10 Things You Didn’t Know About Janis Joplin

Janis Joplin, often referred to as the “Queen of Rock and Roll,” is best remembered for her rebellious lifestyle, her psychedelic Porsche, her free flowing fashion sense and above all, her distinctive voice. Here are 10 things we bet you didn’t know about her:

1. She Made Certain Her Biggest Influence Got a Proper Tribute
One of Joplin’s biggest influences was blues singer Bessie Smith, who’s been hailed as ‘The Empress of the Blues.’ In 1937 Smith died from severe injuries due to a car accident and sadly was buried in an unmarked grave, where she remained until August 1970. Joplin and Juanita Green (who as a child had done housework for Smith) paid for a proper tombstone to be erected on Smith’s gravesite.

2. Her Last Recording Was a Birthday Greeting for John Lennon
The last recordings Joplin completed were ‘Mercedes-Benz’ and a birthday greeting for John Lennon. On Oct. 1, 1970, Joplin recorded the old Dale Evans cowboy tune ‘Happy Trails’ for the former Beatle, which is sort of spooky given the lyrics are “Happy trails to you, ’till we meet again.” The tune was titled ‘Happy Birthday, John (Happy Trails)’ and released on the Janis box set in 1993. Lennon told talk show host Dick Cavett that her taped greeting arrived at his home after her passing.

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3. Her Ashes Were Scattered in the Deep Blue Sea
Joplin was cremated in the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Mortuary in Los Angeles, Calif. Her ashes were scattered from a plane into the Pacific Ocean and along Stinson Beach. There was a private funeral service, but it was only attended by Joplin’s parents and her aunt.

4. She Was Rewarded for Repeatedly Passing Out
Joplin was a heavy drinker, and Southern Comfort was her drink of choice. The whiskey became so synonymous with the singer, and she therefore boosted the company’s sales to such an extent, that she managed to get them to give her a lynx coat as a thank-you. (This is pre-PETA, we’re guessing!)

5. She Was Getting Tattooed Long Before it Was Trendy
In April of 1970, Joplin was tattooed by legendary artist Lyle Tuttle. He inked a famous design on Janis’ outer wrist in his shop on Seventh Street in San Francisco. The symbol stands for the liberation of women. She also had a small heart tattooed over her left breast. “I wanted some decoration. See, the one on my wrist is for everybody; the one on my tit is for me and my friends.” She paused and chuckled, “Just a little treat for the boys, like icing on the cake.”

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6. ‘All Is Loneliness’ Comes Straight from Her Heart
Janis was overall a very lonely young woman in spite of all the people surrounding her. She loved men (to put it nicely) and had several lovers but in many ways was very much a loner. “Onstage, I make love to 25,000 people – then I go home alone.”

7. You Could’ve Seen Her Perform at Woodstock for $8.00
A Variety Magazine image pictured on JanisJoplin.net reveals that Joplin was to be paid $7500 for performing at Woodstock, although it’s been said that many of the performers were never paid. Do you know what it would’ve cost you to attend Woodstock? A mere $8.00 would’ve bought you admission for one day, or you could’ve been the big spender and paid $18.00 for a three day ticket.

8. Treated Billie Holiday’s Biography “Like a Bible.”
Two other people that heavily influenced Joplin were Billie Holiday and Leadbelly. Joplin has claimed that the first album she ever bought was a Leadbelly record. In regards to Holiday, one of the two books that Joplin took to San Francisco with her was Holiday’s autobiography ‘Lady Sings The Blues.’ Joplin’s friend Richard Hundgen believes it was like a Bible to her, and said that she kept it all her life.

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9. ‘Cheap Thrills’ Was Originally Titled Something Else
The album ‘Cheap Thrills’ was originally supposed to be titled ‘Sex, Dope And Cheap Thrills’ but Columbia Records didn’t go for two-thirds of that. Since advocating cheap thrills didn’t threaten them as much as the other two, that became the LP’s title instead.

10. She Dissed Jim Morrison – Twice!
The Doors frontman Jim Morrison was physically turned on to Joplin after she busted a bottle of Southern Comfort over his head, knocking him out cold. Morrison, loving the physical confrontation and her violent attitude, seemed to be in love. The day after this strange encounter during rehearsals, he asked producer Paul Rothchild for her phone number. Joplin had no intent on getting together with Morrison again and as it turns out, they never did. Morrison was reportedly heartbroken

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This Helped Me Manifest Financial Increase

Winning feels good. However, many or most of us are constantly being reminded of unwanted things such as bills we don’t know how to pay or things we need but seem far away. It feels impossible to manifest wanted things when we’re worried, exhausted or hungry, or fighting our way out of seeming “quicksand.” I’ve been in that situation and the income almost completely stopped. I had to find a way to achieve a miracle, fast.

