14 Cheerleader Coldfront

"That's probably my favorite title that I came up with. I was at a high school basketball game, a tournament; I think it was in Centerville. And they had so many cheerleaders. I counted fourteen all the way across the court, facing the crowd. The were all really pretty and you could see that they were obviously kind of stuck on themselves, they were just staring -- the point is that it was obviously all about them; it wasn't about the game, it was about them. And that's when I said, "Look at the fourteen cheerleader coldfront." I had to write that down. Then Toby -- it was actually Toby's song, but it needed some lyrics. In fact it was the only song that Toby and I ever sat down and worked on together, truly cowrote together." (Greer p.117)

 

from Guided by Voices: A Brief History

ida

Makes my heart butter.

question

Name your favorite flower(s).

 

It's winter, give me some.

 

 

melacholy bagpipes

Drove 12 1/2 hours by myself yesterday, ok Langston was with me, but he didn't do any driving. Let's review, the left hand lane is for passing not dawdling, you pass someone then you move into another lane. I literally became one of those maniacs that pass on the right out of necessity. Upon arriving in Northampton went to the candy store for adults and bought: Ipswich mix pack, Anderson Valley Winter Soltice, Brooklyn Monster Ale, and Anchor Steam Xmas Ale. This should last me for the next few months.

Purple Rain is a near flawless album. I listened to it several times when traveling to and from. During baseball games they will often play an intro from a song just before the batter steps into the box. Which song would you pick for your at bat intro? Initially I thought it'd be Sebadoh's License to Confuse, but now it may be When Doves Cry. Also Sebadoh's Cliche from Bubble and Scrape received repeat listenings.

Reading binge: Corbett's Columbus Square Journal, more Collected Ted, more Proust v.1, Greer's Guided By Voices: A Brief History, Samperi's The Prefiguration, Coletti's Physical Kind, Johnson's Rad ios, Bouchard's Some Mountains Removed, Lyons' Rhyme the Lake, Leeman's Cy Twombly, and Tieger's Anxiety Chant. Not enough women writers in that mix. And you might have noticed that there aren't any woman in the F&F Press mix just yet, I'm trying to address this inequity.

Just order From a Compound Eye, Bob Pollard's first post GBV album, due out in January. You can order it online from Merge Records.

A nice note from Josh Corey on Coltsfoot Insularity. I emailing this so I can't include the link, ugh.

What's to become of my beloved Sox? They missed out on Millwood and the Blue Jays picked up a bopper.

"Darling

don't you go and cut your hair." Interesting what people are saying about this. Let the finger pointing begin.

Tapies

Tapies

heads up and more

There are about 35 copies of Coltsfoot Insularity left. Finished inking and stamping the remaining copies last night. There are about 15 that need to be redone. Now thinking about the next round.

I'll be reading at a local pub at the end of January. If you will be in the area and are interested, email me and I'll send along the info.

just to keep you up to speed

It would be impossible to eat any more cookies today.

Looking forward to a reading binge in NC. What should I bring with me?

Just found out that I have this Friday off, unexpected.

Also just rediscovered my Latin 70's shirt with a chain color, v neck, and poofy (but masculine) sleeves. It's a show stopper.

aforementioned "Spilling Bees"

Where land touches sea states are blue. There's one there's one. Until nothing happened. Red country. Deadbolt pulls jar from diversion. Waving my arms up and down is what you'd expect. Hanging like a tongue from the bow. That's how much I liked it. More holey than dirty.

 

Remarks like, "I don't car what the others think" followed by an assertion. Very much like a blowout sale. At that time we lived on a paddy. Twiddling whiskers. No hard feelings please. (Scoops air with hand). Open your mouth, let me drop this tidbit in.

 

 

 

 

 

Sox word

Mota and Marte for Crisp.

 

Coco Crisp would be an exceptional addition. Marte might be the real thing, but he's a corner infielder, not a center fielder. Mota has gas, that would be a loss. But health questions also. Excited by the wherewithall and forethought of the Sox brass. Very interested to see what this years team looks like. Looks like Johnny is walking or at least the Sox are thinking he might. On that note, smart to stay the 4 for 40 line (can you imagine)  and not buy into the Boras nonsense. Damon will be a corner outfielder in two years, while he could still be the best leadoff hitter in baseball for four years plus, it isn't smart to go beyond that.

Beckett & Spanish Poetry

Jonathan Mayew of Bemsha Swing, see I can't link from email, is writing a paper on this. I can't wait to read it.

