she loves you
we are so very lucky to have lived in a time where we’ve experienced the influence of the Beatles, either directly or indirectly. as i think back to that 9th night of february, 1964, when i first saw the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show, what i remember most is the hope. there was a promise of change, of love, and of deliverance from a gray world to something in technicolor, and, for a time, that was to be so. the long-term effect was a belief that the world could become a better place- would become a better place- if i believed that it could and would. i’ve carried that hope throughout my life and it has sustained me when things looked like they were getting dark again; eventually, i’ve found my way back to the light. i suppose there are many factors that have propelled me- my country and race of origin, my socio-economic background, my family of origin, and just plain luck. but what i believe in is that message of hope that came into my consciousness as a 9 year-old boy listening to the Beatles.
i was already making music as a 9 year-old accordionist and cellist, but after february 9, 1964, i went after the guitar and bass. and then came the songs. they wrote their own songs, so why couldn’t i? and on it went. after an auspices start and a temporary stop, i eventually settled back into music some 30+ years ago and music has delivered every single good thing in my life since. i’ve told some of the stories here, and they are hopeful tomes.
i love this photo of the late members of the Beatles in hamburg taken by Astrid Kirchher. i bought a limited edition print signed by Astrid from Stu Sutcliffe’s sister Pauline and George Harrison’s sister, Louise, when they owned a gallery on Portobello Road in London in 1996. it’s hanging in my lair in Newton, and i feel a special connection to it. as i’ve reported previously, i literally bumped into John in the record plant recording studio in 1974, and i met George on a flight to London from Boston in 2000. i never met Stu, but Pauline was a brilliant proxy with much to share in a loving and personal way. obviously, the Astrid connection was very deep as Stu and Astrid were lovers from the time of the Beatles in hamburg up until the time of Stu’s untimely passing. these coincidental connections made me feel closer to the music— but more so, to the hope.
this hope has defined my life. from early fits and starts to a long-lasting joy of living and lust for life, which i have to this day. perhaps i’m a dreamer, but my dreams have taken me to wonderful places with exciting experiences. i’ve had some impact on the world of music through my songs, and through the music companies i’ve created and continue to create because of hope. i still write songs every day which in and of itself is an act of hope— a hope that the act of creation makes a difference. if a song is written in the kitchen, does it exist? yes. the act of creating the song is an act of hope— and of defiance against those who would say that it doesn’t matter. as Willie Nelson’s recent song says, “Energy Follows Thought.”
the van Gogh Brothers continue their journey at Vincent’s Worcester on february 17 at 8:00 PM. we play for 3 1/2 hours with a couple of short breaks. not bad for a bunch of old men. and we also return to the studio this month for more tracking and mixing of album #17. on the 13th, i will mix David Friedman’s vibraphone on “Open Hands.” I tracked David down in Berlin after listening to his work since 1969 on “Love from Room 109 at the Islander on the Pacific Coast Highway” from Tim Buckley’s “Happy Sad” album. i’m very excited to have him on this track.
as some of you know, we’ve had some illness in the band family. please keep us in your prayers, and bear with us through the sometimes last-minute cancelations. we know this is an inconvenience for you and we deeply appreciate your patience and support.
so, happy Beatles month to those of you who observe, and to those of you who don’t, may the road rise to meet you, as it has me.
love,
jc