From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2000 #440 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/joni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com Unsubscribe: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe JMDL Digest Wednesday, August 9 2000 Volume 2000 : Number 440 The 'Official' Joni Mitchell Homepage, created by Wally Breese, can be found at http://www.jonimitchell.com. It contains the latest news, a detailed bio, Original Interviews, essays, lyrics and much much more. --- The JMDL website can be found at http://www.jmdl.com and contains interviews, articles, the member gallery, archives, and much more. --- Ashara has set up a "Wally Breese Memorial Fund" with all donations going directly towards the upkeep of the website. Wally kept the website going with his own funds. it is now up to US to help Jim continue. If you would like to donate to this fund, please make all checks payable to: Jim Johanson and send them to: Ashara Stansfield P.O. Box 215 Topsfield, MA. 01983 USA ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- DED - PART 3 (long and treacherous content) [MDESTE1@aol.com] Re: Professions NJC [Catherine McKay ] Re: My Job (NJC) [Catherine McKay ] Re: My Job (NJC) [Catherine McKay ] Re: DED Part 2 (long and dangerous content) [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: Marcel reviews DED Part 1. (long and treacherous content) ["Lori R. ] DESTE on DED [Don Rowe ] Marcel's DED review [Michael Bird ] Joni at 17 ["Susan" ] Turntable help - NJC ["Eric Wilcox" ] NJC, Clarinet recordings for Peg [simon@icu.com] Joni w/CSNY ('74 Tour) [simon@icu.com] Re: My Job (NJC) [Evan + Vanessa Thomson ] Rainy Night House [simon@icu.com] your contribution... tanx! :~) ["P. Henry" ] fears (NJC) ["Wally Kairuz" ] Re: Marcel reviews DED Part 1., Long ["Jim L'Hommedieu" ] Presto Chango (NJC) [Michael Paz ] Re: Remember when? (NJC) [sarcee@mindspring.com] RE: JMDL artists ["Wally Kairuz" ] Re: Marcel reviews DED Part 1. (long and treacherous content) ["Jim L'Ho] broadside accident ["Wally Kairuz" ] "Good Friends" was Re: broadside accident ["Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Re: Professions NJC - --- catman wrote: > all this talk of people's professions got me > thinking about my old > one-namely knitwear designer/knitter One of my sisters used to do that! The pay was really lousy, but she enjoys knitting. Much of what she would do was to take a design someone had made (just as a drawing) and knit the actual sweater from a drawing and write instructions as she went along. She has a fancy-shmancy knitting machine but whether she uses the machine, or knits 'em by hand, she can go really fast. As for me, I never could figure knitting out at all. I'd end up going cross-eyed and Margaret never wanted to teach me how to do it. The way she saw it was, if she could figure out on her own how to do it, then so should I be able to. Yeah, right. (BTW, Joni knits too.) ===== Catherine (in Toronto) catrin_of_aragon@yahoo.ca _______________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.ca address at http://mail.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 16:15:54 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Re: My Job (NJC) - --- "Ken (slarty)" wrote: > Are you sure it's the dryer eating your socks? > Read below an article I found: > > Rare Medical Condition. > Sock Eating Syndrome > Hey - it ain't me! (Actually I've heard of pica before - scary stuff!) ===== Catherine (in Toronto) catrin_of_aragon@yahoo.ca _______________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.ca address at http://mail.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 16:22:14 -0400 (EDT) From: Catherine McKay Subject: Re: My Job (NJC) - --- pat holden wrote: > > its the aliens i tell you...trust > me on > this..they are everywhere. even on this list ( shhh > they > are south of the border Catherine, but its our > little > secret ) I heard that one of them was left behind or > something. > okay Im suffering from this heat and > humidesque-pool we > ontarians are swimming in...with no a/c to boot. and > need > to get my self to work ... blaaaaaaaaaaaaa.yuck. It is SOOOOOOOOOOO hot and humid here today that there are palm trees growing outside my place of work! In Toronto, you say? Couldn't be - ah, but yes, it could, thanks to the wonders of modern film-making. They're making a film around here and my building seems to be a Florida court house or something. Whoo, Brooke Shields is in this film. Some of my co-workers even saw her. And apparently Whoopi Goldberg too, although no one has seen Whoopi (I guess she's not in this scene.) Ah yes, the weather is stinking hot (literally stinking - I can see nothing but smog all around) outside but inside the air conditioning has been cranked up so high (or is it low?) that we're all freezing and bitching to property management as usual. I wish I had a pair of socks in my desk drawer to warm up my frozen toes, but I think the aliens et 'em! ===== Catherine (in Toronto) catrin_of_aragon@yahoo.ca _______________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.ca address at http://mail.yahoo.ca ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2000 