Marianne Faithfull

... and I'm so glad that I have my coughmedicine... I could get used to coccilana etyfin... ooooh yes... sister morphine is my only friend at the moment...

A couple years ago my daughter was asked to contribute a few poems for some "zine" that came out quarterly, and since they were to appear in the Winter issue, it was suggested she write stuff that had to do with snow, or cold, or that sort of stuff. Three of them she wrote on her own, and they were utterly inspired - e.g.; "I wanted to write a poem about Winter / The only word it rhymes with is 'printer'" [note that this is not factual; she knew perfectly well about "spri... MORE

One night while Erika was in Houston's MD Anderson attending to her mother and I was Orlando, the phone rang and it was Janis. This was about 6 July or so, at about 3 AM. We knew at this point that her cancer was terminal and that it was a losing struggle. Seeing that name on the caller ID was a bit like seeing a ghost. I knew that the medication was making her disoriented, but I answered and she asked to speak to Erika. I told her that Erika was in Houston (with her) and ... MORE

One year older to be exact. I just had a birthday and I recall when I was much younger, the excitement with which I approached each birthday.That eventually just turned to indifference and now, I guess dread.I'm older than I ever intended to be. Older than I ever imagined I could be.Damn.People say that age doesn't matter that much anymore; 50 is the new 40, 40 is the new 30 etc. I don't think I look old. I usually don't "feel" my age. Most people guess that I'm at least... MORE

The lyrics are X-rated, vile, brilliant, violent and funny; the guitars are lacerating; the performance burns like a flamethrower. Nearly 30 years after it was written, no rock singer has come close to putting so much jealous rage and wounded poetry into six and a half minutes.

I really wanted these- and I was outbid by a dollar. I'm not typically a fan of rock and roll wall art, but I thought these vintage press photos would look lovely matted and framed and hung together. I'd never seen those photos before.

Marianne Faithfull spent most of the 1970s strung out on heroin and hoovering coke, so when she dropped "Broken English" on the world in 1979, it knocked everyone on their ass. The angelic voice that sang "As Tears Go By" in the mid sixties was replaced by a haggard, bleak moan, every bit of earned over years of living on the streets and just trying to get high. The album is just unbelievably real, visceral stuff, including her legendary cover of John Lennon's "Working Cla... MORE

For those youngsters who only know Marianne Faithfull as a matronly, debauched rock icon, here's a shocker - Marianne as a 60s pop star. I have never seen a more beautiful picture of her. How incredibly alluring - it gives me chills.

I can't help sharing an odd touring anecdote. In '99 and 2000 I was playing keyboards in Marianne Faithfull's band. There was a really fun and absolutely zany group of people involved with those tours. Never a dull moment. Brian and Andy, the two Scots, were eternally hilarious and never at a loss for the finest quick, dry jabs. Brilliant and sweet Barry Reynolds was much quieter and trickier with his wit. My friend from New Orleans Chris Thomas always providing yet anothe... MORE

I was listening to Ms Faithfull this morning. Get well soon missus! In the meantime here's a rather smashing clip from 'Anna", courtesy of Spiked Candy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ch4J7B0ccvw&mode=related&search=

Have I mentioned how much I love this song? Man, it's incredible. All these years later I can still listen to it over and over.

I have a great wig. It's long and blond and reminescent of either Claudia Schiffer or a young and nubile Marianne Faithfull. Whenever I need a Halloween costume, I just grab a hot dress, boots and put some Fekkai glossing cream on the wig. Who cares if I do it every year? S'fun. And our dear Marianne is undergoing treatment for breast cancer. Glad she caught it early. Wishing her well...