From: les@jmdl.com (JMDL Digest) To: joni-digest@smoe.org Subject: JMDL Digest V2002 #233 Reply-To: joni@smoe.org Sender: les@jmdl.com Errors-To: les@jmdl.com Precedence: bulk Unsubscribe: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe Archives: http://www.smoe.org/lists/joni Websites: http://www.jmdl.com http://www.jonimitchell.com JMDL Digest Thursday, May 30 2002 Volume 2002 : Number 233 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. ========== TOPICS and authors in this Digest: -------- Re: 'Joni in Fiction' no longer just fiction!' [Lori in MD ] Re: Americans and music (njc) ["gene mock" ] they took me away once again [Nuriel Tobias ] Re: they took me away once again [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] viva [Nuriel Tobias ] Re: they took me away once again [Nuriel Tobias ] Why 10 songs on a record? [SCJoniGuy@aol.com] Re: Patty Griffin at the Troubadour (njc) & more... ["Kakki" ] yet another interesting journey/Christine Lavin (njc) ["Victor Johnson" <] Re: Why 10 songs on a record? [Rick and Susan ] Re: Why 10 songs on a record? ["Brenda" ] Re: yet another interesting journey/Christine Lavin (njc) [anne@sandstrom] the guys (njc) ["patrick leader" ] Questions for a research paper ["S M" ] New Neil Young bio (JC??) [Deb Messling ] Re: Questions for a research paper [juancito@juno.com] Re: Sentence construction [Michael Paz ] Re: New Neil Young bio (JC??) [Fauchja@aol.com] Re: W32 Klez virus alert [Michael Paz ] Blonde in the Bleachers [MGVal@aol.com] Re: RE Sonny Landreth [Michael Paz ] Re: yet another interesting journey/Christine Lavin (njc) [Michael Paz ] Re: they took me away once again [Randy Remote ] ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 09:23:42 -0700 (PDT) From: Lori in MD Subject: Re: 'Joni in Fiction' no longer just fiction!' Smurf wrote: > Luckily, Lori Fye stepped in to save the day. Thanks, Lori! You've been a > godsend! Oh Bob! I would ::::blush:::: except that I really haven't done that much work yet! (I'm looking forward to doing more, though!) You and Les have done wonders, though! Lori ~ Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 12:42:16 -0400 From: "blonde in the bleachers" Subject: Re: Blonde in the Bleachers I am convinced that this song is about Joni. I believe she is stepping back from herself and describing what it was like to fall in love with a "rock-n-roll man" whomever it may be and understand that this man may love her but he can't live with her, which seems to be the overall consensus of FTR. This is the song where she realizes this relationship is over and she has to accept it. I think "she tapes her regrets to the microphone stand" is another way of saying she has acknowlegded this seperation and has made him aware of it too while trying to convince herself with cliches that the relationship was doomed from the start. Who ever this "rock-n-roll man" was seems to suffer from the same affliction so many men (but not all men) suffer from: fear of committment, unable to settle on one thing because who knows something better may be around the corner. What a jackass.....not to mention a fool.... >From: Randy Remote >Reply-To: Randy Remote >To: joni@smoe.org >Subject: Re: Blonde in the Bleachers >Date: Tue, 28 May 2002 16:54:20 -0700 > >Been thinking about this one lately, too. The visual I get is that >she scotch tapes a list of her greviences to the mic stand of the >guy in the song...this must be before the show-since the rocker >will be off to his tour bus or plane afterward.(he's a big enough star >to have roadies). So the singer of the song has backstage access. >The list of regrets is clear,,,you can't hold the hand/make your >plans etc with a rock and roll man....Since so much of the FTR >songs are about JT, I wonder if this is the crux of their breakup- >his weakness for willing groupies, which is, sigh, the nature of >the race....I guess it could easily be about Nash, too. >I had previously thought it was kind of an impersonal story >about some girl's broken heart over some rocker. Maybe the >girl was Joni. >RR > >Erica Trudelle wrote: > > > One of my favorite FTR songs is Blonde in the Bleachers...for obvious > > reasons:) I was wondering what everyone else thought of the line, "She tapes > > her regrets to the microphone stand....", I am sure it probably has some > > very literal meaning, but I always imagine Joni playing to a list of her > > regrets as sorrowful inspiration. I just think it's a wonderful phrase. Any > > thoughts?? Oh and is this one also about JT? I get a feeling that the first > > verse of FTR and BITB are about the same person, but that's just me. > > Take care, Erica - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chat with friends online, try MSN Messenger: Click Here ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 13:14:03 -0400 From: TanyerSCO@aol.com Subject: 'Joni in Fiction' no longer just fiction!' Hey guys... I checked out the movie section here and was shocked and dismayed when I realized that You've Got Mail isn't on there. They have a whole conversation about Both Sides Now. How can I add it? tanya in nyc ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 11:04:17 -0700 From: juancito@juno.com Subject: joni rarities- hejira are there any outakes from "Hejira" floating about? Jim np: Muddy Waters "Fathers and Sons" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 14:16:26 -0400 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: joni rarities- hejira <> In a word, no. There are some pretty cool HOSL demos, though. Bob NP: Elvis P, "Love Me Tender" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 11:28:59 -0700 (PDT) From: Lori in MD Subject: Re: 'Joni in Fiction' no longer just fiction!' Hi Tanya! > I checked out the movie section here and was shocked > and dismayed when I realized that You've Got Mail isn't > on there. They have a whole conversation about Both > Sides Now. How can I add it? At the bottom of this page, http://www.jmdl.com/fiction/, there's a section where you can add your "finds." Thanks! Lori ~ Yahoo! - Official partner of 2002 FIFA World Cup ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 14:29:19 EDT From: BigWaltinSF@aol.com Subject: (njc)I have very nearly done this myself, many times...anyone over 40 can relate Supposedly a true story -- I believe it, anyway -- Best to all (I'm feeling better) -- Walt >>I left Montreal heading toward Quebec city, when > > I decided to stop at a comfort station. The first stall > > was occupied, so I went into the second one. I was no > > sooner seated than I heard a voice from the next stall: > > > > "Hi, how are you doing?" > > > > Well, I am not the type to chat with strangers in > > highway comfort stations, and I really don't know quite > > what possessed me, but anyway, I answered, a little > > embarrassed: > > > > "Not bad." > > > > And the stranger said: "And, what are you up to?" > > > > Talk about your dumb questions! I was really > > beginning to think this was too weird! So I said: > > > > "Well, just like you I'm driving east." > > > > Then, I heard the stranger, all upset, say, "Look, > > I'll call you back, there's some idiot in the next stall > > answering all the questions I am asking you." ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 11:58:48 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: Patty Griffin at the Troubadour (njc) & more... >>Kate, Jerome and whoever else may be going<<- hey kakki, take good care of yourself, sorry to hear you are sick (you better be home!)... i am very excited to see maia! she played in a band up here quite some time ago (but not doing her own stuff)...we communicated via email & i wanted to get her cd & see her perform if she ever got back to SB...(reading her lyrics & listening to bits of songs i was so impressed with her writing)...i hope she has some cds with her, since i have all of patty's already! hey jerome!!!!---are you going? let me know & how we can recognize each other...i will be with my husband jeff & maybe a girlfriend of mine...(you can see what i look like on my website i guess..) i guess the doors open at 8...not sure if you have to get there earlier or not...jeff says its kind of a first there, wait in line for a good seat kind of place...i've never been to the troub... will definately give ya'll a report... oops...i've slacked off & forgotten to report on tom rush (excellent of course but he didn't do circle game but he did to urge & several other great songs...no regrets, a jackson browne song that i forget the title to but ends with "don't confront me with my failures if have not forgotten them" & his song that goes "goodbye mom, goodbye to you to pa") & adam cohen (some people really liked him...i thought he was so so...more pop than his dad but all of the songs were on the same plane...love & relationships...but he's he's young...a hard act to follow his dad so expectations are high even though i tried not to think that way...at moments he did sound like his dad) ******************************************** Kate Bennett www.katebennett.com sponsored by Polysonics Discover the Indies at Taylor Guitars: http://www.taylorguitars.com/artists/awp/indies/bennett.html ******************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 13:53:44 -0500 From: "Sybil Skelton" Subject: Re: Patty Griffin at the Troubadour (njc) & more... a jackson browne song that i forget the title to but ends with "don't confront me with my failures i have not forgotten them" These Days is the song - I just love that closing line Sybil _________________________________________________________________ Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: http://mobile.msn.com ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 14:55:27 -0400 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: Patty Griffin at the Troubadour (njc) & more... <> "These Days"...God what a gorgeous song, Gregg Allman does a killer version on his almost flawless "Laid Back" album. Bob NP: The Pretenders, "Kid" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 12:09:09 -0700 From: "Kate Bennett" Subject: marketing music in America >>And I wander whether the pattern of American music lovers not patronising music from other countries is not typical of American lifestyle. Everything must be American standard or no deal. I feel the people should try out music from elsewhere for a change and better understanding of those cultures and lifestyle. Ugu Nnamani<< Hi Ugu! Where are you from? Besides Joni, what is your favorite music these days? I agree with you that people should listen to music from other cultures, there is so much excellent stuff...Brenda pointed out how easy that is these days. I don't think there is a typical American lifestyle though...there are so many cultures & lifestyles & regional differences & subcultures ....this country is just way too diverse to speak in terms of one lifestyle... ******************************************** Kate Bennett www.katebennett.com sponsored by Polysonics Discover the Indies at Taylor Guitars: http://www.taylorguitars.com/artists/awp/indies/bennett.html ******************************************** ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 12:50:16 -0700 From: "gene mock" Subject: Re: Americans and music (njc) hello, i think ugu is talking about non-western music. until i started listening to alternative radio, i never realized the different forms of world music out there. it's not entirely our fault because world music really doesn't get much print or airplay. later gene - ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kakki" To: "Nnamani Ugu" ; Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 12:19 AM Subject: Re: Americans and music (njc) > Hi Ugu, > > I don't know - there's a lot to counter that assumption. My favorite music > growing up was the Beatles, Yardbirds, the Hollies, the various bands of > Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, all the Canadian folksingers, including Gordon > Lightfoot, Buffy Sainte Marie and Joni (in her first incarnation), none of > whom were U.S. artists. My favorite music in the world since I was 15 has > been from Brazil. I think Americans who love music are very open and > embracing of musicians