First of all, I wish anyone who reads this blog a happy Feast of the Green Man.

For the next 90 days, I will be offering my services as selector/mixmaster/headphone hierophant on a very limited basis and based on very particular circumstances. Consider this offer carefully. It will expire when I have reached an agreement on 4 events.

Details:

I WILL PLAY FOUR GUEST-GIGS FOR THE BALANCE OF THIS YEAR. THAT'S IT, OTHER THAN MY REGULAR OBLIGATIONS. I WILL NOT ACCEPT MONEY FOR THESE SERVICES. RATHER, I WILL PLAY FOR SPECIAL PARTY PRIVILEGES, NEW EXPERIENCES, RARE BOOKS, CULINARY EXOTICA, PARTY FAVORS, MUSIC AND THE SIMPLE PLEASURE OF ENJOYING HEIGHTENED LEVELS OF RAREFIED HOSPITALITY OR THE DELIGHT OF BEAUTIFUL, SECRET SPACES. IF YOU HAVE AN EVENT THAT YOU WANT TO BE LIKE NO OTHER, INVITE ME INTO YOUR CREATIVE CONSPIRACY AND I WILL SEE TO IT THAT ALL EARS ARE APPROPRIATELY TEASED. ONLY INTRIGUING EVENTS WILL BE CONSIDERED.

SEND ME YOUR PROPOSAL. IF THE DATE IS CLEAR AND THE THEME IS ENGAGING, WE CAN DISCUSS FURTHER DETAILS. IN ADDITION TO ANYTHING NEGOTIATED, I ONLY ASK TO BRING ONE GUEST AND BE PROVIDED WITH BOTTOMLESS CLUB SODA OR HIBISCUS TEA. I WILL BRING DECKS AND A MIXER; YOU PROVIDE THE SOUND SYSTEM.

I AM HAPPY TO WORK WITH YOUR THEME BUT IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE, YOU MAY CONSIDER ONE OF THE FOLLOWING: COSMIC RIVERBOAT, ALIEN WORLDS, JAMAICA, H.P. LOVECRAFT, PUNK TURNS 40, HIPPIE CULT FREAKOUT, MAD SCIENCE, OLD WEIRD AMERICA, SCORING OF SILENT FILMS, GARDEN OF HEDON, SCIENCE FICTION, HARD-BOILED KNOCKS, THE WAYBACK MIX, DADA THEME PARK OR DR. SUPERFLY'S CABINET OF ESOTERIC VIBES.

UNLESS OTHERWISE SPECIFIED, ALL PROPOSALS WILL BE HANDLED IN CONFIDENCE. I ENCOURAGE ANYONE TO FORWARD THIS OFFER TO THOSE SEEKING SPECIALIZED SONIC CONTRIBUTIONS FOR VERY UNIQUE OCCASIONS. 

ONCE I HAVE SELECTED 4 EVENTS OR 90 DAYS HAVE PASSED, THIS OFFER WILL END. ACT FAST!

I have been working at odd hours on making digital copies of the vinyl I inherited from my friend George. So I have been listening to Edgar Froese, Synergy and Klaus Schulze lately. Schulze, an alumnus of Ash Ra Tempel and Tangerine Dream, is very well represented in George's collection, as is TD itself. I particularly enjoyed Schulze's two-record set Cyborg.

Synergy's Sequencer was one of the first albums I ever bought, at age 10 or 11 (another Passport Label favorite from that time being the art rock opera The Intergalactic Touring Band). I hadn't listened to anything by Synergy in more than a decade. Aside from its simplicity and coldness, both considered retrospectively, the music took me back to a time when I hunkered down in front of my first stereo and listened to music for hours. This time around, I preferred different compositions and found some of my old favorites to be maudlin even though evocative.

George's interest in electronics was for scoring his art installations. Many of you probably recall his ethereal vinyl webbing forms floating in fields of black light at galleries and clubs. So many of George's synthesizer albums came from Stevie Fever's Record Gallery that once hung over Lower Greenville like the lair of some musical Djinn, so I have been treated to a double layer of nostalgia.

Out of more than a dozen albums I have transferred so far, I can report a bare minimum of pops and only one skip. Listening to and transferring this collection has been an unexpectedly wonderful musical journey, one that fills in several gaps in my own collection.

