On January 29, 1999 we performed at Tramps in NYC. Other Dimensions in Music opened, we premiered “Our Way to Fall” during our set, and oh yes, a nekkid Phil Morrison sang “Ramblin’ Rose” during the encore. A great night, and one I’d be happy to detail were I not in a hurry to get to the email we received from Greg of Washington D.C.:
So this may be a little heavy but I have two linked YLT moments: Jan. 29, 2005 and Dec. 9, 2012.
Here goes–on Jan. 29, 2005 I was in the middle of a tour in Iraq (I was an Air Force officer). I was working in the U.S. Embassy in the Green Zone when we were hit by a rocket attack and we lost some friends. The next day, I directed all the people who worked for me to follow my lead and come up with their 100-things-to-do-before-you-die list. We all promised each other to spend the rest of our lives fulfilling the list. Well, on my list was seeing a Hanukkah show at Maxwell’s. For the next few years I was always overseas over those dates and could never make it back to the U.S. for a show–“This ain’t no Mudd Club or CBGB, I ain’t got time for that now.”
Finally in 2012 I was in the U.S. and able to get tickets to the second night, which turned out to be the Fred Armisen/Sun Ra night, on Dec. 9. The Arkestra was great, you guys kicked ass, and Maxwell’s was a gem! What a loss. Now that Maxwell’s has closed, I would have been devastated had I not pulled off that 2012 show. Next month I’ll be ticking another one off the list–Easter Island!
There you have it.