and music from other countries. > > Kakki > > > The issue of marketing music in America caught my attention. And I wander > whether the pattern of American music lovers not patronising music from > other countries is not typical of American lifestyle. Everything must be > American standard or no deal. I feel the people should try out music from > elsewhere for a change and better understanding of those cultures and > lifestyle. > > Ugu Nnamani ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 13:01:19 -0700 (PDT) From: Nuriel Tobias Subject: they took me away once again H-E-LLLOOOOOOO boys and girls and all aliens!!!:) how are you all? hope you're better than ever and in a good vibe mood. As you may have noticed, i was unbeing, nonpresented and dissfeaturing in our enchanting list for sometime. i was "there" again, after being caught in a drug mess that ruined me strongly bad and shocked my senses and made me go BANANAS, again that is, but you know i told you when i met you i was crazy. (well, i'm not, but i was so overdozed they just had the urge to take me to the asylum and watch my hair growing longer by the hour, hehe:) it's realy long now. btw:) nough said. as for Joni - is 10 her lucky number? seems so, don't ya think? most of her classical ones have 10 songs included inside, which always makes me wonder when it cahnges to 11 or less then 10 like in some of her others. my lucky number btw is 6. but i aint the devil. now here's a tough one - do you think that joni is alcoholic? The thought has crossed my mind several times. In the Lacota video - is that a joint she's smoking or what? i need to know, because i'm now on NA (narcotic anonimous) and i would like to know more about Joni and her bad girl habits. i'd love to listen to a singer who is "clean". (madonna claims she is, and i respect the heaven of that woman for that, among other reasons) i want you all to know that i've missed you so much and i've been thinking about you a lot. you're all amazing. sooner than soon, love, hugs and all the milky kisses in the globe Nuriel _____________________________________________________________ Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com _____________________________________________________________ Promote your group and strengthen ties to your members with email@yourgroup.org by Everyone.net http://www.everyone.net/?btn=tag ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 16:21:34 -0400 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Re: they took me away once again Hi Nuriel, & welcome back... The only reference I've heard Joni give to the number of tracks on her records is that the royalty rate is different if there are more than 10 songs on a record. I'm not in the biz, so I can't really expand upon the statement, just that that's pretty much what she says. As for Joni being an alcoholic, I've never seen any evidence that would indicate that is the case. But congrats to you on getting involved with NA. They do good work according to friends who have experience with them. Bob NP: The Pretenders, "I'm A Mother" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 13:30:44 -0700 (PDT) From: Nuriel Tobias Subject: viva (thanks bob) meant to ask you that for a while, all you dear friends, - when you listen to a Joni album or song - don't ya just feel you'll never die? if you ask me, joni will never die. literaly. anyone? yours in bliss, nuriel _____________________________________________________________ Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com _____________________________________________________________ Promote your group and strengthen ties to your members with email@yourgroup.org by Everyone.net http://www.everyone.net/?btn=tag ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 13:53:48 -0700 (PDT) From: Nuriel Tobias Subject: Re: they took me away once again Bob, my dear, what for gosh sakes is "the royalty rate is different if there are more than 10"? I can't seem understand it's meanin'. Please help me understarnd. (if you still have the time and power to deal with my poor knowledge of english sense) thank you, nuri - --- SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: >Hi Nuriel, & welcome back... > >The only reference I've heard Joni give to the number of tracks on her records is that the royalty rate is different if there are more than 10 songs on a record. I'm not in the biz, so I can't really expand upon the statement, just that that's pretty much what she says. > >As for Joni being an alcoholic, I've never seen any evidence that would indicate that is the case. But congrats to you on getting involved with NA. They do good work according to friends who have experience with them. > >Bob > >NP: The Pretenders, "I'm A Mother" _____________________________________________________________ Free email, web pages, news, entertainment, weather and MORE! Check out -------------------------------> http://wowmail.com _____________________________________________________________ Promote your group and strengthen ties to your members with email@yourgroup.org by Everyone.net http://www.everyone.net/?btn=tag ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 17:00:52 -0400 From: SCJoniGuy@aol.com Subject: Why 10 songs on a record? <> Like I said, I'm not the one who knows; but the gist of what she said in this interview is that they will only pay royalties for up to 10 (or whatever the number was) songs on a record, and that's why she didn't write/release more than that on a project. It doesn't sound logical to me either, but she's much more business savvy than you or I. Bob NP: Prevost & Solley, "Besame Mucho" ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 13:28:42 -0700 From: "Kakki" Subject: Re: Patty Griffin at the Troubadour (njc) & more... Hi Kate, Definitely home but hoping to crawl down to the pool in this great 90 degree weather soon to try to bake it away! Great that you know Maia! You might know that she is the daughter of singer/songwriter Randy Sharp, whose songs have been recorded by many. Maia has gotten some big kudos from no less than Carole King and Art Garfunkel. Phyliss