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.” Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. At Blue Sky and Twitter: as @gregmitch. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by ordering one of his books.
Today’s cartoons down below, but first: The “SNL” cold open last night with the return of Mike Myers as…Elon Musk. Well, he’s played evil multi-billionaires and clueless playboys before:
Okay, now let’s “spring forward” to this new trailer for the Neil Young-on-tour doc that I mentioned a few days ago. It’s coming in mid-April and directed by his wife, Daryl Hannah.
John Cale of Velvet Underground, solo albums and producing fame was born on this date in 1942. Among his greatest credits—in my mind, if little known—was coming in to save/finish a couple of cuts on Nick Drake’s classic “Bryter Layter” album, including this masterpiece, “Fly,” to which Cale added viola and celeste.
Same album, Cale also saved Nick’s “Northern Sky,” adding piano, organ and celeste.
and Cale himself just a year or two later:
Running to Daylight
Response up in Canada, and so true, via Michael deAdder:
What we are personally looking forward to this spring, see right at the Y in New York.
I’m asking a favor here. I noted last week that this Substack had experienced an unprecedented growth in subscribers over the past month, increasing the total number by over 25%. It has now tailed off, which is fine, but since we continue to bring this to you free, and now almost every day: Please recommend this to your friends and followers—however you choose to do it: on Substack or via links and other sites. Thank you. For example:
Clever, accurate, funny. Thanks for sharing.
Your choice of music is incredible! Thank you for sharing!