(TV) Re: Albert Ayler

[secretX@webtv.net]

Albert Ayler was still inspiring Tom's songs in 1996. I asked Tom about
one unreleased song he played on June 12, 1996 and he said it was called
"Bells". I knew "Bells" was also the title of one of his favorite Ayler
songs. I wondered if Aylers' songs "Ascension" and "Our Prayer" inspired
Tom's titles "Horizontal Ascensions" and "Prayer." Ayler's titles
usually had religious themes. He had a strict religious upringing. His
brother Donald, trumpet player, had mental problems similar to Albert's.
Donald was institutionalized after months of standing on his head for
six hours a day. He explained that he'd gotten too deep into yoga, but
the alcohol and drugs probably were a factor. Albert claimed to see
visions similar to those in the Book of Revelation. He heard the angel
Gabriel warning him with the horn. He said spirits spoke to him and
that's when he knew he'd die soon. He said he had to sacrifice himself.
His girlfriend Mary Maria kept him interested in his music for awhile
but things fell apart. I read his biography. "We can get a divine
harmony which is beyond what they used to call harmony. It's not about
notes anymore. It's about feelings." When Tom was about 25 he read old
interviews of Ayler's and he took what Ayler said quite seriously,
stories of omens and prophecies. For example when Ayler was in Europe a
woman he met warned him not to take a certain ship home. So he took a
train, and he said he heard that everyone on the ship died. I told Tom
to put the story in context, because Ayler also said that in Europe he
was being poisoned by strangers following him to every town, strangers
who'd go into the bathroom and change clothes so he wouldn't recognize
them. An essay Ayler wrote called "To Mr. Jones" illustrates his
Apocalyptic frame of mind. But if he weren't of that frame of mind maybe
his music wouldn't be as great as it is. If Tom didn't believe in UFOs
his music might not be as great as it is. Does Tom really believe in
UFOs, or does he just like the idea of it? That's still a mystery.
--------------
To post: Mail tv@obbard.com
To unsubscribe: Mail majordomo@obbard.com with message "unsubscribe tv"