There’s a type of energy work called Reiki, that is most commonly known for helping with physical healings. However, this work is very powerful for creating unexpected money miracles, financial increase and success. Reiki can be used to create a deep internal shift in your consciousness almost immediately.

Society programs people to be frustrated, grasping and working or nothing. In order to fight this cultural belief, we need a new confidence. We need new programming. We’re not really programmed for fortune or wealth. The confidence and inspiration needed to get beyond the cultural vibration of lack has to be powerful enough to create a new energy field within.

How This Energy Healing Works

If you can truly shift your energy, you can unstick any “stuckness.” If you’ve tried to shift your vibration and beliefs by using affirmations, but you had very little results, it’s because your core beliefs are still rooted in the negative vibration of not having what you want. Therefore, you will not truly believe your affirmations and they cannot work. Reiki can cut to the core of your subconscious by shifting the subtle energies, which are actually physical, but too tiny to actually be perceived by the mind. So you have this ongoing vibration that you can’t access, but it seems to control your life and bring unwanted things. It’s counterproductive and insidious.

When you’ve tried to use positive thinking, meditation and other processes to overcome the feelings and thoughts of lack, frustration, negativity and even desperation, but the progress wasn’t quick or sustainable, it’s very likely
that your subtle energy system had not been cleared. Reiki is like magic for clearing this
subtle energy system, and there’s a way to achieve lasting results.

When I received Reiki sessions, I instantly had a profound breakthrough in my awareness. This created a new confidence and inner knowing of my greatness, which lead to new ideas coming to me of how to grow my business. I then received a teaching job that allowed me to share more of my gifts, which in turn gave me more confidence and
self-respect. This helped with getting out of debt and more financial abundance as I gained the power to start my production company in a real way.

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A Simple Tool That Gets Lots Of Clients

This particular skill is universal. It’s an essential element that creates success in any endeavor, and without it,
things will rarely fall into place.

Work Is A Skillful Interchange
All work is an interchange between people, whether you’re performing a task or service, or selling something. This not only means you have to know what is needed, but beyond. Sometimes you have to hear what is
missing in the equation, and bring forth a solution that’s not stated or even known by the person hiring you,or the ones who are buying your services.

The simple tool I’m speaking of is this: LISTENING

When you know how to really listen to someone, you are doing one of the most important things you could do in life. The skill of listening will give your clients, students, or boss, the space to feel acknowledged, and
honored. It allows them to grow into their own self-awareness and power, because someone is truly valuing them. That’s the way it works. The person you are serving will feel valued and validated when you know how
to listen to them.

By truly listening to someone’s needs and experience, you give them the right to be themselves. This is very powerful. I am specifically speaking in terms of work interaction, but the ability to listen in any type of relationship is crucial. Now, the important thing about listening is that you are not just being silent while someone is talking, and then waiting to interject because you’re only thinking about your own thoughts. No, don’t just think of your feelings in the situation. Put yourself in the space of really hearing what the other person is saying.

Building Clientele By Being A Good Listener

Again, when people feel heard, they feel valued. In turn, that person will value you. They will seek your services. They will pay you because they see you as masterful. Just by being able to listen, you will be able to build clients, customers or followers because you’re putting those peoples’ needs first. That’s just good business.

I built many customers for my book-writing service this way. My clients really needed to share their stories and information, so when they shared it with me I was performing two services. The first was that I allowedthem to get a lot of information off their chest, so to speak. Most people have loads of thoughts bundled up inside them and they just need to get it out. So when I was ghost writing books for people, they were able to experience the huge blessing of just simply communicating thoughts and ideas. Secondly, my job was to take these thoughts and ideas and shape them in a meaningful and accessible way. This is the essence of the ghost writing job. It’s a collaboration of ideas, just as in many fields or services.

The art of listening is something to really master for many reasons, mainly because it’s a powerful tool that will get you very far in life. Just by being a good listener, you will attract great situations and you’ll know how to handle them.

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How To Make Your Music Tracks Sync-Ready

When you learn this invaluable skill, it’s like printing money!

