Monday, June 09, 2008

Did I tell you I got an email from a New Yorker magazine music writer?

Music Monday at Soccer Mom in Denial


No? Well, how horrid of me not to share that this spring I WAS HAVING AN EMAIL EXCHANGE WITH A NEW YORKER MAGAZINE MUSIC WRITER!!!!!!!!!

I rarely use multiple exclamation points. This is huge. Keep in mind I am a third generation New Yorker reader. My late grandmother from Natchez, Mississippi claimed to be a subscriber during the second year of the magazine's existence. The New Yorker is the only magazine that matters between me, my dad and my grandfather.

It all started earlier in March when I sent the following email, not expecting anything in return -

Hello Ms. Frere-Jones,

I thoroughly enjoyed your piece this week about Amy Winehouse. I haven't really listened to her music but your observations did make me wonder what has made her so popular, other than the self-destruction folks seem to enjoy watching.

I also really enjoyed what you wrote about Prince's Las Vegas concert last fall. It got me wondering if perhaps you could also travel to England to review the
reunion concert for Yazoo, Vince Clark and Alison Moyet's band in the early 1980's. They are playing a series of shows, including June 19th at Hammersmith Apollo in London.

I am a
big Vince Clark fan (I even own the Assembly LP which he made with Fergal Sharkey) and have seen him in Erasure several times but (obviously) never saw Yaz in concert since I was in middle school when they broke up.

Since I can't go, I figure reading your description of it could help make up for not being there.

Not sure if "readers' requests" help you with your editors but just wanted to make the suggestion. Thanks for writing for the New Yorker. I look forward to reading your pieces.

Take care,
[SMID]

Several days later, while visiting The Ambassador in New Orleans, I received this....

Dear [SMID]:

Thank you so much. (I'm actually Mr. Frere-Jones, but don't worry: happens every day.)
[Blogger note - I died when I read that part of the email.]

I wish I could see that reunion--I actually care, for once. But they've sent me to London recently, and Yaz doesn't quite spark the same in-house fire as Zeppelin. Pity: it will probably be better.

Best
S

And then? What do I get a week later from Mr. Frere-Jones aka S?

Hell! How psyched am I to discover they're playing New York July 16 and 17? Wooh! It won't rate a column but I will write it up one way or the other.

best
S

Which led to a series of emails between me AND A NEW YORKER WRITER [pant pant] about how he found out about the concert at Brooklyn Vegan even though it wasn't on the Yaz web site and the quality of the acoustics at Terminal 5 where Yaz is playing on July 16 and 17.

I will be at Terminal 5 on July 17th, with a dear friend (who has become even more dear after spending yesterday watching the boys play their last soccer game of the season in 95+ degree weather), because my beloved husband bought us tickets within seconds of getting my email that Yaz was playing in New York City. Good thing he was so quick (and continues to deserve the blog title of Amazing Guy) since the show is now sold out.




Not that I am excited or anything. Not like the concert is in 39 days.

Any tunes to share? Concerts you always wished you saw? Hope to see? Do share...

11 comments:

janey jay said...

There's not one part of that tale that's not awesome. Although the correspondence with the New Yorker writer might get the edge in my book.

Totally understand the anticipatory excitement: am going to Vegas the beginning of August to see, amongst others, Belinda Carlisle, ABC, Human League (all on one bill) and Morris Day and The Time. Can't get here fast enough.

Flower Child said...

I'm truly impressed. the New Yorker part is overwhelming.

Goofball said...

how exciting to have that e-mail conversation going on. I'd not expect any return e-mails myself.

And how fantastic that you can go!!!!!!!!!!!! Awesome indeed. You must be so thrilled.

Jen said...

ENJOY the concert! I wish I'd seen the Shut Up and Sing tour in Toronto, but I couldn't talk D into it. There are actually a lot of concerts I wish I'd seen. We have some great ones all summer at DTE music, but we have problems with volume in our family, so my concert days seem to be done. Sigh.

Not sure I'm playing today as I'm trying to get another writing deadline done.

And as far as the NYer writer goes - hey, even famous writers enjoy correspondence with like-minded souls! ;-)

Heather said...

Wow, that's pretty awesome. You have CONNECTIONS now.

Jenn in Holland said...

You are so damn cool.

Anonymous said...

amazing

chelle said...

Wow! How exciting .. ALL of it!
Funny how you (and others) assumed a woman was writing the column.

CableGirl said...

How incredible! I can't wait to read about the show.

janey jay said...

responding to your song embedding question here:

go check out imeem.com

it's a social networking site with music as the theme. You can search the site for songs already in the database or upload your own to then embed. Plus you can make playlists -- which is really cool.

Here's my imeem page, in case you want to check out an active one:
http://www.imeem.com/people/lsPVrnM

painted maypole said...

how fun!