My Favorite Albums of All Time (Part 7)

 

My Favorite Albums of All Time (Part 7)

Albums That Were Important to Tosh in 1992

 

1992 I was pretty much busy working in the Beyond Baroque world as its Director and Curator. I had a craving for music but it got very unimportant to me at this time. Looking through the releases there are only two albums that made an impression on me, and they are albums by well-known, yet controversial artists. Yoko Ono and Morrissey. Beyond that, on a music level, I must have been focused on buying old Serge Gainsbourg and Joe Meek related music. French Pop made an impression on me, due to my visits to Japanese record stores. The Ono Box was a retrospective of Yoko's recordings, and it is probably the best set exploring her music. The Morrissey "Your Arsenal" was his 'rock' recording, produced by the great Mick Ronson. At this time, I felt Morrissey was at his height as an artist and 'public figure.' At the time, I thought his approach to the Right-Wing was as in a fictional character. Nevertheless, I have always preferred the solo Morrissey to The Smiths. Not a popular opinion by the way! -Tosh Berman

John Lennon (1980 - 2020)

 

I was 26-years old when John Lennon was murdered. I remember I was half-asleep when I heard the news over my little black and white TV set with the rabbit ears. The reception was bad, and the news came on at 11, and my first thought was 'Dead, like dead, dead?" I thought for sure he would be wounded, and kind of near-death, but would recover, due that he was Beatle. A Beatle dying was unthinkable to me at the time.

I was a mega-Beatles fan during the 1960s, but once they broke up, the spell was broken. When Lennon sang, "I don't believe in the Beatles," I thought that was it. The point-of-no-return. As a teenager, it was like your parents were splitting up, or they were arguing in the next room. You don't want to hear it first, but then once announced to the world, life goes on. I was devoted to all four of them for the first year of their solo albums, but afterward, I became obsessed with glam and punk, and the Fab Four, although extremely well respected for their work and personalities, I moved on to other music. When Lennon retired from the public's view for five-years to raise his son, I thought that was a good move. It also gave room for others to come out and make meaningful music. I was, of course, curious about what he was up to. I think at the time, I even respected and liked Yoko more than Lennon.

The great thing about Lennon is that he was changing, and that was part of his character. He evolved in one way or another. Nothing was set with him. If he lived, I think he would have made music that I would be passionate about. Their last record, "Walking on Thin Ice" (Yoko), was and is incredible. I was happy that he didn't forget to make noise in the perfectly thought out pop songs of his later years.

It's strange to read people criticizing him from another generation. Lennon was candid with his struggles and successes. I have always felt from day one, songs like "All You Need is Love" "Give Peace a Chance" was directed toward himself first and then to his audience. He was a Liverpool lad, with all the goodness and horror that goes with growing up in a shakey world. His mom's death was horrific, yet he went onward as an artist and accepted the new world and all it had for offer. Nothing hesitant for our John. He either went full-throttle for it or ignored it. A remarkable 20th-century figure. Much love to his family, friends, and fans. -Tosh Berman

Jonas Mekas A Dance With Fred Astaire on Tosh Talks

Tosh Berman of "Tosh Talks" chats about the wonderful book by Jonas Mekas "A Dance With Fred Astaire" published by Anthology Editions. In great detail, Mekas talks about working with Yoko Ono/John Lennon, Andy Warhol, Jack Smith and other greats in the independent underground film world.

"A Dance with Fred Astaire" by Jonas Mekas (Anthology Editions)

ISBN: 978-1-94460-09-7 Anthology Editions LLC

Once in a while, a presence comes upon the landscape and shows an incredible amount of character and interest.   Jonas Mekas is clearly in that bracket of a human being.  Filmmaker, head honcho of the Film Anthology in New York City, as well as the Filmmaker's co-op, and writer.  There are many great writers who write about film, but Mekas is the best, because he clearly shows his love for the medium, and by his writing, he expresses that enjoyment of seeing the projected light on a screen.   There have been a few great books by Mekas on film and his life, but "A Dance With Fred Astaire" may be my favorite of his books.  

For one, it's a perfect entrance way to his world for someone who is not familiar with New York / European / World filmmakers, because if nothing else (besides his talent as a filmmaker/writer) Mekas connects to his world like no other individual.  He knows or knew everyone from Andy Warhol to Fritz Lang to Jacqueline Kennedy.   He is the other side of the coin of Warhol, in that in his own fashion he also attracted talent by just standing there.  Of course, that is not true.  He was the publisher and editor/writer for the greatest film publication ever, "Film Culture."  And his weekly column for the Village Voice was the most passionate and smart writing on artist's films and their world.  Like Warhol and his Factory, artists were drawn to Mekas, either by his passion or personality, but it was truly a wonderful culture that produced many flowers that bloomed into films, art, writing and so forth.  

There are so many amazing chance meetings that are listed in "A Dance With Fred Astaire."  For one, Fred Astaire himself who was invited by Yoko Ono to participate in her film by dancing in it, with Mekas following his steps best as possible.  So yeah as a reader, you are trying to put all of this in one's head:  Yoko, Jonas, and yeah, of course, Fred Astaire, with John Lennon.  Or the time he visited Jacqueline Kennedy and she casually told Mekas that Kennedy received an 8mm camera which he kept in his coat pocket the last few years of his life.   She went to the closet, found John's coat, got the camera out and showed it to Mekas.  At the time there is still film inside the camera.  One wonders what is on that film???   And where is that film and camera now?   There is also the incredible connection between Tony Conrad, Henry Flynt, and the UNABOMBER!   

"A Dance with Fred Astaire" is full of illustrations and the book is beautifully designed by Nicholas Law with art direction by Bryan Cipolla.  Creative Director is Johan Kugelberg, who has done numerous great books on cult faves.  Remarkable. 

"Into The Maelstrom: Music, Improvisation and the Dream of Freedom" by David Toop

ISBN: 978-1-5013-1451-3 Bloomsbury

David Toop, for me, is the ideal artist who also writes profound and inspiring books on music culture and its history.   To read any of his books is like having the greatest driver take you to unannounced routes through cultural history.  "Into the Maelstrom..." is a book that addresses the nature of musicians and composers dealing with the issue of improvisation.   The range of artists that are written about in this book is absolutely amazing.  The beautiful thing is Toop was also in the height of the scene during the 1960s - so his views are both personal as well as a history of music being made and recorded throughout the 20th century.  Technically "Into the Maelstrom" deals with improvised music made before 1970 - but reading this, I don't feel the book is contained by an era or a set of years.  It's more about the spirit of making such music, and what it means to its audience/listeners as well as the musicians themselves.  Also one gathers the limits/issues/and politics of making improvised music.  It's not only music, but it is also how humans interact with others, and making art out of chaos.  

David Toop

Toop has an encyclopedic knowledge of literature and music.   What makes him a great writer is that he is able to use those tools to tell a remarkable narrative, but also smart (and entertaining) writer in that he can bounce off one idea from another.   Here in astonishing detail you get the band Cream to Nuova Consonanza (Morricone is/was in this group) to Ornette Coleman and beyond.  Also a focus on Fluxus music making as well as various visual artists/musicians from Europe/Japan.  There are so many obscure artists mentioned, but the great thing there is also a fantastic discography in the back of the book for future investigations.    Perfect book. 

AMM

Nuova Consonanza (Morricone)

Spontaneous Music Ensemble

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Spontaneous Music Ensemble

Yoko Ono

Cut Piece ✂ by Yoko Ono

Four by Yoko Ono