Up around 7. Read the last ch. afterword in Isacoff before I really got the day going. Staid, in its way, but I learned a lot — what he says about reactions to his “defense” (actually, explanation) of equal temperament (and so, Western common practice music) is cautionary.
E77 family early; daybook poem, started Tracey Thorn’s Naked in the Royal Albert Hall, read maybe 20 p. Eric Pankey, The Pear Is One Example.
Took notes on intellectual property/critiical race theory refs in Kraut, Choreographing Copyright, until the kids/parents in the cafe on weekends got to be too much.
Tried to do laundry at home but the machines were in use. (Helped Bree change the sheets a day or two ago.)
Left before 2, Thorn on train.
Spent around 2 hrs at the Adrian Piper retrospective at MoMa. Tried to actually take the time to read the various text pieces/“pageworks,” and listen to some soundpieces - one is 20 min. of her and her partner at the time arguing about an argument they had previously had about a passage from Strawson’s Individuals on “disembodied consciousness.” I’ll probably go back. Would like to get the catalog and reader (sep. publications, though the latter didn’t seem to be available), also paged by a bilingual ed. of her Escape to Berlin, largely her account of how she came to leave Wellesley.
Headed down to Red Hook, listened to some of the 2nd CD of the Coxsone Dodd/early Studio One set - some very early Wailers toward the end of the disc.
Met Alex Abromovich at Freebird Books; bought a biography of Mike Romanoff for Bree, J. Warwick’s girl group book (which I should know), a translation of Russian absurdists at Alex’s rec, and a copy of Brian Evenson’s Altmann’s Tongue, a deeply strange book I clearly recall borrowing from the UCLA library in grad school but have never owned. Sad to pass up (overpriced copies of) a 1914 ed. of Vernon & Irene Castle’s Modern Dancing, and a copy w/ dustjacket of J.P. McAvoy’s Show Girl (satirical 1928 novel turned into early Alice White musical).
Drove to Unnameable. Bought one of the books on copyright whose title I’d written down this morning, and an older book on the English ballad.
Had dinner w/ Alex, hung out at his place until about midnight - ended up coming home w/ a recent Paris Review w/ a Charles Johnson interview, and his copy of Rock and the Pop Narcotic.
Lyft home; lights out 1:30.
4.21.18
Up around 6.
Caffe Bene, 7. Finished Madiano, wrote a daybook poem, set up a call time w/ Beth Kaplan.
Spent an hr. clearing some email.
Listened to Salem 66 on the way to Brooklyn to see Chris Stamey play an instore at Rough Trade (w/ Dave Schramm on grr); Record Store Day, but I avoided that foolishness. Came in during the “Something Came Over Me” solo; he closed with “Geometry.” Met up w/ Pete Galub; introduced to Stamey afterwards as he signed his book, and bought a (separate) songbook. Broached the topic of a string arrangement for “Any Road Home” - basically, I need to write him through his website, but it seems feasible.
Watched another band, Wooing - drummer was an acquaintance’s girlfriend. Two gtrs, no bass, interesting, fairly lengthy songs.
Had a bite w/ Pete. Dropped into McNally Jackson briefly, found a bench in a quieter part of Williamburg to wait for Beth K.’s call around 4. Talked for 90 min., lots of useful material.
Headed home, called Robert Vodicka about 7:30 as planned. Last “interview” for this piece.
Think I read more Isacoff later in the evening. I’m writing this 2 days later, so it’s sketchy. Lights out around midnight.
4.20.18
Up 5-7. Back to bed, listened to a 5049 episode w/ Theresa Wong (dauntingly accomplished cellist).
Left about 9. Train/breakfast/coffee: Read about 10 p. of Isacoff, then got into the Modiano.
At Schwarzman a little after 10. Spend a couple hrs. w/ old issues of Forced Exposure, looking for Salem 66 reviews - one live, and A Ripping Spin, but no mention of the later records, which is telling.
Went to MoMa to see Three For the Show (1955, H.C. Potter, w/ Betty Grable, Marge & Gower Champion, Jack Lemmon, and some outlandish Jack Cole choreography). It’s not great, and I realized I’d seen it before, but I needed to give myself the break.
Went to the Hilton nearby and found a place to call Jenny; talked about stuff related to the PopCon talk for maybe 45 min.
Haven’t been able to nail down a time with Beth Kaplan.
Madiano on train home. Went to E77, tried to write an hr. or so.
Rested at home, helped Bree change sheets, read more (the Isacoff is pretty dense), daybook poem.
In bed 10:30; listened to a dharma talk about “not-self.”
4.19.18
Up 8. Slow start.
Worked on opening of talk at E77, 11-1.
Had planned to hit the library again, but honestly could not face the cold and the rain and the sky and the F train.
Let myself drift at home until 3. Braxton CD and Taylor DVD came in the mail. Made a to-do list.
Read 25 p. Isacoff. Giordano Bruno comes up.
Read a few poems in Ash. Good, esp. the menacing “Desert Song,” but I’m distracted.
Called Stephen Smith to talk about Salem 66. Good guy.
Called my dad, since I had time.
Finished Ash. He’s one of my favorite poets, truth be told.
Beth Kaplan from Salem 66 got back to me via facebook; hope to have a phone conversation this weekend.
Some tidying, emailed my uncle, arranged a ride (from someone else) from Ontario Airport next week. I have a bigger email backlog (100+) than is usual.
Went to drugstore for Bree.
Read a few pages of Patrick Modiano, Missing Person.
Lights out 12:45.
Up at 5, dithered online, read another 1/4 of Ash, went back to bed for a while 9-10. Daybook poem.
Breakfast/coffee, read 25 p. of Isacoff.
Picked out 3 Cecil Taylor records to bring to Scrabble, but forgot to take them with me.
Listened to an interview w/ Emily Apter on her book Unexceptional Politics on train. A little general, interviewer’s fault I suspect. I like her Against World Literature.
At NYPL (Schwarzman) around noon. Worked until 7, w/ lunch break, though too much of it was looking for a quote from a Liz Phair interview.
Went to Jean and David’s for Scrabble - Ben and Steve S. also in attendance. Played poorly (I was challenged successfully on “Tyrolean,” b/c the official dictionary doesn’t recognize an uncapitalized form), listened to Cecil Taylor LPs. Picked up the books I’d left there 2 months ago.
Didn’t realize I was on the D train “home” until I was far uptown, had to turn around. Read to p. 125 of Temperament, listened to the Studio One comp. and some Ali Farka Toure.
Home 11:30, didn’t stay up long.