A Conversation With James Taylor

Mike Ragogna: James, your new album Before This World is your first project comprised of new compositions since 2002's October Road. You've released a few projects during that time, but it's been thirteen years since your last album of original material. Why the break?

James Taylor: It's been a while! We recorded five different albums in that time; a Christmas album, an album with Carole King, a reunion album, an album with my piano player called One Man Band and then two cover albums just to get this remarkable band that I travel and record with. I wanted to let my musical family loose on a couple of albums and do some arrangements of these songs that I love so much, so we did. We did a lot of recording but it has been thirteen years since I had a batch of completely original songs. I know you know what that's like. I don't know if you primarily collaborate when you write...what instrument do you write on?

MR: I normally write solo with my guitar, but I first hear melodies and lyrics in my head first, then I go to an instrument. And I like to collaborate, but I'm pretty possessive of my lyrics.

JT: I can definitely get that, but I've done so little collaboration. I wrote one song that was a true collaboration with an earlier band, Waddy Wachtel, J.D. Souther, Danny Kortchmar, we wrote this song called "Her Town Too" for an album called Dad Loves His Work. Aside from that, I've put people's lyrics to music, sometimes writing a bridge to pull it together. But generally, I haven't collaborated much. I co-wrote a song with Stevie Wonder once, but he basically just gave me some chord changes and then the original idea and I built the rest of it by myself. I've done very little of that sitting in a room, bouncing ideas back and forth and changing it and making things fit. It does sound like that would be exciting, but somehow, it's not my model. I pretty much do it in a solitary way. I used to be able to make a small writing studio somewhere a couple of blocks or half a mile away from my house, go there for three hours in the morning, two hours in the afternoon, maybe take a walk or something, just do a day-to-day method. But I found that that was too distracting for me. Now I need to actually finish these lyrics. Starting songs is like grabbing ideas as they occur to you and finishing them. You have to take them away somewhere and write a lyric to it. I found that I need an entire week of solitude. It's only after a couple of days of solitude that I start to hear the songs.

MR: The thing I love about this album is how intertwined it all is. For example, "Montana" and "SnowTime" hook up nicely, like a two-part story, and I feel that it happens often on Before This World. When you sat down and looked at what you did with this collection of songs, did you see all the connections?

JT: Sequence is essential. First of all, our basic tracks were ninety percent of the album. We overdubbed some vocal parts because that's a big part of my process, writing for voices. But I'm an illiterate folk musician who needs to actually try things out to hear them. I spend a lot of time building the vocal parts and then I can give it to my singers to realize. The fact is, part of the cohesion is that these five musicians were playing these songs together in real time during a ten day period. That gives it a certain feel, a certain body that holds it together. As I said, the sequencing is absolutely essential. If you've got ten songs then there are three million possible variations. I knew I wanted to start with "Today, Today, Today" because it's a song about starting the album. It's about being excited about that and about looking back at the first time I did it in 1968 and just setting out and embarking upon that process and that project. So I knew I wanted to start with that and I knew I wanted to end with "Wild Mountain Thyme," so that significantly reduces the number of alternative layouts. But it took me about a month to get the sequence right. It's so important to how an album reads and how it feels as a listening experience -- if people still listen that way at all or when they do.

I have a lot of practice at it when we perform live. We were on the road thirty six weeks this year as well as making the album, and a lot of the album was recorded on the road because I originally booked a tour to support the album and then the album got delayed until I drove it right into the tour. We would record at various places on the road when the musicians were all together, so I took advantage of that. We'd set up recording positions in hotel rooms in Los Angeles and San Francisco where we'd book a couple of adjoining rooms and set up a little studio and do vocal chorus parts or piano overdubs or keyboard stuff. When you perform live and make a set list, it's so essential to what the experience of the concert is. You're really putting together an evening of music that has a dynamic and a flow. The right thing follows the thing that it should follow and sets up the next thing in a certain way. I have an intermission so that I can basically shape two sets of music and energy. It's something I'm familiar with and I really wanted to get that sequence down right.

MR: James, there's such a depth to the writing on this album, it seems like you truly swung for the fences with these lyrics, which is my goofy way of segueing to your amazing song about baseball, "Angels Of Fenway." It reverently captures the characters involved, the soul of the sport and how it affected a culture with such detail that it's practically a religious song as well.

JT: A lot of the stuff that I do, and probably that you do too, if you're not out and out writing religious songs, an aspect of what you're writing is going to be spiritual. Music is that spiritual thing -- that's the thing that compels us so much: It's real. And when it connects with you, you don't make a decision about it. Obviously, the music exists on two levels. There's the level you were just talking about where you're making a statement with language and delivering a poem, but it's in the context of this music, which is undeniable. It either hits you or it doesn't. That's the thing that's so spiritual about music. It is a real thing that follows the physical laws of the universe. An octave is twice the octave below it, a fifth is a fifth. We know what is harmonic and what is not, and although there are cultural biases to what we like in music, I can still listen to Indian music and I know that I'm feeling what the musician or the composer had in mind. It's a language that humans manipulate and it's part of our consciousness, but it's also reality. It's basically true. That's what we seek to do spiritually. We seek to give our manufactured reality the slip and experience the totality of it and relieve ourselves of the responsibility of creating the world and just to fall back into it somehow. Music does that for us.

I do think that there is a spiritual thing about it. I've written a lot of songs about it. "SnowTime" is about the transformative thing that music does, it talks about thawing this frozen man and about the surprise of these economic exiles living in the frozen north, el Norte, sending two paychecks home and trying to kindle the fire for the warmth of their own culture in a frozen foreign land. The Yankee boy, the frozen man comes across them lost in downtown Toronto on tour and he's transformed by it, too, swept away in the same way. I've written a lot of songs about what music does. "Sweet Baby James"... "There's a song that they sing when they take to the highway, there's a song that they sing when they take to the sea." It actually says, "There's a song that they sing for their home in the sky, maybe you can believe it, it might help you to sleep." But the music itself, that works just fine.

We write about our experiences one way or the other. There are themes that I keep coming back to; that tug between home and the highway, the life on the road, the community I live with on the road and my actual family at home. I keep coming back to the palliative power of music, I've written a number of songs about soldiers and what it means to prepare for such an extreme thing as putting yourself in harm's way or killing or being killed. I've written a lot of hymns for agnostics. There are celebratory songs, there are songs that are meant to comfort you, there are songs that are political or angry, but I seem to keep coming back to topics over and over again. I think in general songwriters do write about the same things over and over again.

MR: You began writing "Angel Of Fenway" in 2004, right?

JT: I think I got the music to it in 2004 or 2005 and I knew what I wanted to write about, which is relatively rare. Usually, I'm just following the song wherever it will go, from whatever germ started the tune. In this case, I knew I wanted to write about the end of The Curse of The Bambino where an entire region of the country finally broke through and beat the Yankees and then went on to win the World Series in an impossible game. I mean, down three, needing to win four in a row, just impossible odds. It was a miraculous thing and it was deliverance after eighty-six years. I came up with this character, this woman who used to go to the game with her husband and after granddad died, she still goes and takes her grandson to the game and turns him into a Fenway fan. She was born in 1918 and dies 86 years later as she watches it from her hospital bed. I knew I wanted to write that song, and that's relatively rare. I've only done that a few times.

MR: And she died with a smile on her face.

JT: Right.

MR: Was baseball big with your family as the kids were growing up?

JT: We have 14-year-old twins and we did take them to Fenway park as often as we could. My wife got me into it, really. She's a big Red Sox fan because she works for the Boston Symphony and her boss Seiji Ozawa, who was director of the Boston Symphony for like thirty years or so, he is a Red Sox fan without abandon and he made her go to the games with him a lot. So she really got into it and got me and the kids into it. I sang a few national anthems and basically got to know the team and got into it around that time.

MR: And Henry and Kim are on the song, right?

JT: Yes. Kim's a very clear high soprano so I knew I wanted her to do an octave at the top of that chorus. There was also this sort of point where the song goes into the voice of the grandson. Rufus and Henry are always hanging around, Rufus' voice had changed but Henry's was still in the range to sing this part so I just drafted him. I said I wanted to have something as a placeholder until I figure out what's going to happen with it, but what he did was great, so we kept it.



MR: Plus the new album includes a couple more guests such as Sting and your old pal, Yo-Yo Ma. So another theme that I felt ran through Before This World was that of "grounding." Everything here is so "earthy," from the sonics to the material, and your characters are living their fullest in every moment. Like you've said, you have visited these themes before, but it's almost like this is project is a fruition. Do you think it's because this album has had such a long time to gestate?

JT: I hadn't thought about it, but I think you're really right about the fruition. When I recorded "Sweet Baby James," I was ready to record it in the early Summer of 1970, but I had a motorcycle accident and I was laid up. I broke both my hands and I was laid up until late in the fall. But that frustrating time of waiting made all of the songs arrive as a group rather than pulling them out one at a time and getting them down. There's something to that. The wait is part of the cohesion of it.

MR: What does this album mean to you in the whole catalog of James Taylor?

JT: Here's the thing: It's like the sixteenth time I've gone in and basically gotten better and better I think at doing what it is I want to do. If you could write ten songs, take them on the road for twenty gigs and then take them into the studio, they'd become much more what they are. The first time you play them is the time they're recorded for posterity and trying to get it right the first time. Part of that is having this band I communicate so well with and who understand what I'm trying to do and who listen to each other. Everyone's responsible for their own part, but I'm in the director's chair. I think of this as being the closest I've gotten to getting this batch of songs right in the studio. It is repetition. A lot of the themes are the same, I've been doing the same thing for a long time now, it's been sort of a life in music working with the same band for a long time. I think there's value in that. It's a slow evolution. I think I'm a better songwriter than I was in the beginning, but I also think I wrote some of my best songs in the beginning.

One of the surprises about being 67 is that when I was 17, I thought a 65-year-old person was a different animal, that we basically didn't have any common ground on which to have a conversation. I think the surprise is that you're the same person. In my case, I became who I was in the 60s. That's one of the meanings of "Before This World." I come from a previous world, like a messenger from that time. I've been traveling, recording, writing and performing live constantly for these many years, but I wouldn't have really understood that I'd be the same person. Yet at the same time, there's an evolution to it. There's kind of an energy in the beginning where you're just driven to express yourself. When that pressure to express yourself starts to even out is like a kind of craft, a kind of skill at writing and recording. So that's what I think of this as mostly, my having done this a number of times and the thing evolves.

MR: And your writing is one of your very obvious areas of evolution with your stories of people now being so much more exploratory and nuanced.

JT: As you grow, you expand into wondering what other peoples' experiences are like, like a soldier going to Afghanistan and trying to prepare himself for that impossible thing.

MR: As in "Far Afghanistan," right. But James, much as I love this album, there's no "You Make It Easy" on here! [laughs]

JT: It's true. It's funny, these days, there's the album and then for a retailer like Target, they want three extra things. So I found this group of three songs that I had recorded a while ago and put them on that special edition because they can ask for that. There are so few identifiable record retailers that you'll definitely want to accommodate them. There's also an expanded version of it that has a DVD of the short film that we made about the making of the album. That's a sort of über package with a booklet and some of the lyrics as they were originally written. That also has five extra songs on a separate disc.

My songs start with working titles. "Far Afghanistan" was called "Irish Heroic" because it reminded me of Ralph Vaughan Williams, the English composer who did "Fantasia For Greensleeves." It felt like a Celtic kind of piece but also sort of martial with the almost military snare drum in it. "Angels Of Fenway" was originally called "G Nation" because it was in the key of G and I knew I wanted to write about the Red Sox nation. "SnowTime" was "SnowTime" and we never found a better title. There's this little piece on the bonus disc called "6/4 Shuffle" that will become a song. It definitely will. We cut the track to it but I just didn't get the lyric. It's interesting because it feels like a 4/4 shuffle but it's actually 6/4 and it turns itself around faster than you'd expect. That might be the "You Make It Easy," but I definitely appreciate you mentioning that tune. That's a relatively unknown song. People don't often request it. I think that was one of the sleepers, that and a song called "Daddy's All Gone." That's another song about longing for home.

