Snow shoeing in Southampton, MA

O.k., it’s really winter now. Tomorrow we’re expecting up to a foot of snow. I thought today would be the perfect day to break in my new snow shoes.



My lady friend and I trudged down the street to the conservation area that has miles of trails which the snow mobilers have been ripping up for the past two weeks. The temperature was in the low 40’s and the sun was pale and tired looking. Layers were quickly shed as we trekked down the trail and across some rather narrow footbridges that spanned an ever-widening melt stream.



We followed the hoof prints of a rather large buck that had been stripping a branch of its bark.



The wood was quiet, expect for the low gurgling of the stream that ran parallel to our trail.



We trekked for an hour up to a horse pasture off Glendale Road that was desolate. Not a single animal was showing itself. From the pasture you could see a glorious panoramic view of the “Seven Sisters” mountain range.

Reasons to Be Cheerful (Part 4) - Jose Ayerve and Spouse

Western MA is home to legendary musical talent, both in the past and the present. From polka, folk, jazz, punk rock and sounds that can’t be pigeon-holed–it happens here. One of my favorite local singer-songwriter’s is Jose Ayerve of the band Spouse (and a few other vehicles). Ayerve is a rare-breed of the truly engaging, thoughtful and admirable. From my perspective, it is a crime that his talent hasn’t migrated upstream from his indie base. Years from now, folks will be kicking themselves and I will gloat. I’ve always been correct about my musical predilections. Recently Ayerve submitted to a barrage of questions that I peppered him with. The following is his sworn deposition.

CT: You are of Colombian heritage, how much of that plays into your music and lyrics in terms of imagery, pathos and culture?
JA: I wish I could say that my Colombian heritage plays more of a role in my music than it does. Unfortunately, how I was brought up, I don’t believe culture was the focal point of my parents’ lessons. They were far more concerned with my sister and I demonstrating strong Catholic comportment, instead of sharing our cultural identity with our classmates and friends. Our bilingual home environment was definitely a huge influence on me, and I’m very thankful for the opportunities that my parents yielded us (to practice the language and to learn how to read it). The manner in which I write lyrics in Spanish, in many ways is more poetic than my approach in English. And well, as for the Catholic stuff, I proudly abandoned the church-going aspect and stuck with the various universal traits that I agreed with. But anyone who knows me well understands how critical I am of any and all organized religions. I think the mere fact that I answered your cultural question as a debate on religion, shows how skewed my impression of Colombian culture was because of how my parents equated it with being good Catholics . . . weird.

CT: Have you read any of the great Colombian writers like Carranza, Marquez, Vallejo, Duran, Vila and Pombo? If so, who has influenced you the most or least? Or what has influenced you in terms of literature or pop culture?
JA: I’ve read Marquéz and Vallejo, but I can’t remember if I’ve read the others. I’m embarrassed that I can’t remember, but then again, I don’t have much time to read these days. I did manage to find time to read Marquéz’ “El coronel no tiene quien le escriba”, a brilliant story of a military veteran who has been expecting a series of checks from the government—a veteran’s pension, which after numerous years, he has yet to receive.

CT: Your solo work, Cinco Pesos, seems to have been borne out of a different mindset than your work with Spouse. What were you trying to do with that recording?
JA: With Cinco Pesos, I’d just inherited my father’s 2-track Sony recorder from the 50’s. I’d had it worked on and I was anxious to record with it. I wanted to make an e.p. that was entirely comprised of Spanish-language tracks, and I wanted to write it and record it within a week’s time. I had just started playing with JJ O’Connell (Drunk Stuntmen) on drums, and I invited him to come over to my rental in Northampton, where we blasted through two of the songs that I had just finished writing. It was my first real experiment into self-recording. I used a borrowed Fostex digital eight-track, plus my Dad’s Sony tape machine, and my Fostex cassette four-track. I had a great time learning how to use my equipment, and it prepared me for recording Michael Merenda’s Trapped in the Valley album, which is just trippy to listen to, because of all the bizarre choices we made. Cinco Pesos was also about me wanting to do something alone. I actually toured behind it with Kevin O’Rourke. He had just released Lo Fine Nine, and we toured to Athens, GA and back. It was a fairly decent tour, but not too well attended. I think we somehow managed to break even.

