I’m working on a longer post which will show up later, but for now I have: a series of links!
Before those, however, thank you for the generous response to my post on the Gift Economy the other day. I don’t know if you guys were expecting a shout-out or not, but I’m especially grateful for Dad and Dan and Seth and Donna. Thank you for being inaugural supporters of the Green Room. I will remember you here and here. [Picture me pointing to my head, then my heart.]
NOW THE LINKS.
The first link is a slightly long and surprisingly thoughtful read about how every generation gets their gross novelty drink, and how this generation’s rendition is BuzzBallz. I have to tell you I sampled some Buzzballz a few years back with friends while we were camping along the Russian River and they were esophagus scorching. (I find merit in the author mixing them with Topo Chico, though.)
Seattleite John Swartzwelder is one of the most reclusive and acclaimed comedy writers in television history, the luminous mind behind some of The Simpsons’ finest episodes and lines. Like, for example:
Swartzwelder wrote 59 episodes of the show, more than any other writer. This week, The New Yorker published the first ever major interview with the prolific screenwriter, and a satisfying look into an unsung mind.
I’m especially enamored of this line in response to a question about how much time and attention Swartzwelder spent on his Simpsons scripts:
All of my time and all of my attention. It’s the only way I know how to write, darn it. But I do have a trick that makes things easier for me. Since writing is very hard and rewriting is comparatively easy and rather fun, I always write my scripts all the way through as fast as I can, the first day, if possible, putting in crap jokes and pattern dialogue—“Homer, I don’t want you to do that.” “Then I won’t do it.” Then the next day, when I get up, the script’s been written. It’s lousy, but it’s a script. The hard part is done. It’s like a crappy little elf has snuck into my office and badly done all my work for me, and then left with a tip of his crappy hat. All I have to do from that point on is fix it. So I’ve taken a very hard job, writing, and turned it into an easy one, rewriting, overnight. I advise all writers to do their scripts and other writing this way. And be sure to send me a small royalty every time you do it.”
I’ve learned to do this sort of outline writing to prime myself for a project and found the practice works so I’m glad for the affirmation here. I will now approach my first drafts with a more Swartzweldian mindset.
The last link is the main reason I’m here. It’s actually a video, a remastered cut of a show from 2004 featuring Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, and Dhani Harrison covering “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
For three and a half minutes, this is a super-tight cover of an excellent George Harrison jam, a fine live show in it’s own right. Then Prince shows up on stage and goes all hellfire phoenix on his golden maple Telecaster.
Look, the original video has over 100 million views for a reason. Like, this is one of the legendary guitar solos of all-time. Maybe you’ve even seen this clip before. However, this director’s cut was put out in late April and is far better and still already has 588k views and what I’m saying is go watch Prince shred like an archangel already. It’s on a loop all morning ‘round these parts.
A friend had shared the link to “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” and I think I played it for all my family and friends. It is awesome! I didn’t realize Prince could play guitar like that. He killed it!