Keith Boyd Artist Review

The truth is we all need inspiration. Where we all find it is very personal. I find it in the monk and the octopus. I find it in the Phoenix. We all need rebirth. Some of us are reborn all the time some of us never and some of us are forced by the fire to change. God blew a breath of fate on my back when I saw Keith Boyd at the Acid Mothers Temple show at the Casbah recently.

Having known Keith from SDSU and sharing the stage with him in bands from the mid and early 80's I knew this was going to be a good thing. His reappearance in my life has been a kind of rebirth. I've known the intensity of this artist for 20 years and he's only become a better craftsman in the 10 years I didn't see him. How often do we get to have a close close friend reappear after disappearing for 10 years? A handful of times in a lifetime? There is meaning here.

His credentials seem impeccable. Keith is heavily influenced by his time in the Peace Corp in Mauritania Africa. He got some k ind of intense sickness there like in the Paul Bowles novel The Sheltering Sky and heard and saw art and music in a way that can only be explained for me through his near death experience and years in the shimmering desert of my imagination that is Mauritania. He's been doing etching, painting, music and books for the 20 years I've known him. He's also this year been christened the special educator of the year in North County. He does these special art shows for kids and helps them express themselves in a way that gives meaning to everyone who is touched by them, but especially the students. Sometimes only teachers can understand that when given a medium like art, a student can shine. I mean shine.

Now, I see Keith as a writer as well. The music that finds him (music does find you) is special. Only a few can be so blessed to understand so many unique kinds of music. He's also making a very unique brand of music nowadays.

Here's how he explains it, This morning I built a three hour long pyramid of powdery locust wings. It stacked up on itself and slowly began speaking to me. I heard the weathering effect of dry wind over what felt like a thousand years. I refused to let it converge into a riff or recognizable pattern. I just keep working on the masonry of sound until it got so big the walls hummed. After finally letting it seep away I stood up and realized that my chest was still vibrating to its frequency. I walked out into ancient Sumeria and now even an hour or so later I can still catch glimpses of it in the corners of my eyes. When we shun form we open up to the higher powers. If that doesn't make you want to play music then maybe you shouldn't, ever.

Check out one of his reviews and how he uses his African experiences to describe heavy, hard music. In Africa, the chieftains of many tribal groups maintain wooden sculptures depicting the power of their male aggression. These carvings are grimacing beasts out of whose penise s sprout leering faces. The faces in turn often issue forth many more faces.

These heads spring out of every orifice and with bared teeth, threaten in every direction. These forms are highly prized and fiercely protected. They are given offerings of food, millet beer, milk and even blood to ensure that their power remains intact and strong. It strikes me that this externalized embodiment of male energy and sexuality has many parallels in our own culture.

Consider the SUV. These massive, barge-like vehicles are treated with the same deference and passion shown by the African chieftains towards their sculptures. We rub them and shine them. We feed them massive offerings of gasoline and accessorize them with everything from custom license plates to spinning rims. These vehicles have gone from being a conveyance to transport one from point A to point B into another type of conveyance altogether. These vehicles transport and transmit our status, energy and power to th e outside world. From within their fortress-like environs we gaze out upon an inferior and diminished world.

The message is clear, 'I have power! I have money! Look upon my mightiness and fear me!' I suppose that men have always fetishized vehicles. While it's an old joke that a large vehicle is a type of compensation for some lack in masculinity, I think that the opposite is actually the truth. Men love these outsized vehicles because they project and embody the power men have enjoyed and enforced throughout most of human history. The aggressive spirit of male energy is often Siamese-twinned with male sexuality. Rape is a male crime. Its prevalence in all societies, throughout all time is emblematic of the underlying frustration that males experience in trying to assert control and dominance over others. Of course we are speaking in generalities here.

We're looking at a big picture scenario and trying to make sense of the symbols of male power and aggression so common in our world. By no means is every man a rapist. Not even owners of Hummers! Another vehicle for this same energy is music.....

He didn't much care for this Alien Ant Farm record. Neither did we. This is one of his only negative reviews for this site.

If you need inspiration look no further. Have a look at the paintings, start to dream, remember old friends, go deep underwater in your mind and experience the outer space that is Keith Boyd.

