Bandslam and Bowie

It's been a while since I blogged but it has been prep week and I am trying to spend some time with my kids before I go into rehearsal hibernation. Only, I don't want to spend any more time with my daughter who is currently sitting on the couch "commenting" on my post.

There's not enough wine in this world!

Anyway, back a few hours ago, when I did like my kids, I took them to see the movie Bandslam. I wasn't expecting much but surprisingly, I enjoyed it. The lead actor is quite good and it actually has a plot. This boy, Will Burton, a loner who knows A LOT about music, moves to a new school and gets recruited by the head cheerleader to manage her new band. Over the course of the movie we learn why Will is a loner and why the cheerleader wants to hang out with him. Oh, and Will writes to David Bowie everyday telling him all about his life. David Bowie doesn't write back, until the end, of course. And the music is very good. I think some of the bands were actual bands, like The Burning Hotels (love that name) and The Daze.

But, really, I have to confess that the real reason I think I liked this film is because David Bowie has a cameo and I LOVE David Bowie. I came of age, as they say, in the 1980's, so I first discovered David Bowie with his Let's Dance album. My brother-in-law said, "Oh, no, you need to listen to real Bowie." So, that Christmas I received Ziggy Stardust and Diamond Dogs, on vinyl of course; this was back in the day.

Soon after that, I met my friend Joe P. at a summer drama camp at Yale University. That was back when we both still wanted to act. He lived a few hours away from me so during senior year of high school, we wrote to each other (no e mail for us!). We started writing a play called, When David Bowie Came to Springfield or David Bowie Comes to Springfield, I can't remember. I can't even remember the plot of the play but I do remember we both liked David Bowie. We never finished the play but we did stay friends. He now works for SAG (Screen Actors Guild) and lives in New York City. He comes down to see all the plays I work on and my kids love him.

Isn't it amazing how David Bowie can bring people together? And, this gives me the perfect opportunity to link you to this David Bowie video from his Serious Moonlight tour. You can thank me later.

And now, I'm going to take a page from my own playbook, put on some Bowie, have a glass of wine, and check in with all my blogging friends to see what they've been up to lately.

Mixed Tapes

We've been in rehearsals now for two weeks and it's a big show; a lot to think about. People are coming on and off the stage, moving boxes, drawing chalk, mopping up... it's incredible. At the end of the week, I have one day left to clean my house and hang out with my kids. It's not a great deal of time but we make the most of it...or at least try to.


Last night, my daughter wanted to make a mixed CD (like we did in the 80's only with tapes). One of the songs she requested was Get Back. I immediately thought she meant The Beatles song but instead she wanted some Disney thing. Trying to influence her, I found a YouTube video of the The Beatles playing on top of Apple Records and played it for her and my son. Both of them loved it.

We ended up having a great night playing YouTube videos for each other. My daughter played the music she likes and we countered with what we used to listen to. Luckily, my husband knows a lot about music so when my daughter likes an artist, he can show her a musical influence from our generation. Here are some examples:

• She liked Avril LaVigne's Girlfriend, he played Joan Jett's I Like Rock and Roll
• She showed us Sara Bareilles' Fairytale, he thought Fiona Apple's Criminal

I played The Supremes because they are my all-time favorites but they didn't get into them--perhaps when they are older. They did, however, like David Bowie, another big favorite of mine. Someone once commented to me that David Bowie is the Frank Sinatra of our generation. He may be right. Anyway, I'm excited that my daughter's CD will be truly mixed with artists from all different eras.

This allows me to digress a bit. Years ago, before children, if one can remember that time, I went to a Bowie/Nine Inch Nails Concert with Brian. It was a great concert--Bowie and Trent Raznor were amazing on stage together. A few weeks later, Brian and I were chatting about this concert with some guy as we watched Cal Ripken break Lou Gerhig's record at a friend's house. This young guy, obviously a Nine Inch Nails fan, asked us, "Cool, so Bowie opened for Nine Inch Nails?"

Shocked, we chastised the poor soul by responding, "David Bowie doesn't open for anyone."

Some generations get it and some don't.