Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Coltrane Would Be 82


i was alerted by Mike Watt's latest mass email that today is John Coltrane's birthday...he would only be 82 today, which serves as a reminder of both how young he was when he died - 40, a year younger than me... - and how much music he made in those years. we cranked up OleĀ“ on the way back from our show at the beach this weekend, i don't listen to that one enough.

speaking of those who left too soon, the best obit i read of the recently departed David Foster Wallace was A.O. Scott's in the Times' Week In Review last Sunday. i lugged the hardcover Infinite Jest around on tour for awhile; what a massive, massively great book. stuff that seemed on the surface -- the crazy endnotes, the size & scope of the book itself -- dissolved once i was involved in the novel because the material was so hilariously, painfully human.

UPDATE: in the Still Rocking dept, a friend has alerted me that today is Mr. Bruce Springsteen's birthday as well -- still kicking out the jams hard at a young 59. Happy Birthday, Bruce. Still kicking myself for not catching a show at the end of the Magic touring....the beginning was great, but the last few shows sounded like real free-for-alls.

2 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

The best of them always do seem to die young. Billy Joel had it right, there.

Just watch out for falling anvils, ok?

9:55 PM  
Blogger jeff said...

I read about David Foster Wallace in Time and now your recommendation of Infinite Jest makes me really want to read it.

11:06 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home