So many musicians, songwriters and music creators are missing the mark when it comes to creating a stable business.
GETTING YOUR MUSIC IN TV SHOWS, MOVIES, ADS, AND OTHER MEDIA IS A STABLE, SUSTAINING INCOME STREAM WHEN YOU GET THIS RIGHT!!!

If you keep sending your music to various music libraries, supes and music representatives, but you are not getting quality placements, there’s one main reason for this. Your music doesn’t have the polish or top quality sound. There is something not special enough about your songs. Either your production is less than great, or your mixes are not Pro-sounding. It’s as simple as that. Top quality music will get licensed and you will get paid well.

Music creators tell me often ” The best sounding music or hits have million-dollar production budgets!How can I compete with that?”

There are songs on the charts that do have big budget production, yes, however, you can get your songs in that ballpark. Yes you can! There are some guidelines to follow:

*Make sure you have a current groove or beat for your songs.
*Pick a great tempo.
*Write lyrics about universal themes.
*Use great sounds.
*If you have guitars, make sure they are perfectly in tune.
*Don’t clutter up your mixes.
*Use modern production techniques like side-chaining.
*Make sure the vocals are unique and amazing.
*Learn proper mixing techniques or have a Pro mix your tracks.
*Get production help from experts.
*When all these things are in place, get Pro mastering.

There is more to know, but these are some main pointers that will get you paid if you just get these things right, and this won’t cost a fortune.

Do you have unfinished songs? You may be sitting on some hits if you can get the right production!

GET PRODUCTION HELP FOR YOUR SONGS!

WANT TO FIND OUT IF YOU ARE WRITING SYNC-ABLE MUSIC?

You Can’t Get This with WORK Alone

What do YOU want? What things are you trying to manifest by hard work? How would your days be spent if you didn’t have to work so hard?

Would you take a drive through the mountains, hills, woods, or to the ocean?

Would you take your friends or family on a camping trip?

What kind of car(s) would you drive?

Where would you live?

 

Take 10 minutes to think of the things you really want at this point in time. Focus on the way you would feel if you had these things, and bring those feelings into your curent reality. Next, get into the the physicality and the realness of the feelings. Bring it into the present moment. What does it feel like to walk in the beautiful garden of your luxuory home? What fragrances can you smell? How does it feel to be swimming in your luxurious pool? How does it feel with the wind in your face while driving your new sports convertable? Get the picture?

 

The place where many people get tripped up is this; HARD WORK ALONE CANNOT BRING THIS LIFESTYLE…

Struggle will rarely bring wealth.

 

Lot’s of people work super hard but never get the life they truly desire.

So what does bring you the things you want in life?

 

If you can get to the place where you have a desire, and DON’T contradict the belief of it, your actions towards it will be more fruitful.

In other words, stop feeling the absence of the things you want. When you acknowledge something you want, stop feeling the anguish of not having it. Stop identifying with thoughts that you can’t get it, or that you can’t figure it out.

 

It’s essential to STOP doing counterproductive things before any positive actions will produce results. If you hold onto the beliefs that you can’t have something, or you’ll never get there, or you’re not accustomed to having extraordinary circumstances, you can work day and night and never get very far.

 

Take this first step towards changing your focus, and then watch how your experiences will flip into what you DO want.

How To Pitch Music To Music Supervisors

How to Pitch Music and Influence Supervisors

An Editorial
By Mark Frieser

One of the most important things a mentor ever did for me was give me a copy of Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”

I say this because there is probably no book I’ve read in my life that’s left more of a lasting, positive impact on my life personally and professionally.

Why?

Because it taught me the importance of being kind, of empathy, and especially in business, of taking time to discover and assist people with their needs and aspirations.

I’m sure some of you at this point are saying to yourselves:

“Wow, Mark, thank you for that touchy-feely story about you, Dale Carnegie and and your mentor, but what does that have to do with getting my music in a project?”

Everything.

Why? Because, one of the most important things you can do as a music creator or rights owner is to understand the needs of music supervisors, ad producers and brand managers.

And I’m not just talking about all the technical things like good metadata, properly cleared music and the best way to present your music, either yourself or through a rep.

Getting those things right when pitching music is a given for anyone looking to successfully get their music into a project. I shouldn’t even have to mention it.

And I’m not even talking about whether or not your music is the right music creatively for a particular project they’re working on – we’ve covered that before too.

What I’m talking about is taking the time to understand their needs and motivations and how you – and your music – can help producers and supervisors realize their personal and professional goals.

