story

[Zygomorph]

I guess perhaps this story might belong on this board. I thought y'all might enjoy this one.

So I've been playing in this pit orchestra for a run of Guy Maddin's silent film "Brand Upon the Brain!" complete with live foley and celebrity narrators; but, contrary to the advertisements, no "live castrato!"

Anyway, on Saturday, I got to the movie theater real early and started warming up. I was the only musician there when the production assistant walks in, saying something like "So this is theater. Pretty nice, eh? [Canadian.] Here's the orchestra." And I automatically say "Yep. Just me."

At which point Lou Reed turns and looks at me in that way I think he's pretty well known for doing.

I must say that Laurie Anderson, however, has truly warm personality.

Near the end of the film, there was this moment when all the musicians one by one through nudges and nods discovered that Lou was slumped over in front of the television monitor, asleep, having missed his last entrance and awoke by the fortissimo tam-tam, the last note.

[jonnymo]

Lou Reed scoring a Guy Maddin film?!

Only in New York...

I'll have to console myself with being a train ride away from Pitchfork and Lollapalooza.

[Zygomorph]

Oh, Lou didn't score the film. He was just one of the guest narrators. Other have included Laurie Anderson, Crispin Glover, Tunde Adebimpe, etc. I was there on the night that Anne Jackson read a cue to [scream] aloud: "Scream." Apparently, she realized right away and had her face in her hand for the next half hour and did it the same way the next time, in order to cover for the previous mistake. Like in jazz.

Jason Spaczek scored the film.