16:52:24 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: DED Part 2 (long and dangerous content) <> Great post, Marcel! We could discuss a lot of that in length, and hopefully we will...but I would say that 'Shiny Toys" has *much* more than a "hint" of the Police...the thing always sounds to me like a rewrite of "De Do Do Do..." (A song which Joni admitted she absolutely loved). Doesn't take anything away from Shiny Toys, great song on an enjoyable album. But like you say, where Joni was formerly a trailblazer, I too found this one to be very derivative of the times. Bob ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 14:23:41 -0700 (PDT) From: "Lori R. Fye" Subject: Re: Marcel reviews DED Part 1. (long and treacherous content) Marcel wrote, re "Good Friends": > No nerves of steel > No hearts of gold > No blame for what we can and > can't control > Good friends you and me > What does getting together with a good friend have > to do with the words in this song, nada. Hmm. No deep meaning here, just a reference to UNCONDITIONAL FRIENDSHIP, something we see way too seldom in this high-maintenance world. Am greatly enjoying your review, Marcel! Looking forward to Part 3. Peace, Lori, who has tons more she wants to say but who must return to the work at hand, for now ... in DC __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Kick off your party with Yahoo! Invites. http://invites.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 14:27:49 -0700 (PDT) From: Don Rowe Subject: DESTE on DED Remarkably even-handed. I may not agree that the album is as derivative as you suggest ... but the McDonald back-vocal as an 80s signature was dead on. I also don't think "Tax Free" is about Grenada -- the line in Steiger's monologue about "the Castros and the Khadafis" always made me think "that little island SOUTH of Florida" -- was Cuba. But an interesting twist, given the military action of the times. Yeah, Joan does more than a little Chrissy impression on that one tune -- but the chord voicings (I'm real keen on that, being a demon keyboard player) are still, I say, 100% JM. Nobody, but nobody got synth textures like those on DED. It's really the main reason I love the album so much, and also the main reason I chafe at comments that dismiss it as "synth pop." Soft Cell is synth pop, Human League is synth pop -- not so DED. But overall -- very nice analysis. Don Rowe ===== "Closer Now" is now available at http://www.mp3.com/donrowe __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Kick off your party with Yahoo! Invites. http://invites.yahoo.com/ ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 17:55:28 -0400 (EDT) From: Michael Bird Subject: Marcel's DED review Fascinating reading, Marcel. Wonderful insights, some very funny. One question: these ratings, are they out of 100 points? Ha ha. Nickel Chief ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2000 17:38:56 -0500 From: "Susan" Subject: Joni at 17 > Bunny Boy writes: > > It's hard for me to find ANYONE my age or even any age in my area that > > appreciates Joni as much as I do(besides my parents, but they > > were hippies so...). > Oh Baby Brother Joniphile Welcome, we are family! It was hard enough for many of us when we were young (in the 60's & 70's - the decade - not our age) and Joni was in vogue, to get our friends to be as FAN-atical as we are about her, but we never gave up hope! At last in the 90's and here in the year 2000 she has been enjoying a renaissance of her career. Finally, getting the accolades she deserved for so long! We would love to hear what a young fresh soul has to share and say about Joni, art and the world as you see it. Just be ready for the rebuttals and don't take them personal. There are critiques and reviews and deciphering to do on such a body of work, we have only scratched the surface. Not only that but on a personal note, sometimes I am so overcome with so much thought and opinion from so many years of silence on the subject of her majesty, that I don't even get it all out cause who the hell wants to hear me pontificate for hours and hours. So Adrian - Bunny Boy - hey I had an Uncle Bunny, once again welcome! Peace Sister Susan (hey I'm not a nun - okay!) (wondering when will I grow UP!) NP in my head: Let the Wind Carry Me ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 18:25:32 -0500 From: "Eric Wilcox" Subject: Turntable help - NJC Hi everyone! I recently acquired a Thorens turntable that a friend had bought in 1985. Its a great little number. However, I'm having a problem. And since I've never owned a turntable before-- maybe some of you out there can help me. The thing skids. Horribly. It just doesn't want to stay in the grooves. I tried adding weight to the stylus-- but to no avail. I'm hoping to be able to find a new needle-- and I'm hoping that that will do the trick. any other ideas? Thanks so much! eric ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 19:31:35 -0800 From: simon@icu.com Subject: NJC, Clarinet recordings for Peg in a recent post Peg Eves wrote ... > >Can someone recommend two clarinet recordings each featuring >a different clarinet player. Anything but classical. > Peg, there are -3- recordings that i Highly recommend. 