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withdiamonds at 10:43am on 09/08/2011
withdiamonds at 10:43am on 09/08/2011Adam is in an internet cafe right now and we're g-chatting. It's so nice to be able to do that. I told him his bonsai has bugs and he told me where he keeps the stuff for that. I didn't tell him that two of his really tall plants have just FALLEN OVER in the past couple of weeks. Some things he doesn't need to know.
I hope everyone in Britain stays safe and that the rioting stops. I don't know enough about it to have much else to say, except that it just seems appalling and horrible.
Beatlefest was fabulous, as always. Ashley figured out they've been going with me since they were in the 8th grade. Next year, it's the same weekend as Erin's wedding, so we're thinking of going to the NY/NJ 'Fest in March. The girls haven't missed a year in 17 years, me in 24 years. It's getting smaller, less people, we're all getting older, although it's still as multi-generational as ever. Lots of kids there. Just, overall, a little quieter. I remember when you needed to reserve your hotel room a year in advance, and there were several years, in both Chicago and NJ, when we had to stay at an overflow hotel. Not so much anymore.
Anyway, these days the special guests are mostly old, hilariously funny English blokes who worked the Beatles in one form or another. This year there was Henry McCollough, who was a guitarist in the early days of Wings, and who also played with Joe Cocker at Woodstock. He's a frail-looking Irishman in his 60s, very quiet, until he started to play his guitar, and then he wasn't so frail anymore. Fascinating.
Then there was one of the original members of Badfinger, who was the funniest, most adorable person I've ever seen.
The other guest was Peter Asher, who is proof that all fandoms are connected somehow. If you don't know much about 60s music and the British Invasion, Peter was one half of Peter and Gordon, kind of the British answer to the Everly Borthers, only not really. Anyway, they had about 9 or 10 hits back then, including a couple of McCartney compositions. Also, "Lady Godiva," which is probably the one non-fans would be the most familiar with. Paul wrote for them mostly because at the time he was dating Peter's sister, Jane, and living in her parents' house, across the hall from Peter. Peter was the first person to hear "I Want to Hold Your Hand," because John and Paul wrote it in Peter's mother's basement practice room - she taught the oboe at the Royal Conservatory.
(Peter and Gordon were 'Fest guests about five years ago, and Gordon was there by himself in 2008. He was a big Scotsman, funny and irreverent with a huge, gorgeous voice. He unfortunately died in 2009.)
Anyway, after Peter and Gordon, Peter Asher became a producer. He worked for Apple, recruited James Taylor, then when Apple went pear-shaped, left England with James Taylor, holed up with him in LA and together they produced "Sweet Baby James." He's continued to be a singer, songwriter and producer, and in fact, did the music for PotC 4.
And now he's producing an album of Buddy Holly songs, with artists like Lyle Lovett, Ringo, Natalie Merchant, Srevie Nicks, Chris Issack, Zooey Deschanel, Patrick Stump, who Peter said was an amazing singer, and Cobra Starship.
Why Cobra Starship? Vicki T is Peter's daughter.
Anyway, we had a lovely time.
Larry seemed to want me to stay here in C-bus this week, because he's on call this weekend and can't come home and he thought it was silly for me to go home today and come back for the weekend. But the thing is, there's nothing for me to do here. And Nev and I would just sit and look out the window. I'm just not ready to transfer my life here. I know Larry's lonely, but he's also really busy. Which is good. He loves his job. I've never been able to say that in 32 years of marriage. He absolutely loves it, and they're happy to have him, which couldn't be said about West Penn. What a dysfunctional, toxic place that was.
Besides, Neville and I are dog-sitting Horace starting tomorrow, until the 15th. Gotta go home.
I usually listen to NPR on the drive, but 2 1/2 hours of NPR today might make me want to drive into an overpass abutment.
I hope everyone in Britain stays safe and that the rioting stops. I don't know enough about it to have much else to say, except that it just seems appalling and horrible.
Beatlefest was fabulous, as always. Ashley figured out they've been going with me since they were in the 8th grade. Next year, it's the same weekend as Erin's wedding, so we're thinking of going to the NY/NJ 'Fest in March. The girls haven't missed a year in 17 years, me in 24 years. It's getting smaller, less people, we're all getting older, although it's still as multi-generational as ever. Lots of kids there. Just, overall, a little quieter. I remember when you needed to reserve your hotel room a year in advance, and there were several years, in both Chicago and NJ, when we had to stay at an overflow hotel. Not so much anymore.
Anyway, these days the special guests are mostly old, hilariously funny English blokes who worked the Beatles in one form or another. This year there was Henry McCollough, who was a guitarist in the early days of Wings, and who also played with Joe Cocker at Woodstock. He's a frail-looking Irishman in his 60s, very quiet, until he started to play his guitar, and then he wasn't so frail anymore. Fascinating.
Then there was one of the original members of Badfinger, who was the funniest, most adorable person I've ever seen.
The other guest was Peter Asher, who is proof that all fandoms are connected somehow. If you don't know much about 60s music and the British Invasion, Peter was one half of Peter and Gordon, kind of the British answer to the Everly Borthers, only not really. Anyway, they had about 9 or 10 hits back then, including a couple of McCartney compositions. Also, "Lady Godiva," which is probably the one non-fans would be the most familiar with. Paul wrote for them mostly because at the time he was dating Peter's sister, Jane, and living in her parents' house, across the hall from Peter. Peter was the first person to hear "I Want to Hold Your Hand," because John and Paul wrote it in Peter's mother's basement practice room - she taught the oboe at the Royal Conservatory.
(Peter and Gordon were 'Fest guests about five years ago, and Gordon was there by himself in 2008. He was a big Scotsman, funny and irreverent with a huge, gorgeous voice. He unfortunately died in 2009.)
Anyway, after Peter and Gordon, Peter Asher became a producer. He worked for Apple, recruited James Taylor, then when Apple went pear-shaped, left England with James Taylor, holed up with him in LA and together they produced "Sweet Baby James." He's continued to be a singer, songwriter and producer, and in fact, did the music for PotC 4.
And now he's producing an album of Buddy Holly songs, with artists like Lyle Lovett, Ringo, Natalie Merchant, Srevie Nicks, Chris Issack, Zooey Deschanel, Patrick Stump, who Peter said was an amazing singer, and Cobra Starship.
Why Cobra Starship? Vicki T is Peter's daughter.
Anyway, we had a lovely time.
Larry seemed to want me to stay here in C-bus this week, because he's on call this weekend and can't come home and he thought it was silly for me to go home today and come back for the weekend. But the thing is, there's nothing for me to do here. And Nev and I would just sit and look out the window. I'm just not ready to transfer my life here. I know Larry's lonely, but he's also really busy. Which is good. He loves his job. I've never been able to say that in 32 years of marriage. He absolutely loves it, and they're happy to have him, which couldn't be said about West Penn. What a dysfunctional, toxic place that was.
Besides, Neville and I are dog-sitting Horace starting tomorrow, until the 15th. Gotta go home.
I usually listen to NPR on the drive, but 2 1/2 hours of NPR today might make me want to drive into an overpass abutment.
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