It’s All Me Me Me These Days
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Artist:
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Album:Beckology
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Track:
I was born in Australia to an Australian mum and English dad. I grew up there, Canada and the USA before moving to the UK when I was 20. I've also lived in Japan.
I have moved 28 times. I've lived in Sydney, Melbourne, Vancouver BC, Eugene, Fresno, LA, London, Hollywood, and Tokyo. When someone says, "Where are you from?," I never know what to say. When I hear people say they're going back to their home town, I don't know what that feels like.
I once owned X-Men 1 - 20. Like an idiot I sold them about 20 years too soon.
My grandmother grew up in a castle in Ireland. It looks more like a big house, but when you put battlements on the roof I guess you can call it what you want. It's now a hotel and we visited it a few years ago. When I saw the brass plaque saying Johnny Cash Room I had to know more; he and June stayed there around 2000 when making a TV special. I looked up their autographs in the Visitors Book and took a photo with my phone camera, but some bastard stole it before I could transfer the photo. They both had fine, strong signatures.
Travel seems to be in the Ingham bloodstream. My mum planned on moving to the USA from the age of 16; it took 40 years to achieve. My grandfather was posted to China in 1922 and assigned to help in the aftermath of the 1923 Tokyo earthquake; he died from yellow fever in Kenya. My great great grand uncles were all shipped off to India in the 1850s - one died from fever, one was killed by lightning, and the third went tiger hunting. He rode an elephant and when he shot and only wounded his tiger, it attacked. The elephant ran and a tree branch knocked him and his mahout off. The mahout grabbed onto the branch but my uncle fell to the ground, where the tiger mauled him. He was saved by the mahout, who dropped from the tree and killed the tiger with a knife. It was two days downriver to the nearest doctor and when they arrived gangrene had set in his mauled leg and the only option was to amputate it. He was given a bottle of whisky as anaesthetic, to which he replied, 'A gentleman does not drink'. He was given a bullet to bite instead.
I was PR Manager for Bob Marley in 1974.
My earliest memory is seven months or younger. I can remember large chunks of my life, but I'm terrible at remembering conversations and people's names. I was five the first time I saw a TV, which came to Australia for the Olympic Games. My mum was very excited the first time we were going to see one, but I couldn't see what was so fabulous about a box on a table showing pictures. I guess my daughter thinks about computers and the Internet in the same way. We didn't own a TV until I was 13.
One of my several regrets is that I didn't study harder at film school and get into the business. On the other hand, I have watched my (famous) screenwriter friend dragged across the nine circles of emotional hell through the years as he goes in and out of favour, so maybe I'm better off. As Mickey Spillane said about being a writer, all you need is a typewriter and a sheet of paper. I went to film school at Cal Arts in LA. One of the teachers was Bob Christgau, music critic at the Village Voice. He taught me how to pile up the nouns against the verbs and got me my first writing credits at CREEM. I thank him for the dissolute music-filled life that followed.
I did the first interview with The Sex Pistols. I'm not sure if it was the best interview I did, but it was certainly the most memorable.
Tokyo is my favourite city. I love mid-century architecture and furniture. I collect cacti and bamboo.
I'm working on a couple of music related Internet projects. I'm very very curious to see where the music business goes in the next ten years. Whatever happens, it's going be interesting. I'm also stunned by the volume of really good music being created at the moment. I think it's great that art has the tools to get away from craven businessmen only interested in their own exalted lifestyle. Viva Art!
Comments (21)
An interesting and varied life. Grandfather mauled by a tiger and PR for Bob Marley...wow.
The line here that just tells me the most about you, though:
"They both had fine, strong signatures"
you so rock.
Thanks John....I think we can gain a little insight from this.
"He was given a bottle of whisky as anaesthetic, to which he replied, ‘A gentleman does not drink’. He was given a bullet to bite instead."
That is one of the most bad-ass things I have ever heard in my life. And seeing as you first interviewed the Sex Pistols, it clealry runs in the family.
Viva Art indeed!
Like a scene out of a good movie....I'm sure you could also write a great book about your life if you havent' already! Loved it, thanks for sharing. The only tiger I have seen is in a zoo, pampered? I'd love to learn more about your career someday. Cheers Mate!
Your life sounds so exciting, travel...wanna trade?
Great stories. PR for Marley? First Interview of The Sex Pistols? just one of those would be a great memory! Your family history sounds like something Kipling would have written!
Did you write when Lester Bangs was at Creem? What's up with film majors and the music industry? Morrison, you, Christgau? Even Sam Beam of Iron and Wine was a Film Professor before his career change. I guess we never go to school for what we want to actually do.
I'd love to visit Tokyo, I've wanted to see it for so long. I'm so fascinated by the accelerated culture there.
I agree, your life would make a good movie, and you can co-write it with your screenwriter friend...it's a win win!
I believe that there are few more ruthless industries than the music one, and the film/TV is certainly one of them.
Viva Jonh!
Now I feel all bad for sending you that Polyphonic Spree joke... ;)
Tyler - I met and hung out with Lester a fair bit when he still lived in San Diego. Great guy and great times, though his fondness for Romilar and alcohol (not together!) was a bit disconcerting.
Amber - I dunno, school in Hawaii and living in Berkely...that sounds pretty good thoo.
Indy - Lately people keep telling me to write a book. It seems like a lot of work.
Jules - I've tried to imagine what that's like, being true to your principles when someone's about to saw your through your leg bone. I'd reach for the bottle.
dmdm - no problemo, you're welcome.
amber - :-), I think.
Anna - Hey, I have the strength of tiger-mauled men in my veins! I can take the blows of a mad Greek. ; )
Enjoyed the read, the writing was great! Man... interesting how life can throw so much at us, and yet we keep moving on if we so choose. Thanks for sharing yourself with us. Very cool.
Tried to post a response twice, but MOG ate them. The gist is that I really envy your life thus far, and I'd certainly feel no regrets if I were you. Your time on this planet sounds downright fascinating! I always look forward to reading the stuff you put post. Now that I'm sort of back amongst the living, I'll be looking forward to more of these!
Living in Hawaii and Berkley does sound lovely...and I'm sure it was... ;) You'd have to ask Annieander tho...that's her life, not mine. :P
what a fantastically penned mini auto bio john
a very interesting read with so much perspective
perhaps that is what you get from moving around so much
you sir, are a class act!
and i, am definitley not a gentleman
Oh, you peripatetic devil! Already knew a few things about you and what we have in common (our respective biz with CREEM and Mr. Bangs, for instance). But the rest of it, especially the family history? Whoa, Nellie!
Thank you for letting us glimpse at the tip of the iceberg of your life.
Why not write that book; it's not work if it's fun.
Viva Art, Viva Jonh!
"I’m also stunned by the volume of really good music being created at the moment." I'm hearing it here at MOG.
It sounds as if you're in the middle of an exciting life.
very cool.
Very nice, Jonh. Mahout?
Mahout - the Indian guy who 'drives' the elephant.
Wow, I'm surprised you stayed still enough to write a word. Quite an adventure you've had and I get the feeling it's not over...
Colin, I get the same feeling. A lot of times it doesn't feel so good. Other times, it's the best feeling in the world.