Wow, Here's a lot of pics! Sorry my last post was so gross..Did I bring blogging to a new low..or was it so CRAPTASTIC it BLEW YOUR MIND!? Anyway, today after practicing for a while(yes, I need to promote my upcoming gig with R. Crumb and Dom Flemons this weekend!), and exercising I went to Anthology Film Archives to buy a ticket to see Stanley Bard, a documentary by Sam Bassett about the owner/manager of the famous Chelsea Hotel. I love the Chelsea, if I ever moved out of the LES, it would only be if I could live in the south of France or at the Chelsea Hotel. Either will do.
But they were also screening a film about artcars..cars all gussied up crazy-like at Anthology..There were several parked along 2nd st and I just had to get pics! We see the cube car, the scary big-brotherish Camera Van, and the crazy metal van. That metal van must have weighed a ton! And my pics really don't do it justice..
There was a car with old records and instruments all over it, and a telephone car! That was awesome..and also a caravan of sorts with eyes painted on the back and stuffed animals dangling from the inside of it. it looked really cozy and plush inside.
And I like the toy car which had plastic toys cemented all over it..It would be a trip to see these cars all road tripping together across the country. The owners appeared just as strange as the cars themselves..I wanted to see the film about these artcars but couldn't stay..I did come back at 7 to see Stanley Bard. I really had no idea just how many very famous people lived at the Chelsea Hotel. Hendrix, Bob Dylan, Arthur Miller, Janis Joplin, jeez! The filmmaker Sam lives on the roof apparently..he has some great photos at his website. I've never been inside the Chelsea but Robert Crumb took John in once and showed him around..Damn, that place has some history. Stanley Bard doesn't run the place anymore, but he seems like a really nice, decent man. Sam Bassett had also made a film about a character from Ray's and the LES named Cowboy Stan whom I know. Stan showed up at this film thinking it was the film about him..We sat together and I guess Cowboy Stan liked the movie, but did seem sad it wasn't the film about him..
Sam sent me a few of his films for free once, so I gave him my bands CD and some neat Crumb stickers I had made up for our upcoming release..Sam was very nice, and very quiet. Clayton Patterson was there too, taking photos and making the rounds..It was an interesting night. The last two very lame, way too dark pics are of Sam and Bard doing a Q and A after the screening.
I wonder how long those cars will be parked on 2nd street? I REALLY want the phone car to drive me by the Pee Phone and drop me off. It's only right.