Singer-Songwriter, Novelist
Jerry Schwartz 
I have nothing but good things to say about my Fender CD60CE, which features a Fender FTE-3TN preamp with chromatic tuner, volume, bass, mid, and treble, 20-fret sonokeling (Indian rosewood) fingerboard, chrome hardware, and die-cast chrome tuners. I’ll probably never need another acoustic guitar.
Ugly Things is dedicated to “bringing you wild sounds from past dimensions, from times when rock ‘n ‘roll was young, daring, dangerous and vital,” and few if any fanzines are as informative when it comes to lost, unknown, and overlooked music of the 1960s and beyond. Now in its 30th year, Ugly Things is published twice annually, and each issue features up to 200 pages of in-depth features, exclusive interviews, rare photos, and more. Each issue is so packed that I sometimes forget it’s a magazine (it feels more like a book). If you’re into 1960s-influenced music like I am, be sure to check out the Ugly Things website, where you’ll find information on back issues and how to subscribe.
“My Love in Her Attire,” from The Jerrys’ debut album, Pop Go The Jerrys, is based on a poem I came across while reading The Top 500 Poems. “My Love in Her Attire” was penned by an anonymous poet sometime between 1400 and 1600, and while it is an awesome poem as is, it needed a little work before it could be a Jerrys tune. Below is the original poem as it appears in the anthology, followed by the words to the song by The Jerrys.
My Love in Her Attire
My love in her attire doth show her wit,
It doth so well become her:
For every season she hath dressings fit,
For winter, spring, and summer,
No beauty she doth miss,
When all her robes are on;
But Beauty’s self she is,
When all her robes are gone.
My Love in Her Attire
My love in her attire does show her wit;
It does so become her, this is true.
For every season she has dressings fit.
For winter, spring, and summer too.
No beauty does she miss
When all her clothes are on,
But Beauty’s self she is
When all her clothes are gone.
My love in her black dress is such a hit;
It does so become her, what a view!
In every color she has dressings fit.
In red and green and purple too.
No beauty does she miss
When all her clothes are on,
But Beauty’s self she is
When all her clothes are gone.
My first multitrack recording machine was a used 1969 Akai M-10 reel-to-reel recorder that featured a built-in amplifier and auto-reverse capability. This machine was the only in Akai’s M-series (ca. 1960-1973) to have three motors, and it operated at tape speeds of 1-7/8, 3-¾, and 7-½ inches per second. Before the M-10, I had been using portable General Electric tape recorders to bounce tracks around, so this machine was a nice step up for me.
I don’t get the chance to read much poetry these days, but I used to read poetry a lot, and over the years, certain poems have resonated with me time and time again (I even created a song from one of them). Here are my top 10 favorite poems:
I bought this used bass guitar for $100 in 2004, and I’ve been using it ever since. The Washburn XB-120 is a nice little bass, and there’s not much it can’t do with the right effects added. It’s a keeper.
Of all the live music I’ve seen this year, two shows were so good that I’m sure they will be my fave shows of 2013 when the year comes to an end: Todd Rundgren and The Dandy Warhols. Rundgren had just begun his official State tour, while The Dandy Warhols celebrated the 13th anniversary of their album, Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia, by playing the album in its entirety. Here are a couple of pics.
Todd Rundgren, May 19, 2013, Park West, Chicago, IL
The Dandy Warhols, June 8, 2013, Vic Theatre, Chicago, IL
Earlier this week, I got to try out Google Glass, and I’m totally amazed by what Glass can do. No word yet on when Glass will be available to the public, but the sooner the better as far as I’m concerned. Hopefully, it will come in a version that allows prescription lenses.
At “Music Partnerships on the Web: Workshop Hosted by YouTube,” a session at the Chicago Music Summit a few weeks ago, Zofia Bajkowska, Manager of Music Content Partnerships, called YouTube “the world’s biggest stage” and showed attendees how they could create their best content and engage their audience.
Fred Beteille, Product Manager at YouTube (previously at the Harry Fox Agency), showed the audience a sneak preview of the soon-to-be-launched YouTube Audio Library.
I attended the first-ever Chicago Music Summit last week, and I’m busier than ever doing all the things I learned there. Three sessions were more than worthy of mention:
Great event—and free! I’m glad I took the day off from work to attend, and I look forward to doing the same next year.