The title Before This World, partially that means that I come from a previous world and that I feel that now, but I think it also means that when you have a body of work, a batch of songs that you're releasing, it's like you present it before this world. The other idea really is that I think a lot of the problems with modern life come from the fact that we live not in nature but in a man-made world. We have, since the agricultural revolution 20,000 years ago, taken us out of nature and put us into an increasingly man-made context. I find myself often asking, "What was it like when we lived in nature in the way that we had evolved to live in nature, before we became detached and started living in our man-made world?" The agricultural revolution, the industrial revolution, the capital revolution, and the information revolution. We're more and more removed from nature to the point where our activity now threatens the biosphere.

So that's another meaning to Before This World. It's interesting to discuss it with a songwriter because to have done it for such a long time and continue with it. I do think that there's value in continuing, just keeping at it and allowing ourselves to evolve. This is a youth-oriented culture, we have been since the fifties. But there's also value to those who have been around. We tend to look for the energy of the new, and it's understandable why we focus on that so much. But there's also a value to continuing.

MR: James, there was so bright a spotlight shining on your generation of literate singer-songwriters that I kind of wonder if we'll ever see something like that again.

JT: It was kind of a unique thing. The postwar baby boom was such a bump in the population that you can watch it grow up from the fifties to the sixties. In the late sixties, that population bulge was twenty years old. It had its own language, it identified itself as the Age of Aquarius and it took on the idea that we would utterly change the world just by our passion and by our idealism. It was partially formed by the Vietnam War and the assassinations of King and The Kennedys and Watergate and the disillusionment of the political process. It was partially formed by anxiety about nuclear annihilation, there were a lot of things that made this bump of people in the population a real entity, a powerful force.

The music was how we communicated and we had FM radio and The Beatles and Dylan and The Byrds and Joni Mitchell and Randy Newman. It was an amazingly fertile creative time. Inevitably, those people then go on to be thirty years old, they're worried about their jobs, they've got a family and a mortgage. It did change the world, it did very much change the world, but obviously, not to the extent that we had idealized. That time was a remarkable time in our culture and I don't think there will be another thing like it. Just because of the numbers and the postwar period, it was a unique time. Thinking about what replaces that, I don't think there's another one of those on the horizon so much. The other thing is that we came out of an earlier time. Our parents' record collections were what we listened to as kids. The family record collection now is a much different thing. It's more distracted. Attention spans are much shorter, it's difficult to get traction in the same way.

MR: Speaking of kids, what advice do you have for kids who want to have a creative life?

JT: I think there are two ways to approach it, one is as a loner and an individual and the other is as someone who joins a creative community. That's my advice, join a creative community. Be part of a band or an orchestra or a chorus. Be part of a writer's workshop in school. Look for creative communities. You can't really advise someone to be a loner. You can't say, "Well, you'll need to be alienated and feel as though there wasn't a place for you in the world for about ten or fifteen years and then from that maybe along with your drug habit will come a sense of creating your own way forward." You can't advise someone to do that.

I probably said this to you last time, but there are three things that will make you a slave: One is a substance abuse habit, another is debt, and I think it's an absolute crime that in order to get through college, most people have to saddle two hundred thousand dollars of debt and be a slave to it for decades, but that's another topic, how we support the young people in this culture. And the third thing is don't start a family before you're ready to settle down. Don't have kids until you're ready to be a parent and a breadwinner. Another thing is find your instrument. What else can you suggest...stay open and expose yourself to as many things as possible and try to stay open. I think sometimes, in order to be free, you have to learn to accept being lonely. If you can stand that, who knows?

MR: James, Before This World is so full of joy that I have to ask...are you happy?

JT: Yes. Yes I am. It took a while for me but my primary reaction to the world and the life I lead is profound gratitude. I can't believe my luck. I have a song to my wife on this called "You And I Again." It's a song about reincarnated love, about looking for someone who you knew before, in a prior existence, and waiting for them, raising your flag as high as you could, getting as wide a view of the landscape until you see their signal fire there in the distance. When I met Kim, I knew that I knew her already. People get that feeling and mention it, but this was so strong it was almost undeniable. I had written a song called "Believe It Or Not" in the late seventies about waiting for someone to come through, sort of a mystical love song. That's what this felt like. For me, it has been a great source of joy. I am a happy man.

Transcribed by Galen Hawthorne

***

JOAN BAEZ RECEIVES AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL'S AMBASSADOR OF CONSCIENCE AWARD


(l to r: Bill Shipsey, Joan Baez)
photo ​credit: Amnesty International / Henning Schacht

Cultural icons Joan Baez recently received Amnesty International's Ambassador of Conscience Award -- Thursday, May 21. The Amnesty International Ambassador of Conscience Award acknowledges recipients as having led the fight for human rights throughout their works and careers. The video also features a speech by Patti Smith.

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On the heels of Jurassic World's record-breaking opening weekend (read my review here), the MovieFilm crew are joined by special guest Sean Coyle, director of Hulu's The Awesomes, for a discussion on the long-in-coming franchise reboot from director Colin Trevorrow and producer Steven Spielberg. Did it measure up to our expectations? After two mega blockbusters in a row, is Chris Pratt a true superstar? What would we like to see them tackle in the inevitable next Jurassic entry? We tackle it all, but in addition, we also talk up the latest Star Wars news and discuss the impressive trailer for Ridley Scott's upcoming Matt Damon space epic The Martian. In addition to that, there's all the fun, frivolity, and witty banter you've come to expect. Listen via the embed below! Also, be sure to go to iTunes and Stitcher to write us a review, and drop us a line at our Facebook page to tell us how we're doing!

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Earlier this month I gave a speech on Cape Cod, and I was struck by how much the elbow of the peninsula has fallen in love with the great white shark. In Chatham, there was a display of wooden sharks painted and designed by area artists on Main Street: "Sharks in the Park." Signs along the sand in nearby Nauset Beach in Orleans had colorful renderings of the beast, often beside warnings not to swim near the seals since sharks feed on them. And this month Chatham opened its official Shark Center.

Once upon a time, this strategy might have been viewed as the Ford Edsel or Bic Underwear of tourism Big Ideas. We're talking serious tourism suicide. After all, people don't line up to swim with the sharks the way we do to swim with the dolphins.

The truth is, anyone my age or older started to view the seashore a little differently 40 years ago this summer. Why? A young woman stripped off her clothes as she ran toward the surf on a magnificent, moonlit summer night, and was devoured a few moments later by a great white shark. That summer we all watched a human head roll into the water from a hole in the bottom of a small fishing boat. And we'll never forget a police chief remarking--his voice somewhere between scared and stunned--"We're going to need a bigger boat."

And, of course, we all knew the music, the inexorable E and F from the tuba as the massive killing machine swam toward its prey.

I am referring, of course, to "Jaws." The movie was a phenomenon, a summer blockbuster before there really was such a thing, and among director Steven Spielberg's earliest feature films.

The movie is about a resort town convinced that the presence of a shark is going to destroy its summer tourism season--and so the very last thing they want to do is remind people that there is a thing in the water with 300 teeth and a willingness to eat anything in its path. So, are towns such as Chatham and Orleans studies in irony or examples of savvy tourism marketing? Clearly the latter.

Lisa Franz, executive director of the Chatham Chamber of Commerce, told me there were a few naysayers when the idea first emerged to acknowledge that--Surprise!--the Atlantic Ocean has sharks. This was six years ago. She admitted that she herself was a little wary of the water after seeing the film for the first time when she was younger. "Now it seems kind of silly," she says. "People get such enjoyment out of the movie."

I was in middle school in the midst of the original "Jaws" phenomenon and my family had recently moved from a suburb of New York City to a suburb of Miami, Florida. It was in a period when I went to four schools in four years (and, eventually, five schools in six). One result of being the new kid on the block was the amount of time I spent reading, often at the Hialeah-Miami Lakes Public Library. As a novelist, I owe those shelves an incalculable debt. And among the books I consumed as relentlessly as a shark was Peter Benchley's novel, "Jaws."

I saw the movie twice in the summer of 1975, once soon after my family and I witnessed some fishermen on Islamorada--one of the Florida Keys--bringing onto the dock a pair of lemon sharks that were considerably bigger than my father.

The movie remains one of those films that has stood the test of time, even if the mechanical shark could have used the sort of computer enhancement that we now take for granted. But we can all see the movie again on the big screen a week from today. Here in northern Vermont, it will be playing at the Palace 9 in South Burlington.

And if you can't see the movie there? Head to Chatham. It's a terrific town with great faith in the great white. Visit the Shark Center. Wave at--but don't swim near--the seals.

The traditional gift for a 40th anniversary is a ruby. Yup, a precious stone the color of blood. Perfect. Happy Anniversary, "Jaws." See you on the screen--because heaven knows I have no desire to see you in the surf.

This column appeared originally in the Burlington Free Press on June 14, 2015. The paperback of Chris's most recent novel, "Close Your Eyes, Hold Hands," is now out in paperback.

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Growing up with my single father, I had remarkably free reign when it came to matters of style. Unlike many of my peers whose mothers kept strict watch over creeping hemlines and forbid the use of makeup, my dad scarcely took notice of these things, apart from the occasional admonition not to "guild the lily" when I lingered too long in front of the bathroom mirror and his unlikely prohibition on "dangly earrings," which to him were the ultimate sign of growing up too fast.



Although I recognized certain perks associated with my dad's lack of sartorial scrutiny, there were times when I longed for nothing more than a woman's watchful eye. There was the occasion of my 16th birthday, when my dad thought nothing of letting me wear the food-stained sweatshirt and cutoffs that I'd worn around the house all day to the surprise birthday party to which he had secretly escorted me. And five years earlier, there had been the matter of the gold lamé pants.

Whereas my scientist dad was completely clueless in the fashion arena, my maternal grandmother and aunts fell on the opposite end of the style spectrum. When I was around three years old, they opened a women's clothing boutique, and as I grew up, I swiftly became the recipient of a seemingly never-ending supply of clothes. Some of my earliest memories involve sitting around my grandmother's Christmas tree, watching enviously as my male cousins ripped open Lego sets and remote-controlled cars while I--the lone female progeny in a family dominated by fashion-conscious women--opened dresses and skirts and pristine white tennis shoes.

Not long after my mom left, I experienced a series of growth spurts that meant I was suddenly able to wear many of my older relatives' clothes. By the time I was in middle school, I had taken to spending weekends at an aunt's or my grandmother's house and I often carried back with me from those trips black trash bags filled with designer hand-me-downs. Perpetually aware of the absence of my mother from my day-to-day existence, I found in those bags a reassuring brand of maternal influence that was otherwise lacking. And, after one particular trip, I found a most resplendent pair of skin tight, scintillating, gold lamé pants.

I was always a shy kid, and by middle school, self-conscious about the baby fat that still clung to my frame, the last thing I usually wanted to do was call attention to my body. Yet stretching the shimmery spandex over my legs that morning, taking care that my black sweater did not fall too far below the hip bone so as to obscure my outfit's main attraction, I felt an unusual confidence and enthusiasm as I headed off to school.

It had only been an hour or so since I left him at the bus stop that my dad got the call from the school receptionist. I was waiting for him in the office when he arrived, my face hot with embarrassment. The moment he spotted me, he pulled me into one of his straightjacket hugs. "How are you feeling, sweetheart?" he wanted to know. "Fine," I told him as we walked out the door.

As we headed to his car, my dad rattled off the plans he'd concocted for the rest of the day. He told me I could stay home from school and that we'd go to dinner and a movie that night. These were rare concessions from my father, who generally avoided the cinema based on the expense entailed and what he judged the poor quality of the offerings at our local megaplex. But on this occasion, he was excited to announce, My Girl was playing, a movie about another 11-year-old girl being raised in unconventional circumstances by her single father. It was then I recognized that my dad was taking his cues from an episode of The Cosby Show we'd watched together in which the mother, Clair, plans a "woman's day" to celebrate her youngest daughter Rudy's first period.

It was in that moment, perhaps for the first time, that I realized my dad was struggling right alongside me in navigating life in my mother's absence. I almost felt bad telling him that the reason he'd been called to my school that day--"She needs to change her pants," the receptionist had told him--was not the onset of puberty, but my violation of the school dress code.

