Mickey Z

Cool Observer

Thursday, November 24, 2005

People Have the Power

Posted by Mickey Z on 11/24 at 07:31 AM

i’m back

Been very very busy

i am thankful for all the insights i have got and fun i have had on this website. and that i am still welcome after drunken rantings.

i am thankful that i still get upset by all the shit that is going on rather than let it wash off me. i hope it means they haven’t killed all our human instincts yet.

joe - quoted your DV article in my latest blog.

On my headphones (on the PC) is......Mickey’s interview! will post after its done

Mudge - sorry about mouthing off before properly reading your post the other day. it’s no excuse but i was unbelievably drunk. i hit the bar at 11am. left at 7pm had a couple more beers in the house and went back out till 2am.

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 08:03 AM

I love this, Michael: “i am thankful that i still get upset by all the shit that is going on rather than let it wash off me.” I think it’s important to not take that for granted.

Welcome back.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 08:11 AM

Mickey, you’re a star. Thanks for the promo and expect a shout-out tonight.

Posted by Keir on from The Hague 11/24 at 08:18 AM

Happy Tofurky Day! I am most thankful for all here at Mickey’s who come to my rescue whenever I need help. I will be observing a no-meat day today. Tomorrow I will resist the urge to buy that $10,000 mink coat...just fooling. I never did like fur even back when it was in fashion.

C-Span did a good call-in segment this morn..."the haves and the have-nots”. They reported that WHO says that 1/3 of the world population has more than enough food, 1/3 insufficient food, and 1/3 are starving.

It is very beautiful here today. A gentle snow is falling. Everything is silent...no cars, no noise, just silence and snow.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 11/24 at 09:23 AM

Mick, we know you loved wearing the dress, you can show it off as much as you like

Welcome back Michael. Great new post:

http://thumpingthetub.blogspot.com/2005/11/barefaced.html

I hear they are opening up some of the pubs on a 24 hour basis in England and Wales...I hope Scotland follows suit so you don’t have to wake so early to get your proper drink on.

Keir, I am looking forward to hearing you accomplish “the act of musical composition in real time.”

And “last” but not least, despite our wars and pollution I am thankful to be alive...I am thankful for the hug I received last night from a friend, the “¿Cómo estás, mi corazón?” I received from a cashier at the market, the black cat that seems to follow me around my apartment building and the fact that my wife is returning from NYC this afternoon. Happy Power to the People Day everyone. I am thankful you are all here.

Posted by JOS on from Calle Colón 11/24 at 09:27 AM

So 2/3’s of the planet is either starving or hungry, RMJ? Jesus.

Posted by JOS on from Calle Colón 11/24 at 09:40 AM

Checking in before Michele and I head to the gym (yes, we’re a little obsessed).

Keir, I’ll do my best to tune in. I’m just not sure if we’re hanging out with Michele’s family today. Either way, thanks.

RMJ: Meat-free today? Excellent news. You know, with my book doing well in Vermont, I just might come up there to do a talk...and we can finally meet.

Big Country: Yeah, the dress was fun. I’ll admit it. Tell us more about the black cat when you get a chance.

Capitalism 101: 2/3 of the planet is hungry or starving while 9/10 of America will overeat today.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 09:45 AM

keir - 8pm on whose time?

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 09:50 AM

good interview with a sympathetic interviewer. i enjoyed it.

what i want to know is have you had any interviews with people trying to give you shit about the book yet?

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 11:24 AM

Michael, I’ve barely had any interviews at all...so nothing hostile yet. When my first book was published, I ended up on a fair amount of right wing radio and it was a great challenge. This time, the publicity has been lacking.

Some T-day perspective (thanks to Nancy):
http://www.oyate.org/resources.html

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 11:48 AM

michael--9pm in the hague, 8pm in scotland, 3pm in astoria, noon in oregon, and i have frankly no idea what time in australia. unfortunately it’ll be just an audio stream, but i will be delivering a kind of short speech beforehand--familiar stuff for all of you, a kind of activist’s pep talk on fighting imperialism and so on, but sometimes sacriledge to bring up at artsy-fartsy events like this. “you’re preaching to the choir” they’ll say, but it’s a choir they never sing in themselves. anyway, perhaps i’ll post the text on my own blog tomorrow. cheers everyone for the interest, and enjoy your day however you spend it. i’ll tune in again tomorrow.

Posted by Keir on from The Hague 11/24 at 11:51 AM

is anyone listening to kier right now? i can’t find the bit that lets me listen… help?!

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 03:21 PM

Michael, click on “stream” in the upper left hand corner and on the next page, click on something like “listen to video stream.”

