Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Good House Weeping

Some say houses have souls. Or manitous. Or whatever that weird lady named Abigail who works in the New Age Emporium kiosk in the mall calls that which defines unseen, spiritual manifest of a chosen person or object. Whew! I'm the sort that just shuts down when that type of talk is brought forth. I'm like, take your crystals and pyramid hat and lavender stink the heck out of here, and oh, turn up the Pantera on the way out, will you? SEE YA!

Hey, I'm spiritual. One viewing of Floyd's transcendent "Live at Pompeii" and I firmly believed that I saw God, or David Gilmour, at the height of his guitar prowess. Same dif'.

I do believe that a house inhabited by truly compelling individuals has the potential to become a character in it's own right. "If these wall could talk", indeed! Explains why people flock to absorb the kitchy mojo of the Graceland manse, or why in an effort to erase a horrible, Helter Skelter past, the original house at 10050 Cielo Drive was razed. Shit, even the original "devil windows" on the Amityville Horror house were changed to non threatening looking square ones that in no way resemble "blazing eyes of fury straight from HELL!"

And so it comes with great sadness, the news that Johnny Cash's lakeside home was completely destroyed by fire. The very house where he wrote the kind of tunes that define the term instant classic and the very house that bore witness to the legendary love story of June 'n Johnny. The video for Johnny's incredible cover of TroutRezzie's and the Nine Inch Nails "Hurt" was filmed within the walls of what was surely an incredible piece of real-cool estate. Bet the thermostat even read "COOL" and "COOLER".

I find it interesting that Barry Gibb was planning on moving in once renovations (a new disco room and one gigantic empty room just to accommodate his ego) were completed. Apparently, Barry planned to write a new slew of stellar songs that would bring him into the good graces of the Billboard charts once again. I want Barry to have a new album. That means a whole bunch of new promotional appearances and interviews for him to freak out over and storm out of! YEESSSSSSSSSS!

But I think the Cash house thought differently. In an act of great defiance, the house self destructed, horrified that all the impending Gibb-ish-ness would ruin its cool and hip cachet.

Everything went up in smoke, leaving only the chimney intact, and that certainly is a "Tra-ge-ge-dee"(hey, at least I haven't resorted to a "Ring of Fire" joke).

It could be worse, I suppose. The estate could have been turned into a tacky Cash museum. I've seen what horrors have resulted when tourist commerce and country collide. If you are ever in Nashville head on over, y'all, to Demonbreun Street in the Music Row district. I headed on over. Boy, what a mistake. Starting off at Gilley's I was treated to a Garth Brooks clone doing karaoke, who looked like he stuffed the front of his pants with sport socks. He was aping Brooks during Garth's bright shirts and super tight black jeans era so it was not a good thing to see, trust me. Then it was on over to the Conway Twitty Country Store. It had an extremely cheap dollar store vibe to it and the souvenirs were the tackiest things ever. A lipstick case with Twitty's face on it. One of those porcelain bells with Twitty's face on it. Everything had Twitty's face on it, the same photo stamped on just mass produced QVC junk and generic household product. Sad. And I love Conway! Have you ever heard his fab duet(one of the many many!) with Loretta called "You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly"? It's pretty hot.

So farewell Johnny and June Carter's House. May your smouldering ashes avoid an ebay afterlife.

currently listening to: Beastie Boys, Paul's Boutique

11 comments:

Faerie said...

LOLing.. ~*cool aned cooler*~

well you know you brought that story to an upside... the house revolted..

and I answered your question over there...

Did I tell you we have family from FL this week? Seriously hampering my online doing-nothing daily time...

SamuraiFrog said...

Damn, that's a shame. But yeah, I kind of like to think of the house going the way of Johnny and June, not standing for someone else to live in it. Someone should write a song. Willie Nelson, maybe.

Allan said...

Look at the sky turn a hellfire red-
Lord, somebody's house is burning
down, down ,down

Excellent post!Go Barry GO!

XO
A

bonjourtristesse said...