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

Literally just turned this album over for the 5th time, i.e. starting my third consecutive listen. Each time it's a little louder. Wrote a piece during the second listen, "loosely based". Send me an email and I'll send you the unedited version. Offer expires 12/17/05.

 

Wherever We Put Our Hats

Jordan's praise for WWPOH Issue #1 made me go back to it. The exchage between Alli Warren and Tim Yu is really great, particularly Warren's "Spilling Bees". & you get the longer lines of early Aaron Tieger.

 

WWPOH's Issue #2 is really good also. This is admittedly a self serving statement, but it is true.

 

 

 

 

NEW MOON

the moon

 

will be clearly in the heavens for a discerning look

 

 

 

Robert Grenier

Spring

All I will amount to: knowing

your sound, small bees,

the winter wind

is green.

 

Joseph Ceravolo

(n)ice storm

Day off due to ice storm. Just walked Langston in the sleet. It is gorgeous out there. A tree snapped in half and crashed down just off in the distance. An awesome site to see a large hemlock falling. The sounds it makes.

 

A received list:

• From Portable Press at Yo-Yo Labs: Bob Harrison's Mola, IIjima's from AWARE, Colleti's Physical Kind, Mattison's Statistician, and other assorted goodies. Amazing stuff, thanks Brenda.
• Of a Free Town from House Press. I had zero familiarity with Luke Daly and Barrett Gordon's work, but that has now changed. I look forward to reading more of their work and seeing what's next from House Press.
• The latest Tolling Elve, which means I'm due to renew for the last hurrah of these. You should know about these.
• 4 x 1 . Thanks for sending this Chris. The opening line, "I read to write." Got me already.
• A wonderful scan of Max Ernst compliments of Kate Greenstreet.
• Mark Lamoureux's Another Night. It is difficult to believe this is his first Cy Gist Press publication. It is immaculate.
• Bramble by Joseph Massey. Thanks for the signature Joe. Massey includes only what is necessary, yet still remains generous. I can't wait to work on Property Line with him.
• Abecedarium. If you missed out on this little gem from Maureen Thorson you should be rightfully kicking yourself.

I think that is just about everyone. Things have been hectic so I haven't been doing due dilligence in mentioning these, I'll be more conscientious about this. & if I forgot anyone who has sent me something recently, remind me what a shit I am for not saying so.

A pot of tea. A fire in the fireplace. The woodstove stoked. Spat with mail carrier, hopefully resolved. Archie leaping in and out of a large box. This is good. Hope your day is going well.

Tom Raworth

Comics. This is all of that and then some. Thanks Mick for sending this.

Jen Bervin,

"Who is creating language? We do the best we can with it, but language is inherently found; even neologisms are from the alphabet. Pound’s “make it new” is much harder. Laura Riding wrote of Gertrude Stein: “None of the words Miss Stein uses have ever had any experience. They are no older than her use of them.” There are certainly many writers who have tried to invent new language systems—many are well-documented in one of my favorite books, Imagining Language: An Anthology Ed. by Jed Rasula and Steve McCaffery (MIT Press). In it, Michael Winkler’s alphabetic dials give shape to the spelling/sounds of words in a diagrammatic way that really gives me pause to think.

If matter is indeed neither created nor destroyed, then how are we contemplating and engaging what’s here? To what end? We should care more for “what our deeds effect,” as Eric Gill says. Take the exquisite quilts of Gee’s Bend for instance. Matter speaks. "

From here.

• Last week buying a six pack of one my of favorite beers, Ipswich Oatmeal Stout, which is the best Oatmeal Stout you can find in a bottle (you can taste the oatmeal, which makes it a great breakfast beer -- that's a joke, I wouldn't recommend trying that at home), there was the seemingly obligatory person buying cigarettes and lottery tickets. What are the chances of hitting the lottery versus the chances of getting one of the myriad of tobacco related diseases? Has anyone ever done that statistical comparison?
• Dropped a chunk of change on art work from here, which I can't afford, but could not afford to pass up. Now I have more art than wall space. A nice dilemna. And a diet of cheese sandwiches all week. A not so nice dilemna.
• The postal bounty lately has been unbelievable. I need to give credit where it is do, and will soon.
• Passing the cafeteria earlier at work, waft of grease. This is very nostalgic for me, my parents, and grandparents before them, ran a diner when I was younger. It makes me think of them and pimples on my chin.
• I like this cold but hope for more sunlight soon.

as if we didn't already know

Arnold you suck.

are too

Yes you are.

lennon

Hadn't realized about two weeks ago when I put John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band on heavy rotation that it was so close to his deathday. Been daily with this album for the last few weeks. Makes some sorta sense. What a great album. My best regards John, I'm rattling my jewelry from the cheap seats in your name.

