Bowie - "I'm Only Dancing (The Soul Tour 74) Limited Edition, Vinyl, 2020 (Parlophone)

 

For one, it's nice to have a recording of David Bowie's sound on stage during his approach to the Soul and Rhythm n' Blues world. At this time, he embraced American Black culture with a passionate intensity. As much as I like (or love) Young Americans album, it strikes me as a bridge between his Diamond Dogs and Station to Station, which combines his passion for funk and Avant-rock. Still, what a wonderful time and tour where Bowie slipped into a James Brown mode and presented these new songs from Young Americans before it was released. I have to imagine some Bowie fans were scratching their heads at this time, but whatever reason, the music is superb. 

The recording of the record is not top-notch but still listenable. The only weird thing about it is the use of the echo in Bowie's mic -which may work in a live situation, but on record comes off odd. Bowie's voice is shot but still full of emotion, and his singing skills never fail. I also love side 3 because it focuses on the new material: "Can You Hear Me?" "It's Gonna Be Me," and the amazing "Somebody Up There Likes Me." There is also a killer version of Eddie Floyd's "Knock on Wood," as well as hearing the roots to "Fame" called "Foot Stompin'." For the casual fan, this collection is not a must-have, but for the die-hard Bowie lunatic, it is a must to own and enjoy. If I'm not mistaken, the only tour not recorded (or released yet) is his greatest hits tour he did in 1990. 

Tosh's Favorite Albums of 2020

 Keep in mind these are albums I purchased in the year 2020. Some of the music is old, but it's new to me. And in no special order - My favorite albums of 2020 are:

The Bachelor Pad -"All Hash and Cock"

Ennio Morricone - "Peur Sur La Ville"

Jack Nitzsche -"Jack Nitzsche"

The Quick - "Untold Rock Stories"

Jarvis Is... - "Beyond the Pale"

Dan Penn - "The Fame Recordings"

Sparks - "A Steady Drip, Drip, Drip

Egisto Macchi - "Sud e Magia"

V.A.- "Hallucinations: Psychedelic Pop Nuggets from the WEA Vaults"

A Raincoat - "Digalongamacs"

The Preachers -"Moanin'"

Various ‎– "More Lost Legends Of Surf Guitar"

Charlie Parker ‎– "The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection"

David Bowie - "Is It Any Wonder?"

Extended Organ ‎– "Vibe"

King Crimson ‎– "THRAK"

Vince Taylor & His Playboys* ‎– "Vince Taylor Rocks!"

Marc Bölan* ‎– "Electronic Musik"

Kenny Graham And His Satellites ‎– "Moondog And Suncat Suites

"Word Book" by Ludwig Wittgenstein. Translated by Bettina Funcke. Critical Introduction by Désirée Weber. Art by Paul Chan. (Badlands)

 

ISBN: 9781943263240

"Word Book" by Ludwig Wittgenstein.  Translated by Bettina Funcke. Critical Introduction by Désirée Weber.  Art by Paul Chan. (Badlands)

I can't imagine myself as a child and having Ludwig Wittgenstein as my teacher.   Without a doubt, he would hate me.  Wittgenstein was a school teacher in rural communities in Austria between the years 1920 and 1926.  Concerning his biography, he was strict and stern with his young students.  It's reported that Wittgenstein hit one of the students, and they collapsed from the force of his slap or fist. That ended his career as a teacher, but he wrote a book before his unfortunate act of violence.  "Word Book" is a children's dictionary, and Wittgenstein, as a teacher, feels that students needed a book that they can easily go to for spelling corrections and to look up words.  The standard dictionary during those days was expensive or not focused on young student's needs.  

I can't think of more of a perfect philosopher to write such a book.  Wittgenstein's obsession with words and how language is used in the world is a long time concern.  What is the meaning of a word, and how is it used, with the additional thought of a thinking pattern behind the vocabulary.  Wittgenstein was sensitive to word usage in different dialects and communities. 

