p.s. Hey. So I'm off to London later this afternoon, and, as explained the other day and consolidated into the reminder up above, the blog's front page will be immobile until the next post appears on Saturday. I leave you with an introduction to and exploration of Derek McCormack's stunning new novel, which I'm extremely proud to be able to house within my Little House on the Bowery series. Of course, I hope you will consider adding it to your collection. I promise you would not regret that decision. Now, re: London, since there seemed to be a few bites on my proposal to meet up with 'Jerk'-goers before the shows, what I'll do is venture into the SLG's foyer around 6:30 - 6:45 pm each evening, and if any distinguished locals are thereabouts, we can hang out and chat and stuff for a while either somewhere comfy within the SLG or nearby. If no one is about, I'll just square myself away in whatever part of the building that the performances are taking place in and see people at or after the show. Okay? Otherwise, the Recollets cleaning crew are rattling their vacuum cleaners threateningly out in the hall as they do every Tuesday, so I'd better leap into the depths of the p.s. ** Andrew, You think? Well, no doubt there were some fakes in there, but since I gathered those ads/pix from a variety of slave/master social networking sites, I seriously doubt one guy is behind them all. And while I agree there's a heavy dosage of fantasy play going on in them, young and attractive guys are just as capable of having extreme fantasies as older guys with glasses. Does that idea actually surprise you? ** Clovenskull, Hey, Alex! LA! Fantastic, and even more potentially fantastic for me since I do everything I can every year to spend the time around Halloween there, so I might well get to see this in the flesh. So, yeah, you bet I want the details. That's just great, great news all around, man! ** Blake, Hey. Got your info. Do you have my contact stuff? I'll send it to you in case. I'm hoping we can swing that lunch, and I look forward to seeing you in any case. ** Stan_cz, The back's much better although still imperfect, but the pain is down enough for me to negotiate, I think. Mm, I don't recall having life saving instruction as part of the learning to drive experience, but I learned back in the dark ages relatively speaking, so I don't know what the current requirements are. No, I haven't had time to experiment with the Duotrope site yet, but I'll give it a fiddle when I get back. I hope your next few days are splendid ones. ** David Ehrenstein, Oh, yeah, I actually was quite friendly with Jimmy Duvall for a while, although I haven't seen him in a few years. Lovely, lovely guy. Oh, thanks on the Lucian guy's bio fill in. Wow, okay, very interesting. I must have read his pieces in the Voice, and I know 'Dress Gray' of course. You fully enjoy the time between now and Saturday, okay? Take care, D. ** Put The Lotion In The Basket, You're no doubt on your way by now. That is one twisted, long trip you have ahead of you. Lots of scenery, at least some of it eye-catching, I'm sure. Anyway, if you see this, enjoy every second to the maximum, and I'll miss you and look forward fervently to your return to the airwaves. ** Paul Curran, Hey. Yeah, I wrote you yesterday with info, and let's just hopefully count on smooth communications via phone and then seeing each other on Thursday. Really looking forward to it. ** You-x, Hey, man. So I downloaded your albums, but my scrambling to get ready to leave hasn't given me time to listen to them yet. I'll either slide them onto my iPod before I leave or jump on them as soon as I get back here, worst case scenario. I'm excited, needless to say. Oh, you know those guys yesterday aren't escorts, right? The slave posts aren't about money exchanging and that kind of seduction, although I imagine some of them would like it if their masters paid their bills. The slaves are looking for relationships and/or particular kinds of fuck buddies, not clients. I don't think having the wealth to spend on client work would make any difference for me. As I think I've said, there were quite a number of years when I was younger and developing the Cycle where I hired escorts with some frequency, so, in my case at least, I think I understand that experience as much as I need to. Whatever the 'What the heck' festival is, I hope it occasions a blow out of your dreams. ** Oscar B, Yeah, I've been looking at the weather forecast for the next five days in London with complete horror, hating hot weather with all my might as I do. Oh, well. Cool, like I said, I'll look for you early before the show in the foyer or whatever of the SLG. How awesome that we'll finally get to meet and so soon. Avoid dehydration until then, as will I. I'd love to get in on the auction thing. My money situation is precarious at the moment, though. Hm, shit ... I'll talk to you about it when I see you. Let me pass your query along here, though, in case people out there are interested. Everyone, Oscar B has something intriguing and important to pass along:'Me and my fellow MA students at Chelsea College of Art are having an auction of postcards and postcard-sized artworks created by international artists and designers. This event will be called ‘Going Postal’ and any monies raised by this auction will go towards funding our final MA show in September 2009. People like John Baldassari, Lawrence Wiener, Jay Ryan and Quentin Blake and have already agreed in helping us. The auction will be held in Central London and looks set to be an interesting night with a range of international artists, collectors and gallerists in attendance. If any of you would like to help, please email me at shadowdealessi@yahoo.it and I'll give you all the details you need'. ** Kyle Brod, Hey. Excellent catch. I guess whoever did that was counting on potential masters not being into contemporary art. A safe bet, I'd imagine, although whoever did that didn't count on winding up here where the true sleuths hang out. That Bollingmo's work looks pretty interesting, so the gotcha had some extra added benefit. Thanks, man. ** _Black_Acrylic, Yeah, too bad you can't be there for the shows. Maybe we'll somehow get 'Jerk' a gig where you are. That new k-punk MJ piece is even better than the first one. Terrific site, that site. Another big thanks. ** Davidc, Hey. Greatly looking forward to seeing you too. There has to be some sort of spot within the SLG suitable for hanging out. I would imagine the priority will be for a cool (temperature-wise) locale rather than a well stocked one, at least for anti-heat me. See you soon. ** T H O M, Aw, that's too bad. Oh, well, if there's a lot going on for you music-wise, that more than makes up for it. The weather is supposed to be hellish anyway. But you do need to get yourself over here at some point, okay? Take care, T. ** SYpHA_69, Where are you sending your mss.? Maybe the targets you're choosing just aren't the right targets? I mean getting many initial rejections is the standard affair when you're relatively unknown and first trying to get a publisher. Don't take it too much to heart. Yeah, tell me where you're sending it. Maybe I'll have some other ideas. ** Math t, Ha ha ha, about that Stonewall float. Why am I not surprised? That must say something unpleasant about me. Paris has a really good, absolutely massive gp parade. I missed it this year, but last year it was cool. Here it's not about g/l/t people parading before the populace, it's more of an inclusive thing where everyone who wants to marches, whatever their thing may be, in the parade to show support and unity. So you'll get, like, the national French soccer team marching along and then the float of some gay venue and then, like, the metro drivers' union or some famous French hip hop star or whatever. It's a different way of celebrating the occasion, but I dig it. Cool, I'll look for the sent stuff. Thanks, Math. I hope by the time I see you next you'll be rested and fried (not too fried, mind you) and raring to go. ** Colin, Yeah, I thought that one slave was top notch on the interesting front too. I guess Bernard explained the breeding thing. Cool re: the 3rd. Like I said, I'll look around early to see if you're there, and hopefully we can hang/chat. Safe trip. ** Tomas, Well, hey there, Tomas. 'User' is terrific, yes? I agree. Too bad about your exam, but very nice about Alex reading your novel. I want to learn what he thinks. Well, I'll be in London from today until Saturday, but after that I'll probably be here for the rest of July, so I'll love to see you guys soon after I get back if that's good for you. ** Joe M, The big MJ thing for me at least right now is the huge discrepancy about his condition at death. You've got this leaked supposed autopsy report that says he was a scarred up skeleton and then you've this supposed forthcoming DVD of his triumphant last rehearsal. Warring supposed official documents. Curious. ** Alan, I wish I could revise and edit and polish from the very beginning. If someone could invent a way for writers to write without the first draft part, I'd be bliss incarnate. Oh, the 'Ugly Man' title choice isn't a very interesting story. I just couldn't think of an autonomous overriding title that worked, so I looked at the stories, and 'Ugly Man' was the best one due to particular level of comedy in it and the self-reflexive aspect, so that was it. That was basically how I picked the title of my early short fiction book 'Wrong' too. Pretty simple and workmanlike, ultimately. Have a fine next few days, man. ** Bernard Welt, Thank you for sharing your expertise, sir. ** Wolf, Oh, man, I'm scared about the heat over there. I'm such a heat wuss. Deep breath. It'll be fine. And then there's