Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Antonia Bird

Director -- via the Telegraph.

Tony Brevett

Vocalist; co-founder of the Melodians -- via the Jamaica Observer. One-third of the sweet singers that recorded "Rivers of Babylon."

"Banana" George Blair

Exhibition water skier and devotee of the color yellow -- via the L.A. Times.

Bob Greene aka Robert Stern Greenstein

Pianist and world-class expert on Jelly Roll Morton -- via the New York Times.

Oscar Yanes aka Oscar Armando Yanes González

Journalist and writer -- via El Universal.

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Lou Reed

Musician, songwriter, and performer; a key figure in the history of American music -- via NPR. Where do I begin? A founding member of the Velvet Underground. Created "Berlin" and "New York," two of the greatest albums of all time.

His parents gave him shock therapy because he was gay. He hooked up as a student with Delmore Schwartz, one of my favorite poets. He had a vision that rock could communicate much more than teenage lust, ditty-bop ectstasies, or groovy trips. It could examine life as thoroughly as Baudelaire, Poe, Celine did. He was brave enough to be honest about himself and what he witnessed.

And he fucking rocked. He even imposed Metal Machine Music on us, with perverse rigor and absolute no concern for the audience whatsoever.

He wasn't a pretty boy. He was nervous and confused, like us. He was a junkie; he wasn't. He was gay, he was straight, he was gay, he was straight. Didn't matter.  Lou, you made it OK to be a freak and question everything, especially oneself! Thank you for all the dark magic.










William Harrison

Novelist, short-story writer, and screenwriter; best known as the creator of "Rollerball" -- via the Arkansas Times. Also wrote the screenplay for the little-known gem "Mountains of the Moon."



Anthony Vivis

Key, highly skilled translator of German theater -- via the Guardian.

Gianni Ferrio

Composer, conductor, and arranger -- via rokol.it.




Irma Lozano

Actress -- via the Latin Times.

Rune T. Kidde

Writer, cartoonist, storyteller, musician, and artist -- via dr.dk.

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Anthony Caro

Sculptor -- via the New York Times.

Manna Dey

Playback singer -- via the BBC.

Paul Smith

Jazz pianist -- via the Washington Post.

Larri Thomas Hoy

Actress and dancer -- via the Hollywood Reporter.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013