Re: Heads and Laurie (was Re: coincidences and biographies)

["pete brown" <deconblue>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Fiona Webster <fi>
To: <babel-list>
Sent: Sunday, July 02, 2000 12:18 PM
Subject: Heads and Laurie (was Re: coincidences and biographies)


> John writes:
> > I have a theory (Ms. Anne Elk voice, anyone?).  This is my theory:  I
believe
> > people that are passionate about an artist like Patti Smith are going to
> > appreciate intensity and sincerity in an artist above and beyond such
> > considerations as genre and technical expertise.  That is why Patti fans
are
> > going to like such artists as Sleater-Kinney as opposed to, say, Yanni.
> > Yanni is obviously a better musician from a technical standpoint, but
who
> > wants to listen to that stuff, right?   :-)   On the other hand you have
> > somebody like ALbert Ayler, who posessed both the intensity and the
technical
> > ability.  I might also put Jimi Hendrix in that category, and I believe
both
> > Hendrix & Ayler have recieved praise in this forum before.  Anyway, some
food
> > for thought.
>
> And yet in all our discussions of favorite artists we have in common
> (Rolling Stones, Yo La Tengo, Sonic Youth, REM, Pere Ubu,
> whatever...) I've rarely heard mention of *my* favorite artists
> other than Patti Smith: the Talking Heads, and Laurie Anderson.
> Also various Brian Eno and David Byrne spinoff projects.
>
> And I know exactly why, as a Patti Smith fan, I like the Heads
> and Laurie A. so much: LYRICS. It's no secret that I'm a big word
> person, and have always been at least as into Patti's poetry and
> other writing as into her music. The music and live performances
> make her lyrics and poetry come alive, no doubt about it, but
> I have a real thing for *quotable* artists. Patti Smith is highly
> quotable, and so are the Talking Heads and Laurie Anderson:
>
>     "When this kiss is over it will start again.
>      It will not be any different, it will be exactly
>         the same.
>      It's hard to imagine that nothing at all
>         could be so exciting, could be so much fun.
>      Heaven is a place where nothing every happens.
>      Heaven is a place where nothing every happens."
> --TH
>
>    "She said: What is history?
>     And he said: History is an angel being blown backwards into
>      the future
>     He said: History is a pile of debris
>     And the angel wants to go back and fix things
>     To repair the things that have been broken
>     But there is a storm blowing from Paradise
>     And the storm keeps blowing the angel backwards
>     into the future And this storm, this storm is called
>     Progress"
> --LA
>
>   "Facts are simple and facts are straight
>    Facts are lazy and facts are late
>    Facts all come with points of view
>    Facts don't do what I want them to
>    Facts just twist the truth around
>    Facts are living turned inside out"
>                            --TH
>
>   "Who is this really?
>    And the voice said: This is the hand, the hand that takes.
>    This is the hand, the hand that takes. This is
>    the hand, the hand that takes.
>    Here come the planes. They're American planes. Made in America.
>    Smoking or non-smoking?
>    And the voice said: Neither snow nor rain nor gloom of night shall
>    stay these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed
>    rounds.
>    'Cause when love is gone, there's always justice.
>    And when justive is gone, there's always force.
>    And when force is gone, there's always Mom. Hi Mom!
>    So hold me, Mom, in your long arms.
>    So hold me, Mom, in your long arms.
>    In your automatic arms. Your electronic arms. In your arms.
>    So hold me, Mom, in your long arms. Your petrochemical arms.
>    Your military arms. In your electronic arms."
> --LA
>
>
> Well anyway, you get the point. Lyrics like these have been,
> for me, like Patti's lyrics--not in any artistic similiarity, but in
> how essential they have been to me. I just can't put it any
> better than that: essential. They've been my food and drink,
> my life substance.
>
> --Fiona
>
> P.S. And is it any surprise, really, that Lou Reed and Laurie
> are an item now? I want want want for them to make an album
> together: her lyrics, his music.
Count   me in on the heads, but they were also a great live act.