Sometimes it becomes reasonable to post a Throwback Thursday or as Apollonia made famous; Thursday - Wednesday - Friday - Sunday - Saturday and then...Ka-Boom! That's because, by accident we found a gem from the past and we're a little short on 'New & Improves'.
But that shouldn't stand in the way of presenting cool and creative nostalgia like portraying Frank Lloyd Wright on NPR's Kids America series.
We did live guest spot telephone call-ins back in the day, from our
home studio in Queens. NPR's, Kids America had us performing during
Christmas week for their show: Mystery History
Guest.
As the guest, I'd come up with a character's voice and supply Foley effects to compliment the guest's environment and time frame. Remember kids...this was from a time when people listened to the radio. I was diggin' the edgy energy from being 'Live', fleshing out the character, laying out characteristic details and stats about the Mystery guest.
Now here's the rub with 'ole Whisker-puss...even though he hasn't any. In real life recordings of Mr. Wright, he comes off a bit of a kvetch and not very approachable, least not for lame and sophomoric banter. This was one of those times, you really wanted to be good. I mean, you wanted to give the kids a good show. Of course, there's always that nagging possibility that you'll come off lookin' like Joey Nickels (what an ass--) from the movie Annie Hall.
So we came up with a voice that was more happy and peppy and bursting with love. We had a lot of fun playing the guessing game and playing the part. It was also a trip to do all of it 'Live' before your very ears. And it was all analog. That means cassette players queued up with music and SFX, making sure things are moving along at a good pace, dropping some reference and levity here & there...and being careful not to channel - Joey Nickels. Click > button below to play FLW
Some of the clues dropped were; cantilever, prairie, Taliesin, Fallingwater, Usonian, "Space is the Breath of Art" etc.
On a more personal note, every so often we go on the prowl to find our own Frank Lloyd Wright golden nugget right here on Long Island. Great Neck, to be well, more precise.
Though, citing rubs, we've not yet been able to locate the Wright phantom house...or set eyes on it. We have the address, but can never seem to find it on our own.
So, with respect to the current occupants privacy, we'll show just a
glimpse of the house...as it can be seen by anyone on the web, or willing to stick it out with a -
Google Earth Map.
Could this be a sign. You mean, an early clue to a new direction...Sunny Jim!
We're done wit dat one your Honor - this just IN! The Late Show's Stephen Colbert brought in the news last nite, May 8th, with Prez wannabee RFK Jr.'s claim that some of his brain was eaten by a worm...a specific worm of none other than Busytown's Lowly Worm. And just to refresh our memory, who is it that plays Lowly Worm...Tommy 'C' . Thanks Stephen. We emailed TLS's talent coordinator... Imagine That!
Click on > below to to play.
