Post by Taylorholic78 on Aug 5, 2005 13:44:23 GMT -5
Here's the postcard from Nashville John wrote...
******************************************
I had never been to Nashville before this tour. We had played the Starlight Amphitheatre many years ago, but had not stayed in the city. I was determined to get a taste of the old country music culture, so I visited the Country Music Hall Of Fame. There are a lot of clothes on display, and guitars, and gold records, rather like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. But here there is a sweetness, a down-home humility & simplicity that you won't find in Kiss' wardrobe, or Mick Jagger's or mine.
Let me first admit it, I am in love with the idea of the Country Music Diva. Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, even Dolly Parton- oh and the young Barbara Mandrell. The sweetness and the toughness co-mingled, the willingness to serve their man, jes' so long as he's truthfull.. The lovin and the roughness in the voices, and the clothes.. The high necklines and lace out of the nineteenth century.. It all seems to appeal to my inner Queer.
Also, I discovered Hank Williams. Now there is a guy with a lot of style. Serious songwriter. It can take a while to plug into an artist like that, living as we do in today's world. You got to get some serious CONTEXT. Now, by visiting the Hall Of Fame, here in Nashville, I found all the context I needed. They got a good museum store too, so I bought me a nicely packaged Hank CD & DVD, which told the story of Hank. I really fell for him though, when I saw his wedding outfit at the Hall Of Fame. He married his second wife, Ginger, on stage at the Grand Ole' Opry. Now she was some babe! Nonetheless, he was dead within six months of the wedding. A country music tragedy. Whilst we were in Orlando, working on the Orchestra show, I was skipping back to my hotel room, watching the Hank story over and over, and listening to his songs, helping refine my own onstage attitude.
He wore great suits too. Nudie was the best Nashville couturier. He not only made clothes, but he customized cars saddles and motorbikes. He customized an R.V. for Elvis. One of these days I want to get me one of his old suits. Got to keep looking out on e bay for that. That's Elvis' grand piano by the way, the gold one. And there is Elvis' Cadillac limousine, with the gold interior. Elvis had a big Nashville connection, he made a lot of recordings here. Most of the Rock & Roll stars had a Nashville moment. Jerry Lee had a big one. As did Bob Dylan. And I'm told Justin Timberlake is having one. I wouldn't mind having one myself.
After I left Nashville, and the great state of Tennessee, I found myself missing it. So I picked up Robert Altman's film of Nashville, called simply 'Nashville'. It may not be to everybody's taste, but I love it. It's all actors in it, but some of them sing songs they wrote themselves, very much in the Nashville style. Karen Black for instance, and Ronee Blakely. She is lovely playing the role of the doomed Diva. I met her once, and she sang to me, sitting next to me on a couch in downtown New York. I never will forget that.
There is a film about to come out of Johnny Cash's life, with Joaquim Pheonix and Reese Witherspoon. I think it's going to be great. You watch, I'll bet that ole' country music style will be back in Vogue before you can say 'Jack Rabbit'.
John
* from www.duranduran.com/postcards.html
******************************************
I had never been to Nashville before this tour. We had played the Starlight Amphitheatre many years ago, but had not stayed in the city. I was determined to get a taste of the old country music culture, so I visited the Country Music Hall Of Fame. There are a lot of clothes on display, and guitars, and gold records, rather like the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland. But here there is a sweetness, a down-home humility & simplicity that you won't find in Kiss' wardrobe, or Mick Jagger's or mine.
Let me first admit it, I am in love with the idea of the Country Music Diva. Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, even Dolly Parton- oh and the young Barbara Mandrell. The sweetness and the toughness co-mingled, the willingness to serve their man, jes' so long as he's truthfull.. The lovin and the roughness in the voices, and the clothes.. The high necklines and lace out of the nineteenth century.. It all seems to appeal to my inner Queer.
Also, I discovered Hank Williams. Now there is a guy with a lot of style. Serious songwriter. It can take a while to plug into an artist like that, living as we do in today's world. You got to get some serious CONTEXT. Now, by visiting the Hall Of Fame, here in Nashville, I found all the context I needed. They got a good museum store too, so I bought me a nicely packaged Hank CD & DVD, which told the story of Hank. I really fell for him though, when I saw his wedding outfit at the Hall Of Fame. He married his second wife, Ginger, on stage at the Grand Ole' Opry. Now she was some babe! Nonetheless, he was dead within six months of the wedding. A country music tragedy. Whilst we were in Orlando, working on the Orchestra show, I was skipping back to my hotel room, watching the Hank story over and over, and listening to his songs, helping refine my own onstage attitude.
He wore great suits too. Nudie was the best Nashville couturier. He not only made clothes, but he customized cars saddles and motorbikes. He customized an R.V. for Elvis. One of these days I want to get me one of his old suits. Got to keep looking out on e bay for that. That's Elvis' grand piano by the way, the gold one. And there is Elvis' Cadillac limousine, with the gold interior. Elvis had a big Nashville connection, he made a lot of recordings here. Most of the Rock & Roll stars had a Nashville moment. Jerry Lee had a big one. As did Bob Dylan. And I'm told Justin Timberlake is having one. I wouldn't mind having one myself.
After I left Nashville, and the great state of Tennessee, I found myself missing it. So I picked up Robert Altman's film of Nashville, called simply 'Nashville'. It may not be to everybody's taste, but I love it. It's all actors in it, but some of them sing songs they wrote themselves, very much in the Nashville style. Karen Black for instance, and Ronee Blakely. She is lovely playing the role of the doomed Diva. I met her once, and she sang to me, sitting next to me on a couch in downtown New York. I never will forget that.
There is a film about to come out of Johnny Cash's life, with Joaquim Pheonix and Reese Witherspoon. I think it's going to be great. You watch, I'll bet that ole' country music style will be back in Vogue before you can say 'Jack Rabbit'.
John
* from www.duranduran.com/postcards.html
Lover of John Taylor ~Sewah Sistah #4~SS Co Vice El Presidente~Patron at the Late Bar in Duranie Hell-AKA Norm~Gives Hot Lovin' to NMOM JT~Official Keeper of Johns Yummy Leather Pants & Johns Planet Earth shoulder groove~Johnner #85~Shin says NIGELS EVEN CALLGIRL~Vane+Joni=Duranie Douches
