Been a while, but I wanted to share this great new album with you. Click and listen. Purchase it if you're so inclined. Support indie artists. Especially those that are good at their craft.

decipherable, originally uploaded by powerbooktrance.

Casey recorded a beautiful version of "Man In The Mirror" as a tribute to Michael Jackson and his impact on music and culture. Click the link and give it a listen. It's worth mentioning that Casey did this all by himself in his home studio. Everything you hear, including the gospel choir, is by Casey. He recorded about 100 vocal parts for this. WOW...check it out!

http://www.caseystratton.com/audio/audio.html

I haven't really posted much as of late but I feel compelled to post this. In light of the sad news of Farrah's passing I am thinking about my LJ friend scream4noreason because I know this is a very profound loss for him. I'm so sorry, Christopher. Farrah will now be a real angel. Thoughts and prayers to Ryan O'neal and the rest of her family, friends, and fans.

Casey does a hysterical tongue firmly in cheek cover of Lady GaGa. And you can have it. For free. At this link:

http://www.caseystratton.com/audio/audio.html

Copy and paste cuz I don't know how to do all that fancy shit.

RIP carouselrose. A very kind woman. She will be missed.

also

badgerpdx's beautiful horse, Howard. So sorry for your loss, Bob.

Been a rough one but I've learned to take the good with the bad.

Much to be done in the coming year. Much to change. Some changes have begun.

But for now, I am ready to ring this bitch out!!

Happy new year to all of you. May 2009 be prosperous and healthy and filled with only good surprises for all of you.

I just signed online and was surprised by the sad news that Eartha Kitt has died at 81. Eartha Kitt was born to be a star and in true star fashion she took her last bow on Christmas!!

I had the surreal opportunity to meet her about 7 years ago. She was this tiny, tiny woman with a huge head and even bigger sunglasses. She actually kind of looked like a glamorous ET. She was very down to business, not a smile during conversation, but as soon as I asked if I could get a picture taken with her, she flung off her gigantic sunglasses and purred...

"Of cooourrrrrrrrrse, darrrrling".

With that she flashed the biggest star smile I've ever seen and then right back to business as usual as soon as the camera flashed.

I wish I had a scanner to post that photo.

Rest in peace, Miss Kitt. You were quite something.

I just got home from celebrating Noche Buena at my parents. Noche Buena, the Good Night, is when we Cubans generally celebrate the Christmas holiday. Sitting here catching up on online crap, I came upon my beloved Patti Smith's blog. Her entry caught my attention. It's been a tough year for most and Patti, as usual, has a wonderful way of putting things in perspective. I shall reprint her entry here. These words are hers, not mine, and reprinted with no permission. I doubt she would mind.

DECEMBER 24, 2008
YEAR OF THE OX


i

Early this morning I read the news concerning Mr. Thierry Magon de la Villehuche, the prominent hedge fund manager who committed suicide in the wake of the Bernard Madoff financial scandal. By all accounts Mr. Villehuche was a man devoted to the firm that fell victim to Madoff's so called Ponzi scheme. Having lost $1.4 billion and perhaps realizing he could not recover the money, Mr. V. took his own life, as some kind of self-retribution. Unable to face the trusting clients he had unwontedly ruined, he sat at his desk, opened his wrists with box cutters, and said farewell to the world.

And the color of money runs red.

ii

It is pouring rain and I have just returned to my desk after making my morning cup of Nespresso. I make it on my wonderful machine pictured here. I love this little machine. I love how it sits like a cat or a tiny monk waiting for me to say good morning.

And it is always ready to serve a nice cup of espresso, George Clooney style. Well I can't drink it full strength, so I use a bigger cup with extra hot water. Mine is a very pretty cup. Indigo and gold scrollwork hand painted on the translucent skin of Sevres porcelain. A cup such as this is not a necessity but a wonderful thing.

Today as I drink I can't help but wonder what kind of cup Mr. V used. As he was French perhaps it was a nice white Limoges. Distinctive yet plain. Of course I made that up. I know nothing of the man, save his terrible end like a sad Russian novel. And the very simple fact that he will never drink coffee again.

How wonderful it is to be alive. So many people fighting to live. So many who won't make it. Not another Christmas. Not another cup of coffee.

What is the point of this missive? Perhaps nothing but a moment of reflection and an opportunity to wish the reader well. And since it is the center of the holidays I raise my cup and wish you all the best. Hard times are undoubtedly ahead but may we all face them with good humor, flexibility and resolve.

As we move into a new year we also move into the Chinese year of the ox. The ox is the sign of fortitude and hard work. Nothing will come easy; no quick returns, no fast cash, no high profile investing, no great losses. Prosperity through work. Work that strengthens the heart.

We can do that. Be oxen.

The other day I found an old letter I wrote in 1970 in Paris in a book of Blaise Cendrars poems. I was reporting with shock that coffee had gone up to 40 cents. Now it can cost up to 4 Euros. Nearly six dollars. But we must have our coffee...

And well, its only money.

.........................

I wish you all the very best in the coming year. I've a feeling we're all gonna need all the good wishes we can get. The powers that be and world events have put us in very unfavorable positions. I pray these are times we can learn from. Happy holidays no matter how or what holiday you choose to celebrate. Take care of yourselves and each other in the coming year. Most importantly, remember to value the things that truly do have value.

