Sunday, October 28, 2007

love

what is it? why do we want it? how do we feel it? we cannot eat it yet it nourishes us. being alone is one thing, but love keeps us from being lonely. david crosby had a song which stated "music is love", not sure he was right, but i love music and music makes me feel love and many other things. do i love something or just enjoy it immensely? i love food. i love my house. i love my family and friends. i love psychotronics.

my favorite part of "All You Need Is Love" is, toward the end, just before the melody of "Greensleeves" is played by the strings, when John Lennon says- "Guess again".

Thursday, October 25, 2007

one picture says it all













yup, pretty much...

LaClede Town 1964-76


LaClede Town: Impressions of a Native Son
By Dominic Schaeffer

In 1964 we moved from Creve Coeur into the heart of the city, in Mill Creek Valley, to the new housing development called LaClede Town. Our mother, Rita, recently widowed, needed to relocate closer to her work at St. Louis University — a move contrary to the urban flight that was beginning at that time. My first time there was prior to our move.

Dominic and Benet Rita took me (and Benet?) to go swimming at a friend's apartment complex. That was in LaClede Park, which was at the southwest corner of LaClede Ave. and Compton. LaClede Town was just being constructed on the adjacent corner. It was my first time in a swimming pool, and as soon as I stepped into it the water went over my head and I began to panic. I was quickly whisked out by the lifeguard on duty, Greg Burger, son of Jerome Burger, the manager of LaClede Park. A decade or so later, I would be one with the job of pulling people out of what we would call "The Peanut Pool." During the drive home I remember looking at brochures and newspaper articles about a new housing development that would be our family's new home.

3151 Laclede Avenue. That was the house our family lived from 1964 to '73. Occasionally when I'd mention to someone that I grew up in LaClede Town they'd don a quizzical look as if to say, "and you're proud of that?" More often than not the statement is met with a blank stare. But there have been magic moments when people reply, "Wow — I did, too!" When these occur with people I have never met it makes me realize that the whole "concept" of the community was real and not just some utopian dream of a seven-year-old.

The zeitgeist of that era was one of wrenching social change, and Jerome Burger's sense of community building was at the crest of that change. Bringing a diverse population to live together in LaClede Town — black, white and Hispanic; artists, musicians, poets; people from all walks of life — was his goal. And he achieved it, for a time.

In LaClede Park, there were two-story apartments that surrounded a courtyard with benches and a rectangular fountain, where there were often gatherings or parties, like bar-b-ques after softball games played by the LaClede Town Losers. The new "Town" was two- and three-story houses with courtyards around which neighbors would gather, though there weren't any events held at them like the Park courtyard hosted. But LaClede Town had The Circle.

Running east/west, from Compton Ave. to Ewing St. through the middle of the Town, was Lawton Ave. LaClede Town was built in two phases; the first portion ran from Laclede Ave. on the south to Olive St. on the north. The western border was Compton and Channing marked the east. "The Circle" was at the corner of Channing and Lawton. It was to act as "town square." With the Coach and Four Pub and the Circle Coffeehouse, The Circle became the cultural heart of the town. There was also a barber shop, two laundromats, and the General Store — a small grocer where I remember buying a Twinkie and a soda for 25¢! Some of the people who lived there in the early years were holdouts from Gaslight Square, bringing with them an interest in the arts and giving the place a "counterculture" feel. In retrospect, it's humorous to think that Burger, who called everybody "babe" and had a vocal style not unlike a beatnik, would designate a "circle" as opposed to a "square."

The Coach and Four Pub was where the grown-ups gathered, with its sidewalk cafe. The Coffeehouse was for the younger set. A rock band called the Crystalline Silence Band practiced upstairs. As young kids, we could hear them practicing above the Coffeehouse from the sidewalk and were even invited up once or twice when they took a break. This was the time when The Beatles were breaking new ground with albums like "Rubber Soul" and "Revolver." The so-called youth movement was gaining momentum on the West coast and there was a feeling that music, more specifically rock-and-roll, could "change the world." Having the Crystalline Silence Band in LaClede Town brought this home. We were impressed — so impressed that some of the kids living there at the time pursued a life in music. My brother Benet and I have been working musicians for the better part of 25 years as a result. Another among our group of close friends, Ike Willis, became a guitarist/vocalist of international renown as the front man for Frank Zappa. Before he died, Zappa met with Ike and personally "handed the torch" to Ike to carry on playing his compositions — a request that Ike faithfully honors to this day.