my weird public bus phobia too. Deep breath. I'll either get fine with the bus or, more likely, take taxis and worry about the money eating later. Yeah, ring me in the morning and we'll suss a plan. Gisele called me this morning, and it might well be that doing the gallery visits on Wednesday is going to prove impossible, as it looks like I'm expected to spend most of that day at the SLG rehearsing Jonathan and getting everything set up. If that's the case, and it seems pretty likely, then let's do it on Friday, if that works for you guys too, because all will be in place re: 'Jerk' by then, and I'll be as free as I'm going to get. I'll send you or Marc the number at the Institut in case my phone has a signal problem. ** Antonio, Antonio! You rare and precious bird, you. I did get your message, and I even sent one back to you, but you were gone by then and never even knew how I'd broken my no-IMing rule on your behalf. But now you know. Why aren't you in London this week? What the fuck?! ** Pascal, Hey. Oh, I don't think I've ever said no to a guest-post in the history of the blog. I guess I count on people to make blog days about artists I'm not all that into, and I'd have to really hate some proposed artist or topic to say no. But, literally, it would probably take something like 'Racism is cool Day' to get a no from me. I don't think I've read any of those writers you mentioned except for Ishiguro, who I do think can be very good at least sometimes. I'll try that 'When we were orphans' if I see it somewhere. Thanks, man. Hey, see you very soon! ** Ken Baumann, 3 to 7 days sounds just about right for me too. 4 or 5 is about average, I think. So weird. Exactly on the collecting. You should see my billions of mostly 70s era 45s., like every possible version including radio-only editions and foreign releases with different pictures sleeves of every single released by all kinds of bands I could hardly care less about now. But I don't regret a moment of the scouring garage sales and paying through the nose and all that. So much fun. ** Thomas, Assuming we just end up hanging out somewhere at the SLG, which seems likelier than not, if you get there around 7 pm, just follow the sound of chattering to wherever we are. Great! Oh, thanks for the reminder about the Museum of Childhood. I would have completely spaced on that. Yeah, if I can manage it, I'll definitely and very happily check that out. See you pronto. ** Michael_Karo, Okay, 'Hejira' it is. Oh, I forgot to mention this yesterday, but if you were at all serious about doing a JM Day of some kind for here, I'd love that a lot and be most grateful. ** Steevee, Oh, like I said to You-x, those slave guys aren't escorts. They're just looking for their own private equivalents of love and boyfriends. The new Woody Allen isn't so good? I've been kind of excited to see it. It opens here this week. Well, always best to enter hoping for less. ** Amccartney, Hey, Alistair. Yeah, thanks. I thought it was definitely one of the best ever batches of slaves too. Good month. Oh, I didn't realize you'll be so swamped with teaching. Still, you sound like you're fully prepared to work in the margins for a while. That can have its own interesting effect on one's attention span and concentration, best case scenario. Rereading 'Lolita' is a great idea. I'll be interested to hear your thoughts. All right, enjoy your week, man. ** Armando, Oh, yeah, that sequence with Joe and the baby is sublime, right? Wow, how nice to remember it. There might well be a reference or continued referencing of the Solanis thing in 'WiR'. That makes total sense even if it's been long enough since I've watched the film that I don't remember. Seeing Candy Darling, Jackie Curtis, and Holly Woodlawn all together in one place is an amazing thing. ** Flit, Oh, I think you get to be President. I'll happily be Vice President in all the senses of that term. Cool about the battery, natch. Be good or 'good' until I get back, pal. ** Uli, Well, I was hoping you'd say getting back in your music was the new priority. Excellent. If you think the stuff you do is worthy of the public, consider my ears to be eternally perked and ready to listen. Opening a gallery is an interesting idea too. There are just all kinds of reasons why your return to Berlin is the best move possible. I'm hoping the Berlin 'Jerk' gig will finally be the occasion that allows me to visit that city. We'll see, but I'm hoping. ** Chilly Jay Chill, Oh, yeah, the referencing on the Sunn0))) is no accident, I don't think, at least based on conversations I've had with Stephen about the album. I'll ask Stephen about writing or saying something about Julian Priester. I know he's due to start a big Sunn0))) tour of the mid-west very soon, but I don't know if he's still pre-trip. I know he's not in Paris at the moment for some reason. I'll ask Gisele about his state when