Peace.

Odetta is gone. Another beautiful voice silenced. Sad.

Long Island Wal-Mart employee trampled to death by mob of Black Friday shoppers. What the hell is wrong with this world?

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2008/11/28/2008-11-28_worker_dies_at_long_island_walmart_after.html

I am disgusted.

It's been a tough year and sometimes it's hard to find things to actually be thankful for. There I said it! However, today I shall not allow the negative to creep in and bog shit down and I'm just gonna focus on those things that I should be thankful for. And, really, there are plenty. And I am. Hope and new beginnings, for one.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope you all find plenty of things to be thankful for.

Happy anniversary to my dear friends tinawiesen and her genius of a dessert making husband Bob.

And also happy 38th birthday to Bruce. I'm afraid that's all you're getting.

My girl playing with Stevie Ray Vaughan's band. Her slide guitar playing makes my nipples twitch.

Twitch, I tell ya!



Excuse me while I have a cigarette.

I turned on the television last night and was assaulted with the news that Studio 28 was closing. I say assaulted because the news was like a punch to the gut. Dramatic? Maybe. But this place was a huge part of my childhood.

When we first moved here from Chicago, we lived about a mile from the theater. It had two screens at the time and we called it them the Big Studio and the Little Studio. It was to this theater that I would walk to escape. I would save my allowance. I would buy a ticket to a G film and sneak into the R film. The Loeks also owned the Beltline Drive-In next door to Studio 28. I remember begging my dad to take me to see Poseidon Adventure at the Studio for a long time. He finally did when it moved over to the drive-in. Other than a double feature of Dillinger and Boxcar Bertha, I would never go to the movies with my dad again. I don't come from a family of theater-goers and to this day they don't understand my love for it. As I got older, I would go to the Drive-In on dates, and well, you know about drive-ins and dates.

It was shocking when they closed and tore down the drive-in to make room for turning the Studio into what was then the biggest movie megaplex in the nation. In. the. nation.!

My High School was behind the Studio 28 so often after school my friends and I would walk on over and hit a flick.

Robin Hood (the Disney animated one)
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
Annie Hall
Star Wars
Herbie Rides Again
For Pete's Sake
Earthquake (In fuckin' SENSURROUND!)
Titanic
Interiors
Secrets and Lies
The Other Side of Midnight
...so many more.

So many movies, so many first dates, so many memories in that place.

Next week it will close.

Oh, the sadness.

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/11/is_studio_28_closing_its_doors.html

I just got done listening to Grace Jones' new album "Hurricane".

WHOA!

Just WHOA!

Admittedly, I went into it with somewhat low expectations because her last album nineteen years ago left me rather cold. At the age of 60 Ms. Grace has released an album that is not only brilliant but career defining. Just as good as Warm Leatherette and Nightclubbing. Sly and Robbie are back in the fold (thankfully) and Brian Eno contributes. Bjork would be jealous of the ending track "Devil In My Life".

Sadly, it is only available in Europe at the moment because the American musical situation is ridiculous. With Hurricane Grace Jones proves that she is just that, a force of nature, and just one snarl from her can send these young tarts ruling the airwaves running for cover.

Here's a taste...

1979, two weeks out of high school, I began working at a record store. One day a coupla weeks later my manager asked me to check in the new release shipment. I've always been a fan of female vocalists so as I was checking in the shipment, I was struck by this face that stared at me from an album called "The Glow". I lifted that album toward my manager and said, "Hey, Marci, what's she like?"

"Oh, the new Bonnie Raitt! Open it and play it!"

There began my love affair with with my beloved Bonnie. By the end of the week I had purchased everything she had recorded until that point.

I had no idea that three years later I would meet her and that, for whatever reason, she would take a shine to me and we would become friends.

Life is funny. To this day, she is one of the people I admire most in this world. Not only as an artist but as a human being with an amazing sense of love and justice. Am I gushing? Hell yeah. She deserves it.

Happy birthday, my dear Bonnie. I love you so.

Yes, we DID DID!



rip june pointer.

I just opened up my box of this weeks new releases.

For the next couple of hours I shall be celebrating election day with the new album by one of my own personal American heroes, the great MAVIS STAPLES aptly entitled Live: HOPE at the Hideout.

I'll just let Mavis tell ya...



THANK YOU, MAVIS!!!!

I voted today. The whole process took maybe fifteen minutes in my ward 2 precinct 4.

I am a political refugee from a communist country. For that reason, most of my family has always leaned way, way to the right. By proxy, so did I. Albeit, more socially liberal than they. Before anyone starts giving me any shit about this, know that I don't give a fuck. My life and my experiences are mine and no one elses and my disdain for the way that the left handled certain aspects of foreign policy that matter to me continue to be a part of who I am.

I take my duty as a naturalized citizen of the United States of America very seriously.

Because of my history, I am in NO way socialist.

No way, no how.

Today I voted for Barack Obama.

Today for the second national election in a row I voted a straight Democratic ticket.

George W. Bush, YOU are responsible for the downfall of your party. You end your second term leaving your party and your country in shreds.

Today I pray for the future of my beloved adopted land.

In other news:

AOL top headline news can be so uplifting!

"Runner finishes NYC Marathin and dies"
"Man bowls 300, drops dead"

Sheesh.

I played the powerball for tomorrow...