Sunday, December 13, 2009

Feedback...



...is one of my favorite things in the world.

Electric guitar-wise. So is intelligent songwriting. That's feedback too.

And poignant photographs.

And a song about Nico.

Listen. Learn.

I wonder if anyone listened to the last post - "Store Front Display" by Howe Gelb.

"You poor old dump of wax
Limping socks full of tacks
You poor old out of whack
You poor old fucked up load
Crippled up on crumpled road
You don't show up without some flack
Here in the core of the crust
When your rust turns to dust
Here in the core of the crust
A store front display
Eyes that stare and don't turn away"

It's not just Howe's wonderful rhymey songwriting - it's the feedback. He's an unknown genius, but when you get to know him, he's undeniable. Turns out he played Hamburg while I was there. Fuck. The last time I saw him was on Broadway and Spring Street after a gig at the (old) Knitting Factory. He asked me for a good rice and beans place and then introduced me to Joey and John from Calexico like I didn't know who they were. Like a gentleman.

Go back and listen again. Do it. Loud. Twenty-five times. Then buy all of his and Giant Sand's records that you can find. There's like thirty of them...

Here.

But in the meantime, listen to Howe's little ode to the former dead lead singer of The Velvet Underground.

And get back to me.

Oddly enough, it's feedback-free...

Cover Star: Photoshop
Headlining Band: Howe

www.jamesmgraham.net

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