CT: Have you ever considered doing a truly traditional Colombian recording, like cumbia, salsa, porro or Colombian pop? Don't you think we need to dispel the notion that Shakira is the Colombian ambassador to pop music? Or is the notion of doing ethno-music trite or stereo-typical?
JA: If I had 1/100th of the sex appeal that Shakira has, I suppose I could explore that realm of popular music, but alas, I have my own thing going that is so embedded in American/British inspired rock, that I think I wouldn’t know where to begin. I have another Spanish / experimental/electronic-ish record that I recorded this past February as part of the RPM Challenge. (A project site that inspires musicians to write, record, and mix an entire record during the month of February.) I created Todo Duele Más (Everything Hurts More) in just under a week. I’ve been slowly and steadily remixing it since March, and I hope to put it out soon. But I have another record that needs to come out before then, The Nuclear Waste Management Club album that is essentially, a side project for members of Spouse, plus Anne and Peyton Pinkerton, and Scott Hall. The record’s been done for two years, but I haven’t had the money to put it out. I think there are a lot of Colombians who don’t pay much attention to rock music. I’m doing what I’m doing for my own sake. That said, the aspect of your question that really resonates with me is the exploration of what defines traditional Colombian music? You’ve listed a bunch of the main genres of Colombian music, but none of them have really inspired me to perform them. I think it’s because I grew up listening to College radio, and not dancing cumbias until the wee hours of the morning. A different experience has ensured that I develop as a different type of musician. I would, however, very much like to spend a good chunk of time in Latin America studying or experiencing different genres of music. At 33 years, I’ve yet to do that. I hope it’s not too late.

CT: In Love Can't Save This Love, the opening track references Pete Shelley ("Whatever Happened to Pete Shelley") of the Buzzcocks. Either I'm old or you are young—what gives? I can't connect the lyrics to Pete Shelley. I know the Buzzcocks song "Whatever Happened To?" What are your musical reference points these days?
JA: The idea behind that song is this: When I was growing up listening to college radio, Pete Shelley had released a solo album (Homosapien) that I kept hearing songs from, but I never bought the record. I wish I had, and I probably could now, but just haven’t for whatever reason. But when we were trying to name the song, we [Spouse] were working on, I interrupted the discussion with my question, “Whatever Happened to Pete Shelley?”. I was completely unaware of the Buzzcocks’ title. I just really wanted to know what he was up to, as I remembered having appreciated some of his songs. The awkwardness of my question was enough to unanimously become to title of the song Spouse was preparing to record. And the nostalgia captured in the title reflected the one I was singing about.