 

Play Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain and I'll be your friend forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

mix and schtuff

Making a tape for a friend who still has that technology. Nice to be able to incorporate my vinyl into the mix. I have this much done:

 

Hedwig 

Clark Coolidge

Duke Ellington

Dizzy Gillespie

John Cale

Martin Denny

Lou Barlow

Devo

Magic Hour

Minutemen

Elvis Costello

Public Enemy

(the last song ran out and will be rerecorded)

 

Side 2

 

[too easy]

Rahsaan Roland Kirk

 

 

If you can name one song/poem that was selected for this mix from these artists I will send you a broadside or a copy of the tape if you prefer. 

 

If you can name two or more songs/poems I will send you a copy of Coltsfoot Insularity.

 

If you get more than 3 I'll send you something beyond explanation.

 

This means I've found a way to blog via email.

so long Edgar

And take those 30 errors with you.

Richard Pryor

Richard Pryor fans should check out this page of excerpts from his comedy routines. Richard Pryor is my favorite comedian. I've been an avid listener to comedy since a young age. Some listeners find the frankness of his language upsetting. I find it exact. His self deprecating, harrowing humor always appeals to me, everything is in play. That he can readily call himself nigger affectionately, blows my mind. To my ear he has appropriated the term in such a way that he has given it a different meaning altogether within his routines. Quentin Tarantino said That Nigger is Crazy is the great American novel. This statement is both silly and spot on...and very typical of Tarantino. What Tarantino misses is that he can't use nigger like Pryor can, it doesn't work when he uses it in his films. Pryor earns his language whether he is speaking autobiographically or in a persona. Tarantino tries to use this same language as an effect rather than it being an organic language that is part of world that he creates, and thus earns. Many comedians post Pryor make this same mistake and their work lacks resonance because of this. I would say that Pryor's use of the word bitch isn't quite as comical to my ear. It is consistent with the rest of his language, but the humor loses some of its comical value largely because it relates to his personal life in a way that is not so comical. I can laugh at him talking about his drug addiction, which isn't funny either, because the humor is self directed. Including himself as subject matter, prey to the same barbs, removes any implicit animosity and makes his humor egalitarian. And really m**#%$ f*&^%$@ funny.

Guston

u penn

A new Coolidge reading.

under

Appreciated, esteemed, read poets (after Mark and Tony without repeating any of their choices), in no particular order

1. George Stanley
2. Ric Caddel
3. Joel Sloman
4. Bill Kushner
5. Kimberly Lyons
6. Joe Torra
7. Lyn Hejinian (is that possible, yes it is possible)
8. Jack Collom

new earful

Posted by Chris Rizzo, "Boplicity" from The Breaks, give it a listen.

Guston

breakneck

Pace of late.

Burnett and Ryan for the Blue Jays. They will not be a pushover this coming year.

Manny as an Angel scares the dickens out of me, only if we get Santana.

Joe Massey is up at F&F Press: Earfuls, give his reading a listen. The alternating upper and lower case is subject to my inability to get what I want to see out of blogger, so let's consider them interchangeable for the time being. I'm a technology hack, which is embarassing to admit as a librarian.

Will my wood supply last the winter? This is a paramount concern.

Headed to NC for the holidays, looking forward to the warmer weather and the emptied cotton fields.

Took photos of the art work in my digs, will share soon. One is an original painting. I am the world's worst painter.

on Coltsfoot Insularity

Thanks Joe!

test

Will this work?

earfuls

Fewer & Further Press now has an earfuls where you can listen to audio from current and forthcoming publications. More will be added soon. There is also a link from the F&F Press page. Give it a listen.

house press

Has a blog. Check it out.

today

Is one big ughfest, turning me surly. Check back, I'll turn this frown upside down.

sign

Here please.

last night +

Kerouac's "love's multitudinous boneyard of decay" stuck in my head this morning.

Watched Network last night. Hadn't seen it since I was knee high to a grasshopper. It held up pretty well.

Upon return home there was flashing blue lights, the sound of a chainsaw, and an eventual knock at the door. I assumed at that late hour it was my cat Archie knocking to be let in, but instead it was the police. I live at the end of a road that connects to another road where there is a sharp bend so it is a frequent spot for accidents. It is not uncommon for me to be sitting at my desk and hear the screech of car brakes then the crash/smash of a metal/glass collision. The police were looking for someone who had left the scene despite sustaining head injuries.