Kristin Hersh in Da House (literally)

Tuesday and Wednesday I volunteered at Habitat for Humanity, where we got an intro on our first day about the organization, including how people pay for the houses with a combination of a no interest mortgage and "sweat equity."  It took about a day for my dripping with sweat, sunburned, exhausted fellow volunteer and I to figure out what this "sweat equity" was all about.  After a day of watching the homeowner-to-be sitting around munching on crackers and calling her friends while she watched us build a home for her, I asked my new friend, "So, do you think sitting there watching us sweat counts as sweat equity?"  To which she responded, "I think it must, otherwise there's no way she could afford this house." Excellent point.

When the fun was over, I took my exhausted little self who hadn't showered in a day and a half, covered in crusty mud and glue over to Kristin Hersh's house for a refreshing lemonade date.  To my credit, I did stop at a gas station and put on a clean t-shirt to try to draw the eyes up from my mud caked legs and shorts-fashion first.  The last time I saw Kristin was over a decade ago when I was a DJ on a big alternative radio station in the northeast and after rocketing straight to indie rock stardom with the Throwing Muses, Kristin was on tour promoting her first solo album, Strange Angels (which is what she calls the people who support her work financially in exchange for her giving them free music-whether it be CDs, downloads or tickets to show).  With all the amazing women musicians I heard and met in New Orleans, I just couldn't leave without finding Kristin Hersh (who splits her time between Providence and NOLA these days) because to me she is the queen of indie rock.  

We took our lemonade out to the porch and she got me up to speed on all her current projects (which you can learn more about at http://www.kristinhersh.com/).  The lowdown: (i) she just finished recording the new 50FootWave album in LA with Mudrock, (ii) she is finalizing a new solo album (on which she plays all the instruments), (iii) she is working on several projects for CASH Music (which she started with Donita Sparks of L7, Robert Fagan and her husband/manager Billy O'Connell in her words "to take the dollar signs out of music and help artists circumvent the industry . . . which should die" http://cashmusic.org/) and (iv) she is writing her "memoirs" which she explained will really be her taking a diary she kept from when she was 18-19 and turning that into a book.

I can't wait to read this book because it covers a period of her life when the Throwing Muses were just ramping up to becoming one of the greatest indie bands to ever come out of New England, she got pregnant with her first child and she was diagnosed bipolar.  On top of that, she said "it's really all about how much I loved my car" (which she was basically living out of during this period of her life).  What's not to love?  When I asked her why she was writing this book now, she explained that for years people had been offering to ghostwrite her memoirs for her and when she eventually agreed, she realized that meant giving some guy access to her kitchen for a month or more so he could ask her about her feelings all day and all night. Cooking soup at this point, she turned to me and explained, "I don't do feelings.  So, after I basically fired like the third guy who tried to write my memoirs, I just decided to do it myself."

When I finally excused myself because I was late for a date in Lafayette that night, she walked me out to my "Sweet Ride!" and then confessed that now that she had seen my sweet ride, she wanted to come with me. It's a natural reaction to seeing my car, you just want to climb in it and never get out.  She also invited me to join her for some portion of her upcoming tour, so we promised to keep in touch and try to meet up again on the road this summer. yee ha.

Hugs were had, I got some parting advice about how I should consume something other than beef jerky and redbull when I'm on the road all day, and then I was off to a wine tasting in Lafayette hosted by the promoter of the off broadway production of the color purple that I met in Jackson that night I ended up at the hotel bar after my fruitless search for live blues.  I knew when I pulled up and saw an M5 and an S550, that I was going to like these guys (I always get along with car people). The short version is that even though I arrived after the dinner and still unshowered and generally disgusting (though I did stop at a gas station to throw on some crisp white pants to draw the eyes down from my greasy hair-I'm really mastering this whole fashion thing), I had a fabulous night with about 25 of the biggest players in the area who welcomed me in like I was part of their boys club.  We spent the night drinking several bottles of fabulous red wine and talking about every detail of my trip, while they gave me endless advice about where to go and people to contact along the way.

I was told that before I left Lafayette in the morning I had to do two things-have breakfast at Edie's where I would have the best biscuits I've ever had and then swing by Charlie G's (where Holly Goetting is the Executive Chef) for a bowl of Duck and Andoullie gumbo, which even when Charlie G left the table all these guys swore was the best gumbo in Louisiana.  I followed my instructions carefully and was glad I did because the biscuits and gumbo were amazing.  Then I was off to Austin, which for all of you Lafayette guys reading this who swore it couldn't be done in less than 7.5hrs in a regular car and 6.5 in mine, took me exactly 5.5 door-to-door.  Though, in fairness, it might've taken longer if I stopped to mourn the bird I killed on the way, which, for the record, wasn't my fault, he was flying at an unreasonably low altitude.

This is the house that "sweat equity" (not to be confused with Jack who might have actually broken a sweat) built.

