7.12.10: New York City

This is a story I wrote for ESPN to accompany the latest installation of the Broadside Ballads, one one-a-month series that we're doing for their website this year. Bear with me even if you don't care about baseball--you'll see by the end that it's a pretty universal story:

I remember when David Clyde made his debut at age 18 for the Texas Rangers back in 1973. I was pretty excited. After all, I was just 13 years old, not even old enough to drive, and here was a guy just five years older than me starting a major league baseball game. It was a big deal. He had gone straight from high school to the majors. And he won that first game. But he didn't win many more after that, victim of a questionable call to rush him along too quickly.

I'm not saying that Stephen Strasburg is the same story by any means. He's already older and much more seasoned than David Clyde even though he is only 21. And he certainly has the stuff. I think he's here to stay—and it doesn't hurt that he'll have Bryce Harper in the lineup before too long.

But I wanted to write the song from his imagined perspective, a little wary of all of the early praise, a little fearful that the glory and the magic could fade away at any time and merely wanting to keep his head down and begin a distinguished, long career.

It's a story that I can certainly relate to as can, I'm assuming all of my Baseball Project band mates. We have all experienced the flush of early success, a rush that feels like a dream and then worked our way through all of the ups and downs, keeping focused and putting together various bodies of work (is there a musical Bill James figure who can tell me how many CDs that Linda, Peter, Scott and I have made in our combined careers?). We've all had good days and bad days (hopefully more of the former) but after several decades of making music we are all proud of what we've done.

It would be accurate to say that the members of The Baseball Project are more Jamie Moyer than David Clyde and also that it would be the choice Strasburg would make as well. Then again, he just might be more like Walter Johnson. Time will tell.

Anyway, enjoy the song. After all, this phenomenal youngster might just be saying "It's better to burn out than fade away." And we can all relate to that.

Recent faves:

• BKO--Dirtmusic (CD)
• Lean On Pete--Willy Vlautin (book)
• Northern Line--Willy Vlautin (book)
• Inner Speaker--Tame Impala (CD)
• The Maid (movie)
• The Unfairground--Kevin Ayers (CD)
• Friday Night Lights (TV show)
• Abandoned Love--Trembling Bells (CD)
• Naked, Stoned and Stabbed--Mushroom (CD)

7.09.10: New York City

Everywhere I go I hear the sound of humming air conditioners, boy, because the Summer's here and the time is right for....well, it's just too hot to pull the Sammy Cahn (ask your parents) rhyming dictionary from the shelf to find a match for "conditioner." Parishioner? Yeah, that will do for now. And I'm not going to wear our your patience by talking about the weather. On the other hand, consider this: residents of Los Angeles (as I was for most of my life) never have a reason to talk about the weather. It's always just slightly warmer than moderate, the air is dry and you can put on a light coat in the evening. But in New York City (and most of the country, this week), you can roll the wet air into a ball and toss it against the wall. Just for fun. Try it out.

The weather and meteorological conditions are extra jarring because one week ago today I was in Norway where the air is cool and crisp and where the sun barely (or never, in the case of Trondheim, my first stop on the mini-tour) sets. Up north was a show at Credo, one of my favorite clubs in the world (best club-based meal in the world, trust me) and then down South was the Visefestival in the small but (to me) very familiar town of Egersund. The latter was a summer camp, of sorts. I spent three days regularly crossing paths with old and new pals (Robyn Hitchcock, Michael West King, Patrick Berkery, Roald Ripland, Steve Hochman) and watching the sun rise at 2am each day. Robyn and I did a show consisting completely of covers the night we both arrived which means very minimal rehearsal. Take that into consideration when you check out the recordings of the show that are already circulating the internet. Nonetheless, it was a blast and I think there might be more such hootenanny collaborations down the line.

And now? Back home, seeking AC for a few more days and then another Atlantic crossing back to Cardiff where Jason and I will be playing a house concert next weekend. More and more of these private gigs are coming in these days and they're always fun, mostly because they're always very different and a good chance to make new friends, new converts and get a glimpse into other worlds in a way you wouldn't get at a club gig.

Speaking of club gigs, the initial dates for my European tour with the Miracle 3 for Fall 2010 just went up on my website. Have a look. It will be our first tour of Europe since 2006 and we'll be playing songs from the new record that comes out that month. Oh, and you can bet that Medicine Show will be heavily represented as well.