Simply put, you need to get into the mindset of a music supervisor, brand manager or ad producer, then let that new thinking be the foundation of how you approach them and this business in general.

What keeps them up at night?

What do they want and need personally and professionally?

What makes them smile?

What makes them look good to their peers in the business?

What helps them solve a problem?

I’m going to illustrate my point with a few questions a music supervisor might ask themselves and what you can do to help them answer these questions successfully.

Where’s MY next gig coming from? Most music supervisors are independent, small business people who are, like all small businesspeople, constantly competing in the marketplace for business – from directors, showrunners, game producers, creative directors and brands.
And, for the ones that are full-time at a big company, ad firm or brand, while they may not be looking for the next “gig,” so to speak, they want to be known internally, with clients and in the industry at large as the go-to people when you need to solve problems and create excellence so they’ll get assigned the highest profile projects.

So, if there’s anything you can do to help them better position themselves in their careers – by being flexible on budget, by being on point and on time and by providing the right music for the right project – you’ll have an edge on your competition.

Does this make ME look cool? I believe one of the most important reasons people get into the business of music supervision is that they love turning other people onto the coolest, newest and most interesting music.
I’ve heard it from so many people in the business how much they enjoy hearing something new and sharing it with others.

In fact, I believe it’s a primary personal motivation for almost every music supervisor and ad producer. That’s probably why so many music supervisors have been/are DJs and journalists – both great careers for sharing music.

But there’s more to it – one of the most important things to a music supervisor or ad producer is having street cred and a good paid of ears.

And, nothing positions them as tastemakers in the business than consistently finding the coolest, most interesting, perfect tracks for a show, film, game or ad.

So, when you’re pitching music, don’t just think about whether it fits the project, think about whether it’s going to also make the music supervisor look like a real tastemaker.

How am I going to fix this? Beyond being creative partners with visual, brand and interactive directors, producers and showrunners, music supervisors and producers are called upon, often at the last minute, to solve a lot of complex problems.
And, if you can help them solve problems like where to get a song to replace one they had a rights issue with 6 hours from broadcast, or you can help them with a reduction in their budget for a particular project, or get them changes, stems or instrumentals on time for further edits, then you’re going to have a big advantage over your competition.

So if you want to be successful in pitching music and influencing supervisors, don’t just follow best practices – get into their mindset, understand their issues, their problems, their goals and then use this point of view to help you help them succeed.

 

 

Guitar Player’s Guide;How To Get More Gigs

After a few years of living hand to mouth, I had to figure out how to get more consistency.

The AHA Moment That I’ll Never Forget…

As I was in the “cocoon” developing my solo repertoire, I’d play at restaurants with a jazz duo (guitar and sax). Howevere, on our breaks, I’d play a few solo tunes for practice.

One night I played a solo version of “I’ll Be There” and it brought the restaurant patrons into applause!

This was an AHA moment!

“Play clear melodies for people with a good tone and good groove.”

Bingo!

Everything that I will teach you is not “ordained” by a school. I have no administration
that I have to answer to, except my own experience.

I am going to show you what’s worked for me. In a nutshell,

1) Play groove & melody with a good tone

2) Play tunes people know OR tunes they can understand

3) Don’t lose the people with long improvisations. Only musicians care about that.

4) Watch the people and see what they like, take notes.

5) Find the sweet spot that makes YOU and them happy. (balance the giving and taking)

This knowledge is not “ordained” or “approved” by a school system. It’s coming straight at you from real life experience.

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As someone with “rubber hits the road knowledge” I can show you what’s worked for me and what hasn’t.

I wish you all the best in your musical journey!

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Beginner’s Guide To Growing Vegetables

Here’s our quick guide for the beginner vegetable gardener. Whether you’re a beginner or an old hand, planting in a pot or a plot, this advice will help you to plan and grow your tastiest vegetables ever.

Why garden? If you’ve never tasted garden-fresh vegetables (lots of people haven’t!), you will be amazed by the sweet, juicy flavors and vibrant textures. There’s absolutely nothing like them, especially if you grow the vegetables yourself—and you can!
We’ll highlight the basics of vegetable garden planning: how to pick the right site, figure out how “big” to go, and how to select which vegetables to grow.

START WITH A SMALL VEGETABLE GARDEN
Remember this: It’s better to be proud of a small garden than to be frustrated by a big one!
One of the common errors for beginners is planting too much too soon and way more than anybody could eat or want. Unless you want to have zucchini taking up residence in your attic, plan carefully. Start small.