Hey gang!! how are all "the Usual Suspects" today? Kaiser Soze in da haus! LOL!

Vis!!!! the house did indeed revolt at the notion of such revolting muzak being composed within it's structural foundation! How's the family? Florida, huh? NIIIIIIICE! The Sunshine State! :) Bet you are the hostess with da mostest! It's good to see ya...don't run yerself ragged tho' now that you are feeling better, eh? take good care and make sure ya rest a bit! :)

SF! Willie all the way, brother! Good suggestion, and Willie would be the man! His only flaw was a film called "Honeysuckle Rose" back in the "70's...other than that he's perfect!!!!! Hope yer doing good, SF! :)

Allan!!! sing it sing it!!! As well as being a writer to reckon with (hot damn your post today was frickin' awesome...I laughed so much I almost went wee wee in da pantz!) you are probably a righteous singer too... yep, go Barry go! Go to Sibera, that is!! Anyway, you be good dearest and talk soon! thanks again for the Roadie comix...LOVES IT!!! :)

Todd and in Charge said...

What a great post -- I've been thinking about the Cash house too, all the great history there, Kristofferson landing a helicopter on the roof etc.

It's kinda sad, in a way, that Barry is responsible -- apparently the fumes from the renovation work caused the fire.

Believe it or not, I've been to his house on Miami Beach, a mansion for sure but not ostentatious in any way. His kid was in my son's class at school so I saw him all the time. I dreamed of asking him to sign my cd of "Odessa," that crappy early 70s album that is an indulgent, guilty pleasure of mine, but I never got the balls together to do it.

I did see him one time at a wrap party for Robin's "Secret Agent"(??) record back when I was in high school, and I did go up to him and declare his Sgt. Pepper movie to be the best of all time.

He laughed and just said they all had a blast making it.....

Godwhacker said...

Here! Here! to what TaiC said... I do think homes have a "vibe", having just recently bought and renovated one that was in need of an exorcism of sort. There were no crystals or pyramids involved, but we did have to rip out the carpet. There was definitely something... evil in it.

Also, I saw god at the Pink Floyd concert in the Orange Bowl back in the 80's. She was smoking something in the seat in front of me. :)

SamuraiFrog said...

I didn't think Honeysuckle Rose was too bad; Amy Irving was still cute, and it gave us the song "On the Road Again." I think doing the Dukes of Hazzard PREQUEL is now going to be Willie's low point. Still, you put in a copy of Stardust or Red Headed Stranger, and all is forgiven.

Allan said...

Hahah! Me sing? Bwhahah!
You have never clicked on my music links, have you? Too bad, they are long gone now...
( is Saturday pm ok?)

bonjourtristesse said...

Todd! Welcome back! Thanks man, glad you liked the post! :) Oh my god! great great story how you went up to BG and declared the Pepper flick "the best of all time". RITE ON! I love it! You know I'm gonna troll around for "Odessa". Heck, if it's Todd guilty pleasure then it will be one of mine too! Hey, didn't he do an album called "Guilty" with Babs? Good to have you back, Todd! YAY! :)

GW! How goes it? So I trust your new home is all tip top now? Yes, I've heard of some evil carpets in my time...remember the carpets at the Outlook Hotel in "The Shining"...all those geometric designs and crazy earth colours...creepy...man, Kubrick had no taste! LOL! So ya saw the Floyd eh? I'm jealous! ;)

SF! Yep, the DOH! Prequel trumps the Honeysuckle don't it? LOL! Stardust is a great album!!! I loved "All of Me"...yeah, Amy Irving was cute in Carrie as well, but PJ Soles rocked my world the most! LOL!

Allan! I'm sure you sing divinely!! Just like Linda Mac! HA HA!!! Sat PM will be great! talk then! :)

SamuraiFrog said...

P.J. SOLES!!!! Finally! Someone else gets it, man! Riff will forever be the girl I wanted for my girlfriend.

Lorraine said...

Hi, Bonnie...been distracted lately, haven't been making the rounds and then, hello, I show up and get a ripping good dose of what I love about your writing. Well done, kitten.