And here's a preview of the next missive coming down the pike in August: I'll be previewing a few songs from the new Steve Wynn & The Miracle 3 record and having a competition of sorts: you're all invited to make your own video for one of the songs (it's so easy these days—heck, I might try one myself) and the five best videos makers will get a signed copy of the new CD and a pair of tickets to the show of his or her choice.

But more on all of that later. I'm on my way outside to seek out the coldest AC in Manhattan. Hmmm.....What rhymes with AC? Oh yeah, Jay-Z! An Empire State of Mind indeed.

5.19.10: New York City

Is it cruel, is it unkind, is it a bold nasty tease to say that you should have been there? Hey, I'm just glad that I was there. Imagine if I had missed it. I mean, I never missed a Dream Syndicate show (just like that damn Dennis Duck-we share the all-time record) and I wasn't about to miss this. Thank you Delta Airlines for getting me there. I couldn't have done it without you. Nor could have the Miracle 3. Did I mention they were there as well?

Yes, it was one wild weekend of nostalgia filtered through the very much NOW last weekend when the Miracle 3 and played Medicine Show (Friday) and The Days of Wine and Roses (Saturday) in order, each night followed up by a motley assortment of other tasty morsels from the 26 years since those records were brand new. Let's see if I can jog my memory (and my memory hates to jog, preferring an all-out sprint or a leisurely stroll)

1st Night encore:

• DEATH VALLEY RAIN
• THE SIDE I'LL NEVER SHOW
• BRUISES
• AMPHETAMINE
• BOSTON

2nd Night encore:

• LET IT RAIN
• NO TOMORROW
• CINDY, IT WAS ALWAYS YOU
• STRANGE NEW WORLD
• WHY
• 500 GIRL MORNINGS

It was quite the scene. People had traveled from Belgium, Italy, Dallas, Baltimore, Iowa, Florida and even from down the street from the 529 Club in Atlanta where this all went down. Thanks abound-to all those who were there, to the many budding Pennebaker's who filmed the event (most of the evening is up on YouTube - scroll through videos in player above) Thanks to Chris Chandler and Jeff Clark for bringing us down and promoting the event. Thanks to Mike Mills who spoiled us with a fine steak dinner and a ride back to the club in a stretch limo (see? Just like 1984). Thanks to pals like DeWitt and Jackie Burton, Jeff Schultz, Teresa Linkous, Jim Barber and Arthur Johnson for providing links to the near and distant past.

Oh, and thanks to Jason, Dave and Linda. They were in fine form. I know. I had the best viewing vantage point in the room. Will we do this again? Hmmm…who knows? Who really knows?

RECENT FAVES:

• Heaven Is Whenever-The Hold Steady (CD)
• Your Future, Our Clutter-The Fall (CD)
• Just Kids-Patti Smith (book)
• Sheik Burritos and Kebobs (Atlanta Mexican/Middle Eastern fusion food)
• Fools On The Hill (website/compilation)
• Eastbound and Down (TV show)
• Ya-Ka-May-Galactic (CD)
• Treme (TV show)
• Rathbun's Steaks (Atlanta)

5.11.10: New Haven

I'd never heard the expression the expression "Opened in New Haven" before my mother mentioned it to me yesterday (on Mother's Day, of course). Maybe you've all heard the expression before. But I hadn't. I guess it's a theater tradition in which you test out your new play in New Haven before bringing it down to Broadway. That's rough. I mean, who made New Haven the guinea pigs of the world? (or conversely, one could see this show biz glass as half-full and ask Who Died And Made THEM the Sneak Preview Gods?). I do know that New Haven has arguably the best pizza in the US and that's good enough for me.

But sure enough, we did Open In New Haven last Saturday night. The Miracle 3 and I drove up the beautiful Merritt Parkway (a more attractive and speedier alternative to the I-95) and somewhere along the way I decided that it would be a fun idea to try out the concept of playing the first two Dream Syndicate albums that we'll be bringing to Atlanta this weekend. I had played each of the albums in their entirety but never in the same night before. Turns out that the fans of Atlanta have nothing to worry about-the show went off without a hitch and even though flowers were not brought to our dressing room (ending the theater tradition analogies), we did enjoy a large plain pizza as well as the fabled clam pie, courtesy of the kind and generous promoter Paul at the Café Nine.

And all of this Dream Syndicate hoopla (did I mention that I used to be in the band?) ties in with the long-awaited reissue of "Medicine Show" which will be shipping out in just a few weeks. Check out the front page of the website for more information. This current run of the live version will actually close in Atlanta but might get revived again at some point in the near future so stay tuned.

