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Photo by Dan Chapman ©2001
Stanyan Entertainment Group
A Thought for Today
June is for juggling, for getting rid of
spring and moving into summertime. The beach is but a backrest waiting
to fold down into August. I could be saved by hearing you say no as
surely as salvation lies on the velvet forehead of yes. Not knowing is a
nod toward damnation.
THE
“SCRUFFY & BESOTTED” ROD
Dear
Rod, I just didn’t know who you were when I saw a poetry recital on Sonny
and Cher, or the Smothers Brothers. I didn’t much care for a scruffled
besotted poet then, but I knew you were somebody.
I search for old and dated music movies and got one that features you as a
acoustic bass player in a band whom Fay Wray is the mother of one of the
boys,' a pre gidget Frankie Avalon? But finally I bought the three CD Beat
Generation compilation and there you were In the beginning and I found out
in this way your influence and meaning in our post war beat culture. And
my so-called hip Aquarian culture.
My best treasures on earth are found first with distaste and finding that
thirty years later the seed had grown into an orchard of fortune. You are
my culture, my music and my visionary. I must find out more about you.
Glad I have this I-Mac with Sherlock 2. Thank you, now I must read up on
his Majesty Lord Buckly! Larry Williams
Dear Larry, Besotted? I love it, but I’ve never had a drink before a TV
show that I can remember, not even in Johnny Carson’s Green Room. The
worst are the famous ‘lounges’ at the BBC where they try to get you
smashed before you go on the air to ‘loosen you up,’ hoping you’ll say
something provocative. I’m hardly a teetotaler though, I love to knock
back a few at home, unless I’m at a party or on the town and someone else
is doing the driving.
“The Beat Generation” has been a steady seller since its release on Rhino
several years ago. For the complete McKuen “Beatsville” CD try Stanyan By
Mail. Not only does it contain the completely restored album but there are
added tracks including “Age is Better” and several vocals. The best and
most unique part of the disc is that it contains a computer font called
“Daddy O Beatsville” which can be downloaded for both PC’s and Mac’s. It
even has caricatures of Keroac, Cassidy & yours truly (with & without
beard.)
The font is very heavy on dingbats and devices, plus a unique alphabet.
The disc is on sale and I’ll go so far as to offer a money back guarantee
if you’re not satisfied. Am I pleased with it? You bet. I’d go so far as
to say I’m besotted with it.
The famous Buffalo New York Font Foundry P22 put it out. They also
designed The Stanyan House Font, which has turned out to be a best seller
for them. The award winning type craftsman and bookbinder Richard Kegler
is the man behind both fonts. By the way you can check out these fonts and
all the P22 family online at wwwp22.com. If you’re a font freak (and what
Mac man isn’t) you’ll love P22. “Rusting in the Rain” will be issued in
the Stanyan Font and “A Soldier of the Heart” will be set in P22’s Frank
Lloyd Terracotta.
I’m delighted to be mentioned in the same paragraph with my old buddy (the
truly scruffy Lord Buckley.) As for your homework on me, if you’re sincere
about it you’ve got a helluva lot of catching up to do with 200 albums to
listen to and 60 books to flip through. Best advice, hang around the ASPTL
site or come to a concert where I’m truly in my element. Please, please,
if you do, don’t forget to come up and introduce yourself and remind me
about your letter.
Someone who didn’t like my work or at best was indifferent to it at first
and then grew to appreciate it . . . I like that in a man. Hang in there
and thanks for a letter that was nice to get & fun to read. All the best
to you Larry, Rod
EXPENSIVE TASTES
Good
Morning Rod, Just saw this on one of the book sites... you are getting
very expensive.
“Moment to Moment by Rod McKuen, Price: $1,400.00
Availability: Usually ships in 2 business days. Condition: Used - Like
New. Seller's comments: Fine / No Jacket / Slipcase / Signed / 1 of 1000
copies printed & bound- 143 pages Cheval Books; ISBN: 0671219219 Seller:
jfw43 zShop Quantity: 1 Accepted Payment Methods: Amazon.com Payments.
Location: Marietta, GA, United States” Jay
Dear Jay, I hate to disappoint the bookseller in Marietta but Dwight
already lists the signed and numbered, boxed First Editions of “Beyond the
Boardwalk” (new, not used) at $30.00 on the Stanyan By Mail page. This
only goes to prove when you see a listing for something by RM, check with
Dwight first. Chances are you’ll find it a bit more reasonably priced (for
$1,400.00 Stanyan would sell you 46 copies but he tells me he only has
around two dozen copies left & isn’t raising the price).
Thanks for the info, Jay. I know you and Cheryl are sailing off the coast
of Alaska right about now, hope you’re not freezing your buns off. As
ever, Rod
IS LIFE PROFOUND?
I am
searching for the profoundness in life ...and somehow I do not think there
is any such answer.
"Unto each season something IS special", and you and your works have been
that something special to my seasons. Thank you for your writings, they
are comforting, perplexing, and have fit into many facets of my life. Ann
Marie
Dear Ann Marie, It’s an old cliché but like many, it happens to be true,
the best part of life is the journey and if we knew all the answers it
might take a lot of fun out of the trip.
