Karen Brookman Bailey, who was an amazing artist and friend of mine, handed me her husband's book one afternoon after I’d picked her up some cigarettes. I used to spend large amounts of time hanging out with her at the couples' house in London. Another object she gave to me was the DVD for this, Derek Bailey & Min Tanaka - Mountain Stage (1993). Karen and I met, not through the music world, but rather randomly. One day I was taking these discarded beautiful sash windows off the street in Clapton, to use as a paint palette in my studio, and Karen’s brother was doing something similar, so we started chatting and he invited me to meet his sister, as she was having a yard sale that day, and that’s how our friendship began. I love free jazz, it’s good for you. I like the anti-consumerist attitude...however complex, it’s worth experiencing.
My friend Richard Turley turned me onto this book in April or so. I’ve been reading it in correlation to whatever the day is. I’m grounded enough in reality to know that next to This Legend, I’m a drop in the bucket. BUT— I am delusional enough to think that in diligently reading his diary, I am able to channel the spirit and the honor with which he lives and creates. My other main takeaways have been that he loves porn and big tits. (Nice.)
David Byrne goes into several topics regarding music but always with his idiosyncratic style and all the expertise of someone whos spent decades in the industry
I’m going through Mojo Nixon‘s discography right now and it’s fantastic - I had never heard of him before! It’s poignant and more powerful because they’re gone and their indelible mark has been permanently established in the annals of history. It’s also a powerful reminder we only get one kick at the can of life!
