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Serpent, Hawk & CherYesterday Jammer and I picked up a copy of “The Serpent’s Egg” at Squeezebox, our favorite little 2nd hand book/cd shop in Evanston. I was turned on to Dead Can Dance in NY in the late 90’s while doing a photo shoot with fashion photographer Jeff Licata. This morning I am alone with the music. (Jammer is house-sitting, it’s 4th of July week-end and we’ll get together later to hang with his doggie pal Buster, have a Joy Yee Noodle jamboree and to listen to our latest project “The Shadow of the Marigold.” Is it finally ready to be mastered?).

I have also been forced to take it easy, I have a case of vertigo, my mind is a kaleidoscope, it tilts and spins and, I drift about… watching the leaves sway in the summer wind outside the window. I think about my father. How he would sit in silence watching the world around him, I think about the lyrics in Black, Black Wings: “there was just no gettin inside of that, there was just no getting outside of that.”

A line from Helen Macdonald’s book “H is for Hawk” has been resonating over the past few days in this fragmented head of mine, “The unspoken atempt to hold onto something that has already flown away.” Yes. The awareness of the circles of change, going round and round over time, bouncing and crashing into one another, floating away.

I love nostalgia, I so believe the stories keep us engaged and grounded. While enjoying “The Serpent’s Egg,” I read an article by Kate Christensen about the relationship she shared with her mother as a child in the 70s. Her mother, a strong women; divorced, struggling to take care of her children while getting her PH D. Her mother had very little time to spare, although they always got together on Friday nights to relax and watch the Sony & Cher show. They would admire Cher’s style, her strength, her wit, and her ability to rise up from a rough childhood to become a successful and creative woman. Cher’s career and life like many, has gone through volatile ups and downs, but still, she carries on. Kate leaves us with gratitude for Cher’s story. To have the hope and courage to keep on going. A wonderful reminder – Hope and Courage, and Gratitude, for this life, all that it holds. The successes. The failures. The energy of spirit that connects us all, to all. – Carla

Photo of Cher by Bill Clough

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jefferson street parade bandYes, there’s the new music model, streaming music to your phone, which is better than stealing, but, to be honest, I’m still very much stuck on the old music model.

This weekend it went like this: see a band playing live at a street fair, get totally knocked out by their live performance, dip into wallet, pull out some cold hard cash, and buy one of their CDs, and band t-shirts!

There was something viscerally, physically exquisite about the whole transaction. And giving real $ to musicians, and telling them how much their music inspired, and explaining how their energy, enthusiasm and musical talent totally impressed – well it’s just the best overall kind of human interaction you could possibly experience. Really!

And who was the band that did all this impressing? Jefferson Street Parade Band. How would I describe them? A funky, soulful, jazzy, marching band. A rag-tag band of serious musicians, with major jazz chops, and a funky, loose, party, street vibe. They were all dressed in glad-rags – vests and funny hats. Yes, they are a marching band – they look like hip rejects from a more traditional, half-time type band – this version consisted of three drummers with those little cocktail kits that they wear and can walk around with, and a three piece horn section – baritone sax, tenor sax and trumpet, a kickass guitar player and a funky, soulful, stunningly cool bass player.

Their set? Total, maximum, pulse-pounding energy. They played party-time jams, Balkan gypsy stuff, Ghanian soul music, Thelonious Monk jazz, all layered with cross-rhythms and a loose, good-time vibe.

So impressive. And fun. And most excellent. We bought their latest CD “Consultation with Tubby” and the record is well recorded, and does a decent job of catching their unique magic. Still, I highly recommend finding these guys and seeing a live show.

They are from that musical mecca Bloomington, Indiana and are in the midst of a little midwest tour. Worth seeking out. And while you are at it, buy a CD and t-shirt. It will make you feel extremely invested! And your being will be flooded with happiness and good feeling. I promise! – Jammer

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the revelettesOur band hosted an afternoon “variety show” yesterday at the Red Line Tap. It was an odd collection of acts. Poetry, theater, comedy, go-go dancing, and music. It was sort of mini-circus, or a really oddly programmed set. Lots of things, pretty much unalike, presented together.

It was my idea, and I put all those acts on the bill, so of course, I just thought it was brilliant. I really love all those acts, those odd souls. Lots of laughs. Lots of cool sounds and images.

There was stand-up from Elizabeth Gomez, garage rock with a comic twist from The Rut, mad poetry and story-telling from KC Chronis, surreal and hilarious theater from Citizen’s Relief, dazzling exuberant go-go dancing from the Revelettes, and music from the always mind-bending Gunnelpumpers, and our band too.

Talking afterwards I realized that just like me, many of these folks always feel on the “outside looking in.” I realized these were my people, this was my lost tribe. Oddballs, misfits, weirdos. The strange, painted birds. Every one of them has a little bit of an off-kilterness about them. And each of them has something unique to offer.

That’s so inspiring to me. The folks that came out to see the show seemed to really enjoy the variety. So yes, a Sunday afternoon variety show. What a great idea! Long live the odd jobs! – Jammer

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IMG_0051Our favorite DJ in the Known Universe, is Lord Litter, and not only because he seems to enjoy our band’s music, and plays it on his programs, although, that is how we initially discovered him. Lord Litter has a wide-ranging taste in music. He specializes in the unique, the esoteric, the artful and challenging. We have been tuning in religiously, and every show is ear-opening, mind-expanding, and thrilling. Highly recommended for discerning, intelligent, adventurous ears. Think Hesse’s Magic Theater… “not for everyone,” but for those can let it in, well, it is sublime listening.