1. DON BYRON "Bug Music: music of the Raymond Scott Quintette, John Kirby, and the DUKE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA" 2. BENNY GOODMAN SEXTET "Featuring Charlie Christian: 1939-41" 3. BENNY GOODMAN & JACK TEAGARDEN "B.G. & Big Tea In NYC" if you decide to check these out, you're in for an absolutely amazing journey of musical discovery. damn! below are a few comments & reviews from Amazon.com. for now ~ take care, - ------- simon - ------- re: BENNY GOODMAN SEXTET "Featuring Charlie Christian: 1939-41" Amazon.com essential recording. By 1939 not only had Benny Goodman fronted one of jazz's most popular big bands, but he'd also created highly influential "chamber jazz" with his legendary trio and quartet. Once he heard the young guitar pioneer Charlie Christian, Goodman immediately expanded his small group to a sextet to accommodate him (along with bassist Artie Bernstein). Goodman's recordings with Christian remain some of the genre's most significant work, largely because of the impact of Christian's revolutionary guitar. In fact, many of these original tunes are based on Christian's own "pet licks," showing us just how logical and well constructed his improvisations are. Christian's harmonically advanced single-note solos are a precursor to bebop, but even more importantly, he establishes the guitar as an equal partner to the horn soloists. No longer relegated to rhythm work, Christian's lines are every bit as awe-inspiring as those of the leading blowers of the day. Christian is simply inventing the vocabulary of modern jazz guitar. The sextet is fleshed out by the likes of Lionel Hampton, Fletcher Henderson, Count Basie, and Cootie Williams, and Goodman, never one to be outdone by his sidemen, plays with the vibrancy and the sort of "relaxed precision" that only he was capable of. --Marc Greilsamer ----------------------------- re: BENNY GOODMAN & JACK TEAGARDEN "B.G. & Big Tea In NYC" Amazon.com essential recording: This collection culls 21 cuts from 1929 to 1934 featuring the clarinet master and trombone star as young, brash, and in-demand New York sidemen. The players who dot these exciting sessions are the original "young lions": Goodman (not yet 20 at the first of these dates), Gene Krupa, and Joe Sullivan came to New York from the thriving Chicago scene and were joined by other recent arrivals including Teagarden, his younger brother Charlie, Glenn Miller, and the team of Eddie Lang and Joe Venuti. These boys already knew how to swing hard, and they did so more loosely than was the predominant New York style at the time; there's a tangible sense of exhilaration on most cuts. The four cuts with the already legendary (but rapidly declining) Bix Beiderbecke are nice treats but don't quite match the intensity of the rest of this terrific set. Goodman's tone is a bit grainier than it would become, but his improvisations even at this young age are assured, easy-flowing, and joyful. --Marc Greilsamer ----------------- re: DON BYRON "Bug Music" Amazon.com essential recording. When Duke Ellington began to slip classical motifs and structures into his jazz compositions in the '30s, two fellow composers took his example as a challenge to do the same. Raymond Scott played movie music, led the house band on the popular radio show, "Your Hit Parade," and supplied much of the music for Carl Stalling's famous cartoon scores; John Kirby led a jazz combo that included Ben Webster, Russell Procope and Charlie Shavers. All three bandleaders are saluted on Bug Music. The music inside is playful and joyful, with Byron's clarinet skipping and jumping through the catchy melodies and quirky rhythms. In fact, what's most striking about the recording is not the mix of jazz and classical music, but the mix of jazz and humor, an all too rare combination these days. --Geoffrey Himes The ultimate Sunday morning disc!, May 11, 2000 Reviewer: Tom from New York Don Byron has had a number of impressive releases, but this is by far his greatest achievement. Byron, a first-rate composer in his own right, is also a magnificent conductor and interpreter. Anyone who can take Raymond Scott and Duke Ellington and not only capture the playful spirit of their core compositions but also modernize them while maintaining that "swing" is worth checking out. Do youself a favor and buy "Bug Music." You'll find yourself tapping, smiling and dancing along. A Salutory Reminder of Jazz Before Bop (and After, Too), August 23, 1998 Reviewer: A music fan from Los Angeles, California Virtuoso Clarinettist Don Byron assembles an all-star cast to help him resurrect some generally overlooked pieces of Jazz history. This is a loving tribute to VERY early Ellington, John Kirby and Raymond Scott (he of the six player Quintette). If you've ever wondered what Jazz would sound like if Bird had never been born; or if you're a Ben Webster or Coleman Hawkins fan; or if you like "Looney Tunes" music by Carl Stallings; or if you just liked the music in Robert Altman's "Kansas City", this is the disc for you. (Byron appearred in the referenced film and one wonders if he got the idea for this disc from that experience.) Try this disc; you'll like