child.
Before leaving, he had a private meeting with Elizabeth and David Fellers, who were CO-directors of Scholar’s Japan Center, and were going back to America when he took over; to fill two job openings at World Headquarters of the college. This, as it turned out, was a very opportune time for Bob Woverback to have joined the college; as there had recently been much reshuffling with staff turnover at all of the centers, worldwide. Scholar’s apparently, was no longer the institutional giant it once had been, and was in decline. As Elizabeth and David Fellers filled him in, Bob learned that Ike Lowery, the Treasurer for the college, whose main interest was ‘the bottom line’ (meaning as long as the tuition was paid, and the college was kept afloat, along with those governmental grants) may have had an idea of what was going on, but did not care; as he was a hopeless alcoholic. Marlin Butterworth, the Senior Director at World Headquarters in America, was a pompous old man, who cared even less; just so long as his name and accomplishments were in print, along with his picture. Elizabeth and David gave Bob some instructions to pass on to some people they knew in the subversive network in Japan. Bob was surprised to learn that Liz and Dave Fellers had already recruited most of the students into the network, from the year before. There were a couple of ‘long term students’ (whose families contributed ‘big money’ to the college) who should have graduated long ago; but were having an ‘indefinite extended stay’ in Japan. However, they had not been able to involve Richard in their Humanitarian, educational fronted, subversive network. In a further private discussion concerning Richard, Elizabeth Fellers told Bob Woverback that it would be better for everybody, if Richard did not remain in Japan. Bob knew then and there that he had to do something about Richard. He left with that thought in mind. And the more he thought about it, the angrier he got. Richard was going to ruin it for everybody.
Bob quietly exited, passed on the instructions to Liz’ and Dave’s contacts in the network, and returned within a few days; bringing his Japanese woman and their child. She had just enough money left over from her previous temporary secretarial job, to rent a small room for them to live in; while he began learning his job. Just as he had learned his job as ‘Social Psychologist’, while working for the American Military; he knew his new job as Director of the Japan Center, was a step up. Bob began to feel good, and smiled at Liz and Dave. Liz smiled back and Dave grinned. Before he had first come to the Japan Center to check out the job opening there, Bob had never met David and Elizabeth Fellers. He had heard about them when he was in South Korea though, and he knew that they were ‘just like him.’ Bob felt his hustling days were over. He had hit Pay Dirt this time. It was all going to pay off now. He had a nice set up. And since he knew that most of the students were involved in the network, he wouldn’t have to work too hard. He would operate right out of the center. Using the school as a front, just like Liz and Dave had done. Currently, there was a new airport under construction in Japan, and the network was going to see that it never got built; using some uneducated farmers as a front, while they planned to prevent it’s completion. Bob felt very comfortable with Liz and Dave Fellers. Though they were both college graduates (unlike him), their involvement in subversive activity went back to their days as Theology Students in America. Now, under the guise of Educational Directors of an International College Center and Missionaries (which was how they had originally gotten to Japan in the first place); they were operating with a subversive organization in Japan. In fine, Bob was in his element. He had been attracted to political subversion because (1) It was an escape from having to go back to America and the responsibilities it would entail (he wasn’t living such a bad life in Japan, and his woman was making a reasonable income that basically supported them). In the United States, his opportunities were limited (in reality, he had no qualifications to do very much of anything, aside from repossessing unpaid for merchandise – a line of work he had briefly done, until he had gotten beaten up one day – or maybe digging ditches; anything else was out of the question, as he had wasted most of his time during his school days) and (2) The fact that he had hustled so cleverly and so long (including his charade as a Councilor and Social Psychologist to barely literate servicemen in the military, which he still laughed about) made him feel like a big shot. He had always had a deep contempt for authority. In particular; ‘Political Authority’ as dictated by ‘Government’. Now he had it made. It had not all been for nothing. Maybe his periodic depression would go away now, for good.
Bob Woverback’s mind was instantly jarred into the present, as the Japanese office secretary for the Japan Center, Keiko Ramura, informed him that he had a phone call. The phone call was from Jack Riley and Fred Napley. Jack, a faculty advisor, and Fred, a student, were living together and had a very ‘unconventional’ relationship going. They were the next two ‘key people’ at Scholar’s Japan Center, after Liz and Dave, in the subversive network. Jack had called up to say that he was coming into school, but that Fred was terrified and was not. Bob understood why Fred was frightened. After what had happened, it was possible that everyone would be affected to the extent of deportation by the Japanese government, straight into the beckoning hands of the American governmental authorities; depending on what Richard had done. The fact that Richard had gotten to the center before him and was sitting in the college library (where the ‘commeeting’ was to take place) reading the morning newspaper, just made Bob shake with rage and fear. He told Jack Riley to hurry and get to the center. Jack said he would, as soon as he calmed Fred down.
Fred Napley, who was wearing the dog collar that Jack had bought him during their recent ‘educational trip’ to Thailand (financed by the college), was very upset. As Jack pulled Fred towards him by the ring in the dog collar he wore around the house, Fred cried in his arms. Jack Riley was not an American, like almost everyone else at the center. He was a European, who had been involved in political subversion in Southeast Asia for quite a number of years. He had also visited North Korea on one occasion. He had joined Scholar’s Japan Center, as a faculty advisor, at the invitation of Elizabeth and David Fellers. Liz and Dave had met him through the network. Bob had known about him indirectly too; and was very impressed that Jack Riley had been to North Korea. As was the case with many of the men and women in their particular circle, Bob had an unconventional relationship going with Jack Riley and Fred Napley. This began the first time that Jack Riley allowed him to ball Fred Napley at a party. The fishnet stockings, bondage panties, blue eye shadow and red lipstick, that Fred wore that evening, just drove Bob wild. Jack, Bob and Noshi Kazu (a Japanese former-student and graduate of Scholar’s college, who had been trained as an Engineer, but was unable to find a job, and was now on the faculty and also a member of the subversive network) all shared Fred with each other; when he wasn’t getting his kicks selling himself in the park that was used by male and female prostitutes, near the center, (and where he was known as “the foreigner with the pock marked face” – which had resulted from a bad case of acne) on occasional evenings. Noshi Kazu also lived with Jack Riley and Fred Napley, in a big house, that was used alternately as a meeting place for planning of subversive activity, and for unconventional sex parties; where D’absinthe and Heroin were consumed in large quantities on weekends.
Noshi, who had just come into the front office, told Bob that he would at least have to go look in the library; or Richard would get the idea that he was afraid. Bob knew that Noshi was right, but he ‘was’ afraid; and decided not to go to the library, until he had met with Jack to discuss what to do about Richard.
Richard Kermode sat in the library, quietly reading the English version of the morning Japanese (Mainichi) newspaper. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Arthur Singleman, peek at him through a crack of the slightly opened library door. Richard smiled. He knew why Arthur Singleman would be concerned about the outcome of today’s ‘commeeting’. Arthur was the so-called ‘Artist in Residence’, who lived with his Japanese wife on the second floor, of the two story Scholar’s Japan Center. Richard knew that Arthur was freeloading off of the school, and that the reason Arthur was not in the United States, was because the police were looking for him; in connection with a crime he had been involved in. (Arthur had drunkenly related that story to a mutual acquaintance of his and Richard’s, in the school one evening; without realizing that Richard had heard him.) There was a slight possibility that Arthur Singleman was also involved, to a lesser degree, with the network that was operating out of the center. As Arthur quickly disappeared, Richard shook his head. Scholar’s Japan Center had a can of worms so full, that if it was ever opened, Scholar’s International Institution of Learning would probably be closed down by the United States Government; just based on what was going on at it’s Japan Center. But all Richard wanted was his college degree, which he had earned; and he intended to get it. “The people at World Headquarters for the school in America, would find out what was going on sooner or later”, he thought. “Still”, he wondered, “How big and how deep is this thing?” And why were they all attracted to this particular college, at this particular center, at this particular time?
He knew there was more to this than met the eye, and that what he knew at this time, was only the tip of the iceberg.

CHAPTER TWO
Richard Kermode came from a strong upper middle class family. He was born and raised in New York City. Richard had attended just about every type of school imaginable. Public School, Catholic, (back to Public), Private, and his final year of high school was spent in an alternative school named, ‘The Violet Society’. Richard Kermode was a free spirit in a constant state of flux. Being that he had always been interested in Ancient History and Art, the alternative school atmosphere suited him perfectly in his final year; already having gotten a strong, varied and solid educational foundation in the previous schools he had been. His family, of course, understanding that their child thrived in an artistic atmosphere of change. He enjoyed the class trips to the Cloisters and all the many museums in and around the city. During this time, he took classes in Photography and the, then new, Videotape camera technique. On top of all this, he loved music; and spent occasional evenings and weekends, down in Greenwich Village, in coffeehouses like the Café Wha?, and Folk City. Whether it was listening to artists like Arlo Guthrie, Richie Havens (solo or guesting with Fresh Flavor), Janis Ian, Phil Ochs lamenting on his friend Victor Jara, Melanie Safka, Minnie Ripperton (post Rotary Connection), Melvin Van Peebles, Roger Mcguinn, Laura Nyro, or just going to Hootenanny night; the music was alive and pulsating, and of course, the waitresses were nice. That particular period of his life was very meaningful and special for him. Partly because of the friends he had made that final year in high school, who had always remained friends and kept in touch years after; and because the air of expectancy at that time, the feeling that ‘anything was possible if you just tried’, rubbed off on him and never left.
Richard loved people. He was attracted to Scholar’s International Institution of Learning, because from what he had read about it and what he had seen of it (a friend of his family, who had been associated with the college in an advisory capacity when it first started, but had since retired; suggested that he visit the campus and spend a day to see if he liked it) reminded him of his twelfth grade school ‘The Violet Society’. He did very well during his Freshman year in the college, doing projects on Television Film Production and Script writing and Art History Anthropological studies. Richard went abroad for the first time in his Sophomore year, and did a lengthy Art History study project in Europe. The European Centre of Scholar’s International Institution of Learning, was run very smoothly, by a very knowledgeable and surprisingly, a very artistic faculty. And after Orientation, a very eager group of students; went off to do their various projects.
In Europe, Richard fell in love with the museums and Art Galleries. He believed in and followed the motto of the college, which was to ‘leave a place and the people there, better off than you found them, by you’re having been there’. Richard Kermode, was no 'fluent language expert' (with none of the baggage he observed that came with certain types of indviduals who calculatingly used a foreign language to subtly focus on using the natives and spreading misinformation), and dealt with people on a one to one basic human level. His personality, along with the simple basic ordinary words and phrases he learned (and sign language), caused him to make friends automatically. And the Art field, was full of creative people who were particularly drawn to him. Even his day to day dealings with people (such as learning where to shop, mail letters, go to the bank) were adventures. And just like in America, you had a sprinkling of occasional ignoramouses, who you limited your conversation with, as much as possible. He noticed that the 'fluent language experts' types, who were using the language to manipulate the natives, inevitably attracted the ignoramouses. And if they weren't careful, ended up in deep trouble; being that liars always had to have good memories. The American students who Richard spent his time with, while in Italy, were delighted to be there, very open (some very fluent in the language), and with no secret agenda. The Italian people they drew to them, were very warm, open and friendly. He cherished his experiences in Italy. Milan's La Brea museum was his favorite, and he visited 'the Brea' every chance he got; usually with some of his classmates and Italian students who they had made friends with. When he had completed his Art study project, he felt a longing that he didn't want to leave, but it was time to move on. The friends he had made, threw a going away party for him, and he knew he would visit there again one day. Before going back to America, he briefly visited Berlin, where there was a small but burgeoning avant garde Art scene. Bizarre but highly intellectual, it was quite a contrast to the traditional Art in Italy. Berlin (with wall intact), left a deep impression on Richard. The East German troops, armed and guarding their side, and the U.S. troops doing the same on the West side of the wall. And it occured to him, (with an Artist's perception), that Borders could not only be physical, but ideological and cultural as well.
After completing his semester in Europe and returning to the United States, he continued Art study with emphasis on its sociological influence on modern society. Glad to be home, but still with a longing and lingering memories of Europe, he immersed himself in his current project. Richard's family eased him back into home again, and noticed the change in him.
By the time he came to Japan, during his Junior year, he was well seasoned in the do’s and don’ts of living abroad and dealing with people of different cultures, other than American. Richard knew that when you were a foreigner, living in someone else’s country, you lived by ‘their rules’ and not yours. So he became very careful, when after having been in the Japan Center for a short time, he noticed that Liz and Dave Fellers were in a subtle way, trying to involve him in some activity that they were saying was one thing; but that obviously at second glance, was another. When Richard went to Seoul in South Korea via the port town of Pusan, with another student, to get his student visa (he had come to Japan during the second half of his Junior year, on a tourist visa), he very diplomatically avoided involving himself in the passing of secret dispatches to people in South Korea, he did not know. The other student, named William Randolph, who Richard thought a little odd, left Richard in the University they were staying in, in Seoul, one afternoon; and passed the material on to the mysterious contacts himself. Richard did not realize, at the time, what the deep repercussions of his not being involved in this activity, would eventually lead to. Nor did he know the effect it would have on the faculty and students in the long run. (Richard had also taken note of the difference between the Koreans in Seoul, which was a University town, full of highly educated people, and the Koreans in Pusan, which was a port town, full of uneducated brutish people, and violence.)
So his orientation at the Japan Center became more than just an academic one. And he sensed that something was wrong with the Japan Center. Luckily, when Orientation was over, David Fellers, who became Richard’s advisor (and as Richard gradually noticed, was just doing the minimum of what was required of him), was able to provide a Japanese family for Richard to live with; so he did not have to live at the Japan Center. Richard enjoyed his stay with the Japanese family (which was until he got a room in a student house), as he slowly began to learn some of their customs. He and his awkward but endearing qualities, which included hilarious attempts at speaking Japanese; sometimes with a nervous stutter and ending with his universal sign language, in turn, fascinated them. They also helped him to open an account, in the same bank where they had their own account; and from there ventured out on his own, to find the places of practical usage, such as the Grocery Store, Post Office, etc…
But Richard became increasingly uncomfortable about the type of people Liz and Dave Fellers were associated with. There was something sinister in some of their acquaintances. Particularly in a Japanese man who they were trying to involve him with, who they said could help advise him with his thesis on Art History. The man’s credentials were questionable, and there was something fanatical about his views on Japanese Nationalism that bordered on political subversion. Richard told Liz and Dave that he wasn’t interested in associating with anyone on that plane of thought; and he began to have problems with them. Particularly with Elizabeth Fellers; who speculated that maybe Japan was not the right place for him, to do his thesis. However, the following week, Richard unexpectedly ran into another Japanese gentleman during a visit to a temple he liked. From their discussion, which began with their talking about the structure of a gigantic temple built on water, Richard learned that the man was a retired Art History Professor; and he spoke English. Richard was invited to his home that evening, and after a long conversation concerning Art History, Richard not only had someone to advise him on Japanese Art, but also someone who could be his External Examiner when he was finished. After Richard related back to Liz and Dave Fellers that he had found his own Field Advisor and External Examiner, they both became very uneasy. Especially after meeting the man. His credentials were impeccable. (Elizabeth Fellers in particular, who had already decided without even having met the man yet, that the whole idea would not work out, and that Richard’s plans would be best served at another center, was now incensed.) So, not wanting to look like fools, they reluctantly gave Richard the O.K.; and he began to work on his thesis. Not long after, David Fellers grudgingly found Richard an opening in a student house; just before Elizabeth Fellers went on a mysterious solo trip to South Korea. There was another aquaintance of David Fellers. A 'friend' who occasionally visited the school. He was an American expatriate named Warren Polack. Warren was a very outgoing extrovert. But there was something about him that left you feeling uneasy. Underneath all of that friendliness, you ended up feeling that there was something shady about Warren Polack.
The day before Richard moved into the room in the student house, the Japanese family he had stayed with, threw a small party for him; and wished him good luck. His transition into the student house was very easy, and his Landlady not only took a liking to him, but became a little protective of him too; as he was very kind to her, caused her no problems, and always paid his rent on time.
During this juncture, Richard became involved with two Japanese women. The first was a waitress in one of the coffeehouses he liked to hang out in (they had plenty of them in Japan too) and the second was a Classical guitarist and flutist he met during a visit to a Japanese temple, more than a month later. Both of these women remained very important in his life.
The waitress was named Aiko Reynolds, and she was much older than Richard. He was not aware when he first met her, that she had a drug problem. Her husband, (who was a European musician and also a drug addict) had seemingly abandoned her; and she was very troubled, confused and angry. She would occasionally show remnants of acts of real kindness towards Richard, mixed with the deep hurt, loneliness and love he could see in her sometimes. Like the night she took him out to dinner at a Japanese diner near her home, in the wee hours of the morning, because she knew he had not eaten anything; and was feeling homesick. They shared a Japanese meal; eating from the same plate of food, with chopsticks. She told him to ignore a couple of ignorant, uneducated Japanese customers, who were making loud, rude and filthy comments about them. On the way back to her home, he thanked her with deep gratitude for taking him out; while she smiled and laughed softly. He never forgot how the full moon shined down on them that night. Richard made an all out effort to be the Good Samaritan, after having gotten involved with her; pleading with Aiko to stop smoking Hashish and sniffing Heroin. But aside from indulging her desperate, intense lovemaking (which she did not hesitate to refer to as “fucking”) when she took him home with her, he slowly began to realize he was wasting his time. She spent most of her time locked away in her room using drugs, and sadly, Aiko had ‘given up’ a long time before she met Richard. She drifted in the twilight world of dimly lit coffeehouses, from musician to musician. And her response to his pleadings against her drug use and ruination of her mind and health was, at the start of their relationship, contemptuous laughter. Later on, as her Heroin use increased, after she realized how innocently naïve and deep his love for her was, the laughter turned into vicious verbal attacks, which got increasingly ugly, (while her lovemaking turned from a comforting tenderness to erratically abusive), and finally; subtly trying to persuade Richard to take drugs with her. It was then he realized it was hopeless, and that his relationship with Aiko wasn’t based in reality.
It was Sumiko who balanced everything out. Sumiko Akira was a Classical music student who lived on campus at Kyoto University, that he met one sunny day during one of his many treks to the temples of Kyoto. Sumiko was a very skilled flutist and guitarist. She and Richard met near a fishpond and began talking to each other about how cute and friendly the fish were. As the conversation progressed between them, they found that along with their ages, they also had a love of Art and Music in common too. Sumiko was not beautiful in the witty, sexy, physical, ethereal way Aiko had been, she was beautiful in a very plain, earthly, warm, intelligent, friendly way. She restored his faith in humankind. Whereas Aiko had captured his heart (he would never forget her), Sumiko captured his mind and intellect, in a very wonderful, free, new way. They would spend occasional evenings together discussing Art and Music in a place they discovered called ‘Art Gallery Kimiko’, that was an interesting combination Art Gallery and Espresso Bar. The patrons were other students like themselves and a few Pop Art Culture types. Richard loved the atmosphere. Sumiko took him to his first Noh Theatre experience, and explained to him what was going on during the performance, and he was enchanted with it and her. Richard began to realize that the possibilities in their friendship were infinite. Sumiko left it wide open for him to see that and express himself to her. He made her laugh. And once, in an attempt to be funny, he ended up crying, because he remembered that that was what he used to do with Aiko, when he had tried to bring her some comfort and relief from all the bitterness that was consuming her. Sumiko held him warmly and didn’t let go until he stopped crying. Not long after that, they attempted to make love in Sumiko’s dormitory room. But a strange thing happened when they had taken their clothes off and looked at each other. Richard and Sumiko actually felt embarrassed and foolish. They knew and understood each other as friends, good friends; whose common interest was Music and Art. What were they doing sitting on this Futon, naked? This was ridiculous! They embarrassingly came to the same realization at the same time, shook hands, and put their clothes back on. Sumiko instead put on an album from her record collection, which was Elton John’s soundtrack to the film, ‘Friends’; and they held hands and listened to it together in a warm glow. ‘Friends’, were what they stayed and remained, until Sumiko went to finish up her school studies at a University in Europe. Richard went with her to the train station in downtown Kyoto that day, where she was to catch the Shinkansen to Tokyo; and was sorry to see her go. He wished her well, as they hugged and kissed good-bye. Ever since he had been in college, this was the most difficult thing. Saying good-bye to people. Sometimes people who you would probably never see again. This made Richard wonder sometimes if having an International education was a curse in some respects. The experience with Sumiko however, had rejuvenated him where women were concerned. He realized that the world did not end with Aiko. There were other women and other experiences, waiting to happen. Now he felt strong, in a strange quiet sort of way. “I will always be thankful to Sumiko”, he thought to himself, as the train pulled out of the station.
Like most things in Japan’s rapidly changing culture, ‘Art Gallery Kimiko’ didn’t last long. Soon after Sumiko left, the Art Gallery/Espresso Bar, became a semi-seedy ‘Pachinko Gambling Parlour’; and attracted just that type of clientele. Richard never went back.
Even though Richard Kermode was not fluent in Japanese language (Aiko and Sumiko were exceptions, as they both spoke fairly good English), he was able to relate very easily to the Japanese, most of the time. He learned rather quickly what ‘not to do’ if you were a foreigner in Japan; by observance of what happened to a Hawaiian student who was also part Japanese, who had visited Scholar’s Japan Center one afternoon during Orientation.
Kanu was a student from Honolulu, who was spending a few days in Kyoto before returning to Hawaii. He spent most of his afternoon visit, in the school library, blusteringly voicing his personal theory (to a few students from the center, among them Richard, and to a few visiting Japanese students who sat quietly listening) that “blacks were causing all the trouble in Hawaii, since they were all criminally inclined anyway”; meanwhile ingratiating himself in particular to the Japanese that were present, and talking about his deep love for Country Music and mom and apple pie all American values.
Richard observed Kanu the following day, during an afternoon walk in downtown Kyoto. Having been ejected from the seedy hotel he had been staying in, Kanu was involved in a heated argument with the Japanese proprietor, for overcharging him. The proprietor reminding him that he was ‘not’ Japanese, just before phoning the Police. As the Hawaiian was forcibly hauled away in handcuffs, kicking and screaming, the proprietor of the hotel continued to remind him that he was in Japan, and nothing but another ‘foreigner’. The crowd of Japanese people, who had collected nearby to watch, began laughing amongst themselves.
What Kanu did not understand, was that the Japanese, in their society, and in their country, ‘categorized’ everybody who was not Japanese. So any foreigner who thought that they were ‘Honorary Japanese’, were sadly mistaken; for they would inevitably find themselves categorized ‘racially’ in Japan.
So Richard maintained a balance in his relations with the Japanese, by that instructive lesson. He appealed to their sense of intelligence, compassion, humor and occasionally, of the absurd. Furthermore, surprisingly, he found that many Japanese wanted to communicate with him in the little English that they understood; when he tried communicating with them in Japanese. He found, that where he was concerned, if he made an effort to understand the ‘basic mentality’ of the people of a different culture, without trying to be ‘one of them’, he got along with them very well. Including the occasional idiots who would pop up from time to time. And it had nothing to do with having a brilliant mind (although some people wouldn’t look at it that way). It had to do with an explanatory quote that Statesman Adlai Stevenson had made once, a long time ago, of what the word ‘experience’ meant to him; that Richard loved and lived by. “EXPERIENCE: A knowledge not gained by words, but by touch, sight, sound, victories, failures, sleeplessness, devotion, love – the human experiences and emotions of this earth and of oneself and other people; and perhaps too, a little faith, and a little reverence for things you cannot see.” Those words, had come to mean so much to Richard, as time passed on.
He had become somewhat of a celebrity, when he made a deal with a Japanese man, who owned a fruit stand in the downtown Kyoto market district; during a point when he was low on money. Richard persuaded the man (who he regularly bought fruit from) to try out an idea he had. So every day, for one week’s time, in exchange for free fruit, Richard stood outside, in front of the small grocery; shaking Maracas and yelling “Irashi” (Welcome)! The grocer sold more fruit in that one week than he sold in a month; and his competitors tried to hire Richard too, after they noticed that they were losing customers to the little fruit stand down the street. By then, Richard had received some money, cabled from home, to his account in his bank. So he left a very happy small fruit stand owner, with a new idea, and some nervous competitors.