and I had our jaws dropped over her performance. She was well equal to Jonatha. Great report on Tom Rush and Adam Cohen! Kakki ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 17:34:18 -0400 From: Vince Lavieri Subject: they took me away NJC As always, welcome back! Our world here is enriched by the color that you bring to it! Take care! (the Rev0 Vince ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 18:4:0 -0700 From: "Victor Johnson" Subject: yet another interesting journey/Christine Lavin (njc) I just got back today from a 28 hour vigil for clean air that was held in Raleigh, the state capitol of North Carolina, in front of the legislature steps. I think I got almost 6 hours of sleep last night but that was after playing music almost nonstop for several hours, even getting sun sickness cause the sun seemed to shine right through the white tent I was under. Needless to say, I am exhausted still and in need of a complete overhaul(my voice feels trashed and I have a cold on top of that.) But in spite of all that, I had a great time and I think it was definately worth doing. I think I played almost every Grateful Dead song I song, plus every other song I could think of, occasionally having people to jam with. The very last song, I did was "If I Needed You". An NPR guy was there for almost 15 minutes , taping on his minidisc player so there may end up being a segment on it, at least regionally. There was a little girl there as well who sang "This Air is Your Air" a remake of the Woodie Guthrie song. A guy from a CBS affiliate in Charlotte taped me playing "Big Yellow Taxi" so who knows, I may end up on television. Anyway, here's where the Christine Lavin part comes in. It was about 7 last night and there weren't a whole lot of people milling about but this guy came up to our tent to find out about why we were there and he had a case of harmonicas with him. He said he had just started playing and wanted to jam a little bit. Later he told me he was with a group, The North Carolina Poetry Society" who was attending a conference there with arts people from all over Carolina, learning how to lobby the government for arts funding. He invited me and anyone else to come to the museum(next to the tent) to see Christine Lavin, who was doing a free show that night for the conference attendees. I didn't know anything about her except that she is a success singer who does some humorous material. I went home, took a quick shower, and went back to the museum with a friend and got there about a minute before the show started. I don't think I stopped laughing the whole time, she was so entertaining. She is indeed a great performer and I highly recommend her to anyone to go see...you won't regret it. What's more is I ended up getting on stage and singing with her. She said something about how the people from the Miss America pageant had told her, since people love beauty pageants so much, at all of her shows to pick the best looking gentleman in the audience, and crown him so she put on a pin on mic, and walked out in the audience with a miner flashlight on her head, singing this song to every guy in the room. At the end of the song, she picked this one guy and crowned him Mr. Raleigh, and put a paper crown on his head, and then took him up to the stage. Then she called for four more volunteers so feeling serendipitous, I hopped up and ran on stage. We formed a "u" around the microphone and were the backup singers for her next song "Sensitive New Age Guys" which was completely hilarious. We even got a little harmony action going near the end. She thanked everyone of us for singing. I thought it was pretty cool, considering I wasn't really even supposed to be there. And then I won a cd from her, a four disc set of a radio show in New York that she did when she sat in for a dj in 2000. There's one joni track on it but I don't know what song it is yet since I was getting an error message from disc one. Also, she played a really well done song inspired by the events of September 11 (she lives in New York) and recommended an off broadway play called "the Guys" or "Guys" at the Flee(sp?) theatre with Amy Irving and Tom Womack that will probably be running through September. She said it was highly cathartic and very powerful. So I got a lot more than I bargained for when I decided to go on this vigil but then it seems that life is just that way sometimes. Victor, glad to be home... - --- Victor Johnson - --- waytoblu@mindspring.com "Roses wait for the springtime, They sleep beneath the ground. They hear March winds a callin' For the sun to come around."vlj Visit http://www.cdbaby.com/victorjohnson ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 15:13:17 -0700 From: Rick and Susan Subject: Re: Why 10 songs on a record? on 5/29/02 2:00 PM, SCJoniGuy@aol.com at SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: > Like I said, I'm not the one who knows; but the gist of what she said in this > interview is that they will only pay royalties for up to 10 (or whatever the > number was) songs on a record, I don't know for sure either but that sounds correct. Royalty rates were the reason The Beatles' albums contained fewer songs when originally released in the USA than in the UK. In the UK they got royalties based on songs per album, here it was the number of albums put out. Therefore Capitol Records thinned out the number of songs and released more albums in the US than in the UK. Ranger Rick ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 15:45:03 -0700 From: "Brenda" Subject: Re: Why 10 songs on a record? On 29 May 2002 at 17:00, SCJoniGuy@aol.com wrote: > < more than 10"? I can't seem understand it's meanin'. Please help me > understarnd. >> > > Like I said, I'm not the one who knows; but the gist of what she said > in this interview is that they will only pay royalties for up to 10 > (or whatever the number was) songs on a record, and that's why she > didn't write/release more than that on a project. It doesn't sound > logical to me either, but she's much more business savvy than you or > I. The 10 song issue is directly related to