HAPPY NEW YEAR 2019

As my Happy New Year gift to all, here's the incredibly wonderful Evie Sands singing "Burn Down The Mission." This 2012 cover of the 1971 classic is the closest I get to nostalgia, but still... in 1971 its author was a brand new artist, the most accomplished weirdo ever to burst onto the domestic charts, thanks to Elton John's breakout performance at our tiny L.A. Troubadour club where he was photographically documented solely by my future better half Kurt Ingham. 1971 was our local sea change from hippie to glam, I was working my way through UCLA with photo journalism, and everything seemed bright and different and new and all ahead of us baby media mogul types of the "UCLA Mafia" of future entertainment biz professionals. Flashforward 47 years. Things always will be different and new, the idea is to try to shape the inevitable changes into something good as well. Due to the inescapable logistics of our demographic, 2019 will bring more deaths and physical pain. I will be right there beside it trying to drag it back into the arenas of the good, productive and essential for myself and everyone I know. Help me now! and Happy New Year 2019 from HH...

XMAS PRESENTS DELUXE 2018

 We do try hard... 

 
Great Christmas! My present to my better half Mr. Twister is running around wagging her tail and chewing a bone at 
the moment.

And from Mr.Twister to me, a beautiful art book of luscious Japanese prints plus... this just published tome that's a real find: it's just so rare to find critiquing that matches the quality of its loftier subjects.  I haven't encountered music writing this vivid since Nick Kent and John Mendelssohn in their heydays.
 

A writer of constant, breezy zingers moored to an inquiring, feeling mind, author Nick Coleman is your impassioned pal on a jag about rock and soul, bon mots galore on every page, every paragraph. However, he's emotionally generous with enough depth to make this cynic get teary-eyed with his description of Amy Winehouse's "...terrible, bone-eating pain that is always the result of too much compulsion."  Recommended read, bigtime,* to remind us why we document great music...



*with this warning-- for American readers and others unfamiliar with this British scribe, there's a surprise, unhappy ending.

SUMMER FLASHBACK...

While the weather forecast prognosticated 108 degrees in our area, July 6th, 2018 hammered us where we live at 117 F.  Yes, 117 Fahrenheit. (47.222 C.) A first in recorded local history. Tons of trees perished and most all of our garden was scalded from the top down. This weather can kill you similar to blizzard conditions: unless specific precautions are taken, you will die if you remain out of doors.

MEET BELLA

Meet Bella from Southern California Golden Retriever Rescue, new friend to Gia the Scottish Deerhound and Livia the Borzoi. As depicted herein, she is settling right in. 

All is calm, all is bright...

 

First playdate with visiting Scottish Deerhounds Fain and Eroica. Running with the big dogs!

 Below, Fain is actually howling with delight, not biting! 

Below, guest photographer 

© 2018 Kurt  Ingham 

REST IN PEACE PETE SHELLEY

Pete Shelley, deceased at age 63 from a heart attack. Solo or with Buzzcocks, it was all so damn catchy!