TULI KUPFERBERG
September 28, 1923 - July 12, 2010

The guy had a great sense of humor. Always thought the Fugs should have stayed court jesters, "the buffoon" as he called it, though for him the term meant one who understood the cosmic jape of this existence. Maybe because part of his mythos began with him jumping off a bridge, and then figuring a way to hover over the water. He was as near a saint as you would find on the lower east side, art in the name of art and nothing more, really - his apartment, which you can glimpse in the numerous videos he would post on YouTube over the past couple of years, is a cave of filled bookshelves and scattered papers: a writer's den.

As a never-before rock writer, at the Rutgers Targum, the first thing I ever wrote about music was a review of the Fugs at the Player's Theater on MacDougal Street in the summer of 1966. To me, in their mixture of weird old jug band and political broadside and smut and beatnik revelry and Burroughsian time grids and Blake and Yiddish threnody ("Morning, Morning" revealing the Cantorial in Tuli's baritone), they yanked open the absurdist-doors, as important a burst of energy in the history of New York music as their co-conspirators in the Velvet Underground and the Lovin' Spoonful.

Tuli loved song parodies, and I can do no more than to send this one out to him, set to the melody of "Oh Julie," by the Crescendoes:

Oh-uh-oh-uh-oh Tuli
I see you walking down the Avenue
Tenth St. on Number Two
Got a smile on your shaggy face
Sure good to see you around this place
Oh-uh-oh-uh-oh Tuli
Gonna miss your bo-he
Me 'n all we
St. Marks and the Bowery
A to D

—Lenny Kaye



"DREAM OF LIFE" NOMINATED FOR AN EMMY AWARD
Congratulations to Steven Sebring, whose film Patti Smith: Dream of Life has been nominated for a primetime Emmy award in the Exceptional Merit In Nonfiction Filmmaking category.

From PBS.org: Patti Smith: Dream of Life aired on POV on December 30, 2009. Shot over 11 years by renowned fashion photographer Steven Sebring, Patti Smith: Dream of Life is an intimate portrait of the legendary rocker, poet and artist. Following Smith's personal reflections over a decade, the film explores her many art forms and the friends and poets who inspired her -- William Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Dylan, Robert Mapplethorpe and Michael Stipe. Watch the trailer.





"HORSES" HONORED BY the LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
On June 23, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington named the 25 new additions to the eighth annual National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress, which will ensure that these cultural, artistic and historical recordings are always available to the American public.

Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian, with advice from the Library's National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), is tasked with selecting 25 recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and are at least 10 years old. The selections for the 2009 registry bring the total number of recordings to 300.

"It is time to once again celebrate the nation's rich sonic history and the importance of sound recordings in our lives," said Billington. "This latest list of selections showcases the diverse beauty, humanity and artistry found in the American soundscape. The Library's Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation will partner with many individuals and organizations to preserve and sustain these significant examples of our creative spirit so that they can inform and enrich the lives of modern and future generations."

The list of recordings named to the registry features a diverse selection of spoken word and musical recordings that span the years 1913-1995. They cover a wide range of sounds and music, attesting to the vast imagination and creativity flowing through the cultural stream of the nation's aural heritage. Selections cross musical types ranging from klezmer to blues, pop and rap, but also include comedy, radio broadcasts, field recordings, Broadway cast recordings and lab experiments.

Additions to the registry also feature notable performances by Little Richard, Willie Nelson, The Band, The Staple Singers, Eddie Palmieri, Ethel Merman and Patti Smith:

"Horses," Patti Smith (1975)

Before recording this poetic proto-punk classic, Patti Smith and her band had honed the tunes in a triumphant run of shows at New York's iconic venue, CBGB. In the studio, producer John Cale helped the band to further refine the selections in a process that Smith remembers as not always pleasant, but greatly beneficial to the final product. Smith's background as a rock critic and poet is equally in evidence on this record, which includes re-imaginings of such oldies as "Gloria" and "Land of 1000 Dances," with the addition of Smith's provocative and unflinching lyrics.









HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY
Pray for our river and the Gulf of Mexico

Fight The Blob




CHIEF
RECIPIENT ASCAP FOUNDERS AWARD 4.21.10
Our alliance of 33 years, and counting, has been an honor,
a privilege, and awe inspiring amidst the laughs, the tears,
the triumphs, the challenges, and even the defeats.
You are indeed worthy of the rank of Field Marshall.

Congratulations on yet another award,
The assistant formerly known as pclp



ELEMENTAL DESIGN: A SHORT FILM BY JESSE SMITH AND MICHAEL CAMPBELL

Elemental Design is the name given to Jim Doble's line of hand made musical instruments. His commissioned works are shipped around the world to performers, schools, museums, playgrounds, music therapy centers, and musical beginners. Part of what makes the instruments special is the materials they are made from. Jim is able to conjure sounds from tuned glass, metal, wood, stone, and found objects using recycled and repurposed materials as often as possible. Shown here are works in progress as well as finished instruments.

