Ghost Train RadioTheatregroep De Gebroeders Flint 1989
I’m having a blast just writing songs with the cello in mind – where I can practice trying to accompany a rock song – mainly written with the guitar. Today I found that there was so much going on sonically between the guitar and cello – that I stopped with just these two instruments and the drum box. Since I love “Shoegaze” and other forms of “noise pop” – this song does approach that genre – whilst keeping to my pursuit of the cello. I know of many rock songs that have a short cello part – but don’t know many where they replace a bass with a cello. I’m trying to be a little “artsy” with my rock – hahahahaha!
Photographically, I’m now really having fun – I first take a photo of my old film using the macro lens on my Lumix GX85 (and use a very inexpensive Chinese LED light table to illuminate the negative). Then, I use Gimp – which easily has more than enough features and is easy enough to use that I seriously doubt I’d ever need Photoshop or Lightroom – which I used many years ago.
This image was taken in the late 80’s, and I never even saw what a great photo this is – I was heavily into Henri Cartier Bresson, Eugene Atget, Robert Frank and other street photographers whom I worship. There are several “layers” here – the bike outside – the two guys inside – the heads up on the wall inside – the posters looking outside and the reflection of the building across the street.
This is exactly the kind of street photography that I would want to do today – and after my right knee is replaced, I do plan on walking around San Francisco with my two sons doing street photography once again. My older son went to CCA – majoring in photography, so it would be a nice thing to do after all these years – and since both my boys (er, young men) live in San Francisco.
I had some really great black and white photo shows in San Francisco in the 80’s, and I’m finding images that are awesome that I completely missed then. Hey – this is like finding cool stuff in your grandparents attic!
On an artistic note, the photo and the song are the closest I’ve come to realize the “fine art” part of my psyche. I have printed fine art prints in the 80’s and still have a bunch buried in the closet, but I was not nearly as good a musician or songwriter as I am now. It’s really special that after all these years these things have converged.
I also can see that back in the 80’s I made more decent fine art street photographs but didn’t really comprehend or could discern what was good or not. I think I knew subconsciously, but only now can see a lot more than I could in my 20’s.
I guess age has some benefits.
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