My dream of Don
MDec500157
Van Vliet was binging an exhibition to my area. He came to my house in a
strange foreign car to pick me up. I intorduced him to Rob [my neighbor] and
Don asked if he had any friut. Rob gave him some lousey looking lemons. I said
"what you gonna do with those?" Don: "I can use the juice". We walked to the
exhibition anyway, a small room crowded with artwork, installations, an old
electronic instrument (a Mellotron?) Don said was on Bat Chain Puller. My dad
tried to play it, then asked me to, but I couldn't get a good sound. Wasn't a
regular keyboard instrument. A big scketchbook/scrapbook caught my eye. It had
computerized implants that played short films, one of Zappa, one story Don told
about Robyn Hitchcock swearing in a live broadcast which Don thought was funny.
Sketchbook had some lyrics for BCP, said "double album, more $" w/ smiling self
portrait of Don around $ signs. Strange old picture of Jan with very short
hair. I laughed out loud at some pictures. There were notes in the book
explaining that tiles and lyrics meant something else when backward or upside
down [made no sense]. Some paintings carelessly hung on wall, one of Don &
Jan's wedding, with Zappa as best man and Alfred E. Neuman as minister!!
Another painting of Neuman. Some very brilliantly colored abstracts. A strange
, big pointillist/ watercolour wash landscape of a mountain village seen
through glass lens. Note says this was part of an intsallation in Japan. I pull
back and see it's on a very small Japanese box. Fishbowl with bottle of beer
inside, ssays "take a shot". Don points out some masks he's made, says "don't
miss the whales", some ceramic whales hanging by a door. We sit at table and I
start painting a straight line like Barnett Newman [note pun]. Too many colors
in my brush. Don says "painting comes from the owman within". Pulls out many
more sketches on watercolor paper from under a table. I want a copy of the
sketchbook, Don says there aren't any and it's not for sale. Don & my dad
discuss weight. Don says "you're losing some huh?" dad says"yeah, a little".
Don behind cash register ringing up little old ladies buying small paintings.
Don asks if I want a drink, I say I've quit. Don: "good for you, but I drink
when Ipaint. It's a solvent, you know." He thanks us for coming, asks me to
play the "Mellotron" again. Throughout Don is very animated and alert, and
treats me as a personal friend.
[Real life note: my father suddenly & unexpectedly went into hospital
yesterday, and Robbie Rox (another of my musical heroes) is supposed to call me
this morning!]
Mike
Michael H.
>
> This is straight from my drambook, as I just woke up:
It made a lot of sense to me. Incidentally, Don mentioned to me
off-stage that Jan's father was the superintendent of the Beverly Hills
schoolboard "and she was going to marry Captain Beefheart?" So for you
to dream that Alfred "What, me worry?" Neuman was the minister is
probably not as offensive as it might seem on the surface. I prefer to
stay out of talking about his private life though. Also, if Van Vliet
was "binging" an exhibition, I could see that he could use the "juice."
This is a good poetic dream. Definitely from "there," wherever that is.
Michael H.
Brikbat9
>yesterday,
Mike,
Hope he's alright. Let us know what's happening.
Jack