CT: Your band Spouse is one of the few Valley bands that is consistently engaging (no offense to your vast network of local musician friends), and your recorded output is sonically amazing, how did you decide upon your "sound?" What influence has your constant engineer Mark Alan Miller had upon your output? You have an extensive roster of Spouse players, care to discuss them individually?
JA: Wow. Loaded question . . . . Good one though. I think the only conscious decision we’ve made with regards to our sound is to try to make each song sound different from one to the next. It presents some challenges for us though because the flipside is trying to make our records sound cohesive. I think that this is where Mark Miller comes into play. Because he’s tasked with mixing our albums, he has a thorough understanding of where things sit in the mix and how to make my vocals sound respectable and exciting in every recording. I wish I had all the time in the world to discuss my Spouse mates individually, but suffice it to say, I don’t have enough time. Here’s a quick one line description for each of them:
Alisha Goldblatt is one of the original founding members of Spouse, she’s responsible for the band name, and she’s a multi-instrumentalist, but works full-time as a teacher in Maine. She contributes when she can. On Relocation Tactics, she’s part of the lead chorus for “The 4.1 Blur”, and she wrote the lyrics for that tune as well.
John Cowden is one of the other original founding members, he’s a medical doctor in Kansas City. He’s another multi-instrumentalist, and his contributions on recordings are limited to the 1st album, Nozomi.
Dan Pollard is my principal business partner and a primary artistic collaborator for every record. He’s an original member of the current incarnation of Spouse. He is a scientist living in Berkeley, CA, he founded Pigeon Records, and his demos served as the main source for ideas in the making of Relocation Tactics. He’s featured in the video for “Hangover Cure for Humanity.”
Michael Merenda is the fifth original member of Spouse. He’s a huge support for me. And he’s been a part of every Spouse recording to date. I get to work with him on his solo albums and his new record, the Honeymoon Agenda which he performed with his wife Ruth (Ungar). They are part of the new folk group, The Mammals.
Naomi Hamby is a long-time member of Spouse. She came aboard as we began preparing Love Can’t Save This Love. She’s a brilliant and very unique guitar player. She’s been able to play more shows with us as of late. She lives in NYC and is a full-time counselor.
Liz Bustamante has recently returned to the Spouse fold, with her contributions to the live band, most recently when she played drums for us at South Union Arts in Chicago. She was a huge part of Love Can’t Save This Love, and sadly, she left the band shortly after the release of that record. It was a tough time, but gradually we kept in touch over the years, and her relationships with each of us have been strong since. She’s a brilliant mind, and currently works for Chicago Public Radio.
JJ O’Connell has logged in countless hours with live shows and recordings and was an instrumental part of the two most recent albums. He’s been a steady and reliable part of the band, and I think he’s made a pretty big impression on all of our fans. He’s the official Spouse Archivist, which means, that people mail copies of our live shows to him for safe-keeping.
Ken Maiuri has been a major contributor to Spouse since Nozomi. (CT: Ken went to the same high school as me, a few grades under me. I remember him from the school marching band!) He’s an incredible multi-instrumentalist, and we often rely on him for arrangement ideas in the recording environment. He’s been able to play some pretty important shows with us and can play most any part of any song at the drop of hat.
Mark Schwaber has been a big part of the live Spouse shows since 2003. His recording debut with the band is Relocation Tactics, and he’s an amazing songwriter and performer in his own right. He was the force behind Hospital, and his solo albums (on Pigeon Records/Lucky Creature) are very much worth listening to and owning.
Don McAulay has been a part of Spouse for a few years now. He performed on our third album, but really became a part of the recording process for Relocation Tactics. He and JJ can provide a powerful rhythm section for some of our bigger shows. Doni and I did a duo tour out to Chicago and back in the fall of 2005. He’s an expert woodworker and runs his own natural furnishings company.
Kevin O’Rourke has been touring with Spouse since 2004. We finally got him to record with us and featured him on the track “Long Live the Baystate.” His vocals are the lead vocals you hear on that song. He fronts the band, Lo Fine (also on Pigeon Records). He’s been an incredible reliable part of the Spouse touring line-up.
Henning Ohlenbusch has played a few key shows with Spouse both around town and as far away as DC. He’s a massive player and a great person to have around. I really admire his work with School for the Dead and the Fawns.
Robert Voyer and Gabe McElwain are two of our auxiliary band members. They’re both Chicago-based, and their band, Millimeters Mercury, toured with Spouse in 2004. Robert helped with some co-writing for the new album, (though most of the tracks we initiated with him have yet to be released).(Gabe made his Northampton debut with Spouse on December 2007 at the Iron Horse.) He’ll be taking the first leg of the upcoming Spouse tour out to Chicago. He played bass and guitar for Spouse at the most recent Chicago show in September. He also makes a party-scene cameo in the new Spouse video.
Erin McKeown is awesome. She contributed big-time to the vocals on “It=Love,” “There Goes the Road,” and “Hunting for Some Good News” off the new record. She was able to join us on stage for the cd release show back in April 2007 at the Iron Horse. We got to hang out with her for a mutual day-off in the San Francisco Bay area in May. It was a very good day.
Philip Price and Flora Reed from the Winterpills are two of my best friends and they contributed graciously to “Hunting for Some Good News”.
Peyton Pinkerton is the main force behind one of my favorite bands of all time, New Radiant Storm King. I was listening to them since before I knew Peyton. And his guitar playing has always been an inspiration to me. He joined us for writing/recording “Hangover Cure for Humanity”. He’s also part of the Nuclear Waste Management Club. And he played on a number of tracks on Nozomi.
Other auxiliary Spouse members include Portland, ME based, Nick Lamberto, Andrew Gilbert, Neil Collins, and John Nunan. Long-time Engineer/Producers: Mark Alan Miller, Thom Monahan, and Adam Lasus, plus former players: Jeremy Smith, Colin Loggins, and Anne Pinkerton (also part of the Nuclear Waste Management Club).

CT: Not too long ago you lost your father as a result of a violent crime. Did he influence you? What did he do professionally?
JA: My dad was shot by a mugger while on vacation in Colombia. It happened right across the street from the Swedish embassy. I was on tour with the Pernice Brothers when it happened. The next day, I arrived in Bogotá, and it’s been a pretty bizarre life ever since. My dad was essentially my best friend. He and I had had an awkward and distant relationship early on, but when I came out to him and my mom in 1996, my mother grew more conservative and distant, while my father became one of my biggest supporters. He was the parent that I trusted and confided in. He let me pursue my musical career as much as possible. I don’t think he really cared much for my music, but he came to a few shows and was sincerely gracious with the compliments. He always preferred my acting talents to my musical ones. Being that I’ve only ever managed to get myself into ridiculous debt pursuing the music career, maybe I should have listened to him about becoming an actor. I miss him a great deal, but I don’t think about what happened as much as I think about him in general. It’s a paralyzing thing to dwell upon. My dad was a psychological examiner for the Springfield public school system. I took over one of his secondary jobs when he died. I work part-time translating some documents for the school system. It’s good work that allows me the chance to accommodate my musical endeavors, or vice-versa.