Keep your eyes and ears open along the way and you’ll find yourself
stumbling on many profound truths on your journey. With Affection, Rod
IN SEARCH OF EROS
Rod,
Just wanted you to see this. I am continuously amazed at the products that
are available. I used to have an original (I think) LP of "In Search Of
Eros" with a statue of a man and a woman embracing with an almost black
background. Which is the real thing? Sorry, curiosity has the best of me
and the price was so good on this, I am bidding on it from ebay, just
because I want to compare it to mine.
How can we know which items are the real ones? Any symbols we can look for
or particular somethings? I'll gladly send it to you if you'd like,
perhaps if it is fake, you could use it to help stop the imposters!
Thanks for visiting the board last week, we treasure your words like
pearls! You are very precious in our lives... please, keep coming back!!
Can't wait for Wyoming in July! Warm tickles and touches... D'Marie
Dear DM, The tape you mentioned is authentic. Over the years
CBS/Columbia/Sony/Epic has released “In Search of Eros” with several
different covers. The tape with the cover you describe is the one that is
currently for sale from Stanyan By Mail.
As far as I know there are no pirate versions of “In Search of Eros” out
there – with one exception. Not long ago I heard of one available in
England.
Thanks for alerting me. There are pirate records of mine out there,
particularly in Asia (see the following letter). The only way you can be
sure something is genuine is to do as you did, check with me first.
When we finally show all the album jackets in the discography, even the
pirate covers will be pictured. I’m excited about the Balloon Rally &
Concert in Riverton too. By the way I’ve just added a book signing the day
after the concert, Sunday afternoon the 22nd after I get back from a
balloon ride. It’ll be at Books & Brier in Riverton. Books & CD’s will
also be available at the concert. Affectionately, Rod.
KOREAN CD’S
Rod, I
found a website in Korea, www.tutti.co.kr
that apparently sells CDs. Anyway, if you do a search for "McKuen" on this
site it lists several of your CDs. I think they are CDs but I can't read
Korean. Anyway the surprise is a listing for "Pastorale".
Do you know about this CD? Is your friend Steve Ann producing it? Take
Care, Leland.
Dear Leland, “Pastorale” turns out to by the LP issued in Japan at the
same time Warner Bros. released it in the USA. It is identical to the U.
S. version, with the exception of the missing booklet in the Japanese
version. There are two pirate “Greatest Hits” CD’s on the same page and
“La Mer II” is nothing more than “Speaking of Love” with several missing
tracks.
Steve tells me my LP’s are currently going for $100 & up in Korea. (Dwight
and I are thinking of going to Seoul and unloading a couple hundred of the
LP’s we have in the warehouse. Just kidding, of course)
Steve is in Korea at this very minute supervising another printing of “A
Safe Place to Land.” 6,000 plus copies (sold only through our website)
isn’t bad for 4 weeks, it’s gotta be some kind of record.
As you may remember, the first 4000 arrived with two copies of disc one
and had to be manually opened with the second disc replaced & then
resealed. Fortunately the rest were OK, but I am still opening and
restuffing copies of that initial batch.
By the way, Leland, thanks for the new database you sent, it’s terrific.
As ever, Rod.
REDDING, RIVERTON & SANTA FE
Rod: I can’t wait to see you in Redding and
especially after a picnic in the park. Will you be reading poetry or
singing or both? Caroline Wick
###
Dear Rod, Will there be books and CD’s available at the Riverton Concert?
Joe Kelley
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I am looking forward to your appearance in Santa Fe. Dave
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Dear Rod: What an absolutely beautiful city, Santa Fe. I have been there
many times and have attended the Indian Market (always in August) 3 times.
I will see you there my friend. How fortunate Santa Fe to have Rod McKuen!
Only 6 hours from my door step here in Goodyear, AZ. :) :)....you're
getting closer to my home! Thinking warm Arizona thoughts to and for you,
Sonja Kennedy
Dear Caroline, Joe, Dave and Sonja, Just so there won’t be too many
surprises, each appearance will be something quite a bit different from
the other.
In Redding California (July 1st) I’ll be one of the speakers at the second
annual Celebration of Life Rally. No songs or poems, just some honest
words concerning my feelings on human rights. It’s free and open to the
public. I’ll tell you more about this next week.
The Rendezvous in Riverton, Wyoming consists of a Hot Air Balloon Rally
and in the evening on the 21st of July I’ll be doing a full two-hour
concert with my new band. Yes, CD’s and books will be available and I’ll
be hanging around town the next day for a book signing at the Briar &
Books store.
A week later on Sunday Afternoon the 28th of July in Santa Fe, NM I’ll be
one of a number of artists (see concerts and appearances on the home page
for the names of others) who will each perform two songs. I haven’t
decided which ones I’ll do yet but this is for Santa Fe Cares a very
worthy cause that helps in the fight against HIV & AIDS.
Hope to see many of you at one or more of these events. For me the
diversity of it all is the ideal way to kick of summer. Warmly, Rod.
Tomorrow is “Pass it Along” day at ASPTL so stop by and see some of the
craziness that arrived in the E-mail box this week. Another Sentimental
Saturday is coming up with a new unsent love letter. Sleep warm.
RM 6/14/01 Previously
unpublished
 Two new
appearance dates just announced! Booking for "An Evening with
Rod McKuen" at the Riverton Rendezvous is open! Click below for
more details:
Concert & Appearance Details
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