This beautiful book looks like a student's book from the 1920s.  This book is suitable for people who are studying German. In actuality, it's a replica of a book in a specific time and, more important, by the great Ludwig Wittgenstein.  Beyond his child-hitting approach to teaching, he must have been a great instructor to acknowledge a need that the students had for language that speaks for them.  Like my elementary school years, the teacher taught different subjects, and Wittgenstein taught them science, math, grammar, and writing.  "Word Book" is recommended to all Wittgenstein fans and anyone who loves language and understands the importance of the art and craft that is a dictionary. 

June 5, 2020 (In The Year of the Trump Virus)

June 5, 2020 (In The Year of the Trump Virus)

Today there are 1,445 new cases, and 36 died today from the Trump Virus.  Atwater Village, my neighboring community, is remaining the same with 52 cases total, but where I live, Silver Lake now has 204 cases.   It was under 200 yesterday for Silver Lake.  Glendale, not that far from me, has 1,040 cases total, and today there are eight more who are confirmed to have the virus. Another person died as well, so now the death is 92.  The total in the County of Los Angeles is 61,045 cases and 2,565 deaths.

For me, this reads stay at home and keep away from people. Yet, people do need to live and eat, and therefore they take chances by going back to work and opening businesses.  People who do go out in the world are not only endangering their health, but also others.  Dog eats dog, but do they like the taste of the virus in their mouth?

Lun*na, throughout the afternoon, has been working on the Philip Guston video I made for Artbook / D.A.P.   That should be finished by tonight, and then I will send it off to their main office in New York or their remote workspace.  Do offices even exist in this world?

I'm dismayed in hearing about the Police in Buffalo New York and how they are handling the demonstrators.   There are reports that the Police knocked down a senior citizen who found himself on the pavement with blood coming out of his ear.   The attitude of the Police was to walk past him, but a police officer or two were called for their actions.  Amazingly enough, the entire police squad resigned in support of their fellow cops.  Does one wonder if they work for the public's behalf or support their family, the gang, known as the Police?

April 26, 2020 (In The Year of the Trump Virus)

April 26, 2020 (In the Year of the Trump Virus)

Naturally, I reflect regularly, and now in Lockdown mode, I resonate with great intensity.   I do have a regular schedule at home.  I wake up around 6:30 in the morning, when the dawn is breaking. I have become sensitive to the natural sunrise and sundown, which seems to be changing much faster lately.  When I read my calendar for something that was last week, it seems a lifetime away, yet in the present, the day goes quickly.

I'm fortunate to have a job.  I may be one of the few individuals on this planet that got a job during the Trump Virus lockdown.  I'm co-writing a film script for a French producer/art dealer, and the work keeps me occupied and not always think about the dangerous situation that we are all in at the moment.  When I do focus on the outside world (meaning outside my home), I shutter.  Still, getting food through Instacart, although expensive, is pretty consistent now, compared to a few weeks ago, where one wasn't sure if they can get food delivered to one's home.  My wife and I pretty much stay indoors, except recently I do go in the backyard and sit in the shade to read.  It's hard to believe that a week ago, it was chilly, but now it is in the 90s, and one wonders how is that even possible?

President Virus puts me in a rage, and I hate the fact that I hate him so much.  I don't have a gun, and the reason why I don't have a weapon is that if I see him walking down the street, I will shoot him.  That is not a good position in life.  Nor healthy.  So, I focus on my work.   I do keep myself informed on what's happening politically, as well as any current information regarding the Trump Virus.

Being in a lockup for me is not that difficult.  I do miss the social interactions of seeing people, even the occasional chit-chat with a Lyft driver, but what I miss the most are libraries, books, and record stores.  I tend to go to shops not only to purchase a book or music but also to unload my mind for an hour or so, by just looking at a bookshelf or record store racks.  Time-to-time I like making the noise at 8 pm, but after two or more weeks of that, it is becoming a chore.  Still, this is nothing compared to the people who are working now in saving lives, serving food either in stores or restaurants, and drivers who are still maintaining bus schedules and Lyft drivers.  I'm not here to complain but to enjoy life.  - Tosh Berman

March 29, 2020 (In The Year of the Trump Virus)

March 29, 2020 (In The Year of the Trump Virus)

My gardener came over to the house, and I totally forgot yesterday was the last Saturday of the month. It makes sense that he’s working because he doesn’t have close contact with people in his line of work. I went out to the yard and put his check under a rock and pointed that to him.