I see her tomorrow. I'm sure he'd be happy to if he can. Mm, I'm not sure if I've seen Owen Land's stuff or not. Maybe not. I'll investigate and find out. Sounds very interesting. If I hear anything concrete about the Stephen thing, and if I manage to get some WiFi time in London, I'll email you. Take good care. ** Oliver, Hey. I think there'll be some early arrivers. In any case, I'll be there to meet and greet you. See you soon. ** Tender Prey, Yeah, it was an especially good slave batch. I definitely thought so. Thanks, man. Like I said to Wolf, I seem to have underestimated my 'Jerk'-related duties on Wednesday, and, at the moment, I don't think I'm going to be free that day after all, but I'm hoping we can transfer the plans to Friday? You guys can call me tomorrow morning, or, worst comes to worst, we can make a firm plan when I see you that evening. From this distance, all that 'where to meet' stuff bewilders me since I don't know London well at all, but I figure once I get there and plant my feet and look at a map, the meeting at Bethnal Green, etc., should be no problem. Like you said, on the early meeting stuff, let's just meet in the foyer and figure it out. If there's a suitable place in SLG, that would be ideal, obviously, but we'll nail something down quickly in any case. ** Mark, Ha ha, hey. ** Inthemostpeculiarway, Hm, it's interesting that people think those slaves are escorts. I think I haven't been clear enough or something. Yeah, like I said above, they're not escorts selling time with themselves. They're just looking for love in all the ... right (?) places. No, 'Doom Generation' is probably my least favorite Araki film. Well, no, I think 'Splendor' is. Ah, it's all taste stuff, right? What can one do? Sick, nosebleeds ... dude, that's not good. What's going in that body of yours? You're okay by now, I hope? Yeah, I've seen 'Revolution' and 'Hustler White'. Mm, you know, I'm kind of waffly on a lot of la Bruce's films too. I guess I'm weird. I thought 'Hustler White' was okay. I think 'Otto' is his best by far. My day yesterday was preparatory, as will be most of today, followed by a train trip and checking into my London lodgings followed by a 'Jerk' rehearsal, food, and sleep. It's hot here. It's too hot for me. I'm not crabby due to the heat yet but I will be soon. Summer sucks. Well, my friend, I hope when I see you again on Saturday, you are right as rain. ** JW Veldhoen, I have no distance on the Phelps people and their shit, but you could be right on the aesthetic aspect. I bet that Ensor show is great. You should go. I'll try to have a good vacation, and you try to have a good vacation within your non-vacation somehow, yes? ** Heliotrope, Back improves steadily while remaining a bit of a nag. Ugh, it's hot here. Not lovely LA hot, moist hot, ugh. Did I say ugh yet? Ugh. Mark, don't do anything unhappy making if you can between now and Saturday, and I'll miss your words until then. ** Jheorgge, My friend, hello! Great, great that you're coming. Twice even? Whoa! So, wow, I'll see you tomorrow. That's so trippy. I hope both of our train rides, if you're taking the train, are silk smooth. ** Misanthrope, Rey Mysterio Action Figure ... mhlmsg;nfmkla0bg ... (that's the sound of envy). Love me some Rey Mysterio. Glad you dig the Derek. Funnily, enough, whoosh, there that very book is right up above us. Comment as blurb. Uh, since I started this p.s., the temperature has slowly risen to a degree that is rather unbearable, so excuse my thoughts' drifting into lethargy. Love you, big guy. I'll take as many pix as I can over in that London place, and you'll see them, assuming you want to see them, as I assume you do, strangely. Excuse my presumption. ** The Dreadful Flying Glove, I couldn't have left this blog to sit absolutely still on the surface for three days without seeing you first, so thank God or whatever he calls himself these days. I think your weekend was a hit, man. Seriously. Did you feel it? I think when I was cruising my car along trying to catch James Duvall-the-hustler's eye, the radio was playing me reading my fucking poem with some kind of jazz thing in the background. Might have been a deal breaker. Thanks for the safe journey wishes. Yeah, I'm always ready for my opinion to be rendered extinct, and this trip might provide the occasion, although based on the weather forecast, I very seriously doubt it, but I'm not a London fan either. There, I said it. ** Tomkendall, 6:30 it is. Awesome! ** Okay, I guess I have to say three days' worth of goodbyes now, and I guess I just did. Please do give some of your next three days over to the genius of Derek McCormack, and pile up some comments for me to come home to while you're at it, and I'll return on Saturday, and whatever transpires in London, you will see a selected slideshow on, oh, probably Monday, I'd guess. Take care until further notice.