apologies - why don't I check the most basic facts?? from Joe McGasko:
Loved the piece and love Al Bowlly, but I did want to mention that Rich Conaty broadcast for most of his career on WFUV, not WFMU. I know because I work at WFMU! I didn't want to make this a public comment in case you want to correct it on the sly.
Rich Conaty was one of my great radio heroes! Once he invited me to watch him work during his show and it was an amazing gift to hang with him.
Long live "The Big Broadcast"! I still miss it.
Best,
Joe M.
Totally my bad! I OWN this mistake. So sorry. apologies to everyone!
This article and the “Sing! Sing! Sing!” episode could have been tailor made for me! Seeing “Pennis from Heaven” as a kid shaped my musical taste ever since.
I wonder if you evolved to share Dennis Potter’s view more, or not, that these songs are something different from great art. I do wish the discussion of Al Bowlly in the interview specifically were available to hear. Maybe Potter would have agreed more that several of his recordings are properly called masterpieces.
First of all, it was great to see you at Vince Giordano's show last Monday. I had hoped to say hello afterward, but you'd vanished.
Like you, my first exposure to Bowlly was "Pennies." That whole series kind of blew my mind when PBS first aired it. Some people call "The Singing Detective" Potter's masterpiece, but for me, "Pennies" is the definitive work. (This is why the movie is such an utter failure for me. I've written extensively on why I think it doesn't work, but the short version is that Herb Ross didn't understand the conceit, to the point of his having Arthur actually sing in his own voice. Arthur -cannot- sing; that's his tragic flaw. If he could sing, he wouldn't need the records.)
A number of years ago, an article in The Village Voice mentioned an LP that featured the collaborations of Jolson and Bowlly: "Joely and Bowlly: Two Guys Named Al." I was thrilled over the prospect and immediately tried to order it. One can only imagine my disappointment to find out such a thing doesn't exist.
Hey thank you for reading and responding! Last week I ran out of the Birdland Theater to hurry upstairs to Cast Party, where Bryce Edwards was about to sing and play "Whispering!' I got there just in time.
Oh yes, THE JOLIE-BOWLLY SESSIONS, I had forgotten about that. That was a gag, as you discovered. We weren't trying to fool anybody, I promise. (I seem to remember that another one of the albums on that gag list was "Arthur Miller: ALL MY JOL-SONS" now that should have been a tip off.)
By the way, I'm going again to hear Vince tonight at Birdland, if you're around. I promise not to run out immediately afterwards.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised it was you who made me long for those sides by the two Als. Unfortunately, since I'm out here in California, I won't be able to make it to Birdland for about the next 12 months.
Hi, Will. Our old enemy, conflation, is probably at work. I know that someone in some written media many years ago asserted the fright/heart failure hypothesis of Bowlly's death; as I remember, the Luftwaffe bomb scored a direct hit on the hotel room next to Bowlly's, but Bowlly's body was undamaged. My speculation is based on the weird fact that when a shockwave hits a solid object, such as a wall, it acquires speed and a corkscrewing quality which can shear body tissues until, at a greater distance, it starts to spend itself.
apologies - why don't I check the most basic facts?? from Joe McGasko:
Loved the piece and love Al Bowlly, but I did want to mention that Rich Conaty broadcast for most of his career on WFUV, not WFMU. I know because I work at WFMU! I didn't want to make this a public comment in case you want to correct it on the sly.
Rich Conaty was one of my great radio heroes! Once he invited me to watch him work during his show and it was an amazing gift to hang with him.
Long live "The Big Broadcast"! I still miss it.
Best,
Joe M.
Totally my bad! I OWN this mistake. So sorry. apologies to everyone!
I miss Big Broadcast every Sunday night...great piece, Will.
This article and the “Sing! Sing! Sing!” episode could have been tailor made for me! Seeing “Pennis from Heaven” as a kid shaped my musical taste ever since.
I wonder if you evolved to share Dennis Potter’s view more, or not, that these songs are something different from great art. I do wish the discussion of Al Bowlly in the interview specifically were available to hear. Maybe Potter would have agreed more that several of his recordings are properly called masterpieces.
First of all, it was great to see you at Vince Giordano's show last Monday. I had hoped to say hello afterward, but you'd vanished.
Like you, my first exposure to Bowlly was "Pennies." That whole series kind of blew my mind when PBS first aired it. Some people call "The Singing Detective" Potter's masterpiece, but for me, "Pennies" is the definitive work. (This is why the movie is such an utter failure for me. I've written extensively on why I think it doesn't work, but the short version is that Herb Ross didn't understand the conceit, to the point of his having Arthur actually sing in his own voice. Arthur -cannot- sing; that's his tragic flaw. If he could sing, he wouldn't need the records.)
A number of years ago, an article in The Village Voice mentioned an LP that featured the collaborations of Jolson and Bowlly: "Joely and Bowlly: Two Guys Named Al." I was thrilled over the prospect and immediately tried to order it. One can only imagine my disappointment to find out such a thing doesn't exist.
Hey thank you for reading and responding! Last week I ran out of the Birdland Theater to hurry upstairs to Cast Party, where Bryce Edwards was about to sing and play "Whispering!' I got there just in time.
Oh yes, THE JOLIE-BOWLLY SESSIONS, I had forgotten about that. That was a gag, as you discovered. We weren't trying to fool anybody, I promise. (I seem to remember that another one of the albums on that gag list was "Arthur Miller: ALL MY JOL-SONS" now that should have been a tip off.)
By the way, I'm going again to hear Vince tonight at Birdland, if you're around. I promise not to run out immediately afterwards.
I guess I shouldn't be surprised it was you who made me long for those sides by the two Als. Unfortunately, since I'm out here in California, I won't be able to make it to Birdland for about the next 12 months.
Hi, Will. Our old enemy, conflation, is probably at work. I know that someone in some written media many years ago asserted the fright/heart failure hypothesis of Bowlly's death; as I remember, the Luftwaffe bomb scored a direct hit on the hotel room next to Bowlly's, but Bowlly's body was undamaged. My speculation is based on the weird fact that when a shockwave hits a solid object, such as a wall, it acquires speed and a corkscrewing quality which can shear body tissues until, at a greater distance, it starts to spend itself.
You have me intrigued about this Bowlly guy, who I had only heard of as an entry in music encyclopedias before this.