My mother called me and told me that Instacart would go on strike on Monday, and she has food ordered and to be delivered on Wednesday. Not sure if the strike will affect her or not. If things are not clear, or they are on strike tomorrow, then she will more likely cancel the order. I will probably have to go shopping for her. This means Lun*na will buy for our food, and I will shop for my mom. My Uncle’s partner is taking care of my Uncle, so he’s been transporting food to their house. They are not Internet savvy, so they don’t know how to use Instacart. The irony was about a month ago or so, I put the Instacart app on my Uncle’s phone, but didn’t set it up for him. Then the next day was the shutdown, and here we are.

In the past, such as last night, there were occasional groupings of young people on the next door empty lot. Mostly drinking and chatting away. It seems that they have no concern about getting sick. When you are young, and if you are not ill, that world of sickness doesn’t mean much in their lives. Until, of course, they get the virus. It must be odd to be a teenager now. Well, it’s always strange to be a teen. Still, I think to be of a certain age, and you have been exposed to President Virus as well as the virus itself, and having your social world contained, is something that must be ‘what the fucking hell?”

If you read my previous post, you know that I had a stressful few days, but now, we are all OK. But who knows about tomorrow. Today, Kimley and I did our first podcast of Book Musik, since the lockdown.  Both of us had to deal with issues involving the isolation, and we missed our deadline for the current show. Kimley figured out how to do our show while she’s in her apartment, and I’m here in the house. It seemed to work great, but I do miss doing the show with her three feet away from me on our round table in the tiny dining room by the side of the kitchen. The book we focused on is Ian Penman’s “It Gets Me Home, This Curving Track.” It’s an excellent book by a wonderful writer who digs deep into his subject matter, which is James Brown, Prince, Elvis, and Mod Culture, among other things. That show will be up on April 1.

I feel anxiety about everything. Politics is a real shit-hole, and even though I’m not a firm supporter of Biden, I’m concerned about his campaign. He has a lot of stuff against him due to the Trump Virus, but also I feel he doesn’t have a firm message. I think it’s time for him and Sanders to get together and work for each other’s presence in the election year, which is now. Biden needs Sanders, and I think he and Bernie should have a serious chat among themselves, and continue forward.  As for me, I’m going to do face-time chat with some friends, and then listen to my box of 45 rpm singles. The isolation life works for me. My fear is getting the virus, not for my health, but the fear of spreading it to my family and money issues galore. 2020 is a lot of fun.

March 21, 2020 (In the year of the Trump Virus)

March 21, 2020 (In the year of the Trump Virus)

Usually, at dusk, and for the last few days, there have been teenage lovers/friends meeting up at the front of our home, near a vacant lot.  There is a sense of urgency in their body communication.  Sometimes it is male teenagers, or females together as well.  Late last night, I heard voices from my office at home and looked outside the window to see five young guys smoking, talking, and standing very close together.  The 65-year old man that is me wanted to yell out, "Hey, 6 feet apart guys."  I didn't do that, because it would have been absurd to them.  More likely, they would ignore me.  They do know the drill.  That is why they are meeting there at 1:00 in the morning, away from prying eyes and ears.  I went to bed with their distant voices in the background as I fell asleep.

This is the fifth day of being isolated from everyone, and it's not as bad as one thinks.  I have my wife here and a case of Charles Shaw wine, which is quickly disappearing.  We're doing Amazon Prime at the moment, because we are getting it free, due to trial use.  We buy things at bulk on Amazon as well as at various online markets.  We originally purchased tons of toilet paper due to the substantial discount.  The thing is before the virus hit Los Angeles in such a manner, we ordered toilet paper, but instead, we got 64 rolls of paper towels.  So, like many other citizens of Los Angeles, we do hunt for toilet paper.  As of now, we have three rolls, and we consider ourselves lucky. -Tosh Berman

March 20, 2020 (In The Year of the Trump Virus)

March 20, 2020 (In the year of the Trump Virus)

I just delivered my mom some bread that we had in the fridge as well as a bottle of wine. I left it on her front porch, walked away to the street, and then called her to come out to pick up the package. She came out, I waved, and then got into the car and left. I was going to do a significant shopping for her (as well as for us), but I presume that the food markets will be intensely busy, and decided to go later in the day, or within a few days. Both my mom, Uncle, and his mate, and yours truly have food in our houses for at least the end of this week. My thinking is to avoid panic buying or avoid other panic-buyers. 

