October 1, 2007
dataharvest
Oct 2 - NYC - First week of October, Lucinda Williams played a series of shows in New York. At Town Hall Steve Earl joined in for a few songs.
New Yorker Jesse Malin and Fionn Regan from Ireland each played a song with Lucinda at Town Hall and posed for a photo backstage after the show.
Oct 12 - NYC - I started working with Rick Fuller on a DVD story of my career ...... stay tuned for more details.
Oct 22 - NYC - The Wallflowers played a moving show at the Highline Ballroom.
Oct 23 - NYC - My annual Birthday Party, this year at the R-Bar on the Bowery was great! Frankenstein 3000 played a rockin set.
Johnny Chan and the New Dynasty Six set the tone of the party when they played their hit song "All About Me"
BP Fallon was at the party with Semi Precious Weapons' singer Justin Tranter.
Nona Hendryx and Skin seem to have enjoyed the party. I know I did.
Nov 1 - NYC - New York - Ron Wood held an opening of his artwork and signed copies of his new book , and then Slash came by with his new book, and the rock and roll authors compared notes.
Oct 27 - Staten Island, NY - Staten Island Composers Project featuring David Johansen, Vernon Reid and Galt MacDermot. Above David Johansen introduces the classical piece he wrote for the occasion.
Oct 30 - NYC - Patti Smith Group opened for the Black Crowes at the United Palace Theatre in New York.
Black Crowes showed that they are the powerful rulers of the Southern Rock world!
Oct 31 - NYC - The Cycle Sluts from Hell were the highlight of my Halloween evening in New York when they played a reunion show at the last in the series of Mother*ucker parties
Nov 8 - Great Neck, NY - The Great Neck Arts Center honored the artist Edwina Sandys (left) for Lifetime Achievement and gave me the award for Artist of Distinction! Above executive director Regina Keller Gil (center) greeted us at the pre-awards exhibition of our work.
Nov 8 - NYC - When the awards dinner was over, I rushed back to the city to see Deborah Harry perform with a new band to promote her new solo CD - Necessary Evil. I got there in time to see Miss Guy join her onstage.
Backstage I showed Debbie the award. It was a moving experience for me to receive this award in the town I had grown up in. I never expected when I was at high school there, that I would be honored in this way by such a respected arts organization. Debbie and I agreed that Rock and Roll has taken us far.
Nov 10 - NYC - British artist Damien Hirst opened an exhibition on Park Avenue. I stopped by to say hi while he was setting up his "School: The Archaeology of Lost Desires, Comprehending Infinity,and The Search For Knowledge".
Mark Ronson, Grammy nominated producer of Amy Winehouse and Lily Allen, was the DJ at Damien's party, and his mom Ann Dexter Jones was there as a happy guest. It was a fun party at the Lever House.
The Hours Antony Genn and Martin Slatter, (formerly of the Mescalaros) put together the soundtrack background to Damien's exhibition.
Lily Allen's dad comedian/actor Keith Allen, (at left) played with a band doing covers of popular '70's and '80's songs, and even got art dealer Larry Gagosian, (second from right) to join in onstage!
Nov 11 - NYC - Stiff Little Fingers performed an exciting show at the Highline Ballroom.
Later that night I was at Don Hill's to see the Motley Crue tribute band Girls Girls Girls
Nov 15 - NYC - Handsome Dick, now an author known as 'HD Manitoba' unvieled his new "Punk Rock Book of Lists" to me and fellow contributors of lists Danny Fields and Leee Black Childers, at his Manitoba's bar. Get a copy, it's a fun read!
Nov 29 - NYC - Suzanne Vega played a beautiful set at the Manhattan Ballroom on 34th street. Backstage after the show I got to meet her new husband, lawyer/poet Paul Mills.
Nov 30 - NYC - My son Kris recommended that we go see Andrew Bird at the Beacon Theater and he was right; the show was a spellbinding musical experience.
Dec 6 - NYC - I went to the party for the start of the auction of artist decorated Lunchboxes, with proceeds going to hunger relief organizations, and posed with the one I made.
Dec 5 - NYC - Carbon Silicon a new band project of Mick Jones and Tony James appeared at the Highline Ballroom. It was the first time either of them played in New York in almost 20 years. They were in great form with good new material and having fun playing it.
The Talking Heads Tina Weymouth and Chris Frantz get together with Mick after his show.
Dec 12 - NYC - The Toilet Boys released their CD "Sex Music" and I got to be the guest DJ at the party at Marquee club.
Dec 18 - NYC - My son Kris Gruen, playing music from his CD "Lullaby School" at the Living Room in New York, accompanied by his brother Jason Beck.
Dec 18 - NYC - Jesse Malin was at the Mercury Lounge for two nights to record a live album. He did a long set with lots of storytelling in between the songs.
Dec 21 - Los Angeles - Ike Turner, who passed away on Dec 13th, was a very big help to me when I started my career. At his funeral in Los Angeles he was remembered as a founding father of Rock and Roll.
Little Richard told how he heard Ike's record "Rocket 88" then took the first guitar chord to start "Good Golly Miss Molly" and had a big hit with it.
Phil Spector (above with his wife Rachelle) spoke about what a great musician Ike was . Phil said he quit the music business when Ike & Tina were not accepted as the really big act he believed them to be.
Dec 22 - Los Angeles - The next day there was a benefit tribute at the Key Club in Los Angeles for Joe Strummer on the 5th anniversary of his passing. Chris Salewicz, who wrote a biography of Joe, read from his book during the evening.
Zander Scholss played on Joe's albums "Walker" and "Earthquake Weather". Zander gathered a group of musicians and they played songs from the two albums. It was the first time anyone had ever performed this material live and it was really well done. I think Joe would have liked it.
La Plebe was a band of five young guys who played the fastest, hardest driving set of the night and they got the crowd jumping and cheering.
Love and Rockets were a surprise finale for the Joe Strummer tribute, which benefited the Strummerville charity foundation.
Dec 28 - NYC - Back in my home town for the New Year weekend, I went to the Fillmore at Irving Plaza to see the New York Dolls. David and Syl told me the show was recorded to be released as a live album.
Dec 30 - NYC - Patti Smith played her annual series at the Bowery Ballroom celebrating her birthday as well as the New Year, here cheered on by her band mate, the great Lenny Kaye.
Dec 31 - NYC - On New Years Eve I saw the most energetic band around, the gypsy punk group, Golgo Bordello. They hit the stage running and don't ever stop!
Happy New Year to all and may you see your dreams come true this year!
Jan 10 - NYC - My wife Elizabeth Gregory unveiled her artwork with a solo exhibition at the Ivy Brown Gallery in New York. Her work is multi-layered hand cut paper which captures the nuances of nature as architect. The hand cut lines reflect the vibrations of life. On view until Jan 31st.
