I Want Candy

John L. from Dutchess County, asks “You and I are the same age. I feel like I know a lot about your literary influences and interests, but not as much about your musical musings. I, too, was 13 in 1983, albeit with a very different upbringing (an hour north of NYC). I was drawn to Motley Crue, Black Sabbath, and hard rock. Did music play a major part in your life at that time? If so, what kinds? Do you have any musical ability?”

John, thanks very much for your questions.

Raising a glass to all the compadres over my last 40 years or so who turned me on to the good shit. I neglected to mention old pals like Pat Healy, who fed me assorted jewels like Booker T & the MG’s and early Ray Charles (get his “One Mint Julep” immediately, drop the needle and commence shaking it), and Paul Adelstein, who immeasurably introduced me to WEEN. Garno brought me to The Gourds. Joy & Seth for Nina Simone. Primeaux for Bowie? All of us for Dead Can Dance. I found The Meters myself because they’re name-checked in a Red Hot Chili Peppers song. The many friends who joined me in celebrating CornMo (“It’s a Lollipop Time With You”), then smiled and danced a jig with me to his music. Last but hardly least, the undeniably gorgeous Pat Roberts, who fueled my madness by marinating me in Pink Floyd and Nick Cave’s later ripping good, brimstone-soaked effort, Grinderman. That’s how ignorant my musical youth was, p.s.: I discovered Pink Floyd in like 1997.

Here I am performing a song about Lagavulin at the Bigfoot Lodge in east Los Angeles, circa 2015 or so, and if memory serves me correctly, that was an #AD. 📷: Colleen Hayes

A devilishly bewitching horn blower whom I had the privilege to portray, by the name of Duke Silver. When The Boss wanted to nickname Clarence Clemons “The Big Man”, they called Duke first to ask permission. 📷: Gail Perello

An incredible night in Brisbane, Australia, when CornMo and I were joined onstage by John C. Reilly to sing Tom Waits’ Innocent When You Dream. 📷: Charney Marshall

A second shot to see CornMo’s smiling face. John is curious about my pitch.

When you find the music that makes your heart beat in time with your local watershed, these casual cultural influences can turn out to change one’s life substantially. And so, I’ll leave you with just such a confection from my sweet friend Matt the Electrician:

Love,

Muleteers, this button is what you hit to sign up for a partial load (free) or a full load, fully blown (“4 a few dollars more”). Leave a question in the comments and I’ll endeavor to get ‘em all, although it’s an organic process, so there’s no accounting for my notional nature. But rest assured I’m powerfully grateful for every question you leave me. And be sure to tell me where you’re writing from, please and thank you.