CHAPTER THREE
Richard Kermode laughed about the memory of his weeklong job as a Fruit Stand Advertising Executive, as he sat in the school library, reading the newspaper. He had long since finished his thesis on Art History. And his External Examiner had submitted his External Examination paper, and left for vacation. The only thing that had been holding everything up was Bob Woverback.
Bob Woverback had made no effort to meet with Richard Kermode’s External Examiner after becoming Director of the Japan Center and Richard’s advisor; even though Richard was rewriting the final draft of his thesis by then. Bob was trying to prevent Richard from getting his degree. Some of it had to do with jealousy on his part. Bob knew that he was inadequate for his job from the start. And his becoming Richard’s advisor after David Feller’s departure, had only confirmed this. What became immediately apparent, was that he and Richard did not speak the same language. Richard was quite literate and very observant. Bob was barely adequate, and functioned in life by outwitting people; usually, in an underhanded way. From the very beginning, when he had visited the school as an applicant for the job as Director, Richard had told Bob to his face, that he thought he was an opportunist. Bob deeply resented that fact that Richard saw right through him. And Richard had nothing to gain by ‘playing ball’ with him; other than fulfilling his requirements for graduation, which he had already done. In essence, he owed Bob nothing. In his bad judgment, Bob (with some procured help from members of the school network) had forced Richard’s hand.
Richard Kermode had gone up to the American Consulate in Kobe, to complain about the fact that his Japanese Landlady, mysteriously wanted him to move out of the student house he lived in. This was mysterious, because from the day he had first moved into his room, Richard had always been on very good terms with his Landlady. Now, all of a sudden, at the same time that his Senior requirements for graduation were being tampered with, his Landlady wanted him to move out; the reason being, bizarrely, that he had stopped going to school. It all smacked of very subtle sabotage. The problem Bob Woverback had, was that when a Japanese Official from the American Consulate in Kobe, called down to the school in Kyoto, on the office telephone, to find out what was going on with Richard’s Landlady; (the Official told Keiko the secretary, that a gentleman named Richard Kermode was sitting in his office) Bob didn’t know ‘what else’ had been discussed, up at the consulate.
Richard sat and smiled as the other students began to come into the school library for the ‘commeeting’. Lori Barkley, a female student who was a part of the school network, came in with her Japanese boyfriend, Tushiro Nakana. Tushiro was not a student, but another freeloader; who rode in one day on his motorcycle and never left. He slept at the school, slept with Lori, at another student house across town, or slept at the house that Jack Riley shared with Fred Napley and Noshi Kazu. Tushiro had been heavily involved in violent subversive activity with the lunatic fringe of the Red Army in Japan, for many years. He was still heavily involved in it; and had a loud braggadocio about himself, particularly when he got drunk, which was quite often. Richard wondered what Lori’s parents would think, if they knew what she was doing. (He had actually met them once, briefly, when they had visited the school for an afternoon, while touring Japan; back during Orientation, when Liz and Dave Fellers were CO-directors. And her mother and father were very warm and cordial.) Richard put down his newspaper and looked over at them. Lori glared at him with a scowl on her face, and Tushiro began to crack his knuckles. Richard smiled at them both and winked at Tushiro. Tushiro pulled his hands apart, and nervously put his arm around Lori’s shoulders. They lowered their heads and went over to a corner of the library and sat down. Next, a student named William Randolph came in the room. He was the main courier for the school network; and had been, since Elizabeth Fellers had left. He had gone to South Korea with Richard, when Richard had to get his student visa, and passed on some communiqués for Elizabeth Fellers; when Richard refused to do it for her. William Randolph, who was highly intelligent, came from a very well to do family; and his parents had been Missionaries in Japan. William spoke Japanese fairly well, but was developing a clearly visible mental problem. His parents had gone back to America around the time he had joined the college (in Japan); and then his father had started his own business. William’s father had been trying to get him to come work for his business in Portland, Oregon. He was not aware of the fact that William hated him for all the years he spent in Japan doing Missionary work, while William had longed for a life outside of that; and felt himself vegetating from his highly strict religious upbringing. Nor was his father aware of the subversive activity he had become involved in with Elizabeth and David Fellers. Thinking William would come around to his point of view eventually, his father continued paying tuition and also contributing money to the college. After all, his son was in a reputable International school. And Ike Lowery, the Treasurer for the college, assured him that with the big contributions he made to the school; William could stay, indefinitely. And there was the added assurance of a wonderful formal letter from Marlin Butterworth, the Senior Director at World Headquarters and ‘Grand Old Man’ of Scholar’s International Institution of Learning; where he ceremoniously expressed his thanks to William’s father for his contributions. And let him know, that if he ever visited World Headquarters, the ‘Grand Old Man’ would be available for them to be photographed together.
Liz and Dave Fellers were now working as CO-directors of the American Center at World Headquarters in America, and Bob Woverback was Director of the Japan Center. William Randolph had had a long meeting with Bob Woverback, Jack Riley and Fred Napley, about what to do concerning Richard, weeks ago. They did not realize that by trying to sabotage Richard’s graduation, after his External Examiner had submitted his examination paper and gone on vacation; that they were in essence, slitting their own throats. Now William understood, in his ongoing slow madness, that Richard was not going to let them walk all over him.
William stood at the library door with a sickening look on his face; staring at Richard. William had been spitting up on himself. As spit ran down the side of his mouth into his overgrown beard, a look of madness gleaned through his eyes.
Richard shook his head as he looked at him. (He felt sorry for William, even though he knew William was the one who started the trouble with his Landlady, on Bob Woverback’s orders.) William stomped back out of the library and out of the back door of the center, into the back yard; where he began swearing to himself and throwing a soccer ball against the side wall of the Japan Center. While William was doing this, another student named Spencer Johnson walked past him, shaking his head; and came into the center through the back door. Spencer Johnson was carrying a tennis racket and wearing a short-sleeved shirt, a pair of tennis shorts, sneakers and sunglasses. He had come by the center to put in an appearance, before going to the tennis court he regularly played in. Spencer was in the college to have a good time. He had come over fairly recently, from the European Centre, two months before; and he harbored a strange contempt for the school. He stuck his head into the library door to see who was present, unaware of what was about to take place that day; and said a loud “hello” to everybody. Tushiro answered him, but everybody else ignored him, as they knew he thrived on attention. He stared at everyone for a moment, then rolled his eyes and left; continuing down the hallway to the front office, saying ‘hello’ to everybody he came into contact with. Richard kept a distance from Spencer Johnson, as he knew that Spencer had done no schoolwork since he had been in the college, and owed schoolwork to the American and European centers; all of which was common knowledge due to Spencer’s boasting. But most important of all, was that Spencer was on the verge of being inducted into the school network, without even knowing it. He had already started doing ‘favors’ for Bob (or ‘Uncle Bob’ as Spencer laughingly referred to him) Woverback and Jack Riley. After thirty seconds, during which everybody in the library could hear him saying hello to Bob Woverback, Noshi Kazu and Keiko Ramura in the front office, Spencer Johnson left the center; jogging out of the front courtyard.
A few minutes later, Jack Riley rode into the school front courtyard on his bicycle. He looked over at Richard in disgust, parked his bicycle, and went into the front office where Bob Woverback was. He remained there with Bob for nearly two hours.
During that time, Greta Bumbry, another student, came into the library; along with some of the students from the new class, who had recently come over from America for the next semester. (Richard wondered if any of these new students, or their parents for that matter, knew what they were getting into.) Greta was another student who was working in the network. She, like William Randolph and Fred Napley, came from a rich family. But unlike them, she neither had a mental or a drug problem. Greta was in full control of her faculties and knew exactly what she was doing. She therefore, had to be watched very carefully. And Richard watched her with careful scrutiny. Greta, who had a very pleasant sounding, sugarcoated southern accent, exuded a very phony, friendly type of humanitarianism, that smacked of the deep contempt that was beneath it; and the belief that ‘certain groups of people should stay in their traditional place’, so she could maintain her comfort level. She was capable of anything. He had observed, as she and Tushiro, became very close and very fast friends; from the day he rode in on his motorcycle. And she was not only present, but eager to join a Business Administration student from a Midwestern University, who had come by the school one evening; saying that he was going to South Korea to sabotage American Corporations there. Richard (who was also present that night, and by that time, aware of what Elizabeth and David Fellers were involved in) noticed the same look of slow madness on that student’s face that was now on William Randolph’s face. Richard stared at Greta, but she wouldn’t look directly at him; and pretended to be detached, as she sat down in the library, and began talking to some of the new students. One of the new students in that class, named Jenny, who was from Chicago, was mildly ignorant. There were indications that she was aware, in a peripheral way, of what was going on at the center; but she didn’t want anyone to upset anything. Like all of the new students, Jenny was a transfer student, who had just joined the college since transferring from her old one. Ever since the early morning when Richard had come to the center, she had been indirectly saying to anyone who would listen, that someone had gone up to the American Consulate the day before and was making trouble. Jenny was from the poor train of thought that was based on: “As long as it’s not affecting me, it’s alright. So leave it the way it is.” Richard totally dismissed her as if she wasn’t even there. He knew that today he had to make his move. It was now or never. So he sat and waited.
After approximately two hours, first Jack Riley (with the still obvious look of disgust on his face) then Noshi Kazu (who was silent and stoic), and finally Bob Woverback, came into the library. Bob knelt down in front of Richard, who was still sitting in his chair. Bob had a look of someone who was struck dumb, but with a streak of real, deep-seated fear on his face.
“After the commeeting we’ll finish up your Senior Evaluation, O.K.?”, he said. Richard smiled and nodded O.K.
During the commeeting, Jack Riley kept looking over at Richard with the same look of total disgust on his face. The meeting was pretty routine (mostly concerning the upkeep of the Japan Center and carefully avoiding anything to do with Richard) except for one tense moment when Tushiro purposely motioned aggressively at Richard, as he walked past him toward Jack Riley. As Jack Riley lost control for a few seconds and attempted to encourage Tushiro’s behavior, Richard stayed cool, calm and collected; while staring intently at them both.
At the end of the ‘commeeting’, Greta said, “Do we have anything else to discuss?”
Everyone who knew what was going on looked over at Richard. There was one minute of silence, during which Richard smiled broadly; showing his teeth (much to the total displeasure of all concerned) and the ‘commeeting’ ended.
Some of the students were confused. (The new ones who had just arrived for the new semester.) The network members quickly began to leave, one by one. Jack Riley left with the same look of disgust on his face. Strangely, Richard wondered if any of the parents of the students who were network members, like Fred Napley, really cared about what happened to their children. Or for that matter, aside from cabling them money, were even interested in their welfare. It made him sad to think about it (and grateful that he came from a strong, loving and caring family), but he didn’t dwell on it. He waited in the small tatami room, for Bob Woverback; with the door slid open.
It was getting dark outside, as the meeting had taken up all of the afternoon. The front door to the Japan Center, was across the hall from the small room Richard was sitting in; with the front office to the immediate right. Keiko Ramura, the office secretary, stopped in the room to say goodnight to Richard. She smiled at him.
Keiko had taken the call from the American Consulate, as Bob Woverback had been sitting across from her in the office. She knew what was going on at the center, but was not involved. The faculty did not know it yet, but she was planning her departure from the school. Keiko had also become aware from her conversation with the Japanese Official, whose office Richard had been sitting in up at the Consulate, that the Japan Center of Scholar’s International Institution of Learning, had been under constant surveillance; ever since Elizabeth and David Fellers had become CO-directors of the center. She had been advised to get another secretarial job, someplace else. The conversation had been conducted in double advanced form Japanese, so that neither Richard Kermode or Bob Woverback could understand what was being said. As soon as the conversation was finished, Bob had wanted to know immediately, what she and the official had talked about. Keiko kept it simple, and said that Richard had gone up to the Consulate to complain about some mysterious trouble with his Landlady; and that she told the official at the Consulate, that she would look into it. (Keiko had mentioned to Richard when he had come to school that morning, before the ‘commeeting’, that she would speak to his Landlady.) Bob still had pressed for more of an answer, as he knew the minute she had stopped using the simple basic Japanese that he understood, and started using the double advanced form, that some very important information was being discussed. But she had just given him the same exact answer again.
Richard smiled back warmly and said goodnight in basic Japanese. Keiko smiled at him sadly, in admiration of what he had done; wishing she could say more, and left the school, walking slowly out into the night.
Richard’s sadness deepened. He thought about Aiko for a minute, and how her husband had seemingly abandoned her like trash.
“That bastard”, he said to himself in a flash of anger. Then Sumiko crossed his mind, and he thought about what a beautiful friend she had been. The sadness began to go away, but the anger did not.
After five minutes, Bob Woverback and Greta Bumbry came out of the front office. Bob was begging and pleading for Greta to stay, but she looked over at Richard and said she was in a hurry. Richard noticed on her face for the first time, a look of real fear. Greta, (who was also responsible for editing the ‘News From The Japan Center’, that was fed into Scholar’s International Institution of Learning’s ‘Quarterly Newsletter’, since Elizabeth Fellers had recruited her for the job) exited out of the front door as fast as she could.
Greta had been very good at stirring up trouble, behind the scenes, while maintaining a very pleasant demeanor; and at using the newsletter to take pot shots at people she didn’t like (without using names of course) and Richard had been a prime target, since he wasn’t a network member.
That left Bob Woverback alone in the Japan Center with Richard Kermode. Richard turned around, facing the table in front of him in the tatami room; not looking at Bob Woverback. Bob understood. It was time. Richard was waiting for him to come into the room, close the door, and sit down at the table; facing him. Now it was time to swallow hard and get down to business. He knew that if he wasn’t careful with this student, there was a strong possibility that unfolding events would lead to him being questioned by the Japanese Government about his background. (For example: “How did he become the Director of an International College Center with no College Degree in Education?” and “Under what circumstances was he able to acquire a job as a ‘Social Psychologist’ and ‘Councilor’ in the American Military?”) And Bob knew where ‘that’ would lead. He felt a sharp pain in his gut.
Bob stood in the doorway of the tatami room, and told Richard he would be in, after he locked up the front office. Richard did not answer or move, and Bob hurried into the office. While Bob stood in the office shaking uncontrollably, Richard thought about what had taken place the day before:
On the previous day, Richard had gone to the ‘American Center’ in Kyoto, which was like an informational library; with books and videotapes about the United States. Japanese operated the American Center, and Richard had used it before; when he was researching material for his thesis. He went there that day to ask for directions to the American Consulate in Kobe. The two Japanese librarians were very helpful in directing him there. Plus they also wrote the directions for him in Japanese; telling him that if he got lost on his way there, to just show them to any Japanese person, and they would direct him. He thanked the librarians and went on his way. It took quite some time, following a train ride to Kobe, but after asking directions and showing the note to six people, who patiently directed him; he finally found the American Consulate. After going inside, he was sent to a Japanese Official’s office, as the American Official who was usually there, was not available. The Japanese Official’s name was Mr. Takami. Richard greeted him by bowing first and then shaking hands, which was customary. After Mr. Takami closed the door, they sat down at his desk. He asked Richard what school he was from, and Richard told him; “Scholar’s International Institution of Learning”. This was when Mr. Takami asked Richard if Scholar’s Japan Center was originally based in southwestern Japan, and then asked him if he smoked; offering him a cigarette from a pack. Richard immediately became aware that the American Consulate was very informed about Scholar’s Japan Center. He had found out from Steven Dobbs (a fellow student who had been in his Freshman class and was currently in Japan) that the Scholar’s Japan Center originally had been in southwestern Japan. Then too, headed by Missionaries just turned CO-directors, Elizabeth and David Fellers. The center had been evicted by the Landlord, for allowing school property to be used for raising marijuana. Richard (who did not smoke) declined the offer of a cigarette, and showed Mr. Takami his passport; so that he knew by looking at his arrival date in Japan, that Richard had not been in the country at that time. Mr. Takami nodded his head and asked what the problem was. Richard then proceeded to tell his story, with such heartfelt raw emotion, that it should have gotten him an Oscar. He tearfully related to Mr. Takami (between sobs) how he mysteriously was having trouble with his Landlady, and he didn’t understand why. About how nice the people of Japan had treated him (which was mostly true) and how he just wanted to stay until his final visa extension ran out (which would be in a few months time, but he was planning to leave as soon as he had his graduation on the American campus confirmed; which was his ‘real reason’ for being there in the first place). Mr. Takami said he understood Richard’s problem, and gently told him to calm himself. He asked how he could help, and Richard asked if he would speak to the Director of Scholar’s Japan Center, and ask him if he could alleviate the problem. This indirect approach was a very formal Japanese way of doing things, and Mr. Takami asked for the phone number of the center; which Richard gave him. As Richard sat and listened with his head bowed, wiping tears away with his hand, and with his handkerchief blowing his nose, Mr. Takami dialed the phone number. At the phone connection, Richard put away his handkerchief and wiped his face with his fingers. His head was lowered, but his ears were wide open.
“Hello, is this Scholar’s International Institution of Learning? Yes, thank you. I am calling from my office here at the American Consulate, and I have a gentleman sitting here named Richard Kermode.”
From that point on, the conversation was conducted in basic Japanese; some of which Richard was able to understand. He picked up that Keiko had answered the phone, and that Bob Woverback was in the office, but was busy, and couldn’t come to the phone. Then his complaint was discussed. From that point on, the conversation was carried on in a very advanced form of Japanese that Richard had never heard before. At its end, Mr. Takami politely thanked Keiko and hung up. He then told Richard that Keiko Ramura would look into the problem. Richard thanked Mr. Takami and asked him, ‘if there were any more problems, could he contact him again’. Mr. Takami said, “Surely”, and asked Richard to also give him the address of the student house he was living in. Richard wrote it down with his name, on a sheet of Mr. Takami’s office stationary, and gave it to him. The Official gave Richard back his passport and a sheet of paper with his name and office phone number written on it. Richard got up and thanked him, bowed his head deeply, and shook hands. He noticed a very sly smile on Mr. Takami’s face, and was a little puzzled. As he left his office, Richard waved good-bye and the Official nodded his head.
Richard shook his head back into the present. He smiled in a halfhearted way. Everything was set now. He had come so far and so long, after so many years. This was the end of his Senior year of college. He wondered what the future would hold for him and for people like Bob Woverback, Elizabeth and David Fellers, and the students they had recruited into the subversive network. How could these people think for a moment, that they were putting something over on somebody; when they all stuck out like a sore thumb. This wasn’t a place like Europe, where they could possibly blend in without being noticed. “Were these people all political fanatics or just incredibly stupid?”
In five minutes, Bob Woverback came into the room, closed the door, and sat down at the table; facing Richard. He nervously took out Richard’s Senior Evaluation, which he had previously written. His first attempts at stalling for a few weeks, and waiting for Richard’s next to last visa extension to run out, and expecting him to leave Japan, did not work; as Richard told him that he was using his last visa extension, which gave him an extra six months stay in Japan. This meant that Bob Woverback’s plan, to have Richard leave Japan without his requirements for graduation having been completed (namely Bob mailing in his ‘required’ student evaluation of Richard, along with the vacationing External Examiner’s evaluation, which had already been submitted, to America) and isolating him into ‘negotiating’ his graduation from America, while Bob advised World Headquarters ‘against’ Richard’s graduation, would not work. The next tactic Bob had tried, after a few more weeks of stalling, was (with network help) writing up a distorted and dishonest student evaluation of Richard; (a copy of which, was now lying on the table in front of him) and leaving it in the school mailbox for him. With this, Bob hoped to provoke a negative reaction. What Richard’s response had been, was to write a detailed evaluation of his student evaluation; showing how incompetent it was, and letting Bob know what an ignorant move he had made. This was when Bob Woverback figured he had Richard where he wanted him. He immediately had a meeting with Jack Riley and Fred Napley (who had helped him fabricate some of the information in Richard’s student evaluation) and William Randolph. They decided to lead Richard’s Landlady into believing that he was not coming to or doing anything at school. This would lead to her telling him to move out. As Richard would need the endorsement and help of the school to acquire other lodgings, he would be ‘forced’ to go back to America. What they had ‘not’ bargained for, was Richard going up to the American Consulate.
Now a very nervous Bob Woverback looked across the table at Richard Kermode: “Do…do you know what you did…you went up to the American Consulate”, Bob said shaking with fright.
Richard looked at him like he was a bothersome insect he was about to step on.
Bob continued, “Listen…your evaluation that I’ve written, it…it can be changed.”
Richard said slowly, “Where did you get this information about my, in your words, ‘extremely negative’ relationships with that Japanese family I lived with, when I first came to Japan? My living with that family took place before you even came here to apply for the job you now hold. Did you speak to them personally?”
Bob Woverback’s face filled with fear, as he swallowed so hard he almost choked. He knew that he had been trying to fabricate a pattern in Richard’s student evaluation, that made it appear as if he wasn’t getting along with anyone, and hadn’t learned anything; so therefore didn’t deserve to graduate. Bob had expected that his fabricated student evaluation, coupled with Richard’s Landlady forcing him to move out of the student house for not going to school, would have concluded with Richard in essence, being chased out of the country. As a follow up, Greta Bumbry had planned to ‘reveal’ to World Headquarters, that the ‘unnamed student’, whose presence at the Japan Center she continually questioned, in her newsletter editorial comments, was Richard Kermode. But no one thought in a million years, that Richard would have gone up to the American Consulate in Kobe to make his complaint!
Now Bob shook with uncontrollable terror, as he also remembered that shortly before Richard’s External Examiner had submitted his examination paper and gone on vacation, Richard had happened into the school library one Saturday, to bring back a book he had been reading named, ‘The Japanese and The Jews’ by Isaiah Ben-Dasan. This was while Bob had been having a meeting with Jack Riley, Fred Napley, William Randolph, Greta Bumbry, Lori Barkley, Tushiro Nakana and Noshi Kazu. Bob had been showing them some black and white photographic prints of a confrontation that he and Noshi Kazu had been involved in (on a previous supposed ‘educational trip’, financed by the college) with the Japanese authorities; out at a new airport that was under construction in Japan. Richard had glanced at the large photographic prints of Bob and Noshi wearing helmets and sunglasses, with their faces covered by scarves; and holding shields and clubs. Bob felt his mind begin to go blank.
“Well!!!”, Richard barked.
Bob Woverback, in a very frightened agreeable voice said, “What do you want me to write, why don’t you do a draft for me?”
That was when Richard knew. Bob Woverback, Jack Riley, Noshi Kazu, Fred Napley, William Randolph and the rest, were all deeper into this subversive network than he had first suspected.
“I’m not doing your job for you. I’m giving you three days, to have everything ready to be sent to America for my graduation.” , Richard said as he got up to leave.
“Wait, wait…!”, Bob Woverback pleaded loudly.
Richard turned around, one more time; looked at Bob Woverback, and said, “You’ve got three days.”, and left.
He went straight back to his student house and went to sleep. Richard had noticed the Thursday evening when he returned from the American Consulate, that there was a deep silence in the student house. After his meeting with Bob Woverback that Friday evening, he noticed an immediate change in his relationship with his Landlady, starting the next day; on Saturday morning. It was back to where it once had been. There was no more talk of him moving out, and no more talk of him not having gone to school, and not having done his work, at school. Bob, using William Randolph, had been playing on Richard’s Landlady not being informed about the center.
When he went back to the Japan Center on Monday, there was a silence you could cut with a knife. Bob had the evaluation ready. He had made a lot of effort to make his personal opinions as negative as possible, while still verifying the External Examiner’s glowingly positive evaluation. The negativism in Bob’s evaluation, made him look inept. Not only in comparison to what the External Examiner had to say, but because of the bumbling undereducated manner in which it was presented. A lot of Bob’s spelling was incorrect, and he had typed it up very sloppily. However, he had removed all of the fabrications he had created with Jack Riley and Fred Napley’s assistance. And this was eating him up, because without those fabrications, Richard was going to graduate. Bob tried to bait Richard into writing a rebuttal to his evaluation, still hoping he could have an outlet to prevent Richard’s graduation. But Richard said nothing, as he saw Bob Woverback’s face turn red; seething with anger. Richard’s completed requirements for graduation were mailed out to World Headquarters, that evening.
Earlier in the day, Richard saw the aftermath from making his move, of going up to the American Consulate. Jack Riley had mysteriously left town for a couple of days, but Fred Napley had come to school. Fred had a terror-stricken look on his face; coupled with a very nervous laugh. And he wouldn’t look directly at Richard, when Richard stared at him. Tushiro was hanging around the center, but he kept a distance from Richard. Noshi Kazu was also mysteriously absent. Richard remained as friendly as was possible to the new students, but he noticed a distinct confusion among some of them; while a slight smugness began generating from a few others. He hoped that none of them would be stupid enough to allow Bob Woverback or Jack Riley (whenever he showed up) to recruit them. Greta Bumbry came by the center that day also, and Richard noticed that she was even more frightened than she had been the previous Friday evening; when she had run and left Bob Woverback alone with him in the center. Lori Barkley came to the school in the early afternoon. She, unlike Fred and Greta, would look directly at Richard; maintaining the same scowl on her face, that she had the previous Friday, during the commeeting. She spent most of the afternoon with Tushiro, in a back room in the center (where he usually slept), drinking. In the late afternoon, they both got on Tushiro’s motorcycle, half drunk, and drove off. Richard shook his head. Scholar’s Japan Center was a complete embarrassment. No wonder the relations between the college and the surrounding Japanese community had been so poor. Richard figured it wouldn’t be long before the Japanese Government began to question whether there was any educational program taking place at the college at all; and he wanted to make sure that he had gone back to America and graduated by then. Because surely the end result would either be the center having to move again (as they had been forced to from southwestern Japan, previously) or the college losing the Japan Center altogether.
When evening came, and Richard had finished taking care of his business at the school (as Bob Woverback had come to work late), he got ready to leave. As he was leaving, William Randolph (who had been coming in and out of the school by the back door, all day long) went into the library with a gallon of wine. Apparently, he was going to sit up and drink all night, in the school library; and casually invited some of the new students to join him.
Richard left the school, and went to have dinner in the fast food establishment he usually ate in when he ‘dined’ out. He liked eating in this particular place because the food was very good (and cheap), and he always joked with the people who worked there. Even though he only understood a little basic Japanese and they only understood a little basic English, they always had a good time together. Most of the time, they ended up talking about Baseball, which the guys in this particular place, were crazy about. Richard knew he was going to miss this place when he left. After eating his ‘Mushiro’ and ‘Gyoza’ (Eggs and Meat filled Dumplings) and paying his bill, he bade everyone goodnight with a batter’s home base batting stance; and jogged out of the door, grinning, like he was running for home base, to the chuckles and loud applause of the guys who worked there. He waved good-bye to them and went home.
When he got back to the student house, he ran into his Landlady. She had made him a bowl of hot soup; and even though he wasn’t hungry anymore, he thanked her and ate it anyway. She had always been nice to him, and they were back on good terms. After finishing his bowl of ‘Sake Kasu Soup’ (Soup with Sake Rice Wine, which was great to have during cold weather), he washed out the bowl and spoon, knocked on his Landlady’s door, gave them back, and thanked her. They smiled warmly at each other, and said, “Kon Ban Wa” (Goodnight).
As Richard went back to his room, he felt a tinge of sadness. He had told Mr. Takami, up at the American Consulate, the truth. The people in this country had been very nice to him. Richard turned on the electric heater he had bought at the beginning of the Winter. It was early Spring now, but it was still very cold at night. It would take a while for the heater to warm the entire room, so he went downstairs to the sink to wash his face and brush his teeth. As he felt exhausted, he decided to go to the Ofeuro (Public Bath), the next day. (There was no shower or bath in the student house, only a large communal sink for washing dishes etc…) When he went back to his room, it was warm; and he decided to do some reading before going to sleep. He had recently bought a book about the Beatles early days in Hamburg, Germany, as a singing group, from the Kinokuniya Book shop in downtown Kyoto; and he read it until he became drowsy. Then he shut off the electric heater and got ready for bed.
Just before he dozed off, he thought, “Now all there is to do is wait…”

