"Wonder While You Wander" by Tosh Berman Part Two: Loree Fox, Wallace Berman, Tempo Music Store

Wallace Berman and Loree Foxx in the Front of Tempo Music Shop on Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles

Interior of Tempo Music Shop on Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles

Artwork by Wallace Berman (age 16 or 17) for Dial Records, Los Angeles

Loree Foxx Photo by Wallace Berman

Loree Fox by Wallace Berman

I'm currently working on a childhood memoir "Wonder While You Wander," and this serves me as a scrapbook of ideas/images/etc.  

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Los Angeles Review of Books: "In The Words Of Sparks... Selected Lyrics" edited by Ron Mael & Russell Mael

Los Angeles Review of Books did a focus on "In The Words Of Sparks... Selected Lyrics" With three lyrics plus a short introduction by yours truly for this specific great website.
read it here: http://lareviewofbooks.org/article.php?id=1824

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"Singin' In The Rain" by Peter Wollen

A BFI Book published by Palgrave Macmillian ISBN 9781844575145

My first introduction to "Singin' In The Rain" was when Alex was raping a woman in "A Clockwork Orange."   My second visit to "Singin'..." is  Peter Wollen's small book length study of the Gene Kelly/Stanley Donen film.   Strange enough, for a hardcore cinema fan like myself I have never ever seen this film.   Yes, I have seen every Fred Astaire movie at least twice, but "Singin' In The Rain" never!  Yet, that didn't stop me from enjoying this critical adventure into the world of Gene Kelly.

I read this book today, in one gulp on my couch, in a temperture that is around 90.  Therefore by an open window with a slight breeze I was taken into an artificial world that Gene Kelly made - a world that was beautiful.   At least conveyed in the text.   This book works on many levels.  One Wollen argues the importance of dance as an art, but also as an equal companion to the cinema art.   Griffith to Chaplin and of course the Kelly/Astaire world had made a language for the film world that was and is totally open to dance.   Wollen writes about the beauty of this combination, but with a strong critical eye.  Also his in depth almost frame-by-frame look at the famous Kelly dance of the leading song here, is playful and informative.  On top of that the reader also gets the political world of the early 1950's and how that played out in the Gene Kelly world.  The book is an enlarged 70mm snapshot of a specific time with a very specific film with an iconic artist.  Strange enough there isn't that many critical studies on Gene Kelly's work, which is a shame.  But with this back in print....

And Wollen adds a kick-ass annotated bibliography that's extremely informative.  It is sort of like him taking you by the hand and showing you the book titles that are important.  For Dancers who need information regarding the dance history, this is a good book to pick up.  For everyone else... well I am going to see the film!  Peter Wollen wrote a beautiful tribute, analysis, and dance/film history in one slim 87 page book that has no wasted space.  Essential!

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"Lucy In The Mind Of Lennon" by Tim Kasser

Oxford University Press, 9780199747603

A very odd book by Tim Kasser who is a Professor of Psychology, on the subject matter of John Lennon and his wonderful song "Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds."  First of all, a Psychologist looking into Lennon's mind seems so un-rock n' roll like.  Two, it sort of creeps me out that someone can do this without actually meeting or talking to the patient of sorts - Mr. Lennon.

So basically Kasser is getting his information second and third hand, and I think he's reading too literally into a work that's art - which in mind comes from numerous places in the Lennon brain and out there in the world.  There is nothing wrong in writing a book like this, but it is also not that interesting.  I think Kasser states the obvious, and it would have been more interesting if he focused on the culture or the roots of this song.  And maybe in his eyes he did that, but I feel "Lucy..." is about the '60's, London life, as well as the world of Carroll (Alice) and Lennon's insecurity.  I think Lennon was a genius in getting something raw and polishing the work till it becomes something else.  And I would say he did that for his brilliant debut solo album as well.  It is personal, but on a bigger plane it is about feelings, and pop songs are basically the graveyard and platform for 'feelings.'   Lennon knew that, and that is what made him the artist that he is.

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"Big Star: The Story of Rock's Forgotten Band" by Rob Jovanovic

In one word to describe the band Big Star: Iconic.   Like the Velvet Underground, Ziggy Stardust, and the early to mid Kinks, the work is faultless.  Big Star is part of that grouping due that they made music at a specific time in a special city that's Memphis.   To make such perfect noise in the Memphis landscape is quite remarkable.  Does that genius come through the Memphis tap water?  Sun Records, Stax, and then Big Star.

Rob Jovanovic did a great job with respect to research and capturing what makes Alex Chilton, Chris Bell, Andy Hummel and Jody Stephens' music so special.   The one sour note, and it is not the author's fault, that he didn't get to speak directly to Chilton, who without a doubt, is probably one of the most interesting figures in contemporary pop music.  Bruce Eaton's  book on Big Star's "Radio City" (part of the 33 1/3 series) is a much better book, due that he had actually had a relationship with Chilton, and Alex was willing to talk to him.  Through that book one finds out he was devoted to Civil War history,and was quite knowledgeable about Memphis and New Orleans history.  Plus he was totally devoted to the world of Zodiac signs - and had a long interesting relationship with the great photographer William Eggleston.

But by no means does that mean one should ignore Jovanovic's book.  Its a very good (and detailed book, especially the early years of The Box Tops) bio on a band that is endlessly fascinating.  So do get this beautifully produced edition (by the great Jaw Bone), as well as Eaton's book on "Radio City" and the masterpiece by Robert Gordon "It Came From Memphis."  The beauty of the Alex Chilton narrative is one gets a bigger picture of Memphis as well as American music.

Also Read:

And:

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Tosh Berman Interviewed by Colin Marshall (LARB) Regarding "Sparks-Tastic"

Painting by Lun*na Menoh

https://soundcloud.com/lareviewofbooks/larb-podcast-34-tosh-berman

Thank you Colin and the Los Angeles Review of Books:
http://lareviewofbooks.org/

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Let There Be Drums... Tribute To Alan Myers Part 3

Alan Myers remarkable musician.  Amazing (one-of-a-kind) drummer, and an incredible human being. whenever I look at my lighting at home, I think of him.  The lights are bright.

Jean Paul Yamamoto "Candy In The Dark" with Alan Myers


Jean Paul Yamamoto "Sex Never Looks Good" with Alan Myers


Jean Paul Yamamoto "Man Automated" with Alan Myers & Shin Kawasaki


Swahili Blonde

Alan Myers remarkable musician.  Amazing (one-of-a-kind) drummer, and an incredible human being. whenever I look at my lighting at home, I think of him.  The lights are bright.

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