Precious would probably be tied with my number 10 movie of 2009. I've mentioned to people who have both seen the film and read the book that I like the film better. Most look at me like I have two heads. The main difference between the two is that the book gives you an internal view of Precious' life while the film puts the audience in the role of the outsider looking in on a tragic yet hopeful life. I found the outsiders view much more touching and heartbreaking. No matter how much the viewer wants to help her, there is no way in. We watch helplessly as Precious deals with hardships we could never imagine, and are that much more uplifted when she manages to eek out a victory from the mouth of defeat. Precious is about overcoming adversity, those placed on us by society and by those who should love us the most. Deep down we'd all like to think we can deal with the worst that life has to throw us and seeing Precious do it gives us a thrill. Precious is by no means an easy film to watch, but through the bleakness there is one thing that shines. Hope. And that is why it such a triumph.
If you went to the movies in 2009, it was good to be a kid. From Spike Jonze's uncompromising take on Where the Wild Things Are to Pixar's latest triumph, Up, the films aimed at children where better this year than any in recent memory. Adults weren't completely left out in the cold thanks to films ranging form the funny (The Hangover)to the deadly serious (The Hurt Locker). Call it the dawn of the Obama age or maybe we all just needed a little cheering up after losing our jobs, all in all the films of 2009 showed a return to optimism. Here are my top 10 films of the year.
10.
The Hurt Locker
Time may very well prove the The Hurt Locker is to the Iraq War what Apocalypse Now was to the Viet Nam War, the definitive film about the conflict. What make this film so powerful is its honesty. It does not pick a political agenda to convey, it just portrays the war from the eyes of those that live it. Tense, gritty and unapologetic.
9.
Fantastic Mr. Fox
If you are among the folks who think that Hipster darling Wes Anderson directing a stop motion animated adaption of a RoaldDahl novel is a dream come true you are right. If half the films using real actors had the heart soul that this little cartoon does I would never leave theaters. I challenge you to find an adult who wouldn't enjoy Mr. Fox's adventures trying to save his home.
8.
The Brothers Bloom
The Brothers Bloom manages to be fun while also being a metaphor for the search for identity. It's always fun to learn if you are being entertained at the same time, hell that's one of the reasons I love film. It's no wonder I liked this one so much.
7.
500 Days of Summer
I like my fair share of indie rock and have felt my fair share of pain over women. This movie is tailored made for my sensibilities. Normally I hate love stories with a, pardon the pun, passion. But ever so often one come along that knocks me for a loop because I see so much of myself in it. This year it was 500 Days of Summer.
6.
Moon
Moon is a rare thing. It is a science fiction film that is more psychological than futuristic, examining what makes us human and not relying on effects or mindless action. I'd say this film is the best of its kind since Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey. Sam Rockwell gives a great performance as an isolated astronaut stuck on a moon base. It's not the CGI that makes for great sci fi cinema, it's the human condition.
5.
Up
I expect a lot out of a Pixar movie and so far I have not been disappointed. Up is another near perfect movie. As with Moon, what stands out about Up is its humanity. And its emotional range. Up is funny, sad, nostalgic, bittersweet, innocent and joyful all at the same time. Many movies claim to have something for everyone, Up truly does.
4. Star Trek
J.J. Abrams did the impossible. He made Star trek cool again with a hip new cast playing classic characters and a plotline that paid homage to the original and pushed it forward for a new audience. The success of this film has some critics calling it the first film of the Obama age, leaving the brooding films of the Dubya years behind it. Truth is Star Trek has always been about the hope for a better, more hopeful tomorrow. It just so happens that now more people are willing to believe it is possible.
3. Avatar
I have to admit that one of the reasons I like Avatar so much is that my expectations were low going it to it. What I saw blew my mind. Since I've seen it I've been telling people "even if you don't like science fiction, see this in the theater. It is like no other film you've ever seen". But it wasn't just the visuals that sold me. When it comes to the story this film is all about balance. James Cameron my push the medium of film forward with new technology every film he makes, but his genius is that he knows how to tell a story. The love story could have been overwrought and saccharin and the battle scenes soulless and tired, instead you feel for these characters. As I write this Avatar is the second highest grossing motion picture of all time. It deserves it.
2. Watchmen
Watchmen is one of my favorite books, so I reacted with excited and trepidation when it became certain this film was going to be released. I am happy to say it met my expectations. I never expected such a faithful adaption (I can live without the squid at the end). I know the great failure of this film was that it failed to make converts and fans out of people who hadn't read the book. I don't care about them. I was in my own personal geek heaven watching this and commend Zach Snyder on doing the Herculean task of getting the unfilmable graphic novel on to the screen with as little compromised or cut out.
