Jim Lange, Author at West Virginia Public Broadcasting

The Nashville Dreams Of Joe Couture (And How It All Went Awry)

Like many Appalachian musicians, Joe Couture had dreams of hitting it big in Nashville. Electopia host Jim Lange recently interviewed one his college friends about the highs and lows of his struggle to grab the brass ring on Music Row.

All musicians are dreamers in this sense: all of us have toyed with the idea of hitting it big or making it in the music industry. Especially when we first get the music bug, in our _adolescence or teenage years, the fantasy is be the star of the imaginary show that we have seen through TV or magazines. For my generation (the cranky old people now), television and magazines brought the popular music stars to our homes.

Of all the musicians I have ever met during my college years, Joe Couture was the one guy I thought would surely end up as a studio session player. He’s brilliant on guitar, all the saxes and clarinets and a good singer as well. Visualizing him in a studio playing jingles or backing some Nashville star was easy.

Joe was a music major at West Liberty State College (now West Liberty University) at the same time as me – late ’70s to early 80’s. All the guitar majors were studying with the late Dr. Nels Leonard, Jr., and we got to be fast friends.

"I always wanted to play live music and knew that it would be a struggle, but I couldn't live with myself if I hadn't tried." – Joe Couture

From the get-go, what made Joe different from the other students was not only his multi-instrumental skills, but his broad knowledge base. In music theory, aural skills and stylistic knowledge, he was advanced in every way. Light years ahead of me, for sure.

Joe “graduated” in the fall of 1982 and moved to Nashville in the spring of the next year.

Sounds like a great plan, right? Wrong!

VH1’s Behind the Music always had that fateful narration: “Then it all went horribly wrong.” That’s not quite Joe’s story, but from my perspective, it’s pretty close.

Joe’s big plan was rife with issues from the start. He had “a hundred dollars and a van full of equipment.” He split gas with a friend, who already had a job lined up with Opry Land, and so arrived in the golden land of musical opportunity with fifty bucks to his name.

Eventually, Joe went down to Music Row, watched a few great bands, and then onto a pawn shop where he was looking at a guitar which he “obviously wasn’t going to buy.” A man came up, made small talk, and then asked, “Hey, do you want to help me move a refrigerator?” Joe, being a helpful amiable sort, said yes; as he “didn’t have anything else to do.”

Listen to Eclectopia Fridays at 10 PM and Saturdays at 11 PM on WVPB Radio.

Fast forward to meeting this man’s friends, forming a band and doing Bible study with them. The group would watch videos that were produced by the church. At some point, Joe realized that he had joined The Way International – a cult. The band had the dubious idea to play secular music in bars and then witness to the people. “Not only that this idea almost never works,” but the blatant hypocrisy was that the band members were not just witnessing to people, but going home with them.

After the cult band broke up, Joe did a recording session and which resulted in an audition to back Kitty Twitty – Conway Twitty’s daughter. He didn’t get that gig, but got an offer to go overseas with a touring band for the Department of Defense. Great!

Not really.

When they landed in Europe, the band realized that half of their equipment had been stolen. Therefore, any equipment would have to be borrowed from the base. Joe remembers a gig where he played Pat Benatar’s “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” on clarinet.

Returning to the States, he was asked to join a fronting band – a band that opens before the main act. Ricky Skaggs and Barbara Mandrell were among the lineup. Minnie Pearl was one of the artists that he backed. At this time, Joe thought that he “was on his way.”

But after tour ended, 26-year-old Joe Couture found himelf working at a Hot Stop – a convenience store. This is when Joe met, as he puts it, “The Crazy Lady.” In short, she was a con artist-thief with many shady secrets and spurious stories. It’s truly surreal and you’ll have to listen to the interview.

Despite all the things that went awry, Joe is not bitter nor does he have regrets about his time in Nashville. He wanted to go into a highly competitive, professional music environment because he needed to “take a shot.”

All the music heard in this interview was composed and performed by Jim Lange.

my_sunny_day.mp3

Bob Holland, front man/singer of the band mentioned above, with Joe Couture's guitar solo.

Grady Martin heard this solo and being the gracious man he was, commented, “I never thought about playing that fast.” Is it overplaying? In country music in the early ’80s – yes. But Joe said he was thinking about Steely Dan when he played this. I think it’s wonderful.

Pick Three Songs And Guest DJ For Eclectopia

Eclectopia host Jim Lange here. The question I get most frequently is: when are you going to do the guest DJ thing again?

The answer is now (and thus arose a joyous sound).

Here are the guidelines:

1. Listen to Eclectopia Fridays at 10 PM and Saturdays at 11 PM on WVPB Radio. Sorry, my editor told me to promote my show here.

