Lifelines

Talk about heroes... today marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of my favorite music group of all time: A-ha. Yes, back in September of 1982, three young Norwegian guys decided to pool their musical talents and shoot for the big time--something that had been seen as impossible for a small country like Norway to achieve. Well, A-ha proved the impossible was possible... moving to London, and after a few years of honing and adapting their sound (synth pop was big in those days), they found themselves with sa string of top ten singles, a Guinness Book World Record for the highest attended concert (198,000 people at Rio's Maracana Stadium, 1991), and influence on such modern acts as Coldplay, Keane, Kings of Convenience, and Sondre Lerche. Here is a clip of me interviewing all three members back in 2005:



Unfortunately for me, the band is usually only known for one song here in the U.S.: 1985's "Take On Me." Over the years I have found myself having to explain to skeptics over and over why I would care about this seeming "one-hit wonder." I'm a big fan of the Beatles as well, and am aware (even understand) a bit of the general prejudice when applied to a group that seemed to make less of an attempt to continue their success in America. That doesn't make it any easier for me, when their music speaks to me in such a way...

In honor of their anniversary, I listened to the newly remastered version of their second album, Scoundrel Days, on the way to work today. This album hit during a rough time for me growing up, as I was dealing with the loss of my father. As I listened to the album again today, one of the lines from an extended version of their excellent song "Manhattan Skyline" stuck out at me, in a new way:

"don't want to see you hurt, don't let me see you hurt" pleads singer Morten Harket. I have always read the song as being about loss and separation on the narrator's part (Magne Furuholmen and Paul Waaktaar-Savoy), but it dawned on me that this line also subconsciously felt like support to me... or, more specifically, the 16-year old me. The tears started to well up, I must admit... their work still has an effect on me, and that's the reason I must go on to proclaim my love: 


"You know
I don't want to fall again
I don't wanna know this pain
I don't want another friend
I don't wanna try again
Don't want to see you hurt
Don't let me see you hurt
I don't wanna cry again
I'll never see your face again..."

A-ha disbanded in 2010, but I still hold my hopes that they will work together again one day. This weekend there is a big 30th anniversary party planned in their hometown of Oslo, Norway. It coincides with a concert by Morten Harket, an exhibition of their work at the Oslo Library, and the release of a beautiful new book by photographer Stian Andersen, who documented the band's comeback from 2000-2010. In November, the members are set to be knighted by the Norwegian king--not bad for a "one-hit wonder," eh? 

I'm still working on my documentary and a radio tribute show... I know... it's very hard to sum it all up. It would be great to have it done before the end of the year, although it is a challenge with full-time job and family... it will get done though--that's a promise. These guys came a long way, and my life has certainly been enriched as I "joined" them for part of that adventure...

Heroes Welcome

FINALLY got the press release out for the Alex Ross exhibit. As I expected, we got an instant response... all good. 

Alex Ross, “Justice Vol. 1″ paperback cover, 2006,
courtesy of the artist, ™ & © DC Comics. Used with permission.

Heroes & Villains: The Comic Book Art of Alex Ross will open at Norman Rockwell Museum on November 10, and will present a comprehensive look at the career of the artist who has been called “the Norman Rockwell of the comics world." 

"Norman Rockwell has been one of the greatest influences on my art, and it is an enormous honor to be featured in the museum dedicated to his work,” notes Alex Ross.  "I have always looked upon Rockwell’s style as the peak of what one could hope to achieve artistically. The artist’s realistic execution and eye for composition are things I aspire to, knowing that he performed a quality of work that isn’t easily achieved. It is a major career achievement for me to have my work in company with his."

Ross' work is awesome. Take a look at alexrossart.com if you're not familiar. He brings a whole new level of wonder to the fun medium that is comic books.

So, here goes planning for what could be a fun couple of months... getting my Spidey suit ready.

