Re: (TV) Re: Intro to TV

[SCOTT ALDRICH <scott.aldrich@worldnet.att.net>]

Wow. There's a novel for you. I thought watching the subway series was NY
history! Now I gotta know who is the "rich guitarist?". My first exposure to
TV was listening to "Adventure" after junior high in my best friend's
basement, his older brother (my then-idol)'s album, along with the Sex
Pistols, the B-52's, Talking Heads' More Song, and the Kids Are Alright (the
Who were the penultimate band for me at the time. I remember being struck by
the Byrds-y jangly guitar chords of Days, Glory, Ain't That Nothing, and I
loved Tom's voice, which to me sounded kind of like Patti Smith to me with
an Elektra records-like sensibility (kind of like the sensibility of Strange
Days). In fact, I was so into the Doors then, I thought Tom's guitar was
kind of like Robby Kreiger!
Then, about the same time, I was giving guitar lesssons to an older guy in
my neighborhood who was a social freak, but nonetheless became kind of an
avatar for me, recognizing a kindred spirit in my guitar-sensibility and my
taste for the mod 60's. He introduced me to the NY Dolls, the Velvets, the
Stooges, Johnny Thunders "So Alone" LP, the Pretty Things, and more
significantly for me than for him, "Marquee Moon", which became a milestone
record for me, one that I played over and over and would play for my
stoned/hippy guitar-playing friends to convince them of the vitality of the
new music (read the deadness of arena rock). That and a trip to Bleeker
Bob's netting me my first 7", "Little Johnny Jewel" was my introduction.
Later, in college, I was lucky enough to meet and talk to Elvis Costello. I
told him that seeing him on "Saturday Night Live" and the inner sleeve
picture of "Marquee Moon" combined convinced me that I had to have a Fender
Jazzmaster. A choice I've never regretted, and contrary to what a lot of you
say regarding Jazzmasters, I find if the strings are good and the guitar is
properly set up at the bridge, it holds tune wonderfully, even when using
the whammy bar, which I do a lot, and I play the guitar hard. Go figure.
Scott

> From: secretX@webtv.net
> Reply-To: tv@obbard.com
> Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2000 09:08:57 -0400 (EDT)
> To: tv@obbard.com
> Subject: (TV) Re: Intro to TV
> 
> I first heard Marquee Moon when my first boyfriend, a rock critic,
> insisted that I listen to it. He said Television was in town. He wanted
> me to go see them. I said I couldn't because I had to get up early for
> school the next day. He said he needed me to help him get a photo of the
> band. (He was young and shy and I'd often have to go backstage as "bait"
> to interest a band in being photographed.) So we went to see Television
> at the Keystone in Berkeley. Tom played a translucent guitar. Between
> sets I knocked on the backstage door and Tom came out. I asked him if he
> wouldn't mind being photographed by my friend. Tom ignored the request
> and started bombarding me with all sorts of interesting questions. Later
> that night I was asleep and the telephone rang. It was 2 AM. It was Tom
> asking, "Did I wake you up? Will you come to my hotel?" I said, "I
> can't, I'm sleeping." He said, "Tomorrow then." I said, "Tomorrow is a
> school day." He said, "Cut school and come as soon as you can." So in
> the morning I took the BART train under the bay to San Francisco. Tom
> was in his hotel room eating a banana. We spent two days in bed. (We
> didn't spend a night together, only days. I left at sundown and came
> back the next day.) Tom was handsome, inquisitve, and he seemed simple
> like a hayseed. It was lots of fun and incredibly intense. We talked and
> talked. He told me it was the only time he'd asked a girl to his hotel.
> He asked me to go with him to Los Angeles for the next show but I said I
> couldn't. Then he was gone. I wrote him letters. The next time we met he
> was in town promoting Adventure. (To my delight he'd quoted me from my
> letters: "Blah, blah, blah...") He suggested I move to NYC. Eventually I
> did. We had many intense times, some exhilarating, some fun, some
> turbulent, some confusing, some tragic, some in this apartment. It would
> have been perfect if only there weren't a constant underlying angst, an
> insecurity that perhaps was related to his feelings of inadequacy
> stemming from the fact that he didn't have much money? I didn't care how
> much money he had!! I wanted to live the spartan bohemian life but he
> was afraid I would be swept off my feet by a rich guitarist I'd met, one
> of his influences. ("I go for your check but your check has been
> paid...So many go to bended knees for you....Cinderella with a new
> treat...These influences I'm under...have stolen...."). He was wrong but
> the doubt gnawed at him, I realize now as I listen to those old songs.
> I'm sorry I wasn't more attentive. I should have been more
> compassionate. I really did love him very much but I was too young to
> know what to do. I guess I blew it. On the other hand, the angst which
> gnaws at him is probably intrinsic. The angst is what fuels the
> dissonance of his music. He'd be angst-ridden with or without me. It's a
> deep down thing.
> 
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