Friday, August 18, 2006

Three Nines for Mr. H.




Nine Liverpool Streets


Fearnside
Fazakerley
Lapwing Court

Ash Crescent
Combermere
Rymers Green

Pimbley Grove
Penny Lane
Bootle


Nine Emanations of Favorite Byrds Tune


She
She Don’t
She Don’t Care
She Don’t Care About
She Don’t Care About Time
.......Don't Care About Time
................Care About Time
........................About Time
..................................Time


Nine North Carolina Rivers


Swannanoa
Hominy Cree
Nolichucky

Nantahala
Great Pee Dee
Roanoke

Shalotte
Roaring
French Broad


* pictured above; liverpool ladies cleaning doorsteps, 1954
and graffiti from Bologna, Italy - photo by Aly Artusio-Glimpse

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

nine favorite lesser-known Byrds tunes besides She Don't Care...

have you seen her face?
universal mind decoder
stranger in a strange land
here without you
spanish harlem incident
set you free this time
i knew i'd want you
bells of rhymney
dolphin smile

- T.H.C.

Anonymous said...

August,1977

I peer into the window.A vast array of washers and dryers are waiting for homes.

This must be the place. I hurriedly walk into the shop. Oh yes,this IS the place.

I look up. Album covers from the 1950's and early 60's are stapled to the ceiling. The faces of Gene Vincent, Billy Fury,Alma Cogan,Buddy Holly,Cliff Richard,Eddie Cochran and Frank Ifield of "I Remember You" fame,smile down upon me.

This bright and shiny appliance shop was once home to NEMS(North End Music Stores). It was Brian Epstein's shop. Around 1960,Epstein and his right hand man,Allistair Taylor,stapled those L.P. covers to the ceiling. Most of the covers are torn and frayed and have yellowed with age.

I stand in awe.The past and present collide in my mind. Maybe a scruffy John Lennon will rush in and ask me for a ciggy,then hurry up the stairs to the office. In a few moments the hard sound of his boots heels will come to rest on Epstein's desk...
"Please John, how many times have I asked you not to do that?"
..."Sorry,Eppy."

One late morning long ago,Brian and Allistair walked out of NEMS record shop and onto Whitechapel Street. The two would be walking just a few blocks.Their destination? The Cavern Club on Mathew Street.At noon,a raucous,leather-clad rock'n'roll group were going to play a set filled with songs by Little Richard,Chuck Berry, Ray Charles and others. The group would even play several of their own songs.

Brian Epstein did not especially want to visit the "dreadful" Cavern Club that day, but he wasn't one to miss out on business opportunities or potential new customers.
He would shake a few hands,act friendly and pretend to enjoy himself. The music newspaper "Mersey Beat" had raved about the group that was to appear on stage.If the group turned out to be good,then better still. He would consider his visit to be a success.

When the group known as The Beatles, took the stage,Brian Epstein was mesmerized by their raw sound and their soft,brutish look. It was love at first sight. Truly,love at first sight.

He eventually asked John,George,Paul and drummer Pete Best if he could manage them. They agreed. Soon after, their world and the world around them would change forever.

After The Beatles signed with Brian Epstein,they spent many hours at NEMS laughing,arguing,smoking,eating and listening to new 45's. Occasionally one or all of The Beatles would look up,hoping someday to be as famous as Buddy Holly,Gene Vincent or Eddie Cochran, their heroes who were now smiling down upon them from the stapled album covers on the ceiling.

Anonymous said...

Steve -
A wonderful guided tour!
The enthusiasm and creative surge of the young lads is palpable - through the liverpudlian temple in your head down through your fingertips and bouncing right off the page!
thanks

(I'll take a closer look next time I walk into a neighborhood appliance store..."Sir, I know they
may not be of interest to you but i'm willing to make a deal! Now this 20year old maytag here, zzzz&ya*yaduhzzzz whirrrrrr b^x**&*glububbglub whirrrrr.....)

Anonymous said...

Your "blog" transports me to another place everytime without fail. Just like a Technicolor daydream, a goodnight song, or a serious glass of wine..
Don't you think the word "blog" just doesn't quite do it justice?
I've heard they serve up some tasty "blog" in that book, Oliver Twist... Maybe a word with more curliques in it would be more fitting...

love, L.

P.S. Who or whom, is Mr. H?

Anonymous said...

blaghue...

Anonymous said...

Dear L. -
Mr. H. is Steve H., late of Mathew St- ta!

Anonymous said...

The Pee Dee River was the original river and inspiration for Stephen Foster's "Way Down Upon The Swanee
River".

The Pee Dee Native American tribe was finally and "officially " recognized by the the state of South Carolina on January 27,2006.

The Pee Dee is about 230 miles long.

Students,that's all for now. Remember,after school there will be a pep rally for the debate team.
Soft drinks,potato chips,chip dip and marijuana cigarettes will be available for your enjoyment after the rally. If you have any questions please speak to Mr.Bonifas.He's our new jazz music instructor and event coordinator.

Anonymous said...

...pap sez 'from what holler did mr. bonifas git his surtificit?' and that he's got bout as much music-larnin as adam's housecat on account of how when i commence a-honkin and squealin on my horn its a sound as sorry as a sotted hoot owl and like to send skelitins a-runnin from the sematary.
thank you,
- enos ridgely