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 03:33 PM

Michael, we’re listening to Keir right now. Click on left side underneath the word Video, where it says “Click here to listen to stream.” My Real player came up and started playing it right away. If you don’t have Real player, it’s a quick download/install, and you can always uninstall it later if you don’t want to keep it. Good luck.

Posted by suzanne on from 11/24 at 03:33 PM

Sorry, Mickey. I must have “started” posting at the same time as you. Hope it works for Michael.

Posted by suzanne on from 11/24 at 03:35 PM

i would have got that if i could see it but on my screen the menu bar on the left isn’t really visible.

all i can see is

Vember
saxophone by keir neuringer. is it to the left of that?

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 03:37 PM

Michael, what you see there, where it has the date and Keir’s name should be a link - click on that, and then you’ll be at the page for the stream. From that next page, you can click on the link on the left, where it says Click here to listen to the stream.

Posted by suzanne on from 11/24 at 03:41 PM

Sorry, I’m wrong. At the top, you’ll see a menu bar. Under News, you’ll see Stream. Click on Stream. Then you’ll be directed to the page where you’ll see the link to click here to listen to the stream. So sorry Michael. That should do it for you!

Posted by suzanne on from 11/24 at 03:44 PM

thanks

i am not an internet dunce. just for some reason the left of that site was not coming up. i just kept refreshing it and it kept moving one character to the left each time and eventually i got over to it.

weird

thanks for the help

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 03:48 PM

Obviously I didn’t provide much help, after a mere three attempts. Glad you found it Michael. enjoy listening.

Posted by suzanne on from 11/24 at 03:54 PM

you did actually because i still couldn’t see the bit that said ‘news but thanks to your directions i knew where it must be!

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 03:56 PM

Thanks for the shout-out, Keir. Let me first say I was blown away (no pun intended) by your breath power and stamina. To think you were up there, communicating through your instrument...improvising on the spot. Wow. I imagine you exhausted, soaked in sweat, at the end. I wish I could see the faces in your audience. Were you playing before people who knew what to expect, so to speak?

At points, your playing evoked images of animals or maybe birds in distress. Nature in distress. Also: I heard air raid sirens, ambulances by the hundreds rushing to the scene of yet another atrocity. Machinery breaking down, malfunctioning, failing. Masses of people crying out for help...all talking at the same time, clamoring to be heard. Humanity brought to the edge...teetering on the brink. Hoping in vain to maintain balance. Then it all grew almost post-apocalyptic...swarms of insects, perhaps? Humans scouring a barren landscape, searching for anything worth finding. After that, it was as if every sound you introduced us to during the performance was being heard again...simultaneously. More sirens, alarms, warning sounds. I guess that’s what it felt like to me: a warning. Finally, I heard sounds that I couldn’t imagine how you wrenched from a saxophone.

Bravo, Keir...thanks for sharing your passion and creation with us. I’m not sure if I can stick around to hear the post-performance discussion...so I look forward to hearing more on how it all felt for you.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 04:13 PM

Well, HAPPY THANKSGIVING, Mickey and all of the (American) MZ’ers!

And you really look great in that dress - keep posting photos, Mickey.

Too bad I missed Keir’s live performance - it’s 8:21 am on Friday 25 November in a wet Daylesford, which means it is 4:21 pm on Thanksgiving Day in NYC and 1:21 pm on the West Coast. Ah San Francisco ..

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 11/24 at 04:22 PM

Here’s Norman Solomons with some thoughts on Thanksgiving:
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=2759
And we HAVE to buy some food tomorrow, Mickey - no way around that. As for today, nothing is going to be bought.

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 11/24 at 04:24 PM

Should have been ‘Solomon’ of course! My apologies ..

Posted by Helga Fremlin on from Daylesford, Australia 11/24 at 04:25 PM

Hi Mickey and JOS and Michael ( Thanks for finding the essay useful, Michael. Thanks for your always superb blog, as well.)
Hi to you, too, Helga.
And, Hi to you, Keir.
Fascinating experience, listening to seemingly interminable notes. Like Mickey, I kept thinking that most people would just collapse from the exertion. I was reminded of some Tibetan horns and sounds I once heard in a Tibetan monastery in San Francisco. Their sounds were designed, supposedly, to help the listener transcend both time and space, which the Tibetan Buddhists refer to as illusory. Your work does something similar, for me, at times: “Just listening, no thoughts, no internal reference - after a while - to either listener or the something being listened to… just listening, all alone… Thanks for letting us into ‘the hall,’ Keir. Thanks for referencing this wonderful place, too.

Posted by joe on from Oregon 11/24 at 04:36 PM

Hey, here’s an interesting link I just received from my sister. It’s called Monday9am, and features “short films...that do something.”

