Sir Ray Davies' "Americana"- Definitely worth reading

 https://www.amazon.com/Americana-Kinks-Riff-Road-Story-ebook/dp/B0751HTQ8R/ref=sr_1_1?hvadid=241618892113&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9010378&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=11407560403369489041&hvtargid=kwd-302900994468&hydadcr=22565_10355050&keywords=ray+davies+americana+book&qid=1688230390&sr=8-1#customerReviews

     This might not be the best introduction to Sir Ray or the Kinks, but it does not have anything that assumes extensive prior knowledge of either him or the bands. Sir Ray has long been a favorite of mine; "Waterloo Sunset" really sold me on his abilities with language. His talents carry over to prose; each chapter opens with lyrics.

     As I read I was struck by his brutal honesty concerning his failed marriages/relationships and the long-term sibling rivalry with Dave. Ray does not point the finger at anyone except himself. He does not wallow in self-pity, but it is all there for the reader to experience.

      This is a very insightful read and I would hope to see a continuation of it eventually.

 

   

Pete the Poet- Peter Brown, RIP

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pete-brown-cream-lyricist-dead-obit-1234739205/ 

     This is several weeks late, due somewhat to my lethargy, but also to my recuperation from successful hip replacement surgery.

     I so wish that Cream and Blind Faith had lasted longer than they did. Cream played blues, progressive rock, and some jazz. Blind Faith had so much promise. But the record labels and managers wanted to make more money, and the bands wore out

    Jack Bruce collaborated with Peter Brown, "Pete the Poet" for years. Pete went on to become a singer in various bands, and so was more in the public eye than other superb lyricists like BernieTaupin and Keith Reid.

    The Rolling Stone link has two of my favorites by him: "White Room" and "Theme From an Imaginary Western", which Mountain covered.

    Will any of today's lyricists be so heralded? Taylor Swift might, but of course, she is a star in her own right. What about the lyricists/poets who remain more or less in the background?

    A student asked me to contribute some lyrics for his band. Not a complete song, but it's a start!

Belated Happy Birthday, Pete Townshend!

 https://www.amazon.com/Who-Am-Memoir-Pete-Townshend/dp/006212725X

      Most Rock and Roll autobiographies are little more than a litany of sex, drugs, and perhaps rehab,. And most are "As told to" someone who can write. Not this one,

     Townshend speaks honestly and with clarity. He talks about the creative process, and gives insight into the music he has written,.  This book is worth one's time.

     I also include a link to something from his solo work.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOFyO6IqYk0

Poem for Mother's Day

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://muddyriverpoetryreview.webs.com/Arthur%20Turfa.pdf 

Mom is on the left, and Dad is on the right. She loved teaching.

Keith Reid, Lyricist, RIP

      I have to confess some jealousy here of Keith Reid and also of Bernie Taupin. Their lyrics have made them millionaires. Not usual for poets, by any means. Taupin stays in the background; we did not see him last year when we saw Elton John. Reid traveled with Procul Harum and felt part of the group.

     What impresses me is that Reid wrote the lyrics first. He considered them to be poems, which someone else put to music. While some of Taupin's could stand on their own, all of Reid's could, and do so.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/31/arts/music/keith-reid-dead.html

     I am going to speak about only one, Broken Barricades, the title track to the fifth album, from 1971. It is a short, almost minimalist poem, but one that fits in so well with the music. Give it a listen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76BO4FIkhu4

Links to my books:

 https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county#:~:text=About%20the%20Book&text=The%20business%20inherited%20by%20the,roles%20in%20this%20changed%20community.

Festschrift? Not Likely For Me, But That's All Right

      A Festschrift consists of chapters by different authors on subjects relating to the lifework of an academic on the occasion of hir or her retirement or reaching a significant milestone in age. A friend and colleague is going overseas soon to honor one of his mentors. My 70th birthday is next month. The three-score and ten (Psalm 90:10) , four-score if one is very fortunate, was not easy to attain prior to medical advances.

     What would be in a Festschrift for me? I have had several careers, often concurrent, and varied interests. I would not want to inflict trying to oversee such a volume for me on anyone. 

     A Festschrift for me would include chapters on:

•      Church history, especially involving Lutherans and the Conciliar Age
•      Army/military chaplaincy
•      Education
•      Poetry
•     German Language and Culture
•     Novels/ short stories

     Do you see what I mean?

     Links to my books:

     

     https://www.amazon.com/stores/Arthur-Turfa/author/B00YJ9LNOA?ref=ap_rdr&store_ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county

What I've Been Doing Lately

    It's Holy Saturday, and it's been busy in our household. I'm interim in one parish (my third Easter there) and my wife is less officially assigned to another. 

    From a writing standpoint, lately, I have submitted some poems, revised some others, helping to schedule some Zoom poetry events for the South Carolina Writers Association. In a little over a month, I am going to be featured in a web publication. And I've been kicking around a short story idea while thinking about revising some others.

Two poetry events...scroll down a little for the second

. https://www.myscwa.org/events

   

:Links to my books:

https://www.amazon.com/Books-Arthur-Turfa/s?rh=n%3A283155%2Cp_27%3AArthur+Turfa

https://www.blurb.com/b/10799783-the-botleys-of-beaumont-county