CT: You're fairly socially conscious on a number of political issues, and you sit on a progressive human rights board—can you discuss your politics?
JA: Huge question. I don’t think I can answer it fully. I’m a bleeding heart liberal. It’s easier to tell you what I believe in by telling you what I don’t believe in. I don’t believe in war. Violence is for the weak and misguided. Self-defense is the right of all those threatened without due cause. I don’t believe that any leader on earth should ever be allowed to send soldiers into battle without first enlisting their immediate family members into the armed forces. I don’t believe that Congress should be allowed to trade favors in return for votes, as it devaluates the interests and needs of the very people they represent. True compromise should resemble problem solving, not commodity trading. I don’t believe the US government should be allowed to spend a single dollar on military action, without first spending one dollar on public education and one dollar on health care. We’re past due for a revolution. I think the rest of the world has been graciously patient with our citizens. We’ve let them down by not getting rid of our leadership and replacing it with a more competent and morally responsible one. Our relationships at home and abroad have suffered to an irreparable degree. It’s been an eye-opening experience being a board member for the Rosenberg Fund for Children. They’re a terrific organization that works hard to offer help to the family members of targeted activists. I’m proud to be a part of such a great organization. I think I owe Rachel Maddow and her show on Air America Radio a huge debt of gratitude for being a principal source of political news. Though I don’t fully comprehend or share some of her opinions, the information she provides her listeners is first rate. I subscribe to her podcasts, in lieu of subscribing to a number of magazines, etc. It’s also much easier to listen to her while I travel by car or train, or on foot.

CT: Your sexuality is front and center in many of Spouse's songs, how do you navigate the machismo of rock 'n roll? How do you deal with crushes from heterosexual men? Ha, ha, ha!
JA: You must mean “crushes ON heterosexual men.” It’s terrible. I gave up years ago. Some people drink red wine exclusively, others prefer white. Some drink both. I’m a red wine guy. I stay away from the white wine. I suppose for some of the straight crowd, it’s no different. But I do believe that it’s okay for folks to taste both. I think the fact that I’m gay has definitely influenced a number of Spouse songs, especially with regard to lyrics. Essentially, the relationships we write about are ones that a lot of people can relate to. What happens when one loses confidence in oneself, when one becomes insecure, and when the other picks up on it, that’s the scenario that provides a great deal of lyrical inspiration. But sometimes, I’m not actually part of the equation. It might actually be about a different band mate’s experience that I’m singing about. For instance, one of my favorite songs on Are You Gonna Kiss or Wave Goodbye? is “Over the Rabbit Hole,” a song inspired by one of my band mate’s break-ups with their long time girlfriend. Yes, there’s a lot of machismo in rock ‘n roll. But, when I sing in my high register, and my voice comes out strong and rough, I think it’s safe to say that I can hold my own on the microphone. I think I need to disclose something that’s been bothering me a bit as of late. I’ve always gotten the Bono comparison with regard to my vocals, but recently, in my mind, I’ve been equating the comparisons to “you sound gay.” Maybe I’m too sensitive these days, or just tired of the comparison.

CT: You've worked with a host of musicians and bands, from Joe Pernice to the Mammals, what are some of your most memorable moments in the service of music?
JA: My favorite Pernice Brothers moment, I’m embarrassed to say, was when I pranked them by replacing the hand sanitizer with lube. Joe and James lathered one another up thinking it was hand sanitizer, I tried hard not to laugh, until a few moments later when they realized that the stuff wasn’t drying and it didn’t have the typical cleansing odor that they’d become accustomed to. We all just about keeled over in laughter. Serves them right. I packed up all their gear by myself that night. What a pain in the ass. It was totally justified. My favorite moments with the Mammals have actually taken place hanging out and recording with Mike and Ruthy. I had an absolute blast working on the Honeymoon Agenda with them in January and February. The record came out great and it was an invigorating project to work on.