CHAPTER FOUR
It was Wednesday, and Richard got up early. He had spent Tuesday, mostly reading in his room in the morning, and in the afternoon, going to visit ‘Tomoyuki’s Record Shop’.
Occasionally Richard would stop in there. Tomoyuki spoke a little English, and knew just about every record ever made; since the invention of the Gramophone. (One day, a few weeks earlier, having watched Richard’s curiosity about written Japanese characters, while looking at a Miles Davis record, Tomoyuki had written out the entire Japanese Alphabet for him; on two sheets of paper. And using Richard’s name, showed him how to figure out someone’s name phonetically, and write it in Japanese. Richard had taken the Alphabet home with him, and practiced. Then, to Tomoyuki’s amusement and pleasure, he had come back with a formal note of thanks, written in Japanese, and headed with Tomoyuki’s phonetically written name; in Japanese Kanji characters. He was getting pretty good at it.) Richard would converse with him in his broken basic Japanese, and they would spend an hour or so talking about music; stopping from time to time, so Tomoyuki could wait on a customer.
Richard continued to read his book about the Beatles for most of the morning; finished it, and started reading another book he had bought, about Sammy Davis Jr., called, ‘Yes I Can’. After reading the first few chapters, he went out to the Ofeuro (Public Bath).
When he returned, after having been back for five minutes, there was a loud banging on his door. Richard picked up a long wooden Bamboo stick that had been propped up in his room when he first moved into it, and threw the door open. It was Steven Dobbs, and Steven backed away, startled. Steven Dobbs was a fellow classmate of Richard Kermode’s. They had both joined Scholar’s International Institution of Learning at the same time, four years previously; in the same Freshman class. Out of all the students at the Japan Center at this time, they were the only two, who were not transfer students. It was Steven, who when Richard had first arrived in Japan, had dropped the little bug in his ear, about the center having been originally in southwestern Japan.
Steven was from California. A big Beach Boys fan. ‘Pet Sounds’, being his favorite album. He and Richard were pretty good friends, although Steven had a bad habit of trying to manipulate people. During their Freshman year, Steven had acted as go-between for the hallucinogenic drug users on campus. For a fee, he would put away people’s Blue Micro dot LSD for safekeeping. Steven gave off a very friendly enthusiastic California good-time airiness, but Richard knew enough not to allow him to get too close; because Steven was an expert at using people, and manipulating them, without their being aware of it. (When they were in their Sophomore year of college, Richard had gone to Europe and Steven had come to Japan.)
Richard had expected Steven to show up sooner or later. Two months previously, not long after Liz and Dave Fellers had moved back to America, Richard and Steven had been sitting in a Chinese fast food joint in downtown Kyoto, that was one of Steven’s favorite’s. They had been having a meal and drinking beer, and Steven had gotten drunk. He told Richard that he had been getting the feeling that Bob Woverback was trying to prevent him from graduating, because he was jealous of Steven being rich and privileged. (Also, as far as Richard knew, Steven was not involved in the network.) Steven said that if this persisted, he would go up to the American Consulate in Kobe, and tell them what Bob Woverback and the subversive network operating out of Scholar’s Japan Center, dating back to Liz and Dave Fellers’ CO-directorship, were ‘really’ doing; during their so-called ‘educational trips’ to South Korea and occasionally, to Thailand. (Richard had suspected as much, but he wasn’t entirely sure until he had heard Steven’s drunken remark. He also remembered that Steven, during one of his rare visits to the Japan Center (made even rarer when Steven also became a favorite target of Chief Editor Bumbry’s barbs in the newsletter) had been drinking with Arthur Singleman, the night Richard overheard Arthur Singleman telling Steven about the crime he had been involved in, in the United States; that resulted in his new profession as ‘Artist In Residence’, at Scholar’s Japan Center).
The weekend following Steven’s remark in the fast food diner, Richard, on his way out of the center after returning a book, had glanced at the enlarged photographic prints of Bob Woverback and Noshi Kazu, at the confrontation, out at the new airport being built; (A story which had been reported on, in the news recently) without fully realizing ‘the weight’ of what he had just seen. The next week, Richard’s External Examiner had submitted his examination paper for Richard’s thesis; and left for vacation. The trouble with Bob Woverback started soon after that, with Bob’s realization that there was only so much he or ‘anyone else’ could overtly do; without throwing a spotlight of suspicion on themselves. Now covertly, as in screwing up someone’s graduation, was an entirely different matter. But the subsequent phone call from the Japanese Official at the American Consulate, was a totally unexpected development.
Now Steven was at Richard’s door, angry because he knew what Richard knew. If the Japanese Government, ever got an inkling of what was going on at the center, they would close it down.
As a frightened Bob Woverback had said to Richard that night in the small tatami room at the center, “Do…do you know what you did…you went up to the American Consulate.”
Richard told Steven to relax, as he put down the Bamboo stick. They went into his room and closed the door. Steven was visibly outraged by what Richard had done, and Richard asked him why; as he knew Steven had since made a ‘deal’ with Bob Woverback, and was already set to graduate. Steven never gave him a straight answer as to how he subsequently ended up receiving such a glowingly wonderful student evaluation from Bob Woverback. (Richard figured Steven would make a great politician one day, with maybe extortion as a sideline) Instead, Steven began to fake some California good-time cheerfulness; but stopped, after realizing that Richard knew him too well for that to work. A blatant outrage, was bubbling just under the surface of Steven’s phony cheerfulness; as Richard put his arm condescendingly around his shoulder (which was Steven’s favorite tactic), and told him not to worry about anything. He gave Steven a novel he had previously finished reading, called ‘The Users’, by Hollywood insider Joyce Haber; and told him, “Don’t say I never gave you anything.” Then he returned to Steven, a book he had borrowed from him. ‘Blind Ambition’, by Nixon Watergate crony and conspirator John Dean.
This was when Steven dropped some very interesting information on Richard. Steven Dobbs told him that after listening to Bob Woverback swearing about Richard all morning in the front office of the Japan Center, and interestingly, Bob also swearing about Greta Bumbry having called him an “ignorant incompetent ass” earlier in the day, (Richard and Steven laughed at that one, in spite of themselves) Steven had left the school. But he realized after having walked halfway up the street from the center, that he had dropped his pen. So Steven had gone back to the center, and found it on the floor, outside of the front office door; which was closed. As he bent down to pick up his pen, he heard Bob Woverback talking to Jack Riley on the office phone. Bob was discussing a letter he had just received from the American campus, from Liz and Dave Fellers. They had told him that Ike Lowery, the Treasurer for the college, was becoming a hazard, due to his chronic alcoholism, and that their jobs may not be as secure as they had originally thought; as the Foundation for the college at World Headquarters was ‘tenuous’.
Steven said that he was shocked at what he had heard, but left quickly. Richard said nothing, but filed what he had just been told, in the back of his mind, for future reference. Steven waited for a response from Richard for a few seconds, and after getting none, said he had to go. Just before he left, Steven said to Richard, with a hint of exasperation, “One day I’m going to write a book, and there’ll be a whole chapter on you.”
Steven, who since back when Liz and Dave Fellers were CO-directors, was living so far away from the center that he could only be contacted by phone, was moving to Tokyo at the end of the week; where he had leased a house, and where he was going to go to Graduate School. Richard knew Steven would be all right, as he had learned to speak basic Japanese well, and had continued with his keen interest in the field of Computer Technology; since their Freshman year. After Steven left, Richard laughed to himself in a gentle, quiet way. Steven was an interesting fellow.
By now it was approaching evening. Richard had bought some bread and sandwich spread a few days before. So he made a sandwich and got some cold milk out of the communal refrigerator in the kitchen, to make some hot tea. After dinner, and for the remainder of the evening, he went to a Jazz coffee house he knew; and listened to some music. (For the price of a cup of tea or a drink you could request a record be played on the sound system.) On this particular night, he requested Central Park West by The John Coltrane Quartet, as it made him think of home. He became a little misty eyed as he listened to that wonderfully magical sound that Coltrane had created so long ago that still tugged at your heart. Some of the Japanese patrons looked in his direction, smiled and nodded their heads. He was going to have to kill time until he heard from World Headquarters at the American campus, that they had received his graduation requirements in the mail; which had been posted of course by a reluctant and deeply resentful Bob Woverback.
The next day was uneventful, with Richard spending most of it reading in his room. In the afternoon, a few Japanese and Okinawan students who he taught English to from time to time, came by to converse with him; and brought some sandwiches and tea. They spent the afternoon together speaking English. All of the students knew each other, and they enjoyed his lessons very much, because every one of them got individual attention and encouragement. Richard learned himself, as they went along, being that he had never taught before; and his methods were very unorthodox. Unlike the Japanese methodology of teaching English, which stressed a cookie cutter one size fits all type of thinking, that discouraged individuality, Richard, in his radical western way, was intentionally doing just the opposite. That coupled with the fact that he charged no fee, other than asking his students to bring along a snack for the teacher; made him a popular eccentric foreigner. As school exams were coming up, this would probably be the last lesson he gave them. He hid the fact that he was hurting inside when they left in the early evening; and told them in broken basic Japanese mixed with English, to take care and get home safely.
When the students were gone, Richard got the feeling that he shouldn’t stay in his room, and should instead go by the center to see if he had any mail. He went to the school, and was glad he did. Richard had a couple of letters, that were from his family, from some school chums of his ‘Violet Society’ high school days, and from Sumiko; who was still at school in Europe. He stood, very happily looking at his mail. Strangely, there was no one in the center that evening (aside from Arthur Singleman, who was upstairs) which he thought a little odd; as there were usually drinking parties going on at this time of night, in the school library. Richard began to get an eerie feeling, and left. He went home and read his mail that night; then went to sleep. It was now Thursday evening, and approaching the end of the week.
Tushiro Nakana lay in a hospital bed that night, with a cut to the side of his head. He had been driving his motorcycle, with Lori Barkley on the back; and they were both drunk. The motorcycle had slipped on its side, when he tried to show off for Lori, by doing a ‘wheelie’. Lori had not been hurt, but he had gotten a slight cut to the side of his head. As she drunkenly wept and held onto him, he looked at her with deep contempt. Tushiro, who loathed authority of any kind (which was why he was linked up with the subversive network), wanted to get out of the hospital room as fast as possible; even though they had only kept him for observation. He knew that if any Policeman came in to ask questions about the accident, that would lead to inquiries about his background. And he definitely didn’t want ‘that’ to occur. Besides, he had his eyes on using this dumb American girl, who thought he loved her. And like Bob Woverback, Fred Napley and especially William Randolph, she had been sucked into the realm of mind control training technique; without being aware of it. That was, wanting to become Japanese in thought and identity. Two types of profiles usually fell into this trap. Foreigners who had very low self-esteem, and were running away from something back home, usually themselves. The second type, were the foreigners with a ‘John Wayne Complex’ who figured that they were psychologically equipped to do mental battle with the Japanese, on their turf, indefinitely.
Tushiro knew that Lori Barkley was naïve, but she came from a very wealthy family; and she would do anything for him. He was a smooth operator. He also knew that Greta Bumbry, unlike Lori, was far from being naïve. She was well known by the Japanese men who frequented the park near the school, where Japanese prostitutes plied their trade at night. Nearly all of these men drove very expensive cars. And Greta, knowing that a foreign woman was a special desire for these type of Japanese men, was aware that she could make a small fortune; which she was making, much to the displeasure of the Japanese female and transvestite prostitutes in the park. But this was not the point. Aside from her choosing very carefully, only the wealthiest men to have sex with (after all, she was from a wealthy family herself), she found that the fact that she was hefty was an added bonus for them; and anyway, this was how she got her kicks. Fred Napley, on the other hand, had freakish behavior. And Tushiro knew that Jack Riley was very angry with Fred sleeping around too often; which was one of the reasons Jack was slowly encouraging Fred’s accelerating intake of drugs. Besides, Fred had access to unlimited funds from his family in the United States, just like Lori. And Fred would keep receiving the money, as long as he stayed away from his family. Everything was coming along slowly, but nicely. And Bob Woverback would do ‘anything’, to remain in Japan. Liz and Dave Fellers had already started making arrangements for Tushiro to come to America. And Lori’s family’s money, was a big help to him. Tushiro would need the money, for his ‘indefinite extended stay’ in America. And after all, he would be just another Japanese student, among many, studying abroad.
Noshi Kazu would remain in Japan however. Tushiro knew how strongly Noshi felt about identifying himself as an ‘Asian’, rather than ‘Japanese’. He understood the anger that Noshi felt about Japan having been used as a rear base by the American Military, during the Vietnam War. The American Military, that had killed countless Asians in Vietnam, and was still occupying Japan; albeit only on a few strictly isolated bases, scattered over the island. And then there was the fact that there were Japanese Companies that had ‘profited’, from all that misery; as well as the other ‘any profit is good profit’ Corporations based in South Korea. These were some of the reasons that he himself had joined the network.
As Lori pushed up next to him on the hospital bed and hugged him, weeping drunkenly, while he rubbed her thighs, Tushiro thought to himself, “When you’ve got a desperate American, you’ve got the perfect fool.”

