In early 1989, Lou Reed inducted Dion into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with a short poetic introduction, followed by Dion’s short funny recollections.
On January 18, 1989, one great singer-songwriter associated with New York inducted another great singer-songwriter also associated with the city into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Lou Reed, injecting poetic words as only he could do, inducted Dion DiMucci into the Rock Hall.
In the video below, listen to Reed describing the influence of Dion and his music, “Bronx Soul.” Reed does it with language only he would use, all while reading from a sheet of paper that those of us who were around in 1989 recognize as continuous computer paper with holes on the side, printed from a dot matrix printer.
Then, a happy Dion takes the stage to accept with a short funny speech.
The “Phil” that Dion mentions is legendary producer Phil Spector, including a reference to Spector’s production of Dion’s 1975 album Born to Be with Youand the producer’s notorious reclusiveness. Subsequently, Spector’s strange behavior would lead to him being convicted of murder in 2009 and going to prison where he died from complications due to Covid in January 2020. The “Bruce” he mentions is, of course, Bruce Springsteen. Check it out.
The 1989 induction ceremony was one for the ages. Other performers inducted in addition to Dion included The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, and Otis Redding.
I became intrigued when I saw First Reformed (2018), starring Ethan Hawke, appearing on many lists of the best movies of the year. The movie rightfully belongs on such lists. Fifty years from now when someone wonders what it was like to live during our current decade, one would do well to advise them to watch First Reformed.
The movie says nothing about our current president. But it says a lot about the angst of our modern age. During a time when our historic foundations have been shattered, for good or for ill, we face a world with new anxieties, uncertain about our future, overwhelmed to inaction.
First Reformed tells the story of a priest played by Ethan Hawke in one of his best performances. The priest serves at a small historic church in upstate New York that is attended by few people. The small church, though, is connected to a more popular mega-church. The priest considers what humans are doing to the environment, even as his own body is failing. He contemplates the meaning of faith and the responsibilities of good people in a world coming apart.
Part of the crisis of faith arises when a parishioner played by Amanda Seyfried approaches the priest and asks him to counsel her husband. Her husband is involved with environmental activists. Her husband faces an existential crisis, wondering how he and his pregnant wife can bring a child into such a horrible world.
The exchange between the husband and the priest is one of the best philosophical discussions on screen in awhile. And the scene sets up many of the questions the priest struggles with throughout the film.
The acting is powerful. In addition to Hawke’s wonderful performance, Amanda Seyfried and Cedric the Entertainer (Cedric Kyles), among others, do a great job in supporting roles. Kyles brings nuance to a character in charge of the mega-church. Such a character might otherwise have been a caricature. And Seyfried provides a strong grounded balance to the men coming unhinged in the face of existential dread.
I will not give away more about the plot. But I will warn viewers that the movie does contain two surreal scenes that may have you scratching your head. This film is directed and written by Paul Schrader, who also wrote such films as Taxi Driver (1976) and Raging Bull (1980). So he knows how to push his viewers to confront bleak and uncomfortable issues in a beautiful way. The movie is challenging, which may account for the high critics score on Rotten Tomatoes (93%) and mediocre audience score (69%).
And, while the ending may puzzle you for awhile, some contemplation may make you appreciate the whole film even more. It did for me.
First Reformed is now available for streaming on Amazon Prime.
What did you think of First Reformed? Leave your two cents in the comments.
We wish everyone a very merry Christmas. This year, one of the best new Christmas songs comes from John Legend. In the upbeat song “Bring Me Love,” from Legend’s A Legendary Christmas album, Legend asks for one thing for Christmas.
Bring me love this Christmas, ‘Cause I deserve you here; Bring me love this Christmas, ‘Cause I’ve been good this year.
Here’s wishing you are surrounded by love this holiday season.
Brandi Carlile’s new song “Party of One” is a rare treat, taking an adult look at relationships, getting beyond dreamy love or angry hate. The singer has been through arguments with a lover and has survived hostilities, “You should always let the sun go down on your anger / Let it burn you to sleep.” But at the end of the day, through all of the fighting, the singer knows they will remain together
Oh your constant overthinking and your secretive drinking, Are making you more and more alone; And girl, you can slam the door behind you, It ain’t ever gonna close; Because when you’re home, you’re already home.
At the end, the singer repeats “I am yours” over and over again. Real relationships have fights, but hopefully the two can still find a way to come together.
The official video for “Party of One” features Elisabeth Moss and Nicole Disson. Carlile specifically sought out Moss, the star of The Handmaid’s Tale, for the video. And Moss also ended up producing and serving as creative director.
Carlile originally wrote the song about the domestic pressures on same-sex relationships. And putting the song with the visuals of two women lovers in the video further reinforces the inclusiveness and universality of the message. Check it out.
Earlier in 2018, Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, and Lucy Dacus joined together as boygenius to create a self-titled EP. The three, who have had some success separately as singers and songwriters, joined together as a group after booking a tour together. Now, they are receiving rave reviews for their collaboration.
One of the tracks on the EP is “My & My Dog,” written by Bridgers, who sings the verses before being joined by Baker and Dacus on the chorus. The recording illustrates the wonderful blend of voices that the three create. The song itself is not really about a dog, but about love and the loss of a relationship.
I wanna hear one song without thinking of you; I wish I was on a spaceship, Just me and my dog and an impossible view.
Check out boygenius performing “Me & My Dog” live at the WFUV studios from November 2018.
I became intrigued when I saw First Reformed (2018), starring Ethan Hawke, appearing on many lists of the 
(2018).