Related Link:

"NRM Gets Super Heroic With Exhibition of Acclaimed Comic Book Artist," September 13, 2012 (press release I created for Norman Rockwell Museum)

 

One More

WEXT, the station where I spun My Exit show last spring, was playing the top 100 Bob Dylan songs yesterday, as voted by their listeners. They kicked it off with the song, "Duquesne Whistle," off his latest album Tempest-- his 35th! Now that's some body of work... I tuned in here and there throughout the day, and I can't say it all grabbed me, but there's a lot of variety... I love the early, early stuff, and Blood On The Tracks... other times his voice is a little rough, the music a little harder to find the patience for. I listened to a few tracks off the latest album, including a tribute to John Lennon. I like some of the jazzy rhythms, but it's hard to imagine it's the same singer from those '60s folk/rock classics...



The station has also been playing some new music from veteran reggae artist Jimmy Cliff. I remember seeing him perform during the broadcast of this year's Coachella Festival, and was impressed with the energy... he even teamed up with Tim Armstrong, the lead singer of the band Rancid (who I enjoyed back in the 90s), for a cover of "Ruby Soho." It turns out that Cliff's newest album, Rebirth, was produced by Armstrong, and sounds just as fresh as his classic material. I like this latest single, "One More":



No doubt it is hard to live up to your own legacy, so you have to give credit to artists like Dylan and Cliff... they don't seem to be resting on their laurels, but exploring new territory, continually adapting and honing their craft. That's what being an artist is all about, right?

Related Links:

"Jimmy Cliff on Career 'Rebirth' and the Nature of Success," NPR, August 4, 2012

"Jimmy Cliff's 'Rebirth' Gives New Life to Vintage Reggae," NPR, July 17, 2012

"The Rage in Bob Dylan's 'Tempest,'" The Daily Beast, September 3, 2012

"Bob Dylan Strikes Back at Critics," Rolling Stone, September 12, 2012 

Never Forget

Yes, I remember where I was in September 2001. I had just passed the first busy summer at my new job in the communications department at Norman Rockwell Museum, was still getting a feel for living in the Berkshires (an odd adjustment), and looking into new performing opportunities. At work we were getting ready to debut an exhibition of Rockwell's work at the Guggenheim in New York City (a big deal), when I first heard the startling news that a plane had struck one of twin towers of that same city.

It sounded like a tragic accident, and I felt a bit protective--a year earlier I had been working in New York (interning at a video production company), and was still hoping to relocate to the Big Apple. I remember a clear, blue sky that morning, and I recall the radio being turned on for more details... then we learned that a second plane struck the World Trade Center. 

I don't remember the weather from that point on... just a feeling of the day growing darker and darker. Confusion and some concern over whether there would be more attacks (there were... the Pentagon and Pennsyvania). Being a video production guy, it was ironic that I didn't have television at that time (still setting up my apartment, and reception in the Berkshires was lousy without cable--a time when I shouldn't have needed a digital converter). I listened to the radio non-stop... heard stories from friends and co-workers... talked to the girl I was dating at the time, and finally went over to her family's house to see pictures of the towers burning and filling the sky with chaos. The visual that really got to me was on the front page of the paper the next day or so... a photo of people choosing to jump out of the struck buildings instead of being engulfed by flames. Man, that affected me... 

It was a really strange time. Maybe it was better that I wasn't in New York, but I really wanted to be--more than ever. I ended up donating blood and doing some other volunteer work. It was the only time I seriously thought about enlisting.

I remember this TV special... a sort of memorial concert, and U2 playing. Somber. black and white. Felt unlike any concert I had seen in the U.S. It was quite moving:

There were flags flying everywhere... after a few years, it felt like a bit too much, but in this current time of partisan politics, it's somewhat hard to remember how "united" the country felt right after the terrorist attacks...

I waited to visit Ground Zero. When we opened the Rockwell show at the Guggenheim months after the attacks, a couple of my colleagues caught a train down to see the area... I wasn't ready to experience that... or rather, I didn't want to treat it like some sort of sight-seeing spot. 

It was four years later when I finally traveled to Ground Zero. I had been in New York to attend a concert and conduct an interview with my favorite band, A-ha (on September 11, 2005, actually), and the day after felt like the right time to finally see the site. I was shooting b-roll footage of the city at that time, but I don't remember filming there. I looked around at the tributes... marveled at the gaping hole where the buildings once stood.

