March 28, 2009

I keep busy. Occupy my time by myself if I'm not walking the dog. Wander PDX on the weekends, looking for fun and free things to do. Walk walk walk and take it all in with the sun in my eyes during the day, and the moon over my shoulder at night. This was yesterday.

Eagle's Lodge rummage sale special find - Canada Royal Mountie salt and pepper shaker ($1).


Not pictured: two wonderful Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee folk records ($4) and two 45s: "I.O.U." by Freeez and Run D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way b/w King of Rock" ($1). The Sonny and Brownie records are great - Sonny was a talented harmonica player and these records showcase his work with Woody Guthrie and Lightin' Hopkins. Sonny's style was often imitated (e.g., listen to the Yardbirds' "Train Kept A' Rollin'").

Freeez is another Arthur Baker produced band (see also New Order and Planet Patrol). He is assisted on this record by Jellybean Benitez and John Robie! Needless to say, this is an electro powerhouse record from 1983. The dub flipside is phenomenal, and a DJ's dream. Baker freely lifts synth bass lines from his production work for Planet Patrol and inserts them into Freeez's "I.O.U." Same bass line from Planet Patrol's "Don't Tell Me". Since I now have both these records, I can DJ the ultimate dance party now. Still sticking to the only play vinyl credo. I haven't been able to convert the Freeez 45 into a mp3 yet, so here's the Planet Patrol track instead:

And then I watched the John Cassavetes classic A Woman Under the Influence at the Art Museum (for free). I've never seen it on the big screen, and it was interesting to see a washed out, and sometimes grainy, copy of it. Overall, attendance was sparse, considering the stature of this movie. Where were all the young people last night? Not watching Cassavetes - that's for sure. The audience consisted mostly of retirees - the Museum members and benefactors.

Although Gena Rowland's depiction of (questionable) mental illness is dated and hammy, she does give an awesome performance that was worthy of her Oscar nomination. If you've never seen A Woman Under the Influence...what's wrong with you? Go watch it!