Blog San Diego is an online resource for live music reviews, cd reviews, music news & features.

Author:: Eric Nielsen
Keywords:: keith boyd,artist review
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The Great Career Switch

Hello. Is the doctor in?

I'll be with you as soon as I finish filling in these forms.

But I really need to see a doctor.

There, now what can I do fo EEEEEK! You...you....you're a grizzly bear.

Yes, ma'am. Can I see the doctor, please?

Wh...why would you want to see the doctor? He doesn't usually see grizzly Bears, you know.

Some movie actor thought he'd be a real smarty and kiss me.

Oh, oh, I saw that on TV. That was Brad Pitt. You're the Brad Pitt Bear.

That's what I've been trying to tell you.

Ooooh, you lucky bear. How did it feel?

Look, miss. This actor comes up and slops one on me. Now I have icky human germs. It's given me a rash. How would you like it if Brad Pitt just walked up to you and kissed you?

Ooooh.

And to add insult to injury, he recorded it on national television. How would you like that?

Ooooh.

And instead of giving me antibiotics, Jennifer Aniston starts pawin g me.

Ooooh.

I feel so used.

Wow, for a bear, you sure lead an exciting life. Kissed by Brad Pitt. Pawed by Jennifer Aniston. National television. Ooh, how thrilling.

I wouldn't call such abuse 'thrilling'. It's not like I have an exciting job...not like yours.

What, this? I spend all day filling in forms.

Wow. I've never filled in forms before.

And I have to book appointments for sick people all day long. And people who think they are sick. And people who don't know if they are sick. And sick people who think they are not sick but don't know if they are sick. And people who are sick but think they are not sick and wonder if that means they might be sick.

Wow. I've never helped sick people before.

And I have to keep explaining why the doctor can't see them yet, because he is busy tending to another patient. Have you any idea how it feels to have to keep explaining that over and over, day after day, week after week?

Pure happiness. You must have the doctor's excuses memorized by now

And I am stuck here under these flood lights, force-fed muzak that sounds like somebody grabbed a CD player and stuffed it with pancake mix and maple syrop until all that is left are the beatless, rythmless memory of a pre-civilization melody.

I love muzak. Big Griz is my favorite muzak composer.

You like that drivel? Hmph. You would probably love this job.

You bet! Filling in forms. Talking to people. Making appointments. Basking in glorious musak what could be better?

Well, you can have it then.

Really? But, then who will kiss Brad Pitt. It's a dirty job, but somebody has to do it.

Hey. How about me?

You? You want to kiss Brad Pitt?

Sure, since you do need somebody to do it.

That is so kind of you. You would sacrifice yourself for me.

Yeah. Yeah. Move over. I've got to get puckering.

***

And so, children , that's how the lady found herself stuck in the grizzly bear cage over there.

Wow, Uncle Jimmy. You sure teach us a lot of great stuff every time we come to the zoo. I thought she was just a zookeeper cleaning the cage.

Ah, yes, but she no longer has to listen to muzak, so she is happy. Different people like different things. What brings this lady happiness are not the same things as make a grizzly bear happy, for example. Understand?

I sure do, Uncle Jimmy. It also explains how come Dr. Block has such a grizzly receptionist.

About The Author

The author is freelance writer David Leonhardt, mailto:info@thehappyguy.com. Sign up for his weekly satire column up at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/positive-thinking-free-ezine.html or read more columns at http://www.TheHappyGuy.com/self-actualization-articles.html. Or join in the happiness at http://www.thehappyguy.com.

Info@TheHappyGuy.com

Author:: David Leonhardt
Keywords:: Humo r,Doctors,Bears,customer service,Entertainment,Stories
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Here and Now

In his final novel, Island, Aldous Huxley wrote about the adventures of a shipwrecked Englishman on Pala, an imaginary island somewhere in the Pacific Ocean. The society on this island had evolved to the point where there was universal economic and social well-being and a high level of respect for individual rights and freedoms. Moreover, individuals were given every opportunity to develop emotionally and spiritually.

One of the many unusual features of Pala are specially trained birds - mynah birds - whose sole function is to loudly screech out Here and now! Here and now! at random intervals.