Watch the video



PATTI SMITH TO BE HONORED AT 27TH ANNUAL ASCAP POP MUSIC AWARDS

ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) will honor rock icon Patti Smith at its 27th annual Pop Music Awards, taking place April 21, 2010 at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles, CA. Smith will be presented with the prestigious ASCAP Founders Award and will perform with her band at the event. The invitation-only gala will also honor the top songwriters and publishers of ASCAP's most performed pop songs of 2009.

The ASCAP Founders Award is among the most prestigious honors that ASCAP gives to songwriters and composers who have made pioneering contributions to music by inspiring and influencing their fellow music creators. Each recipient is a musical innovator who possesses a unique style of creative genius that will enrich generations to come. Past recipients include Bob Dylan, Jackson Browne, Elvis Costello, Heart's Ann & Nancy Wilson, Billy Joel, Annie Lennox, Sir Paul McCartney, Joni Mitchell, Smokey Robinson, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Tom Waits, Stevie Wonder and Neil Young.

Commenting on the award to Smith, ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams said: "Patti fused raw rock energy with the heart of a poet and ignited the 1970s New York punk scene. She expanded the boundaries of artistic expression, musically and otherwise, inspiring generations of rockers worldwide. She continues to be a vibrant, prolific artist, working in a wide variety of media. We are very proud to honor Patti Smith with ASCAP's Founders Award."






A TIP OF THE HAT TO ORNETTE COLEMAN ON HIS 80TH BIRTHDAY






Order from Amazon.com



PATTI SMITH AT BOOK SOUP IN LOS ANGELES





HAPPY NEW YEAR






PATTI SMITH AND STEVEN SEBRING: OBJECTS OF LIFE

January 6 - February 6, 2009
Robert Miller Gallery
524 West 26th Street
New York City





PATTI SMITH NAMED ONE OF "THE NEW YORK CITY 400"

In celebration of New York's 400th birthday, the Museum of the City of New York recently compiled a list of the 400 most influential New Yorkers from the last four centuries. Of these great figures, one of them was Patti Smith, and along with this honorable title, she was also awarded a lifetime membership to the museum.

See the full list here: The New York City 400

The museum has an array of wonderful and informative exhibits, some changing and others part of their permanent collection. They also have a great calendar of public programs and lectures, on a variety of subjects, interesting to New Yorkers and visitors of any origin. The museum is located uptown, directly across from a very special added section of Central Park, just north of the Conservatory Garden, where the Harlem Meer lake is located.

The exhibits on currently include Legacy: The Preservation of Wilderness in New York City Parks and The Edge of New York: Waterfront Photographs

The Museum's Web site

--Jesse Smith

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF CLIMATE ACTION

October 24th is International Day of Climate Action! Thanks to 350.org, you can find events near you, plan your own, or connect with messengers and action takers in your neighborhood. Currently, 150 countries are already taking action for this day, and there are 2141 events planned.

Go to 350.org to see what you can do, and what events are taking place near you. There are a lot of incredible ones in NYC, including a recycling bin project on broadway, where people will be making and decorating recycling bins to be placed on corners all along broadway, encouraging pedestrians to recycle the many bottles and cans that get thrown in the trash everyday. There are tons of other events too, rallies, bike rides, art shows, music shows, climate festivals, volunteer projects, etc.

I will be planting trees that morning as it is also the big Million Trees/Parks Dept. tree planting day, and hopefully joining onto something afterwards.

I hope you are doing your part too in whatever way you choose!!
--Jesse Smith

From the 350.org:

What is the day of action?

On October 24, the International Day of Climate Action will cover almost every country on earth, the most widespread day of environmental action in the planet's history.

There will be big rallies in big cities, and incredible creative actions across the globe: mountain climbers on our highest peaks with banners, underwater demonstrations in island nations threatened by sea level rise, churches and mosques and synagogues and ashrams engaged in symbolic action, star athletes organizing mass bike rides--and hundreds upon hundreds of community events to raise awareness of the need for urgent action.

Every event will highlight the number 350--and people will gather at some point for a big group photo depicting that all important message. At 350.org, we'll assemble all the photos for a gigantic, global, visual petition.

The thousands of events on October 24 will drive 350 and all that it represents into the human imagination, and change the negotiating environment as we head towards the crucial UN Climate Negotiations in Copenhagen in December of 2009. Copenhagen may well be the pivotal moment that determines whether or not we get the planet out of the climate crisis, and your actions on October 24 will help our leaders realize we need a real solution that pays attention to the science.

*350 parts per million CO2 in the atmosphere is the safe limit for humanity. We are currently at around 385.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Friend --

This morning, Michelle and I awoke to some surprising and humbling news. At 6 a.m., we received word that I'd been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.

