Daily Archives: April 2, 2003

Dr. Alban

Posted on by

I first discovered Dr. Alban in Russia. 1992. I don’t think I ever heard anyone here in America mention him. But the kids in Russia thought he was the bomb back then.

I got his album. Boy, that’s a whole nother story!

Let’s just say, when I got back to america, I searched high and low, finally special ordering the CD “One Love”.

I love it. It is very AFRICAN. The CD is mostly in English, but he has some african language, Swahili, I think thrown in sometimes. I really like hearing songs in other languages. It makes the musical experience more pure, not knowing what is being said. Only listening to the sound of the words, and the emotion in the inflection.

How often do we really understand what each other are saying, even in our native tongue?

Songs in other languages cut me loose to not understand.

Anyway, Dr. Alban is highly electronic. Dancehall reggae, I guess. “Sing Hallelujah” is very gospel sounding. “Om We Rembwe Ike” sounds extremely tribal. I love the foreign (to me) roots of his musical expression. These are great dance tunes.

The message is especially poignant right now, too. “One Love” breaks my heart.

“The rich will live
and the poor will die
this is not it and what is it?
One love”

And “It’s my life” works great as a angst teenage song. It also has a deeper meaning, when taken in the context of African politics; Dr. Alban sings love songs to his home Africa.

Continue reading →

If I had a million dollars…

Posted on by

Okay, kids. I started my night class yesterday. UCLA! A REAL university. I was so worried that I wouldn’t get there on time, with traffic…I was afraid that I wouldn’t find parking…And I don’t know what else.

This is a creative non-fiction class. I have NEVER taken a creative writing class. I was so excited all yesterday. I was like that stupid “I lowered my cholesterol commercial.”

After my knows-everything-about-LA co-worker Eydie gave me some tips on how to get there from here (take surface streets), I made it. I asked a nice college looking kid…I must be getting old when COLLEGE kids start to look very young…where i could park. I descended into the belly of parking garage. Everyone was nice.

Everyone in LA is nice.

Then I walked up the steps onto the main quad, right below the Janess steps (for those of you who might know the campus).

I saw the grass and most of all the tall dressed-stone and brick buildings. It hit me bodily that I was a student here!
I started to cry, I was so happy.

I remember, Chris and I were talking a few weeks ago. He asked me what I would do if I won the lottery.

“Go back to school.” I said it without hesitation and surprised myself.

Just like I surprised myself at how strongly I reacted to being an on-campus student at UCLA.

Class was great. The teacher was funny and not snootish at all. I am a little nervous, not because I think I won’t be able to write anything. I’ve been having NO TROUBLE writing lately.

I’m just a little scared that I have to suffer criticism. I desperately want it, I want the feedback, that’s why I want this class. BUt I am afraid that I will be too sensitive.

I’ll have to make sure that I prepare myself beforehand.

I was so excited about the class afterwards, that I promptly got lost on the way home. I do that, when I get too deep inside myself. I should have been aware that I would do that, I know myself enough now.

At least I recognized it before I got too off track.

Anyway, there is more to come. I am sure all you readers will benefit from this class.

LA Theater Works _The Playboy Of the Western World_

Posted on by

Everybody knows that girls always go for the bad boys. That’s what Christy Mahon discovers. He was on the run, after killing his father. He finds a place of refuge in a pub.

Once he tells his story, all the village gets all a-twitter about this brave man who kills his own father.

It’s set in Ireland, and it’s a lot of fun to hear all the actor’s speaking in a Irish brogue. LA theater works is great.

It does have an interesting twist at the end.