The Opposite Vision

"I was just 34 years old and I was still wandering in a haze

I was wondering why everyone I met seemed like they were lost in a maze"

Pete Townshend-from Slit Skirts

I've been thinking this weekend about something that is very strange. What happens when someone you admire and respect does something you think went too far. On top of that , it is something most journalists really praised him for. OK what I'm talking about is Jon Stewart skewering Jim Cramer on his show. It is very PC to just think what Stewart did was fine. But, he really turned Cramer into a fall guy for all of CNBC and the money mess. I wound up admiring Cramer for letting himself be skewered like that. I mean he had to know that was going to happen to him. Yet he came on anyway. One of my all time pet peeves is people who can't say there wrong, when they are. Society actually encourages people not to take responsibility for screwing up. What I think is a virtue in someone else, is seen as a weakness especially in my business, entertainment.

So now I admire Cramer for having guts to take a public flogging. I always found his show obnoxious and The Daily Show amazing, especially this year. It's a strange world indeed sometimes.

On a musical subject I'm listening to Elvis Costello's "Kojak Variety". It's a CD I never really paid attention to when it came out. But, anything with James Burton on it is amazing. He's got to be one of the most overlooked guitar players ever, well him and Ry Cooder. I've never heard anything those guys have done that isn't really good. Very rare to say that about anyone or any group.

Anyway "Kojak" is something I appreciate a lot more now than when it came out. Elvis has such great taste for covers. I think the key for me to this CD if I really think about it, is seeing Elvis's appreciation for this kind of stuff on "Spectacle". It's just funny how we miss stuff from time to time. Maybe it's all just timing. Like poor Jim Cramer on The Daily Show.

The It Thing

"My ego will just confuse me

Some day it's going to up and use me"

from-"However Much I Booze"-The Who

It's March and spring like in the air. That always reminds me of SXSW. Which reminds me why are there always the band that everybody wants to see. That turns into why is it that band and why now. The thing that is so amazing about it is that it really can't be manufactured. People try and act likes there is some kind of formula. I know we get into Malcom Gladwell territory here, but it's beyond that. This topic really fascinates me , because everyone wants it, to be the it band or whatever-movie,book,Internet phenomenon.

I suppose it comes down to try, but don't try. Very zen right. It's amazing how much time I've spent thinking about this subject. It fascinates me, because it's unexplainable and no two of these "it thing"s are the same formula. I mean why does Animal Collective become the band writers and Internet sites embrace now and not before. I know this is a lot more questions than answers, but I promise to revisit it soon.

Welcome To My Blog

"As I walked out tonight in the mystic garden

The wounded flowers were dangling from the vine

I love the opening lyrics of that song which is "Ain't Talkin" by Bob Dylan. All of my blogs will have lyrics to open with, to set the mood and show where I'm at. Which at this point is the mystic garden and trying to prune the wounded flowers of my life. It's weird but a lot of times song lyrics just pop in my head and it's my subconsciousness way of telling me what is on my mind. They are like awake dreams and are weirdly insightful to me of where my head is at that time.

I'm in the process right now of reinventing my life(for the 10th time this year already) and having those doors swing open after the ones that close. I guess you don't realize there open until your already through them right. Well this blog is a door and whoever is out there I hope this will help you and help me. I'm going to write about my observations of life on the "Lagniappe" and talk about things that interest me from great new and old music to listening to Air Traffic Control and somehow tying that all together for us. So hello out there and I'll be posting again soon and then gasp start a regular schedule. I promise you this I'll learn as I go along. Always have

Harry Levy