Jazz and poetry also found a home among the people of LaClede Town. Oliver Lake, J. D. Parran, Julius Hemphill, Floyd LeFlore and his wife, poet Shirley LeFlore, performed regularly as Black Artist Group (BAG) at the Circle Coffeehouse. They were highlights of the Spring/Fall Festivals that were held in The Circle featuring music, arts and crafts. Even the kids were able to perform. I remember seeing Ike playing the drums with Oliver Lake's group. In the early- to middle-'70s, the bands that us kids formed would also play the festivals.

LaClede Town was indeed utopian in those early years. Like many things that start out small and work well, the obvious next step is expansion. The more people wanted to move in, the more sections were built. In 1973, LaClede West and LaClede East were added. LaClede East was a high-rise apartment complex and Laclede West were prefabricated houses. These new areas held true to the community feel that Jerome Burger had striven for, but in 1976 things changed. Jerome Burger had left, and though his brother managed things for a few years after that, it was never the same. Things went downhill from there... and fast.

But there were so many great things about that time and that place. Unfortunately, the abandoned, boarded-up houses stood far too long, leaving the impression to those passing by that it must have been a failure, "the end of an error." But to those of us who were there, it was by no means a failure. Far from it. And the next time I mention to someone that I grew up in LaClede Town and get that quizzical look, I'll say, "and yes — I am proud of that!"

Friday, October 19, 2007

Democratic Lord's Prayer

Our DLC who art in Warshington
Dash-ed be thy kin
Thy Kingdom gone
Thy Will be wrong
For Earth as you are for 'Murka

Give us this day
Our Albert Gore
And forgive us our excesses
As we will get those
Who cast votes against us
And lead us not into complacence
But deliver us from Hillary

Amen

Saxofinus 20:07

Sunday, October 14, 2007

Gore: "Politics requires tolerance for triviality, artifice, nonsense I have found in short supply."

the above is a quote sited in the NYT: The Trivial Pursuit By BOB HERBERT
Published: October 13, 2007


Well, Al- MY level of tolerance for triviality, artifice and nonsense is NONEXISTENT!

I can tolerate it no longer. "We The People" can no longer survive like this.

American democracy is at a tipping point. Maybe we've passed it, hopefully it is recoverable. All I know is none of the current candidates are addressing the issues that matter with the same force, understanding and clarity that I see/hear coming from Al Gore.

Yes- the Earths climate is at a tipping point. Gore has made major strides toward changing millions of individuals awareness and lifestyles. This work is underway. Change is happening on a personal level all over the world. Despite resistance, derision and outright mocking of environmental consciousness from the corporate media, people have changed and more are changing still.

Al Gore is solely responsible for this. To a person, everyone acknowledges it.

Gore must be aware that he can lead in much the same way to solving the democracy crisis. With his book "The Assault On Reason" he has spelled out in detail the dangers We The People face today and given us solutions. TAOR ends with hope and a clarion call to the reader to work toward restoring our blessed democracy.

With this book and through his speaking engagements Gore IS making strides toward changing individuals awareness of what we have long suspected- "that something has gone terribly wrong". And again- this work is underway. Awareness is happening on a personal level all over America. Despite resistance, derision and outright mocking of Gore from the corporate media, people are waking up and more are waking daily. But awakening to what- looking over an abyss?

Just as the Earth needed an individual to take the reins and steer it away from the brink, America needs a leader who will stand for The Constitution and redeem our once great nation in the eyes of the world. Looking at the current list of declared democrats, I fail to see one that fits this description.

Certainly, the Democratic Party will win the presidency in 2008... but will We The People?


if you think Al Gore should run, please visit www.draftgore.com and sign the petition along with 200,000 other like minded voters!

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Monday, October 1, 2007

psychotronics



This is the band i play in with Curt Hendricks, Vince Hely and Jim Laverty. we play improvisational instrumental rock with a jazz ethic. early weather report and miles davis meet gong and aphrodites child. throw some king crimson in the mix and you have a pretty good picture of what we do.

guitar
bass
drums
sax
done



www.psychotronicsband.com is our official homepage.

www.myspace.com/psychotronicsmusic is our myspace page.

now visit The Official psychotronics Blog