New York summary
July 15, 2008
Dear Sharon,
I had a great time in New York. Willy’s reading on Friday was a treat. It was in this cute little bookstore in Brooklyn, “The Word.” Willy was shocked when he saw me – he certainly wasn’t expecting me there. He read from his book, played a couple of songs including an extended version of the middle portion of “Walter’s On The Lamb,” from Post To Wire. Afterward I was tired after having worked the previous night and bussed up to New York, but he and his editor invited me out to a post-reading get together. Drinks were paid for by the book company, which was very nice, and the evening was filled with stimulating conversation with music and book people. I finally made it home at 3 am.
On Saturday I spent the day walking around Manhattan. I started off just north of Times Square, where I spent some $ at the Virgin Megastore (The Idiot, Never A Dull Moment ($5!), and an R.E.M. single) before heading down to Greenwich Village. I wanted to walk all the way – 50+ blocks – so I could get some exercise and see the sights. I’d done this back in ’92. On the way I saw the (in)famous Chelsea Hotel and got a delicious slice of New York pizza. There was plenty of activity in the Village. Lots of people about, an Obama rally, and a couple of street fairs. Found a cool Dylan DVD for $10 at one booth. I ended up in Washington Square Park. Last time I was there was in ’92 and it wasn’t a pleasant place. This time it was filled with people, including several groups of musicians singing and playing together. One group was doing Traveling Wilburys songs, another was a group of young lads doing Beatle covers.
Around that time my pal Sash met up with me. We had a great experience doing some record shopping. In one store we met up with a woman who was educating herself on the history of (mostly) New York punk. She was in her early thirties & had never really been into music before. She was choosing to be very clinical in her approach and was intent on buying records by the year and working her way to the present chronologically. At this point she was at 1976 and was looking for Patti Smith’s “Horses.”
Saturday night was more fun, sort of, as Sash gave me some lessons on record production, timing, and other things I won’t get into. It was a little brutal but very educational. After that we blew off steam by drinking until 4 in the morning at the local watering hole.
Sunday was spent sleeping in & having breakfast at the Bel Aire diner in Astoria, which the New York Post named as the best diner in New York City in 2005. After future plans were discussed, goodbyes were said, and I made my way to Manhattan to catch my bus home to Washington DC.
Hope all is well with the family. Give everyone my love.
Rob
Dear Sharon,
I had a great time in New York. Willy’s reading on Friday was a treat. It was in this cute little bookstore in Brooklyn, “The Word.” Willy was shocked when he saw me – he certainly wasn’t expecting me there. He read from his book, played a couple of songs including an extended version of the middle portion of “Walter’s On The Lamb,” from Post To Wire. Afterward I was tired after having worked the previous night and bussed up to New York, but he and his editor invited me out to a post-reading get together. Drinks were paid for by the book company, which was very nice, and the evening was filled with stimulating conversation with music and book people. I finally made it home at 3 am.
On Saturday I spent the day walking around Manhattan. I started off just north of Times Square, where I spent some $ at the Virgin Megastore (The Idiot, Never A Dull Moment ($5!), and an R.E.M. single) before heading down to Greenwich Village. I wanted to walk all the way – 50+ blocks – so I could get some exercise and see the sights. I’d done this back in ’92. On the way I saw the (in)famous Chelsea Hotel and got a delicious slice of New York pizza. There was plenty of activity in the Village. Lots of people about, an Obama rally, and a couple of street fairs. Found a cool Dylan DVD for $10 at one booth. I ended up in Washington Square Park. Last time I was there was in ’92 and it wasn’t a pleasant place. This time it was filled with people, including several groups of musicians singing and playing together. One group was doing Traveling Wilburys songs, another was a group of young lads doing Beatle covers.
Around that time my pal Sash met up with me. We had a great experience doing some record shopping. In one store we met up with a woman who was educating herself on the history of (mostly) New York punk. She was in her early thirties & had never really been into music before. She was choosing to be very clinical in her approach and was intent on buying records by the year and working her way to the present chronologically. At this point she was at 1976 and was looking for Patti Smith’s “Horses.”
Saturday night was more fun, sort of, as Sash gave me some lessons on record production, timing, and other things I won’t get into. It was a little brutal but very educational. After that we blew off steam by drinking until 4 in the morning at the local watering hole.
Sunday was spent sleeping in & having breakfast at the Bel Aire diner in Astoria, which the New York Post named as the best diner in New York City in 2005. After future plans were discussed, goodbyes were said, and I made my way to Manhattan to catch my bus home to Washington DC.
Hope all is well with the family. Give everyone my love.
Rob
posted by Rob Christensen | 4:55 PM
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