Filed under: israel | Tags: beatles, george harrison, john lennon, paul mccartney, ringo starr, yoko ono
I was happy to read today that a dreadful historical wrongdoing was corrected yesterday when Israel apologized for the cancellation of a 1965 Beatles show in the holy land. This bit of truth and reconciliation went out to Paul McCartney and Ringo, as well as to the families of John Lennon and George Harrison.
While budgetary concerns were cited as the reason for the fiasco, it’s also clear that the Beatles were a target of the Knesset’s cultural and political agendas.
A big toda raba to the Jar for alerting me to this development.
Since I’m a little short on time at the moment due to my upcoming show, perhaps it’s time for a CONTEST to fill in this spot. [????? Could this be you ?????] So here’s the question: What’s the Beatles lyric or quote that most wittily or sillily sheds light on this situation? Put on your bloggin’ boots, post it in the comments section below, and win a special prize if you’ve got the best quip.
Because right now it’s all Sir Paul–
I’m fixing a hole where the rain gets in
And stops my mind from wandering
Where it will go
I’m filling the cracks that ran through the door
And kept my mind from wandering
Where it will go
And it really doesn’t matter if I’m wrong
I’m right
Where I belong I’m right
Where I belong.
See the people standing there who disagree and never win
And wonder why they don’t get in my door.
I’m painting the room in a colourful way
And when my mind is wandering
There I will go.
And it really doesn’t matter if
I’m wrong I’m right
Where I belong I’m right
Where I belong.
Silly people run around they worry me
And never ask me why they don’t get past my door.
I’m taking the time for a number of things
That weren’t important yesterday
And I still go.
I’m fixing a hole where the rain gets in
And stops my mind from wandering
Where it will go.
I’m happy to announce that Hebrew School will have its first show this coming Sunday, February 3 at Banjo Jim’s. We’ll be playing a short set of new material I have been working on for the last six months or so. Joining me will be Golemites Taylor Bergren-Chrisman on bass and Tim Monaghan on drums. (Taylor also plays with bands such as Las Rubias del Norte; Tim with such bands as J.A.C.K.)
Joining Hebrew School on Sunday will be fellow Six Points fellows Clare Burson, Dan Fishback, and Jeremiah Lockwood. We’ll all be playing half-hour sets starting at 9pm. See events page for more details. Hope to see you there!
And, for the sake of posterity and an illusion of lack of continuity, check out this 8-year-old clip of our old klezmer band, the Murrays, playing the first and last rock show ever held at Katz’s Delicatessen. (If you have to ask which one is me, you probably shouldn’t be told.)
Filed under: > Project, jews | Tags: david griffin, mount eden retreat, music, six points fellowship
This past weekend, the Jews kidnapped the fellowship artists and brought us to a secluded location in rural New Jersey. Fortunately our quarters were comfortable and no Geneva Conventions violations were reported during our stay (at least no non-consensual ones, anyway).
above: The paddywagon
During our extradition, a wet snow begins to fall. The bus, too large to navigate the back roads, gets stuck on some train tracks on an icy hill and we all evacuate. A while (but not long enough!) after the bus moves to safer grounds, a train comes barreling through.
Indoctrination begins in the meditation room. We receive artist feedback here by staring into the electric crystal.
On the second evening at sundown, a bizarre candle-lighting ritual ensues as we are relieved of our duties. (Note the gangly state of the male detainees.)
Avishai snuck in some delicious Ethiopian challah bread made of teff and flour. A carton of cigarettes procures us enough wine for kiddush.
A rumored hunger strike never materializes.
We bundle up for a very moving movie, presented by Tamar Rogoff. Our spirit has been softened.
In the morning, I bribe some of my cohort to do yoga for me, and for the rest of the day I feel much more relaxed.
“Achota” Rebecca Guber leads us on a hike. (Those who have recently given birth to adorable Jewish babies are allowed to walk ahead.)
As our shadows grow long, our map leads us through an open field of rifle-bearing meat enthusiasts with little Jewish sense of humor, so we turn back.
C.C. for havdalah will be just fine, actually, thanks.
Everyone’s favorite female sage
The grounds of Mount Eden have many charming details.
Cookie monster, somewhat faded
Filed under: indie, jewish, shows | Tags: elijah oberman, hungry march band, ian brannigan, louisa solomon, music, shondes, temim fruchter, your monster
above: Ian Brannigan
Last Friday’s Shondes (pronounced Shonduhz because it comes from the Yiddish for shame, disgrace, outrage) show met and exceeded expectations. Which I expected. What I hadn’t realized (shamefully, or disgracefully, perhaps) was their high level of musicianship as they rendered their newer material live. Louisa Solomon, an activist with the International Solidarity Movement and Jews Against the Occupation, delivers vocals with an astonishingly resolute quality, clearly well-studied in the likes of God is my Co-Pilot, Team Dresch, et al. Temim Fruchter’s drumming was superb; I also really liked the songs on which Temim sang lead vocals. And Elijah Oberman has that rare mastery of post-punk violin playing that only seems to come along once in a generation, reminiscent of early Raincoats.
Your Monster
The Shondes were followed by perennial favorites the Hungry March Band, who similarly rocked, except with tubas, trombones, bass drums, saxophones and euphonia.
There were about 20 Hungry March Band folks on stage Friday.
Village Voice article on the Shondes
Funny weather out here in Brooklyn– tropical thunderstorms and lightning in January. Will winter be this politically correct from now onwards (seriously folks, my windows just rattled)?
A while back, Jack had alerted me to the fact of the Shondes having their record release at Luna Lounge in Williamsburg tonight. But I forgot. Then my cousin Erica Cohen-Taub, who’s the general manager at WXBC and in the city for the next little while, happened to have an advance copy of their new CD, Red Sea, in a recent stack of promo mailings. Which is awesome. So I’ll be going to the show if I am not struck by lightning beforehand.
As Jack points out in the link above, the Shondes are part of an interesting (though not necessarily new) opening for bands that identify themselves in one way or another as Jewish without necessarily buying into the hegemony of a monolithic idea about what being Jewish might mean. (I call it “jewish with a small ‘j.'”) I’m excited for the show and plan to report back.
“Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow”
***
Non-sequitur news flash: The next Coen brothers movie will be about Hebrew school, “in a big way.”
Hebrew School 