"The Velvet Underground and Nico, the band's first record, is nowhere near so striking as legend has made it out to be. Most of it sounds exactly like 1967, as time-bound as fashions from Carnaby Street." [link] That's a rather shocking statement, given how out of step the VU sounded to me and many others at the time (Ok, it didn't reach me until 1970 or '71, based on things Lester Bangs wrote about them, but close enough). Anyway, you've made your ambivalence about the Velvets known elsewhere though you also seemed to warm up to them and Lou Reed over the years. Do you stand by this 30-year old assessment? Not even a fan of "Waiting for the Man"?? —BRENT RAYMER
The personal anecdote you told in the latest "Ask Greil" about "If You Could Read My Mind" was terrific! I doubt that you would ever want to write a memoir, but if you ever did, focusing it around your experiences of personal listenings to records, songs, performances, etc would be wonderful. Of course, you kind of already do that anyway...
Crazy, fantastic personal story and reminiscence in your Gordon Lightfoot piece! Very well written-- cinematic and definitely takes you there. So weird, and yet, in today's world, it almost seems benign and non-threatening and kind of sweet. Thanks for that.
Very wise words on James M. Cain. As much as I've liked his books - and Mildred Pierce is a great American novel - the movies have a different way of colonizing your brain.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who loved the Gordon Lightfoot story. I always wondered how that record wound up in "Treasure Island," which is not to say I didn't think it merited inclusion. It's been my favorite song of his for many years.
The personal anecdote you told in the latest "Ask Greil" about "If You Could Read My Mind" was terrific! I doubt that you would ever want to write a memoir, but if you ever did, focusing it around your experiences of personal listenings to records, songs, performances, etc would be wonderful. Of course, you kind of already do that anyway...
Also two chords, I think:
Road Runner by
the Modern Lovers
Crazy, fantastic personal story and reminiscence in your Gordon Lightfoot piece! Very well written-- cinematic and definitely takes you there. So weird, and yet, in today's world, it almost seems benign and non-threatening and kind of sweet. Thanks for that.
Love love love the Monte Rio story. Thank you so much for sharing that one, Greil.
Very wise words on James M. Cain. As much as I've liked his books - and Mildred Pierce is a great American novel - the movies have a different way of colonizing your brain.
That vignette about "If You Could Read My Mind" was why I read and will continue to read everything Marcus writes.
Glad to see I'm not the only one who loved the Gordon Lightfoot story. I always wondered how that record wound up in "Treasure Island," which is not to say I didn't think it merited inclusion. It's been my favorite song of his for many years.