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WHERE AND HOW TO PLANT A VEGETABLE GARDEN
Plant in a sunny location. Vegetables need at least 6 hours of direct sunlight per day. The more sunlight they receive, the greater the harvest and the better the taste.
Plant in good soil. Plants’ roots penetrate soft soil easily, so you need nice loamy soil. Enriching your soil with compost provides needed nutrients. Proper drainage will ensure that water neither collects on top nor drains away too quickly.
Space your crops properly. For example, corn needs a lot of space and can overshadow shorter vegetables. Plants set too close together compete for sunlight, water, and nutrition and fail to mature. Pay attention to the spacing guidance on seed packets and plant tabs.
Buy high-quality seeds. Seed packets are less expensive than individual plants. If seeds don’t germinate, your money—and time—are wasted. A few “extra” cents spent in spring for that year’s seeds will pay off in higher yields at harvesttime.

 

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VEGETABLE GARDEN PLOT SIZE
A good-size beginner vegetable garden is about 16×10 feet and features crops that are easy to grow. A plot this size, based on the vegetables suggested below, can feed a family of four for one summer, with a little extra for canning and freezing (or giving away).
Make your garden 11 rows wide, with each row 10 feet long. The rows should run north and south to take full advantage of the sun.
Vegetables that may yield more than one crop per season are beans, beets, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi, lettuce, radishes, rutabagas, spinach, and turnips.
SUGGESTED PLANTS FOR VEGETABLE GARDEN
The vegetables suggested below are common, productive plants, but you’ll also want to contract your local cooperative extension to determine what plants grow best in your local area. Think about what you like to eat as well as what’s difficult to find in a grocery store or farmers’ market.
(Each veggie links to a growing guide.)
Tomatoes—5 plants staked
Zucchini squash—4 plants
Peppers—6 plants
Cabbage
Bush beans
Lettuce, leaf and/or Bibb
Beets
Carrots
Chard
Radishes
Marigolds to discourage rabbits!
(Note: If this garden is too large for your needs, you do not have to plant all 11 rows, and you can also make the rows shorter.)

WHEN TO PLANT A VEGETABLE GARDEN
Know when to plant what. See our Best Planting Dates chart—a gardening calendar customized to your local frost dates—covering both sowing indoors as well as planting in the ground.

 

Get rid of weeds

Starting A Vegetable Garden

Starting a vegetable garden at home is an easy way to save money — that $2 tomato plant can easily provide you with 10 pounds of fruit over the course of a season.

But planting a garden with vegetables also gives you the pleasure of savoring a delicious, sun-warmed tomato fresh from your backyard. In almost every case, the flavor and texture of varieties you can grow far exceed grocery store produce.

Plus, growing vegetables can be fun. It’s a greatway to spend time with children or have a place to get away and spend time outdoors in the sun.

Learning what to plant in a garden with vegetables, and how to tend them for the best harvest, is probably easier than you think. If you plan it right, you can enjoy a beautiful garden full of the fruits of your labor, without having to spend hours and hours tending it. Planting a garden that includes vegetables and flowers means you’ve combined natural companions, and that can turn a potential eyesore into an attractive landscape feature. Read on for more tips on your first vegetable garden!

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At first, when deciding what to plant in a garden with vegetables, it’s best to start small. Many gardeners get a little too excited at the beginning of the season and plant more than they need, being that a number of vegetables tend to be high-yield.

So first, think about how much your family will eat when you’re planning a vegetable garden. Keep in mind that vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, and squash keep providing throughout the season — so you may not need many plants to serve your needs. Other vegetables, such as carrots, radishes, and corn, produce only once. You may need to plant more of these.

Slicing Tomatoes

Small Fruited Tomatoes

Sweet Peppers

Hot Peppers

Cucumbers

Snow Peas

Musclan Mix

Greens
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Vegetable Gardening: 10 Must-Grow Plants

Make space for at least one of each of these edible 10 must-grow plants in your garden plot. Easy to grow and reliable producers of scrumptious produce from spring until fall, our top 10 edible plants will fill your plate with garden-fresh flavor.

How The White Stripes Create Songs

Excerpt from Rolling Stone ..