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At its core, we want music to make us feel. Yeah, there's songs that we listen to that inspire booty shakes and sing-a-longs, but for the most part (me anyway), I'm looking for a song or album to transport me outside of my own head. Civil Twilight have made a career of making deeply-felt music and that doesn't change with their third full-length release Story Of An Immigrant. Just listen to tracks like "Hot Dove" and "When, When" off the upcoming July 10 release, and you'll get it.

Civil Twilight's Steven (lead vocals, bass and piano) and Andrew McKeller (guitar), Richard Wouters (drums) and Kevin Dailey (keys and guitar) returned to A-Sides a few months back - check their first session here - and performed three tracks at Primary Wave in NYC including their breakout "Letters From the Sky." You can watch them below, and check out the interview here.

Oh, and for tour dates and more, visit their site now.

"When, When"


"Letters From the Sky"


Ch-ch-check out the A-Sides exclusive performance of "Oh, Daniel" .

We move from Twilight to WATERS, and if I do say so myself this is a pretty darn swell one-two punch. The band (Van Pierszalowski, Brian DaMert, Greg Sellin, Sara DaMert and Andrew Wales) recently dropped their new album What's Real - a follow-up to 2011's Out In The Light and last year's It All Might Be OK EP, and it's alt-rock infection - catchy songs with honest, sometimes tough lyrics.
The album is not surprisingly recorded with Grouplove producer/drummer Ryan Ravin and producer Carlos De La Garza of Paramore. Good music multiplying like Gremlins.

Anyway, WATERS performed and sat down for a chat inside their souped-up Fender van moments before they hit the stage with Matt & Kim at Terminal 5 in New York City. Enjoy this literally tight performance and interview.

"What's Real"


About A-Sides With Jon Chattman:
Jon Chattman's music series features celebrities and artists (established or not) from all genres of music performing a track and discussing what it means to them. This informal series focuses on the artist making art in a low-threatening, extremely informal (sometime humorous) way. No bells, no whistles, just the music performed in a random, low-key setting followed by an unrehearsed chat. In an industry where everything often gets overblown and overmanufactured, Jon strives for a refreshing change. Artists have included fun., Charli XCX, Imagine Dragons, Alice Cooper, Joe Perry, Gary Clark Jr., STP, American Authors, Echosmith,and many, many more!



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Co-authored by Susan E. Clarke, write and creator of the Sci-Fi web series "Chronicles of Syntax" and its audio pre-series, "Primary Faction."

Part 1 - Defining the Art Form



Could the next breakout entertainment hit be a web series?

John Mossman, an award winning film director, teacher at Columbia College in Chicago, and director of an up-coming web series, Devolve, seems to think so.

Narrative web series are providing an unparalleled opportunity for young, aspiring film makers. There has never been a time when it was this easy for talented young film makers to get their work out there.

Try telling someone that you are producing a web series and they'll probably look at you kind of funny. "So you're going to post some videos to YouTube? Like 'Charlie Bit Me'?"

"Sort of ... but not exactly"

Ever since Michael Cera and Clark Duke began pointing a home video camera at themselves with the aspiration of streaming the result on the web, the format has been compelling to both amateurs and professionals alike.

The confusion about the web series format - the "WTF is a web series, anyway?" question - is the very reason that the format is not as successful as it should be. To address this, we're going to try to provide a bit of clarity.

Breaking it Down

Let's start with a definition. According to Wikipedia:

"A web series is a series of scripted videos, generally in episodic form, released on the Internet or also by mobile or cellular phone, and part of the newly emerging medium called web television. A single instance of a web series program is called an episode or webisode."

Broadly speaking, there are three types of independently produced, recurring video content delivered on the web that we believe fit this definition.

1. Vloggers/Personalities: Online personalities, often by themselves, producing content for entertainment purposes without a narrative structure. Think Pewdiepie, Shane Dawson, and Hannah Hart, to name a few popular shows in this format. The big dogs in this category are the likes of Jerry Seinfeld's web talk show Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee and Zach Galifianakis's web talk show Between Two Ferns.



2. Commentaries and Tutorials: This is a very popular format where an individual provides commentary or "how-to" instruction on a specific topic. While much of this content is produced by companies on a fee-for-services basis (Lynda is one of the bigger players), there are many other extremely popular tutorials that are independently produced and freely available. Just ask your kids!



3. Narrative Web Series: This category represents the heart and soul of video on the web - narrative video developed to tell stories.

In its broadest sense, each of the video types listed above can be thought of as a web series and we could write a tome summarizing, reviewing, and curating each type. You will notice that we haven't even included common internet services like Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu. These services are really more about bringing classic television content (e.g., movies and TV shows) to the web. Even when they're producing great new content like House of Cards and Orange is the New Black, they're doing it using the classic "network model." In fact, some are predicting the demise of the classic television sitcom. In many ways, Netflix, Amazon, and Hulu can be considered the establishment!

As writers/directors/producers, the third category - Narrative Web Series - holds the most interest for us.

Narrative Web Series

Narrative web series are provocative, independently produced video stories that are predominantly made outside of the classic network model. Isn't that what the web is all about: pushing boundaries? There is no hierarchy or network executive limiting your work. Moreover, web series are not limited to the traditional 30 minute format.

As James Giordono, co-creator of the hilarious web series, The Startup, notes:

Web series or short form shows are the way things seem to be going as far as "TV" is concerned. Eleven minute shows, especially comedy, seem to pack a bigger punch. Leave them wanting more!

Think of these series as web versions of the television dramas and sitcoms that we grew up with, but produced independently by film students, amateurs and auteurs who are pushing the limits, rather than by major TV networks.

Individual episodes are typically short - less than 10 minutes in length - and seasons tend to be released all at once or over short periods of time, such as weeks or months. Matt Abramson, Executive Producer of the irreverent sketch comedy web series Teachers, said that his team edited and mixed all of the episodes in one shot and then released 3 short episodes per week, thinking that was the best approach to get attention. That certainly seemed to be a formula for success since Teachers was recently picked up by TVLand.

Often, creators are also willing to take on an old format and put a new spin on it. Sci-fi adventure series Chronicles of Syntax by Susan E. Clarke (co-author of this article) was one of the first shows to successfully launch with six 30-minute episodes. The series has received various awards and embodies the idea that there are no limitations when it comes to web series.

Despite the absence of a well-defined revenue model, there are lots of people producing high-quality, compelling stories for us to watch on the web. The teams behind web series typically rely on independent funding and crowd funding to get by, and examples of a show being the catalyst for a well-paid career are rare. Regardless, we believe this format will continue to grow and the next great entertainment experience you will be talking about with your friends could be a new viral web series.

The quality of some of the offerings out there is mind-boggling. Somehow, creative and resourceful independent filmmakers are able to deliver stories with high production values, exquisite performances, and compelling cinematic experiences, while at the same time creating fan bases so dedicated that they rival the best TV shows. We suppose this is no different from the content that the independent film movement has been producing since the 1960s.

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Last night, another season of "Game of Thrones" ended in bloody, punishing, somewhat dispiriting fashion. (Don't worry, no spoilers here!) Of course, it's nothing you're not used to already if you're a fan of the show.

Or if you're a parent.

I'm not crazy enough to suggest that the experience of raising children is anywhere near as savage -- or as sexy! -- as the world of Westeros. But I am crazy enough to suggest that the experience of watching what may be the most popular show in the world has a lot of things in common with parenting.

Eleven things, to be precise...

11 Ways Parenting is Like Watching "Game of Thrones"

• There's a ton of stuff to remember and most of the time you're totally guessing



• People really enjoy telling you things when they're naked



• Taking kids to a wedding is a total bloodbath



• You think you know who's in control until you realize it's actually the dude with little fingers



• At the end of the day/episode, you're always spent, often pissed, and inexplicably can't wait to do it again



• People on the outside don't understand the fuss and are sick of hearing everyone else talk about it



• It's bad thing after bad thing after bad thing and then the funny, short guy does something cool and you can't help smiling



• You want to protect the girls from all the terrible men but quickly realize they can take care of themselves



• If you'd known it would be this stressful you might not have signed u-- ooh, look, the obnoxious, spoiled little tyrant fell down! Haha!



• The people who've read all the books think they know more than you



• You're not sure you like where all this is going but it's too late to turn back now

One way parenting isn't like watching "Game of Thrones"? Everyone always knows who the mother is.

Got any to add? Let me know in the comments!

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Do you remember how big, strong & scary Darth Vader was in Star Wars - Episode IV: A New Hope ? Well, that version of this Dark Lord of the Sith -- back when Vader was at the very height of his powers -- will be front & center as "Star Wars Rebels" begins its second season on Disney XD this Saturday, June 20th at 9:00 p.m. (ET/PT).



Better yet, to make sure Darth sounds exactly he did in the original Star Wars trilogy, Lucasfilm Animation persuaded James Earl Jones to come back and voice Vader.

Given that it had been a decade or more since James had last done any voice work for a Star Wars -related project, Jones reportedly expressed some concerns as he stepped up the mic to once again voice this classic screen villain.

"It was actually kind of funny," Dave Filoni -- the executive producer and supervising director of "Star Wars Rebels" -- recalled during a recent interview at this past April's Star Wars Celebration. "Just before he goes into the booth, James turns to me and says 'David, I haven't done Vader in ten years. Can you remind me how?' And he's telling me this in his big deep James Earl Jones voice. So I just laugh and 'James, you're doing it already.'"

Bringing Jones in to voice Vader isn't the only change that Filoni and the "Star Wars Rebels" production team will be making in Season Two. As you can see by the video below, there'll be more characters joining the story (Among them Ahsoka Tano, the female Togruta who was once Padawan to Anakin Skywalker's Jedi Knight), bigger battles, higher stakes.



And it all begin this Saturday night with "The Siege of Lothal," a one-hour movie event that airs this Saturday night, June 20th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Disney XD.

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Book-It Theatre's latest production, an adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five adapted and written by Josh Aaseng is a masterpiece to behold. The show keeps the audience involved from the opening moment when Vonnegut (portrayed brilliantly by Jim Gall) addresses his spectators, telling them how the play / book will end with a final scene that takes place after the historic fire bombing of Dresden that Vonnegut himself survived as a POW.

Slaughterhouse-Five is quite intricate and can be viewed on several levels. At its most basic, it is entertaining, funny and thought provoking. On another level it is an anti-war diatribe, which clearly reflects Vonnegut's perspective. Looking a bit deeper, Slaughterhouse-Five presents a view of reality as simply a series of moments that are all eternal and unique unto themselves.

The play's hero Billy Pilgrim is actually portrayed marvelously and seamlessly by three actors Robert Bergin as the young Billy, Erik Gratton as the middle-aged Billy and Todd Jefferson Moore as the elderly Billy. This is very necessary as Slaughterhouse-Five's primary premise is that Billy Pilgrim has become unstuck in time. Thus, the scenes are not necessarily in chronological order, and at times more than one Billy is on stage.

This scenario could become very complicated and difficult to follow, but it is not. The show's plot intricately weaves each thread together while taking the audience on a strange and intriguing narrative ride filled with unexpected and interesting twists and turns.

All in all, this is a captivating, wild performance that should not be missed. You may have read Slaughterhouse-Five, so you think you know what you will see. Go have the experience of seeing it live, and allow yourself to be surprised, captivated and delighted because Book-It's production is almost as rich and inviting as what I recall of the story from reading it years ago.

And as they continue to remind us throughout the show, "So it goes."

Slaughterhouse-Five plays at the Seattle's Center Theatre through July 3.

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Nick enters the men's hotel suite and they murder him.  Actually they only glare at him but it's emotionally similar.  The men make fun of him for pursuing his "16th minute of fame," which is pretty amusing.  He pretends like he only wants to be on the show because of Kaitlyn and not because he's a fame whore.  I hope it comes out that they're all lying and Kaitlyn and Nick have previously hooked up.  That would be awesome.  Nick calls Kaitlyn a "cool chick" and one of the guys jumps down his throat for not calling her an "amazing woman."  WTF.