1. InglouriousBasterds
QT has done it again. Years in the making, Quentin Tarrantino had talked in interviews almost since the days of Pulp Fiction about the WW2 masterpiece he wanted to make. Finally the wait is over. A masterpiece? Maybe not quite, but it is audacious enough to be the most fun had at the movies all year. Inglourious Basterds is full of Tarrantino's trademark dialogue and ingenious use of music, but still feels epic. And if Christoph Waltz is not nominated for a Oscar for his portrayal of twisted "Jew Hunter" Hans Landa there is no justice
The late Alice Coltrane's favorite grandnephew, Flying Lotus, is one of IRT's favorite acts of the current day. And as we wait in anticipation for the impending April 10, 2010 release of his next album on Warp, Cosmogramma, we suggest you head over to FlyLo's amazing Brainfeeder Web site and check out the free download of a 38-minute continuous mix of hits, faves and rarities from the Los Angeles DJ's last ten years of crafting bugged out beats. And better yet, it was mixed by one of our other favorite new cats, The Gaslamp Killer, who we hope comes out with something official in 2010, because this dude's beats are pure fire! Enjoy! And get it while the getting is good. -Ed.
Flying Lotus vs. The Gaslamp Killer at the 2008 SXSW
It is with great sadness that I forward the news in regards to the passing of Jack Goldberg, owner of the amazing New Paltz, NY, record shop Jack's Rhythms. Mr. Goldberg died last night after a long and valiant battle with brain cancer.
I knew Jack for many years and considered him to be a good friend of mine. I spent the majority of my late high school and college years frequenting Jack's shops, both the one in New Paltz and the old Woodstock location back when I interned at WDST. I remember first going there to pick up "live imports" of Pearl Jam and U2 concerts, but then once I started thumbing through the rest of his inventory, I soon discovered a cornucopia of new and different types of music that would forever change the way I listened.
It was through my years shopping at Jack's stores and having endless hours of insightful conversation with Mr. Goldberg that I learned to appreciate music in all of its forms. It was shopping at Jack's Rhythms where I first discovered John Fahey, electric Miles Davis, Syd Barrett, Sun Ra, the Melvins, Yo La Tengo, Captain Beefheart, early Funkadelic and, of course, Jack's beloved John Coltrane to name but a few. Whenever I would stop into his store, even up until just recently, he would perenially greet me with a warm smile and some intriguing chats about what's in heavy rotation on our respective stereos.
Jack truly was the dean of my music education, and I hope he knew how much I appreciated his friendship and wisdom these last twenty years.
For anyone who ever visited Jack's Rhythms in New Paltz when Jack was behind the counter, the following YouTube video should not be much of a surprise, perfectly depicting the friendly and intellectually invigorating atmosphere that wafted through the air the minute you walked through that old wooden door. And now that his dear friend, longtime employee and occasional IRT contributor John Lefsky runs the store, we can be assured that the vibrant, communal spirit that exists in this legendary record shop on Main St. continues to course through its proverbial veins.
Rest in peace, my old friend. You will greatly be missed. -Ed.
For a touching and insightful piece on Jack's Rhythms, please check out Zan Strumfeld's wonderful feature originally published in the New Paltz Oracle on November 20, 2008.
Jack and some customers talking baseball in the summer of 2007:
Quarantine The Past: The Best Of Pavement comes out on March 9, 2010. This fully remastered 23-track compilation will be available on MID-PRICED double LP, CD and digital album formats. The tracks span the entirety of Pavement’s career from 1989 to 1999, from the scratchy and mysterious sounds of their early vinyl-only releases to the rich, multilayered warmth of their final recordings. Although the compilation does not include any unreleased material, it definitely digs deeper than the hits.
Simultaneously, Matador will be re-releasing Pavement’s complete Matador LP catalog (the 5 albums including the “Watery, Domestic” 12″ EP) on vinyl. (The premium deluxe vinyl we have released on the first four albums will continue to be available.) Quarantine The Past lands in stores as Pavement embark on their first live appearances since the fall of 1999. Dates begin in New Zealand on March 1 and continue through Australia and Europe over the spring and summer, with 4 dates in New York’s Central Park next September. More US shows will be announced shortly.