Two years ago I went back to the site, and this time filmed the area rather extensively for some visuals I was creating for the Spoken Word Almanac Project. The process of rebuilding seemed slow... there was some controversy about a mosque being built near the area... New York still seemed hard, but a little more sympathetic... or maybe I had just gotten more used to the city, having rented an apartment there for several months.

Last year, on the tenth anniversary, I attended a beautiful interfaith ceremony with Sarah and her family in Albany. It was touching... a time to reflect on this national tragedy that still stings... still seems so inconceivable... and honor the fallen--paying respects as we do every year. They may have hurt us, but at the same time, I recognized the progress... the resolve to keep moving. 

I also remember thinking in my head about my exciting plans to propose to Sarah in just days... positive... sweet vibes... another affirmation that life was just going to go on...

Popular Mechanics

Man, I need my own studio. It's tough in our current situation to find a quiet space to concentrate on creative work. Luckily, our new place should give me that opportunity... my own studio with a view... a place to get my artist on.

Courtesy "The Giant Mechanical Man"
Facebook page

Saturday night we rented this movie, The Giant Mechanical Man from iTunes. I had never heard of it before, but it starred Jenna Fischer (who we both liked from The Office), and the trailer looked a lot more promising than the stupid-looking romantic comedies with their slapstick and crude humor. 

The movie did not disappoint. It had a more artistic tone about it--fitting, since it dealt with two sensitive types trying to fit into the real world. The lead character, Tim (nicely played by Chris Messina), strives to achieve this by painting himself up as a silver, mechanical man... maybe you have seen them in New York City... they stand motionless and look like real statues, coming to life when someone drops money at their feet. I have seen some of these guys do a really awesome job with it... it's amazing, and an interesting way to earn money. Tim is also trying to make a statement with it... his girlfriend doesn't really understand... and so goes the idea of having a job where you really feel you are making a difference, and trying to do it through the arts.

I just got off the phone with one of my artistic collaborators, and talked a bit about the difficulty of funding projects... and sustaining them. Kickstarter is popular, and has proven successful. Sometimes I think about this in terms raising money to work on a film... or even buy equipment. 

I can sympathize with the character in the film, but also understand the reality of needing to support yourself... some compromise is in order... but how much?

The other character in the film, Janice (played very similar to her Office character by Fischer), doesn't even have that much figured out. She doesn't know where she's going... and her sister tries to fix her up with a motivational speaker (sort of caricatured performance by Topher Grace, but funny because Sarah and I have had to sit through such speakers). It's not real, and she can feel it... 

Janice finally accepts a rather menial job at the zoo (didn't know they were open in the winter, but hey...). Here, she runs into Tim, who she had actually "met" previously as the Mechanical Man. There is a spark, and common understanding... some soul. It was refreshing to see a movie that painted a more realistic relationship, more common concerns... like how do you get to the point of feeling fulfilled?

This felt like a very personal film for Director Lee Kirk. It turns out that he is married to Fischer, which makes it all the more meaningful. I liked his artistic sensibility... the colors of the film, and much of the dialogue... the performances were good, but I think Fischer needed a little more spark... it did feel like Pam from the TV show, and I think it works better there. But we were very happy that we rented it.

Now, why hadn't I heard of this film? It was an independent, so I'm not sure what kind of budget they had... but it's a shame that it didn't get seen by more people. Like I said, you are bombarded by this cookie-cutter movies that talk about relationships, and they seem to feel the need to include insulting, formulaic things that just cheapen it... I like the premise of The Five Year Engagement, but every time we watch the trailer and see the slapstick, we can't do it... of course, maybe it is just a badly edited trailer (I thought the latest Muppet movie was going to suck for that same reason).

But here's the thing... the movie obviously did have a budget, was released, and was good... so were they satisfied or let down? I wonder this with bands whose work I love, that fail to find or sustain an audience. How do you keep going, when you feel you're not finding your audience... or on a smaller scale, getting paid?

