Not The Whole Picture

Getting ready for Independence Day. Ask anyone who knows me—ask him or her-- “Is Robin independent?” Those who actually do know me would automatically say. “YES!” On the other hand, it’s true; I freely committed myself to Scot--by some standards, slavishly. Many friends who knew me ‘before Scot’, remained (throughout our thirty year relationship), slightly concerned at my dedication—-fearing (I think) that I was ultimately submitting myself to some kind of cultish domination. I'm here to tell you, it had nothing to do with independence. It had nothing to do with domination. Scot and I had a ‘thing’, and our ‘thing’ was ‘IT’ (for both of us). Still is—certainly for me (and I personally gather for him too, whatever that might mean).

Today’s artwork is a portion of a painting that currently hangs on the wall of the official T. Scot Halpin Archive, here in Bloomington, IN. My 17-year-old son recently commented that it was kind of embarrassing to have this 'whole' painting, hanging so front and center. To quote Scot, “Em-bare-assing?” This is a painting a la Steve Teraberry—at least three paintings survive under this surviving painting. We'll leave that to the 'restorationists.' One can see these painting (if one looks for them, being virtually ready to break through, the way they are. This was a painting that I finally took away from Scot, and added to my personal collection.

I got this idea when we were in Venice in 1981. There was this fabulous collection of work on display, in an equally fabulous--storybook--Venetian palatcio—-a “PERSONAL COLLECTION” of ‘one of Picasso’s wives’. Fortunately for me, Scot only had one wife. With one of Picasso’s widows in mind, around 1995, I began collecting Scot's original drawings and prints that, after a season or two on the “Art Fair Circuit," had inexplicably to me, been overlooked by the public. Somehow, luckily, these pieces had NOT managed to be snatched up. These were things that had I been John Q. Public, I would have wondered at. I'm wondering if I could have actually passed by them, given the opportunity to claim them. I came to assume a posture of great patience, knowing that there would be plenty left to astound me. I have boxes and boxes of this work. I can’t wait to mount my exhibition!

Today’s musical track is a Basement Collaboration (BC) treasure. Mind you. Basement Collaboration tracks are ALL essentially first time out of the rack jams. With that in mind, please dig the following version of the (glad to say) ‘traditional,’ “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad." Scot is laying out both vocals and bass line (thank you, Jesus). Long live Jerry, and I don’t mean Jerry G. Kenny—thank you for this kick ass track. Also there and seizing the moment are Nelson Batalou on soprano sax, an out-front instrument to ‘jam’ on—and Nelson knows that and deals with it. Also on tonight’s track is guest guitarist, Ric Dagger. Thanks Ric for those tasteful accouterment.