All of my holiday plans changed when my computer completely and irrevocably gave up its Deus ex Machina and wouldn't even turn on. I had been intending to do a week of focused writing. This was the second in a series of holiday technical problems that I had to deal with. To begin with, I blew out all of the electricity in the front of my house while changing a light bulb. I had to leave early from work the next day so that I had the requisite light to disassemble my kitchen lamp and repair it. On December 26, the laptop failed. On December 27, the water pump in my bathtub-pond burned out and had to be replaced. On December 29, my iPhone crashed, leaving me with only the land-line for communication. On December 30, my DVD recorder went south. Hopefully I am predisastered for 2009 now.

So I shifted gears and worked diligently in the garden, doing my share of Winterizing. The most ambitious aspect of this was removing a 200 lb. root-mass from my pond. Over 6 years, the roots from several plants had woven together into a sold mass that I couldn't haul out on my own. This time around, I approached the problem with a pruning saw, net, and shovel combination that helped me to slice huge chunks of root-fiber loose and drag them out of the pond along with the usual stinky black pond-scum that makes great fertilizer. I worked in shifts of several hours, slept when I felt tired and ate when I felt hungry.

In addition to this, I rebuilt the waterfall, transplanted a patch of donkey-ear cacti without being stuck, pruned limbs from dead trees, cut perennials to the ground and repaired the bathtub pond.

This was followed by intense on-again/ off-again allergies that plagued the balance of my holiday week as the weather fluctuated. I was able to visit with my friend Paul and his kids before they headed back to Houston. Luz and I spent a quiet New Year's Eve at the house and saw Slumdog Millionaire on Friday.

Overall, my holidays were fun. After visiting with several friends, I was thankful by comparison that Christmas week was without any family drama. My niece, Lori, hosted our family and we had a pleasant day and a nice walk by the lake. Another holiday highlight was getting to see Luz sing in the Irving Chorale's Celtic Christmas with Connie Dover, an incredible singer I hadn't been exposed to before, though a long-time influence on Luz.

It's a tradition at the end of a year to post recommendations and Top 5 or 10 lists, many of which seem just like other Top 5 or 10 lists. I don't do this because my tastes aren't consistently contemporary. I didn't see enough new films in 2008 to have an informed opinion and I tend to read/ watch/ listen to whatever draws me in, regardless of its novelty or lack thereof. I'm as likely, perhaps more, to be reading a novel from 1973 as I am to be reading a new release. And I eschew commercial television for the convenience of DVD.

So here's the deal. I'm going to pass on one recommendation, then I'm going to ask for your recommendations, based on what you know of me and my particular tastes. Here goes:

The Aegypt Cycle by John Crowley: I am presently reading the fourth and final book of this astounding cycle. In this series of novels, Crowley considers historical figures with deep focus on Giordano Bruno, William Shakespeare and Dr. John Dee (Queen Elizabeth's magus and spymaster). One will also find Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Dame Frances Yates making memorable cameo appearances. These stories-within-the-story are ostensibly penned by the author Fellowes Kraft, who is being studied by the protagonist, Pierce Moffet, a secular author who is trying to pen a New Age book that he doesn't quite believe in, though he has already sold it based on a premise. While Crowley is openly inspired by Thomas Pynchon to the point of homage, his work is unique and never imitative. Unlike many male authors, Crowley writes vibrantly complex female characters who drive the story and give it unique depth. These books are wide-ranging in breadth and the history recounted offers a mirror for the contemporary tale and the travails of its characters. Topics covered include the reign of the Winter King & Queen, alchemy, cult programming, sexual power-play, extremism, folk traditions of Kentucky, mistaken identity, divorce and custody battles, and what we gain and lose as different eras come and go. Particularly enjoyable for me is the interplay of magick and rationalism, each of which is well balanced against the other- no small accomplishment. All of these books are now in print from Small Beer Press. This is literary fiction at its finest and most thought-provoking.

My Top 5 favorite novelists presently are:

1. Thomas Pynchon

2. Edward Whittemore

3. John Crowley

4. Jonathan Carroll

5. Philip K. Dick

I look forward to hearing what you will recommend, again regardless of time or relevence. What television series transcends the limitations of that medium? Which Star Trek series shines most brightly in the franchise? What horror novel scared the poop out of you? What film made you look at things a little differently? What album expanded the limits of music for you? Which director ruptured your tender psyche? What singer broke your heart? What non-fiction book changed or explained everything? What book or story made you want to write or read more? Don't be shy! I'm tired of writing and hope to hear from you.