NOTE: I am typing this from a café on Broadway (see? Open in New Haven, move on to Broadway!) and a bulldog dressed in full infant gear was just wheeled by in a baby carriage. I love this city.

5.05.10: New York City

Some of the hardest lessons I had to learn quite early during my ten days at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival were the following:

-- You can't see everything
-- You can't eat everything
-- You can't drink everything

Lord knows, we all tried our best. Not only does the festival itself last for 7 days with five or more bands playing each of the ten main stages (go ahead, do the math. I'll wait) but also there are also endless clubs with incredible lineups each night lasting well into the wee hours. It's no exaggeration to say that there are over a hundred shows during the ten days that would be one of the best things you might see all year. And yet you tend to see three or four songs by any given band and then move on in search of the next thrill that lies 50 yards beyond. My baseball brother Scott McCaughey who was in town (along with the rest of REM who were there working on their next album) called it the musical equivalent of "channel surfing." My hand was on the remote for the entire 240 hours I was there.

It's not enough that there are so many incredible bands and legendary performers, many of whom you would never have a chance to see outside of the New Orleans city limits. But there are also the attention span land mines of dozens of food kiosks each serving the epicurean equivalent of seeing the Beatles back Bob Dylan (or more appropriately, the Meters backing Lee Dorsey). Repeat after me: you can't eat everything. But you can try.

We managed to sneak in a few hours to record the third installment of the Broadside Ballads, the one-a-month musical baseball blog that the Baseball Project is doing in conjunction with ESPN (it will hit their-and this-site next Monday, I believe). The song is called "30 Doc," a meditation on the chances that Philadelphia pitcher Roy "Doc" Halladay will win 30 games.

I usually end these posts with a list of "recent faves" and usually I find around ten things that are thrilling me at the moment. This list, I'm afraid, will be a little longer this time. If you haven't been to Jazz Fest (this was my first), you should book your ticket right now for 2011. See you there next year.

Jazz Fest faves:

• Levon Helm (festival)
• Zigaboo Modeliste's The Drummers Cometh (Howlin' Wolf)
• Cochon de Lait Po Boy (festival kiosk)
• Van Morrison (festival)
• Irma Thomas (Precinct club gig)
• Boudin balls (festival kiosk)
• Muffaletta at Maspero's
• Terry Reid (One Eyed Jack's)
• Shrimp Po-Boy at Commerce
• Ohio Players (festival)
• Galactic featuring Cyril Neville (festival)
• Cochon (restaurant)
• Crawfish Monica (festival kiosk)
• Sagbohan Danialou of Benin (festival)
• Rebirth Brass Band (festival)
• Gumbo AND fried chicken at Dooky Chase (restaurant)
• Red beans and rice at Coop's (restaurant)
• Rosemint tea (festival kiosk)
• Paul Sanchez (festival)
• Dixie Cups (festival)
• Bonarama with guests Scott McCaughey and Mike Mills (Tipitina French Quarter)
• Patti Smith Group with guests Peter Buck and Michael Stipe (Tipitina's)
• George Porter Jr with Johnny Vudokavich (dba)
• Pete Fountain (festival)

And, of course, much more. But you get the point. Now it's time to hit the gym, skip the fried foods, finish some lyrics and get ready for the shows and studio sessions ahead. Don't be surprised if most of the songs are about fried oysters.

4.27.10: New Orleans

With the lion's share of the recording of the new Miracle 3 record left behind us somewhere in the outskirts of Richmond, it's time to drift into the week- long orgy of food and music that is Jazz Fest right here in New Orleans. I've always wanted to check out this highly regarded festival but it seemed that the timing was always wrong, usually conflicting with our own touring plans. How dare MY music and food adventures get in the way of enjoying the food and music adventures of others. But here we are, Linda and I camping out in a collective of French Quarter cottages with our Baseball Project compatriots Scott and Peter who are here working on the new REM album. We're even going to sneak in the recording of the third installment of the Broadside Ballads on Monday when REM closes up shop for the day.

But mostly this trip is about revelry, moderate excess (not the contradiction in terms one might think- I'm more of a moderate extremist than extreme moderate when it comes to the good things in life) and, of course, celebration. And there is plenty to celebrate right now. Our eight days in Richmond went incredibly well and we have recorded 14 tracks of which the greatest challenge will be deciding which ones to leave off the record. What can I say? Hard to describe but I would say it's a rocking, psychedelic, dreamy, hazy, trippy, muscular, whimsical, loud, soft, scary and celebratory affair. In short, it's what the four of us do together. But it might be the best example of us "doing our thing" yet.