it. Remarkably fresh, August 2, 2000 Reviewer: Gunnar Madsen from Berkeley, CA USA Fantastically fresh re-creations and re-interpretations of Raymond Scott and a few others. Raymond Scott's music is familiar to almost everyone, as it was used in by Carl Stalling in Warner Brothers cartoons (Bugs Bunny and etc.). This record shows off how wonderful that music was and is. On first listening, the images of the cartoons tied to this music was inescapable for me - but those images have faded from my mind as I've listened repeatedly over the past year, and the music stands on its own now. Very engaging. Don Byron and his assembled band are phenomenal. BTW: i'd also recommend just about any recordings by Sidney Bechet (clarinet & soprano saxophone) as well as Eric Dolphy (bass clarinet, alto saxophone and flute). ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 20:21:16 -0800 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Joni w/CSNY ('74 Tour) Blair Fraipont writes inquiring about Joni opening for CSNY ... > > >Hey everyone, I was curious if anyone recalls the shows Joni did >with CSN&Y back in 1974 on their 'reunion' Tour?? I saw a snipet >of them performing all together (obviously during an encore) from >the VH1 Neil Young Legends special. I just was wondering how >well did Joni play in those Stadiums ... because her music seems >to flourish in more personal spaces; I didnt know if the gargantuam >size of the stadiums changed her performance. and if so, What >songs did she do well? > >Blair f > > Blair, personally i think that Joni's music will 'flourish' anytime and anyplace an audience will give her and ThemSelves half a chance to be drawn in. it's always a question of being receptive. the CSNY audience is essentially a JONI audience as is usually the case with DYLAN's audience. Joni Mitchell has always been warmly received by both, especially in NYC. during the CSNY '74 Tour, Joni Mitchell was one of a number of opening acts at several shows. the two that i'm sure of are: 09-08-74: Roosevelt Raceway / Westbury, N.Y. 09-14-74: Wembley Stadium / London, England (also The Band & Jesse Colin Young) Part of this show was filmed by the BBC. i was at the Westbury, NY show as was at least one other list member. as i recall Joni's set went over quite well with the audience as i would have expected. she was then currently on the road Touring on what would later be called the 'Miles Of Aisles' Tour. her SetList on this particular day was typical of her shows that summer. Joni Mitchell ROOSEVELT RACEWAY Westbury, N.Y. Sept. 8, 1974 1. Free Man In Paris 2. You Turn Me On I'm A Radio 3. Big Yellow Taxi 4. Same Situation 5. Rainy Night House 6. Woodstock 7. This Flight Tonight 8. People's Parties 9. All I Want 10. Woman Of Heart And Mind 11. Cold Blue Steel And Sweet Fire 12. Blue 13. For Free 14. Help Me 15. Jericho 16. Love Or Money 17. The Last Time I Saw Richard 18. Twisted 1 hr. 10 min. ------------- although this SetList is typical, i would point out that the set itself was a little shorter. shows on this tour typically ran up to 1 hr. 50 min. some a little longer, some a little shorter. on this particular day Joni also joined CSNY as well as Graham and Neil and sang harmony vocals on a few songs, as follows: CSNY ROOSEVELT RACEWAY Westbury, N.Y. Sept. 8, 1974 CSNY 1. Helpless 2. Only Love Can Break Your Heart GRAHAM NASH 3. Another Sleep Song 4. Our House NEIL YOUNG 5. Long May You Run NEIL YOUNG 6. Old Man CSNY 7. Change Partners CSN 8. Suite: Judy Blue Eyes CSNY 9. Deja Vu 10. Sugar Mountain 11. Ohio these performances are more interesting *sounding* than they are interesting to listen to. hope this helps. for now ~ take care, - ------- simon - ------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 09 Aug 2000 10:52:04 +1000 From: Evan + Vanessa Thomson Subject: Re: My Job (NJC) > Catherine advised: > > You didn't ask but here's my advice - make him put his > own damn clothes away! > But then how could I be a martyr? :-/ > > > But never fear - you can use the old > ones to make sock puppets for the kids, Christmas > ornaments, dog toys, potpourri holders and so on. > I have a friend you has a mortal fear of sock puppets... he just collapses and carries on when confronted with any sock puppet imagery! Anyone else have an odd fear/dislike? I have therefore concluded that at a young, impressionable age something traumatic involving a sock puppet happened to him. I'm quite clever! Vanessa N.P. Neil Finn ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 21:09:19 -0800 From: simon@icu.com Subject: Rainy Night House recently while going thru some unread Digests from last winter, i came across the following ... > > >From: Jamie Zubairi >Subject: Rainy Night House Discuss > >Here we go, Jamie has another question: > >In her haunting ballad, Rainy Night House, Joni mentions a man who >lived 'with his father's gun, alone'. Does the chap commit suicide? >if not, why mention the gun? > >Just wondering. >I'm not sure if the quote is actually correct but I think it is. > >Jamie Zubairi > > and then there was this ... > > >From: Wally Kairuz >Subject: RE: Rainy Night House Discuss > >wasn't this about leonard cohen and a gun he had from his