April in Holland
Trip Start
Feb 23, 2007
1
6
34
Trip End
Jun 15, 2007
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Friday, April 13, 2007
I don't know, maybe I'm starting to turn a big corner in my struggle to gain some recognition for my work and make a living in the process before I finally disappear from this sphere. It sure feels good this spring to look back to a year ago when I was staying upstairs over The Dolphins coffeeshop and scuffling to get together enough euros to have dinner every day and keep myself together.
Thanks to Dr. D and the good things that have happened for me since we hooked up last year, as well as my little duties at the 420 Café on Mondays & Tuesdays, I'm walking around with some bills in my pocket and a nice smile on my face, even though I won't see the Dr. again until I get to the East Coast next month.
My transportation to, from and around the U.S.A. is all paid for in front by my publisher, Adam Parfrey, he's got two publicists working on the release of the new edition of GUITAR ARMY after 35 years out of print, and I'm going to get to visit and perform with lots of my favorite Americans in Los Angeles, Detroit and New York City, plus get some press out of it for a change. Yeah you right! Of course I'll be working my ass off, but that's why they call me The Hardest Working Poet in Show Business.
In Los Angeles I'll be staying with Michael Simmons, my host there for so many years now I've lost count, and he'll take excellent care of me as always. Simmons wrote the introduction for the new edition of GUITAR ARMY and has helped immeasurably in the intensive preparations for its release directed by Jodi Wille of Process Books and publicist Josh Mills.
In Detroit I'll get to stay with my daughter Sunny and help celebrate her 40th birthday on May 4th with her daughter Beyonce and my daughter Celia. Adam Brook will road manage and get me and my little products everywhere I need to go. My boy Matty Lee is handling publicity for Detroit & environs so I'll be in good hands there as well-although those two sets of hands may never actually meet this time.
In New York I'll get to reunite with my beloved Dr. D and we'll be the guests of Dimitri & Roman in Brooklyn for a week. I'll do readings from GUITAR ARMY at Vox Pop in Brooklyn, the Yippie Museum Café and the Bowery Poetry Club around the corner, and Dorothy & I will be appearing with Dee Pop at Jimmy's Restaurant with Michael Davis from the MC5 on bass and the great saxophonists Ras Moshe & Elliott Levin. This is gonna be fun!
I'll write more about the Italian tour in June and July and the scheduled September release of my movie 20 TO LIFE in the next few posts in this series. We're still having some troubles with our Radio Free Amsterdam website, but the Reverend Ferre is working on it now and our podcasts should resume right away. In the meantime Henk Botwinik has posted Episode #128 of the John Sinclair Radio Show (but it takes a while to download) at http://www.johnsinclairradio.com/audio/jsrshow128.mp3
John Sinclair Radio Show #128
Eat at Jo's in the Melkweg, Amsterdam
Sunday, April 8, 2007 @ 3:10-4:10 pm [20-0708]
Easter Sunday finds us at Eat at Jo's, the restaurant at the Melkweg operated by our fellow expatriate friends and program sponsors Eric & Mary Jo, who treat your host to a fine meal at least once every week. Our guests include Remy of the Voetzoekers with a spin of their new record, the Eat at Jo's featured artist Etienne Boucher a.k.a. H.N. Beauchay with a conversation and a couple of "live" blues, plus recorded music by Johnny J & The Hitmen, Elmore James, Earl King, Johnny Adams, Eye Contact "live" at Zebulon in Brooklyn last January 2nd with John Sinclair & Dr Dorothy Goodman, and the "5" Royales.