2. Pick THREE songs.

Yes, this is where most people give up. “How can I pick just three?” Of course, it’s impossible to narrow it down to just three, but I’m giving you a set. See playlist below.

3. Make sure the total length is under 12 minutes.

Air time is precious in a 59 minute program.

4. Email me your choices.

Once you’ve wrestled with the three, email me at jlange@wvpublic.org. Simple as that. I take care of the rest. As I say, all reasonable requests will be carefully considered.

5. I Email you back, we arrange a time to record you.

Ay, there’s the rub again. I can’t think of single person who, upon hearing their own voice for the first time, actually liked it. I was the same way. You’ll be fine.

6. Get Started. Here’s a playlist to help.

A typical playlist. You get a set all to yourself.

Get thinking. Narrow your choices down. Email me and let’s get this rolling.

Good luck!

Eclectopia airs Fridays at 10 PM on WVPB Radio, with an encore Saturdays at 11 PM.

"Lost" Philip Glass Piece Returns After 50 Years

"Philip likes the fact that music doesn't just exist on paper now and that these early pieces can be realized in different ways." ~Michael Riesman

Philip Glass’ Music For Eight Parts journey from missing or lost, to the current recording, feels like an elaborate plot by a master novelist.

Michael Riesman, Musical Director for the Philip Glass Ensemble, tells the story.

Philip Glass always knew that teaching and the groves of academia were not for him. After his studies with Nadia Boulanger and Ravi Shankar in Paris, he returned to New York in March of 1967, so focused on composing that he realized that he needed his own ensemble to learn and perform his rigourous compositions.

Glass also knew that, in order to sustain his making a living through composing, that he had to work to support the ensemble. Cab driver, plumber and mover, Glass wore many hats and paid his dues – and then some.

Music In Eight Parts, referring to the number of musical lines, was written in 1969, dated January of 1970 on the score and performed, according to then intern Alex Gray “twice at the Guggenheim and twice at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis.” Ultimately, Glass had to sell the autograph score to make ends meet and did not remember to whom it was sold.

Fast forward to 2017 when the score resurfaced and went on auction at Christie’s. It sold for $43,750 and now is with Dunvagen Music, Glass’s publisher.

The Philip Glass Ensemble has changed over the years and this piece needed some updating if it was to be added to the current repertoire. Step in Michael Riesman, director of the PGE.

Ecletopia host Jim Lange interviewed Michael Riesman on June 2, 2020, about the tale of Glass’s lost piece and other topics.

Listen to a more in depth version of the interview:

02_mreisman_music_in_8_parts_longer.mp3

Riesman tells the tale of the lost piece with all its twists and turns.

Here are some additional excerpts from the interview.

03_mriesman_trans_to_12_parts.mp3

Riesman speaks on how this piece was a transitional piece in the Glass oeuvre.

04_mriesman_vilified_and_loved_farfisa_organs.mp3

Riesman's thoughts on being both vilified and loved, and the Farfisa organs of the PGE.

05_mriesman_keeping_place_in_score.mp3

Riesman is honest about losing your place while performing and getting back on track.

Glass’ handwritten shorthand part for Music For Eight Parts.

Sources:

Home

https://www.michaelriesman.com/about_michaelriesman.html

The Fresh Air archives are open! Here’s a link. The Ira -Philip Glass interview is so inspiring.

The best documentary for learning more about Philip Galss:

10 Cures For Cabin Fever From Eclectopia (Or How Not To Lose It During The Pandemic)

“When the world is running down, You make the best of what’s still around.” -The Police

The forecast, as of this writing, looks like America is in for a long haul. We’re practicing avoiding each other – politely known as “social distancing.”

I’ve washed my hands until they are a bit raw, wiped down every surface with an OCD fervor and IF I go out for groceries, I wear a mask but still find myself holding my breath lest airborne pathogens emmanate from my fellow shoppers. Paranoia has always been a constant companion – nothing new here.

It’s become ridiculous, but this is the new normal. So, what can you do? Answer: whatever is necessary to not get infected, but still not lose your mind from all this quarantined living.

We have to be smart. Unlike the kids who went to party on Florida beaches on spring break, we can use our heads for more than just growing hair.

1. Your home is still your home, but optimized!

HOME now stands for Highly Optimized Multipurpose Environment.

Homeschool! Yes, it’s now a school for you hearty parents to teach your little ones! Got that lesson plan yet? Going to have a mini-graduation ceremony at the end of the semester? Run out of patience yet?

Photo by Emily Gardner. Used by permission.