father? >i remember there was a conflict with his mother over who would keep >the gun. >wallyk > > Jamie, WallyK is correct on this one. here's what i posted ahile back. > > >Subject: Rainy Night House >Date: Mon. Feb. 23, 1998 > >RE: "Rainy Night House" > >FROM: "Various Positions: A Life Of Leonard Cohen" > > Following his father's death, Cohen won a significant dispute with > his mother over custody of Nathan's pistol, a military souvenir. > Cohen had been fascinated by his father's military exploits and at > one time Nathan had spoken of sending Cohen to a military college, > an idea Cohen eagerly accepted. THE FAVORITE GAME describes the > dispute over the gun, presented as an important talisman: > a "huge .38 in a thick leather case ... Lethal, angular, precise, > it smoldered in the dark drawer with dangerous potential. > The metal was always cold." > > Cohen has always been fascinated by weapons, reflected in his novel > BEAUTIFUL LOSERS. "I loved the magic of guns," the character F. > declares. For several years Cohen himself kept a gun. In her lyric > to "Rainy Night House," Joni Mitchell describes how she and Cohen > took a taxi to his mother's house in Westmount during her absence: > "she went to Florida and left you with your father's gun alone." > > > RAINY NIGHT HOUSE > > It was a rainy night > We took a taxi to your mother's home > She went to Florida and left you > With your father's gun, alone > Upon her small white bed > I fell into a dream > You sat up all the night and watched me > To see, who in the world I might be. > > I am from the Sunday school > I sing soprano in the upstairs choir > You are a holy man > On the F.M. radio > I sat up all the night and watched thee > To see, who in the world you might be. > > You called me beautiful > You called your mother-she was very tanned > So you packed your tent and went > To live out in the Arizona sand > You are a refugee > From a wealthy family > You gave up all the golden factories > To see, who in the world you might be. - -------- simon - -------- Wally Breese was my friend -- i miss him. unfair, so unfair. ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2000 18:30:54 -0700 From: "P. Henry" Subject: your contribution... tanx! :~) hi bob, I just want to thank you again for these awsome cd's and to share how completely overwhelming this is... I don't know if you've ever been in the 'stage crew' mode, sitting back at the lights or sound controls while sets were playing, but there is a deep familiarity on that level I have with these early sets... and the quality is SO much better on cd! I'll be playing them on my computer while I'm checking mail and such and, probably due more to the fact that I'm doing something else besides just listening, suddenly I'm in that mode and I'm 17 all over again! it's not easy to describe to you but I can't thank you enough. you've given me back a part of my own life! :o) I'm also especially very hooked on the grapevine cd, as I call it... (flotsam and jetsam) the live versions of solid love, dog eat dog, #1 and of course hejira are priceless and grapevine takes it all over the top! being from detroit the few motown covers Joni has done hold a very special place in my heart... WOW! I guess I've sort of held off writing as it is a little embarrassing when all I can do is gush like this. so much attention has been focused on your excellent work on the covers project of late some may not realize what an awesome library of rarities is can be found throught the trees... I really can't imagine any listmember not jusmping at the chance of getting this one in particular. the live version of hejira is worth the price of admission alone! :o) btw, an interesting thing I was able to compare thanks to you... on night in the city. I can remember the first time I played STAS, back in '68... naturally I first looked for songs I was familiar with from her live sets and NITC was one... I remember that first time I heard it and going 'what was THAT?!?' when I heard that rolling/bouncing bass intro... and now, some 32yrs later, with the secondfret cd, I can sit here and compare and it's so cool... of course back then I had no recording of the way I'd heard it live so many times but I knew the rhythm was different on the STAS version... go ahead, give the two recordings a sisten back to back and you'll see what I mean... somehow in crosby's production with stills' rolling bass, she redid the whole rhythm of the song! by comparison it's almost a reggae flavor! anyway, I just wanted to express my excitement and gratitude for these and go on record with a high recommendation to all on the list to get the flotsam and jetsam cd asap while you are still willing to reproduce them! take care, pat NP: Chelsea Morning - from 'Looking Out For Love' cd http://homepages.go.com/~badwolff/albums/album1/ Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 22:32:35 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: fears (NJC) oh yes!!!! i have an irrational fear of plastic buttons. i have to make a conscious effort every day to button up my shirt. i also get a very funny feeling when i see bunches of things, especially if they're too clustered together, for instance grapes