My mood is not on the bottom floor, but somewhere in the middle of the building, perhaps on the sixth-floor. It's either here or there. I was laid off work yesterday, and all I have read is how many people lost their jobs in the past 24-hours. I'm not angry whatsoever, just disappointed because I enjoy this part (really part)-time job greatly. It's a bookstore, and like the other bookstores in the Los Angeles area such as Skylight Books and Book Soup (my old residence) is fully closed until further news. Libraries, my second home, is closed as well. Well, everything is closed that's emotionally important to me. Essential is more body-based, such as eating for survival, and emotional are all the fun shops. 

I spend my time writing and reading the current issue of MOJO Magazine (good article on Jimi Hendrix's last days) as well as a big biography on the legendary surfer Mikki Dora. When I take my baths, I read Cornelius Cardew's "Stockhausen Serves Imperialism." Cardew was an English composer who studied under Stockhausen as well as exploring the works of John Cage. Somewhere down the line, Cardew became a hardened Leftist and denounced Stockhausen and Cage. It's a fascinating read. I have always had a soft spot for individuals who are extremists. Which, in this time and age, makes many nervous. 

I'm a prisoner in our home, and it's not unusual for me to spend days at a time working and living in this space. So, I don't have any problem staying at home, especially when a library and records surround me. Depression does sneak up to me, especially the body blows of the Trump Virus taking effect on my surroundings. It's difficult not to see my mom and Uncle at this time. Still, I do help and think of them all of the time. - Tosh Berman

"The Man Without Talent" by Yoshiharu Tsuge; Translated and Introduction by Ryan Holmberg (New York Review Comics)

ISBN: 978-1-68137-443-7

I'm always fascinated by people who want to disappear in literature.  Yoshiharu Tsuge, the ultimate cult manga artist/writer, seems to be a fellow who wouldn't mind disappearing into the mist.  His manga masterpiece "The Man Without Talent" is a somber journey of rejecting society by staying in tune with one's intuitive choices - whatever it's good or bad.  The series of stories is all about one character that we are lead to believe is the author, with a small son and wife.  The wife is frustrated with her husband's lack of common sense, and the son picks up the tragedy of it all just being there.  He's the little boy who tells his father, "it's time to come home."  

Tsuge's main character decides to open up a 'stone' store by the river.  These are not unique stones by any means, and they all come from the local river.  Anyone can pick up these stones, but Tsuge chooses his inventory carefully so that he can sell them.  Still, a stone is a stone. The absurdity is like people who sell junk, knowing that they are junk, yet, it has a value of some sort. Usually not in a currency sense.  So, his stone selling business is non-existent, yet he works hard daily by being there and selling his stones, that no one buys.   In a sense, he's commenting on his role in life, which is existence on a very absurd term.  There's no humor (at least for this Westerner) here, but Tsuge's work is very much like the films of Robert Bresson in that the artist captures the everyday existence of someone who lives day-to-day. There's a purity of his attempts to achieve his dream, which is basically to disappear.   

As someone who collects vinyl records and books, I find his rock collection interesting as well.  For him, those rocks are priceless or have a price, but to the world, it means nothing to them.  The same goes for his camera collection (in real life as well as in his work), where he buys old cameras cheaply and fixes them up to sell more expensively.   Yet, this is also a dead-end, because eventually, the marketplace will have no need for used broken cameras. 

Ryan Holmberg's introduction (as well as being the translator) is very informative.   I don't know if Tsuge's life is 'exactly' like the way he portrays his main character, but still, it's a skillful method of being in the world of someone who has a hard time dealing with the culture around them.  A remarkable manga.