I Could Lose Everything in a Minute or Two

I've played this one before, but not shown this one. It's of someone not here now, but that should be soon. Here. Now.

I found out last night that a very good friend of mine is dying. And very, very soon. We have sort of drifted apart - that thing that is so easy to do, not talking in four years - and I thought she had beaten the beast. Apparently not. When she hugged me goodbye last night at this random (terrible) restaurant in Chelsea where I had randomly run into her, she said "goodbye" to me. And it was profound.

She's one of the most amazing people I've ever met, and is one of those people that everyone else who's ever met her thinks that she's amazing too. Her life experiences are astonishing, her sense of humor quick and surly (I love making her laugh) and she loved her hash. I hope she still does.

About 24 hours later, it's still settling in.

The last thing she said to me was "Keep those girls standing on chairs."

I've been thinking a lot about what I have. About not being so selfish and appreciating those around me more that are - there.

Here. Now.

Now.

Cover Star: Now
Headlining Band: The Dream Syndicate

www.jamesmgraham.net

Some Of This Is True

Stay tuned...

Whiskey for breakfast.

Cover Star: Emily
Headlining Band: The Dream Syndicate

www.jamesmgraham.net

You're Gonna Wake Up Wonderin'

Things I discovered today:

- "Medicine Show" by The Dream Syndicate. Steve Wynn is a god. Awesome.
- Three Herzog films and one Haneke film. Email for details. Thanks to George and Darien.
- Pilar. Awesome.
- My laundry. Fresh and clean. Email for details.
- I still like cigarettes. Email GlaxoSmithKline with questions.
- I am "happier" with my work. Email GlaxoSmithKline with questions.
- The $4.00 margaritas at La Taqueria, that recently went up to $6.00, and then by popular protest went back down to $4.00 (revolution works!) are STILL $4.00. Awesome. Email GlaxoSmithKline with questions about potential conflicts.
- Hanging out with Tito while he shoots on the streets of Park Slope is fun.
- Spending the weekend alone is - ok. Especially when you trust that you will not be alone very, very soon.
- I have really, really good friends, which I already knew, but it's nice to realize it again.
- I don't think any of my proposed titles for my upcoming book have been warmly received by my publisher. They were pretty ridiculous (except for that one!!!). Awesome.
- People still go to see "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Awesome.
- That enough of this list is enough.

Cover Star: Emily
Headlining Band: The 13th Floor Elevators

www.jamesmgraham.net

Duchess

I had the opportunity to watch George Pitts shoot last night. My friend Sarah. In my apartment.

I had the opportunity to half-ass assist George, but more importantly to take a portrait of him all "covered in sweat," as he said.

I had the opportunity to have dinner with Geroge and talk about all sorts of shit. He is a fascinating thinker and conversationalist. It's fun to make him laugh.

He digs Scott Walker and describes his taste in things as "uncool."

Far from it.

Thanks, George.

Three versions of "Duchess" follow. One of the best songs ever written. The Scott Walker original, and two covers.

Enjoy.

Cover Star: Emily, from Boston
Headlining Bands: Scott Walker Neko Case The Gutter Twins

www.jamesmgraham.net

There Ain't Nothing I Can Do About It

Cover Star: Socks
Headlining Band: The Place Mats covering The (highly underrated) Only Ones

www.jamesmgraham.net

That's All That's Left Behind

The skies, and a sweet caress...

Cover Star: That Girl Right There
Headlining Band: Da Breathers

www.jamesmgraham.net

C'mon, I'd Love To Talk To You

This is a good picture that I took, I think. With some 35mm films. It's sorta what I do best.

That and pick friends.

This entry is about that.

The title and the song are not.

Tonight reminds me of the last night I lived in Raleigh.

How close is just too far?
I think you know what to say.

Cover Star: Emily
Headlining Band: Mr. Buckner

What You Do Is More Important Than What You Say

or what you type.
or publish for all the world to see.
or bitch about at a bar with one of your best friends.

Warmth. Lack of Chaos. Opportunity. Calm. Beauty. A Smile. Berlin.
"Next time, make it in Berlin."

That's the shit that matters.

This one is on the house.
And this one is better than ever!
Happy Thirstday!

Cover Star: CD
Headlining Band: Mr. Pollard & Band

Happy Wednesday

Cover Star: Emily
Headlining Band: Ms. Harvey

I've Got A Stalker !!!

No. For real! I really do!

THAT IS AWESOME!

I've always kinda wanted a stalker...

So, the stalking, STALKER DUDE, why? Jealousy? Did I snub you socially? Psychopath? Sociopath? An idiot? Yeah...

There's a lot of ENERGY that goes into that. Stalking.

It generally means that THE STALKER is not doing anything important with his or her life.

Displaced. Weird energy. Like, why would anyone spend so much time doing that? To me.

What did I do to deserve this, STALKER DUDE?

And changing your IP addresses? Really? Really?

Really?

Pathetic.

I do know that he is actually a "he."

And I have a really good idea of who THE STALKER is...

A REALLY good idea.

I might get stabbed.

Just like in "The Eyes Of Laura Mars" except different.

Enjoy his posts. No really. They are purposely misspelled and kinda stupid.

But entertaining nonetheless. Even though the "heff" thing is not really that clever...

To my point.

Take photographs more. Stop harassing me less.

You'll get better. Really you will, little boy...