CHAPTER FIVE
When Richard got up in the morning, he went out and bought some areogrammes; and spent the morning and most of the afternoon, answering his mail. His family was fine, his high school friends were all finishing up at college themselves, and Sumiko was hard at work with her studies in Europe. She had moved into a small apartment off campus in Bern (having written her new address in Switzerland, in her letter to him), and said she was currently decorating it, and doing some flower arranging in the living room; having added a special flower that she said represented Richard. He smiled and was deeply moved by her thoughtfulness.
Just then, Aiko crossed his mind again. Her sexy laugh, her gentle smile, and her sad expressive eyes. He wrote out a note to her on a sheet of paper, and struggled within himself as to whether he should give it to her, as he had not seen her for many months. When he had decided, Richard left for the Post Office, to mail his letters. The lady in the Post Office who he usually went to was not there, so he went to the next window, where a pleasant old lady took his areogrammes.
Just after he left the Post Office, as he was passing by a small residence, Richard heard some gorgeous music. He momentarily peeked in the window of the home, to see a Japanese family quietly listening to a record of one of Duke Ellington’s Sacred Concerts, performed with a full choir. The song they were listening to was ‘Come Sunday’; in all of it’s heavenly majestic beauty. And their stereo system made it sound as if The Duke, orchestra and choir, were right there in their home. As Richard watched what must have been the father, a slight mixed gray haired man wearing thick glasses, gently motion to his wife and small children to listen closely to the music, Richard bowed his head and tried to close his eyes, but couldn’t; because the tears fell. He stood and listened to the music for quite a long time, then quietly left when it was finished.
By now, it was purple twilight outside, and he went to a fast food eatery he knew, near the coffee house where Aiko Reynolds worked. Richard had a light dinner, and then went to the coffee house. Aiko Reynolds was there. She was sitting at a table, waiting for the evening crowd, some of who were already there. Her eyes were bloodshot, and she looked pitifully wasted, which was in stark contrast to the ethereal beauty she had held only months before. He knew that any more involvement with Aiko was very foolish, as he gingerly sat down next to her. Richard blindly looked at Aiko with deep love, concern and empathy, and the memory of her the way she had been those many months before; as he gave her the sheet of paper on which he’d written: “I love you Aiko Reynolds, please write to me", with his address in America. At first she wouldn’t take it, but he told her he loved her, with his voice breaking with emotion. He wanted to give her a strong firm hug very badly. Aiko hesitantly took his note and read it. Then all of a sudden, after first getting up and walking away from him (in essence, embarrassing Richard), she walked back as if exerting some sort of power, and began belittling him viciously; and in her drugged, irrational state, saying things that were regretful.
Meanwhile, in the background, stood Teriyuki, a waiter in the coffee house and a small time musician in the house band every Tuesday. He was laughing at Richard and Aiko. Teriyuki had visited the United States on one occasion and spent what he said was a period of time as “the first Japanese Country and Western musician in Texas.” According to him he was well known in Texas and very popular there, but could never explain why he had never been invited back; and resented it if anyone raised that question. (At one time, after his arrival in Japan and meeting Aiko, Richard had tried being friendly towards Teriyuki, until he realized that the waiter, aside from holding a deep contempt for foreigners (and ironically at the same time, being very good friends with David Feller's shady expatriate friend, Warren Polack), was also a heavy drug user. ( This all came together when a startled Warren Polack discovered Richard with Aiko one morning at her home, eating a breakfast together of ham and eggs on her small porch, that Richard had bought and prepared for her after a night of lovemaking, as Warren Polack uneasily passed the drugs to an embarrassed Aiko under Richard’s unbelieving glance). Teriyuki, the waiter, was very jealous of anyone who was able to travel, as he was going nowhere.
Richard lowered his head, and in tears, slowly got up and left. As he blindly walked past the laughing waiter and embarrassed Japanese patrons, and out the door of the coffee house, two Japanese girls who were regular customers at the coffee house and were friendly towards him, were just coming inside, and said hello. But Richard did not hear them. He fell past them and did not answer, as he began to run, as fast as he could. The memory of Aiko stayed with him, deep into the night, as he ran faster and faster, until he could run no more; exhausted and frightened. What would happen to Aiko? Who would help her? Who cared? There was nothing he could do. He cursed her husband, whose picture she kept tucked inside the mirror by her small stove and kitchen sink, and wished that wherever he was, he suffered a miserable meaningless life, and died an excruciatingly painful death. Which in essence, was what Aiko was doing to herself. When Richard was almost back to the student house, he went to a liquor store, and bought a gallon of cold Japanese beer. He drank himself to sleep in his room that night.

CHAPTER SIX
Richard Kermode got up very late in the afternoon, with a bad hangover; and it lasted for most of the afternoon and early evening. His Landlady had softly knocked on his door earlier, checking to see how he was, but his head was throbbing so incessantly, that if he moved, it hurt. So, not getting an answer, she had gone out. After awhile, he slowly got up out of his Futon, and after dumping the rest of the beer down the drain in the student house communal sink, and disposing of the gallon bottle, he went out to get something to eat.
He slowly ate a full meal in the regular fast food diner he usually ate in. Even though he tried to talk Baseball as he usually did, with the guys who worked there, they noticed that there was something wrong. His usual challenging-cheerfulness was not there. They handled him with kid gloves that evening, and he appreciated that. Some of the cooks and waiters even went so far as to put on a mock Baseball game for him, as the evening crowd had not come in yet. Richard tried to laugh, but his face was deeply saddened. After finishing his meal and paying his bill, he waved goodnight to everyone, and they told him in broken English mixed with Japanese, to take care of himself and come back again. When Richard got outside, and out of view of the guys in the diner, he started crying. It took him a few minutes (during which two of the cooks and one of the waiters, stuck their heads outside of the door to the diner, and waved to him to see if he was alright; as he waved back in affirmation), but he pulled himself together and went home. That night, he cried himself to sleep, thinking about Aiko (even though he tried thinking about Sumiko, which didn’t work).
During a quiet solitary walk early the following morning, Richard was crossing the street in downtown Kyoto, when he spotted someone he recognized. Richard had always admired this multi-talented man, who had started and waged a worldwide peace campaign with his wife many years before, which captured the imaginations of many people. Richard had seen him walking down the street in New York, five or six years ago, post-peace campaign, and at that time, wearing a green Army Jacket, and with an intense look on his face. But now he was happily married and at peace with himself, as evidenced by the tranquil look on his face, as his eyes momentarily met Richard’s; while he gracefully ran across the street before the streetlight changed, wearing a well tailored Overcoat and slimly tapered brown Bellbottoms. Richard smiled at him in admiration, as he crossed the street to the opposite side; remembering with deep gratitude, how much the man’s music, writings, films and artistry had meant to him, all these years.

CHAPTER SEVEN
The next five days went slowly, and a slight melancholy crept in. Richard Kermode never went back to the coffee house where Aiko Reynolds worked. He spent his mornings either reading in his room, or going to a temple to look at architecture and say a prayer for Aiko, or going to the movies. These days he mostly walked to downtown Kyoto, as over the Summer and early Fall, the city government had decided to discontinue and disassemble the streetcar service that he had loved riding on so much. Now there were just buses to ride, and they were not as enjoyable as the streetcars had been. But this was Progress, and Kyoto was changing rapidly, before his eyes. There was a lot of new construction, and many old buildings (some irreplaceable) were being torn down; as the once peaceful protests by Conservationists began to turn angry and vengeful. Something precious was being lost in this rush of modernization. How could a culture survive without its soul? By coming over when he did, Richard had just caught the tail end of an era of indescribable delicate beauty in Kyoto. He was thankful that he had seen it before it was lost to the ghosts of history, forever. The late afternoons and early evenings were spent either going to a Jazz coffee house to listen to music, or going home, reading and then going to bed.
The following Friday morning, he went by the center, and there was an Express Letter marked ‘Urgent’, for him, from World Headquarters at the American campus, in the school mailbox. Strangely, Bob Woverback had not shown up for work that day, and neither had Jack Riley or Noshi Kazu. One of the new students, who was hanging around the library and looking rather lost, said hello in a very offhandish way; not expecting a response, it seemed. Very puzzled, Richard noticed at the same moment, that something was brewing, as he saw a frightened Fred Napley across the hallway, through the open library door, in the center’s kitchen, with Tushiro. Fred apparently had made Tushiro very angry about something, and was afraid Tushiro was going to beat him up. There was an unpleasant raw odor in the kitchen, which suggested some sexual activity had just taken place. Richard shook his head and walked to the front office. Keiko Ramura, the office secretary, was there that day, but had gone out on an errand, and left her sweater neatly folded over the back of her chair at her desk. As Richard Kermode sat in Bob Woverback’s chair, at his desk in the front office, he started to open his letter from the American campus. Just then, the office phone rang, and Arthur Singleman, the ‘Artist In Residence’, bolted into the office and answered the phone at Keiko Ramura’s desk. As Richard leaned back in Bob Woverback’s chair, resting his elbow on the armrest, with his bottom lip on top of his forefinger, observing the entire scene, Arthur Singleman spoke English first, and then started speaking the broken basic Japanese he always spoke, and which Richard could clearly understand. Arthur Singleman was speaking to Bob Woverback. Bob apparently, was not coming in that day, because he was afraid. Even though Arthur Singleman (with his habit of unavoidably substituting English words for some Japanese words) tried to camouflage the conversation, ‘that’ was what it boiled down to. When the conversation was over, Arthur Singleman, the ‘Artist In Residence’, gave Richard Kermode a dirty look, and scurried out of the front office.
Richard opened the letter and read: “All Requirements Officially Fulfilled.” He was set to graduate in June. The melancholy that had crept in earlier in the week quickly disappeared. A big smile broke out on Richard’s face, as he began to laugh loudly and cuss like a sailor. He cooled down after a few minutes, and left, going back to his room at the student house. There, he made plans to leave for America. Luckily, the bank where he had an account was open on Saturday; so he could close his account the next day. That afternoon, he booked a flight from Tokyo to New York, that would leave a week from the following Monday. This gave him approximately ten days, to get everything in order for his departure. He would tell no one, he was leaving.
Richard stopped by the center in the late afternoon, and Keiko, the secretary, had returned. She was alone, as there was no one else in the center. He thought it rather odd, but she appeared to him, as if she was getting her desk in order for the last time. She was friendly towards him, as she had always been, but there was secretiveness about what Keiko was doing at her desk in the office that afternoon. Richard thought to ask her if she was leaving, but caught himself, and decided not to. They spent about thirty minutes casually talking from time to time, about Greek Art History and Japanese Sumie Painting; while Keiko very efficiently cleared things off her desk, and either filed them or put them away. By then, it was early evening, and Richard got ready to leave. He and Keiko said goodnight to each other in Japanese, and Richard had a sad feeling it was goodbye. Keiko seemed very distant and wistful this evening, and Richard had never seen her that way before. As they shook hands, he noticed a misty look in her eyes. He left, half perplexed and half knowing, but not believing.
Later on that evening, he went to the Chinese diner that he and Steven Dobbs had eaten in, and had dinner. The Chinese gentleman and his wife, who owned the diner, had always been very warm and friendly to Steven Dobbs, and to Richard, when Steven brought him there. Richard knew he was going to miss their wonderful cuisine, and especially them. Afterward, he went to a Jazz coffee house and listened to some music. While there, he met some of the students he had taught English to. They were in the midst of exams, and highly nervous. Richard understood that they all wanted to get into a good school, as this would determine their whole future. He had read in the English version of the Japanese newspaper (The Mainichi News), that the Yen had recently overtaken the Dollar, on the World Currency Market, and broken the ‘psychological barrier’. He knew things would never be the same again after this. The pressure on the young Japanese people to excel, would go up enormously now.
Two of the students, who Richard did not know, got very drunk and verbally abusive, as they began to harangue the United States. After drinking some more, they came very close to passing out. The students Richard did know, apologized; as they helped support the other two, and left. Richard told them goodnight and to take care of themselves. He stayed a while longer, listening to music, and thinking about how cruel the educational system in Japan was. He was glad to be an American. Soon after, he left and went home. When he got back to his room that Friday night, he was dead tired; and went straight to bed.