Whoever you may be, thank you for reading the Superfly Papers. I appreciate your time, consideration and feedback. I intend to be writing other things over the winter holiday and enjoying the unmediated life, so this may be my last entry for 2008. 

This year's Gods & Goddesses Ball has passed. As usual, my duties as host kept me from engaging in any lengthy discussions and I regret that. I have now been hosting parties and festivals for 28 years. While I consider myself to be adept at it, there is always something new to learn. Here's what I learned from this year's GAG Ball:

1) I will not throw another costume ball during the Winter holidays. People are tight on time and cash, which reduces the attendance and hobbles preparation.

2) A few people, almost all of them male, are very insecure about costume parties and will not attend no matter what. I find this odd. The male ego can be a delicate thing.

3) Creatively conspiring with friends is wonderful and helps to expand the theme. For me, the best events are those that allow guests to become empowered participants. Let your guests work their variations on the theme and you will be surprised and delighted. While I am a host of events at my house, I don't want to be the boss. Open-source festivity is where it's at.

4) Costumes don't have to be expensive. While I enjoy those who go all out and dress to impress, it is equally fun to see what can be done with face-paint, scraps, a hot-glue gun and a trip through the dollar store. My Jah crown cost $5 in materials, all of which came from the dollar store. And now I have some funky headgear to wear at open mike day at City Council meetings.

5) Pre-party costume assistance wasn't offered this time, regrettably. In the future, it should be. I have learned a variety of art techniques from friends, and those who are capable hands with costumes are usually happy to help and guide others. Additionally, the more costume parties I host, the more odds and ends I have that I can share.

6) Hosting an event like this is like taking on a part-time job for about a month. It is not something to be entered into lightly.

7) Home improvements sometimes result from party preparations. This time around, friends helped me improve my firepit and finish the wooded hollow at the back of my property, among other things. These things are now material reminders of a festive evening.

8) While it is great to create a wonderfully complex costume, as Luz did this year, it may be better to streamline for comfort.

9) The warmer the weather, the racier the costumes.

10) Weirdly, there seemed to be some fallout from potential guests who are secularly oriented, as if the very idea of gods & goddesses is abhorrent to some rationalists. The GAG Ball is, and will be, open to people with or without fixed beliefs. Thankfully, this wasn't the case with everyone. Have fun with mythology! I have no more patience with atheists radicalized by Dawkins than I do with true believers radicalized by Kenneth Copeland. It's the extremism that sucks, regardless of the brand. Parties are for fun and diversity makes them rock, m'kay? Leave your stick in the mud and come have some fun.

11) Little details mean a lot. Music, art, atmosphere...there is a complexity that, when done right, comes together in synergy. I think of it as a kind of magic. You need not.

12)  Theme parties shouldn't be gimmicky. They should provide guests with creative leeway and, hopefully, inspiration.

13) Ideally, parties are a vehicle for community and its growth.

14) When your party becomes formulaic after several years, you should retire it. I stopped hosting the Feast of Fools after 14 years because its anarchy became predictable. Have the insight to know when your own annual party has jumped the shark. The annual FoF went out on a high note, with Prince Krazie doing a swan song as the Lord of Misrule and a Callithumpian parade that rocked the 'hood and baffled the cops. The same people doing the same shit every year gets tedious. I'm sure you can think of some other examples of this. Mix it up. Experiment. Break your own rules. Introduce new blood.

Again, thanks to those friends who took the time to help, attend and participate.

"Don't be so gloomy. After all it's not that awful. Like the fella says, in Italy for 30 years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, and bloodshed, but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love - they had 500 years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock."

   -Harry Lime in The Third Man

We are exhausted. We have faced adversity, unjust war and corruption on an almost unbelievable scale. Our economies are in ruins. Friends and loved ones are losing their jobs. Instead of relief and rest, for too many the holidays are bringing stress and grief.