Lord Litter is now expanding his sound-print. Not only does he have cool shows on Radio Marabu in Europe , and KWTF in CA, USA, he has launched a new show on Radio-On-Berlin.  Lord Litter tells me that this new station is a “real alternative radio station” that allows him to really “go somewhere.” We are strapping in, we want to go somewhere with him! – Jammer

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WWSP Live at 27Live 05.22.15

The dream would be to open for a cool band, maybe like a really, really big band, or how about like the greatest r&r band on the planet? That would most likely be an old band of r&r warriors, like The Rolling Stones. And then in the dream, you’d want to play a new venue you never played before, maybe a big hall, like a really, really, big hall packed with enthusiastic folks who would be open to listening to the opening act. Yeah, and lets just say that sound system would be great, and your band was tight, and the show went off without a hitch, and afterwards everyone was happy and satisfied, and you made a bunch of new friends and made new fans.

So yeah, that would be the dream.

The variation of the dream would be to open for The Rolling Clones, Chicago’s finest Rolling Stones tribute band, and the new venue would be a club, 27Live that’s actually in your home town. And yes, you’d find that the guy doing sound for your show was a guy who has done sound for you at another venue many times, and he knows the band, and our sound and he actually cares, which is just the best thing of all.

And yes, well, we just lived the variation, right?! Our show Friday went off without a hitch, our band was tight, and we did play to an enthusiastic crowd, and we did make new friends and fans. Embrace the dream, baby! Embrace the variation of the dream too. It’s only r&r! – Jammer

photo by Mr. Mo.

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lord_litter_lights_out_coverOur favorite radio DJ in the Universe is Lord Litter, broadcasting out of Berlin, Germany. He has 2 shows, one on Radio Marabu, and one on KWTF in California. His radio show is called Lord Litter’s Magic Music Box.

It is a cool, unique show. You will hear music you don’t hear anywhere else. Including whitewolfsonicprincess! Yes, Lord Litter has been playing songs from our album 10+1 for the last few months.

It is so gratifying to find a renegade sonic pioneer like Lord Litter. His shows always feature unique, challenging, out of the box music. So happy to be included in that club! Check it out! Our song “Sad-Eyed Prophet Reprise” is featured smack dab in the middle of the show.

Don’t know German, but love how Lord Litter pronounces our band name! – Jammer

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henry rollins

Henry Rollins, when he was singing with the Rollins Group, had a song, don’t remember the title, but the chorus or main verse was something like: “Sometimes things don’t work out… sometimes happens all the time.”

It became one of our inside jokes around here. Funny, but oh so true. Conversely, sometimes things do work out. Much better than you could imagine. Such was the case yesterday.

whitewolfsonicprincess hosted a Sunday afternoon “variety show,” at the Red Line Tap. It was all my own idea, and I guess the big question was, “Will folks come out on a Sunday afternoon to hear and see music, standup comedy and go-go dancers?”

The answer was/is a resounding “Yes!” We ended up with a great little crowd. It was all so cool, and chill and fun. Surprising. Unexpected. Almost feels totally satisfying. Sometimes things do work out! – Jammer

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wwsp @ underground wonder bar 03.04.15What’s that famous line from Woody Allen’s “Annie Hall?” – “A relationship is like a shark, you know, it has to constantly move forward or it dies…”  The same could be said about a band. It’s got to continue to move forward, to grow, evolve, morph.

We debuted a pretty unique lineup last night at the Underground Wonder Bar. It’s a big, powerful sound. For the first time we had Chuck Wasserburg on resonator and baritone guitar, Doug Johnson on a 6-string fretless bass, Steve Rutstein on drums and Randy Farr on percussion.  A beast of a band!

Carla was in full Snow Bunny mode.  We ran through 14 songs, about 90 mins of music. We finished the set with our cover of The Doors “Soul Kitchen.” When two young women got in front of the stage and started dancing to the groove, well, it was the sweetest, coolest way bring the set to a close! – Jammer

photo by Matt Dinerstein

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In case you missed it, herelord litter is Lord Litter’s Magic Music Box International radio show that features a whitewolfsonicprincess song. I have listened to a couple of shows, and Lord Litter really loves to find unique, off the beaten track music. Love his show! So happy to be included in the club! It’s a club made up of those who aren’t trying to be in any one else’s club! You get the unique perspective of a very adventurous, and intelligent musical sensibility. Lord Litter plays what he wants, when he wants. That’s a rare good thing.

Lord Litter’s Magic Music Box International radio show #9

And what does Lord Litter say about us? Lord Litter: “Quite a unique sound, pretty difficult to put somewhere… so let’s just call it whitewolfsonicprincess!” -Jammer

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Screen Shot 2015-02-22 at 7.45.34 AMYou’ve got to love the r&r renegades. Those who are on the lookout for the unique, the unexpected, those working on the harrowing margins. Lord Litter is a musician and DJ based in Berlin, Germany. He has been exploring independent, home-made music for years. Somehow he came across our CD, 10+1 and he really seemed to connect with our sound. Lord Litter hosts a couple of radio shows. He will be featuring our song “Black Black Wings,” on Lord Litter’s Magic Music Box International on  KWTF broadcasting from Bodega Bay, California, USA at 88.1 FM and streaming on the Internet at KWTF.net. Listen for us on Feb. 27 starting at 6:00 p.m. So happy to “make the playlist!” It’s gratifying to find sympathetic, renegade ears! – Jammer