EVERYTHING IS CANCELLED I'M BUSY
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAVID BOWIE
The newest Saint Etienne album has arrived at my door from the UK on colored vinyl, cassette and double CD formats. As a thank you to fans who were patient with shipping delays, a limited edition 7” single with two unreleased demo tracks was included in the package. This will be the band’s final album but they leave behind a solid catalog which spans 35 years of pop perfection. Thank you, Bob, Pete & Sarah!
5IFTY T3REE
I purchased some more vintage photos on eBay.
The one below was posted in a prior blog post.
I'm repeating it because I returned to the same
seller's page and found three more images from
that stationery store holiday party...
According to the back of this Polaroid
(dated 22 May 1971) this man is Chuck.
I couldn't get over his outfit... mainly the cufflinks
and white leather shoes. I bet Chuck got around.
It snowed on a Sunday...
Blast From The Past • Age 17 • 1990
Last weekend my friend Malika surprised me with “a cache of old photos and invitations to teenage parties” to quote a favorite song by Pet Shop Boys. Among the many images that she shared of us with our friends (many of whom remain a text message or FaceTime call away to this very day) were several snapshots she took at a Host A Murder Party that was hosted by our classmate Chris D’Alessandro. Sadly, Chris passed away unexpectedly last year and will always be remembered as a kind, funny and all around likable individual. Looking at this particular image of me in character (script in hand) as an aviator whose name was Spinner, I was immediately transported back to that evening. All of us were costumed appropriate to the characters we were assigned with our invites. Chris’ family home in Tewksbury was opulent and we dined, following the script, in the family dining room where we ate on china and drank from antique goblets. We retired to the finished basement after the game was done and “the murderer” was revealed (spoiler: it was Malika). I also remember taking a late night walk with some people on a silent wooded road before falling asleep on a leather banquette in my costume with my leather jacket (which was from either Oaktree or Cignal) draped over me. That’s quite a “character scowl” on that young man’s face. If you knew me then, as some of you did, you could say I was a complicated and moody kid. When I come across photos of myself from the late 1980s and early 90s, the 53 year old version of me can’t help but look at that kid and say, “Its gonna be okay, kid. You’re gonna make art and you’re gonna teach others to make art. You’re gonna write and illustrate. You’re gonna do well. You’re gonna meet amazing new friends. You’re gonna fall in love and be loved. You’re gonna experience some heartbreak and loss, but you’ll get back up and do it again. You’re gonna get to meet and shake hands with some of your idols. Most of all, you’re going to be AUTHENTICALLY yourself. Don’t worry, kid. Just keep your heart open and you’re gonna have a REALLY nice life… JUST. YOU. WAIT.” Many thanks to Malika for this cosmic mind trip. Here are some more images that she shared...
I woke up to this on a Monday...
That peach light made me very happy.
From a narrow river bridge...
I am grateful to be here for another year
however winter can crawl in a hole and die.
Anyway... I hope everyone is staying warm!
Cheers to all. XO - CDM