I see happy photos of kids on social media now, but in two weeks time? Three? I say, soldier on! (And if you like wine/beer, don’t feel guilty having a small glass when the long day is done. You most definitely deserve one. Or two.)

Then let the kids watch Frozen or Frozen 2: The Reckoning on loop while you sneak a little nap. It’s ok. You are a champion! (Editors note – WVPB also has an amazing collection of At-Home Learning Resources for your kids 😉 )

Your pets are now masters of the house. Resistance is futile.

It’s your workplace!

Working from home is also the new norm – stay in your bathrobe or pjs all day. If video conferencing, you might want to upgrade to your fav T-shirt. Pants: that’s your call. Well, ok maybe not. Your significant other might suggest otherwise.

It’s a gym. Forget all that yoga stuff. Work out with Leslie Jordan. He’s become the comedic relief during this terrible time.

2. Read all those books you’ve been putting off.

Who am I kidding? I don’t really read anything. Ask Bill Lynch or Eric Douglas. Both are authors and/or you can read their work, but I bet they have some good suggestions.

Explore the literary world, kiddo! Here’s a list of the 100 best choices. What’s that “No man is an island” quote? Find it at The Poetry Foundation – a fabulous source for all things poetical. I’m a big T.S. Eliot fan and Four Quartets keep me fascinated.

For my temperment, David Sedaris is one of the best humorists today.

3. Listen to music.

If you want to slow the mental gears down to a manageable level (You CAN reach a complete emotional saturation with the daily dire news.), I suggest starting with classical. Mozart, Haydn and Bach’s Aria on a three hour loop to start your step-down of mental trauma.

If thou wants chill, start with Brian Eno – the man who started it all. My favorite is the 61-minute Thursday Afternoon which is audio valium. About 20 minutes into this, the tension has melted away. You can also sing along with Brian or listen to a public talk.

What to avoid: earworms. Talking with my friend George this week, who lives in NJ, I asked about his coping with working from home. It was fine he said, but when we got around to sharing what amused us musically, he asked, “Have you heard the Baby Shark song yet?” No was my answer and then he sent the link. About ten seconds in, I shut it down. Methinks George is coping admirably (Not!), but I won’t post the link.

If you are the type of person who needs a more dark variety of music during a crisis, let me suggest David Sylvian’s masterpiece: Secrets of the Beehive. If you want to go all the way weird, here’s my suggestion: Jan Bang/ Erik Honore’s Uncommon Dieties. Sylvian reads prose over some of the most creative (strange and weird to average listeners) music and sounds.

Otherwise, you can’t go wrong with Neil Young singing, with Spanish subtitles, about Elvis.

4. Watch.

It’s tricky. In this crisis, some may want dystopian movies and others want to escape to island paradises.

Again, you may only want light rom-coms. I have zero suggestions because they are all dreadfully predictable.

Comedy? I’m a Will Farrell kind of guy. Ben Stiller too.

If you want romance, why not The Year of Living Dangerously? It’s got a young (pre-meltdown) Mel Gibson, the lovely Sigourney Weaver, plus Linda Hunt: all set in Indonesia.

Netflix has lots of documentaries. Werner Herzog has made some of the best of them. Both light and dark, but always provocative. If you are really brave, then this one is for you.

5. Humor!

Humor is tricky because, like food, everyone varies in their taste. Here are my suggestions: watch old SNL skits. The Barry Gibb Talk Show! How about Studio 360’s Kurt Andersen with Werner Herzog?

I own the SCTV DVDs with John Candy, so my I suggest my favorite skits like Polynesian Town, or a sendup of Ocean’s Eleven, or Mel’s Rock Pile?

6. There are a zillion podcasts.

I tend to listen to Fresh Air just about every day. Plus, the archive is open! You can find Bowie, listen to Terry’s youthful voice in 1978 when interviewing Steve Reich, Ira Glass interviews Philip Glass (the best I’ve ever heard), and last week I learned that Stephen Sondheim studied with Milton Babbit (and they would analyze Jerome Kern), and many more including the sad, but immensely funny Richard Pryor.

Just when I discovered Studio 360, Kurt Andersen has retired, but archives are up. This American Life has many great stories, but I love this one about an opening night fiasco. I never forgot Scott Carrier’s strikingly honest story about his job taking over his life. Finally, who could forget their Christmas story with Sedaris and David Rakeoff.

Song Confessional – a podcast that uses language that some listeners might find objectionable – has a unique approach to podcasting. Here’s their interview with Tristen.

7. The fridge is not your new best buddy.

On social media, I see all sorts of posts from people about trips to the fridge or overindulgence in food.

