My first cover story for the Wire and one of my favorite guitarists. This was a pleasure to work on.

January 13, approximately 11:30 pm

We shared our first kiss
in the bitter cold -
she looked girlish, 
suddenly cautious. 
A few strands
of her black hair
blew between our lips
after the first, brief, 
mouths almost meeting 
and the second and third,
with the cab driver waiting.

On the way to the subway 
I listened to Diamond Dogs
because Bowie isn't here anymore.

Czech Pop (in Czech)

My friend Pavel Klusák interviewed me for this article on Czech pop of the '60s and I can't read what I said.

Boohbayler

Click on the YouTube Doubler link at the bottom to make it go. 

YouTube Doubler

Cough Piece (after Ono)

Clear throat during a concert or recital, to be performed during a leap second.

Composer's statement: Cough Piece (after Ono) continues in the Fluxus philosophy of questioning what constitutes "performance" by using as its medium a gestural act (the clearing of one's throat) usually considered to be prepatory for performance. By placing it in a concert setting, the piece is performed for an audience, albeit one which will likely either ignore or be perturbed by its execution. 

Note: The performance of Cough Piece (after Ono) should not last longer than one second and should only be undertaken at an interval when UTC time is adjusted by one second. A commiserate piece, involving coughing for an hour during a concert when Daylight Savings Time adjustments are made, is also permissible. A third variation, involving coughing for a full day, requires the performer to find and attend (but not organize) a 24-hour concert on February 29 of a leap year.

Performance note: Premiered at the Naumburg Bandshell, Central Park, New York City on January 29, 2015 at 8pm (00:00 UTC) during a performance of John Adams' Shaker Loops by Ensemble LPR. A recording of the performance can be found here. 

For more information, see the Leap Second Event Facebook page. 

some upcoming things i've got coming up.

should i have posted this earlier? maybe so. probably. but i'm playing twice this weekend and both are early starts so you might still be able to do that thing you really want to do after.

i'll tell you about them, then i'll tell you about the next wfmu literary guild reading and also i'll tell you about a new story i wrote. this is what they told us to do in journalism school. tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em, tell 'em, tell 'em what you told 'em. like that. telling 'em about telling 'em is my own innovation, tho. (in this example, you are "'em."}

ok, here goes. 'em ready?

i was flattered and pleased to be asked to be a part of the nyc book release party for nina hart's new collection of stories that bears the title somewhere in a town you never knew existed somewhere. it'll be a round robin of written word spoken and unwritten music played with miguel frasconi. besides playing a littel something with miguel, i'll be reading a littler something i wrote called mother's waiting.

Nina Hart Book Launch with Kurt Gottschalk and Miguel Frasconi

Saturday, May 16, 6-8 pm

Word Up Books

2113 Amsterdam Ave., (@ 165th St.)

Manhattan Island

https://www.facebook.com/events/1579449145664025/

then, the following day, nina, miguel and myself will head downtown to do something shorter at a benefit for abc no-rio. the music goes on 'till 10:30 or so but we'll be on from 5:40 till 6 in the back yard.

Inside / Outside COMA Benefit for ABC No Rio

Sunday, May 17, 5:15-10:30

ABC No-Rio

156 Rivington

Manhattan Island

https://www.facebook.com/events/1606702136241556/

then, on june 20, i'll be reading something shorter than the thing i'm reading this weekend, which even that isn't very long, at kgb bar. these have been really fun nights. looks like this time around will be bronwyn c., dave mandl, amanda nazzario, dan bodah and myself.

WFMU LIterary Guild Reading

Saturday, June 20, 8:30-10:30

KGB Bar

85 E. 4th St.

Manhattan Island

http://www.kgbbar.com/

ok, so one other thing. the latest of my holiday stories is posted at lulu. and get this: it's called "mother's waiting"! the same name as the story i'm reading this weekend! you can get that (and a couple few other things if you like) up at Lulu.

http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/SpearmintLit

that's all for now. thanks for reading this. i've got some beautiful stuff pulled for the radio show tomorrow, so tune in to wfmu at 3 pm.

(p-funk, july 15)

happy spring. 

Applause

(found in an old notebook)

I like clapping
Like Christmas
Like ritual
Like noise
Like everything
Like everyone
Likes Christmas
Likes clapping
Likes ritual
Would it be easier
To start clapping?
To go caroling?
When everyone
Else does?

I like clapping
Like slapping
like monkeys
Like a moment
To misbehave
To make some noise
Wouldn't it be better
To do it all the time?

I like clapping like
Contusions like
Confusion like
Group dynamics
Like dynamite
Like everything might
Happen if I refuse
But nothing does
Just like applause
Like out of step
"Did you forget?"
Like firecrackers
On cue
Did you?

I like laughing
I like yelling
I like falling
I like things
When they
Don't happen
On cue.


ZS from TERROREYES.TV on Vimeo.