Pavement 2010 dates announced so far:
Mon Mar 01, 2010 – Auckland – Auckland Town Hall Thu Mar 04, 2010 – Sydney – Enmore Theatre Fri Mar 05, 2010 – Sydney – Enmore Theatre Sat Mar 06, 2010 – Meredith – Golden Plains Festival Sun Mar 07, 2010 – Adelaide – Thebarton Theatre Mon Mar 08, 2010 – Perth – Metro City Wed Mar 10, 2010 – Brisbane – Tivoli Theatre Fri Mar 12, 2010 – Melbourne – Palace Theatre Tue May 04, 2010 – Dublin – Tripod SOLD OUT Wed May 05, 2010 – Glasgow – Barrowland Ballroom SOLD OUT Fri May 07, 2010 – Paris – Le Zenith Sat May 08, 2010 – Amsterdam – Paradiso Mon May 10, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy Tue May 11, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy SOLD OUT Wed May 12, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy SOLD OUT Thu May 13, 2010 – London – Brixton Academy SOLD OUT Fri May 14, 2010 – Minehead, West Somerset – All Tomorrow’s Parties SOLD OUT Sat May 15, 2010 – Minehead, West Somerset – All Tomorrow’s Parties SOLD OUT Sun May 16, 2010 – Minehead, West Somerset – All Tomorrow’s Parties SOLD OUT Tue May 18, 2010 – Brussels – Ancienne Belgique SOLD OUT Wed May 19, 2010 – Berlin – Astra Thu May 20, 2010 – Praha – Palac Akropolis Fri May 21, 2010 – Vienna – Arena Sat May 22, 2010 – Munich – Muffathalle Mon May 24, 2010 – Rome – Atlantico Tue May 25, 2010 – Bologna – Estragon Thu Jul 01, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival Fri Jul 02, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival Sat Jul 03, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival Sun Jul 04, 2010 – Roskilde – Roskilde Festival Thu Aug 12, 2010 – Oslo – Oyafestival Sat Aug 14, 2010 – Gothenburg – Way Out West Festival Tue Sep 21, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT Wed Sep 22, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT Thu Sep 23, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT Fri Sep 24, 2010 – New York, NY – Central Park Summerstage SOLD OUT
More info at:
crookedrain.com
And yes, a deluxe version of Terror Twilight is planned for next fall, to complete the deluxe editions of each Pavement album that we have been issuing every two years.
GRACE IN YOUR FACE Columbia Legacy Celebrates the 15th Anniversary of Jeff Buckley’s Grace With A Deluxe Live CD/DVD Box that Includes the Long-Awaited Retail Release of the Award-Winning Documentary Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley
Story by Ron Hart
There is no doubt that Jeff Buckley’s singular masterpiece, 1994’s Grace, is far and away one of the ten best albums to come out in the last 20 years.
Unfortunately, the album also marks the second generation music great’s only proper studio endeavor, as Jeff tragically drowned while swimming in a channel of the Mississippi River. He was in Memphis to record material for his second album for Columbia, My Sweetheart the Drunk, a record that saw such New York rock legends as Television’s Tom Verlaine and Lou Reed expressing interest to collaborate with him on. Although it was released under the title Sketches For My Sweetheart the Drunk, it is merely a composite of what could have been. Grace, on the other hand, remains a creative and influential touchstone for two generations of young artists from emo to freak folk.
This past summer, Columbia’s intrepid reissue department, Legacy Recordings, issued a beautifully packaged limited edition CD/DVD package entitled Grace Around The World, a unique collection that features audio and video live footage of every track from the Grace album, mostly from television appearances on such channels as MTV (on 120 Minutes, of course), MTV Japan and the BBC in London. Also featured on Grace Around The World is the long-awaited official release of the critically acclaimed documentary on Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley, a wonderful insight into the man and his music directed and produced by Laurie Trombley, who was also the head of Buckley's fan club, and Nyla Bialek Adams. IRT has the opportunity to speak with Ms. Trombley about her film and its inclusion in the Grace Around The World box.
For more information on Jeff Buckley and this amazing new collection, visit www.jeffbuckley.com.
IRT: Leonard Cohen recently proposed a moratorium on the use of his "Hallelujah", which Jeff Buckley covered. I was wondering what your thoughts were on that and did word ever come around that he ever heard Jeff's cover? Laurie Trombley: I hadn’t heard that he issued a moratorium on “Hallelujah.” There are two definitive versions of the song in my eyes—Jeff’s and Leonard Cohen’s. Jeff’s version was ironically based on a cover of the song. John Cale recorded the alternate set of lyrics for a Leonard Cohen tribute album called “I’m Your Fan,” which is what turned Jeff on to the song. I can see why the song has resonated so much with people and why artists would want to cover it—it’s just a beautiful song, but it would be impossible to surpass Jeff’s recording of it.