CHAPTER EIGHT
Saturday morning was strange. When he woke up, Richard felt a peaceful calm come over him. He got up and went into the communal kitchen to wet his washcloth so he could bathe himself. After having a breakfast of tea and crackers, he went to his bank and closed his account. Following a brief return to the student house, to go over his finances (he had already paid up his rent and electricity, straight through till the end of the month, and very carefully budgeted himself), he went by the school to see if there was any more mail for him.
Keiko (who was occasionally there on Saturdays) was nowhere to be seen. Although some of the new students, who were either living in the center now (which was why Tushiro was no longer living there) or with some of the other students, for the time being, were. As there were no openings in the student house where Richard lived, his only contact with them was at the center. He talked politely with the students, but noticed a careful guardedness among them now, the smugness having completely disappeared. And Jenny, the transfer student from Chicago, came out of the kitchen and looked at him with disgust, but said nothing. Richard reasoned that they now knew that something was wrong with the center. A few of them, he knew automatically, would not be there long; as he noticed that paranoia had set in. Asking where Keiko was, he found out that she had left to work someplace else. Stunned, he began to feel the paranoia himself. On top of the school mailbox, Richard saw a copy of the most recent Scholar’s Quarterly Newsletter. And after briefly skimming through Greta Bumbry’s ‘News From The Japan Center’, all in which she spoke of how “perfect” things were, and of the “wonderful heightened expectancy of welcoming a new group of ‘Scholar’s this coming semester”, he read that the entire faculty at the European Centre had quit; due to a conflict with the Treasurer at World Headquarters, Ike Lowery. There was absolute chaos at the European Centre. Richard thought about what Steven Dobbs had told him the week before, and then he remembered what a wonderful experience he had had at the European Centre during his Sophomore year. He shook his head sadly, as he put down the newsletter. There was much confusion around the Japan Center that day, as Richard left. Bob Woverback, had not shown up that day, and no one knew where Jack Riley was either. Noshi Kazu was there in the office however, sitting at Keiko’s desk; staring at Richard silently, as he left. As Richard passed by the library, on his way out, he saw Fred Napley and William Randolph, sitting in the library, drinking D’absinthe. Fred Napley (who was laughing at a joke William was telling him) had on dark, almost pitch black sunglasses, and was a deathly pale white color. William Randolph was telling him a sick Vincent Van Gogh ear joke, while explaining why the two of them were more ‘Japanese’ than everyone else at the center.
Richard went to the Post Office immediately, and made a transpacific phone call home to his family, to let them know he was coming back and set to graduate in June. They were overjoyed, and also verified having heard it from World Headquarters; and let him know that they had not mailed him anymore letters. With that, he sighed in relief. He did not have to go by the center to check his mail again. (When he answered his last batch of mail, he had told all of his high school chums and Sumiko, to contact him in the USA from then on.) Before ending their conversation, his family mentioned the recent Scholar’s Quarterly Newsletter, which they had received a copy of in the mail. After discussing the distressing news from the European Centre, they also mentioned the news from the other centers in the newsletter, which he had not read. The South American Center was in deep financial trouble, and the African Government had recently detained two students from the African Center, for reasons that were not yet clear. And the African Center did not have enough money to bail them out of jail. Finally, the Indian Government was closing down the center in India. Richard swallowed hard, as his family spoke of the relief they felt, that the Japan Center seemed to be the only one being run efficiently; and that he was graduating and finishing up his studies, there. Richard answered that ‘yes, he felt very lucky’, but said to himself, “They don’t know the half of it.” After saying good bye to his family on the phone, and thanking the lady in the Post Office whom he knew, for placing the call, Richard went straight back to the student house. That phone call had verified everything. It was obvious that Scholar’s days as an International Institutional giant, were finished. And he was leaving just in time.
It was now late afternoon. He was a little annoyed that he had run out of food, so there was nothing to eat, which meant he had to go shopping that day; and Saturday was the worst day to go shopping. The stores would be packed. He decided to go shopping on Monday, and instead, went to see a British/Japanese film, in a small revival movie house downtown. During his walk to downtown Kyoto, he had the funny feeling that someone was following him, and had been since he had left the student house. But when he turned around, he saw nothing suspicious. Still, it made him a little uneasy. The movie he went to see was ‘Paper Tiger’, starring David Niven and Toshiro Mifune. That movie, a story of foreign intrigue, was very timely, and left a deep impression on him; especially a song from the movie named, ‘Who Knows The Answers?’ which he could not stop humming to himself. When Richard came out of the movie house, it was late evening, and he went to go eat in the regular fast food diner he usually went to. As Richard made his way there, he noticed that someone was following him. As opposed to earlier, this time he could actually see that he was being followed. To be sure that this was not his imagination, coupled with the fact that he had just seen the movie, he took a long complicated walk across the street, into the next shopping complex. Someone was following him and he couldn’t make out who it was, although their clothing, which was very unusual and almost military in appearance, was immediately recognizable in a crowd. He racked his brain trying to remember if he had seen anyone dressed like that before, and vaguely remembered a similar person in one of the photographic prints he had seen, standing in the background behind Bob Woverback and Noshi Kazu; out at that new airport. Now he was beginning to feel paranoid. He lost the person, after an elaborate scheme of turning up and down side streets, beyond the shopping complex, in the now practically deserted market district. Then he doubled back, out onto the large avenue next to the market district which was named Sanjo Avenue, walked quickly back uptown towards where he lived, and went to have dinner in the fast food diner.
A little shaken, but back in good humor, he talked Baseball with the cooks and waiters for most of the evening. And as usually happened, they, along with some of the evening’s customers, through the medium (and the miracle) of Modern Baseball, began teaching each other more words in Japanese and English. When one of the cooks had to go across the street to get some supplies, Richard (who had finished eating and paying his bill), left with him. That was when Richard saw Jack Riley standing on the corner, talking to the person who had been following him. Richard shuddered. The clothing, which he recognized immediately, was a dead giveaway; and that was definitely Jack Riley. Luckily, they did not see him. Richard stuttered “Kon Ban Wa” (Goodnight) to the Japanese cook (who looked at him shaking nervously, and was puzzled) and quickly walked home. He was getting very uneasy now. “This last week will go slowly”, he thought.

CHAPTER NINE
Richard Kermode woke up feeling very anxious on Sunday. He had had a restless night and had not gotten too much sleep. He looked at his watch and it was late morning. After he got up, he went to the kitchen for some water, and washed. There was no food because he had not shopped for any. He felt exhausted, as he made himself a cup of tea and went back to his room. Spending most of the morning reading, he found it difficult to concentrate. Whoever had been following him the night before, and seeing that person talking to Jack Riley afterwards, had really upset him. And the streetlight had caught a glint of something shiny in the person’s possession, twice. Once, from a distance in the shopping complex, and then a second time, with more clarity, while the person was talking to Jack Riley, showing him something. What was it? A knife? A gun? His imagination?
Just then, a knock came on the door. He went for his Bamboo stick and asked who it was. His Landlady answered. Richard breathed a sigh of relief, and put the Bamboo stick down. He opened the door to his Landlady, smiling and holding a bowl of hot soup and crackers on a small tray. He smiled back and thanked her gracefully in Japanese, with a deep bow, as she giggled. He took the small tray with the soup and crackers into his room, and ate every bit. Next, he took out the Japanese Alphabet that Tomoyuki had written out for him in the Record Shop, and figured out his Landlady’s name, and wrote it down, with a smiley face and a note in simple basic Japanese; thanking her for the food. Then he washed the bowl, tray and spoon out in the sink, knocked on her door, gave them back with the note, and thanked her. She was delighted. He went back to his room and tried to read again, but could not. This time, there was something weighing heavily on his heart that was unresolved.
That afternoon, Richard Kermode walked down to a river that was near Aiko Reynolds home. The river was one that they had walked by together many times in the past, after he had first met her. He remembered how she would brush her hips up closely against his as they walked together. He sat by the side of the river for what seemed like hours, watching some Japanese fishermen catch fish. At one point also remembering an evening when he and Aiko had walked by this same river, and how she had captured his imagination that night, by describing a giant passing cloud, very accurately, as having the face of a dragon. And all the while, as he sat there, on the side of the river, he had an odd feeling. A lightheadedness that he had never felt before. Like he was inside of a soft pillowy cloud…
Towards dusk, when he looked across the river to the opposite bank, he saw what he thought was Aiko Reynolds and a foreign man, walking unsteadily side by side. Richard got up and crossed over the bridge to the other side of the river, and began following them halfheartedly, from a distance. After about five minutes, something made him turn around to look behind him in almost exact synchronization with a woman’s voice, calling his name. The woman’s voice was breaking with emotion. Richard knew the voice. It was Aiko. She was riding in his direction on a bicycle and she was crying. Wearing almost pitch black sunglasses and with desperation in her voice, it was obvious she was stoned as she constantly called out his name. Softly, he waved goodbye to her, and said sadly, “Sayonara Darling” in the childlike almost lullaby voice with which he would speak to her before they would go to sleep together, long ago, when they had newly discovered each other. Then, almost reflexively, he turned back around, and kept walking. She rode her bicycle past him, as if following the same man and woman he had been following, whimpering as she stopped calling out Richard’s name, and began losing control of her bicycle. She parked it beside the river up ahead, after almost falling off of it, and squatted down on the side of the riverbank; with her back to him as he eventually walked by. Leaning over with the side of her face covered by her hand, she was sobbing. Her husband had done this before, and it became a ritual that fed on itself over and over again. He playing the Pirana, and she the Preying Mantis. Deep hatred and contempt was the common bond between them. Whoever they were using at the time, to make each other bleed was incidental. Their drug use just made it easier to carry out their sham of a marriage. What she had forgotten, was where she was and what was expected of her. She had already been spoken to about her behavior, and the messy situation where she worked. And that had caused an enforced moment of lucidity in her thinking. Through her convulsive sobbing, she was trying (in a not calculating way) desperately, to figure a way out. It all came back to her now. Rapidly remembering the night at the coffee house, saying those ugly words, and after a distraught Richard left, in her heavily drugged condition (and with a gloating Teriyuki’s urging) in front of all those customers, taking the paper he had given her with his address on it, and tearing it to pieces, throwing the pieces in the trash. Her behavior, along with Teriyuki’s, had brought embarrassment and shame to the coffee house where they worked; and for that, in this culture of maintaining appearances irregardless of intent, she and Teriyuki would pay dearly for their transgressions.
Richard began to stagger, feeling very drained, as he walked past her; and still following what he did not realize was Aiko's drug addicted husband and partner. There was nothing he could do about this situation. When he got to the next bridge crossing, (the husband and girlfriend continuing their unsteady walking straight ahead), Richard turned to his left and walked to the middle of the bridge, and looking back in the direction he had just come from, lowered his head, and said a prayer for Aiko to become well. When he was done, he slowly looked up and directly faced the mountains in the far off distance. As his eyes became misty with tears, a deep sadness and grief at not being able to do anything to help Aiko, gripped Richard Kermode, as he turned, and walked away.
When Richard got back to the student house, he felt numb. He decided to go to the Public Bath. While there, he bathed himself very delicately, as he remembered an instance many months before, when he and Aiko playfully bathed together; and he smiled sadly at the memory. After he finished bathing, was dressed, and prepared to leave the Ofeuro, the woman who took the entrance fees at the bath house, looked at him with a worried _expression on her face, and asked if he was alright. Richard answered, “Hai” (Yes), very weakly, and left. He slowly made his way back to the student house. And when he returned, went to bed immediately, exhausted.