On this first day of Saturnalia, the old Roman holiday of inversion and excess, we await some sweet harvest of redemption that will blossom in our Wasteland. We scan the night-sky for signs. Some pin their hopes to that latest in a series of virgin births, the Baby Jesus. But pirates have lifted the babe from the manger. New twisted Christianities have fashioned a gospel of greed from the once-revolutionary faith of poverty and forgiveness. The Beatitudes can't bear the freight of hatred, tyranny and intolerance that typify too much of modern "Christianity." We are beset, on all sides, by terrible inversions that make no sense. Naked emperors wave their bloody cocks at cheering throngs. Corrupt plutocrats seek new ways to spin gold from misery. Ignorance is the fashion du jour among certain politicians who, like Pol Pot before them, sow distrust of intellectuals. It's hard to tell if we are emerging from a mini Dark Age into the Light or just about to make the plunge into a deeper pit. How long have we been waiting for that pendulum to swing back? Perhaps it's time to ascend the pendulum to its pivot point, to see what that new view has to offer us.

For too long we have waited and watched for signs of redemption. In our passive consumer society, many wait for the Spectacle to self-correct, the Messiah to appear in the heavens or on television. Too many of us have lost our connection to the Earth, farming, compassion, empathy, humor, cooperation and the hard work it takes to foment positive change.

Our season of adversity has been relentless. We have wandered alone in the darkness for too long and we seek a glimmer of hope. We have earned our Golden Age but in doing so we have lost much of our innocence. We have earned brotherly and sisterly love, but we must emerge from our electronic isolation to manifest it. We desire to make a raucous, joyful noise, but first we must cast off the scraps and garbage of our top-down, mediated "culture," and remake ourselves and our communities in new intentional modes. We yearn for togetherness, yet strife and divisiveness have never been so popular. We lay claim to responsibility, but the appeal of scapegoats remains strong.

On this first day of Saturnalia, let us consider something improbable: a new Golden Age. No, it won't be given to us or revealed. We will have to seize it and apply our effort and imagination to the task. We have, at our disposal, all of history from which to learn. The simple fact is that we have all of the ingredients for a long-lasting new Renaissance. We have only to manifest it on a small scale, a template to show that it can be done. I have seen what a small, interdisciplinary group can achieve. True, we can be easily sidetracked by warring egos and insipid power-trips. But it is also possible that we can lose ourselves in hard work and vigorous play as we build a solid future from the stuff of our dreams.

So as we officially plunge into the holidays on this advent of Saturnalia, consider the possibilities of the Renaissance at hand and what we can do to to assist with its own remarkable virgin birth. Let us face adversity with courage, for it will always be with us. Let us grow strong in its face so that we aren't doomed to a cuckoo-clock future. And let each of us manifest an inner revolution, whether pragmatic or esoteric, so that we may come together and make a difference, each according to his or her gift.

Although Luz was still in pain from her wreck, this weekend unpacked like a box of strange surprises. On Saturday, friends showed up to pitch in effort on the Second Gods & Goddesses Ball* scheduled for this Saturday night. Small pavillions were erected, lights strung, banners hoisted, equipment dropped off and spirits lifted. The far backyard, where the firepit is situated, is looking magical.

On Sunday, I picked up a world-class record collection that I had inherited from my late friend George, known to some as Prince Krazy, Son of Yippie. My mom and I visited his widow, who sent me home not only with records but with a turntable for spinning them, and a piece of art my friend made in the last years of his life. We had a wonderful visit and it was only later that I had the chance to really marvel at the collection. I sat with Luz in my library and we played LPs as I loosely organized them. As the mellow afternoon melted into night, we continued to spin records and I thought about my friend. Not only did he collect the core essentials of '60s and '70s rock, he had an impressive collection of early German synthesizer music and some gems from Stevie Fever's Record Gallery that once perched above lower Greenville like a lesser heaven of cats, incense and unheard-of vibrations. Like the needle in a groove, spiraling toward the inevitable center, memories of my friend replayed. Sometimes we don't appreciate how truly remarkable a person is until that person is gone.

A couple of years before he died, as I have recounted elsewhere here, George was able to attend the holiday Feast of Fools at my house where we declared him the honorary Lord of Misrule and raised glasses to him. He was sporting his Seargent Pepper jacket and feeling impish, but age and a series of operations had taken a toll on him. Yesterday, his widow told me how much that evening meant to him and how glad he was to be among so many friends again. Those who know his strange story will remember him as a genuine Lord Of Misrule, an artist whose compassion and yearning for peace were spiked with merriment and mischief. Perhaps when the weather warms, a few of his old friends can join me and we can again lift glasses while we listen to George's records and consider the impact that a single person can make in this world.

* I must admit that this has been one of my less organized endeavors. If you didn't receive an invitation and can throw a costume together in a week, contact me for the token you will need to gain admittance.