; )

Wish Fulfillment

"I see your wishes on the wall, and that's all right with me
I see you run to make a call, hoping that there's someone free
Your life and my life they don't touch at all, and that's no way to be
We've never seemed so far

What is real? What is true?
I ain't turning my back on you
Where you goin? Where you been?
Making wishes, watching dreams

It might be simple, it might be true, I might be overwhelmed by you
You might be empty, the way your eyes just look right through
It's such a mess now anyway, wish fulfillment every day
I don't believe you, now I can't hear a word you say

I see you shaking in the light, reading the headline news
The others they're not quite so bright, we want them to choose you
I could almost see your face tonight, singing simple rhythm 'n' blues
You'll always be a star

Shake it baby! Come on scream!
Just see your face in a magazine
Don't doubt it! Leaves me sore!
I can't stand it anymore

Its my favorite shot of you, you look so pretty your eyes were true
I'm still on your side, in spite of everything you do
Were only blood on blood on life, you paint me pictures every night
Come wish beside me, don't you know you know what's right"

Cover Star: You
Headlining Band: Da Yout

D#

Wanna talk.
Talked.
Wanna talk.
Talked.

Just not to the one I wanted to talk to.

Not good.

Cover Star: Natalie
Headlining Band: Da Yout

Goddammit

i
want
you

Brooklyn Street Kitty

Cover Star: Emily
Headlining Band: Da Yout

She Brings Her Friends To Dinner

Cover Star: Emily
Headlining Band: Da Yout

...

Bored...but, indeed!

(image stolen, wholeheartedly!)

...

Can't sleep...hating.

(image stolen, wholeheartedly!)

Promise

I talked to everybody, I mean, I swear, I talked to everybody. 'Cause anybody that knows me knows that I talk, Lord knows, I talk. I get all agitated and I talk. About anything. About everything, but mostly what I talk about is me. Guilty. Actually not me, but the way I feel. And I feel, Lord knows I feel. Anyway, I talked to everybody, and Lord, you know these days you can talk to folks without even talking to them. You can email, text, leave messages on voicemail and shit, but man, there ain't nothing like actually talking to people. And not talking to them is hard, it's really hard, especially when I'm trying to talk to you.

I miss that.

A lot.

Now.

Something tells me that this is not too long for this world.

The blog, I mean.

Cover Star: Mud Covered Dude
Headlining Band: The Twilight Singers w/ Apollonia

Anonymous

Cover Star: Socks
Headlining Band: The Trainwreck

Fair Use, Parody, Homage, and the First Amendment

On the coffee table, currently reading, or recently read:

"The Ten-Cent Plague: The Great Comic-Book Scare and How It Changed America"
by David Hajdu

"Fair Use; The Story of the Letter U and the Numeral 2"
by Negativeland

"The Pirates and the Mouse: Disney's War Against the Counterculture"
by Bob Levin

"Student's Guide to Landmark Congressional Laws on the First Amendment"
by Clyde E. Willis

The only college course I ever got 100% on every test in was "History of the First Amendment." Thank you, Dr. Raymond Rogers (who passed away on 09/17/08) wherever you are.

Oh, and I got my fucking hair cut.

Cover Star: Sarah with a George Pitts shot from "S" magazine
Headlining Band: The letter U and the numeral 2

They Came From Next Door

Every once in a while I wish I hadn't sold my guitars. I couldn't play them, I mean I could play them, but not really. Just going through the motions. I liked picking out songs, which I was good at, but after that, there was not a lot of - soul. Feeling it. Musical understanding.

I understand music intellectually, but certainly not intuitively, as far as playing it. Intuitively, when I hear something, I know if it's good or dog shit or played bad or whatever comes before you apply your own musical taste to a situation. I can wax on and on about "quality," "ingenuity" and "genius." And I'm always right (same as anyone). I once got paid to be a "music critic" although I preferred to think of myself as a "music enabler" - if I could turn one of my readers onto something that I thought was cool, then that made it all the more worthwhile to receive CDs for free in the mail and to get comped into shows.

But PLAYING, is something else entirely.

I have surrounded myself with many, many musician friends throughout my life. Mostly out of being enamored but also probably out of jealously. The good kind. Maybe some of their "talent" would rub off on me. After all, I was born to be a lead guitarist that would drown the world in my noise.

Yeah, not so much.

So, one day about a year and a half ago, I thought to myself - what do you do best? And making music was not in the top five.

I put an ad on Craigslist for my three guitars, the four track recorder, the Shure microphone and all the cables, manuals and miscellaneous shit that you need to make sound. Dude answered my ad, talked me down $200 and took the whole lot to his van. I helped him carry it.

I'm happier now without all of that clutter in my life. The half-baked notion that maybe one day, I might just "break through."

I know what I do best. I make noise photographically. Or at least I try to. It's much more satisfying, as I feel intuitive with my instruments.

I'm going to try to do more of that.

Without all of the gossip.

The Virgin Mary is tired of it and so am I.

Listen...

Cover Star: Sarah
Headlining Band: Bow House covering the bass player from the Velvet Underbelly's rare and hard to find a digital copy of song. Thank god I got it on vinyl though...

New Year

We have come for light wholly we have come for light it's true I am the sun I am the new year I am the rain I am the sun I am the new year I'm the way home I'm the way home I am the rain I am the new year I am the sun I am the rain I am the new year I'm the way it's true...

Cover Star: Edie. Self-portrait. My camera.
Headlining Band: The Breeders

When She Sleeps...

...it feels perfect.

www.jamesmgraham.net