CHAPTER TEN
The final week began to go by quicker than he thought it would, with Richard packing his belongings, mailing boxes of books he had bought in Japan, home, and planning how he was going to leave. He also paid a visit to the Japanese family he had stayed with, when he first came to Kyoto; and they were overjoyed to see him again. He thanked them for having helped him to open his bank account, and for teaching him some of their customs. His last glimpse of them was as they smiled and waved good-bye at the front door of their home. Afterward, he stopped by Tomoyuki’s Record Shop, but regretfully he saw that it was closed, because Tomoyuki had gone on vacation for two weeks. Richard quietly gave some belongings that he did not need, away to people he had become friendly with (mostly that Monday, to the Japanese and Okinawan students who he had taught English to for sandwiches and tea occasionally, and on Tuesday, to the guys in the fast food diner where he had eaten regularly).
That Tuesday afternoon, he had a strange, by chance encounter, with Bob Woverback, in the park near the student house. Richard was walking back to the student house, when Bob came riding up on his bicycle, and almost fell off of it before he stopped. Bob was obviously barely concealing a seething anger. He wanted to know if Richard was ‘having any problems at his student house’; and that ‘if he was’, maybe some ‘Japanese friends’ of his, could ‘help him out’. (Richard took note of Bob’s almost crazed threatening manner, and that Bob was looking more disheveled than he usually did; like a bum off the Bowery). He politely and calmly told Bob that he did not need any help from him, and everything was fine. Bob Woverback, not being able to think of anything else to say, got on his bicycle, almost fell off of it again, and rode off.
“Just a few more days to go”, Richard said to himself.
Early Wednesday morning, while listening to some Japanese high school students sing along to Creedence Clearwater’s ‘Bad Moon Rising’ (which was playing out of the big radio one of them was carrying, as they passed by the student house), Richard was visited by one of his former English students, who he had given a shirt to, two days before. He was shocked to learn that one of the two students who had gotten drunk and verbally abusive in the Jazz coffee house, that previous Friday night, had committed suicide. The pressure had been too much for him. Richard was sickened as the student told him how the one who had committed suicide had gutted himself. With his stoicism now giving way to a nervous confused daze over the death of his good friend, coupled with uncertainty for his own future, the student left. Richard vomited in the student house communal sink, a few minutes later. The Landlady had gone out for the day, so no one saw him; and he quickly cleaned up after himself. That night, he bought a few cans of cold Japanese beer, out of one of the scores of vending machines that lined the streets near the student house, and slowly, drank himself to sleep.
On Thursday, he reconfirmed his flight out of Tokyo International Airport. The employees in the Japan Airlines Office, wanted to know if he had enjoyed his stay in Kyoto, and Richard answered yes, adding wistfully, how much he missed the streetcars; to which they smiled and agreed with him.
He felt a weariness come over him now, that stemmed from his understanding that he had done everything he could do. It was time for him to leave, and he had come to terms with this in his heart, and more importantly now, in his head.
Friday and Saturday breezed by without incident, as he did nothing out of the ordinary, taking long walks downtown and venturing out to eat in the Chinese diner he had eaten in with Steven Dobbs, that Friday, and on Saturday, in his favorite diner with his fellow Baseball enthusiasts; who let him know they enjoyed every moment he spent with them. As he looked at their faces and smiled, he realized he had left an impression of good will that would last a lifetime. His smile was just able to cover the flood of tears that he was holding back. (He made it a point to let them know in his basic Japanese, how much he had enjoyed their company, during his final visit to the diner on Sunday afternoon.) Interestingly, he realized that he had not seen anyone from the Japan Center, since his strange encounter with Bob Woverback on Tuesday. He also realized that no one was following him anymore. He began to wonder if something was going on that was beyond his scope of understanding.
On Sunday night, he went to the Public Bath for the last time, and took a long, steaming, relaxed bath. After bathing and having shaved, he saw some of the new group of transfer students from Scholar’s Japan Center, coming over to the wardrobe lockers; subsequent to paying the entrance fee to the bath house, where upon entrance the men bathed on one side and the women on the other. (Traditionally, at home, men and women bathed together; as Richard had done with Aiko.) The students, a few of whom had exhibited a certain smugness in the beginning anyway, wouldn’t speak to him when he said hello. He noticed that since the last time he had seen them at the center, when the smugness had disappeared to the appearance of guardedness, now they were highly paranoid and uncomfortable. Spencer Johnson, the tennis player, entered the wardrobe locker area soon after, and displayed the same paranoia as the other transfer students. But Spencer wanted to ‘talk’ to Richard. It was then that Richard overheard one of the transfer students muttering something to another one about, “that idiot Bob Woverback starting to have a problem with the Landlord, from whom the school leased the building that housed the Japan Center.” Richard was dressing to leave, and they were just arriving, so he just shook his head and left, saying good-bye to an increasingly talkative and paranoid Spencer Johnson, and wishing him well. They would have to find out the truth for themselves. On his way out, he said goodnight to the woman who took the fees at the entrance, and she smiled, said he looked well, and bade him goodnight.
When Richard got back to the student house, his Landlady met him as if she had been waiting for him. She gave Richard some photographs (including the negatives) that she had taken of him near the student house, months ago, keeping one photograph for herself. (He understood why she kept the one she did. It was beautifully composed and exquisitely touching.) It was strange, but she knew that he was leaving. He didn’t understand how she could know, but she knew he would be gone the next day. He thanked her, startled and numbed. Then they both said good-bye. His Landlady’s voice was breaking, and she was on the verge of tears. She left for her room and Richard left for his. As he had planned to do all week, he was leaving her his electric heater and the electric fan he used in the summertime, and the warranties that went with them. He wrote her name in large Japanese Kanji characters, on top of the box that he had put them in, and closed it up. Richard Kermode stopped himself from crying, and thought about all of the good people he had met in Japan. His Landlady, Mr. Takami, the Japanese family he had stayed with, his External Examiner, Aiko, Sumiko, the guys in the diner, the lady in the Post Office, a woman who had crossed the street one day, taken him by the arm and explained to him that the streetcar had not come to the stop where he had been waiting for the last ten minutes because it was a Japanese holiday, Tomoyuki…. There were easily so many. He began to hum the song from the last movie he had seen, in the revival movie house downtown, ‘Paper Tiger’. The song, ‘Who Knows The Answers?’ For some reason, he felt mystical as he hummed that song; while rechecking that everything was packed. In the morning, his Landlady would find the box with her name on it, containing the heater and fan.
He went to bed at 8:00 p.m. Sunday night and woke up at 2:45 a.m. Monday morning. As he had slept in his clothes, he didn’t have to change. Putting on his coat and picking up his bags, he closed the door to his room in the student house for the last time, attached a sheet of paper to the door handle securely, on which he’d written his Landlady’s name again, in Kanji characters; and walked out into a beautiful star filled night.
It took awhile, but a cab finally appeared out of nowhere. He flagged it down, and rode to the station. (He remembered it as the same train station where he and Sumiko had said their good byes many months before.) Thanking the cab driver as he paid his fare and tipped him, Richard told him, “I love Japan.” The cab driver smiled, winked at him, and told him in perfect English to, “have a safe trip home.” Richard was startled again, but he smiled back and waved good-bye, after he closed the door of the cab. The cab driver waved back, released the brakes in his cab, and drove off. Richard (gushed with feelings now) looked up at the now deep blue colored early morning sky, with misty eyes, tucked in the scarf around his neck, picked up his bags, and walked into the train station. After purchasing his train ticket at the ticket window, he went up the stairs to wait on the platform for the Shinkansen to Tokyo. It came in as the sun came up, and as he loosened his scarf, exactly one hour and forty-five minutes later. As the Shinkansen pulled out of the station, Richard took one last glance at Kyoto, as he was flushed with emotions and memories. During the trainride to Tokyo, he picked up a fresh copy of that morning's Mainichi News Daily, that a commuter had left on a seat next to his. One of the headlines was about a big drug bust in Kyoto, where several people had been arrested. Among them, a few as yet 'unnamed foriegners'. Richard put the paper down and wondered. He turned his face to the window as the early morning scenery went by at lightning speed, and silently began to weep; hoping Aiko was not one of those arrested. But life, he realized, would go on regardless; as he finally leaned back in his seat, and rested his weary eyes.
When he got to Tokyo, he caught the local train that went to Tokyo International Airport. For some reason, when he got there, he ended up at the exit end of the train terminal shuttle to the airport. But the amused and tickled ticket taker let him in anyway. Richard thanked him, picked up his bags, and went to the shuttle.
Arriving at the airport, he found the ticket counter for Japan Air Lines, checked in and sent his bags through, and went straight to the lounge, after going through the electronic surveillance system.
While sitting nervously in the lounge, he was suddenly flooded with thoughts about the photographic prints he had seen of Bob Woverback and Noshi Kazu, out at the new airport that was still under construction. What was going on at the Japan Center? And the person who had been following him that night. The one from the photographic prints, wearing the clothes that had an almost military appearance, standing in the background behind Bob and Noshi. The one he saw again afterwards, talking to Jack Riley. And the glint in the streetlight? What was it? Who were these ‘Japanese friends’ that Bob Woverback was referring to in such a crazed threatening manner? What had they involved themselves in?
Then Aiko crossed his mind, and he felt a deep sadness within him. He was leaving part of himself with her, hoping she would write to him, and foolishly thinking he could marry someone who was already married. Deep down inside of him though, he knew that one night long ago, after he had gotten involved with her, she had spoken the truth about her logic and herself; when she held his face in her hands, after he had been crying and pleading with her to stop smoking Hashish and beginning to sniff Heroin and destroying herself. She had wiped the tears away from his face with her fingers and told him, “A lot of things don’t make sense.” As much as the deep, passionate, unconditional love he felt for her still consumed him, that bleak, desolate place she was heading to, he could not accompany her there, for surely he would perish along with her. He could never live that way.
His attention was taken away from those thoughts, when he noticed a crowd of Japanese girls behind a glass partition, and a Rock group sitting in the lounge. Every time a member of the group got up and walked by the glass partition, the girls would scream and bang on the glass. Richard started chuckling to himself. The flight that the Rock group was taking came first. So they, and one quarter of the people in the lounge, got up and boarded their plane. After one hour, during which time Richard became highly nervous and fidgety, it was boarding time for the flight from Tokyo to New York; and he and the rest of the people in the lounge, walked toward the boarding pass way. The flight was non-stop, and Richard was glad for that. He found himself saying good-bye; sadly, in Japanese; to the personnel at the boarding pass way. They politely wished everyone a safe trip in English and Japanese.
As soon as the plane was in the air above Tokyo, Richard fell into a deep sleep. When he awoke, there were still eight hours to go before reaching New York. He got into an interesting conversation about Art History, with a woman who was older than he, sitting in the seat next to his. She was a Japanese woman, who was a teacher in New Jersey. She was very nice to him, seeing that he was anxious, and calmed him considerably. She was trying to invite him to her home, but he didn’t respond, so she just shrugged her shoulders and kept talking about her teaching job. A while later, dinner was served, after which she watched the movie that was being shown on the flight, and Richard, still exhausted, went to sleep.
The plane began circling over New York, shortly after Richard woke up. The Captain announced over the loudspeaker system, that it was 6:00 p.m. local New York time. Before they landed, the Japanese lady started talking to him again, and he slowly began opening up to her; now that he had finally rested; after all the weeks of constant non-stop tension. He even tried some of his broken Japanese, to which she was delighted. Her name was Haruko, and when she smiled at him, he realized how pretty she was, reminding him slightly of Aiko. And she was so warm and kind. As they spoke, a song was playing over the cabin stereo system. Richard recognized the song as the one that he had heard being played constantly, on radio, television, inside ‘Art Gallery Kimiko’ and Tomoyuki’s Record Shop, even in the coffee houses; the entire time he had been in Japan. Always playing in the background, he had never really listened to the words. But now he heard them, with crystal clarity. The song was ‘Year Of The Cat’ by Al Stewart.
After the plane landed, he reached up and got Haruko’s coat for her, out of the overhead bin; and they ended up exchanging addresses and phone numbers, and he was very happy they had done so. She told him he had a beautiful smile, and that she would have to cook him a good Japanese style meal when he came to visit her in New Jersey. He felt his heart jump, and realized that he had something new and wonderful to look forward to. After he put on his coat and disembarked, he was ecstatic to be back on American soil. He and Haruko said their good byes. He, shyly shaking her hand, and she, giving him a hug and laughing softly. After passing through Immigration, he got his bags at the pick up counter and went to Customs. After going through Customs, Richard Kermode went through two big doors that led to the outer Passenger Reception Area. As he changed his Japanese Yen back into American Dollars, at the Currency Exchange Bank, he didn’t notice the headlines on the evening newspaper that a man was reading nearby. They read:
BOMB FOUND AT NEW AIRPORT
UNDER CONSTRUCTION IN JAPAN
"SUBVERSIVE NETWORK SUSPECTED"

EPILOUGE: 1980's
One night, Richard and his wife Haruko, were sitting in their living room, looking out of the window, embracing, and watching the full moon and cloud formations together. It was a beautiful New York Summer evening, and Richard was about to be visited by Darryl Tallmadge, a student from Scholar’s International Institution of Learning, whom he had not seen since their Freshman year.
Earlier in the day, Darryl had called on the phone, out of the blue, having gotten his phone number out of the phone book; and invited himself over to Richard’s apartment. From their conversation on the phone, Richard had surmised that Darryl was out of work, and expecting to get a job at Scholar’s, on the faculty; and Richard was very aware of his motives.
Recently, Scholar’s had been reduced to begging for new students through a local newspaper, by way of renting a hall space in the downtown area of New York, in a commercial building. This was subsequent to a wholesale school wide purge that resulted from questions having been raised, about the proof of educational credibility in the college’s Governmental Financial Entitlement Grant base. Scholar’s was using a newly installed Director and faculty from the Japan Center, to do the recruitment drive, along with the help of a new Director from World Headquarters. Alas, this sad, desperate and orchestrated event was to no avail, as the college continued to flounder. And the final nail in the coffin was the recent question raised by an investigative reporter in a local newspaper, concerning the Treasurer for the college, Ike Lowery's alleged association with a certain known mobster; due to gambling debts and school funds. This quite messy situation was beginning to unravel on Scholar's long and winding trail of suspicious activity.
Richard sent Haruko into their bedroom, as Darryl Tallmadge came upstairs in the elevator. Greeting Darryl at the door, and taking him into the living room (where Darryl, grinning with a false smile, immediately began looking around and firing as many personal questions at Richard as he could think of; particularly concerning the past history of the Japan Center), Richard watched him very carefully. He realized after awhile, that Darryl had been sent by Ike Lowery, who apparently had led him to believe that there was a possibility of him acquiring a faculty position at the school, if in return he could pick Richard’s brain for some information about the Japan Center during Bob Woverback’s tenure; following Elizabeth and David Fellers departures and resultant CO-directorships at World Headquarters. This was a tall order that Richard had no interest in, especially when it became clear that the next item Darryl was leading up to was the relationships that went on at the center during that period, and who was involved in what. Getting nowhere with that attempted line of questioning, Darryl’s brief visit was quickly worn out by his almost demanding to know what Richard was doing these days. (After Richard’s graduation, he had had his name removed from the school’s mailing list.) Richard patiently escorted Darryl out of the door with a firm handshake, and wished him good luck. Darryl got no information, and left very frustrated, never to be seen again.
Within a year, Scholar’s International Institution of Learning was nothing more than a fading memory, as it had ceased to exist.

Have You Ever Heard Of Arthur Lee?

