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Photo by Dan Chapman ©2001
Stanyan Entertainment Group
A Thought for Today
Four to six, top of the third.
TO BEGIN WITH
Too often in the past couple of years I’ve gone AWOL from writing
something new every couple of days for The Flight Plan. I regret it and
it plays heavily on my mind –– but from time to time life gets in the
way of just about any pursuit that isn’t necessary to healing bones or
putting bread and beans on the table.
In the beginning and continuing for over five years into our ten years
plus stint here I wrote & Webmaster Ken posted something new by me six
days a week. That, plus he wrote and posted his own observations and
still does, every Wednesday. Day by day he archives the works. More,
when I’m not on the job Ken chooses and posts all the material taken
from my past works.
I admit trying to keep up with The Flight Plan and everything else going
on around me, without an assistant or secretary on hand, can sometimes
be a tough slog –– especially for a one-fingered typist. I’m asking for
no sympathy even though no one but Edward and my GP seem to notice the
toll working around the clock sleep deprived and nearly always
forgetting to eat, exercise or pause for some form of simple
entertainment has taken on me. Olga would really appreciate it if I got
out from behind my computer once in awhile so she could clean my room.
I’m trying not to sound like a complaining ingrate because I enjoy
writing, even if my favorite form of doing so isn’t under pressure. I
really want to keep my audience by making what I write as fresh as
possible and that’s always difficult. I even find myself revising
already written poems when I include them in a feature. A good example
of that is a major rewrite of today’s poem, Sonata. I hope those of you
who come back here steadily have noticed that this past week or so has
brought nothing but original columns. If not, that’s OK too. Most of you
probably have lives. Good for you.
All this is kind of a preamble to today’s first letter.
.ASK
ROD
HOW TO DISAPPOINT A FAN
Rod, The most recent news I can find about you on your site seems to
date back to 2001. Are you not devoting any time at all to your site and
to your millions of fans? I also noted you seem to be doing only one
reading this year, next November in Palm Springs? Have you decided to
basically disappear?
I am always looking forward to new stuff from you, but have been
disappointed for so long now. I have been one of your biggest fans since
the very early 60s. I know I'm not the only one who wants to know what
you have been doing recently. We love and miss you. Please come back to
your website. Peace and Love, Caroline
Dear Caroline, Sorry about your disappointment and I will make an effort
to do better. I promise.
I take it you haven't looked in The Flight Plan Archive for any of the
past 10 weeks of Ask Rod features. Thanks to our hard working Webmaster
and our own Google search engine you can access ten years worth of
everything ever written for The Flight Plan and A Safe Place to Land in
general.
Lets see, nothing for my fans and friends since 2001? Only a couple of
new books, several CD's (including one with Petula Clark) and a mammoth
7CD set with a couple hundred tracks & a 100 page hardcover book devoted
to an overview of my RCA years. This last set alone took four years to
master, annotate, edit and publish. Then there's the mastering and issue
of a batch of San Sebastian Strings discs & the first release of the
complete Amsterdam Concert & The Live in London show (both double CD's).
A video with Dolly Parton . . .
The archive material is often difficult to remaster because of the
degradation of original master tapes. In the Bear Family set, titled Rod
McKuen: If You Go Away, nearly half of the material was never mastered
or issued in the first place and had to be dubbed down from 4, 8, 16 &
24 tracks for the first time in order to make new CD stereo masters. The
hundreds of previously unpublished photos come from not just personal
files but had to be tracked down from archives around the world.
The new songs for the album I'm recording now and the current book that
I give eight or more hours a day to probably don't count because they
are still in the works. Same goes for the July appearance in Burbank
since they are still a few weeks away.
November isn't a reading (haven't done one of those in more decades than
I care to remember); it's 4 performances at a supper club. Including an
all request show involving learning and re-learning songs –– some that I
haven't thought about in years. That's a week or so of rehearsals’ and a
month or more devoted to winnowing out the songs, working on the
arrangements and doing interviews to promote the engagement.
I could go on Caroline, but all this putting it down on paper and
transferring it to cyberspace makes me realize I'm a bit overworked.
Maybe I should take your suggestion and "basically disappear." Or, at
the very least, get a life.
I really appreciate your concern and the fact that you've been hanging
in there since the 60's and no I won't ask where you were in the
fifties.
Peace and love to you too Caroline and to those you love and care about.
All My Best, Rod
LONDON
Rod, I had the pleasure of meeting you in London
when you did some shows for the BBC, I think Mary from Peter Paul and
Mary was one of the guests. I then attended your Concert at the
Palladium. I had a date with me, she was very pretty and within the
first few songs she turned to me and said " I don’t know if I am going
to enjoy this” to which I replied "you can leave but I am staying". She
did stay and I shall always remember that evening. I didn't see her
again! Which was just as well because shortly thereafter I met my
beautiful wife (35 years ago!). On another occasion you were at the
Royal Albert Hall and I had a law exam that I rushed through to see part
of the concert. I passed, just about! After all these years your words
are as well defined as ever, despite most of my friends groaning when I
mention Rod McKuen I will never change and you have been and continue to
be a good friend having the wonderful ability to put into words what
most of us feel. Thank you. I have even mentioned you in Malta! Mario
Dear Mario, Thanks for the remembrances. Considering its history and the
incredible talent that over the years trod its boards I was awed by
playing The Palladium and being in that select company. A lot of work
went into the CD version of Live in London and I think Paul Howes & Zone
Records did a great job in presenting the double disk set. One of these
days I'll find an excuse to master and issue The Albert Hall concert.