Shawn B. is disillusioned, and women everywhere care because he's hot, apparently.  Am I weird that I don't think he's hot?  Then again, it's not like he's going for Britt here.  Nick follows the other guys to the rose ceremony from ten steps behind, like a tribesman who has been cursed by the shaman and is now being ostracized by the tribe and left for dead.

The men are in a baseball field because random changes of scenery are par for the course here.  Kaitlyn looks like she invested in some hair extensions and hooker boots for the occasion.  JJ runs around the bases while carrying Kaitlyn to prove that he's still in the game after his breakup with Clint.  Shawn and Kaitlyn converse on a deep and intimate level about how he thinks she's an idiot for inviting Nick onto the show.

The men literally shiver from cold on the baseball field but try not to show it.  I think she should have them stand there in the cold until they freeze or beg for cover.  The last man standing gets her.  Actually, the last man standing gets Britt, and the second to last gets her.  Wait, is Nick not going to get a rose?  Oh no, there's one left.  He has to get a rose, she loves him.  Basically, I think she's into him because he's so casual and emotionally unavailable.  Stupid stupid.  Yup, she gives him a rose while he contracts pneumonia from the cold.

Now the whole gang travels to San Antonio, for no reason I can see.  The men continue to despise Nick because of in-group out-group bias, as you may recall from Intro to Psych (since mostly females watch this and mostly females major in Psychology).  He's the only one in the out-group though.

Kaitlyn and Ben H. (I think but I can't be bothered to rewind and confirm) go on a date in a tractor or a pickup truck or something.  They take two-step dance lessons and Ben H. sucks.  You know, the Bachelor is running out of endearing activities to have people do on dates.  Maybe next date they can shear a sheep.  Ben H. compulsively licks his lips during the dancing.  She says "There's something between Ben and I that's comfortable."  It's certainly not her pocket edition of Warriner's English Grammar and Composition.

Ben H. doesn't seem to be very talkative.  He then commits the cardinal Bachelor sin: he DOESN'T OPEN UP.  That's worse than not liking helicopter rides.  Oh, but here we go: he's opening up.  He says his ex dumped him or something.  I don't really understand what the big revelation was, but it's "important" to Kaitlyn, and she rewards his emotional disclosure with the rose.

 The guys go on a group date where they compose and sing mariachi songs to Kaitlyn in front of an audience.  When did the Bachelorette become primarily about public humiliation?  Why is the goal to be a humongous extrovert?  Where is the book reading competition?  How about the competition where the guys cook dinner and do the laundry and take care of a squalling baby?  Anyway, Nick serenades Kaitlyn from the balcony, which is trying to one up the other guys. He does well because he's joking around and says "erection."

Kaitlyn gives Josh a haircut and it looks horrendous.  Nick and Kaitlyn make out.  He sits back and she leans forward into him.  This doesn't bode well, just like his hands at his sides didn't bode well last time.  He's not 100% into her and I would stake my life that he isn't going to marry her.  Josh again says that he doesn't trust Nick.  Then he tells Kaitlyn privately that none of the guys like Nick, and she gets mad at the guys for "lying" to her and "pretending" they are okay with Nick being there.

Kaitlyn then goes out and confronts the guys and they all deny that they dislike Nick.  So Josh looks like the bad guy, and he also has a bad haircut.  Poor Josh.

Kaitlyn goes on a kayak one-on-one date with Shawn.  They are kayaking parallel to each other, which isn't that romantic, but whatever. At night, he tells her about a car accident he was in and a near-death experience.  BAM!  He tells her he's falling in love with her.  First guy to say it, and she is super into him.  In fact, she says, "I feel the same way." I think that's against the Bachelor rules.

Back at the house, Ian says he's a catch, good looking and smart and awesome and women always like him and there's something wrong with Kaitlyn that she doesn't seem to notice him.  Wah wah.  Then during the cocktail party, he tells the camera that Kaitlyn isn't half as hot as his ex-girlfriend, which basically means he's making a play to get back with that girl by saying that on national TV.  Ian keeps talking about how awesome and charismatic and enigmatic he is and how Kaitlyn is uninteresting.  Then he says that he has a lot of sex in his regular life.  He's a true narcissist.

Now he says the guys in the house are too shallow for him, and he's not being ironic.  He also basically calls Kaitlyn a whore and a "surface level person."  Then we cut to black.  And next time, Kaitlyn has sex with some dude.

Till we meet again, I remain, The Blogapist Who Says, I Bet It's Nick.

This post was originally published here on Dr. Psych Mom. Follow Dr. Rodman on Dr. Psych Mom, on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Pre-order her book, How to Talk to Your Kids about Your Divorce: Healthy, Effective Communication Techniques for Your Changing Family.

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My 1959 Fender Stratocaster and 1972 Fender Twin Reverb Amp

Everybody knew "What'd I Say," an early crossover hit, a basic 12-bar riff that I practiced on my guitar since I was 13 years old, but this was a live album, "Ray Charles in Person," recorded in Atlanta in May 1959. On it are some fabulous live recordings: an extended version of "Night Time," with Miss Margie Hendricks helping out on vocals, that leads into "What'd I Say." These are seminal versions, with a shouting Ray Charles wrenching up soulful, guttural exhortations "to be with the one you love," and the Raylettes answering back, "... night and day. Night and day." The backup singers sound like another horn section, they are so together.

Ray does "Tell the Truth" on this album, and for me it's maybe the greatest live cut ever captured on tape--even more remarkable when you realize they got it all that rainy day in Georgia with a single microphone and portable tape recorder. Hendricks and the Raylettes actually take the lead on "Tell the Truth," an indication of Ray's confidence and swagger, and he answers back like maybe only some pimp could. And then coming out of David "Fathead" Newman's sax solo a sound erupts from way down inside Charles, a howling plea that comes up from somewhere between the Devil himself and Jesus. It's way too short. It leaves you begging for more every time. This is my final call; it is a sound from another world all together; when I hear it I am hooked on the drug that is and forever will be, the blues. The rhythm that is the blues.

I am a white boy that has got himself the blues. I'm 14 years old, and it's 1961.

"How 'bout that?! How 'bout that! Ray Charles! The great Ray Charles. The high priest! Ray Charles himself. What a show! What a show..." And the ecstatic stage announcer that day is dead right. From then on, I had to learn this stuff, and learn it good enough, and electric enough, to play it live my ownself, in a band!

I like it. A lot. And it sure beats the hell out of the "Ballad of Davey Crockett," the other popular tune from that year.

Then we move up to St. Louis and by now rock and roll is all over the place. Back then there was two or three rock stations in St. Louis--WIL, KXOK and, for a while, KWK. And then in one of the dumbest moves in the history of the world, KWK goes on the air one day in 1959 to claim "rock and roll has got to go," and proceeds to break every rock record they play so they can go back to an easy listening format. Before KWK disappeared into thin off-the-air, somebody filmed this event, and you'll see it today in rock history documentaries along with racist, southern rednecks protesting Elvis' "nigger bop" music--examples of gross ignorance and extreme prejudice--in the face of an unstoppable cultural phenomenon.

For me it was here to stay, especially that "bop" stuff.

Way down at the end of the St. Louis radio dial, "just to the left of your glove box," was KATZ, a "Negro" station. They played kick-ass roadhouse juke, blues. Electric Chicago rhythm and blues. And a lot of soul music. At the time I didn't even know what to call it; it was kind of like rock and roll, only more raw, even more dangerous. While Elvis Presley was scaring the hell out of our parents, with his sideburns and his sneer, he was pulling me into a whole new world with his versions of what we'd learn later was ethnic, Black, music, the kind of stuff KATZ and later, KXLW, were playing all the time around St. Louis.

For Elvis, this genuine edge would last about 18 months, then he went white, way white, and then got fat making bad movies. But the blues, they came from way back and for me, last to this day.

Both of the Black radio stations played a lot of Ike and Tina Turner, a local St. Louis act really coming on with recordings they were making at Technisonic Studios out on Brentwood Boulevard, in St. Louis county. And Albert King and Solomon Burke, all of it somehow related to rock and roll, but about like a wolf is related to a dog. Four-legged and furry, but meaner, with longer teeth, and nowhere near domesticated.

KXLW played Wilson Pickett's "Midnight Hour" a full year before any white station played it. Black music didn't really cross over to a white audience until years later.

So most people had to wait for it. But not me.

Around this time I picked up a ukulele. Lot of guys I knew played ukes or acoustic guitars, so I taught myself some chords on a borrowed 4-stringed ukulele. We used to spend weekends out at a log cabin in Hawk Point, Missouri, drinking beers and gin and Pepsi or something, and somehow the tunes we'd crank out would get better and better the later at night it got. It was also out in Hawk Point that we could get the radio to pick up Wolf Man Jack from all the way down in Del Rio, Texas, eons before he was anybody anywhere else. XERF, a 50,000 watt clear channel station. We'd find him deep in the night when he would spin a lot of soul music and stompin' southern rock.

"Rock and roll baaaaaaaayaaaabay!," he'd howl.

Other times we'd get WLAC from Nashville, brought directly up to us by Randy's Record Shop, and White Rose Pomade and White Star Petroleum jelly. Damned straight.

My life finally changed for good the first time I heard "Great Balls of Fire." Jerry Lee Lewis. Nothing like it before or since. Or him. He wouldn't so much play the piano as punish it, pounding notes from it that responded in yelps of pain. Three seconds into a song he was on his feet, kneading the breath and life out of the keys, scorching the air with his countrified threat of a voice.

"Great Balls of Fire" left me no way back. Didn't want a way back. Even better, and unlike most of the other stuff I listened to, it became a big hit. Except for Little Richard - every bit as outrageous as Lewis, and also producing big sellers - it seemed like most everybody else who made it big was in another category - just rock and roll. Maybe Lewis wasn't Black, but his early music was every bit as visceral.

And the fact that he absolutely horrified our parents made it that much better. He even made Elvis seem OK for them. A genuine certified juvenile delinquent with flying blonde hair and a country leer that dared parents everywhere to trust their daughters with him, just one time, for Jerry Lee. None would, so he married his 14-year-old cousin and disappeared in scandal for the next 20 years.

If you go back and really immerse yourself in early "rock and roll"--not Danny and the Juniors or Frankie Avalon, but Gene Vincent, James Brown, Eddie Cochran, Bo Diddley, Little Richard, Ronnie Hawkins, Link Wray, Jackie Brenston (the designated artist on Ike Turner's seminal recording, "Rocket 88"), and many, many more even lesser knowns and one-hit wonders - these guys were making music that was dangerous. Its roots are pure Black. Gospel. And hot rod six-pack country. This music was a threat to life as our parents viewed it, and their values, and the way they thought "youngsters" should look, and act.

It was scary.

It was great.

My first guitar was a Harmony acoustic, basic crap--but with six strings a lot better than a ukulele. I started off playing "Tom Dooley," stuff like that. But soon as I could play the opening riffs to "What'd I Say" I had to have an electric. My mother took me out to McMurray Music on Page Boulevard and we bought a used, cherry-red Les Paul Jr. Gibson guitar, single pick-up, for $90. It was beautiful and would have sounded fantastic except I had to play it through a cheap, Barney Kessel Kay amplifier with an 8-inch speaker that I blew out in about ten minutes--thereby having a very early "fuzz tone" sound. It was all we could afford.

But I had my electric guitar and I started practicing to records soon as I figured out the three basic rock and blues chords. Not too long ago I saw a vintage Les Paul Jr. just like the one I had, for sale: $3100.

In those days in St. Louis most real blues joints were over in East St. Louis, or way down Delmar Boulevard inside the St. Louis city limits, and nobody went to those places until a few years later when you could first make yourself a lot smarter and braver after getting some old dude to buy you a couple of six packs of Falstaff beer.

But Sunset, in South St. Louis, was an anomaly. Primarily a municipal swimming pool, they had an adjacent clubhouse, no booze, and kids from all over used to go there for the bands. I can remember pressing in on a chain link fence to hear Ike and Tina playing outside one night when I was about 13 years old.

