Rock n’ Roll and the White Whale
Herman Melville
OK, it is a reach – but I want to talk Rock n Roll and Herman Melville. I know you are thinking “GrooveCentral has thrown a few curveballs in his day, but R and R and the main Herman together?”
We all know Herman from days long ago when we were forced to read “Moby Dick – or the Whale “. It was cool, a bit verbose, and I was slightly wierded by the “Marriage Bed” scene between Ishmael and Queequeg and the boys getting a little too into it with “the Squeeze of the Hand” chapter where the joyful camaraderie of the sailors goes to high levels when extracting spermaceti from a dead whale. My projected life as a sailor was never that strong, and after reading Moby Dick it was extinguished like an ant versus a shoe on the streets of America. Things didn’t really work out for Herm cause nobody really dug MD when he was alive and by the age of 35 any semblance of popularity was swept away like the Atlantic City boardwalk was by Big Sandy. Moby Dick was dedicated to Herm’s pal Nat Hawthorne, who later backed away from their friendship and the book never sold its initial printing of 3,000 copies in his lifetime. The total dough received by Herm was just $556.37 from his American publisher. He spent the rest of his days as a Customs House inspector and when he called it a day in 1891 no one really cared.
Moby
Jump ahead 100 years and we all remember the 1990’s electronica-house music craze. Wasn’t that me with my shirt off, a baby pacifier in my mouth, sweating profusely, jumping up and down wildly, with glow sticks coming out of my ears, and hugging equally sweaty strangers? (No, it wasn’t.) But if that was me, perhaps I was listening to a guy who has sold over 20 million albums named Richard Melville Hall whose ancestrial relationship was that Herman Melville was his great-great-great grand uncle. You might know him as Moby.
In the 1920’s there was a confluence of publishing events called “the Melville Revival”. This occurred when a fellow named Ray Weaver came out with a sucessful biography on Herm and in doing his research he came across an unfinished manuscript given to him by Herm’s grandaughter. It was called ” Billy Budd” and in 1962 it was made into a motion picture debuting a young actor named Terrace Stamp who was nominated for an oscar
Terry
for best supporting actor. We all know Terry from ” The Adventures of Pricilla, Queen of the Desert” , as General Zod in “Superman 1 and 2”, and of course as English tycoon Sir Lawrence Wildman from “Wallstreet” (“Gekko, you’re a two bit pirate”). It turns out that Terry’s brother Chris Stamp was the long time manager of The Who and also helped shape Jimi Hendrix’s early career in England. Didn’t someone on the Pequod play the accordion? ( The Who’s hit single” Squeeze Box” a coincidence?)
The Who
So there must have been a time when Herm was sitting by himself, sipping a glass of mead somewhere in the Big Apple, contemplating why his literary career lasted the length of time it takes to burn a match. But little did he know that through fate, some convoluted reasoning, and a big stretch of the imagination Herman Melville would be connected to rock and roll.
Groove.
On another subject, GrooveCentral reached and paid off one of the winners of the GrooveCentralla Quiz we had a while back. As promised, 3 drinks were purchased for the Great Tom Collins, who is always generous to a fault and the good times were ours (see picture). The cloudiness of the evening’s events prevents a clear picture of the goings on, but Sir
Sir Tom & GrooveCentral
Tom always gives back more than he takes. Good luck follows him closely because of the groove he spreads to the people. Nelson (the other winner), you will be hearing from me shortly. Again, Congrats to both.
GrooveCentralLA 
Groove- I have memories of hanging, south of the border, for several consecutive years in 1990’s, [perhaps ALL of the years of the 90’s] with the aptly-named Tom Collins. He is a giver, do send him my best. It was around the release of our album Summerteeth that you and I both adopted the modern-day Melville’s blockbuster, ‘Play’. It sounded so fresh cruising in stretch limousines on the streets of Old Hollywood, ducking into clubs like Daddy’s, Bob’s Frolic, & the Burgundy Room. Remember the Burgundy Room for Iggy Pop’s 50th? Were we there? One other memory of listening to Moby: Drink in hand on an expansive redwood deck at a beautiful home in some artist-colony town outside of Medford, Oregon.
Keep it coming, Groove!
Jeff, I do remember those days and what was that club called when you gave Mike Stipe a pat on the back ? Was it Goldfingers ?
Yes, Goldfinger (without the ‘s’). Before that it was called Hell’s Gate, up on Yucca Street above Hollywood Blvd.
Ah, Mike Stipe, impish little fellow, had that ear piece strapped to his face. I remember slapping him on the back, maybe a little bit too, hard, he winced. But that was AFTER, you insisted on buying Mike Mills a drink with your last 20! And he accepted! He of the Jimmy Page-like embroidered dragon pants. I miss Yucca Street, doubt it’s changed much.
How interesting to hear about the connection of Herman Melville and Moby. Where do you did up this stuff?? xo
From hangin with Cool Cats and Kittens like you and JB
you are truly a master story weaver…bravissimo
Nicky, Very nice. Happy Election Day!!
Thomas Collins Director Relationship Management /Scotia Capital USA
Isn’t it about time for a new installment? Too much tryptophan for the Groovemaster? Since the Groovemaster, not unlike the Wizard of Oz, knows all, why do the naughty children of the US get coal in their stocking rather than a visit from the mean monster-like character of Germany, Austria and Switzrland? Just asking.
Oops, Switzerland.
The GM, aka Omar the Tent Maker, weaves another winner! Doubler