Diary of an adult runaway

Excuse me while I drool

Late last night early this morning, when I was exhausted from wrangling with my synopsis, when I was battle-weary and bloody from wrestling the bitch of a thing to the floor and stabbing it through its black, treacherous excuse for a heart (irrational synopsis hatred, oh yeah, I haz it!), when I was cursing my heroine for being a loser who doesn't deserve the hero (funny, that's how she feels, too), I decided to take a break indulge in avoidance and go looking for something I'd thought of the other night when I was watching Gonzo: The Life and Work of Hunter S. Thompson (which I highly recommend, of course). 

In it there was a shot of a Rolling Stone issue featuring one of Hunter's articles, and on the cover was Jackson Browne (looking faintly savior-like...hmmm...) That got me thinking about another RS cover of JB, an Annie Leibovitz shot that's one of my favorites. Of course, I took the scenic route and discovered a few things. Such as, writing goddess Susan Wiggs is also a JB fan, to the point that she's forcing her daughter to marry a lookalike. I kid, of course; based on the evidence, no force is required.

After checking out more of Susan's blog (and ordering Just Breathe as my first Kindle read--yes, from outside the US ::taps nose::) and a few review sites and HuffPost and everything else to delay going back to that mongrel synopsis, I found the photo. Now, I think I've said this before: I don't possess the gene that has me rushing to see a co-worker's new baby. I like kids on an individual basis, not just because they happen to have been birthed. And those posters that were popular a while back, with the naked muscle-bound guys holding naked babies? Made me want to gag. I find them coldly manipulative.

But this shot of Jackson & Ethan gets me every time:

 

And seeing that is all it took for me to beat that synopsis into submission and say what I want to say about a 100,000-word book in exactly 5 pages and all is once again right with the world. Party on!

My soul is happy

Here's where I was last night:

And this is what I saw:

What I didn't capture on film was how happy I was. It's been too long between Jackson drinks. In almost 30 years of being a fan, this is only the 4th time I've seen him in concert (although it made for the 3rd continent). It was also the best I've ever seen him, not to mention the longest; the show was almost 3 hours long, including a 20-minute break. The Olympia is a great venue and Jackson and the band were in absolutely perfect form. They had a full, tight sound, easily moving between rock, funk, calypso and reggae, while singers Alethea and Chavonne brought a beautiful gospel feel to some tracks. Highlight was definitely Running On Empty, which sounded as fresh as it did back in the day. It brought everyone to their feet, where they stayed throughout the encore (which, as Jenny pointed out, no one said~what do the French call an encore?)

Remember a few weeks back when Jon Stewart told Bruce Springsteen he was the reason he (Jon) did what he did? Well, Jackson's the reason I do what I do. I started writing before I was a fan but it's his music that later would keep me going long into the night, his words that helped light the fire. He helped me see things in a new way, helped awaken my social and environmental conscience, all while looking incredibly delicious. I'm pleased to say, nothing much has changed in that regard ;-) The Pretender is still the song I listen to whenever I need to make a big decision; I'm still in awe (and slightly jealous) of him writing These Days when he was only 16, and of how he continues to grow and challenge himself as an artist.

But I think what I admire most about Jackson is his generosity. He's always been supportive of other artists, always giving credit where it's due, and now lists his band as co-writers on his releases. Perhaps in response to having to sue Warner for royalties owed to him on Take It Easy and other tracks? Whatever the reason, it's exactly the spirit I think the world needs.

For fellow fans, here's last night's set list*:

*which was pretty damned good, but if I could be selfish and make personal requests, I would have loved to also hear For Everyman and Before The Deluge, and I hope before I die to see David Lindley accompanying JB on Stay. Mais bon.

Boulevard

Everywhere I Go

The Barricades of Heaven

Fountain of Sorrow

Time of the Conqueror

Off of Wonderland

Live Nude Cabaret

Giving that Heaven Away

Doctor My Eyes/ABout My Imagination

(intermission)

Something Fine

Don't You Want to Be There

These Days

For Taking The Trouble

Live in the Balance

Going Down to Cuba

The Arms of Night

Rosie (after a very polite audience request)

Late For The Sky

Bright Baby Blues

The Pretender

Running On Empty

Encore: I am a patriot/It's Your Thing

The Load-out/Stay

Happy birthday, Jackson!

Piccie taken by me, 22/02/03

Happy, happy 59th (WTF??) to another of my long-time inspirations, another intelligent, talented man not afraid to speak up for human rights and justice and the environment--and who I also happen to think is gorgeous.

I found this fabbo footage on YouTube ('course), that shows how music was back when it was real and soulful. I love how the Boss seems to have lit a fire under the normally mellow Jackson, and how they're just as happy to be playing for each other, forget the stadium.

Thanks, Jackson, for all the beautiful music and the life lessons. You absolutely rock my world.