Different Angles

The Wild West has reinvented itself several times. Who knows what this site is about. Its origins involve a failed attempt to bring the late great Bernie Torme to the Americas for a much overdue tour. Sadly that never happened. The Wild West for its part was simply a few years ahead of itself. Crowdsourcing kicked in around 2007, which was when I had, after three years of playing with the idea, gave it up.

Then someone closed the site down. They called Yahoo, claimed to be me, and instructed them, Yahoo, to close the shit down. Gone. At that point, the Wild West was promoting local shows. For a brief period, it transformed into the Feast of Noise. We had some decent shows at the Haunt, and a few other venues up here in Westchester County. There was also that ill-fated internet radio station.

Sadly the clubs did not survive and my situation changed, but the Wild West, especially the blog, the Western Front, continued. Wild West, Feast of Noise, and back to the Wild West, but the Western Front – the blog, was always there. It was for a long time a separate Blogger site. For better or worse I moved all to a Word Press site and with that the blog, became the thing.

No longer promoting shows or trying to find folks to support a tour that never happened, I began to take the writing a little more serious. I caught up with Jim Fitzpatrick, the Irish artist known for his graphic portrait of Che Guevara and likewise his album art for Thin Lizzy and others. That resulted ultimately in an essay on Dublin in the 70s. Jim liked it. Bernie, who grew up in Dublin, said it made him homesick.

Then there was that overly long essay contrasting Phil Lynott and Patti Smith. I know of only one person who read that. Maybe two, or so they say. To think that it started with Mad Juana.

And the site has stayed true to its roots, it has and always will give a nod to Bernie Torme. We have written about him in multiple posts and essays, and there is the close to complete Torme Discography. There is an essay focusing on Blackfoot, which is still routinely looked at. For a few years I had a thing for LA Guns, so there are a few show reviews.

Even caught up with and spoke to Michael Grant, who is now solo. I need to see that dude play again. Did the interview last March. Likewise, caught up with Neil Carter who has worked with UFO, and who started with Brian Robertson’s Wild Horses. I do ponder following up with him again and doing a second essay focusing on his time with Gary Moore.

And we have covered local NYC Rock & Roll. Ten Ton Mojo, and Jane Lee Hooker have been covered. Kill Code and the Statues of Liberty can be found. Before Covid I was into Liza Colby and her band. We recently did an interview with Henry and Cyndi of the Cynz. Someday, I will finish a John Law interview. I realize now that conversation is perhaps the easy part.

The Sex Slaves can be found. Do You See the Dark, who were one my favs for along time, should be there. The New Professionals aka the Glorious Revolution was another act I was hooked on. With the local acts though you go to the older posts from 2009 and the like, and they are more pushing the bands – gigs. Literally listing dates really. The idea was to inspire someone to get out and see these bands. I suppose it still is.

And then there are just the weird posts. Like the one dealing with the architecture of an old factory in East Rutherford? It is or was on River Road heading to Garfield. Today, we are just posts – a stream of consciousness, at least for the moment. Oh yeah, that and the Jeff Beck project, which does continues. (Next up there will be Cozy, Jeff and Stevie.)

So we have Bernie Torme, which is how we started, we have lots of classic rock. There is a nod to various guitar heroes. There are a few post focusing on Rory! There are the rockers from NYC, a dash of poetry maybe, and some random odds and ends. Happily, no politics. . . yet.

And then there is six or so posts from Cyndi Dawson – Dawson’s Picks. First time I invited someone in to write. And her focus is on new talent – new bands, new projects. I do not think any of them are from NY. Just acts that caught her attention, videos she tripped over, tunes that she heard on Spotify, bands that friends turned her onto. Coming from London or down south in Atlanta – wherever. Just acts and music that grabbed her. One group she highlights initially got its start not on Spotify, iTunes, or YouTube, but on a Samsung commercial. You can protest but that is the world we live in, and regardless their is a reason they got that commercial.

Her most recent is an interview with Tuk Smith, who I was not familiar with but with some cool music and history. Looking forward to her next, but at the moment she is working on the Cynz’s new album, so a little distracted. And these will pop up when they do. Basically, when she hears or sees something that inspires her.

I imagine with Covid slowly leaving the stage, we might see an explosion of new music. It would be nice. It is certainly needed. And the Cynz are not the only ones, I don’t think, who have taken advantage of the down time.

Regardless, her posts are a welcome addition to the eclectic mix of music, art and life which has been offered here for the past 15 or so years. I am not sure where it will go. It may not dwell forever on the likes of Thin Lizzy and Bernie, though they are a part of me, but it, the Wild West, will hopefully continue on.

RGS 4/7/21