Stress eating, hoarding and subsequent overindulging comes with this new normal. Jokes abound about gaining the Covid 15. I’m doing my best not to overindulge and try to get my lazy self out on a walk, hike or a bike ride every day that the temp is suitable. I see others have the same idea. Exercise, like very few other activities, can clear the mind of anxiety.

Photo by Shirley Drennen. Used by permission.

8. People, please stop cabin fever baking. It’s making me hungry!

Ok, I just flatly contradicted myself. I have little to zero resistance to cake. Ok, it’s all out in the open now. Are you happy?

9. Exercise!

Look, just move. Don’t care what, just move. On cold days, I walk. On warm days (has to be at least upper 50’s), I ride my bike. Some folks do yoga in their home. On any day, I will hike!

10. The big summary.

We’re in it for real now, but one day this will be something we ALL went through. Let’s do this right and smart with love and respect for one another. In a dog-eat-dog world, we only show our animal nature. Let’s not do that, please. Be calm, be civil, set an example.

Once we are truly in the clear, things will go back to normal. After all, you are accountable to your friends, your neighborhood and your community.

Please: be kind, be smart, be safe. Reach out to loved ones via technology. You’ll feel recconnected.

Markus Reuter: The Perfect Touch

Markus Reuter is a master musician, inventive composer, producer and a great teacher.

"Whenever something is true and authentic, it translates. It will always translate. The beauty, your beauty will always come out through your art. It's impossible to break that connection." – Markus Reuter

I first met Markus in 2012 at the Three of a Perfect Pair music camp (Adrian Belew, Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto are the “pair” in question). Confession: I knew nothing about him or his music. When we were introduced, his wit, candor and passion about music came through immediately. In short, we fast became friends.

Then I heard him play. It was an experience unlikely to forget. To begin, he plays a U8 Touch Guitar: an instrument he developed by first playing the Chapman Stick and the Warr Guitar. The music that comes forth is so jawdroppingly good that it takes a moment for the senses to reconcile what is heard with what is seen. I jokingly refer to this phenomenon as a “music concussion”, but that’s not far from the truth. This video of The Crimson ProjeKCt in concert might illustrate: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Y4Hrx2ToM

Besides the aforementioned Crimson ProjeKCt, Markus is also a member of Stick Men with Tony Levin and Pat Mastelotto and Centrozoon with Bernhard Wöstheinrich and Tobias Reber.

It is very difficult to pinpoint Markus’ style as a composer because his work keeps expanding into unlikely (for the stereotypical electric guitarist) areas such as the orchestral Todmorden 513 and string quartets: Heartland Bleeds. Simply put, whatever musical endevaour he undertakes, he does so with immense focus, technique and most of all – passion.

His latest album, Truce, may be his most personal. Listen and find out why:

mark_reuter_extended_interview.mp3

Markus Reuter extended interview.

Available on https://markus-reuter-moonjune.bandcamp.com/album/truce

Inara George: Van Halen Through a Pop Prism

I discovered The Bird and The Bee through a covers site, and heard their version of the Roth-era Van Halen classic “Ain’t Talkin’ ‘Bout Love.”

I was smitten.

I love the irony, humor, disposition of musical elements of a good cover song, but this was something else: this was a true tribute. This was love.

But first, we must step back in time.

It’s no hyperbole to say that in 1978, Van Halen’s self-titled debut album split the rock world in two. Eddie Van Halen was the most prodigious and game-changing electric guitarist since our beloved Jimi Hendrix. It was like hearing a jet plane take off and leaving all the copycats, who were to follow in their wake, as mere shadows of the VH craftmanship of chops, songwriting with great hooks and charisma.

Enter The Bird and the Bee forty one years later. (NB: Inara was ten years old when “1984” was released and thought Panama was about the Panama Canal. The videos she saw were “both terrifying and exciting.” Check longer interview.)

Formed in 2005, when Greg Kurstin was hired to assist with her first solo album, All Rise, they “just clicked over musical interests” and “we wrote a couple of songs together and maybe we’ll see if somebody else wants to play them.” The rest, as it said, is history.

The Bird and the Bee will be featured on this week’s Eclectopia radio program. Listen to Eclectopia on WVPB Radio Fridays at 10 pm, with an encore Saturdays at 11 pm.

inara_george_extended_interview_eclectopia.mp3

Broadcast interview with Inara George from December 2016, plus bonus Q&As about Panama, Hot For Teacher, Beck and other good stuff.

Inara, DLR, and Greg at a special invitation-only DLR show. Follow them on Instagram.

Bird&Bee Official: https://www.thebirdandthebee.com/home

Get the album: https://thebirdandthebee.lnk.to/Interpretingthemasters

A very fun live version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GOOiHsi-zE