I’ve only watched the first one, which is wonderful. I suspect Michele would very much enjoy it, Mickey, as would most of us expendables…

http://tinyurl.com/bct5c

Posted by joe on from Oregon 11/24 at 04:41 PM

damn it. i missed the reference to here. what did he say?

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 04:57 PM

What am I thankful for?

This morning I instinctively turned on the tv, I guess to get a glimpse of the Macy Day Parade. <Shudder.>

I missed it-- I no longer have any interest in figuring out one station from another-- they all look the same to me.

What did I see? Clips about the latest celebrities I don’t even know (I did however recognize Tom --? (The movie star who was in Top Gun.) Seems he and his wife bought an ultrasound machine to use during her pregnancy. The chipper announcer announcer said that after the baby is born, the couple will donate the machine to a hospital. “How nice.”

Following that, I saw images of thousands of cheerful volunteers feeding hundreds of homeless. (Thumbs up.) I’m exaggerating, of course. Ever visited a soup kitchen on the “lights-out” days?

Then video clips of troops celebrating Thanksgiving in Iraq. Funny, they all looked like the same bunch-- all cheerful, all positive.

One soldier said he can’t wait to get home… to get a beer. Seems beer is taboo in Iraq. That is news.

I lost interest fast.

Back to the computer.

First, I checked SFGate. Two items caught my interest:

A quotation of Albert Schweitzer in an Open Forum without a by-line:
http://tinyurl.com/aq97h

Next, local newsman Dan Fost got the task of publicly breaking the latest news about Craigslist founder, Craig Newmark:
http://tinyurl.com/atujd

hmm. “Wreaked havoc?” What? Is that a fact?

(Sure to make the Google Search.)

Enough!

I checked in at Democracy Now! (http://www.democracynow.org)

Leading news there was about Jose Padilla. Or is that José Padilla?

What caught my attention was how Amy Goodman today matter-of-factly pronounced his name “Pa-diLLa,” not “Pa-dEEYa"-- like all the experts commenting about him.

Seems they did not catch her news yesterday-- when she was informed in a conversation that Jose’s mother pronounces his name with the Anglo “L” sound.

Maybe a small thing-- but how admirable and characteristic for Amy to hew to the best available facts in her possession.

And I am thankul for that!

Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco 11/24 at 05:00 PM

RMJ - i think we are just about to join you in the snow thing.

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/24 at 05:15 PM

Hi Robert...that was an interesting link about Craig’s List. Thanks.
Hello also to Helga, Suzanne, JOS, Joe, Michael, Keir, and anyone I missed. The snow that looked so pretty this morning is not so nice any more...blizzard conditions now. Anybody want to come up and help shovel? Where is Mudge when I need him?
Mickey, Vermont would be honored to have you visit.

Posted by RMJ on from Churchill 4 Prez Hdqts 11/24 at 05:28 PM

Hi Rosemarie, Robert and Michael…
I enjoyed your meandering post, Robert. Thanks.
Where are you in the City? I lived in various places around town. I often miss it, though I hear there are no places left for smokers…
Democracy Now generally drives me crazy. It’s a useful tool, but it seems obvious that Amy’s aims for the show differ dramatically from what I’d wish for from such a broadcast.

We just heard from our oldest son in upstate NY, Rosemarie. Sounds snowy there, too. I remember the first couple of snows being somewhat magical. Thereafter, I was dreaming about springtime…
Talk to you soon, Rosemarie.

At the site of the link posted above, I can only recommend the first movie. Number 5 is interesting, as well, however.

Posted by joe on from Oregon 11/24 at 06:16 PM

Interesting work, Keir. At times very lonely and sad, and at once powerful and strong. I too was astonished by your incredible control. It was nice to be able to hear the interactions afterwards, as well. Thanks for sharing your talent with the world.

Posted by suzanne on from 11/24 at 06:19 PM

Hello Expendables...and welcome, Robert (Mr. Livingston, I presume).

Michael, Keir mentioned this site and gave out the URL...so perhaps we have any “number” of new visitors again today.

Joe: Michele and I watched the short film. That Heather is wonderful. We’ll have to look into her efforts. Hello Suzanne.

It’s 6:45 in Astoria. Kinda rainy here today.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 06:46 PM

I live South of Market, in a little affordable eddy beseiged by Disney-style $$$$$ condo development.

Bohemians can be tenacious, I’ve found, but I think we all hanker for a quiet island somewhere, at least sometimes. I’ve never been far North of here, not having any especial reason to travel. I once read a French cartoon caption about how artists furnish their homes with imagination; I suspect that is how they construct their geography as well. I could just as well be anywhere else.

Democracy Now! has its better and worse aspects.

My criticism of it is relatively mild though-- compared to other news outlets that seldom if ever rectify their shortcomings.

