Moondog's story is long and fascinating. Most well known, perhaps, as the crazy blind dude who dressed like a viking, and hung out around the corner of 52nd Street and 6th Avenue, he really was a composer, musician, poet, and inventor. Before his death in 1999, he managed to record over a dozen albums in his life, and has become renowned as an influence on many contemporary musicians and even DJ's. In "Up Broadway," it's easy to imagine being in his shoes, and hearing what he must have heard while standing around in midtown Manhattan.
Moondog was my friend--I used to chat with him at lunch break or when I was cutting a class from Rhodes Prep on 54th Street--he was kind,creative and always cheered me up. A NY kind of friend whose house you never go to but someone you know when you meet on the street--a very NY thing.
I know exactly what you mean...thanks for sharing that. Another friend described his music perfectly as sounding like the streets of the city. I couldn't argue with that.
I recently stumbled upon Moondog and cannot appreciate him more. He is to me what music should be. Birds Lament http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSimbyS_YlA Pastoral http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMyjoYGGlNw
My sister and I grew up on stories about Moondog. My dad is from NYC and stories about him are infamous in our house. I'm 21 and my sister is 19, to actually see a picture of him and know he REALLY DID exist is like meeting a celebrity!
Moondog
's story is long and fascinating. Most well known, perhaps, as the crazy blind dude who dressed like a viking, and hung out around the corner of 52nd Street and 6th Avenue, he really was a composer, musician, poet, and inventor. Before his death in 1999, he managed to record over a dozen albums in his life, and has become renowned as an influence on many contemporary musicians and even DJ's. In "Up Broadway," it's easy to imagine being in his shoes, and hearing what he must have heard while standing around in midtown Manhattan.
4 comments:
Moondog was my friend--I used to chat with him at lunch break or when I was cutting a class from Rhodes Prep on 54th Street--he was kind,creative and always cheered me up. A NY kind of friend whose house you never go to but someone you know when you meet on the street--a very NY thing.
I know exactly what you mean...thanks for sharing that. Another friend described his music perfectly as sounding like the streets of the city. I couldn't argue with that.
I recently stumbled upon Moondog and cannot appreciate him more. He is to me what music should be.
Birds Lament
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSimbyS_YlA
Pastoral
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMyjoYGGlNw
My sister and I grew up on stories about Moondog. My dad is from NYC and stories about him are infamous in our house. I'm 21 and my sister is 19, to actually see a picture of him and know he REALLY DID exist is like meeting a celebrity!
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