Huxley had studied many systems of personal development during his life, including the Alexander Technique. He met F. Matthias Alexander, the developer of the Technique in London in the mid-1930s. He was already an established author, best known for his 1930 novel, Brave New World. But his poor physical state threatened to end his writing career.

Huxley was very tal l and awkward and subject to fatigue, insomnia and a weak stomach. He was deathly afraid to speak in public. By the time he met Alexander, he was virtually bed-ridden, reduced to writing lying down with his typewriter resting on his chest.

The lessons he had from Alexander enabled him to resume his normal activities and live in good health for another quarter century. He was so impressed with Alexanders work that he referred to it several times in his later writings and even made Alexander a character in one of his novels.

After having lessons with Alexander, Huxley wrote: The Alexander Technique gives us all things we have been looking for in a system of physical education: relief from strain due to maladjustment, and constant improvement in physical and mental health. We cannot ask for more from any system; nor, if we seriously desire to alter human beings in a desirable direction, can we ask any less.

I believe the mynah birds of Island were inspired by his work with the Alexander Technique. Alexander teachers help people recognize and change harmful tension habits. This requires being present - not mentally wandering off into the past or the future. For an Alexander Teacher, helping students be consciously aware of themselves in the moment is a crucially important first step in their learning process.

And not always an easy one. We are bombarded with external tasks and distractions that draw our attention away from our own mental and physical state. More often than not, our work requires an outward focusing of attention on specific tasks, projects and co-workers. Our leisure time, too, is frequently spent on activities like driving, shopping, and watching TV - all of which tend to pull our attention away from ourselves.

As Nicholas Brockbank, a British Alexander Technique teacher, puts it: Most peoples' attention most of the time is anywhere but on what they're doing. Or if it is on what they're doing, they ten d to overdo it. In an average day, filled with average tasks, there is only a small portion that requires the mind to be fully engaged; the rest of the time we are free to think about the past or the future - anything but the present! When we are present, it's usually in an obsessive, almost trance like way.

On Pala, the mynah birds are whimsical devices to help bring people back to the present moment - which is really the only place we can make constructive changes in our lives.

Many spiritual teachers have stressed the importance of self-awareness - Ram Dass even titled one of his books Be Here Now! The Alexander Technique is a very powerful and practical method to learn to be present in yourself, even while engaged in your daily activities. Indeed, the primary focus of the Technique is the way one carries out the ordinary activities of life.

In a sense, Alexander Technique teaching supplies you with your own personal mynah bird, bringing you gently back in touch with yourself.

Freedom to Change - The Development and Science of the Alexander Technique by Frank Pierce Jones contains information about Alexander's connection with Aldous Huxley. You can order it at the Alexander Technique Bookstore (listed under Introductory Books) at http://www.alexandertechnique.com/books

Robert Rickover is an Alexander Technique teacher living in Lincoln, Nebraska. He also teaches regularly in Toronto, Canada. He is the author of Fitness Without Stress - A Guide to the Alexander Technique and is the creator of The Complete Guide to the Alexander Technique website at http://www.alexandertechnique.com

Author:: Robert Rickover
Keywords:: Aldous Huxley, here and now, alexander technique
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Tales Of A Hollywood Tour Guide

Author/Narrator Stephen Schochet researched Hollywood and Disney stories and lore for 10 years while giving tours of Hollywood. He had the unique idea the stories could be told anywhere and that's what led him to create the critically acclaimed audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. Here he shares some stories that happened while he was actually giving tours:

On one tour I pointed out the Fox Plaza, the building that was blown up in the movie Die Hard. A tourist asked me How did they put that building back together so fast?

* On the tour we stop at Rodeo Drive. The people were returning to the bus after their visit and Steve Garvey came walking by. A life long Dodger fan I said, Hi Steve. Happy for the recognition, he came over to meet the people on the bus. Unfortunately, the entire group was from England and Germany and not a single person knew who he was.

