from the shelves: elizabeth cotten

Born in 1895, Elizabeth Cotton wrote her most famous song, “Freight Train” in her early teens, on the porch of her house on Lloyd Street in North Carolina, despite never having been taught standard tuning (or any tuning for that matter). Unfathomably, she wasn’t discovered until she was in her sixties, after decades as a housekeeper. Despite living through America’s long, hot afternoon, she harbored no bitterness. “We’re all gonna rise the Judgement Day. That’d be wonderful wouldn’t it? I’d come and gather all my little children in my arms. All of you all. Just gather you up and take you right on back with me. Oh wouldn’t that be sweet. I wished I could.”





Having had an Elizabeth Cotten sized hole in my record collection for a long time, I was thrilled to finally see this record reissued. The original releases on Folkways are hard to come by, but this one should still be available at all fine record stores. You can get a taste here first:

Elizabeth Cotten - When I'm Gone (transferred from LP)

this week in lloyd: the rubble being...

I'm not even sure what my favorite part about this video is, I love all of it so much. This can't be real right? Who is that woman? wtf? I think I'm going to spend two days pulling quotes from this and drawing Lloyd's facial expressions, only to decide that the video is about as perfect as it could be and throw them out.

It reminds me of Dave Chappelle, who I miss dearly, but I'm pretty sure Lloyd is sincere. It may be scripted, but that makes it no less endearing. Maybe I'm more pre-disposed to be a Lloyd fan, but I'm thrilled that there seems to be a bit of substance behind that pretty grill and a real voice beneath that chiseled abdomen.

since i left you

You know that song about the Big Rock Candy Mountains? That place kind of exists, somewhere in Mendocino County. I've been there for the last month or so, and let me tell you, California is MAGIC. A coyote ate a pony and it was like the wild wild west with these fifteen foot alien plants, but basically all that statement really means is that I don't understand this state any more than I did before I moved here.

Here's what I do know: I have a lot of scattered thoughts.

First, here's a video I can't help but keep watching even though it makes me sad. Its by someone else who knows a lot more than me about hard living. I mean, guuuhd gawd listen to that voice. I don't particularly care for the opening shots of the junkyards, but they're worth getting through.


It's true what she says. Everything. All of it.

In fact, I've been doing lots of hurting lately; been real self destructive. Maybe its the first step towards getting rich off art. Either way, my next step is moving to New Orleans with my pal Borna, who is well on his way to getting rich off art. I'm not sure if I can talk about it yet, but let's just say someone noticed how brilliant his Best Buy show was... So yeah, I'm heading down South to find records, make stuff and try and shake this feeling.