4/7/02

One day of total mobility, one of near-total stasis. Song du jour yesterday: "Drama Queen," written more or less in the style of the person it's about--and then I discovered that meant I couldn't physically play it. Finally worked it out with the 4-track, alternating chords on two different tracks, and even so it's painfully sloppy. But I didn't say the songs for this project had to sound good; I just have to get them down onto tape. Today I recorded a very quiet cover of Caetano Veloso's "Baby" (the one I mentioned last week) as a lullaby for Meg and Scott's baby Benjamin Perihelion, and Lisa said that counted as my song for the day. She's the judge in these matters. And I figure I can be permitted one cover a week.

The mobility day was yesterday: we went to PS1 for Natalie's birthday party (and to see some of the "Short Century" exhibition of post-colonial African art and artifacts; okay but not as good as it really ought to be), then to Local for Swiss Dot (new wave trio, they've got the keyboards, they've got the ties, they've got the sound, pity they don't have the songs; even more of a pity that one of the keyboardists had a mic that wasn't working AND NOBODY FIXED IT--for ten bucks at the door, no less), then to Rubulad for their last-ever party and a set by Fly Ashtray (new songs, "Soft Pack," a 14-year-old song they'd never played in public before, and Beatles and Stones covers, the latter with a horn section), then to a party at the Out Hud/!!! house. We got home about 5 AM, having been kept awake by 1) the "spring forward" effect and 2) a strange beverage with various stimulants in it that we bought at our local deli--the bottle is shaped like a grenade, the pull-tab has a ring, and the beverage itself is blue and best served VERY VERY cold.

So, naturally, today I didn't do much of anything--cooked some lima beans into a casserole and organized my office a little, but mostly just stayed home and vegetated. I think I needed that.

Douglas

 

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