good news (& bad news)
Prepare for Fall: the prettiest season of all!
There are plenty of things happening and we wanted to let you know about them.
The Cabinet is open once more!
Hey, what have you been up to for the last two years or so? I know what you haven’t been up to: attending Cabinets of Wonders. Why? Because there haven’t been any - like that’s an excuse - and because the Cabinet of Wonders, with its galaxy of stars gathering from hither and yon, its cast of thousands, and its willful disregard for social distancing, was quite possibly the worst, the most unwieldy show to attempt during lockdown.
Wesley Stace's 'Late Style,' seductive and singular new album, coming from Omnivore Recordings, September 17th.
Late style: You can only get there if you’ve been around long enough to have had an early and a middle one. Maturity, wisdom, refinement are its hallmarks. And having done things a certain way for a time, you might want to do them differently in order to arrive someplace new, someplace surprising.
THE GOOD LYRE - Songs of John Wesley Harding
Collection of Covers of Acclaimed Singer/Songwriter’s Vast Catalog now gathered into a Bandcamp album 100% of the proceeds will benefit Sweet Relief Musicians Fund
Covers by Rosanne Cash, Josh Ritter, Graham Parker, Gary Louris, Tanya Donelly, Wreckless Eric, The Minus 5, Steven Page, Britta Phillips Ryan Miller, Eric Bazilian, Chris von Sneidern, David Lewis, Bob Pernice, Marti Jones & Don Dixon, Bad Scene, Marshall Crenshaw, Dag Juhlin, Dean Friedman and Casey Neill
To be released on Bandcamp Friday 2nd April: $15
A Dance to the Music of Time with Wesley Stace
Spend a year with Mr Stace as he teaches a course on one of his favourite books - the twelve volume novel series A Dance to the Music of Time by Anthony Powell: one book per month. The novels divide nicely into seasons and we will therefore be studying and discussing them weather-appropriately, starting with A Question of Upbringing in Spring (on March 9th).
DON’T LOOK BACK NOW
We’ve now got a link to the premiere of DON’T LOOK BACK on YouTube! Read here for full details. We’re looking forward to “seeing” you on Thursday!
Don’t Look Back Now - a film premiere!
ONE NIGHT ONLY! A FILM PREMIERE!
We are very proud to announce the premiere of DON'T LOOK BACK NOW on Thursday 4th February at 8pm EST. Put that in your calendar. And smoke it. And join us!
Filmed at Union Hall, Brooklyn on Oct 27, 2008, the movie features seventeen songs, on which I am accompanied by Robert Lloyd and Chris von Sneidern with invaluable assistance from Deni Bonet and Josh Ritter.
Late Style book and single
Only one new song was released in 2020, Can’t Read The Signs, which came with a book that previews the lyrics to Wes’ next record, a new experience for all of us. Only 250 numbered copies of the book and single combo were made. Get one here. And watch the video.
Community Coronation Covers
As a way to pass this time, Wes asked his facebook friends to say whom they would most like to hear covering his songs. Many suggestions were made. He picked the best and most feasible of these, and made them happen. Like magic! Featuring Graham Parker, Rosanne Cash, Gary Louris, Marshall Crenshaw, Britta Phillips and many more singing your favourite songs, by your own request.
The Rites of Springsteen
To pass the lockdown time, Wes recorded a Springsteen song a day for a week, in radically simple arrangements. See the entire collection here, including Racing in the Streets and Brilliant Disguise.