A year ago, I listened to the first tape Meg and I made. It’s a recording of the first time we played together. It still sounds raw and cool. We did [David Bowie’s] “Moon-age Daydream.” Then we wrote “Screwdriver,” our first song. There was a red screwdriver sitting on the table. We wrote the song that afternoon, and it hasn’t changed at all since that day.
When we play a song I wrote, it’s the White Stripes covering a Jack White song-that’s the best way to describe it. I write most of my songs on piano and acoustic guitar. Then I show it to Meg, and it’s like, “OK, how can we do this onstage?” That becomes the way we do it, from then on.

Are there times when Meg’s style of drumming is too limiting — that you can’t take a song as far as you’d like to go?
No. I never thought, “God, I wish Neil Peart was in this band.” It’s kind of funny: When people critique hip-hop, they’re scared to open up, for fear of being called racist. But they’re not scared to open up on female musicians, out of pure sexism.
Meg is the best part of this band. It never would have worked with anybody else, because it would have been too complicated. When she started to play drums with me, just on a lark, it felt liberating and refreshing. There was something in it that opened me up. It was my doorway to playing the blues, without anyone over my shoulder going, “Oh, white-boy blues, white-boy bar band.” I could really get down to something.
Do you think the brother-sister thing was a miscalculation — that you overdid the mythmaking?

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I saw a review of our new album, and it said, “Every single component of the White Stripes is a gigantic lie.” What does that mean? Have I sat down and said I was born in Mississippi? No. Did I say I grew up on a plantation and learned how to play guitar from a blind man? I never said anything like that. It’s funny that people think me and Meg sit up late at night, in front of a gas lamp, and come up with these intricate lies to trick people.
But because you present that relationship as fact, it obscures your real connection as a couple — the truth and value of what you play together.
I want you to imagine if we had presented ourselves in another fashion, that people might have thought was the truth. How would we have been perceived, right off the bat? When you see a band that is two pieces, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, you think. “Oh, I see . . .” When they’re brother and sister, you go, “Oh, that’s interesting.” You care more about the music, not the relationship — whether they’re trying to save their relationship by being in a band.

You don’t think about that with a brother and sister. They’re mated for life. That’s what family is like.

 

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So when did you come up with the idea?
I’m not saying I came up with anything [laughs]. It’s like people thinking we would be more real if we went onstage in jeans and T-shirts. How ignorant is that, to think that because they don’t wear a suit onstage that someone is giving you the real deal? People do come and see us and think, “Look at all these gimmicks.” Go ahead, man. Go ahead and think that.

How do you write songs? Do you sit down and pound something out every day?
Until a couple of months before Satan, I hadn’t written anything in a year and a half. We’d been touring, and I don’t write on tour.

Usually, I’ll just be walking around the house. I’ll go by the piano, sit down, and the first thing that comes out turns into something. It’s always the first line. I had a conversation with someone, and I said to myself, “I blew it,” after I got off the phone. Then I started goofing around: “I blew it/And if I knew what to do, then I’d do it” [from “Forever for Her (Is Over for Me)”]. You get three lines, and you know: “I better go write this down.” Sometimes you find yourself going downstairs and writing a song, even though you want to go to bed. It’s out of your control.

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How much do you write about yourself? Seven Nation Army, on Elephant. sounds like it is full of autobiography: the experience of feeling surrounded, defensive, even paranoid, after the sudden success of White Blood Cells.
That song started out about two specific people I knew in Detroit. It was about gossip, the spreading of lies and the other person’s reaction to it. It came from a frustration of watching my friends do this to each other. In the end, it started to become a metaphor for things I was going through.

But I never set out to write an exposé on myself. To me, the song was a blues at the beginning of the twenty-first century. The third verse [“I’m going to Wichita/Far from this opera forevermore”] could be something from a hundred years ago. It won a Grammy for Best Rock Song. [Laughs] Maybe it should have won for Best Paranoid Blues Song.

You wrote about the actress Rita Hayworth in two Satan songs; “White Moon” and “Take, Take, Take.” But it’s hard not to hear your own mixed feelings about celebrity, especially in the latter.
Rita Hayworth became an all-encompassing metaphor for everything I was thinking about while making the album. There was an autograph of hers — she had kissed a piece of paper, left a lip print on it, and underneath it said, “My heart is in my mouth.” I loved that statement and wondered why she wrote that.

There was also the fact that she was Latino and had changed her name. She had become something different, morphed herself and was trying to put something behind her. And there was the shallowness of celebrity when it’s thrown upon you. All of that was going around in these songs: what had been thrown on me, things I’d never asked for. Every song on that album is about truth.

 

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