Sunset imported fabulous bands from the east side, bands with horn sections that played rockin' bar blues to driving shuffle kicks. Benny Sharpe was one of the best. From the east side, hair pomaded, slick and cool. I'm sure half his band had done time. His sax player would always have a lit cigarette stuck in one of his horn's keys while he played, and Benny stuck his filter first on the sharp end of a string from the head of his Fender Strat, one just like Ike Turner's. He'd get a raw, piercing sound that drove the whole band, and when he played he just stood there, and the notes would come up from his soul and out through his amp and right down into my gonads. "Take it or leave it - but I know you can't just stand there," he seemed to say. And he was right. It was primal.

One time Benny Sharpe steered his boat-long, tail-finned red Cadillac into MidWest Laundry, just inside the St. Louis city limits, where I worked Saturdays during high school; we had curb service and he was picking up some dry cleaning. He didn't even park in a space, just pulls up long ways, defying anybody to suggest otherwise, and hands me his ticket. Cool. His processed hair shined like neon lights on a beer glass, and there's a gorgeous blonde white woman wedged up next to him in the front seat.

I went and got his cleaned-and-pressed sharkskin suit for him. Three-dollar tip for a $2.75 cleaning bill. He was probably on his way over to a gig at Sam Spaulding's Wonder Bar, on the east side.

This was the blues for sure.

But Ike Turner was the one for us back then; we bought Fender guitars like he played, and Fender P Bass guitars like his bass player. And we learned his music, not just the hits he had, but the songs he played even before Tina, tunes like St. Louisan Billy Gayle's "Tore Up," "Rocket 88," and "Prancin'," a cut on the B-side of Ike's first album, "Ike Turner's Kings of Rhythm," an all-instrumental album that has Ike and Tina's photo on the cover even though Tina didn't sing on Ike's records until later. She was strictly doing club gigs with him then.

Lot of historians say "Rocket 88," written by Ike Turner, was the very first example of rock and roll. He plays piano on it, not guitar.

"Prancin'" was formative: the sound Turner gets on his Strat is unique for its day, more common today. Clear, prominent, assertive, with enough bottom on it to round it out, the pick-up switch jammed between the top and middle positions to give it a kind of a reverb bite. (Today Fender manufactures their Strats with five pick-up positions, to allow for this; back then you had to know how to rig it). When the horns take over in "Prancin'," Ike starts raking his strings with his pick, easing his left hand off the strings just a bit, for more of a pop scratch, so he drives the whole thing like a drummer. Meanwhile he's got his bass player playing the four and five notes on open strings on a Fender Precision electric bass when some guys are actually still playing old acoustic uprights.

Not bad for a guy whose main instrument was the piano. They were way out there, and they're from St. Louis. And so am I.

Something else was going on back then: The kids at my high school really loved Motown music, including me; I know it was popular a lot of places, but we absolutely loved it. Not just Marvin Gaye's "Pride and Joy," but "Can I get a Witness," too, a driving gospel roof raiser, and "Stubborn kind'a Fella;" not only Mary Wells' "My Guy," but "Bye Bye Baby," a screaming, throaty tent shaker.

If you listened to this stuff, you just had to dance to it, too; being a great dancer was a source of pride for guys and girls. American Bandstand was a great place to get ideas, and we did. In fact, the teenagers on Bandstand, kids from Philadelphia and fabulous dancers, even looked different than us. We were white bread white boys with Princeton haircuts. They were sharp fine dressers with slicked back ducktails. And the show was integrated.

When I was 15 I got my first big-time guitar (it wasn't until years later that I realized just how great my Les Paul Jr. was; it's just that back then having an electric guitar with only one pickup was like having a car with no radio) - a Gretsch, semi-hollow body, chrome flake Silver Jet, a 1957 beauty that I bought from a friend in 1962 for $200. Fabulous, with a Bigsby tremolo, and it went with me into my first band.

Early on in high school somebody introduces me to Lindell Hill, a rough, blue-collar type guy, a few years and many miles older than me, who had gained a bit of a reputation as St. Louis' "blue-eyed soul brother" for his ability to sing and play kick-ass R&B. Lindell was the real thing; he played a Strat and he played it without a pick, with his thumb and index finger and with a deep feeling for the music fueled by his countrified squint on life and not a little anger, usually aimed at his lusty wife, Choosy. There was a sense of danger in him; he'd been around, even though he was only in his mid-twenties, and he was between gigs.

We practiced together, him on lead and vocals, me on my Gretsch playing rhythm guitar and an even younger guy from school on drums. Sometimes we had a bass player, sometimes a guy on an electric Farfisa keyboard, but mostly it was just the three of us, and we played out for the next four years as "Little Caesar and The Blue Notes." With Hill's influence and teaching we learned tunes from Howlin' Wolf, Billy Gayle, Solomon Burke, Elmore James, Albert King. Barrett Strong's "Money." James Brown. Instrumentals like "Last Night," "Hold It," "Comin' Home," Green Onions." And of course, "Prancin'." We even played some Motown - our own way - and things like "Shake a Tail Feather" - not Tina's version - the real one, by the Five Dutones, who did it first. And much better. I think they were from St. Louis, too.

For a long time we got away with just the three of us. All my practicing at home, with records, pushed me into playing some kind of fuller sound, like I was trying to mimic the whole band or something. Flat wound strings, lots of bottom end from my amp, extra stokes on the 5th and 6th strings all had a way of filling in big around Lindell's lead, and our drummer had Turner's shuffle kick down cold.

I was never great, but I could hold my own, and we got pretty good.

We got great gigs back then. Fraternity parties, and St. Louis club dates, even though only Hill was old enough to legally be there. I finally got a great amplifier, a Fender Concert with four ten-inch Jansen speakers, and more than once we had to put not only my guitar through it, but also Lindell's, plus his mike! Insane. I even played bass through it. I've still got the amp.

My early high mark came the first Friday night we played at Wig Wam, my own high school's teen town, where girls I lusted after, cheerleaders I had unattainable crushes on, showed up along with everybody else and actually danced to our music! This was a long, long way from "Tom Dooley" on my ukulele.

We played one whole summer, four nights a week, down on the DeBaliviere strip inside the St. Louis city limits, next door to the Stardust Club at a place called Apartment A. The Stardust was a famous strip joint where Evelyn West and her "$50,000 Treasure Chest (Insured by Lloyd's of London)," the ads said) still performed, and every break she'd bring her assets - now worth maybe $50 - next door to our gig and play the pinball machine.

Another summer we played weekends up in Pagedale at a dump appropriately named The Dungeon. The owner would show up late every night and insist we play something Jimmy Reed. I've still got a fuzzy old black and white picture from that gig. White shirt, Princeton haircut, vanilla white everything, white bread suburban boy. But there I am with my Gretsch, and we're playing the real stuff.

And great gigs at Mizzou, where we played for the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity, the Sammies, most of whom came from University City and Ladue in St. Louis, so I knew them all - which made these gigs even better. They were the best dancers, and they threw outrageous parties. One night we arrived late at the infamous I Club in Columbia to play a Sammy party - late because I literally had to go knocking door-to-door to borrow an amplifier and finally convince some guy's wife that her husband sent me over to their house to pick it up for him. A complete lie.

But this was a gig, and this was the club where Ike Turner had played, and we had to have the right gear.

By the time we get there the place is going nuts, and they actually give us a standing ovation just for walking in! There's a genuine high-rise stage and we set up quick as we can, no warm up - just a tune up. They're already on their feet ready to dance and Lindell and me are still tuning our E strings. The sound from the very first note is unbelievably full, powerful, and there's only the three of us, no bass. Every person in the house is out on the dance floor from the first song, which was always an instrumental. The acoustics are phenomenal. We sound like a seven-piece band.

This was going to be the best night we ever had - except somebody calls and says the cops are on the way! The owner, an enormous man who's been around the block many times, with the face mileage to show it, knows he's got at least 172 underage drinkers in there, and he closes the whole thing down.

We played for all of maybe twenty minutes, but I can remember the fantastic sound we got to this day.

Ain't nothin' like the blues.

©Tim Arnold
New York
917.748.6058
possible20@aol.com


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I'm always on the lookout for inspiring films produced on tiny budgets. I'm also always on the hunt for films with original visions that really speak to me. When I heard about Miles to Go, a coming-of-age comedy-drama about a thirtysomething, tattooed, Jewish writer in Los Angeles with commitment issues, I knew it was something I needed to see. As that more or less describes me (sigh), I instantly connected with the incredibly personal and nuanced material. I had the chance to catch up with writer-director-producer-star Quincy Rose (godson of Woody Allen!) and ask him a handful of questions about his excellent microbudget indie -- now available on VOD, iTunes and more.

1) What inspired you to tell this story?

This specific story was created out of necessity to fit the parameters of the budget I was stuck with, which was very little. I was clawing to do my first feature and trying to get financing for a script I had which required a slightly bigger budget than the funds I had in hand, and, after banging my head against the wall in an attempt to get said funds, I thought to myself, what can I make for the money I do have? And that is when I began to think of the stories I could tell, that I would find interesting, for the budget I had. But, as to what made me write Miles to Go specifically, I would have to say that I was going through a period in my life where I was struggling with making any romantic relationships last, and starting to feel that perhaps, for me, they just weren't possible. And I thought that maybe this was a universal issue, at least generationally speaking, since so many people I knew have had relationships and/or marriages fail over time. So I decided to write just that; A story about a guy who doesn't believe that relationships can last for him, so they don't. Almost a self-fulfilling prophecy, if you will. Once I had fleshed out who Miles was, then I began to consider what exact story to tell and what other characters to include to make the story whole and fully explore this guy's life.

2) What are your goals as a filmmaker?

On any given project, my goals are always the same: I want to tell an interesting and compelling story, usually something founded in some type of reality, even if it is an outlandish comedy. And, I want the film I am currently working on to be better than the film I worked on previously...not "better" meaning as a judgment on the story itself, but as a filmmaker working on a craft. I want to grow and improve. As for my over all goal as a filmmaker, it is to continue to create opportunities to tell the stories I want to tell, and to make as many films as possible, so long as I feel compelled to make them.

3) Which writers/directors have influenced you and why?

A lot of filmmakers have influenced me over time. But if I had to narrow it down to 4 or 5 filmmakers, I would have to say, Woody Allen, Francois Truffaut, John Cassavetes and Noah Baumbach.

I remember as a very young child watching, Francois Truffaut's, l'argent de poche, over and over again. It's actually one of my earliest film memories. I have to believe that that played a big part in shaping the types of stories I would most enjoy telling later on in life. As I got older and became more and more interested in film, I became a huge fan of many of Truffaut's films and his specific style, his beats, pacing and timing, always seeking a level of verisimilitude, unmatched by most other filmmakers. This was a very attractive quality to me.

John Cassavetes' films have a similar quality and grittiness to them. A very European sensibility. Cassavetes was not only having a conversation with his audience, he seemed to always be exploring deep thoughts and ideas. Almost as if each time he made a film he was seeking to exorcise a demon he was battling at that time. As I got older, the French New Wave filmmakers and the 70's American auteur filmmakers were who spoke to me the most.

Woody Allen is my biggest influence as a writer/director. And studying his films over and over again were my film school. One of the reasons he was so personally influential to me, was that I grew up with him as "Uncle Woody." So of course I was impressed by this really funny and witty and successful filmmaker, with whom I had a personal connection to. Also, since my father, Mickey Rose, and he were originally partners, they both influenced me, especially in comedy, pacing and style. I, too, focus on themes I'm working through in real life...dealing with the struggle of living and fighting depression, meaninglessness, relationships, sibling rivalry, sex and love, cheating, etc. With dialogue being the most important element in any of my stories, I almost always write from conversation and character as opposed to plot.

Noah Baumbach has been my greatest contemporary influence. The way Woody's films speak to me stylistically, Baumbach's films speak to me directly, in a way that I can completely relate to what he is talking about and what his characters are going through. I feel like we are almost cut from the same cloth...or at least a similar piece. Perhaps I was cut from the scraps that were collected after cutting him.

4) Describe the production process...