CT: You run Pigeon Records, alternately based in Portland, ME—what's your Valley connection? How did you end up here?
JA: I think I owe my presence in Northampton to my connection to Mark Alan Miller and Thom Monahan when they were recording Nozomi at the old Slaughterhouse. I met so many musicians who were fans of Spouse, that I felt very welcome here. When I left Portland in 1999, I was ready for a change, and there was a room for rent at a house that had historically been occupied by Mike Flood, Matt Hebert, and a slew of other Northampton musicians. It proved to be a very important place for me. I moved back to Portland in 2001, and came back to the valley in 2004. I guess it’s time I head back to Portland. Hmm . . . am I allowed to bi-locate?

Natural Election

Months ago the Springfield Republican quoted Mayor Mike Bissonnette of Chicopee remarking on his re-election bid, "It's gratifying not to have opposition," adding "I'm grateful to people who continue to show their trust in me." While I gleefully concur with Hizzoner on his astute observation, he apparently is anti-democratic and an egotist. Leading a politically charmed life, Bissonnette really hasn't earned the gratitude of his minions. His first opponent before he was elected in 2005 was brought down by avarice and greed (and a great campaign slogan "what--no envelope?") just in the nick of time. Months ago, Bissonnette hemmed and hawed about running for office when a few opposition names were bandied about. His courage was summoned up when no opposition was apparent. This is Chicopee. Keep that in mind. You have to be an imbecile or an egotist to run for Mayor (with the exception of former Mayor, Richard Kos). Pulling rabbits out of a hat is better trick than cutting ribbons at the next Dollar store opening. In the two years of the current administration, not very many of Bissonnette's lofty plans has come to fruition. The Bosch-to-the-Bridge musical has yet to play at a theater near you (oh sorry, the Rivoli is closed for good), and casino gambling will never pass. Even the historically challenged voters of Chicopee see this pipe dream (or nightmare) for what it is: bread and circus for no one.

Back to Nature

Sure it's early fall, but before you know it; winter's crushing blow will have ham-fisted us into our homes for the duration. Here are some images from late September and early October around Easthampton, Brattleboro, VT and near Cooperstown, NY. If you are interested in land conservation, consider donating to Echodale Farm, Easthampton and TPL.



This female scarlet tanager was gorging herself on grapes at Echodale Farm in Easthampton, MA. She'll fly to South America soon.



This barn caught my attention just down the road from the Ommengang Brewery near Cooperstown, NY.



The view from the parking lot of Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center in Brattleboro, VT. Three great hiking loops with great views and vistas.



Maple leaves on fire at Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, Brattleboro, VT.

Newsworthy?

Despite the plethora of newsworthy items happening here in the valley, I've been unable to muster up at the keyboard. Christ, Rick Goyette is going away for two years in the federal pen, the other "ette," Mike is spearheading a doomed and fruitless attempt to bring legalized casino gambling to Chicopee (when all else fails--pathetic politicians patronize their older constituents with trinkets), and Northampton is literally shitting the bed. Suher's up to something, and Jordi Herold is attempting to squash everyone's freedom in Hadley. Frankly, I just want to curl up, dry up like freeze-dried fish.

Lloyd Cole ‘No Regrets’ Pleasant Street Theater, Northampton, MA, October 4, 2007

Wow! Two shows in one year! Lloyd Cole came home to play yet another stellar, low-key show in the valley. This time, Lloyd played the “Music after Movies” series with the likes of Thurston Moore, Juliana Hatfield and Winterpills. It was theater owner Bob Lawton’s last ditch effort to resuscitate his failing movie house which is now up for sale.

I don’t write reviews and have no intentions of doing so here but let’s just say that opener Zeke Fiddler needs to reassess his music career. He sucks with a capital S and not just because of his crummy gear. Poor Lloyd was ever the gentleman and offered Zeke the use of a proper guitar cord. Zeke however preferred the authentic sound of crackling amp to go with his hushed, whispery-thin vocals and incredibly tedious musical arrangements. Thankfully his set was short.

What can I say about Lloyd? Each of his two shows this year in the valley has been unpredictable and magical. I don’t think I’ve ever witnessed a performer mingling effortlessly with his audience, chatting up retiree-aged golfing buddies or calling out to his teen-aged son Will in the audience to call “Mom and ask her for a ride home if your falling asleep!”

Lloyd’s set covered mostly his post-Commotion’s work, plenty of his recent work and a smattering of his booze-fueled songs from his New York period. He was at ease with the audience and at one point remarked how odd it was to see no one drinking. He promised to get everyone out before their sitters started to call. Oddly enough, with the exception of a few folks, everyone in the audience seemed 50-plus. Lloyd covered a couple of Tim Hardin tunes, prefacing them with “I wrote these after I got out of the Marines and on heroin.”