or the hexagonal patterns in a beehive. microscopic pictures of clusters of cells and tiny stuff like that make me feel queasy. skin rashes too. i cannot stand anything related to the eye; i can't give people eye drops and or hear people talk of eye surgery. and least but not last i am terrified of insects. the sight of roaches paralyze me. on the other hand, i don't have any of the common phobias, such as fear of heights or claustrophobia. wallyk, my analyst told me... > Anyone else have an odd fear/dislike? > > Vanessa ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 23:05:13 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Re: Marcel reviews DED Part 1., Long Marcel, What a long post! Please don't hold back when you write a review. Tell us how you REALLY feel. :) Since "Dog Eat Dog" was released in 1985, way before JMDL was invented, there are few posts that involve "first time" reflections. With the wisdom borne of hindsight you have picked up on lots of stuff that I missed about "Dog Eat Dog". I have always thought of it as Joni's "lost" album but, thanks to your review, I see it as a collaboration. It's like Traveling Wilburys album, without Dylan's humor. Perhaps those guys were thinking, "Well, this certianly isn't a Tom Petty album! It doesn't SOUND like any of us, least of all Dylan." After reading Parts 1 and 2 of your review, I now view "Dog Eat Dog" as Joni's "LAMM album" (an expression Marcel coined for 'Los Angeles Music Mafia'). It's a producer's album that happens to have lyrics and lead vocals by Joni. It's like a dance album, where the producer has lots of power over the 'sound'. And like a dance album, it's has more to DO with the sound than about the words that I love so well. (BTW, the words are the reason I buy Joni's stuff in the first place.) So, it's kinda a shame that it was released as a "JONI MITCHELL" album. All the best, Jim L'Hommedieu near Cincinnati ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 23:27:46 EDT From: RobSher50@aol.com Subject: Re: JMDL artists Hi Everyone! I'd like to throw myself in as a JMDL artist. Though I'm not currently performing, I am working on CD project just for posterity. I sing jazz and even though I don't consider myself a "real songwriter", I still want to see my creations come to life. My dream in life is to be able to collaborate with jazz greats too many to name. to be able to win the musical respect of Joni would be a dream come true. I'm sitting here thinking about her tribute tape, awed by her musicality. Her live rendition of "Both Sides Now" blew me away. Even though she had an orchestra behind her, the richness of her voice in my mind, seemed to drown them out. Even though the tribute artists were all very good, when she came out at the end, it was as if you could hear the ringmaster say, "And now...For the main event..." Her one song at the end made the whole program worthwhile. Sherelle (Who is learning how to download files, and what the heck is a "C" drive?) ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 23:37:18 EDT From: Julian51469@aol.com Subject: Unreleased Joni... Hello Everyone! I'm just about halfway done with the first "Ureleased Joni Compilation" tape and have really started to work out what songs I'm missing or have but need another copy. So far the lineup goes: Brandy Eyes, Mr. Blue, Eastern Rain, Born to Take the Highway, Carnival in Kenora, Winterlady, Blue on Blue, Come to the Sunshine, London Bridge, Ballerina Vallerie, Go Tell the Drummer Man, Dr. Junk the Dentist Man, Hunter, Looking Out for Love, and Wilderland. The songs that I have but seem to be needing a fix-up or better copies are: 1) The complete version of "Just Like Me" that is on the WMMR Archives Vol. # 1, second side....for some reason my copy is all warped and wobbly sounding and the other versions that I have have the beginning cut off. 2)My "Club 47" tape is on loan to a friend who is transfering it to a CDR...I like my tape much better than the CDR that I have of it due to the fact that my tape seems to be at a normal speed and has much less hiss. On this tape is: "The Way It Is" and "The Gift of the Magi"...so with this one I shall be playing the waiting game. 3)There is a song that I have that I've been calling "I Don't Know Where I Stand"...I don't see it listed anywhere...Is this the real title? Forgive my ignorance, but is this on some official release that I've completely blanked out on? It is such a great song! Somebody set me strait on this one. 4) Does anyone out there have a complete version of "Melody in Your Name"? The versions that I have are cut off before Joni can finnish the second of three verses. This too is a gorgeous tune. and finally.... 