Why the hat? I’ve learned it’s impossible to take myself too seriously while wearing a cowboy hat, which lends itself to creativity. Otherwise, Scotch whiskey, tequila and fine cigars provide the muse, which one is selected depends on the weather, both interior and exterior. Once deployed, the clouds almost imperceptibly lift and, if I hold very still, an insight sometimes seeps in and I can capture the ineffable quality of the thing before it eludes me, yet again. Literary, huh? Yep, I had all the advantages, growing up.
As to why this column is thus titled: It encapsulates how I write and indeed how I sometimes walk through life. “Halfway to the Label” is a line lifted from an old Van Halen song and refers to how much booze must be consumed before the protagonist “can even make it through the night.” That speaks to me. I suppose it could also refer to how much booze remains, depending on one’s philosophical bent. I digress. “Waiting on a clever turn-of-phrase” should be self-evident, but nothing can be taken for granted, can it? Roughly translated, it means I’m sitting there, half-drunk, waiting for something worth saying and a fairly colorful way of saying it to occur to me. Get it?! They always say the best jokes are the ones that have to be explained.
You may wonder why any of this would matter to anyone, other than ourselves. I confess, I’ve wondered the same. Nonetheless, my buddy “The King” and I (no pun intended) have decided to start up this website enterprise as a way to express ourselves in celebration of the things we love. We agreed he would provide the images and I the words. There is nothing more, nothing less.
At this point, I think it’s important to declare I’m filling these column inches merely to divert and indulge myself. I believe the moment one begins to “create” for others rather than for self, the point is lost. So, if my style sometimes lacks accessibility, forgive me. I’m just trying to have a good time, with myself, for myself. Of course, there’s much to be said for the power art has to connect us. Not that I consider my blathering art, but you get the idea, right?
When so moved, pen will be put to paper, as it were (or at least the current technological equivalent thereof) and I’ll wax poetic on all things that fascinate me, at the moment. Bear in mind, I’ve got a real job, so this ain’t gonna happen every day. Regardless, I strive to remain prolific and au courant. Chiefly, music will be the concern, for after all, music is life! However, I’m also sustained by my love of film and literature. So, I’ll be foisting upon you my unsolicited opinions on those topics, from time to time as well. Can you handle it?
To clarify, there will be no energy spent examining (read: trashing) things I don’t enjoy. Life is far too short. Moreover, my intent is not to offend or convince others to think as I do, it’s simply to revel in the things I love that enrich my life. It’s also to share my stories of meeting some of the creators of this illustrious art and the funny and, sometimes not-so-funny things that have happened in the process.
That said, there will certainly be things discussed that I love and that you, Dear Reader, do not. That’s fair enough; there’s no accounting for taste, after all. Everyone has opinions. Mine are not intended as indictment. I merely endeavor to wrestle them into cogency in the hope they may connect with other, like-minded humans, so we don’t all feel so alone out here. If we’re not careful we may have a little fun and even have our thinking challenged along the way.
So, if you’re interested in an objective review of the latest Mastodon or California Breed albums that will not employ nebulous terms like “cool, mid-tempo rocker” or if you wish to know what a regular person thinks of Paul Thomas Anderson’s filmmaking; or maybe you’ve wondered about the symbolism in Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five (and really, who hasn’t?); or perhaps you’d like to hear about the time I watched David Lee Roth step over a wheelchair-bound autograph-seeker to climb onto his tour bus with two probably underage “dancers” in tow; or maybe you just wanna know what I’m gonna talk about with Bobby Leibling and Alice Cooper when I meet them in a couple of weeks. Well, so do I! If ANY of this resonates with you and you would like to experience it with the benefit of proper grammar, this just might be the place to hang out. Come in and look around; you’re always welcome.