Lloyd shone on “The Young Idealists,” “My Bag,” “Patience,” and “Like Lovers Do.” Playing well over an hour and half, Lloyd confronted his negative image and offered that he had “no regrets” about his early career and his current low-key performances.

I just want to play some fado songs and get drunk with Lloyd sometime.

I hate dogs

Recently, my daughter and I spent a morning at a horse show in Southampton, MA at King Oak Farm. To break things up from the horse trials and competitions,they held a dog show. Any dog could enter, and no special skills were required. My daughter took this picture. She's in love with taking pictures and steals my camera often. I will find hundreds of pictures of nothing after she's done with the camera. Often the pictures are pretty good.

Easthampton, MA, Fourth of July

My lady friend and I spent a pleasant Fourth of July evening on the Lower Mill Pond in Easthampton. We decided that we wanted to be away from the crowds celebrating the Fourth at Nonotuck Park and would paddle around the Lower Mill Pond and wait for the fireworks. I believe it’s called urban canoeing. It became quickly apparent to us that the pond was vibrant and teeming with wildlife such as beaver, muskrat, water rat, osprey, heron and a plethora of unseen fish jumping out of the water. While weed-choked and a bit on the dirty side, the Lower Mill Pond has an eco-system of its own that thrives in the shadows of the Eastworks building on East St.

Beaver—displeased with our presence, splashed their tails in front of us as we paddled silently across the murky water. We were rewarded with the sight of them swimming underwater or jumping through the air to circumnavigate us. Water rats swam around us, intent on escaping into the underbrush of the shore. Osprey flew overhead, lonely and dejected waiting for something to happen. Dragon flies buzzed us repeatedly. As the sky darkened, fire flies emerged, setting off a brilliant display of tiny LED’s. By 9:30 p.m. the sky became pitch black and the fireworks began. We paddled out to the best viewable area and drank our libations in silence as the fireworks ricocheted around the pound and off the Eastworks building. It was wonderful and weird. We had the pond to ourselves (at least free of humans) and it was spectacular. I would suggest to anyone to have the same experience next year.

A walk through downtown Chicopee

Not much has changed since we first filmed this in 2003. In fact the only change has been the mayor, from Goyette to Bissonette (ironic how similar the last names are). Someone should bitch about this.

Lloyd Cole @ the Brass Cat, Easthampton, MA, July 14, 2007

Sometimes life here in the Valley is so sweet. Imagine this: in 1984 Lloyd Cole and the Commotions released my all-time favorite recording, Rattlesnakes. This was the soundtrack to my teen years living in Boston. I memorized the lyrics, track listings and credits (and if need be—would recreate the album cover photo). Yes, I am a fan and will do nothing here but praise Lloyd Cole. There was a tiny listing in the Hampshire Gazette that Cole would be playing the Brass Cat. I rubbed my eyes in disbelief as Cole lives in Easthampton and has not played out here in years. Sure, whatever. As the hour approached, I stood outside the Cat, nervously pacing and braced myself for disappointment. The first person I saw in the bar was Cole chatting at the pool table with a local. Dressed for the PGA tour, his shock of black hair now graying, I nearly melted down. Should I approach him? No, not drunk enough. I perched myself on a barstool and observed his every movement. Christ, I’m a celebrity stalker. I grew anxious waiting for a sign that he would approach the Cat’s ridiculously tiny stage. Then anger. Anger over the locals ruining my religious moment with their loud voices, pool playing and Red Sox game on all three televisions. Without fanfare, Cole stepped onstage, tuned his acoustic guitar and began to strum “Perfect Skin.” I grabbed a stool and planted it right in front of the stage. Ten other people stared in rapt attention. Despite Cole's stripped down versions, I heard Anne Dudley’s strings, I heard Blair Cowan’s keyboards. I was 18 again, and in love and alive. Cole played a number of songs from “Rattlesnakes,” often hitting the high notes that were a trademark of that recording. His between songs patter was minimal and often apologetic about being an aged singer. Cole could’ve cleared his throat for an hour and that would’ve been fine by me. Cole covered two Tim Hardin tunes, a Dylan tune and of course, “Chelsea Hotel” by Leonard Cohen. His finger-picking and vocals were spry and graceful. He asked the audience to pick some tunes and my voice went mute as I wordlessly mouthed “Brand New Friend.” In the end, it was “Undressed.” Forty minutes into the set and it was all over. Cole walked off stage and packed his guitar up. I wiped the dampness out of my eyes and fled the Brass Cat.