IRT: What was Jeff like when you first met him in person? Trombley: Jeff was really nice to me from the moment I first met him. He could tell that I was a little starstruck and never made me feel self conscious. He was always very kind. He was sensitive to other people's feelings—but was also quite funny and had a great sense of humor.
IRT: Tell me about the first time you saw Jeff Buckley perform live. Trombley: The first time I saw Jeff perform live was at an in-store performance at Tower Records in NYC. It was such an incredible show. The place was packed. I remember that there were even people looking in the windows (from the outside) trying to hear what was going on. He commanded attention when he played. Looking back, I feel quite lucky knowing what a rare experience it was to have seen him in such an intimate setting.
IRT: Sin-e recently closed down, just one of the many great venues that has fallen victim to the gentrification of the Lower East Side. What is your opinion on its closure and what was the reaction of Jeff's friends and family--at least the ones you talk to regularly--in regards to its shuttering, if only in name alone, as you and I both know that was hardly the original Sin-e. Trombley: The second incarnation of Sin-e closed a few years ago. It was a much larger space than the little Café on St. Marks Place where Jeff and other notable L.E.S. musicians (like David Poe, David Gray, Katell Kenig, Dorothy Scott) from that time period performed. That original Sin-e closed many years ago—I think it was in 1996. When the original venue closed, I remember feeling very sad about it. It was the end of an era. It was a special place.
IRT: Do you have any interesting stories stemming from your tenure as Jeff's 'fan relations manager'? There are many famous musicians and celebrities who have sung the praises of Jeff over the years, did any of them reach out to you in your position? Trombley: Working for Jeff was very eye opening! I was always amazed at the amount of mail he received. I’d never before (or since) seen anything like it. He inspired and moved so many people and he received beautiful handmade gifts from around the world on a daily basis. He cherished all of them and it’s important that people know that he personally responded to everyone he could. I helped him with sorting and organizing. I was privy to a lot of people contacting him but none reached out to me specifically. However, when Nyla and I began our research for the documentary, we did reach out to some of those people ourselves for interviews.
IRT: The live footage you scored for Amazing Grace is outstanding. How did you come across these films and are there any plans to release any of these full shows on DVD any time soon? Trombley: Thank you for acknowledging that! We were very lucky to have access to the footage we did. Trust me, we do not take for granted the trust that was given to us when people were handing us their personal tapes. There are no plans to release any full-length performances from our archive. We used the clips we did to help with the story we were telling and gave the masters back to the people who so graciously shared them with us.
IRT: Of the folks who you tapped for interviews and testimonials about Jeff for Amazing Grace, who was the most accessible and who was the most difficult to acquire and why? Trombley: Once we broke through the initial red tape, everyone was relatively accessible and working with all of them was a pleasure. The person we tried our hardest to interview, but ultimately couldn’t coordinate, was PJ Harvey. We met her in NY and arranged to interview her in London, but due to conflicts with her recording schedule it never happened. It was understandable, but needless to say, we were disappointed. I think one of the biggest challenges for both Nyla and I while making this documentary was the editing process. There were people we interviewed who we thought would definitely, unequivocally make it into the final cut (Siouxsie and Budgie, Dorothy Scott, a young opera singer—and many more), but in the end, their stories or songs did not quite flow with the main themes of the documentary. It was surprising, even to us.
IRT: How much of a hand did you and Nyla have in the production of the Grace Around The World box beyond the documentary? What do you think of the finished product? Trombley: We are very pleased with the final product. I work in marketing so it was crucial that I ensured that the face of Amazing Grace: Jeff Buckley be consistent with what we had already promoted on our website and at festivals. We worked closely with Sony and The Estate of Jeff Buckley by providing artwork, information, feedback, etc. on anything to do with the film. They were all happy to oblige us. The film’s inclusion and how it was represented in the package was a collaborative effort.
IRT: Are you a fan of Jeff's father, Tim Buckley? If so, what is your favorite album of his and why? Also, did you ever watch the amazing documentary on him that came out recently, My Fleeting House? Trombley: I will be honest and say that before I met with Jeff, I had never heard of Tim Buckley. I listened to him once or twice after that but never fully immersed myself in his work.