By the way, the record is tentatively titled "Northern Aggression." That would be the post- Civil War tale of 4 Northerners moving below the Mason- Dixon line to wreak havoc but, fortunately, all in the name of love and music and good times this time around. . I wish it were coming out next week. But you'll have to wait until November. My apologies.

In the meantime, stay tuned- there will be more correspondence from right here in New Orleans. The next 24 hours will contain a veritable gumbo of the Meters, etoufee, Patti Smith, Levon Helm, cocktails, jambalaya and much more. I think I just made myself tired.

ps....I will be doing my best to join the Tweet Revolution while I'm here so feel free to sign up on this very website

4.11.10: New Website Design, New Sessions, New Baseball Project Song

Yes, there is a theme of the "NEW" here as I get ready to leave New York (ring in the new, ring out the new) to begin a new record with the Miracle 3, our first together in five years. Jason, Linda, Dave and I are going to Richmond, Virginia where we'll be working with Bruce Olsen who was at the helm for both Gutterball records. A fine, greasy record as well as tales of BBQ and soul food will surely follow.

But in the meantime, may I draw your attention to the new design of my website (www.stevewynn.net). Lots of new features to go with the new look so check it out, have fun, kick the tires, take it out on the open highway and have some fun. Many thanks to the incredible Wonder at WONDERKNACK for the design and to Daneane Gallardo at RexRuff Web Site Construction for putting all the pieces in place and making it all work with the clean precision of 1959 Fender Princeton amplifier (trust me, that's good).

And while we're at this whole NEW theme, check out the second installment of the Broadside Ballads, the once-a-month song series that The Baseball Project is doing for the ESPN website-click on www.espn.go.com/espn/thelife/news/story?id=5053976 and see why Scott McCaughey thinks this could be the year that the Chicago Cubs end their 100+ year drought. Hmmm, not sure if I agree but I was happy to chime in on guitar and vocals (if you play those vocals backwards they say "My money's on the Yankees.")

And new shows? There are a few of those as well-I'll be traveling in various musical forms to New Haven, Atlanta, Portland, Seattle and Norway in the coming months (now, there's some interesting routing) so check the website for details.

But enough of the new. I'm going to kick back with an Old Fashioned, pop in a DVD of "Old Yeller" and maybe head downtown to check out a Claes Oldenberg exhibit. You've got to go back to the old favorites now and then, after all. See you all soon.

Recent Faves:

• The Runaways (especially Michael Shannon's portrayal of Kim Fowley) (movie)
Busy Dick (band - www.myspace.com/busydick)
• Ragga Twins Step Out-Ragga Twins (Soul Jazz compilaton)
• Mix Tape-Felice Brothers (CD)
• 70's Excess Rock & Drugs Articles about Iggy, Neil and Lowell (Uncut/Mojo)
• Morrison Hotel-The Doors

3.18.10: New York City

This is the short version. The longer version has been told and will be told again, I'm sure, in greater detail and with greater poetic dexterity.

When I was 20 years old I was so moved by the Big Star 3rd album that I found it absolutely necessary to jump on a Greyhound bus to Memphis merely to soak up the environment and maybe meet the man who could make such beautiful, vulnerable, transparent, honest music.

I not only experienced the city but also was welcomed by Alex Chilton himself. I spent a full week that summer in 1981, buying beers and smokes for Alex, talking about love and art and philosophy and life-everything but his actual music, as it turns out-over many late Memphis nights. We heard that week that Jerry Lee Lewis was on his deathbed in a Memphis hospital and parked across the street, drinking beer and toasting his health.

30 years later Jerry Lee is still here and now Alex is gone.

That night Alex invited me back to his parents' place where he was living at the time. I looked in awe at the gold records for "The Letter" and "Cry Like a Baby" as I walked in. What can I say?--I was a fan. And he made me some very tasty grits for breakfast the next morning.

Since then, I encountered Alex here and there. We played a festival together in Norway in 2007. The next day Linda and I met up with him at the Oslo airport and helped him find the gate for his flight Paris. He wanted to talk about our dates of birth, astrological signs and compatibility. His curiosity almost caused him to miss his plane.

Last year I saw Big Star play in Brooklyn. Alex and I talked for a while after the show. We exchanged phone numbers and I was looking forward to seeing him when we were in New Orleans for Jazz Fest next month. My hero had become my pal and that made me very happy. I've heard that was the last Big Star gig and I'm glad he went out on such a great show before a wildly appreciative audience.