* The day after OJ Simpson was arrested, I was doing a tour where we stopped i n front of the Chinese Theater. My customers were looking at the handprints and footprints, while I stretched my legs near a row of parked tour buses. Two men, one with a filming camera approached me. Hi We're from CNN. Are you a tour guide? We would like to interview you about OJ. Sure. Great. Roll the camera. We're talking to a Hollywood tour guide. So did your customers ask you today about OJ's house. Well today my people are from Romania. They are here for the World Cup. I don't think they care about OJ. Well will you be adding OJ's house to the tour? Probably not because he lives west of the 405. We go east of the 405 and we are so pressed for time. I wouldn't be surprised if we have some guys who point at any old house and claim that it's OJ's! I was kidding but the reporter took me quite seriously. So tour guides do that do they? What tour company do you work for? I thought, who does this guy think he is, Mike Wallace? I pointed at one of the buses owned by a rival to ur company.

* When I first started training as a tour bus driver I rode with other guides to see how they did it. One guy, unfortunately did not endear himself to the customers with a patter of stale and sometimes sexist jokes. At one point he showed the Hollywood Sign, and told the tragic story of Actress Peg Entwistle, who unable to succeed in the transition from stage to screen, jumped fifty feet to her death from the top of the letter H. He finished the tale with the tagline,Of course the last person to jump was a tour guide who didn't get tipped. There was a pause and then an Australian customer from the back of the bus shouted out, Oh yeah? Well there'll be another one tomorrow!

About The Author

Stephen Schochet is the author and narrator of the audiobooks Fascinating Walt Disney and Tales Of Hollywood. The Saint Louis Post Dispatch says, these two elaborate productions are exceptionally entertaining. Hear realaudio samples of these great, unique gift s at www.Hollywoodstories.com.

orgofhlly@aol.com

Author:: Stephen Schochet
Keywords:: Actors,Actress,Hollywood,Arts,screen play,Movies,movie stars,Broadway,Fame
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The Attic Bedroom An Old Type Winterl958/Reedited

Again, Lee, now eleven-years old, and Mike, his brother, two years his senior, ran through the second floor attic bedroom discovering Grandpa Anton was listening, they heard grandpa cursing and mumbling in the living room, then their mother crossed from the kitchen to the dinning room and they could hear her foot steps crossing into her bedroom opening up the upstairs attic door, usually it was left open so the heat could rise, but closed when the boys wanted the attic to be sound proof. Their mother [Elsie like a baseball umpire calling a strike asked would say: what is going on up there? It normally was a good pillow fight. Theyd back off slowly standing by the cold window, their beds on each side of the window, theyd be silent for a momentlooking at each others eyes(wanting to laugh but stone still) the chill of the wind seeping through the crevasses of the window had a bite to it: and then theyd start laughing when the coast was clear, when theyd hear her go walking a way, but shed leave the door open for assurances it would remain quiet

Lee and Mike, and their mother lived with Grandpa Anton, and they all knew who owned the house, Grandpaand quiet was a virtue on his list; as a result, Lee and Mike would run down the stairs to put their coats and hats on, to venture out into the arctic type Minnesota winter: through the kitchen to the pantry entrance where the backdoor was: grandpa would be pacing the living room floor, pipe in his mouth looking at his watch-glancing at the black mantel clock in the dinning room against the wall, a mirror overhead, as if he was going someplace waiting for the Sundays roast to be donehed follow the boys with his eyes looking above his pipe and knuckles as he placed his tobaccotesting to see if it was lit far enough down the hole of the pipe.

There was no dog to kick, so Grandpa Anton would kick the rug, as if there was not enough noise to distract him, but grandpa Anton was not one of thosewi dowers, who for thirty-years who liked sitting around too long; so, over and over and over hed walk his path from the front door that lead out to the porch, from the living room where the T.V. sat, to the entrance of the dinning room which was partitioned off only by a huge archway, as if there was a no-go zone. If Hop Alone Cassidy was on television, hed sit in his sofa chair in front of the it (hoping Im sure) the roast would not demand his assistance for a small piece of his time; yetunrepentantly the phone would ring, and on the other end would be an Uncle or Aunt of the boys, they all came over for Sunday dinner, all fifteen of themit would be sacrilegious if they protested (and didnt), and so theyd come, no matter how much snow, rain or sleet was forecasted for the day, other than a tornado, theyd come. It was best also, that they call, for the phone had a forty-call limit on it, and a party line to boot: that at times had double conversations [parties going on, as you d try to carry a dialogue with your callerit could be hectic.