something called the controlled composition clause. For new artists, the clause basically says that the record label will limit the mechanical royalties (royalties paid to the songwriter and the publisher - which are separate from the artist recording royalty) that it will pay on any release to 10 songs and usually 75% of the statutory rate. (Today the statutory rate is 8 cents per song. So the maximum that a label would pay is 60 cents no matter how many songs appear on the record, as opposed to the statutory amount of 80 cents.) There is a loophole in the copyright law which essential states that even though the rate is statutory, that labels can negotiate with artists to pay less. Because new artists are desperate for the deal they have very little leverage with regard to this clause and figure that it won't matter if they don't sell any records anyway. Because these mechanical royalties cannot be recouped against any outstanding balance the artist may have with the label (for recording costs, 50% of video, advances), the labels have argued that it is a justified compensation for what they spend in "artist development." Joni's first deal was probably subject to this basic clause. With success she was certainly able to negotiate the rate to the full 100% and maybe increase the number of songs. At the time she was signed, I believe the rate was 2 cents, so the label would have paid her a total of 15 cents per album sold no matter how many songs she recorded. It is also an incentive to record your own songs. If you wanted to record a song by someone else who demanded the full rate, you still have to pay it out of the reduced rate total pool. I've even seen some cases where the artist didn't write any or very few songs and because the other writers all wanted full rate, the total royalty payout exceeded the maximum allowed in their contract. The difference was deducted from their artist recording royalty. Brenda n.p.: Outkast - "Rosa Parks" - ------------------------------ Coincidence is God's way of remaining anonymous. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 15:48:22 -0700 (PDT) From: anne@sandstrom.com Subject: Re: yet another interesting journey/Christine Lavin (njc) Wow Victor - what an eventful few days! Now, I don't want to bum you out, but Christine Lavin is the patron saint of undiscovered talent. You didn't happen to have a CD of yours to hand her, did you???? Still, way cool that you got to be on stage with her... lots of love Anne ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 19:18:05 -0400 From: "patrick leader" Subject: the guys (njc) events of >September 11 (she lives in New York) and recommended an off broadway play >called "the Guys" or "Guys" at the Flee(sp?) theatre with Amy Irving and >Tom Womack that will probably be running through September. the show is called "the guys" and it's running at "the flea", a downtown theater space. the show has been rotating celebs through the two roles so it probably wouldn't be irving and womack by september. a movie (maybe for cable) is planned 'the guys' refers to new york's firefighters. here's how the play came to be. a fire dept captain was writing so many eulogies that it was tearing him up. he was advised and sought the help of a college professor, who helped him write the eulogies. she eventually turned the whole encounter into a play. she somehow knew jim simpson, the artistic director of the flea, (and sigourney weaver's husband) and so on. most of the proceeds go to charity, and a certain number of tickets every night are reserved for firemen. i hear the audiences get pretty choked up. here's a review of the first cast (sigourney and bill murray). whew! Jan 25, 2002 The Guys Reviewed By: David Finkle Its often said that holocausts are difficult, if not impossible, to write about. And yet, out of horror or frustration or a sense of helplessness or a need to pitch in, writers insist on wrestling with the subject. Many playwrights are undoubtedly at work right now, dramatizing their responses to the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, transmuting their thoughts and emotions into characters and dialogue. Theyve come to realize, as so many did in the days after September 11, that the best way to go forward is to do what one does best. The first produced of these response pieces has set a high standard and, astonishingly its not the work of a longtime practitioner; its first-time playwright Anne Nelsons two-hander The Guys. This profoundly understanding and involving 90-minute play came to be when Flea Theater artistic director Jim Simpson, at the suggestion of a company member, sought out a cathartic work to heal psychic and financial wounds sustained from being located so close to ground zero. He found The Guys, which Nelson seems to have written from two heartsher own and that of a grieving fireman. Joan (Sigourney Weaver) is an editor like Nelson, devastated by the catastrophic events of 9/11 and disturbed by what she sees as her irrelevance to the recovery. She jumps at the chance to help Nick (Bill Murray), a tongue-tied fire department captain, compose eulogies for the men hes lost. The genius here is in the simplicity of Nelsons set-up: Shes found both a stand-in for those grieving over family and friends and a stand-in for those spared immediate personal loss but feeling immobilized by damaged understanding. As The Guys unfolds, Nick tells Joan what he knows about his associates and she turns the facts and feelings into eulogies; then either Nick or Joan read them aloud to test their appropriateness. Thats it, and its more than enough. Along the way, Nick becomes the voice of what seems like hundreds of bereft firemen who may be thinking theyve suddenly been acclaimed heroes without necessarily believing they fit the partnot when its their buddies who are dead. These men, Nelson makes clear, are not the uncomplicated, selfless fellows currently being lionized, though she also has Nick declare that this is the best job in the world. Giving Joan some background on four of the guys, as he continually calls them, Nick illustrates that each