Waving goodbye (and hello) from an empty classroom...
I miss live music.
This new Belle & Sebastian
live album has been a great help.
Róisín Murphy • Róisín Machine (2020)
Christmas came early! The clear vinyl edition of this spectacular new album just arrived at my door. Róisín Murphy is an artist that continually surprises me with her creative choices and this collection of deep disco / house tracks has been one of my 2020 life savers. If you know my connection to music, YOU KNOW this is VERY high praise. Also... As an avid concert goer for over thirty years, Róisín Murphy ranks in my top 5 concert experiences of all time for her vocal power, stage presence and multifaceted, shape shifting performance dynamics. I cannot recommend this album or this artist (whose catalog as a solo act and as lead singer of the band Moloko is deep and varied) enough. Thank you, Róisín. THIS is the energy we needed in 2020 and for the future. “THIS IS A SIMULATION...”
10 Years Ago
MSG • NYC • 29 December 2010
Three days after the blizzard of 2010 (look it up) paralyzed the NYC area my friend
Kristen Renee
took me to see Prince. The usual 45 - 60 minute drive to Manhattan took 3 hours. We sat behind a “mega bus” for 90 minutes of that trip, the company’s creepy faced toy mascot on the bus’ backside staring down at us as we inched toward the Lincoln Tunnel. Realizing that the face of the mascot on the bus resembled that of a therapy doll that psychologists use to get kids to talk about abuse, I turned to Kristen and said “Show me on the bus where he touched you.” and WE BOTH LOST IT. The remainder of the slow crawl to Midtown was spent in waves of laughter that gave way to bellyaching tears. Once out of the car, we slid arm in arm along narrowly shoveled sidewalks covered in ice and surrounded by uncollected trash along streets heavily lined with snowbound cars that were plowed into iceberg formations. Upon taking our seats at Madison Square Garden, we watched in awe as opening act Janelle Monáe
garnered repeat standing ovations from the crowd and became immediate fans. When Prince took the stage, emerging from darkness under a spotlight at his purple piano, every second spent in cold, snow and traffic fell away. From the opening notes of “The Beautiful Ones” we knew we were in The Presence Of Greatness. Making a nod to the weather he told us “I’m from Minneapolis. I ain’t afraid of your snow!” and treated us to a jam packed set of hits and surprise deep cuts including a personal favorite: “If I Was Your Girlfriend”, during which he was joined by Miss Monáe. Prince ended the show by inviting a number of VIP guests onstage for a singalong of “Jungle Love”, turning the microphone over to Cyndi Lauper
who proceeded to TAKE US TO CHURCH. Less than six years later, Prince would be gone and I think about him (and that night) often. Thank you, Kristen. I’m so grateful that you brought me to that show 10 years ago and I’m so glad we witnessed The Greatest Of All Time together.
It’s Capricorn Season. Celebrating 48
spins around the sun very soon. LET’S GO!
Merry Christmas
From My Turntable To Yours
Question: Can Steve eat matzoh ball
soup through a fiber optic mask?
Answer: It doesn’t matter. Style icons don’t need
to eat. It’s called #fashion honey, look it up.
Merry Christmas From The Montone Family
And (Of Course) My Adopted Brother Steve
(AKA My Parents’ Favorite Child)
Father & Son Fashion Moment #genetics
That thing when you’re on Facebook Live and tell
Steve
to come over to join the chat... and he DOES! Thanks to the friends who took the screenshots!
Happy 74th Birthday
Patti Smith
! These shots are from one of Patti’s legendary New Year’s Eve performances at Bowery Ballroom. For fifteen years, Patti did a three night residence at this intimate venue on Delancey Street in NYC. It was here that friends and I rang in the new year with Patti and her band for seven consecutive years, never knowing what to expect when we arrived. On the night pictured here, Patti’s longtime friend Michael Stipe from
R.E.M.
(who could often be seen in the balcony at these gigs) surprised the crowd by taking the stage, popping a bottle of Dom Perignon and passing some out in cups to delighted audience members as a toast to the first moments of 2012. Afterwards, Michael serenaded Patti with a heartfelt rendition of “Wichita Lineman” by Glenn Campbell, at one point holding her hand as she wept. Happy Birthday, Patricia Lee. I hope to see you (live and in the flesh) again soon.
Screen shots from Patti Smith's 2020 Birthday Livestream
Happy Birthday Mom and Happy New Year from The Montone Family, my adopted brother Steve (AKA my parents’ favorite child) and my imaginary friend / dearly departed twin brother Timmy who was allegedly killed by a pizza truck in 1977. Thanks to Steve for honoring his memory with this commemorative pillow.
Goodbye 2020. Hello 2021. I'm ready.