Miles to Go came together very quickly, once I had decided to make a film for what I had. I wrote the script in March 2012, we cast it in April and shot in May over 13 days. That includes the 2 days off we had to take when I woke up with laryngitis on day 3, with absolutely no voice, and in every single frame of this dialogue heavy script, which meant no shooting around me. My entire on-set crew consisted of 11 people, myself included in that. We each had multiple roles to fill. We used very little equipment, minimal lighting (a couple kinos and a China ball) and we shot on the RED Scarlet. We had a monitor playback issue, so I could watch the playback, and I could hear the playback, but i could not watch the playback with sound... Essentially I would have to watch for composure and see if I believe the acting visually, then close my eyes and listen to the take that matched the video I had just seen, and decide whether I felt it sounded authentic enough to move on. Eventually, with time being an issue, I strictly relied on my 1st AD Alex Rinks for ears and my DP Amza Moglan for eyes. We shot about 10 pages of dialogue a day on average. One day we shot 23 pages of dialogue and worked for 23 straight hours, in two separate locations. The shoot was intense, we had no permits and stole locations. When shooting on a private property, we had the full crew present. But when we needed exterior shots, we would roll out with a stripped down crew, essential crew only, rush into an area (a park, Melrose, wherever...) and just shoot the scene we needed. Everything very commonly necessary on a micro-budget indie feature.

5) What's next?

What's officially next is Friends Effing Friends Effing Friends, A post-modern romantic comedy about sex amongst friends, missed opportunities, unrequited love and how the grass always appears to be greener on the other side... This is the film I was trying to get money for when I couldn't and ended up making Miles to Go. This film is done, in the can so to speak and awaiting entry into several festivals. As for what is after that? I have a play I wrote, which I am hoping to stage in NY at some point within the next year, a TV pilot I would love to see taken to the next phase and I am always writing new things, re-working old things, etc... I have my scripts that require bigger budgets, which I will need to wait for real financing before I can make them; and the scripts I write specifically to be able to shoot on a shoestring budget. I may delve into one of those projects in the end of the year. While I would love to do a bigger film, and be afforded the freedom of letting go of some hats I have been required to wear to make my films thus far, I always want to be working on the craft and challenging myself as a filmmaker, and making a low budget film is always a challenge.

Visit the official Miles to Go site and check out the film today!

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Let's talk about Janet. But first, let's talk about me and get an important thing out of the way:

I am a Janet fanatic (a Janatic?). "Same," you may be thinking. NO. This is no causal brand of fandom. As my friends can attest, I have a borderline Janet Addiction that has, at times, threatened their patience and probably made them question whether or not to continue associating with me. My friend Jason even recently decided to stop answering my texts the minute they go Jackson. He says it's out of love.

So you get the idea. I'm an avid ambassador of the Rhythm Nation. I get so lonely. I go real deep. I have no chill when it comes to Ms. Jackson.

The second thing that needs stating is that, in spite of the title of this post, I don't really think Janet can get a hit. Not at this point, anyway. I also don't think that's a problem. Let me explain:

A couple of weeks ago, Janet announced her first batch of new music since 2008's Discipline (possibly titled Conversations in a Cafe), the launch of her new label, Rhythm Nation Records, and finally this Monday, her first tour since 2011's scaled-down Number 1's Trek. Seven years in between albums might as well be eternity in the 21st Century pop game, but the truth is that Janet hasn't had a relevant hit since 2001's "Someone to Call My Lover."

Or really, more accurately, since her bare breast made its' infamous 2004 Super Bowl debut in front of 1 billion viewers, igniting the most inane pop cultural shitstorm of the modern age. I won't delve too deeply into the utterly outrageous fallout from the incident (if you want to read a great wrap-up, check out Rich Juzwiak's comprehensive look back on the whole debacle), but the point is that it unfairly and prematurely ended Janet's then gravity-defying 20 year run over the course of a single second.

And while we're at it, let's just quickly recap that career. From 1986's Control through 2001's All For You, Janet had a nearly unprecedented run. Each of the five albums released in that period hit #1 and spawned multiple top top singles, with both 1989's Rhythm Nation 1814 and 1993's janet. scoring an astounding seven apiece, a manifestation of her sheer dominance. Her 1997 masterwork, The Velvet Rope, is considered one of the most influential albums in pop history, a singular balance of introspection, experimentation and a pure pop sensibility that impacted a year prior to Madonna's similarly coded Ray of Light.

Then there's the tours, the videos, "Ms. Jackson, if you're nasty," the military jackets, the "Rhythm Nation" choreography, the "That's The Way Love Goes" VMA performance, the "If" dance breakdown, the septum ring, "Scream," the fire red hair, Poetic Justice, "What About," the nice package, alright, having to ride it tonight, and so on. Indeed for two decades, Janet was a virtually unstoppable force and for very good reason.

Janet is immensely talented, not in the other-worldly virtuosic way her brother Michael was or at creating and manipulating trends like peak Madonna. No, Janet's gift is honing in on her precise strengths: her dancing, her ear for infectious and slightly off-kilter hooks, her potent sex appeal and her effervescent personality, an alluring mix of steely determination and palpable vulnerability. Janet makes your jaw drop in admiration while simultaneously enticing you to hold her while she cries. She's the perennial younger sister. It's an intoxicating mix and during her imperial phase, she was able to conjure that magic potion each and every time she stepped to the mic.

And as she slowly distilled across her five blockbuster albums, Janet appeared to favor slow evolution over abrupt reinvention, using each record to to refine and build upon an existing world rather than concerning herself with the cutting edge. There is a very clear "Janet" sound in abundance across discography, with only minor tweaks to the production and lyrical content based on the time and her maturing interests.

Looking back, though, that steadfast commitment to her musical world, once her commerical calling card, can be equally faulted for her post-Super Bowl downfall as the unfortunate tit reveal.

Starting in earnest with janet., the Janet World became increasingly sex-centric. This exploration of her id was handled with nuance and depth on that album and Rope, and with a more direct, carefree frivolity on All For You. But there is also no question that that her post-You catalogue showcases a certain stagnation, where staying in her lane slid into simply retreading You's electro sexbot formula too precisely with diminishing returns. This aesthetic plateau is starkest on 2006's 20 Y.O., her only flat-out dud, but is also present on 2004's Damita Jo and the uneven Discipline.

Which brings us back to Janet's imminent 2015 return, an interesting year for her to be staging a comeback. Not to harp on Madonna, but Madge, who released her new album Rebel Heart in March, serves as an interesting foil for Janet. Unlike Janet who backed away from the spotlight amid diminishing record sales and commercial viability, Madonna, true to form, has pushed forward, releasing an album every three years and viciously fighting to maintain her place in pop culture, whether that means teaming up with hit-maker dujour Diplo, Instagramming with the vigor of a hormonal 14-year-old girl or making out with Drake at Coachella.

And while Madonna has spun off a couple hits in the fifteen years since Janet's last - some worthy smashes ("Hung Up"), some thirsty stunts ("Four Minutes," "Give Me All Your Luvin") - it appears that Madge's no holds barred approach to remaining relevant and playing the singles game has also sputtered out in the 2015. She hasn't visited the Hot 100 top ten since '08 and Heart was her first to miss #1 in almost 20 years.

In standing, I believe the top of the Hot 100 will not be welcoming to Janet in 2015 either, no matter how good the single. Fair or not, pop is a young person's game, especially if you're a woman.

I think this opens a great opportunity for Ms. Jackson, if she handles it right. Free from the pressure of keeping up with the Perrys and Swifts, Janet should approach her new album Rope style: keep it real, keep it introspective, and deliver music with the sharp point of view of a world-weary 50 year old female legend, a perspective very few pop artists can, or are willing to provide. Since she last released music, she ended one long-term relationship, started another, lost her brother and considered backing away from music for good. We need to hear about all of that.

Rope is credited with spawning the sub-genre PBR&B, or hipster R&B (ew), an offshoot that houses Frank Ocean and Miguel, artists who've succeeded by releasing cohesive, subtle, emotionally resonant bodies of work rather than aiming for the singles charts. Janet should be looking to have the favor of her prescience returned by using Ocean and Miguel's method as her template (and also possibly working with them? That would be great, right?)

In fact, the contemporary musician I think Janet should be looking to most for inspiration, at least in terms of her approach to releasing music, is Beyonce. Considering how dominant Bey's last album cycle felt, it's important to realize that she owned the conversation without a #1 single. In fact, only one song from her self-titled opus, "Drunk In Love," briefly hit the top 10. The rest, songs that felt so central like "Partition," "XO," "Blow" and "Pretty Hurts," didn't even go Top 20.

This was by design - by prioritizing her complete vision rather than Top 40 radio, Bey avoided having to go hit-for-hit with the pop-lets. Janet's pop agenda-setting days may be behind her, but following this map is her path to a successful comeback, more so than a trendy single, a corporate tie-in, trotting out You's ethereal sexbot once again or Diplo-collabing could ever be (please Jan, no DIplo collab!). I even hoped Janet might take Beyonce's lead and drop her album without releasing an advance single at all but news leaked this week that a new song, "No Sleep," is imminent.

In any case, I believe there is still an important place for Janet in pop, both for her upcoming record and beyond. And I also want to be clear - she should still talk about sex, if that's what's truly on her mind (I'd venture that is)! Whatever the subject, she simply needs to remind us that she's a great artist, a singular one more than capable of delivering a potent album-length statement, before she she worries about proving that she can still hit #1. The less concerned she is with having a hit, the less having a hit will matter.

So if anyone knows Ms. Jackson, do you think you could pass this on? And also, can you please introduce us so that I can get my life? Mainly, I need us to be friends because none of my current ones while answer any of my Janet texts.

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By Steve Schonberg; Video Producer: Meredith Ganzman

SCROLL DOWN TO WATCH THE INTERVIEW AND SEE KELLI RECEIVE THE "OUR LEADING LADY" AWARD!

On Sunday, June 7, famed Broadway actress and fan favorite, Kelli O'Hara (who I profiled here, last year) was finally recognized by the Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing for her remarkable contributions to the stage, taking home her very first TONY Award following a total of six nominations over several years.

In the weeks leading up, fans took to social media with a fervor, debating who exactly should win for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical. Many were in "Camp Kristin" for Chenoweth's outstanding performance as Lily Garland in the Roundabout Theatre Company's revival of On The 20th Century. Others rooted for theater legend Chita Rivera and her performance as Claire Zachanassian in Kander and Ebb's final musical, The Visit (which Rivera has said will likely be her final role on Broadway).

However, the support for O'Hara was fierce, and her fans were ultimately vindicated on TONY night as she received the award for her stunning and complex performance as Anna Leonowens in the Lincoln Center revival of The King and I.

Weeks before the TONY Awards, our team at Center On The Aisle (#COTA - the website I run in addition to contributing here on The Huffington Post) was also split, but peace came by acknowledging exactly what this incredible recognition represents. All three of these women were frontrunners, and deserved to win for different reasons. However, if the TONY Awards have a weakness, it's that other than its Lifetime Achievement awards, they celebrate only a single performance--not the performer's body of work and total contribution to the art form.

Realizing this, our team did a little research and found out that this year did not just bring Kelli her sixth nomination, her performance in The King and I marked a total of 15 years on Broadway, and her 10th Broadway show.

To acknowledge this, the #COTA team (with the help of a special celebrity guest included in the video below!) decided to take matters into our own hands and recognize Kelli O'Hara for all of these incredible performances (whether she won the TONY Award or not), which collectively have made her one of the most recognizable and talented actresses on stage today.

Check out the video below to see me present Kelli with Center On The Aisle's first ever award, titled "Our Leading Lady."



Steve Schonberg is the editor-in-chief of www.centerontheaisle.com.

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Suzanne Somers feels completely at home in her new Las Vegas nightclub act titled Suzanne Sizzles.

"You don't understand what your journey is about until it lands," Somers said. "Before I walked out on stage on opening night someone backstage asked me, 'Are you nervous?' I said, 'Not at all.' I so knew everything had prepared me for this."

That preparation is a through line in her show that features songs from The Great American Songbook and modern-day classics. While on stage Somers has an intimate conversation with her audience and ponders the question: How do we get to the places we are at in our lives?