Lee and Mike would be putting on their boots to tread through the heaps of snow the winter wonderland left the night before, for it was never graceful in allowing man or beast a pathway in that area of the country.

(Leaping backwards just a bit here.)

Grandpa now, who had been listening to the boys upstairsalso to the racket in the pantry, he waited patiently for the door to slam standing by the phone, hoping theyd stay outdoors for the day, the whole daygod forbid they come back before Hippie was over but now back to the phone; the boys could see Grandpa talking through the three windows (along side the house) as they walked by the dinning room, as he stood on the boarder of the living room and dinning roomthe-no go zone: the boys tightening their scarfs around their faces as the below zero winds and snow slapped raw frosted ice at their cheeks and foreheads, eyes, freezing every exposed piece o f flesh, even their hair, creating white frozen beards, numbing the rest of their exposed skin, while trying to creep around the edges of their hats up their pants legs, to chill whatever was left, and onto their earlobes, and into their ears, Old Man Winter, hoping to frost-bite the livingdaylights out of them.

Dennis Siluk's new book, Spell of the Andes, has some of his best poetry in it, you can see it at http://www.amazon.com or http://www.abe.com. He lives in Minnesota and Peru, and travels the world over, up today soem 683,000-air miles.

Author:: Dennis Siluk
Keywords:: Short Story
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Steve McQueen The Humanitarian

Movie Legend. Super Star.

He was a Rebel, an Outsider, and The King of Cool, but beneath the bad boy image lay a heart of gold, as Steve McQueen supported needy children all over the world.

While in Taiwan in 1966 filming The Sand Pebbles, Steve and his first wife Neile came across an orphanage for young girls (most of whom were prostitutes). It was run by a catholic priest called Edward Wojniak. Steve donated $12,500 then and there, and continued to support the mission until Wojniak died in the late 1970's.

Over the years Steve constantly visited the boys home (Boys Republic) which he himself had spent time in while growing up. Each year in the holiday seasons (when their spirits could be lowest because they had no family to visit them) he appeared with Christmas toys, Easter baskets and Thanksgiving turkeys. So these boys without a family of their own got to see a real movie star each Christmas and on other festive occasions. It wasn't just a quick publicity walkthrough either. Steve would actually just sit with them and talk for long periods of time. On one occasion, when he heard that two teenage boys had been sent to an adult prison, he offered to pay for them to be sent to a less severe BOYS institution. Over the years Steve donated large amounts of money to Boys Republic.

He said, Somewhere, right now, there are kids going through what I went through. Maybe if they know I survived, they can find hope. I can't promise they'll ever forget what happened to them. But if they hold out, they'll get through okay and learn to live with the bad memories...and still learn to love.

During the filming of Le Mans in 1970, Steve made a brief stopover in London, where he toured the Great Ormond Street Hospital for Sick Children, moving from bed to bed, talking with each child. At this time he also arranged an auction of one of his antique guns, with all the proceeds going to the French Childrens Fund for orpha ns.

Los Angeles Times columnist Joyce Haber wrote an article on Steve in 1971, in which she reported:
A few seasons ago the owners of Four Oakes, a local restaurant, invited fifty black orphans for a free Thanksgiving Day dinner. They also invited several celebrities. McQueen arrived promptly on his cycle. He was the only star to show. I call that the act of a good man.

When Nicaragua was devastated by a massive earthquake in the early 1970's he bought $50,000 worth of food and medical supplies and had it flown in to the victims.

While filming The Hunter in 1979, Steve was so struck by the poverty in some of the areas they were filming in that he asked close friend Pat Johnson to go down to the local catholic church and ask the priest what he (McQueen) could do to help. The priest made a list, and Steve pulled out a check book and paid for it all. According to Johnson it was a large amount of money. Steve also gave his stuntman and friend Lauren Janes s ome money, and sent him out to buy 100 baseballs, mitts and bats, and 100 footballs, and had him put them in a local field for all the kids to find. According to Janes, he did that many times, in many different areas.

