Nostalgia is the drug
It's November?! It's November.
Lately I've been trying not to freak out so much about the passage of time and/or that I have a bunch of holiday presents to buy when it seems like I *just* did all that wrapping 'n' tree-trimming 'n' whatnot.
How's your world? Has the Tooth Fairy visited your house lately? (She lives at mine.) Onward ...
Last weekend I went to a costume party and, for some reason, lost my mind when I saw this dude in a Kenny G costume. You light up my life, Kenny. (I was dressed as Lloyd Dobler, which is pretty much my everyday costume anyway.)
Stuff I'm into right now:
WATCHMEN: How great is this show? How amazing is Jean Smart? The series gives me LOST-ish feelings, and I just lament that we don't really discuss TV like we used to, because now there's way too much of it and everyone is 12 times as busy as they were in 2004. But mmm ... good story, good cast, good font, good stuff.
COUNTRY MUSIC: I finally started watching Ken Burns' country docuseries. Tip: If you're like me and can't afford to buy/rent it on Amazon, you can stream it via pbs.org after becoming a member and making a donation for as little as $5.
R.E.M.: I'm still digging the MONSTER anniversary set and all the media coverage surrounding it. If you're a fan, do yourself a favor and compare the original versions to the remixes. I can suddenly understand lyrics that I've been making up for 25 years.
This week we also got a new R U TALKIN' R.E.M. RE: ME? that touts an upcoming YouTube interview. (And frankly, I don't know what I'm enjoying more: All of these interviews with Stipe and Mills or the fact that Peter Buck is just NOT HAVING IT.) I'll love this band 'til the day I die.
TOUR FOOD: I gotta give a shout-out to my pal Adam Schatz, a brilliant musician who has launched tourfood.us as a resource to help touring musicians and others find good, cheap food on the road. It's a brilliant idea, and I hope he makes so much money from it that he can start tossing gold flakes into his soup.
CREATIVITY: This week I spoke with cartoonist/writer Dean Haspiel for The Creative Independent. If you don't know Dean, you SHOULD, because his comics are some of my all-time faves, and I've written about them many, many times. If you don't know TCI, you SHOULD, because it's a fantastic site that features interviews with interesting, creative people and helpful resources for artists. Spread the word.
MISCELLANY/READING: I pretty much agree with Martin Scorsese, even though I think everything is beautiful and one day hope to see every movie ever made. ... My imaginary life partner Julio Torres got silly in Interview magazine. ... Trent Reznor talked about WATCHMEN and stuff to Rolling Stone. ... Sure, I'll read Tori Amos' politically themed memoir. ... WHEN HARRY MET SALLY is returning to theaters. ... And if this trailer is any indication, that Nic Cage we like is coming back into fashion.
Comic Arts Brooklyn was a mighty good time last weekend. Here I am with Boston-based cartoonist and painter Karl Stevens, author of THE WINNER and a new comic called FLOPPY, which is beautiful and brilliant. Karl also draws cartoons for THE NEW YORKER and couldn't be a nicer person. Support his work, and all your problems will vaporize.
[We're old, it's cool]
15 years ago: Tim and Eric's TOM GOES TO THE MAYOR premiered on Adult Swim.
25 years ago: AIDS activist and REAL WORLD-er Pedro Zamora died.
35 years ago: A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET hit theaters.
50 years ago: David Bowie released his album that was later reissued as SPACE ODDITY.
What you're into:
MUSIC/BOOKS: Chris M. is crazy about TIL WRONG FEELS RIGHT, Iggy Pop's new book of lyrics and art and oddities.
MOVIES: Jeremy P. told me about a movie from 1980 called PINBALL SUMMER, and I can't believe I've never seen it!
MUSIC: Longtime reader Keith G. is psyched that his wife, Kady, and her sister, Jessica, have started a music blog at thebellstoll.com. "They interview independent artists and showcase music that isn't mainstream," he says of the sisters, who used to write a music column for a local weekly.
MORE MUSIC: Matt B. wants us all to hear Jed Davis. If you dig a little deeper, you'll learn that his album RISE AND SHINE has a fascinating backstory; it began as a project with Arturo Vega, the legendary artist/designer (and creator of the famous Ramones logo) who died in 2013. Thanks so much for sharing this, Matt.
ART: Our friend Carlo in Amsterdam digs Faces on the Ferry, a series of sketches by American artist Rachelle Meyer. Here's a short video about her work.
Looking ahead:
TV: Check out THE GREAT BRITISH BAKING SHOW: HOLIDAYS (Netflix, Nov. 8), SESAME STREET'S 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION (HBO, Nov. 9), BACK TO LIFE (Showtime, Nov. 10), DOLLY PARTON: HERE SHE COMES AGAIN! (ABC, Nov. 12) and THE WORLD ACCORDING TO JEFF GOLDBLUM (Disney+, Nov. 12).
MOVIES: New releases include DOCTOR SLEEP, HONEY BOY (I'm eager to see this), THE KINGMAKER, PLAYING WITH FIRE, GOOD GIRLS GET HIGH, MR. TOILET, 16 BARS, PRIMAL and SUNDAY GIRL.
BIRTHDAYS:
Nov. 8: Rickie Lee Jones, Leif Garrett, Parker Posey (pictured)
Nov. 9: Lou Ferrigno, Corin Tucker
Nov. 10: Ennio Morricone, Neil Gaiman, Tracy Morgan, Walton Goggins
Nov. 11: Andy Partridge, Demi Moore, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Batiste
Nov. 12: Wallace Shawn, Booker T. Jones, Neil Young, Kathleen Hanna, Ryan Gosling
Nov. 13: Whoopi Goldberg
Thanks to everyone who participated in last week's live video chat! We'll do it again soon, and I'll make more weird faces.
Also, I started a chat room for Patreon supporters. If you have some extra change, consider backing this newsletter for two bucks a month.
I never understood the frequency,
Email me at whitmath@gmail.com or leave me a text/voicemail at 929-515-1988. Also email for my mailing address or if you want to hire me as a writer/editor/speaker/rhinestone cowboy in your star-spangled rodeo.
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I'll make your heart smile,
Victor Mature
"If you stick around long enough, you're going to become fashionable eventually." - Dave Gahan
Don't forget to read my kids' book, WE MAKE COMICS, on getepic.com!