was complex in his own way. They include the cut-up welder; the eager kid only two weeks into his service; and Patrick, the veteran lieutenant who happened to be Nicks best friend. In the lighter moments that Nelson skillfully slips into the melancholy proceedings, Nick explains some fire-fighting basics. And, in an unexpected revelation, he expresses his passion for the tango. Joan, who occasionally steps in and out of a separate spotlight as the distraught narrator, represents that segment of New Yorks population experiencing an unquenchable urge to be useful. In a series of quick strokes, Nelson conjures a believable Upper West Side sophisticate whod come to Manhattan from Oklahoma and, in time, thought shed nailed down the good life. Joan talks about the prevalence nowadays of the question Are you okay? She explains her ripple theory of the afflicted. She fantasizes about tangoing with Nick. In an outraged metaphorical and metaphysical digression, she gets caught up in explaining how cortisol released in the brain causes irreversible deterioration. Finally, Joan puts forth the impossible conditions under which she would accept reparation: She wants world events to go into reverse in the manner of news footage run backwards. (Nelson understands that the wish-fulfillment plea is a symptom of denial that is still relevant.) Director Simpson gives The Guys a production as distilled as the premise. On the rooms polished hardwood floors, set and lighting designer Kyle Chepulis has placed two comfortable chairs and two low tables on which a few props rest. There are also music stands on which the actors, garbed unobtrusively in street clothes chosen by costume designer Claudia Brown, place their texts. Simpsons work is often extremely energetic, but he has adopted a less-is-more approach for this enterprise. Theres a whole lot of sitting and note-taking going on here; indeed, the only real movement is the minute-long tango, performed to music composed by Nelson. This stripped-down approach to the material couldnt be righter. The performances, however, are anything but stripped down. Weaver sees Joan as a women who, while speaking to you, is forever looping her long hair behind her ears. Shes intelligent and witty (How many times did I vote for Mark Green? she asks herself ruminatively), but shes also anxious, and both the anxiety and the intellect show in her eyes. Weaver has played variations on this character before, but never so economically. She may not be doing much physically but she makes it manifest that Joans mind is never at rest: The woman has been disillusioned, Weaver shows, and her recovery will be slow and probably incomplete. Its the new normal, she says, with pain on her face. Bill Murray, as Nick, hasnt played anything like this role before. Nevertheless he is astonishing. What hes doing as Nick is great acting in that he has completely disappeared into the part. Leaning back uneasily in his chair and occasionally fingering his shirttail, hes the Irish fireman down the block, humble and quietly philosophical. But hes todays fireman down the block, suffering but uncomfortable in venting his feelings to a stranger. When Nick breaks down while listening to the speech Joan has written for him to read at Patricks memorial service, Murray is moving without giving himself over to the sentimentality into which Nelsons script occasionaly threatens to descend but consistently avoids. Every emotion, from concern to fear to excitement to dedication to reflection, plays across Murrays lined face, and its amazing to watch. Right, now theres probably no one in the city giving a better, more burnished performancethe kind that, were it to appear on screen, would automatically lead to Oscar talk. (Murray finishes his run this weekend; Bill Irwin will follow him for two-weeks. Weaver will continue in the play for the foreseeable future.) Theres no need for anyone to be reminded how hard New York City was hit by the September 11 attacks. People like Joan, who are seeking the rays of good that might flash from such incomprehensible evil, will find at least one dazzling glint in Anne Nelsons The Guys. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 23:39:11 +0000 From: "S M" Subject: Questions for a research paper Hi everyone,I am a perpetual lurker but now need some help on completing a research paper for school. My questions:1) How many of you would make the case that Joni's best creative material was produced at the 'beginning' (Song to a Seagull, Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon, Blue,) 'middle' (For the Roses, Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, Don Juan's Reckless Daughter) or 'end' (Mingus, Wild Things Run Fast, Dog Eat Dog, Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm, Night Ride Home, Turbulent Indigo, Taming the Tiger, Both Sides Now) of her career? 2) Would someone care to reclassify these albums into different periods? If so how are those albums unified through the period?2) Does anyone think that the output has stayed at the same level of quality?3) Does anyone think that her best material was produced at the beginning and end of her career? For the avid article readers out there,Can you recommend to me any specific articles that you feel give an accurate in-depth bio of Joni? And finally, if this thread has already been done before, can someone please direct me to it in the archives? Thanks for your time and help,Stephanie Morrison - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 20:06:49 -0400 From: Deb Messling Subject: New Neil Young bio (JC??) Last Sunday's NYT Book Review features a new bio of Neil Young, "Shakey," by Jimmy McDonough. It's almost 800 pages long and there is at least SOME Joni content in it. Is anyone enough of a Neil fan to read this book? (Times review was lukewarm). - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Deb Messling -^..