Kristin Hersh and my "sweet ride"

Edie's (and owner Stanley Leece)-Best biscuits ever and deelish local organic eggs

Charlie G's-The Duck and Andouille Gumbo should not be missed if you are in these parts

Retracing my steps to Charmaine Neville

Yesterday afternoon I made a pilgrimage to the Musicians' Village in the ninth ward, created by Habitat for Humanity, Harry Connick Jr. and Branford Marsalis for musicians who lost their homes to Hurricane Katrina.  As soon as I stepped out of my car, I was greeted by Duey (pictured below) who was a very big fan of my car and whose father is a bassist with a regular gig at Preservation Hall.  After Duey's personal tour of the village and an interesting conversation with trumpet player, Kyle Hughes, I was off to Domilise's (on Mr. Charleston's must hit list with the note-"Best po boy in town") where I had an incredible fried oyster po boy.  I haven't had every po boy in town, so it's hard to confirm his claim, but it was the best I've ever had and my mouth is watering just remembering it, so it should definitely be in the running.  And, in fairness, I wasn't really giving it all my attention because I had one eye on the sketchy guys outside circling my car.    

When I made my get away without incident, I was positively giddy with relief and decided to celebrate my great escape by reliving a night I spent out on the town with my family many years ago when I was about eleven years old.  The first stop was Preservation Hall where I caught the first 2 sets of the 726 Jazz Band. Then I headed to Cafe Du Monde for beignets before making my way (one hurricane at a time) down the length of Bourbon Street en route to Snug Harbor to catch Charmaine Neville's 10pm show (her second sold out show of the night).  

The last time I saw Charmaine Neville, it was very late on some mid-week night and the only people there were Charmaine, her Piano player, my family and Terry Anderson (and a friend), who had just been released after 6 yrs of being held hostage in Lebanon by Hezbollah militants funded by the Iranian government.  I have a god awful memory, and have probably forgotten at least 90% of the noteworthy experiences I have had in my life, but I will never forget that night as long as I live because of the raw emotion that filled that room.  After Charmaine said a few poignant words to Terry acknowledging what he had been through and how grateful she was to God that he was free and alive, she dedicated the most powerful rendition of "What a Wonderful World" that I have ever heard to him, and by the time she was done, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.  When I was talking to her after the show, I asked her if she remembered that night, to which she responded, "I do. My god, I do."  Many hugs and a few pictures later, I walked my giddy self home thinking that it is indeed a wonderful world . . .

Musicians' Village

Duey

Domilise's

The 726 Jazz Band at Preservation Hall

Charmaine Neville at Snug Harbor

Jazz Fest and Cochon

So, I found Simon & Garfunkel at the jazz fest, but, sadly, Art could not find his voice and more than a few kids accompanying them had trouble finding their rhythm and the end result was not pretty.  Now, having spent countless nights of my childhood dancing the night away with my family to the tune of S&G's live in Central Park album and knowing this was their first show in six years, I do feel really lucky that I got to see them live once in my life, but it must be said that the show was a bit of a train wreck and I was happy taking off before the encore to go find some good food.

The guy I met in Charleston who sent me to Hot & Hot also gave me a must hit restaurant list for New Orleans, that included Cochon for the best authentic cajun food.  Once again, he was dead-on.  I had the hog's head cheese (a meat jelly made from parts of the pig's head) with toast points, the crawfish pie and the absolutely delicious fried alligator with chili garlic aioli that just melted in my mouth.  Also, the bartender Matty made me the best old fashioned I've ever had.  Added bonus, on my way to Cochon, I bumped into Charley Drayton (rockstar drummer/bassist who has played with everyone from Keith Richards to Janet Jackson to Neil Young to Mariah Carey), who played drums for Simon & Garfunkel that afternoon and after a brief chat about the debacle we realized that we were both friends with Adam Levy and he told me that he and Adam are going on tour with the Eagles this summer.  I might just have to go find them on the road . . .

Sunday at the Jazz Fest was a perfect day.  The food (for me, a crawfish po boy and gumbo) was delicious, Shawn Colvin was great and Ingrid brought the house down.  Then she gave me a backstage tour and talked me into going to see Keely Smith (Jazz legend and now I understand why) instead of the Allman Brothers.  The next thing I knew we were backstage after Keely Smith's set and I was standing face to face with Tim Robbins and the hottie tottie (and I have the pictures to prove it).  As for lastnight, I'm saving what I can remember about it for my book.  All I will say now is that I have a big lump on my arm and a gash on my shoulder blade and I am very much looking forward to little pieces of my memory coming back to me so that I can laugh and laugh about the story underlying my injuries.  When in New Orleans . . .

Simon & Garfunkel (and Charley Drayton on drums)

Simon & Garfunkel-"Mrs. Robinson"

Shawn Colvin-"Shotgun down the Avalanche"

 

Ingrid Lucia-"I'd Rather Be in New Orleans"

Keely Smith-"On the Sunny Side of the Street"