Eric Suher--Ghost of the Present

We are asking our readers for an all out appeal: please find pictures of Eric Suher, the mogul of Western MA entertainment and real estate. We must have a pix of Suher's baseball-capped dome. Submit your photo's here.

The Legendary Ron Hall, late of WHMP, Northampton

There’s a song by the defunct Boston-based band, Big Dipper called, “Ron Hall.” The song has nothing to do with the enigmatic, legendary Northampton broadcaster Ron Hall formerly of WHMP. Yet, when I think of Ron Hall, that’s the soundtrack I hear. Big Dipper’s song was nervous and edgy. It was about a man who wrecked his house in the end. My Ron Hall was my neighbor for over a decade. He lived next door to me and kept to himself with his wife Barbara and their dog, a Scottish Terrier whose name eludes me. They actually had a succession of Scotties, all buried in a small patch of ground beside the apartment they lived in for years.

Ron and his wife were ghosts, specters who flashed in the night at weirdest moments—usually awkward ones. Despite my erratic lifestyle, they never complained of the noise, the crowd that revolved around me, or the late-night door banging, “open up, I know you’re in there!” They went about their mysterious business as if my life was no imposition on theirs—and it was. All things balance out. My life may have been erratic, but their life was simply put…weird. They lived in a sparsely furnished two room apartment with no air-conditioning and barely a fan in the dog days of summer. In the winter they were always bundled up—even in their apartment. At all hours of the day they would tramp up and down the stairs with their dog, going for walks or sitting in their car in the parking lot with the engine idling for long periods of time.

I moved to 158 King Street in Northampton for the first time in 1993, and then again in 1994 where I took up residency till 1998, and then again in 1999 till 2002. Ron and Barbara were constant tenants having lived at 156 King Street for nearly a decade. They moved once—next door (my old place at 158 King Street).

It was a self-contained building that offered nothing except a roof top patio that Ron would frequent in the summer—nude sun-bathing. His wife always wore a heavy coat whatever the weather and had a pallor of death about her. They entertained no one, cooked nothing but broccoli for themselves, and watched QVC constantly. One infamous encounter with Ron occurred when I cleaning my kitchen floor. He knocked on my door and asked if I was cleaning with something, I said “Ajax.” He replied, “I guess we’ll have to move.” I countered this with, “I won’t use it anymore if it bothers you.” He didn’t reply and vanished.

I had one encounter with Ron that was deep and meaningful. Augesten Burroughs’ book Running with Scissors had just come out. I asked him if he knew some of the characters in the book. He knew Dr. Turcotte (the “Dr. Finch”) and characterized him as someone far buggier than Burroughs’ depiction. He told me that Alphonse Turcotte was brilliant and an enfant terrible, and nobody crossed crazy like him. I was floored. Ron fingered somebody as crazy—he actually entered judgment about somebody other than himself. Who could be weirder than he and his wife in my book—nobody.

You see, Ron said little to anyone. While I judged him like crazy, Ron did nothing of the sort. He offered nothing in the way criticism. He never had an unkind word for anyone, or complained about the shit end of the stick that he had been given at WHMP. And boy, did they give him the shit end of the stick.

Ron was the anchor of the morning drive. He tirelessly reported on his off hours for a mere sound-bite of whatever was going on in Hampshire or Franklin County. For his efforts they cut his on-air time, benefits and livelihood. By the early 2000’s, Ron’s career was in jeopardy. WHMP had been bought out by a mega-corporation. They had no compunction about letting this weirdo go. He was buying time, day-by-day. He didn’t fit their mega-conglomerate expectations and he knew it. When the word came down that changes were to be made at WHMP, Ron had the clarity of mind to resign and move on.

Chicopee's Rivoli Theater--Another Disappointment

In the late 70’s as a child growing up under extraordinary circumstances (religious extremism and an alcoholic parent), my only healthy outlet besides fishing and a paper route was to attend viewings of films at the Rivoli Theater in Chicopee. Generally the fare was the latest crop of kid-friendly films, such as Benji, Pippi Longstocking, and Star Wars. While my memory is shaky at best, there were other viewing possibilities such as a documentary on Noah’s Ark (endorsed by my parents) and some weird supernatural film about an American Indian boy who turns into an eagle.

The theater was a respite from an unsettled life, its panoramic view of stars and constellations on the ceiling, its delicious concession stand, and its momentary freedom from adult supervision was a tonic to my soul. I recall the visage of the theater as Chicopee’s only impressive landmark that guided my path between downtown and home. In those days, kids were routinely allowed free range to move about—predators did not dominate our consciousness. For a mere two dollars, an afternoon of respite from adults and reality was yours to be had. Mrs. Old-Lady-in-a-Hairnet would take your money and give you a ticket to another world. Once ensconced in the moldy velvet seats, feet sticking to gum, soda and other materials, the movie would begin—magic ensued.