I was once offered a gig to be a statue at a party. I didn't have to paint myself silver, but it was a similar idea. I thought about it... even tried to practice in my apartment... see if I could hold the pose... it was tough... I got itchy. I ultimately turned down the gig, after  some actor friends convinced me that they weren't offering enough money. But there was still the nagging feeling... wanting to prove to myself that I could pull off something that artistic... the money seemed less important in a way...

It's an ongoing struggle... I'm more about finding work that is fulfilling. But I would be lying if I didn't admit that finding some money dropped in that bucket sure helps to keep the creative machine moving...

www.facebook.com/TheGiantMechanicalMan

American Greetings

Dalton Color Guard welcome one of our newest U.S. citizens.
Photos ©Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

In yesterday's blog I briefly mentioned the naturalization ceremony that I helped out with yesterday at Norman Rockwell Museum. Working at the Museum as long I have, I sometimes forget how effective those paintings, in this case The Four Freedoms, can be... yesterday I was reminded. 23 Berkshire County residents were sworn-in as United States citizens in front of Rockwell's iconic series of paintings illustrating President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's 1941 speech to Congress--in that speech he described four essential human freedoms necessary in today's world: freedom of speech and expression, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear.

I enjoyed meeting this family from El Salvador...
wish I had written down some of the recipes
they described.

The new citizens originated from 16 different countries, including Benin, Canada, the Czech Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Germany, Ghana, India, the Ivory Coast, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Peru, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam. Some attended the ceremony in different styles of dress from those countries. Many brought their families, and it was touching to learn that these children automatically became U.S. citizens as well.

I have never attended a ceremony like this and I have to say I was moved by the significance of the event. I talked with representatives from the Berkshire Immigrant Center that co-sponsored the event, and they informed me of how difficult it can be to become a citizen of the U.S. Some of the people I met waited 20 years to have the honor... it made me think about how desirable it is to be an American... to this day. In fact, after learning of the very demanding tests that are part of the naturalization process, these new citizens may know more about the U.S. than those of us who were born here... I was moved witnessing a much older man from India, as he walked up to receive his certificate.

Judge Rutberg and Governor Patrick
welcome one of the new citizens (originally from
the African continent).

Several Massachusetts state dignitaries were on hand to welcome the new citizens, including Governor Deval Patrick. Just days earlier I had watched him live on TV as he spoke at the Democratic National Convention, so it was great that he was able to join us--seems like a nice guy. Judge Frederic Rutberg, a Stockbridge resident, administered the oath of allegiance, which was quite special in itself, since he had originally been sworn-in as a judge in front of the same paintings back in the early 90s. 

We had several members of the press stop by to the cover the event, which was good... and I was busy taking my own photographs and filming the ceremony... a little hectic at times (Governor Patrick called me a "one-man band"), but I was glad to be there and proud of the Museum for hosting such an event. 

Immediately following the ceremony there was a reception, and I had a chance to talk with several of the new citizens. It was a pleasure to welcome them to the United States, offering them copies of the photos and my own hospitality; in the words of Governor Patrick:  “The diverse backgrounds, shared experiences, enthusiasm and ambition among these new citizens will make the Commonwealth and country stronger for generations to come.”

Photos ©Jeremy Clowe for Norman Rockwell Museum. All rights reserved.

*View more photos I took at the event on Norman Rockwell Museum's Facebook page (captions courtesy of the Museum's Director)

*Read press releases I created for the event:

-Norman Rockwell Museum To Hold Naturalization Ceremony 

-NRM Welcomes 23 New United States Citizens During Naturalization Ceremony 

*Berkshire Eagle article, September 9, 2012

Indie For the Night

I had a pretty interesting day today, helping out with a naturalization ceremony at the Museum. It was a lovely ceremony... but I'm too exhausted to blog about it right now. In fact, too exhausted to do much of anything tonight. We're going to stay in and watch a Jenna Fischer movie (The Giant Mechanical Man)... try to keep our good record going.

Speaking of good records, here you go:

'night.