At 68, Somers knows. She's more than just the actress who bounced around as the ditzy and lovable Chrissy Snow on Three's Company. She is a brand. It's been 25 years since she had a residency in Vegas. Interestingly she never planned to stop, but her television career had a resurgence in the early '90s with shows like Step by Step and Candid Camera. Then a slew of bestselling self-help books followed, as well as countless hours on The Home Shopping Network, selling everything from jewelry to SomerSweet, a natural sweetener. And, of course, there was the Thighmaster.

To get to this now comfortable place, she had to triumph over life's ups and downs. Born in San Bruno, Calif., Somers grew up with an alcoholic father, which she candidly wrote about in her book Keeping Secrets. She was married and pregnant at 17, divorced at 18, and when her son was 5 he was struck by car and given a fifty-fifty chance. While he survived, she had to overcome the guilt of feeling like an unfit mother. She was fired from Three's Company 35 years ago at the height of the show's popularity because she demanded equal pay to her male counterparts. She beat cancer. Rebuilt her life after her home burned down, and through it all she only got stronger.

"All of these life events can do you in, but something in me used it as judo -- using forward energy to win. I didn't let those things win," Somers said.

For the past 48 years the one constant in her life has been her husband, Alan Hamel. Somers admitted their marriage is what she is the most proud of in her life.

"It's a sexy marriage. We give each other a lot of attention. Every morning he makes this incredible coffee and brings it to me in bed. Then at night I totally take care of him," she said. "When we're home we have a tequila a few nights a week, and we have a great dinner. We have these romantic evenings."

Some fight the aging process, but Somers celebrates her age because her wisdom has started to pour, and she has perspective having lived a long life. She's a firm believer on putting back what you lose in the aging process. For the past 20 years she's been on full hormone replacement and only eats organic foods. She writes about her philosophies in her latest book, Tox-Sick, which claims to expose the long-term dangers of living in a world that has become increasingly toxic to our health. Age has even helped make her performances more honest.

"At the end of the show I sing Leon Russell's "A Song for You." I couldn't have sung that song when I was in my twenties. I hadn't lived long enough to be able to sing the words that I can hardly sing every night, which is: 'I love you in a place where there is no space or time.' It grabs my heart every time because we either have that love or we yearn for that love. I needed to be this age to feel it," she said.

After Three's Company Somers wondered if she'd ever work again. She recalled that after a year of feeling sorry for herself she was sitting in her living and heard a voice inside say, "Instead of focusing on what you don't have; why don't you focus on what you do have?"

She had her name. She knew she could sing, and that's what initially lead her to Vegas. Now it's all come full circle. Before taking her final bow in her show she sings Rodgers & Hammerstein's "Cockeyed Optimist." The lyrics sum up her life:

When the skies are brighter canary yellow
I forget every cloud I've ever seen,
So they called me a cockeyed optimist
Immature and incurably green.

"I'm content, and it has nothing to do with fame or money," Somers said. "I love my husband. I love my family and my friends. I love what I do. Isn't that it? Every night when I walk out on stage I'm in a state of exhilaration."

For more on Suzanne Somers, including ticket information, visit www.suzannesomers.com.

Earlier on Huff/Post50:

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Photo Credit: Factory Boys


E!'s hit series "Rich Kids of Beverly Hills" returned last week with a handful of changes. A new cast member with a last name I'm sure you'll recognize, longer episodes and from what I hear, a lot of drama. Have no fear Instafans...Season 3 will offer more shopping, impromptu vacations and an array of fun hashtags for your viewing pleasure.

I caught up with cast member Dorothy Wang to hear more about what this season has in store...


It seems there are a lot of changes in the works for Season 3. The episodes are now 1 hour long and I hear Taylor Hasselhoff has been added as a cast member. How did she become part of the group?



Photo Credit: Factory Boys



DW: Yes, I'm so happy that the show is now an hour long. I think it really just lets our stories get a little deeper and air out. I like to say we're like a fine wine that gets be decanted now, haha. I guess EJ and Taylor had known each other when they were younger and reconnected when they were both in New York in February. Taylor and Roxy obviously went to high school together and had a past but didn't really see each other again until we all went to the Bahamas with EJ.


I've been told this season has a lot of drama. Good drama? Bad drama?

DW: Yeah there is definitely a lot of drama. I personally hate the drama, it literally gives me anxiety and I try to avoid it like the plague. I always say I have different, more interesting, aspects of my life to showcase. I especially hate the "dumb drama" as I call it- the drama that occurs when people are just being over the top or ridiculous, or fight over things with no merit, which tends to happen when you have a boisterous group of friends like I do. Which unfortunately is the drama I had to deal with in the beginning of the season, at my birthday. It was a really hard time for me and really hard to watch back on TV. It was definitely my worst birthday ever. The other type of "drama" though, where friends have problems arise and genuinely address them, as nerve-wrecking as it may be, I think is healthy. It's not catty, it's very real and something that happens with every group of friends. So in short, yes there is a lot of drama this season, some "good" and some "bad," but no matter how you spin it it's entertaining to watch!

With cameras always in tow, has there ever been a moment that you didn't want to air?


DW: I honestly have always been very comfortable with the cameras. I remember our first day of filming, the producers were surprised now natural I was. I think I'm just a ham, I light up when that little red light goes on! Haha. I think for so long I lived my life as if I had a camera crew around and people cared about my life, so it's still pretty cool and exciting that it's actually happening now. Maybe i'll feel differently in a few years, but for some reason I really don't see myself getting sick of it! I think we all regret those days we maybe were a little it too lazy to put on makeup or put together a cute outfit! A lot of those "morning after" a long night moments I could definitely do without seeing on my TV screen!

For all your fashionista fans, if your closet was on fire and you could grab only 2 things, what would they be?

DW: OMG! Could you imagine?! Wow this question just sent a pang of panic through me. I guess in these situations the smart choice is to grab your highest ticket items right? So I guess I would go for my mink coat and ostrich Birkin bag.

The show is all about incorporating social media. Now I see you have a line of hashtag necklaces. Tell me more about them!


DW: I've always wanted to have my own lifestyle brand and last year my hashtag necklaces were my first endeavor. I really wanted to do a quality necklace that was fashionable and fun while still being affordable for all my fans and followers. The designs are all my favorite hashtags that you see me using on the show and my social media. I know the show is called "rich kids" and there's a lot of spending and fabulous vacations, but I definitely mix high and low priced items and save where I can! I'm also coming out with a champagne line called #richandbubbly this month! It's no secret that I've lived a privileged life and have experienced the best of the best, so I want to create products that meet my standards and are just as luxurious but at an affordable price point.


Watch #RichKids of Beverly Hills on Sundays at 10/9c on E!
Follow Dorothy Wang at www.dorothywang.com

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Let me be 100 percent blunt for a moment: I used to despise the Kardashian clan.

Not that I had anything against them on a personal level. I've never met Kim or Khloe or any of the other K-names. I'm sure all of them -- even Kris -- are good people on some level.

But I downright loathed the amount of attention they got.

To me, they represented exactly what is wrong with society these days: obsessing over people for no real reason other than they're there. Famous for being famous. And I was a nasty little cynic sometimes, pointing out how easily we could learn about Kim's latest stunt or Kendall's foray into modeling, but how much deliberate work it took to learn about practically anything else. I'd turn on the E! Channel for some lighthearted fun and get Keeping Up With The Kardashians practically every single time. Grocery shopping meant seeing a Kardashian face in passing, their mugs on the cover of at least one magazine that week.

I always had a slew of comments up my sleeve about that family and America's obsession with them:

"I believe everything happens for a reason... except for Keeping up with the Kardashians. There's no reason for that."

"The Kardashian Craze is proof that there is no just God in this universe."

"What terrible things are you doing with your time? Kicking puppies? Stealing from the UNICEF jar? Or -- worse -- watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians?"

Seriously, I didn't understand it and I definitely didn't like it.

And then we learned a former Bruce Jenner was transgender. Jenner was still considered a member of the Kardashian clan -- even after her divorce from Kris Jenner -- and, like anything the Kardashians do, the world took notice. We tuned in when she talked with Diane Sawyer about her struggles, about how she had been living a lie, a double life. We nearly broke Internet again, this time with pictures of her photoshoot with Vanity Fair.

Every channel -- not just the E! channel -- had something to say about Caitlyn Jenner, her life, her past, her present. You couldn't throw a stone in the Internet world without hitting a blost post, an article, some type of blurb on Caitlyn Jenner and what it meant to be transgender.

For many people, this was their first time actually being confronted with the concept. There had been other celebrities who had come out as transgender before -- celebrities like Chaz Bono -- and these celebrities should always be recognized for helping to pave the way. But the attention they received paled in comparison to the attention Caitlyn Jenner received.

Suddenly, dialogues were opening up. People who had never given a passing thought to the transgender community before now knew of someone who was transgender. It meant stories that had been pushed under the rug -- like the suicide of Leelah Alcorn -- were coming back to light. Legislation that had been stalled time and time again -- bills created to protect the rights of transgender people -- were now gaining more and more attention. The fight for equality had a brand new catalyst, and her name was Caitlyn Jenner.

This would not have happened if, as a society, we didn't obsess over the Kardashians in the way that we do. An obsession that I -- as well as many people -- originally saw as pointless and unnecessary.

And if that isn't proof that everything happens for a reason, I don't know what is.

Over the last four or five years, I've taken on a hippy-dippy, New Age, frustratingly neutral belief system. One that takes in the past, the present, and the future of the world, and views it as a type of story or painting. Each event is essentially another line, another chapter, another brushstroke: something deliberate and predestined, something in place to set off another chain of events, another set of brushstrokes. Good, bad -- they're all catalysts for the next event. Like chemical reactions in and on the sun, there to help set off a new set of reactions, a new set of explosions. To keep the sun burning, to keep the story going, to make the painting more captivating.

Everything has a reason, and that reason is intertwined with the story, the painting.

It's not an easy belief system to have. The world is filled to the brim with pain and suffering. I remember sitting on my back porch after an early morning phone call, getting the latest news about a woman I had known since I was in kindergarten, a woman who was slowly losing her battle with breast cancer. I hung up the phone and hugged my knees to my chest and thought to myself, "What's the damn reason here for one of the nicest women in the world to be dying long before her time?"

And then I thought about how trivial my woes felt in comparison to everything else that was going on in the world. And it's only a very small jump, then, into, "What's the damn reason," for every unfair and cruel aspect of life.

In some weird way, it's actually easier to believe in chaos. To believe that things happen for no reason, or -- worse -- that all this pain is somehow a punishment from a higher being. That's an easy belief system to have. It'll eat away at your soul, but that cynical approach takes very little to maintain. I mean, look around you. What's the reason for ISIL, for civil war, for child soldiers and human trafficking and oppressive regimes? What's the reason for abject poverty in the world's most affluent nations? What's the reason for ego and pride and short-sighted heel-digging that can only spell disaster later on down the road?

In light of all that, using something like the Kardashian craze as a reminder that everything happens for a reason seems frivolous and silly. It seems downright naive. But sometimes it's the silly reminders that we need the most. Sometimes what we need is to look at a situation and facetiously go, "What's the reason for this stupid family and their stupid fame?" -- only to realize a near decade later that that stupid family and their stupid fame created a platform for a better fight for equality.

There is a reason. There is always a reason.

So I can't hate anymore. I can't hate on the fact that Kim and Kanye try to break the internet. I can't hate on Kris Jenner's attempts at daytime talk shows. I can't hate on the spin-offs and spin-offs-of-a-spin-off that Keeping Up With the Kardashians created. Khloe and Kourtney, take on Miami. Get down with your bad self. Kendall and Kylie, keep doing what you're doing. There's a reason for all of it, even if that reason won't make itself known for years to come.

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When I started out chronicling the history of burlesque it never occurred to me I would be faced with saying farewell to so many new friends. I hadn't realized I would even be calling them friends. But they were. I should have realized when interviewing men and women in their seventies, eighties, even into their nineties, the losses would come. I hadn't expected to stay in contact with them, chatting, sharing photos, worrying, helping when I could. One I will miss the most is the recently departed auburn-haired, brazen, all-American Blaze Starr.