5)There are a bunch of other tunes that I would (and so would everyone else) LOVE to get me hands on. Is there a person or place that I can go to that may be able to direct me to the show with these missing "grail" songs? Looking at the copyrights to some of the songs I've noticed that most of her unreleased songs are from 1966 to 1969....What tapes am I missing that are from this era that might have these songs: Ballad in Blue, Cara's Castle, Daisy Summer Piper, Day After Day, Endless Summer, Free Darling, Gemini Twin, Here Today Gone Tomorrow, I Won't Cry, Jeremy, Julie's Mom, Kelly, Lazy Summer, Little David, Midnight Cowbow Song, Moon in the Mirror, Poor Sad Baby, Song to a Daydreamer, Straw-Flower Man, What Will You Give Me, Who Has Seen the Wind, and The Wizard of Is. As you can see...I am about a quarter of the way through with this project. As soon as I get a full tapes worth...or 74 minutes worth. I'll send it out to be "treed up". I must say that it is already a beautiful thing to play this for friends and it's like it is a whole new early Joni album being released for the first time....There is a strong undercurrent of psychedelic, wide-eyed mysticism to the whole sound and message of the tape. Any thoughts or suggestions or donations would be much appreciated. Thank you all so much for helping me get this far. Take care, Julian ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 8 Aug 2000 23:47:26 EDT From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: your contribution... tanx! :~) << it's not easy to describe to you but I can't thank you enough. you've given me back a part of my own life! :o) >> Wow, Pat...them's some mighty powerful words...I'm happy to use what resources I have, as you do with sharing your recollections of Joni's early club days - stories I would never have imagined I could be privvy to! So my sharing is just a response to *your* sharing ; after all, when you're gone from this life you can only be measured in terms of what you've given away! :~) Thanks for the good words about Flotsam & Jetsam! Steve and I put in a lot of effort on it! Bob NP: "You've Changed", Wallingford, CT 05/27/00 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 00:25:28 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Remember when? Remember when we argued for weeks (months?) about whether or not hitting the "Reply" button should create a message aimed at the List? :) Wow, was that the most boring thread in history or what? :) I wuv JMDL, Jim L'Hommedieu near Cincinnati ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2000 23:30:59 -0500 From: Michael Paz Subject: Presto Chango (NJC) Good Evening- The pinheads and suits at Telocity decided they would merge databases and the system chewed me up and spit me out after this was accomplished. This is an official announcement that I am no longer be the artist known as michaelpaz@telocity.com, but the new improved, lemon freshened, wrinkle free jmichaelpaz@telocity.com (notice the j) For those of you inclined to do so, please make these changes to your address books and telocity (and I) apologizes for the inconvience they have caused us all. If the Gods smile on me I will get some free internet use thanks to this mishap, which has been a huge pain in the arse. Until then I can't wait to catch up on the reviews of DED by our very own SanFranJunkYardDawg, (rim shot please) Marcel Deste. Cheers! Michael Paz ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 08 Aug 2000 22:24:26 -0700 From: sarcee@mindspring.com Subject: Re: Remember when? (NJC) At 21:25 08/08/2000, Jim L'Hommedieu" wrote: >Remember when we argued for weeks (months?) about whether or not >hitting the "Reply" button should create a message aimed at the >List? :) Wow, was that the most boring thread in history or what? :) Most list-admins believe the answer to that question is one of the most critical admin questions they must answer, and I think I remember that you, Jim, had a lot to say about it. :) ~Sarcee ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 02:22:38 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: RE: JMDL artists sherelle, how precious!!!! that's your hard disk!!!! and where have you been hiding, my a cappella hero?!?!?!?!? i still get goosebumps when i listen to your dreamland on a tape of you. love, wallyK > Sherelle > (Who is learning how to download files, and what the heck is a "C" drive?) > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 01:42:04 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: Re: Marcel reviews DED Part 1. (long and treacherous content) Okay Marcel, now let's get down to cases. In this installment, I'll rebut SIDE ONE- Tracks 1-5. TRACK ONE: GOOD FRIENDS Joni said, 1No nerves of steel 2No hearts of gold 3No blame for what we can and can't control 4Good friends you and me You wrote some very funny (and sacriligous) stuff about the lyrics on this album but I have to take exception with you here. I think she's actually ON to something. She normally writes about male/female flawed relationships. Here she's writing about friends and she may be saying that good friends are _comfortable_ because there's no pressure. 1 The author doesn't have her back up about any issues. 2 She isn't desperately seeking perfect, infinite adoration. 