IRT: What new artist or band do you feel is carrying Jeff's torch of creativity and sonic exploration and why? Trombley: There are certainly a lot of incredible artists who have been inspired by Jeff, but no one artist comes to mind who is pushing the same vocal and musical boundaries that Jeff was pushing in the mid ‘90s. At least nobody who I can think of at the moment. I think any truly great artist is careful about carrying the torch of another artist because there’s the danger of becoming too derivative.
IRT: Would you like to see Amazing Grace come out as it's own DVD/Blu-Ray one day or are you happy that it was released as a part of the Grace Around The World package? Trombley: Both Nyla and I are very proud that the film was released as part of the Grace Around the World package. When we set out to make this film, we never anticipated that it would one day receive worldwide distribution as part of the 15-year celebration of the release of Grace. It’s quite an honor.
IRT: What are you guys working on currently? Is there another documentary in the works we can look forward to? Trombley: I am working full-time in marketing and Nyla is writing. We don’t have another documentary in the works…yet!
IRT: Where were you when you first heard that Jeff had passed? Trombley: I got the phone call when I was at work and really didn’t believe it could be true. I was shocked.
IRT: What is one thing you can share about Jeff with us that nobody is aware of... Trombley: Jeff was truly a unique person. I feel so grateful that I got to know him. He had a lot to offer as a person (outside of being the amazing musician that he was) and his introspection and quirky sense of humor was really fun and inspiring to be around. He will be forever missed.
STRAIGHT FROM THE SOURCE Dave Nuss from the No Neck Blues Band on Ya Ho Wa 13 Story: Ron Hart Photography: The Source Family Archives/Process Media, Inc.
Ya Ho Wa 13 was a freewheeling psychedelic rock outfit that was led by the late Father Yod, a Rolls Royce driving polygamist and spiritual leader of The Source Family, a cult based out of the Hollywood Hills back in the Vietnam era.
Though the band was originally founded in 1969, Ya Ho Wa 13 didn’t begin making proper albums until 1973, which they recorded in the wee hours of the early morning following all-night meditation sessions inside a soundproofed garage-turned-studio and sold out of the Source Family’s legendary vegetarian restaurant in Los Angeles; Frank Zappa, Julie Christie and John Lennon were among those who frequented the establishment. The music created by the Father and his brood was a completely improvisational mind-meld of drum circles, otherworldly chanting and spacey Magic Band-style guitar jams, creating a challenging and wholly unique style of rock that has since been emulated by such modern-day acts as Wooden Wand and the Vanishing Voice, Tower Recordings, Sunburned Hand of the Man and the No Neck Blues Band, whose guitarist, Dave Nuss, plays an integral part of this here story.
It has been said that the band’s recorded output consists somewhere along the lines of 65 albums, although only 9 were officially released before a fatal hang-gliding accident in 1975 killed Father Yod. Shortly following the Father’s death, the Source Family scattered across the land, with several key members taking up residency in Hawaii. While much about this most interesting group’s history has been shrouded in mystery for many years, a renewed interest in Ya Ho Wa began in 1998 following the release of God and Hair: Yahowa Collection, a massive 13-CD box set celebrating the many incarnations of the band produced by the Japanese psyche label Captain Trip and curated by the late Seeds frontman and onetime Source Family member Sky Saxon. However, in 2007, surviving members of the core Ya Ho Wa line-up, Sunflower, Octavius and Djin, began playing out again on the West Coast to promote The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 and The Source Family, an amazing biography written by Source Family members Isis Aquarian and Electricity Aquarian and published by the visionaries at Process Media, Inc. It was then that Dave Nuss from NNCK, through Process publishers Jodi Wille and Adam Parfrey, got to meet and befriend members of the Family. Eventually, Nuss ventured to the surviving Source compound in Hawaii, where he was invited to squirrel through the group’s vast archives of unreleased music. The fruit of his digging appears on Magnificence in the Memory, a compilation released in 2009 by Drag City containing nine of the finest Ya Ho Wa freak-outs available to public ears. IRT had the pleasure to communicate with Dave about his experiences getting to know this most extraordinary rural route of American counterculture and the wealth of knowledge and spirituality it provided him.
For more on Father Yod and Ya Ho Wa 13, please check out this amazing interview with Sunflower, Octavius and Djin, originally published in Jason Gross’ Perfect Sound Forever back in June 2002, now available here.
And please, if you are at all interested in the weird, wild history of The Source Family, you would be foolish not to seek out The Source: The Untold Story of Father Yod, Ya Ho Wa 13 and The Source Family, available now through Process Media, Inc. There isn’t a more definitive or trustworthy source on The Source.