2007-09-14T02:00:00.001-07:00

HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ARTHUR LEE?
By Antonio G. Pereira © 1997, 2007 Antonio G. Pereira
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‘Love’, is a 60’s group with an obvious name, which should be better known than it is. Behind this mystery, is the genius of a gentleman named Arthur Lee. Born in Memphis Tennessee, but raised in Los Angeles California, Arthur Lee came out of the early 60’s Rhythm and Blues boom in L.A. He formed a series of R&B groups with friend and lead guitarist John Echols (a dead ringer for Johnny Mathis). The L.A. Gs (a pun on then current and popular band, Booker T. and The M.G.s – after all Arthur did come from Memphis) being one of his earliest bands. It was during the tenure of Lee’s next band, ‘The American Four’, that two very interesting things happened. First, he prepared to produce a record for a local singer named Rose Lee Brooks, and second, at an L.A. nightclub where The American Four were playing, Arthur met up with a guitarist named Maurice James (who would later become known as Jimi Hendrix); and asked him to play on the record. The single, named ‘My Diary’ (which is quite a remarkable hard edged R&B production), became a local hit. But by that time Maurice James had left town. Arthur never forgot that guitarist, because his approximation of the sound of R&B and Gospel guitarist Curtis Mayfield (that Lee liked and wanted for the record) was very good. (Arthur Lee told this whole story in detail in the Blue Thumb Records Press Book that accompanied the D.J. copies of Love’s 1970 album 'False Start').
Like other Blacks before them, and during that peculiar period just before the beautiful blossoming of ‘Black Awareness’ of the late sixties (that happened to occur at the same time as the ‘Summer of Love’), Arthur Lee (along with Jimi Hendrix, Sly Stone and Buddy Miles) found it easier to ‘get over’ in their particular milieu, by processing their hair. (Until this point, it is rather interesting that most Rock Historians, Music Journalists and ‘experts’ of the period, have systematically bypassed discussing this; almost as if they have something to hide. A notable and most interesting exception being John Lennon, who while discussing Feminism with Yoko and the interviewer from Playboy magazine in 1980 said, “First, there was a tendency to imitate whitey and straighten the hair and things like that. And suddenly they thought, what the hell are we doing? We have to be ourselves. We’re beautiful in ourselves, though there’s still a little of the straighten-the-hair business. It’s not a put-down. It’s a natural evolution.” Lennon apparently, did not feel threatened by change). At any rate, later on of course, Hendrix and Miles, like many other Blacks, began wearing ‘natural’ `fros (Hendrix interestingly, while still in the Experience, during their 1969 American tour); while Arthur Lee like Sly Stone, took to wearing flamboyant Little Richard type wigs. Eventually, Arthur Lee opted for the caldo look, similar to Isaac Hayes.
Not long after The American Four had a local R&B hit with the single ‘Luci Baines’ (which was Lee’s adaptation of the Isley Brothers hit ‘Twist And Shout’, with an even wilder and joyful/ecstatic arrangement and lyrics), Arthur Lee and John Echols went to check out a new group in L.A. named ‘The Byrds’, and Lee changed the name of his band to ‘The Grass Roots’.
From observation, Arthur Lee appears to have had a very focused manner very early on, before there was a ‘Love’. He was not only performing in a couple of different groups, he also was writing songs for other groups to record. The 1970 Blue Thumb Press Book is very useful in filling up huge gaps in his story. One thing which has been left out (and which he explained in detail in the Press Book), was where he had gotten the original name of the group ‘The Grass Roots’:
“Anyway, so after I saw the Byrds, we had an audition at Ciro’s (Ciro’s was an ancient ‘Hollywood’s Golden Era’ type Supper Club which back in the 50’s was frequented by Hollywood’s biggest stars, and where the Will Mastin Trio Featuring Sammy Davis Jr. broke into the big time; but had now since the early 60’s been ‘reduced’ to featuring ‘Rock and Roll’ acts as the times had changed). And we needed a new name. So I heard somebody speak of people in the streets that…. Let me see, how can I put this. Like the people out in the Watts riot…. People who demanded and were tired of being put down and they did something about it. I heard some cat say that those people were the grass roots. Those were the people who’d be the starting of a new revolution that was going to take place. And y’know who said that? It was Malcolm X. So I got the name The Grass Roots from Malcolm X. So anyway, we had that group and we did the audition at Ciro’s. But we were still doing R&B things like ‘Shotgun’ and ‘Twist and Shout’. See, I had seen the Byrds and decided what I wanted to do, but I was still seated behind the organ when I should have been standing with a tambourine… I was playing organ and some piano then. But then I started thinking of cats like Mick Jagger and James Brown doing their trips and I got out from behind the organ.
While all of this was going on, another group suddenly appeared on the Los Angeles scene, calling themselves ‘The Grass Roots’ and getting top billing at local clubs.
“There was nothing I could do about it. What was I supposed to do…go to court? I didn’t even have our name registered. Like who’s going to steal your name? Or so I thought. So the next day, there’s this record out called ‘Mr. Jones’ by ‘The Grass Roots’. And everybody is coming up to me saying, “Wow, man, I thought you could do better than that!” So I just got the name Love out of that whole trip. It was the opposite of the hate trip that I was supposed to go on. So I announced one night at the club that we weren’t to be called The Grass Roots anymore, but Love. And then I got the name registered.
Not only did Arthur Lee have the name of his group registered as ‘Love’, but he had his music publishing company registered in the name, ‘Grass Roots Music’. Thereby, one suspects, reminding himself not to make that mistake again, besides retaining some satisfaction.
Next, he and Echols bought new instruments. Lee, a Gibson Double neck Mandolin/Guitar, and Echols, what appears to be a Danelectro double neck experimental model twelve string/six string guitar. (For viewing of a wealth of photographs of Love, log onto the web site: http://www.bryanmaclean.com/.) They carefully began to mix in the new influence of ‘Folk-Rock’ into their repertoire of basic Rhythm and Blues. This must have been a fascinating time to see the band as they developed, which at this point, had to have been at an incredible rate.
Not long after, the members of Love slowly began to change as well. With Arthur Lee and John Echols as the foundation, then came Bryan Maclean (who brought a genuine talent for writing exquisite songs, with him), and after, Ken Forssi (quite an exceptional bass player) and Alban Pfisterer on drums. (Meanwhile Lee, ever the song hustler, was still occasionally writing songs for other groups to record; separate from what he composed for Love.) An odd thing that is noticeable now, having seen some very early photographs of Love in concert in Los Angeles in 1965, is that Lee’s wardrobe at the time, of Frye Boots and Suede jackets, was exactly what Jim Morrison began to wear later on with ‘The Doors’.
By 1966, Love had acquired quite a following in L.A. Enough of a following that they were now not only doing turn away business at the prestigious ‘Whisky A Go Go’ on Sunset Strip, but due to an influential (and rather bizarre) friend named, Vito Paulekas (to read more about him, check out the website: http://www.united-mutations.com/ - there is a wealth of information here about Vito, plus a very extensive and detailed 2003 interview with Vito's associate Carl Franzoni; with references to the band Love - and the books, 'Frank Zappa: The Negative Dialectics of Poodle Play' by Ben Watson - Published by St. Martin's Griffin, and 'No Commercial Potential: The Saga of Frank Zappa' by David Walley - Republished by Da Capo Press), telling Jac Holzman (President of Elektra Records, who was looking to expand his Folk music label into Rock territory) to check them out; they now had a record contract.
Love’s first album (self titled ‘Love’ not surprisingly) was released in March of 1966, and really delivered the goods. It was one great debut album, full of bright happy songs and thought provoking ones; all sung with tight close harmonies and aggressive melodic playing. (Though the occasional comparison to the Byrds is unavoidable, Love must have been some mothers to see live). The songs ranged from hard luck Blues, ‘Signed D.C.’, to overwhelming kick-`em-back, pull out all the stops Rock n’ Roll, ‘No Matter What You Do’, to nice head bopping groove Rock, ‘Can’t Explain’, to utterly gorgeous ballads, Maclean’s ‘Softly To Me’ (part of this song became a slogan for a 1960’s woman’s cosmetic). It’s not too hard to imagine Arthur Lee sitting in a movie theatre watching ‘Dr. Strangelove’, and afterward going home and composing ‘Mushroom Clouds’. But the song that became Love’s first hit single was ‘My Little Red Book’. This was not written by anyone in Love, but by Burt Bacharach and Hal David; the songwriting team that wrote many hit songs for Dionne Warwick. The band remained in California, constantly gigged, and enjoyed what must have been their heyday; and had the time of their lives.
Love’s second album, ‘Da Capo’, was released in December 1966. Full of more great songs. (And an advanced move beyond the Folk-Rock and Blues idiom of the first album, now incorporating Jazz and a primitive though fascinating attempt at comping ‘New Music’.) Among them, two beauties. Lee’s “Seven and Seven Is’, and Maclean’s ‘Orange Skies’. The former (and hit single), a forceful, driving Hard Rock number, and the latter, a very pretty jazzy composition. (The ladies must have swooned to this one.) Love was beginning to show a lot of promise as a music ensemble. Instead of sticking to a formula, Love played everything. ‘Stephanie Knows Who’, a cut-me-loose, barely restrained Jazz-Rock number, that is striking. (With the addition of Saxophonist-Flautist Tjay Cantrelli and Michael Stuart now on drums, as Alban Pfisterer moved over to Harpsichord, one could imagine the now expanded seven piece Love, opening their sets with an extended version of this song; full of elongated improvisation. And since Love was one of Jim Morrison’s favorite groups, do I see him in the audience taking notes for a future song named ‘Wintertime Love’?) The other three songs on side one, ‘¡Que Vida!’, ‘The Castle’ and ‘She Comes In Colors’, showing very carefully and masterfully crafted examples of songwriting in the Jazz and Classical idioms; both musically and lyrically. (In the song, ‘¡Que Vida!’ Arthur Lee sang the lyrics:
I once had a girl
She told me I was funny
She said In your world
You needed lots of money
And things to kill your brother
But deith just starts another….
On the second word of the last line of the final stanza of the song, Lee used an odd archaic acronym, that used the words ‘death’ and ‘this’. Peter Tork, was to use this again in the Monkees song ‘Shades of Grey’, on their album Monkees’ Headquarters.)
Side two is a whole other experience, containing one long….improvisation? ‘Revelation’, begins with quite an impressive solo on Harpsichord by Alban Pfisterer, and leads into Arthur Lee vocalizing about a woman’s effect on him. This is followed by some nice soloing on guitar by John Echols. Afterwards, Arthur (always an exceptional Harpist) solos on Harmonica and then trades licks with John Echols. After this point, the song falls flat on its face until Tjay Cantrelli rescues it when he starts soloing on Soprano Saxophone. It is here, when the band falls in behind Cantrelli, that you realize what a tight ensemble they can be. The influence of the then current ‘New Music’ experiments of John Coltrane, Bill Dixon, and Albert Ayler, can be strongly felt. And the song takes off again with drummer Michael Stuart adding a killer drum solo. Maybe this is the point of the song’s title. ‘Revelation’. Because it is as if after laying fallow, the song rises from the ashes and becomes something else. Might Love have turned into a Jazz-Rock ensemble? Unfortunately, there is no known live footage of the band performing this song. But the potential was there. It must also be added that Arthur and Brian must have been listening to Mexican Classical-Pop music and the then new Jazz/Latin hybrid of Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass, Sergio Mendes and Brazil `66 and Stan Getz with Joao Gilberto; which in turn was of course preceded and influenced by the Afro/Cuban Jazz music created by Dizzy Gillespie with Chano Pozo, and the Machito Big Band with guest soloists like Charlie Parker, Dexter Gordon, Dizzy, and later Johnny Griffin and Herbie Mann. Arthur Lee was quite an interesting character. And ‘Da Capo’, along with it’s not very organized ‘Revelation’, was nevertheless quite a marvelous second album. (Somewhere, Dick Clark of ‘American Bandstand’ fame, has a half hour of footage of Love performing live on T.V. in 1967; from a spin-off show called ‘Where The Action Is’. Lee mentioned having done this television program in the Blue Thumb Press Book in 1970. (You can however, view some priceless footage of the original 5 piece Love on American Bandstand in 1966, performing, 'My Little Red Book' and 'A Messege To Pretty', at http://www.youtube.com/. Type Arthur Lee and Love in the Search Box. Fascinatingly, John Echols is playing his doublenecked guitar while Arthur plays Harmonica, on 'Messege To Pretty'!)
This brings us to what many people consider to be Love’s masterpiece. ‘Forever Changes’. A partial return to the beautiful close harmonies of the first album. The Jazz and New Music experiments of Da Capo are gone (and so are Tjay Cantrelli and Alban Pfisterer. Cantrelli would later turn up in ‘Geronimo Black’, the band formed by ex-Mothers Of Invention drummer Jimmy Carl Black, and later in The Buddy Miles Band.) and in place, a Classical-Pop orchestration with a return to Folk-Rock. But this time, the sound had more of an acoustical bent than electric; although the electric sound was still there. (For someone who has already heard Crosby Stills and Nash’s first album and is hearing Love’s third album for the first time, it might be a bit of a shock. More on that later.) ‘Forever Changes’. Exquisite. Beautiful. Deeply moving. Deeply disturbing. Was this a reflection of our America? The Summer of Love was also the summer the cities burned. The Civil Rights Movement struggled on, having already changed the course of troubled American History and it’s still fragmented society. The war in Vietnam raged, while a slowly rising tidal wave of debate as to the very legitimacy of Vietnam, began to spread across College campuses across the nation. A group of ‘negros’ that no one had ever heard of before named ‘The Black Panthers’, walked into the state capitol, Sacramento, carrying guns and articulately discussing the Constitution of the United States and the reason for their existence with reporters; while the television cameras rolled… And slowly, Americans began to realize, after watching their evening news…. That something was wrong….disturbingly and frighteningly wrong. And it would not go away. This was the backdrop of the America that reflected the period during which Forever Changes was created. And much of what was occurring was happening right in the state of California. The ethereal beauty and profound ugliness of the picture that was painted of 1967 America was difficult to deny. The exquisite radiance of the album’s opening number ‘Alone Again Or’, led into the stark images that were full of disturbing metaphors, in the following song, ‘A House Is Not A Motel’. Forever Changes was an incredible album for its time. The ideas that went into the juxtaposition of lyrics in some of the songs, were particularly jarring. For example, in ‘The Daily Planet’:
I can see you, with no head/hands
Like I need you, you’re my heart/face
And in ‘The Red Telephone’:
And if you think I’m happy, paint me black/white
And it’s ominous ending:
They’re locking them up today
They’re throwing away the key
I wonder who it will be tomorrow
You or Me?
The music of course was again richly crafted. The beauty and humor of Lee’s ‘Andmoreagain’, Bryan Maclean singing of the haunting plaintive memory of the ‘Old Man’, and Lee in ‘Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark and Hilldale’, singing about an era of Los Angeles night life that was quickly disappearing. (Due in part no doubt, to the Los Angeles County Supervisor’s repealing of the permits that allowed the clubs on Sunset Strip to admit 18-21 year olds; as Crawdaddy magazine observed and informed in it’s Jan. 1967 issue.) An era that he had helped to create, little more than a year before. And the album finished with one hell of a closing number. ‘You Set The Scene’. Arthur Lee at maybe his lyrical peak, and putting his stamp on the sixties. HISTORY (and he knew it at the time) as it was happening before him.
1968 saw a change in Love. In April, they appeared in beautiful, soft, sensitive photo portraits in Crawdaddy magazine. For the beginning of the year, the band went into the recording studio to make their next album. There, for some reason that has never been made clear, the band began to fall apart. But a single was subsequently released from the studio sessions. ‘Your Mind And We Belong Together’ and ‘Laughing Stock’, were part of Love’s 1968 album; but the album itself was never released. ‘Your Mind And We Belong Together’ was an excellent Hard Rock number with one mother of a guitar solo at the end by John Echols. (It is unfortunate that John Echols, who possessed a remarkable developing originality as a guitarist, did not remain in the band. One can only marvel at thoughts of a concert where Arthur Lee was strumming his acoustic and singing, while Echols was trading licks with Hendrix sitting in on second lead.) And ‘Laughing Stock’ was a painfully beautiful, mysterious Folk-Rock song, that sounded as if Lee was mourning the disintegration of his band. The master tapes for the album are said to be in existence. Some questions remain. Why wasn’t the album released? Why did Love break up at the height of their creative powers? What happened? (You can view what is (or maybe was) a very interesting promo film for 'Your Mind And We Belong Together', on http://www.youtube.com/. Some of the footage in the film appears to be from a photo session that Michael Stuart alluded to in his book, 'Behind the Scenes on the Pegasus Carousel with the Legendary Rock Group Love'. Published by Helter Skelter Publishing (UK). Recently published in the US.)
In the summer of 1969, Arthur Lee emerged with new musicians and a new album. Love’s fourth album was titled, ‘Four Sail’. Lee was the only member from the original band left. But the album he produced was stunning. It contained a mixture of Hard Rock and pleasantly pretty and relaxing Jazz. A beautiful album. It opened with a blockbuster Hard Rock number called, ‘August’, and contained breathtakingly beautiful Jazz numbers like ‘I’m With You’ and ‘Nothing’. Two curious songs were the slightly sarcastic ‘Your Friend and Mine (Neil’s Song)’, and ‘Dream’, in which Arthur sang about arriving back in L.A. from New York by plane. (While using the juxtaposition of lyrics technique that he previously used on Forever Changes.) Was ‘Dream’ about the original Love’s only national tour, prior to their final breakup in 1968? There was also a powerful locomotive-driven Rock-Blues number called ‘Singing Cowboy’, that just got better and better as Arthur cut loose on the vocals; and a strong boogie number named ‘Good Times’. This band was something else. And the album’s closing number, ‘Always See Your Face’, used orchestration with a prominent chorus of French Horns. ‘Four Sail’ was well worth the wait. It was also Love’s final album recorded for Elektra. Arthur Lee took his new band, now consisting of Jay Donnellan (lead guitar), Frank Fayad (bass), and George Suranovich (drums); and began to gig on the west coast, reestablishing himself.
By now in our story, I think it is pretty clear that Arthur Lee was somewhat of a visionary. Seeing the handwriting on the wall so to speak, and making the appropriate moves ahead of time. Wanting to expand his audience and his appeal. This was the direction Lee was heading in, and brings us to his next album (a pivotal one), ‘Out Here’.
In late 1969, Arthur Lee signed a new record contract for Love on Blue Thumb Records. Love’s next album was a two record set, produced again by Lee, titled ‘Out Here’. The title, one can assume, meaning “out here in the real world”. Just like the previous Love album, the music was varied and superb. And it was here, this album, where you got a wide taste of the range of talent of Arthur Lee, the songwriter. With a song-by-song analysis, we have:
The album’s opener ‘I’ll Pray For You’, is a Bible thumping Gospel number about a man who is an obvious racist (a millionaire, but nevertheless…) and needs ‘The Gospel Truth’ to set him straight. Sung by Arthur, in what sounds suspiciously like an Elvis Presley voice, while guest pianist Jim Hobson tinkles the ivories in a truly wonderful and inspired manner; this song is precious.
‘Abolony’ is a Country and Western tune with a quick, funny and very witty play on words, about people being false with each other in a motel room (and knowing it!)
‘Signed D.C.’ is an extended and reworked version of the song from Love’s first album. This version could have been even longer because it is very good. Arthur singing his butt off and soloing on Harmonica like a demon. The band at their bombastic best behind him.
‘Listen To My Song’, a pretty acoustic number with haunting melodic whistling by Lee. Very influenced by the 60’s period Bee Gees, whom Arthur seems to have liked very much.
‘I’m Down’, a very good exercise in Rock songwriting by Lee, that would have made a perfect vehicle for the Vanilla Fudge or maybe even Jackie Lomax’ post-Apple solo career band, Heavy Jelly.
‘Stand Out’, a biting commentary about racial and social intolerance.
‘Discharged’, a funny but disturbing anti-Vietnam war song. Food for thought. And have you listened to your neighbor lately? Are you still laughing?
‘Doggone’, a very pretty Country Rock song, with Arthur reflecting about things he’s lost and things he’s gained, followed by an unexpected and very inventive, much better than average drum solo by George Suranovich.
‘I Still Wonder’. This song is quite a paradox, musically and lyrically, because it points to the fact that the close harmonies with acoustic guitars that Crosby Stills and Nash were using at the time, had previously been done by the original Love on Forever Changes (with orchestration no less). An interesting question is, in ‘I Still Wonder’, was Arthur Lee singing about the original Love and the aftermath of their dissolution?
‘Love Is More Than Words or Better Late Than Never’. Lee singing movingly about what was then the ideology of the 1960’s Peace Movement, and what followed was a wild extended jam; with guest guitarist Gary Rowles sitting in with Love and raising hell with some great psychedelic soloing.
‘Nice To Be’, a wonderful lounge song, perfect for a nightclub. Relaxing lyrics and pretty melody. Should have been lengthened, as there was plenty of material to work with here.
‘Car Lights On In The Day Time Blues’. A very funny Hillbilly sing along.
‘Run To The Top’. A really nice Pop song with a joyous ending.
‘Willow Willow’. A pretty Folk song with a shimmering acoustic guitar solo in the middle. The type of song a young student might sing to his girlfriend beneath the shade of a tree on a sunny afternoon.
‘Instra-mental’. A great Progressive Rock instrumental with some striking soloing on Organ by Arthur Lee. Besides playing guitar and drums, and being an exceptional Harpist, Lee was a very good keyboardist too; as he mentioned was his original spot when he was playing Rhythm and Blues with The L.A. Gs and The American Four.
‘You Are Something’. A cute attempt at Pop songwriting with a marvelous guitar solo by Jay Donnellan.
‘Gather Round’, the melody reminiscent of Dylan’s ‘The Times They Are A-changin’, is Arthur doing what he does best. A Folk-Rock song where he comments pointedly and often with sharpest clarity, on what he observes in society. However, in this case, the coda was too long. Over all though, quite an interesting album.
By 1970, Lee was back in the swing of things. Love went on tour in Europe and then did a national tour of the United States. While on a return trip to England, Lee met up with Jimi Hendrix again, in London. But just how all of this came about is very vague. (This of course also concerns whether Hendrix visited Morocco a second time in 1970. They had been hanging out together in L.A. during the Experience’s 1969 American Tour, but the rest of that story will have to be told by Arthur Lee when he publishes his autobiography; that he is currently working on now.) They recorded together, and one of the songs they produced was, ‘The Everlasting First’. (The melody and arrangement, somewhat reminiscent of ‘Dream’ from the album Four Sail.) Appropriately titled, ‘The Everlasting First’ was a very, very moving song about seeing good people who stand up and be counted, die. Among those mentioned in the song is Dr. King. The fact that it’s Hendrix and Lee, just makes the song that much more touching; and it has Hendrix playing his liquid and complex ideas in best of form. They had come a long way from being part of Curtis Mayfield’s progeny. This song was on Love’s next album, released on Blue Thumb Records, titled ‘False Start’. (During an interview in the Dec. 29th issue of the British weekly music paper Melody Maker, Arthur Lee mentioned that he recorded a whole album’s worth of songs with Jimi Hendrix in London in 1970. But to this date, they have never been released.) False Start, contains one mother of a live version of ‘Stand Out’, that was recorded at a British University concert, with Arthur spitting the words out with timely dead on emphasis; while guitarist Gary Rowles (who by now had joined the band, replacing Jay Donnellan) plays a gut crunching lead. There are two hysterical sing-alongs. One called ‘Flying’, concerning Housing Integration, Sit Ins etc., using ‘in’ and ‘out’ wordplay, and in the other, ‘Slick Dick’, one could visualize the ‘Richard’ character in the song as then President ‘Tricky Dickey’ Nixon. There was also ‘Anytime’, a very good Soul inflected ballad, about the then very popular feeling of being socially conscious, civic minded, generous and responsible. Finally, there was the deep Funk of ‘Feel Daddy Feel Good’, where Arthur really cuts loose on the vocals as the band gets down and dirty with a gutbucket twist. ‘False Start’ is a fascinating album, because it showed from the songs that Arthur Lee was very aware of what was going on in the world around him at that time.
Although Love continued to tour and build up a sizeable audience in Europe and maintain their popularity on the west coast of America, this was their last album for a good number of years. During the next two years, two greatest hits albums appeared. Both on Elektra. One in America and one in Britain. Both are worth having. The American version, which is called ‘Love Revisited’, is a must, because it has some of Love’s most beautiful ballads and Rock songs from all four Elektra albums in chronological order; plus half of the 1968 single ‘Your Mind And We Belong Together’; and liner notes by American Music Journalist, Ellen Sander. The British album, titled ‘Love, Elektra Masters’, contains some more great Love songs in chronological order, plus the complete collection of B-sides of singles that were never on any of their albums; and liner notes by British Music Journalist John Tobler. Oddly, some of the cuts from ‘Forever Changes’ are slightly longer on this record. (It's also interesting to note the differences of perception of the band Love, when comparing the American and British liner notes.) The band members in Love also changed again. Drummer George Suranovich went on to work with Eric Burdon, and lead guitarist Jay Donnellan had already formed a Country Rock band called ‘Morning’, with pianist Jim Hobson; who worked with Love on the ‘Out Here’ album. Donnellan later gave an interview about his days in Love, and about the new album by ‘Morning’; in the July 10th 1971 issue of the British music paper, Sounds.
In 1972, Arthur Lee moved on to A&M Records (Interestingly, co-owned by Herb Alpert) and produced one album, which turned out to be his first solo album, ‘Vindicator’. Somewhat different from his previous albums with Love, ‘Vindicator’ was not only a mixture of Hard Rock and Rhythm and Blues songs, this one also contained what could be termed as ‘demented hip musical satire’. ‘Demented’ and ‘satire’, being the key words here. But once again, Lee was not far off the mark. In a current field of Heavy Rock Music, that now proffered groups like ‘Led Zepplin’, ‘Black Sabbath’, ‘Alice Cooper’, ‘Funkadelic’, and ‘Frank Zappa’, Lee’s timing was perfect. The backing band for this album (their name ‘Band-Aid’, a sly metaphor for a ‘groupie’), was made up of musicians from the Buddy Miles Band, Love, and session musicians.
The album opened with ‘Sad Song’, Arthur Lee drawing on the Elmore James legacy of 1950’s Chicago Blues. Arthur had left the Jagger imitation behind and turned into quite an authentic Blues Shouter. The Rock songs ranged from average fare like ‘Everytime I Look Up I’m Down’ and ‘Busted Feet’, to very good Classic Love, ‘You Want Change For Your Re-run’, to one hell to pay Hard Rock number called, ‘Love Jumped Through My Window Last Night’; where Arthur really outdid himself. There was a smooth stylish Rhythm and Blues number, ‘He Said She Said’, a butt kicking R&B number, ‘Find Somebody’, and also ‘Everybody’s Gotta Live’; a very good Rhythm and Blues song with a very simple and direct message, that would have been even better if Arthur had continued singing it in his smooth singing style all the way through. And the song ‘He Knows A Lot Of Good Women’, reminiscent of the Country Rock period Byrds.
Then there were the pieces of satire, spread strategically throughout the album. ‘You Can Save Up To 50% But You’re Still A Long Ways From Home’, an odd piece of demented racial poetry (sung acapella), ‘Hamburger Breath Stinkfinger’, a wickedly funny and naughty little tale of a blind date; sure to have given the folks at ‘McDonald’s’, heart burn, cardiac arrest, or worse. And finally, ‘`Ol Morgue Mouth’, a priceless little curio, worthy of Cheech and Chong.
The album cover carried a pair of photos. One, of Arthur as a janitor (his hair very closely cropped!) from the Clean Sweep Janitor Co., with a broom in one hand, while with the other he was ‘slipping five’ with the Arthur in the other photograph; who was dressed as a Rock Star with a Little Richard type wig, carrying an interesting looking guitar (part Plexiglas) and wearing a boxer’s robe with the word ‘Marines’ on the back. Was this finally the merging of two worlds for Arthur, and was he returning home? Among the collection of photographs on the fold out inside record jacket, were photos of Arthur and current ‘Band-Aid’ members on one side, and on the other, a mixture of his childhood photos, current photos at home, and a very mysterious (at the time Vindicator was released) photograph of Arthur Lee and Jimi Hendrix laughing together, that looked like it was taken in 1969. (Since that time, we now know that this photograph was taken during the period mentioned earlier, when Lee and Hendrix hung out during the Experience’s final American tour. It will be interesting to see, when he publishes his autobiography, if Arthur Lee reveals anything new, concerning any jamming or recordings that may have been done during this time period in L.A. Until then, you can view another outtake from the same photo session and read about it and Arthur Lee by logging onto The Doug Thomas web site at: http://www.lekiwi.com/. (You can also access a wealth of articles and interviews on Arthur Lee and Love, by logging onto Ntlworld at: http://www.ntlworld.com/ , and typing 'Arthur Lee and Love in UK Magazine Articles and Interviews' in the Search Box; then after clicking search, go to the Zig Zag Archives. These are a series of very informative interviews conducted with Arthur Lee for Zig Zag magazine, during different points in his career during the 1970s. There is also a very rare interview with Love drummer (and later Hapsichordist), Alban 'Snoopy' Pfisterer: http://web.archive.org/web/20050421013102/birthdaybiff.co.uk/sandydenny/al/snoopy+in+love.htm )
Though an uneven album and not entirely successful, on Vindicator, Arthur had taken his first steps in realizing an original voice for himself; that would eventually pay off, as he matured into a different artist with a different style. And being the visionary that he was, seeing the handwriting on the wall again.
In 1973, Arthur Lee recorded a whole new album of songs for an independent record label (Buffalo Records) that never got off the ground. (That album remains unreleased to this day, though it has been said that a foreign record licensing deal is in the works. This release would be as important a missing link as the original Love’s unreleased 1968 album.) Meanwhile, he continued gigging with Love, using different musicians.
In 1974, two things happened. The first was the release of a very interesting turn of the century western named, ‘Thomasine and Bushrod’. Lee composed the title song and in it displayed a new, relaxed and smooth singing style. It was a lovely song and the movie was very well received. This was during the height of the Black Movie Business, and ‘Thomasine and Bushrod was one of the better films. The movie was made by actor and playwright Max Julien, who co-starred in such films as ‘Psych Out’ (with Jack Nicholson), ‘Uptight’ (with Frank Silvera), and ‘Getting Straight’ (with Elliot Gould), during the late 60’s; and co-starred in ‘Thomasine and Bushrod’ with actress Vonetta McGee. The second thing was that Arthur signed a new record contract with Robert Stigwood’s RSO Records’ label (which also included Eric Clapton on it’s roster) and recorded a new album, ‘Reel To Real’. To promote the new album, Arthur Lee and Love toured the United States with Eric Clapton in 1975, (The Nassau Coliseum concert receiving a nice review in The New York Times) and Lee gave an interview to Hit Parader magazine, that appeared in the March issue; where he discussed his career, the differences between audiences in Europe and America, and his current album. ‘Reel To Real’ turned out to be Arthur hitting it right on the nail again. For on it, he is returning to the Rhythm and Blues music he did before he heard the Byrds. On this album he had an entirely new band, with two exceptional guitarists. Melvan Whittington on lead and John Sterling on slide. (The latter had previously played with Eric Burdon.) On bass, Sherwood Akuna (a meaty Fatback bassist) and Joey Blocker on drums, providing an able pounding punchy backbeat. Among the guest musicians, Arthur had Buzzy Feiten on guitar and Bobby Lyle on keyboards (well known session men), and among the people he thanked for helping him with the album was Keith Moon of the Who. Arthur Lee was always able to find great new musicians to play with. And maybe this is his secret. Why he has been able to survive so long. Because like Miles Davis, he is always changing. Lee, who at this time had the clean shaven headed Isaac Hayes look and a Fu Manchu mustache (which looked surprisingly good on him), seems to have developed an interest in Eastern Religion and Vegetarianism; as evidenced by the photographs on the album jacket and inside record sleeve.
With the opening number, ‘Time Is Like A River’, Arthur hits us with something entirely outrageously new. A perfectly blended, smoky Rhythm and Blues sound. Horns, background chorus (with a molten groove) added to the band (a deep New Orleans Funk if you will, just hinted at contextually in Rock form in ‘Feel Daddy Feel Good’ on False Start.) And with each succeeding song, ‘Stop The Music’ (where Lee plays burning Harmonica and Melvan Whittington a stuttering guitar solo while John Sterling plays a lean threatening slide) the stop/start arrangement hanging you on the edge, ‘Who Are You’ (a really silky devil of a vocal) with guest guitarist Buzzy Feiten smoking furiously on guitar, ‘Good Old Fashion Dream’ (Arthur cooking and boiling with the background chorus); this is a startlingly different Arthur Lee. ‘Which Witch is Which’, a merging of acoustic and electric Blues, with Lee adding just a touch of Harmonica to a mix of backwards guitar (that Beatles/Hendrix influence) and John Sterling’s slide solo. ‘With A Little Energy’, another smoking R&B number with the added twist of a solo on Moog Synthesizer by second guest keyboardist, Gary Bell.
On side two Arthur revisits ‘Singing Cowboy’ from Four Sail. A more restrained and relaxed smooth vocal this time, with Melvan Whittington and John Sterling cutting two musical swathes across on guitars, behind his vocal. A very different take on the song, with Arthur having developed a completely new singing style (which he first attempted on Vindicator and perfected on the title song for the film ‘Tomasine and Bushrod’). Next is William Devaughn’s popular ‘Be Thankful For What You Got’. And Lee does one hell of a reading; as good as the original. This is Arthur Lee, very Black and very Funky. Besides using his own regular vocals and voicings on the album, he also uses occasional inflections of Sly Stone and Al Green; which are very good. The following song, ‘You Said You Would’, is a humorous Country Rock affair with Arthur singing the tale of the ‘woman who done him wrong’. Whittington and Sterling trading licks, and the song ending with an explosion worthy of ‘Seven and Seven Is’. Next, a remake of ‘Busted Feet’ from the Vindicator album, that is much better than the original. Whereas on Vindicator it was just an average Rock song, here, the song is shorter and the arrangement is much tighter and threatening. Gary Bell provides a great atmospheric background with Moog Synthesizer, as Melvan Whittington really cuts loose on guitar and Arthur abruptly cuts off the song; as he sings about not quite being able to let go of the past. The final song, ‘Everybody’s Gotta Live’ (also from Vindicator) is an acoustic reworking and a very poignant statement; as Lee leads the group of backup singers into the chorus, singing smoothly and finally doing justice to a very good song. An album worth having and cherishing.
Arthur Lee and Love continued to tour every year from 1976 onwards, gigging occasionally in America (mainly on the west coast and also the south) and in Europe (they were later to add the far east) where they continued to have a large following. And in 1980, Lee gave an interview in Creem magazine, discussing his past, the 1978 reunion with Bryan Maclean, and current projects.
In 1981 Arthur Lee released his second solo album titled, ‘Arthur Lee’, on Rhino Records. He produced an album of varied styles and beautiful melodies. Especially the pretty ‘I Do Wonder’ (reminiscent of Orange Skies), the gorgeous ‘Just Us’ (composed by a songwriter named Ron Buford) and the kissable ‘Do You Know The Secret’ (Arthur sings this song with co-composer Otis Walker). Lee blows some mean Harmonica on a very good extended rocking Blues number called ‘Down Street’; where he also squeezes and shakes every ounce of feeling out of the vocals. Quite a performance. Here, he uses the same basic unit he had on ‘Reel To Real’. Melvan Whittington and John Sterling on guitars, Sherwood Akuna on bass, and Joey Blocker on drums. Arthur’s new arrangement of ‘Seven and Seven Is’ (which he re-made for this album) was very expertly done. And if you couldn’t get all of the lyrics before, you could hear them all now with crystal clarity; and an even sharper edge to them. (Interestingly, Alice Cooper and his band, did a wild performance of Love’s 1966 version of ‘Seven and Seven Is’, on the long ago defunct, revamped Tom Snyder talk show on NBC channel 4 in New York; sometime in the early 80’s). ‘Stay Away From Evil’, an R&B song with a very catchy boogie rhythm, is an exceptional composition by Lee. It would make a wonderful theme song for a movie. On some of the songs there is the occasional addition of George Suranovich on drums. And there is one very notable ‘new’ addition. Velvert Turner on guitar. Turner’s licks on Lee’s song ‘Bend Down’ are frighteningly good. (Turner actually took guitar lessons from Jimi Hendrix at one time, and like Randy California, learned his lessons well). Arthur had obviously been listening to and influenced by a lot of Reggae, as evidenced by his compositions ‘One and One’ and the good-naturedly sounding but deadly serious ‘Mr. Lee’. Neil Williams on guitar and Carlos Carraby on drums, add a very tasteful and authentic Reggae sound. And there is a rousing finale with Jimmy Cliff’s ‘Many Rivers To Cross’, with Lee at the piano, playing his heart out. What an album! Y`know something? ARTHUR LEE IS THE BEST KEPT SECRET I KNOW OF IN THE WORLD TODAY! I consider him to be a national treasure.
Now, this brings us to the live material.
In 1982, two live albums of Love in concert were released. One in America and one in Germany. Interestingly, both were recorded in the United States. The first album, simply titled ‘Love’, on MCA Records, has studio recordings on one side and concert recordings on the other. The studio recordings were some of the cuts from Love’s 1969 double album ‘Out Here’. The live recordings were from Love’s Fillmore East concert in New York in February of 1970; and had never been released before.
The first song, ‘Stand Out’, begins with Arthur straightening out a heckler in the audience. And from that point on, Love take total command of the stage. They do a powerful version of ‘Stand Out’ that has the effect of being grabbed by your shirt collars and thrown up against a wall. One can tell from the way the ensemble is working, that the musicians were totally in tune with each other. The next song is a curiosity called ‘Product Of The Times’. It is a curiosity because it has never appeared on a Love album before. It sounds as if this must have been a work in progress, because it is very loose; but the words are interesting (“Well if you want to be free, don’t look at me, if you are just a product of the times”), and I’m sure must have given the Fillmore audience something to think about. Following this is an early version of ‘Keep On Shining’ (a song that would later appear on the album False Start) with everyone getting in some nice licks. The final song is an extended version of ‘Singing Cowboy’ from the Four Sail album. It is quite a performance, where during the middle section Arthur improvises on the lyrics (the message being ‘hope for tomorrow’), while Jay Donnellan follows him with exceptional soloing on guitar. The interplay between the band members is striking. Very tight but fluid. The most interesting thing about Arthur Lee the guitarist, is that whenever he plays an electric guitar, he has his own distinctive definable sound, like Hendrix had a sound that is immediately identifiable as his. The extraordinary thing about Lee’s phrasing and feel on guitar, is that it is reminiscent of John Coltrane on Soprano and Tenor Saxophone. Jay Donnellan is one hell of a lead guitarist and does some incredible fills. He knows when to play and carefully measures how much of his swirling frenzy to release. Frank Fayad does some clockwork timekeeping on bass and George Suranovich is all over the place on drums. Constant explosions of rhythm. My only disappointment is that the live recordings did not include ‘August’. ‘Arthurly’, (as he was known at that point) stated in his 1970 Press Book from Blue Thumb Records, that one day he thought about gathering up some of the musicians he had previously worked with, and making an album called, ‘Love’. ‘Love Live’ is the closest thing to a realization of that dream as possible.
‘Love Live’, released on Line Records in Germany, is a reunion concert that was recorded at the Whisky A Go Go in Los Angeles in the Autumn of 1978. Arthur Lee apparently had always remained friends with Bryan Maclean from the original Love, and along with John Sterling on guitar, Kim Kesterson on bass, and George Suranovich on drums (all from previous Love incarnations), formed the band at this reunion concert. From the first ominous chords of ‘My Little Red Book’, it is sheer pandemonium. The audience is ecstatic and the band plays with driving force. Next is ‘Orange Skies’. YES. Orange Skies is every bit as beautiful as you always thought it was. Arthur Lee sings a heart-rending version of it, that brings back the memory of that carefree day in the mid 60’s you’ll always remember. Now the special surprise. Bryan Maclean sings ‘Old Man’ from the Forever Changes album. And you are there. Listening. Bryan and Arthur sing a touching duet together during the second half of the song. Kim Kesterson exhibits a rich, deep, tasteful tone on bass. Following this is a deliberately loose goodtime version of ‘Keep On Shining’. And in the middle of the song Arthur Lee starts preaching, and the audience eats it up; after which Arthur and Bryan sing another duet together. John Sterling does a stinging slide guitar solo that builds the song up to a nice climax. The Love crowd at the Whisky is going crazy.
Side two starts with a hell to pay version of ‘7 and 7 Is’ off of the Da Capo album. George Suranovich burns across his drum kit. At the end of the song, Arthur Lee the consummate showman, sings a smooth rap with deep Soul inflections; and has the audience eating out of his hand again. He abruptly leads the band into a gutbucket version of ‘Signed D.C.’ off of Love’s first album, during which he does two wrenching Harmonica solos. Arthur leaves the audience hanging on the edge of hysteria. Then the band hits them with a strong boogie version of ‘Good Times’ from the Four Sail album, that just doesn’t let go. By this time I am exhausted. Love Live is an experience. But it’s not over yet. The final song is ‘Singing Cowboy’, with John Sterling doing a fine job on the instrumental breaks. Arthur Lee does a relaxed loving job on the lyrics. Y`know, that’s what feeling you’re left with, as the final song fades out. A very loving relaxed feeling. That’s Love Live.
POSTSCRIPT
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Recently, I heard a bootleg recording named, ‘Black Beauty’, that is a collection of rare recordings by Arthur Lee. The title song, purportedly was the title composition of Arthur’s unreleased album for Buffalo Records in 1973, Black Beauty. Black Beauty is a stone Mack Daddy womanizer’s song; and it is very good. Also included on this record are songs by The American Four, ‘Luci Baines’ (mentioned earlier) and ‘It’s the Marlin’ (a dance tune with Arthur putting on his mid-sixties Jagger imitation). This is followed by another dance tune named ‘The Jerk’ (sound familiar?) that Arthur wrote for a group named ‘Ronnie and the Pomona Casuals’. (Frank Zappa, if I remember correctly, was a member of that band at one time, pre-Mothers; as well as having sat in with ‘The Grass Roots’, before Arthur changed their name to ‘Love’. ‘My Diary’ is also on this record. And it is obvious that Arthur loved Curtis Mayfield and was steeped in R&B. His production was an incredible recording and Hendrix did a great job. I can see why it was a local hit in L.A. Among the other songs on the record, is Lee’s cover of Bluesman Gus Cannon’s song ‘Walk Right In’; which was made famous during the 1920s by ‘Cannons Jug Stompers’. (This is aside from his solo work, like ‘Po boy long ways from home’ under the pseudonym of slide banjoist ‘Banjo Joe’ with Blues guitarist Blind Blake. Gus Cannon was also from Tennessee, so it’s likely that Arthur came in contact with him). On another song, ‘Beep Beep’, Arthur really captures a glorious Reggae recording. There is an acoustic solo version of ‘Give Me A Little Energy’, a prototype of ‘With A Little Energy’ from Reel to Real; with Arthur singing and playing rhythmically and forcefully, powerfully exhibiting what an incredible solo performer he is. His integral occasional yells of “Right On!” are truly striking. There is a live version of ‘Product Of The Times’, with what must be Gary Rowles on guitar; so this concert recording must be from the very early 1970s, and is much tighter than the version on the MCA album ‘Love’. ‘Skid, not really a friend’, is a very observant commentary on street life. Finally, there is Arthur’s recording of ‘Fine Feathered Fish’ with the group Baby Lemonade. Originally composed by him for 60s group ‘The Sons Of Adam’, whose drummer Michael Stuart, became an integral part of the original Love. This version (which has two takes on the record, back to back) with Baby Lemonade (an interracial group by the way – like the original Love?) is very good; and Arthur’s lyrics are fascinating, and similar to the cryptic-psychedelic words to ‘Seven and Seven Is’.
Last summer of 2003, Arthur Lee went on tour. The concert he performed with Baby Lemonade and an orchestra, at the House of Blues in West Hollywood in Los Angeles California on August 19th, featured him covering songs spanning Love’s career (including performing all of the songs from Forever Changes). That night, John Echols and Don Conka (the original lead guitarist and drummer in The Grass Roots and Love), sat in (Bryan Maclean had passed away on Dec. 25th, 1998) with Arthur blowing Harmonica on the final song; Howlin’ Wolf’s ‘Smokestack Lightnin’! You can read a review of the concert plus some photographs taken that night, by logging onto: http://love.torbenskott.dk/ ; one of a couple of websites that offer additional information on Love. The others are:

(1). http://www.thelovesociety.com/
(2). http://www.soul-patrol.com/ - A very informative and intellectually stimulating website. Check out their database. Of particular interest is the Lester Chambers interview: http://www.soul-patrol.com/funk/chambers.htm
(3). http://www.pegasuscarousel.com/ - Michael Stuart's website
(4). http://www.thefreedomman.com/ - This site has a series of fascinating recollections by John Echols, on his days in the band Love. His first hand account, three part story 'How The Grass Roots Became Love', makes very informative (and at times disturbing) reading.
(5). http://www.jimihendrix.com/
(6). http://www.univibes.com/
(7). http://www.lekiwi.com/
(8). http://www.chromeoxide.com/ - A good site for general historical documentation of Love. Click enter, then click Site Map and scroll down to Love.
(9). http://www.doorshistory.com/ - An interactive site with plenty of historical information on how the Doors became labelmates at Elektra Records with Love.
(10). http://www.rockmine.com/Archive/Library/Mojo.html - A historical archive for the Mojo Navigator, started in 1966 by the late Greg Shaw. Quite remarkable.
(11). http://alrunen.melipona.org/ - This is a really interesting Scandinavian website, with performance coverage of Jimi Hendrix, the Doors, Cream, Pink Floyd, Jefferson Airplane, Scandinavian groups, and 60's counterculture ephemeria.
(12). http://www.chickenonaunicycle.com/Whisky-A-Go-Go%20History.htm - This is a very detailed and excellent performance list of artists (including Love), that played the Whisky-A-Go-Go from Jan. 1966 through Dec. 1969. A particularly wonderful website, full of information.
(13). http://poisgoneforever.blogspot.com/ - A webpage devoted to Arthur Lee. Beautifully constructed, it is possibly the best on the Worldwide Web.

FRIDAY AUGUST 4th, 2006
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This evening I was deeply saddened to read over the Internet, that Arthur Lee passed on. I admired him greatly, like a lot of other people. He had leukemia. And last month, many friends put on some benefit concerts here in New York, and in Los Angeles; to raise money for his hospital and treatment bills. People like John Echols and Michael Stuart (members of the original Love), Robert Plant (former vocalist of Led Zeppelin, and dating back to the 60s, always a very deep, open and vocal admirer of Arthur Lee and Love), Willie Chambers (former guitarist and vocalist with the Chambers Brothers, who was an old friend from back when the Chambers Brothers and Love worked the same Whiskey-A-Go-Go/Fillmore West concert circuit), Baby Lemonade (the great band that accompanied Arthur on his world tours), and many more. The bright spot in all of this, is that Arthur did perform again and toured the world a couple of times since 2002; and performed his greatest songs, including Forever Changes, in all it's majesty. The DVD, 'The Forever Changes Concert', is well worth searching for. Hopefully, Arthur's autobiography will eventually be published. I will miss him.

Peace,
Antonio