3 She isn't fighting at all. 4 So this is nice. That said, I totally agree that the quoted lines about change coming at you like a broadside accident is just so many lines that she 'dropped in'. On the other hand, I like the synchronized like magic line WHEN it applies to the nightclub. Think of the JMDL evenings. Don't they seem correographed? Synchronized? Like magic? (It just works for me, that's all.) This brings up one of the things that is so unnerving for me- I have a total love/hate relationship with this album. TRACK TWO: FICTION This is an excellent example of what I find so darn tough to describe. Even while I'm tapping my foot to the drum track, I'm thinking, "GOD, DO I HATE DRUM MACHINES!?!" (?) Now how in the name of our Lord is that possible? :) Arrggrh! Pffft! Your post made me pull out the lyric sheet. Guess what? This is where the best part of the track lies! One could even simply recite this lyric and it would work better than it does here. (I tried it. It does.) And what about that lyric? Well, I may be too emotional but it may be the most revealing set of words (as you pointed out) that she has written about middle age. Or IN middle age. As a middle-aged cynic myself, I identify with them: "Elusive dreams and vague desires fueled to fiery needs by golden boys in ad empires." This is NOT NO STINKING THROW-AWAY LYRIC, GRINGOS! [[Yes, Pat, it's a double negative, used sparingly here for effect! :) ]] Who else but our Joan would rhyme "desires" with "ad empires"???? Do you LOVE this girl or what?? I am so proud of her! She goes right after big concepts and entities like ad empires, + big business. Does JT do this? Does Dylan? When the track comes around on the CD player, the confusion that she's writing about - ie the MESSAGE, is totally lost (for me). As a self-described 'words' guy it grates my bicuspids that the music trashes the lyric. The music is supposed to be a compliment! Sheesh! (I guess they can't all be "Sweet Bird", ahhhhh.) TRACK THREE: THE THREE GREAT STIMULANTS From a sublime lyric to a minor one. For me, this one is simply about what makes an interesting news article: The 3 great stimulants. I'm just cynical enough to think that these same 3 stimulants made the "Joni Reunites With Daughter" story irresistable to the Public. Musically, I like the string-like sounds. But then, there are still the drum machines to put up with. An interesting exercise. After all this is Joni we're talking about!. Too bad that David Geffen forced Thomas Dolby on her instead of Vince Mendoza! Now that would have been wierd! A Joni/Vince/Larry collaboration on all-new material! Cool! Hmmmmmm...... TRACK FOUR: TAX FREE Yeah Joni, evangelists are wierd. I discovered this when I was about 10 and saw Oral Roberts in black and white in his tv-friendly costume. And I rediscovered it when Jim and Tammy Faye were on. So suddenly Falwell has your panties in a bunch? Where's the news? TRACK FIVE: EMPTY, TRY ANOTHER I use' 'ta hate it. Now I love the guitar part. I always thought it was Larry on bass, but no. Children, when "Dog Eat Dog" was released, it was before CDs where widely available. Empty, Try Another closed side one on the vinyl Long-Playing record. (LP) All the best, Jim L'Hommedieu near Cincinnati ps- Is putting words in someone's mouth also giving them food for thought? I didn't think so. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 03:00:12 -0300 From: "Wally Kairuz" Subject: broadside accident but she had just had an accident!!!!! remember? the original lyrics were something like ''sometimes change comes at you like a broadside accident, you get minor cuts and bruises, you can hammer out the dents''. now i consider the new lyrics a significant improvement. incidentally: marcel, you're such a marvel that you're almost scary... wallyk, uncomfortable in the presence of dangerously intelligent libras. someone [i think jim] wrote: > That said, I totally agree that the quoted lines about change coming at you > like a broadside accident is just so many lines that she 'dropped in'. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 9 Aug 2000 02:36:04 -0400 From: "Jim L'Hommedieu" Subject: "Good Friends" was Re: broadside accident Okay Wally, I'll give you that she had an accident but it doesn't further the "Good Friends" text. Neither does it usefully juxtapose the Good Friends text. Maybe the accident happened on the way to seeing the good friends, but if so, the song doesn't connect them in that way. The accident is "random change (that) you can't prevent" Right? But when you read the lyric or listen to the song, the tissue doesn't connect to the skeleton of "Good Friends". Lemme give you an example of what another songwriter did with 'random change', in this case the death of the author's mother: "Every day another miracle Not even death could keep us apart To sacrifice a life for yours I'd be the blood of the Lazarus heart Birds on the roof of my mother's house. I've no stones that chase them away. Birds on the roof of my mother's house, will sit on my roof someday. They fly at the window, they fly at the door. Where does she get the strength to fight them anymore? She counts all her children as a shield against the pain. Lifts her eyes to the sky like a flower to the rain." Gordon Sumner But I'm not saying that she should always give us profound stuff- God how exhausting! Volley in your court. Lamadoo (no longer in digest mode. Ha!) ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2000 #440 ***************************** ------- Post messages to the list at Unsubscribe by sending "unsubscribe joni-digest" to ------- Siquomb, isn't she?