on saturday my friend sarah and i went to see a t-rex tribute in central park and somehow i ended up on stage playing ’20th century boy’, which has the sexiest guitar riff of all time, ever.
patti smith performed, as well as some of my new wave heroes: richard lloyd from ‘television’, and lloyd cole from the commotions. for me, though, the biggest thrill of the night was performing with tony visconti, who produced all of the great t-rex albums(as well as the great david bowie albums).
i can’t believe how fortunate i’ve been to have been able to perform with so many of my heroes.
here’s a list(i’m not name-dropping, just kind of marvelling at the fact that i’ve been able to perform with so many remarkable people, especially as i used to live in an abandoned factory with no running water)-
a-touring with new order and playing ‘new dawn fades’ with them
b-touring with david bowie and playing ‘heroes’ with him at carnegie hall
c-playing ‘walk on the wild side’ with lou reed at the beacon theater
d-playing ‘me and bobby mcgee’ with kris kristofferson at the music has power fundraiser.
e-playing ‘planet claire’ with the b-52’s at the same fundraiser.
f-having elton john come on stage in l.a to sing ‘why does my heart feel so bad?’
g-singing disco songs with in l.a with joe strummer just a few weeks before his death.
h-playing ‘whole lotta love’ with slash at roseland.
i-playing ’20th century’ boy with tony visconti and clem burke and richard barone and syl sylvain.
j-playing ‘do it clean’ on piano with ian mcculoch in a bar in london
k-playing clash songs on the piano with mick jones at the same bar
l-playing ‘that’s when i reach for my revolver’ with mission of burma
m-and, oddly, teaching john kerry how to play ‘ring of fire’ at a fundraiser
in my mind i still think of myself as a kid from connecticut making $6,000 a year and living in an abandoned factory in a crack neighborhood with huge cockroaches and dead pigeons and no running water.
if you had told me in 1988 that at some point in my life i would be on stage with david bowie or lou reed, or that i’d be singing a joy division song with the original members of joy division, i never in a million years would’ve believed you.
i’m a very lucky man.
thanks,
moby