Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre.” Now watch trailer for acclaimed 2025 film “The Atomic Bowl” coming to PBS in July. Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by ordering one of his books.
Headline from New York Times this morning on the Bozos (sp -1) wedding in Venice:
At Bezos’ Venetian Wedding: Buzz, Bling and Backlash
That’s Leo DiCaprio up top, so embarrassed to be there he tried to hide face on emerging from hotel. Other stars there if you are taking notes: Sydney Sweeney, Orlando Bloom, Kim Kardashian, among others. And major protests against the lavish spending when so many poor could be helped instead. The message of this cartoon: Let the eat cake.
Speaking of food, reaction to the new season of “The Bear” from The Onion.
New ‘The Bear’ Season Features Mutant Carmy Terrorizing Chicago After Falling Into Vat Of Beef Juice
Character Becomes Michelin-Starred Meat Monster
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Speaking of the always uneven “The Bear,” it was good to hear in episode #2 one of my favorite (if not universally well-known) Dylan songs, “Most of the Time,” from one of his best albums (“Oh, Mercy”). This is an alternate version:
And speaking of alt-takes, another from the new multi-album package for Nick Drake, this one a discarded take for “Fruit Tree.” Some know his voice or songs or lyrics or sad life story, but also one of the great acoustic guitarists (with original tunings) for our era.
And here is Nick’s almost never heard guitar-only instrumental for one of his final and darkest songs, “Black-Eyed Dog,” which did not appear on any of his three completed albums. It is said that by this point in his troubled, short, life he could no longer sing while playing so he had to try to record guitar tracks separately (not sure if this true).
From Tunes to Toons
Barry Blitt posted this yesterday, saying he has never been able to get a major outlet to publish it. Of course, it is a takeoff on the cover of the famous 1970 album (which I reviewed for Rolling Stone in my first national piece, and then they spelled my name wrong).
Ahhh Thanks for the fine way to start a day. The melange of tunes and 'toons is a stimulation of the senses.
Well, I'll be playing that one over and over again, most of of the time.