Mary was a guest on my British series, as was/were Dusty, Petula and
Laine Kazan, among others. I have a fondness for each of those artists
because of their individuality and complete musicality. Though Dusty is
gone we are fortunate that she left behind such a rich legacy of
recordings and there are several new Dusty DVD's as well –– including
one that contains many of her BBC performances.
I love The British Isles and just can't seem to get back to The Mother
Country often enough. Even though it was recorded in Hollywood, working
with Petula on her disc of my songs was almost like being in London
again and of course it made me miss England more than ever.
Groans from your friends? How rude. Glad you're still around despite the
groans. Some people are into apples, others like oranges. I dig peaches
but an occasional pomegranate is good for the mix. Hope you passed the
exam; I may need a lawyer the next time I’m in your neck of the forest.
Sincerely, Rod
PUSHING THE CLOUDS AWAY
I heard something many years ago. It was you and San Sebastian Strings.
The words were something like "I'm lying here and can still smell you".
Then there was on the same cassette, "move the clouds and save them for
another day". I am in my thirties and heard this in my early twenties. I
have never known anyone to date that has heard of it. My generation has
lost its ability to communicate romantically.
Do you have any idea what I am asking you? Please
tell me if you can piece my horrid description together as to allow me
to buy the correct CD.
Thank you so much for your help in this matter. I also want to thank you
for your vivid descriptions. Jennifer Adams
Dear Jennifer, I'm not sure about the first selection, that phrase
doesn't ring a bell, but the second item is a good tip off. That
selection is entitled Pushing The Clouds Away and so the CD you're
looking for is The Sea by The San Sebastian Strings. The voice on The
Sea belongs to Jesse Pearson by the way. It’s currently out of stock on
Stanyanhouse.com but you can
find it on Amazon. Here are the words to one of the titles you're
seeking:
PUSHING THE CLOUDS AWAY
Clouds are not the cheeks of angels you know
they are only clouds.
Friendly sometimes,
but you can never be sure.
If I had longer arms
I'd push the clouds away
or make them hang above the water somewhere else,
but I'm just a man
who needs and wants,
mostly things he'll never have.
Looking for that thing that's hardest to find--
I've been going a long time now
along the way I've learned some things.
You have to make the good
times yourself
take the little times and make them into big times
and save the times that are all right
for the ones that aren't so good.
I've never been able
to push the clouds away by myself.
Help me.
Please.
- from "Listen To The Warm," 1967. Also used in "The Sea" as "Pushing
The Clouds Away." 1967
Thanks for the nice note Jennifer. Warmly, Rod
CYNTHIA AND GEORGE
When I was 15 my mother handed me books she ordered from the mail, and
said, "Here, maybe you'd like these." You'd have to know my mother to
know that was about as warm and loving as she got giving a gift to
anyone but herself. I did like them, a lot. They were, Listen to the
Warm and Stanyan Street and Other Sorrows. They made a difference in my
life and today, 35 years later, they still do.
I had the opportunity to meet you in 1981 in
Baltimore. My husband Douglas and I enjoyed the time we had with you and
I have a wonderful photo of you and Douglas together.
The film in the camera broke and that photo was the only one that could
be developed. I fussed at the time that of all the photos of you and me
none survived, now I would not take anything for that photo. Just a
scant six months after it was taken Douglas died and now that photo
takes me back to a very special memory and I am grateful for it.
It's a long overdue thank you, but I am saying it now. I used to say I
learned about sex education from your books, but there is so much more I
learned. I learned about looking at the world through different eyes, I
learned there are many ways to say something, and a craftsman uses his
tools with care, examining his work from all angles, I learned about
writing, and that has been a precious gift to me.
Thank you, I still read the same books my mother gave me so many years
ago, although they're nearly worn with so many years of pleasure,
they're still a familiar place to go and I keep them close. I intend to
pass them to my grandson, when the time comes, but I'll tell him what
they mean to me and hope he grows to love them as I have. Thank you,
Cynthia Hughes
Dear Cynthia, Thanks for your moving letter about your mother and your
husband Douglas.
One of the reasons I like performing so much is that after the show or
concert I have the privilege of meeting many of the people who read and
listen to what I do and care about it. Writing and composing is very
fulfilling but nothing compares to looking into the eyes of someone who
assures you that your work has affected them in some small way.
As this summer begins its round I hope things are well with you and
those you love. I'm tending to my tomatoes, writing for my website and
devoting as many hours of the day as I can manage to a new book I'm
working on. Your thanks and good thoughts are accepted gratefully.
As for ‘Thank You’s', my thanks to you for being there. With affection,
Rod
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