Posted by Robert B. Livingston on from San Francisco 11/24 at 06:58 PM

Thanksgiving day is a new concept for me so I give it a try… on the top of my mind is:

Thank´s for three meals a day,hot showers, public education,free speech,clean environment and the great outdoors,weekends,acceptable workplaces with acceptable workdays (hours) with acceptable wages,reliable friends,clean toilets,functioning public transporting,ad-free tv and radiochannels,good artists and writers with integrity who inspires you…

or to quote Abba “thank you for the music” especially stuff like this:
http://www.firewater.tv/
http://www.hydrahead.org/hh/thefire/
http://www.pandora.com/ (choose yourself).

I listened to the interview with Mickey yesterday and somehow Moby and Jello Biafra came to mind maybe you resembled Moby´s calm and Jello´s determination to me?

My favourite quote of today is (despite it´s an presidents!)
“Those who deny freedom for others, deserve it not for themselves and under a just god, cannot long retain it.”
- Abe Lincoln

(btw,I changed my nick a bit since I´m using a different computer so the old one was already “registered”,whatever! )

Posted by The poster formerly known as "Old Glen". on from 11/24 at 07:38 PM

I missed Keir’s performance...anyone know if it will be saved on the website?

Posted by JOS on from Calle Colón 11/24 at 08:00 PM

So, Old Glen, what do we call you now? Thanks for listening to the interview. Moby and Jello? Hey, sounds good to me. I liked the links you provided. One of them led to this link...which made me think of Michael:
http://www.limmy.com/playthings/xylophone

Big Country, not sure about Keir’s performance. I expect he’ll stop by later with more info.

Robert has the quote of the day: “Bohemians can be tenacious.”

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 08:56 PM

Signing off at 10:59...from chilly Astoria.

Posted by Mickey Z. on from Astoria 11/24 at 11:00 PM

JOS - it looks like one might be able to play it right now, but I’m not sure. They have an archive, though Keir’s stuff isn’t yet posted there. We’ll probably know more tomorrow.

Glen - I’ve just heard from The Artist Formerly Known As Prince, who thinks your name change is wonderful. He adds, however, that he got a case of carpel tunnel syndrome after having to sign his name too many times in one afternoon…

Hey Robert - thanks.
I lived on Pine, near Taylor.
Seventh Avenue, near the park - across from the Safeway.
Stayed, off and on, in a place on Mallorca, in the Marina District.
On Pierce St., near California.
On Ulloa, just off Taraval…
( Off and on, `76 - `84 )

Had some amazing experiences, South of Market.
I imagine the area has changed dramatically, however.
In the 70’s, SF was perhaps the most amazing place in the world. Still incredibly beautiful in the 80’s, it was already almost too expensive for most of the ordinary folks. I imagine I couldn’t afford to buy an out-house there, now.

G’Night to you, Mickey. G’Night, all.
It’s 11:22pm here in Oregon. Chilly but clear for the first time in ~ 10 days.

Posted by joe on from Oregon 11/25 at 02:23 AM

If you´re responding to me call me Glen or old Glen,(it´s just a nick taken after a cheap brand of whiskey anyways.)

Posted by The poster formerly known as "Old Glen". on from 11/25 at 05:01 AM

Thank you all for the support, and for taking the time to listen. I treasure the reactions of those who listened--and the fact that others tried. I will place the little speech I made beforehand on my blog today. As for archiving the performance and discussion, that might take a while, but we might stream the thing again with video at some point.

It was raining all night, which never bodes well for people giving concerts. The little live audience was comprised mainly of people I know, and most of them were artists, composers, and performers. Audience members from The Netherlands, Israel, UK, Australia, Italy, Japan, Estonia, US. There has been a running debate among some of us over the last four years about “politics in art” and the social responsibility of artists. And Mickey, some of them know my saxophone playing and most are familiar with experimental music of some sort or another, but still, 20 minute solo saxophone improvisations on one breath are not something you hear--or should!--everyday.

It really made me feel good to come home and check this place and know that some of you managed to listen. Thanks again.

Posted by Keir on from The Hague 11/25 at 05:38 AM

Hi everybody,
It´s my birthday on Monday so I´m going to Pyrenees for the weekend where I´ll be computerless, so enjoy yourselves all of you.
xoxowen

Posted by Owen on from Barcelona 11/25 at 05:45 AM

enjoy yourself owen.

its always fun when its just the european contingent in the morning isn’t it?!

JUST JOKING

it was great to listen to kier. i left a couple of messages on your blog while i was listening

Posted by michael on from scotland 11/25 at 05:52 AM

Holy swiss cheese, Batman! YOu in a pink dress is certainly something I’d never thought I’d see. At least not outside of my nightmares.

Posted by Christine Hamm on from not in my backyard 11/25 at 09:08 PM