In a very sad month when I have lost one of my oldest and best friends (Mary Herczog) and am still taking in the horrible suicide of another friend, Mark Linkous, I find myself shattered by the untimely death of a man I didn't know all that well, a man I wish I had had the chance to know a little bit better. I wish I could have seen Alex play a show when he was 90 years old (I guess I would have been approaching 80 if my math is right). He was a guy who had so much enthusiasm and talent. His passing is a great loss for his fans, for music and for people like me who drew so much inspiration and solace from the beauty and love that he chose to make so public to anyone who cared to look within.

As Alex said...take care

3.05.10: Los Angeles

LA's fine. The sun shines (most of the time). And the feeling is laid back. Palm trees grow, rents are low but, you know, I keep thinking about...

uh oh. my apologies. I thought I was Neil Diamond for a second there. But I am indeed in LA for a few days. And, despite living here for the first 34 years of my life, I find myself in that New York state of mind (even worse! I slid into Billy Joel quoting for a second) and being amazed to see sunshine in early March. And I'm not complaining. Oh no, I am not complaining

But a clear sign of impending Spring is impending baseball. Spring Training is here and if the time may not be right for dancing in the streets, it is certainly the time where the imaginations and metaphor-filled pens of The Baseball Project are coming to life. And not only are we in the middle of putting together our follow-up to "Frozen Ropes and Dying Quails" but we are also going to be writing songs throughout the baseball season, sort of a musical blog if you will. But only if you will. Quick. Let me know.

We're doing this series in cahoots with ESPN and you could/should/must drop by my chat/press conference/confab on their site next Tuesday at 2pm EST--here's the link: ESPN Chat.

Ask anything. Quiz me, stump me, ask me to predict CC Sabathia's ERA. I'm ready.

In the meantime, here are some recent faves:

• I'M NEW HERE--Gil Scott-Heron (CD)
• FAIL SAFE (movie)
• WWW.BRIGIDPEARSON.COM (friend's website and great food diary)
• TRANSFERENCE--Spoon (CD)
• SMOKED FISH PLATTER AT MAXIE'S (Restaurant midtown New York)

2.22.10: New York City

And I am here to tell you all that the other side of 50 feels fine, just fine. Maybe part of the reason for the easy transition (it's just a number, just a number they say, but oh what a number) might be that the bridge to 50 was laid at the Lakeside Lounge, a place where I have made many transitions over the years. Since I was the center of the festivities I chose a bunch of songs that we rarely play. We had to play "Older," a song I wrote at 32 about staring down the evidence and ravages of age. 32! Imagine that! I'll have to play it at my 80th birthday bash. We also tackled "Some Kinda Itch," "Melting In The Dark," "Out of This World" and "The Side I'll Never Show," all songs that haven't been in many set lists recently. Heck, I even took the liberty of calling out "Let It Rain," a song often covered by The Dream Syndicate but never played by the Miracle 3. Jason and Linda and Dave handled it with grace and expertise. Naturally.

I believe you can find the show up at Dimeadozen but you'll have to be a little more adept at this whole World Of Torrents than I am. Good luck.

Thanks to all of you who wrote such kind words on the website, the various Facebook and MySpace pages and by email. I've had the chance to thank some of you directly but know that all of the messages were gratefully received.

And have a good look at the WynnWeb site because it's going to be going through some changes in the coming months. This gives me a good chance to thank Daneane Gallardo who revamped and restructured the site a few years back and has been holding my cyberspace hand as I pull myself into the second decade of this still new century. Check out her website at RexRuff.com and check out her fine work. I mean, she does the websites for Bob Marley and the rest of his family. Such company! I am humbled and honored.

And last but most certainly not least, all of the festivities of my birthday and the first Miracle 3 gig of the year were tempered by the sadness of losing my dear and longtime friend Mary Herczog last week after her long, dignified and courageous battle with cancer. I could tell you about all the fun times we've had together, I could tell you that she was there all the way back to the earliest Dream Syndicate days, I could tell you what a cool person she was and that you should check (as I have done) buy her New Orleans travel guide and then use her literary voice to guide you around her favorite city. I could tell you so many things-especially how much she'll be missed by me and so many others-but I think the best thing to do is to direct you to her incredible website Cancerchick.com for a good glimpse at her writing, her history and to see how much she meant to so many. Mary, you are in our hearts forever.

Here's to a long and happy life to all of you. Or as Warren Zevon said, "Enjoy every sandwich."

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Updates:
To listen to show: click here
To see pics: click here