To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures who've been honored by this prize -- men and women who've inspired me and inspired the entire world through their courageous pursuit of peace.

But I also know that throughout history the Nobel Peace Prize has not just been used to honor specific achievement; it's also been used as a means to give momentum to a set of causes.

That is why I've said that I will accept this award as a call to action, a call for all nations and all peoples to confront the common challenges of the 21st century. These challenges won't all be met during my presidency, or even my lifetime. But I know these challenges can be met so long as it's recognized that they will not be met by one person or one nation alone.

This award -- and the call to action that comes with it -- does not belong simply to me or my administration; it belongs to all people around the world who have fought for justice and for peace. And most of all, it belongs to you, the men and women of America, who have dared to hope and have worked so hard to make our world a little better.

So today we humbly recommit to the important work that we've begun together. I'm grateful that you've stood with me thus far, and I'm honored to continue our vital work in the years to come.

Thank you,

President Barack Obama





JIM CARROLL

Poet and Beloved Friend

August 1, 1949 - September 11, 2009

catholicboy.com





TED KENNEDY

Friend --

Michelle and I were heartbroken to learn this morning of the death of our dear friend, Senator Ted Kennedy.

For nearly five decades, virtually every major piece of legislation to advance the civil rights, health and economic well-being of the American people bore his name and resulted from his efforts.

His ideas and ideals are stamped on scores of laws and reflected in millions of lives -- in seniors who know new dignity; in families that know new opportunity; in children who know education's promise; and in all who can pursue their dream in an America that is more equal and more just, including me.

In the United States Senate, I can think of no one who engendered greater respect or affection from members of both sides of the aisle. His seriousness of purpose was perpetually matched by humility, warmth and good cheer. He battled passionately on the Senate floor for the causes that he held dear, and yet still maintained warm friendships across party lines. And that's one reason he became not only one of the greatest senators of our time, but one of the most accomplished Americans ever to serve our democracy.

I personally valued his wise counsel in the Senate, where, regardless of the swirl of events, he always had time for a new colleague. I cherished his confidence and momentous support in my race for the Presidency. And even as he waged a valiant struggle with a mortal illness, I've benefited as President from his encouragement and wisdom.

His fight gave us the opportunity we were denied when his brothers John and Robert were taken from us: the blessing of time to say thank you and goodbye. The outpouring of love, gratitude and fond memories to which we've all borne witness is a testament to the way this singular figure in American history touched so many lives.

For America, he was a defender of a dream. For his family, he was a guardian. Our hearts and prayers go out to them today -- to his wonderful wife, Vicki, his children Ted Jr., Patrick and Kara, his grandchildren and his extended family.

Today, our country mourns. We say goodbye to a friend and a true leader who challenged us all to live out our noblest values. And we give thanks for his memory, which inspires us still.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama



KEVIN SHIELDS OF MY BLOODY VALENTINE






WE SALUTE OUR BROTHERS AND SISTERS IN IRAN







IN MEMORY OF MICHAEL JACKSON

Recorded in Arezzo, Italy, July 1, 2009




MICHAEL'S PASSING

When I first heard of it, I had a pain in my stomach. The world seems like a different place now. Many things have and will be said about him, but he was a true genius.

I was lucky enough to witness that up close a few times before all the big fame.
I remember driving in a snowstorm to see the Jackson 5 in 1975 when Dancing Machine was the hit. Janet Jackson was a little girl and she and her brother Randy did a Sonny and Cher impersonation. In 1981 I bought tickets at a Crazy Eddie Ticketron for the Off The Wall Tour. My friend Jeff reluctantly went along with me. We sat off to the side of the stage at Madison Square Garden. The Jacksons performed in a straight line. Whenever Michael came to the front and danced, the crowd went crazy. He was like nothing I had ever seen before. He was unbelievable to watch. We left the Garden on a high and spent the rest of the night dancing and singing around the streets of New York City.

I loved him, and truly was a fan. I bought all the records and danced in my room to them. We we're the same age so I felt like we were growing up together.

When the fame came.... I was proud of him. He broke barriers and changed the music world.

When it was announced early this year that he was going to perform again and do 50 shows I was excited and rooted for him. I wanted to see him back on top doing what he did best.

I'm just so sad.....

For the last few months we've had a stray black & white cat living in our backyard. And we grew very attached to him. He was very vocal, and would seem to sing at our back door every morning and every night. We just called him Black & White and would sing Michael's song when we saw him.

Yesterday he went missing.......

 Tony Shanahan



MELTDOWN

Patti Smith played at the Meltdown Festival in London on June 18. Here are a couple of reviews of the evening:

The Telegraph
The Guardian



SOCIALISM, BY JEAN-LUC GODARD




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