^- messling@enter.net - ---------------------------------------------------------------------- - --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.361 / Virus Database: 199 - Release Date: 5/7/02 ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 19:21:07 -0700 From: juancito@juno.com Subject: Re: Questions for a research paper Stephanie, A couple of things jumped out at me that you may want to consider. "Best" is a subjective term and I think you'll have a hard time getting anyone to agree on what is best. I, for example, may prefer Hejira over Don Juan, but that by no means makes DJRD inferior to Hejira. Secondly, Joni's career is not over as far as I know, so you may want to relabel "beginning" and "end" as "early" and "later" or something to that effect. Good luck with your paper! Jim On Wed, 29 May 2002 23:39:11 +0000 "S M" writes: > Hi everyone,I am a perpetual lurker but now need some help on > completing > a research paper for school. My questions:1) How many of you would > make > the case that Joni's best creative material was produced at the > 'beginning' (Song to a Seagull, Clouds, Ladies of the Canyon, Blue,) > 'middle' > (For the Roses, Court and Spark, Hissing of Summer Lawns, Hejira, > Don > Juan's Reckless Daughter) or 'end' (Mingus, Wild Things Run Fast, > Dog Eat > Dog, Chalk Mark In A Rainstorm, Night Ride Home, Turbulent Indigo, > Taming > the Tiger, Both Sides Now) of her career? 2) Would someone care to > reclassify these albums into different periods? If so how are those > albums unified through the period?2) Does anyone think that the > output > has stayed at the same level of quality?3) Does anyone think that > her > best material was produced at the beginning and end of her career? > For > the avid article readers out there,Can you recommend to me any > specific > articles that you feel give an accurate in-depth bio of Joni? > > And finally, if this thread has already been done before, can > someone > please direct me to it in the archives? Thanks for your time and > help,Stephanie > Morrison > > - ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 20:09:37 -0700 From: Michael Paz Subject: Re: Sentence construction I have always love this lyric to this song and it is one that I feel so deep in my soul when I sing it that I feel like I wrote it. Another one from this song is "my child's a stranger I bore her, but I could not raise her". It makes no sense for a man to sing that line, but it has always been so "there" for me. I don't think be speaking good English all de time is so impotent when the words's you be sanging hit so deep. Even the one about "one big boo hoo" from Man From Mars. I think it was so perfect and another one I love to sing. Peace Michael on 5/28/02 6:05 AM, Dave Cuneo at CuneoDM@XYMID.com wrote: > A lister wrote: > > "The words to that song are so beautiful and perfect. I love these: > > "We look like our mothers did > now > When we were > those kids' > age- " > > Actually, this line should have said "We now look like our mothers did > when we were those kids age". > The sentence structure is confusing at first. However, that IS my favorite > song on WTRF! Dave. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 22:06:48 EDT From: Fauchja@aol.com Subject: Re: New Neil Young bio (JC??) I read it. It wasn't bad. Neil allowed it, and granted access. That's important. Fauchja ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 22:25:31 -0700 From: Michael Paz Subject: Re: W32 Klez virus alert Oh Jerry should we rub that in???? Yeaaaaaaaaaa why not??????? Hee hee hee Brought to you by those wonderful people who urge everyone to get a real computer. on 5/28/02 1:35 PM, Gerald Notaro at notaro@bayflash.stpt.usf.edu wrote: > RoseMJoy@aol.com wrote: > >> sorry for the NJC, but I wanted this reach you all. I've received several >> emails this morning that had zip file attachments. In the subject line it >> reads "Here to continue" One of them was sent from my what looked to be my >> cousins email address, so I thought she was sending me something. Norton >> picked up on it thank god and I deleted them. Shortly after I received that >> hahaha Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs. >> I urge all of you to update your antivirus definitions and scan all your >> files. > > Or, get a Mac. > > Jerry :-) ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 23:24:51 EDT From: MGVal@aol.com Subject: Blonde in the Bleachers Reading about the Blonde in the Bleachers thread and picking out this to add my thoughts: > never got the sense that The Blonde in the Bleachers was Joni. > This is one of my favorite songs now but as a teenager sequestered up in my bedroom, it was one I played over and over and over. Sometimes just to hear Stephen Stills in the background, sometimes to muse over the content. I get such a Joni first person sense from this song, right from the get go with: "the blonde in the bleachers, she flips her hair for you" I've always felt that the subject who "starts to fall," catches the blonde hair in the first place because it reminds him of Joni. On the road and traveling, sometimes it's not the exotic that catches your eye as much as what reminds you of what's back home. So I'm thinking and seeing Joni right off the bat. And it is such a great song. I noticed that Lamadamarama pointed out how it works on so many levels. I see the song constantly flipping, (could be a pun but it's late and I'm tired), back and forth between Joni as the main subject and her man. It may be that she's on the road as well but she's not indulging in the same behavior. While he's out there "falling," she's touring or recording in a studio somewhere, trying to be objective about this, ("you hate living alone, you can still hear sweet mysteries calling you"), but regretful just the same, ("she tapes her regrets to the microphone stand"), and sings them out in song. So for me, I get the two main subjects juxtaposed on each other with Joni weaving those two visions very gracefully. That's all folks, MG NP: not listening to Jeff go on for the umpteenth time about the Kings game last night. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 22:33:58 -0700 From: Michael Paz Subject: Re: RE Sonny Landreth I know I really love that album and if you like that you should check out the rest of his stuff + the stuff he has done with John Hiatt et al. The system he uses is called the TransPerformance guitar. Thanks to this list I heard about it and called the company and got one shipped to me to check out for a Jonifest at Ashara's three years ago. It is a great system (the one I got was in a Telecaster body). The only problem is that is does not work for all the Joni tunings. It has limitations in that it can't go up and down on all of the strings as far as Joni goes on her tunings. The first time I heard the thing was at a NAMM show long before I saw the post about it on the list and they had enlisted Jimmy Page to be an endorser. For the open "G" and "d" and "e" it is fine and works great but they haven't got all the way there yet for Joni stuff. It was also VERY heavy and works only in heavy axes like the Tele or Paul. Hope this helps Paz P.S. I was () this close to having Michele play Jonifest 2000. Maybe when I do the cd release party (wink wink) ;-) ;-) on 5/28/02 8:13 PM, flopit at flopit@mweb.co.za wrote: > > i should have guessed you would have known him. i got a copy of a radio > show (e-town) he did with michelle shocked & was blown away. i picked > up "south of i-10" which is really really good. > > during the radio interview he talked about some strange tuning system he > has, apparently with servo motors attached to each string, mounted in a les > paul body, and linked to some kind of processor. sounded quite fascinating > - do you know anything more about this?? > > ron > > np - michelle shocked - no wonder ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 22:40:01 -0700 From: Michael Paz Subject: Re: yet another interesting journey/Christine Lavin (njc) Ah Victor have you totally like decided to do every rock show and happening for the rest of your life and not work anyonre???? Damn boooooooy! I still haven;t totally healed from Springfest where we got a total of like 12 hours all wekend and already you are doing a Jonifest like Nazi music marathon a few days later. What's on the agenda for this coming weeks and can we come???? Paz on 5/29/02 12:00 AM, Victor Johnson at waytoblu@mindspring.com wrote: > I just got back today from a 28 hour vigil for clean air that was held in > Raleigh, the state capitol of North Carolina, in front of the legislature > steps. I think I got almost 6 hours of sleep last night but that was after > playing music almost nonstop for several hours, even getting sun sickness > cause the sun seemed to shine right through the white tent I was under. ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 22:46:02 -0700 From: Michael Paz Subject: Re: they took me away once again Nuriel Damn where have you been girl?? I feel your pain, but are you not sure it was just a flashback from another drug era?? Glad you grabbed hold of the list again. It is a foundation that is hard to resist and tough to compare. Be well! Paz P.S. Milky kisses in the globe??? on 5/29/02 1:01 PM, Nuriel Tobias at nuriel@wowmail.com wrote: > H-E-LLLOOOOOOO boys and girls and all aliens!!!:) how are you all? hope you're > better than ever and in a good vibe mood. As you may have noticed, i was > unbeing, nonpresented and dissfeaturing in our enchanting list for sometime. i > was "there" again, after being caught in a drug mess that ruined me strongly > bad and shocked my senses and made me go BANANAS, again that is, but you know > i told you when i met you i was crazy. (well, i'm not, but i was so overdozed > they just had the urge to take me to the asylum and watch my hair growing > longer by the hour, hehe:) it's realy long now. btw:) > > nough said. > > > love, hugs and all the milky kisses in the globe ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 21:35:03 -0700 From: Randy Remote Subject: Re: JMDL Digest V2002 #231 I don't think I can agree with this either. World music as a genre is getting huge in the US. British music practically took over in the 70's- Yes, ELP, Tull, Floyd, et al....I was a definite fan! There are literally hundreds of Reggae festivals every summer drawing huge crowds and featuring Jamaican musicians. Celtic music is pretty big. Hawaiian music is big. I went to a Brazilian music concert in San Francisco that was sold out, probably a couple thousand people, and they have them regularly. Shakira. Julio Iglesias. All them Eye- talian operas. Vanessa Mae, The Gypsy Kings, Bjork....I think there is quite alot of diversity. If anything, as someone mentioned, many of our own fine jazz musicians do not get the recognition they deserve. True, the mainstream Top 20 is often a bore, but 'twas ever thus. RR Nnamani Ugu wrote: > The issue of marketing music in America caught my attention. And I wander whether the pattern of American music lovers not patronising music from other countries is not typical of American lifestyle. Everything must be American standard or no deal. I feel the people should try out music from elsewhere for a change and better understanding of those cultures and lifestyle. > Ugu Nnamani ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 29 May 2002 21:41:25 -0700 From: Randy Remote Subject: Re: they took me away once again Nuriel Tobias wrote: > as for Joni - > do you think that joni is alcoholic? The thought has crossed my mind several times. In the Lacota video - is that a joint she's smoking or what? i need to know, because i'm now on NA (narcotic anonimous) and i would like to know more about Joni and her bad girl habits. > I don't think she is an alcoholic. She just doesn't come across as one. Her fondness for a drink now and then is pretty well documented in her own songs. I don't remember the Lakota video, but in interviews she has admitted to smoking the wacky tabacky, and sometimes receiving artistic inspiration from it. Bad habits? The other weed... the legal one...definitely hooked...... Nice to have you back. RR ------------------------------ End of JMDL Digest V2002 #233 ***************************** ------- Post messages to the list by clicking here: mailto:joni@smoe.org Unsubscribe by clicking here: mailto:joni-digest-request@smoe.org?body=unsubscribe ------- Siquomb, isn't she?