I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM and ...... well, each of you at Cheers and Jeers. Have a fabulous weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES— an exhibition entitled Life Between Islands: Caribbean-British Art, 1950’s to Now— reconsidering British art history from a Caribbean perspective, and ranging from paintings to documentary photography, film, and sculpture — is at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto, Canada through April 1st.
YOUR WEEKEND READ #1 is this essay in The Atlantic (on the aftermath of the E. Jean Carroll verdict) — where it turns out that it was George Conway who recommended that attorney Robbie Kaplan (who had successfully argued against the Defense of Marriage Act) represent E. Jean in the defamation case.
THURSDAY's CHILD is sitting in the lap of Buffalo Bills placekicker Tyler Bass— who missed a game-tying field goal late in an NFL playoff game, and thus the Kansas City Chiefs (along with tight end Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift’s paramour) were able to advance to last weekend’s conference title game. Alas, Tyler Bass began to receive so many angry threats that he had to shut-down his social media accounts.
Yet when it became widely known that Tyler Bass is an advocate for a Buffalo no-kill pet adoption group, local fans began to rally around him. Then, Taylor Swift fans joined the effort, with donations now exceeding $350k.
MY STATE SENATOR is among the co-sponsors of a bill (as in some other states) to ban people from youth athletics if they’ve been convicted of assaulting or criminal harassment of a member of an officiating crew— as a co-sponsor noted, “It’s become hard to find people to officiate youth athletics because they don’t want to put up with unruly and potentially dangerous fan behavior”.
THE ORIGINAL BASSIST for the BEATLES was the late Stuart Sutcliffe (who died in Germany in 1962) — and his archive is up for sale, with more than 400 paintings and drawings, Beatles ephemera and an unfinished novel about John Lennon.
THEN and NOW—
YOUR WEEKEND READ#2 is this essay in Salon by Amanda Marcotte saying that — while the “patriot” who murdered his father in Pennsylvania for right-wing reasons was no doubt mentally disturbed — it is just those sorts who are being encouraged by right-wing pundits to act out.
A NOTE on TODAY’s POLL— I was fully expecting to post a Trump poll today — as I was expecting Judge Engoron to-lower-the-boom on him in New York, and the DC court to trash the “total immunity” claim. Judge Engoron did not come through (though it may be due to some additional evidence from special master judge Barbara Jones that may increase the penalty) and one of the judges dragging-out the DC court. Rest assured, I will post that soon (as some of his henchman had a bad week, just not him this week).
FRIDAY's CHILD is named Stuart the Cat— a Maine kitteh who went missing ten years ago, but just now reunited with his family … due to his microchip.
BRAIN TEASER— try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC ...… and the usually easier, less UK-centered New York Times quiz.
AVIATION NOTES— with the use of an underwater drone, an ocean exploration firm believes it has captured compelling sonar images of what could be the aircraft of Amelia Earhart at the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.
Reader suggested OLDER-YOUNGER BROTHERS? (from Audri) — English film star Jason Isaacs (Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter, now starring in the Cary Grant biopic) and TV/film star Jon Hamm (Mad Men) …. whaddya think?
...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… this week was the 77th birthday anniversary of the English rock musician Steve Marriott— co-founder of both the Small Faces as well as Humble Pie — who died in a tragic 1991 home fire. A success in his youth (with a soulful voice) he later succumbed to substance abuse later in life … yet it is a life worth remembering.
Born in east London on January 30, 1947 he was cast as the Artful Dodger at age thirteen in a 1960 production of Oliver! and had some success as a child actor, yet dropped out of school at age sixteen to pursue music. In 1964 he was good friends with David Bowie, with designs on starting a band together. But Steve was working at a music store when he became friends with bassist Ronnie Lane and drummer Kenney Jones (who later in the 1980’s with The Who). That trio played in bands that later morphed (along with keyboardist Ian McLagan) into the Small Faces. This name was coined by a former classmate of Marriott’s: Small (as none of the band members were taller than 5’6”) and Faces (a term in the UK for new, telegenic performers).
They had good success in the UK, though less so in the US (due to a lack of touring) and Itchycoo Park (#16 in 1967) was their only US hit. The All Music Guide’s Bruce Eder called them “The best English band never to hit it big in America”.
Marriott co-wrote many of their other UK hits, including Sha La La La Lee, My Mind’s Eye and The Universal. In addition (around the time of Sgt. Pepper’s) the band had a concept album Ogdens' Nut Gone Flake— with Lazy Sunday as a hit single. Yet Marriott was growing tired of the band being considered just a pop group, and longed to play more rock/soul, and he walked offstage after a New Year’s Eve 1969 concert (the band members then recruited Rod Stewart and Ron Wood, carrying-on as just The Faces for a time).
Marriott then recruited a guitarist who had just left The Herd — Peter Frampton. Adding bassist Greg Ridley (from Spooky Tooth) and drummer Jerry Shirley (hired at only age seventeen) they became known as Humble Pie. I have a previous profile of them— and they achieved stardom with their 1971 landmark Rockin’ the Fillmore live album. Creative differences and the excesses of the road led to the band’s break-up in 1975 (though there were subsequent reunion shows).
He had a critically-acclaimed 1975 solo album and the rest of the decade participated in Small Faces and Humble Pie reunions. For much of the 1980’s, he lived in seclusion: with substance abuse and tax problems dogging him, and looking rather haggard in his later years.
He did release a second solo album in 1988 and began to tour with his own band around England. In 1991, Peter Frampton and Steve Marriott made some demo tapes together, discussing a possible original members reunion. Before it could take place, Steve Marriott died in a tragic home fire in April at only age 44.
Ten years later in April, 2001: the three surviving original band members (plus later member Clem Clempson) reunited for a Steve Marriott memorial concert which was later released on DVD.
From the Summer of 1966 — the Small Faces’ only #1 hit in Britain:
And from that highly popular 1971 Humble Pie live album: this Ray Charles classic, with Steve handling the song’s ending free verse singing.