Steve would eat with and talk to all the cast and crew on his films, and while talking to one of the extras on The Hunter (a young 15 year old girl named Karen) he discovered that her mother was in hospital and dying of alcoholic poisoning. Steve went to the hospital with her to meet her mother (who was a big fan). What can I do to help?, he asked. All my life I wanted my daughter to go to school. I could die a happy woman knowing my daughter had a way out of this slum, was her reply. Steve and his third wife Barbara took 15 year old Karen in, eventually enrolling her in a private boarding school close to where they lived, so that she could come and spend weekends with them. That young girl went from the ghetto to studying to become a veterinarian. She st ill remembers the McQueen's with a great deal of love.

Almost all of these things he did anonymously, and they were only made public after his death.

Sources

McQueen by William F Nolan,
Steve McQueen: Portrait of an American Rebel by Marshall Terrill,
McQueen: The Untold Story of a Bad Boy in Hollywood by Penina Spiegel and
My Husband, My Friend by Neile McQueen Toffel.

Darren Wright
Webmaster of http://www.Mcqueenonline.com

Author:: Darren Wright
Keywords:: Steve Mcqueen, STEVE MCQUEEN, Steve, Mcqueen, STEVE, MCQUEEN, Bullitt, Getaway, thomas crown affair
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Art Edouard Manet's Life

Edouard Manet was a revolutionary painter. His work changed art forever and inspired the impressionistic style of painting. His art is so inspirational that it even influences today's art!

Manet is a French painter that was born in Paris on January 23, 1832. He was the son of a government official. His uncle gave him his first drawing lessons. Manet studied at the Rollin College and met his lifelong best friend Antonin there. Manet's father wanted him to study law but he didn't want to so he went to sea instead. He was trained as a sea cadet but failed his naval examinations and switched to painting.

He first studied art in Paris under Thomas Couture, the French painter and soon after visited Italy, Germany and the Netherlands to study the art in these places. While traveling around, several artists greatly influenced him. These artists were the Dutch painter Frans Hals, the Spanish artist Francisco de Goya, the French painter Courbet and the Spanish a rtist Diego Velazquez.

Manet started paining genre paintings, which are paintings that depict everyday life, such as street urchins and old beggars. He developed a very bold brush technique in which he painted realistic subject matter. All of his paintings are very realistic.

In 1861 he submitted The Spanish Singer to the Salon and won an honorable mention for it. However, in 1863 he submitted The Picnic to the Salon and it was rejected. This became a scandal and was an outrage to the public. The Salon wouldn't accept it because of the subject matter. In the painting, there was a woman at a picnic naked with two men.

Manet's painting, Olympia, created even more of an outrage. The public was furious with the style and subject matter of the painting. The painting depicted a naked prostitute waiting for her customer. Today, this is one of Manet's most famous paintings and is admired.

On October 28, 1863, Manet married Suzanne Leenhoff. She was a musician that had been hired by Manet's father to give Edouard and his brother piano lessons. Edouard and Suzanne had a ten year relationship before they were finally married in 1863. During their ten year relationship, Suzanne gave birth to a son, Leon Koella. The father is most certainly Manet, but Leon was presented to other people as Suzanne's younger brother. Manet painted Leon in several of his paintings, including Luncheon in the Studio.

Manet frequently was seen in the company of the Impressionist group and was considered by them to be their leader. However, he did not want to join the group and his work is not known as impressionistic. Impressionists use lighter colors and focus on the effects of light. They are mostly interested in showing their impressions of different scenes.

Manet was the first painter to abandon traditional lighting and treatment of space in his works. He wanted people to see the true reality of a painting which is that a painting is just a painting, a flat, two dimensional surface. It shouldn't be an illusion of something else.

Manet did not get recognition until much later in his life. After that, everyone wanted his paintings. In 1882 he submitted one of his best pictures to the Salon, The Bar at the Folies-Bergere. This painting allowed him to be accepted into the Legion of Honor. Manet died on April 30, 1883 in Paris after a long illness. He painted 420 oil paintings and many other pastels and watercolors.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Arts

Author:: Michael Russell
Keywords:: Arts
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