Benji was a seminal movie for me. It encapsulated all that I aspired to—having a dog whose intellect outshined all the stupid adults that I knew. Plus, he was furry and kind of gnarly. I bought every sort of ephemera connected to that damn dog, from mugs to books that serialized Benji’s super-“human” exploits. At the tender age of ten, Benji was the shit. I related to Benji’s adventures, connecting on a molecular level to eating garbage out of dumpster, and dressing in drag for the sake of a giggle. Benji was the cold war answer to the Super Powers—a dog who could escape villains, become invisible at a moment’s notice, or shape-shift when needed (I made that up). Benji’s dojo was Joe Camp, an irascible animal trainer with a hobo’s beard who had trained previous television animals to stardom. Camp believed that Stalin was the biznitch and that any animal employed in the service of socialism could move a million marchers towards the goal of communism. I lie. He had nothing to do with that. Benji was not subversive. Benji was camp—the evil opposite of subversive. But I digress.

The Rivoli began to wind down in the early 80’s, and settled into an abandoned repose. There were a few attempts at resuscitating the beloved, grand theater—but with all things Chicopee, those overtures were rebuffed. The residents of Chicopee found no use for culture, atmosphere and tradition. Their interests were lower taxes, free parking lots and electing a succession of bad politicians in a row. Like any sensible individual, I moved away from Chicopee’s rapid decline and moved to a large cosmopolitan city that had Friday night viewings of the Rocky Horror Picture Show and public transportation. The Rivoli was all but forgotten in my mind, and rarely did Benji cross my radar.

Fast forward to 2000’s and hark! word on the street is that developer Konrad Wargulewski of New York City has purchased the theater and the building it houses. Since that purchase, the new owner has re-modeled the office spaces, done some structural renovations to the theater’s façade, stalled with further renovations to the theater in the hopes of garnering some capital from other sources. In the meantime, Mr. Wargulewski has conceptualized his vision of restoring the theater to its original luster by creating a “European” style nightclub, which would also screen films. According to Mayor Mike Bissonnette, “Chicopee is Western, Massachusetts’s best kept secret,” and that’s just the way city leaders would like to keep it, if the current slow pace of the Rivoli’s renovation is any indication.

Who needs progress or a European style dance club if no one cares? According to the Reminder, “The Rivoli, when it re-opens will have a capacity for 1,480 people. The facility will have a second floor mezzanine and Konrad Wargulewski explained that is why the excavation took place: to prepare a place for the footings to hold the second floor structure.There will also be a VIP lounge that will hold 88 people in the plans he showed the mayor. Konrad clearly wants the new theater to reflect its past. The poster boxes will be refinished and used again. He will install 215 permanent seats and they will be part of the theater's original 1,280 seats. He has restored the theater's ticket booth, which was tightly wrapped with cloth and tape. Pointing to a water fountain, he said that would stay as well. He has removed the vintage movie projector and had it refurbished as well. Although the ceiling has been removed, the theater's trademark stars are still there and will be retained, he said.”

That being said, Chicopee like any other urban downtown, needs ample parking space as it does not rely on subways, buses or trolleys (much less horses and bicycles), and this pie-in-the-sky notion that a hip nightclub will transform Chicopee center is at best, the worst business plan in the world or drunk talk.

It took nearly a decade before our intrepid Polish developer began to conceptualize his vision of his new property. It’s been several years since the first phase of renovations of the Rivoli took place. I suspect, like anything else involving the moribund downtown Chicopee area, with this project there will be a collective scratching of the head…“whatever happened to the Rivoli Theater?”

The first post is always rough...

I've always wanted to be the official cheerleader for Western Massachusetts. Perhaps now that we have a governor building a mansion in the Berkshires, this site will come to his attention and become the official state Blog of Western Mass.

Why Western Mass? Well, its natural beauty, its abundance of character and characters has always held sway over me. I once left its embrace and returned years later with a greater appreciation and love for what it has and doesn't. It's a place that one can continually unearth possibilities, hidden secrets, or a solid thump of a closed door. Western Massachusetts churns out oddball celebrities on the local and national level in every sector of culture and society.

The aim of this blog is to collaboratively suss out the genius and genus of Western Mass' cultural figures, its hidden history and its relevance today. We have lots to cover, so feel free to check back in from time to time. Your comments are always welcomed, as well as your suggestions.