When I first spoke to Blaze it was hard to believe she was in her late seventies. She spoke frankly and honestly. Over time we talked about many things; sex, men, love, boobs, family. She honored her family and had moved back to the family homestead to help care for her mother and beloved brother Ben. Ben was my first conduit to Blaze and she called me (something she rarely did, I usually called her) after he passed to let me know, as I had had an internet relationship with him, checking on his sister. He had been in ill health, confined to a wheel chair, yet took care of sending out her autographed pictures and selling her jewelry on line. Blaze had me speak with her sister about a niece she wanted to help get into the movies. I made suggestions.

The woman I knew I called Blaze, not by her birth name. She had started out as Fannie Belle Fleming, born April of 1932. Her family was large and loud and close. She helped raise a handful of younger siblings. It was a hard life. They didn't have much money and were lucky enough to get a new pair of shoes once a year. Her daddy got black lung. She was gang-raped as a teen.

Understandably she wanted to escape the hardships of the hills of West Virginia. She didn't run away - like many who stumbled into burlesque- but wanted more from life and when offered a chance to sing, "Yodel" and play the guitar on the stage she left. Of course, with a voluptuous body like hers, and a flowing auburn mane, the owner (who later managed her career until he attempted to rape her) quickly urged her to take off her clothes for the boys in the audience, many soldiers. She was not going to show her "boobies" until he urged her to "Do it for America." Being a patriotic gal she decided what the heck. The reaction was life-changing. She had wanted to be a movie star and flourished under the cheers and hollers of the audience.

Blaze had found her calling. "I loved every minute of it. I loved the audience." She became the "queen" of New Orleans and then Baltimore, setting fire (sometimes literally, more on that) on Bourbon Street and East Baltimore Street, known affectionately as The Block. The "hick from the hills" quickly made a name for herself, never ashamed to say she made a living taking off her clothes. She understood her place in burlesque. "The men need strippers ... They need to fantasize." Eventually she would own the Two O'clock Club on The Block, being one of the wiser strippers who saved and invested for a future when "there won't be no one buying you goodies," as one of her employers warned her.

Blaze started stripping in the 1904s, but was a product of the 1950s type burlesque performer. Big-bosomed, bold, sassy and unafraid. She was clever and handy with tools. She created an act where she set her chaise on fire on stage, taking a couple peach cans and wiring them to waft smoke underneath her writhing body. She was quite proud of that.

For a time she worked with a series of dangerous cats, including panthers and leopards. Eventually giving them up after one jumped on her back and she was convinced it was going for her jugular.

I managed to persuade Blaze to sing for me her song "38 DD" for my documentary Behind the Burly Q. She would have to stop a few times because of a coughing fit. She explained she had heart problems. Had for years. She had endured five by-passes. When a doctor told her about her heart she decided to quit performing because she didn't want to die half-naked on stage.

Like many in burlesque, Blaze suffered her share of prejudice. She once lost a promising romance when her boyfriend's father, a prominent politician tried to pay her off to leave his son. She refused and the father sent the son on an extended trip around the world. Blaze got on her hands and knees and prayed to be over that heartache. Then she moved on. Another romance, a captain on a local police force, refused to acknowledge his flamboyant mistress and had her arrested one night when she was working her usual gig in a club. She vowed to get even, by becoming famous and then tattling to his wife. The captain most likely was the future mayor of Philadelphia, Frank Rizzo.

With John F. Kennedy Blaze seemingly didn't want to get involved with the then Senator, partially because of his "bushy hair." Relationships didn't stand in the way. She was single. So was he. However, it wasn't until they were both married that she fell into a full blown affair with the soon-to-be-president. Encouraged to be nice to "your next President" by her lover of the time, Governor Earl Long, Blaze, was indeed "nice."

She had fun with sex, even when it - and the men - didn't treat her so well. Many cheated on her, one even explaining "it don't mean more than taking a s*#t."

Blaze remained loyal, sticking by Governor Earl Long, refusing money he left her in his will. (Small world, Lolita Davidovich, who portrayed Blaze in the Paul Newman starring film, was a surprise guest at the premiere of my film.)

Blaze continued to believe the right man would come along. "He never did," she told me. But, she was in love "four or five times." And one of the last times we spoke she hinted there was still a man in her life.

Blaze was crafty, sewing many of her own costumes, some of which I own. One, she was particularly delighted it had found the right home with me. I told her my daughter's name was Zsa Zsa. Many years prior a dishonorable press agent promised her a spot on a national talk show. He said it was six months in the future and she would be on the program with Hungarian bombshell Zsa Zsa Gabor. Being a master of publicity Blaze began to plan her outfit, a baby pink gown and cape covered in hundreds of sparkling crystals. She was determined to outshine the diamond-wearing Gabor. Alas, the talk show never came to fruition, but Blaze did use the gown on stage. However, with all the crystals it was heavier than she expected, "and I couldn't wait to get that thing off," she told me. "It took me six months to sew," she said.

For the forward of my first book "Behind the Burly Q" Blaze wrote "I was proud to share my story with Leslie." Blaze, I was proud to know you.

Engrossed in writing my next book, this about one of her contemporaries, Lili St. Cyr, it had been months since I last spoke to Blaze who had admitted to feeling a bit poorly. She spoke about a bear that regularly lumbered upon her porch and her little dog she was afraid it might get. She sounded as she always did, vital and youthful with a sexy, husky voice coming over the line from the "holler" where she lived. I always thought I would have time for another phone call, another laugh. Sadly it was not to be. She died June 15th. But I will have the photos, and the gowns and the stories, and her voice on tape, singing to me.

In the hills of West Virginia
There's a place called Hillings Dale
Long ago I lived there, and my name was Fannie Belle . . .
I said good bye mama. You'd be proud of me
You said if I keep on growing I'll be a 38 Double D
So I'm a 38 Double D and they all come to look at me
And if inches really count I'm in luck from A to Z

Bold, unapologetic, kind-hearted, a bigger personality than even her formidable chest. Blaze Starr was more than her body, an endearing legendary broad, a luminous star now aligned with more of her kind.














Leslie Zemeckis is the author of Behind the Burly Q, the definitive history of burlesque and the director, producer of the award-winning documentary Bound by Flesh, about Daisy and Violet Hilton of Sideshow fame. She had one of the largest collections of burlesque memorabilia. Goddess of Love Incarnate, her biography of stripper Lili St. Cyr will be published by Counterpoint Press September 2015. @Lesliezemeckis, www.lesliezemeckis.com

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Bonnaroo is still the best.

Trendy festivals like Governor's Ball in New York City exist, but no festival in the United States is quite as strong as Bonnaroo. There's something special about the rolling rocky tops of Tennessee, especially if you travel from far away. Tennessee is for real. And the vibe of a coastal or big city type of festival hosted South of the Mason-Dixon Line is for real. It IS America and if you can't love the South, you can't love America. The farm is home. Shout outs to everyone we met from Charleston, Austin, Asheville, Nashville, Memphis, the ATLiens, Miami and all the nooks and crannies in-between.

The following photos tell the story of this year's Bonnaroo.

I tried to balance the music with the people because that's Bonnaroo.

Enjoy them.



Kendrick Lamar's vibe was not killed. Super positive and light, so pleasant in modern hip-hop.




Bonnaroo in all its splendor.




Hold on, Brittany Howard from Athens-based Alabama Shakes. Chops like hers haven't existed since Janis Joplin. No lie.




Everything is going to be fine, bro. We belong here. We're home.




We will wait for you too, Mumford.



For the last time, stop texting me dude. I'm at Bonnaroo.




Florence Welch from Florence & the Machine is a humble, enchanting and spritely fairy goddess.




Yum, that veggie burrito looks kind.




Who's got two thumbs and is about to kill it main stage at Bonnaroo? This guy right here: Jim James, lead singer of My Morning Jacket...



The journey is the destination.




Yo I'm Dangelo and I'm funkier than ever




We're cool. We just need a disco nap.




Southern belle Rhiannon Gidden, an up-and-coming star, check her out!




Do you really want to watch the show through your phone?



Hearts Afire: Chance the Rapper and Kendrick Lamar come out to freestyle and jam during Earth, Wind & Fire who absolutely murdered their set. After 40-plus years this band sounded smoother than ever. Unbelievable!




One of many impromptu performances and parades. This one a choreographed rendition of "Singing In The Rain" under the mushroom fountain at Center Roo



Who wants to come back next year? I do, I do.

My favorite five performances this year were:

1. Earth, Wind and Fire
2. Florence and the Machine
3. The Super-jam
4. My Morning Jacket
5. Bassnectar

Feel free to leave yours in the comment section.

All photos shot by Miami filmmaker and friend Shane Kinsler.

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Well, suffice it to say that we don't actually need to reach the end of 2015 before we know the name of the year is Caitlyn. I thought that the name of the year would be Charlotte (Elizabeth Diana) but boy was I wrong! So the spotlight in celebrity names is now on Caitlyn Jenner and below I present facts about this name's origins and associations with the Jenner family.

According to the much celebrated and cutting edge cover story regarding Caitlyn Jenner in the July issue of Vanity Fair, Caitlyn chose her name over two other top contenders: Heather and Cathy. Caitlyn, meaning pure, is an Irish name. It has been posited that Caitlyn wanted a name that means pure to reflect her new start as a woman. This may especially be true given that one of the other names in top consideration was Cathy, which also means pure. (Heather means from the heather plant.)

Both Caitlyn and Cathy are related to the English name Catherine. Heather is a name with English origins. The fact that these names are connected to the British Isles may be one of the reasons she chose it: Caitlyn's mother, Esther McGuire, has a surname traditionally considered of Irish descent. Although Canadian in birth for generations, the Jenner side of the family has names that are also traditionally from the British Isles. Caitlyn's father was William Hugh Jenner (d. 2000), whose parents were named Hugh Burton Jenner and Bertha Cunningham.

Nay-sayers (I not among them) have said that the name Caitlyn is outdated. Indeed, the Social Security Administration reported that Caitlyn was most popular in 1998 and waned in popularity in the 2000s. However, it is important to note that Caitlyn stayed in the top 200 from 1990 to 2005. Interestingly, of the top three names considered by Caitlyn, one reached its peak in the 1950s (Cathy), one reached its peak in the 1980s (Heather) and one reached its peak in the 1990s (Caitlyn). Therefore, Caitlyn picked the most modern name of the three.

Although Caitlyn is #463 in U.S. popularity according to the Social Security Administration's top baby girl names in 2014, it is #24 among BabyNames.com users. This shows the name remains a top consideration among new and expecting mothers. Also we must look at its modern usage: variation Catelyn was a character on today's hottest t.v. show -- no, not Keeping up with the Kardashians, but Game of Thrones (Catelyn Stark).

The media has speculated that Caitlyn chose to name herself with a C instead of the more popular K because she wants to separate herself from her famous family. I, on the other hand, believe she has chosen a name that starts with a C as an homage to her family. After all, if you say Caitlyn, Kendall and Kylie, there is no difference to the starting consonant sound. However, by using a C, Caitlyn seems to be saying, "I am allied with my family but don't feel I am one of the children." I find this a very healthy outlook on the boundaries between adults and children.

There are many reasons why a person may want to rename him or herself. One is certainly to align with the gender with which one associates. I have also seen other reasons, such as separation from one's nuclear family or identification with something someone treasures. (One such example is someone who named herself Catlin because she liked cats. Fortunately, she did not like ocelots). Regardless of the reason, we have reached generation e(quality), in which our teens and 20-somethings are focused on the equality of their friends and family and even strangers. I, for one, am proud of this generation who instead of a being focused on themselves, are focused on social justice and humanity's basic rights.

So, Caitlyn Jenner, thank you. Thank you for bringing transgender issues to the forefront of public opinion. Thank you for your beauty of your name. And thank you for just being you; we like you, we really do.

Dr. Mallory Moss is a board-certified nurse practitioner in psychiatry and a founding partner of BabyNames.com. Since its launch in 1996, BabyNames.com has been heralded as one of the top parenting sites on the internet. Dr. Moss' passions lay in community-based mental health and destigmatizing mental health diagnoses. Dr. Moss was also the editor of the popular online parenting advice column, "Ask Grandma Maggie."

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