Neighbors

I’m being really lazy now that Station TSCOT is up and running. I just reach out, throw a disk in the player, and choose which song. Today’s selection, Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone,” is from a really interesting project-in-process. Scot got hooked up with another musician who lived here in our neighborhood—a guy named John Mead.

My favorite Scot story about John Mead is the time Scot asked John if he knew a certain Dylan song, and John answered, “How many verses do you want?” Scot and John Mead had gotten together a few times to work on this material before this recording, here at the house. It was great to hear them do it, just the two of them. The idea was that they would do a combo-Dylan/ Rolling Stones cover band. After listening to this track, I'm sure you can see John doing both—with all the verses.

Scot figured “Bob Willin” would open and “The Rolling Bones” would do the second set. Scot was super-jazzed about this idea and had gone to the extent of working out set lists and practice CD’s. Another instance of that old tick-tock, and the clock running out. On this recording is Jerry Farnsworth--playing lead, John Mead is playing rhythm acoustic guitar, Kenny Wright is playing drums, and Scot, driving the band, is on bass. This was "Take One." The band had never played the song together before. Jerry produced.

I am working on the technology that will allow me to bring in all kinds of material. I soon will be able to convert cassette recordings to digital files, and then, a whole new range of possibilities will open up. I did have one tragedy yesterday. I was going play a trance piece I had picked out, and the sticky note on the thing, ruined the disk. I am so sad. I hope the tracks are not forever lost.

Today’s art piece is about the healing role music played in Scot’s life, always; but if even possible, even more so, towards the end of his life. He played and practiced almost everyday. When he was playing his music, his mind would rest. Toward the end, he always had to play sitting down, but once down, he was in the power chair.