Playlist #128
[01] Johnny J & The Hitmen: J-Walking
[02] Iohn Sinclair Intro, Opening Tokes & Comments
[03] Elmore James: Long Tall Woman
[04] Earl King: Those Lonely, Lonely Nights
[05] Johnny Adams: Lost Mind
[06] John Sinclair Comments & Conversation with Remy of the Voetzoekers
[07] Voetzoekers: Disco King
[08] Comments & Conversation with Remy of the Voetzoekers
[09] Eye Contact with John Sinclair & Dr Dorothy Goodman: Spiritual
[10] Eye Contact with John Sinclair & Dr Dorothy Goodman: Consequences
[11] John Sinclair Comments & Conversation with H.N. Beauchay
[12] H.N. Beauchay: Come On Board
[13] H.N. Beauchay: Take It Slow
[14] Conversation with H.N. Beauchay & Closing Comments
[15] "5" Royales: Think
Hosted by John Sinclair for Radio Free Amsterdam
Produced, engineered & recorded by Henk Botwinik
Mastered & posted by Henk Botwinik
Executive Producer: John Sinclair
Special thanks to Eric & Mary Jo, Etienne Boucher aka H.N. Beauchay
Sponsored by Eat at Jo's in the Melkweg
©(p) 2007 John Sinclair
For podcast by www.RadioFreeAmsterdam.com @ April 9, 2007
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It saddens me deeply to mark the passage from this sphere of three old and dear friends: my beloved comrades from the days of the MC-5, Trans-Love Energies and the White Panther Party, Judith Semark (nee Janis) and Audrey Simon; and our compatriot from the days of the Detroit Artists Workshop, the great pianist and composer Andrew Hill.
**********
On a happier note, here are a few of the many things that I love about Holland, as reported by www.DutchNews.nl
HELP FOR THE POOR
Getting proper help to the poor is difficult because so many different organisations are involved, says a report by 27 medium-sized local
councils. For example, a needy family can be faced with 20 different organisations all offering help of some sort, the report says.
LOWER BENEFITS
The social affairs ministry must look again at the case files of 30,000 incapacity benefit claimants to find out if they are being paid enough benefit, a majority of MPs said on Thursday evening.
The 30,000 people are paid benefit on the basis of a 38-hour week, while they worked longer hours and so paid higher premiums. Social affairs minister Piet Hein Donner says he will only look again if people have protested.
SEEN AND HEARD
Radio programme De Ochtenden carried an interesting interview
today with inspector Jan Snijder of the Dutch police force's 'national
diversity expertise centre,' reports ANP.
In the interview, Snijder said that the centre is to distribute a leaflet outlining how the police should deal with 'gay meeting places'-the parks and woods where men go to have sex outdoors.
The need for anonymous outdoor sex is so great, apparently, that shutting down the cruising areas is not an option. Therefore, Snijder said, the police should not note car number plates or automatically ask for ID.
They should also tread carefully when it comes to dealing with public nuisance and not lose sight of the 'vulnerable position' of the men concerned who are open to blackmail and anti-gay violence.
And they should try and make sure fines are paid on the spot if possible because 'a letter to the home address can lead to a family breakdown.'
-420 Café, Amsterdam
April 20, 2007
Comments
reaction from Sista Bassie
No! Uh-uh! I would otherwise be impressed to hear of the permissiveness of the Dutch police force, because I am believer in allowing folks to do what they want as long as it doesn't hurt anyone. But something strikes me wrong about the complicity of the authorities in hiding this playground situation from the families. Perhaps this was fine in ancient Greece or 1920's Berlin, but this is 21st Century Planet Earth. For a number of years, the double life phenomenon was the leading cause of women being the population segment at highest risk of contracting AIDS. Perhaps there could be a condom test - if the perpetrator can prove a condom was used they can avoid a note home!
Love n light,
Sista Bassie
zeina@ahlamalqamar.com
My Appreciation
Thank you, John for posting your thoughtful comment about the passing of my wife, Judith. She was an angel on earth and the Creator took her back.
Yours,
James
Looking forward to our adventure!
John,
I feel like I am still in Amsterdam with you when I read your travel log. I was saddened to hear about the passing of James's wife. I will have to send him my condolences.
I am starting to get excited about the GUITAR ARMY tour.
We are going to have a busy week, but we should have some good laughs. I will bring the video camera and we will post some video clips from the road.
Have a safe trip to LA and call if you need anything!