A big thanks to Dave for doing the interview and Nicole and Sara from Drag City for supplying the music and the positive vibes.
IRT: How did you first discover Ya Ho Wa 13 and Father Yod? Dave Nuss: I first discovered Ya Ho Wa 13 at an NYC record shop with a vinyl reissue of Savage Sons of Yahowa. I bought if for the cover and took it home and thought, what is this, ROCK music?? I was basically only listening to Stockhausen and Alan Silva at the time and was momentarily blinded to the beauty. Interestingly now Savage Sons is my fave album of the Higher Key releases, followed by All or Nothing at All. [These are] timeless, dramatic, transportive songs.
IRT: How much of an influence does Ya Ho Wa 13 bear on the music you create with NNCK? Dave: Ya Ho Wa 13 is an influence on NNCK in that it stayed independent from larger business and was buttressed instead by a close knit internal community; also the improvisatory aspect, composing with the music rather than any predetermined plan.
IRT: How did you come into curating Magnificence in the Memory for Drag City? Dave: I've been traveling already to Hawaii for years because of the mystical attraction, and when I finally heard from Process publisher Jodi Wille about the Source book and reunion of the band in LA, I cruised out there to catch the events, met the Source Family and connected. By the way, the best book about Source is this one on Process, and it is the best place to start for one not familiar with the legacy. So I went to Hawaii again shortly after and stayed with Isis, who toured me around the sacred sites and was kind enough to let me explore the audio archives.
IRT: How much unreleased Ya Ho Wa 13 music is there and can we expect to see more releases like Magnificence in the Memory in the future? Dave: There is SO MUCH there that is unreleased—hours and hours of Ya Ho Wa 13 and many related projects. Much of it may not yet be ready to pass through the portal into this world. Each track and project really lets us know when it's ready to come in...
IRT: What did the song selection process for this set entail? Dave: For the songs on Magnificence I selected music which has a unique character vis-a-vis the Higher Key Records. In short I would describe the selections as highly musical - many were selected from rehearsals rather than recording sessions, so there is a sense of freedom and playfulness, as well as a marked lack of self-consciousness. What I recognized in certain moments was a sense of the band, including Yod, working together as a band, rather than musicians supporting a charismatic leader. IRT: To the layman, Father Yod seems like he started The Source Family so he could hook up with hot hippie chicks. However, what have you come to learn about his teachings in your years listening to his words and music? Dave: Yod did not start the Source to hook up with hippie chicks; the intention was to provide them - and the guys as well - with a sense of clarity and focus on peace and universal love not available via the status quo. He offered a chance for them to pursue their dreams of living in freedom, care, and comfort, and created the mission of developing a more expansive consciousness via ancient methods, Eastern and Western. the path he showed was exceedingly deep, yet glittered with mirth. Yod strikes me as a man of infectious and irresistible joy.
IRT: If you were of age in the late 60s/early 70s, would you have joined the Source Family? Dave: I imagine I would have joined had I been around because I have a strong penchant for the values the Source Restaurant espoused dietarily, and an inclination towards learning the metaphysical through symbols. Yod combined the metaphysical and the concrete in a completely artistic and jovial way, and in that sense is one-of-a-kind.
IRT: Did you get any good recipes from the old Source Restaurant while you were in Hawaii curating Magnificence? Dave: Yes. Actually, all the recipes are in the back of the Source book on Process. When Ya Ho Wa 13 came to NYC, we recreated their restaurant in the NNCK space, the Hint House. The biggest hit of the night was, of course, the cheesecake.
IRT: What do you think young Americans can get out of the Father's teachings? Dave: Regarding the effect of the Source on people today: Many recognize the message as a familiar call and approach it without questioning. The message of Source is not analytical but experiential, and Magnificence is intended to illustrate that experience of Source metaphysics through music, unashamedly. In the album’s full package, you will see the pictures of the major players, witness the key symbols and tune in to the particular frequency that is the experience of harmony in community, celestial and mundane. It is not important to justify or define this message further, for in the release it becomes self-explanatory.
What is relevant for you is: Can you perceive what is being offered?
Here is the invitation from the top of the first track, "Camp of the Gypsies," spoken by Yod:
"There is nothing you can do, there is nowhere you can be that you are away from me. End it, begin it, always as you seek, but go with Love...
I'm talking to the few that I'm seeking. Awake from your sleep, your Father's home. He wants to find his Sons. You were stolen long ago, yeah, you were very young you know. But I've come to find you. Don't worry I've prepared the way for you. Are you ready? Let's go!"
